《Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle》


 CH 1

    1 ¨C I Was in a Hero¡¯s Party Until That Point


    On that day, I became unemployed. You could say I was fired, pushed to retire, chased out, exiled, dismissed, or whatever, any of those expressions could fit the mark. However, I want to say that I voluntarily retired, for the sake of my own pride at least.


    Now then, how about I tell you exactly what led me to leave the party?


    Let¡¯s turn back time by a few hours.


    I¡¯m not sure if I should be proud of this at this point, but the hero¡¯s party I belonged to was among the top 5 strongest in the world.


    To be more specific, we were ranked 4th strongest.


    Parties are limited to 5 members as of currently.


    My party consisted of¡­


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get ahead of yourselves¡­!¡¹


    Let¡¯s start off with the Warrior Alba. He had ruffled hair and a sharp look in his eyes. He was also quite skilled in manipulating his body.


    Alba¡¯s main weapon of choice was a special magic sword with a bellows-type blade. It was able to stretch and shrink into whatever length the user wished. Such a trait meant that it put the ability of the user into question.


    Alba defeated the herd of werewolves that was approaching us with a single swipe. The magic sword cut the werewolves to pieces as if an enormous wave swallowed them.


    ¡¸Whoa! There it is! Look at the strength of Alba¡¯s magic sword! 1, 2, 3¡­ no, all 10 of the werewolves were taken out by that attack! That sword¡¯s power is as incredible as always! But preparing that attack causes the user to be vulnerable for a few moments, so it can be difficult to utilize. They need the cover of their comrades, essentially. And this party is well aware of that!¡¹


    The people in the dungeon wouldn¡¯t be able to hear any commentary, but there was no doubt that something like that was being said right then.


    The next member to be praised is the Paladin Lark. He had a tall and well-trained body. In stark contrast to Alba, his hair was neatly combed and covering his eyes. He didn¡¯t talk much, but he was a reliable tank that always got the job done when it came to it. Whenever he had the chance, he¡¯d crush the enemy with a single swing of his greatsword that fully utilized the strength of his build.


    While Alba was charging his attack earlier, Lark was repelling the oncoming werewolves with his Shield Bash.


    ¡¸They¡¯re all incredibly strong in their own right, but when it comes to maximizing one¡¯s abilities, teamwork is an absolute must! Lark has attack power on the same level of a Warrior¡¯s, but he¡¯s always looking out to cover his teammates whenever necessary! And the reason why Lark is able to concentrate on his role as tank is none other than¡­¡¹


    Among the dungeons spread all across the world, there remains a single one where no party has ever managed to reach the final area, the legendary Demon King Castle.


    Thanks to the Recording Stone, all challengers are able to resume their progress from wherever they previously left off from.


    Even so, there has been no party that has managed to defeat the Demon King in the final area.


    But he had the potential to end that legend.


    The Flame Hero Fenix.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take him down, think you can clear the way for me?¡¹


    Alba shouted out ¡¸I guess we got no choice!¡¹ Even if the rest of us didn¡¯t say anything, we were thinking the exact same thing.


    We were in a place that resembled a dance hall. The enemies with serious injuries were already retreating from the area.


    But there were still werewolves crawling about, along with a giant creature that was by no doubt their leader.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll make sure you take the shortest route there.¡¹


    The Hunter Lily was a markswoman elf with blonde hair and blue eyes.


    No one has ever seen her actually shoot an arrow. By the time you see her readying an arrow, it¡¯s already flown into the enemy. Multiple arrows at that, oftentimes.


    ¡¸T-There it is!!! Her Godspeed technique! She¡¯s once again displayed the legendary ability that only 3 people in the world have been recognized to be capable of! Not that we were actually able to see it, though! But the power of her arrows is clear just by looking at the enemies who¡¯ve been taken down! 8 of them were defeated in but an instance!¡¹


    The Flame Hero Fenix wielded a holy sword that contained a spirit of fire within it.


    He then simply headed straight towards the Floor Boss that was defending the door to the next level with an air of complete composure.


    Not a single werewolf among the dozens of them were able to approach him.


    Alba, Lark, and Lily were defeating any enemy that headed his way.


    With that being said, I was in a situation where I had no idea what to do.


    Abilities that involve buffing others are called White Magic. Healing, enhancement, cleansing, and so on.


    On the other hand, debuffing abilities are called Black Magic. Lowering attack, lowering defense, lowering speed, poison-type effects that deal damage over a set period of time, confusion status effects that disrupt the ability to think properly, blinding status effects that diminish vision capability, and so on.


    Along with Attack Magic and Defense Magic, these fields make up the Great Four Magics.


    However these days they¡¯re often referred to as the Great Three Magics, or even the Great Two Magics.


    The field that¡¯s dropped when being referred to as the Great Three Magics is Black Magic, with White Magic being dropped as well when referred to as the Great Two Magics.


    Putting aside the reason why White Magic gets dropped, the reason why Black Magic gets ignored might be quite obvious.


    It¡¯s because it¡¯s hard to actually see their effects.


    Even to one¡¯s comrades it can be hard to really tell if they¡¯re receiving any benefit from it.


    Even right at that moment I was lowering the magic/physical attack power, speed, and thinking ability of all the enemies in the area, as well as limiting their vision, but it¡¯s likely that not a single person was noticing those effects.


    It¡¯s quite possible that something like this was being said right about now.


    ¡¸Hmm, this really brings into question what the Black Sorcerer Lem is doing right now, though. While he does belong to a support job, it¡¯s hard to say whether such an individual would actually contribute to the party in the current system. I doubt anything would actually change even if he were to be taken out. If anything, replacing him with a White Sorcerer would likely be more beneficial, since they¡¯d be able to further increase their party¡¯s already destructive power.¡¹


    That¡¯d sound about right. This isn¡¯t just some kind of delusion I made up out of paranoia, I¡¯ve legitimately heard similar things said when watching recordings of past recordings of clears I¡¯ve participated in.


    Black Magic is just plain. There¡¯s nothing flashy about it. To an observer, it¡¯d be as if the user didn¡¯t do anything at all. They might tell their comrades what magic they just cast, but the viewers get no entertainment out of it. Since there¡¯s no visual effect, it just turns out to be boring.


    They don¡¯t fight. In other words, they have no punch.


    That¡¯s why Black Magic isn¡¯t popular.


    When making a party, a member that has the aptitude of a Hero is necessary. Absolutely necessary.


    And the maximum limit for a party is 5 members.


    Nearly every party out there changes their roster numerous times in order to find the best combination.


    Out of the several thousand official parties out there, we were ranked #4. This rating is updated once per year by the Adventurer Union in accordance with factors such as achievements and popularity.


    ¡¸Sorry big guy, but we¡¯re going to need you to let us through.¡¹


    In the end, Fenix wasn¡¯t attacked by a single werewolf when he arrived in front of the Floor Boss.


    The Floor Boss was about half the size of a giant. Being about 3 times as large as a normal person, his appearance almost felt like an optical illusion.


    Fenix readied his sword with no signs of fear.


    The Floor Boss let out a roar and swung his sharp claws at the Hero.


    However, they were stopped by Fenix¡¯s sword.


    A high-pitched clang rang out along with sparks.


    The very next moment, the Floor Boss¡¯s body burst into flames. It looked as if a building or tree had caught on fire. As the Floor Boss writhed in pain, its HP dropped in no time, leading its body to vanish.


    It was time to leave.


    ¡¸Our battles only know victory.¡¹


    ¡¸He nailed it! The power of a holy sword changes depending on the spirit that resides within it, but it¡¯s said that the spirit he commands is the Fire Spirit that serves as the source of all heat in the entire world! It¡¯s no doubt a spirit of the highest rank! Of course, that means it¡¯s all the harder to be chosen by it, but he¡¯s truly shown that he¡¯s worthy of being the first person to enter a contract with it within the past 130 years! He defeated that Floor Boss with but just one attack!¡¹


    The people watching the television were probably roaring it up.


    This was kind of like our style. At first we did it so we could leave at least some kind of impression on the viewers.


    The Floor Boss had to be defeated in one hit by the Hero.


    Fenix was easy on the eyes, and his flame-aspected holy sword was extremely flashy. His comrades were to clear open the path, allowing him to take down the Boss in one blow.


    Since this style became a big hit, our renown shot up through the roof.


    ¡¸They¡¯ve brilliantly cleared the 4th stratum! They truly aren¡¯t the Flame Hero Fenix¡¯s party for nothing! It looks like they¡¯re entering the Safe Room now¡­ They¡¯re registering their progress with the Recording Stone¡­ and it looks like they¡¯re done for now! It¡¯s going to be unbearable to wait to see their clear of the 5th stratum, wouldn¡¯t you say?!¡¹


    ¡¸All right, let¡¯s head back.¡¹


    Along with Fenix¡¯s voice, the small thumb-sized tags we held out shone with a faint gold light. They were our registration cards. They displayed information such as our names, gender, position, and identification number. By touching a Recording Stone with it, you could either save your progress or teleport to the location of another Recording Stone.


    In a blink of an eye, we had returned to the entrance of the dungeon.


    It was what happened after this course of events that led me to leave the party.

 CH 2

    2 ¨C The Black Sorcerer That Became Unemployed That Day


    It somehow became customary for us to go to a specific place after work somewhere along the line.


    It was a place that only accepted customers who were affiliated with the Adventurer Union, also known as the Adventurer Cafeteria


    We sat around the round table.


    After toasting to all of us, the Warrior Alba gulped down his wooden mug filled to the brim with alcohol in a single chug.


    Letting out a satisfied ¡¸pwah,¡¹ he slammed his mug onto the table.


    After asking a nearby waiter to get him a refill, his already-red face turned to me with a glare. His ferocity was about halfway diminished thanks to the froth around his mouth.


    ¡¸Y¡¯know, you really have just been holding us back, huh?¡¹


    I internally sighed.


    This has also become somewhat customary as of late, a topic he had to bring up whenever he had the chance.


    ¡¸Alba¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t defend him, Fenix!¡¹


    Just to make this clear, the only one to ever definitely defend me when this topic came up was the Hero Fenix.


    And it was always Alba who found fault in him for doing so as well.


    He had hair with the red of raging flames and a gentle smile that fit his well-featured face. His height might make him look scrawny at first, but his body was actually indeed well trained. Amongst the rest of the dungeon-clearing-crazed hardcore maniacs that often appeared in the field of adventurers, he stood out for having a pretty face that brought to mind sagacity.


    He was also a childhood friend of mine that grew up in the same village as me.


    We promised each other we¡¯d work together as adventurers as kids, and that still held true to this day.


    But it seemed that it wouldn¡¯t last for much longer.


    The reason of course being myself.


    The Paladin Lark was munching on his bean snack dish, seemingly uncaring of the current conversation.


    The Hunter Lily appeared to be listening in as she elegantly sipped on her wine.


    As for me, all I could do was make an awkward forced smile with my hands around my mug.


    Apparently that pissed off Alba even more.


    ¡¸To be honest, you¡¯re only in this party because you¡¯re Fenix¡¯s damn childhood friend. Me, Lark, and Lily all got in ¡®cause of our skills. We prove our ability every single time. But what about you? I can¡¯t ever tell if your dumb Black Magic even does anything. Do you really think you¡¯re being of any help like that? Huh?¡¹


    In our country, our Job is revealed by the temple when we become 10.


    To put it simply, God tells us what occupation we¡¯re fit for.


    It wouldn¡¯t have to be adventurer-related, you could become a Chef, a Merchant, a Blacksmith, a Goldsmith, and so on.


    While that doesn¡¯t mean we have to choose that occupation, for example if a Blacksmith decides to become a chef, hardly anyone would take them on as an apprentice, and even if they opened a restaurant all of a sudden, it wouldn¡¯t prosper. Even I¡¯d only want to eat food that¡¯s good, so I¡¯d go to a restaurant that has a legitimate Chef.


    Attempting to live a life that goes against your Job means travelling down a path of hardship.


    It becomes even harder if becoming an adventurer.


    You¡¯re only allowed to register as an adventurer with your applicable Job.


    This means that upon becoming an adventurer, I¡¯d have to be a Black Sorcerer.


    But it¡¯s extremely hard to make out the effects of Black Magic. Of course, I know exactly what my Black Magic¡¯s doing, but my comrades and viewers can¡¯t tell at all.


    And if I attempt to stand up for myself, they hear nothing but excuses.


    ¡¸Well¡­ Ahaha.¡¹


    ¡¸This ain¡¯t funny!¡¹


    His drunken breath accompanied his angry roar.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you know that a party can only have up to 5 members. If we keep having a useless piece of shit take up a slot in our already limited roster, we ain¡¯t ever gonna rise any higher. We¡¯re not a party that¡¯s gonna stop at the #4 spot. If we¡¯re gonna rise higher, we need all 5 members to be the cream of the crop!¡¹


    Alba was in the right.


    Even I knew that. I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me that I was just a second-rate adventurer next to Fenix.


    But even if it¡¯s true that Black Sorcerers aren¡¯t popular, I don¡¯t think that I was holding back my comrades.


    But I doubt I could¡¯ve convinced Alba anyway.


    Though, nothing would change even if I were to get him to recognize my abilities. After all, his reason for wanting me out had nothing to do with that.


    Whether I was capable or not, he just didn¡¯t want a Black Sorcerer in the party.


    While being an adventurer definitely did involve having the strong stand at the top, it was also a trade that depended on popularity.


    You can¡¯t beat a dungeon if you aren¡¯t strong enough, but you won¡¯t garner any attention if you don¡¯t clear it in a flashy way either.


    It¡¯s the same thing as how even though what¡¯s inside matters most, it¡¯s easier to get popular if you have good looks. It¡¯s sad, but that¡¯s how the world works.


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you, stop leeching off of Fenix already!¡¹


    People entering dungeons and defeating monsters that are a threat to humanity and collecting treasure all with putting their life on the line has become a thing of the past.


    These days, dungeon clearing has become entirely commercialized, with adventurers and monsters being mere occupations.


    Of course, they¡¯re still true and honest battles that don¡¯t involve staging, but the dungeon clears are broadcast and viewed all across the world.


    The clears that get the most views are the ones with flashy battles and adventurers that catch the eye.


    Black Sorcerers are a Job recognized to not even deserve a slot in a party. It¡¯s so unpopular that getting told your occupation is Black Sorcerer is almost equivalent to your life instantly getting checkmated.


    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for monsters to be Black Sorcerers, but since a talented adventurer can just brute force through even if they got a typical Black Magic cast on them, there are hardly anyone that wants one on their team.


    ¡¸Alba, that was an extremely rude way to say that. Apologize to Lem.¡¹


    Fenix spoke without hiding his anger, but his feelings were likely only because of our friendship.


    ¡¸Fine, I¡¯m sorry. I could¡¯ve said it in a better way. My bad. But still, I don¡¯t think what I said was wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it was wrong. Lem is-¡¹


    ¡¸Stop protecting him already, god damn. I joined this party because I thought I¡¯d be able to reach the top with you, not so I could share my rewards with a good-for-nothing. I¡¯m trying to say that even if he might be your friend, the rest of us ain¡¯t got no obligation to keep supporting him like this.¡¹


    Fenix ground his teeth.


    ¡¸Why can¡¯t you understand? Lem is not useless. He¡¯s essential to this party.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think so. Hey, what about you guys?¡¹


    Alba sought out the opinions of the ones who had been quiet this whole time.


    ¡¸Well¡­ I guess I don¡¯t really care if he¡¯s here or not.¡¹


    The Paladin Lark muttered.


    ¡¸Hah, that means it¡¯d be better if he wasn¡¯t here, right? Then we could replace him with someone that¡¯s at least worth something.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, well, if we had someone that could move around, it definitely would make things easier¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Right?! Even a White Sorcerer that just looks pretty would be better than Lem. Hey, Lily, what about you?¡¹


    The beautiful elf Hunter Lily turned a scornful gaze towards Alba.


    ¡¸Those vulgar words coming out of your mouth are extremely unpleasant to my ears.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah, whatever. Sorry I didn¡¯t have a great upbringing. What I¡¯m asking, though, is your opinion, Miss Lily.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I doubt Fenix would keep a powerless member in our party purely out of personal reasons. But it¡¯s true that it¡¯s hard to make out the effects of Black Magic. Also, our party is the type to quickly clear dungeons with overwhelming power, so I do believe that a pure damage dealing role would help us out more than a support one.¡¹


    Their opinions all reflected their personalities, but they all came to the same conclusion for the most part.


    The three of them all felt that almost anyone could be a better fit for the party than me.


    Ever since Alba joined the party he hated me and always took the chance to attempt to chase me out.


    This conversation hasn¡¯t come up just once, or even twice.


    ¡¸Say something, Lem. I¡¯m not saying this out of hate towards you, y¡¯know? If your Black Magic honestly does help out our dungeon clearing, then I apologize. Oh, I know, how about you try casting it on me. That way I can see exactly what it does for myself.¡¹


    He¡¯s mocked me like that numerous times already.


    Even when I decide to actually take on his challenge for a moment, I always end up backing down.


    My master had forbidden me from doing anything like that, and I wasn¡¯t about to disobey his teachings for my own personal sake.


    And if I were to explain that, I¡¯d only get ridiculed for it. If I¡¯m gonna get laughed at, I might as well just stay silent.


    It¡¯d be better for only me to get ridiculed rather than having my master get ridiculed at, too.


    ¡¸See, you can¡¯t do it, right? You don¡¯t got the confidence. Can¡¯t you tell that someone like you won¡¯t serve to do anything good for the party?¡¹


    He slapped my shoulder.


    Alba then got up and raised his voice to everyone in the room.


    ¡¸Hey, what do you guys think we should replace this Black Sorcerer with? He¡¯s probably gonna be leaving our party soon!¡¹


    Alba¡¯s voice attracted attention towards our table.


    After a few moments, the drunks in the area understood the situation and started shouting out various combat-type Jobs while ridiculing the idea of having a Black Sorcerer.


    ¡¸This guy¡¯s about to become unemployed, so is there anyone that wants to pick him up? It¡¯ll be up to you guys on how you want to split the rewards, though.¡¹


    Rather than no one showing interest, everyone started bursting out into laughter.


    Alba¡¯s smile grew wider upon hearing that.


    ¡¸Get it now, Lem? We¡¯re #4 in the world. It¡¯s only natural that we¡¯d get attention. All those guys have probably checked out our videos, and yet they¡¯re still reacting like this. We don¡¯t need you, we don¡¯t want you. I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t hold back the four of us just for your own sake.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Alba, that¡¯s enough. Any more and I¡¯ll-¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, Fenix.¡¹


    I stopped Fenix. I appreciated his feelings, but the other three wouldn¡¯t have agreed with him no matter what he said.


    And the fact was that Fenix was losing trust in me.


    He was starting to think he was only covering for a smallfry like me out of just friendship.


    He¡¯s tried to prove everyone wrong, but it was no use.


    And it was all because I was a Black Sorcerer.


    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t need me, but rather they didn¡¯t need a Black Sorcerer.


    ¡¸I got it¡­ I¡¯ll leave.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-?!¡¹


    ¡¸Hah! So you finally accepted it, Lem!¡¹


    I shook off the arm Alba was wrapping around my shoulder.


    It was true that there was no point in me remaining in this party.


    This constantly humiliating experience wasn¡¯t the adventurer life I sought after.


    ¡¸Fenix. I¡¯ll look for a different party, and I¡¯ll rise higher than you guys.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡­¡¹


    Alba decided to butt in on even my farewell to my best friend.


    ¡¸There¡¯s not a single party out there that¡¯s gonna want you. You don¡¯t got a single thing going for you. Also, you¡¯re not one of us anymore, so get outta here already.¡¹


    I stood up from my seat as he ridiculed me.


    Fenix looked like he was going to blow up from Alba¡¯s attitude, but he refrained from saying anything to him. Because he knew that I wouldn¡¯t want that.


    ¡¸¡­Lem. Wait-¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, Fenix. Really.¡¹


    We were friends, but now we were going to be rivals.


    The rest of my former comrades didn¡¯t say a word.


    Lark wasn¡¯t laughing but he wasn¡¯t making any other reaction either. Lily was showing disgust towards Alba¡¯s rough behavior, but didn¡¯t show any particular objection towards me leaving.


    I left the restaurant without looking back even once.


    On that day, I became unemployed.

 CH 3

    3 ¨C Today Begins the Job Searching of the Unemployed


    Now then, several weeks have passed since then.


    As for me, I was in the middle of the ever-so wonderful process known as job hunting.


    After making a big show of leaving the #4 ranked party in the entire world, I was now having trouble finding a new one.


    Even if I found one, they wouldn¡¯t let me in.


    There are multiple ways to find a party.


    One way is to take advantage of one¡¯s personal connections.


    Unfortunately that method wasn¡¯t available to me. I had many acquaintances, but their evaluation of me didn¡¯t amount much further than ¡¸the Black Sorcerer that was in Fenix¡¯s party for some reason.¡¹


    And now considering that I had left that very Fenix¡¯s party, it would prove difficult to find anyone that would lend me their strength.


    Another way is to find a party that¡¯s looking for members.


    This might appear to be a more effective method at first, but parties looking for members typically have a specific Job that they want.


    It¡¯d be something like ¡¸Needed ASAP ¨C Frontline Job!¡¹ They wouldn¡¯t ever be looking for a Black Sorcerer even by accident.


    Another way is to use the Matching Service provided by the Adventurer Guild. It costs money and it doesn¡¯t guarantee finding a party, but it¡¯s an attractive option due to it being much faster than just asking people one by one.


    I actually came to the guild to try it out today.


    The results were miserable.


    Why did the Job of Black Sorcerer even exist? It¡¯s like it was God¡¯s way of bullying, enough to make me cry over how much no one wanted one.


    I found several groups purely composed of Black Sorcerers that were searching for Black Sorcerers for the sake of Black Sorcerers, but I wasn¡¯t desperate enough to join something like that.


    Having 4 out of 5 members in a party be Black Sorcerers would just be too horribly balanced.


    Maybe they thought they¡¯d be able to debuff the enemies so badly that they¡¯d be able to take them down just by whacking them.


    It might entirely be possible, but I doubt it¡¯d be popular.


    But there was a more realistic problem to it.


    Due to regulations, a party has to have a Hero.


    The number of adventurers as of late has been rising rapidly.


    It was to the point where many children dreamed of fighting for the top ranking as their aspired job.


    Kids who became Heroes almost always became adventurers. Since parties require Heroes, party applications pretty much revolve around them.


    The world is filled with unpopular Jobs, so much that many people drop out of the industry due to no one ever recruiting them.


    That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer. It was impossible for me to establish a party on my own.


    ¡¸This is bad¡­¡¹


    I can¡¯t return back to my home.


    The moment it was revealed I was a Black Sorcerer, my parents were devastated. Well, I can¡¯t blame them. There¡¯s no proper job that a Black Sorcerer would be applicable to. They have no choice to become a Black Sorcerer.


    In the end my parents actually did find a job for me, but I rejected it and decided to become an adventurer instead.


    Because of that, it was hard for me to look them in the face now.


    But even so, I had no intention of giving up.


    ¡¸All right!¡¹


    I slapped my hands against my cheeks to chase out the dark thoughts in my head.


    I stepped out of the Adventurer Guild building. It was still bright out since it was the afternoon, and the town was filled with activity.


    For the time being¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll find something to eat.


    My stomach was empty.


    I made my way to the marketplace to get some skewers and I happened to meet eyes with a young girl.


    She soon recognized who I was, as her dog-like ears and tail started wagging.


    She looked like she was about to rush towards me, but she restrained herself and instead waved her hand towards me.


    I immediately changed my direction and flashed a smile back at her.


    She was at a fruit store run by a good-hearted middle-aged giant of a man.


    ¡¸Hey, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Good afternoon. And good afternoon to you too, Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, good afternoon, Lem!¡¹


    Demi-Humans. A general term used to refer to creatures like goblins or orcs that closely resembled humans.


    Even though they were referred to as Demi-Humans, they were almost exactly the same as them, often only having a few traits that separated themselves from humans.


    Cashew was a dog Demi-Human. She had fluffy light brown hair and ears that popped up at a higher position on her head.


    I gave a hug to this girl who stood out with her large eyes and characteristically vibrant facial expressions.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe you were able to snag such a profitable regular, it makes me wonder if it¡¯d be better if you ran the shop instead of me, kid.¡¹


    I made a wry smile to the shopkeeper¡¯s quip.


    Cashew didn¡¯t exactly help out with the shopkeeper¡¯s tasks.


    Piled on some cloth between his carts were a bunch of unshapely fruit.


    The shopkeeper had Cashew sell any fruit he deemed not worthy to be his products at a reduced price.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he forced her too, though. Cashew was insistent on helping her family out in some way, so a friend of her mother¡¯s, in other words the shopkeeper, had offered her current task as a suggestion.


    The day after I left the party, I was incredibly depressed. When I happened to see the sight of Cashew working, it helped cheer me up. It was like she encouraged me.


    Cashew is only 8 years old. Such a young girl was working as hard as she could.


    Just because I was chased out of the party didn¡¯t mean I had the time to act all depressed.


    Seeing as how she helped me out, as unintentional it might have been, I decided to pay her back by buying her fruit.


    Apparently I was her first customer, so she was extremely pleased.


    I was very familiar with the happiness of receiving compensation for one¡¯s labor.


    Her smile shone so brightly that it made me naturally come back here whenever I was feeling a little down.


    I felt like her pure smile brought a little moisture back to my dried up heart.


    ¡¸What would you like today?¡¹


    Cashew began her reception with excitement.


    After receiving a few suggestions, I took a bite in one of them and gave another to Cashew.


    Cashew showed some reserve at first, but seeing that I wasn¡¯t going to draw my arm back, she took it with a smile.


    The red fruit was known for its characteristically slightly sour and refreshing sweet yellow insides.


    It¡¯s usual spherical shape was a bit twisted, but the flavor was still all the same.


    ¡¸Yep, it¡¯s good.¡¹


    After nodding, Cashew made an extremely pleased face.


    She took her own fruit in both hands and put it to her mouth. A crunch was heard.


    ¡¸So how¡¯s it been, Lem? Close to finding a job yet?¡¹


    ¡¸Not yet, unfortunately¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, you are a Black Sorcerer, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Yep.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I think Black Sorcerers are really cool!¡¹


    Possibly thinking that the shopkeeper was making fun of me, Cashew immediately retorted with an agitated tone.


    Her kindness melted my heart.


    ¡¸Thanks.¡¹


    As I pat her head from how happy I felt from that, her eyes narrowed in pleasure.


    ¡¸Do you ever use anything other than Black Magic?¡¹


    The shopkeeper was worried about me ever since he saw how down I was on the day I met him.


    Right, it¡¯s not as if the entire world was cold towards me.


    It was only the adventurers who deemed Black Sorcerers to be unnecessary.


    ¡¸it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t use anything else, but whenever I try doing something outside of my Job, I usually don¡¯t get very good results.¡¹


    Jobs referred to one¡¯s most suitable occupation, but that¡¯s all it really was.


    Even if you showed interest in another occupation, you wouldn¡¯t get any help.


    ¡¸I get you, I get you. I¡¯ve always wanted to be a tailor, but no matter how much I practiced, I couldn¡¯t reach the level of actually having that Job.¡¹


    ¡¸If that kind of effort really rewarded people in this world, I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve gotten that Job.¡¹


    ¡¸Things don¡¯t always work out the way you want.¡¹


    ¡¸In the end, you just have to do what you can.¡¹


    ¡¸Right. Well, if things just don¡¯t work out, you can always lay out a cloth next to Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ Thanks.¡¹


    The both of them were truly kind people.


    ¡¸Kyah!¡¹


    I heard a scream coming from not too far away.


    My eyes immediately turned towards its direction. I found a lady who had fallen over.


    I then saw a suspicious-looking man running towards our direction with a bag in his hands.


    Judging from the lady¡¯s voice, he was 100% a purse-snatcher.


    After thinking for a bit, I shouted towards the shopkeeper.


    ¡¸Do you think you could stand in that man¡¯s way? It¡¯ll be fine, you won¡¯t get hurt.¡¹


    The shopkeeper got out into the road before I could finish talking.


    He was someone with a strong sense of justice.


    ¡¸What the heck, Lem, are you not gonna do something about this?!¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­ Black Magic is for support roles, after all.¡¹


    The man drew closer.


    I then cast a spell on him.

 CH 4

    4 ¨C The Unemployed One and the Shopkeeper Take Down the Purse Snatcher


    A Hero¡¯s party is one subject to much admiration.


    There are parties full of handsome men that are heavily popular with the women, and there are also parties composed of solely breathtaking girls that the men support as well. There are all kinds of parties that satisfy different niches, but when aiming for the top ranking in the entire world, visuals are more important than anything else.


    Children love nothing more than parties that are strong and cool, after all.


    Fenix and I looked up to those parties as well.


    Fenix became a particularly special Hero.


    While I became a Black Sorcerer.


    I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t disappointed. I was 10 years old at the time. Of course I was frustrated to no end.


    Up until that point, I was convinced that I¡¯d become a Hero.


    But I soon got over it. I wasn¡¯t about to give up on my dream from something like that. Well, I guess it wasn¡¯t ¡¸soon,¡¹ perse. I was back into action after a few days¡­ or a few weeks¡­ about a month or so.


    My young self was determined to at least become the greatest Black Sorcerer out there.


    And after about 10 years had passed, I had just been kicked out of the #4 party that I worked so hard to rise up to.


    But I don¡¯t think my Job is inferior to others.


    And I continue to do my hardest to tell myself that.


    I train my magical energy in a way where other people won¡¯t notice.


    Since magic is something that can hurt others, there exist laws to crack down on that issue.


    Using just enough magic to get you through your daily life wouldn¡¯t be enough to get you arrested, but using it right out in the open too much is a bad idea. That¡¯s why I had the shopkeeper take the lead role.


    The purse snatcher swung his knife as he pushed through the passer-bys. He didn¡¯t care that he had knocked some of them down in the process.


    ¡­Capture complete.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    The purse snatcher¡¯s face formed a grimace.


    His running speed became slower than even walking, and his head started shaking around with his hands on his throat.


    ¡¸What the?! I feel so heavy! Why is it getting dark all of a sudden?! Urgh, it hurts¡­!¡¹


    The effects of an average Black Magic spell are honestly difficult to make out by anyone other than the caster.


    Attribute-lowering spells only lower them by a few percent, fixed damage spells do nothing but slightly lower the target¡¯s physical shape, and recognition-inhibiting spells have a low success rate and are difficult to maintain uptime.


    Here¡¯s an example.


    The enemy Black Sorcerer inflicts as many debuffs as it can on the Hero Fenix.


    Attack is lowered by 3%, defense is lowered by 3%, speed is somewhat lowered, a haze is cast over his consciousness for an instant, a poison that does a few dozen points of damage against his total tens of thousands HP that only lasts for a few minutes at most, blinding magic that obstructs vision to the point of feeling like a bead of sweat fell in your eyes, and confusion magic has no effect.


    That¡¯s usually how it goes.


    And that¡¯s not to mention that the average Black Sorcerer can¡¯t cast multiple spells at the same time, and even if they did, it¡¯d only be two or three.


    On the monsters¡¯ side, where there is no limitation to how many members there are, having a Black Sorcerer wouldn¡¯t exactly hurt anything, but it¡¯s just hard to see enough value in one to fit one in a party with only 5 slots.


    You might say, ¡¸Oh, then Black Sorcerers should just join the monsters, then!¡¹ But it¡¯s not that simple.


    Monsters used to be a race known as Demons.


    To fit the role of the enemy, you need to have a terrifying aura about you, so it¡¯d be hard for a Black Sorcerer to fit in . Since Monsters already have a lot of Black Sorcerers, they wouldn¡¯t exactly go out of their way to recruit a human one.


    Well, it¡¯s not completely impossible, but¡­ the whole point I¡¯m going through all this is so I can be an adventurer.


    As I thought about all of that, the fruit shopkeeper threw out his kicks towards the purse snatcher.


    ¡¸Hi-yah! Ha-yah! Doryah!¡¹


    As he screamed out those mysterious noises, he first chopped at his neck to make him drop his knife, then threw his log of an arm into his stomach, and finally finished things off with an uppercut into his face while his body was bent over.


    You might think it all happened pretty fast, but it actually played out horribly slow. It couldn¡¯t be helped though, considering he didn¡¯t have a combat-type Job. He did have a large frame and muscular build though, so it at least did some decent damage.


    ¡¸And that¡¯s that!¡¹


    The shopkeeper put his hand to his face and made a smirk.


    As I thought about how he always gets like that when he gets excited, I clapped my hands.


    ¡¸Amazing! He took care of that knife-wielding man so quickly!¡¹


    The shopkeeper was showered with praise as he was surrounded by people.


    This was to avoid any attention towards the abnormality that occurred the moment before the shopkeeper striked.


    The plan had succeeded.


    The crowd roared even more when the owner of the bag came by to say her thanks.


    ¡¸Hahaha! It was nothing, I only did what anybody would think was the right thing to do!¡¹


    In actuality, it was not a very easy thing to do. He ran out to confront him before I even said I¡¯d support him, and he relied on the magic of a Black Sorcerer that had just gotten kicked out of his party.


    He was a good-natured man straight down to his core.


    I approached Cashew and whispered in her ear. Her body shook with a ¡¸Kyau!¡¹ but she soon nodded her head in understanding.


    ¡¸Y-You were so cool, Shopkeeper!¡¹


    Attention gathered towards the little girl¡¯s words. Of course, I put some distance between us before that happened.


    The crowd noticed Cashew and then responded to the shopkeeper¡¯s words.


    Next to Cashew was a fruit cart.


    The shop of the hero that had taken down an armed man and recovered a lady¡¯s belongings was right in front of them.


    The crowd, including the lady, flooded to the shop and began buying fruit one after the other.


    It was similar to how a street performer would get coins tossed into their hat.


    They wanted to return something for having experienced such an amazing sight.


    I wanted to see it as thanks towards my magic making the defeat of the criminal possible.


    I looked at the shopkeeper and our eyes met.


    He made a wide toothed smile and gave me a thumbs-up.


    After returning a smile to the shopkeeper and seeing that a guard had arrested the purse snatcher, I left the scene.


    I am nothing more than a Black Sorcerer.


    Even 10 years after I received my Job, I still follow the training my master taught me.


    Just like with physical strength and battle techniques, magic is something that grows stronger the more you train it.


    Because of my somewhat unique training, my magic is on a different level from what was typical.


    Using what I mentioned earlier, on top of lowering attack and defense, I¡¯m able to lower speed up to a max of 50%, trigger intermittent blasts of white in the target¡¯s consciousness, inflict poison that scales depending on the target¡¯s total HP and last for long periods of time, and completely blind vision using blinding magic. I could even make enemies attack each other with confusion.


    However, with Fenix, not only would most of those spells bounce right off him, he would continue to fight unperturbed.


    Why don¡¯t I tell my comrades that I¡¯m not a normal Black Sorcerer? Well, I made a promise to my master, but there¡¯s another reason for that as well.


    I¡¯m just too different from the norm.


    The reason why Black Sorcerers are considered a joke Job is because the aforementioned effects are hard to make out.


    On top of that, unlike fire and water, Black Magic is also looked down upon for having no practical effect whatsoever.


    But when its effects are raised to the level of my master¡¯s or mine, a small problem arises.


    It¡¯s said that Black Magic is an inferior form of the art known as Black Sorcery.


    Back when the Demon King was humanity¡¯s enemy, there was a time where entire towns were slaughtered by all being afflicted with the poison status effect.


    My master most likely used Black Sorcery.


    It¡¯s a power feared even to this day.


    Since I had bugged him so much over wanting to become an adventurer despite receiving the job of Black Sorcerer, he eventually gave in and trained me.


    My master was an old man that had no care for worldly matters and lived alone far away from town. He lived a quiet life, but if information leaked out through my actions, that could easily change.


    It¡¯s true that I possibly could have stayed in that party if I announced what I could do.


    The defeated monsters don¡¯t make excuses, which is why I¡¯ve been able to make it this far.


    But my comrades¡­ particularly Alba, would probably make a fuss. They wouldn¡¯t be able to keep my abilities a secret.


    Having a Black Sorcerer that¡¯s unique from every other one in the world is an attractive enough idea on its own.


    The strongest Hero and the norm-breaking Black Sorcerer. And the both are even best friends from childhood.


    Alba sought out visuals, strength, Job popularity, and marketability. If I had satisfied all of those things, then it¡¯s likely that Alba would back down.


    However, there¡¯s a big difference between the Hero¡¯s power that served as humanity¡¯s ally in the past and the terrible Black Sorcery that brought humanity it¡¯s darkest ages, no matter how long ago that happened. It¡¯s clear that the state would show much more concern over one than the other.


    FIrst of all, they¡¯d find my master and cause him trouble.


    There¡¯s no way I could repay everything he¡¯s done for me with that.


    I had no choice but to contribute to my party members¡¯ victories without them catching on to my true power.


    That was the requirement my master had for me to become his disciple.


    In the end I was looked down upon to no end and chased out of the party, but Alba wouldn¡¯t be satisfied just from seeing that I had access to stronger than average abilities.


    The whole reason I was chased out was because Black Sorcerers just weren¡¯t popular.


    Black Sorcery would have been enough to override that unpopularity, but I couldn¡¯t do that.


    So I ended up being treated as a leech to Fenix, and once that leech disappeared, everyone rejoiced.


    It¡¯s quite sad¡­


    ¡¸I saw that.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    I was surprised.


    Even if I am a Black Sorcerer, I had undergone much combat training due to my dream of becoming a Hero.


    My efforts might have been seen as child¡¯s play to those belonging to more combat-focused jobs, but I was at least better than the average person.


    Even so, I didn¡¯t notice her presence until she stood in front of my eyes and called out to me.


    The person that entered my vision like magic was a single girl.


    Blond hair, red eyes, voluptuous breasts, and a tight waist. She was a beautiful woman that boasted ridiculous proportions.


    She had a bewitching gaze that seemed to suck out my soul, and peeking out of her curved lips were some white fang-like teeth.


    Growing out of the wide-brimmed hat the neatly dressed woman was wearing were feelers that resembled bat wings.


    A vampire.


    ¡¸Are you not fond of monsters?¡¹


    As she spoke sadly with her eyes cast down, I finally noticed that I had been remaining silent after eventually noticing that she was talking to me.


    ¡¸N-No, I was just a bit¡­ surprised.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, I surprised an adventurer of a #4 party? Now that¡¯s something I can brag about.¡¹


    The woman giggled with her bent index finger to her lips.


    She called out to me knowing that I was Lem.


    ¡¸Um, is there something I can help you with?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m one of your fans.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was some kind of a joke, but at the same time it didn¡¯t look that way.


    There definitely are people out there that like Black Sorcerers, but there aren¡¯t many. I knew I¡¯d at least be ranked the lowest out of my old party if there was a popularity poll, but I have no idea how wide the gap would be with the rest of them.


    So even if I had people talking to me as a fan, I wouldn¡¯t often feel much better because of it.


    I once had a crowd of girls asking for my signature, but after Alba said some things to them, they ended up laughing at me the next day.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if this wasn¡¯t just someone trying to deliver the final blow.


    I ended up instinctively looking around me.


    ¡¸Is something the matter?¡¹


    Well, I doubt Alba would go out of his way to bother with something like that. He already chased me out, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s happy enough with that.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, ahaha¡­ Sorry, what did you need again?¡¹


    I think she said ¡¸I saw that¡¹ or something.


    ¡¸Your magic earlier was magnificent. I¡¯m sure even the nearby adventurers didn¡¯t notice. You held back your magical power splendidly. On top of that, you cast multiple spells of Black Magic at once, all perfectly accounting for the enemy¡¯s traits. I was truly taken aback. That was why I was a little late in catching up to you.¡¹


    She was shyly pressing her outspread hands to her cheeks.


    Who is this person?


    I was a bit pleased with being praised, but I was also a bit worried over how she was able to see through me.


    ¡¸Lem. Your Black Magic is truly incredible. Needless to say, Fenix¡¯s party were fools for chasing you out.¡¹


    The woman¡¯s face suddenly drew close to mine.


    I started to think about silly things like how she might be attracting attention by walking around in a place like this.


    If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d end up going crazy from her much-too beautiful face right before my eyes and that nice scent coming off her and the fact that I¡¯d see those soft, plump, shaking breasts if I were to lower my gaze even just a little bit.


    She grabbed my hand.


    It was nice and smooth.


    ¡¸Do you think you could hear me out? I believe you should be in a position that deserves more respect. I have something in mind that could grant you just that. You might find this a bit off putting, but I¡¯ve actually been looking for you ever since I heard you had left your party.¡¹


    Wait, what? So she¡¯s saying she¡¯ll introduce me to a job?


    Seeing my confusion, the woman apologetically drew back.


    ¡¸P-Please excuse me¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be acting like this to someone like you. I¡¯ve been dying to meet you, so I ended up getting a little excited. Uuu¡­ Please don¡¯t hate me for being so shameless.¡¹


    Seeing that her eyes were getting teary, I ended up panicking a little.


    ¡¸N-No, I wasn¡¯t against the idea or anything! It was just a sudden proposal, so¡­ Oh, I haven¡¯t heard your name yet.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re too kind.¡¹


    The vampire nodded her head and made a flower-like smile.


    After wiping her tears with her fingers, she continued.


    ¡¸I¡¯m Milla. Um¡­ if you wouldn¡¯t mind, how would you like having a cup of tea with me in apology for my rudeness earlier?¡¹


    She then added on to that with a ¡¸Is¡­ that no good?¡¹ with a small squeezed out voice.


    Urgh, who in the world could refuse someone like this! No, I shouldn¡¯t make excuses.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t turn her down.

 CH 5

    5 ¨C Being Jobless, I Couldn¡¯t Resist Despite Feeling Suspicious


    I walked alongside Milla, the vampire.


    Unsurprisingly, her beauty attracted the eyes of many along the road.


    Despite having an enormously greater level of exposure to the world compared to her, not a single person noticed me. You¡¯d think the Black Sorcerer-like robe would at least catch a little bit of attention.


    I¡¯m just not flashy enough. That¡¯s also partly why Alba shunned me.


    ¡¸Excuse me, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    I responded in a way that didn¡¯t reveal my nervousness.


    ¡¸In case unsavory rumors start spreading because of you walking next to a vampire, maybe we should put a little distance between ourselves¡­?¡¹


    Milla spoke with a sad voice in consideration for me.


    While it may have been different hundreds of years ago, nowadays there is hardly any discrimination towards those not of the human race.


    But adventurers and monsters are essentially enemies in the business field. They prefer not to interact with each other any more than what is considered necessary. In towns with dungeons, facilities are often split in terms of accommodating adventurers or monsters.


    She wasn¡¯t thinking about the idea of a human with a vampire, but rather an adventurer being with one.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯ll be fine. In fact, it¡¯s you that I¡¯m more worried about. They might think you have bad taste in men.¡¹


    After widely opening her eyes, she pressed her hands to her mouth to contain her giggling.


    ¡¸You really are a kind person. Are you sure you don¡¯t mind?¡¹


    Milla looked so cute with her upturned eyes that I ended up getting stunned for a moment.


    Is this actually possible? How could such a perfect person exist? The world isn¡¯t fair at all. Well, I don¡¯t mind such unfairness if it means that girls like her can exist.


    That¡¯s just how attractive her expression was.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    Flashing a smile, Milla hopped half a step closer to me.


    Her golden hair caught the light as it danced in the air.


    ¡¸Even if I¡¯m this close?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Of course.¡¹


    Don¡¯t let yourself get the wrong idea, Lem. You don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s actually a real fan of yours yet.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine anyone looking up to a Black Sorcerer of all people.


    ¡¸Oh, gosh¡­ my face is getting red. I¡¯ve met the person I¡¯ve always looked to and they¡¯re being so kind to me. This is like a dream.¡¹


    She spoke while pinching at her cheeks.


    ¡¸Ow. So this isn¡¯t a dream.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, this is reality.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad to hear you say that, too.¡¹


    ¡¸Really¡­? I¡¯d imagine someone as grand as you would have all kinds of girls throwing themselves at you, no?¡¹


    What kind of person does this girl think I am?


    It was unlikely that she knew that I had trained my Black Magic to be close to the level of Black Sorcery, but she talked as if she felt I was in a position deserving of more respect.


    Was she trying to say that I was just as good as the rest of my party members when I was in the world¡¯s #4 party?


    So she felt that it was wrong of me to get treated as a deadweight?


    ¡¸Haha, that¡¯s not true at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be so modest. There are only three Black Sorcerers in the top 100 parties, and you¡¯re the only one in the top 10. Besides, the only reason your party is clearing floors in the world¡¯s most difficult dungeon, the Demon King Castle, at record-breaking speeds is because of your Black Magic. That Hero Fenix was only able to take down that floor boss in one strike because you had weakened all the enemies in the area. How could those fools even think of kicking out such a high-level Black Sorcerer¡­ But thanks to that, we-¡¹


    ¡¸Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?! H-Haha¡­ I mean, that¡¯s what my friend told me.¡¹


    Milla spoke with her eyes darting about.


    I see. Her friend, huh? That makes sense. Milla would never talk down on a Hero¡¯s party while letting out such a malicious aura!


    I forcibly convinced myself. Yeah, that had to be what was going on.


    ¡¸O-Oh, your friend? If you ever see that friend again, do you think you could deliver my thanks? Just knowing that there¡¯s someone out there that thinks so highly of me gives me a lot of motivation.¡¹


    I still thought of Fenix as my best friend, so I didn¡¯t want to talk bad of him, but I still felt somewhat happy hearing someone say that the decision to kick me out from the party was a mistake.


    I wasn¡¯t used to being praised.


    The other four were always showered with praise, making any compliments towards me feel like a miracle.


    ¡¸O-Of course.¡¹


    Milla nodded her head.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, we got a little off track there, but¡­ do you really not have a significant other or anything?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, I don¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸Would that have anything to do with the negative view society has towards Black Sorcerers?¡¹


    Society often saw Black Sorcerers as gloomy, unsociable, or petty. It was truly a sad thing. What in the world did Black Sorcerers do to them?


    All they¡¯re doing is throwing out status afflictions from a distance, aren¡¯t they?


    ¡¸Who can say? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a particular interesting person in the first place, anyway.¡¹


    She looked a little annoyed at my response. Her cheeks were moderately puffed up.


    ¡¸The ability to make the people around you smile or have a way with words definitely is a desirable trait, but it¡¯s not a requirement to be considered attractive. I think kind people are attractive. For example, people who stop a criminal even though they lost their job and let someone else take credit for it on top of that. I think people who act solely because they believe it is the right thing to do are the true heroes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem?¡¹


    I had suddenly stopped in my tracks, which led Milla to look at me with a curious look.


    I didn¡¯t want to be looked at right now.


    I moved my hands to cover my face.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s nothing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, did I say something rude just now?¡¹


    Milla was getting a little flustered.


    ¡¸Not at all. It¡¯s the opposite, in fact.¡¹


    ¡¸Opposite¡­?¡¹


    I was unsure of what to say as she tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡¸W-Well, when I was little, I dreamed of becoming a Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d imagine that¡¯s not a very uncommon dream for a child.¡¹


    Milla responded with a curious face to me suddenly talking about my past.


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, but even after becoming a Black Sorcerer, I still wanted to become a Hero. I didn¡¯t get the Job I wanted, but I still didn¡¯t give up. It was like I was stubborn over becoming a hero with my pure willpower alone.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    But no one would call a Black Sorcerer a hero. They aren¡¯t alike in any way at all.


    That¡¯s why Milla¡¯s words made a direct hit to my heart¡¯s weak spot.


    The words that nobody had ever told me for 10 years.


    You¡¯re going to catch me off guard if you say something like that all of a sudden, you know?


    I felt tears forming in my eyes.


    I did my best to hold them back.


    ¡¸Thank you. I won¡¯t ever forget your words.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Um¡­ I¡­ You¡¯re talking about the thing I said about heroes, right? I¡¯m glad to have been of help, but¡­ I want to put more emphasis on what I said about you being a kind and amazing person¡­ so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to be so considerate. I¡¯m confident in my lack of attractiveness.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Are you doing that on purpose?¡¹


    Milla pouted in dissatisfaction again.


    It was obvious I was running away.


    I couldn¡¯t help it. Milla was a very attractive woman, but not even an hour had passed since I had met her.


    If I was a man capable of keeping up with this momentum, then I might as well be considered a veteran.


    Plus I was a complete beginner at this kind of thing, so I was a bit scared.


    I¡¯m not scared of dragons, though. It¡¯s just that I thought I should be more careful in how I deal with women.


    ¡¸By the way, Milla.¡¹


    I abruptly changed the topic.


    Milla still stared at me with a resenting look in her eyes, but she eventually let out a sigh.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸I thought we¡¯d be stopping at a cafe or something for the cup of tea, but we¡¯ve been walking for a while now.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s a specific place I¡¯d like to recommend you to.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Do you know the name of the place? I¡¯ve come to this place quite often before.¡¹


    We were close to the Demon King Castle. Probably just a coincidence, though.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a place that adventurers don¡¯t often visit.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, you mean the places on the Demi-Human side? I wonder if it¡¯d be okay for me to go to a place like that.¡¹


    Since this was a town that had a dungeon, there were accommodations for adventurers and monsters all over the place.


    The street in front of the Demon King Castle was the adventurer territory, and the street facing the employee-only back entrance was the monster territory.


    I¡¯ve never been to a monster-focused store.


    The pub I was at when my party chased me out was of course a place in the adventurer territory.


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s over here.¡¹


    She nonchalantly held out her hand to me.


    Oh no¡­ I hope my hands aren¡¯t sweaty. I¡¯d hate it if she thought if it was disgusting or anything.


    She then ended up grabbing my hand faster than I could even see her hand move, but that must¡¯ve just been an illusion.


    It felt like she was gripping onto me so that I couldn¡¯t escape, but that was probably just my misunderstanding.


    ¡¸Wait, we just passed by the last shop¡­ Milla, we¡¯re going to end up in the Demon King Castle if we keep going down here.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    We eventually reached the back entrance of the Demon King Castle.


    It felt like we had just passed some strict security, but it also looked as if Milla had some kind of employee identification on her.


    The monsters we passed by all stopped in their tracks and corrected their posture. Some of them even seemed to refuse to look at Milla and instead turned their gaze to the ground, but it was probably some kind of joke between them.


    We touched a Recording Stone with a teleportation feature installed in it, most likely meant for staff, and the next moment we were teleported to a small room.


    It was more like a narrow dressing room, to be more precise.


    And just like a dressing room, there were curtains that separated the room from the outside.


    It was a bit cramped with the two of us in here.


    ¡¸The only thing left I could possibly guess is that this is some kind of hidden room-themed cafe, Milla.¡¹


    After gently letting go of my hand, she showed me a smile that was more bewitching than anything I had shown me before.


    ¡¸Fufufu, you truly are a fascinating person. You came with me knowing where we were headed to from the very start.¡¹


    Adventurers and monsters were enemies in the business world.


    If a vampire was introducing to me a job, it was of course far from the realm of scouting me for a party.


    ¡¸Well, considering that I¡¯m unemployed, I thought I might as well.¡¹


    ¡¸What a waste. A Black Sorcerer like you deserves a position more matching your prestige.¡¹


    ¡¸Like the Big Four or something?¡¹


    ¡¸How about Staff Officer?¡¹


    That was pretty much equivalent to being the Demon King¡¯s aide.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t think a human should be in a position like that.¡¹


    I¡¯m still someone aiming to clear the Demon King Castle, after all.


    ¡¸Now now, let¡¯s talk about that with the Demon King over some tea.¡¹


    Milla was not the Demon King.


    The other staff members appeared to fear her, but she was definitely a Floor Boss.


    She was the master of the stratum that we had cleared time and time again.


    Monsters typically wear outfits that hide their faces, which is why I didn¡¯t realize it right away.


    ¡¸Oh, also¡­¡¹


    Before she opened the curtains, she drew her lips to my ears.


    ¡¸My respect and feelings towards you were not a lie. I didn¡¯t bring you here with the intention of fooling you. Please don¡¯t hold any grudges over me for this.¡¹


    Her breath brushed against my eardrums.


    A sweet tingle ran up my spine.


    Her lips drew back.


    When our eyes met, Milla let out a tickling laugh.


    ¡¸Now then, the Demon King is waiting for us.¡¹


    I wonder what an interview for getting recruited into the Demon King Army is like.


    I¡¯m wearing my casual clothes today, I wonder if that¡¯d be okay.

 CH 6

    6 ¨C The Demon King and the Unemployed


    Past the curtains was a wide area.


    It was somewhat dark yet my vision was still clear, kind of like a dungeon.


    What surprised me a bit was how empty the room was.


    Small rooms just like the one we were in were in all four corners, as well as one being near the center.


    In the center was a rectangular desk that seemed to be carved out of stone. Along the desk were five chairs also seemingly carved out of stone. It was possible that there was one chair for each room.


    As I looked at the lined up chairs, I came to a realization.


    It was like one of those things where the top brass of an organization gather to have a meeting.


    One was probably meant for the Demon King, with the other four seats across from it.


    ¡­Is this place a meeting room? I couldn¡¯t see any exits in the room, so maybe it was only accessible via teleportation?


    As we drew closer to the long table, a voice ran out.


    ¡¸So you¡¯ve returned, Carmilla.¡¹


    Oh, now I remember. That¡¯s right, Carmilla.


    Now then, if the Hero¡¯s party is an existence meant to perform heroic deeds, then monsters are an existence meant to get defeated. Of course, it¡¯s sometimes exciting when the heroes end up getting pushed back or being forced to retreat, but people naturally want the heroes to win in the end.


    But dungeon clearing is a form of entertainment.


    It¡¯s better when the viewers have thoughts such as ¡¸that was fun¡¹ or ¡¸he actually lost there!¡¹ It means they want to keep seeing more.


    But there are some people who bring the ¡¸acting¡¹ of dungeon clearing into reality.


    For example a drunk picking a fight with a completely random orc just because their favorite Hero lost to an orc the previous day.


    Because of things like that, the monsters working in the dungeons can find themselves in dangerous positions.


    That¡¯s why at some point, monsters began wearing outfits that hid any characteristic features they had and started using stage names specifically for use in dungeons.


    ¡¸Yes, Your Majesty. I have brought the Black Sorcerer Lem with me.¡¹


    As Milla responded respectfully, I could see that she¡­ was actually quite different from the vampire I defeated in the dungeon.


    ¡­Wait, that¡¯s strange. Is the Milla I know really the same person as the vampire Carmilla? Well, they should be.


    My naivety then began fighting against that conclusion in futility.


    Carmilla was a cruel demon that enjoyed tormenting humans.


    And she incorporated the blood she sucked, or rather magical energy, into her attacks.


    She¡¯d suck people¡¯s magical energy until they ran out and cut down their comrades with blades made out of their magical energy. She¡¯d also attack them while making sneer remarks.


    There are rumors that there have been adventurers that were so affected by the treatment they received fighting against Carmilla that their dispositions went as far as getting twisted. ¡­Should I feel sorry for them? Well, as long as they¡¯re enjoying themselves, I suppose they¡¯re fine.


    By the way, she finds directly sucking the magical energy to be too vulgar, so she has her underling bats do it for her.


    I¡¯ve seen some adventurers say stuff like ¡¸Man, I want her to suck me directly~¡¹ but by the time they exit the dungeon, they¡¯re on their knees begging their sweet queen Carmilla for forgiveness.


    As I thought about those alarming memories, Milla turned her eyes to the side towards me.


    Once I noticed that, her face grew red and she covered it with her hands.


    ¡­Yeah.


    I just gotta believe. This one¡¯s the real Milla!


    It¡¯s normal to get passionate when it comes to your work.


    The fact that she¡¯s getting so into her role just means how much of a pro she is. I should be respecting her for that!


    And she¡¯s such a broad-minded person for recruiting me for a job despite having lost to my party!


    ¡¸So you¡¯re Lem?¡¹


    My consciousness was brought back into the moment when I heard my name. The phantom known as Carmilla has left my mind. I¡¯m normal right now.


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m the Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹


    The voice was kind of childish for a Demon King. It sounded like a little girl.


    Information on dungeons can easily be found if you search for it on the internet, and many dungeons even have home pages.


    The Demon King Castle has one too, and as expected of a dungeon where no one has reached the final floor, despite having information on various stratums, the majority of the pages are blank due to no one ever clearing them.


    The 4th stratum we had cleared the other day had information recorded regarding the Floor Boss and the werewolf enemies.


    Since it¡¯s a stratum that¡¯s been cleared before.


    The Demon King Castle is a dungeon with a total of 11 stratums, with the final stratum involving fighting against the Demon King.


    Humanity has only cleared up to the 7th so far.


    There hasn¡¯t been any visual data recorded from the 8th stratum and beyond.


    This means that no one knows anything about the Floor Bosses for those stratums, including the Demon King, meaning that counter-measures can¡¯t be devised either.


    Could it be that I¡¯m going to be the first adventurer ever to have seen the Demon King?


    I nervously moved to face the Demon King from across the desk.


    I then froze up.


    ¡­I see now.


    That was why the voice sounded like a little girl¡¯s.


    Because it came from a little girl.


    Her crimson hair was almost the length of her body, and her ruby eyes were fixed upon me as if evaluating my worth. While she may have had a piercing gaze, she had quite the adorable face.


    She had two black horns growing out of the sides of her head.


    She was a Majin. Historically speaking, all rulers of demonkind have been Majins.


    And the Her Majesty was one of them.


    She sat on her chair with her chin resting in her palm and her arm upon her raised knee.


    It was a lazy posture, but eyes were as sharp as blades.


    ¡¸What is it, is there something wrong with me?¡¹


    She had a sloppy appearance as if she was in her pajamas and just got out of bed, but I didn¡¯t intend on pointing that out.


    ¡¸No, you just look younger than I expected.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you not find my appearance fitting of a Demon King?¡¹


    ¡¸I know nothing of what a Demon King should be, so I wouldn¡¯t have any say on that matter.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. Very well. I was about to kick you out for looking down on someone who might have become your superior, but it appears that won¡¯t be necessary.¡¹


    ¡¸About that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? What is it? I, the Demon King Luci, was about to explain what the job of being my subordinate consisted of.¡¹


    ¡¸Please excuse me, Your Majesty. To be perfectly honest here, I believed there would be trouble bringing him here at first, so I brought him here without explaining the full situation to him.¡¹


    Milla, who had sat herself already, explained.


    One of the seats was empty, with the other two taken by a large knight in black armor and a Majin man dressed in what looked like a tailcoat.


    ¡¸Oh? Then for what purpose did he think he was brought here for? Hey you, don¡¯t tell me you thought you might get a chance to fondle Carmilla¡¯s breasts just because she was somewhat of a fan of yours!¡¹


    Her Majesty¡¯s fist slammed on the desk.


    ¡¸No, I didn¡¯t.¡¹


    I wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to think something like that.


    But it appeared that Her Majesty wasn¡¯t fond of that answer.


    ¡¸So you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t want to fondle them?! And you call yourself a man?! Huh?! I¡¯ll tell you this right now, Carmilla¡¯s breasts are soft as silk and as elastic as pudding, and despite their size, they¡¯re-¡¹


    ¡¸Your Majesty.¡¹


    Milla made a smile.


    Her Majesty¡¯s face then turned pale.


    ¡¸A-Ahem. In other words, Carmilla is a very attractive woman.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yes, I agree.¡¹


    She thought highly of me, despite the fact that I was looked down upon by society for being a Black Sorcerer.


    Wouldn¡¯t I be ashamed if I didn¡¯t give her the acknowledgement she deserves?


    I felt as if I saw Milla¡¯s feelers slightly twitch.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I can¡¯t blame you for falling for her charm and being tricked to come this far. But what I was trying to say was that that kind of weakness won¡¯t cut it.¡¹


    Her Majesty spoke while glancing at Milla.


    ¡¸Master Lem was not fooled, he saw through everything. In fact, he even pretended to be fooled. I enjoyed my time with him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Oh?¡¹


    Her Majesty looked at Milla with an intrigued expression.


    She then turned to me with a slightly bitter look.


    ¡¸Very well, then. I¡¯d like to begin explaining your role here¡­ but there is something I must ask you before that.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    There really is nothing between Milla and I. We just held hands. They were soft.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve hidden it well so I did not notice until I began to observe you more carefully, but it seems you carry ability that surpasses what would be deemed human. It is on the same level of a Black Sorcerer that would have spent a hundred years time in research¡­ no, perhaps even further than that.¡¹


    The monsters in the Demon King Castle were all extremely high-level, meaning I had to put everything I had in my Black Magic. His subordinates must have relayed that information to him.


    But putting aside Milla and Her Majesty, I felt like I was on the cusp of realizing something even greater than that.


    ¡¸Black Sorcerer Lem. I, the Demon King Luci, ask you. Which Demon King trained you?¡¹

 CH 7

    7 ¨C The Unemployed Becomes the Demon King¡¯s Apprentice


    Which Demon King?


    What is she saying? That doesn¡¯t even make any sense¡­ at least, that¡¯s what I wanted to think.


    ¡¸It would be impossible to amass that on your own. That level of ability could only be attained under the training a Demon King would grant to their own child. It is a very outdated custom, however, considering that those children often died in the process.¡¹


    A sense of understanding spread through my chest.


    So Master really was a Demon King, that makes sense.


    Fenix and I had grown up in a town far out in the country. There was only one television, and it was in the assembly hall, with people of all ages gathering around it whenever dungeon clearing was being aired.


    Further beyond that town in an even more secluded area was my master¡¯s house.


    He was an old man that avoided contact with others and had thick crimson hair and eyes much like Her Majesty¡¯s.


    I happened to encounter him while playing in the forest, and considering that my town didn¡¯t have any Demi-Humans, I got really excited seeing someone with horns on their head.


    I¡¯d bug him and follow him around, which resulted in a bond forming between us involving him shooing me away, kicking my butt, knocking me onto the floor with his fists, and being told not to ever come back again in a threatening voice.


    My relationship with the old man changed when my Job was revealed to be Black Sorcerer at the temple.


    After recovering from my depression over that, I remembered that my body would sometimes get heavier when the old man chased me away, or my vision getting dark when trying to chase after him.


    I was almost convinced that he¡¯d turn me down, but when the old man saw that I wanted to become a Hero despite being a Black Sorcerer, he decided to take me in as his disciple.


    However, his condition was that if I ever complained that I couldn¡¯t do something or if something was too hard, then he¡¯d never teach me anything again.


    Also, I had to keep it an absolute secret from anyone.


    After agreeing to that, I was subjected to what truly could be considered a training regime of hell, and I finally somehow learned the basics.


    After that, all that was left was a warm farewell of ¡¸Don¡¯t forget your daily training. And once you become an adventurer, don¡¯t ever come here again.¡¹


    After I told my kind friend Fenix about that, he said ¡¸¡­He must have wanted you gone for being so whiny- I mean, you did great, Lem.¡¹


    By the way, Fenix often hung out with me so he knew Master, and Master recognized him as a sole exception to our secret. I swear it wasn¡¯t anything like ¡¸Oh, they¡¯re both leaving the village since they¡¯re both adventurers, so it¡¯s not like it matters.¡¹


    But it makes sense now.


    He used old spells I had never heard of before, and I always thought he was an amazing Majin.


    So Master was a Demon King, huh?


    By the way, Demon King is also a Job. Apparently only Majins with talent as both a Warrior and a Sorcerer as well as charisma can receive that Job.


    Jobs like that have the aptitude of mastering abilities from multiple different Jobs.


    Black Sorcerers can only use Black Magic, though.


    ¡¸Lem, do you have any clue on who they might have been?¡¹


    Milla looked up at me in hopes that I answered.


    I felt like I¡¯d be able to supply her with whatever information she wanted if she looked at me like that, but it was no good.


    Master hated having other people learn about him.


    ¡¸Um, well¡­¡¹


    I tried to think of a way to avoid the question.


    Wait a second¡­


    Didn¡¯t Her Majesty say something weird just now?


    Those children often died in the process¡­?


    ¡­It makes sense.


    I¡¯ve even almost died in the process as well numerous times, but I never actually had to worry about that.


    Every day, Master would train me to the limit before going ¡¸Tch¡­ Any further and you¡¯ll die. Hey, Lem, a weakling like you won¡¯t be able to withstand this any longer, so we¡¯re calling it here. You don¡¯t need to come back ever again.¡¹


    I definitely would have been dead already if he didn¡¯t bother doing that, but it could be that the past Demon Kings would actually force their children to train until they legitimately died. That¡¯s even more hardcore than the Spartans.


    ¡¸Answer my question, Lem.¡¹


    Her Majesty¡¯s voice had an oppressive tone to it, but it was likely just for show.


    I¡¯m already a fairly well-known person, and anyone could easily find information on me if they looked me up. Although, the fan sites that collect information on adventurers usually don¡¯t bother detailing much about me compared to the others that were in my party.


    But you¡¯d be able to at least find out where I¡¯m from.


    If they really wanted to find the Demon King that was my master, then any response I made would serve as no purpose other than to strengthen the merit of the already existing information. And considering that I might lie, they had no reason to force it out of me.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t do that.¡¹


    ¡¸Why is that?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to become a person that breaks promises.¡¹


    I looked towards Her Majesty straight into her eyes. I made sure not to be the first one to break eye contact.


    Eventually the Demon King Luci gave up and lowered her shoulders.


    ¡¸Very well, that is fine.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸I said it was fine. But at least tell me this. Did that person have the same hair, eyes, and horns as me?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Being that I both didn¡¯t want to lie and didn¡¯t want to break my promise, I had no choice but to remain silent.


    ¡¸I see, I see. By the way, Lem. What would you think of a grandfather that would retire and leave their grandchild to fend for themself?¡¹


    Her Majesty had an ear-to-ear smile on her face. It was clear that it wasn¡¯t a smile from the heart.


    ¡­So Master abandoned his grandchild and fled to hide in the countryside, huh?


    That would mean that he was once the Demon King of this castle.


    If the previous Demon King was either Luci¡¯s mother or father, then the Demon King before that would be my master.


    And that Demon King was actually pretty famous.


    He found dungeon clearing to be ¡¸too boring¡¹ so he¡¯d act as the Floor Boss of the very first floor, with not a single party ever advancing to the second stratum.


    He was a legendary Demon King that defended against a raid, a special organized attack that involved multiple parties working together (which was a very rare occurrence), all by himself.


    ¡¸Geez¡­ Why is it that both Grandfather and Father don¡¯t see what¡¯s so great about being a Demon King? Truly a shame¡­ At least, I would be saying that if it weren¡¯t for how convenient this has gotten for me. I must say, I never would have guessed that everything would loop back together like this¡­¡¹


    It looked like my master being Her Majesty¡¯s grandfather was just confirmed.


    More importantly, it appeared that Her Majesty¡¯s behavior had changed. It wasn¡¯t especially dramatic or anything, it was kind of like she had figured out what to think of me.


    At first she was trying to find out exactly what kind of person I was, but now she seemed to be satisfied and settled down.


    ¡¸To think there¡¯d be a human out there that could actually survive Grandfather¡¯s training¡­ Hahaha, Carmilla, you had a good eye. This guy¡¯s the real deal.¡¹


    ¡¸No, even I never would have guessed that he¡¯d be this incredible of a person.¡¹


    It appeared that the fact that I was my master¡¯s disciple was making them view me highly.


    It almost felt like there was now even some fear thrown into Milla¡¯s eyes as she looked at me.


    Upon reflexively looking back at her, she turned her eyes away with her lips trembling. Her cheeks seemed to have been blushing slightly, but it could have been my imagination.


    ¡¸I felt the need to ascertain your worth earlier, but it seems that is no longer necessary. Lem, I shall take you in directly under my command. Um, what was it called again?¡¹


    ¡¸Staff Officer, Your Majesty.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes. Alongside the Big Four, the Demon King Castle will enter a new stage of glory with your addition.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, um, actually, I was just planning on hearing out your offer¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about the pay. I will have Carmilla accompany you as your assistant for a while. If you ever feel like groping her breasts, you are free to negotiate that with her. As you are already well aware, the labyrinth clearing is on a subscription basis. You are free to do as you please on the days where the Heroes aren¡¯t challenging us. Fear not, Staff Officer. You won¡¯t just be #4 anymore, you¡¯ll become the world¡¯s greatest Floor Boss!¡¹


    Luci looked at me with eyes sparkling like a child. Maybe I should call her President.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    Milla approached me while holding her hand out towards Luci as a means of settling her down.


    ¡¸We won¡¯t force you, but¡­ I¡¯d personally be very happy if you decided to work with us.¡¹


    To be honest, just the fact that Milla would be my assistant made the offer plenty attractive enough.


    ¡¸Do you think you could hear me out?¡¹


    ¡¸Um, well¡­ I don¡¯t see why not.¡¹


    ¡¸Then allow me to try to convince you to join us.¡¹


    As she looked up at me with those cloudy eyes, I had no choice but to nod in response.

 CH 8

    8 ¨C Will You Continue to Be Unemployed? Or Will You Join the Top Brass of the Demon King Army?


    ¡¸You¡¯re a really talented Black Sorcerer, Lem.¡¹


    Milla spoke out to me.


    I thought so too myself, so I didn¡¯t deny it or show any modesty regarding it.


    ¡¸It seems like you have somewhat of a fixation on Heroes, but what exactly is it that you find so appealing about them?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I mean¡­¡¹


    They¡¯re just damn cool.


    Back in our rural hometown, dungeon capturing was one of our sole forms of entertainment available to us.


    A party can¡¯t be formed without a Hero. That¡¯s just how special they are.


    They¡¯re pretty much loved by god. They may differ slightly from Hero to Hero, but all of them excelled in mastering both magic and martial arts at superhuman rates.


    They represented something that could not be achieved simply through hard work.


    They stood out more than anyone on the screen, and they took down their enemies regardless of how many of them there were or how big they were.


    Of course, I¡¯d end up admiring them.


    ¡¸Is it the fact that they defeat monsters that make them cool? Or is it the flashy way they do that? Or maybe it¡¯s because of their status and achievements? Does it seem fun to get up close and cut down monsters?¡¹


    It was then that I realized for the first time that my admiration towards Heroes actually wasn¡¯t very well defined.


    No, to be more precise, it was more like I had forgotten why I had admired them in the first place.


    The things Milla mentioned were definitely aspects that attracted me as a child, as well as the future I had imagined for myself.


    Man, I really wanted to cut down my enemies up close. I wanted to show off my flashy sword techniques and launch out fire and ice and stuff. When people noticed that I¡¯d be walking in town, they would all gather around me with cheers. I would have engaged in close-cut battles and led a life filled with excitement.


    It was my dream as a child. A naive dream of a perfect roadmap for my future.


    ¡¸You retired from your party from practically being chased out as a result of not showing your fellow adventurers your true ability, correct?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Correct.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if you found a new party, you probably wouldn¡¯t tell them about it either, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. Even though I was in the 4th ranked party in the world, I couldn¡¯t find even a single person to party up with. It sucked, especially since any of my other party members probably would¡¯ve been in huge demand.


    ¡¸There¡¯s huge discrimination towards Black Sorcerers in the adventurer world. No party would want to fill one of their already limited 5 party slots with one.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t deny it. I believed that to be the truth.


    ¡¸At this rate, even if you find another party, you won¡¯t ever become anything like a Hero. Considering the adventurers¡¯ general treatment of Black Sorcerers, I think that should be obvious.¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    No one would think that a Black Sorcerer would be a worthy addition to a party.


    In fact, there are lots of people that would be anxious to chase them out.


    Black Sorcerers have no future as an adventurer.


    I knew that.


    I knew that, but I still didn¡¯t want to give up.


    ¡¸Will that change if I become a monster?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t ask out of hope, but rather just out of curiosity.


    ¡¸It will.¡¹


    Milla spoke with confidence.


    Her face was completely serious, without a single ounce of flirtation.


    She had no ulterior motive, she simply spoke straight from her heart.


    ¡¸Lem, what exactly is a hero? I¡¯m not talking about the Job.¡¹


    A hero. A person with courage. A person that never faltered and achieved victory no matter what.


    No, there was a stronger definition that was engraved deep inside me.


    They were words spoken to me that had become a precious treasure of mine.


    ¡¸Those who take action not for glory, but for what¡¯s right, are those who should truly be called heroes.¡¹


    But what exactly is the right thing to do in this situation?


    ¡¸Adventurers increase by the number every year, but the same can¡¯t be said for monsters, wouldn¡¯t you say? More and more monsters suffer defeat day by day as the number of successful parties increase. Do we monsters exist just as game to be hunted?¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all. Dungeons are exciting because of the scary monsters. And without the strong monsters, the power of the Heroes wouldn¡¯t be needed. Monsters are equivalent to adventurers. I¡¯ve never thought of them as game before.¡¹


    Milla made a happy smile for a second.


    ¡¸Yes. This is exactly why I called out to you. Not only do you excel at magic, you¡¯re exceedingly kind as well.¡¹


    I finally figured out what she was trying to tell me.


    ¡¸Just like how humans are inspired by the activities of adventurers, Demi-Humans seek that same kind of symbol from monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸I know that, but¡­ don¡¯t you already have the Demon King? I¡¯d say that¡¯s the same kind of thing as the adventurers¡¯ Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. But there¡¯s one big difference between the two.¡¹


    ¡¸One big difference¡­? Oh, the Demon King is someone who waits at the final stratum.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The Hero is someone who is constantly on the screen, giving hope to their viewers, but the Demon King is an enemy that doesn¡¯t appear until the final stratum is reached.¡¹


    It¡¯d be a different story if it was someone like my master who just totally ignored traditional customs, but then dungeon capturing would get pretty boring.


    In fact, the dungeon capturing wouldn¡¯t even work. It¡¯d be over if they lost, and it¡¯d be over if they won and cleared the dungeon, too.


    ¡¸But even if I worked as a monster here, I¡¯m still a Black Sorcerer, you know? I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be inspiring anyone like that.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s exactly because you¡¯re a Black Sorcerer. Your magic will weaken the adventurers, but the viewers won¡¯t pick up on that. However, it¡¯s different for your comrades. When your comrades take out the enemies that clearly have had their movements slowed down, that sight will definitely leave an impression on the viewers.¡¹


    The Demon King Castle that boasts the highest difficulty out of all dungeons has always attracted a lot of attention.


    Imagine if monsters that weren¡¯t even the Floor Boss easily defeated the adventurers.


    Demi-Humans on the fence on becoming a monster would see that and think that maybe even themselves could take on the adventurers.


    ¡¸So my magic would give the spotlight to the other monsters?¡¹


    The Black Sorcerer has always been that kind of Job.


    But my past comrades didn¡¯t see any worth in my magic.


    Why was it any different?


    ¡¸It¡¯s normal for monsters to hide their identity. If you played yourself as the mysterious Black Sorcerer instead of simply Lem, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem with anyone figuring out your true power, right? Of course, if you still want to hide it, then I don¡¯t mind accommodating that.¡¹


    I knew that Black Sorcerers fit better in the realm of monsters rather than adventurers.


    And if I did work with them, I¡¯d be inspiring courage in all kinds of people.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t grant you any glory to your identity as Lem, nor can I give you a hero-like position. Even so, your existence can very well prove to save us. You¡¯ll make it so that the already hard-working monsters will continue to strive for tomorrow. All so that the Demi-Humans will realize that they don¡¯t always have to be losers, that they might even claim the starring role at times.¡¹


    Milla had expectations for me.


    It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had someone look for anything from me.


    Probably not even since my days as a child before my Job was determined.


    ¡¸Lem,¡¹ she called out to me.


    She inhaled deeply and spoke her request.


    ¡¸Will you become our hero?¡¹


    I heard my heart skip a beat.


    It was different from what I had dreamed of as a child, but maybe I could still become a hero as a Black Sorcerer.


    I could assist my comrades and contribute to victory.


    And there might be people who¡¯ll get inspired by watching our battles.


    Of course, that¡¯d disappoint the people wanting the Hero¡¯s party to win, though.


    But there were people feeling down from seeing the Hero win all the time.


    All that would change would be the position where I stood. All I needed to do now was to make the choice.


    ¡¸Of course, I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    By the time I realized it, I had replied.


    On that day, I, who had been kicked out of the 4th ranked party in the world, found a new place of employment.


    My workplace was the Demon Castle.


    My position was Chief of Staff.


    My role was to plan out the strategy necessary to drive off the Hero¡¯s party and carry it out.


    My Job was Black Sorcerer.


    My goal was to be a hero in the shadows.


    I¡¯d inevitably be facing off against my best friend¡¯s party, but even so, I had no doubts about my decision.

 CH 9

    9 ¨C The Demon King Army Chief of Staff Receives a Very Convenient Item


    ¡¸I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    Milla made a flabbergasted face to my words.


    She probably didn¡¯t expect me to respond so quickly¡­ No.


    Her face gradually began to take on the color of joy.


    It was as if her mind went white from the sheer happiness she experienced for a moment, and then eventually returned back to reality.


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    Milla asked to make sure out of unease.


    ¡¸Yes, we¡¯ll be coworkers from now on. Um¡­ since you¡¯d be my senior, maybe I should be calling you something other than Milla.¡¹


    As I nodded, Milla¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to burst out in tears at any moment.


    Huh?


    I began to panic. Did I say something wrong?


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I know I¡¯m the one I that asked you, but I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d do it¡­ I¡¯m so, so happy.¡¹


    I guess she was just crying out of joy¡­ Well, no, she never actually started crying, but her eyes looked pretty watery.


    But still, it felt kind of odd to have her be so happy over my decision.


    ¡¸Also, just call me Milla. When we¡¯re on duty, you can call me Carmilla.¡¹


    Milla made a blooming smile with her eyes still bleary.


    She was so incredibly charming that I ended up putting my hand to my chest because it felt like my heart stopped beating.


    Oh, thank goodness. It didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡¸Very good! You¡¯ve made the correct decision, Lem. No¡­ Lemegeton!¡¹


    The Demon King shouted with energy.


    She sat in her seat with her arms crossed while nodding to the two of us satisfyingly.


    ¡¸Leme-what? Leme¡­ geton?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been thinking about it ever since Carmilla brought you to my attention. It¡¯s customary for the Demon King to give dungeon names to new members.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, so that¡¯s what it is. So my dungeon name is, um¡­ Lemegeton?¡¹


    ¡¸Has a nice ring to it, wouldn¡¯t you say? Considering that you¡¯ll be leading the monsters from now on, it fits you well.¡¹


    Just like how Milla was Carmilla, the dungeon name included part of my real name.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But, um¡­ won¡¯t people figure it out? The name still has ¡®Lem¡¯ in it, and I¡¯d still be a Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no need for worry! I¡¯ll have you pretend to be a Majin, after all. We can stick some horns onto your Avatar. This normally wouldn¡¯t be allowed, but you¡¯re someone that survived Grandfather¡¯s training as his disciple, so I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints.¡¹


    Now that dungeon clearing has become a form of entertainment, there have been numerous systems developed and utilized in order to make it as safe as possible.


    The most important ones would be the Avatar system and the ability to retreat.


    To put it simply, both dungeon clearing and defense takes place using clones made out of magic. The real body interacts with special equipment that allows it to be spiritually linked to the clone.


    It takes much time, magical energy, and money to make the clones, but they¡¯re just as strong as the real body.


    There¡¯s no issue with making the skin complexion a little better or changing the hairstyle, but any modifications that would compromise the clone¡¯s likeness to the user are not allowed. Those are the regulations.


    The clones are called Avatars, and the Demon King was planning on putting horns on my monster Avatar so that it would look like a Majin.


    This would still be within regulations. It¡¯s not like putting horns on someone would make them look like a completely different person, it¡¯s the same thing as changing your hairstyle a little bit. On the other hand, Demi-Human adventurers are able to remove certain physical traits from their Avatar, such as the animal ears or tails.


    That subject actually came up when the Hunter Lily first joined Fenix¡¯s party. She ended up in an argument with Alba over whether or not she should hide her elf ears.


    Alba said that she should hide them, while Lily was adamant in keeping them. In the end, Fenix and I agreed with Lily and that was pretty much that.


    Elves look nearly identical to humans, and since they¡¯re usually exceptionally beautiful as well, they¡¯re a race that¡¯s been garnering popularity as of recent years. There are more and more elven adventurers every year, as well.


    But there were some viewers that insisted only on watching humans fight, which was probably what Alba was concerned over.


    But even with a Black Sorcerer and an elf, we became the 4th ranked party in the world.


    But Alba still wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Why am I even talking about him, though? Forget him.


    ¡¸You should put on a mask, too. Even though it¡¯d be a waste to hide that face of yours.¡¹


    Milla spoke to me.


    ¡¸A waste? His face is nothing worth showing off.¡¹


    ¡¸Your Majesty?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­W-Well, I suppose he could be considered attractive, everyone has their own taste, so even if I might not exactly agree, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of people out there that would find him pleasing to look at.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s cold smile instantly made Luci start backtracking.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t threaten the Demon King, vampire. That¡¯s the second time.¡¹


    I was slightly startled.


    The Majin male who had been silent this whole time suddenly spoke out.


    His silver hair was brushed back with a pair of goat-like horns coming out of his exposed forehead. Wearing a tailcoat, the man appeared to be in his later 20¡¯s.


    ¡¸Oh, you were here, Agares? I didn¡¯t notice you.¡¹


    Milla made an emotionless smile to the man she called Agares.


    ¡¸Even if we monsters might find delight in submitting to Her Majesty¡¯s threats, under no means should the monsters be the ones doing the threatening.¡¹


    He sounds like someone that¡¯s really uptight on upholding the pecking order¡­ Wait, didn¡¯t he say something weird just now?


    Um, what did he say exactly? It was¡­


    My thoughts were cut short as the man got up and greeted me with a bow.


    ¡¸I apologize for the late introduction. I am one of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, the Time Demon Agares. Congratulations on taking the position of Chief of Staff.¡¹


    Oh, right. That stuff all felt like it was just decided on the spot, so I almost forgot about it, but the Chief of Staff was essentially the Demon King¡¯s right-hand man.


    Meaning I¡¯d be in a higher position than the Big Four.


    But still, considering that a human that was wandering the streets as a Black Sorcerer that got chased out of his party just suddenly waltzed in here and became his superior, he was being surprisingly polite to me.


    ¡¸Oh? Didn¡¯t you have doubts over Lem¡¯s capabilities?¡¹


    As Milla spoke with cynicism, Agares turned to her once again.


    ¡¸Unlike you, I haven¡¯t experienced the effects of the Chief of Staff¡¯s magic. I knew you had been obsessed with him even before he cleared any stratum of the Demon King Castle, so it was only natural that I¡¯d be skeptical over whether or not you were letting your personal feelings affect your reports.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-It¡¯s true that I watched Lem¡¯s dungeon capture videos even before that, but I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever told you that before. How is it that you¡¯re so well informed about my private life? It¡¯s honestly a bit unsettling.¡¹


    While her face still had maintained her cold demeanor, it was growing a bit red.


    So she was telling the truth when she said she was my fan.


    I found himself feeling happy over it again.


    It was also kind of fresh seeing Milla talk to a coworker.


    ¡¸Sorry, Carmilla. I told him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Your Majesty.¡¹


    ¡¸I said sorry!¡¹


    ¡¸Vampire, it¡¯s disrespectful to glare at Her Majesty like that. Being able to be on the receiving end of Her Majesty¡¯s glares might be one of the greatest rewards we could possibly receive, but it should never be the other way around.¡¹


    Yeah, he really is the type of guy that¡¯d do anything to uphold the social hierarchy.


    But¡­ I can¡¯t help but be a bit put off from his choice of words.


    It almost sounds perverse in a way¡­


    ¡¸Quiet, you lolicon demon. Try not to get arrested, it¡¯d be a problem if we got a scandal on our hands.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, how idiotic. I consider myself to be the guardian of those with the hearts of children. The lives of the young are supreme, but they must not be touched. That is the creed all true guardians follow. I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t lump me in with those cretins who subject their indecent desires upon those angelic children.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t give me that ¡®guardian¡¯ nonsense, you¡¯re the guy that gets off from getting stepped on and glared at. Watch yourself around him, Your Majesty. If he ever asks to massage you or anything like, do not let him go through with it no matter what.¡¹


    ¡¸Enough of your blasphemy! I respect Her Majesty from the bottom of my heart. I¡¯d never make such a deplorable request¡­ Ahh, Your Majesty! Please do not look at me with such scornful eyes! I would never do anything to hurt you! ¡­If it¡¯s not any trouble, could you make that glare of yours a little harsher?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you think you should just go die somewhere? Lem, not all monsters are this perverted, so don¡¯t worry. Also, I¡¯m simply just a fan of Lem¡¯s. It¡¯s not like I have posters of him all over my room, or collect private candid photos of him online, or post stuff like ¡®Why is the editing staff so incompetent as to not show Lem more¡¯ on forums or anything like that, so I¡¯d appreciate if you didn¡¯t make any misunderstandings, understood?¡¹


    I-I see.


    Agares simply had a fondness for children and a few slightly odd inclinations.


    And Milla was a completely average run-of-the-mill fan.


    I understood.


    The trick to getting by in the world is to avoid touching aspects that are better left untouched.


    ¡¸U-Um, I get what the two of you are trying to say, so do you think I could hear what Her Majesty has left to say for me?¡¹


    Instead of trying to solve their argument, I asked for them to just stop.


    They complied without difficulty.


    ¡¸I apologize, Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry, Lem¡­ Urgh, how embarrassing¡­¡¹


    Agares lowered his head and sat back into his seat. Milla hid her red face with both hands.


    ¡¸Nicely done, Lemegeton. Now that¡¯s my Chief of Staff.¡¹


    Feeling like I was praised for something that wasn¡¯t praiseworthy, I made a wry smile.


    ¡¸Not at all. Anyway, going back to what we were talking about, I¡¯d be hiding my identity with horns, a mask, and an outfit, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. Even with your horns and your face hidden, there still remain ties left to your identity as your Job as Black Sorcerer and your name. I think there should at least be one more thing to divert attention from those aspects.¡¹


    Oh, good. I was about to mention that, too.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you this ring.¡¹


    She then threw something to me. Well, I guess it was a ring.


    Upon catching it, I saw that it was made out of animal bones.


    ¡¸What¡¯s this?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a past king¡¯s clavicle.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m kidding.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, okay¡­¡¹


    I felt like this was going over my head a bit.


    ¡¸This is a ring that is capable of summoning those you have made a contract with. By having you and the person you want to enter a contract with pour your magic into the ring at the same time and speak the proper oath, you¡¯ll be able to summon them whenever you want.¡¹


    ¡­Isn¡¯t that actually something pretty impressive?


    You can only record up to 72 people, so be careful. Also, limit the people you enter a contract with to only my subordinates, for now.¡¹


    In other words, I was able to choose up to 72 monsters to summon whenever I wanted.


    I see, so I can call on them to chase off any adventurers.


    With this, I¡¯ll be able to have people from all kinds of races achieve victory, meaning I¡¯ll be able to grant hope to more and more races.


    It was an item that would greatly serve the hero of the monsters, as well as being something that would further set Lem apart from his human identity.


    Now that I had this, even if I cast a bit Black Magic here and there, people wouldn¡¯t necessarily connect Lem to Lemegeton.


    I grasped the ring tightly.


    ¡¸Thank you very much, I¡¯ll treasure it.¡¹

 CH 10

    10 ¨C The Demon King Army Chief of Staff Obtains His First Contract, the Vampire Carmilla.


    After that, Her Majesty, Milla, Agares, and others began taking turns explaining the details of my job.


    I took a seat in the empty Big Four seat and listened to what they had to say.


    Dungeons have a very give-and-take relationship with adventurers business-wise.


    In order to clear a dungeon, they first have to make a reservation and pay a clear fee.


    By the way, the clear fee varies depending on the entrance, and the fee increases with each stratum. Since the stratums are supposed to get more and more difficult as you go deeper into the dungeon, the higher fee is supposed to account for the more elaborate dungeon design and the hiring cost for stronger monsters.


    The video feed of the adventurers¡¯ broadcasts are also handled by the dungeon, which also must be paid for.


    Any damages made to the dungeon can be repaired with magic, but the generation and purchase of that magic can be costly, leading to repair expense fees being issued if the damage to the dungeon goes unnecessarily overboard.


    Not just that, this system serves as a check to various obnoxious actions that can be taken by the adventurers, such as trying to find shortcuts by blasting open walls with magic, using magic that¡¯s complete overkill for monsters of a lower level, or destroying the camera if they¡¯re about to suffer a loss.


    Dungeons also often have their own Avatar Creation/Modification Devices that they lend to adventurers as well.


    It costs money, but it¡¯s cheaper than asking for services from a specialized store, and since there are further discounts after a clear, people often repair their Avatars on the spot at the dungeon.


    There are also safe rooms where Avatar recovery items are sold at fairly expensive prices. Dungeons are pretty much designed to squeeze as much money as possible out of you.


    Other than that, there are also dungeon tours hosted on days with no reservations for those who just want to take a look around.


    For example, the last dungeon I cleared with Fenix¡¯s party, the 4th stratum. There were a lot of werewolves.


    It was broadcasted over television instead of the internet, but there were apparently a lot of visitors who wanted to tour that dungeon after the broadcast.


    The Demon Castle purposely welcomed its visitors without repairing the traces of combat made by Fenix¡¯s party.


    It was a huge hit with the visitors.


    There were marks left in the ground where the Warrior Alba mowed down the enemies with his magic sword, marks on the ground and walls from the Hunter Lily¡¯s arrows, indents in the wall made from the Paladin Lark knocking monsters into the wall with his shield, and passageways scorched with the flames the Hero Fenix used to defeat all the enemies that came after him.


    It was basically a pilgrimage.


    But the location was the Demon King Castle, the dungeon boasting the highest known difficulty.


    ¡­I kept it to myself that I felt that they were so resourceful with their marketing despite the fact that their floor got cleared.


    Of course, there were zero traces left from the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    Milla, being the sweet girl that she was, said:


    ¡¸When your party was being surrounded by werewolves from 3 directions at the crossroad, you were the only one that didn¡¯t move even a step and instantly cast Speed Down on everyone. When the trap was triggered and you put your hand against the wall to support yourself from the shaking, you were really cute. The way you cast Confusion on the werewolves and made them pack together to make it easier for the Hunter to land her arrows caught the Demon King¡¯s attention. That scene where the Paladin misjudged the enemy¡¯s attack power, you didn¡¯t miss a beat in instantly lowering their attack power and casting Speed Down on their arms, throwing off their slash attack before they inflicted major damage, was truly spectacular. There were so many amazing moments that it¡¯s hard to focus on just one, but that fight with the Floor Boss was especially impressive! How was it that you were able to make so many breathtaking plays within just a span of a few hours! The moment that I particularly loved was -¡¹


    After praising me for a few minutes, she finally realized what she was doing and got red in the face.


    As I looked at her from the side as she laid her face down onto the desk, my chest filled with emotion.


    It was me who decided that I¡¯d become an adventurer even though I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer, and I had no intention of breaking the promise I made with my master.


    I¡¯d contribute to the clear by supporting the victories of my comrades with the full might of my magic without standing out.


    I told myself that was good enough for me.


    But to tell the truth, I honestly did want someone to recognize my abilities.


    After all, why else would I be so happy from hearing Milla¡¯s words.


    It seemed that Milla truly was passionate about watching the videos of my dungeon clear. Of course, that was probably only because she was talented herself to recognize exactly what I was doing¡­ I think. Maybe that wasn¡¯t the only reason. Since the werewolves are her coworkers, she would have been able to hear the details from them, and since all the video data is originally from the Demon King Castle, she¡¯d be able to edit it and confirm the details for herself.


    I was really happy about it, but part of me was in shock over how easily she was able to see through what I was trying so hard to hide.


    Still, though.


    Why is it that Milla was so interested in watching the Black Sorcerer Lem?


    I was honestly at a loss.


    Even so, I didn¡¯t have the guts to ask her what she found attractive about me.


    ¡¸This should be enough for today.¡¹


    There was still a lot I had to learn about my job, but it wasn¡¯t like I had to take charge of a dungeon right away.


    I didn¡¯t have to stuff everything I needed to know into my head all in one day.


    I nodded to the Her Majesty¡¯s words.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll hold a welcome party for you soon. Agares!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, leave the assembly hall arrangements to me. I¡¯ll make reservations for all your favorite sweets. If I may, Your Majesty, could I possibly have the honor of taking the seat next to you?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re probably aiming to massage me in a weird place, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Gwah¡­! Not at all! You don¡¯t have to look at your loyal servant with such suspicious eyes¡­ Your Majesty¡­ Thank you oh so very much¡­!¡¹


    It looked like he was both happy and in pain at the same time.


    I turned my gaze away.


    Judging by how lightly the Her Majesty and Milla treated him, it was probably unlikely that he would go as far as to perform any criminal actions despite his somewhat perverse tendencies.


    It was enough to just think of him as someone with peculiar tastes.


    I looked towards the black knight that never said a single word throughout all of this.


    ¡¸¡­Oh, he was probably sleeping this whole time.¡¹


    Milla was glaring at Agares with a scornful look, but she noticed the curious expression on my face and explained to me.


    One was absent and one was sleeping the whole time. The Big Four was quite an interesting bunch.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take you outside, Lem.¡¹


    After her suggestion, I said my farewells to Her Majesty and Agares and we left the meeting room.


    I said goodbye to the black knight as well, but he didn¡¯t respond since he was probably still sleeping.


    We returned to the dressing room-like area.


    It was still pretty tight with just the two of us, but I still didn¡¯t have any identification as a member of the Demon King Army. That being the case, the only way for me to exit was for Milla to interact with the Recording Stone while touching me.


    ¡¸Sorry about making you see all those embarrassing moments today¡­¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve honestly never been praised that much in my entire life, so I was kind of happy.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Well, as long as you don¡¯t think I¡¯m disgusting or anything.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d never think that.¡¹


    I did think she was a bit peculiar, though.


    Milla sighed a breath of relief to my words.


    ¡¸Thank goodness¡­ You really are a kind person, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Um, I hope I¡¯m not too close to you right now¡­¡¹


    Milla looked up at me.


    The room we were in was very small, so our bodies were almost completely pressed against each other.


    ¡¸I-I think I might get a little excited here, so please tell me if I¡¯m bothering you.¡¹


    Milla then reached her hand to my waist and dug into my pocket.


    I ended up twitching a little at first, but I soon figured out what she was trying to do.


    She took out the ring Her Majesty gave me.


    ¡¸Y-You heard about what this ring does from Her Majesty, correct?¡¹


    Her nervousness transmitted to me, making me let out a shrill voice.


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸The order actually gets registered as well.¡¹


    ¡¸The order?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes. For example, um¡­ if you were to make a contract with me, then I¡¯d become your first contract. At the same time, I¡¯d see myself as your first monster.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I really am a big fan of yours¡­ It was me who suggested that we scout you, and it was me who brought you all the way here today, and I¡¯ll be your assistant for a little while¡­ And I was also sitting next to you earlier, too, so¡­ um¡­ um¡­¡¹


    Milla tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t know exactly what she wanted to say.


    ¡¸So, I mean¡­ c-could I possibly be your first¡­?!¡¹


    After finally squeezing out those words, she looked down with a red face.


    I¡¯ve only just met this girl, but I feel like I¡¯ll never meet another girl like her.


    I could tell that it took all the courage she had to speak those words to me.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    After hesitating for a moment, I made my decision and placed my hands on her shoulders.


    Her delicate body twitched.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸I should be the one asking you. Would you become my first contracted monster?¡¹


    To be honest, I was hoping for this.


    I knew Milla¡¯s strength, and I knew that even though she could be a bit impish at times, she was a kind person.


    But what was pathetic was that I had let her be the one to ask me.


    Milla instantly lifted her face and looked into my eyes.


    Her eyes watered up, her cheeks flushed, and her lips shined with allure.


    Those lips of hers opened up, with her fangs poking out.


    ¡¸¡­I want to suck on you.¡¹


    That¡¯s what I heard from her.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?! U-Um, nothing!¡¹


    She wants to suck on me¡­? Is she talking about my blood, since she¡¯s a vampire?


    I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of meaning it held for a vampire to say something like that a moment like this.


    I¡¯ve heard that a vampire¡¯s impulse to suck blood is sometimes triggered by specific impulses, though.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, really! S-So, you¡¯ll be entering a contract with me, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, right.¡¹


    ¡¸Um, are you sure this is what you want? The first time is always special, after all.¡¹


    She spoke with unease.


    ¡¸I was originally planning on asking you, anyway.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, really?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ see¡­¡¹


    Her lips started squirming against each other.


    ¡¸Right. Um, it works by sending magical energy into each other at the same time, right? ¡­Is that difficult?¡¹


    ¡¸Show me your hands, Lem. It probably works like this.¡¹


    Instead of having us touch the ring at the same time, the monster that was going to become my contract reached out to touch the ring while it was on my finger.


    I suppose this way would work. We¡¯re both touching it, either way.


    Milla¡¯s snow white hand traced along my finger and eventually reached the ring.


    I began sending my magical energy into it. I could feel Milla doing the same.


    ¡¸I, Milla, swear that I shall arrive at Lem¡¯s side per his summon no matter what the time, no matter what the place, and no matter what distance separates us.¡¹


    She then took her hand away from the ring for some reason, even though the contract had not yet finished.


    ¡¸Milla¡­?!¡¹


    She took my hand and brought it to her mouth while looking up towards me, and then pressed it against her lips.


    The necessary amount of magical energy flowed into it, mixing with mine, completing the contract.


    It was a strange feeling, but I was able to recognize that the woman in front of me had become my ¡¸first contract.¡¹


    But there was something more important to worry about at the moment.


    The interaction was so impactful for me that my body had frozen up.


    I slowly stepped away from her.


    ¡¸I¡­ think I¡¯ve calmed down now.¡¹


    I felt like my heart was going to explode.


    I put my hand to my chest. Thank goodness, it hasn¡¯t exploded.


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­ I took your first time.¡¹


    She tried her best to act composed as she captivatingly licked her lips.


    But since the memory of our little interaction was still extremely fresh in my mind, I wasn¡¯t able to give a proper response.


    ¡¸U-Um¡­ Lem, the ring¡¯s purpose is mainly to drive away adventurers, but it¡¯s possible to use it outside as well. Be aware that the farther the distance is between us, the more magical energy it costs to summon me, but I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be a problem for you.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Right.¡¹


    Milla had impressively regained her composure for the most part by now.


    The innocent look she had on her face earlier had completely disappeared as she drew her face close to my ear.


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t mind if you even summoned me to your room late in the night.¡¹


    Oh, she¡¯s teasing me right now, isn¡¯t she?


    But since I was a man, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine if she was being serious.


    ¡¸Just kidding. You don¡¯t know me well enough, so I suppose saying stuff like that might just creep you out. I¡¯ll be more careful.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh?¡¹


    I thought about asking her, but in the end I kept my mouth shut.


    She didn¡¯t bother pushing the subject, either.


    ¡¸I suppose it¡¯s still too soon for us to be seeing each other in your room at night, yet.¡¹


    ¡­Yet?


    ¡¸Just kidding. Let¡¯s head back now.¡¹


    She turned her body towards the Recording Stone.


    With her body turned away from me, I could see that her ears were red.


    I was probably just as red at the moment.


    I avoided mentioning that and left the Demon King Castle.


    ¨C Number of Contracts: 1/72

 CH 11

    11 ¨C It¡¯s Only the First Morning Since the Demon King Army Chief of Staff¡¯s Inauguration, But He Still Has a Lot of Work To Do


    The next day.


    Today was going to be my first day working at the Demon King Castle, so I got ready and headed out from the inn a bit early.


    By the way, when I was still with my party a few weeks ago, I stayed at the same inn as the guys (in separate rooms, of course), but after I left my party, I changed inns.


    My legs naturally guided me toward the marketplace.


    Sometimes there¡¯s a certain face someone might want to go see whenever they want to pump themselves up.


    For me, ever since I got chased out of my party, that certain face was the smiling face of the hardworking Cashew.


    ¡­This isn¡¯t anything like Agares though, by the way. It¡¯s not like I get excited over it, I purely just want to get my soul healed. I want to believe it¡¯s the same thing as watching kids running around energetically and thinking ¡¸How peaceful.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh! You¡¯re here today again too, my kindred spirit!¡¹


    As I approached the shop, the macho shopkeeper called out to me.


    ¡­That¡¯s fine and all, but when did I become his kindred spirit?


    Yesterday, I suppose. I guess taking down that purse snatcher together with him sprouted some friendship between us.


    I am rather fond of him though, so it made me happy.


    People often automatically have prejudice towards Black Sorcerers, so it was hard for me to make friends.


    Back when I was a kid, I may not have been the ¡¸leader¡¹ of the kids, but I was pretty much the most popular kid in the village.


    But once it was revealed that I was a Black Sorcerer, everyone who was friendly and sociable with me instantly started distancing themselves from me.


    They¡¯d say stuff like ¡¸I thought you were gonna be a Hero, but you¡¯re a Black Sorcerer? I don¡¯t want to be stuck with some guy who pretty much has no future. See ya, I probably won¡¯t talk to you ever again.¡¹


    Children are pure, which is why they can sometimes be more vicious than adults.


    Boys that admire what¡¯s cool will avoid associating with anything that isn¡¯t. It¡¯s simple logic.


    But Fenix was different.


    Fenix, the weak, timid crybaby that had always followed me around, stuck to my side as my friend even after I became a Black Sorcerer and he became a Hero.


    Not just that, he even made a party despite being the first person to make a contract with the Fire Spirit in the past 300 years.


    He even went as far as to say that he¡¯d reach the top if he partied with me.


    Now that I think about it, the reason why I was able to withstand my master¡¯s hellish training was probably because of how much I wanted to maintain the respect Fenix had for me.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever truly had anyone I could call a friend since him.


    I did have small acquaintances that I may have chatted with here and there, though.


    ¡­Hmm.


    ¡¸Good morning, Blitz.¡¹


    If he¡¯s going to be my friend, I probably should actually call him by his name.


    He took on a knife-wielding criminal together with me, helped me in my time of emergency without caring that I was a Black Sorcerer, and he was kind to kids.


    I should be honored to have someone like that as a friend.


    ¡¸Good morning to you too, Cashew.¡¹


    Cashew actually had noticed me first before Blitz.


    Her ears were twitching about, her tail swinging around, and the moment our eyes met, her face lit up and she instantly ran towards me.


    ¡¸Yeah, good morning, Lem!¡¹


    I really wanted to pet those twitching ears, but I wanted to maintain the distance between us as shopkeeper and customer.


    It probably wouldn¡¯t happen, but I also didn¡¯t want to get my soul crushed from hearing her say something like ¡¸Ew, stop that, you creep!¡¹


    ¡¸Good work yesterday.¡¹


    ¡¸I should be saying that to you. You were amazing, I had no idea magic could do stuff like that.¡¹


    Seeing as how Blitz knew I was going to be backing him up beforehand, he probably had noticed how unnaturally easy it was for him to stop the criminal.


    I actually wanted to talk with him about that.


    ¡¸By the way, I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t tell anyone about what I did.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I thought so. Besides, I¡¯d lose all the credit I boasted about if I told anyone. Don¡¯t worry, my lips are sealed. Cashew hasn¡¯t told her family, either. Right?¡¹


    ¡¸The shopkeeper did it all on his own!¡¹


    Cashew looked up towards me in respect and spoke as if reading off a script.


    They were kind and considerate people.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you talking about, that¡¯s my line. Man, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever sold out. Cashew even wiped out her entire stock. Well, I¡¯m sure people will forget about all that in a day or two. I didn¡¯t expect us to profit so much. Here, take this. It¡¯s your share.¡¹


    Blitz then took out a leather bag and handed it to me. It seemed that there was money inside it.


    Blitz was saying that I had a right to some of the profit since it was thanks to my actions.


    ¡¸No no, I can¡¯t take this.¡¹


    ¡¸You certainly can. To be honest, I might look pretty brawny, but I¡¯m actually near useless when it comes to a fight.¡¹


    ¡­Well, yes, I could tell that much from what I saw yesterday.


    But that¡¯s exactly why he was so amazing. He had no idea if he¡¯d actually be able to stop the criminal or not, yet he stepped up anyway.


    That was pretty reckless of him at the same time, though.


    ¡¸Although, even if I couldn¡¯t fight, I supposed I could have at least tackled him or something, right?¡¹


    I see. Considering Blitz¡¯s large size, if he had rushed at him at full speed, he would have been able to crash into the purse snatch pretty well. But he would have easily been injured that way, so it¡¯s not something I¡¯d recommend.


    ¡¸A total victory, unharmed! And my goods are all sold out! It¡¯s only natural that I thank you. I guess if you want me to be in debt to you, that¡¯s fine and all, but if that¡¯s not the case, then take it.¡¹


    It¡¯d be rude of me to decline at this point.


    I took the money.


    Seeing me take it, Cashew began to act a bit anxious.


    As I wondered what the matter was, Cashew picked out the most shapely fruit from her stock and handed it to me.


    ¡¸T-This is for you!¡¹


    ¡­Oh, I get it now.


    Blitz had prepared my share.


    But Cashew was here to help out with her family. All her profit probably went straight to her family.


    But she thought that it wasn¡¯t right for Blitz to thank me but not her.


    She had no money, however.


    Amidst her anxiousness, she figured out she could give me fruit instead.


    My heart grew warm from her admirable spirit.


    I leaned down to Cashew and gave her a smile.


    ¡¸Thank you, I really appreciate it.¡¹


    As I took the fruit, Cashew put her hands to her chest and fiddled around in happiness.


    ¡¸Oh, I know. I¡¯ll gratefully eat this, but I might as well buy some more while I¡¯m here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Yes, please! Thank you for your patronage!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Give me everything that I can buy with this.¡¹


    I handed over the leather bag Blitz just gave me.


    ¡¸Wow, Lem¡­ You really are something.¡¹


    Blitz was surprised, but he seemed to be a bit mistaken.


    It wasn¡¯t as if I was trying to help Cashew out. Well, if it did help her out, that¡¯d be great, but I was thinking of getting something nice for my new co-workers.


    Upon explaining that, the two of them congratulated with surprise.


    ¡¸Seriously? That¡¯s great! Which party? I¡¯ll subscribe to you.¡¹


    Broadcasted videos of clears made by Hero parties are exclusively uploaded to the Adventurer Union-ran video sharing site for public viewing. The only exception would be the television broadcasts, which give out pay on a one-time basis in contrast to the online videos which give pay in accordance with how many views they get.


    On television, the channels usually buy the footage and edit them before broadcasting, but they do live broadcasts at times as well. This would be done with cooperation with the dungeons, and it¡¯d be broadcasted live until the party either cleared or failed.


    Hero parties with lower ranks can¡¯t get by just with broadcasts, so many of them have a second job as well. The life of an adventurer isn¡¯t all sunshine and roses.


    There exists a function to subscribe to your favorite parties so that you¡¯d be notified whenever a new video associated with them gets uploaded.


    Unfortunately, the Demon King Army doesn¡¯t have an account. They aren¡¯t adventurers, after all¡­


    It¡¯s not like I doubted them, but I didn¡¯t want to risk my identity being revealed before even my first day at a dungeon. Who knows who could be listening.


    ¡¸I¡¯m still on trial, it¡¯s not official yet.¡¹


    I tried to avoid specifying anything.


    ¡¸Oh, I see. Let me know if you get in, I¡¯ll buy you a drink.¡¹


    It seemed that Blitz truly saw me as a friend. I was thankful.


    It looked like Cashew had finally calmed down after stuffing a paper bag with the fruits I purchased, as she let out a deep sigh.


    ¡¸You have a lot of money, Lem.¡¹


    Blitz apparently had given me a lot. Since Cashew¡¯s fruits were a bit unshapely, they were sold at a relatively cheaper price. That¡¯s probably why I still had some money left over.


    ¡¸But are you sure about this? You¡¯d be bringing these, um¡­ ugly fruit over to your new workplace. Don¡¯t you think they might get the wrong idea?¡¹


    Cashew was worried about the impression I¡¯d give.


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s not about how they look. Your fruits taste good, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡¹


    I realized I sounded a little cheesy and got a little embarrassed.


    I was about to correct myself, but Cashew looked up at me with sparkling eyes, so I decided to just leave it at that.


    I wouldn¡¯t dare crush the admiration of a child.


    Oh, wait¡­ I ended up prioritizing how I¡¯d look to her.


    I suppose life doesn¡¯t always go the way you want it to.


    I put away the leftover money in the leather bag and picked up the two large paper bags. It was pretty heavy since they were pretty packed with fruit.


    ¡¸Shall I carry those for you?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m fine. I may not look like it, but I actually exercise a lot¡­ wait, huh?¡¹


    Who just talked to me?


    I ended up replying without thinking.


    But the voice sounded familiar. I think I heard it yesterday.


    I casually turned around.


    It was the beautiful vampire, Milla.

 CH 12

    12 ¨C The Vampire Queen Said That the Demon King Army Chief of Staff Needs Someone Who Can Understand Him


    Milla was wearing a disguise.


    She had a hat that hid her bat-like feelers, a mask that hid her fangs, and contacts that changed her eyes to blue.


    ¡°Good morning. I thought I¡¯d run into you here.¡±


    Oh right, she saw me here during that incident yesterday.


    She was probably wearing a disguise out of consideration towards me so people wouldn¡¯t spread any weird rumors from seeing the Black Sorcerer Lem walking around with a vampire. I guess she wasn¡¯t wearing it yesterday since she just happened to see me.


    Or was it so that Blitz and Cashew wouldn¡¯t figure out my new job?


    Anyway, the point is that she met me in disguise.


    I¡¯d see her in the workplace, so I wondered why she decided to meet me here.


    But it¡¯s strange¡­


    That pretty smile on her face looks somewhat scary right now.


    Milla looked towards Cashew for a second.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re the same as that pervert.¡±


    I instantly realized she was talking about Agares.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all! I¡¯m sure that should be obvious judging from how I treat Her M- I mean, Hermine!¡±


    I almost caught myself saying ¡°Her Majesty¡± in front of the two so I tried to cover it up.


    After staring at me for a while, she suddenly let out a little giggle.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. I believe you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good¡­¡±


    Thank god.


    ¡°Besides, if you ever happen to start straying towards the wrong path, I¡¯ll be right there to drag you back to the correct one.¡±


    Milla spoke while placing her hand on her chest.


    While I was still feeling startled, the look on Cashew¡¯s face seemed to be drowned in despair¡­


    She was feeling devastated as she compared her chest with Milla¡¯s.


    Cashew¡¯s smile is what saves me, yet that smile of hers was muddled away right now.


    Milla leaned over to Cashew.


    ¡°Good morning, little greengrocer.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not little, I¡¯ll be growing big soon enough¡­ but good morning.¡±


    I was proud of Cashew being able to greet her back.


    ¡­What was Milla planning on, though?


    ¡°Wow, you sure are pretty. You an acquaintance of Lem¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Lem has helped me out in the past.¡±


    She must be talking about me joining the Demon King Army.


    ¡°Ah, yeah he is that kind of guy.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Blitz was keeping his promise not to talk about yesterday, and Milla didn¡¯t mention anything about seeing the incident.


    But the both of them nodded in understanding towards each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m here today to talk with¡­ Cashew, was it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I responded in surprise.


    ¡°Please excuse me, but you need money, correct?¡±


    ¡­Wait, hold on a second, Milla.


    ¡°Uh, um¡­ I want to be able to help out Mom a little¡­¡±


    Cashew nervously responded. She probably had customers question why she was there multiple times in the past, so she¡¯s gotten used to giving that kind of answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. By the way, how much do you usually make in a day here?¡±


    ¡­Um, Milla?


    ¡°The shopkeeper¡¯s kindness is also wonderful. But Cashew, would you be interested in a job that would give you much more stable income?¡±


    I knew it¡­!


    I don¡¯t know why, but Milla was trying to recruit Cashew into the Demon King Army.


    But that¡¯s no good. She¡¯s just too young¡­ Even the Demon King¡¯s at least 10 years old, and it¡¯s only fine for her since she¡¯s enjoying following in the footsteps of her father.


    Milla noticed my concern and winked at me.


    It was pretty, but I still worried about Cashew.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to do anything dangerous. But Lem¡¯s new job is really tough, it¡¯d be nice if he had an assistant that could help him out.¡±


    What exactly does she mean¡­?


    We couldn¡¯t possibly send her out as an active member of the dungeon, but I guess she could work behind the scene in setting the place up?


    Wait, since that wouldn¡¯t be dangerous, that¡¯s actually not a bad idea.


    Her income from selling fruit wasn¡¯t stable, and she probably doesn¡¯t get much at all, to begin with.


    To be honest I always felt sorry for her since she usually had a huge pile of fruit left unsold whenever I went to see her.


    ¡°Miss, are you Lem¡¯s new party member?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So, Cashew, if you decide to come with me, I¡¯ll reward you with this much.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! T-That much?!¡±


    ¡°It might be a bit busy for a while, but once things settle down, you¡¯ll be able to have a long break.¡±


    ¡°U-Um¡­¡±


    ¡°And the best part of this all is that we¡¯re specifically looking for assistants to Lem.¡±


    ¡°T-To Lem?!¡±


    The despair had completely left Cashew¡¯s face. It was now replaced with surprise and excitement.


    ¡°What do you think? You can discuss it with the shopkeeper and your family. If you can schedule a time for me, I can even personally explain the details to your family.¡±


    Cashew seemed to be getting overwhelmed by all this new information.


    ¡°Hey, miss. Since Lem doesn¡¯t seem to be saying anything, I suppose that means he trusts you. But I don¡¯t know you, and would a party on your level really have the funds to spare to pay Cashew?¡±


    Blitz was worried about Cashew. The offer did sound too good to be true, after all.


    ¡°Your concern is perfectly understandable. Please excuse me if this sounds a bit rude, but whether or not I¡¯ll further explain the details depends on Cashew¡¯s decision.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll only explain if she shows interest in the job. I guess I can¡¯t complain about that. But what if she changes her mind afterward?¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t matter. I simply wish to see that she has the will to work.¡±


    Milla¡¯s words were clear and concise.


    I looked at Cashew.


    Cashew looked back at me.


    ¡°L-Lem¡­ would it be a problem for you if I were to be your assistant?¡±


    Her face was red with nervousness as she spoke.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯d love it if you joined us. In fact, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be able to do a better job if you helped me out with my work.¡±


    I reflexively responded.


    Those were my true feelings, but I was still a little worried about making a little girl work in the Demon King Army, even if it was just behind the scenes.


    But even if Blitz was a good person, Cashew wouldn¡¯t really ever make much of a profit here.


    If changing jobs would ultimately help out Cashew¡¯s situation, then it should be thought of as a good thing.


    I felt as if I saw Milla¡¯s eyes tear up for just a second. Maybe her instincts as a caretaker kicked in and made her worry a little bit too.


    Cashew slowly closed her eyes. She was probably processing all the information in her head.


    Eventually her eyes opened up again.


    ¡°Shopkeeper.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I want to help out Lem.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sounds fine to me. You¡¯d finally graduate from this chump change job, I¡¯ve got no reason to stop you. Besides, there shouldn¡¯t be any need to worry if it¡¯s Lem we¡¯re talking about here.¡±


    ¡°¡­! T-Thank you!¡±


    Cashew nodded her head again and again with teary eyes.


    Blitz also rubbed his eyes while sniffling.


    What followed felt like it happened in an instance.


    Cashew brought us to her mother¡¯s workplace, where Milla explained the situation. It would ultimately be a part-time job, and she wouldn¡¯t be participating in the dungeon defending whatsoever. And even if by the off chance she did end up participating for whatever reason, it would be made sure that she wouldn¡¯t be any danger. Since Cashew herself was insistent on getting the job, she got permission.


    Even after I told her that I had changed jobs to becoming a monster, Cashew didn¡¯t show any disappointment.


    She was happy for me, saying ¡°Becoming Chief of Staff is a huge promotion, huh?¡±


    After being asked to take care of her daughter by her mother, I responded with ¡°I will.¡±


    It seemed that Cashew¡¯s family didn¡¯t have a father, and there was a total of five family members, including a big sister, a little sister, and a little brother.


    ¡­It¡¯s no wonder that her mother was having trouble.


    But her mother was hesitant about letting Cashew take the job even after hearing about the pay. She was still extremely worried about her daughter.


    She only let her take the job after seeing Cashew¡¯s strong desire to work.


    I was relieved to see that she had a good relationship with her mother.


    Her mother asked us to leave her alone with Cashew for a little while, so we waited outside the workplace.


    The workplace was a second hand clothes shop.


    ¡°¡­Milla, how much did you hear yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Everything after the ¡®Hello.¡¯¡±


    That means she heard everything from the very start.


    That¡¯s how she knew about my relationship with Blitz and Cashew.


    ¡°So you knew that Cashew and I knew each other¡­ Are you recruiting her for the Demon Castle because she¡¯s a Demi-Human?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I also felt that it¡¯d help you out to have someone you know working with you. Besides, as Chief of Staff, you absolutely will need someone around to help you out. What¡¯s unfortunate, and I mean truly unfortunate, is that I won¡¯t be able to be around as your assistant forever.¡±


    Milla seemed to really emphasize how unfortunate it was.


    ¡°Cashew¡¯s still a child, you know?¡±


    ¡°But you need someone who understands you. Even if you are well aware of your own power, the others probably won¡¯t expect much from you. However, Cashew is one of the few people that truly understand the strength of both your heart and your magic.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s because no one¡¯s ever praised me over the past 10 years.¡±


    Fenix was my best friend, but that didn¡¯t mean we praised each other all the time.


    In the end, I had to believe in my own power.


    I guess it was so I¡¯d get used to others judging me.


    ¡°Then from now on, Cashew and I will praise you. You¡¯re an amazing person. I won¡¯t let someone hide what makes them amazing and not get properly recognized for it. You¡¯re an amazing Black Sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you.¡±


    Stop that, you¡¯re embarrassing me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well up until now. There, there¡­ Something like that.¡±


    She pet my head.


    ¡°¡­Okay, I might be going too far there. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Our faces both grew red.


    It was actually not okay at all.


    I didn¡¯t like that I actually enjoyed being treated like that. Getting happy over having my head pet, what am I, a little kid?


    ¡°Ahem. Anyway, I¡¯ve decided that you need an assistant who understands you. You¡¯ll be able to form contracts with many monsters with that ring, but in the end, they¡¯re all under the direct command of the Floor Bosses. So in order to gain more comrades, you¡¯ll have to get permission from the Floor Bosses. I don¡¯t mind if you use my pigs¡­ I mean, subordinates, but don¡¯t talk to them while I¡¯m not around. Even if they do say anything to you, just know that anything they say will be a lie, so don¡¯t believe them. You believe me more than my pigs¡­ I mean, subordinates, right?¡±


    Milla looked up at me with teary eyes.


    ¡­I guess she usually calls her subordinates pigs.


    That¡¯s the Vampire Queen Carmilla, all right.


    She was probably getting into character.


    But you¡¯re not working right now, so please stay as the sweet Milla that I know.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯d instantly believe whatever anyone would say about you. I¡¯d always hear out your end of the matter.¡±


    ¡°W-Well that¡¯s good. Thank you.¡±


    As we passed the time chatting, Cashew finally came out.


    ¡°Sorry for the wait!¡±


    She seemed to be in good spirits.


    ¡°All right, shall we head off then? Lem, Cashew.¡±


    And so the three of us headed to our workplace.


    To the Demon King Castle.

 CH 13

    13 ¨C The Flame Hero Remembers His Friend


    While he may be the leader of the 4th ranked party in the world right now, Fenix was actually bullied a lot as a child.


    Looking back, it wasn¡¯t because he had a small build, or because he was slow on his feet, or because he was physically weak, or anything like that. It was just that he was weak-willed. He wasn¡¯t very independent, he was indecisive, and he would grow extremely insecure when people pointed these things out.


    The kids loved making fun of Fenix as his face grew red from humiliation.


    And the one who helped him was Lem.


    Lem looked up to Heroes. That was probably why he helped Fenix.


    He wasn¡¯t particularly good at fights or anything, but he was a quick thinker. He had a way with words, sometimes persuading people to back off, sometimes catching people off guard, sometimes setting traps. Through his efforts, he was able to drive back Fenix¡¯s bullies.


    He¡¯d often get beaten up in the process, but Lem would laugh it off saying ¡¸The Hero always wins in the end.¡¹


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to take on multiple people on his own as a kid, but once he became 10 years old, God would tell him what his most suitable Job would be. He was sure that he¡¯d become a Hero, so he trained his body in order to prepare for that.


    No matter how long Fenix took to speak his words, Lem would patiently wait for him. By telling him ¡¸It¡¯s not that you think slowly, it¡¯s just that you think deeply,¡¹ Lem saved Fenix.


    By sticking around him, Fenix eventually grew to not get too caught up in his thoughts and make his judgments quickly.


    Lem had a lot of friends, so Fenix was able to naturally join in on the circle as well.


    That¡¯s why it wasn¡¯t strange.


    No one would possibly dare to abandon him just because of a ritual that told him his suitable Job.


    He was emaciated as he was, everyone celebrated him becoming a Hero.


    All those that became Heroes had to visit the Shrines of the Spirits that were located in various areas of the world.


    If there was a spirit that found a liking to him, he¡¯d be able to obtain great power.


    Fenix cursed himself at the shrine. God, spirits, Jobs, to hell with them. I¡¯ve caused pain to my friend, the person who deserved to be a Hero more than anyone else.


    Fenix obtained the Fire Spirit.


    The majority of people that become Heroes rejoice, and the ones that didn¡¯t rejoice start telling themselves that they¡¯re some kind of special person. But the Fire Spirit apparently didn¡¯t like people like that. The Fire Spirit enjoyed seeing someone explode in outrage over God and the spirits for once. That was why the Fire Spirit entered a contract with Fenix, something that hadn¡¯t happened in about 130 years.


    Why was I the only one blessed?


    Fenix returned to the village in a bad mood.


    His friend that had saved him numerous times had his dreams crushed, while Fenix himself became the Flame Hero.


    Fenix began to feel extremely ashamed of himself afterward.


    Lem recovered and began to focus on training himself as a Black Sorcerer.


    Instead of looking frustrated about it, he got excited as if it was him that obtained the holy sword.


    Heroes were able to grow as strong as hardened war veterans within the span of just a few years. They had that kind of talent.


    Lem wasn¡¯t crushed by that fact.


    He¡¯d just try his best for dozens of years. And he wouldn¡¯t just ¡¸try,¡¹ he¡¯d engage in the most efficient way of training he could possibly do.


    After saying that with a laugh, Lem spoke his usual line.


    ¡¸The Hero always wins in the end,¡¹ and ¡¸To look at it another way, as long as you win in the end, you¡¯re a Hero, right? If you slack off enough, I might even surpass you.¡¹


    Fenix¡¯s best friend wasn¡¯t the type of person to be tied down by fate.


    At that moment, Fenix¡¯s future was decided.


    ¡¸Lem, make a party with me.¡¹


    He never regretted those words even once.


    ¡¸Huh? Just so you know, even though I¡¯m going to win in the end, I¡¯m still a huge small fry right now. Even when I become an adventurer, I¡¯d still likely drag you down. You don¡¯t have to show consideration for me just ¡®cause I¡¯m your friend.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like that. I know you¡¯ll become strong. I don¡¯t want us to be rivals, I want us to be comrades.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. You won¡¯t get any party members with a Black Sorcerer on your team.¡¹


    He became a Hero because he wouldn¡¯t be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with his best friend otherwise.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be able to reach the top with you, Lem. Let¡¯s become the best in the world as the first Flame Hero in 130 years and the strongest Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    Lem¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he took a good long look at Fenix.


    ¡¸¡­You know, you¡¯ve kinda changed.¡¹


    ¡¸And you haven¡¯t changed at all, which I¡¯m really happy about. I admire you for that.¡¹


    ¡¸Stop that, I don¡¯t want to hear that cheesy stuff.¡¹


    They then broke into laughter at the same time.


    ¡¸Wait, you wanted to become an adventurer?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I never thought of that until now.¡¹


    ¡¸Seriously?¡¹


    ¡¸But I want to become one now. I understand now why you look up to Heroes.¡¹


    The admiration he felt towards the title-less Hero in front of him would likely never diminish for the rest of his life.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Wait, so you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t understand it until now?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you laughing about? Geez¡­ You sure are a weird one. Nothing good will happen from teaming up with a Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    Lem didn¡¯t seem to resent his friends that distanced themselves from him.


    ¡¸Well, I realized something. Those guys are the same as me. They were disappointed in me becoming a Black Sorcerer. They all think it¡¯s a completely useless Job. They left me because they feel the same way. They look down on Black Sorcerers just like I do. It¡¯s kinda idiotic how people who look up to Heroes unconsciously start discriminating.¡¹


    ¡¸But you¡¯re different, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure even if I became a Black Sorcerer, you wouldn¡¯t abandon me.¡¹


    ¡¸I dunno.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I know you wouldn¡¯t.¡¹


    If he really was someone who would abandon Fenix over something like that, he would¡¯ve joined the bullies the moment he met him.


    But Lem was different. Fenix was sure of that.


    ¡¸Wait three years. I¡¯ll become a Black Sorcerer that¡¯ll be of use to you by then.¡¹


    Fenix deeply nodded to Lem¡¯s words.


    The two of them would become adventurers.


    And then they would rise the ranks alongside their newfound comrades.


    And then the world will see who the coolest hero in the world is.


    ¨C


    I sat down on my bed.


    ¡¸Lem¡­¡¹


    Ever since he left, he¡¯s been on my mind.


    What should I have done?


    I understand his decision. He didn¡¯t want to break his promise with his master. But he couldn¡¯t convince Alba and the others without doing that. I knew that things were reaching their limit, yet I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    It¡¯s been almost ten years since our Jobs were revealed. Lots of things have changed since then.


    There were multiple chains now tying down the dream that they shared as kids.


    Even if I kicked everyone out of the party except Lem, things wouldn¡¯t change.


    A party has to have five members. Regardless of the remaining three members I could recruit, the results would be the same.


    The three of them are honestly all amazing adventurers. And Lem wasn¡¯t able to talk about how just as amazing he was while he performed an incredible job supporting us.


    Our new member is the Frost Hero Bella.


    She¡¯s only 13, but being a Hero, she¡¯s already quite powerful.


    In order to work on strengthening the coordination for our new team, we decided to take a break from clearing the Demon King Castle and instead train on various dungeons nearby. They weren¡¯t designed for broadcasts, so there wouldn¡¯t be any footage recorded.


    The results were¡­ somewhat questionable.


    It was to be expected.


    Alba¡¯s bellows-styled magic sword was indeed flashy, but it was hard to use. He had thought he had mastered it to the point where he could just swing it as he liked to mow down his enemies, but the truth was that Lem had used his Black Magic to guide the enemies to the path of his strikes. By using spells like Confusion and Speed Down, he was able to limit enemy movement and fix enemies to a point where Alba¡¯s strikes would land on the mark at just the right moment.


    At the same time, Lily¡¯s accuracy fell, and Lark wasn¡¯t able to throw off his enemies as easily as he used to.


    Bella was also stiff in her movements, possibly because she was still nervous.


    The three of them said that they were just having a bad day, but that wasn¡¯t true.


    It was just that without Lem¡¯s support, the enemies they fought felt much stronger due to them essentially fighting at their base combat level.


    What was frustrating was that they wouldn¡¯t believe that was the case even after telling them.


    And even if they did accept that, it wouldn¡¯t bring Lem back.


    But they were still all top-notch adventurers. Even now, they¡¯re beginning to adjust their combat senses. But they didn¡¯t realize that they had to adjust them because of Lem¡¯s absence, and even if they successfully adjusted them, it wouldn¡¯t nearly make up for the hole Lem left.


    ¡¸¡­I thought we were going to become the best together, Lem.¡¹


    I never thought he would have left.


    ¡¸Weren¡¯t you going to win in the end?¡¹


    It¡¯d be a load off my mind if he at least had joined another party, but no such information had been announced.


    And it didn¡¯t seem that he had returned to our hometown, either.


    ¡¸You wouldn¡¯t give up. I know that¡¯s not what you¡¯d do.¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing, but he¡¯ll eventually become a hero one day.


    In that case, as long as I became the strongest Hero, he¡¯ll eventually show up to surpass me.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do just that and wait for you.¡¹


    Fenix left his room and met up with Alba and Lark.


    They then met up with Lily and Bella near the dungeon.


    He looked around at his comrades and spoke to them calmly.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll clear the Demon King Castle and become the number one ranked party in the world.¡¹

 CH 14

    14 ¨C First Day of Work


    It¡¯s morning, 3 people are walking through town.


    Cashew was nervous.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t come to this neighborhood before¡­¡¹


    It was the street that leads to the Demon King Castle.


    When you go somewhere for the first time, you can¡¯t help but glance here and there, right? I get it.


    But Cashew got lost doing that.


    Milla and I walked a short distance and by the time I had noticed that she was no longer by my side, she was quite a distance behind nervously standing still. I was getting impatient.


    That¡¯s right. Sometimes children get distracted by something and break away from their parent¡¯s side and stand still to see the scenery.


    However, the child might run off the right path immediately after being asked nicely by the mother.


    I have to be careful.


    Even if I tell her to act her age, Cashew is still only a little girl.


    After thinking it over, I go to call her to come back.


    ¡¸Uhm, Cashew?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sowwyyyy¡­!¡¹


    Her face was filled with relief for a brief moment when she found me, then she was apologizing as she approached me while crying large tears because she thought I was gonna be angry with her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, It¡¯s my fault as well. From now on, this is going to be our way to work, and you¡¯re looking at so many things and worrying about how you¡¯re going to remember the way to get there, right? You¡¯re able to contemplate it, I¡¯m also contemplating it. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m not angry, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do my bwest! P-pwease don¡¯t fire meeeee!¡¹


    She says as she clutches onto me.


    My pants get soaked with Cashew¡¯s tears, but more important than that, I want to stop her tears.


    Her cloudy expression is making me feel terrible.


    Being only a child, she somehow thought what happened just now would be treated as a failure and now she¡¯s afraid that she might get fired before she even starts work.


    I was a little lost at what to do, so I gently reached out my hand towards her head.


    This is different from patting her head as a customer, I¡¯m her boss now! I kept arguing with myself on whether or not this was the right thing to do!


    Her mother asked me to take good care of her, I¡¯m basically her guardian, it should be fine, right? But!


    She might think it¡¯s too intimate and says she hates it now! Or something, maybe.


    Gently, between her ears, my hand touches her head.


    Her ears twitch upright, all the tension leaves her body. But she¡¯s still not letting go.


    I gently caress her fluffy hair.


    Cashew gently lifted her head. She looks at me with her tear-stained face.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, everybody makes mistakes. The important thing is to not regret and to not be afraid, instead think about how you¡¯re going to avoid those mistakes the next time.¡¹


    I pull out a handkerchief and wipe away her tears. I did think a little if it would be better if I just handed her the handkerchief, but she probably would have refused it.


    ¡¸Next¡­time?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not fired?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d be in trouble if you weren¡¯t there, Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸You would?¡¹


    ¡¸Very much so. You¡¯re my secretary after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Secretary¡­!¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s eyes glittered and shined as the image of a capable woman dressed in a smart suit popped into her mind. Some children admire adults like that.


    The way children can switch their emotions so fast really is their strong point, I thought.


    ¡¸Uh, uhm, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I got lost.¡¹


    ¡¸And I¡¯m sorry that I lost sight of you.¡¹


    And with that, this little matter is over.


    ¡¸A-Also¡­Lem. I thought about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Ah, about how to avoid making a mistake the next time?¡¹


    Cashew nods her head a few times.


    Amazing. I wonder if this is the pliability of a child¡¯s reasoning. As soon as they understand what was said to them, they put it into practice.


    No, it¡¯s probably because Cashew¡¯s a clever and good girl.


    I wonder if she¡¯ll say¡¸I¡¯ll be careful!¡¹without looking away. An answer like that would deserve a gold star.


    But for some reason, she¡¯s wagging her tail and her face is bright red.


    ¡¸Hm¡­?¡¹I wonder, as I await her answer.


    ¡¸H¡­ha, ¡­ha-,¡¹


    ¡¸Ha?¡¹


    She takes my outstretched hand into hers.


    Ah, hand.


    ¡­Ah, I see. That would certainly be a solution.


    ¡¸It¡¯s OK, Cashew. You can tell me.¡¹


    ¡¸If, we, hold, hands¡­I, won¡¯t get, lost¡­I think¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s face goes as red as a boiling kettle.


    I bet that took a lot of courage to say.


    To an adult no less. Not that I consider myself an adult in any way.


    I take her hand and grasp her soft fingers.


    ¡¸Yes. With this, you definitely won¡¯t get lost. Truly an exceptionally effective solution, Cashew.¡¹


    Cashew smiled with her whole face.


    Her cheeks, slacking loosely.


    ¡¸Ehehe¡­¡¹


    Cute. Incidentally, I entrusted all the fruits that I bought from Blitz¡¯s shop with him. Milla told a subordinate of hers to carry them. I should thank that person later.


    In any case, that¡¯s why my hands are free.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we take a stroll together when work is over or during our next break?¡¹


    ¡¸Can we really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m not used to this street either.¡¹


    ¡¸Such dedication. If it pleases you, would you like me to guide you around?¡¹


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s not that I forgot about you.


    So please, please don¡¯t use that kind yet cold tone in your voice.


    ¡¸Milla. I, uh, I found Cashew!¡¹


    I flashed a refreshing smile to her but it had an unnatural twitch to it. It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡¸Yes. I was watching the whole time. I wondered when you would return while I waited. Despite being new, you already managed to hold hands with Lem, good for you, Cashew. I¡¯m jealous. Really. Jealous. ¡¹


    She softly narrows her now pale and empty eyes.


    ¡¸On one hand, a promise made to have a date while holding hands on the way to work, On the other, inviting you to go to work together only to be left behind like some sick fetish act. Lem, why is life so cruel? I¡¯m on the verge of tears. If I start crying, would you lend me your handkerchief? Or would you leave me behind?¡¹[2. TL Note: Milla actually says ·ÅÖåץ쥤, which is literally ¡°Abandonment Play¡±, a kind of S&M sexual act]


    What, should I say in this situation.


    I don¡¯t think she¡¯s angry, but she isn¡¯t being sarcastic either.


    You could say¡­she¡¯s sulking? That¡¯s what it feels like.


    She¡¯s jealous of a child? Milla is? No, I don¡¯t actually know her well enough to be able to tell that much.


    ¡¸It must be nice, Cashew. How is Lem¡¯s right hand?¡¹


    ¡¸U¡­hm, it¡¯s warm. And, it has this adult man feeling.¡¹


    Cashew answered honestly.


    ¡¸I see, how wonderful. Will a gentleman ever lend his nice warm hand to me? Is anyone¡¯s hand free? Right now, my heart is so cold. Even a left hand will do. ¡¹


    Milla starts crying crocodile tears.


    Not without glancing my way a few times.


    Which is it? Is she half-teasing or¡­does she really want to hold hands like Cashew?


    ¡­No, stop.


    I shouldn¡¯t think of unnecessary thoughts. I¡¯ll never be able to find the answer in my head.


    In either case, I just have to reply.


    ¡¸In that case, would you like to hold hands? At least until we reach the workplac¨Css!¡¹


    Before I could even finish my sentence, she snatched my left hand.


    I thought she ripped it off but she was connected to my arm. Connected as in, our arms were linked.


    Not exactly holding hands, more like my arm and her body were entangled.


    That is to say¡­uhm, my arm is sandwiched. Between something soft. As the Demon King described, two silky to the touch, with pudding-like elasticity,  ample things.


    I regulate my pounding heart with the sheer force of will.


    ¡¸It¡¯s true. It truly is warm.¡¹


    She says as she giggles with utter satisfaction.


    It feels like Cashew tightens her grip on my hand. Is it my imagination?


    I was expecting to just go to my new place of work today, but now¡­


    On my right, a young but sweet dog-eared little girl and on my left, a voluptuous and beautiful Vampire woman. It became quite a sight.


    ¡¸Uh, uhm¡­it should be fine for Cashew, but is this OK, Milla?¡¹


    Anyway, I shouldn¡¯t get distracted. I touch on a subject.


    ¡¸Whatever do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­this, is it alright if people in the workplace see you coming in linking arms with a man. I¡¯d feel sorry if rumors start to spread.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s let them spread instead. The unnecessary bugs will be a bother to you.¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    Bugs¡­


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. Lem, please let me know about anyone you talked to at work. Hm? Of course, it¡¯s a professional necessity. Anyone who talks to you possesses at least a small shred of interest in you. Conversely, it means that they have a reason to answer you if you were to call them. Although you are able to register 72 people,  it¡¯s best to select those who are compatible with you.¡¹


    Oh. That¡¯s right.


    Milla was only thinking on my behalf.


    If there was a woman among the people I talked to, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if they approached me simply because they are a Black Sorcerer fan. I ended up thinking of something rude.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Milla. I understand. I¡¯ll record the names of anyone I talk to.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Especially the women¡­I might need to have a good, long chat with them.¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    My question was ignored.


    ¡¸Ah, we have arrived. Have a look, Cashew. From today onwards, this will be your place of work, the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    The Demon King Castle has the shape of a proper castle, but beneath it lies the dungeon. There were underground floors designated for personnel use, free-to-roam areas, the front door area has a receptionist for clear parties, and rooms where the link devices for the Magic Body Avatars are placed.


    ¡¸Wow, It¡¯s my first time seeing it!¡¹


    ¡¸You can¡¯t go wrong with local attractions. Particularly the back entrance here.¡¹


    The conversations between the two girls get lively when it becomes about me. In the end, we just went to work.

 CH 15

    15 ¨C Demon King Army Chief of Staff, Make a Promise to Go Out Part 1


    The Recording Stone is an item that possesses various functions.


    It requires magical energy, but it can transport people and objects to Other Recording Stones once they have been registered.


    It is also used to store Dungeon Clear data. Adventurers can then choose to Continue from their Last Session after confirmation from the dungeon¡¯s side.


    The rooms that have Recording Stones are called Safe Rooms, monsters will not attack you while you are in it, and you can even use the Save Points to return to the dungeon entrance.


    You need an item that proves your identity called a Registration Card in order to use it.


    Dungeon Staff also makes use of these Recording Stones a lot.


    ¡¸Lem, please use this today.¡¹


    Milla handed me a temporary registration card. They couldn¡¯t issue an official one in time.


    It was a thin board that was as long as my thumb and made of metal. It had a hole with a chain running through it.


    I think it might take a few days for them to issue Cashew¡¯s one, so she has to share mine.


    I was about to hang it around my neck so that I wouldn¡¯t lose it, but then I stopped.


    ¡¸Cashew here¡¯s your first assignment. Can I entrust this with you and you make sure not to lose it?¡¹


    After saying that, Cashew stood at attention.


    ¡¸Y, yes! I definitely will not lose it, Chief of staff, sir!¡¹


    Chief of staff, huh? No.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s OK to call me the usual way.¡¹


    ¡¸No, sir! We¡¯re at work, sir!¡¹


    ¡¸I see. That¡¯s right. Alright, I understand.¡¹


    It made me feel a little lonely, but it¡¯s good to have enthusiasm in your work.


    I let out a sigh while thinking about how heartwarming Cashew¡¯s determination-inspiring demeanor is, as we walked through the interiors of the Demon Castle.


    ¡¸In the Demon Castle¡¯s basement, generally there exists a great number of rooms other than the facilities we call Dungeons.¡¹


    ¡¸What? Really?¡¹


    Milla had already let go of my arm at this point. At the moment of separation, she said ¡¸I don¡¯t think my heart could handle any more of this.¡¹with cheeks flushed with red. In my head, I wholeheartedly agreed.


    ¡¸Indeed. You can carry out training, people from the same stratum and workers of the same species can take a break, etc. There¡¯s also a large public bath, a home theatre center, a blacksmith, etc. We have all one would need in order to care for their mind, body, and equipment.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Dungeons are incredible.¡¹


    The only thing the average person knows about dungeons is that they were special rooms made by ancient monsters.


    All you needed to run a dungeon was permission from the country.


    To tell the truth, I was just like them. So hearing all this for the first time was quite a surprise.


    ¡¸As the passages aren¡¯t actually connected, they provide advantages in defending.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s certainly true.¡¹


    In the distant past, dungeon clearers and the like were only hindrances.  They¡¯d prefer them not to enter at all, so it¡¯s clever how they made it so that the strata are not connected by default without having to use a special procedure to cut them off.


    Although I don¡¯t think the monsters of old ever dreamed that in the distant future, their dungeons would have a hot spring and a small cinema built into it. No, wait¡­hot springs might have been possible, right? I wonder.


    ¡¸Today we shall be meeting the Werewolf group.¡¹


    Incidentally, adventurers are usually referred by their Job + their name, but monsters are referred by their race + dungeon name instead of their Job.


    However, exceptions like Demon King do exist.


    ¡¸Werewolves are half-people, half-wolf in appearance and can be used for different purposes, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Why, yes. Among them is the Floor Boss Marchosias, who is exceedingly nice and I concluded that his human side will have little to no resistance towards accepting you, Lem¡¹[1. TL Note: Marchosias is a demon described in the Lemegeton that has griffon wings, a serpent¡¯s tail, breathes fire and can change into the form of a man]


    Since they are followers of the Demon King Luci, there¡¯s no way that they are hopelessly evil, right?


    Even if that were the case, it¡¯s wrong to say that all of them would happily welcome a human Black Sorcerer with open arms.


    And a former adventurer, no less. If I were to put in sports terms, it¡¯s like if a player was kicked out of the rival team and then one day he was suddenly selected to become the captain. Or their ace, even. Anyway, I think it¡¯ll definitely be difficult for them to accept me.


    ¡¸But please, do be careful. They are the nicest of nice people but they are also¡­irritating.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But it¡¯ll be fine. If they are Milla¡¯s companions, I have nothing to worry about.¡¹


    Milla really is good to me.


    I dread to think what would have happened had I never greeted her.


    With no one who appreciates me, how would I have continued living as the unfortunate Black Sorcerer?


    She understands my magic to an almost mortifying degree and personally says she¡¯s a fan.


    However, I¡¯ve always had this uncomfortable feeling that I just can¡¯t wipe away.


    Of course I¡¯m happy, but the goodwill I¡¯ve felt from her has always felt, how should I say this¡­a little excessive.


    If it was like with Cashew where I was her first customer, and I went to her shop almost every day and became emotionally attached, I would understand. She was happy with me and accepted me, simple. I know the whole picture.


    But in Milla¡¯s case, it feels like a piece of the puzzle is missing.


    For example, if I knew how she came to be a fan of mine, my feeling of unease might disappear.


    In other words, the source of her goodwill towards me. The origin. It would be weird if the reason she was so clingy after meeting me was simply that I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer. I¡¯ve seen her attitude towards other people, I know that side of her all too well.


    It¡¯s because of that serious attitude of hers that I cannot take her feelings lightly.


    Putting that aside, I have complete faith in her.


    ¡¸¡­ Please be careful when saying such pleasing words like that, it just makes me want to suck your blood.¡¹


    Bloodsucking is the act of absorbing the magical energy contained within the blood. Vampires are commonly said to target young women. The theory behind it is that the young have an abundance of magical power, and women tend to have a high aptitude towards magic


    Be that as it may, does she really want to suck some of my magical power?


    ¡¸If it¡¯s just a little, I don¡¯t see the harm. I don¡¯t mind, so go ahead if you want to, Milla¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, please refrain from saying something like that again. ¡­If you did, I¡­a-anyway, please stop. We¡¯re working.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s face is a little red. She seems like she¡¯s suppressing something. Is she being assailed by her bloodsucking impulses?


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸However Lem, if you were to say that to me again when the following day is a day off, I think I just might suck you. By the way, my day off happens to be 3 days from now.¡¹


    Having your magical power absorbed is followed by an unbelievable feeling of tiredness. Even at the best of times, losing blood as well as a drastic decrease in your magical power is not good for your health. I guess you shouldn¡¯t do it when there is work awaiting you the next day.


    Hold on, could it be an expression that¡¯s used by modern-day vampires?


    In these modern times, Demi-humans no longer seek to cause harm to humans like their ancestors. While that may be true, there are laws in place to crack down on other similar types of crimes.


    Bloodsucking for instance. Sucking blood without consent from the other party is treated as assault.


    ¡¸My day off happens to be 3 days from now.¡¹


    Milla says that once more.


    With some embarrassment, I finally catch on to what she¡¯s trying to say.


    That it¡¯s, uh, it¡¯s OK for us to meet up on her day off. In other words, she¡¯s trying to tell me that she would say yes if I were to invite her on a date.


    So that¡¯s it! The purpose of her mentions of bloodsucking was just a front, a facade.


    However, considering I was hopelessly unpopular for the last 10 years, I am extremely inexperienced with this kinda thing.


    People thought it was bad luck to date a Black Sorcerer, even worse were people telling stories like¡¸They¡¯ll cast Confusion and Speed Down on you so you can¡¯t resist¡­ew¡­¡¹.


    If a regular Black Sorcerer could do something like that, they wouldn¡¯t be such an unfortunate job to be!


    With their output, magical power management, and durability issues, it¡¯s normally impossible to put the opponent in a state of complete non-resistance.


    What¡¯s more, if they get aroused, they¡¯re black magic gets so unstable that the average woman can easily resist their effects. The black magic of an aroused Black Sorcerer is nothing to worry about.


    ¡­It¡¯s definitely possible for me, but I would never, ever do something like that.


    Due to those stereotypes, I have lived a life without ever making a connection with a woman, but I understand that Milla does not possess those prejudices.


    C¡¯mon, you can do this! Be brave, Lem!


    ¡¸There are many things that I want to thank you for. I-if it¡¯s alright with you, would you like to go out with me on your day off¡­?¡¹


    I said it.


    Without Milla¡¯s suggestions, I never imagined that I would ask her out like this.


    And then, she suddenly averted her gaze.


    ¡¸Did it fail?!¡¹


    I think, as my heart is about to crumble.


    I notice her ears turning red and the bat wings on her head, which are now exposed after she had removed her hat, are trembling.


    Then she starts mumbling embarrassingly.


    ¡¸¡­yes, I would very much like that.¡¹


    For an instant, I didn¡¯t understand what she just said. But then I did understand and I was so surprised that my emotions started immediately going wild. No, not surprised. I was too happy. Anyway, this is bad. I want to run around the area screaming ¡¸Yahoo!¡¹and dance wildly. Three things were stopping me from doing exactly that, my force of will that was cultivated by many years of training, not wanting to do something so embarrassing in front of Cashew and not wanting to miss even a moment of Milla covering her face with both hands out of sheer embarrassment.


    ¡¸¡­Lem.¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s heart-breaking voice brought me back to my senses.


    Cashew, who was seriously gripping my Registration Card with her tiny hands, was looking at me with an air of utter loneliness.


    That¡¯s right, didn¡¯t I already make a promise with her not too long ago?


    ¡¸Of course I didn¡¯t forget about the promise I made to take a stroll with you. Why don¡¯t you ask Milla if there are any shops around that have sweets and we¡¯ll go there.¡¹


    ¡¸Sweets¡­¡¹


    For a brief moment, she made a happy face but it soon looked down again.


    ¡¸¡­W-will it just be the two of us?¡¹


    She says, anxiously.


    We need Milla to guide us. I don¡¯t know the area very well.


    However, I understand Cashew¡¯s childish desires.


    If I were to go out with Milla¡­then what about her?


    ¡¸If it¡¯s alright with you, sure. Just me and you.¡¹


    This time, she returned to her usual self.


    ¡¸Yeah, just the two of us! ¡­Ah, but Milla might not like that.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s quite alright, Cashew. I know that area quite well already.¡¹


    Perhaps because Cashew is just a child, Milla spoke with a gentle voice different from the time she was warning me about affiliating with other women.


    In a short span of time, I made a promise to go out with, not one, but two women. One of them being Cashew, so it¡¯s not really a date but more of a reason to go out but still, this is something my past self would have thought impossible.


    Is it really so unlucky to be a Black Sorcerer in the Adventurer Business?


    I made that decision myself but if I think about it, there are worse things.


    ¡¸Oh one more thing, Lem¡¹


    Milla, who had regained her composure, puts her lips close to my ear.


    ¡¸I know how kind you are. However, please don¡¯t say those words from moments ago to another vampire. If you do, fufufu¡­Anyway, I look forward to working with you, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    I nod my head nervously as if there were a knife pressed against my neck.


    I shivered in fear as if icicles were being thrust into my very core.


    That feeling stayed with me throughout our journey.


    Before long, we arrived in a room where a row of Recording Stones were lined up.


    Cashew was in high spirits and I, too, thought it was a magnificent sight.


    Just how many rooms were there? Dungeons are truly wondrous things.


    ¡¸This way, please.¡¹


    Milla stands in front of one of the Recording Stones.


    Fitted atop a dark brown pedestal was a fist-sized blue gem.


    ¡¸Kindly designate the destination as the Second Playing Field. I shall go first. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡¹


    Milla holds up her Registration Card towards the Recording Stone and her figure disappears. Cashew was surprised.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Cashew.¡¹


    Cashew holds out the Registration Card, but after some thought, she shakes her head.


    ¡¸Go on, Cashew. Give it a try.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­? But¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡¹


    I put my hands under her arms and lifted her closer to the Recording Stone.


    ¡¸Eek! Wha-, but-, uu¡­alright¡­¡¹


    Cashew timidly brings the Registration Card closer towards the Recording Stone.


    ¡¸She mentioned where to go earlier, right? Where, oh where was it, again?¡¹[2. TL Note: Lem is just messing with Cashew.]


    ¡¸It¡¯s the Second Playing Field, silly~!¡¹


    Cashew giggled while answering me. Ah, looks like her nervousness has started to go away. In response to Cashew¡¯s answer, the scenery changes completely before our eyes.


    ¡¸Whoa, wha-?!¡¹


    Cashew was shocked and started to wriggle but breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that I was still holding her up.


    ¡¸Good, well done, Cashew¡¹


    After complimenting her, she gets all bashful.


    I put her down then she looked up at me, expecting something. She sways her lower body and inches the top of her head closer to me.


    Oh, I see.


    ¡¸Good girl.¡¹


    I stroke her head, and she makes a happy sound.


    Just having Cashew here is very therapeutic for me.


    ¡¸Does Lem prefer to spoil or be spoiled? Oh no, I¡¯m merely checking. ¡¹


    Says Milla who was standing just nearby.


    We were transported beside a vast playing field.


    There were Werewolves, who had already changed into their wolf form, earnestly running around.


    Among them was a werewolf with a larger physique and was clearly the Floor Boss Marchosias.


    ¡¸RUN! Run with all you have, brothers and sisters! If we can at least move even after getting hit by that fearsome Black Magic, we will prevail! If we double our speed, we¡¯ll be able to run at normal speed when it¡¯s halved, right?! GAHAHA!¡¹


    ¡­that is some amazing reasoning.


    Even more amazing was that every single one of them replied to that ridiculous reasoning with a resounding ¡¸YEAH!¡¹.


    ¡¸Marchosias.¡¹


    As they get close to us, Milla calls him out.


    Cashew was intimidated by Marchosias¡¯ size and clung to me.


    The neck-sprainingly large body turns to face us.


    ¡¸Oh, Miss Milla! Is it that time already? ¡­Hm?¡¹


    He notices me.


    Then he opened his wolf mouth wide and laughed joyfully.


    ¡¸Well! If it isn¡¯t Mr. Black Sorcerer! To think that you truly have joined our Demon King Army!¡¹


    It appears that I am being welcomed.


    As one would expect from Milla. She prioritized this meeting knowing full well that it would turn out like this.


    ¡¸I look forward to working together. My name is Lem¡­Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, using your dungeon name. You¡¯ll get used to calling yourself that soon. I look forward to working with you too, Mr. Lemegeton.¡¹


    We exchange greetings.


    ¡¸I¡¯m curious about that little girl but first, I¡¯m glad you came! Man, you guys really got us last time! Especially you and that man¡­Flame Hero? He was intense.¡¹


    Those who were directly affected by my black magic will know about their effects. I am grateful that they do not doubt my abilities.


    ¡¸That guy is a little too strong, right?¡¹


    I was a little happy when he praised my best friend but my expression unintentionally loosened.


    ¡¸What are you saying?! For that Hero to be able to play his role like that and reach me while preserving his magical power, that was because of your Black Magic! Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t going to just let him walk up to me like that!¡¹


    Ah, that¡¯s right. That time when the werewolves were descending upon us from 3 separate lanes in an intersection, I was thinking¡¸How are we gonna get outta this?¡¹.


    I actually overdid it a little by casting Speed Down on all of them and I ended up making Fenix use his magical power.


    ¡¸Still, I thought the Flame Hero was supposed to be a brilliant warrior. What is he thinking? You are a one of a kind Black Sorcerer. If I were on the Adventurer side, I¡¯d treat you like our most valuable asset.¡¹


    ¡¸It was actually due to a few private matters within the group. The Flame Hero wasn¡¯t the one that drove me out.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. Is that so? It¡¯s still a mystery that no one around you noticed your abilities in the first place¡­Oh well, people have their reasons. But that aside! I! Am! Glad!¡¹


    He shouts while clapping me in the back. I get that he¡¯s happy and I realize that he adjusted the strength of the claps for me, but it still hurts a little.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve never seen anyone who has honed their magic to such an extent! To have achieved it at your age, just how much training did you have to endure? What an admirable and honorable lad! Now, Mr. Black Sorcerer, I would like to discuss something with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Discuss?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it is regrettable that I was defeated by your party. Whether or not we can do a rematch of the Dungeon Clear is a different matter, but if we can¡¯t then there is no other way for me to have a rematch.¡¹


    With the exception of the Big Four, it is decided that a Floor Boss that has already been defeated once cannot appear again as the Floor Boss of another stratum.


    ¡¸I heard that you¡¯re gathering 72 allies! If that¡¯s the case, I elect myself! Would you form a contract with me, the Werewolf Marchosias!¡¹

 CH 16

    16 ¨C Chief of Staff, Second Contract Formed / Werewolf Marchosias


    ¡¸I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    I answered without falter.


    Even while feeling regret at his loss at the hands of me and my previous party, he appreciates my true strengths and on top of that, throws honest praises towards me. He has a truly rare disposition.


    Plus, he¡¯s strong.


    Fundamentally, Heroes should be considered outside the norm. Honestly, a little too outside the norm.


    Among them are those legendary beings favored by the Four Great Spirits, Flame Hero, Storm Hero, Water Hero, and Gaia Hero.


    At present we have Fenix as the Flame Hero, and the leader of the No.1 ranked party in the world calls himself the Storm Hero. The individual fighting power of these two is the highest.


    Of course, among humans.


    Perhaps I am a little biased as a disciple, but I can¡¯t imagine my master losing to anyone. Even if that weren¡¯t true, someone in the Demon King Job position should be able to compete with Heroes.


    Anyway, Fenix is an amazing guy.


    You could say he is the world¡¯s strongest.


    ¡­And that¡¯s why Alba could never accept us being only the fourth-ranked party.


    ¡¸Yeah! I was just speaking my mind, but you so willingly agreed to it! Are you sure you¡¯re not being too reckless adding me into your 72 slots?¡¹


    The ring has a limit of up to 72. In other words, there can only be 72 Contracts. It depends on how people look at it.


    Considering that I already formed a contract with Milla, the limit is actually 71. I¡¯ve never really thought about this seriously. I hope to gather all kinds of allies. That way, I can inspire hope to the various Demi-human races.


    ¡¸I know that Marchosias is a strong individual as seen from our previous battle and your subordinates were highly skilled.¡¹


    ¡¸Even though I was defeated by the Flame Hero with one strike?¡¹


    ¡¸That is because you did exactly what Fenix wanted you to do. In the end, he wanted a one on one face-off between you and him. Your subordinates were hindrances and you alone did not move. In order to reach you, we had to set a trap.¡¹


    Marchosias¡¯ smile disappears.


    It was not replaced with an angry face. More like a serious face that just figured something out.


    ¡¸¡­I knew it¡¹


    He mutters.


    ¡¸I knew it was on purpose. Mr. Black Sorcerer, at the moment that the Flame Hero and I faced each other, you lifted the Black Magic that you put on me, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Why?¡¹


    ¡¸I could ask you the same. Why did you wait? On that day, I used up a considerable amount of Magical Energy because it was very difficult to keep up the effects of my Black Magic on your group¡¯s highly skilled movements and quick-wits. Because you chose to ignore Fenix and look in my direction, Fenix was able to defeat you.¡¹


    ¡¸Why indeed. I am not that naive, but let¡¯s say that I was. Apart from your other three allies, I did not see you as the lowest priority. From the start, you could produce enough Magical Energy to cast multiple Black Magics on me and my brothers and sisters, and keep them up for a long time. How could a human possibly do that?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    All living things have an organ that allows them to produce Magical Energy and just like the muscles or the lungs, you can strengthen it with a training regiment. The method is simple.


    Just keep using it continuously.


    As for the effect and range of the magic, they can be strengthened and magnified through trial and error, in addition to continuously using it.


    How did I train to the level that I am now? The answer to that is fairly simple.


    I tempered my magic continuously for 24 hours.


    I used my magic continuously for 24 hours.


    My master¡¯s training started with building the body. My physical fitness, muscle strength, and spiritual strength were somehow tempered with cruel and unusual training. There was, of course, basic training, I was left alone in a beast-filled mountain and tossed off a cliff after being perplexingly told that I won¡¯t die because there is a river below. Furthermore, I was told to climb back up that same cliff without the help of tools. I earnestly challenged my master and was beat up for it.


    On top of that, I was told not to sleep if I still had Magical Energy left. He told me to produce as much as possible and to alter my previously created spells. If you do that, your body will decide that¡¸There isn¡¯t enough Magical Energy, danger!¡¹and somehow produce enough. At those times, your Magical Energy organ will strengthen little by little. If a small mistake is made during this process, your life would be in danger but that never happened to me. My master was with me the whole time until I was able to do it safely.


    My sparring partner for casting Black Magic was sometimes my master, but most of the time¡­it was me. My master would first show me an example of the spell. I¡¯d cast Speed Down and become as slow as a turtle, Poison made me writhe on the ground vomiting, Confusion made me run around the forest in the nude with my thoughts caught between blank spaces and ending up staring stupidly at nothing for tens of minutes, and Darkness would give me debilitating fear and blindness along with shivering. Also, Attack Down would make me so weak that I couldn¡¯t even break a twig and Defense Down would make getting hit by a small pebble hurt so much I thought I was going to die.


    My view of Black Magic was overturned fundamentally and I came to know something.


    Magic has no limit. Practitioners are only limited by their imagination and technique.


    I got excited.


    Just as I promised Fenix, in three years, I had attained Magical Energy and technique surpassing that of the average Black Sorcerer.


    At the same time, it was possible for me to passively generate Magical Energy and develop my magic even without my master¡¯s supervision.


    I am always casting debuffs on myself. Physical and magic debuffs along with Attack and Defense Down, health and mental debuffs along with Speed Down, Confusion and Darkness statuses too.


    Even when carrying out Dungeon Clears with Avatars, it¡¯s no problem. I don¡¯t lift the debuffs on my physical body.


    Even while I¡¯m sleeping, I temper myself with my master¡¯s grueling training.


    If I ever stopped my magic energy generation and magic development, I would be awoken with a smack.


    Incidentally, Fenix and I would lie about going to the Adventurer Training Institution to leave the village and ask my master for help.


    This is how I got this strong despite becoming the inherently unlucky Job, Black Sorcerer.


    Other people would only spend a few hours training during a long day, but I would be training for 24 hours.


    When people say they¡¯ve trained for 10 years, they didn¡¯t actually spend all of their time training.


    However, for me, even when I was eating, sleeping, bathing or having fun, I was fully using that time to train.


    When I say I trained for 10 years, I mean it. I have been training non-stop for 10 years.


    This type of training is only possible because this Job isn¡¯t a combat class.


    It¡¯s because I became a Black Sorcerer that I could reach this point in my life.


    Honestly, I never would have gotten this far if it weren¡¯t for my master. And it¡¯s for that very reason that I will never betray his trust.


    It¡¯s only natural that you have to work hard to achieve your dreams. Whether or not you are blessed with people who are able to teach you the exact essential hard work required is pure luck.


    I was blessed with such people.


    A close friend who suggested that we aim to be number one, and a master who made me his disciple and looked after me until I came of age.


    And then now, Milla, who put me on the path to becoming the Hero of the Monster side, Luci, who hired me, my newfound friend, Blitz, and of course, my lovely secretary whose existence is a constant source of comfort, Cashew.


    No matter how harsh it got, I somehow managed to be blessed with such people.


    ¡¸Is something the matter, Mr. Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, no it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s a long story.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm¡­is that so? Then we shall leave that for another time. However, there was another question that I asked before.¡¹


    Why did I lift the Black Magic on Marchosias during his one-on-one fight with Fenix, huh.


    ¡¸Fenix challenged you to a one-on-one fight, and you obliged.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, it simply would have been rude of me to interfere with my Black Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­While that was extremely honorable of you, Adventurers only strive for victory. If by some small chance your decision led to the defeat of the Flame Hero, what would you have done?¡¹


    ¡­.ah, so that¡¯s what this is about.


    ¡¸That man won¡¯t lose to a one-on-one match. So the choices weren¡¯t about winning or losing, but simply about whether or not I should respect your response to Fenix¡¯s challenge.¡¹


    For a moment, not only Marchosias, but Milla and Cashew as well were stunned silent, mouth agape.


    Shortly after, a laugh that reverberated around the entire playing field is heard.


    ¡¸FUHAHAHAHAHA! That¡¯s great! You were assured in your ally¡¯s victory and chose to show consideration towards your enemy¡¯s pride, huh? To be able to admit it so easily, I can¡¯t even be angry! It was an utter defeat!¡¹


    He laughed for so long, he returned to his human form.


    Before me now is a tall male with silver hair and red eyes with sharp facial features. His body is smaller than his wolf form but still big.


    He extended his right hand towards me to shake hands.


    ¡¸However, Mr. Black Sorcerer, you plan to repel that Flame Hero, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Together, we shall attain victory.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the spirit!¡¹


    We shake hands.


    Together, we pour Magical Energy into the ring.


    ¡¸I, the werewolf Marchosias, hereby swear to answer your summons and destroy the enemy.¡¹


    There doesn¡¯t seem to be a set phrase in order to make a vow. It¡¯s enough to show your will to answer the call in how strongly you say it.


    ¡¸Alri~ght! You and I are brothers now! GaHaHa!¡¹


    I guess he refers to all his allies as his siblings. It¡¯s an unfamiliar feeling, but if you take it as it is, it¡¯s not a bad feeling.


    ¡¸Now, brother, please tell me. Why did you bring along a little girl who is clearly less than 10 years old to the Demon Castle?¡¹


    Asked Marchosias while looking at Cashew.


    ?Number of Contracts: 2/72

 CH 17

    Marchosias¡¯ question was understandable.


    He was leaning over to look at Cashew. On top of his already large build, his sheer height made it impossible for her to even look him in the eyes but you¡¯d think that the form of him looking down at you would be less intimidating than a little while ago when he was in his wolf form.


    ¡¸Sorry for the late introduction, I am Marchosias. I am in charge of the fourth stratum of this here Demon King Castle.¡¹


    Cashew, who was hiding behind me, suddenly sticks her face out and introduces herself.


    ¡¸I¡¯m Ca, Cashew¡­ Le-¡­the Chief of Staff¡¯s Secretary.¡¹


    ¡¸Oho, secretary. Certainly, Lemegeton is the Chief of Staff after all. It would not be strange for him to have an aid or two. But, Cashew, aren¡¯t you a little too young? Ah, I am in no way opposed to it. I am a little curious is all.¡¹


    It seemed that Marchosias was concerned about Cashew.


    Cashew looks at me, and then at Milla and then back to me.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s alright with you, you can tell him, Cashew.¡¹


    Cashew nods at my words and begins telling her story, bit by bit.


    After hearing her story, Marchosias¡­ wept!


    He tries to endure by putting pressure on the inner corners of his eyes but the tears continue to flow.


    ¡¸Lemegeton, you really are a man! You too, Ms. Carmilla!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m a woman.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not what I mean!¡¹


    Milla was calm and didn¡¯t seem opposed to the compliment.


    ¡¸But to let things become like that, what is your father doing?¡¹


    I had heard that only her mother was around, but I hesitated about sticking my nose into her private family matters.


    Marchosias had questions about my magical energy, but he showed consideration and refrained from questioning further.


    So it would seem mean to ask out of interest. Moreover, if it¡¯s difficult for her to answer, I shouldn¡¯t pursue it further.


    Cashew looked a little sad but didn¡¯t show any hesitation.


    ¡¸He said he was going out to buy lottery tickets¡­and that was it¡­¡¹


    He never came back, huh.


    If he was telling the truth, then it¡¯s possible that something bad happened to him after going out and he couldn¡¯t tell his family.


    I don¡¯t want to place doubts on him from the get-go, but if I had to pick a side between an unknown father or Cashew, I¡¯m on Cashew¡¯s side. It¡¯s bad enough to put her through such sadness, but if I find out that he actually threw his wife and children away and ran¡­I have to find him. I have to do something so that Cashew won¡¯t be exposed.


    If by any chance he was kidnapped by someone, then I¡¯ll rescue him. Either way, I must find him.


    And it appears that the other two thought the same.


    However, one of us seemed to be thinking aloud rather than secretly.


    ¡¸Is that so? Cashew, did your father leave anything behind in your home?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? No¡­Uhm, I think he took all of his stuff along with him.¡¹


    He definitely wasn¡¯t buying lottery tickets.


    ¡¸Even the smallest scrap will do. If there¡¯s something with that bastard¡¯s scent, we can use it to find him¡­and rip him to shreds. Agreed, you two?¡¹


    Ripping him to shreds is definitely out of the question.


    There¡¯s no problem if it was in a dungeon, but you¡¯d be left with a bunch of scattered body parts in the real world.


    ¡¸No, not at all¡¹


    Says Milla.


    I knew she would be the voice of reason.


    ¡¸Instead, we should let him live and crucify him in the plaza with a board detailing his sins put in front and prepare a large number of baskets filled with rocks. He should eventually come to regret throwing away his wife and children and in the end, regret ever being born into this world.¡¹


    The only thing that changed was the form of punishment!


    ¡¸Hmm¡­Even though he is a dishonorable coward of a man, I cannot condone such one-sided torment. We should challenge him fair and square, forcing him is the right way.¡¹


    ¡¸For criminals, what is necessary is a punishment that forces them to recognize the error of their ways and repent. He can¡¯t do that if he¡¯s torn to pieces and killed.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­is that so? What say you, Lemegeton?¡¹


    You¡¯re asking me?


    Somehow, I noticed something. Milla is laughing a little.


    She wasn¡¯t joking and she had judged Cashew¡¯s father as¡¸An unforgivable bastard that would do something like that¡¹.


    I could sense the Marchosias¡¯ seriousness and as one would expect, he isn¡¯t about to change his mind about the form of punishment.


    ¡¸Yes, I do think he is unforgivable¡­but I think ultimately, it¡¯s up to Cashew to decide.¡¹


    Marchosias gave a big nod to my words.


    ¡¸Indeed, you are completely right. Well then, Cashew, we are your allies. If you so wish, we will punish the bad man!¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, uhm¡­¡¹


    Cashew was nervous and troubled.


    ¡¸I-it¡­doesn¡¯t bother me, it¡¯s¡­ OK¡¹


    ¡¸But why?¡¹


    While clasping her hands and squeezing her little fingers together, her face flush with red, and with a shrill and nervous voice, she says.


    ¡¸It was sad that daddy left but¡­but if he hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve worked with Mr.Blitz and I wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve been able to¡­to meet Lem.¡¹


    She makes quick glances up at me.


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­huh?


    Her excessive amount of admiration was too much for my heart and my consciousness flew away for a moment.


    Milla was nodding, almost like she was saying¡¸I get it.¡¹, as Marchosias slapped his knee.


    ¡¸Of course! Certainly, I feel resentment towards Lemegeton¡¯s party that kicked him out, but if I think about how that was the very catalyst that led to us becoming brothers today, I feel no bitterness.¡¹


    Beyond the pain, sadness, and regret, if you had to choose something among all that suffering, she chose instead what you have gained from it all.


    You chose to treasure what you gained.


    Instead of a horrible memory, it became the detour that led you to what you cherish now and cease your eternal torment.


    You can¡¯t change reality, but you can change how you perceive it.


    I never knew that Cashew saw things that way, but I felt incredibly honored.


    ¡¸Thank you, Cashew. Ever since I met you, I¡¯ve always felt like doing my very best.¡¹


    I instinctively stroke her head, and Cashew meekly moved closer and clung to me.


    For an instant, I saw Milla puff up her cheek, but she went back to normal as soon as I blinked.


    ¡¸I see. If that is your wish, then we don¡¯t have to do anything. However, if you are ever in trouble, you can count on us. Well, I suppose Lemegeton would handle most of it.¡¹


    ¡¸You think too much of me.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it is just as Marchosias says. Lem is a capable Black Sorcerer after all.¡¹


    I can perform my duties as a Black Sorcerer in Dungeon Clears well enough, but removed from that, I can¡¯t do much.


    The person who caught the purse snatcher was Blitz.


    ¡­I wonder where did Milla attain such information.


    When Milla noticed my gaze, she flashed a sweet smile.


    Is it possible that we¡¯ve met somewhere before¡­?


    ¡¸Lemegeton¡¹


    Marchosias straightened himself and looked at me.


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸I will lend you my strength at any time. I don¡¯t know which stratum you will belong to or how you will attain subordinates other than Contracts but I hope that you will make use of me and my brothers and sisters too.¡¹


    I haven¡¯t been informed of everything yet, and it appears that many things have not been decided.


    But what I do know is that this dungeon has an issue and I was hired in order to solve it.


    ¡¸Hm, that¡¯s right. So for example, if I wanted to inspect your combat training and the like, would that be possible?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! Of course! I shall send you the schedule, later. I shall hand it to the lovely Ms. Secretary.¡¹


    Understanding that this is about work, Cashew answers¡¸Leave it to me!¡¹enthusiastically.


    ¡¸So what¡¯s next? Would you like to work up a sweat together?¡¹


    Glancing over at the other werewolves who have been running around this whole time, I gently decline the offer.


    ¡¸I would like to try and meet as many people as I can today.¡¹


    ¡¸True, true! Next time, then! I won¡¯t lose in a test of strength!¡¹


    ¡¸I look forward to it.¡¹


    My master would see this as a form of training. I wonder if it would be a good fight.


    As we are about to leave the Second Playing Field, Marchosias remembered something and told us.


    ¡¸Lemegeton! The day after tomorrow, the Flame Hero is going to Clear the fifth stratum! What will you do?¡¹


    Right. That information was already released to the public.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it? They have a new member, so please watch that person closely to learn their movements. When we face them again, Fenix¡¯s party will know how you fight. We need to understand their methods as well to level the playing field. This isn¡¯t cheating.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha ha ha! I understand. While I prefer to have two fellow men meet on the battlefield and fight with whatever strength they have at that very moment, this is a Dungeon Defense and we are monsters. It¡¯s good to have pride but we have to do our jobs.¡¹


    Thinking about his pride yet able to have flexible thinking.


    I¡¯m impressed, Marchosias.


    ¡¸Will you be joining us in battle?¡¹


    ¡¸The Demon King said that we have no plans of exposing myself to Fenix¡¯s team right now.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? If the Demon King said so, she must have a plan.¡¹


    Even though they are reliable floor bosses, only having two allies makes me uneasy. Even which stratum I will be in charge of hasn¡¯t been decided yet so I can¡¯t plan any strategies yet.


    But, I do have a prediction.


    I will probably be put in charge of the tenth stratum.


    The stratum that is one floor above the Demon King¡¯s eleventh stratum.


    The Demon King Army¡¯s last bastion.


    Fenix and co. will undoubtedly reach it.


    Hopefully, by then, I have gathered more allies by walking around the monster¡¯s side and asking them to help me.


    ¡¸Well, until next time.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, come back anytime. Cashew too!¡¹


    ¡¸I will, Mr. Marco¡­she¡­us!¡¹


    Seems like it was hard for her to pronounce his name.


    ¡¸Ms. Carmilla too! Come run with us anytime.¡¹


    ¡¸I run in the First Playing Field.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I see.¡¹


    And so, we left the Second Playing Field behind.


    ¡­Fenix added the Frost Hero to his party and is continuing the Demon King Castle Clear.


    Someday soon will come the day that I will clash with my best friend.

 CH 18

    18 ¨C The Flame Hero Goes First


    ¡¸Welcome to the Demon King Castle. The Flame Hero Fenix and party, yes?¡¹


    In a hall just as you enter, at the Demon King Castle reception.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I nod once and hand over my Registration Card. The receptionist is a female cat demi-human, the upper part of her face was hidden by a mask.


    The other four do the same and hand over their Registration Card.


    She proceeds with verifying our identities.


    ¡¸Hero Fenix, Warrior Alba, Paladin Lark, Hunter Lily, and¡­oh, this one is different from the previous times. Hero Bella. No less than five names confirmed.¡¹


    For a moment, I thought I saw the receptionist¡¯s mouth curl into an unnatural smile. It must be my imagination.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    After returning all of our Registration Cards, she asked.


    ¡¸Whatever happened to the Black Sorcerer Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Hah! Probably left to die on a field somewhere. Or maybe he¡¯s begging in an alley or better yet, maybe he¡¯s out there committing crimes. A Black Sorcerer¡¯s gotta eat, right?¡¹


    The receptionist was asking me, but Alba was the one who answered.


    ¡¸¡­What a boorish man you are, Alba.¡¹


    Whispered Lily while staring scornfully at Alba.


    ¡¸Look here missy, you don¡¯t get to keep treating me like the bad guy here. If you really felt sorry for Lem, then why the hell didn¡¯t you stick up for him? When I asked ya to hide those damn ears of yours, he had your back, didn¡¯t he? I don¡¯t owe that bastard anything so I can say whatever I want, but you? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s way more cold-hearted by just letting it all happen! So don¡¯t you look down on me.¡¹


    The Hunter Elf Lily furrowed her beautiful brows.


    Certainly, on the occasion where we were discussing whether or not to modify her Avatar in order to hide her elf ears, Lem and I both said that it would be best not to hide it.


    ¡¸Did you expect me to support him simply out of thanks? If he were a teammate I could rely on, I would certainly do all within my power to aid him. But the main point of our discussion in the tavern ¨C by the way, did you really have to put on such a vulgar show? ¨C was about whether or not Lem¡¯s abilities were suitable for this party. For argument¡¯s sake, even if I owed my life to him, I would not have lied when it relates to my job.¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, stop acting like such a goody-two-shoes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Scoundrel.¡¹


    ¡¸What was that?!¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t shout, you¡¯re hurting my ears.¡¹


    ¡¸You bitch¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, uhm, I don¡¯t, think we should fight¡­we¡¯re about to do a Dungeon Clear together¡­so¡­¡¹


    The Frost Hero Bella humbly intervenes.


    A small-framed young lady with hair and eyes the same color as ice. It¡¯s rare for a hero to have such low self-esteem and stand with a hunch. It¡¯s even rarer for a hero to not form her own party and instead choose to join one.


    ¡¸¡­I showed you an embarrassing sight, Bella. I apologize, It is difficult to talk to a monkey such as him. I realized a long time ago that it was impossible to have conversations with him, and yet¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re so full of it, you damn elf¡¹


    ¡¸¡­man, how tiresome¡­Getting kinda irritated here.¡¹


    Even the Paladin Lark has joined the conversation.


    ¡¸Hey, no one was talkin¡¯ to you, moody. But since I am now, look alive during Dungeon Clears. You¡¯ve been making more and more mistakes because you just stand there!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­How about you? Your precision with that magic sword you keep boasting about has been shaky. Aren¡¯t you losing your edge by spending all your time womanizing?¡¹


    ¡¸Virgins should shut up.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry but I think I might have more experience than you. Have you looked in a mirror, lately?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­you¡¯re dead.¡¹


    If there¡¯s a camera in this room, it¡¯s probably not for taking souvenir photos to sell later.


    Once you control your Avatars and enter the dungeon, you put on a performance.


    Be that as it may, to already start fighting during preparation time¡­


    Until now, the target of the party¡¯s complaints was Lem.


    Well, I say party, but it¡¯s just those three.


    With Lem as the common problem, those three were united.


    Knowing full well of this, Lem said that as long as we functioned well as a party, it¡¯s fine. I chuckled.


    It¡¯s thanks to Lem that they can go from first-class adventurers to super first-class adventurers in terms of their performance, and those three are naturally none the wiser.


    Missing that crucial point, all three of them are noticing each other¡¯s weaknesses now that he¡¯s gone. That weakness being the lack of Lem¡¯s unlimited and invisible support.


    They¡¯re probably asking themselves why their performance seems to have gotten worse lately.


    They didn¡¯t get worse.


    They simply went back from super first-class adventurers to first-class adventurers.


    The fact that they can feel the difference is a testament to Lem¡¯s abilities but I bet that possibility has never crossed their minds.


    ¡¸Uhm, I, I said please stop fighting.¡¹


    Surprisingly, it was Bella who stopped them.


    The soles of their feet were fixed to the floor.


    They were frozen.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just as Bella said. What does it say about you when the most decent person here is the newcomer.¡¹


    I say while hiding my amazement as well as being careful not to get too cold.


    Realizing that they were being punished for their mistakes, they make uncharacteristically hurt faces.


    ¡¸¡­Fenix, why didn¡¯t you stop them.¡¹


    Essentially, ¡¸You¡¯re the leader and you should have taken the initiative and intervened.¡¹is what she is implying with that.


    She normally seems quite hesitant but she seems to say what she thinks must be said.


    ¡¸I just thought it was a good opportunity to reflect.¡¹


    ¡¸Reflect¡­? On what?¡¹


    ¡¸On what we¡¯ve done.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­I don¡¯t, really understand.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine. I expect great things from you.¡¹


    Without answering her question, I end the conversation.


    After canceling the freeze effect on those three, we headed towards the room that allows us to connect our minds to our Avatars.


    ¡¸Man¡­this is seriously annoying. What is happening? It¡¯s so weird¡­ We just made the party stronger yet we¡¯re not getting enough bang for our buck¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve done a lot for us, Bella. At first, you were confused but you soon became a splendid Hero. ¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re just happy that we have another girl in the party. Well, she does boost our combat strength and crowd control capabilities. And yet, how should I say this¡­I feel as good as ever, yet the results say otherwise, or something¡­¡¹


    At that moment, Alba realizes something and laughs out loud.


    ¡¸Aha! Could it be that? An unemployed Lem cursed us with his salty Black Magic! Hah, that jerk would definitely do something like tha-grk?!¡¹


    My patience was at an end.


    I grip Alba by the collar and hold him up.


    His body hangs there while his legs squirm and struggle to reach the ground.


    Everyone was taken aback.


    ¡¸Alba, Alba. How many times do I have to say it, Alba? Do not talk bad about him. Not him or any of our teammates. Why can¡¯t you do that? I bet it¡¯s to do with your personality, definitely.¡¹


    ¡¸Ghk, ah, can¡¯t, brea-¡¹


    ¡¸The reason I haven¡¯t punished you at all up till now was that you were Lem¡¯s ally and Lem pardoned your behavior. But now I want you to think about it. Lem was kicked out of the party by you. Everyone else was thinking the same thing, so I didn¡¯t blame myself. I believed that you were only thinking about the party. Then why, I ask you, do you think I¡¯m angry?¡¹


    Alba¡¯s face turns blue.


    Lily tries to get me to lower my arm, while Lark stands there with a panicked look on his face.


    Bella is speechless.


    ¡¸I know all of you weren¡¯t comfortable with Lem in the party. With him gone, you all should feel relieved. So then why couldn¡¯t it end there? Is there a reason that you have to look down on an ex-ally who was already kicked out of the party? Let¡¯s make one thing clear. It is fine to point out your allies¡¯ weak points. You don¡¯t have to hold back. But you should not speak ill of them. And Alba, I don¡¯t think you and Lem are allies anymore, right?¡¹


    Alba tries to pry my fingers open, but even using both arms can¡¯t rival my strength.


    ¡¸He isn¡¯t an ally anymore, he¡¯s just my best friend. Do you think that I, Fenix, am the kind of person who would ridicule and laugh at my friend? You don¡¯t understand that, Alba. You don¡¯t understand. Someone who can¡¯t respect who or what their allies treasure most, is impossible to get along with. That¡¯s why, Alba, right here, right now, I want you to promise me something. I want to think of you as an ally. Don¡¯t talk bad about Lem or your allies. Can you promise me that?¡¹


    Alba¡¯s eyes were beginning to fade, but he barely managed to give a nod.


    I let go of him.


    He fell and coughed vehemently.


    ¡¸¡­Fenix. We¡¯re the fourth-ranked party in the world and our relationships are already this strained. As I thought, the higher we climb in the ranks, the more difficult it¡¯s going to get¡­aah, what am I doing becoming an adventurer¡­¡¹


    Bella is somewhat in despair.


    Lily was rubbing Alba¡¯s back. Usually, those two are at each other¡¯s throats like dogs and cats but they had a firm sense of camaraderie.


    With Lem gone, the party¡¯s unity loosened a little so something else has to be fortified.


    From the start, I had to lead with a sufficient amount of resolve.


    Originally, I wasn¡¯t the kind of person that could put a team together. I was just a regular bullied kid.


    That¡¯s why, even while feeling sorry for Lem playing the role of the bad guy for me, I didn¡¯t change my attitude as a leader.


    ¡¸The same goes for you three. I¡¯m not saying that you have to pretend to be best friends with each other. I don¡¯t even care if you speak freely with each other and have trivial fights. But, I won¡¯t forgive anyone who mocks an ally from the depths of their heart.¡¹


    I look around at the four of them.


    ¡¸I shall do as you ask. First and foremost, if someone looks down on you, then they are not an ally.¡¹


    Bella quickly answers with no objection.


    ¡¸Yeah sure. It¡¯s just as you say, Fenix. But the¡¸You don¡¯t understand¡¹parts a lie. Me, Alba, and Lily? We don¡¯t like each other, but we do like you. We wanted to join your party, be useful to you and become your number one. Lem was clearly a Sorcerer that didn¡¯t suit this party.¡¹


    From the start, the problem was never about his lack of ability.


    Lark continues.


    ¡¸Alba is an idiot¡­and he went too far. I pity Lem too. But y¡¯know, seeing our beloved leader obstinately stick up for his best friend who is lacking in ability gave me a bad feeling. I totally understand the feeling of not wanting to talk bad about friends. But, I guess, if you unconditionally put your old buddy above all else, then what chance do any of us have of getting in your good books even if we tried our hardest.¡¹


    In the end, that was it.


    My attitude is the problem.


    If Lem were here, he¡¯d probably say it was his fault.


    Maybe, the fault lies with both of us. Me and Lem, we both hid Lem¡¯s power. There¡¯s a reason for it, but the other three don¡¯t know about it.


    But at the same time, Alba saying those words merely out of dissatisfaction does not justify them.


    ¡¸From the very beginning, I was watching all of our allies and thought that Lem was a necessity. I was not thinking about winning everyone¡¯s sympathy. So let us not talk about the past, but about the future.¡¹


    I hold out my hand to Alba and he takes it, with a strained expression on his face, and stands up.


    ¡¸I thought I was gonna die.¡¹


    ¡¸I should apologize.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hmph, no need. It was my punishment, right? I get it. I really do hate that Lem guy, though. Whoa, hey, I¡¯m not talking bad about him, we¡¯re just not compatible. You can¡¯t help that, right?¡¹


    Somehow, Alba was able to laugh somewhat happily.


    ¡¸Wha¡­being strangled and then laughing about it¡­this party seems to be very dark¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You won¡¯t get it, newbie. It¡¯s because this man has kept himself at a distance from his allies for many years now. Other than his bestest best buddy, Lem, it¡¯s like he drew a line between him and us.¡¹


    ¡­Is that how he sees it?


    It¡¯s simply because I¡¯m still not good at talking to other people.


    If it really was to do with my attitude, then maybe the reason he was made to hate Lem rests partly on my shoulders.


    ¡­From when we were kids till now, I still cause nothing but trouble huh¡­


    I was supposed to return the favor by forming a party with him, but now¡­


    ¡¸Well, ahem, now we¡¯ve had all of our feelings laid bare. Argh damn, that hurts¡­ but it¡¯s nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸It is obviously not.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up! Don¡¯t worry about me, you hard-ass elf. You¡¯re giving me goosebumps.¡¹[1. TL Note: Alba actually says ¡°kuso majime¡± which means ¡°Overly serious¡± or ¡°Serious to a fault¡± but I changed it to ¡°hard-ass¡± to give it more of a bite like the original Japanese word does.]


    ¡¸What an oafish fellow. Or perhaps, are you being uncharacteristically shy?¡¹


    ¡¸What was that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You guys never learn, huh?¡¹


    Alba, Lily, and Lark were all back to their normal selves.


    Only Bella was left going¡¸Huh¡­? Was everything settled just like that?¡¹in bewilderment.


    ¡¸Alba, Lark, Lily, and Bella. Together, we five will completely Clear the Demon King Castle. If we can take down the impregnable Demon King Castle, we will be on the way to becoming the number 1 ranked party in the world!¡¹


    Everyone exchanges looks.


    ¡¸Everyone¡¯s strengths, I have acknowledged them. So, let¡¯s not have such trivial thoughts again.¡¹


    Alba snorted, Lark shrugged, Lily nodded and Bella stared in silence.


    ¡¸Defeat does not lie before us. Because-¡¹


    I remember the words of my best friend.


    ¡¸The hero will definitely win in the end!¡¹


    Those words are deeply engraved in my heart.


    Admiring heroes since childhood, no matter how many times I saw them fight, they always won.


    That¡¯s why I have no doubts. Rather, I will never let it become a lie.


    A hero is someone that always wins. That¡¯s why I must never lose.


    ¡¸If you want me to become the greatest Hero, then I will make you all the best adventurers in the world.¡¹


    We walk forth.


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s Clear this dungeon!¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Welcome back, master~¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    For a moment, I suspected that it was an illusion.


    A clearly odd sight was stretching before our eyes.


    We connected to our Avatars, used the Recording Stone, and teleported to the Safe Room that is just after the fourth stratum that we Cleared last time.


    There is little to no information about the Demon King Castle¡¯s strata.


    Humanity has penetrated as deep as the seventh stratum, but the information about the strata that we learned is that the Floor Bosses change and the strata reset.


    Now, stratum one to four has been revealed. People other than us can reach the third stratum.


    The world learned about the present fourth stratum for the first time after we Cleared it.


    I¡¯m not sure what happened in the past, but nowadays the Demon King¡¯s subordinates have become full of young people.


    Their abilities suited that of a Demon King Army, but it didn¡¯t feel like that of a battle-hardened warrior.


    Thus, the fifth stratum. This is another stratum that humanity knows nothing about.


    The Safe Room door opens, at the moment that we took a step forward.


    We somehow found ourselves in a cafe filled with beautiful women.


    What¡¯s more, they were all wearing maid uniforms.


    ¡¸Well then, sirs, madams, are you tired? Please let us heal your body and soul.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­what¡­is this?¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I wonder if this is gonna be tough.¡¹


    Lem was in the Video Room.


    There is a large screen that is split into countless sections, each projecting a different part of the dungeon via cameras.


    Now, the video feed of the fifth stratum entrance was enlarged on the screen.


    A cafe filled with girls dressed in maid outfits.


    Incidentally, I have nothing to do with the defense of the fifth stratum.


    ¡¸Now then, show me the strength of the rebirthed Fenix party.¡¹


    Even while rooting for his colleagues, the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff already seems to have an idea of who will win.

 CH 19

    19 ¨C Demon of Love, Toying with the Hero Party


    The day before yesterday. In other words, the day I started working as the Chief of Staff after deciding to do it.


    Even after meeting with Marchosias, I proceeded to greet many more monsters.


    Things didn¡¯t proceed as favorably or as smoothly as my time with Marchosias. When asked if they would like to form a contract with me, some asked me to show them my power, while others said they would make a decision after they see my work ethics.


    Nobody¡¯s opinion of me differed, it was merely their way of thinking that did.


    Incidentally, those who formed a contract with me include the Floor Boss of the first stratum, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius and his follower the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas, the Floor Boss of the second stratum, the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris and his adjutant the Black Wound Hunter Leraje.


    These four have roughly the same motive as Marchosias, that is to say, they wish to have a rematch with Fenix and party.


    A Monster¡¯s dungeon name is basically prefixed with a Title that expresses the race that they belong to. However, on the occasion that a Floor Boss¡¯s strength proves worthy, the Dungeon will acknowledge their strength by giving them a unique inscription.


    For example, if you wanted to express Milla as a Monster, you could simply say the Vampire or the Vampire Carmilla but in actuality, she can be called the Vampire Queen Carmilla and so on.


    On the Adventurers¡¯ side, a strong sounding enemy name gets them excited because defeating them will give them prestige so they welcome Monsters with Titles. They also liven up the commentary in the video feeds.


    ¡¸The Vampire Queen Carmilla has been vanquished!¡¹¡¸The Werewolf Chief Marchosias was defeated in one fell swoop!¡¹or so they might say.


    I suppose heroes getting titles like Flame Hero or Frost Hero etc, are similar.


    Anyway, these Titles stimulate their image. On that point, rare races have a hard time giving the impression that they are strong, so their Title indicates what kind of enemy they are.


    Even I am to be given a title. The Demon King is currently in the midst of thinking of one to give me.


    Now then, the monster that Fenix and co. are encountering has the title of The Demon of Love, dungeon name, Sitri.


    Sitri is one of the Big Four that was the only one missing at the time that I was invited to the Demon King¡¯s conference room for the first time.


    She has pupils that look like that of a cat¡¯s and pink hair. She has a small build as well as a small face and seems to be a girl in her early teens. She did her hair up in twintails which gives her a childish look.


    By no means did Milla let me meet any other female monsters but when I met with Sitri, she did not intervene the conversation.


    It seems that Sitri did not think too highly of me assuming the role of Chief of Staff. The position as one of the Big Four used to be the closest to the Demon King but now I have taken a position that is even closer than that and she is bitter about it.


    In other words, Sitri adores The Demon King Luci.


    ¡¸Not cute.¡¹she said poutingly when she looked at me and went to join her subordinates.


    Well, it would be odd for her to suddenly have confidence in me.


    Overall, my reception has been too good.


    As I expected, I have been put in charge of the tenth stratum.


    But not as the floor boss, I have been given another job.


    That is-whoops, I better pay attention to the screen.


    I see a cafe filled with maids.


    Sitri and her subordinates are aiming to defeat the adventurers with a never before seen method in Dungeon Capturing.


    ¡ó


    From the moment that we entered the room, I had a strange feeling.


    Moreover, this sweet smell. My thoughts are hazy, the aroma makes it hard to think clearly.


    ¡¸Oh my, is that a magic sword? Amazing~, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. Can I touch it?¡¹


    A single maid approaches Alba.


    Normally, Alba would never let the enemy get close so easily but for some reason, his guard is down.


    ¡¸Wha?¡­Y, yeah. Sure, I don¡¯t mind¡¹


    What is that idiot doi-No wait, is it Charm!?


    If I look closely, all the maids have upward grown horns on the sides of their heads, batwings growing near their waist and tails that end in the shape of an arrowhead.


    If you don¡¯t have a strong awareness, you won¡¯t notice them.


    Charm is a spell that Succubi and Incubi, Dream Demons essentially, have.


    It¡¯s classification is complicated. It lowers the thinking ability of the afflicted so it could be considered Black Magic, but it can also uplift your mood, so it has the qualities of White Magic as well.


    But this spell that lets the target lust after and feel like they are in love has long been debated as to whether it is a buff or a debuff. Due to it¡¯s dual nature, it has been called Gray Magic by some.


    During the times when humans fought demons, it was classified as Black Magic but in these modern times, Dream Demons almost never appear in dungeons in the first place.


    They can be seen in dungeons that have extreme employment and organization that gather attention called Fantasy Dungeons, but you don¡¯t find them normally.


    There are many reasons for that, but in short, they aren¡¯t intended for all ages.


    The world is looking for excitement and thrills. Some people want the heat of battle and some people like terrifying monsters, but fundamentally fights have to be simple and cool.


    Charm is easy to understand but not cool, Charm does not reach beyond the screen so the viewers are left behind scratching their heads, and the only thing that Charm changes and can be seen on screen is the party¡¯s sexual urges which are unbearable to watch. Above all, it is far removed from what viewers typically expect when they imagine¡¸a fight with monsters¡¹.


    The girls don¡¯t like hiding their faces. So with their beautiful looks exposed, it¡¯s going to look like¡¸the heroes are beating up beautiful women¡¹regardless of any racial features the girls might have.


    Due to all the reasons above, there is no demand for them, so even the dungeon side rarely hires Dream Demons.


    However, when deployed practically, they can be troublesome.


    The selling points of Warriors are their attack power and mobility but at the cost of their magic resistance.


    So it¡¯s no wonder that Alba was the first in the party to be affected by Charm.


    ¡­This is bad, we don¡¯t have a White Sorcerer in the party.


    The wide cafe interior is completely filled with beautiful women, all casting Charm.


    The group of seemingly beautiful women approach while smiling, this was quite a predicament.


    Bella and I are Heroes so we can resist this but we aren¡¯t immune to everything. If you don¡¯t have a strong enough will, you¡¯ll forget about the fact that you¡¯re capturing a dungeon right now and get sucked in.


    This applies to Heroes, but to other jobs, they can¡¯t fight against this.


    Lark¡¯s shield is down and just hanging there, Lily isn¡¯t even readying her bow.


    This fight isn¡¯t about combat ability.


    Furthermore, Dream Demons are especially effective beings in the modern-day dungeon defense.


    Both capturing and defending are carried out using Avatars. Every single one of us.


    Avatars are created using Magical Energy.


    So Dream Demons are able to suck the vitality, spirit, and so on of those under their control. They can also suck Magical Energy.


    If it was a normal human body, they would just slowly suck the Magical Energy within the body.


    But if they were to cast Drain on a body that is made entirely of Magical Energy, like Avatars, that body would crumble.


    ¡¸Ca, can you¡­use this¡­heh¡­on television?¡¹


    It looks like somehow Lark is still aware that he¡¯s in a dungeon.


    Certainly, the TV station people won¡¯t be happy about this. They¡¯ll probably complain to the Demon King Castle after all this. However, it was us who decided to attempt to clear a stratum that had no information revealed about it.


    From the moment we entered, we have to aim for victory and forget about garnering the viewer¡¯s favor for the moment.


    I must say that the Demon King Castle is as impressive as expected, being able to cast Drain from long range.


    It¡¯s not as effective as using it with direct contact but unfortunately, there are a lot of them.


    We can¡¯t shield anyone from it¡¯s effects, so I guess taking care of all the enemies as fast as possible is the most optimal course of action.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, Fenix. Please, allow me. I was just hoping for the perfect opportunity to show what I can do.¡¹


    Bella, a Hero like me, stepped forward.


    I nodded in approval, and in that moment¡­


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹¡¸Kya!¡¹¡¸Wha-¡¹went a great number of little shrieks.


    Soon, all of our foes were encased in pillars of ice.


    ¡¸¡­Great Expansion.¡¹


    All the maids that completely filled the wide cafe interior were frozen one by one, some were frozen together.


    The other three are still feeling the lingering effects of Charm so they are just standing there, staring into space.


    I wonder if they will go back to normal immediately once it wears off. While their bodies aren¡¯t completely crumbling, they have probably become brittle.


    From now on, it would be better for them to not get damaged.


    ¡¸Freezing them one by one uses little Magical Energy. If you do that, the strength of the spell is lowered but can be rapidly expanded, so it can be used for large numbers.¡¹


    Being thirteen years old means that it has only been three years since she attained her Job.


    Generally, it¡¯s possible to graduate from the Adventurer Training Institution in three years, so she¡¯s basically a fresh graduate.


    Yet to be able to manipulate Magical Energy so easily, you can say she¡¯s a Hero with a bright future ahead of her.


    ¡¸I do not know how excellent the previous Black Sorcerer was, but I will easily show how useful I can be. Because that is required of me. I do not have the face of a beautiful woman, so I have to compensate it with my abilities.¡¹


    The Black Sorcerer was kicked out of the party, and a Hero was recruited. Anyone can understand the reasoning.


    To increase our battle potential and gain popularity.


    The unexpected thing is that the decision to kick Lem out had nothing to do with reasons of incompetence.


    With a glance, Bella understood what Fenix wanted to say and she let out a self-deprecating laugh.


    And then she opened her mouth.

 CH 20

    20 ¨C The Frost Hero notices something. But what¡­?


    Generally speaking, Black Sorcerer¡¯s are not well received in the Adventurer business.


    You would think that there would be people who find this treatment unfair and take action in the name of justice, but unfortunately in most cases, they don¡¯t think it¡¯s unfair.


    In today¡¯s adventurer parties, Black Sorcerers just aren¡¯t suitable.


    Therein, Bella concluded that Lem was not incompetent.


    ¡¸Perhaps, this may be because I am not as hot-headed as the others, if you truly favored Lem just because he is your best friend, would you really have decided to relent in the end¡­? You would have naturally kicked Alba out of the party instead. But you are an impartial leader, thus you did not choose your team members based on your likes or dislikes. If you acknowledged someone like Lem, then perhaps he is not as incompetent as society says he is.¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­¡¹continues Bella.


    ¡¸If he was a Black Sorcerer worthy of being in a fourth-ranked party, I do not understand his reason for hiding his abilities. Surely he didn¡¯t sell his soul to the devil in order to master Black Sorcery and ancient dark arts.¡¹


    Realizing that she is just spouting nonsense now, Bella let out a small laugh.


    My face was contorted, not out of amazement, but at the fact that she was half right, but Bella didn¡¯t notice it.


    He didn¡¯t sell his soul to the devil. He became his disciple instead and trained under him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just a joke. If that were true, he would have been recognized as a threat to the country long before he became an Adventurer. Y¡¯know, like the famous previous generation? He certainly would have aroused suspicion and hidden himself away. Assuming he uses Black Sorcery, he definitely wouldn¡¯t pick a job that has a 100% risk of being discovered like being an Adventurer. ¡­If possible, even I wouldn¡¯t have picked an occupation that was completely dependant on public favor.¡¹


    It would seem that Bella chose to be an adventurer not out of longing, but out of monetary necessity.


    Like me, she probably went to a Spirit Shrine, said something weird that piqued the interest of one of the spirits, and became the Frost Hero.


    ¡¸Unless it really is Black Sorcery, there¡¯s no reason to keep it a secret. At least, that¡¯s what I, a newcomer who doesn¡¯t know anything, think.¡¹


    It is Black Sorcery so he does have to keep it a secret, but I can¡¯t tell her that.


    For a moment, Bella looked at me in search of a response but I remained silent and she soon relented.


    ¡¸At any rate, do you think they will broadcast this?¡¹


    Live broadcasts are rare. Basically TV companies will buy clips and broadcast a compilation that they think the audience will like. They will most likely cut out dialogue that doesn¡¯t pertain to the Dungeon Clear.


    There are those who would be interested in a conversation about the exiled Black Sorcerer, but rather than a detractor, she is thinking about whether or not he had the ability.


    It isn¡¯t an interesting conversation for television.


    ¡¸If they don¡¯t cut all of it¡­I want to be recognized as being a member of Fenix¡¯s party as fast as possible.¡¹


    The replacement of one of the members of the Fenix party became a worldwide topic.


    Recruitment was halted immediately after finding Bella, who had formed a contract with a Spirit and became a special Hero, but there were many who did not agree with the decision. Every day, self-aggrandizing Adventurers called out to her.


    ¡¸I said that we five will Clear the Demon King Castle, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, I must prove my worth. This is like a merit system.¡¹


    The conversation between the two of them stops.


    Because the other three have somewhat recovered.


    ¡¸Aah¡­damn it. I feel like I have a hangover.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That was deplorable of me. Fenix, Bella, I deeply apologize.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­This is a nightmare. Well, let¡¯s edit the part where we embarrass ourselves to be nice and short and highlight the part where Bella freezes everyone to the front of the video. Honestly, I don¡¯t want to be seen but Dream Demons are so rare, it will get attention.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­but Lark, earlier you were wondering if this could be used on TV.¡¹


    ¡¸Rare demons, a party fighting against heavy odds, but then the new member with heavy expectations saves the day. Isn¡¯t that great? The television will back up our embarrassing moments.¡¹


    The three of them used Avatar Repair Medicine.


    An item that temporarily replenishes lost Magical Energy, a one time use consumable item. With this, the replenished Magical Energy will go away after a fixed amount of time, regardless of damage. So this isn¡¯t recovery medicine.


    In one Dungeon Clear, each person is allowed to use it one time. However, if you were to clear more than two strata in succession, each member is then allowed to use it once per stratum.


    Apart from that, if you manage to reach the Safe Room, you can purchase up to one per person.


    However, due to how expensive Repair Medicine is and its unpopularity with the audience, Adventurers aren¡¯t fond of them.


    Considering the current situation, they are a necessity.


    ¡¸The Impregnable Demon Castle, huh? This place was set up to be the once demon headquarters, and with that comes all the worst kind of monsters, just rarin¡¯ to go.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly, there have been rare monsters since the first stratum. As expected, they don¡¯t have every species of monster. Rather, they have most likely prepared the rare ones.¡¹


    ¡¸There are five of us in the party, since we don¡¯t have a White Mage everyone except the Heroes get severely drained, Dream Demons become a real threat. Normally you¡¯d think that this wouldn¡¯t work¡­but when it comes to something like the Demon King Castle, I guess it does. That is something that we, as the first Capturing party, have to find a solution to.¡¹


    People who go after the first party get to polish their plans in order to clear the dungeon efficiently, but Fenix and party are the first to attempt this and thus, do this without practice. If they lose here, it¡¯s possible to challenge it again by restarting from the first stratum but they have no intention of losing.


    ¡¸The problem is that this whole stratum is filled to the brim with Dream Demons, the three of us are useless here.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I¡¯ll fire my arrows. If I could just attack from outside the effective range of Charm.¡¹


    ¡¸If that were the case, then I would¡¯ve used my magic sword. We can¡¯t go forward in this messed-up room. It¡¯s like this place was designed to break up parties that have overwhelming strength.¡¹


    Hearing the words of his three allies, Fenix makes a decision.


    ¡¸Bella and I will go ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, then let me be the vanguard. Fenix, please give me your instructions.¡¹


    Gaining some confidence after handling the Demon King Castle¡¯s attacks with her skillful use of magic, Bella¡¯s voice has a cold tone.


    ¡¸I leave it to you, then.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    She advances while avoiding the icicles.


    Most of the Dream Demons that were encased in ice were vanquished due to the damage, and the same will happen to those that are still around.


    Blood does not flow in Avatars. It flows with Magical Energy instead. There is no pain, but you are able to feel shocks and impacts. It¡¯s a strange sensation but you get used to it quickly.


    Avatars don¡¯t need to breathe but if the necessary functions to live aren¡¯t simulated, problems will manifest once you return your consciousness to your body, so it inhales and exhales as you would normally.


    After finding the door leading to the next room that was hidden by a curtain, Bella became speechless.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    I asked, but I didn¡¯t get an answer.


    But soon I came to understand what Bella wanted to say.


    ¡¸That¡¯s no good~. Ignoring all your opponents who haven¡¯t been vanquished yet just because they are frozen in ice.¡¹


    Inside one of the icicles, a pink-haired girl breaks out. She takes this moment of opportunity to strike and she puts her hand through Bella¡¯s chest.


    Particles of Magical Energy glimmer and sparkle as they dance through the air. Bella¡¯s body begins to crumble after taking lethal damage.


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹


    Bella looked at me. She tried to say¡¸I¡¯m sorry.¡¹but midway through, she completely disappeared.


    She¡¯s gone.


    She isn¡¯t dead, but she can¡¯t be revived for this Dungeon Clear.


    With as much power as she could muster in her final moments, she pulled the curtain with all her might, unfastening it.


    The curtain falls and reveals the door.


    That door bore the dungeon¡¯s coat of arms, which are only on doors that lead to the Safe Room between strata.


    In other words, this is a stratum that has a Floor Boss fight as soon as you enter it.


    The Floor Boss was hiding amongst the Dream Demons.


    That would most likely be that pink-haired girl.


    Although Bella was unprepared, inexperienced, and new, to defeat a Hero with one strike means she possesses great skill.


    The girl takes a deep breath. What was left of Bella¡¯s Magical Energy remains were sucked into her mouth and absorbed.


    ¡­can Drain be used on things other than humans? Maybe that¡¯s how she broke out of her icicle.


    One by one, the Dream Demons that were yet to disappear started to break out of their icicles.


    There were seven of them, much less than when we started, but it will be troublesome if they cast Charm on my allies again.


    ¡¸I was a little surprised, but as expected, the strength of the spell had to be lowered in order to be cast so quickly.¡¹


    ¡¸To fight a Floor Boss all of a sudden is a little-¡¹


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t you defeat a Floor Boss in one strike? If that little ice girl hadn¡¯t done anything, you would have used your fire. If you had, your conceited way of doing things would have ended in failure.¡¹


    ¡¸If I had, you and your friends would have been reduced to ashes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­what an un-cute boy.¡¹


    ¡¸Heroes have to be cool.¡¹


    ¡¸You, I don¡¯t like you.¡¹


    ¡¸Well I like you. For the sake of victory, you formulated a plan and took out the most formidable enemy with the least amount of effort. You even reduced the combat power of my other allies. Truly, an excellent Monster.¡¹


    ¡¸Unexpectedly, you guys do things in a ridiculously straight forward manner.¡¹


    ¡¸Everybody admires a Hero like that.¡¹


    I pull out my Sacred Sword, a regular sword wherein dwells a Spirit, from its scabbard.


    Since this is a Floor Boss fight, I don¡¯t have a reason to worry about my allies anymore.


    ¡¸Aah, dammit!¡¹


    Alba swings a plain blade without extending his magic sword. The Dream Demons were approaching them. Lark repelled them with his shield and Lily attacked with her hatchet instead of her bow.


    The number of Dream Demons was drastically reduced so they were able to more or less resist the effects of Charm.


    They know what they have to do.


    ¡¸We will not be defeated in battle.¡¹


    Seeing the Magical Energy emanating from my blade, her face tensed up.


    Her fighting spirit did not disappear.


    ¡­Splendid.


    ¡¸But you are down one party member. Don¡¯t think for a second that you¡¯re going to reach the Demon King.¡¹


    ¡¸I am The Flame Hero Fenix, I am the one who will defeat you and press on.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am The Demon of Love Sitri and you¡­I really, really hate you.¡¹


    With my Sacred Sword engulfed in a large flame in hand, I rush towards Sitri.


    That day, we cleared the fifth stratum.


    We decided to attempt to clear the sixth stratum as soon as possible.

 CH 21

    21 ¨C Chief of Staff¡¯s Welcome Party and A Little Girl¡¯s Dream


    ¡¸Bwa~h!¡¹


    Clinging to the Demon King¡¯s waist, The Demon of Love Sitri was crying.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry~, Lu! Sitri lost¡­!¡¹


    Luci gently strokes Sitri¡¯s head like the cat that she is.


    ¡¸There there. You managed to fell one of them. A Hero at that. You did rather well.¡¹


    The figure of a little girl consoling another little girl was pretty rare, but it was neither strange nor uncomfortable.


    ¡¸Uu¡­that Fenix boy, there¡¯s definitely something weird about him. He¡¯s a human that¡¯s tall, dark and handsome, has the strongest Spirit, ranked fourth in the world, and even respects Monsters, isn¡¯t that weird? If you told me that God commanded him to create the strongest Avatar around, Sitri would believe it.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t feel bad at all hearing praises about my best friend.


    Fenix wasn¡¯t always this strong, but I can¡¯t blame you for thinking that if you looked at him now.


    In the end, he beat Sitri with one strike and cleared the fifth stratum.


    There wasn¡¯t much usable footage, so we¡¯ll most likely broadcast it together with the footage we¡¯ll get from the sixth stratum.


    They booked the sixth stratum immediately after clearing the fifth one after all.


    ¡¸Here, Lem. Say a~h.¡¹


    Goes a sweet voice by my side.


    Milla had cut up a roast chicken, skewered it with a fork and held it up to my mouth.


    Fork in her right hand, and cupping her left like a plate.


    Slanting her head at a perfect angle, her lips forming to say¡¸A~h.¡¹.


    ¡¸I, I can feed myself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I suppose you¡¯re right¡­for someone like me to do this causes nothing but trouble, I am sorry¡­I will not repeat this mistake, so please forgive me.¡¹


    Milla is dejected, and I immediately change my mind.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll eat it.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    Milla immediately smiled again.


    I knew it was a trap but I still walked right into it¡­


    I just have to put up with the embarrassment and nothing will happen.


    I was so nervous that I couldn¡¯t even taste the supposedly delicious meat.


    By the way, this is the Demon King Army¡¯s favorite restaurant.


    It¡¯s a two-story building with an atrium in the center and a fountain in the middle of the first floor where Demi-Humans who are partial to water are relaxing.


    A section of the ceiling is overgrown with ivy and there is a part of the restaurant where you can see what looks like bare rocks where Demi-beasts are kept. Demi-Beasts are animals that were once demon beasts.


    Today is my welcome party, so the Demon King Army booked the entire place.


    Inside the shop were Vampires, Werewolves, Dream Demons, Majin, Mermaids, Dragonkin, Birdmen, Giants, Dark Elves, Skeletons, and many more races that I didn¡¯t even know.


    I am very happy to be welcomed and am thankful for such an opportunity. It is faster to remember everyone rather than going around and earnestly greeting them.


    After briefly introducing myself, I head up to the second floor.


    In the corner was the Demon King Luci and her Big Four Milla, Agares, and Sitri.


    The black knight who I have yet to ask the name of will arrive shortly.


    To my right, sat Milla and to my left was Cashew. Other than them, various other Floor Bosses sat nearby and were eating and drinking.


    ¡¸Unhand her, you Dream Demon-wannabe. It is time for the Demon King¡¯s pudding. Do not be a hindrance!¡¹


    ¡¸Sitri will feed her. Agares is too noisy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­In what world can a subordinate who failed at her job be allowed to cling to her superior. How inappropriate.¡¹


    ¡¸In this one. Lu, does the thought of Sitri and Lu in an inappropriate relationship make your heart race?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? No, not really.¡¹


    ¡¸Aha! I think it might be too early for you.¡¹


    Sitri was still reeling from her defeat but she somehow managed to smile.


    ¡¸You¡­you Dream Demon-wannabe.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you stop with the whole¡¸wannabe¡¹thing? You¡¯re hurting my feelings. Lu~, Agares is bullying me~¡¹


    Said Sitri in a coaxing voice while coiling around Luci.


    ¡¸Oh there, there. Agares, cease your bullying at once. I¡¯ve said it once before, why not call your allies by their names.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! Besides, if you¡¯re scolding me, then look over there. There¡¯s Mil-Mil, the secretary, and that unsuitable kid who was inaugurated too quickly! Scold them.¡¹[1. TL Note: Sitri refers to Milla as ¡°Milla-cchi¡± which is like a really friendly/childish way to call someone, so I have gone with Mil-Mil]


    That¡¯s me. She¡¯s definitely talking about me.


    Since the start, Cashew has been happily stuffing her cheeks like a squirrel with food, while seemingly thinking¡¸I wish I could let everyone eat this¡¹in regards to her family.


    However, when she realized what Milla was doing, her eyes somewhat flashed with determination, and she took the burger patty that she thinks would be my favorite, cut it up, and offered it to me.


    Usually, a child would only think about eating all the things they want to eat, but Cashew seems like the kind of child that offers someone¡¯s favorite food to them. Perhaps it has something to do with her having younger brothers and sisters.


    I couldn¡¯t coldly refuse such a kind gesture. I thanked her and ate it.


    But then.


    Sitri pointed a finger towards us.


    ¡¸Would you kindly not talk to us right now? Don¡¯t ruin this moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Mil-Mil only acts differently with that boy. We¡¯ve worked together for much longer so be kind to me too!¡¹


    ¡¸I am being kind. See, I¡¯m being kind by talking to you right now.¡¹


    ¡¸I think you¡¯re breaking the standard of being kind.¡¹


    ¡¸The fact that I am having a conversation with you during my precious time with Lem is proof that I think of Sitri as important.¡¹


    ¡¸R¡­really?¡¹


    Hearing the word¡¸Important¡¹made Sitri twitch and shake.


    ¡¸Why yes, I love you so won¡¯t you please be a dear and sit there quietly.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I guess so?¡¹


    ¡¸What a good girl.¡¹


    Sitri laughed joyfully.


    ¡¸Lu, Sitri¡¯s a good girl.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm¡­that you are.¡¹


    Having witnessed it all, Luci decided against putting a damper on Sitri¡¯s happiness.


    Come to think of it, Sitri refers to herself by her own Dungeon Name.


    ¡¸How could a Monster who causes delusions of love in man be so easily tricked by such false kindness.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha? Shut up, Agares. What if I make you fall in love with an attractive mature lady?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, don¡¯t be absurd¡­My desire to protect the purity of children has no relation to my sexual desire. How many times must I say it for you to understand? ¡­Be that as it may, please do not arouse feelings for an adult woman within me.¡¹


    The Big Four more or less get along well together.


    I spoke to Agares earlier. Somehow, he had heard about Cashew¡¯s case and, without a word, shook my hand, saying¡¸To think that I would find a kindred spirit in you, Chief of Staff, sir.¡¹. In the midst of that misunderstanding, he formed a contract with me.


    I tried to set the record straight but then he said¡¸Tis alright, brother¡­you do not have to hide it.¡¹and gave me a smile for the first time. I was at a loss for words.


    It¡¯s a different matter if he asks Cashew to abuse him or step on him, but at least Luci is with the Big Four and can handle him.


    I decided to leave it alone.


    After that, I had a face to face with the man beneath the black knight¡¯s armor and learned that his name is Furcus. He stared intently at the food that was in front of me so I offered it to him and he ate it in an instant. After which, he stated¡¸One assist, one meal¡¹and with that condition, he formed a contract with me.


    After the meal, I had to quickly excuse myself from the party in order to get the now sleepy Cashew home.


    At first, I thought that it would be frowned upon for me, the guest of honor, to leave so soon but everyone was very kind and warm and saw me off.


    There are many who were drinking alcohol and didn¡¯t notice me leaving, but nothing beats the feeling of your heart warming up.


    ¡¸Hey, Lem.¡¹


    It was Sitri.


    Her eyes look swollen.


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Can you beat him?¡¹


    She¡¯s probably talking about Fenix.


    ¡¸With everyone¡¯s help, yes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hmm. But is it OK? He¡¯s your childhood friend, isn¡¯t he? You were recently aiming to be no. 1 together with him, can you stand in the way of your best friend?¡¹


    It¡¯s only natural to ask a question like that.


    ¡¸In regards to what he did in order to win against you, what did he say?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­something about liking me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the kind of guy he is. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re an enemy or an ally. He¡¯s the kind of guy that respects people who exhaust all their strength in order to achieve a goal. Doing something like going easy against his best friend or not wanting to fight even though he¡¯s an enemy would be considered an insult.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­¡¹


    Growing interested, Sitri looked up at me.


    ¡¸This time, let¡¯s negotiate, Lem. If Sitri is satisfied when that time comes, I will give you the honor of forming a contract with me. No wait, I meant to say, let¡¯s form a contract.¡¹


    Without waiting for my response, Sitri returns to Luci¡¯s spot.


    As I turn to head home, my eyes suddenly catch Milla looking at me.


    She smiles sweetly and her bewitching lips are forming words.


    ¡¸See you tomorrow.¡¹they seem to say.


    Tomorrow is Milla¡¯s day off. I, too, am taking a day off.


    That¡¯s right, tomorrow is the promised outing with Milla.


    I nodded and left the restaurant.


    And walk out into the night city.


    ¡¸Rem¡­¡¹[2. TL Note: Not a typo, Cashew is sleepy and says Lem¡¯s name with a slur]


    With a sleepy voice, Cashew speaks into my ear.


    ¡¸Yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I wanna be a Monster when I¡­ grow up.¡¹


    Cashew, who is on my back, feels warm. I wonder if children¡¯s body temperatures are higher.


    ¡¸Oh yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸I decided just now.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    Cashew is eight years old. She¡¯ll find out what her Job is when she¡¯s ten.


    ¡¸It¡¯s too early to decide on your future.¡¹is something that I have no right to say.


    As soon as I was old enough to understand what was going on around me, I was obsessed with Heroes. Even after I became a Black Sorcerer, I never gave up on becoming a Hero. What sort of advice could a guy like me give?


    ¡¸Then¡­I want to ask Lem to do something.¡¹


    ¡¸Me? If it¡¯s to continue to be my secretary, you¡¯re more than welcome.¡¹


    If you have a dream you wish to pursue, of course, I¡¯ll support you too.


    ¡¸Lem¡¯s ring. If someone makes a c-contrak with you¡­they become your ally, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I got it from Luci. It requires Magical Energy, but even someone who¡¯s far away can come to my rescue.¡¹


    Cashew nuzzles her head against the back of my neck.


    ¡¸I¡¯m still a kid. I can¡¯t help out.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true, you help a lot.¡¹


    Cashew was already well received and loved by the people in the Demon King Castle. While helping me out, everyone is deeply touched by her bravery.


    ¡¸The ring holds seventy-two, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Right. It¡¯s a ring that can hold up to 72 people to help me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I want to ask Lem to do something¡¹


    Again, Cashew repeats that.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you ask me?¡¹


    A few moments passed before she answered me.


    ¡¸When I become an adult¡­I want to be able to help Lem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uh-huh.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­want you to stop at¡­seventy-one.¡¹


    Similar to Milla, who was my first Contract, Cashew wants to be my last.


    She¡¯s asking me to leave one frame for her for when she someday grows up and can fight alongside me.


    It seems that Cashew thinks that that¡¯s a very selfish desire.


    Because she is so anxious that I can feel her shivering.


    ¡¸Is that¡­bad?¡¹


    So I answer her softly.


    ¡¸No, that would be great.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Looks like I have one more thing to look forward to in life.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, wha-, Lem? Um, I¡­uhm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸My last Contract will be reserved just for you, Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸¨C~~~~!. A, are you sure?¡¹


    ¡¸Without a doubt.¡¹


    She squeezes my neck with a hug.


    Not enough to hurt, of course.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll work hard.¡¹


    She mutters softly.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll¡­make contrak¡­with¡­Lem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes you will.¡¹


    We continued walking like that towards her house. I dropped her off on the first day of work so I already know the way there.


    ¡¸¡­Zzz¡­Zzz¡­¡¹


    My feet continued onwards as I listened to her snooze.

 CH 22

    22 ¨C The Chief of Staff and the Vampire¡¯s Rendezvous


    On that day, I woke up earlier than usual.


    I washed my face more thoroughly and tried my best to fix my bed hair.


    What few clothes I had were cleaned by the inn staff and were immaculate, but they are definitely a zero on the fanciness scale.


    In this era of Adventurers, it¡¯s fine to just wear a Black Sorcerer style black robe because it¡¯s understood that we don¡¯t go on many outings with the opposite sex.


    I am the one that decided on this outing, so I can¡¯t help but be worried.


    In the end, I¡¯m just a kid from the country. Whenever I walk in front of a shop that handles fancy clothes, I cower before its aura and find myself dejectedly leaving. Maybe I just think of it as a shop that I must never enter.


    It¡¯s times like these that I need someone to talk to but I haven¡¯t known any of my co-workers in the Demon King Castle for that long yet.


    I don¡¯t think this is a matter I can bring up with Fenix and Co. either.


    But then, I remembered something.


    Cashew¡¯s mother works in a second-hand clothes shop.


    Second-hand doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that they only have old worn-out clothes, there are many that are still in beautiful condition but had to be dropped off or sold due to circumstances.


    I wondered if she¡¯d be willing to have a consultation.


    She was. Gladly, too.


    I tried various combinations of clothing and bought the one that was recommended. She informed me of the shops that sell various brand new items but sadly I don¡¯t think I can contribute to their sales right now, so I apologized and bought second-hand clothes.


    I felt like I haven¡¯t done enough to repay her kindness so asked if there was anything else I could do for her and as expected of a mother, she said¡¸I think this will suit my little Cashew perfectly¡­¡¹while holding a set of clothes.


    I¡¯d rather ask the shops that sell brand new items for new sets of those clothes but when I think about it, Cashew has three siblings, one of them being a little brother.


    If Cashew was the only one who wore sparkling brand new clothes, she would probably feel uncomfortable around her family.


    Knowing how kind Cashew is, she would probably feel inferior to her family instead.


    If that¡¯s the case, I thought about the amount difference between the items that I bought that day and the price of the items sold as new. In short, I told her that I would like to buy clothes for Cashew and her siblings with the profits I¡¯ve earned.


    The mother was shocked and then told me that it was too much trouble, but after I told her how much her consultation has helped me, she finally nodded in agreement.


    On the following day, meaning yesterday, Cashew came with her mother to give words of gratitude and a bashful smile while wearing the clothes that I bought for her.


    After telling her that it suits her, she smiled even wider. That smile put a pep in my step.


    For that reason, I wore the clothes produced by Cashew¡¯s mother.


    It wasn¡¯t flashy but neither was it plain nor striking, it had a somewhat refreshing feeling to the outfit.


    I probably would have never bought something like this by myself. I once again thanked Cashew¡¯s mother from the bottom of my heart.


    Our appointment was at noon, I was nervously killing time so I decided to head towards the meet-up point.


    On the side of the fountain in the plaza was a bench. On that bench sat Milla, whose back was as straight as a board.


    There were about 30 minutes left before the appointed time but it seems that Milla got there early.


    Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s meeting with me, she hid her racial features today and wore a trim and tidy outfit. I approached her while thinking about how much she looks like the daughter of a wealthy family.


    But then, someone else approached her before me.


    ¡¸He~y missy, didn¡¯t I see you sittin¡¯ here since the mornin¡¯?¡¹


    It was a red-faced middle-aged man. From his clothes, he¡¯s most likely an adventurer. I know about promising newcomers and the top one hundred parties in the world but I don¡¯t know this guy.


    A beer bottle in one hand, the man gets involved with Milla.


    ¡¸I am waiting for someone. I came here a little too early, pay me no mind.¡¹


    If she was here in the morning, just how many hours has Milla been waiting?


    Milla wasn¡¯t even looking at him, but he seemed offended.


    ¡¸What kinda man let¡¯s a smokin¡¯ hot girly like you wait so long? If it were me, I¡¯d never do nuthin¡¯ like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? However, you are not him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If ya have a little alcohol, you¡¯ll know which one¡¯s the better man. Whaddya say, toots?¡¹


    The man extends a hand towards her shoulder but Milla brushed it off.


    ¡¸Please leave me alone.¡¹


    But then, she noticed me.


    Her body shivered faintly.


    If Milla used her full strength, the man in front of her wouldn¡¯t be a threat.


    ¡­So then why do I still feel uneasy?


    ¡¸You bitch! I was just being nice to ya!¡¹


    ¡¸A nice person wouldn¡¯t keep courting a woman who clearly isn¡¯t interested.¡¹


    I finally got close to the two of them. I grabbed the man¡¯s raised arm and twisted it.


    ¡¸What was that you sl-owowowow! That hurts! It¡¯s gonna break!¡¹


    Even though he¡¯s drunk, I apply Confusion on him to delay his response, Defense Down, and lower his pain resistance.


    The man was on his knees screaming¡¸OK, I get it! It was my bad!¡¹so I let him go.


    His right arm will probably hurt for a short while, but I think it was too light a punishment for raising a hand towards a woman.


    ¡¸Hello. You¡¯re early.¡¹


    I smile at her.


    Milla looked at me with eyes wide open and muttered something.


    ¡­I couldn¡¯t really make it out but I heard her say¡¸¡­again¡­¡¹or something.


    At that moment, a flash of recollection swept across my brain. I remembered something.


    Drunk. A man. A beautiful female Vampire.


    And then I remembered the conversation that Blitz and Milla had.


    -¡¸I was saved by Lem, my relation with him started from there.¡¹


    It was during the time I left to go to work at the Demon King¡¯s Castle, I thought it was just some obscure thing she told him.


    But that¡¯s odd, my relation with Milla started when she called out to me that day.


    Maybe I really have met her prior to all thi-.


    ¡¸You, asshole¡­don¡¯t screw with me! I am the great Heavy Warrior Metal from the 536th ranked party!¡¹


    The man glared at me while holding his arm. He dropped his beer bottle.


    First, he raises a hand against a woman and now he¡¯s going on incessantly about his name and Job? Maybe he thinks he¡¯s intimidating me.


    ¡¸Ah¡­so you¡¯re within the top 1000.¡¹


    Taking into consideration that his being drunk basically makes him defenseless, I wondered if I should lower his defense even more.


    I was genuinely surprised to find out that he was higher ranked than I originally thought, but his face started getting redder.


    Adding on to his already drunk state, his anger made his face turn a shade of crimson.


    ¡¸¡­Hn! NN! What¡¯s with that princely air of yours, you brat!¡¹


    Incidentally, aside from Milla, the man can¡¯t recognize me as me.


    I applied Confusion on the part of his brain that handles Recognition of Other People so that he sees me as a small boy.


    Also, I¡¯ve made it so that he doesn¡¯t sense that anything is wrong. He doesn¡¯t realize that I am the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    I have applied the same thing to the surrounding people.


    There¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with being together with Milla, but if there¡¯s even the slightest chance that someone will see us and write¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem who was cast out of his party, on a date with a monster?! Is he providing information about his best friend, who threw him away, out of resentment?!¡¹or some other ridiculous article, I have to take precautions.


    Even Milla is hiding her racial features in order to ensure nothing drastic happens. Even the slightest possibility of being discovered has to be eliminated.


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t you admit that you were in the wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up!¡¹


    Now he¡¯s being unreasonable¡­


    ¡¸Darling, I¡¯m scared!¡¹


    Said Milla as she hides behind me.


    I can feel her slender fingers and soft breasts pressed against my back.


    Rather than call me by my name, she went with¡¸Darling.¡¹.


    After all, Milla is from an acting school, so she immediately became a clingy lover girl.


    ¡¸I told him I was waiting for you, but then he got all excited and tried to touch me. Uu¡­I was so scared.¡¹


    Um, Milla?


    You¡¯re not telling a lie, but because of that, the Heavy Warrior¡¯s eyes are becoming bloodshot.


    His advances were bluntly rejected, then his arm was twisted until he gives up by that person¡¯s lover, and then he threatens said lover after releasing his arm but instead, you flirt with me in front of him.


    No matter how you look at it, he was in the wrong, but you gotta know that you¡¯re only making him madder.


    ¡¸Hah, you think this little pipsqueak can rival me? He just took me by surprise. If you don¡¯t get even that, then you¡¯re one dumb girl.¡¹


    ¡­.sigh.


    I¡¯m used to being made fun of so it doesn¡¯t bother me. Even if I get angry every time, I can¡¯t do anything about it and all that¡¯s hurt are my feelings so it¡¯s no big deal.


    It¡¯s easy to understand that you become more generous and your judgment is impaired when you¡¯re drunk.


    In the first place, fighter type jobs are bad-tempered people in general.


    Actually, I think that might be a minimum requirement.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t speak ill of the lady just because she wasn¡¯t swayed by you. You¡¯re a shameful excuse of a man.¡¹


    Now veins are starting to pop on the man¡¯s face. Looks like colors other than red were added to his face.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m a kind man, so one strike. I¡¯ll take you down in one quick strike, you brat.¡¹


    ¡¸Apologize to her.¡¹


    ¡¸Die!¡¹


    His fist drew near.


    It moved so slow it would make you yawn. Or rather, I made it move that slow.


    On top of that, I completely lowered his Attack Power. I may be going a little overboard with the theatrics but I stop his fist with my left index finger.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    He expresses his shock in that interval.


    ¡¸I thought that I should respond appropriately to your kindness.¡¹


    I suddenly lower my body and drive my right fist into his solar plexus.


    ¡¸Gah¡­?!¡¹


    Don¡¯t forget about Defense Down. Of course, I adjusted it so that he wouldn¡¯t die.


    As soon as I stepped away from him, he crumpled forward and vomited on the ground.


    ¡¸Taking someone down in one quick strike is a sign of kindness, right?¡¹


    He probably isn¡¯t listening.


    He¡¯s just vomiting while holding onto his abdomen.


    It isn¡¯t a pleasant sight.


    I don¡¯t think we can expect an apology very soon.


    Is this situation even salvageable?


    ¡¸An Adventurer is a job that clears Dungeons and gives a moment of excitement to people. They provide amusement. If the audience saw your behaviour, do you think they can feel good supporting your party¡¯s Dungeon Clears?¡¹


    There are people in the Adventuring world that have bad attitudes but surprisingly, they are pretty well received.


    There are many people who want to see a rough and wild Dungeon Clear.


    Be that as it may, it should be wrong to act that way in your private life.


    I memorized his name, rank and appearance, and I¡¯m keeping it in mind to report him to the Adventurer Union later.


    Of course, as a witness. My adventurer registration card is still valid so I won¡¯t be ignored.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, darling.¡¹


    Milla drapes herself on my arm.


    She seemed to be in high spirits.


    As we walk a little further away from the plaza, several male comrades of that man rush over asking him what¡¯s wrong.¡¸Nuthin¡¯¡­¡¹answers the Heavy Warrior, possibly out of not wanting to hurt his pride.


    ¡¸Did you use Confuse on him?¡¹


    ¡­She noticed, huh? But I didn¡¯t even use it in such an obvious way.


    ¡¸Yeah. Even if he were to talk to me again, he wouldn¡¯t realise that I¡¯m me.¡¹


    ¡¸How splendid.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re face was seen earlier, so we have to be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re worried about me.¡¹


    ¡¸I know you¡¯re strong enough and I shouldn¡¯t have to, but-¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    She rests her head on my shoulder


    ¡¸So very glad, darling.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­C, could you stop saying that already.¡¹


    Milla looks like she¡¯s having fun, but I¡¯m a nervous wreck here. It¡¯s so embarrassing.


    ¡¸Ufufu, I suppose so. I, too, prefer calling you by your name, so let¡¯s start.¡¹


    After that, Milla looks at me point-blank.


    ¡¸Thank you for today. To be able to meet you like this on my day off is like a dream come true.¡¹


    ¡¸Me too¡­uhm, I owe you a great deal.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Well, you can start by treating me well today, yes?¡¹


    The plan of today¡¯s outing seems to be to visit a few places that she wants to go to.


    ¡¸Go easy on me.¡¹


    ¡¸Absolutely not.¡¹


    Milla laughs happily, pulling me by the hand towards our next destination.

 CH 23

    23 ¨C The Black Sorcerer and Vampire¡¯s Date


    I remembered the advice that I received from Cashew¡¯s mother.


    ¡¸Um, uuh, Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, what is it, Lem? ¡­Do you think we should walk separately?¡¹


    Says Milla with sad, wet eyes as she is coiled around my arm.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve gotten pretty used to it¡¹¡­is what I want to say, but it¡¯s impossible.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Rather, I can feel my ability to resist being sucked away.


    I don¡¯t dislike it, it¡¯s just that I found it embarrassing. Is it embarrassing? I don¡¯t know.


    ¡¸Yo-your clothes¡­they look good on you.¡¹


    On top of fumbling my words, my voice is shrill and nervous.


    You can definitely see my lack of experience in these parts, I think.


    Milla blinks. Blink, blink, blink, goes her large eyes.


    And then, her smile slowly widens.


    All of sudden, she separates from me, goes in front, and turns to face me directly while walking backwards.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I dressed up just for you, so your compliment pleases me greatly.¡¹


    Seeing her with her hands clasped behind her back, stooping ever so slightly forward while looking up at me with upturned eyes, made my feet stop in place unintentionally at awe of her beauty.


    ¡¸Besides, you look good as well. This is the first time I see you wear something like that. It suits you very well.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    Honestly, I did wonder whether or not I would feel happy if my attire was praised, but now I know the answer.


    I am definitely pleased.


    ¡¸Cashew¡¯s mother truly has an eye for this.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, she really¡­huh? Did I tell you about that?¡¹


    I definitely didn¡¯t mention it.


    ¡¸I heard it from Cashew. Come to think of it, she was wearing quite a cute dress.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, aah¡­ Y¡¯know I¡­don¡¯t really have any confidence in my fashion sense.¡¹


    ¡¸So then, the splendid looking Lem I see before me today was for my sake?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I wanted to walk side by side with you and not look out of place.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu. I feel incredibly happy right now.¡¹


    She once again returns to my side and naturally takes my hand.


    ¡¸Are you hungry? There is a place that I wish to try.¡¹


    I nodded.


    I felt my heart stop from her honest words from a moment ago, but I somehow managed to answer.


    ¡¸Leave it to me. I came with my wallet prepared with extra money.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, do I give off that kind of impression?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uuh, no. I just thought that, since I wasn¡¯t sure where we¡¯d be eating¡­¡¹


    Alba often talked about what he did together with beautiful women and I feel like he touched on meals at some point, but I shouldn¡¯t use him as a reference. That man is the type who looks for short-lived pleasures.


    In response to my pitiful answer, Milla looked embarrassed and shifted her eyes downwards.


    ¡¸Actually, I¡¯m new at this too. So as first-timers, let us do our best¡­!¡¹


    Milla holds up a clenched fist.


    ¡¸Yes, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    I, too, hold up my fist.


    We checked out many places but in the end, we ended up at a food cart.


    ¡¸This cart seems to scream¡¸Ra~men¡¹, but it would appear that it¡¯s clientele is resplendent with males.¡¹


    Thin noodles mixed in a unique soup broth with various garnishes placed on top.


    I haven¡¯t tried this cart before, but I have had that style of cooking somewhere else.


    The cart certainly is frequented by a lot of men. Many of them silently drop by, eat in silence, drink every last drop of soup, sigh with satisfaction, and leave.¡¸Thank you for the meal.¡¹can be heard in a small voice here and there. They are probably the shop¡¯s ideal type of customer.


    ¡¸I had an interest in trying this place, but I hesitated to try it alone¡­ So I thought that we could try it together.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind, but are you sure about this, Milla?¡¹


    I don¡¯t think this is the kind of place that most girls would want to have a date meal in.


    ¡¸I humbly request this favor of you.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s go in then.¡¹


    We found two open seats as soon as we entered, we quickly sat down and ordered. We had to pay before the meal.


    Not long after that, two bowls were filled with soup and given to us. Of course, complete with noodles and garnish.


    The smell that rose together with the steam tickled the nostrils. Gulp.


    You are supposed to use a thin pair of chopsticks to eat it but it can be difficult if you aren¡¯t used to them. There are shops that are prepared with forks for just such an occasion but this cart is different.


    Milla was locked in a hard-fought struggle with the chopsticks.


    Nevertheless, she got the hang of it in a short while. She picks up some noodle strands, gently blows on them, tucks her hair behind her ears with her left hand, and carries the noodles toward her mouth.


    Betwixt bewitching lips, she slurps and slurps the noodles into her mouth.


    ¡¸Mmm, delicious!¡¹


    Says Milla passionately while blocking her mouth with her left hand.


    I caught the shopkeeper smiling in the corner of my eye and then I realized that I have been staring intently at Milla this whole time and hurriedly returned to my meal.


    ¡¸It¡¯s very satisfying.¡¹


    After the meal, Milla put two hands on her belly and gave a sigh of pure satisfaction.


    ¡¸That was delicious.¡¹


    If it weren¡¯t for Milla¡¯s charming gestures, this would feel like an ordinary meal. This relaxed feeling.


    After that, I went clothes shopping with Milla, and she showed me various shops on the Monster side.


    Milla became more and more active as time went on and I think she enjoyed herself from start to finish.


    Before I realized it, we entered a street with a different kind of atmosphere.


    There were random couples everywhere, and all of them were really close to each other.


    Pair by pair, they all disappear into buildings.


    Wait¡­due to my unfamiliarity with the area, I was slow in realizing it, but isn¡¯t this street lined with Lover Inns?


    Inns where couples can rent a room temporarily in order to perform adult deeds.


    Huh?


    Huuuh¡­?


    My heart is pounding in my chest.


    Calm down. That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll just clear my mind and¡­nope, not helping. I can¡¯t think of anything else. Especially with Milla right next to me.


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m feeling a little tired.¡¹


    ¡¸We can¡¯t have that, now can we?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you know anywhere we can take a break?¡¹


    Milla glances at the Lover Inns.


    I thought my heart jumped out of my mouth.


    I put my hand to my mouth. It didn¡¯t. Thank goodness.


    The action of my confirming that made me calm down and I remembered something.


    Wasn¡¯t I the one who said that I didn¡¯t mind getting my blood sucked in the first place?


    She¡¯s hiding her racial features. Bloodsucking without consent is prohibited and even if you have consent, it¡¯s not like you can just do it on the street.


    The day before last, I saw her being assaulted by her bloodsucking impulses, she must be close to her limit.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, that¡¯s right. Bloodsucking, right?¡¹


    I gave a nervous laugh out of shame at my misunderstanding, then Milla had an offended look on her face.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t treat me like some kind of suck-seeker Vampire. I am not such a shallow woman¡­¡¹[1. TL Note: Milla says something purely in katakana that is a slang term explained later, I have decided to go with ¡°suck-seeker¡±]


    What could¡¸suck-seeker¡¹be? Some kind of Vampire slang term? If I think about the context of the prior situation¡­I suppose it means bloodsucking seekers?


    Vampires who get close to someone for the sole purpose of sucking their blood.


    ¡¸Oh I wasn¡¯t thinking that at all.¡¹


    Even during Dungeon Defenses, she hasn¡¯t directly sucked blood from people.


    She isn¡¯t the kind of person who would suck just anyone¡¯s blood.


    ¡¸Then it¡¯s fine, Lem¡­¡¹


    Milla brings her lips close enough to my ear to kiss it.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll let you decide what to do. I¡¯ll also let you decide what you want me to do.¡¹


    Th, this woman¡­


    Is truly devilish.


    At least that¡¯s what I was thinking, but at the moment she pulled away, something dropped.


    It was not mine.


    ¡¸Milla, you dropped something.¡¹


    ¡¸?! L-L-L-Lem?! Please wait! Don¡¯t look!¡¹


    It looks like some kinda notebook.


    I accidentally saw it¡¯s contents.


    ¡¸Sitri¡¯s¡¸A Maiden¡¯s Guide to Nabbing a Virgin¡¹course! ¡¹is written in big, round cute letters followed by a few itemized items written down as a list below it.


    Frequently make contact with his body, moderately behave like a spoiled child, talk about his hobbies and match his tastes in food with a sense of familiarity, wear mature clothes as opposed to flashy clothes, go along with the parts where he has no self-confidence without ever laughing.


    Insanely obvious things were written in it.


    ¡¸It, it, it, it¡¯s not what it looks like, ok? That girl definitely did not shove that notebook into my clothes and I most certainly did not use it as a reference to trick you! Oooh noooo!¡¹


    Even without seeing Milla panic, I understand.


    She didn¡¯t have any bad intentions. Rather, it was the opposite.


    She tried to show me a good time¡­she liked me.


    Why would she go this far?


    ¡­Perhaps now, I understand.


    ¡¸Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, please don¡¯t hate me.¡¹


    Milla was actually crying this time as I gently grabbed her shoulder.


    ¡¸As promised, please suck my blood.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­uu. Huh?¡¹


    I mustered up some courage and pulled her by her hand, towards the Lover Inn that she glanced at earlier.


    I don¡¯t really understand how this system works but as soon as we entered, there was a man with a very bored expression on his face sitting on a chair in a room.


    ¡¸Your cleanest room please.¡¹


    Saying that, I place atop the table more money than what was written on the board in front.


    The man took one look at that and immediately handed over a key. A number was written on it.


    With Milla along with me, we head up to a room on the second floor.


    She quietly followed me.


    We enter the room.


    Within is simply a bed and a desk. The room was spotless.


    ¡¸Le-Lem¡­uhm, I, uhm¡­there is something that I must say.¡¹


    I lower my voice to stay in control.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸H-yes?¡¹


    ¡¸We have met before, haven¡¯t we?¡¹


    Milla¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    Shortly after, she replies.


    ¡¸¡­Y-you remembered?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for forgetting.¡¹


    Her eyes start getting teary.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s you, after all. You don¡¯t memorize each person you save because it is only natural for you to help someone in need. It¡¯s what I find so dreamy about you.¡¹


    Similar to how you can¡¯t remember the face of someone you pass by on the street, it¡¯s only natural that a hero doesn¡¯t remember each person he saved.


    The Black Sorcerer hero wannabe never stopped doing hero-like conduct ever since he was a child.


    Always thinking¡¸This is how a hero should act!¡¹and has never thought otherwise since.


    Milla is one of the people that hero Black Sorcerer Lem saved.


    ¡¸A beautiful vampire and a drunk man. I remembered. It was two years ago, wasn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    As usual, when I save someone, I do it in a way that doesn¡¯t expose my true abilities.


    But the time that I saved Milla, I made a rudimentary mistake and she found out.


    ¡¸it¡¯s from then on that you¡­uhm, became a fan of mine, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­I-is it creepy? Only being saved one time yet becoming a¡­y¡¯know¡­¡¹


    She seemed insecure. Now that I think about it, since the time I met her, she sometimes worried about that.


    I clearly and firmly shook my head.


    ¡¸Not at all, it¡¯s¡­how do I put it¡­it feels like a reward.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸I want to be a hero, but no matter how hard I try, that remains a far off dream. Every day, no matter how much heroism I do, I have countless thoughts about how it¡¯s all meaningless because I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer. No matter how many times I think that, I still haven¡¯t given up¡­¡¹


    I look straight into her eyes.


    ¡¸¡­because now I think it¡¯s not impossible. I saved you in the past and two years later, you saved me. Good deeds beget good deeds. A reward was given to me in an unexpected form. That¡¯s what I think. I am able to work in the Demon King Army because I lived by the definition of a hero that you told me. I¡¯m now holding onto the dream of becoming the hero of the Monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you so much for being my benefactor, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡­¡¹


    Milla¡¯s eyes overflowed with transparent droplets.


    Milla¡¯s face approached mine¡­then she pushed me down and pinned me on the bed.


    Wha-?


    ¡¸Lem¡­Lemlemlem¡­how are you so kind, it¡¯s no good, because I¡¯m the kinda girl that can get overexcited.¡¹


    Pop-pop go the buttons on my tunic as she strips me down.


    What speed!


    Her flushed face, her melting pupils, her hot breath. Her sharp fangs.


    ¡¸I-it¡¯s fine, yes? It¡¯s alright if I stick them in? My fangs, I can insert them into your body, right? I-it will be fine. It will probably hurt at first but soon it will feel good. I¡¯ll be gentle, so you have nothing to fear. So just relax. Here I go.¡¹


    Her fangs draw close to the nape of my neck.


    And then¡­

 CH 24

    24 ¨C My Hero


    Just like Lem remembered, I had met him two years before.


    The only other person who knows about that is her Majesty. It wasn¡¯t something that I¡¯d want to talk to others about, so I never thought I¡¯d reveal this memory of my foolishness and Lem¡¯s kindness to other people.


    There was another reason why I didn¡¯t tell Lem about it.


    I was scared of the off-chance that he¡¯d dislike me after remembering it. Even though it was highly unlikely that that would have ever happened, I didn¡¯t want to risk it no matter what.


    That¡¯s why I tried to get him to like me first. If I told him about it after we got to know each other well, then I thought he wouldn¡¯t dislike me because of it. It might have been terribly pathetic of me, but no one in the world would want to get disliked by the person they admire.


    Previously, I had worked as a vampire in a Dungeon in another town. My Dungeon name was also different.


    There are all kinds of reasons why a Demi-Human might become a Monster.


    They might think they¡¯re cool, they might look up to Monsters, or they might have the desire to be personally involved in crushing a Hero.


    In that sense, they¡¯re similar to Humans that strive to become an Adventurer. The only difference is that Humans look up to Heroes and the enemy they want to defeat is the Demon King.


    On the other hand, there are other negative reasons why people might choose to become a Monster.


    For example, their Job. Their suitable occupation decided by God.


    There aren¡¯t many people like Lem out there who continue to devote everything they have towards reaching their dream even if their Job turned out to be something they didn¡¯t want. It would be more accurate to say that people like that hardly exist.


    But there are many people who don¡¯t want to assume the occupation they were given, even if they have the talent for it.


    This world is too tough to try and work in an occupation that¡¯s outside of your assigned Job. You might be able to make some small change every day by doing some odd jobs or working behind the scenes, but someone like a Blacksmith could never hope to become a Chef.


    It wasn¡¯t that it was impossible, just that no one would recognize you for that.


    Turning Dungeons into a form of entertainment was actually a proposal that was brought about because of situations like that.


    Even after the world entered a state of peace, people were still being born with combat Jobs all over the place.


    No one needed those with combat Jobs in a time of peace. Their talent for violence would have been only used for the sake of survival.


    But it would be unreasonable to just leave them off like that.


    Those who fight need jobs that involve fighting.


    The same goes for Monsters, as well.


    After Humans and Demons stopped fighting and discussed with each other how to maintain peace together, they arrived at the solution of the entertainment format known as Dungeon Capturing.


    They¡¯d turn dungeons into a show. Fights would entertain and excite the people. Those that won would receive praise.


    It was a huge success. To this very day, Dungeon Clear has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment that¡¯s familiar to just about anyone.


    Now then, it¡¯s easy to become a monster if you have a combat Job, but the same can¡¯t be said for those that don¡¯t.


    It¡¯s a mystery how God determines one¡¯s suitable occupation, but there are even some Dream Demons that are given the position of Prostitute.


    There¡¯s no doubt that one¡¯s given Job would truly be their suitable occupation, but not every Dream Demon would want to sell their body for money.


    There are those that don¡¯t care whatsoever, but not everyone is like that.


    Those kinds of Dream Demons wouldn¡¯t be able to become Chefs or Florists or anything like that.


    Even if they made friends with others or fell in love, they¡¯d get misunderstood once their Job was revealed.


    That¡¯s why people like that become Monsters.


    They¡¯d take on a temporary race name that doesn¡¯t reveal their Job.


    My Job is Blood Manipulator.


    It¡¯s a Job that only manifests in vampires with abilities involving freely controlling one¡¯s own blood and the blood sucked from others. To be precise, it¡¯s the greatest power a vampire could hope to attain.


    But what was I supposed to do with a Job like this?


    Being a realist, I became a Monster. There were other professions I would have desired, but there was no chance I would have ever obtained them. In that case, I decided that I¡¯d do as much as I can with professions that were within my power.


    I had trained my abilities and I had confidence in myself, after all.


    It wouldn¡¯t take me that long to become a Floor Boss, and maybe I¡¯d become a Dungeon Master eventually, too.


    I thought that I¡¯d be able to do it.


    But reality wasn¡¯t that simple.


    Someone more incompetent than me got the position.


    They told me it was because Adventurers avoided Dungeons with women since viewers don¡¯t like seeing women get hurt.


    Oh, so my gender¡¯s the problem.


    Viewers didn¡¯t want to see people fighting to the fullest of their abilities, they just wanted to see an entertaining battle. That was understandable.


    But I was sad, and I was frustrated.


    Even so, I continued to work hard. Manipulating blood was flashy. I trained my bats to mix the blood they sucked with my own, and I grew capable of even more sophisticated methods of manipulating blood. Since everything was made up of magic within the dungeons, things that I¡¯d have difficulty doing in real life became easier to do.


    One day, I was invited to dinner with the Floor Boss that was my superior.


    I thought he might have recognized my ability at work and was about to talk about giving me a new position.


    I was wrong.


    Under a pretense of sympathy, he said he would improve my treatment at work if I offered my body to him.


    Under a fit of rage, I splashed water onto his face, which ultimately led to my stationing to be changed the next day to a dead-end in the maze of my assigned Stratum.


    I didn¡¯t have much chance of changing jobs. Unless you were at least a Floor Boss, you¡¯d need a letter of recommendation to get transferred anywhere else.


    As a woman with no achievements who had touched upon the anger of a Floor Boss, I had no future.


    I¡¯d continue to get paid the minimum salary needed for survival in this maze¡¯s dead-end and eventually lose the sole trait I had going for me, my beauty, as I¡¯d enter my old age as the years passed.


    I was hopelessly frustrated.


    That was when I happened across Fenix¡¯s party.


    Since I was ostracized from my coworkers because of the incident with my superior, I was drinking alone at a bar that wasn¡¯t part of a Monster-catering area.


    I had no idea why they weren¡¯t drinking at an Adventurer bar. I¡¯m sure there wasn¡¯t any particular reason to it, anyway.


    After drinking to the point where my vision got shaky, I got annoyed from looking at a certain boy.


    Lem. The Black Sorcerer Lem.


    I knew him. He was someone who got into a party belonging to the top 30 just because he was best friends with the Flame Hero.


    In the end, that¡¯s how the world works.


    You¡¯re well off as long as you¡¯re on good terms with those with power.


    Those that can¡¯t kiss up are doomed to sink towards the lowest depths and die without anyone ever looking at them.


    It just wasn¡¯t fair.


    It¡¯s not fair to be at a disadvantage by fighting by yourself.


    That¡¯s how I felt about him before I knew anything about him.


    On my way out, I spoke to him.


    ¡¸Sure must be nice to be childhood friends with a Hero¡­ Even a Black Sorcerer like you can reach the top 30 that way.¡¹


    The boy was surprised at me suddenly acting rude towards him, but he didn¡¯t get mad.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t seem to be walking very steadily, are you all right? Do you have an escort?¡¹


    Rather, he was even worried about me.


    I felt pathetic and simply exited the bar ignoring him.


    It was true that I had drank too much.


    I was swaying left and right. My head hurt, and my body felt weak.


    ¡­I¡¯ve never got this drunk before.


    ¡¸Hey, miss, you all right?¡¹


    I heard the frivolous voice of a young man calling out to me.


    It sounded somewhat familiar, turning out to be a man that was in the bar. He had followed me.


    ¡¸Thanks for worrying about me, but I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    ¡¸You sure don¡¯t look fine. You should rest for a bit first.¡¹


    His eyes turned to my face, then to my chest, and back to my face. It was unpleasant.


    ¡¸You¡¯re being annoying.¡¹


    ¡¸C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that.¡¹


    The very next moment, someone had grabbed me from behind.


    He held down my mouth and dragged me to a dimly lit alleyway.


    ¡¸All right! Be a good girl and don¡¯t you dare bite~ I¡¯ll smack if you if you do anything dumb.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t have any strength in my body to fight back.


    ¡¸Whoa, we really hit the jackpot.¡¹


    The young man that had called out to me spoke.


    ¡¸Hey, why am I always on lookout duty?!¡¹


    Along with the man that had attacked me from behind, there was one more person.


    There were three of them in total.


    They were probably after me ever since I was in the bar.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t move, right? A pretty girl like you shouldn¡¯t be going off to the bathroom in a bar while they¡¯re alone, you know?¡¹


    So they put something in my drink.


    This was the worst. I was frustrated, sad, annoyed, and ultimately scared.


    I¡¯d win if I could fight, but thanks to what they put in my drink, my body couldn¡¯t move properly.


    Knowing that I couldn¡¯t fight back, the man who had captured me started groping my body from behind.


    And then he ripped open the clothes over my chest.


    ¡¸Whoa, they¡¯re huge!¡¹


    The stench of alcohol accompanied his vulgar voice.


    ¡¸I¡¯m definitely gonna have fun with these.¡¹


    The man who thought of women as nothing but objects licked his lips disgustingly.


    Why was the world like this?


    In the end, not a single good thing ever happened to me. Nothing good came from trying my hardest. The only things people were interested in me were my traits as a woman.


    I felt empty.


    I at least tried to make this as less entertaining as possible for the men by holding my voice down. Even if I cried and begged for mercy, that would only turn them on even more.


    ¡¸Hyah!¡¹


    The man with the frivolous voice went flying.


    It was because the man on lookout had jumped forward and slammed his fist into his face.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    The man that was grabbing onto me made a surprised voice. He probably had no idea what was going on.


    It was strange how the rapist and I were sharing the same feelings for a second.


    ¡¸Why, do you, always, put me, on lookout duty?!¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, hold on, stop!¡¹


    His punches lacked restraint because he was drunk as he pounded on the frivolous man.


    A-Are they having a falling out?


    The strange occurrences continued.


    ¡¸W-What the?! I can¡¯t see anything! H-Hey, you guys!¡¹


    The man who had grabbed me a clearly confused look on his face.


    He pushed me away and grabbed at his face.


    ¡¸T-This is disgusting¡­! What the heck is this¡­?!¡¹


    He broke out in anguish.


    ¡¸Sorry I took so long coming after you.¡¹


    Someone had caught me after I was pushed away.


    I couldn¡¯t tell who he was other than that he was a boy with a small frame.


    ¡¸¡­How awful. Here, wear this. It¡¯ll be all right now.¡¹


    The small-framed boy took off what he was wearing and put it over me.


    It was¡­ the robe of a Black Sorcerer.


    ¡¸What?! Who¡¯s there?! What the hell did you do to me- Gueh!¡¹


    ¡¸Taste my rage! Lookout duty is something that we¡¯re supposed to be taking turns doing! Understand- Gahah!¡¹


    ¡¸Stop! Please! I¡¯m sorry! C¡¯mon, seriously- Gyah!¡¹


    The man who had captured me, the man on lookout, and the frivolous man received a strike to the jaw, a spin kick to the side of the head, and a stomp to the face by the small-framed boy and fell unconscious.


    ¡¸It¡¯s over. Can you stand?¡¹


    The small-framed boy extended his hand to me.


    ¡¸W-Why¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me?¡¹


    ¡¸Why did you save me? I¡­ said those awful things to you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? How¡¯d you figure out who I- Oh, the clothes.¡¹


    Even though I was put into Confusion, I was still able to tell that he was the Black Sorcerer Lem. I was only able to figure it out because of the association with his clothes, but it felt weird to still only see him as a ¡°small-framed boy¡± rather than Lem.


    ¡¸Well, I was worried about you since you seemed really drunk, but I didn¡¯t plan on coming after you. But when I saw those three men leave the bar, I couldn¡¯t help but notice their smiles¡­¡¹


    I could imagine. They were probably unable to hide the vulgar expectations of what they were about to do from showing up on their face.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not a good enough reason.¡¹


    ¡¸You think so? I wouldn¡¯t be able to leave someone alone like that.¡¹


    He must have undone his magic, as I was able to recognize him as Lem now.


    He was making a very mysterious face.


    He was willing to chase after a vampire that acted rudely towards him just because he thought that I might get attacked.


    On that day, I met a true hero.

 CH 25

    25 ¨C The Hero¡¯s Sleeping Friend 1


    ¡¸A normal person would¡¯ve left such a rude woman alone¡­¡¹


    Despite the utter lack of respect I was showing him, Lem didn¡¯t get upset and made a wry smile.


    ¡¸Hmm, well, I suppose I would be hurt if someone spoke badly of me because they dislike me. There¡¯s no helping that. You can¡¯t just not hate someone that you hate. But I know you¡¯re different. I¡¯m used to people talking crap to me, you see. I can tell if someone legitimately hates me or if they¡¯re just annoyed.¡¹


    He was right on the mark.


    It wasn¡¯t that I disliked Lem.


    I envied Lem¡¯s position and ended up saying awful things to him.


    I decided to scorn him for such a ridiculous reason. I was the worst.


    ¡¸When someone suffers or has something unfavorable happen to them, they end up releasing that stress onto their surroundings. To family, to friends, to lovers, to the people that are important to them. But there are also people that aren¡¯t able to do that. It doesn¡¯t have to do with being alone or not, some people just have a strong sense of independence and refuse to show weakness. Those kinds of people eventually have all kinds of dark emotions stuffed into their hearts. But they¡¯ll have to release those emotions sooner or later, otherwise, they¡¯ll break. If they don¡¯t have anyone around them to release them on, then sometimes they¡¯ll release them on someone who just happens to be around.¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    His words flew straight into my chest.


    He described my complicated feelings perfectly.


    ¡¸Of course, that¡¯s not a good thing to do, but I wouldn¡¯t abandon someone that¡¯s about to get attacked just because of something like that. I¡¯m in a Hero¡¯s party, after all.¡¹


    He spoke while putting his hand to his chest and smiling. The proud face he was making left quite the impression on me.


    I immediately felt incredibly ashamed of myself and spilled out all the feelings that were bubbling up from my chest in words on the spot.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry¡­! I¡¯m sorry that I said those awful things to you! You didn¡¯t deserve that¡­ Please forgive me¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I forgive you.¡¹


    The boy kindly nodded. He forgave me just like that.


    ¡¸Um¡­ why is it that you let people boss you around even though you have such powerful abilities? Don¡¯t you think you should let people know about your true strength? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a Black Sorcerer, or if you¡¯re a woman, or if you¡¯re young, or whatever dumb reason. They need to see you for who you truly are!¡¹


    I ended up talking about him as if I was talking about myself, but Lem didn¡¯t poke into my business.


    If he did, I¡¯d end up opening up the wounds that I didn¡¯t want to talk to others about.


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t ask anything and simply responded.


    ¡¸Well, I was the one who chose to join this kind of messed up system, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to give up, but you didn¡¯t give up, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re suffering. Why didn¡¯t you give up, then? In my case, it¡¯s because I had a dream. I was able to keep going because I had a goal in front of me. The voices around me hurt, and to be honest, they frustrated me. But when I think about how my dream will be achieved, it¡¯s hardly a big deal at all.¡±


    Why didn¡¯t I give up? Why indeed¡­


    I thought I didn¡¯t give up because I couldn¡¯t change my Job, because that was the only choice I had if I wanted to live on.


    I thought I¡¯d be able to succeed at that too, so I tried the hardest I could.


    Now that I think about it, it might have been my pride at work.


    ¡¸I personally find people who don¡¯t give up in the face of a challenge to be cool. But if you feel like you¡¯re reaching your limits by doing that, then maybe it¡¯d better if you changed the way you do things.¡¹


    ¡¸The way I do things¡­?¡¹


    He was speaking as clearly as possible for my sake even though I was drunk.


    ¡¸For example, you could look for an employer that doesn¡¯t care about age or gender. You can escape from the things you don¡¯t like. It wouldn¡¯t be running away, it would be retreating. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find the next place to challenge. But¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I should be saying that though, since I don¡¯t actually know who you are.¡¹


    He must have felt he was trying to cheer me up in an irresponsible way as he made an apologetic face.


    I had convinced myself somewhere along the way that my roads were closed off to me.


    But I can retreat. Even if it meant I had to find work at some faraway town.


    Maybe I could find a female Dungeon Master that would hear me out.


    ¡¸Anyway, let¡¯s go somewhere else. But we probably shouldn¡¯t just leave these guys here¡­¡¹


    Lem seemed to be uncomfortable knowing that there might be more casualties like myself if those men were to be left alone like this.


    At the same time, he couldn¡¯t leave both the men and myself in the same place, nor could he let my still drunken self head back home alone.


    I could tell that that¡¯s what the kind boy was worried about.


    The fear and shock I was experiencing from before had settled down and I had regained some of my composure at this point, so I activated my ability.


    My bats, who had the blood inside their bodies mixed with my own for a while now, responded to my call.


    ¡¸Bats¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Vampires suck both blood and Magical Energy. Now then, what exactly is Magical Energy?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s said to be the base of everything in this world, right? That¡¯s why by making things like water or fire via the molding of Magical Energy, you can either improve or worsen the state of a person.¡¹


    ¡¸Right. Have you ever heard of this? Those that use too much magic will apparently dry up and turn into something like a mummy.¡¹


    My head still hurts, but I was still able to talk.


    The fact that there was someone by my side that would never hurt me probably helped me maintain my mental state.


    ¡¸Well, yes. There was a time where I feared for my life when my own arm dried up¡­ wait, no, I mean, I heard something like that before. Basically, if you end up using your own life energy in place of magical energy, you¡¯ll die.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. It¡¯s the same reason why when a beautiful girl is rescued from a vampire sucking on their blood, they might end up looking like an old lady.¡¹


    ¡¸Because they had their life energy sucked out¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Correct. It¡¯s something that I should never do, but¡­ I¡¯m about to do that right now so that these men will never do evil again.¡¹


    ¡¸What they did was unforgivable, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t steal their youth¡­ but sins require punishment. I will give them the punishment they deserve. That¡¯s what is necessary here.¡¹


    Lem then seemed to realize something.


    He made an uncomfortable face but eventually turned his head down.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ve drunk quite a bit of alcohol myself, so I might forget everything that happened here by tomorrow.¡¹


    He was essentially going to act like this never happened.


    I directed my bats to the organs that drove the men to commit to such evil criminal behavior.


    They stole the life energy from them.


    These men would never again assault women.


    Afterward, Lem accompanied me back to my house.


    I still have that robe. I never gave it back to him.


    I knew.


    Lem didn¡¯t really talk about it, but he was an incredible Black Sorcerer. But he must have had some kind of reason for hiding that fact.

 CH 26

    26 ¨C The Hero¡¯s Sleeping Friend 2


    I then obtained each and every video of his party.


    I watched them over and over again and compared them with videos of other parties clearing the same dungeon.


    I see, the average person wouldn¡¯t be able to notice any of it. Rather, it would be a problem if people did in fact see it, so he¡¯s using the Black Magic at a level that wouldn¡¯t be obvious.


    For example, the attacks.


    Let¡¯s say the Paladin Lark repels the enemies with his shield and defeats them by slamming them in the wall.


    If Lem lowered their defense by too much, Paladins from other parties might try to defeat enemies in the same way, only to find out that it doesn¡¯t work, which would come off as strange.


    Of course, it¡¯s highly unlikely that they¡¯d encounter the exact same situation, the viewers wouldn¡¯t have any way of confirming the exact health values the enemy¡¯s Avatar had, and it was difficult to accurately figure out exactly how much damage the shield bash did, but there was still the off chance that someone would start harboring doubts over what had happened.


    After all, here I am carefully analyzing the videos.


    That¡¯s why Lem avoided using methods like that.


    He prioritizes making Lark seem like an excellent Paladin.


    By using status effects like Confusion, Darkness, or Speed Down, the enemy attacks would move slightly slower by half a second or so.


    Most viewers wouldn¡¯t notice a difference of half a second, and even if they did, they likely wouldn¡¯t see it as a problem.


    Lark is a skilled Adventurer, so he¡¯d be able to take advantage of the half-second delay by sliding the attack off his shield and then throwing them off with it.


    The enemies that fight Lark probably often have their attack lowered. Unless there was a tremendous difference in speed, the average onlooker would probably never notice. Even if he defended against an attack that would otherwise blow away others, or even countered against such an attack, the viewers would simply think that Lark is just that good of a Paladin.


    Lark always moves according to his own judgment, and it always goes well for him, so it¡¯s unlikely that viewers would think that his success was the result of someone else¡¯s help.


    Because they don¡¯t know how flexible and powerful Black Magic is.


    Even I was able to pick up on this only after seeing the power of his magic first hand.


    I was one of those people that mistakenly believed he was incompetent.


    On the other hand, Alba¡¯s Magic Sword¡¯s movements are very flashy and look extremely powerful, but other adventurers have had little success with using the exact same sword, meaning that Alba¡¯s enemies probably had Defense Down cast on them.


    I also felt that the trajectory of his blade was guided towards the enemies as well.


    That way, Alba could just enjoy himself swinging his Magic Sword everywhere and having it conveniently slicing apart every enemy within its range, to which the viewers would cheer in excitement.


    Lily¡¯s incredible accuracy was probably also influenced by Lem¡¯s support.


    And then I realized it.


    Fenix was probably the only one that knew about Lem¡¯s power.


    It wasn¡¯t because Lem was just his best friend.


    He knew that Lem was an excellent Black Sorcerer, so that¡¯s why he made a party with him.


    Ashamed at my misunderstanding, I continued to watch their clear videos.


    I see, the Flame Hero. He truly had the power needed to become the strongest of all humanity.


    But I suspected that the reason why his popularity was able to rise so quickly was because of Lem¡¯s support.


    Plus, he was the first person to form a contract with the Fire Spirit. The previous person to do so no longer existed.


    There was not a single person who knew of the past Fire Spirit¡¯s contract¡¯s strength.


    And almost all of Fenix¡¯s attacks within the Dungeons would take the enemies out in one hit.


    Of course he¡¯d get popular. Any enemy he touched would pretty much disappear.


    I can understand why he¡¯d have so much respect.


    But was it really that simple?


    Maybe it could be that Lem was using his Black Magic at full power against Fenix¡¯s enemies in order to make his best friend seem like the strongest Hero in the world.


    It¡¯s not like anyone else could use the Fire Spirit to try to recreate the events, so there wasn¡¯t any chance of anyone casting suspicion.


    I was convinced that Lem was actively thinking about what parts of the broadcast would be edited and used for videos as he made his decisions.


    I came to that conclusion after they entered the Demon King Castle and every little second of their activities became completely viewable.


    Even when casting Black Magic on large groups of enemies, he¡¯d focus on casting spells like Confusion or Speed Down on enemies that were far away from the party. It was mainly only the area near the party that ultimately got edited into the officially published videos, meaning that anything he did to enemies that didn¡¯t reach the party yet essentially existed¡¸outside the screen¡¹.


    The number of enemies, when the enemies would reach the party, what attacks would be used, how would the enemies be defeated.


    He factored in all those elements into his calculations, never revealing that he had any part in it whatsoever no matter what, and also made sure to act in a way so that viewers wouldn¡¯t find anything strange if they compared the visuals with clears from other parties.


    Due to the necessity of thinking ahead and the constant activation, maintenance, and adjustment of Black Magic he has to do, his physical movements end up very minimal, and to the viewers, he seemed to just be standing there doing nothing.


    He went through all that trouble because that¡¯s just how bad it¡¯d be for him if people found about his actual power.


    On top of that, he never had the time to relax as he continued to guide his comrades to victory.


    I was only able to recognize who he was because I happened to get my clothes ripped and get offered his robe. I would have never associated him with Black Magic.


    It didn¡¯t matter how much he was ridiculed.


    He simply helped people, helped his comrades, helped his friends, and built his way to victory.


    If he¡¯s not a hero, then there¡¯s not a single person in the world that deserves to be called a hero.


    So, now knowing that Lem was an incredible Black Sorcerer, I took his advice and left my piece of crap boss, met her Majesty, became a member of the Big Four, and met Lem once again.


    After learning that he had been chased out of his party, I was filled with both resentment and hope.


    I don¡¯t know why you were hiding your power.


    But¡­ I¡¯m sure that us monsters will be able to properly recognize your ability.


    No, perhaps I simply just wanted to see you again.


    ¨C


    Milla¡¯s fangs approached me.


    ¡¸M-Milla¡­? You¡¯re scaring me a little.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Stop teasing me already. Fine then, just the tips, okay? Just let me sink in the tips.¡¹


    Milla seemed to be growing out of this control at this point as she sank her fangs in my neck.


    ¡¸Nom.¡¹


    I felt a prick as I felt my skin get penetrated. Her fangs dug into me. It only hurt for a second. She was supposed to be sucking, but it felt like she was injecting something into me.


    And it wasn¡¯t just the tips, they¡¯re going completely inside me¡­!


    ¡¸Mm¡­¡¹


    There was a toasty feel like I had entered a bath. I was surrounded by warmth as my fatigue melted away.


    ¡¸*gulp* *gulp* *gulp*¡­¡¹


    Something was coming out. It must be my blood. But this is bad. This feels, too, good. It must be a feeling instilled by vampires into their prey in order to make sure they don¡¯t fight against the obviously unhealthy activity of having their blood sucked out of their body.


    My vision started to flicker.


    Yet my hand naturally reached out to her head and stroked it, even going as far as to further press it into my neck.


    I was filled with a sense of adoration towards the woman in front of me. I was going crazy.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t, Lem. If I suck any more, I¡¯m going to¡­¡¹


    She grabbed my hand and drew her face away from my neck.


    A string of blood stretched out from between my neck and her fangs.


    ¡¸Pwah¡­ Oh gosh¡­ it tastes too good¡­ No¡­ There¡¯s¡­ so much Magical Energy¡­ It¡¯s so thick¡­ It¡¯s hard to think this belongs to a human¡­ It¡¯s too amazing, Lem¡­¡¹


    Milla was desperately trying to retain her composure as her face filled with ecstasy.


    But I was already at my limit.


    ¡¸Milla!¡¹


    This time I was the one to push her down.


    ¡¸Kyah!¡¹


    Her beautiful blonde hair sprawled out across the bedsheets. Her large chest bounced and jiggled.


    Both her eyes and lips appeared wet.


    ¡¸L-Lem, please listen to me. Vampires grant euphoric sensations to their victims as well as enhancing their emotions. The feelings you are holding towards me are a result of the fluid that secreted from my fangs, it¡¯s all an illusion.¡¹


    I don¡¯t care.


    Right now, I¡¯m just focused on this beautiful woman in front of me¡­


    ¡¸If you want to do it, then I won¡¯t mind. But this kind of thing is best done after getting to know each other well and growing to truly desire each other. I¡¯d prefer to wait until that happens.¡¹


    Milla gazed at my eyes.


    ¡¸But if you can¡¯t hold yourself back, then you can devour my body just like how I devoured your blood. After all, I would have lost it if you hadn¡¯t protected it back then.¡¹


    Her body was shaking just like how she was when she was attacked by those drunks two years ago.


    A wave of composure washed over me as I returned to my senses.


    I desperately tried to hold back the impulses that were trying to destroy my sense of reason.


    I was able to withstand the hellish training Master forced on me, controlling my lust shouldn¡¯t be any problem at all!


    I don¡¯t know how long it took.


    I eventually got off her body and dropped onto the bed alongside her.


    ¡¸Sorry¡­ Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I should have told you about it beforehand. I¡¯m sorry for acting so selfish.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I was the one who said you could suck on me.¡¹


    ¡¸But that would mean I¡¯d be the only one to get anything out of this.¡¹


    Well, I suppose so.


    We looked at each other on the bed.


    ¡¸Should¡­ I give you some space?¡¹


    She was close enough that she¡¯d be able to touch me if she stretched out her hand.


    ¡¸¡­No, I¡¯d like to stay like this for a little longer, if you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Milla made a surprised face that naturally turned into a bashful one.


    ¡¸Are you sure?¡¹


    ¡¸Since I attacked you, feel free to enact your punishment on me. Oh, but¡­ it¡¯d be bad if I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it anymore.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, I wouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯d be just as much of a problem for me if that happened, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¹


    I was already trying my hardest to hold myself back.


    Afterward, we started chatting about what¡¯s happened in our lives over the past two years.


    Milla cherished that experience she had two years ago, became my fan, and got scouted by the Demon King Army.


    It was about time for the inn to close.


    ¡¸By the way, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸People who sleep next to each other like this without engaging in sexual activities are called sleeping friends, apparently.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like. There isn¡¯t any sex involved, but the relationship is still at least above the level of friends.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, really?¡¹


    ¡¸I should be your sleeping friend.¡¹


    ¡¸Sounds good.¡¹


    I guess we are doing something like that right now.


    ¡¸Personally, I¡¯d want to change the ¡®sleeping¡¯ part to ¡®girl¡¯, but I think it¡¯s still a bit too early for me to Job Change into a lover.¡¹


    Milla spoke while poking at my chest.


    ¡¸Feel free to change our relationship once you feel like it¡¯s the right time.¡¹


    ¡¸So it¡¯s up to me?¡¹


    ¡¸Men are supposed to be the ones deciding this sort of thing, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought you didn¡¯t like having things determined by gender.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t, but you are an exception. You¡¯re special. Is that alright with you?¡¹


    That was unfair.


    I responded with the obvious answer.


    ¡¸Of course it is.¡¹

 CH 27

    27 ¨C The Hero Party¡¯s Review Meeting That Didn¡¯t Quite Work Out 1


    After clearing the fifth stratum, we moved right on to the sixth one.


    Dungeons typically have a central theme to them, but in the case of the Demon King Castle, the monsters and Dungeon structure wildly changes with each stratum.


    Usually, Dungeons stick just with one concept, like having all the monsters be fire magic users, or having the dungeon be based on a mine.


    This makes it easy to understand for those watching as well as the ones doing the clearing. They already have an expectation of what¡¯s about to happen, as well as the excitement in how it¡¯d be cleared.


    The Demon King Castle was very different in that regard. In a way, it was TOO freeform.


    The first stratum was the domain of the watchdog.


    For some reason, it was outdoors. Obviously it¡¯d be impossible for the inside of a Dungeon to be outdoors, but the ceiling was painted with what looked like dark clouds, and the surroundings were made out to look like a wasteland.


    And in the middle of the wasteland was the Demon King Castle. Of course, you¡¯d already be inside the Demon King Castle at this point, so this was just for show. It was made this way so the viewers would see it as¡¸once they clear this stratum, then the hero party will be able to start challenging the Demon King Castle for real.¡¹


    In this wasteland scattered with tall walls of rock here and there, countless Hellhounds prowled the area.


    The Invisible Executioner Glasya-Labolas, a Monster with wings of a bird of prey and a large body of a beast, had the ability to turn both himself and the other hellhounds invisible as they made their attacks on the Adventurers. They would only become visible the moment they attacked.


    The Floor Boss was the three-headed Watchdog of Hell Naberius.


    The second stratum was the domain of the necromancer.


    The Skeletal Knights and Living Corpses, aka skeletons and zombies, were products of the necromancer¡¯s work. It wasn¡¯t that those that had died were brought back to life. The necromancer was controlling the Avatars of Adventurers that had been defeated by the necromancer.


    By using a special technique to eject the Adventurer out of their Avatar without harming it, the necromancer then places the empty shell that was left behind under his control.


    The Spirit Commanding General Kimaris was the necromancer, and his aide was the Dark Elf known as the Black Wound Hunter Leraje. Leraje¡¯s arrows had the ability to rot flesh.


    Leraje would inflict damage to the Adventures with her arrows of corrosion, and Kimaris would use his spirit techniques to preserve the Adventurer¡¯s Avatar the moment the Adventurer gets defeated.


    The 3rd stratum was the vampire¡¯s domain, the 4th stratum was the werewolf¡¯s domain, and the 5th stratum was the Dream Demon¡¯s domain.


    The 6th stratum was the aquatic domain.


    Since the stratums differed so much from each other, sometimes the party makeup could make Capturing quite difficult.


    Take our encounter with the Lust Demon Sitri in the 5th stratum, for example. Since we didn¡¯t have a White Sorcerer, we were very much at the risk of being completely defeated.


    We were able to make a comeback since we had two Heroes, but she was still a very formidable enemy.


    After clearing the 6th stratum, we headed towards the usual pub.


    We have five members. Bella is the fifth member that replaced Lem after he left.


    We were successful in our clear, but everyone¡¯s face was gloomy. They weren¡¯t adjusting to the cheerful atmosphere of the pub.


    ¡¸Um, would you all have a moment to spare?¡¹


    It was Bella. Fitting of the Frost Hero, she had hair and eyes with a transparent blue shade. She had a small and slender frame. The thirteen-year-old girl¡¯s weapon of choice was the rapier.


    ¡¸I feel that Capturing Dungeons from here on out will be difficult at this rate, so I have a suggestion.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? What is it?¡¹


    Alba¡¯s voice was unenergetic. He didn¡¯t get to do much this time around, and he was aware of that. The other two seemed to be just as dejected. They hadn¡¯t touched their alcohol this whole time.


    Bella turned her eyes towards me. After seeing me nod, she continued.


    ¡¸Starting from the 6th stratum, the Dungeon¡¯s Recommended Level has increased. Taking that into account, the achievements of the three of you do seem to be somewhat lacking.¡¹


    Dungeons all have a Recommended Level associated with them, with the max being 5 and the least being 1.


    The Level didn¡¯t represent the actual strength of the dungeon, but rather a measure of overall party cooperation and clearing experience determined by the Adventurer Union.


    It¡¯s called a¡¸Recommended Level¡¹ but essentially it means that if your Level is too low, then you wouldn¡¯t be able to participate in Capturing that Dungeon. The Dungeon would simply reject you.


    There are only 25 parties out there that have reached Level 5.


    However, it wasn¡¯t as if those 25 parties consisted of exactly the top 25 ranked parties in the world.


    After all, popularity can cause bias in terms of world ranking.


    We¡¯re both the 4th ranked party in the world and a Level 5 party.


    But this also means that Level 5 Dungeons could only be cleared by Level 5 parties.


    Furthermore, several Dungeons feature increasing difficulty as one progresses further into them.


    One Dungeon could have varying Recommended Levels.


    For example the Demon King Castle is at a Level 4 from the 1st to 5th stratum, but requires Level 5 from the 6th stratum on.


    Even if a Level 4 party cleared the 5th stratum, they wouldn¡¯t be able to progress to the 6th stratum.


    We were able to proceed without any issue, as well as succeeded in doing so, but the increase in difficulty was quite palpable.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ I¡¯ll admit I wasn¡¯t of much help in the 5th and 6th stratums.¡¹


    Alba didn¡¯t hide the frustration of being told that by the newbie, but he still had no choice but to admit it.


    The 6th stratum took place on the sea, basically.


    On the sea were paths of rocks. Those were the only roads the adventurers had to travel on.


    And the sea was full of aquatic monsters.


    One had to keep their guard up no matter what while progressing, as the Monsters would take every chance they had to use either water magic or jump out of the sea for a tackle. It was troublesome because the Monsters had to be taken out in an instant, otherwise, they could just swim back into the sea¡¯s safety.


    In the end, Bella helped the party to progress by freezing the water around their path.


    At a certain point during our clear, a merman wielding a weapon appeared on the path, allowing the three of them to finally have a chance at battle.


    But since the accuracy of Alba¡¯s magic sword had decreased, he wasn¡¯t able to deal as much damage as he wanted.


    Lark hadn¡¯t gotten any slower, but there were more moments where he¡¯d be pushed down by the full brunt of enemy attacks, and he seemed to have difficulty holding off multiple enemies at once.


    Lily¡¯s Godspeed technique was as fast as ever, but her accuracy had considerably dropped. She took longer to take down enemies and grew exhausted more quickly as a result.


    Even so, our clear was well received.


    That¡¯s just how influential Bella¡¯s presence was.


    The viewers loved seeing the contrast between my flames and her ice. The Hero that froze everything in sight and the Hero that burned them to a crisp.


    It was understandable, considering that the Black Sorcerer had been replaced.


    But some of the sharper viewers probably noticed something was off, maybe wondering if the other three were off their game or something.


    But it was unlikely that anybody would realize it was because Lem was gone.


    However, that might change if they continue to be¡¸off their game¡¹from here on out.


    ¡¸Well I¡¯m sure you just weren¡¯t very compatible with those specific situations, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all there is to it. That¡¯s where my proposal comes in. For the 7th stratum¡­ why don¡¯t we challenge it under the assumption that Lem might have actually been an excellent Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?!¡¹


    Alba cried out. But the other two were just as surprised.


    When it comes to what gets said, the speaker is just as important as the words being spoken at times.


    For example, you¡¯d love to hear words of love from someone you¡¯re fond of, but you might find those same words to be disgusting if spoken from someone you detest.


    They were all tired of me covering for Lem. I had continued to advocate for Lem¡¯s ability for several years. I avoided talking about his true strength or his master since he didn¡¯t want me to, but I ultimately failed in my attempts.


    His abilities remained unknown as the rest of them grew increasingly convinced that I was just speaking highly of him because he was my friend.


    Even on the day Lem left, Alba knew exactly what I was going to say and took advantage of it. Lem also knew that it¡¯d be useless, so that¡¯s probably why he stopped me.


    Since I was the Flame Hero, I had no persuasive power whatsoever in advocating for my best friend¡¯s abilities. They¡¯d just think I¡¯d be defending him because of our friendship.


    But what if the same words were spoken from Bella, someone who had never interacted with Lem?


    They couldn¡¯t pin her words on friendship or anything like that, so how would it go?

 CH 28

    28 ¨C The Hero Party¡¯s Review Meeting That Didn¡¯t Quite Work Out 2


    ¡¸What the hell are you saying, Bella? That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡¹


    ¡¸Alba, do you truly believe that you¡¯re simply just off your game?¡¹


    Alba grunted in response.


    ¡¸¡­The Avatar is a representation of one¡¯s body in their most optimal state. That would mean that there is no possibility that you¡¯d be experiencing any problems physically speaking. If there were to be any problems, it¡¯d have to be mentally speaking¡­¡¹


    Lily spoke in an annoyed tone.


    ¡¸And I doubt we¡¯d really be having emotional damage from Lem leaving us. We were the ones who wanted him gone, after all¡­¡¹


    Lark agreed.


    It has nothing to do with either their physical condition or their mental state.


    In that case, what was exactly causing them to be¡¸off their game¡¹?


    ¡¸I¡¯m typically more of a magic-user, so I¡¯d be in the middle guard, which is the same position Lem had. But if he really was so useless, shouldn¡¯t our firepower be purely increasing if a Hero were to take his spot?¡¹


    Everyone did in fact expect that to happen.


    But it didn¡¯t quite work out that way.


    Bella was stronger than expected, but the other three were having trouble getting the results they wanted.


    From their point of view, it didn¡¯t make any sense.


    I, of course, knew why, and Bella seemed to have realized why as well.


    It was impressive of her to have realized that it was because of the lack of Black Magic, but she was probably more likely to come to that conclusion because of her unique perspective as an Adventurer.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be that proud over becoming a Hero, and she didn¡¯t seem to have much interest in the Adventurer business, either.


    Perhaps that was why she was able to look at this situation without any bias.


    ¡¸That can¡¯t be right though, Bella. Black Magic is complete shit. Maybe it¡¯d be worth something if it at least lowered attack or defense by 10% something. But most guys can¡¯t even do half of that.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yes, but my theory was that he wasn¡¯t just like ¡®most guys¡¯, remember?¡¹


    ¡¸I did find it to be a bit strange. Even Fenix wouldn¡¯t force us to carry someone completely useless just because they¡¯re his friend. But I can¡¯t really say that his Black Magic seemed to be especially exceptional¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, hold on. Let¡¯s say Lem really was a Black Sorcerer capable of improving our performance in battle. In that case, why didn¡¯t he ever say anything about that? You might not know this Bella, but Lem would always avoid our questions, and he never talked back against Alba¡¯s insults. Wouldn¡¯t that be the same thing as him admitting his lack of ability?¡¹


    ¡¸Or it could mean that he had some reason for not wanting to reveal his true ability.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? What the hell kind of reasoning is that?¡¹


    ¡¸Alba, your precision with your Magic Sword hasn¡¯t changed at all, yet your accuracy has been dropping, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Could it be that Lem was making it so that it was easier to land your attacks?¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hell no! There¡¯s no way that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lark, haven¡¯t you been feeling more susceptible to enemy attacks lately? As well as your attack power being lowered?¡¹


    ¡¸To be honest¡­yeah. I thought it was just because we were assaulting the Demon King Castle, the hardest Dungeon out there, but I still felt off even in the Dungeons we were raiding as test runs.¡¹


    When Bella joined the team, we decided to take a short break from the Demon King Castle and went into some other Dungeons.


    They were private runs so the public didn¡¯t know, but that was when they found that they weren¡¯t doing as well as usual.


    ¡¸As for you, Lily-¡¹


    ¡¸I know. My arrows haven¡¯t been making their marks as often.¡¹


    ¡¸On top of that, from what I¡¯ve seen from videos, your arrows used to brilliantly land into the enemies¡¯ vitals, but it seems like it takes all you have to just land a hit now.¡¹


    It seemed that Bella looked over old videos in order to confirm her suspicions.


    ¡¸Then what are you trying to say? That I¡¯m completely useless without that Lem bastard around?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what led you to assume that¡­ All of you here are first-rate Adventurers. I¡¯m just saying that Lem further boosted your abilities.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­So you¡¯re saying we should operate under the assumption that his excellent Black Magic isn¡¯t around to help us anymore?¡¹


    Lily picked up on what Bella was trying to say.


    ¡¸Yes. It seems that the three of you are struggling with figuring out what¡¯s affecting your performance. You excused your failures in battle under the pretense that you simply weren¡¯t feeling well. That kind of thinking might work in most Dungeons, but not the Demon King Castle. And¡­ you did in fact get defeated in the sixth stratum.¡¹


    Bella seemed to hesitate when saying that last bit, possibly because she herself got defeated in the fifth stratum as well.


    Just as she said, Lark had gotten devoured by the Sea Creature Forneus before we reached the Floor Boss.


    Forneus was a shark-like monster the size of a building.


    It knew human speech and gave out his name before attacking us. After Lark got defeated, Alba wrapped his magic sword around him, to which Bella and I helped to pull him out of the water. Bella then defeated him by skewering him with an ice stake she had prepared.


    Furthermore, the Floor Boss known as the Ruler of the Waters Vepal was extremely difficult to locate and approach.


    The road was already extremely thin for Adventurers to cross, yet she made us have to deal with the storms she summoned.


    A mysterious fleet appeared at some point as well, making us have to deal with mermen attacks and bombardment.


    Lily was defeated at that point, and there were only three of us left by the time we located Vepal.


    In the Floor Boss battle, Bella was forced to use all her remaining Magical Energy to freeze the water¡¯s surface, slowing down the movements of Vepal¡¯s subordinates as well as preventing her from escaping back under the water.


    I then instantly closed the gap between us and finished her off.


    ¡¸I understand how this would be hard to accept, though. You¡¯d be forced to accept all these ridiculous things, as well as admitting that the person who you were convinced was useless was actually the one supporting you all along. It makes sense. That¡¯s why I¡¯m just speaking hypothetically.¡¹


    Bella did mention that at first.


    She suggested we challenge the seventh stratum under that kind of assumption.


    ¡¸¡­So basically, without Lem¡¯s Black Magic, we¡¯re essentially at our base power right now. That¡¯s how you want us to think?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸So you¡¯re saying we should change how we¡¯re evaluating ourselves. We won¡¯t be able to use our abilities to the fullest extent if we believe ourselves to be stronger than what we really are.¡¹


    ¡¸Correct.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If this actually works, we¡¯re going to end up looking like a bunch of fools.¡¹


    ¡¸It depends on how you look at it. From what I can see, the three of you¡­ especially Alba, never really cared about Lem¡¯s ability, yes? Even if he was capable of lowering enemy stats by 10, 20, even 30%, you still would have wanted him out of the party, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Just the fact that we¡¯d be carrying around a Black Sorcerer was bad enough.¡¹


    Alba affirmed Bella¡¯s assumption.


    ¡¸You¡¯re talking popularity-wise, yes? I admit that even if he were to be an excellent Black Sorcerer, which I do believe he was, his Job alone meant that he wouldn¡¯t be able to contribute to the party¡¯s popularity. It would have been a different story if he revealed his true ability and used it as a selling point, but the fact was that he didn¡¯t. He was someone who stuck to doing his job no matter what the public thought or said about him, after all.¡¹


    Since Bella didn¡¯t look up to Adventurers or Heroes, she was probably able to come to that fair evaluation.


    ¡¸That doesn¡¯t make sense. Well, I get what you¡¯re saying, Bella. I understand it. But if that was the case, why exactly did Lem want to be an Adventurer? He could have all the power in the world, but it means nothing if he doesn¡¯t show it.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t understand what he was thinking, either. If someone had power that they didn¡¯t want to reveal, then they could just choose not to be an Adventurer. But considering that he withstood being looked down on every day, it¡¯s clear that he at least had some goal in mind.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be able to reach the top with you, Lem. Let¡¯s become the best in the world as the first Flame Hero in 130 years and the strongest Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    He had accepted my proposal.


    He didn¡¯t give up on his dream.


    Even without me, he¡¯d aim to become the number one hero.


    ¡¸Fenix¡­You are childhood friends with Lem, right? Did you know?¡¹


    Lily asked.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve already vouched for his ability multiple times to you all. My words did not contain any lies.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If that¡¯s true, then why did Lem hide his power? He stayed quiet until the very end, even when he was about to get kicked out of the party.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t speak of what he chose not to speak of, Lark.¡¹


    Originally speaking, I wasn¡¯t supposed to know, either.


    If it weren¡¯t for his master begrudgingly giving me permission, I wouldn¡¯t have ever known.


    Sometimes I think about whether or not I would have noticed his ability if it weren¡¯t for that.


    ¡¸Well, none of that matters for this¡¸assumption¡¹we¡¯re going for right now, so let¡¯s not worry about it. Anyway, for the next Dungeon run we do, make sure to drill that thought into your head. If you stop trying to do things that are in fact above your ability, you¡¯ll likely be able to perform at your normal level.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re sure talking down on us, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a good thing for a Hero to have confidence in oneself. Let¡¯s do our best as to not become the ones dragging the newbie down.¡¹


    ¡¸You sure are soft on Bella, Lily¡­ But, as long as we don¡¯t have any alternatives, I don¡¯t mind going with that.¡¹


    Since the three of them were struggling with doubt over their own abilities, and also possibly because it was Bella and not me that proposed it, they all agreed to go with her plan.


    And so, we headed off to the seventh stratum.


    ¨C Supplementary Material ¨C


    As a penalty for getting defeated in a Dungeon, that adventurer will not be able to return to that dungeon for the rest of the day.


    For example, if an Adventurer were to get defeated in the fifth stratum, then they wouldn¡¯t be able to participate in the 5th stratum for the rest of the day.


    Even if the party moved on to the sixth stratum, participation would still not be allowed, but they would be allowed to rejoin once the day passes.


    If the entire party gets wiped out, then they¡¯ll have to restart at the first stratum regardless of which stratum they reached.

 CH 29

    29 ¨C The Monster Lemegeton Steps Into the Line of Defense for the First Time


    Registration Cards are specially-made Recording Stones. It contains Adventurer-specific information if you¡¯re an Adventurer, and Monster-specific information if you¡¯re a Monster.


    That includes Avatar information as well.


    However, Avatars have a lot of information associated with them, and since a vast amount of Magical Energy would need to be supplied in order to manifest one as well, there needs to be a Recording Stone exclusively meant for storing Avatar-related information.


    That¡¯s why it¡¯s normal for Registration Cards to be in sets of two. One for personal information, and the other for Avatar information and Magical Energy.


    The devices that connect the Avatar to one¡¯s mind resemble cocoons.


    There are two large white round cocoons that are connected to each other via multiple pipes.


    One cocoon is meant for oneself to enter, so it needs the Registration Card with the personal information stored in it.


    The other cocoon is to remain empty, so the Registration Card with the Avatar information stored in it goes there.


    Then you just step inside the cocoon and lay down on the bed provided.


    You¡¯ll then wake up instantly.


    You then exit from the cocoon that was empty just earlier. That¡¯s right, that¡¯s all it takes.


    The Avatar is constantly synched with the Registration Card, so everything experienced as the Avatar will get sent back to the main body upon getting defeated.


    The same happens when exiting the Dungeon via a Safe Room.


    I went to the staff-exclusive Link Room, a room meant for transferring one¡¯s consciousness to an Avatar, and used the cocoon for the first time as a Monster.


    My outfit was still essentially a black robe, but it was more exaggerated compared to before. The hood covered a lot of my face, up to around my nose.


    Avatars already included equipment, so all I needed was a mask to cover my face.


    The biggest change was probably the horn.


    A black horn, just like the Demon King and Master.


    The only difference was that I didn¡¯t have two of them coming out from the sides of my head, but rather-


    ¡¸Does that work for you, Lemegeton? I did as per your request.¡¹


    It was Her Majesty.


    Her hair that was the length of her body was neatly tied up today. Thanks to her hairstyle, her hair wouldn¡¯t be getting in the way.


    The crimson Demon King looked at me, Lemegeton, with a curious look.


    ¡¸Yes, this will be perfect for becoming a Monster. Thank you for doing such a good job on it.¡¹


    The Demon King Castle completely covered the cost for my first Avatar manifestation. Apparently they¡¯d be covering half of the cost for every instance afterward.


    The creation and maintenance of Avatars cost money, but Monsters are typically meant to get defeated.


    Since Monsters on the first stratum and such are bound to get wiped out regularly, that means that they¡¯d easily run out of money trying to keep up with the funds necessary for recreating their Avatar each and every time it happens. That¡¯s why the dungeon itself often partially covers that fee.


    Also, since Avatars are essentially a clone of yourself, the cost for creating them depends on your amount of Magical Energy, physical size, structure, and other special abilities.


    To put it simply, the cost for creating most Avatars will vary widely from those of Heroes or the Demon King, for example.


    In other words, a monster defeated in the lower stratums won¡¯t have to pay nearly as much as a Hero would have if they got defeated.


    My Avatar is a bit of a weird place because of my unique circumstances, so I actually have to spend as much money as Fenix.


    During my Adventurer days, I mainly avoided taking damage as much as possible. I usually used my Black Magic to ensure that the three vanguards would defeat the enemies before they reached the rearguard consisting of Lily and me.


    ¡¸You sure are a strange one. The only Majins with one horn are-¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I know.¡¹


    I nodded, interrupting Her Majesty¡¯s words.


    That¡¯s right, I only had one horn growing out the left side of my head.


    There wasn¡¯t any horn on the right side.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ I see. Did Grandfather say anything to you? I believe you also made a request regarding your Dungeon Name, as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I know that you¡¯re the one that¡¯s supposed to decide that kind of thing, though.¡¹


    Her Majesty laughed while shaking her hand.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine. Grandfather¡¯s just as much of a Demon King as I am, after all. I¡¯ll let you fill in the blanks to your setting. But remember, don¡¯t name yourself yet. You are to be no more than a¡¸mysterious robed man¡¹today.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I know.¡¹


    Until Fenix¡¯s party reaches the tenth stratum, my job is to repel any other parties.


    Fenix¡¯s party was the 4th most popular in the world, after all. Many have seen the broadcasts of their Dungeon Clears of the Demon King Castle, and many have been inspired by them.


    Naturally, some Adventurers have started thinking¡¸We could probably do that too, huh?¡¹.


    If Fenix¡¯s party was able to clear it, then others should be able to follow their example at least to some extent.


    If they could clear the first stratum of the Demon King Castle, then they could too.


    It was basically the new trending thing.


    The first stratum already has a Recommended Level of 4, so only certain parties could enter it, but even then, reservations were packed.


    Starting from today, it was my job to deal with those parties to a certain extent.


    They wouldn¡¯t be making me take care of every party. I was probably expected to work on preparing the tenth stratum as well, after all.


    The first stratum was the Domain of the Watchdog.


    Our guests today are from the 249th ranked party in the world. They were the real deal. Of course, they didn¡¯t have a Black Sorcerer, but they did have two Warriors.


    They were the pure rushdown type.


    They probably felt they were similar to Fenix¡¯s party¡¯s style.


    Which meant they were probably thinking of taking on the Dungeon in the same style as well.


    The Impregnable Demon King Castle has a reputation to maintain, one that Luci had worked hard to build up, and I couldn¡¯t afford to let it get tarnished.


    ¡¸Now that you¡¯ve hired me, I¡¯ll have to make sure I produce some results.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be counting on you. This will be completely different from your Adventurer days.¡¹


    While I wouldn¡¯t exactly be going all-out right out the gate, I¡¯d at least now be able to use my magic as I liked.


    Everyone else was already waiting at the wastelands.


    I headed towards the Recording Stone installed in the room.


    Adventurers create their Avatars using their personal information stored in their Registration Cards, but Monsters instead had that feature installed into their bodies.


    That¡¯s why I was able to transfer just from touching the Recording Stone. It felt a bit strange, but I was sure I¡¯d get used to it eventually.


    ¡¸C-Chief of Staff!¡¹


    I turned around to the sudden voice to find Cashew.


    Cashew was peeking out from the entrance to the room.


    A smile naturally crept on to my face.


    ¡¸You can do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, by the way, you¡¯ll have to remember to talk like Lemegeton.¡¹


    I nodded to Her Majesty¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Oh, right. My speech doesn¡¯t have much impact right now, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to be as extreme as Carmilla, but you wouldn¡¯t want to get mistaken as the Black Sorcerer Lem, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Right. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡¹


    I waved to Cashew and once again headed to the Recording Stone.


    I teleported to a narrow, dark space.


    I immediately began touching the wall nearby and pressed a specific portion of it.


    Light shone out.


    Upon stepping foot past the shifted wall, I came across the wastelands.


    The Recording Stone was hidden inside a giant boulder.


    Once I exited, the hole behind me immediately closed up.


    One of the Hellhounds was waiting for me.


    I pet its head.


    ¡¸Hey, there. Wait, I mean¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to working with you.¡¹


    I tried making my voice a little deeper. Hmm, I think I still need more time to develop this Lemegeton character.


    I once again pet the hellhound as its tail wagged and brought my voice back to normal.


    ¡¸You¡¯ll be the ones to hold off the Hero party. I¡¯ll simply be helping you guys out. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll win as long as we work together.¡¹

 CH 30

    30 ¨C The Mysterious Robed Man does Something (Part 1)


    The 249th ranked party consisted of a Hero, two Warriors, a Paladin, and a Hunter.


    The Warriors consist of a young man and a young girl Warrior. Internally, I have labeled the male as A and the female as B.


    It seems that this Hero has formed a contract with the Lesser Spirit of the Wind Spirit.


    Once, the Great Four Spirits supported the Humans during their conflict with the Demon King Army, each forming a contract with the Flame Hero, Storm Hero, Frost Hero, and Gaia Hero respectively.


    However, even though they were unparalleled warriors, one cannot win a war with only four people.


    The Great Spirits cut up and split their own existence into small pieces and those pieces can become spirits.


    These small spirit fragments are called Lesser Spirits. It¡¯s rank is lower but it can bestow upon the contractee the same kind of powers as its parent spirit.


    Thus, in an instant, the number of Spirit wielding Heroes multiplied as written in history.


    Even when peace was attained, those that were once Heroes proceeded to the Spirit Shrines in order to offer thanks to the contributions that the Spirits once provided.


    And with that official stance, the Spirits were asked earnestly to lend a hand to the Adventurer Business.


    Now that I think about it, I wonder what Fenix said in the shrine. No matter how many times I ask him, he just laughs embarrassingly and doesn¡¯t answer me.


    It looks like this Hero was granted divine protection of lightning magic by the Lesser Spirit of Wind.


    A number of the Hellhounds who went first were defeated.


    They were sacrificed in order to let the enemy feel like the fight is going well.


    Prior to the battle, I was told that the Hellhounds will unfalteringly carry out their duties for the sake of the pack¡¯s victory but it still hurts to see.


    I should give them lots of treats after we win this fight.


    This time, I shall be borrowing the strength of a pack of Hellhounds as well as The Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas.


    Other than them, it¡¯s just me and my magic.


    In this roughly straight line-shaped wasteland, the party heads toward the papier-mache Demon King Castle where the Floor Boss is located.


    The viewers will see this as the first stratum wasteland but it¡¯s actually more like the first barrier.


    Because on this roughly straight line-shaped wasteland, ridiculously large boulders are rolling around.


    Currently, I am made invisible thanks to Glasha-Labolas¡¯, okay his name is too long so I¡¯m gonna refer to him internally as Gla-la, magic.


    I asked about the details of the spell and he told me that it¡¯s not the kind that dispels when you attack, rather it dispels when you get too close to your target.


    The effect can¡¯t be applied to spells, so if a magic-user were to use it from afar while invisible, the enemy can still see the magic being cast from a distance. Even though the magic-user is invisible, they can see where the spells are coming from and deal with it. It would be effective to attack from a distance just close enough that it doesn¡¯t dispel the invisibility, but if your attack doesn¡¯t completely annihilate the enemy, they could counterattack and defeat you.


    With that said this spell pairs excellently with Black Magic.


    It¡¯s not as if Black Magic assaults the enemy with clouds of black haze or something. Black Magic was already invisible to the naked eye, so making the user invisible as well is fantastic.


    ¡¸Hah! So much for being impregnable. This is easy.¡¹


    Says the Hero of lightning. I think they called him the Thunder Hero.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t it because this is the first stratum? The slow, loitering pace we¡¯re going is annoying, but if that¡¯s all we have to worry about, we got this!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m so glad the doggies have fiendish faces~. If they were cute, I wouldn¡¯t be able to attack them.¡¹


    Replied Warrior A and Warrior B.


    ¡¸We started late. We¡¯re challenging the strata that Fenix and party already cleared, so I think we have to at least do better than the minimum.¡¹


    The Hunter was a macho looking man. He was older than the others and spoke and moved cautiously.


    ¡¸Yeah. I think it¡¯ll be hard to show the difference in Dungeon clearing speed by clearing a Dungeon brilliantly but slowly. If our video has no highlights, we¡¯ll be laughed at and our reputation will be finished.¡¹


    The tall bespectacled young man is the Paladin.


    The Hunter and the Paladin are right.


    If you just copy someone else but worse, the original party isn¡¯t gonna be happy with it.


    But if you do something similar but with a unique gimmicky twist, the evaluation changes.


    ¡¸You idiot. We don¡¯t have a dead duck Black Sorcerer with us, we¡¯re way flashier.¡¹


    ¡¸Dead duck¡¹is harsh¡­Their Hero sounds just like Alba.


    ¡¸But y¡¯know, having two Warriors doesn¡¯t have much of an impact.¡¹


    ¡¸I totally get that~. Plus neither of us have a Magic Sword.¡¹


    Magic Swords and my ring are considered Magic Tools, tools imbued with mysterious powers. They have their respective origins but it is common knowledge that they were once made by a certain race.


    Is there anyone who can create new Magic Tools in this day and age? For now, no¡­


    And that¡¯s because the aforementioned race has already died out. Officially, they are said to have gone extinct.


    Because of that, Magic Tools are somewhat valuable.


    Alba probably inherited his Magic Sword from his father.


    Even though she¡¯s treating me as the Chief of Staff, to simply plop the ring into my hand was incredibly generous of the Demon King.


    I wonder if it has anything to do with me being the disciple of her grandfa-, I mean, my master.


    Anyway, our guest¡¯s thoughts are just as I predicted. If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go with Plan A. Just in case, I have thought of three plans.


    ¡¸I guess we¡¯re going for a speed clear, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. It¡¯s gonna be tough on the Paladin if he dashes at full speed.¡¹


    Paladins and Heavy Warriors wear armor. You can rely on them for defense and attack power but at the cost of their speed.


    It¡¯s standard for a party to move together at the same speed as their slowest members.


    Observing them from a distance, I get into position.


    I hide behind the shadow of a large boulder, and I ask Gra-la to dispel my invisibility. Thanks to Gra-la¡¯s effect, I am able to see fellow invisible allies.


    I stepped out from behind the boulder.


    A number of Hellhounds at my feet.


    ¡¸Wha?! Hey, look!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A Majin? But the only humanoid thing in this stratum is the Floor Boss.¡¹


    ¡¸You got that from the 4th ranked party¡¯s video, right? Then that means¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a humanoid monster that Fenix and party never encountered.¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, wait, hold on now. That is definitely a trap.¡¹


    Right you are, Mr.Paladin.


    But I bet you¡¯re all thinking that continuing to simply copy the way Fenix and party cleared this stratum is meaningless.


    You planned to clear the Dungeon as fast as possible but what if you found something that would easily differentiate your video from Fenix¡¯s? What would you do?


    A Hellhound summoning Majin that even the 4th ranked party didn¡¯t encounter. If by some chance Glasya-Labolas appeared as well, you might be able to defeat two rare wandering Monsters.


    He¡¯s invisible and closing in, so discovering and defeating him would be difficult.


    So, what will you do?


    ¡¸Hey, let¡¯s get¡¯em!¡¹


    Heroes are unique beings. They have strength far beyond the norm. They are chosen warriors.


    With a few exceptions, they each think that they are the best in the world.


    It¡¯s not enough to be the 249th ranked party, right? I get it.


    And if that were true, it would be humiliating to imitate other people, right? But with so many parties in the world, it¡¯s unacceptable to do things half-heartedly.


    To them, this is their chance.


    Finally, a chance for them to definitively create a different Dungeon Clear video than Fenix party¡¯s one has come.


    You¡¯d definitely pursue that, wouldn¡¯t you?

 CH 31

    31 ¨C The Mysterious Robed Man does Something (Part 2)


    They rush towards me at the same time.


    Besides the Hero, I apply Speed Down on three of them just enough to not be noticeable and I apply it heavily on the Paladin.


    The already slow Paladin is left behind and the Hero is the only one rushing ahead.


    And he¡¯s not stopping.


    ¡¸H-hey, hold on! My body isn¡¯t moving like it shou-waaaaargh!¡¹


    Several Hellhounds, who were kept invisible until the closest possible distance, charge at the isolated Paladin.


    ¡¸What should we do?! Go back and help him?!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave¡¯em! He¡¯s a Paladin! He can take 5 or 6 Hellhounds!¡¹


    He¡¯s right. The selling point of a Paladin is his ability to tank the damage from several sources at once in a fight with his high defense.


    It isn¡¯t a strange decision to leave him be for a little while.


    Turning down the instruction-seeking Warrior A, the Hero sprints ahead. Widening the gap between him and his allies.


    ¡¸D-dammit. What is this? Why it so hard to move.¡¹


    Now, the fact that I am Lemegeton must not be exposed today. I don¡¯t want the information about a powerful Black Sorcerer to get out.


    So I didn¡¯t make a mistake there either.


    The paladin somehow repels one of the Hellhounds.


    It seems that he realized at that moment.


    ¡¸Black robes¡­?! A Black Magic-user is in the mix?¡¹


    In the name of entertainment, Adventurers and Monsters alike need to have an appearance that is easily understandable.


    It is recommended to have an appearance where your Job and race can be recognized at a glance and battle strategies can be made based on it.


    If you¡¯re a Black Sorcerer, you wear black robes.


    However, this isn¡¯t absolute. There is no rule that says you can¡¯t put on equipment related to another Job and there are some Adventurers who freely wear equipment simply to stand out.


    Like a Warrior who wears bikini armor.


    ¡¸Even if that were the case, to be able to reduce our speed by this much¡­there¡¯s gotta be more than one or two of them!¡¹


    The truth is that there¡¯s only me, but the Paladin is making conjectures based on the information given to him.


    That there are many Black Magic users amongst the invisible Hellhounds. The number of Monsters allowed in a Clear isn¡¯t limited, so a lot of weak Black Magic spells overlapping each other can spell trouble for them.


    Paladins can resist magic but it is difficult when they are moving so violently, and even though they have a higher aptitude towards magic than a Warrior, they are no match for Jobs that specialize in magic.


    As time goes on, I am becoming exhausted. The best-case scenario would be for me to defeat him with Black Magic.


    And so, I burdened his thoughts.


    Originally, he was supposed to just defeat the Hellhounds.


    But he ended up prioritizing the robed enemy over the other enemies.


    Hit by Black Magic of unexpected strength, he is in a state where he is prioritizing invisible enemies out of impatience.


    Distracted by that, he is unable to give his best performance.


    ¡¸Ohcrapohcrapohcrap¡­!¡¹


    Surrounded by invisible enemies, the Paladin gets his sword arm bitten off after failing to handle a simultaneous attack. When they became visible, he was able to fend off a few of them with his shield, but this was the end for him.


    His arm dances in the air, turning into magic particles.


    Magical Energy leaked from the wound.


    ¡¸What is this? What¡¯s happening?! This isn¡¯t at all like the 4th ranked party¡¯s video¡­unless¡­ did they cut out the unattractive parts? Dammit, of course, they did! There¡¯s nothing attractive about Black Magic-slinging enemies!¡¹


    Misunderstanding the situation beautifully, sharp fangs bite into the Paladin¡¯s feet.


    ¡¸Everyone! It¡¯s a trap! There¡¯s a swarm of Black Magic users! They¡¯re trying to isolate each of us!¡¹


    He warns his allies and swings his shield down at the Hellhound biting his foot.


    Even though he¡¯s alone, he still lowers his body in order to defeat one of his enemies.


    While he does that, a Hellhound bites onto his neck.


    ¡¸-ack.¡¹


    He drops his shield and uses his remaining arm to beat the enemy.


    A hole was opened on his neck when the enemy let go, he tried to apply pressure on the wound with his hand but¡­he was defeated.


    ¡¸Hey, that guy got taken out!¡¹


    ¡¸He said it was a trap, but it looks like we¡¯re already caught in it¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸How do I shoot invisible enemies?!¡¹


    Warrior A, B, and the Hunter three, huddle together as they deal with the Hellhounds.


    Only the Hero, separated from everyone else, rushes towards the shadow of the boulder where I am luring him towards.


    Ah, not going to help your allies, huh?


    Either from all the blood rushing to his head or just by nature, the Hero searches for me with a demon-like angry expression, but I have already turned invisible and put distance between us.


    Already, they have deviated from Fenix and Party¡¯s Clear method of¡¸Huddle together and advance¡¹.


    If his allies are defeated, he thinks he can compensate that disadvantage by taking me out, huh?


    ¡¸Come out, ya damn Majin! I¡¯ll kill ya!¡¹


    Screams the Hero after arriving. Isn¡¯t he too vulgar?


    Now then, the Hellhounds have played their part with the four others well enough.


    Most of the success of this plan is actually thanks to the contributions of our Hero here.


    First, I¡¯ll send some Hellhounds to instigate the Hero.


    I instruct them to not press the attack. Once they enter his line of sight, I¡¯ll make them withdraw and repeat.


    The Hero swung his sword countless times at nothing, his anger grew more and more and exploded.


    ¡¸Are ya makin¡¯ fun of me, little mutts! Fine then, I¡¯ll kill all¡¯o¡¯ya! Eat this!¡¹


    He spreads his arms wide and strikes the ground, causing yellow lightning to zig-zag from his hands. A few of the Hellhounds are defeated following a short yelp, the magic particles are transmitted to him.


    ¡¸¡­huh?¡¹


    I was able to predict his actions.


    The few Hellhounds that perished were due to his area of effect being larger than I thought.


    The other Hellhounds withdrew and succeeded in avoiding the attack.


    The Hero started to get angry at how little enemies were actually defeated by the attack but before that could happen, he was assaulted by a shadow.


    With wings of a bird of prey on a body large enough to be mistaken for a wolf.


    It was The Invisible Slaughterer Glasha-Labolas.


    Leaving his teammates behind in order to chase me and releasing a large magic attack to attack invisible enemies.


    It¡¯s rare to find someone whose actions can be so easily predicted by his personality.


    Magic is invoked by using the trained Magical Energy within the body.


    If large scale magic is used, you need to start recharging your Magical Energy.


    I already researched their past videos. At this rate, he shouldn¡¯t be able to use any high power magic attacks.


    ¡¸Wha-?!¡¹


    I obstructed his thoughts and applied Darkness on him.


    How do you like magic from a dead duck Black Sorcerer?


    To an outsider, it¡¯ll look as if his reaction was delayed due to being surprised.


    The Hero was grabbed by his forelegs with great force.


    Tossed high into the air, the Hero was torn to pieces by Gla-la¡¯s talons.


    Magic particles were sprinkled everywhere, his Avatar breaking apart before hitting the ground, which scattered its Magical Energies to the surroundings.


    The other members were shaken by their leader¡¯s defeat and before long, they were defeated by the Hellhounds.


    ¡¸Alright. Looks like it¡¯s over.¡¹


    With a party wipe, the 249th Party¡¯s Dungeon Clear is over.


    Gla-la flew close to me.


    He nuzzles against me with a happy look on his face.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Your magic is truly amazing.¡¹


    He licked my face.


    Seeing that, the pack of Hellhounds gather and surround me. They came close to me expecting something so I tried petting one of them. As soon as I did that, each one of them started jumping on me as if to say¡¸Me too, me too! Pet me!¡¹.


    ¡¸Whoa¡­haha, please calm down. If my hand will suffice, I¡¯ll properly pet all of you.¡¹


    After a petting for a good long while, we head over to the Link Room.


    When I returned, all the Hellhounds that were defeated in the battle ran up to me and requested pats as well.


    After satisfying them, I saw Cashew not too far in the distance with an envious look. I made sure to give her plenty of head pats as well.


    Using this and that, I was able to lead the Monsters to victory.


    My first job finished with success.

 CH 32

    32 ¨C The Storm Hero Cometh


    You could say that my life as the Demon King Army Chief of Staff is going well.


    Every day, there are several parties that I help repel. Sometimes we succeed in flushing them out, sometimes we don¡¯t.


    When not called upon, I am on the tenth stratum overseeing the rebuilding progress for when I take up my position as Floor Boss Lemegeton and Cashew helps me arrange the help of talented people from each stratum.


    Fenix and party are also continuing their Dungeon Clear, having broken through the seventh stratum, The Realm of Sky and Ordeals, and the eighth stratum, The Martial Realm.


    The remaining ones are The Realm of Space-time that is protected by Agares and the stratum that I have been put in charge of, The Realm of¡­uh, title pending.


    The seventh stratum¡¯s scenery is the same empty type as the sixth stratum. There are paths spreading across the endless sky where parties must advance while fending off the attacks of Harpies and Sirens of the Birdmen race.


    If one were to fall off the path, they would be exposed to the sensation of falling forever, and then the Avatar¡¯s in-built¡¸Abandon¡¹function will activate which means you are essentially defeated.


    Also, the Floor Boss, The Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, seems fond of traditional Dungeons and presents ordeals to the Adventurers. [1. TL Note: A Thrush is a type of bird. It happens to be the type of bird that Caim is according to the Goetia]


    There are gates, that cannot be normally broken through, or traps. A nearby stone monument would have writing on it that appears mysterious at first glance.


    But if you read it based on the rough spots on its surface, you can find a hint to break through the gate or trap.


    After that, you might have to disarm a dangerous trap or run from a giant round boulder tumbling towards you that was released from a trap you thought you disarmed, etc.


    By the way, if you were to fall while challenging an ordeal, Caim¡¯s subordinate, The Phantom Thief Crow Raum, will use his space movement ability to put you back at the entrance of the seventh stratum.


    Falling normally results in an¡¸Abandon¡¹, falling during an ordeal results in you restarting from the entrance.


    Even for the Floor Boss Fight, Caim has a system that only allows those that answered his questions correctly to participate.


    I was in the party with Fenix since he got out of the Adventurer Training Facility at 13 years old but the Clear of the seventh stratum has to be the adventure that took the most time. Definitely.


    ¡¸Alright, beers here. So, uh, to Lem¡¯s reemployment! Cheers!¡¹


    The one raising the wood barrel jug was the fruit stall shopkeeper, Blitz.


    ¡¸Cheers.¡¹


    Milla and I responded.


    We went to a certain bar.


    This is after work and after escorting Cashew home.


    Blitz had been saying that we should celebrate my reemployment, so we decided to do it today.


    ¡¸But, man. Who¡¯d a guessed that you¡¯d find a job there.¡¹


    Blitz is being obscure by not saying something like Demon King Castle or Dungeon.


    I¡¯ve just come to have a drink as Lem, although I did cast a recognition obstructing spell so that people in my surrounding don¡¯t notice me. I don¡¯t really want to attract attention.


    ¡¸I¡¯m better at it than I thought I would be.¡¹


    ¡¸It is more than that. You are unmistakably our saviour¡­a Hero.¡¹


    Says Milla with her lovely hands wrapped around a glass, her lips wet from savoring the wine.


    ¡­Absent-mindedly, I recall the memory from two years ago and felt like drinking excitedly.


    Let¡¯s not get carried away.


    Right now, she¡¯s just gracing me with her beauty. Isn¡¯t that enough?


    Incidentally, her choice of racial-trait-hiding apparel today is a knitted hat and contacts.


    On one occasion, I did speak with her about how she shouldn¡¯t worry about that, but she just gave a weak laugh in response. I am happy and thankful for her concern but I feel like it can¡¯t be healthy to always have to hide her racial features whenever she¡¯s with me.


    However, it is true that if gossip about the Black Sorcerer, a former member of Fenix¡¯s party, getting friendly with a Demi-Human spreads, people will get suspicious.


    After my withdrawal from Fenix¡¯s party, a lot of reporters appeared trying to get an interview with me but not a single one of them ever found me. That¡¯s because I cast Confusion on all of them, just strong enough to work but not enough for them to notice it.


    Nowadays, I continue to cast magic on passersby to make them see me as nothing less than a young man with a small build.


    Well, I already had to practice using my magic every day for training, so it all works out in the end.


    ¡¸So how was it? I saw that Thunder Hero¡¯s Clear video.¡¹


    I thought the inside of the bar was noisy so it¡¯d be fine but Blitz insisted on talking quietly.


    ¡¸Ah, that was my first defense.¡¹


    I ended up completely annihilating them in that Dungeon Clear.


    And then the sale of the video was decided when they made an appointment with the Dungeon.


    That is to say, just because a Dungeon could not be cleared successfully does not mean that the video of it is useless.


    Taking into account the cost of the regeneration of their Avatars, the travel expenses to this town, the lodging expenses, and many other expenses, they cannot afford to not distribute the video.


    They have a video of themselves getting lured by a mysterious Majin and then being annihilated by Hellhounds and Gra-la, they would be fools not to distribute it.


    If a party had an overflowing amount of money, they have the option to reject the video, but it looks like this party is different.


    Also, their video shows the movements of an enemy that wasn¡¯t seen in the 4th ranked party¡¯s video, so it¡¯s views grew fairly well.


    To other Adventurers, this was valuable information.


    ¡¸Did you use your magic on all of them? Like that time with the purse-snatcher?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Wow. To affect even a Hero, you¡¯re somethin¡¯ else!¡¹


    At Blitz¡¯s words, Milla nods greatly.


    ¡¸Somethin¡¯ else, indeed.¡¹


    I guess she was imitating Blitz, but it was so unlike her that I ended up laughing a little.


    Noticing me, Milla made a pouty face and looked at me with upturned eyes.


    ¡¸You laughed¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, it was just refreshing to see you like that.¡¹


    ¡¸How mean.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸I forgive you.¡¹


    Thank goodness. She forgave me.


    ¡¸Somehow, you two seem to get along really well, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Very observant of you, Mr.Blitz. You are right, we do get along well.¡¹


    Milla moved her chair closer to me.


    ¡¸Ah, well¡­with her permission.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it? Even though you¡¯re so friendly, you always kept your distance. I mean, you used to call me¡¸Mr.Shopkeeper¡¹for quite some time.¡¹


    ¡­He¡¯s got me.


    I just don¡¯t know.


    I¡¯ve already forgotten how to make friends.


    I was able to do it naturally when I was a kid, but as soon as my Job was decided, all the friends I had made disappeared.


    Leaving only Fenix.


    That was enough, but because I¡¯ve gone on so long without making a friend, I¡¯m bad at getting close to people.


    Blitz is a friend, but he was the one who started calling me a friend.


    As for Cashew, I was so careful to not destroy my stance as a fruit stall customer.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry about that.¡¹


    ¡¸Naw, It¡¯s ain¡¯t like that. I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ you should show more of yourself. I don¡¯t know about the age of Adventurers but nowadays I think people will be happy with you if you do.¡¹


    ¡­I wonder.


    Milla tugs my arm towards her.


    ¡¸I am in complete agreement with Mr.Blitz. I believe that you should say and do things your way. For example¡­isn¡¯t there something you want to do to me right now¡­?¡¹


    Saying that, Milla brings her lips closer to me.


    ¡­Is she drunk?


    ¡¸I don¡¯t particularly have a hobby of doing stuff like that in front of people.¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, let us go somewhere where there aren¡¯t any people.¡¹


    I look into her eyes and I can still see the light of reason in them.


    Concluding that she was joking, I gently pulled away from her.


    ¡¸Damn, I¡¯m jealous¡­Whoa, that cow girl has some huge knockers.¡¹


    Blitz was watching our exchange with lascivious eyes but then turned his eyes towards a nearby waitress.


    She was a cow Demi-Human with short hair and a cheerful personality to match.


    Also, her breasts were huge.


    Firm enough to drive anyone mad.


    Well¡­except Milla.


    ¡¸It would be better for Lem to look, here.¡¹


    My field of vision was filled with Milla¡¯s breasts.


    ¡¸If one has an interest in the female form, then one need only ask.¡¹


    Her sweet voice is melting my thoughts.


    Maybe it¡¯s the alcohol, but I¡¯m feeling dizzy.


    ¡¸Pardon me, could I have a bit of your time?¡¹


    Someone is standing in front of our table.


    We probably look like a drunk couple flirting with each other to the surrounding people. I thought that it was someone coming to complain but as soon as I saw that person, I froze.


    Blitz dropped his jug and the Milla¡¯s arms, that were wrapped around me, lost their strength.


    ¡¸Ah, so it is you. I¡¯ve been looking for you. It was certainly difficult. I¡¯m glad I was able to somehow find you. Lem. It¡¯s been a while, are you well?¡¹


    Standing there, is the leader of the No.1 ranked party in the world.


    The Storm Hero, Aerial.


    Almost reflexively, I apply Confusion to anyone in my field of vision, but it is possible for people to resist that.


    That is to say, using magic that keeps your consciousness intact.


    In other words, he surmised that I hid my whereabouts well with Confusion and was searching for me while already clad in magic resistance.


    ¡¸¡­It has been a long, time. Why are you here¡­sorry, I mean, you¡­were looking for me?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, straight to the point. I want you to become our ally.¡¹


    ¡­Huh?

 CH 33

    33 ¨C A Black Sorcerer who Appears to have Trouble with Work, Invited to the World¡¯s No.1 Ranked Party¡­? (Part 1)


    The Storm Hero Aerial is a man in the prime of his life at forty-two years old.


    However, his toned body is still youthful and he gives off the impression that he¡¯s full of vigor.


    Yet his attitude is soft. He is a superior being who is highly valued regardless of his age.


    Like Fenix, he is one of the two people of this era who have formed a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits.


    For a moment, I was befuddled by his words, but soon after, I hastily expanded my magic.


    This was because I knew that the surrounding patrons and the waitress who walked nearby to take an order were thinking¡¸Huh? Isn¡¯t that that Storm-¡¹.


    I didn¡¯t read their thoughts, I could see it in their facial expression and body language.


    In the thoughts of the people who took notice, I slip in a blank space, causing Confusion without a moment¡¯s delay.


    Those men and women forget who they were thinking of just moments ago, crane their neck back and then each one of them goes back to their seats or return to their work.


    ¡­It would have been trouble if we caused a commotion here.


    Milla is here and it¡¯s also the long-awaited Reemployment Celebration that Blitz wanted to give me.


    ¡¸My, my¡­as I thought.¡¹


    Noticing what I had done, Aerial rubs his chin as his interest grows.


    ¡¸It has been a while.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm. Oh? Have you gotten a little burlier?¡¹


    ¡¸I hope so.¡¹


    I raise my hand and shake his hand.


    There exists only two people who made contracts with the Four Great Spirits. The roles of the Water Hero and the Gaia Hero are still vacant.


    Since Aerial is also a Four Great Spirit contractee, he looked after Fenix.


    It¡¯s through that relationship that I became an acquaintance.


    Alba is the only one who would openly mock me in front of Fenix, most people don¡¯t comment on¡¸The Flame Hero¡¯s best friend¡¹right in front of him.


    But the words they didn¡¯t say, showed clearly on their faces. They probably said it when Fenix wasn¡¯t around. Of course, they spoke ill behind my back. Although technically, if I can hear them, is it really talking behind someone¡¯s back?


    Among those people, Aerial¡¯s party was kind.


    They didn¡¯t notice my abilities but I can say that they were all decent people.


    Although¡­I think Aerial might have had his suspicions.


    ¡¸So¡­about what you said a moment ago.¡¹


    Aerial ordered a beer from a waitress who is only able to see him as¡¸a middle-aged man with a great physique¡¹. With my permission, he sat on a vacant seat.


    In the time that the waitress left, I started the conversation but Aerial put up his hand.


    ¡¸Yes, but please wait a moment. I apologize for the late introductions, you two. I am Aerial. For the time being, I am an Adventurer.¡¹


    With a wry smile, I wondered what would happen if I were the no.1 ranked in the world.


    This attitude of his gave me a good impression. You could say that I respect him.


    There are many whose rank is a little high and have an attitude that screams¡¸Everyone knows about me, right?¡¹. Whether consciously or subconsciously, most of them do think that.


    But Aerial always thinks that the person he talks to might not know him and so he introduced himself.


    Not as a famous adventurer, but as a human being.


    As a matter of fact, I think that¡¯s really cool.


    ¡¸Are you a friend of Lem¡¯s?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, y-yes! Uhm, I¡­I¡¯m a fan! So uh, right¡­could I have your autograph?¡¹


    Blitz¡­?


    ¡¸Ah, of course. I am often asked of this, which I am thankful for, so I always carry a pen with me. Well, where shall I sign?¡¹


    Blitz took off his coat and asked Aerial to sign the back of his undershirt.


    ¡¸Lem¡­I¡¯m so happy I became your friend!¡¹


    Me too Blitz. Although, I think I¡¯d be more emotionally moved if you hadn¡¯t said that in this situation¡­


    ¡¸Hahaha, what a pleasant friend you have, Lem! I¡¯m glad you were able to make friends other than Fenix. It would appear that you have been blessed with good encounters when you came to this town.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I suppose so.¡¹


    Aerial shook the hand of an excited Blitz.


    And then he turned to look at Milla.


    Milla jolted.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­this young lady is a vampire, no?¡¹


    As expected of a first ranker, huh? He saw past her skillful disguise in an instant.


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    Milla wasn¡¯t able to hide her wariness, so Aerial gives her a cheerful smile.


    ¡¸What a wonderful woman, Lem. In order to spend time with you, she is willing to hide her racial features. Which means that she thinks that a moment with you is worth all the trouble. Just where did you meet such a lovely lady?¡¹


    Milla¡¯s mouth was agape.


    Yup, that¡¯s the kind of guy he is.


    Among Adventurers, there are those who bluntly hate Demi-Humans, but he is different.


    ¡¸Judging from how you two were a moment ago, are you two lovers?¡¹


    ¡¸We are more than friends. Nay, our connection far transcends that of lovers.¡¹


    Milla¡­? Anything higher than lovers would imply that you¡¯re my wife or something. Answer him seriously¡­


    While I¡¯m playing the straight man in my head, my heart is beating like a drum.


    ¡¸Ah hah hah. Lem is a strong man with a kind heart, I can see why you would be attracted to him.¡¹


    I think one of the amazing things about Aerial is how he praises people naturally.


    For example, if he had said¡¸What? You like this dead duck of a Black Sorcerer?¡¹, nothing would be out of the ordinary. But instead, he praises you based on your personality rather than your Job.


    But maybe he might judge you based on your ability¡­no, I haven¡¯t fully understood everything yet.


    Take the good with the bad.


    ¡¸When I heard that you withdrew from Fenix¡¯s party, I was worried. But after seeing you enjoying drinks with wonderful friends, I see now that I had nothing to worry about.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I am glad to hear that you were concerned about me.¡¹


    This is the truth.


    Not in my wildest dreams had I thought that Aerial would be worried about me.


    ¡¸Now you two, may I have a word with Lem? Of course, there is no need for you to leave your seats. That is, if it is alright with you, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not a problem.¡¹


    ¡¸I will be by Lem¡¯s side.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, as long as it ain¡¯t somethin¡¯ that I¡¯m not supposed to hear, I¡¯ll just sit here and not get in your way.¡¹


    Hearing each of our answers, Aerial gave a single nod and turned to me.


    ¡¸Well then¡­I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking but what are you working as right now?¡¹


    I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m working as the Chief of Staff for the Demon King Army.


    ¡¸Well¡­uh, not as an Adventurer, I guess.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, but you are working, yes? You certainly bounce back quick. I am nothing short of impressed by your mental fortitude.¡¹


    ¡­Well, it¡¯s because I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer whose been beaten up together with Fenix by society for seven years. I¡¯m sure society thinks of me as someone with a lot of nerve.


    I laughed vaguely, because I understand that Aerial does not speak with irony or sarcasm.


    I have no idea what kind of face to make when the world¡¯s No.1 compliments you so straightforwardly.


    ¡¸Now, I heard rumors that you were searching for a new party to join?¡¹


    Were searching. Past tense. Also, that is correct.


    Since I left the party, I had been looking for a new one. If I hadn¡¯t met Milla, I would probably still be searching to this day.


    ¡¸Yes, that is correct.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, if you are still looking, why not come join us?¡¹

 CH 34

    34 ¨C A Black Sorcerer who appears to have trouble with work, invited to the world¡¯s No.1 ranked party¡­? (Part 2)


    So we have reached the main question. Or should I say, we have returned to it? He did mention his objective at the very start.


    ¡¸¡­I have¡­many questions.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, ask away.¡¹


    The waitress brought his drink so we waited for her to go away.


    Aerial took a gulp of his drink.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­if I may, who left the party?¡¹


    Parties have up to five members. This is a principle.


    There were a steady five people in Aerial¡¯s party, inviting someone to join the party means that someone left.


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s ol¡¯ Pana¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Panacea left¡­?¡¹


    Panacea is a thirty-two-year-old White Sorcerer. A beautiful woman who spoke briskly.


    Yes, a White Sorcerer.


    An unfortunate Job that is treated only slightly better than Black Sorcerers.


    Truthfully, the fact that I was able to be in a party for seven years before I was kicked out halfway through can be attributed to Panacea¡¯s existence.


    An unfortunate support type Job can become the world¡¯s no.1, and support types aren¡¯t completely incompetent. It depends on their ability and how they use it. That¡¯s probably what my allies thought in their heads.


    Panacea¡¯s situation is different from mine, she is a mutant genius. Of course, she put in a lot of effort as well, but the buff and healing effectiveness of her White Magic is fearsome.


    A television commentator once lambasted me by saying that¡¸If you had to put a support class in your party, it¡¯d be better if it was a White Sorcerer.¡¹. Those words were probably inspired by Panacea¡¯s image.


    ¡¸Did something happen?¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s with child.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh! That¡¯s great. Congratulations to her.¡¹


    She is married to the Samurai in the same party.


    ¡¸Wait, don¡¯t they already have two children?¡¹


    There are times when a party member has to withdraw from the party temporarily. In these cases, sometimes other Adventurers are hired temporarily.


    ¡¸Yeah, but Adventurers tend to travel from place to place, right? She had a discussion about settling down.¡¹


    Certainly, it¡¯s a difficult choice whether to bring the children along or leave them and go.


    If it¡¯s for the sake of staying by her children¡¯s side, I fully support her.


    It seems that after some deliberation between the husband and wife, the Samurai will remain in the party.


    ¡¸So then, the replacement will be¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A permanent member. Not a temporary hire.¡¹


    I truly am being ushered into the world¡¯s No.1 party.


    ¡¸¡­Why me?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it that strange? Aren¡¯t you a Black Mage from the 4th-ranked party?¡¹


    ¡¸I was unable to refute when I was asked to leave my party because of my incompetence. That¡¯s what they all say.¡¹


    ¡¸That isn¡¯t what I thought. I think you would understand that much.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­that I am a master on the level of Panacea?¡¹


    ¡¸Let us talk honestly, I cannot see the bottom of your ability. Or rather, I should say that I don¡¯t even know how to measure it. What surprised me first was that no one was able to find you after you left. There was a big fuss, so I was worried you might feel uncomfortable. But, all I saw on the TV was Fenix¡¯s sullen face.¡¹


    Me leaving the party was pretty big news.


    Fan¡¯s rejoiced that it finally happened.


    Alba triumphantly said that he was the one who lead the charge, and the mild-mannered Fenix ignored all the cameras and microphones. No matter how many times they surprised him for an interview, Fenix stayed silent and pushed through.


    One time, a video was cut off the moment an interviewer made a crack at my expense. The camera and other equipment were probably burned.


    Society hates me but Fenix is the opposite, so he had no sympathy for the interviewer that went too far.


    I can give them the slip with my Black Magic, but Fenix can¡¯t. That¡¯s why his face kept showing up on TV.


    ¡¸Furthermore, there were very few eyewitness reports of you. The places where you be could assuredly found were limited. The Union, for instance. Thinking that you had returned to your hometown¡¯s Adventurer Union, I visited it but you hadn¡¯t returned at all. It was then that I had a thought. Fenix¡¯s evaluation of you was right, and you are a master of Black Magic far beyond the reach of the ordinary man. Do you think I¡¯m jumping the gun? Well, I clung on to the possibility of you being in this town and searched for you.¡¹


    So you¡¯re saying that you thought that someone has vanished and you lost all leads as to his whereabouts. And then you hopefully thought¡¸If that¡¯s the case, he must be hiding using powerful Black Magic.¡¹¡­maybe?


    ¡¸As it turns out, you¡¯re the real deal. The response after I entered the shop was magnificent. I honestly had no idea as to why nobody noticed me. I was surprised when all my Magical Energy for resistance was depleted in an instant by Black Magic, which should have decreased in effectiveness when applied to multiple targets.¡¹


    Aerial is evaluating me highly right now. The Aerial.


    It almost doesn¡¯t feel real.


    But.


    ¡¸Why would you go so far for me? I¡¯m sure you have plenty of other candidates.¡¹


    Anticipating my question, Aerial answers without hesitation.


    ¡¸Hmm. Well, the first thing is the timing. The 1st and 4th-ranked party¡¯s support members stop at around the same time, and in your case, you¡¯re fit to work. Next is that Fenix¡¯s confidence in you piqued my interest. It¡¯s impossible that you¡¯re incompetent, because your party¡¯s Dungeon Clears go so smoothly. I came to test just how amazing you are. Of course, I don¡¯t plan on asking you why you haven¡¯t told the other three members of your old party.¡¹


    ¡­He even saw through the fact that I¡¯m keeping it a secret.


    ¡¸And then¡­mmm, my allies laughed at me for this but¡­¡¹


    Aerial rubbed his chin, embarrassed.


    ¡¸Do you know of the Demon King Lucifer who ruled the Demon King Castle two generations ago?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    ¡­He¡¯s my master. Of course, I can¡¯t tell him that.


    ¡¸Once, in my newbie days, I took part in the Raid¡­a type of Dungeon Clear where several parties partake in¡­¡¹


    Ah, the people who were annihilated by my master.


    He used Black Magic and other mysterious spells against me when I was training but when he was the Demon King, he used ultra-aggressive magic to resoundingly defeat Adventurers.


    ¡­Just maybe, it would have been troublesome if the fact that he was a Black Magic user got out and attracted attention.


    In this day and age, you won¡¯t be killed, but you will be closely monitored.


    Also, he might have become popular among the Monsters as a villain, but it just wouldn¡¯t work for the Adventurer¡¯s side.


    What people expect in an Adventurer and¡¸a Black Magic wielding Demon King¡¹are just too far apart


    ¡¸When I saw Lucifer, I was shaking. I thought that the person in front of me was no ordinary living thing, but something else entirely.¡¹


    The Demon King, who the current world¡¯s No.1 ranked man thought he couldn¡¯t beat at the time, is also the one that I studied under.


    Once again, I am recognizing how strong my master is.


    ¡¸And so when I met you for the first time, my body felt the same fear and shivered for a moment.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡­incredible.


    He¡¯s sharp.


    Not just because I received the same training that a Demon King would give to their children.


    There has to be a reason that he felt a portion of my master¡¯s presence from me.


    But because I was hiding it, he only felt it for a moment.


    As expected of the world¡¯s 1st ranked.


    ¡¸We would welcome you. We want you to be rewarded, but if you insist on hiding your power, we will help you. Although, as soon as we do a Clear, the word will get out.¡¹


    If Panacea leaves and the party¡¯s combat power doesn¡¯t decrease but instead, possibly increases¡­


    Anyone would notice that.


    And they would say¡¸Huh? That Black Sorcerer isn¡¯t useless at all!¡¹.


    ¡¸And that¡¯s that. I am staying in the same inn that Fenix and co. are in. I shall wait for seven days. Please consider it.¡¹


    Having said that, he stands up.


    Apologizing for the intrusion, he left some money on the table and slowly made his way out of the bar.

 CH 35

    35 ¨C A Black Sorcerer who appears to have trouble with work, invited to the world¡¯s No.1 ranked party¡­? (Part 3)


    ¡¸Th-that¡¯s great, Lem! It¡¯s the 1st-ranked party! The 1st-ranked!¡¹


    Blitz cheered as if he was the one who was invited.


    Yes. It really was a great conversation.


    Slowly, I turned my gaze towards Milla.


    She was smiling.


    ¡¸Congratulations. Even among Adventurers, there are those who understand how wonderful you are. I¡¯m glad, very glad. It was short, but being able to spend time with you was like a dream. I will cherish it forever.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s voice was shaking.


    Stifling her own emotions, she supports me.


    Smiling, but wanting to cry.


    You were right, Aerial.


    She truly is a wonderful and lovely person.


    However, I was sad.


    ¡¸Milla, do you think that I¡¯m going to take him up on his offer?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­originally, were you not aiming for 1st-ranked as an adventurer¡­? With Monsters, you can only make a name for yourself as Lemegeton. You even have to hide your face¡­it is different from what you dreamed of as a child¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The dream that you showed me isn¡¯t my second choice, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­so, you would refuse the 1st rank¡¯s invitation and remain in the Demon King Army? Why¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Why, you ask?¡¹


    I take Milla¡¯s hand and stand up.


    ¡¸Huh? Lem, wher-?¡¹


    ¡¸Blitz, we¡¯ll be right back so just sit tight, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, sure.¡¹


    We leave the shop and head outside.


    I find Aerial with an overcoat, hiding his face with a hood.


    ¡¸Excuse me!¡¹


    I called out to his back and he immediately stopped and turned around.


    ¡¸Oho, have you already come to a decision?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I am glad. So then-¡¹


    ¡¸I am truly honored by your invitation. However, I must humbly decline.¡¹


    Unsurprised, Aerial gently speaks.


    ¡¸May I ask why?¡¹


    ¡¸I wanted to earn my place as a 1st-ranker. Not have it bestowed upon me.¡¹


    He gave a happy smile to that reply.


    It was a boyish grin.


    ¡¸¡­Hm. I see, you are an honorable man. Surely, the pinnacle is something to climb towards, not something to be pulled up to. I seem to have given a tactless offer.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, it pleases me greatly to know that there are people among Adventurers who appreciate me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, but you have already found a place where you belong, right?¡¹


    ¡­He even picked up on that, huh.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    He nods.


    Aerial extended his hand. As did I. We shake hands.


    ¡¸I look forward to it. To see how you will become the very best. In order to do that, you have to take us down, you know?¡¹


    Just how far has he seen through me?


    He can tell that I am not giving up the fight.


    ¡¸When the time comes, I will win.¡¹


    ¡¸Splendid. It seems it¡¯s too early for me to retire, huh?¡¹


    He grinned and laughed, turning to return to his inn.


    ¡¸W-wha-wh-what have you done, Lem?¡¹


    Milla, who was dumbfoundedly staring at our conversation, looks at me with an incredulous look on her face.


    Once again, I took her hands and I cupped them together with mine.


    ¡¸I made my own decision to join the Demon King Army. You saved me and made my dream even clearer.¡¹


    Milla listened quietly.


    ¡¸I decided to become the Hero of the Monsters. You¡¯d never forgive me if I quit halfway.¡¹


    I look into her eyes and chuckle playfully.


    Large drops of tears start falling from Milla¡¯s eyes, confusing me.


    ¡¸Wait, no, that wasn¡¯t what I meant, I didn¡¯t mean to accuse you or anything-¡¹


    Milla gripped her hands tightly.


    ¡¸Honestly¡­you have always been my Hero since a long time ago.¡¹


    Smiling while crying, with a tearful yet clear voice.


    I was captivated by her beauty.


    She calmed down after a few seconds, so I decided to lighten the mood by cracking a joke.


    ¡¸¡­I need to at least be able to give hope to all the Demi-Humans in the world, huh? I hope that they¡¯ll think¡¸Hey, we can beat the Adventurers!¡¹or something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­you are truly a Monster like us now. A traitor to humanity.¡¹


    Milla gently leans her head on my chest.


    And with a voice soft enough for only me to hear, mutters.


    ¡¸¡­truthfully, I was really anxious.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh-huh.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought you would happily accept his invitation.¡¹


    ¡¸And I thought you would stop me.¡¹


    ¡¸Your happiness comes first. Those who do not wish for the happiness of those that they support have no right to call themselves a fan.¡¹


    Those they support, huh?


    ¡¸Is that so? But when it comes to getting involved with other women-¡¹


    ¡¸Insignificant insects must be exterminated.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­guess we¡¯ll leave that aside for now.¡¹


    There are things that must never be brought up.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s do our best from now on, Milla¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    She raised her head and our eyes met. I smile.


    She suddenly put distance between us.


    She looks like she¡¯s gnawing on the second joint of her bent index finger.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Once I sucked your blood, my body has a taste for it now¡­I have an incredible urge to suck your blood.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I am fine, I can tolerate it. However, if Lem can¡¯t tolerate it, please let me know as soon as you can. In fact, I hope that time comes sooner rather than later.¡¹


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t you want us to get to know each other better?¡¹


    ¡¸What more would you like to know? I am not even hiding anything else besides what is underneath these clothes¡­sob sob cry cry.¡¹


    Says Milla while crying crocodile tears.


    I know she¡¯s faking it yet, yet I can¡¯t help but fall for it. She really is amazing.


    ¡¸For now, let¡¯s head back to the bar. Blitz is all alone.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm, understood.¡¹


    In the days to come, the Fenix Party breaks through the ninth stratum.


    They are determined to advance to the tenth stratum.


    On the preparatory night before the day of the Clear, Fenix came to visit me.


    Just like Aerial, the bearers of the Four Great Spirits are absurd.


    Because he found out where I was hiding.

 CH 36

    36 ¨C A Friendly Chat


    ¡¸Geh!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not a very nice way to greet your friend, Lem.¡¹


    Fenix came to the inn immediately after I returned from a day of work.


    Wearing a robe and hood to hide his face, the person standing in front of the door was none other than the Flame Hero Fenix.


    ¡­I¡­never told him which inn I was staying in, though¡­


    By the way, it would appear that official personnel of the Demon King Army are placed in a dormitory prepared by them.


    They seem to separate them based on race but I¡¯ll probably be placed in the Majin dorm.


    Milla had a plan to have me put in the Vampire dorm but that plan somehow ended in failure.


    Lately, she was grumbling¡¸What is the difference between an antenna and a horn¡­Am I not a Majin?¡¹and I let her be.


    Anyway, back to the present and my surprise visitor.


    ¡¸Hey, you try being the guy who was tracked down by his friend even though he never told him where he stayed.¡¹


    Fenix tried to imagine it and frowned.


    ¡¸¡­Well¡­I guess I¡¯d be a little spooked.¡¹


    ¡¸Right?¡¹


    ¡¸But I could say the same to you. If you managed to find a job, you should¡¯ve told me.¡¹


    I guess he heard it from Aerial. He did mention that they were in the same inn.


    Fenix seems a little displeased.


    ¡¸First things first, how the heck did you find me?¡¹


    I guess because we¡¯re old friends, my tone of voice gets a little rougher only with Fenix.


    ¡¸I found out that you were working in this town from Aerial and came to look for you. Knowing you, you wouldn¡¯t choose a high-class inn and even though you¡¯re saving money after you left the party, you would still avoid the dirty dirt-cheap inns, right? So I searched every moderately priced inn that isn¡¯t too far from the bar where you met Aerial, and the response to your Magical Energy confirmed your location.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you a stalker or something?¡¹


    Magic Detection is an extremely sensitive technique.


    With it, Magical Energy responses are like palm reading.


    If you concentrate, it¡¯s like you can read the palms of everyone in your surroundings.


    You can say that this allows you to differentiate each person individually with this, but I think its difficulty is understandable.


    However, people with tremendous Magical Energy are an exception. These people might appear to have a picture drawn on their palm or perhaps the hand itself is so huge that you can tell from a glance.


    In my case, I keep it on a level below the average person so you wouldn¡¯t normally be able to find me but¡­


    If you were a friend I¡¯ve known since we were kids, you¡¯d be able to tell if I were nearby.


    There is a legend where a demon took the form of a close friend but his disguise was seen through and defeated. Perhaps they were able to detect it with Magic Detection.


    Well, I suppose I¡¯m the same. I can at least recognize the magic power of my allies. It¡¯s the result of spending countless years together with them.


    ¡¸¡­I wanted to speak to you.¡¹


    ¡¸I guessed as much.¡¹


    If he came this far only to say¡¸I just came to see your face¡¹, I will slam this door shut.


    ¡¸Besides, you¡¯re better at Magic Detection than me, Lem. I didn¡¯t do much.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s not about the skill, it¡¯s about your tenacity.¡¹


    ¡¸If the tables were turned, you¡¯d be worried.¡¹


    Well, in this case, let¡¯s try reversing our roles.


    The Black Sorcerer Fenix withdraws from the party, and I hear that he found a job somewhere. But he never even showed his face or notified me. Despite the fact that he¡¯s an old friend and was in the same party since the start.


    ¡­well¡­there¡¯s no way I could ignore that.


    ¡¸I get it, it¡¯s my bad. For some reason or other, I was embarrassed to meet you face to face.¡¹


    Not that I didn¡¯t want to talk to him.


    When I raised my hands in surrender, Fenix had an apologetic expression on his face for some reason.


    ¡¸No, I am at fault as well¡­¡¹


    ¡­?


    ¡¸Ah forget about it, let¡¯s go get a drink. We can talk better there.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Y-yeah. Is that alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? I think it¡¯s fine¡­wait, I should be asking you that. You have a Clear tomorrow so wouldn¡¯t it be better to not drink alcohol?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine. Hangovers don¡¯t get carried over to Avatars, and Heroes don¡¯t get affected by alcohol in the first place.¡¹


    That isn¡¯t normal at all.


    Despite looking like this, he actually eats a lot of meals. It¡¯s compensation for all the energy used to create a lot of Magical Energy, the same goes for me.


    But maybe Heroes have a higher metabolism?


    ¡¸Still, I¡¯m pretty sure you shouldn¡¯t drink alcohol on the day before a Clear.¡¹


    ¡¸One or two cups are fine. If you¡¯re worried about it, I don¡¯t mind having just water or milk.¡¹


    Ah, the aim is to have a discussion, so alcohol isn¡¯t a necessity.


    ¡¸Alright then. I¡¯m not in the mood for beer anyway.¡¹


    I also put on a coat and hid my face with the hood and we left the inn.


    We looked completely like an extremely suspicious pair, but as usual, I used my magic in our surrounding area. We didn¡¯t get any odd looks from passersby.


    We went to a nearby bar that I knew of. The food was great, fast and cheap. You can¡¯t beat it.


    ¡¸Did you really lose the reporters?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I jumped on top of a building on the way here and I ran across the roof.¡¹


    Yeah, they definitely can¡¯t chase you when you do that¡­


    ¡¸Anyway, how about you? Are you ok?¡¹


    ¡¸With what? You¡¯ve been acting weird for a while now.¡¹


    ¡¸No it¡¯s just¡­well¡­I thought that maybe you¡¯d be mad¡­¡¹


    Mutters Fenix, almost indiscernibly.


    ¡¸About? Your stalking actions? I just think it¡¯s creepy, so relax.¡¹


    I¡¯m used to unique people and beings thanks to my workplace so I wasn¡¯t surprised.


    I said that jokingly, but Fenix¡¯s facial expression didn¡¯t cheer up.


    ¡¸No¡­about¡­stuff with the party.¡¹


    Huh?


    Oh¡­oooh, I see now. You¡¯re heartbroken about that. Even though you weren¡¯t the one that drove me out and instead had to restrain yourself, you still have feelings of guilt about me leaving the party.


    That¡¯s so like you.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be silly. If that was enough to make me angry, I would have been angry at you back when you first found out you were going to be a Hero.¡¹


    We were ten years old. At the time his job was confirmed at the temple, I wasn¡¯t shocked.


    When I found out that he was a Hero, I wasn¡¯t able to completely embrace the blessing.


    I was able to say things like¡¸Good for you.¡¹or¡¸That¡¯s great!¡¹because I knew.


    I knew that he¡¯s someone with the wisdom to think deeply about everything, a kind person who doesn¡¯t harbor a desire for revenge to even bullies, and during fights with them, he¡¯s a soft-hearted person who would worry about me when I got injured over his own injuries.


    That¡¯s why I understood.


    Ah, I see. Him, huh? Well, I have to admit it suits him.


    ¡¸¡­Y-yeah, you¡¯re right. Sorry, Lem, for acting weird.¡¹


    You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I have no reason to be mad.


    ¡¸Uh-huh. Well then, you¡¯re paying, alright? It isn¡¯t payday yet for me.¡¹


    With that said, Fenix finally smiled.


    ¡¸Heh, sure.¡¹


    We reached the bar. We enter it.


    There was one noisy group in there but it¡¯s a bar, so I can¡¯t really complain.


    We sat at the empty stools by the bar counter.


    Ordered some food and water.


    ¡¸Oh by the way, Lem, I heard that you have a girlfriend now?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Dammit, Aerial. You didn¡¯t need to mention that¡­¡¹


    Well, it¡¯s not like I told him to keep it a secret, and I did run after him to give him an answer all while holding Milla¡¯s hand. It¡¯d be hard for anyone to think our relationship was anything but that.


    ¡¸Look at you showing off. Introduce us next time.¡¹


    Look who cheered up all of a sudden.


    ¡¸OK first off, she¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not nice to lie, Lem. Wasn¡¯t your face buried in her chest in front of everyone?¡¹


    Really? Really, Aerial? You were so happy about your Adventuring junior, who you were worried about because said junior didn¡¯t have many friends, finally getting a girlfriend¡­-ish¡­person, that you accidentally blurted that out to people?


    ¡¸We¡¯re just friends, for now.¡¹


    Technically, we¡¯re sleep buddies. At least that¡¯s what Milla said.


    Oh gosh, I¡¯m so embarrassed.


    ¡¸Heheh, Is that so? Well, I¡¯m glad, truly.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh shut up. Black Sorcerer is a really unpopular Job. What did you want to talk about anyway?¡¹


    ¡¸When did you two meet?¡¹


    ¡¸Listen to me when I¡¯m talking!¡¹


    I lightly punch him in the shoulder. Fenix found this funny and laughed.


    ¡¸Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s just that Aerial said that she was a wonderful woman, so I was curious.¡¹


    ¡¸I could go on forever about all the girls you¡¯ve gone out with.¡¹


    ¡¸Let us get right to the point.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s.¡¹


    Don¡¯t wanna talk about it, right? That¡¯s how I feel.


    These kinda discussions really depend on the person, I feel. There are people who want to talk to others about it, while some prefer to stay silent.


    But no, really, Milla and I are not lovers.


    ¡¸So, why don¡¯t you tell me? What did you want to talk about?¡¹


    Fenix took a sip of the water that was brought here earlier and opened his mouth.


    ¡¸It¡¯s concerning a matter that happened the other day. I want to confirm something with you.¡¹


    It¡¯s probably about me leaving the party. Nothing else comes to mind.


    ¡¸Why¡­did you decide to leave the party on your own?¡¹

 CH 37

    37 ¨C Laughing With a Friend 1


    ¡¸Ohhh¡­¡¹


    Right.


    I understood what he was saying.


    Even after everything that¡¯s happened, we were still best friends.


    Our lives as Adventurers first began when we made a party together.


    Fenix said that we¡¯d reach the top, and I agreed with his dream.


    Things were only going to get more complicated if I stayed in that party.


    Even so, leaving the party like that without talking to him about it was, in a sense, a betrayal.


    It was like I was spitting on our promise.


    But Fenix didn¡¯t blame me.


    Right now he just wanted to understand me.


    He wanted to find out my reasoning for what I did, and how I felt about the results.


    ¡¸Alba, Lark, Lily, and of course Bella are all my precious teammates. But didn¡¯t we make a promise to each other as kids when we first set out?¡¹


    ¡ºI¡¯ll be able to reach the top with you, Lem. Let¡¯s become the best in the world as the first Flame Hero in 130 years and the strongest Black Sorcerer.¡»


    ¡¸But it never would have worked out if I stayed there. I couldn¡¯t show my power. Even if I showed it only to our teammates, Alba wouldn¡¯t be able to hide it nor would he plan on hiding it. He¡¯d want to use it as part of our appeal. As long as I couldn¡¯t do that, I¡¯d be nothing but a deadweight Black Sorcerer in the eyes of the viewers. And I can¡¯t change my Job, either.¡¹


    A profession determined by God. That¡¯s what a Job is.


    Although, it is possible to live while defying that Job. It would be very difficult, but possible.


    But that can¡¯t be said for Adventurers. It was against the rules to register under anything other than your own Job.


    ¡¸But we made it all the way to 4th rank, we were so close¡­¡¹


    He was right. 4th rank is definitely close to the top of the world.


    We started off at rock-bottom, too. Newbies are always going to be the lowest-ranked.


    But despite that, we climbed up the ranks at blinding speeds.


    I first met Milla two years ago, and we were at 13th rank back then. But we shot straight up to 4th rank soon afterward.


    Some time after reaching 4th rank, we had our rank updated.


    Our rank didn¡¯t change.


    Our achievements should have been enough to be deserving of at least 3rd rank, so what was holding us back?


    ¡¸That¡¯s exactly why. Alba exploded in frustration because we were stuck at 4th rank.¡¹


    Fenix was a Hero amazing enough to be considered the strongest human in the world.


    All our other teammates felt that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they reached 1st rank with him. No, they felt that they should have reached 1st rank.


    Their achievements were more than enough.


    Fenix had good looks, a nice build, superb abilities, and he had a contract with one of the strongest spirits out there.


    He had a lot of exposure on television and all videos that featured him had an incredibly high view count.


    So why didn¡¯t we reach 3rd rank?


    The top three hadn¡¯t changed for many years by now.


    But Fenix was the Flame Hero. The magic sword-wielding Warrior, the Hunter that let loose arrows faster than the eye could see, and the Paladin that excelled at both offense and defense were all extremely capable Adventurers as well.


    ¡¸But he might have changed his opinion of you if we reached 3rd rank at the next rank update.¡¹


    If we managed to dig into the immutable top three rankings, things could have taken a very different turn.


    It didn¡¯t matter even if I didn¡¯t have the appeal of someone like the White Sorcerer Panacea who restored the damage taken by her teammates¡¯ Avatars.


    That¡¯s just how much of a big deal it was to reach the top three.


    It would be impossible to break into the top three with deadweight in the team.


    To be part of the top three, your party had to be composed of only the cream of the crop.


    Even if we did make it in, there¡¯d be opinions like ¡¸they only made it in because of the Flame Hero¡¯s popularity.¡¹ Many Adventurer fans would likely resent them for that.


    Because they all know that it takes more to truly be considered part of the top three.


    ¡¸Well, yes, but that¡¯s impossible.¡¹


    Both Fenix and I aimed for the top.


    If we reached the top, then the people who once rejected me would accept me.


    After all, would anyone actually think that someone who surpassed Aerial¡¯s party would be incompetent?


    Just that kind of thought alone would be an insult to Aerial¡¯s party.


    So if a Black Sorcerer was in the party ranked 1st in the world, then that Black Sorcerer would have to be exceptional.


    If I had accepted Aerial¡¯s offer, the same result would have occurred. In fact, that probably would have been even more effective in changing everyone¡¯s opinion about me.


    As long as I would have managed on maintaining their party¡¯s overall party even without Panacea being there to help.


    The viewers¡¯ opinions would have slowly changed via thoughts like¡¸Huh? It¡¯s kind of hard to tell, but it seems like they¡¯ve been clearing more smoothly now that he¡¯s joined the party.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t deny that, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If achievements and the popularity as a Hero aren¡¯t enough, then what is? After thinking about that, the only answer to come up would be my existence in the party.¡¹


    ¡¸But the reality is that we only climbed the ranks so fast because you were there with us.¡¹


    ¡¸It wasn¡¯t just me. Besides, the new girl that joined you, Bella, seems to be pretty good as well.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve been watching our runs?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, with my eyes glued to the screen.¡¹


    I even watched all the cut footage.


    ¡¸Then you must have noticed. Our on-screen performance might have become flashier, but¡­¡¹


    Fenix stopped mid-sentence.


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, that¡¯s also probably my fault.¡¹


    Alba was a top-class adventurer, but he didn¡¯t have the same outrageous growth rates as a Hero, nor was he trained by a Demon King like me.


    We were all around the same age, meaning that there was only so much that could result from hard work alone. We had room to grow because we were young, but that also meant that we lacked experience and maturity.


    I was well-trained thanks to Master, and I¡¯ve been able to draw out my limits and technique due to constantly expending my Magical Energy 24/7.


    But that was something I could do only because I was a Black Sorcerer.


    I wanted to reach the top alongside Fenix. As soon as possible. All while not having my abilities exposed, of course.


    That¡¯s why I used my magic in a way that made my party members appear strong.


    As a result, they were all able to perform far greater than their own ability, but my magic essentially impeded on what should have been learning experiences for them.


    Since they were always able to perform at their peak, they lost any chances to discover mistakes and improve themselves.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just at fault in terms of that.¡¹


    Now that I had left, their abilities have become on the same level of all the efforts they¡¯ve spent so far. This whole time they had thought that they were stronger than they really were, so they were likely having a hard time coming to grips with reality.


    ¡¸But didn¡¯t things change a little after reaching the seventh stratum?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, thanks to Bella.¡¹


    Bella apparently suggested that the party make the assumption that my Black Magic was actually of use to the party.


    ¡¸¡­Wow. And Alba was okay with that? It¡¯s kinda hard to imagine.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, he would¡¯ve never agreed with it if I had brought it up.¡¹


    Fenix made a wry smile.


    ¡¸Yeah. But at this rate¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I know. Bella is very competent, but she is still a Hero.¡¹


    Someone who fights.


    ¡¸Well, I do think that more and more members have been getting defeated.¡¹


    In the fifth stratum, it was Bella. In the sixth stratum, it was Lark and Lily. In the seventh stratum, everyone but the Hero got defeated.


    Their movements had improved compared to right after I had left them.


    They essentially became able to fight at their actual power level.


    And now they¡¯ve learned that their current ability wouldn¡¯t be enough to clear that outrageously difficult Demon King Castle.


    It¡¯s not like they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance at all, but they would have never had even reached the tenth stratum without the Hero Fenix.


    ¡¸It seems that Lark and Lily have changed their opinion about you. Alba too, but¡­you know how he is.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. But that actually might be troublesome for me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I did try to cover for you to an extent, at least.¡¹


    Like Panacea, I was a Black Sorcerer that was out of the ordinary.


    The main difference is that ancient White Sorcerers that were especially exceptional were often considered to be saints or sages, while most exceptional Black Sorcerers were witches and such that were on the Demons¡¯ side. Not to mention that the strongest Black Sorcerer in existence was a Demon King that single-handedly destroyed an entire city.


    It would be bad if people started suspecting I was a user of Black Sorcery since rumors would quickly travel across the country and start causing trouble for my party.


    That¡¯s why I hid it.


    I didn¡¯t live a total lie though, considering it was easy for me to just act from the rearguard like Panacea.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fenix, don¡¯t say anymore.¡¹


    Our food came in.


    I immediately started digging in, but Fenix didn¡¯t even touch his utensils.


    Chew, chew, chew, chew¡­Ugh.


    This isn¡¯t going to work.


    Looks like I¡¯ll have to talk to him about it.


    ¡¸You know why I didn¡¯t talk to you about leaving, right? It was because I didn¡¯t want to make you end up saying that certain thing.¡¹


    I¡¯ve known this guy ever since back when he was a timid crybaby.


    And I knew that he still greatly cherished our old promise.


    Well, that¡¯s not to say I didn¡¯t feel the same way.


    ¡¸Even if¡­even if you had told Alba and the rest to leave when they wanted me gone, it would have been pointless. No, not just pointless, it would be the worst thing you could possibly do. You wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the 1st rank anymore.¡¹

 CH 38

    38 ¨C Laughing With a Friend 2


    Overall popularity was an important factor when it came to ranking.


    But think about it.


    Who in the world would support a Hero that would treasure their useless Black Sorcerer best friend to the point of kicking out their other three party members?


    Adventurers exist for the sake of the viewers.


    No matter how strong one¡¯s friendship might be, choosing to prioritize that over work will inevitably cause ratings to plummet.


    Not to mention that the only flaw Fenix had at the time was the fact that he had kept me in his party.


    What¡¯s worse, anyone that joined the party afterward wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything bad about me.


    Because they¡¯d get kicked out if they did.


    That wouldn¡¯t be a healthy party, and if their popularity dropped, then reaching the top 3 would have become impossible.


    ¡¸I know. But in that case¡­are you trying to say that that dream of ours was impossible from the very start?¡¹


    Yeah, it makes sense how he¡¯d think that.


    But right now I¡¯m waiting for his answer.


    ¡¸Why did you want to reach the top with me, Fenix?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean why?¡¹


    ¡¸You said we¡¯d be able to reach the top together, but being able to reach the top is different from wanting to reach the top.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re a hero, that¡¯s why. I felt that everyone else would understand that as well once you became ranked 1st in the world.¡¹


    There¡¯s no doubt that right now, he himself strongly desired to reach the top.


    But what started it all was me. That was clear after recalling our conversation at the time.


    ¡¸Then there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡¹


    Fenix made a dubious look.


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸I still plan on becoming a hero. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡¹


    ¡¸But you declined Aerial¡¯s offer, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸I told this to him as well, but basically I don¡¯t want to just get carried to the top.¡¹


    ¡¸Did you find a new party?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, not exactly.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, tell me in a way that I can understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Someday.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯ll become a hero on your own, so I don¡¯t have to worry?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve found comrades.¡¹


    Those people knew my power. They¡¯ve agreed to fight alongside me.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why we¡¯ll be competing from now on, Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸You said that you¡¯d prefer if I was your comrade rather than your rival, but remember what I said before? If you slack off enough, I might even surpass you.¡¹


    I wanted to reach the top together with him. We weren¡¯t able to make that dream come true, but it¡¯s not like the dream is completely dead even after things have changed.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah, I remember.¡¹


    Fenix nodded.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see which of us is the better hero. I¡¯m not going to hold back just because you¡¯re my friend.¡¹


    Fenix made a surprised face as I teased him, but he soon made a smile.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the top, as well.¡¹


    His smile was bright and cheerful.


    ¡¸Hmm? It sounded to me like you had a lot to complain about, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yes, considering that not only did you leave us without consulting me about it, you even cut off contact from me. Of course I¡¯d feel a little hurt.¡¹


    ¡¸C¡¯mon, I already apologized about that, didn¡¯t I?¡¹


    ¡¸On top of that, you were having fun in a pub with your new friends and lover¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Stop sulking already.¡¹


    I pushed one of the dishes towards him as to urge him to eat.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s pretty good.¡¹


    ¡¸Right? And it¡¯s cheap, too.¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose I¡¯ll stop by here every once in a while.¡¹


    ¡¸You better not, Mr. Popular. If people find out you like this place, it¡¯d get crowded as heck.¡¹


    It¡¯d be nice for this place¡¯s business, though.


    We then just talked about trivial things.


    ¡¸So then I sliced off that damn werewolf¡¯s claws and went after his neck just like that!¡¹


    A group of noisy people entered the restaurant with one of them bragging loudly.


    The rest of them started cheering after hearing that.


    ¡¸¡­I suppose they¡¯re Adventurers.¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe, I don¡¯t recognize them. They¡¯re at least not within the top 100.¡¹


    I was pretty familiar with anyone within the top 100 and prospective newbies.


    I also felt that as long as they didn¡¯t commit crimes or cause any trouble, Adventurers should be free to do whatever they wanted during their off time.


    Being noisy might fall under the category of¡¸causing trouble¡¹, but we were in a pub, after all.


    But from what I could hear, it sounded like that man was really discriminating against Demi-Humans.


    ¡¸Man¡­some people really get too into the established setting, huh?¡¹


    As in, people would legitimately think they¡¯re heroes defeating the evil monsters that lurk in dungeons.


    Of course, they still had a grasp on what was reality and what was fantasy, but there were still a good amount of people that had their Dungeon experiences influence their opinions in reality.


    ¡¸He¡¯s going too far, even if he might be drunk.¡¹


    Fenix made a grimace as well.


    ¡¸Those shitty demons should be grateful for the current times we live in! Otherwise, we¡¯d be slaughtering each and every one of them! Gahaha!¡¹


    Those people orbiting around him would nod and applaud at every remark he made as well.


    It¡¯s been a long time since the world fell into peace, but no matter how much time passes, discrimination will always exist.


    There are those that have gotten along with Demi-Humans, but there are also those that continue to ridicule those that are mixed with beasts.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s go, Fenix. They¡¯re making me sick.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we¡¯ve already talked about everything that needed to be talked about.¡¹


    We paid for our food and began to leave.


    But that¡¯s when it happened.


    ¡¸What the heck, you¡¯re a Demi-Human? Hot damn¡­you¡¯ve got a pretty nice body for someone mixed with a beast. Hmm, how ¡®bout you come to my place so I could exterminate you?¡¹


    The man had grabbed onto a dog Demi-Human waitress while leering at her vulgarly.


    Everyone around him seemed to cheer him on.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­and I have work tomorrow, too.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, Lem. You won¡¯t get tired out if the two of us work together.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m already having a hard time making sure no one here notices you, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸I know you¡¯ve trained enough for that to not be a problem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, yeah. This¡¯ll be easy. So easy.¡¹


    We talked as we approached the men.


    ¡¸Um, I don¡¯t think that girl appreciates what you¡¯re doing.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, your discriminatory remarks are inexcusable.¡¹

 CH 39

    39 ¨C Laughing With a Friend 3


    The man and his groupies, around thirty of them or so, stood up.


    ¡¸What¡¯d you say? Who the hell are you guys? Do you have any idea who I am?¡¹


    The man was tall enough to make even Fenix look up at him.


    But both Fenix and I were as calm as could be.


    ¡¸We don¡¯t, but we¡¯d assume you¡¯re an Adventurer at least below the top 100.¡¹


    A vein bulged on the man¡¯s face. I felt some deja vu. This was just like that Heavy-Armored Knight that attacked Milla.


    ¡¸Sounds like you really want to die.¡¹


    It was a threatening voice.


    I tilted my head and looked at Fenix.


    ¡¸Is that true?¡¹


    Fenix responded kindly with an amused face.


    ¡¸It might be that they legitimately believe they¡¯re strong enough to defeat us.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s hilarious.¡¹


    I shrugged my shoulders exaggeratedly.


    ¡¸¡­You idiots have gotten in way over your heads. Guess what, I¡¯m a Hero!¡¹


    Oh, I see.


    Sure, his job might be Hero.


    But¡­


    ¡¸I highly doubt you¡¯re anything close to a hero. Maybe more like a thug.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll make you regret this, damn brat.¡¹


    We were surrounded by the drunks.


    The rest of the customers in the pub came and went, with some of them silent and some of them cheering.


    The employees and owner looked at us with worried faces.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not that ruthless of a guy. I¡¯ll let you off if you get on your knees and beg for forgiveness.¡¹


    ¡¸Nonsense. Don¡¯t you think you should be the one apologizing to that girl?¡¹


    Fenix¡¯s sound argument enraged the man.


    ¡¸That¡¯s got nothing to do with you!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take care of the thug.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡¹


    ¡¸What could a twig like you possibly do to me? Haha! Let¡¯s see what you got!¡¹


    It didn¡¯t even take a few minutes for this showdown to get settled.


    The man didn¡¯t attempt to dodge the fist of a¡¸small-framed boy¡¹that I threw out at him. He was probably planning on driving me to despair by showing that it¡¯d do practically no damage to him. I guess he thought that his physical strength was strong enough that everything would just naturally work out for him? I don¡¯t really get it.


    After all, I¡¯d be able to take him down in one blow by hitting him in the stomach after completely lowering his defense.


    The Hero with the unknown rank let out a squeal and fell unconscious onto the floor facedown.


    Fenix quickly caught the girl so that she wouldn¡¯t fall down with him.


    ¡¸What are you doing on the floor? Did you want to apologize to us?¡¹


    There was no response.


    The tone in the air quickly grew cold, and one of the more prominent groupies yelled out and attacked us.


    But he was soon knocked down by another groupie that was nearby him.


    ¡­Dealing with all of them would¡¯ve been a pain, so I inflicted Confusion on all of them so that they¡¯d confuse their allies as enemies.


    It was difficult to handle since there were innocent bystanders around us, too.


    Well, Fenix was here, so it¡¯d probably be fine.


    As the drunks fought each other, we knocked them all out one by one.


    ¡¸All right, I¡¯m finished up over here.¡¹


    ¡¸Same.¡¹


    The final man toppled onto the floor.


    As expected of the Flame Hero. He took out three people by the time I took out just one.


    I searched for the unconscious Hero¡¯s identification and memorized his information.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll report him as well.¡¹


    That would be more efficient. They¡¯d take his report more seriously than mine.


    ¡¸The guards are here!¡¹


    One of the customers that had evacuated out of the pub shouted out.


    This was bad.


    It¡¯d be really troublesome if we got caught.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    Fenix gently helped up the waitress who had gotten dragged into this mess and handed her the money for the food as well as a little extra.


    ¡¸Take this as an apology for the trouble we¡¯ve caused. Thank you for the delicious food.¡¹


    The waitress, who could only recognize Fenix as a tall young man, blushed.


    ¡¸U-Um, there¡¯s an exit in the back over there¡­Thank you for saving me.¡¹


    We got some helpful information.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, you womanizer.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if I appreciate you calling me that.¡¹


    The wry-smiling Fenix and I rushed towards the exit that the waitress pointed out.


    After exiting the place, we ran for a while.


    Once we made sure no one was following us, we entered an alleyway we happened to come across.


    ¡¸Ahaha. It¡¯d be a huge scandal if people found out the Flame Hero was caught up in a bar fight.¡¹


    ¡¸I wasn¡¯t able to ignore what that man was doing.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yeah, but I could have taken care of it on my own.¡¹


    ¡¸But it would have been taken care of a lot faster with the two of us, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Having your magic around really does make it easier for me to fight.¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    There wasn¡¯t any point in acting modest around friends.


    We started walking towards nowhere in particular.


    Fenix suddenly started talking.


    ¡¸Our party is going to challenge the tenth stratum tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    I knew.


    It was me who¡¯d be guarding the door to the 11th stratum, after all.


    ¡¸And¡­we¡¯re going to win, so you should watch.¡¹


    ¡¸You bet I¡¯ll be watching.¡¹


    I¡¯ll be watching from the best possible seat in the house.


    I¡¯ll be the one taking you on, after all.


    ¡¸I¡¯m heading towards the top, one step at a time.¡¹


    ¡¸I dunno about that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You think I¡¯ll lose?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll see tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll win no matter what. You¡¯re the one who told me that that¡¯s what a hero does.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­How long are you going to remember that, geez.¡¹


    I was happy, but it was a little embarrassing, too.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll remember it for the rest of my life.¡¹


    We drew close to my inn.


    ¡¸All right, I¡¯ll see you, then. I¡¯m going to be changing inns soon, but don¡¯t you dare try to search me out again.¡¹


    ¡¸As long as you don¡¯t keep me out of the loop.¡¹


    ¡¸I know, I know. I¡¯ll update you on my employment developments. I¡¯ll be the one to come to you, next time.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t forget to introduce me to your lovely girlfriend, either.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re still going on about that?¡¹


    We looked at each other and laughed.


    We¡¯ll be seeing each other again tomorrow.


    As an Adventurer and a Monster.


    As a Hero and a Majin.


    And to me personally¡­


    As a hero of humanity and as a hero of the Monsters.


    It¡¯ll be a battle between best friends.

 CH 40

    40 ¨C An Interview Right Before Entering the Tenth Stratum


    ¡¸Now then, you¡¯ve finally reached the tenth stratum. Looking back, how do you feel about your journey so far?¡¹


    A male reporter was asking a question in front of the Demon King Castle.


    The five of us faced the video camera lens that was recording footage for television use and responded to the interview.


    Television broadcasts have dedicated time slots. They start at a specific time and end at a specific time.


    That¡¯s why regardless of whether the dungeon run ends in success or not, it¡¯s better if it lasts as long as possible. A long run can simply be edited to fit the time slot, but if it¡¯s too short, then extending footage can be difficult. There¡¯s a limit to how often they can just repeat footage over and over again.


    In other words, filler is used to fill up the timeslot if necessary.


    Stuff like hyping up the viewers or making comments on a successful run. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for broadcasts to use things like that.


    No one could possibly expect what could happen in the Demon King Castle compared to other Dungeons, so being interviewed right before the tenth stratum wasn¡¯t all that strange.


    They¡¯d probably do it right before the battle with the Demon King themself as well.


    ¡¸As shown by all the parties trying to follow our example and getting wiped out at the very first stratum, the Demon King Castle is an extremely difficult Dungeon. The few parties that have gone past the second stratum have all been defeated by the fourth stratum as well. I suppose you could say the strata so far are all much more difficult than the Recommended Level they¡¯ve been given.¡¹


    Ever since we first cleared the first stratum, a mysterious robed Majin and Hellhounds that utilized Black Magic began showing up, enemies that we had never encountered. Ever since then, not a single party has gotten past the first stratum.


    Our party could be considered fortunate in that sense, but I didn¡¯t bother bringing that up.


    ¡­But from what I¡¯ve heard, there seemed to be quite a number of Black Magic users showing up. Could it be that they just weren¡¯t recruited until after we cleared the first stratum?


    The mysterious robed Majin really did have a mysteriously undefined role. Some say he¡¯s probably in charge of directing the Hellhounds.


    ¡¸True. Your party didn¡¯t have a single person defeated until the fifth stratum. Since then, you had someone getting wiped out pretty much every single time.¡¹


    ¡¸It simply means that the Monsters they have gathered truly make the Dungeon deserving of the word Impregnable, as well as a Dungeon deserving to be challenged by us.¡¹


    ¡¸Speaking of the fifth stratum, wasn¡¯t that your first run after the Black Sorcerer Lem left your party? Apparently, he was your childhood friend, but do you think that his withdrawal had any effect on your Clears?¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    It should have already been established that Lem was a taboo subject, but the reporter continued to face the mic towards me with an innocent look.


    My opinion towards Lem¡¯s withdrawal had yet to be made public. I¡¯ve remained completely silent on it.


    No one would want to hear that Lem was actually necessary to the group, they wanted to hear me say that I wanted him gone.


    But there¡¯s absolutely no chance of me ever saying anything like that.


    I rounded up the interview and began heading to the Dungeon, but someone spoke out right before that.


    ¡¸I believe Lem was an exceptional Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    It was the Frost Hero Bella.


    The reporter was caught off guard for a moment, but he soon began speaking.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, but you were Lem¡¯s replacement, yes? Because the party felt like they needed more firepower, right? And it actually has in fact gone up since you joined.¡¹


    ¡¸If you really think that, then you must not be the very attentive type.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The reporter froze up against Bella¡¯s cold smile.


    ¡¸If anything had improved after I joined the party, it¡¯d only be our visual impact. I believe the party was more balanced overall before I joined. The only benefit I brought to the table was improving the flashiness of our combat. I don¡¯t believe anything else has improved. I¡¯m not so shameless as to give myself more credit than I deserve.¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t even surprised at this point.


    I already knew Bella was the type of person to say exactly how she felt.


    She was a bit timid when she first joined us, but it didn¡¯t take her long to get acclimated.


    ¡¸L-Lem was an exceptional Black Sorcerer, you say? I¡¯ve heard that his comrades found him to be an issue since he was a deadweight, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you using rumors as your basis for what kind of person Lem was? What were you even expecting from asking something like this to a newcomer like me? Oh, also, didn¡¯t the No.1 ranked Storm Hero Aerial praise Lem as well? Have you not heard about that?¡¹


    ¡¸T-The No.1 ranked Adventurer said that? I haven¡¯t heard anything like that¡­¡¹


    It was something he said to us personally. Of course, the public wouldn¡¯t know.


    The reporter¡¯s face grew red as he quickly turned the mic to Alba.


    ¡¸You mentioned it in a previous interview, didn¡¯t you, Alba? That you were the one that urged Lem to leave the party, and that it was the correct decision.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Isn¡¯t this an interview for the tenth stratum? What¡¯s the point in talking about someone who isn¡¯t even here anymore? Let¡¯s get to work, already.¡¹


    Lark and Lily made surprised faces.


    The usual Alba would have happily criticized Lem¡¯s faults.


    But for some reason, even he was chastising the reporter for mentioning such things.


    Realizing that he wouldn¡¯t get any desirable responses out of us, the reporter made a frustrated face for a while and then proceeded to the questions he originally planned to ask.


    ¡¸A total of three people were defeated between the seventh and ninth stratum, but how do you think the tenth stratum will play out?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure many formidable unseen enemies will be waiting for us. But we will not lose. Our battles should be proof of that.¡¹


    After some more questions were made to the rest of the members, the interview concluded.


    After the camera stopped rolling, I called out to the reporter.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, what is it? Those questions weren¡¯t my decision, the higher-ups wanted-¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care. Just be more careful next time.¡¹


    As I directly gave him my warning while standing in front of him, the reporter trembled in fear.


    If Bella didn¡¯t pull on my sleeve, the reporter might have fallen into incontinence.


    ¡¸¡­I know that you have a strong bond to your childhood friend, but you shouldn¡¯t use your Magical Energy to threaten people.¡¹


    Even if someone might not be able to use magic, they are able to feel Magical Energy.


    Just like how people are able to sense presences, they are able to sense the Magical Energy that unconsciously gets emitted from others.


    Not many are able to sense it, but it is similar to bloodthirst.


    If the Flame Hero were to purposely emit Magical Energy, the average person would get overcome with incomprehensible fear.


    It¡¯s much more inefficient than something like Lem¡¯s Black Magic, and it¡¯s rather weak against those who have the ability to cloak themselves in Magical Energy, so it doesn¡¯t have much use in Dungeon Clears.


    Also, it doesn¡¯t show on the camera.


    ¡¸I wasn¡¯t threatening him, just warning him.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just semantics.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ve gotten pretty used to our party. I¡¯m glad, as your leader.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m honored. Do you miss Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t tease me.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m just showing my concern for you.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just semantics.¡¹


    Bella made a small laugh.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll be able to win with this party.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know.¡¹


    We headed towards the Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸Bella¡¯s been doing all the work lately. I need to redeem myself.¡¹


    ¡¸This Dungeon really is tough. But I don¡¯t want to do anything over after coming this far.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll cut down anything that shows up in our way, no matter what it is. I¡¯m not letting myself get defeated anymore.¡¹


    The three of them were completely motivated.


    ¡¸All right, let¡¯s Clear the tenth stratum.¡¹

 CH 41

    41 ¨C A Speech Right Before Entering the Tenth Stratum


    Link Rooms, which are rooms dedicated to transferring one¡¯s soul to their Avatars, have two main differences depending on whether they are meant for Monster-use or Adventurer-use.


    Adventurer parties have a limit of five, so there are only five pairs of cocoons set up in the room.


    Monsters have no restriction though, meaning many cocoons are needed.


    And since the original body needs to remain in one of the cocoons in each pair, you can¡¯t have multiple people using the cocoons in succession.


    Right now we were just about done transferring ourselves to our Avatars and have been transferred to the tenth stratum.


    The place was similar to a large passageway in something like a palace. Actually, since it was only a straight line, I guess it would be more like a hallway¡­? Calling it a hallway kinda takes away from the grand feeling it was supposed to have, but yes, it was pretty much a hallway.


    On each side of the pitch-black floor were tall pillars of the same color. The ceiling was also tall and black.


    There were two doors in the long, long hallway.


    One was the door where the Adventurers would be coming in from.


    The other was the door we¡¯d be protecting.


    There was a tall stone chair hiding that door, with stairs that led downwards behind it.


    It was something like a throne.


    Her Majesty is merely a Dungeon Master, but the setting was supposed to make her look like a legitimate king.


    I stood up from the chair I had been sitting on.


    Below my eyes were my subordinates who had been summoned specifically for this occasion.


    ¡¸Fenix¡¯s party will be arriving shortly.¡¹


    They all listened to what I had to say silently.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure all of you are well familiar with them. After all, they were the ones who defeated you.¡¹


    My comrades are the Dungeon¡¯s Monsters.


    They were all people who were defeated by Fenix¡¯s party as they made their way this far.


    They were well aware of their strength.


    Does that mean they¡¯re just weaklings fated to lose against them?


    No.


    ¡¸Despite that, you all are still standing here. Why is that? The Flame Hero is someone who could be considered the strongest member of humanity. A rematch against him would surely result in failure.¡¹


    I purposely spoke provocatively.


    ¡¸Are you standing here right now simply to lose again?¡¹


    ¡¸No! We have risen up once again in order to claim victory under the guidance of the Chief of Staff!¡¹


    The one who responded instantly was the Chief of the Werewolves, Marchosias.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. These three heads of ours will rip out their windpipes this time for sure.¡¹


    Following, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius and the Invisible Executioner Glasya-Labolas roared out.


    ¡¸I would love to add that Frost Hero to my collection. That could very well become a possibility under your direction.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll rot that elf who knocked down all my arrows for sure this time¡­¡¹


    The Spirit Ruler General Kimaris and his aide, the dark elf known as the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, responded as well.


    There weren¡¯t any Dream Demons, aquatic monsters, or birdmen called in this time around.


    Only those who wished for a rematch against Fenix¡¯s party were gathered.


    There was one odd exception though, and that would be the Black Knight of the Big Four, the Reaper Knight Furcas.


    She, it turned out she was actually a girl, by the way, was someone who worked on a contract of one meal per one instance of assistance.


    Meaning that she wouldn¡¯t be summoned here unless I specifically asked her to.


    However, after she got defeated by Fenix, she appeared before me and repeatedly spoke the word¡¸food.¡¹


    After a while, I interpreted what she was saying to be a request to participate in the rematch. It seemed that I was correct, seeing as she is here now.


    ¡¸Excellent. After experiencing so many defeats, I know your souls will not allow true defeat to come upon you. Today we will drive them back. There is only one thing I ask of you all.¡¹


    I scanned my eyes across everyone and spoke out.


    ¡¸Follow me. I shall grant you victory.¡¹


    Lemegeton is the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    Since that kind of person would need some level of refined dignity, her Highness herself trained me to alter my speech habits.


    It was a bit embarrassing at first, but I grew used to it eventually.


    In fact, I¡¯ve been able to say things I would normally have trouble saying, so maybe that way of talking was a good fit for a Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸Yeaaah! We¡¯ll follow your every order! Give us victory!¡¹


    Marchosias and the werewolves he brought with him roared out.


    Among the Monsters, a single vampire stepped forward.


    It was the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    ¡¸We will follow you. I swear we will bring you victory.¡¹


    She got on one knee, displaying her loyalty.


    ¡¸Return to your positions.¡¹


    Everyone stepped back from me.


    Only I sat down.


    And then Fenix¡¯s party showed up.


    There was a significant distance between us.


    Just in case of the off chance that they¡¯d actually recognize me, I had a voice changer installed in my mask.


    Also, I was able to have it so my voice would transmit to this floor¡¯s speakers with a press of a button.


    I pressed the small button on the side of my mask.


    ¡¸So you¡¯ve come, Adventurers.¡¹


    By the way, this floor was similar to the fifth stratum.


    In other words, the Floor Boss would be encountered right after entering it.


    On other strata, I¡¯d usually just have my Black Magic spread everywhere to help the Monsters defeat the opponents.


    But I¡¯d be doing things differently this time around.


    I wanted to completely wipe out Fenix¡¯s party alongside my comrades who shared my desire for victory.


    I was just being selfish here. But everyone agreed to follow me.


    That¡¯s why I had an obligation as Lemegeton to bring victory to everyone.


    ¡¸Welcome to the tenth stratum, the true domain of the demons.¡¹


    They stopped for a second, but soon continued forward.


    ¡¸I am the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.¡¹


    Just calling myself a Black Sorcerer sounded a bit weak, so we went with Dark Sorcerer.


    It was definitely the kind of name her Highness would¡¯ve thought up of.


    The¡¸One-horned¡¹part was something that I insisted on adding.


    My Avatar had one horn as well, so the viewers wouldn¡¯t find it odd or anything.


    But there was one person who would notice.


    After all¡­


    ¡¸I am the Flame Hero Fenix! I will defeat you and swing this sword of mine upon the Demon King himself!¡¹


    Fenix shouted to carry his voice towards me.


    ¡¸That won¡¯t happen. After all, we will be eliminating you all right here and now.¡¹


    My Black Magic could reach anywhere as long as I could see where my target was.


    I unleashed my Black Magic on the five of them at the entrance.


    Their expressions changed instantly.


    Four of them made pained faces.


    Only one of them was different.


    My friend, Fenix, made a smile.


    ¡¸¡­! Haha¡­ Hahahaha!¡¹


    He burst out in laughter, something that was unlike him.


    ¡¸I see¡­ I see now!¡¹


    He put his hand to his mouth as he failed to control his laughter.


    The very next moment, he took out his holy sword.


    Its blade shone a brilliant red. It was crimson as if it was scorching hot.


    ¡¸Go all out. We¡¯ll only fall further behind the longer we take.¡¹


    The Flame Hero must have realized.


    Realized that Lemegeton was his best friend.


    That would make sense. He¡¯d realize even if I didn¡¯t say anything.


    That¡¯s why you¡¯d come at me full force.


    I knew.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see just how far you¡¯ll get, Flame Hero.¡¹

 CH 42

    42 ¨C The Hospitality of the Monsters¡¯ Territory


    Monsters were standing in the way of Fenix and his party.


    ¡¸There you are¡­¡¹


    Alba muttered.


    Fenix¡¯s party was confused at why Fenix suddenly burst out into laughter, but his words right afterward pulled them back into focus.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla that controlled bat familiars.


    She was a bewitching vampire with a mask that covered her face and an elaborate dress covering her body.


    ¡¸The Big Four, huh? We¡¯ve defeated them before, but having all four of them show up at once would definitely be troublesome.¡¹


    Lark spoke in his usual low-tension voice.


    It depends on the Dungeon, but the Big Four, or any rank similar to that, have the potential to appear on pretty much any stratum.


    In the Demon King Castle, they appeared in the third, fifth, eighth, and ninth stratum.


    They¡¯re, of course, quite powerful, but there is one big difference about them that sets them apart from the rest of the Monsters.


    For one time only, they are able to appear in a stratum that they¡¯re not in charge of.


    This is usually the case for either the Dungeon Master battle or the fight right before that.


    To put it another way, other than the top-ranked monsters, special monsters like Floor Bosses and such are not allowed to appear on other strata, so they had returned to the Link Room after the speech.


    There is one exception, however, and that is for them to be summoned by someone instead of entering the stratum themself.


    Fenix¡¯s party still didn¡¯t know about my ring.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯ll start with making them think they¡¯re just normal Clear.


    By the way, I was officially promoted to Chief of Staff today. Before that, I was just a normal Monster, helping out with various things on the first and second strata. This was also a way to prevent any information on the strata from leaking.


    ¡¸That Black Knight Furcus, is especially bothersome. My arrows won¡¯t pierce that armor.¡¹


    Furcus was quite large in her armor.


    It¡¯s not that she exactly looked like a large person, but rather she looked like an extra-large statue created to resemble some famous person. You really had to look up when facing her, making it so that she didn¡¯t seem like an actual person.


    The Reaper Knight Furcus wielded a pitch-black spear.


    Behind her were several of her subordinates, the Dragonkin. They were warriors with the forms of Humans and dragon scales covering their heads.


    I was able to get normal Monsters like Marchosias¡¯s werewolf subordinates and Naberius¡¯s Hellhound subordinates to work under me but I was hiding that fact right now.


    The Hellhounds had especially taken a liking to me and were operating according to my directions.


    ¡¸If we want to end this quickly, we¡¯ll have to go after the Floor Boss, but¡­¡¹


    The stratum is considered Cleared as long as the Floor Boss is defeated.


    But the Frost Hero Bella had a stern look on her face.


    Her and Fenix were able to resist my Black Magic to a certain extent, but Alba was taking it full-on, while even Lark, who had a small amount of Magical Energy due to his Job, and Lily, who naturally generated more Magical Energy than Humans because of her racial traits, were struggling as well.


    This was ultimately a team battle. Their operating ability had definitely taken a hit.


    They were able to move, but not very easily, and they were far from their full strength. In fact, they were quite off their game. Something like that.


    Strictly physically speaking, however.


    ¡¸¡­Ugh, I don¡¯t mind if you go on without me.¡¹


    ¡¸That definitely wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. Wasn¡¯t there another party that got wiped out by doing that very same thing?¡¹


    ¡¸The Thunder Hero, right? I will say that it¡¯s unlikely that this level of status-reducing Black Magic is coming from just a single user. It¡¯s probably safe to assume that there are multiple Black Magic users hiding about like the first stratum.¡¹


    Even the Frost Hero didn¡¯t seem to make the connection between Lemegeton and Lem.


    Well, that¡¯s only natural.


    ¡¸This is lame. Black Magic is completely boring to any viewers watching this, yet they¡¯re using something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe on its own, but it has the potential to be interesting if combined with other factors. Shouldn¡¯t you be well aware of that by now, Alba?¡¹


    It seemed it was true that Bella had recognized my abilities. It wasn¡¯t that I had doubted Fenix, it was just that it felt kind of strange actually hearing that.


    It was likely a result of her natural observational skills rather than her status as a Hero.


    ¡¸Y¡¯know, there are some things that were better about Lem than you. For one, he didn¡¯t babble on about nonsense all the time.¡¹


    ¡¸He must have been quite the patient person, then.¡¹


    Alba clicked his tongue, but he didn¡¯t say anything back.


    ¡¸¡­Give me a few seconds, I¡¯ll end this.¡¹


    No one had any objections.


    They must have felt that a few seconds wouldn¡¯t be any problem.


    Fenix repelled Furcus¡¯s spear.


    Furcus paid no mind to her spear that was seared and chopped in half and continued with a second, and then a third thrust.


    By the time she thrust her spear out, it had already mended itself.


    It was apparently a Magic Tool that was passed on by the previous Furcus.


    ¡¸Foolish Adventurers who dare bare their fangs at Lord Lemegeton, I sentence thee to death by blood!¡¹


    The nails of Milla¡¯s Avatar extend.


    With said sharp nails, she slashes open her wrists.


    When Avatars perform self-harm, it would be Magical Energy that flows out instead of blood. But it still applied to blood manipulation techniques.


    The blood that flowed out floated in the air instead of dripping onto the floor, transforming into several swords that she could swing to her liking.


    Her bats spread their wings in preparation.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get used to that sadistic impression that Vampire lets off.¡¹


    Lark spoke while stepping forward.


    ¡¸¡­With apologies to the armed Dragonkin, shall we take out the ones that are within range, Lily?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed! It will be tricky with Godspeed, but if I just fire arrows normally¡­!¡¹


    Lily readied her arrows while Bella deployed her ice magic.


    ¡¸You can slow me down and lower my attack power as much as you want, but your damn Black Magic won¡¯t do a thing to my weapon!¡¹


    Alba held his Magic Sword with both hands and pointed the tip towards me.


    The blade then immediately began stretching out towards me with incredible speed.


    Right. Even if his strength got lowered, he still had that.


    Magic Swords are weapons that move according to the user¡¯s thoughts.


    And Black Magic has no effect on inanimate objects.


    I had no way of decreasing the speed at which the sword flew towards me. Swords are usually swung by people, meaning that they could be slowed down by lowering the speed of the wielder, but this Magic Sword is a different case.


    Because the sword itself moved.


    If the enemy was anyone but me, they would have likely suffered significant wounds.


    But I know you, Alba.


    I¡¯ve fought alongside you for how many years now?


    This stretching thrust of his that moved faster than any gust of wind.


    He was aiming for my head.


    I continued sitting at my seat.


    ¡¸You¡¯re gonna die with that smirk on your face!¡¹


    It¡¯s true that I might have been taken out right here and now if I underestimated you all.


    That¡¯s just how good of an attack it was.


    But I would never do such a thing.


    Right before the sword reached my head, I put my elbow on the armrest of my chair and rested my cheek on my raised fist.


    The sword that was supposed to pierce my head stabbed into the back of my chair.


    The Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff Lemegeton continued sitting in his seat with his resting on one hand.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Alba was shocked over how I had dodged his perfectly aimed trajectory.


    ¡¸What a splendid sword.¡¹


    The blade extends by pleating itself like an accordion. The blade part and the extended parts are patched together.


    The parts that contracted and expanded had no edge.


    I grabbed that part.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you think you should let go?¡¹


    I gave a provocative warning.


    Alba realized his mistake a moment afterward, but it was already too late.


    His Magic Sword determines its trajectory the moment right before it launches.


    How it would move, and how it would come back.


    For this specific instance, it was supposed to pierce my head and then return right back to the hilt.


    But what if someone held the sword in place as it was coming back?


    The Magic Sword would operate according to the instructions it was given, meaning that both sides would end up pulling against each other.


    Let¡¯s turn things back a little.


    Alba was taking my Black Magic full-on.


    Right when his sword was about to come back to him, I increased the effects of the Black Magic I had on him.


    I clouded his thoughts and lowered his vision.


    That was more than enough. After tottering and stumbling, he ended up being dragged away from his comrades by the sword.


    ¡¸Alba!¡¹


    It was Fenix¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸Y-You gotta be kidding me¡­!¡¹


    I knew he wouldn¡¯t let go of his sword.


    This Magic Sword was something that was temporarily constructed with Magical Energy, but it was still something that he had received from his father.


    Besides, a Warrior is nothing without their sword.


    That intense attachment was what cost Alba his arms.


    ¡¸Fear not. I shall torture you until you lose all sense of composure, then I shall allow you to die.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s Blood Swords cut off Alba¡¯s arms from the elbows.


    ¡¸I wonder what your blood tastes like? It¡¯d probably be as thin as water. I don¡¯t need it, so I¡¯ll let my little darlings feast on it.¡¹


    Carmilla sneered at Alba while rubbing her lips with her finger.


    Her familiars flew towards their target.


    ¡­Milla had somewhat of a grudge against Alba because of his attitude towards me.


    I realized that must have had an effect on her treatment towards Alba, as well.


    ¡¸Oh, geez¡­¡¹


    Lark hurried to back-up Alba.


    ¡¸Stay back! It¡¯s pointless!¡¹


    He was right. Alba isn¡¯t an idiot. He was aware of his position in this fight.


    He already knew he was going to drop out, so he didn¡¯t want any help from his comrades.


    But he didn¡¯t put enough thought into this. Well, I suppose normally it would have been more than enough.


    ¡¸My my, are you sure? Without your lauded Magic Sword, you are nothing more than a foul-mouthed barbarian, no? You should beg your allies for help.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up, don¡¯t try to talk all big when you¡¯ve already lost to us once! My legs are enough for someone like you!¡¹


    Alba dodged the bats and the blood swords while occasionally kicking.


    ¡¸We will not lose. Our victory is assured.¡¹


    ¡¸You Monster! Don¡¯t talk like you¡¯re our Hero or something!¡¹


    Alba¡¯s sword was sitting right behind me.


    I had let go of it as well when Alba lost hold of it, meaning the tip of the sword was still implanted into the back of my seat.


    I grabbed onto the hilt and pulled it out.


    ¡¸Carmilla, don¡¯t kill him yet.¡¹


    I ordered her as I made my way down the stairs.


    ¡¸As you command, Lord Lemegeton¡¹


    Avatars always require updated information from the subject, but Magic Tools are also replicated when the Avatar is deployed.


    If the user ends up getting defeated, then their clothes and accessories will disperse into magical particles as well.


    But as long as the user¡¯s Avatar is in good health, then any of their belongings can be used by others.


    I already knew that Alba¡¯s Magic Sword didn¡¯t have any requirements on who its user was.


    He had bragged about it for so many years now, so I knew exactly how to use it.


    Magic Sword, Activate.

 CH 43

    43 ¨C The Work of a Chief of Staff


    ¡¸¡­! Oh no! He plans to utilize Alba¡¯s Magic Sword!¡¹


    Bella noticed as I was activating the Magic Sword.


    To make them think that I merely learned how to use it through imitation, I use it just like Alba did.


    Except, I¡¯m only using one hand because my strength hasn¡¯t been decreased like Alba¡¯s was.


    Now then, who shall I aim for?


    ¡¸Dammit! He¡¯s mocking me!¡¹


    Shouted an enraged Alba as he glared at me.


    Milla¡¯s swords grazed his sides while bats chomped on his thighs.


    ¡¸Yes, burn his visage into your eyes to your heart¡¯s desire. For you shall suffer a crushing defeat from the magic of he, who is the Dark Sorcerer.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re really pissing me off¡­!¡¹


    As expected, Alba, unarmed and lacking arms, cannot compete with one of the Big Four.


    ¡¸Bella! Create a wall!¡¹


    Bella shook her head at Lily¡¯s cries.


    ¡¸That Majin saw through Alba¡¯s movements. He knows this party well! He might change the Magic Sword¡¯s trajectory!¡¹


    ¡¸Then if you deploy a larger wall-¡¹


    ¡¸If I do that, then I would need to regenerate my Magical Energy! During that period, I won¡¯t be able to use my freezing magic!¡¹


    Clever.


    If my attack was a straight line, She could create an ice wall in anticipation of my trajectory. It¡¯s possible for me to avoid that wall.


    Anticipating that and creating a larger ice wall so that I cannot dodge left, right, or up will cause her to be temporarily cut off from using her Magical Energy and must regenerate.


    How long it takes to produce Magical Energy and how long it takes for said Magical Energy to be stored in the body varies depending on the individual.


    While Bella may have a lot of promise, it has only been three years since her Job was confirmed. A Hero possesses a growth speed that far surpasses that of the ordinary man, but it is difficult to develop Magical Energy-related abilities in the first place.


    For her, she cannot recklessly use large-scale magic spells.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, then the other enemies¡­!¡¹


    Even Lily seemed to realize.


    If an ice wall is created in the space between them and all the enemies, that should work out.


    Fenix should be able to force Furcus to retreat, and Lily should be able to hold the dragonkin at bay.


    Lark, too, can repel them with his shield.


    However, Alba will be left behind.


    Regardless of the method, the outcome still results in one of the party members being separated. Even now, Alba is being toyed with by the Vampire Queen.


    If they abandon him, the four of them will be guarded against the Magic Sword, but if they choose to defend him, there are still other threats besides the Magic Sword that remains.


    Bella will be placed in a vulnerable position to be attacked because her freezing magic will be temporarily unusable.


    ¡¸Help Alba. Hurry!¡¹


    Commanded Fenix, Bella immediately obeyed.


    The ice wall that appeared separated me and the Magic Sword from the rest of the world.


    My Magic Sword stopped just before the ice wall that was created to thwart me. Soon after, the extended blade returns.


    Just as planned.


    The goal was to force Bella to use her Magical Energy.


    No, there was another.


    ¡¸To me, Marchosias, Naberius.¡¹


    The wolf shaped Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias and the Cerberus-like Watchdog of Hell Naberius appeared by my side.


    ¡¸Splendid of you to summon me, Chief of Staff, sir!¡¹


    ¡¸I am at your service.¡¹


    I only had one order.


    ¡¸Destroy.¡¹


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t agree more!¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish.¡¹


    Marchosias starts beating on the ice wall and Naberius, in a position a little further down, breathed fire from his three heads.


    I continued to summon more Contracts.


    ¡¸Glasya-Labolas, Kimaris, Leraje.¡¹


    The Invisible Slaughter, Spirit Commanding General, and Black Wound Hunter appeared in succession.


    Gla-la was wagging his tail as he sat down.


    ¡¸¡­To summon five of us in succession¡­your Magical Energy is to be admired.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s for that very reason that he is fittingly our Chief of Staff. Your orders, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸It is as I told you beforehand. Glasya-Labolas.¡¹


    On my command, Gla-la makes all three of them invisible.


    I have also decided the right time for them to move.


    ¡¸UoooooOOOOOOOH! The way will be open soon, Chief of staff, sir!¡¹


    Marchosias was punching the wall at a speed that could not be seen by the naked eye.


    ¡¸This side, too, will soon melt.¡¹


    The ice was melting with such force that it was evaporating.


    ¡¸Match your timing, you two.¡¹


    ¡¸Aye, aye, sir!¡¹


    ¡¸As you command, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    I once again ready the Magic Sword.


    Next, I plan to take one of them out with this sword.


    ¡ó


    The enemy was fighting skillfully.


    The Black Knight Furcus¡¯ movements were aiming to keep me at bay rather than pushing me back, he wards off my attacks with unimaginably faster movements than his armor would imply.


    ¡¸I thought you desired a rematch with me, but it feels like you are simply stalling.¡¹


    ¡¸I am merely acting on the promise of one meal per battle.¡¹


    His voice sounds like it¡¯s going through a poor-quality voice changing device.


    His choice of words was a little strange but¡­I think he means that he is obeying the Chief of Staff¡¯s orders.


    ¡¸You believe him to be a trustworthy man, huh?¡¹


    If I¡¯m right, and there¡¯s no way I would mistake him for anyone else, they barely know each other.


    However, his answer cleared everything up.


    ¡¸The Chief of Staff will lead his allies to victory.¡¹


    As if that were sufficient enough an answer, Furcus brandishes his spear.


    No matter where he goes, he never changes.


    Just that the Monsters seem to understand his contributions.


    That is slightly mortifying. Because I couldn¡¯t do the same.


    ¡¸How splendid. However, it is we who will triumph.¡¹


    ¡¸Is there a point to your words?¡¹


    ¡¸For me, I believe there is.¡¹


    By saying that, I encouraged myself.


    Soon after the ice wall was created, I was astonished¡­


    ¡­at the increased Magical Energy response I felt beyond the wall.


    Moreover, judging from their Magical Energy signatures, they were Floor Boss class Monsters.


    Five of them.


    ¡¸Lark, to Bella.¡¹


    ¡¸You got it¡­ngh!¡¹


    Repelling a dragonkin¡¯s fist with his shield, Lark goes towards Bella¡¯s side.


    ¡¸On your guard, everyone. There are five Monsters beyond the wall. All Floor Bosses.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-? But there are already two of the Big Four here!¡¹


    Lily fired an arrow that hits a dragonkin in the arm. Piercing through the scales.


    ¡¸¡­The ice wall will be broken soon.¡¹


    Thrusting from Lark¡¯s shadow with her rapier shaped Holy Sword, Bella has a displeased look on her face.


    ¡¸The hell is going on?! At most, there should be six of them, how the hell are there eight?! That¡¯s impossible!¡¹


    Alba¡¯s shouts were reasonable.


    One stratum is to have one Floor Boss, and up to either one roaming type that is equivalent in strength or a second-in-command type Monster.


    That is a basic rule.


    With the exception of the Big Four, there¡¯s Lemegeton and perhaps a second-in-command.


    At most, only six Floor Boss equivalent Monsters should be allowed to appear on this stratum.


    But at this point in time, there are eight.


    ¡¸Well it¡¯s happening right now. If they are still following the rules, then the only possibility is that they used Summoning Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸But that requires the summoner to expend Magical Energy in order to construct their bodies! To have summoned five of them all at once¡­that is tantamount to a Demon King Majin¡­!¡¹


    If it¡¯s him, it¡¯s definitely possible.


    The man who trained his Magical Energy organ continuously without fail since he was ten years old to this very day.


    ¡¸Fenix, forget about us and use your magic!¡¹


    I don¡¯t respond to Alba¡¯s shout.


    My large-scale magic will affect everything around me.


    It¡¯s not impossible to incinerate the enemy, but they wouldn¡¯t allow the use of such subtle Magical Energy manipulation in front of them.


    If he presses the attack, I could defeat Furcus with a sword technique, but that would separate me from my allies.


    It¡¯s clear as day that that is one of their objectives, so I won¡¯t fall into their trap.


    ¡¸The ice wall is being breached!¡¹


    In an instant, a large hole opened up in the wall, and in a separate location, the wall melted and red flames could be seen.


    ¡¸Marchosias is my name! Flame Hero, I challenge you! Onward, brothers!¡¹


    Perhaps they were hidden or perhaps summoned, a large number of his werewolf underlings stepped forward.


    ¡¸With my flames, with my fangs, I will defeat you this time¡­!¡¹


    It seems that Naberius was the one who melted the wall.


    ¡¸¡­Aren¡¯t there supposed to be three more?¡¹


    Said Lark in his melancholic voice.


    I can still sense them, but more importantly¡­


    ¡¸Watch out for the Magic Sword.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah. Bella¡¯s safe with¡­m¡­.me¡­huh¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Lark was not at fault.


    At about the same time that the ice melted and two Floor Bosses came to this side.


    The Magic Sword extended.


    In other words, he set the Magic Sword¡¯s trajectory the moment he saw us or just before. As expected, the latter is unlikely.


    It had to have been the moment he saw us.


    He pointed the Magic Sword at Bella, extended it, and then Lark readied to repel it with his shield.


    But the tip of the sword evaded the shield.


    As if the blade had a mind of its own, it snaked around the shield and pierced Lark¡¯s chest.


    Right through his heart. A fatal wound.


    ¡¸No¡­way, this is¡­weird¡­¡¹


    Lark¡¯s usual sleepy eyes were now open wide.


    Alba¡¯s Magic Sword was expertly handled.


    No, rather.


    He saw through our movements and coordinated with his Black Magic.


    ¡¸Enough, Carmilla. There is no need to toy with him further.¡¹


    ¡¸If that is Lord Lemegeton¡¯s wish, I shall leave it at that.¡¹


    There were countless gashes over Alba¡¯s body, a sword in his abdomen, and bats biting all over his body.


    ¡¸I thank you, Warrior Alba. Thanks to your Magic Sword, the Paladin Lark could be felled.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You bitch, I¡¯ll remember you.¡¹


    Carmilla gave a sweet smile.


    ¡¸Oh? I¡¯ve already forgotten you.¡¹


    The bats began sucking blood simultaneously, Alba¡¯s body withered in the blink of an eye and crumbled.


    ¡¸Goodness, he wasn¡¯t even good enough as an afternoon snack for my darlings.¡¹


    With that, his accompanying Magic Sword scattered into particles, making Lark¡¯s efforts to somehow grab onto the blade and pull Lemegeton towards us all for naught.


    ¡¸My bad¡­Feni-¡¹


    Alba and Lark were eliminated.


    The enemy¡¯s losses only amounted to the two dragonkin that Bella froze and were then finished off by Lily and Lark.


    This was not a fair trade at all.


    ¡¸Leader¡­in light of what happened, I am fully convinced.¡¹


    Bella said no more than that, but she¡¯s telling me that she has realized his true identity.


    ¡¸I believe I must press forward. Please give me your permission.¡¹


    His actions show that he knows us very well.


    So the only right course of action would be to send someone that he doesn¡¯t know well, like Bella, to face him.


    ¡¸You should know that I¡¯m not telling you not to go simply because you want to, right?.¡¹


    That¡¯s not it. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t want to make such mistaken decisions based on such feelings.


    My fear is that if it¡¯s him, it¡¯s possible that he predicted that we¡¯ll use Bella.


    ¡¸While being vigilant of the remaining three entities, I will quickly eliminate Lemegeton. You stay and protect Lily and annihilate the surrounding enemies. It¡¯s simple.¡¹


    Bella is confident she can do it.


    ¡¸¡­Fine. I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Bella jumps out.


    And the enemies¡­none of them tried to stop her.


    ¡­I knew it, they saw this coming.


    ¡¸BELLA!¡¹


    ¡¸I know that I¡¯m being lured out!¡¹


    Lily was left behind, there¡¯s no way she could follow her.


    The Monsters get in my way to slow me down.


    ¡¸Lord Chief of Staff has granted us a chance! A chance to have a rematch with you!¡¹


    Marchosias shouts.


    ¡¸If we go by order, then I believe I go first.¡¹


    The Cerberus-like Naberius steps forward.


    The Floor Boss of the first stratum. He was the first to be defeated, so he claims to have first dibs on a rematch.


    ¡¸All of you aren¡¯t gonna come at me all at once?¡¹


    ¡¸If we wanted to do that, there are a countless number of faster ways to annihilate you all. Lord Chief of Staff considered our wishes.¡¹


    Well someone seems to be a good boss.


    As a friend, I¡¯m proud.


    Now then.


    I am being underestimated a lot.


    To say that they could have defeated me, the Flame Hero, in many faster ways.


    Certainly, the opponent has the upper hand.


    However, the match hasn¡¯t been decided yet.


    ¡¸Then I accept. I shall take any number of you on.¡¹


    I¡¯ll defeat them all, and then there is an opponent that I must face.


    I confront my enemies with my scorching hot sword in hand.

 CH 44

    44 ¨C The Necromancer and the Frost Hero


    Yes.


    Bella jumping ahead is all according to plan.


    Whether or not she realized that I¡¯m Lem isn¡¯t important.


    She just needs to conclude that I¡¯m an enemy who has seen through Fenix and party¡¯s movements.


    Under the instructions of Fenix in this short term battle, two have already fallen.


    If I were the newcomer, I would seize information that only pertained to clearing the Demon King Castle. I cannot let myself be defeated the same way Alba and Lark were.


    It is not unreasonable to think that way.


    If I were Fenix, I would probably stop her, but it looks like he gave his permission.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Passing the area where the ice wall stood, Bella¡¯s expression changed to one of suspicion.


    Most likely because I¡¯m no longer visible.


    Gra-la made me invisible and I was sitting on the stairs leading to the throne and subsequently the gate.


    ¡¸Hiding¡­? No, it¡¯s Glasha-Labolas. Please be careful! There may invisible enemies about!¡¹


    Calmly taking a guess and not forgetting to urge her allies to be vigilant.


    An excellent Adventurer.


    She wasn¡¯t even there during the time that we fought Gla-la. She must have studied hard.


    ¡¸¡­This is more troubling than I imagined.¡¹


    I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.


    ¡­Maybe she does suspect who Lemegeton truly is.


    ¡¸Aiming to launch an ambush, are we? I cannot allow that!¡¹


    She wielded her rapier in midair.


    Cold air spreads around her.


    She¡¯s making grains of ice fall from the air, huh?


    Being invisible doesn¡¯t mean being untouchable.


    They can¡¯t be seen, but you can¡¯t pass through them either.


    So surely with this spell, you can grasp your enemy¡¯s movements by seeing where the flow of ice grains are unnatural.


    ¡¸I have you.¡¹


    Rather than using it to find enemies in a wide area, she only deployed enough of it in order to protect herself from a surprise attack. It didn¡¯t reach the area where I was.


    So the one she caught wasn¡¯t me.


    What was pierced by the icicle growing out of the floor was one of Kimaris¡¯ manipulated ghosts, an Avatar of a once fallen Adventurer.


    The icicle heated up and melted. The ghost happened to be a Magician.


    Then, the invisible enemies resumed closing in on her.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    Bella immediately responded to that. This time, she froze the zone surrounding her, creating a large block of ice.


    Having done that, she can sense the human-shaped moving objects moving in the opposite direction of her who are closing in.


    Ghosts are the Avatars of Adventurers. They are constructed of Magical Energy and moreover, have a functioning Magical Energy organ.


    It is difficult for Bella to sense whether the invisible shape is me or not.


    A Magical Energy response can¡¯t be confirmed through a video.


    Outside of times when it is absolutely necessary, I suppress my Magical Energy so it won¡¯t be that simple to find me.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­¡¹


    Bella captured three more figures in the block of ice.


    That took a lot out of her magical reserves.


    ¡¸¡­Why aren¡¯t you attacking me? Could it be that you¡¯re ignoring me entirely?¡¹


    I don¡¯t want to be the cause of my own elimination, like how Alba and Lark were.


    At least, that is what Bella appears to have interpreted my actions as.


    I wasn¡¯t thinking of anything as rude as completely ignoring her.


    But, it is a fact that I have no intention of fighting her fair and square.


    I could list several plausible reasons but that would be troublesome, so I¡¯ll just list two.


    The first is that I want to fight Fenix in perfect condition. I have already used quite a bit of Magical Energy but I guess by the time I fight him, he would have used up the same amount of Magical Energy.


    The second is that there are those who want to fight Bella.


    She stops making ice grains fall.


    It seems that she used up her reserve Magical Energy that was left after deploying the large ice wall. She probably has a little bit of spare energy left, I¡¯ll need to revise the plan.


    ¡¸Actually, you could say that I¡¯m obsessed with you. Though I am not Lord Chief of Staff.¡¹


    There was the sound of a sword stabbing the ground.


    Hearing that, Gla-la cancels the invisibility.


    What appeared was an armored knight.


    It was Kimaris.


    A knight that wields necromancy.


    ¡¸A necromancer¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That I am. I am called Kimaris. It is with great misfortune that I did not fight you on the second stratum, but as expected of the Lord Chief of Staff. He has granted me this chance.¡¹


    Kimaris saw the Fenix party¡¯s Clear videos and says that he wants the Frost Hero¡¯s ghost. Each person has their own reason to fight.


    ¡¸¡­You wish to add my Avatar to your collection? Please stop.¡¹


    ¡¸It is good when they fight back. Let us decide the outcome through battle.¡¹


    Bella¡¯s expression twisted.


    ¡¸This is the worst. Has everything up to now been going according to this Chief of Staff¡¯s plans?¡¹


    Forcing her to use her magic while being pushed out alone to target me allowed Kimaris to have a one on one fight with her.


    ¡¸Aye.¡¹


    ¡¸He used both his allies and his enemies well.¡¹


    ¡¸If he eliminates you all here and now, his position will be indisputable.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed it will.¡¹


    Bella sheathes her rapier with cold air but its power is unstable.


    ¡¸Be at ease. I shall not use my ghosts. Even the Black Magic shall be removed.¡¹


    If one enters a one on one fight, there can be no intrusions. I respected that intention.


    ¡¸¡­You want the ghost to be in its purest condition, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm. Well then, let us begin.¡¹


    Bella¡­did not back away.


    Instead, she resolutely steps forward and releases a thrust aimed to pierce Kimaris¡¯ eye through the opening in his helmet.


    ¡¸Splendid¡­!¡¹


    But Kimaris dodges it with a mere tilt of the neck.


    He closes in on her and stabbed her in the chest.


    ¡¸¡­Next time I come, I¡¯ll be sure to destroy this Avatar.¡¹


    ¡¸Then I will simply add that to my collection once again when that time comes.¡¹


    Bubbling, Kimaris produces purple smoke that enters Bella through her mouth.


    Her body twitched and shook, then the complexion on her skin was drained.


    In order to indicate that it is a ghost, its appearance changes. The light is gone from its eyes and all signs of life disappear from its face.


    Bella herself has already been eliminated.


    ¡¸Well done.¡¹


    I called out to him while invisible and Kimaris turned in my direction and bows.


    ¡¸Only because Lord Chief of Staff is at the helm.¡¹


    Due to the invisibility, she needed to fire off an attack with enough power to eliminate what she thought was me.


    If she could see the shape, she would be able to ascertain its Job from the ghost¡¯s appearance and then use an appropriate amount of Magical Energy to freeze it in place or render it powerless.


    ¡¸If you want to praise and thank anyone, it should be Glasha-Labolas.¡¹


    ¡¸Him, yes, most certainly.¡¹


    He thanked him, then continued.


    ¡¸If I may be so bold, I would also want the Flame Hero as we-¡¹


    ¡¸Haven¡¯t we already been through this?¡¹


    I coldly responded, making Kimaris immediately withdraw.


    ¡¸¡­Forgive me.¡¹


    If Fenix becomes one of Kimaris¡¯ ghosts, the combat potential of the second stratum will shoot up considerably.


    So of course I can¡¯t let that happen.


    I don¡¯t intend to offer up my friend¡¯s Avatar like that.


    Also, that guy can¡¯t be beaten like that in the first place.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind if you just want to challenge him to a match, though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am afraid my painstakingly collected ghost will be annihilated in such a fight.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be fine if it¡¯s a one on one fight.¡¹


    ¡¸May I collect those that were defeated by the Frost Hero?¡¹


    I ended up chuckling at Kimaris¡¯s response.


    If Fenix fought under the condition to not use magic, Kimaris can have a good match with him, but Fenix has no reason to respond to such conditions. So if Kimaris were to call out his ghosts, they will be destroyed just like last time.


    To Kimaris, Fenix is the guy who destroyed every single one of his accumulated Avatars.


    I can understand why he wants to avoid a fight with Fenix as a Necromancer, rather than a knight.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll allow it.¡¹


    With my permission, Kimaris heads towards the ghosts that were trapped in ice in order to release them.


    At that time, I wondered how Fenix and Lily were doing¡­

 CH 45

    45 ¨C Mankind¡¯s Strongest


    Bella didn¡¯t die in vain.


    She succeeded in notifying her allies of the existence of Gra-la and Kimaris.


    Of the five Monsters that I summoned, four of them have been revealed.


    It¡¯s troubling but I can¡¯t seem to find the remaining one due to Gra-la¡¯s invisibility ability.


    No wait, found her.


    A pack of Hellhounds who closed in while invisible is now visible because they have gotten close to the enemy.


    Lily immediately abandoned her bow and switched to a hatchet. She prides herself on her bowmanship but she wouldn¡¯t fuss over it to the point that it would slow down her technique. With her deft handling, she slashes at the Hellhounds, sometimes slicing off their heads.


    Hellhounds¡¯ attacks are low. In order to respond to them, one must naturally take a low stance. But in doing so, this exposes your back to attacks, so she must adopt a difficult stance in order to be vigilant of her surroundings. Either way, her mobility is reduced.


    On top of that, there¡¯s Black Magic. Good ole Blank Space and Confusion.


    ¡¸¡­Ngh. If I knew it was coming, I could have resisted it¡­!¡¹


    The magic resistance and Magical Energy organ possessed by Elves surpasses that of Humans.


    That¡¯s why even my adjusted Black Magic is being somewhat resisted.


    Due to that, she¡¯s able to fend off the Hellhounds.


    But, her movements have been soundly reduced.


    It should be enough, right?


    It appears that Leraje thought so too.


    ¡¸Argh¡­gh¡­!¡¹


    An arrow is sticking out of Lily¡¯s side. A pale light of Magical Energy is supposed to leak out of a wound, but because of Leraje¡¯s poison, it becomes muddy. The corrosion begins to spread from the wound, her skin slopping away as it melts.


    At that time, Fenix¡¯s field of vision was being blocked by the hellfire spewing from Naberius¡¯ three heads.


    ¡¸Th-this is¡­that archer¡¯s¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s Leraje to you, Elf huntress. It¡¯s difficult to fight while under the effects of Black Magic, is it not? To be slaughtered with all of your opponent¡¯s might while you yourself cannot exert your true strength. What a joy it is to be able to share the pain that we have felt.¡¹


    Goes the voice of Leraje from the shadows of a pillar.


    ¡¸¡­are you saying¡­that Lem¡¯s Black Magic was like this?¡¹


    ¡¸No, probably stronger. Lord Chief of Staff adjusted the effectiveness so that you could continue to fight.¡¹


    ¡­Even when I fought Leraje, I adjusted my Black Magic so that it would look like normal Black Magic to the viewer, but it¡¯s not the right time to tell her that.


    It¡¯s also not a bad thing to raise the evaluation of Lemegeton.


    ¡¸¡­You still hold a grudge over missing your arrows, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    Lily quickly glanced over at her bow.


    ¡¸A foolish taunt. But I accept your challenge, Elf woman. Pick up your bow. Lord Glasya-Labolas!¡¹


    Leraje¡¯s form is revealed.


    ¡­She cooperated in order to ensure the victory of the Demon King Castle Monsters but at her core, she truly loves a head-to-head contest, huh?


    The Hellhounds looked to me for instructions, so I raised my hand to instruct them to wait. Fellow invisible allies are able to see each other so it seems my instructions were conveyed.


    Meeting Leraje¡¯s eyes, I canceled the Black Magic that affected Lily.


    Compared to winning via a surprise attack, winning via a fair bow and arrow match is certainly the desire of other Dark Elves or Hunter Monsters.


    Still keeping vigilant, Lily takes her bow in hand.


    They both reach for their quivers at the same time.


    The one who fired their arrow first¡­was Lily.


    As expected of one of the only three Godspeed users in the world.


    But¡­


    ¡¸Speed isn¡¯t everything.¡¹


    From the beginning, Leraje didn¡¯t plan for this to be a contest of who can fire the fastest.


    She leapt to the side with all her might.


    With her body flowing through the air, and Lily¡¯s Godspeed all but used up, Leraje readies an arrow and releases it while she was falling.


    ¡¸Khh-¡¹


    Lily couldn¡¯t take evasive action.


    Leraje¡¯s arrow pierced her throat and began to corrode.


    ¡¸Without Lord Black Sorcerer¡¯s aid, all you have is your speed. Train your accuracy and learn some tactics.¡¹


    ¡­Leraje seems to have carelessly added¡¸Lord¡¹to Black Sorcerer. Perhaps because she knows that it¡¯s actually me underneath the mask but she is supposed to be the hated enemy of the former Fenix Party.


    Fortunately, Lily wasn¡¯t in a state to worry about that.


    Since she got hit in the neck, she was finished.


    Falling on her knees, she collapses.


    Very slowly, her body disintegrates into particles of light.


    And then there was one.


    It¡¯s just you, Fenix.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Please do not protect me.¡¹


    Said Lily in a small but sure voice, after Bella dashed out.


    The Monsters standing in my way probably won¡¯t break their promise of fighting me one-on-one but the Monsters besides them will most likely aim for Lily.


    If I were to move in a way that protects Lily from that, I might take unexpected damage.


    Allies help each other but Lily came to the conclusion that fighting individually in this situation will have the highest possibility of victory.


    I¡­also thought the same.


    It is difficult to wield the full power of flames with my ally at my side.


    I would have left her in the care of Bella but I don¡¯t want to waste her determination. Especially when our opinions align.


    My field of vision is filled with flames.


    The hellfire of Naberius, a savage three-headed dog who is proud of his horse carriage sized frame.


    But my clothes had nary a scorch mark on them as I pushed through the flames.


    This is the divine protection given to those who formed a contract with the Fire Spirit.


    The temperature is controlled personally, and cannot invade the body.


    ¡¸It appears that your Hellfire is not enough to grill me.¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk! Then how about these fangs¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Well I do not possess a divine blessing that guards against being pierced by fangs but¡­¡¹


    From within the flames came a giant head. I pierced it with my holy sword.


    It was the middle of the three heads that tried to bite me.


    ¡¸¡­it won¡¯t be a problem if I defeat the enemy before they bite me.¡¹


    ¡¸Gah¡­¡¹


    The remaining two heads stop spewing fire.


    I remove the holy sword that was pierced in the middle head¡¯s forehead and walk under his armpit.


    ¡¸Wa-wait¡­! I¡¯m not through with you yet¡­ngh!?¡¹


    In a moment, his body burst into flames and was soon eliminated.


    The body combusting and carbonizing in an instant was too much for the Avatar to handle.


    ¡¸Next is Sir Marchosias, yes? Oh, that¡¯s right, there¡¯s Sir Glasha-Labolas as well, my apologies.¡¹


    While turning, I brandish my blade, swinging low.


    The forelegs of Glasha-Labolas, that were about to stab me in the back just now, were severed and flames began to spread to his body from there.


    Then like Naberius, he was engulfed in flames.


    ¡¸How about you two, Sir Kimaris and Madam Leraje? Your allies have been felled, so you would be glad to do battle with me, no?¡¹


    Kimaris extinguishes his ghosts and walks forward by himself.


    ¡¸Let us have a bout then.¡¹


    ¡¸My apologies, but I do not have a sword other than this one.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. No matter. Twas mine own decision to dispel my ghosts.¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, shall we?¡¹


    Although he was a necromancer, his sword skills were outstanding. Honest, powerful, and fast swordsmanship backed by solid study.


    However, he has no chance against a holy sword. All that come into contact with its blade shall melt.


    Kimaris tries to dodge my downward swing but fails to jump to the side.


    For at his feet the floor did blaze a pure red and melted.


    ¡¸I can see why Bella lost. That was splendid swordsmanship.¡¹


    With his stance faltered, I bring my blade down upon him, bisecting him in two.


    An arrow flew towards me.


    I burn it to ash before it reaches me.


    Leraje let¡¯s loose arrow upon arrow as she approaches.


    ¡¸Lem is an excellent Black Sorcerer. I can declare that with pride, having fought alongside him all my life. However, I am a Hero. It matters not if I don¡¯t have the world¡¯s best Black Sorcerer or how excellent of a Chief of Staff or Black Sorcerer the enemy has. No matter what the enemy, no matter how determined they may be. I. Will. Win.¡¹


    Leraje threw away her bow and unsheathed her scimitar.


    Before she could close the distance, her body was engulfed in a pillar of flame.


    When the flames died out, nothing remained of Leraje.


    Her Avatar was completely destroyed.

 CH 46

    46 ¨C Rivals Meet


    ¡¸Hah! Hahahah! Such heat! Such pressure! The heatwave can be felt even here! If these were flesh and blood bodies, we would have already fallen from not being able to breathe!¡¹


    ¡¸Apologies for the wait, Sir Marchosias. However, there appears to be one more person waiting. Madam Carmilla?¡¹


    ¡¸I obey the orders given by Lord Lemegeton. There have been none of having a one-on-one fight with you.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, understood. Then, surely now its-¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, it is my turn!¡¹


    Marchosias charges at me headfirst.


    He thrusts at me with sharpened fangs. I barely dodge it by turning my body sideways and lightly cut him on the arm.


    The combustion will start from the wound, he is as good as de-


    ¡¸Hahaa! A splendid dodge, Flame Hero!¡¹


    He wasn¡¯t eliminated.


    I quickly turn around and hold my sword at the ready.


    We clashed.


    I blocked his thrust with my blade but was blown back.


    In my blurring vision, I was able to confirm the result of the previous clash in an instant.


    I see.


    He lunged at me with his right hand. And then it did in fact burn.


    At the moment after I made the cut, Marchosias used his left hand to tear off his right arm.


    Although it¡¯s an Avatar, he showed no hesitation in harming his own body. So he threw it away.


    Only the right arm that was torn off burnt, while his body remained.


    That¡¯s why he thrust with his left hand.


    That same left hand touched my blade. Whether it was planned or not, he bit off his left arm at the elbow.


    Magnificent.


    Just before I crash into the pillar, I emit flames. The Fire Spirit gives me the ability to use flying magic with flames. Technically, I¡¯m not flying in the air with fire but don¡¯t bother with the minor details.


    It¡¯s easier to understand if you say that I can fly through the air but not as freely as those with the Wind Spirit.


    Suppressing the impact, I soon gain propulsion.


    My body accelerates rapidly.


    ¡¸Well! As expected of someone who made a contract with the Four Great Spirits! That¡¯s more like it!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks to you, I have learned something today.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed! Do not assume that your enemy is defeated after a simple cut!¡¹


    ¡¸I feel nothing but shame at my own immaturity. You have my thanks, Sir Marchosias¡¹


    ¡¸No need! I am merely here to defeat you!¡¹


    It seems he plans on defeating me with his remaining two feet.


    I respect that strength of heart.


    The distance between us shrinks at terrifying speed and then I slashed with terrifying speed.


    ¡¸¡­Let us do battle again.¡¹


    I grasp the meaning put into those words.


    He means that I will be defeated by Lem and then fight Marchosias again when I retry the Dungeon Clear.


    He truly believes that Lem will defeat me.


    I am glad that he considers him a close friend but as a Hero, I cannot agree.


    ¡¸I am afraid you won¡¯t get that chance.¡¹


    His body was split horizontally into two parts and at the same time, both upper and lower body parts burnt up.


    As soon as I make my landing, The Black Knight Furcus leaps at me.


    The spear of that androgynous knight is the only thing that can withstand my blade.


    From the end it was severed, it drops the tip like a lizard¡¯s tail and grows a new tip. Even the handle can extend back into its original length.


    ¡¸The situation has changed.¡¹


    Fighting against Furcus with sword and spear will take too much time.


    I swing my holy sword.


    Flames run across the slash trajectory, expanding out like an explosion.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry, Chief of Staff.¡¹


    I heard a small voice like that of a girl.


    Furcus is defeated.


    All that¡¯s left are the werewolves, Marchosias¡¯ followers, and the Hellhounds, Naberius¡¯ followers.


    I burn the looming hoard into cinders.


    Soon.


    Remaining are The Vampire Queen Carmilla and the Demi-Beasts.


    ¡¸I wish to fight Sir Lemegeton. What will you do, miss?¡¹


    Ever since I defeated Glasha-Labolas, his figure was visible.


    Sitting on the stairs, looking this way.


    ¡¸Carmilla¡¹


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, your orders, please. I am¡­one of the Big Four¡¹


    The two of them locked eyes. I don¡¯t know what kind of heartful exchange they had, but Lemegeton calmly stood up.


    ¡¸¡­Eliminate the Flame Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish.¡¹


    It appears that the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff has a policy of respecting the wishes of his subordinates.


    The bats and the swords flying towards me in order to surround me were burnt in an instant.


    Nevertheless, she continues to send blood swords toward me.


    ¡­I see, a loyal retainer indeed.


    She aims to deplete as much of my Magical Energy as possible.


    I kick the ground to close in on her, deflecting every blade sent my way. Soon, I¡¯m at slashing range.


    ¡¸Last time, I was the one who defeated you. What do you have against Alba?¡¹


    She is known to be a cruel Monster but that is simply a role she plays. However, I could clearly feel rage in her behavior towards Alba.


    With my holy sword piercing her abdomen, she lets out a chuckle.


    ¡¸My wrath, is not for you.¡¹


    In that state, she turns her head towards Lem.


    ¡¸My deepest apologies, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸All is forgiven.¡¹


    ¡¸I wish you good fortune.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s body turned red and soon scattered into Magical Energy particles.


    ¡¸So with this, have I gained the privilege to fight you?¡¹


    He did tell me that he would entertain me if I managed to fight my way to him.


    ¡¸¡­Indeed, how dare you annihilate all my subordinates.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought you were just watching quietly, though.¡¹


    ¡¸It was their desire.¡¹


    ¡¸So what is it that you desire?¡¹


    ¡¸You already know. The utter destruction of you and yours. In other words, your defeat.¡¹


    ¡¸You think you can beat me?¡¹


    ¡¸I must. It is my duty.¡¹


    He approached me slowly.


    ¡¸In any case, what tremendous power you possess. Are you not stronger without your allies?¡¹


    It was a probing question.


    ¡¸¡­In the past, I did worry about that.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh?¡¹


    ¡¸One of the Four Great Spirits is simply too prolific in rank, yes? There weren¡¯t any allies that could stand on the same level as me and it would end up that it would benefit me better to fight alone. I was afraid of that.¡¹


    ¡¸And then?¡¹


    ¡¸I was scolded by my best friend.¡¸It¡¯ll be totally lame and boring if you fight by yourself¡¹he yelled.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡¹


    I imagined it for a second. Every time, a lone man goes into a Dungeon by himself. Reaching the deepest, darkest depths of the Dungeon without a struggle, burning every enemy he faces without a trace of interest on his face. It would be interesting at first¡­but the second time? The fourth? The hundredth? Who would want to watch a Dungeon Clear like that?


    Dungeon Clears are entertainment. That is a simple premise that must never be forgotten.


    Alba¡¯s boldly offensive and flashy magic sword, Lily¡¯s elegant movements and her Godspeed, Lark¡¯s sense of stability and the occasional shield bash and sword slash, and Bella¡¯s beautiful to look at freezing magic.


    Once, Lem¡¯s support allowed us to put on a perfectly unified performance.


    That catches the viewer¡¯s eyes and makes their heart pound.


    And then there are the enemies.


    Alba getting his magic sword snatched away, Lark getting pierced by a magic sword he thought he could guard against, Bella getting defeated by the enemies plan to deplete all her Magical Energy and force her into a one-on-one fight, Lily losing a bow match and getting defeated.


    The people who will watch this broadcast will have their eyes wide in astonishment. There will surely be people who shout.


    Allies, myself, and the enemies complete the Dungeon Clear experience.


    Lem once said that I was a fool to worry about being too strong.


    And he also said this.


    Because you have allies, you can have more interesting Clears.


    Once your allies falter, you can get serious.


    The magic that you usually cannot use because it would affect your allies, you could now use to your heart¡¯s content.


    It¡¯s different from a solo Clear.


    Solely because your allies were defeated that this becomes a comeback story of a Hero who found himself in a predicament.


    ¡¸A Hero who has lost all of his teammates. I cannot help but look forward to seeing your true strength.¡¹


    ¡¸A Majin who has lost all of his subordinates. I, too, look forward to seeing your true strength.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t help but think.


    ..Argh. damn these cameras.


    The cameras and the mics, all a hindrance.


    I destroy the mic fitted on my Avatar with the heat.


    Then, I melt the cameras by enveloping the surrounding area with flames.


    Realizing my intentions he says to me in his normal voice.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, you idiot, you¡¯re gonna have to pay reparations for that.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s so that I can fight you with all my power. You don¡¯t want to film that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Man, what kinda Hero are you¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s too bad that people won¡¯t get to see the climax, but I cannot let this chance go by.


    I cannot accept not being able to fight him seriously after getting here just because he cannot show society his true strength.


    This is an act unbecoming of a Hero. But I have decided that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.


    ¡¸How much time do we have, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Probably thirty seconds? Maybe a minute?¡¹


    Someone with a camera will run into this room.


    They will somehow show the result of the battle. They have to show at least that much.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t say it¡¯s enough, but I can¡¯t say it¡¯s excessive either.¡¹


    Lemegeton removed his mask.


    He put the mask in his robe pocket.


    Who appeared, was Lem.


    ¡¸It¡¯s about which one of us is better, right? Shall we find out, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸You bet, Fenix.¡¹


    I ready my holy sword.


    ¡¸The Flame Hero Fenix will defeat you.¡¹


    Lem¡¯s self-introduction took a few seconds.


    He probably thought that he shouldn¡¯t introduce himself as The Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton. He is facing me as Lem, but Black Sorcerer is wrong. He wants to give himself a title.


    Before long, he fixed his gaze on me.


    ¡¸The One-Horned Black Mage Lem shall triumph over you.¡¹


    He can¡¯t tell anyone, but he inherited that from his beloved master.


    ¡¸The one who wins in the end is the hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m gonna win.¡¹


    The final battle of the tenth stratum has begun.

 CH 47

    47 ¨C The Demon King¡¯s Pupil


    I received direct lessons from my master for three years. It was intense, but some people might think three years is pretty short.


    However, even after I left the village, I continued to train myself.


    As long as I preserve my master¡¯s teachings, I am his disciple.


    I was told that this power that I have must never be used in times of peace.


    That happened one day after I had been training under him for about a year.


    I was exhausted from that day¡¯s training and my master summoned me into his room.


    I thought he was going to criticize me or give me a lecture, but instead what I saw was a look on my master¡¯s face that I had never seen before.


    It wasn¡¯t the usual annoyed, bored, cold, and cruel face.


    He had a kinda¡­warm look.


    ¡¸Lem, you¡¯ve been doing well.¡¹


    I thought I was hearing things. He praised me? That never happens.


    ¡¸H-huh?¡¹


    Ignoring my bewilderment, master continued.


    ¡¸Honestly, I thought you would only last a few days, but you¡¯ve managed to endure a year of training splendidly.¡¹


    ¡¸Master¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I ask you once again. Why do you want to become a hero?¡¹


    I mustn¡¯t talk back to my master. Even if I didn¡¯t, it¡¯s not like I hid it.


    There were times where I just talked about my dream, but today is the first time that my master has ever shown an interest in me. I was honestly both shocked and happy.


    ¡¸Because¡­Heroes are cool.¡¹


    ¡¸Wrong. Who would suffer through my training for a reason as simple as admiration?¡¹


    True, if someone were to ask me which was worse, my master¡¯s training or going through Hell, I¡¯d be hard-pressed to give an answer.


    It took me some time to answer him. I was eleven years old at the time, so it was difficult for me to put my emotions into words.


    ¡¸It¡¯s true. I wanna become a Hero because they¡¯re cool.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Bu-but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­uhm, when I was six years old, I asked my dad to buy me a sword.¡¹


    My master listened silently.


    ¡¸But he said things like¡¸It¡¯s dangerous¡¹or¡¸You¡¯re too young¡¹and wouldn¡¯t buy it for me. I understand why now, but at the time, I couldn¡¯t. I wondered why even though I wanted it, he kept giving me reasons why he wouldn¡¯t. I would have given up if he had just said we had no money.¡¹


    Instead of saying he¡¯d buy it or not, he told me the risks of buying a weapon to urge me to give up.


    I can understand the reasoning, but the way he said it never sat right with me.


    It¡¯s good that my dad was worried about me. It was the right decision because I would be afraid of the parent who would give their kid a dangerous weapon simply because they wanted it.


    ¡¸And then?¡¹


    ¡¸On the day that I learned what my Job is, I remembered that moment. The people around me kept giving me reasons why I can¡¯t become a Hero.¡¸It was over when you became a Black Sorcerer¡¹,¡¸Black Magic is useless.¡¹or¡¸It¡¯s just a shitty job that doesn¡¯t raise your strength or speed¡¹. They stepped on and laughed at my dream with that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah.¡¹


    Maybe I imagined it, but my master quietly nodded.


    ¡¸Even I thought that they were right. But then, I remembered that time with the sword. I want to become a Hero but the reasons why I can¡¯t keep piling up. In the end, people happily talked about how the Job sucks or how far away it is from a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Why did you not give up at that point?¡¹


    ¡¸Because that isn¡¯t cool.¡¹


    I reflexively said that and surprised myself.


    At the same time, I suddenly understood it.


    Ah, right. That¡¯s it!


    Even though I gave up on buying the sword, I couldn¡¯t give up on becoming a hero.


    If I became my master¡¯s pupil and undertake his eccentric lessons, I could continue towards my goal.


    The difference was obvious.


    The difference between a childish desire and a dream that I decided on.


    ¡¸Ever since I was little, I decided to become a Hero. So I should give that up just because my Job is wrong? That is so not cool. It¡¯s not the Job that I admired. I admired the occupation that can defeat enemies, push my allies to victory, and excite the viewers¡¹


    ¡¸Even if you studied Black Sorcery, you need to cast it in such a way as to not get discovered, so you will not be able to defeat enemies by your own hands.¡¹


    ¡¸My party will be able to give their all because I¡¯m there. That¡¯s the kind of Black Sorcerer I will be.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if you won¡¯t be fighting as the hero you imagined from the start?¡¹


    ¡¸Cutting with a blade or shooting magic isn¡¯t the only way to fight, right?¡¹


    Master did not deny it.


    ¡¸It will be a long and arduous fight. If you do not reach an incredibly high rank, no one will see your worth.¡¹


    ¡¸But, I¡¯ve already decided.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­I see.¡¹


    To this day, I doubt this part of my memory.


    Because at the very next moment¡­my master patted me on the head.


    ¡¸You possess no special talent. Even if you did, your body is weak. You are just an average Black Sorcerer. But, you possess a weapon that is inferior to none. Do you understand?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, sir.¡¹


    At that time, my master¡¯s voice was as gentle as a lie.


    ¡¸Lem, you¡­are a child with a strong heart. You have had your hopes dashed, mocked by those who were once your friends, and your desired Job given to your best friend. Yet still, you refuse to give up and begged a suspicious Majin to teach you. You endured trials that would make grown men flee in mere moments and continue training to this day. The truth is, Lem, that I never intended to teach you anything. From the beginning, I just wanted to chase you away.¡¹


    ¡­There were definitely times when I thought that that was the case.


    ¡¸However, you did not let out a single complaint about the grueling training of an ill-tempered old man. Do not fear, the training you have done up till now was not random rubbish. It was training to discipline you.¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    I never doubted that. He may be mean, but he isn¡¯t the kind of person who would haphazardly create a training course. If he did, I would have probably died by now.


    No, he¡¯s the kind of man who would put together a training regiment that was just hard enough to almost kill me and make me want to run away.


    ¡¸Lem, I officially recognize you as my disciple.¡¹


    ¡¸!¡­Sir¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸But Lem, while I understand your intentions, do you truly not desire the power to fight?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you not want more power?¡¹


    Master¡¯s extremely serious tone made my mind race and blurted out what I really thought.


    ¡¸I do! Obtaining the power to defeat powerful enemies head-on, I want that too!¡¹


    ¡¸Are you willing to taste bitter pain far worse than you have thus far felt in order to attain such power?¡¹


    ¡¸If all I have to do is give it my all, then I¡¯ll do anything¡¹


    ¡¸A fine answer. However, there is a problem with using this power.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Problem, master?¡¹


    ¡¸The instant that you use it, the connection you have with me will become clear as crystal.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­is a problem.¡¹


    If I have my master, I have a way to become stronger.


    But for some reason, he doesn¡¯t want to reveal himself or his power to society.


    ¡¸Therefore, I propose a condition. You shall only use that power when faced against an opponent that you absolutely must win against.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹


    I was dumbfounded.


    Because that goes against the promise I made with him.


    ¡¸You faithfully keep the promise that you made with me, yes? That, too, I know. But, if ever there come a time where victory takes priority over your oath to me¡­do what you will with the power!¡¹


    My master said that.


    He didn¡¯t care if he was discovered so long as I used it in a fight that I had to win at all costs.


    I didn¡¯t expect to, but I started crying.


    My master, who didn¡¯t want to interact with people, who lived a life avoiding public attention, allowed me to use the power, knowing that his existence would be exposed through me. I was glad.


    ¡¸However, know that when you use it, you will be put in an awkward position. You must destroy all the cameras and microphones used in the Dungeon. And then you must threaten the Monsters who were eliminated, after. Do not fear, they will know that you are affiliated with me after seeing that power. Those Monsters will quake in fear and obey.¡¹


    ¡­He added some incredibly unsettling words.


    ¡¸What will you do, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸I want to become strong. Please show me the way.¡¹


    Then, my master broke off one of his horns.

 CH 48

    48 ¨C The Horn of the Demon King and the Flames of the Gods


    ¡¸¡­This is the first time you¡¯ve actually shown this to anyone, right?¡¹


    With the exception of Fenix, only my master and I know about this power.


    ¡¸Yep, it¡¯s a trump card, y¡¯know?¡¹


    I unleash¡­the horn.


    My right arm changed.


    A black, hard, and lustrous-like substance covered the skin.


    A horn protruded out of the elbow. This, too, was jet black. The strange phenomenon spread to my right shoulder and something like the bones of a wing spread forth from the shoulder-blade.


    Then, on the opposite side of the fake horn affixed to my Avatar.


    A horn, identical to that of the Demon King¡¯s and my master¡¯s, grew from the right side of my head.


    Fenix took a step back.


    Not because it was unsightly.


    But out of instinct.


    To be hit by such an enormous wave of Magical Energy, it was a fight or flight response.


    The aftermath of the Magical Energy shakes the seventh stratum.


    ¡¸This¡­is what you were hiding¡­?¡¹


    The Storm Hero Aerial did say that he remembered his encounter with my master when he first met me.


    Perhaps, he was able to sense it.


    My master¡¯s horn that resides within me.


    The horns of Majins store and refine Magical Energy. With Magical Energy that is even denser and purer, the same magic can exhibit an unimaginable potency.


    The Magical Energy produced by a Majin¡¯s superior Magical Energy Organ is stored in their two horns.


    In ages past, Heroes used the Spirits while the Demon King used their horns to use magic that surpasses that of the ordinary man.


    The amount that can be stored depends on the Majin, but if a Majin becomes the Demon King, they are able to store an unbelievable amount.


    When my Avatar was unveiled, her Highness told me something.


    Originally, a Majin with one horn signifies that they had given one horn to a successor.


    One¡¯s own strength becomes the supporting horn to those who were made to inherit it.


    My case was different. I started with zero horns and then I got one horn.


    I didn¡¯t know at the time that my master was the Demon King.


    And he gave his horn to some brat in the sticks¡­


    Truthfully, I don know why he gave it to me.


    Not to his own child or grandchild, but to me.


    The horn was naturally not compatible with Humans, but with the use of ancient secret arts, my master made it compatible.


    However, the horn, which was grounded up into a fine powder, had to be taken one pinch at a time.


    With just that little, my extremely unremarkable body would scream.


    It¡¯s only natural. I¡¯m a Human trying to get closer to that of a Majin. It¡¯s like becoming an entirely different species. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy.


    Even though it was just one horn being mixed in the body, the process took an entire year.


    Somehow, the horn manifests itself like this.


    Its mass has definitely grown compared to the first time I took it in. It has deviated from that of a horn.


    When a horn is transplanted onto a Majin, it¡¯s usually attached to their elbow or forehead but my procedure was the exception among exceptions. Thanks to the hard work of my master. Perhaps because of that, an irregularity has occurred.


    ¡¸For how many years?¡¹


    Fenix was smiling. It was a little stiff, but he truly looked happy.


    ¡¸Since the time I took in the horn to this very day. This is all the Magical Energy it had stored up.¡¹


    I excessively forged my Magical Energy Organ with insane training.


    In my daily life, it became increasingly difficult to completely use up all my generated Magical Energy.


    That¡¯s also why I accumulated more and more Magical Energy in the horn while training my Black Magic.


    By the way, the dissolved horn doesn¡¯t flow in my bloodstream, so I¡¯m not worried about Milla taking in a piece of it when she sucked my blood.


    It was approximately nine years¡¯ worth of Magical Energy from the Demon King¡¯s disciple.


    I poured it in when generating my Avatar.


    At this moment in time, my Magical Energy rivals that of a Four Great Spirits wielder.


    Perhaps sensing that as well, Fenix takes a step forward.


    ¡¸Are you sure? Using all that against me?¡¹


    ¡¸As far as I know, no one has been able to beat you on their own¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure about Aerial, but I¡¯ll make a daring declaration.


    I continue.


    ¡¸¡­other than me, that is.¡¹


    Fenix¡¯s entire body was wreathed in flames. The kind of flames that can cause pain just by looking at it.


    He slowly gathers said flame into his Holy Sword. The flames condense and coil around the blade.


    That flame was white-hot.


    ¡¸Flames of the Gods, or so it seems to be called. The Spirit says that if the opponent is of this realm, it can burn it.¡¹


    This isn¡¯t a matter of burning whatever it touches. Simply approaching it will incinerate trash mobs until nary a speck of it is left in this world.


    That is what I understand white fire to be.


    But even so, I take a step forward.


    ¡¸Are you sure about this? Using that against me? You shouldn¡¯t be using your magic all willy-nilly.¡¹


    There¡¯s a limit to the Spirit¡¯s Blessing. Even if he will eventually recover, drawing out such a powerful force will exhaust him.


    Even if he were to beat me here, how will he be able to defeat her Highness? He will definitely need a long break period to recover.


    ¡¸As far as I know, there isn¡¯t a Hero alive that surpasses you¡­¡¹


    After a short pause, Fenix continues.


    ¡¸¡­and I want to defeat such a hero.¡¹


    I was happy.


    Somehow, this guy has admired me this whole time.


    That¡¯s good. A strong desire to win results in a healthy rivalry.


    But what am I gonna do with you?


    You¡¯re the Flame Hero, right?


    An Adventurer worthy of being mankind¡¯s strongest.


    You can¡¯t always put me above yourself, y¡¯know?


    Heh, even though that¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, I really am glad.


    You want to earnestly win against me.


    I¡¯m very glad.


    I clenched my fist.


    ¡¸I was worried about not having enough time, but I don¡¯t think we needed that much time to begin with.¡¹


    This amount of Magical Energy between us. It¡¯ll be released all at once, so it won¡¯t be a prolonged battle.


    Fenix nodded once and said this.


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, this is gonna be the first time I¡¯ve ever cut you down.¡¹


    Still think you¡¯re gonna win, huh? No, he¡¯s just psyching himself up. I get it.


    All right, let¡¯s do this.


    ¡¸I¡¯m gonna punch you real good, you know that?¡¹


    Fenix readied his sword.


    We both had a smile etched into our lips, which disappeared in an instant.


    Then we kick off the ground.


    And we clashed.

 CH 49

    49 ¨C On That Day, I Became the Hero I Always Dreamed of


    With the Magical Energy drawn from the horn, I use my Black Magic, no, my Black Sorcery.


    I can make one die of illness in seconds, plunge one into darkness for all eternity, trap one in a prison of one¡¯s own mind, make one unable to perceive anything of the outside world, and make one¡¯s body as immobile as a rock.


    Just by merely knowing all that is possible is what makes the world regard Black Sorcery as dangerous.


    However, Fenix Resists all of that with his unimaginable Magical Energy.


    I expected this, but he truly has an unusual amount of it.


    My goal is to force him to use up all his energy by resisting my spells.


    First, I will reduce both his physical and magical offense and defense.


    Fenix ignores it.


    Hmph, stubborn, aren¡¯t you?


    Normally, it is rare to be able to use several Black Magics at once, but if it¡¯s hard to do, it¡¯s also hard to undo.


    Even if it¡¯s Fenix, focusing on fighting while dealing with several Black Sorcery spells infused with massive amounts of Magical Energy will be difficult.


    And so, compromises must be made.


    To be able to focus on the fight, he must be determined to let himself be affected by certain debuffs.


    So he will completely Resist those that are fatal or spells that affect his mind.


    I thought he would try to preserve his offense but he took that together with the Defense Down debuff.


    I understand taking the Defense Down. You just have to defeat the enemy before they hit you.


    But to allow your all-important offense to be affected¡­


    ¡­No, wait.


    As he is approaching me, his resistance towards my Magical Attack Down debuff is increasing.


    So he thinks he¡¯s fine as long as he has his Flames of the Gods.


    I hear the sound of something sizzling, like the sound of a drop of water being poured onto a hot pan.


    It was the sound of the Magical Energy Field, that I deployed in order to protect me against the heat of the Flame, breaking. The membranous-like shape was unable to hold and began to dissipate.


    This flame can burn you up just by getting close.


    In order to overcome this, I need something to guard against the heat. So I stack up layers upon layers of Magical Energy and project them in front of myself.


    I tried to buy myself some time before he got any closer.


    This worked, but the layers were being destroyed at a tremendous rate.


    With every step closer, he destroys several hundreds of layers.


    Give me a break¡­


    Do you know how long it took me to save up all this Magical Energy?


    Good grief, someone¡¯s having fun.


    Every time Fenix takes a step closer, the floor, pillars, and ceiling lose their shape and disappear due to the Flames.


    Dungeons are empty spaces shaped by magic and the interior can be easily changed so I can¡¯t really complain, but even so, that doesn¡¯t give you the right to make everything disappear without leaving a trace!


    In his wake, nothing is left.


    Nothing.


    Just pure darkness. That is what a naked Magical Space looks like.


    The white Flames destroy the world while approaching me.


    ¡¸What incredible Magical Energy, Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸Same to you¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I will win! If I beat you, it¡¯ll prove that you were right!¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so, O Hero? Then allow me to teach you that Heroes can lose, too!¡¹


    ¡¸The Heroes I know of don¡¯t lose! They will always win in the end!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, and that¡¯s no different today, Fenix!¡¹


    I wonder what Fenix is thinking?


    If two fellow Heroes fought, one of them would lose.


    But the Hero he¡¯s thinking of is most definitely the past me.


    Looking up to me, there is no way that he would ever allow himself to be defeated.


    Even if he ends up defeating his¡¸best friend who always wins in the end.¡¹.


    Even if he defeats me, he will see it as a victory as the Flame Hero.


    Even if it means defeating a friend.


    In order to not give up on the dream that you set upon and strove for.


    That¡¯s the way, Fenix.


    ¡¸I will ascend to the very top of the World Rankings in the form of the Hero that you have shown me!¡¹


    Are those¡­wings?


    It¡¯s too bright to get a good look but I saw a pair of crimson wings.


    Fenix grew wings of flames on his back.


    The blazing Flames seem to spread out like the scales of a moth and then I heard the sound of an explosion¡­followed by Fenix¡¯s accelerating body.


    Just like what I saw during his fight with Marchosias, he was moving at high speeds with the use of fire.


    The pace of my deployed membranes being destroyed drastically picked up.


    ¡¸I told you! I will surpass you! Today! Here and now! I shall be the victor!¡¹


    I also grew a wing. Well¡­just the bones of a wing¡­which is actually just the transformed form of the horn.


    But because it is the horn, Magical Energy is stored there.


    Refined, highly dense, and highly pure Magical Energy.


    It¡¯s because of this that I¡¯m able to use true Black Sorcery, it¡¯s because of this that I¡¯m able to form a membrane to protect me against Fenix¡¯s heat, and it¡¯s because of this¡­that even I am able to move at high speeds.


    Even if you had a large amount of regular Magical Energy, you can¡¯t perform a miracle outside the bounds of magic.


    But if it¡¯s the compressed and condensed Magical Energy from a horn, it¡¯s possible.


    By making the Magical Energy jet out of the wing, I can boost myself around.


    My body felt the G-forces, and my cheeks were flapping around. My whole body shook violently.


    My vision flew by at terrifying speed.


    My membrane was torn off. Then it was burnt. It was gone in a flash.


    I made Fenix use up a lot of his Magical Energy. I lowered his defense to the lowest it can go.


    What he does have, is the strength of his Flames.


    His Flames of the Gods is not normal magic, which means it also uses up an appropriately large amount of Magical Energy.


    Also, there is a slight delay between casting it and when it¡¯s actually activated.


    That¡¯s why Fenix didn¡¯t use it just before he cut me, but rather just before he clashed with me.


    You most likely can¡¯t keep up magic like this.


    No need for a protracted battle. There is no point in playing games anymore.


    ¡¸LEM!!¡¹


    He says.


    ¡¸FENIX!!¡¹


    He is right in front of me.


    ¡¸Heed my call, O Spirit¡­!¡¹


    On the opposite edge of Fenix¡¯s downward swinging Holy Sword, there was an explosion.


    He made the slash move even faster.


    Looks we thought of the same thing.


    From the horn sticking out of my elbow, I make Magical Energy jet out of it.


    My fist rushed to meet the blade.


    ¡¸With¡­this horn¡­!!¡¹


    Using the horn that my master gave me, there¡¯s no way that I¡¯ll lose¡­!


    We clashed.


    The world shook.


    And then, colors began to fade completely.


    Everything was burnt away, even the things behind me.


    Like the door to the Safe Room.


    What was still there was the ground that we were standing on.


    A foothold barely left behind by my deployed magic and the Fire Spirit that doesn¡¯t allow its practitioner to be harmed.


    The Flames are the only thing shining brilliantly in the world, and I aim to extinguish it.


    ¡¸Uuooooooooh¡­!¡¹


    At the moment of impact, I can feel the horn and my body scream.


    The reason I wasn¡¯t blown away is thanks to the nine years worth of saved up Magical Energy.


    But I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep this up.


    I stopped Fenix¡¯s downward swing with my punching fist.


    My fist is burning.


    I know I¡¯m being pushed back.


    But I put more force into it.


    I wanted to be a Hero.


    I didn¡¯t have enough strength as a child, so I had to use my head to chase away the ruffians who were bullying Fenix.


    After I turned ten and didn¡¯t become a Hero, I trained myself as a Black Sorcerer. Being the key to victory in a fight for my allies, I wanted them to recognize me as a hero.


    Now I¡¯m twenty. I got kicked out of the party. I met Milla and everyone in the Demon King Castle and discovered that I can be Hero to the Monsters by helping them win.


    There were times I suffered, but I didn¡¯t think that I was unhappy. Unfortunate, perhaps, but not unhappy.


    Parents who didn¡¯t abandon their Black Sorcerer child, a best friend who said that we should become Adventurer¡¯s together, a master who had me inherit his most precious horn, Milla and the others who acknowledged my strength, Cashew who loves me dearly, Blitz who became my friend, and Aerial who invited me to his party.


    It¡¯s because of these men and women that I can believe in my own good fortune.


    But y¡¯know, deep down I still¡­


    What I looked up to when I was a kid¡­


    What I honestly thought was cool¡­


    Is a Hero that faces his enemies head-on and defeats them, and leads his allies to victory.


    I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer. I couldn¡¯t make any movements outside the realm of an Adventurer.


    But now, there¡¯s no one watching.


    No one will ever see this.


    That¡¯s why this isn¡¯t for anyone else, but for the me from ages ago who pressed his face up against the TV screen, the little me who dreamed of a bright future.


    ¡¸I WILL BECOME A HEROOooo!¡¹


    I swing my fist.


    How long did it last, I wonder?


    It felt like minutes, seconds¡­even a moment. It was probably a moment.


    But for us, that one moment will be remembered for the rest of our lives.


    Such a deep moment will never disappear from our minds.


    Holy Sword and fist both. Broken.


    We both shifted.


    Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword cut into my left shoulder.


    My fist pierced through his chest.


    A stillness settled in that seemed to belie the events beforehand.


    My body¡­wasn¡¯t burning.


    The Holy Sword was no longer wreathed in magic.


    My fist pierced Fenix all the way through and out his back.


    ¡¸¡­Even with one of the Four Great Spirits, it wasn¡¯t enough to burn you, huh?¡¹


    Fenix laughed heartily. He seemed frustrated yet satisfied.


    He let go of his sword and stretched towards my robes.


    Then he pulled out my mask and put it on my face.


    ¡¸¡­thanks, pal.¡¹


    The horn had disappeared. It already went back into my body.


    All the Magical Energy was completely spent.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll see you again soon.¡¹


    ¡¸What a troublesome guest. Look! You burned everything until nothing was left!¡¹


    Fenix ignored my complaint.


    ¡¸The one who wins in the end, is the hero. So I¡¯ll challenge you again.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sure, but I¡¯ll win next time too.¡¹


    ¡¸I want to fight the absolute best version of you. You¡¯d better not use that horn on anyone else.¡¹


    ¡¸How often do you think I run into enemies who I need to use the horn against?¡¹


    ¡¸Heh¡­Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡­looked just like those heroes we grew up watching.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I did, huh?¡¹


    At that moment, a small yelp could be heard.


    Somehow, the Recording Stone was unharmed so someone holding a camera was able to teleport to it.


    However, that someone teleported to the area around a floorless, pedestal-less Recording Stone, so she¡¯s just floating and wobbling in an empty Magical Space. Yet somehow she managed to point the camera towards us.


    ¡¸Uh-uhm! Ah! We¡¯re live! It¡¯s The Flame Hero Fenix and The One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton! Le-let¡¯s find out what has become of them! Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword is in Lemegeton¡¯s shoulder and¡­huh? Lemegeton¡¯s a-arm is¡­pierced through Fenix¡¯s chest! What in the¡­!¡¹


    The Avatar, that¡¯s made of Magical Energy, is leaking out a faint light. All for the act.


    We both suffered large injuries, both of our wounds are leaking out Magical Energy particles which give off a faint light that makes it easy to see us.


    Fenix laughed once more.


    This time, as if to praise me.


    He smiled as the Flame Hero Fenix.


    ¡¸¡­A splendid battle, Sir Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I could say the same, Flame Hero Fenix.¡¹


    And then¡­Fenix¡¯s body turned into Magical Energy particles and scattered.


    ¡¸Huh? Wha? But¡­? Fenix¡­was defeated? He was defeated! A complete loss for the Fenix Party! The Flame Hero Fenix has tasted defeat at the hands of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff!¡¹


    ¡¸You are wrong on one account.¡¹


    I say to the Department-looking woman.


    ¡¸Hyawa! W-wha-what do you mean¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸You are right about his defeat and the complete loss of his party. However, it was not a total victory. That¡¯s because¡­¡¹


    When Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword disappeared with him, the wound in my shoulder that it was applying pressure to was now open and Magical Energy was leaking out of my Avatar.


    My body disappeared, and my consciousness returned to my real body in the Link Room.


    When I came to my senses, I slowly opened my cocoon.


    ¡¸I¡¯d say that was a draw. Or, at least, a narrow victory for me.¡¹


    Perhaps that¡¯s better left for the audience to decide.


    All the Monsters were smiling and waiting for me, so I exited my cocoon.


    In the tenth stratum, The Realm of Monsters, the Fenix party was repelled.


    The defense of the Demon King Castle was a success.

 CH 50

    50 ¨C Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle Part 1


    Now, I bet you¡¯re wondering what has happened since all that.


    Well, I guess we¡¯ll start with me.


    The Magical Energy that I laboriously stored up for nine years has been completely dried up.


    However, this isn¡¯t as bleak as it sounds.


    That¡¯s because the nine years it took me to store it all, includes the time when I first took the horn into my body at the age of eleven.


    The Magical Energy I was able to produce at that time pales in comparison to how I am now, not to mention that it took an entire year for me to inherit the horn completely.


    My Black Magic training regiment still continues, so I have decided to transfer a larger portion of the Magical Energy that I create into the horn.


    It won¡¯t take me nine years in order to save up the same amount again.


    Incidentally, I was able to confirm that her Highness and the Big Four knew about me and my master in the battle.


    Maybe she predicted it when she saw that my Avatar only had one horn, but she wasn¡¯t at all surprised about me inheriting the horn.


    ¡¸I originally thought that Father had inherited it, but he and Grandfather never did see eye to eye. Do not worry about it.¡¹


    Is what she said.


    But it seemed like The Demon King Lucy wanted the horn.


    ¡¸Do not think too hard on it, Lemegeton. You brought home a splendid victory. You are the pride of the Demon King army¡­by the way, you only inherited one horn, right? Fufufu, nothing, merely a question.¡¹


    She said while smiling.


    ¡­Master, I think your grandchild is aiming for your remaining horn.


    I¡¯m sure it was a joke, but I felt a slight chill run down my spine.


    Come to think of it, I wonder what her Highness¡¯s father is doing now. From the way Luci talked, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a taboo subject but I suppose it¡¯s not related to Dungeon management.


    I¡¯ll ask her next time when the time is right.


    After that, time was spent being adoringly stared at by Milla, which I think has only gotten stronger.


    Then there were Cashew and others who wished to know the details of the fight but I decided to still keep my secret under wraps.


    Apart from Luci, who is both my master¡¯s grandchild and my employer, and the Big Four, except Sitri, who all know that I am the Demon King¡¯s disciple, I am hesitant to talk about the existence of my master.


    Next, about Fenix¡¯s Party.


    The Clear has yet to be broadcasted, but it will surely cause waves.


    Alba will most likely cause a fuss and propose a reclear, but he¡¯ll probably be denied. No, he definitely will be.


    This Clear has made the three of them, including Alba, realize that they are not up to the level of capturing the Demon King Castle.


    Bella, who joined halfway through the Clear and could do nothing but push forward, will surely bring up the topic that I was Lemegeton.


    The fact that she thinks that my Black Magic was strong enough to be useful to the party, Fenix laughing like a madman when he felt my Black Magic in the tenth stratum, the way I defeated Alba and Lark by completely seeing through their actions, the fact that I used Black Magic, and as an added bonus, my name being LEMegeton were just some of the reasons that she might realize that it¡¯s me.


    There are probably other reasons, but I don¡¯t think she has any proof even if she did suspect.


    Her point of view is different from other Adventurers. Or I should say, she doesn¡¯t see things through Adventurer-tinted glasses.


    If it¡¯s Bella, she¡¯ll be able to discern that it is impossible to give the audience a Clear that will fire them up more than they already are if they were to apply for a reclear at this time. Lily and Lark will probably agree. If he calms down, even Alba would understand.


    The fourth-ranked party assaults the Impregnable Demon King Castle and unravels its strata one by one.


    There was excitement to be had.


    But the same excitement can¡¯t be given if you were to challenge the Dungeon again right after losing.


    Are you going to show another Clear where the allies, other than Fenix, get defeated?


    Trace the path you took to reveal every stratum until the tenth? Even though people have already seen it?


    Do you think the people who see that will get as excited as they were when they saw the first Clear of that stratum the other day? Will they be satisfied?


    Basically, you need to take a break before reclearing a Dungeon after you were wiped out.


    Everyone loves an underdog story. People will cheer on the Hero party that got wiped out in a Dungeon, trained back up, and challenged it again.


    Work-related reasons aside, they have another reason to not immediately challenge the Dungeon again.


    Fenix.


    Even during the battle, I thought that even if he had won, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to advance to the deepest depths right away.


    The contract with the Spirit gives you the right to use Spirit Magic and Spirit¡¯s Magical Energy, both of which can be obtained through a contract with the Spirits.


    Since it¡¯s called a contract, compensation is also required, but that¡¯s not important right now.


    Instead of generating Magical Energy within oneself, the Spirit allows you to absorb the surrounding Magical Energy, that is abundant in the world, into your body.


    In other words, it¡¯s like a horn that can absorb the Magical Energy from the world.


    While it seems to be incredibly useful, the rate of absorption doesn¡¯t seem high.


    Also, if all its Magical Energy were to be completely used up, the Spirit would disappear.


    While It may be true that it took a hundred and thirty years for the Fire Spirit to choose the next contractor because no one it liked showed up, I think it¡¯s also true that it was trying to recover the Magical Energy that was used up by the last contractor.


    Fenix¡¯s Magical Energy alone isn¡¯t enough to cover the cost of releasing the Flames of the Gods.


    The Fire Spirit isn¡¯t some godly being that¡¯s able to let loose such unimaginable magic all willy-nilly. I mean, it¡¯s certainly not impossible, but that would extinguish its own existence. It¡¯s a move that¡¯s definitely not recommended for contractors.


    Furthermore, there are reasons that they won¡¯t come and also aren¡¯t allowed in, such as how Fenix wants to fight me in my best possible state, so he won¡¯t return so soon, and that the entire tenth stratum has been destroyed in the first place so we have to rebuild it before we can entertain anymore Adventurers.


    Several days after the defense of the Demon King Castle.


    I was in front of the gate that leads out of the town.


    The sky was dimly lit, it was early morning.


    Shortly after, the person I was waiting for appears. Or I should say, people. Five, in fact.


    Fenix, Alba, Lark, Lily and Bella.


    ¡¸Hey there.¡¹


    I greet them while raising a hand.


    I hid my head and face so that the surrounding people don¡¯t recognize me.


    ¡¸Who da¡­?¡¹


    Alba glared in my direction, but as soon as he realized it was me, his expression became doubtful.


    ¡¸Lem¡­ Whaddya want?¡¹


    This felt a little awkward.


    ¡¸Well I heard that you guys were heading to another town, so I thought I¡¯d come out and see you guys off.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Who the hell tol-¡­hmph, Fenix, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we talked.¡¹


    After the Clear, I properly carried out my end of the deal and talked to him about my new job.


    Later, I introduced him to Cashew and Milla.


    Well, I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡¸There¡¯s something that I have to say to everyone.¡¹


    Alba stepped forward.


    ¡¸Why the hell did you hide your power?¡¹


    If I hadn¡¯t heard about Bella¡¯s discussions from Fenix, I probably would have been bewildered.


    ¡¸If I told you about it, do you think you would have left me alone?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nah. You¡¯re still a Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly.¡¹


    In terms of popularity as an Adventurer, there¡¯s no way I can compete with someone like Bella.


    Alba places the utmost importance on popularity, so the pure fact that I am a Black Sorcerer was his problem.


    ¡¸¡­Y¡¯know, I am curious. If you had revealed your secret to us, you would have had an easier time in the party. Why did you silently let Alba run his mouth?¡¹


    Lark spoke up.


    ¡¸You mean if I said¡¸Hey guys, the reason you are able to give your best performance is all thanks to me!¡¹? Do you think that has any meaning to it?¡¹


    The best thing to do was to have them fight comfortably and without a care in the world.


    Having them think that it was their own strength rather than because of the Black Sorcerer would make them move livelier and more confidently.


    I wanted us to climb up the ranks as fast as possible anyway.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll excuse my own stupidity in failing to recognize your power, but your methods are just¡­just¡­¡¹


    Lily says hesitantly.


    50 ¨C Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle Part 2


    ¡¸I know. That¡¯s what I came to apologize for. Because I put too much priority on ensuring the party¡¯s continued victories, I stole away everyone¡¯s opportunities to learn and grow from mistakes.¡¹


    Naturally, you would understand your own shortcomings as a result of failure and strive to improve yourself every time that happens.


    However, with me pouring all my efforts into carrying the team, they lead the life of an Adventurer devoid of setbacks.


    That is why these three are suffering now.


    ¡¸I cannot say it is purely your fault, though. If they had continued to train diligently on a regular basis, they would have felt some discrepancy. From there, a discussion could have been had. No one questioned it because they were unconsciously looking down on you as a Black Sorcerer. Even my own sense of discrimination should not be blamed on you.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if I should be surprised, but Bella followed up with that.


    ¡¸So, Lem. You waited for us in order to apologize?¡¹


    Fenix asked while the other three were still silent.


    ¡¸Ah, actually there¡¯s something else. Well¡­alright. Alba, you tend to extend your Magic Sword, right? It¡¯s nice and flashy, but there¡¯s also the time it takes to return to consider, and the longer it¡¯s extended, the longer it takes to set up the trajectory, and I think the bigger moves should be spared and more compactly executed.¡¹


    Next.


    ¡¸Lark, you try to make the most appropriate action with the least amount of movement, right? I like that style, but if you¡¯re too precise, you become very predictable. Even the Monsters can see the video feeds, so there may be enemies who will try to turn the tables on your optimal movements. I think you should change your rhythm once in a while.¡¹


    Next.


    ¡¸Lily, I think you could be better if you didn¡¯t rely on your speed so much. You look great even if you just fire arrows normally, and you can showcase your ability by focusing on hitting the target. Godspeed is an amazing technique, so if you choose when to use it, such as when the enemies are grouped up together, the crowd will go wild!¡¹


    Up until now, I had no say in the matter.


    However, thanks to Bella¡¯s proposal, they might acknowledge my advice to some extent.


    If that was the case, I spoke my mind.


    They can become stronger.


    Uhm, I¡¯m not sure if I should say this, but¡­


    ¡¸Bella, you are an amazing and excellent Hero. You are aware of your surroundings and make decisions quickly. Even your magic is beautiful yet incredibly useful.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸But, you¡¯re not very good at close quarters, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It is as you say. I will concentrate on that.¡¹


    Bella bows her heads.


    I turn to Fenix.


    ¡¸As for you¡­ah, forget about it.¡¹


    ¡¸If you have something to say to me, just say it.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking that if you got stronger at fighting without the Spirit, you¡¯d probably become more annoying.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. You¡¯re right. I suppose it¡¯s not good to always rely on the Spirit.¡¹


    ¡¸You were chosen by the Spirit, so I¡¯m sure you have your own power.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s a story for another time.¡¹


    We laughed together.


    Fenix extended his hand.


    I don¡¯t usually shake hands with him but I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be weird to during a farewell.


    I shake his hand¡­for some reason, Fenix was emitting Magical Energy.


    In the spur of the moment, I enveloped my body with Magical Ener-wait a minute¡­


    ¡¸I, the Flame Hero Fenix, vow to save my friend at any time. No matter what, no matter when, please call on me.¡¹


    Thi¡­this idiot¡­!


    We were both touching the ring, both letting Magical Energy flow into it, expressing his intention to become a Contract¡­He can now be summoned through the ring.


    I happened to wear the ring today.


    I¡­accidentally made a Contract with the Flame Hero!


    He knows that I can¡¯t use Summon Magic, so he just somehow guessed that I was using some kind of magical artifact?


    And then he¡¯d test that assumption by forming a contract?


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me, you dumbass. In what possible situation could I summon you?!¡¹


    I angrily whisper at my best friend.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t I prepare a Monster-appropriate Avatar?¡¹


    He says in a light and easy tone. I¡¯m not even sure if he¡¯s serious or joking.


    No, wait¡­hm? Now how would that work?


    In case you¡¯re wondering, you aren¡¯t forbidden from having two occupations. Adventurers who aren¡¯t that famous can¡¯t put food on the table with a full-time job, so the number of Adventurers will drop off if you forbade them from doing a side job.


    My Adventurer Record still exists.


    ¡¸Is it really so odd to want to save my best friend in his time of need?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­oh whatever. If ever that time comes, I¡¯m gonna make you work your butt off.¡¹


    I¡¯ll think about the concrete details later.


    ¡¸As you command, Lord Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Please stop, you¡¯re giving me goosebumps.¡¹


    We laugh again, then he walks away.


    ¡¸Well then. Everyone, I¡¯ll be rooting for you.¡¹


    In contrast to my beaming smile are the dour faces of those three.


    ¡¸So in the end, are we gonna finish this without talking about your powers?¡¹


    Said Alba.


    ¡¸Guess so.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hey, that¡¯s right. What the heck are you doing for work now anyway?¡¹


    ¡¸Taking an interest in me?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Hell no! I was just askin¡¯.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I see. Well, if you promise not to tell anyone, I¡¯ll tell you.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no one who¡¯d be interested in ya in the first place.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, please don¡¯t tell anyone.¡¹


    ¡¸I already said I won¡¯t, geez.¡¹


    Alba¡¯s words honestly helped me out.


    I was worried about when was the right time to execute the plan.


    That is, when I let slip to Milla that I was going to send off Fenix and co., a plan was formed.


    ¡ºI have a splendid idea.¡»


    Said Milla at that time.


    I had a bad feeling about it, but before I knew it, the idea had become a solid plan that was essentially a done deal.


    Everybody pitched in and I couldn¡¯t be happier so I can¡¯t back down now.


    I took a mask from my robes and put it on.


    Each of them was surprised. The two who knew my identity were surprised at my actions, while the other three were surprised at the improbability.


    And the surprise doesn¡¯t end there.


    ¡¸Come.¡¹


    They appeared.


    The Watchdog of Hell Naberius, the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas, the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris, the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, the Vampire Queen Carmilla, Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias, and the Reaper Knight Furcas


    All the Monsters that cooperated in the defense of the tenth stratum answered my call and appeared.


    As Milla prepared and practiced with them earlier, they all got on one knee and bowed their heads toward me.


    I deployed my magic so that the surrounding people wouldn¡¯t notice.


    ¡¸It was a fun battle. Please come back any time. We shall graciously¡­crush you again.¡¹


    The surprise on the three people¡¯s faces at that moment, especially Alba¡¯s, was priceless.


    Milla gave a satisfied laugh.


    I wonder if Alba and the others will keep silent as expected.


    Even if they started a rumor, no one would believe them. Even if they did believe, which theory sounds more plausible? Me being an exceptional Black Sorcerer or Gra-la using his invisibility power to cloak a massive crowd of Black Sorcerers. In the first place, Alba wouldn¡¯t be able to say that an ally that he essentially kicked out of the party, later then lead the Monsters to wipe the floor with them.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s all do our best! Back to base.¡¹


    I tried saying something like a Chief of Staff would at the end there.


    Thanks to everyone saying¡¸Sir!¡¹in response, I think it was pretty convincing.


    Because they need to train themselves up, the Fenix party heads towards a different dungeon.


    ¡ó


    In the video room, I am watching the 156th ranked party that has entered the first stratum.


    While I can no longer participate directly in the other strata because I am officially the Chief of Staff, I am still able to give advice while watching the video feed.


    With an earphone and mic setup, I give appropriate directions.


    While watching the Adventurers, I mutter to no one in particular.


    ¡¸¡­Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle.¡¹

 CH 51

    51 ¨C A Graceful (?) Morning in the Life of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff


    It has been two weeks since Fenix¡¯s party was repelled.


    While I am the Floor Boss of the tenth stratum, I am also officially the Chief of Staff which comes with things that fall under my professional duties like planning battle strategies.


    I guess you could say that I have been living a full life.


    Cashew, my hardworking dog-eared secretary, continues to be adorable, and I have been getting along with my sleep buddy, the beautiful Vampire Milla.


    After witnessing my repelling of Fenix¡¯s party, I feel like I might have a chance to network and deepen my relationships with the people who doubted my abilities and reserved their attitude towards me.


    The Monsters from the first to the fourth stratum all felt my Black Magic first-hand so they know, but the Monsters from the fifth stratum and below didn¡¯t. So it was impossible for them to immediately accept that a Human, out of all potential choices, was suddenly promoted to the position of Chief of Staff.


    Recently, I have talked with a variety of people, regardless of which stratum they are from.


    Now then, since I have been officially recognized as the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, I have been allowed to live in the staff quarters.


    Different buildings have been prepared for each race and I have been placed in the one that was prepared for Majins.


    Majin¡¯s are basically identical to Humans save for their horns, so their buildings are identical to Human ones too.


    It would be quite different if it were a Mermaid or Birdmen dwelling.


    Back when I was an Adventurer, I didn¡¯t have any assigned dwellings or anything like that, so it¡¯s a rather strange feeling to now have a place to call my own.


    Among Adventurers, there are those who have built their own mansion, but as long as they¡¯re an Adventurer, your fancy mansion might as well be your vacation home.


    It¡¯s a job that requires you to go from place to place while diving into Dungeons. So it¡¯s difficult to settle down in one place.


    The sense of security or stability of being settled in one place. I was enjoying it.


    A day in my life naturally starts with me getting out of bed.


    ¡ó


    My consciousness reconnects with reality. I¡¯m half asleep and vacantly lying in bed.


    Even so, I cancel and regulate the Black Magic that I applied on myself.


    The mattress is soft and fluffy and the sheets are smooth. The futon is fluffy and light, and it feels nice and warm being all wrapped up in it.


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m hugging something.


    Is it a pillow? Or maybe a half-rolled up futon?


    It¡¯s supple, warm, and feels amazing.


    It¡¯s soft to the touch.


    ¡¸¡­mm¡­nn¡­¡¹


    That something makes a strained moan.


    With a rustling sound, something tickles my face.


    Yet it smells great.


    I rub my face against it, and it jolts.


    ¡¸Le-Lem, don¡¯¡­t¡­¡¹


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    It¡¯s fine if it was a pillow or futon, but since when could they speak?


    Also, since when did they have body heat and a heartbeat?


    When did they grow hair and have two round protrusions?


    Protrusions that feel¡­amazing to hold¡­?


    While still wishing that my rapidly fading sleepiness would allow me to continue sleeping, I assess the situation with my fully awake consciousness.


    I¡¯m here, in the bedroom of my apartment. On top of my bed.


    Sleeping on said bed was me, and the blond, crimson-eyed, and beautiful Vampire.


    My clothes¡­are still on. Good. She isn¡¯t naked either.


    So then, what am I doing currently?


    I was hugging Milla like a pillow.


    Nooooot good. Very not good.


    I leap away from her.


    ¡¸F-f-f-forgive me, Milla!¡¹


    I get up in a panic and immediately apologize.


    Milla was¡­wearing my robe for some reason. And nothing else¡­


    The sight of her wearing my Black Sorcerer robe with nothing underneath was an unparalleled novelty.


    I did not make her wear it.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem. My, aren¡¯t you vigorous so early in the day.¡¹


    Milla giggles and smiles, one hand covering the front of the robe that barely hides anything and the other tucking her hair behind her ear.


    Such¡­stimulating movements got me a little excited, but I controlled myself. Now is not the time for that.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You were simply half-asleep, yes? It¡¯s quite alright, it was just an accident.¡¹


    She smiles like a Motherly Goddess. O benevolent Milla.


    ¡¸It seems like you have been sleeping well, I am glad.¡¹


    This all started on the day my blood was sucked by Milla.


    That¡¯s when we became sleep buddies.


    It¡¯s a strange relationship where we are closer than friends, but not lovers either.


    We met two years ago, but we only truly got to talking and getting to know each other for only a few days at that time. It would have been hasty to take the relationship to the next level so soon.


    Ever since I started living in the staff quarters, the time that I spend together with Milla has drastically increased.


    That is to say, like this. In my apartment.


    At first, she just wanted to come along while I did my grocery shopping, but then she wanted to treat me to her cooking and then later got drunk on beer. I couldn¡¯t let her go home like that, so I offered her my bed.


    I was gonna sleep on the floor, but she said we were sleep buddies so it¡¯s not a problem, and forced me to sleep on the bed with her.


    Ever since that day, she has been coming to my place almost every day.


    Honestly, I don¡¯t have any life skills so Milla has been extremely helpful. It¡¯s fun when she¡¯s around and while it might be bad for my poor heart, I¡¯ve recently been able to talk with her more naturally.


    Although I have noticed that more and more of her personal belongings are left in my apartment as the days go by. She also shows me her vulnerable side sometimes, and she often wears my clothes as she pleases, for some reason.


    Our relationship should be deepening steadily.


    However¡­


    As the word¡¸buddies¡¹suggests, we are not lovers.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve noticed too. Lately, my sleep has been somewhat deeper¡­Perhaps because of how comfortable it is.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, so please don¡¯t worry. Besides¡­¡¹


    She puts one hand on the bed.


    The mattress sinks slowly as she moves closer.


    Her face comes close to mine. Her golden locks falling smoothly.


    ¡¸If I did not like being touched, I would not be sleeping together with you.¡¹


    She says while breathing out a long sigh and giving a bewitching smile.


    ¡¸And I believe¡­even you feel the same.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­¡¹


    Before I could say anything, she placed her white, delicate finger on my lips to stop me.


    ¡¸And for that purpose, I must entice Lem to assault me with love rather than lust.¡¹


    Saying that, she pulls away.


    ¡¸Let us make breakfast. Operation Through his Stomach continues today as well.¡¹


    This time, she gives a smile like that of a sweet maiden.


    She truly is a woman of many faces, and the troubling thing is that I find every one of them charming.


    A hero never loses in battle, but somehow I feel like I keep losing to her.


    At any rate, this is how the morning starts for the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    There was a small incident, but my new everyday life begins like this, waking up next to Milla.

 CH 52

    52 ¨C Concerning the Last Defense and a Vampire¡¯s Apron


    Several minutes after Milla left my room, I head towards the washroom.


    I could still feel the softness and warmth in my hand.


    I washed my face to drive away the wicked thoughts.


    When I pop my head into the living room, I could see the figure of Milla in the open kitchen.


    Before I knew it, she had put on comfortable clothes and a white apron over them. Her long hair was held together by a scrunchie, forming a ponytail, spilling out behind her.


    I think it has a somewhat wholesome beauty to it.


    I do enjoy her usual suggestive approach, but if I was forced to pick, I¡¯d have to go with her relaxed and natural figure.


    ¡¸Anything I can help with?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, but I¡¯m quite alright. Please just watch TV and wait.¡¹


    Even if you aren¡¯t a Chef, you can still partake in cooking. Ultimately, you¡¯ll only be as good as a homemade cook, and your growth will stop just short of being able to earn money with it.


    Nonetheless, I don¡¯t possess a delicate sense of taste and I think Milla is a good cook.


    By the way, when I was studying under my master, I was supposed to make my own food but on the first day, my master scolded me saying¡¸Stop, I¡¯ll do it. At least I have some ability.¡¹and I never had to cook.


    Was I really that bad¡­?


    The first time Milla offered to cook, she said¡¸Us cooking together seems like a lovely idea¡¹but two minutes later,¡¸I want to treat you to a meal I made from start to finish, so please just wait in the living room.¡¹and she drove me out of the kitchen.


    Since then, she¡¯s never let me help out.


    Maybe I should try practicing secretly from now on.


    While thinking that, I turn on the TV. It¡¯s slim and the image is crystal clear. It¡¯s miles apart from the box-shaped, staticky TV we had back in the countryside.


    I tune in to the news channel and see some familiar Adventurers on the screen. More accurately, it was the Adventurer¡¯s Dungeon Clear footage.


    It was footage of the time Fenix and co. challenged the Demon King Castle¡¯s tenth stratum.


    It was aired just yesterday.


    When Dungeon Clears are aired on TV, they are all basically made into a TV special.


    One slot was prepared for every stratum in the Fenix party¡¯s Demon King Castle Dungeon Clear which totaled to eleven programs. That definitely got them motivated.


    The Clear of the Succubus Domain on the fifth stratum, where the Demon of Love Sitri works, was completed in the shortest time.


    So it was broadcast together with the Clear of the sixth stratum, lead by the Ruler of the Waters Vepar.


    Conversely, the Clear of the seventh stratum, the Domain of Sky and Trials governed by the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, took a long time and the broadcast was spread over two weeks.


    This way, everything balanced out. From then on, it would continue with the usual one slot per stratum broadcast until the tenth stratum.


    The actual Clear time was quite short, but with before and after interviews, extra scenes of the party training, and a look back on how they got here, they managed to fill the time slot.


    Normally, such blatant stretching for time would incur displeasure from the viewers but since the Dungeon Clear footage and the result were so shocking, no one pointed it out.


    Next week, it looks like they¡¯re going to air a documentary on Fenix¡¯s party.


    They assumed that the Clear of the Demon King Castle was a longshot in the first place, so they prepared plenty of raw footage and alternate plans.


    ¡¸Goodness, what a shocker.¡¹


    The Minotaur commentator, who is well-informed of the activities of Adventurers, begins to speak.


    ¡¸The Flame Hero Mr.Fenix was never defeated in any of the officially unveiled Dungeon Clears until now, so it was truly shocking for the viewers.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a real shame we couldn¡¯t see the crucial bits. But y¡¯know, I thought the cameras inside Dungeons were made to withstand Magical Energy? It¡¯s not supposed to break even if you hit it directly with magic.¡¹


    Mr. Mino nodded to the words uttered by the famous Dwarf comedian.


    ¡¸Yes, you¡¯re right. They were all melted. Some cameras broke without displaying flames, It¡¯s possible that these were broken by magic filled with highly dense and pure Magical Energy. I believe it was Spirit Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸The scene was crazy when they managed to get a camera in the Dungeon. There was nothing left! Just two people standing there. Man, I really want to know the details but I have to ask about that Dark Sorcerer guy. What was it? Lemegeton. That Demon King Army Chief of Staff, why didn¡¯t that guy melt like the cameras¡­I shouldn¡¯t say it like that, but I do wonder how he was able to withstand the flames?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s because he is a Majin. Majin¡¯s horns can store Magical Energy and can enhance the quality of their Magical Energy much like how Spirit Magic can. With the same quality of Magical Energy as Spirit Magic, I believe he was able to protect his body.¡¹


    ¡¸Aha, I see. So that means Mr. Chief of Staff had stored up a huge amount of Magical Energy? But that means that he used up all of his reserves, right? So that means that the next person who comes along will have an advantage?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re not wrong to think that, but I would like you to recall Mr. Lemegeton¡¯s actions prior to the one-on-one fight with Mr. Fenix. If you exclude the way he used Mr. Alba¡¯s attack against him, he skilfully commanded his subordinates to defeat his enemies, allowed them to have a one-on-one fight with Mr. Fenix, and then finally he began to take action.¡¹


    ¡¸Right. Up until the halfway point, he was fighting smartly, and he seemed to use his subordinates well but then the plan became all about Fenix. It seemed like the plan had changed.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. In fact, the Watchdog of Hell Mr. Naberius, and the Chief of the Werewolves Mr. Marchosias clearly mentioned how they were permitted to have a one-on-one fight with Mr. Fenix. The Spirit Commanding General Mr. Kimaris requested for the Frost Hero Ms. Bella¡¯s Avatar and his subordinate, The Black Wound Hunter Ms. Leraje, displayed her fixation for the Hunter Ms. Lily.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, now that you mention it¡­ So you mean Mr. Chief of Staff was considering the feelings of his subordinates when planning his strategy? Is that why the plan became pretty inefficient halfway through?¡¹


    ¡¸I believe so. Perhaps he had the intention of forcing Mr. Fenix to use up his Magical Energy but even so, there are surely more effective ways of doing that. Judging from what we saw of Mr. Lemegeton¡¯s abilities from the footage, it¡¯s only natural that he would think that too.¡¹


    ¡¸So in other words, he allowed those that felt frustrated about being defeated by Fenix in one blow, and those with some connection or interest in a party member to do as they please, then he fought Fenix by using his own horn? And if another Adventurer were to come by, he¡¯d finish them off with a plan that doesn¡¯t rely on his horn?¡¹


    ¡¸Even in that case, the orders he gives to his subordinates would change depending on how the Adventurers got to the tenth stratum, and if his horn doesn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy, he will most likely form a surefire plan with that in mind. Judging from what I saw, he seems like he possesses a genuinely high-performance Magical Energy Organ.¡¹


    ¡¸Summoning five Monsters in one go, right? Was that using the Magical Energy from the horn?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think so. Fenix and co., or rather, Mr. Fenix himself, only sensed the summoning after it was completed, yes? If the horn was used, he would have been shocked at the response from the first summoning.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, so even his own Magical Energy is amazing. Just who is this guy? To be able to seriously win against a wielder of one of the Four Great Spirits. Since he only has one horn, could he be the Demon King from two generations ago or something?¡¹


    ¡¸His physique and fighting style are different, and to think that man would return is quite¡­ It¡¯s possible that the real person has two horns, but chose to hide it by having his Avatar only have one horn. Although I am uncertain as to why he would do that.¡¹


    ¡¸He said he was the Dark Sorcerer so I expected something like a Black Sorcerer, but he was able to dodge the Magic Sword and use it against them and also defeat Fenix with a punch! He¡¯s all over the place! Not to mention people are gonna complain that summoning a bunch of Floor Bosses is unfair.¡¹


    ¡¸There will certainly be people with that opinion, but the cost on the summoner is, allow me to put it simply, high depending on how strong the Contract is. Practically, a summoner would normally summon just one strong subordinate or many weak ones. To summon five Floor Boss equivalent Monsters at once is nothing short of amazing.¡¹


    ¡¸So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Well, I suppose there are people who think Spirit-wielding Heroes are unfair as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly. What¡¯s important is how one uses one¡¯s own power. And on that, Mr. Lemegeton used his splendidly.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s some high praise. On the other hand, what about the Fenix party? It was around the fifth stratum, yeah? After the Black Sorcerer left their party, it¡¯s like they hit a bump in the road.¡¹


    ¡¸Honestly, Fenix and co. have been gathering harsh opinions. Aside from the two Heroes, the other three haven¡¯t been doing well ever since the fifth stratum.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought they improved a little until¡­uh, what stratum was it again?¡¹


    ¡¸The seventh stratum perhaps? It was plain to see on the eighth stratum and beyond, that they have not improved¡¹


    Other people started chiming in and the topic shifted to Fenix and co.


    ¡¸He¡¯s a good commentator. Let¡¯s remember him if we ever need him.¡¹


    Said Milla in a good mood as she carried breakfast over to me.


    ¡¸Gosh, I¡¯m so embarrassed, getting all this praise¡­¡¹


    ¡¸They are justified evaluations. Although I wish society acknowledged Lem rather than just Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, that¡¯s gonna be tough.¡¹


    Working as a Monster while also being an Adventurer will be quite difficult.


    A Monster¡¯s job is to lie and wait while an Adventurer¡¯s job is to go around the world.


    You need to be in a party and Clear Dungeons in order to be an Adventurer, and I could barely do that in the first place.


    Nobody would want an Adventurer who can only Clear Dungeons that are a day trip away from the Demon King Castle, not to mention a Black Sorcerer. Under those conditions, not even I would want that.


    I just don¡¯t see a future where the Black Sorcerer Lem is reevaluated in a straightforward manner.


    ¡¸There must be a way¡­there must be.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m very happy that you put so much thought into that, but it¡¯s fine. I have someone like you who notices me, and the people at the Demon King Castle who acknowledge me. I even have first-rate Adventurers like Fenix and Aerial who understand me. I can¡¯t possibly hope for more than that right now.¡¹


    ¡¸You are too modest, Lem. It is fine to have a society altering ambition, you know? And I pledge my life to help you achieve such a thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Tha-thank you¡­¡¹


    I can sense the essence of a fan who wants everyone to appreciate the good qualities of her favorite.


    Her feelings are a little too strong, but it¡¯s the thought that counts.


    ¡¸Well, uhm¡­I guess I¡¯ll dig in.¡¹


    ¡¸Please, bon appetit.¡¹


    I eat my breakfast while continuing to watch the news with Milla.

 CH 53

    53 ¨C A Second Breakfast with a Dog-eared Girl


    After the meal, I change my clothes and head out first.


    The apron-adorned Milla walked me to the entrance and saw me off.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll see you later.¡¹


    ¡¸Have a pleasant journey.¡¹


    This is¡­kinda nice.


    Having a place to come back to, that is.


    The reason I left the dormitory first was to meet Cashew.


    She¡¯s still a child, so she lives with her mother. It¡¯s walking distance to the Demon King Castle, but I still worry about her so I¡¯ve been picking her up and taking her home.


    I¡¯ve asked Milla to come with us before but she just says¡¸It¡¯s Cashew¡¯s turn.¡¹.


    They both get along well. And lately, The Demon of Love Sitri has been getting along with them as well and I hear the three of them have been having some girl time together.


    At those times, I¡¯ve been training my endurance by running with the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias in the Second Playing Field, receiving swordsmanship training from the Reaper Knight Furcus, solving the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim¡¯s riddles, etc, deepening my friendship with everybody in the Demon King Castle.


    The lively, admirable, and lovely little Cashew is popular with those in the Demon King Castle as well. There are even those that I can talk to because of her.


    I¡¯ve been told many a time that they were cautious of a Human who newly became the Chief of Staff but as soon as they saw my relationship with Cashew, they concluded that I couldn¡¯t be someone who hates Monsters and discriminates.


    Putting that aside, it seems that there were those that harbored suspicions that they smelled a similar scent to one of the Big Four, the Time Demon Agares, self-proclaimed guardian of the hearts of children.


    I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy about it or not, but upon seeing Milla¡¯s shameless approach towards me, all those fears were eradicated.


    Having done that, recently there have been odd rumors saying¡¸To make the queen be so flirtatious, just what kind of man is he?¡¹and the like, but that, too, soon disappeared.


    Around the time the rumors spread, I started seeing a lot of injured staff members. I wonder what happened.


    My instincts told me that it was better that I didn¡¯t find out.


    In about a fifteen-minute walk, I think, I see a two-storied apartment building. Each floor had five apartments, to a total of ten. It¡¯s not pretty, but it was a solid building.


    Cashew¡¯s home is in the middle of the first floor.


    I walk up to the door and before I could knock, it opened.


    ¡¸Good morning, Le~m.¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t Cashew.


    The girl with hair longer than Cashew and lively disposition was Maca. Cashew¡¯s older sister.


    ¡¸Good morning, Ms. Maca.¡¹


    ¡¸Geez, I told you just Maca is fine. I thought it was almost time for you to come so I was waiting for you.¡¹


    She says, looking up at me.


    If I remember right, she¡¯s twelve years old. She seems more mature than Cashew.


    ¡¸Is that so? Is Cashew in?¡¹


    ¡¸Aww, you don¡¯t wanna talk to little ole¡¯ me?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s nothing like that¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what this girl is thinking. My closest guess is that she adores me but somehow I think there¡¯s something more than that¡­


    ¡¸Aah, it¡¯s Rem!¡¹[1. TL Note: Child-speak]


    ¡¸You¡¯re here again, huh, Lemi!¡¹[2. TL Note: same as above]


    The twins rush to the door with a pitter-patter. They were Cashew¡¯s younger brother and sister.


    The girl¡¯s name is Mia, the boy¡¯s name is Nuts. Mia acts like a young lady. They are both five years old.


    Mia thinks of me as a nice older brother ever since she received things like clothes and sweets that I gave to Cashew and her mother.


    Nuts, on the other hand, is cautious around me because I suddenly appeared and got along with his older sister and his mother.


    ¡¸Morning, Mia and Nuts.¡¹


    Mia approached me and I pet her head. The laughing face she makes because it¡¯s tickling really resembles Cashew¡¯s.


    Nuts bites my other hand. Ouch. But instead of out of hostility, I sense he¡¯s doing this out of a will to¡¸Protect my Mom and sisters at all costs¡¹, so I don¡¯t get mad at him.


    I wish I could clear up the misunderstanding and get along better with him.


    ¡¸Hey, knock it off, Nuts.¡¹


    Bonk, goes Maca¡¯s fist on Nuts¡¯ head. He stops biting me and starts crying.


    ¡¸Maca hit me¡­!¡¹


    While crying, he hurls himself into the arms of his kind older sister, Cashew.


    ¡¸There, there. But Nuts, you know it¡¯s not nice to bite Lem, right?¡¹


    Cashew strokes her little brother¡¯s head while gently reprimanding him.


    ¡¸All men just wanna get pretty girls. Even Lemi just wants to get with Cashew.¡¹


    It warms my heart that he calls his older sister pretty even at a young age.


    And he even worries about her. A fine young man.


    However, bad people who go after little girls as if they were women are few and far between, I was able to make him understand that I¡¯m not like that.


    ¡¸Welcome, Lem. I¡¯m so sorry for all the commotion.¡¹


    Said their mother as she lines the dining table with breakfast and casting an apologetic smile my way.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s quite alright. I was an only child so I¡¯m rather jealous.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey Le~m, if you could have an older sister, what kind of would you like~?¡¹


    Maca goes right next to me and asks in a sweet voice.


    ¡¸I wonder¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Maca, don¡¯t put Lem on the spot like that.¡¹


    ¡¸I was just asking a question¡­¡¹


    Maca has the Chef Job and is training at her mother¡¯s friend¡¯s shop, currently.


    ¡¸Please enjoy the meal today as well, Lem. My cooking¡¯s delicious, y¡¯know?¡¹


    Her cooking certainly is delicious.


    You need a lot of food to generate a lot of Magical Energy, that¡¯s why I can still eat after just eating breakfast.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸I mean, I¡¯ve already cooked Lem¡¯s portion. You¡¯ve done a lot for us and Cashew¡¯s salary increased by a boatload so living has gotten a lot easier.¡¹


    Considering Cashew¡¯s household situation, the Demon King Castle matched her daily wages accordingly.


    Somehow, lately, I¡¯ve gotten into the habit of having breakfast at two places.


    One time I was delayed and when I got to Cashew¡¯s place, I found her waiting for me without eating. Since then, I¡¯ve been visiting her for breakfast.


    Cashew¡¯s mother asks me how she¡¯s doing in the workplace, Maca asks me personal questions, Mia begs me to use my magic and Nuts stays vigilant the whole time.


    In the house, Cashew is the younger sister to Maca and the older sister to the twins. She mainly takes care of the twins, so she doesn¡¯t talk much.


    It¡¯s kind of funny to see a different side of her.


    After the meal, Maca was the first to leave the house, followed by me and Cashew. When it¡¯s time for the mother to go to work, the twins are left under the care of an elderly couple that they know.


    For a while, Cashew was walking quietly, but as soon as the house was out of sight, she instantly moved closer to me.


    ¡¸C-could you¡­¡¹


    She hesitatingly stretches out her small hand, I smile and clasp it.


    ¡¸Of course, wouldn¡¯t want you to get lost, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­ I don¡¯t wanna get lost.¡¹


    Said Cashew, embarrassed yet happy.


    ¡¸Lem, this morning you have a briefing session with Luci in your schedule.¡¹


    Like a proper secretary, she manages my schedule.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. As soon as we reach the castle, let¡¯s head straight to the meeting room.¡¹


    ¡¸The topic of the meeting is unknown. I wonder what it¡¯s about?¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder. Maybe it¡¯s about how to fix the broken tenth stratum.¡¹


    Originally, each stratum is made to suit the Floor Boss.


    But in my case, there wasn¡¯t enough time. Since it was already set up for my predecessor, we used it as is.


    Looks like this all happened at the perfect time to create a stratum that suits my tastes this time.


    I¡¯ve been asked many times for opinions on its construction, so perhaps I¡¯ll bring it up during the meeting.


    ¡¸I see, I see¡­what kind of stratum would you like?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­I¡¯m not sure. Got any ideas, Cashew?¡¹


    And so we continue heading towards our place of work, hand in hand.

 CH 54

    54 ¨C An Official Order from Lord Demon King


    ¡¸So you¡¯ve arrived, Lemegeton.¡¹


    It¡¯s the meeting room where I met with Her Highness for the first time.


    It¡¯s dimly lit, but visibility is clear, and even though the room is spacious, the only things in it are a long table and chairs made out of stone. Before this room is merely a narrow room that houses the Recording Stone that is equipped with a teleportation function.


    Including Her Highness and the Big Four, there are five chairs. However, there has been a new addition.


    Being the Chief of Staff, you¡¯d think that a spot next to Her Highness would be reserved, but my seat is across the table and facing her.


    Today, Luci¡¯s crimson hair is styled in a twin-tail with an immense volume on each side.


    She might look like someone who is just a little bit older than Cashew, but she is genuinely my boss.


    ¡¸No matter when, I shall answer your call.¡¹


    At my response, she gave a proud chuckle.


    ¡¸You have done well.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸That matter with the Fenix party was superb. They were all annihilated, so they had to regenerate their Avatars here. Especially since two of them are Heroes, we managed to get a lot of money.¡¹


    Her Highness gave a satisfied nod.


    Technology that can recreate one¡¯s whole body using Magical Energy is used for Avatar creation.


    It¡¯s very expensive to use, so Adventurers try as best as they can to not have their Avatars broken.


    Replicating superior Magical Energy organs, special skills like Lily¡¯s Godspeed, and any Magic Tools in possession will further increase the price. Money is requested in exchange for the labor of replicating them.


    A shop that¡¯s under the Adventurer Union will charge a fixed price, but there is a system in place where regeneration and repairs that are done right after a Dungeon Clear, in the same Dungeon, are subject to a discount.


    Since Fenix and co. all requested for Avatar regeneration then and there, the Demon King Castle profited.


    ¡¸The Flame Hero also included the repair cost of the tenth stratum in the payment. Is your bosom buddy rich?¡¹


    The destruction of not just the cameras, but the entire stratum was billed to Fenix.


    This is a rule of Dungeon Clearing, so he agreed to it.


    ¡¸We only split the earnings from the broadcasts between us evenly, any money earned individually will belong to that person. That¡¯s how we did things.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I see. Unlike the sought after Flame Hero in TV, magazine interviews, and events, the Black Sorcerer didn¡¯t get many jobs like that, did you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­Despite being from the same village, the same age and even the same party, the difference between our incomes is incomparable¡­¡¹


    I mean, yeah¡­I was earning a whole lot more than the average Adventurer, but I didn¡¯t have any of the additional income that the other famous Adventurers had.


    People like Fenix get asked for various TV commercials, and I think Lily was asked to do shampoo commercials. Alba did commercials for easy-to-move-in shoes, and Lark did commercials for a company that handles armors.


    I got nothing!


    Zilch! Nada!


    Even when they interview the entire party, I¡¯m just there as an added bonus, and more than once during these things, I wasn¡¯t asked a single question.


    The other four during their break¡­that is to say, on the days that we aren¡¯t Clearing a Dungeon, they get job offer after job offer while I have nothing to do.


    Although it¡¯s thanks to that free time that I was able to devote all of my attention to my training¡­


    No wait, there was one time where a smalltime magazine was putting together a special feature. Something like¡¸The Hope of the Black Sorcering World!¡¹. I remember walking out of the interview part-way through when they asked me just how to butter up a famous person.


    It wasn¡¯t an interview about Black Sorcerers at all. When they asked me¡¸Just how did you butter up the Flame Hero to keep you in the party?¡¹I was profoundly sad.


    That¡¯s how badly the world treats Black Sorcerers.


    ¡¸R-right. Apologies. I did not mean to dishearten you. Come, come, would you like me to pat you on the head?¡¹


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? When I do that to Agares, he seems to get motivated enough to work for a month without sleep or rest.¡¹


    Agares¡­dude¡­


    Well, I suppose if a pat on the head is enough to satisfy him, then there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    I think. Right? I¡¯m not sure.


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine, but you have my thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm. I suppose you do have Cashew and Carmilla, so you have no need for other sources of comfort.¡¹


    Her Highness held her chin and seemed to understand, so she returned to the topic at hand.


    ¡¸At any rate, I did think it took a frightful amount of work to create your Avatar but to think you inherited his horn.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fear not, Lemegeton. Rather, you have my respect. I thought the pain would be too much for a Human to bear.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, Master somehow managed to keep me from dying.¡¹


    ¡¸Grandfather is a genius but he was not good at handling delicate matters. He made it compatible with you, but I don¡¯t believe he was able to perform the feat without diverting the pain.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm, yes, it hurt a lot¡­ but it was something I wished for.¡¹


    ¡¸For Grandfather to give his horn to a Human simply because he wished for it¡­Lemegeton, did you blackmail him?¡¹


    ¡¸As if Master even has a weakness!¡¹


    I blurt that out while Her Highness roars with laughter.


    ¡¸I truly can¡¯t think of one. Oops, there¡¯s more I want to talk about but we should get back to the topic at hand.¡¹


    Everything up to now was just small talk. I know the reason I was summoned was for something else.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸You personally know two Demon Kings, yes? Grandfather and myself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right.¡¹


    There¡¯s no point in denying that or deceiving her anymore.


    To tell the truth, I have fought others with the title of Demon King before, but I only personally know two of them.


    ¡¸In that case, are you not curious? About what your master¡¯s son, your boss¡¯ father, the previous Demon King, is doing right now?¡¹


    Sooner or later, I was planning to indirectly ask her about that, but now the person herself is bringing up the topic.


    ¡¸I am curious.¡¹


    ¡¸Good. I would be insulted if you weren¡¯t.¡¹


    Her Highness gave a weak smile, and then wiped all expression from her face.


    ¡¸My fath-¡­That man abandoned his post as the Demon King. I¡¯m not saying that you should live your life only to work, but what he did was unforgivable.¡¹


    I sit up straight and listen intently.


    ¡¸That man¡­that man said¡¸All this Dungeon Clear business is outdated.¡¹. He said¡¸I shall create a new kind of business and put an end to Dungeon Clearing.¡¹and left this Dungeon behind.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, he has his beliefs and logic. Currently, viewers undoubtedly lean towards the Adventurer¡¯s side. That much is evident from the fact that it is called a Dungeon¡¸Clear¡¹.¡¹


    The Adventurers are the ones broadcasting the videos so it¡¯s only natural that people lean more on their side, but they aren¡¯t called Defense Videos.


    ¡¸That man said that he will change this disadvantageous arrangement that we Monsters find ourselves in. A splendid aspiration. Wonderful if it came true. But I ask you, Lemegeton. Is it not a shame to abolish Dungeon Clears from the world for that purpose?¡¹


    I agree with Her Highness.


    Certainly, there are people who discriminate against Demi-Humans possibly because of the role they play as villains in Dungeon Clears. It is unfortunate.


    However, that can¡¯t all be blamed on Dungeons and there¡¯s no guarantee that it will go away if you abolish Dungeon Clears.


    It¡¯s because of Dungeon Clears that I found my dream.


    I can¡¯t agree with the idea of getting rid of them.


    Besides, we¡¯re changing things from the inside.


    We¡¯re trying to prove that it¡¯s OK for the Monsters to win as well.


    It¡¯s reckless to resolve to somehow get rid of it, cutting off that other path.


    ¡¸It seems that man started advancing his plans after Grandfather¡¯s disappearance. They were able to defend the Demon King Castle but nearly all of Grandfather¡¯s subordinates changed occupations or followed that man.¡¹


    ¡­So that¡¯s why the Big Four and all the other Monsters are all young people.


    Everyone¡¯s strength is worthy of being called Demon King Castle Monsters but I did wonder about the large number of young people working here.


    It¡¯s not unusual for Monsters to be replaced, but I thought it was because her Highness is also young, so she preferred to hire young staff. It seems I was mistaken.


    ¡¸I have been trying to figure out what that man has been up to¡­He¡¯s going to make a big move soon. I¡¯ve confirmed that he¡¯s planning on buying-out a certain Dungeon as part of his plan.¡¹


    ¡¸Buy-out, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not easy managing a Dungeon. If you¡¯re in the red, you have to think about selling the whole thing. I don¡¯t know what that man plans to do after he buys it, but it¡¯s clear he won¡¯t let anyone¡¸Clear or Defend¡¹it ever again. I can¡¯t allow that to happen.¡¹


    Her Highness truly seems angry. Although, I sense no hatred.


    ¡¸I believe I understand the situation. However, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much I can do¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lemegeton, my faithful Chief of Staff. I want you to use your abilities to make the aforementioned Dungeon profitable. Turn it into a Dungeon that attracts Adventurers like moths to a flame that burns them all the same.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? ¡­wait, what¡­? Uhm, so you, want me to go on a business trip?¡¹


    Actually, I guess that isn¡¯t unusual.


    Dungeons are layered structures that don¡¯t always have guests. Even if there were guests, they have to start from the first stratum.


    There are days where there¡¯s nothing to do. During those times, there are those who do other work that is appropriate to their Job and those who temporarily transfer to other Dungeons.


    If I think about it, a business trip isn¡¯t an unusual order.


    My tenth stratum is still being rebuilt, so even if Adventurers come, they can only go up to the ninth stratum.


    There are probably high-ranking parties who want to Clear the Demon King Castle one stratum after another like Fenix and co. did. Until the tenth stratum is newly built, all I can do is stand by and wait even if other Adventurers come and challenge it.


    Conversely, only a few of the mid-ranked and below parties who still want to challenge the Demon King Castle were left after the shock of Fenix¡¯s party losing.


    Each and every person in the Demon King Castle is strong enough to handle those few who remain.


    Even if they were to break through, they can¡¯t go past the ninth stratum.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s you, it can be done. You are my Chief of Staff, after all. You are also the person who inherited Grandfather¡¯s horn. You and that man have a connection.¡¹


    Originally, he was supposed to inherit the horn, but I did instead.


    A piece of my master is within me.


    Her Highness and her father, there is a connection. We are linked by fate. A strange fate, but linked all the same.


    ¡¸I permit you to use the ring, but please consider their work schedules. Also, I¡¯m sure you already know this, but do not use the horn. If you have to, keep it to just one horn.¡¹


    She¡¯s referring to when I released the horn.


    I¡¯m prohibited from changing my right arm and growing wings.


    If I just grow one horn on the right, people can accept it as simply an act.


    ¡¸What say you? Until the tenth stratum is finished, will you accept this job?¡¹


    There are still things I wish to ask, but for the time being, my answer has already been decided.


    She is my boss, I am her subordinate. And this is work.


    ¡¸¡­If Her Highness orders me to.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, then I shall.¡¹


    Her Highness ordered me happily.


    ¡¸Crush that man¡¯s ambition to dust, my faithful Chief of Staff.¡¹

 CH 55

    55 ¨C The Lament of the Vampire Queen, Alone with the Demon of Love


    ¡¸I heard everything.¡¹


    Milla appears in the meeting room around the time I finished talking with Her Highness.


    ¡¸Hm? Carmilla? What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I shall go with Lord Lemegeton to the aforementioned Dungeon.¡¹


    As usual, her golden locks are beautiful today and her red pupils sparkled like gemstones.


    ¡¸No, you¡¯re not.¡¹


    Her Highness flatly refused her proposal. However, Milla isn¡¯t one to back down so easily.


    ¡¸But why, Your Highness?! I should have paid vacations stored up! I shall use them all here! There needs to be someone there to tell them of Lord Lemegeton¡¯s greatness!¡¹


    What I find amazing about her Highness is that she never mentions the things she was being asked about. As expected of the Demon King, she doesn¡¯t get fazed by trivial things. Right? Probably not.


    ¡¸My reasoning is simple, you are the Floor Boss of the third stratum. High-ranking parties¡­particularly the top three ranked parties probably won¡¯t come, but other Adventurers aren¡¯t so naive as to let themselves be cut down like common rabble. If we lack the Chief of Staff¡¯s strategic planning capabilities, more Adventurers will break through the first stratum.¡¹


    ¡¸Then Sir Kimaris and Leraje will stop them in the second stratum! Thanks to Lord Lemegeton, his stock of ghosts have increased exponentially since that day!¡¹


    I¡¯m glad that Frost Hero Bella¡¯s ghost is extremely compatible with Kimaris. In order to force Avatar¡¯s to submit without damaging them, freezing comes in handy. When Kimaris uses his Necromancy on frozen Avatars, he can add them as his subordinates with almost no damage to them.


    If I were to pinpoint a weakness it would be the fact that the manipulation of the ghosts must be done by the practitioner, making it very difficult to give detailed orders to more than one ghost. Also, the durability of these ghosts pales in comparison to the original Avatars.


    Their attack power can match the real thing though, so they are a considerable threat.


    ¡¸Carmilla. One of my loyal Big Four. If you truly think that going along with Lemegeton is in the best interest of the Demon King Castle, then go.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But, if you only wish to be with your dearest, then I ask you to cool your head. I understand your feelings towards Lemegeton, but I have need of you as well. Stay here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A, as you wish. I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness. I lost my composure.¡¹


    Even though she forced herself to say that, she seems to have understood that she can¡¯t leave if she stops and thinks about it with a cool head.


    I know that she treasures this place and her Highness, who so rightfully appreciates her. All the more if I think about what happened to her two years prior.


    I never doubted her, which is why I didn¡¯t butt in.


    ¡¸Good, good. The village isn¡¯t that far, so you can visit him on your days off. Or, Lemegeton could summon you with his ring. Distance makes the heart grow fonder¡­at least, that is what I read in a book once.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much, Your Highness.¡¹


    Milla flicked her eyes in my direction.


    ¡¸Is this OK, Lem¡­?¡¹


    Her eyes were wet.


    ¡¸Y-yeah. The village is nearby, so I¡¯ll drop by once in a while. I just started working here so it isn¡¯t good for me to be away for too long periods of time.¡¹


    When the previous Floor Boss of the tenth stratum quit, their subordinates either changed occupations or transferred to a different stratum.


    Even if you were to call back the people stationed in the other strata, you have to consider their compatibility with me. I don¡¯t want them to work for me simply because the Demon King ordered them to. I want them to work in a place they are comfortable with.


    It doesn¡¯t give a good impression for someone who was just inaugurated to not show his face in his place of work.


    ¡¸Although I¡¯m sure Lemegeton will be lonely on his own. For now, you can bring one person, I don¡¯t mind if you bring along Cashew.¡¹


    Flop, goes Milla as she crumples to her knees.


    ¡¸O-of course, Cashew is Lord Lemegeton¡¯s secretary, after all¡­It would be harsh to leave her at home. Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    She so convinces herself as she slowly stands back up.


    ¡¸I shall go and explain the situation to her family¡­is what I would like to say, but I shall leave it to Agares. As you can see, my appearance would make things awkward¡­¡¹


    Naturally, Adventurers and even the ordinary person don¡¯t know that her Highness is a little girl. It¡¯s possible that Cashew told her family about her Highness. But even if that were the case, it will surely be weird to be told that your daughter is being sent on a business trip by a girl who is barely any different in age to that very daughter.


    Albeit more recently, the man known as the last of the Big Four, the Time Demon Agares is probably suitable for the role.


    Provided that he doesn¡¯t get excited when seeing Maca and Mia.


    ¡¸Also, my recommendation can get you as far as the reception desk with no issue, but to defend the Dungeon as a Human, while they have feelings about Humans¡­I have a hard time imagining the Demi-humans there welcoming the Black Sorcerer Lem from the bottom of their heart.¡¹


    Even if I was kicked out of a party, I¡¯m still an Adventurer. So of course, they won¡¯t.


    It¡¯s more accurate to say that the people in this Dungeon are too open-minded.


    ¡¸So it¡¯s not only a matter of my abilities, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Coming to them while they are on the brink of closure and explaining that you are the Black Sorcerer Lemegeton, hailing from the Demon King Castle, I doubt many of them will welcome you with open arms.¡¹


    ¡¸I shall prepare myself for that.¡¹


    ¡¸One more thing, Lemegeton. I believe you should bring along one more person. As Carmilla said earlier, if you bring along a Monster who knows of your true strengths, things should go somewhat smoother.¡¹


    It¡¯s a matter of trust. This is something that needs to be accumulated and built up, I can¡¯t just walk up to them and say¡¸I beat Fenix¡¯s party.¡¹. Sure it¡¯s a big achievement, but it¡¯s my only achievement. Besides, it was a big achievement for all those involved.


    Just having someone who already has trust in me come along, should change their impression of me considerably.


    ¡¸In that case, please at least let it be a man, Your Highness. I give a special exception to Sitri.¡¹


    ¡¸I have already asked Furcus.¡¹


    One of the Big Four, the black knight Furcus who is given the title of Reaper Knight.


    ¡¸But she¡¯s a woman¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Calm yourself, Carmilla. While it is a pleasant breath of fresh air to see you flustered so, it is hard for me to continue the conversation.¡¹


    With Milla holding back her laments on the sidelines, her Highness continues the conversation while giving a concerned glance at Milla.


    ¡¸Ahem. As explained earlier, I have many young people employed under me. The only one who is famous in the Monster world is Furcus. Or rather, her predecessor is the one that made a name for himself.¡¹


    The Reaper Knight Furcus is a second-generation who inherited the alias, Dungeon Name, and spear from her predecessor.


    Even so, the weight of that name is immense. Furcus is also a gifted individual who should not be made light of.


    ¡¸Kh¡­that much is true¡­¡¹


    Milla reluctantly agrees with her Highness¡¯s words.


    ¡¸And besides, Carmilla, Furcus is only interested in strength and food. You have nothing to worry about.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re wrong, Your Highness. One cannot predict when one might fall in love. For even I once foolishly looked down on the Black Sorcerer Lem. Simply spending more time together thoroughly raises the possibility of something happening. We also don¡¯t know what manner of insect would flock to Lord Lemegeton on the other side.¡¹


    ¡¸Is¡­is that so? Hm, I suppose so. If that¡¯s the case¡­uhm¡­aha! Let us task Cashew with surveillance duty! If Lemegeton does anything strange, she¡¯ll report back.¡¹


    Wait.


    ¡¸A splendid idea! I expected nothing less of you, Your Highness.¡¹


    What?


    ¡¸And then you can deal with any problem that arises on your days off, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, I don¡¯t have the slightest hint of doubt that Lord Lemegeton will cause an issue, but it¡¯s possible an annoying insect might attach itself to him.¡¹


    The conversation seems to have resolved itself.


    ¡­Well, I guess it¡¯s fine if it eases Milla¡¯s worries.


    On top of bringing Cashew along, I will also act as her guardian while she continues to facilitate as my secretary.


    I don¡¯t believe I will leave her behind and go gallivanting with women at any point, but if I ever do, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped that it will be reported.


    ¡¸Then it¡¯s decided. You may both leave now.¡¹


    We bow to her Highness and leave the meeting room.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Oh, Le~m.¡¹


    It was lunch break.


    Perhaps to further explain to her about her surveillance duties, Cashew was taken somewhere by Milla, so I was heading to the cafeteria by myself.


    There, I was called out to by one of the Big Four, the Demon of Love Sitri.


    Incidentally, Sitri became one of the people who know about the horn in these two weeks. Her Highness convinced me to at least allow the Big Four to know about it because it wouldn¡¯t be good for her Majesty¡¯s allies to be out of the loop.


    Originally, the other three knew that I was the disciple of my master because they were there during the interview. Information that she would have known too had she been in that room at the time. I was hesitant to tell her, so Her Highness told her in my stead.


    I wonder if this is safe, master¡­ But they are your granddaughter¡¯s trusted subordinates after all, so perhaps you¡¯ll forgive me¡­


    If we were to meet again, he might just bonk me on the head without a word.


    I once sent a letter to him detailing my new place of work, but he never replied. How very like my master.


    I just can¡¯t imagine him sitting down and writing a letter to me. Or rather, he wouldn¡¯t even write a letter. He¡¯d probably send a familiar. No, he¡¯d probably come directly. He just doesn¡¯t strike me as someone who would write.


    ¡¸Good day to you, Sitri.¡¹


    Sitri is a cat-like girl. From her eyes to her mannerisms to her fickle mood. Her small build, child-like face, and hair that¡¯s tied up in two low points all give off a childish impression.


    She has the Dream Demon-like characteristics of horns, wings, and a tail but they¡¯ve always felt out of place to me. I just can¡¯t put my finger on why I feel that way.


    ¡¸I heard you were suddenly assigned to a business trip. Sounds rough.¡¹


    ¡¸Did Milla tell you about it?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, Milly¡¯s really feeling down. She¡¯s really fallen for you.¡¹[1. TL Note: ¡°Milly¡± is Sitri¡¯s nickname for Milla]


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder what Lem thinks of her¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I think she is a wonderful woman.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, what a quick response. Could it be that you¡¯re unexpectedly comfortable with girls?¡¹


    She stares at me, measuring me from head to toe.


    ¡¸Not at all, she makes my heart race every time.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see. How adorable.¡¹


    We were walking side by side for a while, but suddenly Sitri grabs my arm.


    ¡¸I told you before that we¡¯d have a little chat, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I remember. At the welcome party.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I thought I¡¯d talk to you before you go on your trip. If you form a contract with me, you can summon me whenever you¡¯re in trouble on your trip, right?¡¹


    If I remember correctly, she promised to form a contract with me if we talked and came to an agreement.


    ¡¸Yes, I suppose so.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, come here.¡¹


    She brought me to the supply room.


    Besides us, there was no one else in here.


    ¡¸If you manage to keep a straight face at what I¡¯m about to do, then I¡¯ll form a contract with you.¡¹


    And in the next moment, Sitri¡¯s body began to¡­

 CH 56

    56 ¨C The Demon of Love¡¯s True Form and the Shadow Approaching the Flame Hero


    There was something that had me wondering.


    During the welcoming party, Agares called Sitri a¡¸Dream Demon-Wannabe¡¹.


    Sitri¡¯s abilities are the real deal, so I thought maybe he was being sarcastic about her not being strong enough to be one of the Big Four.


    But even so, why¡¸-wannabe¡¹?


    The answer to that question was right in front of me.


    Her clothes flopped to the ground.


    I thought her body had instantly disappeared but I was wrong.


    Out from the crumpled pile of her clothes came a¡­cat-sized¡­Demi-Beast.


    ¡¸So¡­?¡¹


    It spoke with Sitri¡¯s voice.


    But not with the same bubbly and bright tone as before. Now, she had a tone that sounded scared of rejection.


    She had a yellow and black patchy pattern to her fur¡­she was a leopard. On her back were hawk-like wings.


    Since the world found peace, one thing has been discussed more vigorously than in the past. Exactly how far do we go to classify something as a¡¸Person¡¹.


    In the past, Orcs and Goblins who both had their own languages were treated as Monsters, but there were those that could speak the official language. Communications were established.


    Being able to reproduce at a faster rate than other species, and having an abundance of possible Job variations, the so-called¡¸Humans¡¹became the majority party due to their numbers and diversity despite their lack of any racial physical characteristic.


    Fenix, Alba, Lark and I fall under this race.


    The Elf Lily, the Vampire Milla, the Majin Luci and Agares, the Werewolf Marchosias, and the like resembled humans the most so their classification was simple.


    They are all people but because they all possess characteristics that Humans do not, they are called Demi-Humans.


    The same goes for Dragonkin and Birdmen. Even Orcs and Goblins fall under that now.


    But then came the problem regarding those that imitate people and have a good command of the language.


    Alraunes and the Demi-Beasts like Sitri here.


    In the end, a law was established that, if they so desire, they can apply to be a citizen of the country as a Demi-Human.


    ¡¸I knew it¡­you¡¯re creeped out, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    But even then, there are those who discriminate against them.


    Just what about them is so different from people?


    I¡¯m not smart enough to answer a complicated question like that.


    But what I do know is that Sitri is a reliable colleague.


    One who was ready to be hated yet revealed her secret before me.


    I crouch in front of her.


    ¡¸Of course not. You have a beautiful coat of fur and a splendid set of wings.¡¹


    Sitri¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    ¡¸¡­¡­really?¡¹


    I smile and nod my head reassuringly.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­it¡¯s not cute at all.¡¹


    I suppose that¡¯s why she takes the form of a cute Dream Demon.


    ¡¸To be able to become whatever you want, I¡¯m jealous.¡¹


    Not long after that, Sitri looked up at me.


    She hesitantly flaps her wings, and then she timidly lands on my shoulder.


    ¡¸Is it OK?¡¹


    ¡¸Better than OK. In fact, you¡¯re so light that I¡¯m getting worried about your diet.¡¹


    I think my joke landed because I saw her lips finally loosen up.


    She licks me on the cheek.


    ¡¸Thanks, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mention it.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t like this form. As a Dream Demon, I can look cute and it matches my magic. But no one would hire someone camouflaging themselves as a Dream Demon except Lu.¡¹[1. TL Note: ¡®Lu¡¯ is Sitri¡¯s nickname for Luci.]


    Even under normal circumstances, finding work as a Dream Demon is tough. Trying to find work as a Demi-Human who transfigured themselves into a Dream Demon must be even harder.


    ¡¸So that¡¯s how it was.¡¹


    ¡¸Agares is a little mean, but Milly let me be her friend. I think Fu doesn¡¯t really care about anything. And you¡­you complimented me.¡¹[2. TL Note: ¡®Fu¡¯ is Sitri¡¯s nickname for Furcus]


    I think she shined a little and she returned to her usual form. It took only a moment.


    However, since her clothes were left on the side there, she¡¯s completely naked.


    I was about to immediately avert my eyes but then she grabbed my head.


    I tried my best to somehow only look at her eyes, which looked back at me with amusement.


    ¡¸Y¡¯know, I can change into any form that a person desires. I want to repay your kindness by becoming the most beautiful woman of your dreams. So what do you say? Just say the word, I¡¯ll become anything you want.¡¹


    I was shocked for only a moment.


    I take her hand and pull it away from my face.


    I remove my tunic and put it on her.


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸This is the form that you wish to be, right Sitri?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Then you¡¯re perfectly fine the way you are. You don¡¯t have to worry about thanking me¡¹


    Maybe it was just a bit of fun, but I didn¡¯t want an ally to change themselves to suit someone else¡¯s convenience.


    After Sitri blinked her eyes in surprise, her whole expression changed into a laugh.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I get why Milly likes you. You¡¯re a real player, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, what do you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry for testing you like that, Lem. Milly¡¯s such an easily tempted girl, I couldn¡¯t leave it to her to do it.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­can¡¯t get mad at that.¡¹


    If she says so, then that¡¯s what it is.


    Sitri stretches her hand towards my ring.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve taken a liking to you. So, let¡¯s be friends!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    ¡¸And a friend helps a friend in need, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I hope so.¡¹


    ¡¸Me too. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll come help when you¡¯re in trouble.¡¹


    Our Magical Energies flow together, and I form a contract with Sitri.


    ¡¸Looking forward to working with ya, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Likewise.¡¹


    ¡¸Now, should I put on my clothes?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll head out.¡¹


    ¡¸How kind.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought it was an obvious thing to do¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be borrowing your tunic.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯d be trouble if you gave it back to me right now.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    Just as I was about to leave the Supply Room, a thought popped into my head that I just had to ask her.


    ¡¸Does your true form have anything to do with how Milla doesn¡¯t get angry when I talk to you?¡¹


    Milla isn¡¯t the type of woman who wouldn¡¯t be worried about a Demi-Beast.


    There must be something about Sitri as a person that causes her to let her guard down.


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, y¡¯see, it¡¯s because I have transcended the boundaries of gender.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­do you mean by that¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s still a se~cret.¡¹


    Does she mean she¡¯s a species that has no gender¡­or is she actually a boy?


    Anyway, there must be a reason that even Milla has decided that it¡¯s OK for Sitri to come into contact with me.


    But I suppose if the person in question says it¡¯s a secret, I can¡¯t get her to divulge it.


    ¡¸Oh, let¡¯s have lunch together.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I¡¯ll just wait in front of the door.¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t tell Milly if you take a little sneak peek, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll make sure the door is firmly shut.¡¹


    ¡¸So not cute.¡¹


    I left the room.


    I grab my chest.


    ¡¸¡­man, I was so nervous.¡¹


    I don¡¯t have enough experience with situations like that, so it took a tremendous amount of willpower to keep calm.


    Will there ever come a time where I¡¯m used to seeing naked women?


    I find it a little hard to imagine a day like that ever coming to fruition.


    I may or may not have heard a voice saying¡¸How cute.¡¹from the other side of the door.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Do you believe that you all can rise to the third rank and above as you are right now?¡¹


    I stare fixedly at the man in front of me. A man with crimson hair and a pair of black horns.


    ¡¸We are aiming to be first ranked.¡¹


    ¡¸That is your objective. I am talking about the reality of the situation. The top three ranked parties have been the same for years, thus it is difficult to break the status quo. That is why you dismissed your Black Sorcerer, ushered in the Frost Hero, and embarked on your Clear of the Impregnable Demon King Castle. You somehow garnered attention and your popularity skyrocketed.¡¹


    We were called into a room in an inn under the guise of collecting information for an article related to the party, but it seems like the man in front of us had no intention of interviewing us.


    ¡¸Sir Fenix, you are suitably a person of outstanding talent. The other four are also worthy of their own merits¡­Yet somehow, three of you haven¡¯t been able to exhibit your strength as you once could, but time heals all wounds as they say.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t see the point of this conversation. What is it you want us to say?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you interested in a Hero of a new age?¡¹


    This man really resembles my best friend Lem¡¯s elderly master.

 CH 57

    57 ¨C The Flame Hero and the Crimson Majin


    ¡¸A Hero of the new age?¡¹


    The man was probably in his thirties. He¡¯s tall, has his back as straight as can be and if we stood next to each other, I¡¯d probably have to look up at him.


    He always has a smile on his face and speaks calmly.


    However, for some reason, he feels shady.


    ¡¸Indeed. Of course, this is an activity that has received permission from the Adventurer Union. As for the false request to interview you for an article, I decided that it would be the simplest method of getting a chance to talk to you.¡¹


    To send out a work request without it first being allowed by the Adventurer Union is prohibited. His claim to be operating with the Adventurer Union¡¯s permission is most likely true. Only a hopeless fool would spit out such falsehoods.


    That said, whether or not an Adventurer¡¯s Union-permitted request will be received is decided by the party or individual involved.


    Surely, if we heard that this was actually about a work request, we would have turned a deaf ear.


    ¡¸Ya think we¡¯re gonna trust someone who would spit out a lie just to see our faces?¡¹


    Said Alba while glaring at the man.


    In the room are two three-person sofas with a small table in between them. There are two single chairs covering the remaining two sides of the table.


    The man sat alone in one of the three-person sofas, Alba, Lark, and I sat on the other sofa while the girls each sat in the single chairs.


    ¡¸That is harsh. Had I not done that, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to meet, no? You all just announced that you would all be re-training yourselves after the failure to Clear the Demon King Castle. It would look bad to the public if you were to accept work that is unrelated to Dungeons.¡¹


    ¡¸To come to us knowing all that must mean that you have something extremely good to tell us.¡¹


    ¡¸That is exactly right, Sir Lark.¡¹


    The man smiles broadly.


    What was the name he gave us in the beginning? I think it was Fellow.


    ¡¸We plan on rising up the ranks fair and square. I don¡¯t know what conversation you had with the Union but we are currently polishing our skills so I believe you would have better luck with other parties.¡¹


    ¡¸Nay, Miss Lily. It is precisely because you all are in the spotlight right now that I wish for you to undertake this request. Moreover, this will benefit people like you.¡¹


    Those last few words were directed solely at Lily.


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­what do you¡­¡¹


    Lily had a puzzled expression.


    ¡¸Um, if you¡¯re not gonna leave your seat, wouldn¡¯t it be faster to just hear him out?¡¹


    The Frost Hero Bella said in a tired tone.


    They all turned to look at me.


    Indeed, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for us to leave now that we know that this isn¡¯t an interview.


    Just as I was about to decide to leave my seat.


    ¡¸Oh that¡¯s right. My proposal should also be able to clear the path for people with unfortunate Jobs such as Sir Lem.¡¹


    ¡­this man¡­


    Without touching upon the heart of the matter, he pulls at a person¡¯s heartstrings. My interest is piqued, and I am urged to lend him an ear.


    ¡¸¡­Tell me the brief version.¡¹


    Surely enough, Sir Fellow smiles broadly at my words.


    ¡¸The top three positions in the Adventurer rankings have been unchanged. Before your steady rise, the rankings were unchanged up to the tenth rank, yes? That is how unwaveringly popular they had become. Even if someone was interested in seeing the latest Dungeon Clear video, they turn their eyes to the popular parties. Unless an Adventurer has an extremely good gimmick or a party is structured to match that of a popular party, it is impossible to acquire fans in this current state.¡¹


    That¡¯s the truth.


    But only because the Clears of the top ten ranked parties were always interesting.


    ¡¸And that¡¯s great. There¡¯s something about being popular that just makes you popular. Nothing wrong with that. However, those who have been trying to build a reputation but don¡¯t have what it takes to be popular, even if you have abilities that surpass all, will disappear into obscurity without ever seeing the light of day.¡¹


    We listened quietly, the man continued.


    ¡¸For example, the unfortunate Jobs Black Sorcerer and White Sorcerer. In times of war, they were priceless treasures, but now, they are treated as incompetent. Why is that? It¡¯s because parties are only limited to up to five members and they are lacking in visual appeal. Being able to lower the enemy¡¯s abilities or raising your ally¡¯s abilities were originally superb magics.¡¹


    Due to the Dungeon Clearing craze, they were the first two Jobs that were probably viewed differently.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the party limit, those two Jobs wouldn¡¯t be a bother to their allies. If more of them were gathered, it would be more reassuring. Although that would require more people to protect them.


    Since that isn¡¯t possible, they have a very low priority and as a result, a perception that they were unnecessary had spread among the people.


    ¡¸Take the Elves, for example, they are not the hostile species they once were and instead now choose to seclude themselves in the Sacred Forest with no contact with the outside world. They have a history of not interfering in battles. That¡¯s why Elven Adventurers are shunned. They think that these once non-conflict-seeking people are only now participating because it is a fight in which their safety is assured.¡¹


    There was a situation like that in the past. Alba once insisted that Lily¡¯s Avatar should have human ears.


    In the end, she made everyone approve of her with her prowess but there was no shortage of cold remarks when she first joined the team.


    ¡¸The most harshly handled race is the Demi-Humans who are called Monsters. If one does not closely resemble the norm, Humans, they are rejected when trying to apply as an Adventurer. In truth, the only races that are recognized are Elves, Dwarves, and animal-eared Demi-Humans. Majins, Dream Demons, Dragonkin, Birdmen, and countless Beastmen are said to simply not match the established look of the traditional Hero party.¡¹


    What he said is also true.


    ¡¸However, this is an unavoidable aspect of the established setting. It¡¯s the same reason that muscular men are not called for a Bikini Babe feature. It is not discrimination, it is the fact that it does not suit the thing that they are trying to create. Even so, is it not a sad state of affairs?¡¹


    Around that time, the man¡¯s smile disappeared.


    These were not words to keep up appearances, he truly feels a little sad about it.


    ¡¸Is this all about preparing a place where those who desired to carry out activities as an Adventurer can do so through a means other than Dungeon Clearing?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, yes exactly. Adventurers are just and Monsters are evil? Is there a need to be trapped in such an old-fashioned setting? No, there is not. I plan to provide a new form of entertainment!¡¹


    ¡¸How, for example?¡¹


    ¡¸I buy out a Dungeon and after repairing it, I turn it into a Combat Field. A field in which you could play something as simple as Capture the Point, or perhaps the current conventional style of fighting until one side is completely annihilated, or perhaps even a fight with a rule that allows you to revive as many times as needed until a special objective is achieved. By the way, participants will not be treated as the Hero party or Monsters, they will all be treated as Players instead. That way, there is no good or evil. I want to create game-like fights with the liberty of choosing anyone to be in your party.¡¹[1. TL Note: He actually says ¡°Jintori¡± which is a children¡¯s game where they try to occupy the other¡¯s home base, so I translated it as Capture the Point.]


    Matches in which Demi-Humans and Humans can be mixed freely.


    From what I¡¯ve heard, it sounds like an interesting experiment.


    ¡¸If I make full use of the Dungeon, a special area can be created that can increase the effectiveness of Black and White Sorcerers tenfold only when they stand in it. This is because their efficacy can be increased by the Magical Energy provided by the Dungeon. Currently, the Monster side is prohibited from utilizing the Magical Energy that is used to construct Dungeons for anything else, but if both sides are allowed to use it, balance can be maintained.¡¹


    I see, so for example, if it was a five vs. five match, having a Black Sorcerer or White Sorcerer has its benefits.


    If there were more participants, they could include one in each team.


    If their efficacy is ten times as good, they can¡¯t be ignored. As an ally, they should apply pressure to the one on the enemy¡¯s side.


    ¡¸Tournament or one-on-one battles can be prepared for those that are bad at team sports. Speaking of ongoing projects, there is a Tag Tournament scheduled to happen in this town. It is a tournament where anyone can come together and compete, Adventurer and Monster alike. If more things like this happen, even outstandingly talented individuals who couldn¡¯t shine in Dungeon Clears can gain popularity.¡¹


    And so he concludes.


    ¡¸If this is realized, these will be officially recognized by the Adventurer Union. Which means that they can affect the rankings.


    How would you like to participate in Magic Tool-only battles, Sir Alba?


    What do you think of competing in archery matches, Miss Lily?


    Would it not be a flashy spectacle to see how many attack spells you could withstand, Sir Lark?


    Heroes are normally those that lead their allies, but they are also those that can individually take on powerful foes in the hour of need. Wouldn¡¯t you like to be able to freely fight with your full strength from the very start of the battle, o Heroes?¡¹


    I see, I think I understand his way of thinking a little.


    The top three ranked parties are already standing at the very pinnacle of the industry.


    However, we still haven¡¯t been able to break into the top three, yet we still strongly desire to be first ranked.


    Recently, we garnered attention by attempting to Clear the most difficult Dungeon, the Demon King Castle, and the failure to do so has us interested in future trends.


    And Sir Fellow here wishes to win us over.


    More effective than simply calling people to join his cause, he can gather participants.


    He offers benefits to us and also uses us to attract customers.


    Just how much groundwork did he lay in order to make the Adventurer Union approve his project?


    He is a man who speaks frivolously yet is unfathomable.


    ¡¸What say you?¡¹


    ¡¸I would like to ask one question.¡¹


    ¡¸Go ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you aiming to achieve?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡¹


    For an instant, I saw his smile twitch unnaturally.


    ¡¸To take things this far would require a certain amount of dedication, or rather, obsession.¡¹


    ¡¸By creating a new form of entertainment, the profits will be enormous-¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a lie. You came to persuade us. If money is the most important thing, wouldn¡¯t you have mentioned it during your persuasion by now? Yet you have not touched upon that once since you began talking.¡¹


    ¡¸I merely thought that such things do not interest you all.¡¹


    ¡¸You may be right. However, I think it is you as well who has no interest in such things.¡¹


    ¡¸The intuition of a Hero?¡¹


    ¡¸Take it how you will. More importantly, are you going to answer my question?¡¹


    In the next moment, we all stood up immediately.


    Because we all felt an immense amount of Magical Energy rising from him.


    ¡¸Ah, no, please excuse me. My apologies, for it seems I got a little carried away with my emotions.¡¹


    ¡­The pressure alone from the Magical Energy just now was extremely similar to that time with Lem¡­


    Finding answers to my suspicions, I sat back down.


    ¡¸But I must say, that was splendid. As expected from the fourth-ranked party, what a marvelous response.¡¹


    It seems he has no plans on offering an explanation regarding the Magical Energy.


    He, once again, plasters a smile to his face and answers my question.


    ¡¸My objective is merely¡¸Fairness¡¹. Truly, that is all.¡¹


    Fixated on one way of doing things, unfortunate Jobs were born.


    Fixated on one setting, the good and evil theme from that setting has permeated across the general public.


    So he¡¯s saying he wishes to resolve that and remove the prejudices towards Jobs and species?


    From what I heard, I do think it¡¯s a wonderful sentiment, but¡­


    ¡¸¡­To achieve your goal, wouldn¡¯t the continuation of Dungeon Clears be a hindrance to you? As far as you are concerned, they are symbols of unfairness.¡¹


    ¡¸What marvelously keen insight you have, Miss Bella. Yes, eventually I plan to make Dungeon Clears a thing of the past.¡¹


    He said, like it was nothing special.


    We were shocked at those words.


    ¡¸In other words, you don¡¯t plan to just introduce a new form of entertainment, but you want it to completely replace Dungeon Clears?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you mind keeping that a secret from the Union?¡¹


    Sir Fellow puts a finger to his lips as if shushing us.


    Just because he said it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll believe it.


    Who would seriously believe that one man¡¯s ambition can make Dungeon Clears disappear?


    ¡¸So, what do you think? Not a bad idea, yes? I¡¯m sure everyone thinks so. Sir Fenix, you¡¯d be able to give your best friend a chance to play a role. Even as a third party, I can only imagine his humiliation and hardship. Please think about it. Think about everyone acknowledging his power, about everyone applauding his efforts. With you all lending me your strength, that future can become reality much faster.¡¹


    By cooperating with a man who wishes to abolish Dungeon Clears, there might come a future where Lem¡¯s efforts take center stage?


    ¡­This man seems to have misunderstood something.


    In my head, I have already come to an answer.

 CH 58

    58 ¨C The Flame Hero¡¯s Answer, The Departure of The Demon King Army¡¯s Business Trip Team


    First off, let me make it clear what I think of his proposal.


    ¡¸By preparing a form of entertainment that is abundant with variations, a spotlight can be shown on those who, thus far, have not been blessed with the opportunity to play their part. To allow Demi-Humans, who had no choice but to play the part of the villain, to shine as an athlete. I believe this to be a splendid idea.¡¹


    ¡¸You have my thanks.¡¹


    Sir Fellow smiled.


    ¡¸By preparing a stage where my teammates and I can play a role individually, it may be possible to excite the viewers in new ways. This is a project that is brimming with possibilities.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes indeed.¡¹


    ¡¸However, I won¡¯t be able to meet your expectations.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­May I ask why?¡¹


    While his smile remained, the area around his eyes twitched.


    I looked around to the other four in the room. Apart from Bella, three of them nodded their head in agreement. Only Bella waved her hand as if to say¡¸Please, go ahead.¡¹.


    ¡¸One reason is that your true objective isn¡¯t to just increase the number of entertainment choices but get rid of Dungeon Clears entirely and we do not agree with that.¡¹


    He could have lied about it. And he could have deceived us without us even knowing it.


    But he didn¡¯t because he wanted to make us his allies.


    If we opposed the abolishment of Dungeon Clears, it would hinder his implementation when the time came. He probably wanted to get the future first ranked party on his side right now.


    ¡¸Another reason is that Sir Fellow misunderstood something.¡¹


    ¡¸I have?¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Fellow said that if I were to lend my strength, I would bring forth a future where Lem could flourish.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, he¡¯s your best friend, right? You would do anythi-¡¹


    ¡¸I would do anything to be of aid to my friend. But this is where you¡¯re wrong. I would never think so arrogantly that I could ever do something like setting my friend up for success.¡¹


    It¡¯s not the same as fighting together and helping one another in the journey to victory together.


    ¡¸Hey Lem, there are more games now where you can play a bigger role because we took on a new occupation!¡¹is something I would not and will not say to my friend.


    At the very least, that is not a reason to cooperate with Sir Fellow.


    ¡¸Simply because he is your friend and equal, you cannot say something like¡¸I got you a job.¡¹? Isn¡¯t that just a matter of feeling?¡¹


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t be me if I ignored my feelings.¡¹


    Sir Fellow stared me in the eye. After a short time, he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡¸¡­If I had invited you differently, would the result have been different, I wonder?¡¹


    ¡¸What do you think? In that instance, we would have altered our course the moment we learned of your goal.¡¹


    ¡¸As I thought. However, in order to achieve a fair arrangement, Dungeon Clears must be abolished. As long as Monsters are perceived as evil, my goal is yet to be realized.¡¹


    Apparently, he has a strong dislike of the people¡¯s perception of Monsters.


    Before, when I was talking with Lem at that bar, there was that Adventurer that was rude to that Demi-Human waitress. His followers didn¡¯t even stop him.


    I feel sorry for the Demi-Humans who are discontent with the setting where Monsters are evil.


    ¡¸There are those who are making changes from the inside. There are people who want to convey that Adventurers and Monsters alike are mutual enemies of equal strength and that it is alright for either side to win.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That sounds daunting.¡¹


    ¡¸What I¡¯m trying to say is, there are other ways besides abolishing it.¡¹


    ¡¸I wish to achieve my goal swiftly.¡¹


    ¡¸Many of the options that Sir Fellow presented are excellent. But I cannot accept this offer.¡¹


    ¡¸The part where you have taken an interest in the project itself is enough. But let me assure you, you are not the only party that I have invited.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true.


    He already decided to open a tournament in this town. At the very least, the participants have already been put together.


    We were approached as the candidate for a collaborator with the strongest influence.


    ¡¸If you ever change your mind, feel free to contact me, even if you were to fall below the fifth rank.¡¹


    He¡¯s assuming that the ranks of those that cooperate with him will naturally go up rapidly.


    ¡¸If Sir Fellow abandons the plan to abolish Dungeon Clears, we would take up your offer. We might be first ranked by then, however.¡¹


    I respond to his smile with a smile of my own.


    ¡¸Heh¡­¡¹


    In contrast to everything up to now, the laugh that slipped out just now felt genuine.


    ¡¸Well then, I suppose we¡¯re done here.¡¹


    This time, I stand up.


    ¡¸Yes, thank you for your time today.¡¹


    The other four left their seat as well and proceeded to leave the room. I was about to follow them out when he called out to me from behind.


    ¡¸Speaking of which, Sir Fenix, whatever is your best friend doing presently? I tried to search for him, but for some reason, I could not find him.¡¹


    That sounded forced.


    ¡¸¡­He is searching for his own path.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. One more question. I know someone who works in the Demon King Castle but there seems to be no information on your defeat other than that it was at the hands of Lemegeton. If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me how a contractee of one of the Four Great Spirits lost?¡¹


    ¡¸How do you know someone who works in the Demon King Castle?¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t get it?¡¹


    ¡­I knew it, he suspects.


    If my guess is correct, he¡¯s connected to Lem¡¯s master. Blood relative? Maybe the son or nephew. Regardless, he¡¯s someone with a blood connection. Considering his hair, eyes, horns, and Magical Energy, it¡¯s almost unmistakable.


    I¡¯m sure Lem has somehow realized it in his heart too that his master was clearly a Demon King.


    When I realized it, I did some digging. He¡¯s most likely the Boss of the Demon King Castle from two generations ago.


    If that¡¯s the case, it isn¡¯t odd for Sir Fellow to know personnel from the Demon King Castle.


    Although, it appears that he isn¡¯t privy to the latest information. Not knowing Lemegeton¡¯s true identity and having to ask me for details about the fight must mean that he isn¡¯t affiliated with the Demon King Castle anymore.


    Abolishing Dungeon Clears also means putting the Demon King Castle out of business, so it only seems natural for him to not be affiliated.


    He wasn¡¯t actively revealing his true identity but he seems to be trying to make me realize it.


    The reason for that is probably to confirm something by gauging my reaction.


    He released his Magical Energy at that time acting in a way to see if I would recognize it.


    In other words.


    He wanted to see if I would slip up and recognize his Demon King Magical Energy signature.


    Everyone has their own unique Magical Energy Signature, but blood relative¡¯s signatures generally resemble each other¡¯s.


    He wants to see if I can recognize the Magical Energy signature of a Boss of the Demon King Castle despite not reaching the eleventh stratum.


    Whether I¡¯ve met the Demon King from two generations ago or perhaps the person who inherited that Demon King¡¯s horn.


    Technically, it could be another blood relative, but how would you determine that?


    I stayed silent, and he raised his arms as if to tell me to lower my guard.


    ¡¸Whoa, I¡¯m not scheming or something. It¡¯s just¡­that¡¯s right, if it turns out that you do have a connection that allows you to get in touch with Lemegeton, then I believe I must give a warning.¡¹


    Is he half-convinced that Lemegeton is Lem?


    He continues with his warning.


    ¡¸The horn must not be used. Just like history¡¯s strongest Demon King, Lucifer, he will feel nothing but despair at the unpleasantness of reality. Society doesn¡¯t think well of¡¸Evil¡¹that holds great power.¡¹


    The Boss of the Demon King Castle from two generations ago, Lucifer. The Dungeon Name of Lem¡¯s master.


    That¡¯s where I finally got an idea of what his true purpose was.


    ¡¸¡­Could it be that¡­the fairness that you seek is-¡¹


    ¡¸I have said too much. I hope you can pass my message along.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t know who is underneath that mask.¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t tell a soul. I¡¯m actually extremely interested in what he is going to do next.¡¹


    I was originally not good at lying but I guess that¡¯s in the past.


    ¡¸As for me, I think he is a good person to shine on the front page.¡¹


    Sir Fellow left with those words and exited the inn without waiting for my answer.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I think it¡¯s almost time.¡¹


    To my right is the somewhat excited Cashew carrying a rucksack on her back.


    Although it¡¯s only a nearby town, this is the first time for her to be away from her family for so many days.


    I can see that she¡¯s nervous but excited and restless at the same time.


    To my left is a girl of small build who is in her early teens. She lacks facial expressions but her facial structure is pretty and her hair is as white as snow.


    Her bluish-purple eyes looked straight ahead without looking around, while her hands restlessly carry beans to her mouth.


    It was the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    The Demon King is a little girl, the Chief of Staff is a young Human man, the Big Four consists of a blooming Vampire, a Majin who is a self-proclaimed Guardian of a Child¡¯s Heart, a shape-shifting leopard who has transcended the sexes, and finally the usually giant armor-wearing¡­young girl.


    Three girls, two guys, and one unknown is a pretty good balance. Rich with individual personalities.


    Like this, she looks like a Human girl, but she somehow feels like a different race. I can¡¯t see any racial characteristics though¡­


    We booked a coach so our means of transportation is taken care of.


    Right now, we¡¯re at the town entrance, waiting for the coach to arrive.


    ¡¸Cashew, got everything?¡¹


    ¡¸Yup¡­!¡¹


    Answered Cashew cheerfully.


    ¡¸Great. Want me to carry your bag?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine¡­!¡¹


    I unintentionally let out a smile at her reply.


    ¡¸Alright. You don¡¯t have much luggage, huh, Furcus?¡¹


    That is to say, other than the paper bag with beans in it, she only has a leather bag hanging around her waist.


    ¡¸Stuff like my armor and spear were sent ahead. Other than that, all I need is money to buy food.¡¹


    She says in a quiet, monotone voice.


    Rather than say Furcus wears her armor, it¡¯s more accurate to say that she gets into it.


    It¡¯s clearly not suited for her body, but she can practically wear and move around in it.


    Not just her spear, but her armor is a Magic Tool.


    Since I received training from her, I already knew about this form. Due to that, I also know this, Furcus is crazy strong even without her armor.


    What she gains from her armor is sheer size and durability. Her combat prowess is all her own.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. Well once again, I hope we work well together.¡¹


    Cashew followed with a¡¸Work well together¡­!¡¹.


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Furcus gave a small nod.


    She gave Cashew a few beans.


    ¡¸Chief of Staff, want some?¡¹


    She asks but judging from how slowly she offers her hand, I surmise that she actually wants to eat it all.


    ¡¸No thanks, but I appreciate the offer.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    Furcus proceeds to toss and eat bean after bean into her mouth.


    ¡¸Ah, the coach is here.¡¹


    From now on, we are headed towards a certain Dungeon to revamp it.


    I would later learn that there was a somewhat interesting event happening in that town.


    Let¡¯s see¡­¡¸Come one, come all, be you Adventurer or Demi-Human! Pair up and aim for the top! We are hosting an above-ground tag-team tournament using Avatars! We¡¯re still accepting challengers!¡¹, huh?


    Wow, that¡¯s interesting.


    I have work, so I probably can¡¯t participate but I¡¯d like to go watch if I have the time.


    Wait, could it be that this is part of her Highness¡¯s father¡¯s plan?


    The fact that they don¡¯t care about whether you¡¯re an Adventurer or a Demi-Human really seems like it.

 CH 59

    59 ¨C The Rickety Coach brings us to our Destination. Greeted by a Maid.


    The coach continued along without too much trouble.


    This being the first time Cashew has ever ridden a coach, she was in high spirits in the beginning but because she didn¡¯t get much sleep last night, she quickly dozed off.


    She¡¯s now sleeping with her head on my lap like a pillow while making adorable snoring sounds.


    I resist the urge to touch her fluffy dog ears.


    Having run out of beans, Furcus sat there, expressionless with a gloomy air about her. Knowing this might happen, I came prepared with cookies and gave them to her. She replies with¡¸My thanks, Chief of Staff. I expected nothing less, Chief of Staff.¡¹as she began to stuff her face.


    I¡¯m glad she got her spirits back up, but her eyes were glued to the cookies the whole time she was praising me.


    ¡¸Chief of Staff-¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, please, just call me by my regular name.¡¹


    I can¡¯t get used to people calling me Chief of Staff outside of work hours. I know it¡¯s just a matter of perception.


    ¡¸I see. Lem. I¡¯m fine with Furcus. I don¡¯t like my real name.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood, Furcus. So, what did you want to say?¡¹


    It¡¯s rare for her to start a conversation.


    ¡¸Chief of Staff, do you like me?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    By me, does she mean herself?


    ¡¸You always give me food.¡¹


    I gave her food as thanks for the training, there was that time at the welcome party that I gave her the hamburger she kept staring at, and then there were the cookies I handed her just now.


    It seems she¡¯s wondering if that means I hold some affection towards her.


    ¡¸Ah, oh, uh, no, it¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah.¡¹


    ¡¸Not that Furcus doesn¡¯t have her own charms. I¡¯m not saying that at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Lacking in both expression and tone of voice, it¡¯s impossible to read her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯ll be more careful.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem. Food makes me happy.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, I¡¯m glad¡­I think?¡¹


    ¡¸I was curious about the motive. That¡¯s all.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see. Well, that time when I received training from you was a form of thanks. The other times¡­um¡­How do I put this? I can¡¯t really put it into words.¡¹


    ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    Furcus nods.


    ¡¸You like eating don¡¯t you, Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸I do. Lem eats a lot too.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. As long as I¡¯m training my Magical Energy organ, I won¡¯t be able to create Magical Energy if there¡¯s nothing in my body. If you want to create a lot of Magical Energy, don¡¯t just train, eat, my master said.¡¹


    In addition to the two breakfasts that I eat, I also buy a lot of fruits from Blitz.


    People with excellent Magical Energy organs tend to like foods that give you lots of energy. Food like meat, or fried stuff, or sweets.


    People like Fenix have to keep up their image to society as a smart and cool person, so there were many times where he wouldn¡¯t eat voraciously in front of people and just endure with an empty stomach.


    During the times where he can¡¯t take it anymore and has to eat, I would cast Confusion on the surrounding people so that they can¡¯t recognize him and he¡¯d just eat anything he can.


    Come to think of it, I wonder how he¡¯s handling that now that I¡¯m out of the party.


    Bella¡¯s a Hero too, so she probably understands and they work together to pull it off.


    Well¡­if he really can¡¯t stand it anymore, he can easily shake people off anyway. I don¡¯t need to worry so much.


    ¡¸Lem¡¯s master was the previous, previous Demon King?¡¹


    I gave a vague laugh. Even though the cat¡¯s already out of the bag, I still have trouble confirming it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to say it. Did he¡­only teach you magic?¡¹


    ¡¸He instructed me, yes.¡¹


    ¡¸But your body training. To the limits¡­of a talentless person. Your sword skills are completely worthless though.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. Certainly, I was trained. But rather than being taught, it¡¯s more like I was thrown in the deep end and forced to learn. Like being told to survive in the mountains for a week with only a canteen in my hands.¡¹


    My mental fortitude was considerably trained as well. In the face of nature, I was just a tiny speck of dust. It was through that training that I understood just how wonderfully extraordinary things like water, food, clean clothes and a safe place to sleep were.


    Looking back, it was the kind of training that the Demon King would impose on his child, even though it was adjusted so that I wouldn¡¯t die.


    In other words, building my body up to be able to endure inheriting the horn was part of the training.


    That¡¯s why, as Furcus said, I was trained to the limits of a talentless person.


    As someone who couldn¡¯t completely give up on becoming a Hero, I secretly continue my training regularly.


    There are limits to self-training, but it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anyone willing to teach a Black Sorcerer battle techniques. But even so, I somehow managed to maintain my physique.


    ¡¸Again, I give you my thanks. Your sword training helped me immensely.¡¹


    Furcus didn¡¯t laugh at me once or call me a waste of time.


    In her free time, she earnestly instructed me.


    Well, she did just say my sword skills were completely worthless, but there was no ill will so I just quietly accepted it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. But, you will soon hit the limit of this ability that is incompatible with your Job.¡¹


    What Furcus says is true.


    A Job is a person¡¯s most suitable occupation as told by God. God set¡¯s the scene where one can let your true abilities shine after taking into consideration one¡¯s ability and potential.


    Within a Job, many Aptitudes are included.


    Or rather, it¡¯s the combination of Aptitudes that determine the Job.


    In the case of a Warrior, for example, it contains Mobility, Combat Perception, Swordsmanship, or perhaps Spearmanship, etc.


    If you have those, you will manifest as a Warrior.


    This is just something that Humanity assumed based on vast amounts of precedent, not because God said so or anything.


    Well¡­let¡¯s leave God out of this.


    ¡¸I suppose you¡¯re right. But I won¡¯t give up.¡¹


    Even though the Job is the same, each one¡¯s Aptitude can differ.


    High Mobility or High Swordsmanship for example. In those circumstances, it¡¯s easier to think of them as training a muscle.


    If you have the Aptitude for it, it is easier to see your efforts bear fruit when training those areas.


    The fundamental Aptitudes included in Black Sorcerer are Black Magic, Magic Resist, Magical Energy, and Magical Energy Perception.


    Black Magic is easy to develop, resistance to Black Magic is strong from the start, it is somewhat easier to develop the Magical Energy organ, and it is easy to perceive Magical Energy.


    If we assume that the Magical Energy of a Wizard and a Hero is strong and extreme respectively, a Black Sorcerer¡¯s falls somewhere between weak and intermediate. It¡¯s not that bad if you compare it to the non-magic using Jobs.


    Black Sorcerer¡¯s don¡¯t possess any direct combat Aptitudes.


    A Job can¡¯t be changed after acquiring it, so even if I inherited the horn, it won¡¯t change to Demon King. God has no plans to update it.


    Even though it¡¯s not reflected on my status, I do actually possess a fragment of a Demon King¡¯s power.


    Although it¡¯s not like I gained any more Aptitudes besides the abilities of the horn.


    ¡¸Yes. Training is good. But, you are no match for Main Jobs.¡¹


    Furcus¡¯ words were robotic but not cold. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t sound like she¡¯s forsaking me.


    Also, I happen to know that she¡¯s a good person.


    ¡¸I know I¡¯m no match when it comes to battle sense and technique. The same amount of effort won¡¯t even yield a hundredth of what a Main Job will gain. Even so, I¡¯m just happy I was able to improve. You¡¯re training wasn¡¯t wasted. If possible, please continue to teach me all sorts of things.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm¡¹


    After nodding, Furcus pointed at my head.


    ¡¸Whatever you lack, compensate it with something else. Use your head or your Black Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, buy a Magic Tool or something.¡¹


    It¡¯s true that equipment and special items also possess combat power.


    It was thanks to the ring that I was able to increase the ways I can use my generated Magical Energy by summoning.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t often see Magic Tools put up for sale¡­ And those that are are normally sold for unaffordable prices.¡¹


    It¡¯s extremely rare for a Magic Tool to be put up for auction, and when it does, there¡¯s bound to be a large price tag attached that¡¯ll make your eyes pop.


    I wonder if Fenix is able to afford at least one. Although with his Holy Sword, he probably doesn¡¯t need one.


    It¡¯s an option, but it¡¯s just not feasible. Much like money, you don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll come across it. It¡¯s better to just keep it at the back of your mind and not expect it to happen.


    ¡¸If I could buy a Magic Tool, I¡¯d buy food instead.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. Don¡¯t you already have two Magic Tools, Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸They¡¯re useful.¡¹


    ¡¸Especially that spear of yours. Just how does it-¡¹


    And so we continued to exchange words for a while.


    Furcus spoke only a few words, but at least she responded.


    We arrived at our destination while the sun was still out.


    I woke Cashew up and thanked the coach driver.


    The town was smaller than the one where the Demon King Castle resides, but lively all the same.


    ¡¸Woow¡­!¡¹


    Only moments ago, Cashew was blurry-eyed from just waking up but now her eyes were sparkling.


    Come to think of it, this reminds me fondly of the times when Fenix and I were rookies, and we couldn¡¯t help but feel that every town we went to felt fresh and new. I thought it was because we were country bumpkins but seeing how lively Cashew is, I guess everyone feels that way.


    Smiling at Cashew, who is looking around wildly, I hold her hand so that she doesn¡¯t stray.


    ¡¸Hold mine too?¡¹


    Furcus asked me, expressionless.


    Seeing that I am unable to tell if she was serious or joking, her mouth, which is stuffed with the last cookie, utters.


    ¡¸Kidding.¡¹


    I wonder if I¡¯ll get better at knowing what goes on in this girl¡¯s head if I get to know her better.


    While thinking that, the sound of hooves hitting the cobblestone path approached us.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s see here, according to the note, I¡¯m looking for a young man clad in black, an innocently sweet dog-eared girl and an expressionless but beautiful white-haired maiden¡­ah, found them.¡¹


    That note¡­why is only my description so brief?


    No wait, I¡¯m sure they took into consideration that I use my Black Magic to prevent people in my surroundings from recognizing me and told her the only way to discern me.


    The woman who approached us was clad in a Maid uniform and had a calm and collected air about her.


    Her hair was black, so were her eyes¡­and so was her fur.


    She had the body of a beautiful woman and below that was¡­that of a horse.


    She was a Centaur.


    ¡¸Are you perhaps personnel from the Demon King Castle, by any chance?¡¹


    Since she was a horse from the waist down, we looked up at her.


    ¡¸Yes, from today onwards, we are in your care.¡¹


    ¡¸My master has ordered me to greet you. My name is Kei. My Dungeon Name is Orobas, but please feel free to call me whatever you wish.¡¹


    We all introduced ourselves.


    ¡¸Well then, allow me to guide you to my master.¡¹

 CH 60

    60 ¨C A New Kind of Hero


    With the Centaur maid Kei¡¯s guidance, we proceeded to the center of town.


    She matched her walking speed with ours in order to not create a large gap between us.


    ¡¸I must say I am surprised. To think that Sir Lemegeton¡¯s true form was that of a Human.¡¹


    Kei says, seemingly not surprised at all.


    ¡¸Are Humans¡­not welcome¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸To me, you are very much welcome. It¡¯s just¡­personally, I cannot thank the Demon King Castle¡¯s Dungeon Master enough for allowing the gentlemen who drove back the Flame Hero to work with us temporarily.¡¹


    Kei turned to look at me for a fleeting moment and then quickly face forward.


    ¡¸Finding out that the Reaper Knight is a sweet young lady was also a shock.¡¹


    ¡¸The previous one was a man and older.¡¹


    ¡¸At your age, you boast the same martial prowess as your predecessor. From the defense video, you seem to possess excellent spearmanship.¡¹


    ¡¸Hungry.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? ¡­Understood. I shall make arrangements once I am done introducing you to my master.¡¹


    ¡¸Starving.¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of the Demon King Castle, full of unique personalities.¡¹


    The troubled Kei abandons her conversation with Furcus.


    ¡¸Is the little miss over there Lemegeton¡¯s secretary?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Y-yes! I¡¯m the secretary!¡¹


    Perhaps she asked beforehand, she didn¡¯t ask me for the details of how Cashew ended up working at the Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸Already hard at work, even though your Job is yet to be ascertained.¡¹


    At that moment, I saw her lips loosen gently.


    Kei seems like a person that is difficult to approach but as soon as I saw that, I thought that she must be a nice person.


    It might be naive to think that someone is a good person simply because they show kindness to children. But that¡¯s what I think.


    ¡¸If you want to see the sights of the town, I believe you would have a far better view atop my back. What say you, Miss Cashew?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Kei noticed Cashew trying to look at everything in the town.


    ¡¸Of course, if you find the idea of riding a Centaur to be deplorable then I won¡¯t force you.¡¹


    ¡¸N-no it¡¯s not that. Uh, uhm¡­is it really OK?¡¹


    Cashew looked at Kei and then me.


    I smiled and gave her a nod, soon after, Kei nodded as well.


    ¡¸Uhm, yes please¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Gladly.¡¹


    Just as Kei stops, I carry Cashew up.


    Even though she struggled without stirrups or a saddle, Cashew managed to straddle on Kei¡¯s back.


    ¡¸Hold on to my clothes so that you won¡¯t fall. I also don¡¯t mind if you cling to my waist.¡¹


    Cashew gingerly grabs on to Kei¡¯s maid uniform.


    ¡¸So how do you like the view from horseback, Miss Cashew?¡¹


    Asked Kei, Cashew finally had the time to look around.


    ¡¸Wo~w, I¡¯m so high¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Doesn¡¯t the world seem different from up there?¡¹


    ¡¸Y, yeah! It¡¯s like¡­like¡­it¡¯s amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸Your happiness is of the utmost importance. Now then, I¡¯m going to start moving.¡¹


    Possibly worrying about Cashew¡¯s comfort, she walks without swaying her, allowing her to enjoy the scenery on horseback.


    ¡¸L-Lem. What¡¯s that?¡¹


    I look at what she¡¯s pointing at. Looks like a crowd of people.


    Kei is the one who answered.


    ¡¸That is the Hero Show. That man¡­it is an exhibition sponsored by the one that plans to buy-out my workplace.¡¹


    To be done with Avatars like some sort of play.


    She said that man, I guess she¡¯s talking about Her Highness¡¯s father.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was centered on the stage, hastily built in the plaza.


    I was surprised at the person atop the stage.


    ¡¸Oh, I know her. She¡¯s a Hero, from the uh¡­I think it was the ninety-ninth ranked party.¡¹


    A bandit-looking man is holding a villager-looking girl hostage, and the Hero had her sword towards them.


    ¡¸Ex-girlfriend?¡¹


    I shake my head at Furcus¡¯ question.


    ¡¸No way. I remember everyone within the top one hundred. I don¡¯t know her personally.¡¹


    After making a sad face, Cashew took out a notebook from her pocket as if to write something down. I clearly and firmly denied Furcus¡¯ question so that Cashew would hear me.


    Seems she plans to loyally perform her mission assigned to her by Milla.


    Realizing it was a misunderstanding, she closes her notebook with a sigh of relief.


    I¡¯m glad I was able to prevent a misunderstanding from depressing Cashew or angering Milla which would have ensured that nobody would be happy.


    ¡­I have to be careful.


    Kei stared at the stage annoyed but realized that Cashew was interested in it, so she changed course.


    ¡¸It looks like they¡¯re almost done, why don¡¯t we take a look.¡¹


    Saying that, we moved closer to the plaza.


    That Hero girl, I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s ranked ninety-fifth¡­or was it ninety-sixth? She enrolled in the Adventurer Training Institution as soon as her Job was identified and was the fastest ever to graduate. In two or three years¡¯ time, she has managed to rise up into the top one hundred ranked parties.


    She was composed of silver and white.


    Her silver hair was about shoulder length. Her eyes, which matched her hair, gave her face an indifferent and intense expression.


    Clad in an outfit reminiscent of a white knight, she stands ready with a smallsword whose snow-white blade reflects the sunlight.


    The Silver Hero Nicola.


    Her beauty paired with her well-mannered nature has garnered her a tremendous amount of mainly young female supporters.


    She is called the Silver Prince among her fans.


    ¡¸Unhand that maiden, vile villain!¡¹


    Nicola¡¯s voice echoed all over the plaza.


    ¡¸D-don¡¯t come any closer! Not if you care what happens to the girl!¡¹


    The bandit-looking fellow pretended to drag the woman as he retreated, the woman screams.


    It was a performance.


    ¡¸Fine. I won¡¯t approach you, alright?¡¹


    Nicola sheathed her sword and raised both her hands in a sign of nonresistance.


    Just as the man breathed a sigh of relief-


    ¡¸Not like I need to.¡¹


    Something gushed out from the floor.


    It was a silvery liquid. Moving as if it had a will of its own, it attacked just the man.


    ¡¸Wha-what the¡­?!¡¹


    Soon, the man¡¯s whole body was enveloped. The man and his sword were encased in silver.


    The woman was released and she ran out, right into Nicola¡¯s open arms.


    Nicola gently catches her and the Hero delivers the finishing blow unto the villain.


    ¡¸I deliver justice upon the wicked who preys upon the innocent.¡¹


    The newly formed silver liquid takes the form of a sword. The sword is wielded by a similarly silver arm.


    The sword was swung many times, stabbing the bandit who is now a silver statue.


    The crowd cheered.


    When the sword was pulled out, Magical Energy particles poured out of the hole like when one is defeated in a Dungeon, pouring down the statue.


    Trapped and then defeated, silver illuminated by Magical Energy particles.


    The scene was like a mountain glowing silver-white with snow.


    Thus, the Silver Hero.


    ¡¸Be they Human or Demi-Human. So long as evildoers exist, so too shall those who would deliver justice.¡¹


    The cheers grew louder and louder.


    I see.


    Certainly, the villain in this show wasn¡¯t a Demi-Human but a Human bandit.


    Demonstrating that it isn¡¯t Monsters who are the bad guys but anyone who does bad things.


    There were many Demi-Humans among the audience.


    Even Cashew is excitedly applauding. During the show, she was anxious and worried but as soon as she understood that it was all a show, she enjoyed it.


    For now, a Human Hero is still the symbol of justice, but before long, I think Demi-Humans in roles like Hero and so on will start to appear. If that happens, I think it¡¯s going to be difficult to convince the Adventurer Association.


    That kind of future is a welcome one.


    The Heroes that always win, that I once admired, are now fascinating people in a new way.


    There¡¯s a difference between following a script and not, and I personally prefer a real fight, but I suppose the medium is different. It¡¯s not something to complain about.


    There is definitely something that excites people.


    ¡¸If there wasn¡¯t a looming plan to abolish Dungeon Clears, I could honestly enjoy this.¡¹


    Seemingly hearing my mutterings, Kei nods.


    ¡¸It seems he plans on buying the Dungeon and carrying out new games in it.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that there are ways to carry that out without buying the Dungeon. Like renting a place inside it, or preferably asking to reform a private use space or something.¡¹


    It depends on the size of the Dungeon, but it¡¯s a space originally made with Magical Energy. Even if you don¡¯t destroy the Dungeon, you can at least create a space that is independent of it.


    There¡¯s a way to coexist.


    ¡¸It is as you say, Sir Lemegeton. However, it appears that abolishing Dungeons is one of that man¡¯s objectives.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, we can¡¯t just hand it to him on a silver platter¡¹


    ¡¸By all means, lend us the intellect of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll give it my all.¡¹


    Freely forming and manipulating silvery liquid, Nicola entertains the audience until the end.


    We look away from her and continue our journey.


    ¡¸By the way, where has Miss Furcus gone, Sir Lemegeton?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh? Where did¡­oh, found her. She¡¯s buying skewers.¡¹


    I find Furcus paying the owner of a food cart.


    ¡¸¡­She has quite a healthy appetite, doesn¡¯t she?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ahaha. I¡¯ll go and get her.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. I shall talk with Miss Cashew.¡¹


    I quickly rush to where Furcus is.

 CH 61

    61 ¨C The Beginner Dungeon Suffering from Financial Difficulties.


    Points that Adventurers consider when selecting a Dungeon.


    Tendency. What kind of Monster tends to appear in it.


    Difficulty. If one doesn¡¯t possess the Recommended Clear Level in the first place, they can¡¯t challenge the Dungeon. Also, you can¡¯t even schedule a broadcast until you see what all the strata are.


    Reputation. Clearing a Dungeon costs money, so choosing to dive into an unpopular Dungeon is a waste of both time and money.


    ¡¸This is the others and my place of work.¡¹


    Every Dungeon has its own theme.


    The variety of Monsters in the Demon King Castle is extremely over-the-top, but that is solely because it is established as The Castle of the King of Demons.


    There is a volcano-themed Dungeon where fire affinity Monsters appear, a labyrinthine Dungeon riddled with traps, a zero-gravity Dungeon, and so on.


    There are many places that clearly layout their unique characteristic.


    Knowing that fire affinity Monsters will appear, a water affinity party can challenge and Clear it easily.


    If the focus is on mazes and traps, a party who isn¡¯t confident in their combat capabilities could produce good results using their intellectual power instead.


    In the case of the zero-gravity one, parties with wind affinity could handle mid-air battles.


    Finding a Dungeon that suits the party, can be successfully Cleared, and on top of that, will entertain the viewers. That is key.


    ¡¸Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon?¡¹


    We arrived at the front of a large plot of land, separated by a fence. There were trees spread out on the other side of the fence.


    This time, we were dispatched to a Dungeon where the Recommended Capture Level is Dungeon Rank 1.


    Dungeon titles generally come in two forms.


    A simple form such as The Demon King Castle, and then there are those that follow a rule.


    ¡¸XX-YY Dungeon¡¹like this. XX being the difficulty and YY being the tendency.


    Examples following that would look like¡¸Advanced Level ¨C Strong Blaze Dungeon¡¹or¡¸Intermediate Level ¨C Pitfall Dungeon¡¹and so on.


    ¡¸To those from the glorious Demon King Castle, this may as well be a worthless Dungeon but¡­I beg you, please help us.¡¹


    ¡¸The difficulty of the Dungeon doesn¡¯t matter. As I said before, I shall give it my all.¡¹


    In the case of Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, its tendency leans towards parties just starting out which makes it suitable for elementary or beginner level Adventurers.


    It¡¯s unthinkable now but in the distant past, it is said that subjugating Goblins was the figurative way of popping your Adventurer cherry. I guess you could say that this is the modern-day version of that.


    In order for ordinary people to become Adventurers, this is a place that gets them used to battles. A place where they can defeat Monsters and feel the joys of traversing a Dungeon.


    A place to pop your Adventurer cherry.


    ¡¸You have my thanks. From here, I shall lead you to my master but¡­he is currently in low spirits. He might seem unsightly but I hope you have it within your heart to forgive him¡­¡¹


    We are guided into the plot of land by a troubled Kei.


    ¡¸If there was the possibility that someone might lose their Dungeon, I believe anyone would feel down about it.¡¹


    ¡¸You are kind, Sir Lemegeton. I just wish that my master would show more of his dignity, especially in a time like this.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    In the dawn of the Dungeon Clearing industry, there were many Dungeons like this. When Monster and Adventurer jobs were brand new, everyone needed time to adapt. These types of Dungeons were in high demand.


    But recently, the number of Dungeons like this one has been decreasing.


    Even the Dungeon side had to change with the times, they clawed and groped their way to find means of surviving by raising their Dungeon Rank, thinking up new gimmicks, and so on but this Dungeon kept on being a Dungeon aimed at beginners, unchanged.


    ¡¸Puzzling. Why did you not change your methods?¡¹


    Said Furcus, her mouth stuffed with skewered meat.


    ¡¸My master inherited this Dungeon from his grandmother¡­the previous generation. It appears that my master does not wish to sully the Dungeon that she loved so much.¡¹


    ¡¸And the result of that¡­financial difficulties.¡¹


    ¡¸Therefore, we have to do something¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is it possible¡­if your master is busy moping?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Carrying on, just for the sake of it, meaningless. Work on ways to carry on. If you can¡¯t, you disappear.¡¹


    For a moment, Kei¡¯s lips contorted in frustration, but she eventually nodded.


    ¡¸I agree with you, Miss Furcus. We were tricked by that man because we did not think things through. We clung to his proffered hand because we lacked the will to move forward ourselves¡­but still. But still, is it meaningless to think about not giving up completely?¡¹


    ¡¸If all you are is persistent, then it is meaningless.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right. I suppose my master, too, understands that from the bottom of his heart.¡¹


    Furcus is right.


    To the point that I couldn¡¯t interject.


    At the same time, I also understand the feelings of this Dungeon Master who I have yet to meet.


    Even if it doesn¡¯t suit the times, you can¡¯t give up completely.


    Just like Black Sorcerer Adventurers who never gave up completely despite being unnecessary in the industry.


    Ultimately you have to think, decide, and act on your own.


    All we can do is help. Although, the Dungeon Master has yet to decide whether to allow us to help or not.


    ¡¸Whoa.¡¹


    Cashew gave a surprised gasp at the sight of it.


    Up until now, the scenery was nothing but forest until it suddenly gives way, revealing a space where an enormous rock is enshrined.


    A cave-like passageway is carved into the rock.


    Incidentally, there were wooden signs all along the path we took to get here, probably to ensure that no one gets lost even if they didn¡¯t have a guide.


    ¡¸Right this way.¡¹


    We headed not for the rock, but towards a giant tree a little ways away from the rock.


    We were all able to fit into the hollowed-out tree. Normally, a tree can be hollowed out when it starts to rot, but this seems to be man-made, somehow.


    A pedestal with a Recording Stone on it. Familiar devices are found within.


    ¡¸Due to the urgent nature of this discussion, we were not able to issue guest Registration Cards in time¡­¡¹


    Furcus nodded and put her hand on the body of Kei¡¯s horse section.


    Cashew was already on her.


    Furcus stretched out her hand towards me.


    ¡¸Here.¡¹


    In order to teleport together, you must be touching someone with a Registration Card or someone who is already touching said person.


    In this case, that would be Kei, Cashew, or Furcus.


    Even if it¡¯s for teleportation, something tells me that I shouldn¡¯t be touching the body of a female I just met.


    I wonder if Furcus offered her hand after considering the same thing.


    I grab hold of her small hand.


    I catch sight of Cashew holding out her hand towards me a little too late.


    I was already holding Furcus¡¯ hand.


    Just as I was about to say something to Cashew, Furcus whispers.


    ¡¸Holding hands, lewd.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?!¡¹


    ¡¸Kidding.¡¹


    Please don¡¯t play games with my poor heart. You almost made Cashew whip out her notebook.


    ¡¸Now then, let us proceed.¡¹


    With Kei¡¯s calm voice, we teleported into the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.

 CH 62

    62 ¨C The Shut-in Dungeon Master


    We teleported into what looked like the lobby of a high-class inn.


    Since I¡¯ve experienced working in the Demon King Castle, I¡¯ve come to realize that, in the end, Dungeons are just like any place of work. The parts that entertain guests and the parts that only staff use are completely different.


    The interiors were surprisingly modern and functional. The place was spotless, and couldn¡¯t be further from what you¡¯d expect of a Dungeon. If you really think about it, it¡¯s probably not that surprising, but it doesn¡¯t feel right at first.


    It would appear that the Dungeon Master is in a room that isn¡¯t equipped with a Teleportation Stone, so we walked there.


    We arrived in front of a door with a knob on it. Even this area feels like we¡¯re in front of one of an inn¡¯s rooms.


    Kei knocks on the door.


    ¡¸Master, I have brought with me the personnel from the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    No response.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­¡¹


    Kei clicked her tongue, or at least it felt like she did.


    ¡¸Maste-¡­Thor. Open this door.¡¹


    Her tone became more informal. Like when talking more familiarly, regardless of the workplace pecking order.


    ¡¸These nice people have come all this way to help us. Be a good Dungeon Master and greet them.¡¹


    Saying that, a voice could be heard muttering from the other side of the door.


    ¡¸¡­please leave me alone, Kei.¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me? Just how long do you plan on shutting yourself in? While you¡¯ve been doing all that, the payment date is getting closer, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸I know¡­I know, so could not say it like that, please? You¡¯re making me sink into deeper depths of despair.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m amazed that you can sink further. I had thought you sunk to the bottom long ago, so it gives me peace of mind to know that you still have further to go.¡¹


    ¡¸The sarcasm is appreciated but I¡¯m not in the mood to laugh right now. Uhm¡­right, tomorrow. I¡¯ll greet the people from the Demon King Castle tomorrow¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph.¡¹


    Kei turned her back towards the door.


    Perhaps he heard the way she shifted her hooves, you could hear the voice behind the door going¡¸Wait, you¡¯re not gonna¡­waitwaitwait¡­¡¹.


    In the next instant, Kei¡¯s hind legs sprang up, pulverizing the door.


    ¡¸Gah, dammit¡­! I knew it!¡¹


    Screamed the voice from inside.


    ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone. Please, enter.¡¹


    Cashew was already off her back when we arrived at the door, so there wasn¡¯t any worry of her tumbling off when she kicked.


    However, after seeing that perfect buck kick, Cashew¡¯s mouth hung open and her ears trembled.


    I leaned in close and pet her head to calm her down.


    ¡¸Good kick.¡¹


    Furcus, who had finished up her skewered meat, gave small praise.


    I don¡¯t think the kick is what you should focus on, Furcus¡­


    But somehow this didn¡¯t seem like the time to bring up the obvious, so I just entered the room at Kei¡¯s urging.


    It was a simple room. There was just the bare minimum of furniture and a shower room.


    The Dungeon Master was wrapped in a futon in the corner hugging his knees.


    ¡¸Oh maaaan. Now I gotta fix the door¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It would be easier if you didn¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, yeah that works too. You¡¯re a genius, Kei¡­heh¡­ha¡­¡¹


    The Dungeon Master laughed dryly.


    I can¡¯t tell his appearance since he¡¯s wrapped up in a futon, but I can tell he¡¯s a man from his voice. His body seems larger than mine.


    ¡¸Just greet them already. You¡¯re a Dungeon Master, despite appearances.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Y¡¯know, I know I¡¯m a failure of a Dungeon Master, but you could treat me a little nicer. If you keep treating me coldly like that, I won¡¯t be able to stand again.¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t see you stand up when I was kind.¡¹


    ¡¸Oof¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t hurry up, I¡¯m gonna kick you too.¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t. I¡¯ll be defeated for real from that¡­¡¹


    While saying that, Thor the Dungeon Master reluctantly stood up.


    His skin was green, with noticeably thicker limbs and torso when compared to the average person.


    Thor was an Orc.


    ¡¸Ha¡­I apologize for showing such a shameful sight. I am Thor, the Dungeon Master of this Dungeon. At least, for now¡­anyway, thank you very much for coming.¡¹


    We introduced ourselves as well.


    ¡¸Ah¡­Wait Lem? Eh? You¡¯re saying Lemegeton is¡­the former Fenix party member, Lem?!¡¹


    Having realized that, Thor jumped in surprise.


    ¡¸Waitwaitwait¡­huh? But, you punched a hole through the Flame Hero¡¯s abdomen.¡¹


    ¡¸I did, yes¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But weren¡¯t you driven out of the party? The Warrior Alba said so in an interview.¡¹


    ¡¸While that¡¯s not entirely accurate, that is more or less what happened.¡¹


    ¡¸Honestly speaking, even I wondered what a Black Sorcerer was doing in a fourth-ranked party. Oh, sorry, no offense¡­!¡¹


    Thor shuddered at Kei¡¯s death glare.


    Kei wasn¡¯t surprised when she found out, but Thor¡¯s response is more natural.


    ¡¸But wait¡­if you were that strong, why were you driven out? Not that I¡¯m doubting your abilities! The Demon King Castle assured me.¡¹


    ¡¸There are quite a few reasons. But leaving that aside, why don¡¯t we discuss how we can help out the Dungeon.¡¹


    At that moment, Thor¡¯s eye¡¯s looked down.


    ¡¸Ah, right¡­heh, that¡¯s right. This isn¡¯t the time to be interested in your life story¡­¡¹


    The Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon is currently undergoing financial difficulties.


    Her Majesty¡¯s father offered financial assistance to save them from that. Believing that he was an acquaintance of his grandmother, Thor just signed the contract without really reading it.


    If payment cannot be made before the settlement date arrives, the Dungeon will be seized.


    ¡¸¡­go ahead, berate me, don¡¯t hold back. I¡¯m just a stupid Orc who blindly signed a contract¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You fool. Living trash. A hopeless idiot who went on a fool¡¯s errand without consulting me, and then was so easily tricked.¡¹


    Kei verbally abused him without skipping a beat.


    ¡¸Uh, I¡­I was talking to Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸My apologies. I thought that you would enjoy being berated by a maid.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­don¡¯t think I have that kink¡­ Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do it right in front of people.¡¹


    Dungeons can naturally produce an almost infinite supply of Magical Energy, but the downside is that the output and amount generated differ from Dungeon to Dungeon.


    For example, if you think of it as a water tap with an infinite supply of water, except only one drop of water comes out of it every few seconds, how do you use it?


    Just because it¡¯s inexhaustible doesn¡¯t mean you can do anything with it.


    Taking that into consideration, you have to decide how many strata you want, how many staff-use facilities to create, and exactly how to create them.


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t just shut myself in my room, alright? I thought about a lot of things, like how to get out of this¡­but, he didn¡¯t break any laws so¡­¡¹


    When Dungeon Clearing became a form of entertainment, the use of Magical Energy was strictly determined by the law.


    To oversimplify it, the law states that you are not allowed to use Magical Energy outside of the Dungeon business.


    TVs, computers, fridges, cocoons, etc all run on Magical Energy. The source of that Magical Energy is a Magic Stone. Stones that are charged with Magical Energy. You can charge it with your own Magical Energy or with purchased Magical Energy and then use the stone.


    Furthermore, Magical Energy is the source of magic.


    The Magic Stones in circulation are created in such a way that they cannot be converted into magic, but occasionally, magical crimes are committed using modified Magic Stones.


    That¡¯s right, infinite Magical Energy can enrich one¡¯s life but it also comes with many dangers.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s think about more ways together.¡¹


    Right after the end of the war, not even the Dungeon Masters were willing to take advantage of something that they didn¡¯t exactly understand how it worked. Some may have thought about it but nothing came of it.


    Considering all of its valuable uses, should we assume that there was some problem that prevented it from being used?


    In exchange, a strict limitation was put into place.


    Even to this day, this law has been mostly unchanged. A portion is allowed to be used for the generation of Adventurer Avatars, and more things are increasingly recognized as Staff-use facilities.


    This means that the Magical Energy from Dungeons cannot be used to earn money. It is illegal.


    It is permitted for use to regenerate the Avatars of defeated Adventurers, but that is something Adventurers themselves cannot do in the first place.


    ¡¸Now that I think about it¡­you said you¡¯re the Chief of Staff but your field is defense, right? Not management. Oh yeah, I went nuts about your defense of the tenth stratum! It was awesome. If I wasn¡¯t in this predicament right now, I¡¯d be watching that video on repeat. But y¡¯know, this is the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon. I don¡¯t want to draw in Adventurers with a promotional slogan saying¡¸Featuing a special guest: the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff!¡¹or something. Not like that¡­¡¹


    If news spread about the person who drove back the Fenix party visiting this Dungeon, all the nearby Adventurers would surely come rushing in.


    However, that would substantially raise the Dungeon Rank of the Dungeon.


    He doesn¡¯t want to use a method where I am front and center.


    I have no objections to that idea.


    ¡¸¡­I understand.¡¹

 CH 63

    63 ¨C Consistent and Flexible, the Worries of a ____ Hero


    ¡¸You¡­understand? Wait, what do you mean? Huh?¡¹


    I understood Thor¡¯s bewilderment.


    I don¡¯t know the details of his discussion with her Highness but hearing that the Chief of Staff is being dispatched from the Demon King Castle, it¡¯s only natural to assume that the plan was to use his notoriety as¡¸The Monster who defeated Fenix¡¹to attract customers.


    That is to say, that was one of my more effective plans.


    This was before I knew about their fixation on being a Beginner Dungeon.


    A Dungeon specifically for newbie Adventurers, that was inherited from his grandmother. This was before I knew of his desire to not stray from that path.


    ¡¸Because there are some things you can¡¯t change, even if they are irrational or only cause harm.¡¹


    Just like what I, myself, have been doing.


    I continue.


    ¡¸However, if we are going to follow through on something, I believe that we have a responsibility to solve the problems that arise.¡¹


    If a so-called useless Black Sorcerer joins a party, he should at least lead them to victory.


    If he, himself, cannot garner any popularity, he should at least support his allies in battle so that they can become even more popular.


    Remaining in a party when you can¡¯t gain any popularity, can¡¯t contribute towards victory, or have any real ability, that isn¡¯t being persistent or consistent, that¡¯s just being a parasite. That¡¯s what Alba once thought of me.


    I gave a fleeting glance to Kei.


    She nodded slightly and called out to Cashew.


    ¡¸Miss Cashew, I believe their discussion will take some time, let us go to a different room where I shall serve you tea. I shall also prepare some delicious baked sweets.¡¹


    ¡¸Baked sweets. I¡¯ll go too.¡¹


    Furcus replied before Cashew could.


    As for the little girl, she glanced at me. I nodded and she, in turn, nodded back. She then clenched both fists as she let out a huff. It was a pose that seemed to say¡¸Do your best¡­!¡¹.


    It¡¯s miraculous how a gesture so simple can perk me up right away.


    I smile at her, she smiles back and follows Kei out of the room.


    Kei and Thor¡¯s relationship seems to go beyond just being subordinate and boss. There seems to be a personal friendship there. There are probably things that he doesn¡¯t want her to hear and things that are difficult to say in front of her.


    ¡¸R-responsiblity, like¡­providing for your subordinates, right? I thought that I could pay their salaries until the end, or that¡¯s the least I should do.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. However, if the Dungeon goes under, they¡¯ll all have to find new jobs.¡¹


    ¡¸There are already people who have quit, and in those cases¡­I thought I should at least help them with things like referrals as much as possible.¡¹


    I¡¯m relieved to know that Thor thinks about his subordinates¡¯ futures if the Dungeon closes even while he is stricken with grief.


    Just knowing that he isn¡¯t the type of person who would give up in the face of despair is enough.


    ¡¸So would it be fair to say that the people that are still with you love this Dungeon?¡¹


    ¡¸I, I wonder¡­ It¡¯d be great if that were the case, but maybe they¡¯re just waiting around to see what will happen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kei too?¡¹


    The moment I said that he looked me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸Kei is different.¡¹


    As I thought, a mutually trusting relationship was built with the time they spent together.


    ¡¸So you have an ally, even if it¡¯s just one. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡¹


    I smiled broadly. Thor stood with his mouth agape but before long, it overflowed with laughter.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­you are a lot more positive than people say you are.¡¹


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t have been in a fourth ranked party if I had negative thoughts.¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose so.¡¹


    I saw a little bit of light return to his eyes.


    Alright, I think it¡¯s time to resume our discussion.


    ¡¸Adventurers generally leave the Adventurer Training Institution with a solid foundation, so there¡¯s not much merit in challenging an Elementary Level Dungeon. You normally see Heroes challenging a local low-difficulty Dungeon first in order to make a flashy debut.¡¹


    I trained under my master, so I didn¡¯t go to the Training Institution.


    It¡¯s not like we¡¯re obligated to go, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but those that graduated from the Institution tend to look down on those that didn¡¯t.


    ¡¸You have a point there¡­They feel that taking on a complete Elementary Level Dungeon is a waste of time. I felt like we were being left behind by the times¡­ that¡¯s why when Fellow said that he would save us, I foolishly jumped at the opportunity¡­¡¹


    This Fellow that he mentioned is definitely the name of Her Highness¡¯s father.


    ¡¸So were you actually able to get the aid that you needed?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Although¡­with everyone¡¯s salaries and various other expenses, it¡¯s almost gone.¡¹


    ¡¸Leaving the contract aside, it¡¯s only natural that you have to pay back the money that you¡¯ve borrowed. So without overthinking it, let¡¯s focus on earning enough money to pay them back on the appointed date.¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­do you¡­do you really think we can do it, Lem?¡¹


    His face was full of doubt. But that¡¯s to be expected. To him, this is the second time that someone suddenly appeared to lend him a hand. First Fellow, then me. He¡¯d be crazy to not be suspicious.


    ¡¸I have two conditions.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what are they?¡¹


    ¡¸The first involves this. Do you know what this ring can do?¡¹


    ¡¸You are Lem, who is also Lemegeton, so that means that ring¡¯s true form is a ring that allows you to use Summon Magic, right? ¡­Wait a minute, my grandmother told me that that was the Demon King¡¯s equipment.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I received it from the Demon King.¡¹


    I did think it was strange. So this was originally equipment for the Demon King, huh?


    There¡¯s no footage of the previous Demon King, and the one before that, my master, didn¡¯t use anything like this ring. Footage of the Demon King even before my master is currently difficult to obtain but I believe the previous previous previous generation didn¡¯t use it either.


    I wonder if they didn¡¯t need it because they were already the strongest beings.


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t mind forming a contract with me, would you like to? Of course, I¡¯ll confirm your schedule here before summoning you.¡¹


    Ever since being officially recognized as the Chief of Staff, the part in the beginning when Her Highness told me that¡¸I am only restricted to forming contracts with those working in the Demon King Castle¡¹was lifted.


    I even accidentally formed a contract with Fenix without my consent. But even this doesn¡¯t disregard orders.


    ¡¸Ah, uhm, yes. As long as you don¡¯t mind¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. The other condition is a very difficult one.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what is it?¡¹


    I could hear him gulp nervously.


    ¡¸Never give up.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Being a Dungeon Master means you¡¯re the leader. We can¡¯t have the person you¡¯re supposed to follow lock himself up in his room.¡¹


    I patiently waited for his response.


    How long did it take, I wonder. One minute? Two minutes? The silence lasted a long time. But it didn¡¯t last forever.


    ¡¸W-will not giving up, save this Dungeon?¡¹


    ¡¸That I do not know. However, I do know that you will lose this Dungeon if you do give up. We have come here to lend you our power in order to keep this place alive. The rest is up to you.¡¹


    The one who has to make the decision has always been him.


    He was shaking. Shaking, but he suppressed it.


    ¡¸I beg of you, Lem. No, Lemegeton. I¡¯ll do whatever I can, so please lend me your strength to protect this Dungeon.¡¹


    Seeing the determination in his eyes, I said


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    In response.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Good work out there, my prince~!¡¹


    Returning to the tent that was prepared as my waiting room after the show, a young woman hugs me.


    In the waiting room is the cocoon that connects my mind to the Avatar. The source of its Magical Energy was a Magic Stone the size of a boulder.


    ¡¸I am not your prince, Leila.¡¹


    Leila is the Thief in my party. The Job title doesn¡¯t sound good, if anything, it is an unpopular Job but not to the extent of a Black Sorcerer or White Sorcerer.


    Thieves can move while erasing the sound of their footsteps as well as their presence, which allows them to share the tension with the audience when they act as scouts. The more skillfully they assassinate from behind an unaware enemy, the more excited the audience will be.


    They are the type that is unassuming but has their own fans.


    ¡¸What the hell. You gonna throw me in the garbage just because you¡¯re popular now~?¡¹


    I try to tear her off of me, her face adamantly resisting, pressing against my hand.


    ¡¸Of course not, I rely on you greatly in Dungeons. I¡¯m only saying that I am not yours.¡¹


    ¡¸Be kinder to me~. Rely on me outside of Dungeons too~.¡¹


    I manage to somehow tear off the fake-crying Leila.


    ¡¸That was an okay performance. Your acting¡¯s still stiff though.¡¹


    An inconspicuous silver-haired young man wearing glasses enters the tent.


    He¡¯s my older brother, a Hero.


    ¡¸I¡¯m no match for an actual actor.¡¹


    The figure that I am now¡­this Silver Prince is a product of my brother¡¯s design.


    My brother and I were obscure Adventurers, but the second my brother established my prince character, our popularity skyrocketed.


    My relationship with Leila also added to the popularity for some reason.


    There were people who called her the Thief Princess.


    ¡­somehow, I feel like I¡¯m going further and further away.


    Away from the hero that I admired when I was starting out.


    I don¡¯t know why, even though we¡¯ve been climbing the ranks.


    ¡¸Oh, Leila. I was wondering if you¡­if you saw him in the audience.¡¹


    ¡¸Him? Him who?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­that¡¯s, well, y¡¯know. That person. The one that I admire.¡¹


    That was enough to get the message across.


    Their expressions changed. Leila¡¯s changed to one of astonishment, my brother¡¯s to one of incomprehension.


    ¡¸Whaa~? You mean the Black Sorcerer Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­I think I saw him with a Centaur, a dog Demi-Human and¡­a Human girl? Maybe he¡¯s here to look for a job. A strange mix of people he¡¯s with though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Who cares. No matter how many times I hear it, I still don¡¯t get it. You admire him? Seriously? A boring guy like that.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to say it like that. Isn¡¯t it cool how he stands up for himself? No matter what anyone says, he always has this burning passion in his eyes. And he does his job. Everyone says he¡¯s useless but actually, ever since he left the Fenix party, I feel like their actions have lost their luster. Which means that-¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Nicola. Don¡¯t say another word. I¡¯d rather avoid getting flamed in the comments for supporting a dude who was kicked out of the fourth ranked party. Best to avoid trouble.¡¹


    My brother¡¯s words are as cold as always.


    And as always, I am too weak to disobey him.


    ¡¸I¡­I won¡¯t say anything¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Good. To you, that man may seem like a hero who achieved results by standing up for himself but in reality, he¡¯s just a parasitic loser leeching off of his Hero best friend. The Fenix party didn¡¯t get worse, that¡¯s just how tough the Demon King Castle is. Aside from Fenix, his allies weren¡¯t high-level enough.¡¹


    His rude manner of speaking naturally irritates me.


    My brother isn¡¯t a bad person but his choice of words is so cruel. There are times where he says even worse things.


    ¡¸T-they¡¯re way better than us.¡¹


    ¡¸Nah, y¡¯see, they¡¯re just more popular than us. But the only thing that interests them is traditional Dungeon Clearing. With this show as our stepping stone, we¡¯re heading straight for the top.¡¹


    ¡¸I like your spirit. But see here, we can¡¯t have you looking down on fellow hard-working members on the same stage.¡¹


    This time, a red-haired Majin entered the tent.


    His name is Fellow. He¡¯s the one who brought this job to the table.


    ¡¸Why, Lord Fellow. I beg your pardon, but when I¡¯m with family, I tend to lack consideration in what I say. I will try to be considerate of my position when I speak out.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm¡­Well, I cannot restrict the thoughts you may hold in your heart. However, as long as you work for me, I implore you not to forget to show respect to others.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. Of course.¡¹


    My brother nods with a fake smile plastered on his face.


    ¡¸Now then, have you decided on taking part in the Tag Tournament free-for-all?¡¹


    ¡¸About that, my sister is still worried over it.¡¹


    ¡¸It will be hard to get an audience into this all-new format. So for the first round, I¡¯m thinking of using more combinations of Adventurers with Adventurers, and Demi-Humans with Demi-Humans. Since the Nikola party has graciously helped me with this plan, I am thinking of giving your party priority in securing a slot. What do you say¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I would love to be a part of this.¡¹


    ¡¸Hero siblings are rare, I believe this will catch people¡¯s attention.¡¹


    My brother is obsessed with publicity stunts.


    But this is different from the cool hero that I admire.


    What should I do¡­


    What would you do in a time like this? You, who would follow your own path no matter what anyone said.


    Lem¡­


    Or is my admiration for you merely the result of my own desires?


    At that time, I never would have thought¡­


    That he and I would form a tag-team and aim for victory, together.

 CH 64

    64 ¨C Light to the Newbies, Payment to the Wise.


    We are so screwed.


    Being an Adventurer generally costs money.


    The Training Institution tuition fees are nothing to scoff at, and the Union¡¯s annual fee is not cheap to newbies.


    If you don¡¯t have a lot of money, you¡¯ll be adventuring just to pay back your student loans for a long time.


    Those at the top usually let professionals handle the video editing, but newbies have to do it themselves. But we can¡¯t really travel the world lugging around editing equipment to edit videos, so we have to rent the equipment from a special shop, which of course, costs money. We don¡¯t even have the money to afford the equipment in the first place.


    It¡¯s all about money, money, money.


    People like to imagine that the life of an Adventure is filled with quick battles, adoring fans, and boundless riches, but the reality is cruel.


    Newbie Adventurers normally have a side job. Actually, maybe several? Yeah, definitely several side jobs. I think when people say they have a side job, they normally mean more than two.


    Adventurers who aren¡¯t popular search for Dungeons that might boost their popularity, so they get by with whatever money they can earn while aiming for that.


    The places that hire you regardless of your Job don¡¯t pay you a lot and the people who don¡¯t know when they will quit, have to get a day job to make a living.


    ¡¸sob¡­what am I gonna do? If the next one doesn¡¯t work out then¡­I might have to finally start selling my body.¡¹


    My childhood friend and the Beast Master of the party, Sophie, laments.


    Her pet Demi-Beast Collie, an Azure Wolf, lowers its head towards her as if to comfort her. He¡¯s a male, but we just call him Collie. He¡¯s a wolf with fur as blue as the ocean¡¯s depths and eyes like that of the blue sky. [1. TL Note: The wolf¡¯s actual name is Cole, but they call him Cole-chan even though he¡¯s male, so I have gone with Collie.]


    ¡¸Heh, that is one of our possible fates¡­¡¹


    The quivering young man saying that is our Dark Knight.


    ¡¸Heh¡­heh heh¡­if it ever comes to that, Sophie¡­let¡¯s at least work in the same brothel.¡¹


    The young woman calling out to Sophie with hollow eyes is our Witch.


    ¡¸You idiot! Don¡¯t give in until the very end, guys!¡¹


    The woman trying to cheer everyone up is our Martial Artist.


    Which means the last one remaining would be me, the Hero.


    I couldn¡¯t form a contract with a Spirit, so I don¡¯t have a title.


    Unless you are very successful, those who have a Spirit are usually given two names.


    When we graduated from the Training Institution, we challenged an Intermediate Level Dungeon and got completely wiped out. Three times in a row¡­


    There are people who can completely get out of a slump like this, and there are those who stagnate.


    Of course, everyone thinks that they¡¯re the former.


    Reality is cruel.


    ¡¸U-uhm¡­guys? I found this, come take a look.¡¹


    The duty of a Hero is basically to be the leader. I sometimes wonder if I¡¯m capable of leading my party to victory but it¡¯s too early to give up.


    I¡¯m sure that we aren¡¯t weak. After all, two out of the three times we challenged that Dungeon, we managed to reach and fight with the Dungeon Master.


    ¡¸Our final Dungeon¡­?¡¹


    Sophie¡¯s eyes were lifeless.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s just the opposite. It¡¯s the Dungeon that just might save us. Take a look.¡¹


    I showed them a piece of paper that I printed out from the Internet Cafe.


    ¡¸I was searching for Dungeons and came across this.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph¡­If what our leader says is true, then¡­hm? Elementary Level?!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­maybe it¡¯s just the thing for a party that can¡¯t clear an Intermediate one.¡¹


    ¡¸Get a grip, you guys! But still, Elementary Level, huh¡­hm? HM?! Clear reward?!¡¹


    Only the Martial Artist noticed it.


    ¡¸Yes, exactly! Look at the amount!¡¹


    It begins to read¡¸Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon. This Dungeon aims to support any and all newbie Adventurers that~¡¹it goes on, honestly sounding like any other Dungeon. It¡¯s got an official website and everything.


    However, the interesting thing about this Dungeon is the campaign that it¡¯s currently running.


    Why, just by traversing all three strata of this Elementary Level Dungeon, we¡¯ll be living easy with the reward money.


    Dungeons generally have some kind of Clear reward. Like twenty batches of Avatar Restoration Potions or a free Avatar Regeneration coupon.


    Other Dungeons have treasure chests that contain sellable items or medicine.


    Clear rewards are normally limited to the first time, but so what? Just once is enough to save us.


    ¡¸This sounds too good to be true¡­¡¹


    Says Sophie, a small amount of light returning to her eyes, while stroking Collie.


    ¡¸I tried to do a quick search on them but recently, there haven¡¯t been any parties that uploaded their videos filmed in this place. It¡¯s a super unpopular Dungeon and I think this campaign is a last-ditch effort to revive their business.¡¹


    ¡¸Opposing fate¡­? That is good, too.¡¹


    ¡¸You mean, if we Clear the Dungeon, they¡¯ll really give us the money? I don¡¯t have to work in a brothel?¡¹


    ¡¸But there are a few conditions. One stratum a day, broadcast your video within three days of a successful Clear, and make sure to advertise your winnings in the video, huh? I see, so we earn money easily, and we help advertise their Dungeon. This seems pretty simple!¡¹


    After the Martial Artist explained everything, everyone seemed to understand the conversation.


    An unpopular Dungeon wants to garner attention.


    Adventurers with a poor reputation want money.


    Our interests align.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, everyone. We¡¯re not gonna let things end here, right?¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸But Lem, is it really alright to just give out money?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸But, but¡­this is your money. Of course, I will definitely pay you back but¡­if you just hand out your money freely to newbie Adventurers¡­uhm, even though you were once a part of a fourth rank party and all, won¡¯t your savings run dry?¡¹


    ¡¸I thank you for your concern, but it was my decision to help out and this is how I plan to do it.¡¹


    The concept of this Dungeon isn¡¯t outdated.


    It can let unlucky Adventurers or Adventurers that just graduated but have no confidence, experience the joy of victory.


    Of course, you can¡¯t make money if you keep losing, so there were times when people would learn the taste of victory on the first two of the three strata, and then get annihilated on the deepest stratum.


    But this time, the plan is to let newbie Adventurers win as much as possible.


    Personally, I think it¡¯s beneficial for both parties when they all clash with all their might, but ultimately that¡¯s my preference.


    I don¡¯t like cutting corners, but this case is different. You don¡¯t want to look down on them or want to make things easier for yourself.


    Just the opposite. We will face them professionally as mutual enemies, but with the goal of giving them confidence.


    Realizing that ideology, I decided to cooperate. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said that I would do all that I can to help out.


    And that¡¯s how I ended up sponsoring the Clear reward.


    Honestly, it does sting, but it¡¯s best not to let that show.


    ¡¸Besides, the appointments came flooding in, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­!¡¹


    Thor¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡¸As per the proposal, please continue accepting appointments from intermediate level Adventures aiming to get the reward money.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, this is the crux of this strategy.


    We¡¯re not changing the Dungeon¡¯s concept. We are reclaiming the Dungeon¡¯s glory as a Dungeon that lets newbies experience the joys of victory.


    However, a loophole was created.


    People that can claim the Clear prize are not limited to just newbies.


    Once more than ten parties broadcasted their Clear video and told people about the prize they got, this Dungeon quickly became the talk of the town.


    Although subtle in the public eye, Dungeon-related rumors spread quickly in Adventuring circles.


    The discrepancy between the Clear reward and the Dungeon¡¯s difficulty is abnormal.


    If they think that they can just drop by and make a quick buck, parties will think it¡¯s a pretty good deal.


    Of course, high-level parties probably won¡¯t think that, but intermediate-level parties and below can¡¯t afford to ignore this much money.


    Videos posted with titles like¡¸Recently rumored Dungeon Cleared in record time! #EZMoney¡¹and so on also get a ton of views.


    It makes other newbie parties think that this is their chance to post a Clear video.


    As a result of that, appointments came rushing in from intermediate-level parties within reach of the town.


    ¡¸This is a Dungeon aimed at newbies, right Thor?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thanks to you, Lem. If Grammy was alive to see this, she¡¯d be so happy.¡¹


    ¡¸So it¡¯s fine if we wipe out the intermediate-level parties that come to the newbie Dungeon just for the prize money, right?¡¹


    I¡¯ve already told Thor about this plan.


    ¡¸Parties who have already tasted victory, challenging an easy Dungeon to make a quick buck¡­ce-certainly, they are customers who do not align with what this Dungeon aims to achieve¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So, you wouldn¡¯t mind if they are completely wiped out?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­in fact, I actually want Kei and the others to experience a win too.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. Letting Adventurers experience the joys of victory is a wonderful thing.


    But what about the Monsters? Is it a wonderful thing to send them out day after day only to lose? Of course, those that joined this Dungeon fully understanding its concept probably have no qualms.


    However, Thor wants his precious subordinates to know triumph as well.


    And from what I¡¯ve heard beforehand, they feel the same.


    Even Kei said¡¸There certainly are Adventurers who I want to send flying with a kick.¡¹.


    Alright, I¡¯ll take that to mean that she wants to win.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s give them that win.¡¹


    Without altering the Dungeon¡¯s concept, we can make newbies smile and earn money on top of that. We can even make the employees smile.


    Nothing wrong with that.


    ¡¸¡­so this¡­is the Demon King Army¡¯s¡­Chief of Staff¡­¡¹


    Thor muttered something.


    ¡¸Please summon everyone.¡¹

 CH 65

    65 ¨C The Silver Prince and her Brother¡¯s Morning


    Someone famous walking down the streets would cause a stir. That¡¯s why most of them normally wear a disguise or hide their appearance.


    They put on hoods, cover their mouths, or wear sunglasses.


    In the case of Adventurers, they have a way of creating their Avatars with slight differences when compared to their real bodies.


    It¡¯s illegal to make wild changes that make you completely unrecognizable as the same person but altering small things like your hairstyle, beauty mark, or having single or double eyelids is not a problem. You can¡¯t give yourself muscles but you can adjust the level of fat you might have.


    You can¡¯t alter your constitution, but you can change your body shape within your range. You can¡¯t attach muscles to your Avatar. Basically, you cannot add on stats that your main body didn¡¯t actually train in.


    In actuality, the reverse is possible. A buff macho man can have an Avatar that is sleek and slim.


    Honestly, I don¡¯t recommend going beyond just changing your outward appearance. It¡¯s easy to move in a body that is the same as your regular body, but you lose that advantage when you have the awkward sensation of controlling two different bodies.


    Well, let¡¯s leave the Avatar¡¯s ease of operation aside for now.


    Anyhow, when all these things are changed, it becomes surprisingly difficult to recognize the real person.


    In my case, my Avatar has short hair, in contrast to my real body¡¯s long hair.


    My Avatar has a modest breast size while my real body has big b-¡­h-huge¡­larger than normal-sized breasts.


    My Avatar has a mole under my left eye while in actuality, I don¡¯t.


    Also, I wear glasses on my real body. Non-prescription ones, though.


    ¡¸Yo Niko, let¡¯s go Clear this Dungeon.¡¹


    I was eating my breakfast at the inn we¡¯re staying in when my older brother appeared and slammed down a piece of paper on the tabletop.


    He¡¯s two years older than me, his name is Philip.


    My hair was up in a ponytail, it was over my right shoulder and then it flowed and dropped behind me.


    ¡¸¡­Not even a¡¸Good morning¡¹?¡¹


    ¡¸Good morrow to you, my darling sister.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­barf.¡¹


    That made me want to cough up my breakfast. Ignoring my glares, he sits directly opposite me and resumes the conversation.


    ¡¸Look, it¡¯s a Dungeon that¡¯s in this town.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m trying to eat my breakfast here.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s an Elementary-Level, but ever since they started this new campaign, it¡¯s become the talk of the town.¡¹


    I give a big sigh and put my meal on hold.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t heard about it.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s cause you don¡¯t drink. Bars are a treasure trove of information.¡¹


    In a town that has a Dungeon, there are bound to be restaurants and the like that segregate Adventurers and Monsters.


    Bars where Adventurers gather can be found anywhere and I guess they love trading information there.


    ¡¸You¡¯re the one who told me not to go to bars. You said it didn¡¯t fit the Prince character or something.¡¹


    As can be expected, even if you change your appearance a little, a place full of other Adventurers is bound to get me found out if I show my face there.


    I¡¯m not good at holding my liquor in the first place, so I¡¯m fine with not going.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. Well don¡¯t worry, just leave the information gathering to me.¡¹


    ¡¸You just want to get your drink on.¡¹


    My brother chuckled at that and continued the conversation.


    ¡¸So last night, right? These unknown newbies were having a grand meal way above their paygrade. I listened to their conversation and apparently, they paid for the meal with the Clear Reward they got from this Dungeon. If you search online, there are already a number of clear videos posted up. So far it¡¯s just dumb newbies and low-ranked trash.¡¹


    ¡¸Can¡¯t you do something about that foul mouth of yours? I mean, for a Prince¡¯s brother, you¡¯ve got some decency issues.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not interested in putting on a persona in front of family.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know how you can just freely admit to having a bad personality like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, aren¡¯t you getting cocky? Whatever happened to my sweet little sister who used to call out for her big brother?¡¹


    ¡¸You know I have a knife and fork in my hands, right? I¡¯d go with the knife.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, well back to the conversation.¡¹


    In everyday conversations like this, I¡¯m able to talk back to my brother, and he will pull back.


    But when it comes to business, he won¡¯t take no for an answer.


    I pick up the piece of paper and give it a quick glance.


    ¡¸Elementery Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon? ¡­Ooh, that forest-looking place.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. Pretty large sum, yeah? An old-fashioned Dungeon¡¯s last-ditch effort campaign to save them from going out of business. Ripe for the pickings.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hold on, we¡¯re a ninety-ninth rank party. Sure, it doesn¡¯t say that there¡¯s an entry restriction, but won¡¯t this make us look bad? They¡¯ll probably reject us when we try to make an appointment anyway.¡¹


    This must be just a typo.


    There are many cases where they won¡¯t accept you if you don¡¯t match the Dungeon¡¯s Recommended Clear Level, even if the gap is below two levels or more.


    The Dungeon¡¯s level is one, our level is four.


    It¡¯s only natural that they¡¯d reject us.


    Well, normally, it should be mentioned in the Dungeon Details but this is probably just a typo on their part.


    Even then, we¡¯ll definitely be rejected if we try to make an appointment.


    It¡¯ll be like an adult joining in the children¡¯s pretend sword fight with a real sword, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s gonna be fun for the viewers.


    Not that Elementary-Level Dungeons are child¡¯s play. Just making a metaphor.


    ¡¸You always think a little too much.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, whatever. So?¡¹


    My brother pouted in frustration, looks like this isn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡¸According to the information that Lord Fellow provided, it used to be stated that this Dungeon does not allow Level 3 or higher parties in.¡¹


    ¡¸Lord Fellow? ¡­How does he know that?¡¹


    ¡¸He¡¯s a Majin, I¡¯m sure they have their own information network or something.¡¹


    Due to our line of work, we tend to keep our distance from Demi-Humans.


    However, this is just to fit the image of an Adventurer, if taken too far, it becomes discrimination.


    There are many people who deal with Demi-Humans in their occupation, there¡¯s no hate.


    Now that I think about it, Lord Fellow has a lot of Demi-Humans working under him.


    ¡¸So¡­what? The Dungeon prepares a lavish Clear Reward and at the same time, removes the old, previously stated Level restriction?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly, and why do you think they did that?¡¹


    ¡¸Why? Hmm¡­I see. To lure in idiots like you and annihilate them?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m no idiot, but yeah, that¡¯s the gist of it. And it looks like the Dungeon¡¯s plan is working. I¡¯ve been seeing the faces of Intermediate-level parties here and there, recently. They¡¯re not here for the Tag Tournament, and from what I¡¯ve heard, they can be split into two types.¡¹


    ¡¸Two types? The parties aiming to clear the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon and¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸And parties that are silent. C¡¯mon, you¡¯re not a dumbass, but your thinking is too shallow. Think harder.¡¹


    ¡­My grip tightens on the knife.


    I imagine punching my dear brother in the face at least ten times and I begin to calm down. Now I can think harder.


    I soon realized it.


    ¡¸Ah¡­they¡¯re too embarrassed to tell anyone that they were completely wiped out in a Elementary-level Dungeon despite being Intermediate-level parties.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly. If you traveled all the way and managed to get the prize, you have to publicize it, but if you were annihilated, you don¡¯t have to.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, it is expressly written that you are obliged to post your video upon a successful Clear.


    Are they letting the Intermediate and above level parties hide the truth of their failure?


    Well, I suppose it would be pretty damning for such an experienced party to fail at clearing a Dungeon that only Elementary-level parties were able to enjoyably clear.


    If they were forced to release the information, they would probably be able to attract parties that would try to clear it for bragging rights¡­


    But I suppose that would decrease the flock of parties coming here in hopes of earning easy money.


    Maybe the purpose of this campaign is not just to advertise, but to make a lot of money in a short period of time.


    ¡¸¡­Hm, could this be an All Level Dungeon?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. The guy who came up with this plan is definitely a Dungeon freak. This is an interesting experiment that not many Adventurers know of.¡¹


    It can¡¯t be confirmed in recent videos whether or not it¡¯s an All Level Dungeon. Even if you could, there¡¯s no way to indicate it is because the Adventurers themselves don¡¯t know that it is one.


    While more and more Clear videos are being posted every day, the only ones you can still watch are the famous ones from the past.


    Some parties delete their videos when they retire or for other reasons, so valuable footage is often lost.


    In Adventurer circles, there exist several legends.


    Such as a raid on the Demon King Castle where several parties, including a young Storm Hero, were all wiped out in one stratum.


    Or one time where a Hero who couldn¡¯t form a contract with a Spirit became the world¡¯s no.1.


    Or even that the Demon King who defeated the Storm Hero and the others did not retire, but disappeared because he was fed up with the interference of the country that feared his mighty power.


    The recent legend is about how despite the Flame Hero Fenix using Spirit Magic strong enough to melt the entire Field, the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff defeated him in one-on-one combat. Moreover, the Chief of Staff said that the defense was a success but the match ended in a draw.


    Some legends can be confirmed but some cannot.


    ¡¸So if we challenge this Dungeon, an appropriately hard Monster will appear?¡¹


    An All Level Dungeon is another such legend.


    A Dungeon where, no matter what Level you are, you will have a fight that pushes you to your limit.


    Dungeon Clearing uses an appointment system. When an appointment is made, the party¡¯s rank and composition are known.


    It¡¯s not impossible to make the appropriate adjustments until the appointed day.


    Of course, this is entirely dependent on the staff on hand.


    ¡¸At the very least, Monsters strong enough to annihilate the average Intermediate party and make them feel embarrassed enough to refrain from showing their video.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s with this timing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I noticed that too, it¡¯s possible that they hired someone to be the brain of this operation. According to Lord Fellow, it¡¯s not probable that the Dungeon Master would be able to think up a plan like this.¡¹


    Why is it that this is making me remember the figure of Lem that I saw, no, that I sensed?


    No, no, what am I thinking? There¡¯s no way.


    ¡¸If just a bunch of weaklings show up regardless of our level, we¡¯ll stop at the second stratum. We¡¯ll lose a bit of money but at least we don¡¯t have to post a video since we didn¡¯t traverse the whole Dungeon.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Also, it¡¯s not exciting enough for the viewers.¡¹


    ¡¸You mean it won¡¯t net us any popularity.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah¡­that.¡¹


    ¡¸If the strength of the Monsters does change to match our level, then we¡¯ve discovered a modern-day All Level Dungeon in the flesh, and we¡¯ll Clear it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, but on the other hand, this is probably just a plan to prey upon Intermediate Level parties by luring them with the prize money. They won¡¯t adapt to our High-Level party and simply reject our appointment.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re the right kind of prey for this plan.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. I already made an appointment.¡¹


    Why am I not surprised? The public sees me as the center of the party, but the leader is actually my brother.


    If I had the courage to, I would say I was surprised that they accepted our appointment.


    ¡¸You know¡­you¡¯re supposed to discuss this kinda thing with everyone before doing that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If you say you¡¯ll do it, the other three will follow suit.¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t say anything about doing this and you still went ahead and made an appointment.¡¹


    ¡¸If I say we¡¯ll do it, you¡¯ll agree anyway.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­sigh¡¹


    This is the kind of person my brother is.


    ¡¸Have I ever steered you wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­no¡­¡¹


    Reality is cruel.


    When I Clear a Dungeon dressed how I want and with my own strategies, no one bats an eye.


    But when I formed a party with my brother, created the Prince character, and started using stylish tactics, our popularity exploded.


    What¡¯s important to an Adventurer isn¡¯t strength or even victory.


    It¡¯s popularity. If you don¡¯t have a character that can be loved, no one will find your worth.


    ¡¸First the Hero Show, the Tag Tournament, and now the All Level Dungeon. Our luck¡¯s turning around, Nico. We¡¯re heading straight for the top!¡¹


    If I knew what was going to happen, I probably would have been glad to have challenged this Dungeon.


    Because of that, that man and I¡­we¡­

 CH 66

    66 ¨C The Silver Prince Magnificently Walked through the Rumored Beginner¡¯s Dungeon [There¡¯s a Hidden Factor]


    My Party members.


    The Silver Hero Nicola, aka me. Also known as¡­haaa, the Silver Prince.


    The Diamond Hero Philip. My older brother with a bad personality.


    The Thief Leila. Easy to get along with. Because of her involvement with me, she is also called the Thief Princess by the people.


    Holy Paladin Mark. A taciturn macho. He can use swords and White Magic.


    Wizard Ruri. Her race is Fairy. A small Fairy with wings. Her body is small enough to fit inside a glass, but she gathers Magical Energy from her surroundings and uses it, so inside a Dungeon, she won¡¯t run out of magic. A girl.


    We¡¯re challenging the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    ¡¸Everyone, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸All right!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu. Today as well, I¡¯ll show you how mighty Ruri is.¡¹


    The Beginner¡¯s Dungeon has three strata in total.


    It consisted of the Goblin¡¯s Forest, Kobold¡¯s Cave, and the Orc Village.


    We are now in the Goblin¡¯s Forest.


    I¡¯ve watched a couple of Clear videos, so I know how to get to the door that¡¯ll lead to the lower strata.


    ¡¸Mark.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    Just by calling his name, Mark already understood what I meant.


    With his White Magic, everyone¡¯s Defense went up.


    Holy Paladin is a Job that combines White Sorcerer and Paladin.


    However, he can¡¯t reach the level of Paladin in endurance and he can¡¯t reach the level of White Sorcerer in White Magic.


    My brother was the one who brought in Mark. Of course, it was a given that he needed to be excellent, but probably the main reason that we recruited him is because of how well we matched when he lined up with me.


    Equipped with pure white armor and an equally pure-white sword and shield. A knight fit to protect the prince.


    ¡¸No matter how many Goblins come, we can easily deal with them right¡«¡¹


    ¡¸For once, I agree with Leila. They are not qualified to become this Ruri¡¯s opponents.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean for once?¡¹


    ¡¸I literally meant that though?¡¹


    ¡¸What did you say?! I¡¯m going to wrap you in the palm of my hand and keep you out of the camera.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, just try if you can-whoa, that was close! I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re actually trying to catch me!¡¹


    Fairies are small, but the camera in the Dungeon is very advanced. If you zoom in, you can clearly see Ruri¡¯s appearance. Also, even if the person herself can¡¯t be seen, her magic is flashy so the audience will enjoy it.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be careless. If my prediction is correct, this place is an All Level¡ª¡¹


    A group of Goblins jumped out from the surrounding bushes and trees.


    They have green skin and are about the height of a child. Their ears are long and pointy. They carried clubs, rusty swords, and wooden bows.


    A single arrow flies through the air and directly hits my brother in the torso.


    But he¡¯s unharmed. The arrow bounced off his body.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you know who I am? I¡¯m the Diamond Hero!¡¹


    The Earth Spirit took a liking to both my older brother and me.


    The power gifted to Philip is Hardening.


    Useful, but extremely plain. He experienced a difficult period because of that.


    However, after establishing his character as the diamond that protects the silver, an older brother protecting his sister, his high defense ability was accepted by the audience.


    People are excited and sometimes even moved by the sight of him enduring the attacks of a strong person in order to protect me.


    ¡¸Hmm? Somehow, they can move pretty well¡­?!¡¹


    Leila shouted as she continued to parry the continuous attacks of the Goblins. The way she handled her dagger was brilliant.


    ¡¸Some of the Goblins have a wand. They might be able to use White or Black Magic. Be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­This was not shown in the video.¡¹


    Mark muttered as he was fighting with multiple Goblins.


    The theory of the All Level Dungeon is becoming more and more plausible. No, it needs another push.


    I tried to aim at the Goblins, but at the very last minute, I wasn¡¯t able to hit the target.


    Their movements are keen and nimble. I wonder if they had been instructed to not stay in one place so that they won¡¯t get turned into a statue because of my magic.


    Seems like they have already made preparations.


    ¡¸Should I use fire~? Or maybe I should use water~? Oh yeah, let¡¯s use wind. All of you, prepare to be sliced by my Wind Blade.¡¹


    The Magical Energy that filled the Dungeon was absorbed by Ruri and became a Wind Blade.


    If this was a real battle, it¡¯d be better if the attack was invisible, but Dungeon Clears are entertainment.


    Her magic became colored as the originally colorless Magical Energy particles glowed faintly.


    Countless green half-moons were created and all of them attacked the Goblins.


    However, only one of them was defeated. The other two or so only lost their limbs.


    ¡¸¡­Haa¡­ugh¡­this is nothing compared to the grueling training I went through!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ugh¡­gaa¡­this is a lot easier to endure compared to that hellish training!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s slower than that person¡¯s sword!¡¹


    ¡¸Look at the result of the huge amount of food money that we had paid for compensation!¡¹


    They¡¯re shouting something, but I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s about. Their voices will probably be cut out during editing.


    ¡¸Wh-whaat!? T-the Goblins managed, to dodge, this Ruri¡¯s super-beautiful magic!?¡¹


    Ruri seemed like she had received quite the shock since her eyes were opened wide.


    ¡¸What are you dumbfounded about, Ruri! Immediately prepare the next¡­spell¡­¡¹


    My brother¡¯s voice stopped in the middle of his sentence.


    A single arrow had pierced Ruri¡¯s small body.


    ¡¸You should never judge a person by their appearance, Fairy.¡¹


    I heard a voice from somewhere, but I can¡¯t see their figure.


    I gazed in the direction where the arrow flew out from, but I still couldn¡¯t see the archer.


    From a position we can¡¯t see, they managed to pierce Ruri¡¯s body?


    That¡¯s a brilliant technique. Definitely not an Elementary-Level.


    ¡¸This¡­¡¹


    Ruri¡¯s body disappeared, it was scattered to particles and the arrow fell down.


    Philip is still doing okay, but Leila and Mark looked like they¡¯re having a hard time.


    The Goblins¡¯ movements are gradually becoming better.


    ¡¸¡­Brother.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    This is enough.


    ¡¸Silver World!¡¹


    Silver particles scattered around us.


    It diffused throughout the place while avoiding my friends, the plants, and the ground.


    Then, little by little, but rapidly, it attached to the Goblins¡¯ skin, then it penetrated inside the body through the mucous membranes.


    From an outsider¡¯s perspective, the progress was quite slow, but actually, it only took a short time. The enemy¡¯s movements became slow and eventually, they stopped moving.


    They became silver statues.


    It¡¯s harder to handle the Magical Energy this way, compared to having it gush out of the ground in liquid form, but it also looked better.


    Instead of a blizzard, it became silent snow that¡¯ll freeze the enemy in place.


    ¡¸The Goblins that are using wands and the archer who never showed up are still remaining-tch.¡¹


    My brother stood in front of me, then an arrow flew in the location where my head was at.


    Thanks to him, the arrow was repelled.


    ¡¸Thank goodness.¡¹


    However, there was no response from my older brother.


    As I was wondering what happened to him, he almost fell down.


    I instantly supported him, then I almost averted my eyes away from him.


    The arrows had pierced both of his eyes.


    ¡¸Seems like Hardening doesn¡¯t work on the eyeballs, huh.¡¹


    I heard it again, the archer¡¯s voice.


    Just before my brother disappeared, he muttered something.


    ¡¸Give up.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what are you talking about, brother?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not just about the archer¡¯s skills. I and probably Ruri as well¡­this is Black Mag¨D¡¹


    Older brother¡¯s body crumbled and disappeared.

 CH 67

    67 ¨C Failed Clear, the Demon King Army Chief of Staff, and the Prince Who is a Fan of Lem


    ¡¸Phil got defeated! What? Black Magic?! That means that those with a wand cast the debuff, while timing it with the arrow?!¡¹


    Leila keenly and nimbly approached one of the Goblin wand holders and slit his throat.


    Following that, she tried to jump on the two nearby Goblins wand holders, but then her stance got broken.


    This is not like her.


    At that time, the wand holders jumped on that opportunity. Unexpectedly, they threw out their wand and pulled out a knife from their waist.


    They¡¯re not Sorcerers!


    Their movements are equal to those of the Goblins I had just solidified. They actually had battle stances.


    ¡¸My body¡­heavy. This is¡­bad.¡¹


    Leila got stabbed by knives from both her front and back and fell down.


    ¡¸¡­Healing ma-¡¹


    Mark tried to cast the magic, but he wasn¡¯t able to make it in time.


    ¡¸Protect yourself. I¡¯ll take care of the enemy. ¡¹


    I brought out silver from the ground. It took the form of a human¡¯s hand wielding a sword, then it swung the sword toward the wand holders.


    The Goblins chose to evade it, but it was useless.


    Because the arm¡­extended.


    The slash cut them in half.


    Then there was the sound of something running.


    ¡¸Nicola.¡¹


    When I looked, I saw that Mark, along with his shield, was being crushed under the front legs of the Centaur who had jumped at him.


    ¡¸Welcome, Heroes. My name is Orobas. ¡¹


    A masked, Centaur woman.


    ¡¸You were the one who defeated our allies, right? Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to avenge them. ¡¹


    ¡¸I refuse. After all, I don¡¯t want my Avatar to be destroyed. ¡¹


    Then, she just turned back.


    I couldn¡¯t go after her.


    Because, for a moment, my body couldn¡¯t move, as if I¡¯d been turned into stone.


    Using that short moment, she created distance between us.


    In the direction she ran off, there was a Majin.


    It seemed that the archer wasn¡¯t the only monster to deal with in Level 4.


    But I was surprised after seeing him.


    A one-horned Majin.


    ¡¸¡­Lemegeton? Wh-why are you here? ¡¹


    He was looking at me.


    I felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu when I looked into his eyes.


    ¡¸Do you think that we¡¯re cheating, Silver Hero?¡¹


    After hearing him talk to me, I quickly recovered my Hero persona.


    ¡¸¡­You came out because we¡¯re in the Advanced Level, right? I can¡¯t imagine someone as good as you showing up for those who are at the Intermediate Level. ¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. This is the first time I¡¯ve had to come out to defend this Dungeon. ¡¹


    ¡¸Is this a Level 4 because you show up?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just so, since the battle was left to the others.¡¹


    If that¡¯s the case, then this might just barely be inside the boundary of a Level 4.


    Since he also seemed to be excellent in Black Magic.


    ¡¸Why did you show yourself?¡¹


    ¡¸Why do you think?¡¹


    Which meant you did this on purpose.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll come again. Next time, we¡¯ll perfectly clear this Dungeon. ¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, we shall wait for you at the deepest Stratum. ¡¹


    And so, I gave up, just like what my older brother had instructed me to do.


    I was tempted to challenge him here, but I didn¡¯t do it.


    ¡ó


    After the defense.


    ¡¸Wh-why did you make an appearance?¡¹


    Thor continued with a worried look on his face.


    ¡¸If they distribute this video, there might be a lot of Adventurers that¡¯ll aim for you. ¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen. ¡¹


    ¡¸Do you really think so¡­? Would you please explain it to me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It seemed like they came here already expecting that the degree of difficulty can change. A Dungeon that can change its degree of difficulty and the Demon King Army Chief of Staff. If they post the video of their defeat, it would definitely attract attention, but it wouldn¡¯t lead to the party¡¯s popularity. On the contrary, they would be spreading valuable information.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-which means¡­uhm, because they would want to clear this Dungeon by themselves, they won¡¯t do something like sharing the video to the world because it would just increase their rivals?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸But wouldn¡¯t the change in the degree of difficulty be enough?¡¹


    ¡¸If you can be patient enough to wait for them to try again, then yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Certainly, we are in a rush to earn money, but how is it connected to why the Chief of Staff showed¡­¡­ah, perhaps, is it because of your horn?¡¹


    Thor seemed to have noticed as well.


    ¡¸Yes. Even though no one knows how I was able to beat Fenix, everyone had guesses about it. They thought that I was hiding a tremendous amount of Magical Energy in my horn. Well, actually, it really was that.¡¹


    ¡¸But it¡¯s not hard for them to imagine that there are several times the amount of Magical Energy needed to clash and have a tie against Spirit Magic in full throttle gathered in the horn.¡¹


    ¡¸In other words, it means that now is the perfect moment if they want to defeat me. They think that the Magical Energy in the horn was depleted after the battle with Fenix, so now is their chance.¡¹


    ¡¸And if they can defeat the Demon King Army Chief of Staff, who defeated the Flame Hero, it would become quite a hot topic. I see, this information is something that they can¡¯t share with the other Adventurers. All the more so if they¡¯re aiming for the top.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Without fail, they will definitely try to have a rematch with me before I return to the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if they fail, they¡¯ll definitely try to do it several times. The Avatar regeneration for an upper-rank Party can be quite expensive¡­I see, indeed¡­¡¹


    The concept remained the same, but I can use my presence effectively toward certain people.


    ¡¸After all, we have to earn money in a short period of time, ¡¹


    It might even be okay to do the same thing with an Upper Intermediate Level opponent.


    What we need to be careful about is the party¡¯s ability.


    If I appeared in front of people who think that they won¡¯t be able to win because the Demon King Army Chief of Staff is here, rumors will quickly spread.


    I must choose people who would not leak this information to other people and who think that they can defeat the Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸They will come again. It won¡¯t go the same way as this time. We have to figure out how to defeat them.¡¹


    Thor was watching me closely as I thought about what I should do.


    ¡ó


    On the way home that day, when I went out of the Dungeon site together with Cashew.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just as I thought¡­¡¹


    The voice that muttered that sounded familiar to me.


    At the same time, I understood that the Black Magic of recognition inhibition that I had cast on the people around me was resisted.


    ¡­If someone with the Hero Job was wrapped in Magical Energy with the intention of resisting the magic from the beginning, then this level of magic will not work on them.


    It¡¯s not so much of a problem though, since those who can predict my Magic are rare.


    She had¡­long hair, glasses, a mole under her eye, and extremely ample¡­breasts, the Hero that I knew was there.


    Cashew was tilting her head, but eventually, her eyes blinked in surprise as if she noticed something.


    ¡¸Ah, Are you a Hero?¡¹


    Cashew shouted happily.


    ¡¸Oh my, it¡¯s amazing how quickly you noticed that. Yeah, I¡¯m a Hero. I hope you enjoyed the show, young lady.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. If I can make a cute little girl like you smile, then it¡¯s worth it to be on the stage. ¡¹


    She smiled refreshingly as if it was ingrained into her skin.


    ¡¸¡­Nicola, right?¡¹


    I somehow managed to smile at her.


    ¡¸Yes. Nicola or Nico, just call me whichever you like. Sir Lem, right? ¡¹


    When I called out to her, for some reason, the Prince smiled like a girl.


    ¡¸Y-yeah. Ah, you can ease up on the Sir part. That¡¯ll make it easier for me to talk to you, yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. Then, I¡¯ll call you Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸And I¡¯ll call you Nicola.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m a fan of yours, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I was so surprised. When I looked at Lemegeton¡¯s eyes earlier, they were still passionate, just like Lem¡¯s, it was like a flame. But what¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve always wanted to be a hero, right? But, your eyes aren¡¯t dead. You haven¡¯t given up on your dream. Lem, I¡¯m sorry to ask you this in our first meeting. But, I¡¯m concerned. What happened to you?¡¹

 CH 68

    68 ¨C The Silver Prince¡¯s Aspirations and Troubles


    ¡¸Mmm.¡¹


    Cashew sat in the chair and swung her legs. Her cheeks looked so happy and her ears cheerfully swayed.


    Cashew, Nicola, and I are now in a restaurant that has a calm atmosphere.


    It seemed to be a restaurant that Nicola found after she came to this town.


    Usually, Adventurers eat in a noisy tavern or the inn¡¯s dining room. This kind of restaurant has the image of where we go to when we have a job with the TV or when we meet with the higher-ups of the Guild and want to treat them to a feast.


    If they¡¯re a woman, they¡¯ll know a fashionable cafe, and if they¡¯re a man, they¡¯ll be familiar with the best food stalls. A place with a good atmosphere and food that suit their tastes is important to Adventurers.


    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m indifferent to food, but I¡¯m not used to these types of restaurants.


    It¡¯s like the calm atmosphere is making me unable to calm down. I wonder if it¡¯s just a matter of getting used to it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad to see that the food is to your liking.¡¹


    Nicola smiled tenderly as she watched Cashew eating her meal with relish.


    Then, she looked at me.


    Now, to explain how this happened-.


    ¡ó


    Someone called out to us as we were on our way back home from work.


    The one who suddenly said that she was my fan, the one who figured out Lemegeton¡¯s identity, the one who asked me the reason as to why I changed my job from an Adventurer to a Monster ¨C the Silver Hero Nicola.


    Of course, I could¡¯ve deceived her by asking her¡¸What are you talking about?¡¹.


    The reason I didn¡¯t do that was that her eyes were earnest.


    And because the expression on her face showed that she was concerned.


    As long as it¡¯s not unavoidable, I don¡¯t want to ignore these kinds of people.


    I don¡¯t want to say something random and drive her away.


    It¡¯s hard to believe that she figured out my identity just by seeing my eyes, but because it seemed like a lie, that¡¯s why I think that it¡¯s true when I combined it with her seriousness.


    Seriousness should be responded with seriousness.


    ¡¸¡­Someone told me that there¡¯s more than one type of Hero. ¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s more¡­than one type¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Besides, even Monsters can win. ¡¹


    When I laughed, Nicola stared in wonder.


    I think that it¡¯s also true that she¡¯s my fan.


    I used to talk a lot about my aspirations to be a Hero when the party was first created, but gradually, there were fewer and fewer people trying to talk to me, so not a lot of people knew about it.


    Some Adventurer or Fenix-lovers know about it, but it¡¯s just a laughingstock for them.


    It¡¯s been a long time since the last time I was able to mention my dream with a serious tone.


    Well, I¡¯ll just leave Fenix out since he¡¯s an exception.


    I yearned to become a Hero that can win ever since I was a child.


    That dream came true for a moment through the one-on-one battle with Fenix.


    ¡¸¡­I see. Lem is still Lem, after all. I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t mistaken.¡¹


    Nicola looked relieved.


    ¡¸Uhm, Nicola?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Eh, ah, right! C-can you¡­sign¡­this¡­?.¡¹


    She took out a handkerchief. It probably belongs to her. And a pen. Popular people sometimes have it for when their fans ask for their signature. It¡¯s the same with the Storm Hero Aerial and the others.


    ¡¸Eh, you want my signature¡­?¡¹


    Nicola nodded with a red face.


    ¡¸This handkerchief¡­looks expensive though.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, it¡¯s okay, really¡­¡¹


    Her voice was so small that it sounded as if it was about to disappear.


    This usually happens to the female fans when they stand in front of Fenix.


    ¡­She¡¯s really rooting for me.


    That¡¯s unexpected.


    To think that a Hero is a fan of a Black Sorcerer.


    I was a little surprised, but I¡¯m very happy that someone is rooting for me.


    ¡¸Well then, okay.¡¹


    When I handed her the handkerchief I had signed, she took it with both hands.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯ll take very good care of it¡­¡¹


    She held the handkerchief in front of her chest as if she were hugging it. Her arms contorted the shape of her chest.


    ¡¸Well then, it¡¯s about time. Ah, just in case, don¡¯t say anything¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I won¡¯t talk about this. Since, if you¡¯re hiding it, then that means that you don¡¯t want people to know.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. Let¡¯s go, Cashew.¡¹


    Gently grasping her hand in her pocket containing the memo, we head to the inn.


    ¡¸Ah, um¡­!¡¹


    Somehow, I thought that she was restraining herself.


    She has some worries inside her. I won¡¯t ask her directly¡¸What are you worried about?¡¹, but I have a feeling that she wants to talk.


    ¡¸If you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, would you like to go to a restaurant that I recommend? Of course, it¡¯s my treat.¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s stomach growled.


    There was no particular reason to refuse.


    I was a little bit happy that Furcus wasn¡¯t here.


    If she heard that someone is going to treat her, she would eat endlessly.


    ¡ó


    And that¡¯s what happened.


    As for Cashew¡¯s memo, the delicious meal seemed to have made her forget about the mission.


    Before the food arrived, I remembered when I heard Cashew and Milla talking for a little bit, Milla said¡¸Please record all the insects¡­no, females that approach Lem, even if they are animals that are female, okay? It¡¯s all for the sake of protecting Lem. Eh? From what¡­? An evil that can destroy his body! This is something that only Cashew and I can do.¡¹as she gave Cashew the mission.


    Cashew said with a serious look on her face,¡¸I don¡¯t want Lem to be destroyed, so¡­¡¹.


    Cute.


    But Milla¡­


    Well, I¡¯m not going to complain about this because it¡¯s something that I¡¯ve accepted.


    ¡¸So¡­¡¹


    I softly urged her to talk about the main problem.


    While Cashew is happy with her dessert cake, I had eye contact with Nicola.


    So far, I have explained what had happened since I left the group, including my relationship with Cashew.


    She told me how much of a fan she is.


    She said that she liked the way I didn¡¯t bend and continued to stick to my style.


    When she found out that I was Lemegeton, she also knew that the incident during the defense of the tenth Stratum was caused by me.


    She asked me about my one-on-one battle with Fenix, but I had to answer ambiguously for this question.


    I got her to be convinced by explaining that even when I was still an Adventurer, I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that the level of my Black Magic is close to Black Sorcery.


    The only thing left is her worries.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡­was it so obvious from my face?¡¹


    When she¡¯s talking to Cashew, she¡¯s in prince mode, but when she¡¯s talking to me, even though her tone is neutral, there is a hint of femininity in it.


    I guess the difference is that Cashew is a customer who enjoyed the show, while I¡¯m the Adventurer she admires.


    ¡¸What do you think of me, Lem? I mean, rather, the other me. I¡¯m talking about the Silver Prince.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that you are a popular and competent Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Really?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not going to lie to you.¡¹


    She flusteredly waved her hands and spoke anxiously.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to call Lem a liar. It¡¯s not like that¡­uh. For example¡­right. Lem, if Black Sorcerer was a popular Job and Black Sorcery was a power as well-received as Spirit Magic, wouldn¡¯t you have used it?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­might be true. No, I think I¡¯ll definitely use it.¡¹


    ¡¸Right. But because the world wouldn¡¯t accept you just how you are, you had to change your ways. I didn¡¯t know about that until today, but Lem, you kept on trying to achieve what you wanted to become.¡¹


    Both my Black Sorcery and horn couldn¡¯t be exposed, but I hadn¡¯t given up on becoming a Hero that could lead my allies to victory. I figured that if I could quickly get within the top three ranks, everyone would acknowledge me.


    ¡¸You haven¡¯t been doing this in order to achieve what you want to become?¡¹


    She nodded seriously.


    ¡¸Yes. The Hero¡­that I want to be is-¡¹


    ¡¸I thought that the situation was strange, so I went looking for you, what are you doing, Nico? ¡¹


    I remember this man who appeared to interrupt Nicola¡¯s words.


    He is the Diamond Hero Philip.

 CH 69

    69 ¨C Meeting the Sis-con (?) Hero, Promise for Next Time, and the Fire Sorcery User


    ¡¸Brother¡­why are you here?¡¹


    ¡¸I had a hunch.¡¹


    He said that while looking as if he¡¯s uninterested, but he¡¯s slightly breathless and thinly covered in sweat.


    The fact that a Hero, whose physical ability far surpasses that of ordinary people, would be like this meant that he probably ran around all over the place in order to find her.


    Is he a worrywart or is he just that devoted to his sister that he would go this far just because the situation seemed strange?


    ¡¸Frankly, I feel uncomfortable.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up. Who are these guys¡­a Demi-Human girl and a man? What kind of relationship do you have with them?¡¹


    ¡¸We-we¡¯re friends. I have the right to do anything I want with anyone.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have that right. If by any chance, your identity gets found out, do you know what will happen? Having a meal with a man? It¡¯ll definitely become an uproar. Can¡¯t you even understand that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not just the two of us, Cashew is here too.¡¹


    Cashew had an uneasy look on her face when she looked at Philip who suddenly appeared.


    Philip completely changed his cold expression to a gentle smile.


    ¡¸Oh, sorry about that, young lady. I¡¯m not a suspicious person. I¡¯m the older brother of this lady.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you, Nico¡¯s, older brother?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I came to look for her because I was worried, but it turns out that she was having a meal with you. Thank you for accompanying my little sister¡­and also, the person over there, can I ask about what your relationship is with my little sister?¡¹


    Confusion is properly working on Philip.


    He can only recognize me as an ordinary person with generic features and he won¡¯t feel any discomfort in that recognition.


    The smile he showed to Cashew was already gone and he was glaring at me.


    ¡¸Just as she said, I¡¯m her friend.¡¹


    ¡¸Where did you meet her? What kind of friend?¡¹


    ¡¸Br-brother, that¡¯s rude.¡¹


    She noticed that her brother didn¡¯t realize my identity, so she also didn¡¯t mention anything about it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but would you please stay away from my little sister. -Hey, let¡¯s go back.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want you interfering with my private life as well.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what ordinary brothers and sisters say. Who are you, Nico? What kind of person are you, what is your aim, and what would be bad if it happened?¡¹


    She is the Silver Hero Nicola. An Adventurer aiming for further heights. Selling herself as a prince character, her beauty, gentlemanly behavior, and stylish magic are gaining popularity. Fans are excited by her relationship with the Thief Princess and a great number of women admire her.


    Therefore, it can be a serious affair if she has a lover like a normal person.


    Especially if the other person is a dull man like me, it¡¯ll be troublesome if rumors get out.


    I could understand what Philip was saying.


    Understanding and sympathizing are two different things, but I was able to understand his feelings.


    ¡¸¡­Brother, I hate you.¡¹


    Perhaps because she can¡¯t refute him, Nicola verbally expressed her emotions. It might be because she¡¯s in front of her older brother, she seemed a little childish.


    ¡¸That so? Well, I love you, dear sister.¡¹


    Philip scornfully laughed, then he looked at us.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve talked to the restaurant. Please enjoy the meal to your heart¡¯s content. Young lady, if you¡¯d like to, please meet with my little sister again. Of course, while excluding the gentlemen over there.¡¹


    He smiled at Cashew and gazed at me sharply. Just like that, he headed to go out of the restaurant.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    I called out and stopped him.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸You said that the situation was strange. If you¡¯re worried, how about asking and listening to her part of the story?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That might be true.¡¹


    Perhaps he didn¡¯t like being told by me, so he looked displeased for a moment, but in the end, he nodded and turned his back.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry to the both of you. My older brother just has that kind of personality.¡¹


    ¡¸It looked like he was worried about you though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I wonder about that¡­He probably just doesn¡¯t want the Silver Prince character to be damaged. Since it was made by him. ¡­Well, he¡¯s definitely an unpleasant guy, but he¡¯s not a bad person.¡¹


    The character of the Silver Prince seemed to be her older brother¡¯s idea.


    Since Adventurers are dependent on public favor. Ranks often drop due to members¡¯ retirements, scandals, and deplorable events.


    In that sense, the top three immovable parties are amazing.


    ¡¸Just-just a minute, Lem.¡¹


    Nicola got up from her seat and approached me.


    Then, her face came close to my ear.


    A refreshing scent floated softly. I can closely feel her body temperature.


    It made me nervous for a moment.


    ¡¸I wonder if we can meet again, there¡­today, there were also some things that I wasn¡¯t able to tell you.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, I understand.¡¹


    I told her the name and location of the inn.


    ¡¸I think I¡¯ll be with Cashew at that time, is that okay with you?¡¹


    If I let Cashew stay at the inn so that I can go meet Nicola, I would be a failure as her guardian. By no means am I afraid of the memo. This is a matter of responsibility.


    ¡¸Of course. Is Cashew okay with that, would you like to meet me again?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad. Because of the nature of my job, I only have a few Demi-Human friends.¡¹


    After hearing the word friend, Cashew looked happy.


    Cashew is close with Milla and Sitri, but they are more like colleagues.


    Even though Cashew is young, she is a hard-working person, so it might be rare for her to make a friend outside of work.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad, too.¡¹


    ¡¸You like sweet things, right? I have a shop that I would like to recommend, so I¡¯ll take you there.¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s expression became cheerful.


    ¡¸Well then, until next time.¡¹


    Then, Nicola left the restaurant.


    Cashew waved her hands at her until she left the restaurant.


    Nicola also looked back several times and responded to her.


    ¡¸It looks like you¡¯re getting along well with her.¡¹


    ¡¸Nico, is a good person.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll write that in my report.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. By the way, Cashew, I¡¯m already full, so do you want to eat this cake?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Is that okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, since Cashew did your best today as well.¡¹


    Slowly but surely, I moved my cake in front of Cashew.


    This is not a bribe. I swear.


    ¡ó


    In the training ground established in the basement of the Union¡¯s facility.


    In the center of the circular space, I was communicating with the Fire Spirit.


    ¡¸O Spirit, please respond¡­¡¹


    After identifying their Job, all Heroes will visit the Shrine of the Spirits.


    If there is a spirit who takes a liking to you, then you will be able to enter into a contract with them and be able to use Spirit Magic.


    In other words, Spirits have a mind of their own. They can think about things and decide which people they like or dislike.


    But usually, we can¡¯t talk to spirits.


    They seem to have a hobby of observing the life of the Human being they like. It seemed like it is standard that after granting their divine protection, they would not interfere.


    So when someone really wants to talk to the spirits, they have no choice but to sharpen their spirit and call out to them.


    ¡¸I have something to ask you¨DSara.¡¹


    She doesn¡¯t like her name, so I called her using this nickname.


    ¡º¡­What is it, you loser bird?¡»


    I heard a voice. I don¡¯t know where it¡¯s coming from, but her voice reached my ears.


    ¡¸Loser bird¡­? No, I certainly lost to Lem.¡¹


    I felt relieved that she responded and answered her.


    ¡ºHow could you lose even though I¡¯ve lent you the Flame of the Gods? It¡¯s the Flame of the Gods, you know? It¡¯s not like¡¸Gods¡¹is attached to the name just to make it sound cool, you know?¡»


    ¡¸I also feel frustrated that the opponent was an exceptional person capable of surpassing that.¡¹


    ¡º¡­It is not inferior to the horn of the Demon King. You¡¯re just bad at using it, you¡¯re also bad at fighting. Clumsy bird. Don¡¯t lose since you are my contractor.¡»


    She seemed to be concerned about the defeat at that time.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. Your Flames were really great. I lost because of my inadequacy.¡¹


    ¡º¡­Hmph. If you understand that, then it is fine. So? Why did you call me?¡»


    ¡¸At that time, when you taught me magic¡­Spirit Magic, there was one technique that you wouldn¡¯t teach.¡¹


    ¡ºSince the you of that time wasn¡¯t able to handle it.¡»


    ¡¸How about the me of now?¡¹


    ¡ºI wonder¡­But if you fail to learn it¡­you will turn to ashes.¡»


    Sara¡¯s voice sounded serious.


    ¡¸I¡¯m planning to train using an Avatar.¡¹


    ¡ºWow, a child of the present era. Certainly, if you do it like that, then it would be okay even if you got turned into ashes.¡»


    It¡¯s not good. It takes a lot of money to form an Avatar.


    ¡ºHowever, even if your body is okay, I wonder if your mind would be able to endure it. Since it is a Technique that¡¯ll change the structure of your body, so a Human¡¯s mind might not be able to endure it.¡»


    ¡¸The predecessor endured it, right? It still remains a legend.¡¹


    There is a legend of a Hero who assimilated with the Fire Spirit.


    ¡ºAt that time, it was in the middle of a war. He was in a situation where he had to win no matter what. If pushed to that point, Humans become strong, right?¡»


    ¡¸Although it¡¯s not for the sake of humanity, I feel the same.¡¹


    ¡ºYou need to win no matter what?¡»


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡ºIt¡¯ll be as harsh as a Human inheriting the Demon King¡¯s horn.¡»


    ¡¸Great. Lem endured it. If I can¡¯t do the same thing, I won¡¯t be able to win.¡¹


    ¡ºAhaha, I don¡¯t get the reason, but that¡¯s just like you. Even in the Shrine of the Spirits, you were angry with God and Spirits saying that Lem should be the Hero, do you like that child that much?¡»


    ¡¸I admire him. Ever since I was a child.¡¹


    ¡ºI don¡¯t really understand that feeling, but I see. You won¡¯t stop admiring him no matter how much time has passed. If you keep on maintaining the same admiration, I wonder if that feeling of longing will not disappear.¡»


    Sara spoke as if she had understood something.


    ¡ºHowever, it¡¯s interesting. Humans try to get closer to the existence they admire. Sometimes, they can even surpass them. They don¡¯t want to let the gap between them be that big.¡»


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know about other people, but for me, it¡¯s because we are friends.¡¹


    ¡ºSo?¡»


    ¡¸I want to be on equal footing with him.¡¹


    ¡ºHmm.¡»


    ¡¸Will you cooperate with me? ¡¹


    ¡ºOkay, cool bird. When you can use this Technique, you will be called a phoenix.¡»


    I will become stronger for the sake of the rematch with Lem that will eventually come.


    I will train so that I can fight without relying on Spirit Magic, in addition, I will also learn about Esoteric Spirit Magic.

 CH 70

    70 ¨C The Weapon of the Untalented Black Sorcerer, the Orc Lord¡¯s Invitation, and the Centaur Maid¡¯s Answer


    It would be too late to avoid her after she moves.


    Just look at her stance.


    A delicate girl with white hair. She¡¯s holding a spear. It¡¯s a Magic Tool. Her race is unknown, but she looks like a Human. The Reaper Knight Furcus. She is a reliable Big Four who usually wears black armor to fight, but now she is my swordmaster and opponent.


    She readied her spear and gathered herself, she¡¯s coming.


    While sprinting, I took a forward-bent posture and continued to move forward.


    While feeling the piercing pressure of the famous spear above my head, I succeeded in getting closer to the user.


    I swing the sword in my right hand while maintaining a low stance-huh?


    ¡¸Good movements.¡¹


    The tip of the spear, which should have swung over my head just now, had seized me.


    ¡¸But slow.¡¹


    The speed of the spear from thrusting to returning back is too fast.


    This is the spear version of Godspeed. The attacks are not visible.


    ¡¸Hmm.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t see it.


    But, her thrust never touched my body.


    That¡¯s because I promptly held up my sword and stopped the thrust using the back of the sword.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    She looked disgruntled, but I didn¡¯t have time to look longer at her expression.


    I couldn¡¯t stop the impact of the thrust, so my body was blown away backward.


    I stabbed my sword into the ground and tried to decelerate, but it failed.


    Along with such a seemingly sad sound, ting, the sword snapped in half.


    Just like that, I rolled on the ground and finally stopped after I got covered in mud.


    ¡¸It¡¯s over.¡¹


    She caught up with me and pointed the tip of the spear at the base of my throat, although the tip of the spear had fallen off during the training.


    ¡¸¡­I give up.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Furcus, who was nodding, reached out her hand to me, so I grasped it and stood up.


    ¡¸Lem is smart after all. After seeing it several times, you¡¯re already thinking about counter-measures.¡¹


    I was able to avoid the first thrust because I was beaten by it a dozen times in the past. I noticed a pattern from it and thought that I could get closer at that timing and with that movement.


    ¡¸But I only have one chance in a real battle.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re doing this training in order to grasp that one chance. Right?¡¹


    Furcus¡¯s words are short and accurate.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Uhm, can we do this one more time?¡¹


    ¡¸Sword.¡¹


    I approached a wooden box with swords made out of Magical Energy, equipment of the Dungeon, stuck disorderly in it. I brought the whole box with me for this training, so I should have had dozens of swords, but I only have two more left.


    This training room is inside the Dungeon for Elementary Levels ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    Although it is called a training room, it seems to have the image of a forest, there are trees growing here and the grass is also thick.


    After drawing a sword, I adjusted my breath and stood in front of her.


    ¡¸Please treat me well.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    ¡ó


    The training was done with a real physical body.


    If it was with an Avatar, since I won¡¯t feel any pain, it would be difficult to get feedback on the experience.


    For example, muscle pain and numbness would make me realize that I used those parts of my body, but if there¡¯s no pain, I won¡¯t be able to notice it.


    ¡¸Aa-¡­¡¹


    I laid down and spread my limbs out on the ground. As I looked upward, a false blue sky made out of Magical Energy spread across my field of vision. It¡¯s fake, but it¡¯s beautiful.


    I¡¯m covered in sweat and out of breath, right on the verge of total exhaustion.


    But Furcus sat next to me with a nonchalant face. She quietly held her knees.


    In the end, I was unable to land a single attack on her, not even once.


    If I used Black Magic, the result might have changed, but this is for sword training.


    ¡¸Furcus, you¡¯re not tired?¡¹


    I noticed it after using my physical body to fight, she won¡¯t run out of breath. No matter how intensely she moves, she still breathes, but it¡¯s only to that extent. It¡¯s just a matter of breathing and it won¡¯t get disordered by fatigue.


    ¡¸There are also times when I get tired.¡¹


    ¡¸When?¡¹


    ¡¸When I¡¯m hungry, I get tired doing anything.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    So other than that, you¡¯re completely fine¡­


    By the way, she was the one who played around with Fenix for the longest time when they competed in spearmanship and swordsmanship.


    She bought some time while facing that guy with the Holy Sword covered in flames. Even at that time, she safely accomplished that role and I¡¯m certain of her ability.


    ¡¸Somehow, I hadn¡¯t heard about it until now, but what is Furcus¡¯s race?¡¹


    ¡¸Secret.¡¹


    ¡¸I guess that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸If you guess it correctly, I¡¯ll say that that¡¯s the correct answer.¡¹


    ¡¸What if I¡¯m wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Meal, for one year.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­For the time being, I will refrain from answering.¡¹


    ¡¸Too bad.¡¹


    Extraordinary endurance, speed, sturdy body, arm strength, and leg strength.


    I can more or less guess it, but I can¡¯t casually guess and get it wrong, due to that penalty.


    Let¡¯s be satisfied just by thinking that it should be that race. For now.


    Time passed by without us doing anything for a while.


    When my stamina recovered a little bit, Furcus opened her mouth.


    ¡¸Lem, is not talented after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, yeah¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m shocked, but it¡¯s probably not an insult since Furcus is the one saying it.


    ¡¸But, you have good eyes.¡¹


    ¡¸Really?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not something like Aptitude though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I, I see.¡¹


    It is said that the combination of Aptitudes becomes a¡¾Job¡¿.


    It¡¯s like if a person has Mobility, Combat Perception, Swordsmanship, then that person will be a Warrior.


    So, for example, there may also be people that have Mobility but don¡¯t have the other two, so he can¡¯t become a Warrior, instead, he would become a Chef.


    Even if they can¡¯t have the ¡¾Job¡¿they wanted, they might have some useful¡ºAptitude¡».


    Of course, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t have any expectations in that area.


    But sadly, the result is, none.


    I was hoping that Furcus would praise my eyes, but in the first place, my eyes are not that excellent.


    Capable of seeing far away, seeing the world slowly when concentrating, and grasping the surrounding situation just by looking at it for an instant. There are also¡­Aptitudes for the ability of the brain and the eyes.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be disappointed. That of Lem¡¯s is acquired.¡¹


    ¡¸Acquired?¡¹


    ¡¸Aptitude, is talent. It indicates the direction that person is suitable for.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. It¡¯s possible to do it without having it, but if you have it, you¡¯ll be able to improve faster and the limit will also be higher.¡¹


    ¡¸Aptitude is only limited to those that concern the body.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The manifestation of a Job that cannot be accepted emotionally is not rare, it does feel like it¡¯s something that is suitable for the body, not the heart.¡¹


    ¡¸There are things that grow depending on your heart. Lem, has that.¡¹


    ¡¸Depending, on my heart.¡¹


    A long time ago, my master praised me for having a strong heart.


    Even when I look back now, I still get energized. Somehow I even felt that it¡¯s too convenient and I doubt that it might just be a dream.


    ¡¸For example, consideration is not a talent. It¡¯s not just for outward appearance, true consideration can be done by a person that has a kind heart. The heart is nurtured, not decided at birth.¡¹


    In that sense, it¡¯s not a talent.


    ¡¸Ah¡­somehow, I understand. Is the¡¸Good eyes¡¹that Furcus said, mean powers of observation or something like that?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, Lem has observed the party for years. You¡¯ve always done that in order to win without feeling any discomfort. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve polished your powers of observation. That¡¯s also why you¡¯re skillful at the work of a Chief of Staff. You look closely and find a way to win. You are skillful at doing this.¡¹


    Furcus continued.


    ¡¸Those eyes and Black Magic have good compatibility. Make the enemy slow, weak, fragile, avoid the enemy¡¯s attack, and make your own attack hit the enemy.¡¹


    So far, for example, even my fan, Milla, hasn¡¯t seen the possibility of me engaging in close quarters.


    Of course, she cheered for me. Even in the Fenix match, she believed in my victory.


    But she wouldn¡¯t have imagined, for example, that I was capable of defeating Fenix with sword skills.


    ¡¸Adjust your eyes for a one-on-one. If that¡¯s possible, it¡¯ll become a little better.¡¹


    Still, from the perspective of the expert, Furcus, it¡¯s only on a degree that it¡¯ll become a little better.


    I don¡¯t mind.


    It would be a pleasure if I could take even one step towards improving.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you! I will do my best.¡¹


    ¡ó


    I¡¯m Thor. The Master of this Dungeon.


    Recently, I¡¯ve been asking Lem for the strategy aspects and Furcus for the guidance of my subordinates, so I feel that my dignity that wasn¡¯t even there under normal circumstances has gotten even lower, but I¡¯m energetic even today.


    However, I am the Master of this Dungeon.


    Lem has taken the responsibility for the full amount of the prize money. I plan to return it someday, but it¡¯s not a trivial amount.


    That¡¯s why I knew he was serious about helping me out, but I should repay him as soon as possible and I should endeavor to do so.


    In order to do that, I must first repay the money I owe to Fellow.


    To be honest, I couldn¡¯t think of doing this when I was in despair.


    This is all thanks to Lem, Furcus, Cashew, the Demon King¡­and also Kei.


    While this pathetic Master was being irresponsible, she received the call from the Demon King Castle, accepted the cooperation, and brought the three of them here.


    I¡¯ve known Kei since I was little, but I always get helped by her.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­ah, there she is.¡¹


    I came to the dining room.


    By the way, various seats are made to suit the Demi-Humans.


    Short-legged chairs and short tables for the Goblins.


    A table for Kei that fits her height.


    A sturdy chair for Orcs like me.


    If there are various Demi-Humans like in the Demon King Castle, it¡¯ll probably be even more troublesome.


    ¡¸Kei.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, pig¡­no, what is it, Master?¡¹


    Did you say pig just now?


    ¡¸That¡¯s so cruel of you, what you said just now.¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me, pigs are cute.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I thought the statement was against pigs.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you want me to change my attitude towards you after all this time?¡¹


    Kei, a Centaur, stopped eating her salad and laughed as if she was teasing me.


    ¡¸¡­No, it¡¯s okay just as it is. If you suddenly became kind, it would be scary in its own way.¡¹


    ¡¸What a rude Orc. Even though I¡¯m always kind.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s debatable, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Nope.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, okay¡­¡¹


    I gave up.


    ¡¸Leaving that aside, what¡¯s the matter? I still have a job to repel the fools who got enticed by the prize money.¡¹


    ¡¸Um, you see¡­about Fellow, do you know what a Tag Tournament is?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s held in groups of two without caring about a person¡¯s race, an Avatar match tournament.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! So about that, I heard that there will be prize money in it.¡¹


    ¡¸Seems so. That man seemed to have money.¡¹


    If it¡¯s the me from a little bit before, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of actually doing it even if I came up with the idea.


    ¡¸Would-would you please, join the tournament with me?¡¹


    Perhaps it was in order to attract attention, but the amount of prize money offered is several times bigger than the one in this Dungeon.


    The idea is to aim to use Fellow¡¯s money to repay the debt I owe to him.


    If it¡¯s her, despite what she says, I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll be willing to cooperate with me¨D.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to though?¡¹


    ¡¸¨DEh?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, but rest assured, since I had the same idea.¡¹


    ¡¸You had the same¡­eh? Ah, did you already team up with someone else?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m curious, about who it is.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu. Hear and be surprised, Master Pig.¡¹


    She mixed it. Pig and Master.


    ¡¸I decided to participate with Furcus. I¡¯ve also finished the registration.¡¹


    Ah, she¡¯s more likely to win with her compared to teaming up with me.


    It¡¯s shameful, but I ended up thinking about something like that.


    But, I didn¡¯t even think about it at this time.


    That Lem will also participate in the tournament with another person.

 CH 71

    71 ¨C One Lem, Two Beautiful Woman


    Cashew, Furcus, and I are staying in the same inn. The lodging expense would be taken care of by the Demon King Castle.


    More like, all the expenses of this business trip would be taken care of by the Demon King Castle.


    Since the Demon King knows about Furcus¡¯s stomach, the daily food expenses have been strictly set. That might also be why she was increasing the amount of training for me and the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon staff, so that the number of meals would increase.


    As for the prize money, I made the decision by myself. But, when I reported it to the Demon King, she said, ¡¸¡­Wait for a bit.¡¹


    In terms of appearance, it might be better for them to get a loan from Demon King Castle rather than from me.


    Well, I¡¯ll just leave the decision about that to her. I¡¯m also okay if the situation stays the same and I¡¯m the one to lend them the money. It was my own decision anyway.


    Although, I¡¯m sure that if the Demon King Castle is the one to lend the money, I would be relieved from the anxiety that my savings will be completely emptied.


    ¡¸Well then.¡¹


    I¡¯m nervous now.


    A room in the inn. There is a bed, a round table, and two chairs. Along with a shower and toilet. It¡¯s a good inn with a sense of cleanliness. Although, I feel like the walls are a little thin.


    By the way, Cashew is in the same room as Furcus.


    Even though she¡¯s still small, she is a girl. I was concerned that it might be difficult for her to stay in the same room as me.


    At first, Cashew said,¡¸I want¡­to be together¡­¡¹, but now she seems to be getting along with Furcus.


    From the neighboring room, I sometimes hear¡¸Teyaaa~¡¹or¡¸Toryaaa~¡¹, I wonder if Furcus is teaching her something. As expected, even Furcus wouldn¡¯t demand a meal from Cashew, right?


    No, wait, Cashew¡¯s older sister, Maca, is a Chef. It might be possible for her to ask something like having her older sister cook for her just one time¡­


    I don¡¯t know why Cashew would ask for combat training and anyway, this is all just a guess.


    Maybe they¡¯re just playing around.


    ¡¸Yeah. That should be okay.¡¹


    I checked my hair and appearance using the mirror in the bathroom.


    Then, I returned to the room.


    From now, I have promised to meet someone.


    She won¡¯t come here though, I¡¯ll summon her.


    Among my Contracts, Cashew keeps a record of the schedule of those who work at the Demon King Castle in her notebook.


    Well, the only one who doesn¡¯t work at the Demon King Castle is that guy Fenix.


    Don¡¯t worry about that guy.


    When I have a request for the Contracts, I would go through the procedure of contacting them by letter or, although it would cost a little money, via the city¡¯s public magic communication device to get their permission, then I would summon them at the promised date and time.


    For example, Kei¡¯s archery was strengthened due to the result of going through special training with the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, I¡¯ve asked the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias to guide the Kobolds. Some Orcs and Goblins are Necromancers, so they are getting trained by the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris.


    For the time being, I¡¯ve taught the staff who are Black Sorcerers, my training method, but it takes time for the results to show, and casting Black Magic to themselves naturally puts a strain on their body.


    It¡¯s impossible to do it all day long at first, so I taught master¡¯s training to them after diluting it about ten to twenty times.


    At first, they asked,¡¸We can¡¯t improve our skill if we don¡¯t use magic, but Black Magic needs a target, right? How can we do that?¡¹, so I answered,¡¸Oh, just cast it on yourselves.¡¹, then they were all taken aback.


    If it¡¯s Attack Magic, it will be considered used even if it is thrown into an empty space in the training room, but Black Magic and White Magic cannot be activated unless there is a target. It can¡¯t be used on an empty space.


    Some people would cooperate if it¡¯s White Magic since it¡¯ll improve their condition, but usually, no one would cooperate if it¡¯s Black Magic.


    This is why it seems like a Black Sorcerer would cast the magic on another Black Sorcerer.


    Casting magic on yourself is like burning, drowning, or tearing yourself up with Attack Magic, so it might be natural for them to have a sense of repulsion.


    Personally though, it¡¯s master¡¯s teaching and it won¡¯t bother anyone, so it¡¯s my favorite training method.


    ¡¸O-okay. I¡¯ll summon her.¡¹


    I took a deep breath.


    This is inside the room I rented at the inn. A private space.


    I¡¯m summoning her not to discuss work.


    I was told that she would like to meet, so¡­I planned it with the feeling of just agreeing with her.


    Of course, the one I¡¯m summoning is Milla.


    I¡¯ve also confirmed the time. It¡¯s certainly the promised time.


    I poured Magical Energy into the ring. The amount of Magical Energy needed to compose Milla¡¯s body disappeared from inside my body. The amount of consumption is not small since the amount of distance between us is also added to it.


    Before I knew it, in front of me ¨C was Milla wrapped in a bath towel.


    ¡¸Eh!?¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaaa!¡¹


    ¡¸S-sorry!¡¹


    Only a part of her white porcelain skin was covered with the towel, the rest was exposed.


    Her elastic skin that seemed to sink softly when touched jumped into my field of vision.


    Am I a gentleman or a coward to instantly look away from her.


    ¡¸Did-did I remember the wrong time?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, no? It is perfect.¡¹


    Eh? her voice sounded as if she was amused.


    puff, I heard the sound of a towel falling to the ground.


    ¡¸Milla¡­um, you¡¯re not naked, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Please see for yourself.¡¹


    Am I getting used to this? When Milla says something like this, it usually means that it¡¯s okay. An okay in this case would mean that she is wearing clothes.


    Still, I timidly looked at her.


    As expected, it was the correct answer.


    What do you call this kind of thing? There are no sleeves or shoulder straps, it just stayed on the chest area¡­I wonder.


    It was a dress in that shape.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t surprise me like that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But I wanted to.¡¹


    She smiled mischievously and looked fascinating.


    ¡¸Then, it was a grand success.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, you¡¯re right. It was a grand success.¡¹


    When I look at her enjoying herself, I strangely end up thinking that it¡¯s okay


    ¡¸It looks like your work is going well. As expected of Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s all thanks to everyone. It was helpful that all the Dungeon staff were diligent and motivated and it was also great that our allies from the Demon King Castle helped me.¡¹


    ¡¸I wish I could also help you with something.¡¹


    ¡¸Milla has the third stratum right? I heard that you¡¯re busy too.¡¹


    Milla strongly nodded.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! Recently, there were some people who came from famous places and there are quite a few Adventurers who can reach the third stratum. The Hellhounds are also not that energetic since Lem is not there and Kimaris is replenishing the spirits of the dead since his collection got annihilated in the Fenix battle. Well, the Adventurers are not stupid, so the more challengers there are, the more clues will be found on how to Clear the Dungeon. So, the Monsters on the lower strata are at a disadvantage, but even if it¡¯s subtracted-¡¹


    Perhaps because we met after a long time, we, mainly Milla, talked a lot.


    After it was settled.


    Milla turned her gaze and took a glance at the bed.


    I was shocked.


    ¡¸It¡¯s already late, but¡­well, before you return me, do you want to¡­sleep together?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, only if Lem doesn¡¯t mind.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Somehow, it might be unfair to let her say it all the time.


    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good that our relationship had progressed before I knew it.


    No, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s a bad thing, it¡¯s just a matter of my personal feelings.


    We headed to the bed as she pulled my hand.


    It was at that time.


    The door was knocked on without any force in it.


    I get the illusion that the room temperature has dropped to below freezing.


    ¡¸¡­who would visit at such a time?¡¹


    ¡¸No, no way. It¡¯s probably Furcus or Cashew?¡¹


    ¡¸Then, it doesn¡¯t matter if I go out, right?¡¹


    Milla, your smile is scaring me.


    For some reason, Milla wrapped a bath towel on her, as she did when she first appeared. If she goes out like this, the visitor would completely think that the relationship between me and Milla is like that. Maybe that¡¯s her aim though.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to think that the visitor is Furcus or Cashew.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    Milla opened the door.


    In front, there was a person with a depressed expression, Nicola.


    ¡¸¡­Eh, isn¡¯t this, Lem¡¯s room? Ah, there he is.¡¹


    Nicola slipped past Milla and came in front of me.


    Ignoring Milla.


    ¡¸Sorry, Lem. I don¡¯t have, anyone else I can rely on¡­¡¹


    Her eyes are swollen. Something happened.


    ¡¸¡­Lem? Can you, give me an explanation?¡¹


    Milla threw the bath towel on the table and her eyes were cold.


    ¡¸Uhh¡­¡¹


    I racked my brains thinking about how to deal with this situation.

 CH 72

    72 ¨C The Harsh Reality, the Far Away Dream


    On the way back from the day I met Lem, after listening to Lem¡¯s complaint, my brother said he would create an opportunity to listen to my words.


    I was reminded of what Lem said, that my brother seemed to be worried about me.


    At that time, I had misunderstood.


    That he might just agree to my request.


    There was no way he would do such a thing.


    The next night. In other words, before I visited Lem.


    I was in my brother¡¯s room. The room where my brother is staying.


    Everyone, except me, was already there.


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Everyone is here as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Since this conversation would affect everyone, right?¡¹


    What I was worried about, my brother had seen through it all. Well, it¡¯s not like I tried to hide it.


    ¡­Even though he would get our approval for the Dungeon Clear only after he¡¯d done it, but this time, he called everyone. If the intelligence that leads a person to his own desired outcome is considered smart, then he is definitely smart. I can also call him cunning, but he¡¯s certainly smart.


    The Thief Leila, the Holy Paladin Mark, and Ruri who is both a Fairy and a Wizard.


    And also, my older brother and me.


    ¡¸You have something you¡¯re worried about, right? Let¡¯s hear about it.¡¹


    I was the stupid one for having even a little bit of expectation for my older brother.


    Lem¡­this person is certainly not a bad guy, but his personality is bad.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes are focused on me. It¡¯s hard to say it, but I don¡¯t want to stay silent.


    ¡¸I think Leila and Philip already knew about this, but originally¡­I liked a different way of fighting and also as everyone knows, my original personality is like this.¡¹


    After leaving the Training Institution, Leila and I formed a party with three other people.


    However, we were completely unpopular during the first year and the other three people ended up transferring to another party.


    At that time, Philip, whose party was dissolved at the same time, appeared in front of us along with the other remaining person, Ruri.


    My brother and I realized that it¡¯s not enough just to be strong.


    Still, I tried to stick to the way I admired, but I got persuaded by him.


    He said that I can do what I want to do after becoming popular. However, first of all, it¡¯s necessary to get acknowledged by the public.


    As a result, the Thief Princess to go with the Silver Prince, the Older Brother Who Protects The Prince, the Knight Who Protects The Prince, and the Fairy Who Took A Liking to the Prince¡¯s Older Brother and Accompanies Them, the five-member group gained popularity.


    Even though I did not change, the evaluation changed drastically just by changing the way it was shown.


    ¡¸You once said that I can do what I want to do after I¡¯ve become popular. We¡¯re in the Top 100. I think that we can say that we have become a popular party.¡¹


    ¡¸So? You want to change your character now? I can¡¯t say that it would be a wise choice.¡¹


    I knew you¡¯d say that. That¡¯s why I stayed silent. I stayed silent and worried over this.


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t Humans a being that wants to be liked by other people? You¡¯ve acquired a charming mask after going through great pains, why do you want to throw it away? It¡¯s much easier to live like this, compared to that time when nobody recognized us, when we had no presence at all.¡¹


    Ruri, who was on top of Philip¡¯s shoulder, said that with a strange tone.


    It might be easy to live like this, but it¡¯s suffocating.


    I want to be recognized, I want to be liked, I want to be respected. I don¡¯t think that those motives are impure and I think it¡¯s okay for people to have those as their goal.


    However, there are also some people that want to become a person that they themselves would like, not a person that other people would like.


    ¡¸Hmm, I¡¯m always on your side but¡­since I know about the old days¡­¡¹


    Leila, who knows the frustrations of being unpopular, probably doesn¡¯t want to go back to that time. I can understand that feeling.


    It¡¯s stable now. No, it¡¯s not stable for the better. I get that our popularity is rising rapidly. The number of video views is increasing and our name recognition has also increased. After all, it¡¯s great to be in the Top 100.


    For example, even magazines that feature Adventurers often do the minimum introductions for the Top 100.


    If we don¡¯t have the opportunity to be seen by people, we can¡¯t even get people to know about our strength.


    ¡¸I will follow everyone¡¯s decision.¡¹


    Mark is neutral.


    The Holy Paladin is a Job that has an unpopular magic called White Magic, not only that, it is also inferior to Paladin in endurance. Therefore, our popularity will definitely drop by one rank.


    A lot of people think that it¡¯s better to have a Paladin.


    That¡¯s why he¡¯s grateful to Philip for picking him up. Still, I don¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t take my brother¡¯s side, is it because he¡¯s also thinking about something, or is it just his personality?


    ¡¸I¡¯m also considering changing the way we¡¯re selling it, but not now. The viewers are attached to the Prince character.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Then, when will it be? No, you don¡¯t even have to say it. You¡¯ll probably say¡¸When you reach the age when it¡¯s tough to sell the prince character¡¹, right? Around my late twenties? Do I have to wear the prince mask for the next ten years? You¡¯d probably plan to make me do that.¡¹


    ¡¸No, you¡¯re wrong. You¡¯re the one who decides in the end. However, the flower of the Party is the Hero. Especially you, in this party. The Hero who was sold with rose-like beauty suddenly becoming a wildflower. What would the viewers think if they saw that? How many people do you think will continue to love you? It¡¯s not just you who will receive the consequences, but all of us.¡¹


    Yeah, that¡¯s why I kept it inside. I couldn¡¯t say it.


    I gathered my courage to say this since he said that he would listen to me.


    However, this guy called me here to make me give up, to manage me from now on.


    ¡¸If, if Nicola, really wants this to happen¡­¡¹


    Leila will be on my side, but that¡¯s for the sake of me, who is her friend, and I don¡¯t want that.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t spoil her, Leila. Nico, you still haven¡¯t abandoned that childlike naivety of yours. This is a job, this is business. We are the merchandise. You also understand that marketability is important, right? You like a Hero that fights in an unrefined way without giving up against any predicament, right? That¡¯s no longer popular. It doesn¡¯t match with the times. What¡¯s popular now is smart and cool Clears. Isn¡¯t it the same for the Fenix party that is the number one most popular among the young people?¡¹


    Until recently, Fenix had defeated Floor Bosses with a single blow. His consistent style had received great popularity.


    ¡¸Look at what happened to Lem, the one you admired? He got kicked out. Silently devoting himself to his work? No matter what time, his eyes are always passionate? That¡¯s ridiculous. In the end, he got kicked out because he wasn¡¯t popular. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard he tried. How eye-catching, how many people¡¯s hearts you can grasp. That¡¯s what matters.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t make fun of that person.¡¹


    ¡¸That person? You¡¯re saying it as if you¡¯re acquaintances with him. Anyway. It¡¯s time to grow up. The Hero you¡¯re aiming for won¡¯t generate any money.¡¹


    Those sentences somehow made me really sad.


    I realized that there was an insurmountable gap between my older brother and me.


    ¡¸I¡­I didn¡¯t become an Adventurer¡­because I wanted money.¡¹


    ¡¸But you can¡¯t live without money. You¡¯re the one who chose this as your job. The results are finally showing. Stop acting like a child.¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, stupid Phil! You¡¯re saying too much-¡¹


    I can¡¯t stop my tears from flowing.


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t cry.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s it!¡¹


    I ran out of the room.


    I don¡¯t want to go back to my room since we¡¯re in the same inn. I don¡¯t want them to find me.


    Brother is good at finding me.


    I need a place where he can never find me.


    What came to my mind was Lem¡¯s inn.

 CH 73

    73 ¨C Everything is a Choice and the Chance Meeting of Two Lem-Fans


    First things first, I lead Nicola to a chair. With almost no resistance, she followed and sat down with a thump.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­would you like some tea? I only have the instant kind, though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸One for me too, please.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Of course.¡¹


    Since Nicola arrived, Milla was giving me an icy stare but after looking at Nicola again and noticing the tear stains around her eyes, she seems to have reigned back her attitude.


    Her subordinates in the Demon King Castle may fear her for some reason, but I like her for her ability to worry about a complete stranger.


    I boil water with a Magical Energy-equipped kettle and a few minutes later, the black tea is prepared. I don¡¯t have anything like a tea set here so I just pour it into paper cups. I put the cups on a tray and carry them to the table.


    ¡¸Thanks¡­¡¹


    Nicola absent-mindedly picks up the cup and brings it to her lips.


    ¡¸Warm¡­¡¹


    Nicola let out a sigh.


    I¡¯m not sure when, but Milla was sitting directly opposite Nicola, sipping the black tea.


    There are only two chairs in this room, so I guess I¡¯m standing.


    ¡¸So? What brings you to Lem¡¯s room so late at night? It is unusual for one¡¯s eyes to be swollen if your aim was to sneak in for a booty call. If you¡¯re here to ask for help then hurry up and spit out the name and location of the perpetrator. If, in fact, you were sexually assaulted by a man, I shall deal with it personally.¡¹


    The incident that led to Milla and I meeting two years ago.


    She did some heavy drinking and ended up getting drugged and sexually assaulted by three men.


    They¡¯re¡­well, they¡¯re not dead, but they definitely won¡¯t do something like that ever again. Bat Demi-Beasts sucked the life force out of their nether regions and their¡­well¡­that, withered.


    Perhaps being reminded of that ordeal, Milla¡¯s tone of voice turned cold, but her gaze towards Nicola was full of concern.


    ¡¸Assault?¡­Oh, no, nothing like that. This is because¡­my brother¡­huh? Wait a minute, who are you anyway?¡¹


    Nicola seems to have regained enough of her composure to finally notice Milla¡¯s existence.


    She didn¡¯t react at all to Milla, clad in only a bathrobe, opening the door. She seems to have calmed down since then.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a friend of his. A friend who came to spend time with him in one room, together.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­you mean¡­¡¹


    Nicola¡¯s face went red.


    ¡¸Am-am I being a huge hindrance right now?!¡¹


    ¡¸This is a misunderstanding. Just as Milla said, she is a friend. More accurately, she¡¯s my co-worker.¡¹


    Milla looked at me with a shocked expression on her face.


    She doesn¡¯t know Nicola saw through my disguise and knows who I am, so her reaction is only natural.


    ¡¸Co-worker¡­who¡¯s a beautiful female vampire¡­ah. You¡¯re the Vampire Queen Carmilla?¡¹


    Milla kept looking at me, waiting for an explanation.


    ¡¸For the moment, I believe I should explain the situation. This is Nicola. A Hero in a 99th ranked party. When she tried to Clear the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, it seems she realized that I was Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­When I looked at him directly, I realized that he had the same eyes.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Eh? Wait, are you telling me that you made the connection that Lord Lemegeton was Lem by simply looking at his Avatar?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes¡­I¡¯m, a Lem fan¡­ Although, I¡¯ve only been a fan for about two years. I did watch a lot of his videos, however¡­¡¹


    Milla¡¯s eyes light up.


    ¡¸A fan? ¡­I see. Hm. Favorite video?¡¹


    Nicola was confused at first but soon understood the question.


    ¡¸Hm? ¡­I guess that would have to be the Advanced Level ¨C Hellfire Dungeon video. Generally, Fenix¡¯s fiery face-off with the Monster is the highlight of the video, but for the others, it was a close fight due to the pillars of fire rising up from the floor and Lem was able to safely dodge them all. I was amazed that not only was he fully aware of his surroundings and could predict the pillars, he also tirelessly trained his body despite not having the Aptitude for it. ¡­Although, you can only see him dodge three times in just under two seconds though, and within those three, one of them was behind Lily, out of focus, and another time was when the camera was on Alba, Lem was cut off by the corner of the screen. The last one was where they showed a series of scenes of each party member¡¯s best-looking dodge, but he didn¡¯t get any attention at all.¡¹


    I¡¯m not going to point out that she¡¯s out of her Prince character right now. She probably doesn¡¯t have the composure for it.


    At any rate, I¡¯m happy that there¡¯s someone who paid such close attention but it¡¯s also kinda embarrassing.


    Milla closed her eyes, nodded, and opened them.


    ¡¸Very good. Incidentally, the one that I happen to watch over and over is the video of the Intermediate Level ¨C Setsuna Dungeon. The reason being-¡¹


    In the next moment, they both spoke at the same time.


    ¡¸-it¡¯s the one where Lem had the most screentime.¡¹


    And then they both chuckled.


    ¡­huh, are they¡­bonding?


    ¡¸I¡¯m Milla. As you already know, I work in the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m Nicola. Nice knowing you¡­ah, should I address you more formally?¡¹


    They shook hands.


    ¡¸Talk however you are comfortable with.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks. S-so I guess you¡­you two are really¡­¡¹


    Nicola turns red once again. She seems a little uneasy.


    ¡¸I am sad to say, very sad to say, that we do not have that kind of relationship.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But I am hoping it does one day and I am negotiating with him daily.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see.¡¹


    ¡¸That being said, I would appreciate it if you refrain from seducing Lem with your ample bosom. I am glad to know another fan but¡­so long as you don¡¯t cross the boundaries of being just a fan. I wouldn¡¯t want to acknowledge a precious fellow Lem-fan as an enemy.¡¹


    Milla smiled sweetly.


    ¡¸Se-seduce him¡­¡¹


    Nicola crosses her arms in an attempt to hide her breasts. I hope no one noticed me staring at the shape of her breasts changing and bulging with her movements.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re a dangerous person. I can¡¯t rely on just the written report, I must ask Cashew directly about what she thinks of her.¡¹


    I thought I heard a kind of disturbing voice.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right, Lem. Where is little Cashew sleeping?¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s in the room with another fellow co-worker-uhm, Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸She already has influence over Cashew? ¡­she¡¯s a larger threat than I thought.¡¹


    ¡­Milla? Hello?


    The sight of her looking away and muttering to herself is scaring me a little.


    ¡¸Ahem.¡¹


    I cough intentionally to change the subject. Or rather, to return to the main subject.


    ¡¸Nicola.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes. I wasn¡¯t seducing you, not at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, yeah, I get that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­really? Oh¡­¡¹


    Nicola¡¯s voice sank.


    ¡¸If you feel better now, do you mind talking about why you came here?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right. I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re willing to listen to me. Perhaps, that is why I thought about coming here.¡¹


    ¡¸Should I excuse myself? I¡¯ll just be standing by outside with my ear pressed against the door to hear for any funny business that might happen.¡¹


    Doesn¡¯t that defeat the purpose of leaving the room?


    And so, Nicola talked about the discussion she had with Philip and company.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    After listening to the conversation, Milla was silent with a gloomy face. It seems she doesn¡¯t plan on saying anything for the time being.


    That is the correct stance to take.


    It¡¯s bad manners to interfere with another party¡¯s business. It¡¯s like meddling in someone else¡¯s family trouble.


    We should not intervene unless something happens that cannot be overlooked.


    Regarding this one, outside of how Philip speaks and carries conversations, the topic of discussion and the conclusion is not odd.


    Of course, he could have worded it better. Less harsh. And treating her with more respect.


    But what would be the meaning of that? I¡¯m sure Nicola didn¡¯t come here just to lick her wounds.


    ¡¸I¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with me.¡¹


    Even she can¡¯t bring herself to say that she hates her brother.


    It¡¯s because of her self-awareness.


    She¡¯s aware that she was the one who went along with her brother¡¯s plans when she was unpopular and feeling depressed.


    You don¡¯t have to see through your chosen path to the end. Sometimes it¡¯s good to find another path.


    However, if there are others walking the path with you, splitting up will inevitably affect both sides.


    When I left the party, the Fenix party changed considerably and I joined the Demon King Army.


    In Nicola¡¯s case, it¡¯s purely because no one did anything wrong that is the difficult part for her.


    There¡¯s the fact that wearing a mask is difficult for her, but at the same time, there¡¯s the fact that wearing a mask brought adoration.


    It¡¯s just that, she endured it. She did her job while holding in all her concerns.


    I¡¯m sure that the trigger was the words that I spoke to Philip.


    I pointed out that something was troubling her, and my meddling brought about that discussion.


    ¡¸I think you have to choose.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s nothing wrong with doing anything you can to gain popularity. However, there are people who do that and have no difficulties, and there are also people who have difficulties like you, Nicola. It¡¯s just that, no matter what you do, it¡¯s not going to be for everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­I thought the same thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you continue as the currently rising in popularity Prince character? Or do you shift course toward the image of the hero that you originally aimed for? It¡¯s up to you to choose.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If there¡¯s something you really want to do, then do it. Nothing wrong with that.¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­but then the others¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You could leave and form another party. That¡¯s one way.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You might fail, and your old party might have trouble reorganizing, but you have every right to make a choice. ¡­But, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t like the sound of that, right?¡¹


    Because despite being saddened by her brother¡¯s words, she never said anything about disbanding the party.


    Even with her fleeting emotions, she didn¡¯t want to even speak of the possibility.


    ¡¸If so, then following your brother¡¯s scenario is another possible choice. You may have to suffer being a fake, but the excitement aroused within the hearts of the audience is very real. The applause that occurs after shows are nothing but praise to your magnificence.¡¹


    To other people, her worries may seem like a luxury.


    This is an industry where many people go through trial and error and still not gain popularity, forced to abandon their dream in throes of despair.


    Knowing that might be the sole reason that she has never spoken her mind up till now.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­I suppose¡­you¡¯re right.¡¹


    Nicola cast her eyes downwards, sadly.


    ¡¸Or¡­you can prove it.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸What your brother said isn¡¯t wrong, but it isn¡¯t absolute. If there was an absolute, sure-fire method to become popular and sell well, unpopular parties would not exist.¡¹


    She raised her head.


    ¡¸Trends are ever-changing, even if you follow one trend, that doesn¡¯t mean that those who don¡¯t aren¡¯t looked upon. In any era, there are always those that become popular without following trends, I mean, circumstances have changed since the past and now, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Circumstances?¡¹


    ¡¸If you compare the past when people weren¡¯t fighting for the sake of entertainment, and now, where we now have tons of fans here to watch your challenge, the number of people watching is different.¡¹


    ¡¸B-but if I fail, we¡¯ll lose our fans and in the end, we¡¯ll¡­¡¹


    You¡¯ll put your allies in a bind, huh?


    Nicola thinks about her allies. She also understands that her brother is not trying to control her out of spite. The desire to not cause trouble is something that won¡¯t go away.


    I¡¯m worried.


    Not about the method.


    But about whether or not I should say this.


    My case is rather unique, but if I were to recommend it to a Hero, it would be unprecedented.


    ¡¸In that case, why don¡¯t we give it a test run?¡¹


    Said Milla, breaking the ice.


    ¡¸There is a Tag Tournament being held here, yes? There is a fair amount of attention focused on it. I think you should participate, while hiding your identity, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh that¡¯s right, what do you think about remodeling your Avatar to look like a Monster? No one will ever guess it¡¯s you and you can fight however you want, right? You can take this opportunity to see whether or not that would excite the audience.¡¹


    Milla said her piece.


    Nicola then¡­

 CH 74

    74 ¨C The Time to Muster Up Your Intrepid Spirit is Now


    ¡¸Tag¡­Tournament¡­¡¹


    Nicola absentmindedly repeats.


    ¡¸Oh, I should probably mention that you have to find your own partner. Lem is a very busy man. He has no time to waste his Magical Energy like that.¡¹


    The nine years¡¯ worth of stored Magical Energy in the horn was all used up in the fight with Fenix, so I¡¯m currently in the middle of replenishing that storage in the horn.


    You could say that the power and duration of my magic have gotten proficient, so with how my Magical Energy is being portioned off and stored into the horn whenever I use my magic, the storage is filling up at a much faster pace than before.


    The Magical Energy Organ can be trained regardless of whether the Magical Energy was consumed when casting magic or when it¡¯s being poured into the horn.


    ¡¸But I¡­if I go with my brother, he¡¯ll definitely ask me to go out as the Silver Prince¡­¡¹


    Milla let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡¸Oh Nicola. I know you¡¯re feeling down right now but you really shouldn¡¯t be saying¡¸but¡¹and¡¸maybe¡¹so much. I understand that you are still young¡­you are young, yes? You¡¯re old enough to be an Adventurer so are you about seventeen or eighteen?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sixteen¡­¡¹


    Milla looked at Nicola¡¯s chest and her eyes started twitching.


    ¡¸¡­so this is the raw sex appeal of a sixteen-year-old.¡¹


    Certainly, Nicola¡¯s Avatar gives the impression of a pretty androgynous woman, but the real Nicola can be called a beautiful woman. The shape of her face is perfect, her smile is exquisite and her bust, voluptuous.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing, nothing at all. Returning to the topic at hand. There¡¯s nothing wrong with being worried. The problem is being worried and not making a choice. Lem set a goal for himself to become the number one hero despite his Job. He anguished over it and made a decision. And then he ran up the rankings to become the world¡¯s 4th ranked.¡¹


    ¡¸R-right.¡¹


    ¡¸But you, on the other hand, have yet to set your goal. Do you want to succeed together with your current party? Or do you want to become the hero you desired to be, no matter what? You must get your priorities straight. If you can¡¯t do that, then there¡¯s no point in worrying.¡¹


    That¡¯s a bit harsh, but I can¡¯t bring myself to interject either.


    What¡¯s wrong with worrying but not making a choice?


    The answer is simple.


    When you¡¯re busy worrying about¡¸Which one should I choose?¡¹, the answer almost always comes from the bottom of your heart.


    ¡¸I actually want to do this.¡¹is said with intent while paralyzed by the obstructing wall of reality.


    In my case, I worried about¡¸wanting to become a hero but¡¹¡¸I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer¡¹,¡¸I¡¯m not strong¡¹,¡¸I don¡¯t have any great Aptitudes¡¹,¡¸no one wants me in their party¡¹,¡¸no one wants to watch me¡¹, and¡¸I¡¯m sure that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn¡¯t become popular¡¹.


    The wall was huge, but my answer was already there in the beginning.


    ¡¸I want to become¡¹, so the only thing left was to choose.


    Do I challenge it? Or do I give up?


    Looking back on it later, I think it¡¯s unlikely that the time spent agonizing over it was meaningful. If anything, the most important treasures are the words I received from someone during the time I was struggling or something that I accidentally found that cheered me up.


    In that sense, it may not be a complete waste of time, but I can¡¯t say it¡¯s worth it to agonize over what to choose, alone. It¡¯s hard to say.


    If you¡¯re going to worry, worry after you have made a decision.


    If you choose to challenge it, worry about how to succeed.


    If you choose to give up, worry about what to do next.


    It¡¯s much more constructive to think like that.


    ¡¸Define clearly what it is you truly want to do.¡¹


    ¡¸What I¡­want to do¡­¡¹


    Nicola¡¯s gaze fell to look at her hands. She stared fixedly at her palms.


    ¡¸If you choose to enter the tournament with an altered Avatar, I¡¯ll arrange things so that you can use the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon¡¯s Avatar Generation machines.¡¹


    It¡¯s not like you can just waltz into an Adventurer-catering shop and say¡¸I want to make my Avatar look like a Monster.¡¹. Rumors will spread in an instant which is the opposite of hiding your identity.


    Wait, now that I think about it, Fenix said something about creating a Monster-looking Avatar for himself. I wonder if he actually did. Well, not like there¡¯s any rush, and he probably knows some tight-lipped businessman. I¡¯m not even sure if he was serious about it in the first place.


    ¡¸OK¡­thanks.¡¹


    She raised her head and the expression she has on her face already looks more lively than the one she had when she first arrived here.


    ¡¸I¡­I love my current party. There are things I don¡¯t agree with, but I don¡¯t hate my brother. But even so, I can¡¯t give up the hero I yearned to be since long ago. And that¡¯s why my choice is to find a way for both to coexist.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­fufu, the fact that you¡¯re not hesitant is splendid.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Lem, Milla. I¡¯ll persuade my brother and enter the Tournament. If I disguise myself as a Monster, I suppose I can¡¯t enter together with Lem, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸More precisely, even Lord Lemegeton can¡¯t go with you if you plan to reveal your identity in the case that you¡¯re well-received. If people found out that Lord Lemegeton personally knows a Hero, it would draw too much attention.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I know that. It¡¯s not that I plan to use Lem or anything. It¡¯s just that, other people don¡¯t know where Lem went, right? I thought that maybe¡­appearing out of nowhere with a mysterious Monster in a Tag Tournament would improve the public opinion of him. Besides, the fewer people who know about this plan, the better.¡¹


    ¡¸Absolutely absurd. You just want to fight alongside Lem! I certainly understand that desire, but I will not allow it!¡¹


    ¡¸D-didn¡¯t you fight alongside him in the tenth stratum battle?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m one of the Big Four.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m his friend¡­I think.¡¹


    ¡¸No means no!¡¹


    ¡¸Are you saying that as Carmilla, or as Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Both.¡¹


    ¡¸Doesn¡¯t Lem get the final say in this?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph.¡¹


    They both turn to look straight at me.


    ¡­Well, I am interested in it. The Tag Tournament. A new stage for Adventurers and Monsters alike.


    Getting excited for the tournament itself doesn¡¯t run counter to the current mission.


    Besides, I would be glad to either fight a strong Monster as an Adventurer or a strong Adventurer as the Chief of Staff.


    I was planning on going as a spectator but if I went as a participant, I¡¯d be able to gather much more information.


    ¡­Also, I¡¯ve been looking for an opportunity to see the results of my training with Furcus.


    ¡¸Sure sounds good. I¡¯ll have to consult with her Highness first, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Really?! Thank you, Lem! I¡¯m so happy!¡¹


    She stood up and shook my hand with both of hers.


    Her smile, like that of a blooming flower, seemed appropriate for her age.


    ¡¸¡­Does Lem prefer minors with huge breasts?¡¹


    I felt the room become as cold as ice. I know it was just a hallucination, but I swear it felt like it did.


    ¡¸N-no, hold on. I¡¯m sure it¡¯d be fun to go out with you as the Demon King Castle Duo but you¡¯re busy, right?¡¹


    Also, she¡¯s used up all of her paid vacations to come here.


    ¡¸¡­ugh, hate. I hate working at the shallow strata.¡¹


    Milla motioned to sadly wipe her eyes. Crocodile tears.


    ¡¸¡­Do you prefer aggressive mature women, Lem?¡¹


    Nicola being Nicola, her smile changed slightly.


    It was the kind where the eyes aren¡¯t smiling along.


    ¡¸I¡­I-I think it¡¯s about time you went back, huh? Everyone must be worried about you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right. We could always continue this conversation another time.¡¹


    I wonder how it will continue. I¡¯m scared.


    ¡¸Let me walk you to your inn.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Oh, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m a Hero after all.¡¹


    ¡¸This is nothing to do with Jobs. I can¡¯t send a girl out alone in the middle of the night.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. I-I understand. Sure, well, I¡¯m in your care.¡¹


    Said Nicola while looking down and muttering. Her ears were turning red.


    ¡¸Lem treats everyone like that. On the day we first met, he walked me home as well.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. I¡¯m curious.¡¹


    ¡¸Hum, good. Allow me to regale you while we walk, about the tale of when our love first began.¡¹


    ¡¸You two aren¡¯t going out, right? I think that¡¯s the wrong expression to use.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s a pretty important detail, like huge.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? Important to who?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­To everyone present here.¡¹


    ¡¸Really?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­uhm, Lem. The truth is I¡­I¡¯m not good with the dark.¡¹


    Saying that, Nicola moved closer to my side.


    ¡¸While you¡¯re walking me home, do you mind if I walk close to you?¡¹


    Didn¡¯t she say that she¡¯d be fine on her own earlier?


    ¡¸Well, as long as it¡¯s this distance, sure.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh Lem, I couldn¡¯t help but feel ever so lonely with you not around. It¡¯s alright if I stick to you like I always do, right? Right?¡¹


    Saying that, Milla wraps herself around my arm.


    ¡¸Wha- Mi-Milla! Isn¡¯t that too close¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸This sort of distance is the norm when you know each other as Lem and I do.¡¹


    ¡¸Uu..urgh¡­¡¹


    Despite looking frustrated, Nicola doesn¡¯t cling to my other arm in opposition.


    What exactly is the right move in this type of situation? I have no clue.


    Just like how I have a teacher for Black Magic and a teacher for the sword, I¡¯m gonna need a teacher for personal relationships.


    I¡¯ve never really been able to find people who like me, so I don¡¯t know how to interact with them. I don¡¯t have enough experience.


    While thinking that, the three of us walk out into town.


    As we approach Nicola¡¯s inn.


    ¡¸Nico!¡¹


    Just as I thought.


    I wondered if he would be running around town looking for his little sister today as well. Here comes Philip rushing over to us.

 CH 75

    75 ¨C To the Busy, Heartless Diamond Hero, a Black Sorcerer is¡­ 1


    ¡¸Brother¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Where the hell were you? I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you!¡¹


    Philip approaches us.


    Now that I look at him, his hair is longer than his Avatar version.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for making you worry. I just needed some time to think a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Another man? What¡¯s with you? You want a boyfriend that badly? Look, if you really want to, I¡¯ll help you hide it from the public, so stop meeting in random places without telling me. Who is this guy anyway and this¡­female¡­vampire¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, uhm.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, my darling and I were just out on a lovely moonlit stroll when we found her crying on the street, so we called out to her. We couldn¡¯t just leave her be, so we stayed with her until she calmed down, and then we walked her to her inn. Isn¡¯t that right, darling?¡¹


    Milla suddenly activates her previously seen Lover Mode.


    Even in situations like this, she¡¯s amazing.


    However¡­


    ¡¸Is that so? A thousand pardons for all the trouble my dear little sister may have caused.¡¹


    He said, smiling while approaching.


    ¡¸-is that what you thought I¡¯d say?¡¹


    He extends a hand towards me.


    I knew it was coming, but it was fast.


    As expected of a Hero. A Black Sorcerer is no match for his speed.


    In addition to predicting the attack, I cast Speed Down on him at the very last moment and thanks to Furcus¡¯ training, I barely made it.


    I was able to catch his outstretched hand.


    Getting used to Furcus¡¯ swift strikes coupled with the fact that Phillip wasn¡¯t actually aiming to attack me, but rather just grab me by the collar, made it possible for me to somehow succeed in catching his hand.


    ¡¸What the-?¡¹


    He had a surprised look on his face. I let go of his hand, smiling.


    ¡¸Brother?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Honestly, I¡¯m shocked. Contrary to what people think, you¡¯ve always been an excellent Black Sorcerer, haven¡¯t you, Sir Lem?¡¹


    I expected as much.


    He may not be a normal family man who cares for his sister, but he is certainly concerned about her. There was no way that he would not investigate the mysterious man who had been with his sister.


    For example, a pedestrian will just pass me by without recognizing me. No problems. You can¡¯t remember someone you can¡¯t recognize.


    But in his case, even if he didn¡¯t recognize me at the time, he recognized me later.


    He probably wanted to know and investigate the man who was with his sister.


    If that was the case, he would have noticed the uncomfortable feeling caused by Confusion.


    My Confusion spell obstructs people¡¯s ability to recognize me, which then creates an uncomfortable feeling.


    If something in the future causes one to try to recall me, they will arrive at a memory of a man whose features they can¡¯t remember, and they will realize that this was caused by magic.


    However, no ordinary Black Sorcerer can do this, so it is very difficult to predict who did it.


    Philip was probably not aware of this either.


    Since he thought it had something to do with recognition-influencing magic, it was only natural that he would try to Magic Resist it the next time he saw his sister with that man.


    ¡¸¡­Hey there.¡¹


    From the next moment that he noticed Nicola, he knew that I was Lem.


    But it wasn¡¯t because he resisted my magic.


    ¡¸Are you going to display your amazing Black Magic today?¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no need for that.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t cast magic.


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    I was going to call it a day, but I guess that¡¯s the way it goes.


    I gently pat Nicola on the back.


    She nodded.


    ¡¸Br-brother.¡¹


    ¡¸In a minute. I have a question for Sir Lem. Last time and this time, just what are you doing with Demi-Humans? Could it be that you¡¯re earning extra cash by revealing Adventurer information to them?¡¹


    ¡­Oof, technically, he isn¡¯t wrong.


    I am getting paid a salary and I am showing them methods to repel Adventurers using my own analysis.


    There¡¯s no way I could tell him that I¡¯m actually the Demon King Castle¡¯s Chief of Staff, so I just stand there, smiling wryly.


    ¡¸Actually no, I don¡¯t care. What I really want to ask is, what do you want with my sister? How do you know each other? Certainly, my sister has a ridiculous fascination with you, could it be that you plan on using that to leech off us like the parasite that you are? If so, then give it up. I will never allow the luster of the Silver Prince to be sullied by your Black Magic.¡¹


    He remolded his sister and himself from an unpopular party to a party that grew rapidly and has broken the top 100 in the rankings in a matter of two years.


    In contrast to that, I appear to be incompetent. My abilities were recently recognized by my former party members but to the world at large, I am the parasitic Black Mage who leeched off Fenix.


    Anyone would feel uneasy and uncomfortable if someone like that approached your little sister, which explains his rudeness.


    In the past, I would have been depressed by such comments, but recently, negative comments don¡¯t hurt as much as they used to.


    I wonder if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve found a place and allies that approve of me.


    ¡¸Phil!¡¹


    He didn¡¯t flinch one bit at his sister¡¯s aggravated shout.


    To my side, Milla mutters¡¸¡­I¡¯ll kill¡¯em.¡¹under her breath to which I calmed her down.


    ¡¸And another thing. First, you clung to your best friend, now you cling to women? No matter what is said, you always sit there, silently, and someone defends you. This has nothing to do with the existence of your ability, Sir Lem. Your very existence is a shackle on the party. Do you know how many people said unfavorable things about Fenix every time he defended you?¡¹


    It was the truth.


    Fenix knows about my power.


    But the world at large only knows that Fenix and I are best friends.


    A Hero who defends his incompetent best friend.


    Of course, there are many fans who find that admirable of him.


    In everyday life, not abandoning your friend could be seen as a virtuous act, but this is business.


    Voices that criticized him for giving limited slots to an unpopular and useless friend grew more and more.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not going to let my sister publicly announce that she¡¯s a fan of yours. I don¡¯t know what kind of use you see in my sister, but I¡¯m putting a stop to it all.¡¹


    As an older brother and as a party member, he will chase away any and all worms who might approach his sister.


    His way of speaking is crude, but I don¡¯t think his opinions are wrong.


    ¡¸Are you sure you don¡¯t want to listen to what your sister wanted to say?¡¹


    ¡¸I want you to swear that you will never come close to my sister from now on.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that will be rather difficult.¡¹


    ¡¸What? I knew it! You are planning to use her-¡¹


    ¡¸Philip!¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up Nico! I will not allow this pest to infest us just as our luck is finally turning. Listen, Nico! Open your eyes, Nicola! I don¡¯t care what part of this man has charmed you, but as an Adventurer, he is defective! How do Black Sorcerers gain popularity? They can¡¯t. It¡¯s impossible. Despite climbing to the 4th rank, there is almost no one who loves him. How many people in the world do you think praises him as you do? Huh? Ten? Eight? If that¡¯s the case, he is worthless as merchandise.¡¹


    His words are very severe, but I don¡¯t think they come from pure hatred.


    It seems to come from an obsession over the commercial value of everything.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m entering the Tag Tournament with Lem!¡¹


    Said Nicola, forcing Philip to pay attention to her.


    But it only had an effect for a moment, as he then turned his attention back to me.


    ¡¸¡­Huh? Whuh-what are you¡­you bastard, so that¡¯s it! You¡¯re just a piece of shit that wants to use my sister to gather attention for yourself. You¡¯re despicable. Abandoned by your best friend, so now you¡¯re clinging to your fans, huh? Couldn¡¯t make it again on your own, huh? Is that hero you dream of becoming some kind of parasitic lifeform or something?¡¹


    There¡¯s a difference between those who strive for the top together and the incompetent who cling to the strong.


    He appears to think I¡¯m the latter.


    I¡¯m not even trying to be a part of Nicola¡¯s party in the first place, but I¡¯m not sure if I can convince him of that¡­


    ¡¸You¡¯re wrong! I¡¯m the one who asked him! I-¡¹


    ¡¸Enough, just stop. You¡¯re being tricked! If only you¡¯d realize that.¡¹


    Well¡­I suppose with the information that Philip can get on his side, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to think that.


    ¡¸I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding here.¡¹


    I try saying.


    ¡¸As if! Geez, Sir Fenix was hopeless too. If he wanted to get rid of the trash, I wish he did it when he was still a kid. Some of us can handle it depending on how you do it, and some of us can¡¯t. No wait, even the whole best friend-angle is suspicious. Hey Sir Lem, do you have some kinda dirt on him? Like his weakness? It makes more sense to me that that¡¯s how you got him to accept you into the party.¡¹


    ¡¸No matter what weakness I might have had over him, he wouldn¡¯t allow someone who couldn¡¯t win into the party. He¡¯s a Hero that always wins, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸All things considered, he lost at the Demon King Castle, though.¡¹


    ¡¸If so, then he¡¯ll win the next time. No one said that you could only challenge something once.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. So? Is your next challenge to leech off my sister? I wish Sir Fenix at least broke that foolish ambition of yours when he kicked you out of the party. But I guess that¡¯s impossible. He may have been fortunate enough to be chosen by the Spirit, but as a professional, he¡¯s second-rate.¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me?¡¹

 CH 76

    76 ¨C To the Busy, Heartless Diamond Hero, a Black Sorcerer is¡­ 2


    ¡¸Oho, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you angry.¡¹


    ¡¸Who wouldn¡¯t be?¡¹


    ¡¸But it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? I can understand why he¡¯s popular, but he¡¯s not much of a leader. Including you in the party was a mistake, needless to say, but he also lacks initiative. His allies are merely following him, he isn¡¯t leading them. He should assemble allies that can serve to make him stand out more. Instead, he got a gloomy Paladin, a boisterous Warrior, and an Elf, despite how closely she resembles a normal person, she¡¯s still an Elf. It¡¯s a wonder that a party like that dashed up the ranks to the 4th rank. Maybe Fenix was just lucky to get the Fire Spirit.¡¹


    ¡¸Heh.¡¹


    I let a laugh slip, unconsciously.


    He has some good points.


    Fenix never wanted to become an Adventurer in the first place.


    He¡¯s a kid that I made a promise with to become the No.1 together one day.


    That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t possess any knowledge or even consideration of leadership or ways to become popular.


    By nature, he was just a kind child who¡¯s bad at dealing with people.


    His defeating Floor Bosses in one hit was a plan created by his allies, and the line he always says about never losing is a way of him expressing his belief that a hero always wins.


    Certainly, they would have been more popular if he had gathered allies such as a Wind Wizard to make his flames bigger, or a second-in-command type member to match his honest image.


    It probably would have been difficult to rise up to the 4th rank as fast as we did if he wasn¡¯t chosen by the Fire Spirit.


    Man, he really does have good points.


    But so what?


    There¡¯s no way I can stay silent after he called my best friend second-rate.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a man or woman, young or old, if you can¡¯t get mad at someone who is making fun of your friend, then you don¡¯t deserve to be called a friend.


    But, I didn¡¯t swing my clenched fist.


    I remembered that, only a few moments ago, I held back Milla, who got angry for my sake.


    I can¡¯t forgive what he said, but Philip didn¡¯t resort to violence either.


    ¡¸Whoa hey, please don¡¯t mind me, Sir Lem. We¡¯re Adventurers, we don¡¯t make a fuss over small jokes like that.¡¹


    Said Philip, noticing my clenched fist.


    The one who replied next was Milla.


    ¡¸Oh my, you don¡¯t realize how narrowly you escaped death. I suppose it is to be expected from a 99th ranked party.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What a charming lady. -Hey watch it!¡¹


    Nicola threw a punch at him but he barely caught it before it hit him.


    ¡¸You are the worst¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It was all for you, Nico-¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Got something to say, Sir Lem?¡¹


    Having calmed down, I put on my usual smile.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not doing anything for Nicola¡¯s sake. Everything you¡¯ve thought about has been for the success of the party and raising the popularity of the Silver Prince.¡¹


    ¡¸And I¡¯m saying that all of that is for my little sister.¡¹


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t get any proof before I talked with you directly, but now I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Proof of what?¡¹


    ¡¸Fenix isn¡¯t good at ordering people around. But he never pretended otherwise, thus he can continue being an Adventurer. Forcing oneself will gnaw at one¡¯s own heart. Adventurers are people too, a wounded heart will have effects on the body, which results in sub-optimal performances. Raising someone¡¯s commercial value while damaging their heart only serves to shorten their career as an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The fact that he isn¡¯t denying it means that he knows that too.


    ¡¸Also, about what you said about the other party members. In my party, we all shared the same desire. To get to the top with Fenix was the same as making Fenix the No.1 ranked. That¡¯s why we were able to cooperate. We didn¡¯t look for allies to supplement the Hero.¡¹


    Bella was added to gain popularity though¡­that was probably Alba¡¯s recommendation, but after seeing her fight in the Demon King Castle, I knew. She was remarkable in that time in the tenth stratum. She aimed to seize victory with all her might.


    I may not be able to tell what she¡¯s thinking, but she¡¯s already a splendid Hero.


    ¡¸Lastly, I laughed at that part about the Spirit because I thought it was utterly ridiculous. He was lucky he got picked? What, do you think you draw a lottery when you visit the shrine or something? Spirits have a mind of their own. They watch us and choose who to bestow their divine blessing upon. The Fire Spirit chose him because he is who he is. Good or bad luck, you¡¯re missing the point. Personality isn¡¯t decided by luck.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s clear how much you love the Hero that threw you away. So? What is it that you finally understood?¡¹


    ¡¸It is true that an Adventurer is an occupation that relies on popularity. It¡¯s an occupation that is more about how to use your strength and magical prowess attractively, rather than how strong they are. Which is why I don¡¯t think that your methods for chasing popularity are wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t need you to tell me that. I learned from failure. An Adventurer who isn¡¯t seen or wanted by the world is trash. I will not let my sister and I become trash. No matter what it takes, I¡¯ll show the world our brilliant shine and success. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want a has-been like you getting in our way.¡¹


    Has-been, huh? Heh, I guess so. A Black Sorcerer who was kicked out of his party and there was no news of his reemployment. It¡¯s only natural that he wouldn¡¯t want to get involved with, much less get near, someone like me.


    ¡¸Is your sister shining brilliantly?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? What are you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You polished and polished and held it up to the light, you have succeeded in producing a beautiful exterior. I don¡¯t deny that. However, I mentioned earlier that Adventurers are people too. How about what¡¯s inside? Her heart? Is it trivial? So long as she has her commercial value, you don¡¯t care if her heart began to crack?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Viewers want Adventurers to set their hearts ablaze. It¡¯s an occupation that inspires emotions. Sometimes you have to cold-heartedly devote yourself to it. But that doesn¡¯t mean that you should neglect the hearts of those that fight alongside you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I can imagine what my sister has told you, but I don¡¯t plan on letting her have her way. People have things that suit them. My sister¡¯s appearance, voice, magic, unrefined fighting style, and the like all didn¡¯t suit her. Our past is proof of that. If she had a wounded heart, it was at that period of time. What does someone like you, know about us? You, a successful person who was with a chosen Hero since the start and climbed the ranks without ever experiencing setbacks. No, wait. How could you not know? You¡¯re someone who¡¯s been knocked down into the very depths of despair. You probably want to get out from there as soon as possible. We will never go back to where you stand now.¡¹


    So that is the basis of his desires.


    Siblings who mutually once felt what it was like to be at rock bottom.


    Both of them once had their own separate party, and they were their leaders, individually.


    But they both weren¡¯t able to become popular alongside their allies.


    He believes that he is responsible for that.


    That he is the leader, so it falls to him to ensure that his allies are popular and the party can become popular.


    I wonder if he hates Fenix because he became a star without doing any of the aforementioned things solely because of his charisma and absolute power?


    I don¡¯t know, but still.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ll what?¡¹


    ¡¸Nicola and I are entering the Tag Tournament together.¡¹


    ¡¸Not happening.¡¹


    ¡¸The defective Black Sorcerer and Nicola¡¯s chosen hero form that you judged as trash in the past. Together, we will excite the crowd more than anyone there and win!¡¹


    This isn¡¯t like me, or rather, this isn¡¯t like¡¸Lem¡¹.


    However, if I let this chance slip by, we won¡¯t get another chance to have a discussion.


    So it¡¯s fine if I¡¯m a little arrogant. Anyway, I¡¯ll let him hear the discussion and then make him decide.


    ¡¸Out of the question, SIr Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸If we lose, I swear to never approach your sister again. As well as¡­hmm, what would you like? Please let me know if there¡¯s anything I could do for you, like money or otherwise. I¡¯m gonna win anyway.¡¹


    Possibly noticing my intentions, he shrugged.


    ¡¸¡­My, my. You¡¯re quite the instigator. Your Black Magic is good and you¡¯re skilled at things unsuited for Adventurers. Have you thought about finding a job that makes use of those?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not a bad idea. I¡¯ll think about that if I lose.¡¹


    Phillip blatantly displays his disdain.


    ¡¸If¡­if I lose, I promise I¡¯ll never talk back to you ever again. I¡¯ll do everything properly and won¡¯t just walk out on my own. If there are instructions, I¡¯ll follow them to the letter. I know that you did a lot of things for the sake of popularity, but¡­but I just can¡¯t give it up. So please, let me take the challenge.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure he senses that his sister¡¯s enthusiasm doesn¡¯t come from a mere suggestion or escapism.


    The unmoving, purposefully ignoring attitude he had from the start till now was fading.


    ¡¸¡­Nico. I¡­no, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If you¡¯re worried, how about if we altered the appearance of Nicola¡¯s Avatar? If you don¡¯t know a tight-lipped dealer, I can introduce you to a Dungeon I know. We can secretly borrow their creation machine. If possible, maybe make it look like a Monster? She definitely won¡¯t be found out that way, because even her fighting style will be different, right?¡¹


    Said Milla, who was unusually happy as I was about to object.


    Philip had a worried look on his face at that comment.


    ¡¸¡­If you take the challenge and lose, you¡¯ll do everything I say properly?¡¹


    He¡¯s onboard.


    We managed to change his mindset from¡¸absolutely impossible¡¹to¡¸considering it¡¹.


    ¡¸Y-yeah. If I find out that it¡¯s impossible for me, then I think I can give it up.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸But, I¡¯ll win.¡¹


    For a moment, the siblings gazed at each other.


    ¡¸How about you, Sir Lem? Are you OK appearing in the tournament alongside a Monster? You¡¯re planning on going out as the Black Sorcerer Lem, right?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re able to freely pair up with anyone in the first place, right? Besides, I like the tournament¡¯s way of thinking. Adventurers and Monsters aren¡¯t good or evil. They are treated equally and either one can win.¡¹


    With the exception of his desire to destroy the Dungeon industry, I approve of Fellow¡¯s ideas. I believe her Highness feels the same way.


    ¡¸If I told you to quit being an Adventurer if you lose, will you still do it?¡¹


    ¡¸Absolutely, because we¡¯ll win.¡¹


    He glared at me.


    He doesn¡¯t really mean anything he just said. I know that much.


    He is asking me if I have that much confidence and if I am ready.


    My expression didn¡¯t change.


    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m cooperating out of the goodness of my heart. I¡¯m not entering the contest with a light heart.


    ¡¸Go ahead and lay down your terms if you two win. If we¡¯re making a wager, it¡¯s not fair if the other side doesn¡¯t state their terms.¡¹


    His anger over his sister¡¯s case caused a nasty outburst but I suppose he isn¡¯t fundamentally a bad person.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really want anything from you except for one thing.¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸I want you to take back what you said about Fenix being second-rate.¡¹


    He was shocked and stared in wonder. Soon after, he laughed.


    ¡¸¡­Hmph, understood. When the time comes, I will take back what I said and apologize in front of you. But this is still uneven. There must be something else you¡¯d want, perhaps money¡­ah, I know. The tournament will be aired on TV at a later date, and on the show, they will seek a comment or two from those that lost, and so it goes. If you two become the champions, you would have definitely fought me at some point, right? If I lose, I will praise you and the mysterious Monster you were with on TV.¡¹


    Once again, he assumes that he is going to win.


    That¡¯s good.


    If he loses to the two people he dubbed defective and trash, he¡¯ll put in a good word about us on TV for all the world to see.


    As the brother of the Silver Prince.


    He placed a bet on the other side of the scale to balance it out. He considers this as something serious.


    ¡¸So how about you, Nico?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Eh? I can¡­go?¡¹


    ¡¸I was racking my brain about it. If this can get your thoughts in order without too much of a loss, then I think it¡¯d be better to let you do it. It¡¯s a shame that we can¡¯t enter together but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get another chance. However, I¡¯m entering too. Don¡¯t think for a second that I¡¯m gonna give you an easy win.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I, I¡­uhm, what should I¡­ah, is it alright for me to meet Lem in the future?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸We, we became friends! I promised little Cashew that I¡¯d have a meal with her, also¡­well, there are a lot of things I want to talk with him about.¡¹


    ¡¸Fear not, O she of silver hair. During those times, I will be sitting with you. Nothing indecent will happen on my watch.¡¹


    Milla smiled sweetly.


    ¡¸¡­Fine. Sir Lem seems to have magic that affects people¡¯s recognition of him after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Later you should apologize for all the reckless remarks you made about Lem, Mr. Silver Hair.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­that¡¯s right. Then, if I win, maybe I¡¯ll hit you for every bad word you said about Lem. Also, things that you discuss with me should always be discussed with everyone in the party. Whether it be making an appointment with a Dungeon or some other job. And then-¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll hear you out later. Feel free to pile on as many demands as you like. I¡¯ll have to follow them as an Adventurer, in order to keep the scales balanced. And so, my lady.¡¹


    He looked at Milla.


    ¡¸If these two become champions, then it can be said that he isn¡¯t incompetent in the slightest. I don¡¯t believe I am wrong about his marketability, but I will recognize his abilities and apologize for my impoliteness. That goes without saying. Which is why even Sir Lem didn¡¯t bother adding it to the list of conditions.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? If that¡¯s the case, then I shall silently look forward to your apology.¡¹


    ¡¸I see that you have faith in Sir Lem. While I can¡¯t say I understand¡­well, I suppose he did say he will prove it to me, so I, too, shall look forward to it.¡¹


    And with that, this unexpected discussion was at an end.


    ¡¸Her Avatar will be readied on my end. I will allow the two of you to meet because you will need to work together, but you must do it at the time that I specify in the underground training area of the Adventurer Union in this town. I want the two of you to enter the facility separately, thirty minutes apart. I would also like Sir Lem to employ the practical magic he¡¯s so good at using.¡¹


    Looks like he doesn¡¯t want to take any chances with people finding out about us.


    I nod.


    ¡¸Uhm, I¡¯ll do my best. My brother was a real jerk this time, so let¡¯s beat him to a pulp!¡¹


    It seems she got as mad as Milla did about the bad things said about me.


    Maybe it hit extra hard because she¡¯s one of my followers.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s win as the form of the hero you desire.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Y-yeah!¡¹


    And that is how it was decided that we would enter the Tournament.

 CH 77

    77 ¨C The Demon King¡¯s Son and the Hero¡¯s Brother¡¯s Work Relationship, The Demon King Army¡¯s Chief-of-Staff and One of the Big Four¡¯s Student-Teacher Relationship


    ¡¸Oho, how very interesting, indeed.¡¹


    In the reception room of the rental office rented for use during our time working in this town.


    Just opposite the table that is sandwiched between two sofas sits Sir Philip.


    I listened to the details of his discussion with great intent, happily rubbing my chin.


    ¡¸So, could you do me this favor?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. It was said that you two siblings would participate together but I am grateful for this outcome as well. It is unfortunate that she cannot appear as the Silver Prince, but to partner with the Black Sorcerer Lem is absolutely splendid.¡¹


    The reason for his visit today was to report to me that his sister was to enter the Tournament with a Monster Avatar and to ask for my cooperation to hide her true identity and not let the information leak.


    The audience won¡¯t necessarily know the true forms of the Monsters but that¡¯s not the case for the organizers. They will naturally confirm a person¡¯s identity. Meticulous attention will be paid to the handling of such information but something like a Hero pretending to be Monster will probably slip out from a careless handler.


    He has come to ask me to take special consideration that that situation does not happen.


    ¡¸Lem, huh¡­I suppose him appearing after he disappeared without a trace after his withdrawal from the party would attract attention.¡¹


    ¡¸That, too, yes, but I¡¯m looking forward to seeing him in action because he isn¡¯t as incompetent as people say he is. Fenix isn¡¯t the kind of man who would let a weak person into his party out of friendship in the first place. There aren¡¯t many people these days who yearns for the No.1 rank as he does.¡¹


    It¡¯s not the same as when one is a child.


    Children who yearned to be Adventurers have all once daydreamed about being No.1.


    But after identifying one¡¯s Job, going through the Training Institution¡¯s curriculum, and facing the reality of making your debut, it becomes impossible to utter such dreams.


    It¡¯s too far. It¡¯s absurd to make that the objective. Choose a way of life that fits one¡¯s stature. At least I¡¯ll be ranked higher in that than others¡­or so one thinks as circumstances make them look at a more reasonably achievable dream.


    This is adapting, not corrupting one¡¯s dream.


    There are people like Sir Philip who confronted his party¡¯s marketability and succeeded.


    ¡¸Do you¡­know Sir Fenix personally?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, we¡¯ve met.¡¹


    This is exactly what makes the Fenix party so valuable.


    They tore a hole into the fixed top ten parties and secured a spot among them as 4th rank in merely six years.


    They have been stagnant for a year, however, but that is due to the thick wall surrounding the top three.


    ¡¸¡­It is true that Sir Lem was able to make use of some pretty unusual magic.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? Do tell.¡¹


    Upon inquiry, what I heard was the use of Confusion.


    Confusion makes it difficult to grasp one¡¯s situation, but Sir Lem¡¯s use of it was masterful.


    It¡¯s not quite the level of Black Sorcery but it is definitely on the furthest reaches of Black Magic.


    There are no shortcuts to get this strong. It can only be achieved by training one¡¯s magic for a long, long period of time.


    He is only twenty years old, so normally it shouldn¡¯t be enough time for him¡­


    I see, so my father gave him the same training.


    I don¡¯t know how a child could have endured such training. That alone deserves praise.


    The sad part is, due to there not being that many people who trained their Black Magic to that level in this day and age, it is hard to convey to Adventurers just how amazing they are.


    As it stands, calling it¡¸use of pretty unusual magic.¡¹is a woefully unfortunate perception.


    However, young Lem was most likely careful to not let his relationship with my father be discovered, so it is probably safer for it to be a misunderstanding.


    ¡¸Is it a strong spell, sir? If you see a Black Sorcerer in a Dungeon, you can counter them by covering yourself with Magical Energy, so even if it was a small army, you would have to be taken by surprise in order to get affected.¡¹


    Ah, so that¡¯s how he sees it.


    He does not know about Sir Lem¡¯s true abilities so he is naturally speaking using an Adventurer¡¯s common sense.


    I smile vaguely. I won¡¯t point out the things that he didn¡¯t say.


    In consideration of the young man who chose to protect my father¡¯s retirement life rather than display his true strength.


    Is it because he is a kind young man? Or because my father was a loveable mentor¡­? No, the former, it is most definitely the former.


    ¡¸All magic can fluctuate its potency depending on the conditions. Say you want to cause an explosion using the same amount of Magical Energy, if you prioritize the area of effect, its power will be weaker, if you prioritize its power, its area of effect will be narrower.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes.¡¹


    ¡¸The basics of Black Magic is deciding whether to prioritize affecting an individual target or affecting the entire enemy team. In the Fenix party, he focused on the latter. All the Monsters always seem to be finished off within the range of Sir Lem¡¯s area of effect.¡¹


    His shoulders jolted.


    The videos don¡¯t focus on it and it isn¡¯t easy to understand the usefulness of Black Magic in a video.


    He nodded, though few people would be immediately convinced by that.


    ¡¸¡­If that¡¯s the case, then his mental strength, Magical Energy, and Magical Energy management is nothing short of amazing, right? He is a Black Sorcerer, so it¡¯s only natural that he has talent with Black Magic. Which reminds me, he said he was going to win and that he was confident in his efforts. Do you think that he might not be your average Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    His motive most likely isn¡¯t to raise Sir Lem¡¯s evaluation. What should I say?


    ¡¸Yes, certainly not average. I wonder what would happen if a Black Sorcerer like that enters the Tag Tournament. Don¡¯t you find it interesting? There will be only two targets within his area of effect.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, he can effectively concentrate the Magical Energy he normally applies on a large number of people. If he were to shave off the activation time and cast it instantaneously, even a Hero would waver for a moment.¡¹


    I believe a big reason he is so honest is that he is in front of me, his business partner.


    As for me, I¡¯d rather finish the discussion quickly than continue with someone who is bound by common sense and can¡¯t think flexibly.


    ¡¸In battle, a moment is quite long. Long enough to be the difference between victory and defeat. Well, I guess you don¡¯t need me to tell you that.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, I shall take your advice to heart. I must be cautious of my enemy¡­my opponent. My sister¡¯s desired fighting style is very aggressive. She favors big attacks which leave her wide open but if Sir Lem covers up those openings with proper timing, they¡¯ll become quite a threat.¡¹


    This is a good opportunity to see Sir Lem fight. I want to see him fight a vigilant opponent, not an unwary one.


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it, Sir Philip.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    And then he left.


    ¡¸¡­All things considered, he is a fascinating young man.¡¹


    Regarding Sir Lem. Thanks to Sir Philip¡¯s information, I can surmise that Lemegeton is in the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    I also know about the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon¡¯s recent comeback. I dare say they will make the repayment date.


    However, it seems that my daughter isn¡¯t settling this by lending them money, so a problem still remains.


    Can they continue to draw in people?


    I don¡¯t think that can be solved by being an All Level Dungeon.


    Although Sir Lem is still there, it would be enough to make a name for yourself as a Dungeon that annihilated the 99th ranked party.


    Earning money from the Intermediate Level parties lured by the Clear prize at the present until you can reimburse the loan.


    Then after reimbursing the loan, allude to the fact that the Dungeon is an All Level Dungeon in order to attract more customers.


    To that end, they work on coaching the staff and securing the required personnel.


    ¡¸He adapted to being a Monster quickly. No, I believe he has always seen it from both sides.¡¹


    As an Adventurer, how should I Clear this Dungeon?


    As a Monster, how should I defend it?


    Should I assume that he Cleared Dungeons while thinking from both viewpoints?


    ¡¸If he is appearing as Lem then he cannot use my father¡¯s power. It is true that Black Magic is rather plain. Just being an exceptional Black Sorcerer doesn¡¯t have much of an impact. But I¡¯m sure you have already taken that into consideration, Sir Lem. I eagerly await what sort of surprise you have in store.¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Whaaaaaa?! You¡¯re entering the Tournament, Lem?!¡¹


    We¡¯re in Thor¡¯s room.


    With the door still broken from Kei¡¯s kick.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for telling you after the fact. Also, I shall require a leave of absence on that day.¡¹


    ¡¸We-well, it looks like we can make the repayment date before that day, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­¡¹


    The prize money for the newbie Adventurers is paid out of my pocket, but when they repair their damaged Avatars here, they end up giving back some of that cash prize.


    In addition, the Avatars of the intermediate level challengers are completely destroyed, so they have to regenerate their Avatars rather than repair them which results in them paying the Dungeon a larger sum of money.


    The Tag Tournament is also attracting a lot of attention as a deluge of interested participants come pouring in.


    Under these circumstances, it seems that the preliminaries are starting soon.


    The parties that came for the Tournament would kill time until it starts by challenging the Dungeon which helped us out a lot.


    The Monsters, who were instructed by the Demon King Castle staff, were able to repel the challengers who thought they were lucky enough to be able to recover their lodging expenses by simply going through an Elementary Level Dungeon.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­it appears that Kei is entering as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh is that so? With you?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­well¡­y¡¯see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s going with me.¡¹


    Furcus appeared.


    She was eating a round-shaped bun with dried fruits baked into it.


    ¡¸With Furcus¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t lose.¡¹


    With those few words, I was elated.


    Mutually, we have our reasons to participate. As to the weight of those reasons, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    It¡¯s a serious fight, so I can¡¯t hold back. The last one standing wins. That¡¯s all.


    She might be the most troublesome opponent in the tournament because she knows my moves.


    ¡¸I will win, Master Furcus.¡¹


    My mentor in magic is the Demon King. My mentor in the blade is one of the Big Four. I am truly blessed.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the spirit. But I will be the winner. My pupil.¡¹

 CH 78

    78 ¨C How Should We Make It Look Attractive?


    Extremely fluffy dough. Round in shape, with a thickness to it. Its color in the center was a deep brown while its borders were slightly white-ish. There were five of them piled up. Almost like a tower. On the very top of this tower sat ice cream, slowly melting from the heat rising from the dough below. The dough itself was covered with a rich, concentrated amber sap in a beautiful pattern.


    ¡¸It¡¯s so soooft~¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars, knife and fork at the ready.


    Her little ears were fluttering. Cashew then looks at me and then Nicola.


    ¡¸Ca-can I really eat this?¡¹


    We nodded at the same time.


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸I brought you to this place because I wanted you to try it. So please, enjoy.¡¹


    Nicola sounds somewhat princely whenever she talks to Cashew.


    ¡¸O-okay, then¡­¡¹


    Cutting the pancake into bite-sized pieces, she takes a piece and brings it to her little mouth.


    Eat. Chew, chew. Swallow.


    She puts it in her mouth, chews, and smiles. Everything she¡¯s doing is adorable.


    Perhaps thinking the same thing, Nicola watched with a relaxed expression on her face.


    ¡¸Fufu, you look so happy eating that. Watching you brings me joy as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Yesh, itsh sho tashty.¡¹


    Now then.


    We are here at the cafe of Nicola¡¯s recommendation.


    Enjoying sweets while basking in the sun on an outdoor table.


    Nicola is having a parfait. I¡¯m having a slice of cheesecake.


    For quite a while now, passersby have been stopping in their tracks, captivated by Nicola¡¯s beauty and some of them even end up entering the cafe.


    I guess seeing someone as beautiful as her enjoying her meal in such a place piqued their interest¡­


    I guess a beautiful person can attract customers, huh? Amazing.


    ¡¸So, Nicola.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes?¡¹


    Having just taken a spoonful of her ice cream, she used her finger to wipe her lips.


    ¡¸You can keep eating, so please listen.¡¹


    ¡¸P-please continue.¡¹


    Since we¡¯ll be forming a duo together there are a few things I need to confirm first.


    They¡¯re going to tinker with it themselves, but exactly what do they have in mind about turning Nicola¡¯s Avatar into a Monster?


    The rest is what Nicola and I can do, what we want to do, and how we can draw the attention of the audience.


    ¡¸You made a contract with a Lesser Spirit of Earth, right Nicola? Am I right to assume that the Spirit Magic allows you to manipulate silver?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s a fraction of Earth Control. Limited to that silver thing, I can create it, change its shape, and move it freely.¡¹


    Having been shown an old video, you could say that the Nicola of now is more of the middle guard whereas the Nicola of the past was a vanguard.


    She also favored in-your-face fisticuffs. Covering her body with silver.


    She can concentrate the silver into one arm to create a giant fist or create a large shield from the ground to block an enemy¡¯s attack.


    It was an exciting way of using it that I could not have imagined.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t wish to discriminate. but basically, today¡¯s viewers don¡¯t like seeing women get hurt. It¡¯s fine if they are defeated in a single blow, but your original combat style usually ends up in fistfights, right?¡¹


    There are people who don¡¯t wanna see anyone get hurt, regardless of gender, but there are also people who get excited watching men have fistfights, but the number of people who specifically don¡¯t want to see women get hurt is¡­surprisingly high.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­¡¹


    Nicola dropped her shoulders.


    ¡¸However, there are examples like Hervor as well.¡¹[1. TL Note: ¡°Hervor¡± is the name of a badass female Viking in the Herverar Saga who wielded the cursed sword Tyrfing]


    Nicola¡¯s face lit up instantly.


    ¡¸Exactly! Do you like Hervor too, Lem?! I decided to become a hero after seeing her! When I was little, people would say all kinds of things about me because I was a girl, but when I saw her fight, was like¡¸Oh, things like gender are trivial matters¡¹!¡¹


    Hervor. Known as the Hero of the Cursed Sword, she¡¯s a brave woman who leads the world¡¯s 3rd ranked party.


    A descendant of a hero who killed a Demon King long ago, wielding the cursed blade Tyrfing, passed down through the generations, that is said to bring misfortune to its wielder. Well, she rarely wields it.


    She basically fights barehanded. And because of that, you see her rip and tear the heads off of Orcs and Werewolves.


    Which is probably why she¡¯s called a¡¸mighty warrior¡¹or¡¸the insanely strong, mad warrior¡¹.


    She¡¯s a very beautiful woman, but not the kind of beauty like Nicola¡¯s that has people cheering for her in a shrill voice, rather the kind of beauty that makes you want to shout¡¸I¡¯ll follow you for the rest of my life!¡¹.


    ¡¸I enjoyed watching her Clears too. They were exciting to watch. The kind of excitement that gets the blood pumping.¡¹


    In the past, when me and Hervor greeted each other, she stared intently at my body from head to toe for some reason. Then she said¡¸Hmm¡­¡¹meaningfully. I wondered what that was about.


    When I asked, she just said¡¸Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡¹so it remains a mystery.


    By the way, she said to Fenix¡¸How about putting that sword away and punching with a flaming fist sometimes, eh?¡¹as advice. Is it¡­advice? I think it¡¯s just her personal preference.


    ¡¸Yeah yeah! Just like that! I¡­I wanted to be just like that¡­¡¹


    Nicola looks depressed.


    I certainly understand why Philip had to change course.


    Nicola is a lovely woman.


    It¡¯s possible to tweak your Avatar to look more gallant, but it¡¯s difficult to make it look gruffer.


    You¡¯re not allowed to make changes that make you indistinguishable from your real body, so you can¡¯t change the image that your face and body give off.


    But admiration isn¡¯t limited to things close to you.


    You can be drawn to something contradictory, even seen from afar.  It makes you want to go closer to it.


    If you can¡¯t throw it away, what should you do with those feelings?


    ¡¸I¡¯ve read the rules of the tournament.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh¡­you¡¯re a serious person aren¡¯t you, Lem. I think that¡¯s wonderful.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Have you read it, Nicola?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­There¡¯s¡­like, a lot of words¡­all tightly packed together¡­ I only have a rough idea.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s fine. I get it. There are probably a lot of people who didn¡¯t read the whole thing.¡¹


    I can understand why it would be depressing to look at something like that.


    ¡¸There was something on there about Avatars that¡¯s interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Interesting?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite something. I wonder how they got permission for it. You know how you aren¡¯t allowed to alter your Avatar to a point where you are indistinguishable from your real body?¡¹


    ¡¸Right?¡¹


    The use of one¡¯s Avatar isn¡¯t limited to Dungeon Clearing. It can be used when operating in dangerous places as well.


    In fact, the connection time is fixed, so if used for a long time¡­this could work.


    Anyway, modification is allowed only to the extent that you can still identify the real person.


    But this time, it is allowed, albeit on a limited basis.


    In other words.


    ¡¸Limited only to tournament participants, the clause on modifying Avatars are allowed. In other words, a thin person can become a muscular one. A Normal can be changed into a completely different-looking Monster.¡¹

 CH 79

    79 ¨C What Is Your Affinity With Me?


    An Avatar can only be operated in a space full of Magical Energy.


    In other words, it¡¯s basically the inside of the Dungeon.


    When using an Avatar for working in a dangerous area, a method of scattering a large amount of Magical Energy in the space beforehand is adopted.


    If the Magical Energy is left just like that, it will automatically diffuse, so with this method you must always scatter the Magical Energy.


    If you don¡¯t do these methods, for example, when walking inside the town using an Avatar, it will break down in about thirty minutes.


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­amazing.¡¹


    Nicola stopped moving her spoon and said that.


    We¡¯re talking about the matter of increasing the number of Avatar modification items.


    ¡¸Ahh, even though it is said that it¡¯s difficult to misuse an Avatar, it¡¯s still a technology that allows you to become a different person if you want to. These organizers aren¡¯t ordinary, even if it¡¯s limited, they still managed to ease the restrictions.¡¹


    The Hero Show should have been organized for about twenty minutes with that in mind. If they want to hold it longer than that, they have to either distribute more Magical Energy onto the stage or hold it inside a Magical Energy space in the first place.


    The generator is only deployed in institutions that have passed a strict inspection, but if it gets misused¡­


    Even if it¡¯s for only about thirty minutes, criminals who¡ºIf he gets killed, he disappears¡»¡ºIf he gets arrested, he disappears¡»¡ºWhose identity cannot be identified¡»would be created.


    The reason why no major modification in appearance is allowed during the Avatar creation stage is to prevent people from becoming a¡ºdifferent person¡».


    But this time, modifications were allowed on the condition that the Avatar and the Registration Card would be recorded by the tournament management.


    In order to associate the specially made Avatar with the person using it.


    ¡¸Fellow is an amazing person, huh? I thought he looked strong.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. He¡¯s a Majin, but he probably has accumulated a lot of Magical Energy in his horns. His Magical Energy signature was just like an ordinary person, but it was too natural. That¡¯s the part that made it very unnatural.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, so you think that he was suppressing his Magical Energy?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s just my intuition though.¡¹


    You¡¯re probably right on the mark.


    He is supposed to be a Demon King, so he should have the ability to generate enormous amounts of Magical Energy.


    Those who can do this probably would not waste their precious Magical Energy.


    Since he looked like an ordinary person, he was skillfully concealing it.


    ¡¸He is¡­a bit similar to Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Lemegeton¡¯s and Lem¡¯s pressure of Magical Energy are completely different. A person that knows Lem probably can¡¯t even believe that they¡¯re actually the same person. That just means that you usually hide it that well, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    Concealing Magical Energy is similar to closing a water tap. It¡¯s like, there¡¯s a lot coming out, but then it¡¯s forcefully restrained so that only a little bit would come out and maintained at that level.


    ¡¸There¡¯s something like¡­a sign? That¡¯s not right. How should I describe it? It¡¯s like I get a similar feeling from Fellow and Lem.¡¹


    I¡¯m surprised.


    That¡¯s probably because both of us have horns, so we belong to the same family of horns.


    I didn¡¯t verbalize this to her, but Nicola perceived it.


    With the exception of Fenix, who I¡¯ve been with since I was little, she¡¯s the second person to suspect this, following the first person, Aerial.


    ¡­Although, it¡¯s rare for a Human to be able to meet both the Demon King¡¯s bloodline and me.


    But, even if she¡¯s a Hero, she shouldn¡¯t have been able to notice it that easily.


    Technically, it should¡¯ve been something that Aerial and Nicola don¡¯t even know.


    This is why I have no choice but to think of this as something like a sixth sense that goes beyond common sense.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know about that. Since I¡¯ve never met Fellow.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Sorry, I said something weird.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s okay. What about your older brother and the other party members? Did they feel the same sense of discomfort as you did?¡¹


    ¡¸No. They didn¡¯t seem to be suspicious of the relationship between Lemegeton and Fellow.¡¹


    ¡­Then, is it because Nicola¡¯s intuition is sharp?


    ¡¸I see. I guess the association is from the commonality that we are concealing our Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸That might be the case. Our conversation got sidetracked, even though you were talking about my Avatar.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s partly my fault because I asked you, but let¡¯s get back to the main topic.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    ¡¸About Nicola¡¯s Avatar-¡¹


    ¡¸About that, I have a little idea.¡¹


    Nicola¡¯s idea was the same as what I was thinking of.


    ¡¸Well, if that¡¯s the case, then it won¡¯t be weird to use Earth Magic and I also think that the way of fighting is suitable.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m relieved. My brother was the one who did all the intelligent stuff, such as dividing the roles, so I was wondering what to do if I had missed the point.¡¹


    I see, that might be typical of Philip.


    A Hero is not omnipotent. Even Fenix has some things that are not suitable with his personality.


    Philip chose to develop his strengths rather than supplementing his weaknesses, and Nicola implemented it.


    The results are showing and I also think that that method is effective for a party.


    ¡¸As the Silver Prince, you might have encountered some unexpected situations, right? But as far as I can tell, you¡¯ve always been a refined Hero. You also have the ability to think properly. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re not going the way that your older brother had created for you.¡¹


    I had reviewed their footage of when they booked the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon after I decided to become her partner in the tournament.


    After hearing my words, Nicola blinked her eyes and showed shy emotions that slowly arose.


    ¡¸Th-thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem. Since the direction for the Avatar is decided, next is-¡¹


    ¡¸Today, too, the two of them are getting along well.¡¹


    Scribble scribble scribble.


    After eating the pancakes, Cashew used her pen to write on the memo.


    She seemed to be doing her mission.


    I laughed as I wiped the crumbs on Cashew¡¯s cheeks with a handkerchief.


    ¡ó


    After that, in the basement of the Union.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­yeah¡­I see. Certainly, this strategy would be useful if it¡¯s used in this tournament, not in a Dungeon Clear? I guess it¡¯s not a strategy? Tactics?¡¹


    ¡¸When it comes to the category of Black Sorcerer, it would probably be something like this. Basically, it¡¯s like the tactic would rely on Nicola¡¯s support.¡¹


    The foundation was decided.


    ¡¸Please take care of me. For that part, I will protect Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Please take care of me as well. I believe that you will coolly protect me.¡¹


    It¡¯s necessary to move together in earnest from here on out, so we showed each other what we can do.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t use this technique too often. It¡¯ll prove most effective the first time it¡¯s used, but after that, it¡¯ll no longer be effective.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, but it¡¯s a fact. That¡¯s why I want to use that one time on Philip and his group.¡¹


    ¡¸The Big Four Furcus will also participate, right? Is that okay?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve thought of an idea to beat Furcus. Although, I would need Nicola¡¯s cooperation and the rest would be a gamble.¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s a gamble that gives us the possibility of winning against one of the Demon King Castle Big Four, I¡¯ll take it.¡¹


    We looked at each other and laughed, then after a while, we left the training room.


    ¡¸Ah, it would be better if we go back separately.¡¹


    Nicola said.


    ¡¸Ahh, that¡¯s right. Just in case, I¡¯ll go back a little bit later.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay. Then, see you later.¡¹


    She raised her hand and said goodbye.


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    At that time, an Adventurer who was passing by turned to look at me.


    Actually, it was Fenix.

 CH 80

    80 ¨C Friend, Don¡¯t Sulk, There Were Some Circumstances 1


    Fenix and I said at the same time.


    ¡¸Why are you here?¡¹


    No, the Dungeon in this city is not limited to Thor¡¯s.


    There¡¯s also a Dungeon with a high degree of difficulty. Did he come here¡­to challenge that Dungeon?


    But if he came here after the Demon King Castle, around this time he should¡¯ve moved to another city. Did he come to this city after Clearing the Dungeon of other cities?


    ¡¸Because of a Dungeon Clear. The editing is already finished, but Alba said he wants to watch the tournament. Since everyone didn¡¯t object, so we decided to come.¡¹


    When Alba said something, he¡¯d usually argue with Lark or Lily. That¡¯s because his remarks are extreme or that his requests are contrary to the wishes of the two.


    The fact that no one objected meant that everyone was interested in the tournament.


    ¡¸Ohh. You¡¯re not going to participate?¡¹


    ¡¸For now, I got the invitation but¡­¡¹


    After hearing Fenix¡¯s words, Nicola shouted¡¸Eh?!¡¹.


    I understand her feeling, if the 4th place in the world rank participates, it¡¯s not just to the degree of a strong enemy.


    I don¡¯t want to use the word impossible to defeat, but if I say it¡¯s possible, it¡¯s an insult to Fenix. His strength is not that weak to the point that I can easily win against him.


    As I said to Philip and Furcus, when it comes to fighting, I¡¯m going with the intention of winning.


    If it¡¯s a battle with a one in ten thousand possibility of winning, then that would be a close fight.


    ¡¸So, did you decline the invitation?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, there were some circumstances. I¡¯ll talk about it later.¡¹


    Then Fenix saw Nicola.


    ¡¸Sorry for the late introduction. I am the Hero Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸R-right, I¡¯m the Hero Nicola!¡¹


    She stuttered.


    Fenix gently smiled at her.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be nervous. We¡¯re both Adventurers, I¡¯m no different from everyone else.¡¹


    It¡¯s the usual gentle Fenix.


    ¡¸By the way, what are you doing with Lem in the training room?¡¹


    I was wrong. As expected, he¡¯s curious about that.


    ¡¸You¡¯re, you¡¯re misunderstanding! We didn¡¯t do anything suspicious!¡¹


    Nicola, if you say it like that, it sounds like we were doing something wrong in the training room.


    ¡¸Since it¡¯s a training room, we were training. Anyway, I¡¯m also an Adventurer.¡¹


    I said that, but my tone was weak.


    I feel a little bit guilty about not talking to him about leaving the party or getting a job at the Demon King Castle.


    I didn¡¯t have a chance to explain that I¡¯m participating in the Tag Tournament, but somehow I feel awkward.


    ¡¸I know that. I was curious as to why you were with Miss Nicola. I was also surprised since I didn¡¯t even know that you came to this city.¡¹


    I also didn¡¯t know that they chose this city, but I wouldn¡¯t say that.


    He was curious as to why I, who should be in the Demon King Castle, would be here, but he can¡¯t say that in front of Nicola, so he used that way of speaking.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll say this first, I¡¯m not going to join Nicola¡¯s party.¡¹


    Nicola nodded at a high speed.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    Did he really understand that? Fenix¡¯s reaction was quite weak. Well, he should¡¯ve quickly figured out that the Demon King Army Chief of Staff and a Hero party wouldn¡¯t be able to stand together.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve decided to participate in the tournament due to various circumstances.¡¹


    ¡¸I figured you¡¯re going to do that.¡¹


    Fenix is ??smart, so he should¡¯ve figured out the answer a few seconds after we met.


    However, what he predicted and how he feels are two different things.


    The part of hearing it directly from the other party¡¯s mouth is important to him. I can understand that.


    Fenix¡¯s gaze is piercing me, it told me that he wanted me to tell him about the said various circumstances.


    ¡¸Nicola, I can deal with this. You should go home first.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay.¡¹


    When I smiled, Nicola hesitated for a while, but eventually, she nodded.


    ¡¸Well then, see you later¡­¡¹


    She looked at me, then bowed to Fenix. After that, she left.


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to the tournament, Nicola.¡¹


    Ping! Her back quivered, then we could hear a voice saying¡¸Bye!¡¹.


    ¡¸As expected of the Flame Hero. To think that you could make the 99th rank feel nervous.¡¹


    She admired me, but she seemed to have feelings of reverence towards Fenix as they are both a Hero.


    ¡¸The 99th rank¡­Nicola¡­ahh, the Silver Hero. Her appearance is quite different from her Avatar.¡¹


    His tone changed from the Flame Hero to childhood friend.


    ¡¸Ah, certainly, her appearance did change. As for us, we didn¡¯t change our appearances so-.¡¹


    There are some people who want to avoid getting involved with fans and reporters on their day off.


    Adventurers are also people, so it¡¯s not weird that some Adventurers want to have a relaxed day.


    Fenix¡¯s party is pretty free about that, but everyone didn¡¯t change.


    Alba loves the attention, Lark doesn¡¯t really care, and Lily said¡¸I have no intentions to lie about myself.¡¹


    I simply imitated the Hero I admired in the past.


    ¡¸Aah.¡¹


    Fenix¡¯s reaction was weak.


    ¡¸Ah, should we go eat?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    So, we headed to the cafeteria near the Union.


    Naturally, I used Confusion. It would cause the people around us to be unable to recognize us. If I, the one who left his party, and Fenix went out together, rumors like¡¸So disgraceful, did he come to beg his close friend to re-employ him again?¡¹or something like that would spread.


    That in itself is okay with me, but I don¡¯t want to bother Fenix with that.


    Along the way, I explained the whole story as to why I came to this city.


    I told him that Nicola had found out about my identity and because of this and that I ended up participating in the Tag Tournament.


    Of course, since it¡¯s embarrassing, I glossed over the matter with Philip.


    I will never tell Fenix that I got upset because he made fun of him.


    ¡¸How should I put it, it sounds just like you to do that.¡¹


    That¡¯s Fenix¡¯s impression after he listened to the whole story.


    We are sitting facing each other at the table.


    ¡¸What do you mean by that?¡¹


    ¡¸Being unable to ignore a person who is in trouble.¡¹


    ¡¸Ugh.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not criticizing you. Since I¡¯m one of the people you helped.¡¹


    ¡¸But, do you think that I¡¯m being too soft?¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder, but I¡¯m curious though. When it comes to participating in a tournament, it¡¯s not just about lending a hand on the spot, right? It actually takes a lot of time and preparation.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t there another reason? A reason more than just wanting to help a person in trouble? A reason that is concerned with Lem personally?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you saying? You¡¯re not going to say something like I fell in love with her, right?¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, I would have to inform Miss Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t.¡¹


    Fenix finally burst into laughter.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re going to do anything dishonorable.¡¹


    ¡¸But?¡¹


    ¡¸You once said that you became a regular at Miss Cashew¡¯s shop because you got cheered up when you went there, right? I think that there might be a reason as to why you¡¯re getting involved with her for more than a short moment.¡¹


    Just like how I often got into a fight with the bullies when my friend was being bullied.


    If I do something that goes beyond plain kindness, there should be another reason behind that? Something around that idea?


    Hmm.


    Should I say that it¡¯s as expected of my childhood friend?


    ¡¸Did you know that I¡¯m Lemegeton before I used magic?¡¹


    ¡¸No. I didn¡¯t even suspect it.¡¹


    It¡¯s rare for a normal Human to pretend that he¡¯s a Monster.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. You knew my magic, that¡¯s why you knew immediately after feeling the effects.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh. What¡¯s wrong with that? -No, I see.¡¹


    He seemed to have noticed.


    ¡¸Yeah. Even though Nicola never saw my magic personally, in the battle with Lemegeton, she said¡¸I saw your eyes and realized that you were the same person.¡¹. She said that so seriously.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t believe it at that time, but I knew from looking at her attitude that it was true.


    However, I was wearing a mask. Moreover, there was a distance between us.


    There wasn¡¯t enough exposure for her to be able to see the shape of my eyes. Then, did she really judge that just by seeing something like the passion inside my pupils?


    I don¡¯t think so.


    ¡¸Unconsciously¡­she felt the similarities between Lem¡¯s abilities that she had seen from the videos and the ability of Lemegeton when she received Lemegeton¡¯s Black Magic, then she perceived the subtle common features between Lem and Lemegeton¡¯s actions?¡¹


    Fenix put his hand under his chin and had a worried look on his face while telling me his opinion.


    The operation method of Black Magic is different for Lem and Lemegeton, but if a person knows the amount of Magical Energy you have, your technique of manipulating Magical Energy, your maximum deployment time, and the maximum number of targets you can have, they can predict what else you¡¯re capable of doing.


    In other words, if someone knows about what I can do, then when they¡¯re at a stage of having a general understanding of what Lemegeton can do, they¡¯re capable of judging that he is on the same level as Lem.


    Fenix took a huge shortcut to most of the parts and when he first saw the Black Magic, he immediately judged that¡¸Ahh, isn¡¯t this Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe that¡¯s also because she was aware of my movements in the Dungeon of Flame Prison.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you talking about when you avoided the pillar of fire? I also asked you to use that maneuver several more times.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve told you this, the way you normally remember all that is scary.¡¹


    Even though I imagined that the conversation could be something like this,¡¸Dungeon of Flame Prison?¡¹¡¸You don¡¯t remember it? The one where there¡¯s a stratum with a pillar of fire in it.¡¹¡¸¡­Ahh, that one.¡¹.


    Well, I shouldn¡¯t say that to him since I generally remember what Fenix and his allies did, and in which Dungeon.


    ¡¸If she¡¯s watching your videos to that level, then she should¡¯ve seen the Dungeon of Moments-¡¹


    ¡¸How can you know that? That seemed to be the video where I was on screen the longest.¡¹


    I laughed bitterly. Fenix looked happy.


    ¡¸She¡¯s really an enthusiastic fan. You should appreciate her.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, really. But that¡¯s not the reason why I¡¯m helping her.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I understand a bit. Only a bit, though. If what you¡¯re saying is true, then she¡­has a talent. A talent too good to be left alone.¡¹


    So, what¡¯s next? Fenix¡¯s eyes were asking that.

 CH 81

    81 ¨C Friend, Don¡¯t Sulk, There Were Some Circumstances 2


    She has a talent.


    That¡¯s right.


    Milla learned about my magic and changed her perception of me first before she started watching a lot of videos.


    Based on the premise that my Black Magic is excellent, she discovered my invisible activities


    in the videos.


    But Nicola seemed to have evaluated me even before I met her in person.


    ¡¸A lot of people say rude things, but the 4th rank is one of the top class in the world. There are some people who think that there¡¯s no way the Black Sorcerer,  who¡¯s a member of that party, is incompetent.¡¹


    Only a few people could be at the level of correctly understanding my true strength, but if it gets widened just a little and go to the level of¡¸He shouldn¡¯t be incompetent since he belongs to the 4th rank party¡¹, the number of people will increase.


    That doesn¡¯t mean they are my fans nor would they recognize the necessity of my presence in the party.


    Most of them would think that, although he¡¯s not incompetent, he¡¯s not suitable for Fenix¡¯s party, or something like that.


    Well, that¡¯s what a Black Sorcerer is.


    ¡¸Right, but that doesn¡¯t mean they would be able to get any insight into what I¡¯m capable of doing.¡¹


    Anyway, they would have some idea that I might be able to use a useful level of Black Magic. Even if it¡¯s on the scope of an ordinary person.


    During the time when I was still in Fenix¡¯s party, Nicola perceived my work.


    She was my fan and often watched the videos.


    That might be why she noticed that Lemegeton was actually me during the battle.


    Although the person herself thinks that she recognized me because of my passion-filled eyes.


    Fenix nodded.


    ¡¸Talent¡­or I should rephrase it as sense. This is innate.¡¹


    ¡¸You have it too.¡¹


    ¡¸What I have is a technical skill.¡¹


    She also felt that Fellow and Lemegeton are similar beings.


    She has an excellent sense of intuition for sensing something that cannot be described with words.


    In addition to her talent being invisible, it was neglected because she experienced her first setback, then after she went through that failure, she focused on acting out the appearance that was instructed by her older brother.


    The talent to discern abilities.


    Is Philip not aware of it or did he consider that it¡¯s not something that can be marketable?


    Either way, what a waste.


    I won¡¯t say that it¡¯s useless to fight gracefully, but her talent¡¯s effectiveness would be manifested the most when she has a close fight with a strong person.


    During a fight where an instant can be fatal, her sense can perceive that important instant.


    ¡¸Have you told her about this?¡¹


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t told her. Anyway, even if I did, she would only think that I was trying to encourage her.¡¹


    ¡¸For these kinds of things, it¡¯s all about timing and the other party.¡¹


    She would be happier if she was told that she was a prodigy by someone that she respects, rather than suddenly being told that by a passerby.


    But, what if she can¡¯t relate to her talent? For this kind of thing, it¡¯s important to have her experience it personally.


    What she needs is a successful experience.


    To become a hero that can make the audience feel excited.


    Until now, she had followed her brother¡¯s guidance.


    She understood that it was because it succeeded that they¡¯re able to have their current rank, and she also understood the balance she has with her teammates.


    That¡¯s why she continued to act as the Silver Prince perfectly until she met me.


    That is what Philip described as the division of roles. Leave the leadership to her older brother and she should just behave nicely according to what the viewers want.


    ¡¸Are you helping her because you feel that it¡¯s regrettable that she¡¯s not aware of her own talent?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. She has an ideal hero image.¡¹


    ¡¸Just like us.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, but¡­not everyone can stay that way, right?¡¹


    There¡¯s nothing wrong with her speaking out about her feelings to me.


    Or rather. It all started when I urged Philip to listen to his sister.


    She just fulfilled her role, but she got dragged along by the person she once admired.


    It was me and Philip who pulled her out of her place and created a place where she is once again being denied.


    Eventually, those two people might have fought about their opinions even if I wasn¡¯t involved, but this time it is a fact that I was the trigger.


    It would be a lie to say that I didn¡¯t care about that at all.


    No matter how much I was asked to team up for the Tag Tournament, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to it.


    It¡¯s true that I¡¯m interested in the tournament, but that¡¯s no reason as to why it has to be her if that¡¯s all I¡¯m interested in.


    Then why? Why am I helping Nicola?


    ¡¸Are you projecting yourself onto her?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I wonder about that.¡¹


    Reality stood in my way, telling me that I¡¯m not capable of becoming my ideal self.


    I wanted to be a Hero, but in reality, I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer.


    Even though there was a way of fighting that I admired, it was the prince character that was popular in the world.


    Projecting¡­well, that might be possible. But I feel like it¡¯s different.


    ¡¸Ahh, I also think that it¡¯s different. Since you never gave up.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not as great of a person as you think. But you might be right, I¡¯m not helping her because we¡¯re the same. More like, it¡¯s the opposite. I probably want to help her because we¡¯re different.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸If you can¡¯t do it, then you can just change it, it¡¯s easy. However, you can¡¯t change your Job. I can¡¯t become a Hero, so I have no other choice but to make do as a Black Sorcerer. On the other hand, she aimed to become a hero and she got the Hero Job. I think it¡¯s too hasty for her to treat her first failure with a reason as simple as because her character wasn¡¯t popular.¡¹


    Even if she failed, it¡¯s not limited to just one reason. Even if there are multiple reasons, it is not necessarily bad when viewed alone. There is a possibility that the combination of those reasons is the one that can create the tragedy.


    She shouldn¡¯t assume that the figure she admired, just as it is, would never be popular with anyone else.


    ¡¸Just because she has the talent doesn¡¯t mean she can succeed.¡¹


    ¡¸I know. There are a lot of people who are strong but not popular. However, don¡¯t you want to see it happen¡­ah.¡¹


    I was finally able to express my feelings perfectly with that sentence. It could even be said that I ended up doing it.


    With a thump, it all made sense to me.


    Right. I thought about a lot of stuff in order to win, but I¡¯ve made my decisions in life pretty simply.


    I wanted to become a Hero because it would look cool. I didn¡¯t give up on my dream because it would be uncool. I became the Demon King Army Chief of Staff because I don¡¯t mind if there¡¯s a Hero of the Monsters.


    I loved watching Clear videos ever since I was little.


    Her dream is to become the kind of hero that I really like.


    I¡¯m an Adventurer fanatic, so I get extremely curious about that kind of hero.


    I wonder what it is.


    Because she¡¯s a fan, because I¡¯m the trigger for her quarrel, because I was invited by her, because I¡¯m interested in the tournament, because we¡¯re friends, or because it¡¯s such a waste to see her talent not being used.


    There are so many things that could be the reason.


    After digging deeper, what came out is that it was all because¡¸I want to see it.¡¹


    It¡¯s too simple, even for me.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I see. Then it can¡¯t be helped. Certainly, if you don¡¯t help her here, you might not be able to see it, and if you help her, you can see her from the front seat. I see, there is no better reason than this.¡¹


    Fenix laughed with his fist covering his mouth.


    It seemed that my childhood friend was able to understand this reason, although other people would have tilted their heads when they heard this.


    After waiting for Fenix to stop laughing, I opened my mouth.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re convinced. So? Why are you not participating?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Ah, it¡¯s because of his purpose. It¡¯s hard for me to agree with it.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Before that, Lem. Do you know Fellow?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know him personally.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought that he¡¯s similar to your master.¡¹


    ¡¸Their looks?¡¹


    ¡¸Their hair, horns¡­and Magical Energy.¡¹


    He¡¯s aware of this.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right, he¡¯s my master¡¯s son.¡¹


    ¡¸His objective, does your master or the current Demon King know?¡¹


    ¡¸The Demon King knows. Master didn¡¯t reply to the letter.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What about the Dungeon Clears?¡¹


    ¡¸I guess, I¡¯ll get rid of it. Is that why you declined?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you want me to cooperate?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m convinced.¡¹


    There may be some other reason, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll tell me about it. I won¡¯t ask too much.


    ¡¸You¡¯re still going to participate, even though you know about it?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m planning to obstruct the abolition of Dungeons, but I think the attempt is interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, for the time being, I¡¯ll go out as Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I thought that it would be okay if I were called by the Chief of Staff.¡¹


    He jokingly said.


    ¡¸Have you even made your Monster Avatar?¡¹


    ¡¸I did place an order.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, so you are making it¡­¡¹


    Even though I was asking this as a half-joke.


    ¡¸By the way, Lem. I forgot to say this.¡¹


    He said this when we were about to say goodbye after leaving the store.


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m convinced this time and I¡¯m not going to complain about your decision. However, the next time you participate in an event like this, you should invite me. If it¡¯s you and I, we won¡¯t lose to anyone else.¡¹


    As expected, he was concerned about it.


    But well, that¡¯s okay. If I heard that Fenix is ??going to participate in the tournament with a Black Sorcerer that I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll make me feel complicated. Something like, it¡¯s okay, but what¡¯s he doing, but it¡¯s okay.


    It¡¯s like, he should¡¯ve invited me, isn¡¯t he being too distant?


    Friendship is something that can be activated even in strange places.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do that, but I¡¯m not so sure if it¡¯ll be with the you as you are now.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Your mind and Magical Energy organ are exhausted.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­As expected of you.¡¹


    Fenix had a wry smile.


    ¡¸You were hiding it pretty well, but I still discovered it. It¡¯s only natural for me to realize.¡¹


    It¡¯s about my best friend. There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t notice it.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m in the middle of training.¡¹


    He scratched his cheek shyly.


    ¡¸I see. I won¡¯t ask you for the details.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, thanks for doing that.¡¹


    Maybe he¡¯s trying to defeat the Demon King Army Chief of Staff with that technique.


    There¡¯s no way he would reveal his hand.


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯m worried about what will be in the memo if I don¡¯t go back soon.¡¹


    ¡¸Memo¡­? Ah, well then, see you again. Right, I¡¯ll properly watch the match.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m also looking forward to that person¡¯s commentary.¡¹


    That person¡­?


    I had already turned my back, but I felt a little uneasy.


    In the end, I headed toward the inn without turning back.

 CH 82

    82 ¨C The Tournament Qualifying Round Will Commence


    Finally, 49 teams have gathered for the Tag Tournament.


    It is said that even this has decreased.


    Anyone can participate, so there were a lot of people who wanted to participate.


    However, an Avatar is required in order to participate.


    And the cost of generating an Avatar is surprisingly expensive. If they came for reasons such as wanting to create a memory, just because it looks fun, or that they might be able to stand out, the amount is enough to make them immediately chill out.


    As a result, only those who have an Avatar or can afford to modify it remains.


    Most of them are Adventurers and Monsters.


    ¡¸Hey¡­Mr. Lem. No, Lem.¡¹


    We are now in the room where the cocoon that can transfer the spirit from the physical body to the Avatar is installed, the Link Room.


    ¡¸What is it, Berith?¡¹


    She called me looking like a Monster and I called her by her Monster Name.


    There are four Link Rooms and eight cocoons were placed in each room.


    The partitions have been set up, entry and exit times have also been coordinated, and privacy has been taken into consideration.


    Leaving the room, we headed down the corridor.


    We¡¯re heading to the battleground.


    ¡¸Just maybe¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸Are we the only Monster and Human pair?¡¹


    Her voice sounded nervous.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think it¡¯s only us.¡¹


    ¡¸I-is that so.¡¹


    ¡¸Since they are especially expressing the freedom of teaming up, I think there¡¯ll be pairs gathered in order to highlight that point.¡¹


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that only Fenix and the brother and sister, Philip and Nicola, were the only ones who received the invitation.


    His objective is to dispel people¡¯s negative emotions towards Monsters.


    Adventurers basically won¡¯t show that they get along well with Monsters in public places. Since the setting is that they are enemies.


    And Fellow wants to erase that part of the setting. That¡¯s why he wants to abolish the Dungeons.


    He must¡¯ve prepared pairs of Monsters and Adventurers in order to persuade someone else.


    As the first step to letting them know that there is nothing strange about being equal existences and living together.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s okay, we can win.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­but what I¡¯m scared about is¡­¡¹


    Not being accepted.


    There are some parties that even if they post a video, the number of views of their videos would stop at two digits.


    If it¡¯s just a hobby, then that¡¯s fine. They can think that it¡¯s already good enough that there was even one person who would see it.


    But if they choose to become an Adventurer for the rest of their lives, then that¡¯s no good.


    If they can¡¯t entertain more people, then they can¡¯t make a living. They can¡¯t remain as Adventurers.


    In order to continue, they need a lot of people to like them.


    That¡¯s why the reality that they can¡¯t receive any attention is nothing more than hell for Adventurers.


    She¡¯s afraid that that hell will manifest again.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay.¡¹


    ¡¸I know¡­the present is different from the past. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not confident about the match. But¡­it just shows up inside my head. Those past memories when nobody would look at me.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s okay. First of all, you are going together with me, who is attracting attention in a bad way.¡¹


    After my withdrawal¡­to the public, it¡¯s my first exposure to society after I was evicted from the party.


    Just because I¡¯m the Black Sorcerer Lem, I will definitely stand out. Their gazes would be directed at me.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸And one more thing. If we fail, I can take the blame. It would look like you failed because you teamed up with an incompetent Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    I deliberately said that with a serious face.


    There was a silence for one, two, three seconds.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­¡¹


    Finally, she laughed.


    ¡¸That¡¯s impossible, Lem. It¡¯s impossible that we might lose because of you.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, we will win. So that the audience won¡¯t be able to take their eyes off of you. If you stand on the podium, that will naturally happen.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re omitting the possibility that we might lose because of me.¡¹


    ¡¸Give me a break. I can¡¯t win without you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    With that, she didn¡¯t look down again.


    ¡¸I will win and prove it. That I can be the Hero I admired. And that-¡¹


    She looked at me.


    ¡¸-there is a wonderful Black Sorcerer in this world.¡¹


    There¡¯s no anxiety in her voice.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    Then, we arrived at the battleground.


    It¡¯s a rectangular stage.


    They rented a venue that is usually used for sports matches where people hold, throw, or kick balls.


    It seemed that we were the last team, all 16 pairs were present at the venue.


    Since 49 teams are quite numerous, they will reduce this to 16 teams through this qualifying round.


    Philip and his friends are exempt from the qualifying round because they have the highest rank.


    Then, it¡¯ll be 48 teams, so it can be divided into 3 groups of 16 teams.


    All they have to do is rotate the 32 cocoons prepared by the management 3 times.


    Out of 16 teams, 5 teams would win. If that is done 3 times, then 15 teams will remain. After that, the main tournament will be held with Philip and others added.


    ¡¸Hey¡­that guy¡¯s¡­¡¹¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem? He¡¯s still an Adventurer?¡¹¡¸Who¡¯s that next to him¡­a Monster?¡¹¡¸Isn¡¯t she an Insect-Human?¡¹¡¸Isn¡¯t that type part of the shell species?¡¹¡¸Why is he together with a Monster?¡¹¡¸Isn¡¯t it because of that? Because no Adventurer would team up with him.¡¹¡¸Puhah¡­hey, stop that, that¡¯s rude.¡¹¡¸No, no, people would usually not want to team up with Monsters as well.¡¹¡¸But if he¡¯s the 4th rank, then he has the highest rank, right?¡¹¡¸You fool, that¡¯s his former rank, now he¡¯s outside of the rankings.¡¹¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Ridicules and laughter.


    Well, it¡¯s always like this. It¡¯s been a while since I showed up as Lem, so I feel nostalgic even for these.


    There was this squeezing sound.


    It was the sound of her fists clenching.


    ¡¸Ahh, Lem. I feel like I finally understand your feelings of anger towards my older brother.¡¹


    It can¡¯t be guessed from her expression, but her mouth got distorted into the shape of a smile.


    Of course, the emotion she¡¯s feeling is anger. She¡¯s smiling because she¡¯s too angry.


    Philip told me that Fenix was second-rate and I got angry when hearing that.


    Nicola was also angry at her brother¡¯s rude behavior, but he is her family. Since she is aware of his nasty tongue, she¡¯s also aware of what kind of person he is and what kind of thoughts he had when he chose to say those words.


    So, she was unable to fully understand or sympathize with my anger.


    She¡¯s saying that now she understands that feeling.


    Hmm¡­no, well. Looks like she got motivated, so I guess it¡¯s okay?


    I don¡¯t think she should be too emotional, but when I saw her burning up with fighting spirit, I thought that her condition didn¡¯t seem to be bad.


    ¡¸E-, a-, a-, can all of you hear me? Yeah, it sounds good. My name is Fellow and I am the organizer of this tournament. I am a Majin. I¡¯m not scary. Please don¡¯t hate me, all of you Adventurers. Just kidding. Thank you for being interested to participate in this occasion-.¡¹


    I heard a voice from the speaker.


    So he¡¯s Fellow.


    The venue is full of Magical Energy. It¡¯s being constantly released, it seemed like it cost quite a lot of money since it prevents the breaking down of Avatars.


    Fellow seemed to have a lot to say.


    I listened slightly to what he¡¯s saying for a while.


    It should end any time now. It came.


    ¡¸And so, they¡¯re going to fight now with 16 teams. Does that mean that it¡¯s a melee battle? It¡¯s okay to seriously injure them to make them leave the field, so the rule is that the match will end when there are only 5 teams left. Well then, start!¡¹

 CH 83

    83 ¨C Punching Hard With her Silver Fist


    This tournament is originally an experimental one.


    Just like the Hero Show, it was meant to show that there are these kinds of fascinating things, these kinds of spectacles.


    For the time being, there are cameras in the audience seats and on the walls of the field, but how much of those would be broadcasted?


    After all, the important one is the main competition.


    I can¡¯t fail here.


    ¡¸If someone can defeat contestant Lem and advance to the main competition, I would like to ask more about that during the introduction video before the match.¡¹


    Fellow¡­


    I don¡¯t think that he wants¡­to get rid of his own daughter¡¯s subordinate, right?


    After all, he can just say an adequate reason during the examination if I became a nuisance.


    When I talked to Fenix, I also heard about this.


    He seemed to have noticed my inheritance of the horn.


    A Black Sorcerer was implanted with the horn that he might have inherited.


    Is he trying to test the ability of the horn?


    Or maybe it¡¯s me-.


    ¡¸What? Seriously?¡¹¡¸It¡¯s a chance to appear on the TV for a long time!¡¹¡¸Thank you, former 4th rank!¡¹¡¸I feel bad, but it¡¯s impossible for you to have a comeback since I¡¯m going to beat you here!¡¹


    The contestants looked at me one after another.


    Even if he didn¡¯t do that, it seemed that they were already aiming for me since I look like an easy target, but due to Fellow¡¯s remark, the number of gazes has increased.


    That¡¯s just fine for me.


    Originally, support members were inconspicuous. Since their job is to support the Hero and the other members. They are an existence that makes the surrounding members stand out.


    However, in this place, the title of the former 4th rank is showing its effects.


    There is also Fellow¡¯s remark, I¡¯m catching their attention.


    No one is paying attention to my partner.


    A Demi-Human who somehow got caught by the parasite that even his best friend had run out of patience with. Anyway, she¡¯ll probably be a worthless small fry.


    That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s better that way.


    I look around.


    15 teams other than us.


    Furcus and Kei are not among them.


    Around 6 teams are targeting me and among them, there are 2 teams that stand out.


    Some people are already fighting in the field, a total of 7 teams.


    The remaining 2 teams chose to wait and see and fortunately no one was targeting them.


    I cast Speed Down on the Hero/Warrior pair and the Hero/Paladin pair, the 4 people who were standing out. By inserting a blank space that makes the two Heroes unaware of the interruption, one of them stumbled and the other one lost his stance. Of course, the timing of the activation is different.


    Their partners waited for the Heroes in order to match their movements.


    Then the other four teams caught up with them.


    They lined up in a semicircle and attacked me simultaneously.


    ¡¸This is a Tag Tournament, you know. Why can¡¯t you understand that?¡¹


    That voice is lower compared to her usual voice. She tampered with the vocal cords of her Avatar and expanded her voice range.


    It¡¯s a wall. Standing tall in a semicircle is a silver wall.


    It stopped or repelled the Hero, Warrior, Paladin, and Heavy Warrior, as well as their swords, spears, and axes.


    ¡¸There¡¯re two people in a team. You shouldn¡¯t ignore the other person.¡¹


    How should I describe her?


    There is a race called Insect-Human. Although they¡¯re Demi-Humans with the characteristics of bugs, there are many kinds of bugs. Or it should be better to say that they¡¯re diverse.


    Although they¡¯re all grouped as Insect-Human, for example, some people have a human upper body and a spider lower body, there are also other people that are mostly human, but have the characteristics of a bee on their buttocks, back, and head.


    The shell species refers to those who have an exoskeleton similar to a beetle.


    Her eyes are fitted with a mask similar to the head of a beetle and while her body still retains a feminine form, several parts are covered with an exoskeleton.


    ¡¸Wh-what¡¯s that¡­?!¡¹¡¸It¡¯s Earth Magic, but this hardness is¡­¡¹¡¸Did that Insect-Human do this!¡¹¡¸Who else would do that!¡¹¡¸No, but she¡¯s just Lem¡¯s supporting character, how can she use this level of magic?!¡¹


    For example, Birdmen need the support of Wind Magic in order to fly.


    Apparently, even when a person has wings, he can¡¯t fly like a bird.


    In addition, Mermaids are good at using Water Magic so that they can move in their desired direction in the sea, and it seems that by being able to use it well, it would be possible for them to carry out activities in the deep sea.


    Even Vampires, including Milla, have the ability to manipulate blood as a standard.


    Humans are sometimes called Normals because they lack the individuality of a race.


    That being the case, Humans are rich in diversity and as a result, their numbers have increased.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay, Berith.¡¹


    Anyway, Insect-Humans also have magic related to their race.


    That is Earth Magic. The power they have acquired after living in the forest.


    It can be said that it¡¯s the best race for Nicola to mimic since she has a contract with the Earth Spirit.


    By the way, there are also some Elves who are good at Wind Magic and Earth Magic.


    Lily seemed to have practiced archery because she was not blessed with such talent


    ¡¸Tsk, I can¡¯t destroy it. What kind of magic¡­is¡­eh?¡¹


    A staff had pierced through the head of the Hero who¡¯s the partner of the Warrior from one of the teams that stood out


    Just like that, his body burst and left the field.


    ¡¸Eh? What?¡¹


    The new thing that I bought for this tournament was a staff.


    Originally, there were a lot of Wizards with staves. A staff has a function similar to that of a Majin¡¯s horns, which is to enrich and purify the Magical Energy that is poured into it.


    However, it cannot be stored.


    It¡¯s a tool that refines the Magical Energy that was poured from the body to the staff, then uses that refined Magical Energy to cast the magic. The effect of the magic would increase by going through that process.


    However, since that one-tempo movement still made the casting process get delayed, even though I had it when I was still an Adventurer, I rarely used it.


    What I bought this time is one with a certain mechanism.


    For now, it¡¯s a staff with a sharp tip. That¡¯s enough.


    Berith blocked the opponent¡¯s attack.


    I grasped the position of the opponent.


    Matching it with the timing of my thrust, Berith made a hole on the wall.


    After that, the sharp tip of the staff pierced the face of the Hero who was caught unaware and that¡¯s that.


    The stunned Paladin is also full of openings, so I pierced the position where his heart would be and made him leave the field.


    The remaining 5 teams became cautious of my surprise attacks and stepped back.


    ¡¸Can you still go on?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure thing. Should we defeat the rest?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, let¡¯s be flashy.¡¹


    ¡¸I was already planning to do that.¡¹


    I have no intentions of using the anti-Philip strategy and the anti-Furcus strategy here.


    This is not the time to cut corners.


    If the qualifying round is everything, then it would be okay to expose all the cards in our hands here.


    However, we are heading towards the one goal of winning the tournament.


    So, in this case, it¡¯s about thinking about where and how much ability should be used.


    We won¡¯t be able to win if we always use all of our strength in the fight.


    If that¡¯s the case, then we shouldn¡¯t do that.


    Occasionally doing what we need to do in order to win. It¡¯s okay just like this.


    The wall crumbled.


    ¡¸¡­What is that?¡¹


    One of them said.


    I guess if they looked at her right arm, which was enlarged to the point that it was somewhat similar to a cart, they would say that.


    Berith¡¯s right arm was wrapped in silver.


    ¡¸She, she¡¯s just bluffing! How is she supposed to hit us when her hand is wrapped with that kind of thing!¡¹


    One of the Heroes shouted.


    Well then, let¡¯s make him the first target.


    I deliberately pointed my staff at him.


    ¡¸-Wha? My body is¡­is this Black Magic? This¡­¡¹


    I used the staff to cast Speed Down. Although it¡¯s still inside the category of Black Magic, its effectiveness has exceeded common sense.


    I could interpret it later as if he was a strong man equivalent to the 4th place party in the world.


    It¡¯s just barely under the degree that afterward it could be explained as that I was worthy of being one of the powerful people who was the 4th rank in the world.


    It¡¯s a little disappointing that I didn¡¯t use my Magical Energy in front of another Black Sorcerer. He had no intention of preventing the Black Magic. Meaning that he thought that there was no need to be afraid of someone like Lem.


    ¡¸Hey, she¡¯s starting to move! Why aren¡¯t you retreating!¡¹


    ¡¸No, my¡­my body feels heavy!¡¹


    While the Hero was quarreling with his partner, the Paladin, Berith had already arrived.


    No, I should say that they were already inside the range of her fist.


    ¡¸Haa?! Gah, fine! I¡¯ll block this blow, so quickly cast Resist-¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t hear his words to the end.


    They were blown off backward with tremendous force and burst as they hit the wall of the field.


    Of course, the thing being dispersed are the Magical Energy that composed their Avatars as they left the field.


    Although the damage was dealt to the Paladin and the Hero that was behind him. Several Adventurers, whose bodies were grazed by them as they were blown away, had their arms, stomach, or legs blown off.


    The power of Berith¡¯s fist should have been immediately transmitted to everyone.


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s pretty good.¡¹


    When I was preparing to use the staff, the contestants visibly became cautious.


    ¡­This is practically my first time experiencing having those people, that have the same profession as me, being cautious towards me.


    There is a wall if they get closer. Moreover, Black Magic seems to be more effective than they imagined. If they get slowed down by Black Magic, then they can¡¯t avoid the fist of the Insect-Human. And if they get hit directly, they would leave the field.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re going to defeat Lem, right? I¡¯m not going to let you lay even a single finger on him.¡¹


    The contestants are slowly retreating.


    They have no way of defeating Berith.


    Just like that, we safely passed the qualifying round.


    And obtained the right to participate in the main tournament.

 CH 84

    84 ¨C The Special Guest in the Commentary Box Is That Hero


    And so, the day of the main tournament has come.


    Not only us, but Furcus and Kei as well, who were in a different group during the qualifying round, are advancing to the main tournament.


    The crowd of spectators looks good¡­or rather, it¡¯s a full house.


    There are Adventurers, Monsters, people who came because the tournament is held in their neighborhood, fans of the participants, and people and reporters who are interested in the new attempt.


    People who came all the way here to see me¡­there are some today.


    It¡¯s Milla. There¡¯s also Sitri and Agares¡­the Demon King is also here. There are also other people from the Demon King Castle.


    It seems the Demon King Castle is closed today.


    Anyway, Furcus is also here, in her case, her participation as the Demon King Castle¡¯s executive is also a big reason, maybe they came to support her as her friends.


    Next to Milla, there is also Cashew.


    Also, there is a private room in a high position, which was different from the commentary box. What does that place mean, is it a VIP room?


    It¡¯s probably something like that. One side of the wall is made of a transparent material, so they can see the field below.


    The Fenix party came in to watch the tournament from that room.


    Who leaked the rumors, well, maybe it was leaked from Fellow¡¯s side, but it looks like a lot of people came here after hearing that Fenix would be coming here.


    Furthermore-.


    ¡¸Well, as expected of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four. What extremely quick spearmanship.¡¹


    Said an Ogre Hero commentator. The long beard is divided into three and braided together, which looked stylish.


    The difference between Ogres and Normals are physique and physical strength. Ogres are bigger and stronger.


    At the time of the Great War, the whole race was feared because some individuals were eating people, but fundamentally, most of the Ogres have a cautious and calm temperament.


    ¡¸It was a magnificent defensive move and skillful spear handling. From a step that looks as if it¡¯s going to sink to instantly doing four consecutive thrusts, even if you know about this move, it would still be difficult to avoid it.¡¹


    ¡¸Hoho, even to someone as great as you, Sir Aerial?¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    The person sitting in the commentary box is the Storm Hero of the 1st rank party in the World Ranking, Aerial.


    Jade green eyes and green hair that looks like a storm that devastates the world.


    A straight back on a well-trained body that doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s a day over forty.


    A respected leader and someone who Fenix must overcome in order for him to become number one.


    ¡¸I might have been able to do that if I was 20 years younger¡¹, he jokingly laughed,¡¸However, if it was a fight in which we can only use our body and weapons, it would be a close fight even for the younger me. That¡¯s how good of a combatant she is.¡¹


    Just a while ago was Furcus and Kei¡¯s match.


    As you can imagine from what they are talking about, the result is the victory of Furcus and Kei.


    ¡¸Her partner, the Centaur, also has good movements. An archer usually has a hard time when the distance is reduced, but in her case, she will shoot while constantly moving with the legs of a horse, right? Moreover, her accuracy rate is high. First of all, it¡¯s hard for their opponents to close the distance to her and if they did close the distance, she would clash against them head-on. For them, it would be just like trying to stop a horse-drawn carriage. What a menace.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see. If you¡¯re saying they¡¯re strong, is it a point of concern for you that they are fighting separately?¡¹


    ¡¸Although they didn¡¯t have an easy-to-understand cooperation, they are not fighting separately. Contestant Orobas first ran in in order to widen the distance between them. At that point, it wasn¡¯t possible for their opponents to keep Furcus and her in their field of vision at the same time. Then, they either have to divide their attention between the two or ignore one of them. However, no matter what, they must¡¯ve felt more anxious about one of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, so their attention had turned towards contestant Furcus, right?¡¹


    Orobas is Kei¡¯s Dungeon name.


    ¡¸¡­Ahh! So that means that this is a combination of the Centaur¡¯s leg strength and her partner¡¯s notoriety.¡¹


    During the match, it seemed that the Hero was in charge of Furcus and the Wizard was in charge of Kei, but then the Wizard got his arm pierced with an arrow and dropped his staff, and Furcus had opened a hole in the body of the Hero.


    ¡¸Well, it was an overwhelming match.¡¹


    Mr. Commentator said that earnestly.


    ¡¸Anyway, this is an interesting attempt. For example, contestant Orobas usually plays an active role in the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, but in Dungeons, Monsters other than Floor Bosses are not so noticeable. However, if there is an event like this, it will be possible for the world to know that there actually is such an excellent and capable Monster in there.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. At any rate, the image that Monsters would come out in large numbers is quite strong, so unless they have a lot of personalities, people would not be able to remember their Dungeon Name. This time, they are participating as an individual with an individual tag as well, so it¡¯s the person themselves.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s interesting that they¡¯re completely different from when they¡¯re doing their job as being one of the many Monsters that appear during a Dungeon Clear. I think it¡¯s a good thing that strong Monsters are being known as much as strong adventurers.¡¹


    ¡¸Your popularity might get stolen away, you know?¡¹


    The commentator said jokingly.


    Aerial laughed happily.


    ¡¸I think that way it would be more fun for the viewers. The story of justice winning is reassuring, but a battle in which the viewers want both teams to win would be more interesting. Isn¡¯t that the case with sports? Both teams and contestants have fans that cheer for them.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, sports. It would be great if it could become a new sport with Adventurers and Monsters as the contestants. At that time, please leave the commentary to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha, it¡¯s not good to promote yourself during the commentary.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I got too excited about the new job opportunity.¡¹


    While giving the audience a laugh, the two of them filled for time until the next match.


    ¡¸Contestant Lem, contestant Berith, please enter the field.¡¹


    Following the instructions of the staff, we went towards the field from the waiting room.


    ¡¸Next, a team with quite the unique combination will come out.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s Lem, right? I don¡¯t know the young lady from the shell species, but it feels good to see her being flashy. In a Dungeon, there are rather few open places, so that kind of attack is not really possible.¡¹


    ¡¸After all, if she recklessly destroyed the things around her, she would have needed to pay the compensation fee. Nowadays, there are many viewers who are strict about such things.¡¹


    This cannot be negated because there were a lot of Adventurers whose attempts to Clear the Dungeon was too extreme before the rules were decided, so behind the scenes, the Dungeon¡¯s side had racked their brains to find a solution.


    Although it can be fixed much faster than normal, it¡¯s not possible for it to be a job if the workplace is destroyed every time.


    ¡¸This rule is inevitable since Dungeon Repair is not something that can be done in an instant. However, I personally think that various ways of fighting should be allowed. If there¡¯s a Dungeon that wants to hire her, I definitely wish they would station her in a large area. By the way, anything is possible in this tournament, so it¡¯s okay for everyone who is currently watching to concentrate on the fight.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re so open-minded. If I was a participant, I would have felt less anxious after hearing that, so I think I might fight more freely. However, about contestant Berith, there are a lot of intervals in between her techniques.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a weakness common to magic that uses a large amount of Magical Energy. If they try to increase the power, the Magical Energy required to cast the magic will also become enormous and it will take time to turn that enormous amount of Magical Energy into a magic form.¡¹


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t take a lot of time to make a mini snowman with small snowballs, but it takes time to make a big snowman. Is it something similar to that?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s more similar to a snowball fight. The opponent can attack the other party while they¡¯re making a snowball. If they roll the snowball to make it bigger, they will become a target. This is a chance for their opponents.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, how did they pass the qualifying round?¡¹


    ¡¸She created a wall and after that, it¡¯s Lem¡¯s Black Magic.¡¹


    The venue became noisy.


    ¡¸Hmhm. Sir Aerial is acquainted with Lem, right? There are various rumors, but does that mean that contestant Lem¡¯s Black Magic is different from the general one?¡¹


    ¡¸Whether that explanation is correct or not¡­There is a White Sorcerer in my party, right?¡¹


    ¡¸MIss Panacea, right. She announced her retirement the other day.¡¹


    ¡¸After all, her kids are really cute, so that just can¡¯t be helped. Because they¡¯re too cute.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, being there for both the family and an Adventurer¡­that is definitely a difficult problem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, anyway, Panacea is extremely skillful.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that all of the people present here would have known about that.¡¹


    ¡¸I think it¡¯s safe to assume that Lem is the Black Sorcerer version.¡¹


    As expected, Mr. Commentator also took a long time to respond to that.


    ¡¸That is¡­extremely high praise.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. He¡¯s so strong to the point that I invited him to join our party.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you-Eh?¡­eh? I¡­I think I heard a shocking comment just now.¡¹


    ¡¸He declined, though.¡¹


    I¡¯m certainly not hiding it. But I also didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it.


    I heard from Fenix while we were chatting the last time we met, but it seems that Bella said in the Demon King Castle Clear interview that Aerial had complimented me.


    But that wasn¡¯t broadcasted.


    So, this is new information for everyone except a limited number of people. They must be surprised.


    ¡¸Is that true?¡¹


    Berith looked at me.


    ¡¸At that time, I was already in the Demon King Castle and I thought it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to become 1st rank by joining the 1st rank party.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s amazing¡­Only those who have that experience can understand.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s concentrate on the match.¡¹


    ¡¸Got it.¡¹


    Berith continued nodding and appealed with her eyes that she wanted to hear more about this later.


    If all of our acquaintances win and advance to the next rounds, we would fight Philip in the semifinals and Furcus in the finals.


    But of course, we have to first win the first round.


    The light at the end of the passage came into view. It¡¯s the field.


    The first round begins.

 CH 85

    85 -The First Round


    ¡¸Hmm, I¡¯ll acknowledge it. It appears that you are an excellent Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    The opponent, a Wizard, said that while repositioning his glasses.


    While saying that he acknowledged it, he looked at me with contempt for some reason.


    ¡¸But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s inexplicably plain. Piercing someone with the tip of a staff was interesting, but it¡¯s not a technique that can be used twice.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah.¡¹


    The partner of the Wizard youth is a muscular Hero.


    The Hero just continued nodding after hearing the words of the youth.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the same with how you teamed up with a Monster, you¡¯re so desperate to stand out. But you know, Lem, I guess you were kicked out from the party because that is not something that can be solved with some ingenuity and effort. I also can¡¯t understand what Sir Aerial is thinking. To think that he invited you to his Party. Well, it¡¯s probably just a joke, there is no idiot that would decline that invitation.¡¹


    Ahh, is he Aerial¡¯s fan?


    It would be bewildering if the respected 1st rank in the world praised a Black Sorcerer , even if it¡¯s just a little.


    It¡¯s such an impossible story that there are people who don¡¯t believe it, even though Aerial himself is the one who talked about it.


    Both that Lem is excellent and also that there is someone who would decline his invitation.


    ¡¸I have also understood the ability of your partner. Lem, sorry but you will be eliminated here.¡¹


    Then, the match started.


    ¡¸Ugh!¡¹


    Because Berith¡¯s great technique is powerful, it takes time and its movement is not fast.


    If she aimed for the technique to be both big and fast, it¡¯ll become magic that lacks crucial power.


    That¡¯s fine this time.


    The Wizard and Hero who were standing side by side are separated by a silver wall that gradually rose to divide the field into two.


    The wall is thin and brittle, but that¡¯s not a problem.


    We are planning to settle the match before they can realize that.


    The Hero and Berith, me and the Wizard are facing each other.


    The appearance of the wall and my sprint were done at almost the same time.


    ¡¸A Black Sorcerer rushing forward? Don¡¯t screw with me!¡¹


    Refined Magical Energy gathered at the tip of his staff and a fireball was fired.


    It¡¯s on a trajectory that¡¯ll hit my torso directly.


    But, there are things that most people don¡¯t know about me.


    First of all, my body was trained by my master.


    And recently, Furcus had given me intensive and valuable training.


    Because Black Sorcerers don¡¯t have the Aptitude needed, they can¡¯t move that well. After all, they are a support member, so they can only do the minimum level of movement.


    That kind of image must have been applied to me as well.


    That¡¯s why he is surprised.


    I jumped in a posture that made me jump forward, rolled one time on the ground like a ball, and then resumed sprinting with the same energy.


    I dodged the fireball by diving below it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m desperate. Aren¡¯t you the same?¡¹


    ¡¸Ku¡­!¡¹


    He prepared to cast the magic again, but it couldn¡¯t be done.


    That¡¯s because his staff and the right hand that was holding it fell onto the floor.


    There was a dry thud.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    His arm was cut off.


    By my staff. No. Actually, to be exact-


    ¡¸A, a sword staff¡­?!¡¹


    Yeah. The handle of the staff is a hilt and the tip is a blade.


    It has the functions of a staff, but it concealed its function as a scabbard.


    Wizard is a versatile Job that can activate various kinds of magic, but their body is often fragile.


    Most of them cannot use White Magic and Black Magic.


    My sword was able to cut through him without any problems.


    Of course, I was also using all sorts of Black Magic.


    ¡¸Wha-eh? Your movements just now¡­and also, magic¡­you, what¡¯s going on-¡¹


    The Wizard, whose body was cut diagonally, left the field.


    Certainly, what he was saying is not wrong.


    It is certain that the carelessness of those who did not know Berith made it easier for us to pass the qualifying round.


    The fact that our opponents don¡¯t know about us can be advantageous.


    Taking advantage of their lack of knowledge about my movements and staff mechanism, I used it in the short-term battle.


    The movements of the Hero stopped for a moment when his partner left the field.


    Now¡¯s the time.


    My Black Magic and Berith¡¯s Attack Magic are cast at the same time.


    This time, silver was created from the floor on all four sides of the Hero so as to surround him with arms and each of it was so big to the point that I wanted to call it a fist of a giant.


    Just like that, the fists fell toward the well-built Hero.


    As he was agitated by his partner¡¯s premature exit, he received the first attack while still defenseless. The second attack sank his foot to the floor, he tried to resist the third attack, but then the fourth attack came down.


    The opponent left the field by a series of silver fists dropping after another on top of him.


    ¡¸Th-the winner, Lem and Berith pair!¡¹


    Along with the voice of the commentator, cheers rise from a part of the audience seats, around where everyone from the Demon King Castle is seated.


    However, a lot of the other spectators seem to be bewildered. Some of them are surprised.


    No¡­not yet.


    We are still in the preparation stage.


    I don¡¯t have the easy-to-understand charm that can make people suddenly popular even though they suddenly appeared.


    And Berith is an unidentifiable Monster.


    The audience still can¡¯t get over our battle.


    But now the groundwork has been completed.


    Lem seems to be doing something different than when he was an Adventurer and Berith seems to prefer showy attacks.


    It can¡¯t be helped that the cards in my hand are steadily decreasing.


    As long as the impact of the first impression is important, I should use the cards that can be used.


    The surprise of seeing the unconventional actions of a Black Sorcerer holding a sword and picking a close-distance fight must have delayed the response of the Wizard.


    Such an effect cannot be expected from the second time onward. Unless the opponent didn¡¯t even try to know about the match of the opponent that they might fight against.


    On the way back to the waiting room, Berith murmured quietly.


    ¡¸I wonder¡­if it¡¯s going well.¡¹


    Our purpose this time is not just to win.


    Proof that she can make the audience feel excited is also needed.


    It¡¯s not just about winning.


    ¡¸By the time you win, everyone won¡¯t be able to take their eyes off of you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah. Yeah, you¡¯re right. I have to feel like I can fascinate them.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do our best next time as well.¡¹


    We broke through the first round.


    Similarly, Philip and Furcus also advanced to the second round.

 CH 86

    86 ¨C Let¡¯s Go, Second Round


    The main competition will be held for two days.


    The first day is up until the second round and the second day is up to the finals.


    The number of matches is not even, so the latter half of the matches may take more time to be directed.


    Introductory videos and the audience¡¯s enthusiasm would be broadcasted.


    Anyway, it¡¯s the second round.


    Our opponents are a Hero and a Hero.


    It seems that the leaders of different parties have teamed up in this tournament.


    In a Dungeon Clear, the party is basically fixed.


    The members cannot be easily exchanged or replaced.


    For example, in a tournament like this, it¡¯s possible to realize a dream tag team in which the contractors of the Four Great Spirits, Aerial and Fenix, are fighting together.


    But in that case, who else can win the tournament?


    The only thing that comes to my mind is my master. However, master will not want to appear.


    Most of the participant¡¯s teams this time are Monsters from the same workplace or Adventurers from the same party.


    Among those who remained for the main competition, there are three teams consisting of a Human and a Monster, including us.


    A team of Monsters that are from different workplaces are Furcus and Kei, and the team of Adventurers that are from different parties are our opponents this time.


    ¡¸First of all, I have to apologize to you, Sir Lem!¡¹


    The Gust Hero is a youth around 14 years old. His cheerful way of speaking gives him a lively impression.


    ¡¸Until the moment I saw the first round, I had misunderstood Sir Lem. Even if you were excellent, I thought that it would be hard for a Black Sorcerer. Because when it comes to Tag Battles, individual strength becomes even more important.¡¹


    An individual will have to bear a lot more burden to win with a team of two people rather than a team of five. After all, the number of people who share the burden of what is needed in order to win has decreased.


    ¡¸However, I realized this after seeing your movements. You have changed from those days when you were still in your previous party. Maybe because there are fewer members to support, or maybe because there are fewer enemies for you to cast Black Magic on, the you who have gained the option to move by yourself is¡­strong.¡¹


    His gaze is straightforward and I don¡¯t sense a lie.


    It¡¯s a fundamental thing, but thoughts are essential to casting magic. You have to think about what kind of magic you want to cast and keep on thinking in order to continue the effect.


    I cast Black Magic on all the opponents that came out and since the actual effect would not be known to the other party members and viewers, the party members could fight comfortably.


    In such a state, there is no way to use a trained body.


    There are too many things to think about.


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t know that a Black Sorcerer is actually capable of moving that well. On top of that, your attitude of trying all possible means in order to win is also wonderful. It warms my heart when I see effort and ingenuity being rewarded.¡¹


    He pulled out his sword.


    ¡¸But that¡¯s exactly why I¡¯ll do my best. Otherwise, I would be doing you a disservice.¡¹


    Apparently, it seems that he is also hiding his warm feelings.


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll handle the Insect-Human.¡¹


    The Explosion Hero is a well-built youth, he looked older than his partner.


    He¡¯s holding a battle axe.


    Along with the signal that indicates the start of the match, the two Heroes started running.


    The Gust Hero ran straight towards me and the Explosion Hero got blocked by the numerous walls that Berith created immediately after the start.


    From the destructive sounds that I immediately heard, it seems that he is advancing while exploding the walls using Spirit Magic.


    We have already taken into consideration that he would destroy the walls. These walls are to slow the progress speed of the axe user and the wind user.


    ¡¸Wind!¡¹


    I can hear the swirling sound of air.


    It gets bigger as he gets closer.


    Is the wind wrapped around the blade?


    Now, the youth is running with a tiny storm.


    ¡¸Berith.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    A silver wall obstructed the youth from getting closer to me.


    From their side, it should look like that.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter, Sir Lem! It¡¯s called a Tag Battle because you can cooperate with your partner, I¡¯ll defeat you along with that silver!¡¹


    Is he going to go around the wall or is he going to destroy the wall?


    Either way, he would be cautious.


    Still, he must believe that he can react to the situation. Well, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, since he actually has the ability to do that.


    I¡¯m going to take advantage of that correct perception.


    ¡ó


    Defeat Sir Lem.


    I think being confident is as hard as getting respect in this field.


    When I was a kid, I said with a smile that I wanted to be number one, but after becoming an Adventurer, even if the words are on the tip of my tongue, I still can¡¯t say it.


    I know the weight of that sentence, so it¡¯s not easy to say it.


    Sir Lem¡¯s statement about wanting to be a hero is famous. In a bad way, though.


    A useless person talking about a dream that is impossible for him to achieve next to his best friend who is the Contractor of one of the Four Great Spirits.


    Regardless of how I say it, I thought there was nothing I could deny in the content.


    It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t know what it meant if he chose to be an Adventurer to become a hero.


    He knew. But, we didn¡¯t understand that.


    His movements are not something that a talentless person can learn in a few months. He is someone who has trained for many years.


    Not only that, he can quickly see through the opponent¡¯s movement and his movements after that are also bold and accurate.


    Such as, when an offensive spell is coming, he can do an evasive action to go to the other direction.


    His swordsmanship is not bad either. His techniques are not that excellent, but it¡¯s offset by his eyes and movements.


    Of course, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m inferior to him, but our conditions are too different.


    Taking into account his Aptitude, an extreme amount of effort must have been necessary.


    I respect him for that and I¡¯m ashamed of myself for looking down on him just like everyone else.


    I will defeat him, he who is aiming to become a hero, with all my Magic.


    A wall appeared in front of my eyes. But I already know about this. If it¡¯s exactly the same, it can be dealt with without any problem.


    But what if it¡¯s different? What if Sir Lem came up with an ingenious plan?


    At that moment, I felt the increase and movements of Magical Energy.


    Sir Lem¡¯s Magical Energy is hard to sense. Many Wizards are good at hiding the performance of their Magical Energy organ because they have the Aptitude for manipulating Magical Energy.


    However, this is not the case when Magical Energy is poured into the staff.


    That¡¯s why I understood.


    It¡¯s a slope.


    I see! It looks like a wall from here, but from the other side, it looks like a slope or stairs.


    Is he planning to show up above my head if I had tried to push on through the front?


    Is it a strategy to cast Black Magic with the Magical Energy in the staff and take the chance when I faltered?


    If I was someone who doubted his ability, even a Hero may have been caught.


    But I know.


    That¡¯s why.


    The moment I saw a humanoid shadow at my feet, I simultaneously unleashed the wind wrapped around my sword.


    I slashed my sword upwards with the intention of cutting the sky along with him.


    At that moment, both the humanoid thing that was above my head and the staff fell apart.


    A few moments after that, I felt the clouds floating in the blue sky suddenly change their shape. Did the wind reach that far?


    Anyway, I had hit Sir Lem. I¡¯m sure he already left the field.


    ¡ó


    And at that moment.


    ¡¸What¡­?¡¹


    His response is not wrong. If he attacked after visually checking, the attack would be delayed for a moment. The speed of attacking the moment he thought that an attack would come is a hard-to-get talent. A talent honed with hard work.


    The thing that he cut is the scabbard of my staff and the humanoid-shaped, silver.


    The Magical Energy was poured into the scabbard that has the function of a staff.


    Then, silver is entwined around his feet while he is standing still.


    She breaks through the brittle wall and I jump out in front of the Gust Hero.


    The youth who put all his energy into the magic as he declared, at this distance, he wouldn¡¯t have enough time to cast the offensive spell.


    I sprint towards him to pierce him with the sword.


    As expected of a Hero, he tried to swing his sword from his position.


    The counterattack was supposed to be just in time. The difference in ability between a Hero and a Black Sorcerer is that clear and cruel.


    However, I¡¯m aware of that attack.


    The next moment, my feet that were on the floor had left it as if I jumped.


    But, this step was different. The floor was the one that jumped up.


    I accelerated with the help of Berith¡¯s silver and just for an instant I was able to surpass his speed.


    In that instant, my sword pierces his chest just before his sword is swung down.


    ¡¸¡­Ahh, the one that I have misread wasn¡¯t only you¡­¡¹


    The Gust Hero left the field.


    Only the brain and heart would cause Humans enough damage for them to leave the field, regardless of their endurance.


    So far, Berith has shown only flashy techniques.


    Iron walls, walls that divide the field from end to end, and giant fists.


    It gave off a strong and rough impression.


    That is why the delicate use of magic that is closer to the Silver Prince was unconsciously excluded from the options.


    As a result, the audience seats are in an uproar.


    However, I tuned out those sounds.


    There¡¯s still someone remaining.


    A Hero that is approaching while blasting and smashing the wall with an axe.

 CH 87

    87 ¨C The End of the Second Round, From the VIP Seats


    ¡¸A Hero¡­by a Black Sorcerer?¡¹¡¸No way, no way, no way¡­¡¹¡¸Maybe the opponent is just a newcomer¡­¡¹¡¸No, he¡¯s in the top 300 rankings, it¡¯s his second year now.¡¹¡¸It¡¯s the same thing with that time with Fenix, this time as well, he got an amazing partner.¡¹¡¸It¡¯s not the same though? He was clearly moving too.¡¹¡¸Also, it¡¯s not possible for their cooperation to be that good if only one of them had the right timing.¡¹¡¸Huh? It¡¯s that Lem, you know? No way, no way.¡¹¡¸But, even Aerial said that¡­¡¹¡¸But it still doesn¡¯t solve the fact that Black Magic looks damn plain.¡¹¡¸Unlike in the Dungeon, the person himself moves around a lot and it¡¯s interesting to see.¡¹¡¸He¡¯ll run out of clever schemes soon.¡¹¡¸It¡¯s fun to see his schemes working well, so isn¡¯t that okay?¡¹¡¸Still, if they don¡¯t fight head-on, then at that time the Black Sorcerer-¡¹


    ¡¸Apparently, it seems that I didn¡¯t understand what it means to fight together.¡¹


    The Explosion Hero is laughing with regret. His gaze wasn¡¯t only looking at us, but also at the audience seats.


    If both of the people in the same team are strong, then their total strength would have increased.


    But by combining the strengths of two people, their range of tactics would have been able to expand.


    They may have missed out on that opportunity since they are strong and challenged this tournament merely because this is an unusual event.


    ¡¸Or maybe this tournament is meant to discover people like you.¡¹


    I also agree with Fellow¡¯s ideology and plan.


    So much so that if the goal to eliminate the existing Dungeon Clear was eliminated, I would have had no problem with it.


    He looks at Berith.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind if you say no, but I do have a favor to ask. The next blow, I¡¯ll give it my all. If you can, I¡¯d like to see which is better, Miss Berith¡¯s magic or mine.¡¹


    Berith looks at me. Her feelings that she wanted to accept his request was fully conveyed to me.


    I reply by nodding to her.


    If someone asked you to have a contest of ability, on top of accepting it, you should win as well.


    If it was the hero that she admires, he would¡¯ve done it that way.


    He holds his battle-ax overhead.


    Berith¡¯s hands are clad with the fists of a giant.


    They clashed with each other unhindered by anything.


    The ax intercepted the approaching fist and an explosion sound that shook the eardrums spread throughout the venue.


    Just like the Gust Hero, he also put all his energy into a single blow.


    Although they are all Spirits, they have different ranks.


    They are all like fragments of the Four Great Spirits. The larger the fragment that is separated, the greater the divine blessing that the Spirit can give to their Contractor.


    His Spirit appears to be a large fragment.


    The giant¡¯s fist was tattered and could not be distinguished as a fist. It gives off an impression of a broken pillar.


    He, an ax user, was not sent off the field.


    But it¡¯s only a matter of time.


    His upper body is gouged out and the cross-section is emitting a faint white light.


    The upper left half of his body was gone.


    ¡¸Where should I go to request a rematch?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not working in a Dungeon.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a shame.¡¹


    What¡¯s left of the Avatar turns back into Magical Energy, dissolves in the field, and disappears.


    He left the field.


    End of the match. Just like that, we broke through the second round.


    By now, we should¡¯ve impressed the audience.


    Berith is said to have both flashy, high-powered magic and delicate, versatile magic.


    She also defeats the enemy head-on and at the same time supports her partner to fight with his opponent.


    So far, it feels good.


    But, there are also concerns.


    Until now, it didn¡¯t become a problem because we were able to smoothly win.


    A Hero who is unrefined, tenacious, and strives for victory without worrying about putting on airs.


    A style that she truly admired and was bound to suffer a setback.


    The opponents of the third round are Philip and others.


    He must know his sister better than anyone else.


    If the opponents so far are strong enemies, he is a formidable enemy.


    We left the field, while Berith was being applauded by the audience who liked the match.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe it¡­they actually won.¡¹


    Warrior Alba murmured with a bitter face.


    ¡¸Lem¡¯s movements are so good that I can¡¯t think of him as a Black Sorcerer, and above all their cooperation is really good. They are breathing in sync with each other. Is Lem the one trying to match his partner¡¯s breathing? I¡¯m impressed to see that he can make such a firm decision even in situations where a slight mistake will make them fail.¡¹


    Frost Hero Bella puts her finger on her lower lip and murmurs.


    ¡¸If each of their movements were looked at separately, it doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal at first glance. Those things like the wall, decoy, and magical support. But, it became quite annoying since they combined it with the right timing and place. It¡¯s very well thought out, really.¡¹


    Warrior Alba clicks his tongue at Lark¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Tch, why didn¡¯t he do that when he was still in our party?¡¹


    ¡¸If he did, would you have sold him as a Black Sorcerer that can move well?¡¹


    When Lark asked that, Alba scratched his chin with a complicated look.


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite unusual to have a Black Sorcerer like that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸If he had done that, we wouldn¡¯t have placed in 4th rank now. Because for him to move quickly, he would have to sacrifice a lot of his usage of Black Magic. I think that in order for him to exhibit those movements during the tournament, he needed to secure a margin for thinking first. Thinking is also essential for magic. Isn¡¯t it impossible to achieve both in terms of the computational power of the brain?¡¹


    Everyone now understands that Lem¡¯s presence and the rapid rise in rank were not unrelated.


    ¡¸I already know that you¡¯re smart.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I forgot that Alba¡¯s intellect is a little disappointing, so I ended up answering seriously.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve become a little cheeky, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸A Hero is more interesting that way. A healthy light taste is good for the body, but what people want is a stimulating strong taste.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha¡­well, I guess that might be true? Lately, hasn¡¯t there been an increasing number of comments in videos saying that¡¸I want to get beaten up by Bella¡¯s arguments¡¹?¡¹


    ¡¸Popularity is justice for an Adventurer. No matter how annoying it is, personally speaking.¡¹


    ¡¸I feel the same way, Alba.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah? Which part of me is annoying?¡¹


    ¡¸What does the leader think about this? Your favorite best friend is teaming up with an unknown Monster.¡¹


    After being talked to by Bella, my consciousness that was listening to the commentary after the match had returned to my friends.


    I responded to Bella, who still ignored Alba¡¯s words even after he said,¡¸Don¡¯t ignore me!¡¹.


    ¡¸Hmm, ahh. I¡¯m enjoying it. It¡¯s just that¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s such a precious opportunity. It¡¯s wonderful to see them supporting each other to win the match, but just like how Miss Nicola has now won a one-on-one match, it might be good for him to get the opportunity to defeat his opponent on his own.


    If that happens, the number of people who complain and make a racket should somewhat decrease.


    In the next match, the one-on-one opportunity came to Lem.

 CH 88

    88 ¨C The Guardian of the Forest and the Fake Insect-Human


    The first day goes up to the second round.


    The third round¡­semifinals and finals will be held tomorrow.


    We returned to the waiting room and tried to return our mind to our main body.


    At that time, there was a knock on the door of the room.


    ¡¸Lem? Are you there?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah?¡¹


    I unintentionally raised my voice and said that.


    That voice sounds familiar.


    Naturally, this room is off-limits to anyone other than the people involved, but since their whole party seemed to have been given spectator seats by the organizer of this tournament, so I guess it isn¡¯t impossible for her to do this.


    At any rate, I have no idea why she¡¯s here.


    ¡¸A woman¡¯s voice.¡¹


    There¡¯s no intonation in Berith¡¯s voice.


    It feels like her eyes that are covered by the mask are narrowing¡­


    ¡¸You¡¯ve also seen this person. Please come in, Lily.¡¹


    After hearing my response, the door opens.


    Beautiful golden long hair, emerald eyes, and white porcelain skin. A beautiful appearance that can fascinate people. And also, pointed ears.


    She¡¯s an Elf. The Hunter Lily.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a long time¡­no, that¡¯s not right.¡¹


    ¡¸Um, yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I may have thought that because we meet face-to-face less often than before.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, it was a slip of the tongue. Even though we¡¯re the ones that forced you out of the Party.¡¹


    ¡¸Anyway, it¡¯s also true that I was the problem.¡¹


    ¡¸No, we shouldn¡¯t have misunderstood your abilities, even if you were hiding them. In that match, your side was completely aware of the other members¡¯ movements. But we¡­no, I¡¯ll stop here for today.¡¹


    I guess that means that she¡¯s not here to talk about my withdrawal.


    Her gaze turns to Berith, who became stiff in front of the 4th rank Hunter.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not an Insect-Human, are you?¡¹


    Ah-.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Although I¡¯ve expected this, I¡¯ve judged that it wouldn¡¯t become a problem.


    For example, if you turn into a Vampire, but you end up doing actions that are not similar to a Vampire, other Vampires and those who are well-informed about Vampires would feel a sense of discomfort.


    Something like¡¸That person is not acting like a Vampire¡¹.


    Elves are originally the people of the forest. Even now, most of them are still living in the forest. Most of them don¡¯t even know about the existence of TV, let alone Dungeon Clears.


    It¡¯s a story I heard from her before.


    And the Insect-Humans are also people of the forest.


    Lily knows about the real ones.


    ¡¸In this tournament, Avatars are allowed to imitate another race.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m aware of that. However, I¡¯m curious. Since it¡¯s you, you¡¯ve probably thought this out beforehand, but in the past¡­this was hardly a success.¡¹


    As a result of giving priority to climbing the ranks as fast as possible, I was forced to leave due to the¡¸Black Sorcerer is unnecessary¡¹argument. When the Party is in the 4th rank.


    I¡¯m also a human being. Of course, my plan is not perfect.


    ¡¸You came here because you were worried about me?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get me wrong. This is not due to goodwill or atonement. But¡­since you once said that it¡¯s okay for my Avatar to stay as it is, I was just worried that you might have been deceived by your partner.¡¹


    Elves are also Demi-Humans. There was a discussion as to whether to keep or remove her pointed ears when she first joined the Party.


    Well, Alba was the only one who voted to remove it.


    ¡¸You wanted to compete with your real appearance, right? That¡¯s why I thought there is no need for your pointed ears to be removed. Berith needs this appearance to become the her that she wishes to become. This mask is for the sake of looking forward, not to conceal.¡¹


    Lily¡¯s gaze turns to Berith.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    Berith nods.


    ¡¸I see. If you can properly earn the support of your friends, then at that time, you¡¯ll freely demonstrate your abilities. I don¡¯t know your circumstances, but I hope the day when you can take the mask off will come soon.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Somehow, I can understand the story, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I think she currently doesn¡¯t want her identity to be known, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, let me teach you how to behave like an Insect-Human.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I already got permission. We can use this waiting room.¡¹


    ¡¸Why would you go that far for us?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s nothing. You wouldn¡¯t tell me to repay the favor, so I just decided to repay it how I see fit. Or do you have any other requests?¡¹


    Favor? According to the flow, it¡¯s probably about her Avatar¡¯s ears. Is she grateful because Fenix and I voted to keep it as it is?


    Even if I told her that she doesn¡¯t have to worry about it, she¡¯ll probably still be concerned about that.


    Should I just be thankful and accept her offer?


    I glanced at Berith and she confirmed by nodding slightly.


    From her point of view, she met me, Fenix, and Lily in a short period of time, so it seems she¡¯s getting used to¡­nope, that¡¯s wrong. I can see that she¡¯s still nervous.


    ¡¸Then I look forward to teaching you, Berith.¡¹


    Just like how Lily is strict with herself, she is also strict with other people.


    Abandoning her attachment with speed, she began to use Godspeed as only one of her skills and her accuracy is improving day after day.


    And that¡¯s what I heard from Fenix. It seems that everyone has been doing some trials and errors since the Demon King Castle.


    ¡ºIt looks like I¡¯ll face some troubles the next time we fight¡»I thought, while thinking like the Demon King Army Chief of Staff, I also looked at Berith, who will be mercilessly trained while going through Lily¡¯s spartan training.


    ¡¸Lem, this is a good opportunity. Since I¡¯ll teach her the Earth Magic that Insect-Humans use in battle, so why don¡¯t you think about what movements you¡¯ll use when Berith uses that magic? I¡¯m not saying that it has to be used tomorrow, but it¡¯ll be good to prepare early.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Think nothing of it.¡¹


    Her face was calm as she gave a small smile.


    ¡ó


    After Lily¡¯s special training, we then had a meal with the people from the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon and everyone from the Demon King Castle who came to support, Cashew excitedly talked about her impressions, Milla and Nicola were excited by something, Sitri¡¯s distance is getting closer, and Thor who was feeling sorry and the Demon King who generously nodded. Agares wiped the food on his mouth with a handkerchief. While it¡¯s not supposed to be her job, before I knew it, Kei started helping out in the store and she did it perfectly.


    There will be another match tomorrow and Cashew looked sleepy, so we finished up early.


    When we parted, Milla smiled softly and gave me words of support.


    There seems to be no anxiety, unlike the previous time.


    Just like that time when I was invited by Aerial and she thought that I would quit the Demon King Castle.


    This time she thought that with the appearance of people in the tournament who evaluated me differently from what I usually get, I might want to return to become an Adventurer again.


    Of course, if I had chosen to do that, she would have supported my decision.


    However, I will not resign from my current job.


    She knows that now.


    Then, the next day.


    ¡¸It went just like Sir Fellow said.¡¹


    There is no longer a mocking expression on Philip¡¯s face when he appeared.


    His partner is Mark, a Holy Paladin.


    He seems to be the quiet type that properly does his job.


    Nicola was a little surprised when she learned about that during the qualifying round. She thought that her brother would bring the Fairy that can display more magic, the Wizard Ruri.


    Did he think he needed better physique and swordsmanship more than magic?


    There is only one team that he knows who the members are. Even if there is a way to know who everyone is, there is no way he can predict who will advance to the main tournament when he formed his team.


    This is probably a configuration he made in order to defeat Nicola¡­Berith, and me.


    ¡¸Sure, it¡¯s different than before, but merely getting an easy victory all the time is not enough for a Dungeon Clear.¡¹


    Philip said with a voice that only I can hear.


    He seems to have noticed the same thing as what I¡¯m concerned about. I guess that¡¯s only natural since he has known his sister all the time.


    ¡¸Yes. It should be a match where both sides would exert themselves and both sides have a possibility of winning.¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Lem, if you get so fixated about the way you win the match, it¡¯ll be difficult to make it in this world. You know about that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re fixated about it, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right and you¡¯ll end up learning about the reality here.¡¹


    Berith stays silent.


    Then, the semifinals begin.

 CH 89

    89 ¨C No Matter Who Tells Me That, It Will Not Get Through


    ¡¸Mark.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    The two of them start running.


    Instead of running side-by-side, Mark is following behind Philip.


    From the movement of Magical Energy, White Magic is applied only to Philip.


    It seems that he has increased its effectiveness by reducing the number of people it¡¯s cast on and narrowing down the areas to be enhanced.


    He probably enhanced his attack power.


    Not only did he avoid the division by running closely together, but he also ensured the offensive and defensive power needed in order to break through Berith¡¯s counterattack.


    He is the Diamond Hero. A swordsman with excellent defense ability.


    He also knows his sister¡¯s magic. Did he judge that it¡¯s possible for him to break through?


    ¡¸Berith.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    We also start moving.


    We split up and I approached Mark in an arc.


    A number of cones protrude diagonally from the ground in the same way the wall is created.


    Philip still didn¡¯t stop.


    He holds his sword sideways, cuts the cones right in half, and jumps over it.


    Mark changed his direction at the last minute when I entered his blind spot. Then, the Holy Paladin rushed towards me.


    While Philip rushed to Berith without any hesitation.


    ¡¸If their combination is excellent, then we shouldn¡¯t let them cooperate.¡¹


    Right.


    It¡¯s a simple solution. But it won¡¯t be easy.


    If our cooperation is a nuisance, then they can just interfere with it.


    There are loopholes, or more like conditions, in our cooperation.


    If I start to fight, my thinking ability for magic will be reduced.


    If Berith supports me, then at the same time, the durability of the wall that is activated and the attack power of the fist will decrease, the amount of time it takes for the magic to activate will also become longer.


    Helping each other means using some of your abilities for the other.


    During that time, you will become more distracted by yourself than before.


    It¡¯s not good or bad, just a fact.


    If there are people who win by helping each other, interfering with them would be an effective move.


    Especially since I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer. The magic that I have shown so far wouldn¡¯t be able to force my opponents to leave the field. Even when my magic is combined with the combat abilities that I¡¯ve shown so far, it¡¯s still not comparable to someone with an actual combat-oriented Job.


    First, break the cooperation between Berith and me, then defeat me, after that defeat Berith that has lost her support.


    It¡¯s an ideal and realistic strategy.


    That¡¯s why we¡¯ve decided¡­


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    I saw them trembling for an instant.


    Even though Mark is getting closer to me, while Philip is getting closer to Berith, we aren¡¯t paying any attention to each other.


    ¡¸¡­Are you insane?¡¹


    Mark murmured in an angry voice.


    Well, that¡¯s just natural. Although Holy Paladin has an Aptitude for White Magic, it is generally said to be a degraded version of Paladin.


    However, by no means is he weak. He¡¯s still not an opponent that a Wizard can handle with a sword.


    And yet, here I am confronting him with a sword staff.


    Without Berith¡¯s support.


    In other words, this is the same as declaring that I would win against him, while ignoring the disadvantages of my Job.


    The more serious and harder they work, the more irritated they would be.


    Do you think you can win?


    Are you looking down on me?


    I also understand that he¡¯s getting angry. I mean, I know what I¡¯m doing.


    ¡¸Is this a battle of sanity?¡¹


    I dare to say it in an agitating way.


    I know I can¡¯t win against him in terms of sword techniques.


    The barrier of talent in relation to combat is thick, and even the result of effort might not be able to surpass my opponent.


    Still, there were situations where I had to win.


    At such times, persistence alone is not enough.


    That¡¯s why I use whatever I can.


    Even if I can only take less than half a step forward.


    For the sake of getting closer to victory.


    ¡¸¡­Fine. If you want it to be that way, then I have no other choice but to defeat you with all my spirit.¡¹


    Mark probably noticed that and agreed.


    He¡¯s planning to win this, on top of accepting all my plans.


    The battle begins.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I think you were called Miss Berith, right? I once saw a Hero who fights in a similar way with you a long time ago.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I had a giant fist to-¡­Philip¡¯s fist is approaching!


    It¡¯s fast!


    I promptly deployed the amount of silver needed on my arm and protected my abdomen, which the fist was aiming for.


    The impact.


    The silver wrapped around my arm cracked and shattered, then my body flew far backward.


    ¡¸That Hero aspired to become an Adventurer just because her brother affirmed her childhood dream and chose a style that did not suit the times and the person herself, consequently she was forced to experience failure.¡¹


    I tried to create a shield from the ground-¡­!


    I jump backward right away.


    An instant later, the wall that was in the middle of being created was sliced and he came from the other side.


    ¡ºI want to become a Hero. No matter how big, scary, many, strong opponents she has, or no matter how tattered she is, she will win in the end. It¡¯s so cool, right?¡»


    ¡ºAhh, you can achieve that.¡»


    I recalled a memory of my childhood for a moment.


    ¡¸That foolish brother didn¡¯t know the reality. Even after he failed, he didn¡¯t interfere with his sister because he was still hopeful that if it¡¯s her, then just maybe. It wasn¡¯t until she reached the stage where her failure was apparent that they finally met again. That older brother was foolish, extremely foolish. He encouraged her, even when he himself couldn¡¯t accomplish anything.¡¹


    He continued speaking in a small voice that sounds like it¡¯ll disappear if the wind blows, so that I¡¯m the only one who can hear it.


    ¡¸A Hero that is abandoned by his allies is miserable. Because without a Hero, a party can¡¯t be formed. Even though he¡¯s an essential existence, they have determined that he is unnecessary. They have judged that he couldn¡¯t become the center of the Party and that is nothing but a denial of his value of existence.¡¹


    ¡ºYou won¡¯t become popular, why can¡¯t you understand that?¡»¡ºWe are fighting while matching you, that¡¯s why everyone is always tattered. Although the Avatar repair expense is not something insignificant. Even after we¡¯ve done all this, the number of views is still not increasing.¡»¡ºI don¡¯t care if you win or not in the end, if you are a Hero, you should become the focus of a strategy that can be profitable.¡»


    There is nothing wrong with what my old allies were saying.


    However, I didn¡¯t stop and I became full of regrets.


    At first, everyone agreed with my method. They said,¡ºOkay then, let¡¯s become a cool party.¡»


    But, we need various things in order to continue living in reality.


    And when they found out that my way can¡¯t fulfill those needs, that they can¡¯t acquire those things, they felt dissatisfied.


    It can¡¯t be helped.


    No one was interested in the Hero I wanted to become.


    There was one girl who remained. It was the Thief Leila. She¡¯s the only one who stayed with me before and also after I changed my methods.


    The only part where our opinions slightly differ is that she seems to like the Silver Prince.


    ¡¸In the face of his sister, who was exhausted but still tried to smile when she saw her brother, the man made up his mind. That he will never again spit out words that are just kind, but useless. And that he would make sure to let her existence be known to the world. Because, unlike the foolish brother, his sister had beauty, wits, and fortitude. He would make it impossible for anyone to ignore her. That became the man¡¯s goal.¡¹


    His swing gouged the ground and the ground around him rolled up.


    With that, I pretended to have my stance be thrown off balance and strike him with a backhand blow.


    The moment he notices it and reacts, I strike him using my feet.


    From the beginning, I intended to hit him with a roundhouse kick instead of a fist.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    His eyes slightly widened, but immediately defends against the kick that is aiming at his temporal region with his arm.


    His body drifted and the distance increased slightly.


    ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t really understand it, but if I was that child, hearing her older brother say¡ºYou can achieve that.¡»would be a good memory for the rest of her life. Even if there are some things that I regret doing, it would be impossible for me to resent being supported by him.¡¹


    ¡¸That is what I don¡¯t like.¡¹


    He said, while having a really pained expression. That expression immediately disappeared.


    ¡¸I shouldn¡¯t have shown her a dream.¡¹


    Honorifics have disappeared. The words that were for Berith are now for his little sister.


    ¡¸Dreams are what that person sees on their own. It shouldn¡¯t and can¡¯t be anyone else¡¯s fault.¡¹


    While refining the Magical Energy needed to form the giant fist, I form a separate silver arm and attack him.


    ¡¸No, it should be. If everything is her own responsibility, then what¡¯s the responsibility of those who supported her? Being gentle, flattering her, challenging her, and pretending I don¡¯t know once she failed? I can¡¯t do that, I definitely can¡¯t do something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸That child made the decision, right. It¡¯s all her own decision.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, and I¡¯ll do what I have decided.¡¹


    Slashing and cutting all of it, he is getting closer to me once again.


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t you already succeed in doing that?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it seems like my little sister¡­is still dreaming.¡¹


    The distance between our hearts has become separated once again.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong with that?¡¹


    The destroyed silver became liquefied, then it wriggled and gathered like slime.


    ¡¸I thought she¡¯d find a common ground between dreams and reality someday, but I was wrong. She¡¯s planning to waste the present that we have built with great efforts just because she was instigated by a man that she accidentally encountered.¡¹


    Aah.


    I see. So that¡¯s what it is. That¡¯s when I realized it.


    To him, Lem looked like his past self.


    He doesn¡¯t deny his little sister¡¯s reckless dream and irresponsibly affirms it.


    The only one who would suffer from that would be his little sister.


    That¡¯s why he said something like that even though Milla was also there. He was so angry that he forgot to put on the mask he usually wears when he¡¯s in contact with ordinary people.


    ¡¸Heh.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Did I say something amusing?¡¹


    ¡¸I think your sister is grateful to you. I think she just wanted you to know that there are things that she can¡¯t give up on.¡¹


    Really, at first, I was just going to talk.


    Philip once told me to form a party together with him and I was the one who agreed.


    I¡¯m also the one who performed the character of the Silver Prince. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t like it.


    However, I felt a sense of estrangement from my ideal self. As I continued, it became more suffocating.


    I was once persuaded that I needed to be popular first so that I could someday become the person I wish to become.


    I¡¯ve become more popular and I thought it would be okay for me to once again aim to become the person I wish to become.


    But this is what happened in the end.


    ¡¸I know, but I have no intentions of approving it. You have to wake up from that worthless dream.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m certainly not going to wake up. I want it to come true.¡¹


    The destroyed silver gathers and becomes a gigantic arm.


    The arm is swung down in front of him.

 CH 90

    90 ¨C If There Is a Big Reason as to Why You Cannot Win, Then You Should Do as Many Small Measures as You Can to Win


    It¡¯s a common thing in the Adventurer industry.


    The withdrawal or entry of members and also the dissolution of a party.


    This depends on their policies and contracts with the Union, but in the case of a dissolution, the videos that the party posted in the past are often deleted.


    Usually, they would part ways, but sometimes some of them would go straight into a new party, like Nicola and Leila, and Philip and Ruri.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Mark, who is confronting me, starts running silently.


    I couldn¡¯t find the videos of the Holy Paladin Mark¡¯s previous party.


    So, the information I can gather is only from his current Party and from Nicola.


    By the way, the videos of Nicola¡¯s and Philip¡¯s previous Party are also no longer available.


    The video that I saw is something that she personally saved.


    Mark is tall. His body is slender but also toned.


    There is a theory that a Job is a combination of Aptitudes and I think that this is mainly correct.


    For example, a shield-bearing vanguard is blessed with height, the sword attack launched from his long arms has a wide range, and his well-trained body with a shield makes it so that he can respond flexibly to enemy attacks.


    These sorts of factors are common.


    It¡¯s because there are such and such factors, that he is judged to get that Job, if someone works hard in that way, he will be rewarded.


    A world where God informs the people which Job is suitable for them.


    A world where people can find out what they can be at the age of ten, regardless of what they wish to become.


    I wonder what he wanted to become.


    ¡¸Fast-!¡¹


    The flash that was released from stepping so deep into the ground in a trajectory that is going to split me vertically in half.


    This is one of his basic attacks which I had thoroughly observed in the video.


    However, the intensity of this attack is incomparably different when seeing it right in front of my eyes. It¡¯s an extremely accurate slash with no deviation at all.


    That¡¯s why the only thing I¡¯m worried about is my movements.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    His expression twitches when he senses my Black Magic.


    To explain Resist in simple terms, by covering the entire body in Magical Energy, it can keep away Black Magic that has a negative effect on the body.


    I guess I could say it¡¯s like an image of wearing a raincoat on a rainy day?


    However, similarly, you can still get soaked if you get exposed to heavy rain. If a storm were to hit, there would be no way to endure it.


    For Black Magic, Resist is something basic, and exactly because it¡¯s basic, I¡¯ve gotten used to it.


    This is because the force and duration of rain are known.


    The rule of thumb is that if you are clad in something like this, it¡¯s possible to neutralize the magic.


    But he¡¯s not foolish. Rather than the usual amount of Magical Energy, he used more to match the estimated effectiveness of my Black Magic that I have shown from the previous matches.


    However, there is a limit to the amount of Magical Energy that he can use to cover his body due to output problems since he also needs to maintain the White Magic that he had cast on Philip just a moment ago.


    Still, he must have calculated that the amount would be enough to disable the Black Magic and then slash me.


    However, it¡¯s not enough.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I pushed the effect of the magic to the limit in exchange for limiting the duration to just a moment, what I cast was Speed Down.


    Generally, when you try to strengthen a part of the magic, another part would become weaker.


    For example, if you try to increase the offensive ability, the range would be reduced.


    Conversely, if the range is set to the minimum point, then that amount can be used to strengthen the offensive ability.


    If the Magical Energy of a Black Sorcerer, who has the ability equivalent to one of the 4th ranked party, is applied through the wand and used only to cast one Black Magic to one target for only a moment.


    The effect may be tremendous.


    The movement of his body became slow. There is a delay in the slash attack.


    Still, I just barely managed to avoid it.


    I managed to move half a step to the side and hold my sword so that the hilt is pointing to the sky.


    At that moment, a lump of metal that can easily cut a person glided along the sword.


    His downward swing was parried.


    The arm of my Avatar, which has no sense of pain but does have sensation, begins to go numb. I couldn¡¯t completely stop the impact.


    And when the Speed Down is broken, he swings the sword, which had struck the ground, towards me.


    Perhaps because he was focusing on speed, the attack was not with the sharp edge of the sword, but instead with the dull edge, so it¡¯s more like a slam.


    It hits my sword and my body gets blown off, just like a ball that was kicked.


    OK.


    There are cheers all over the place.


    The Black Sorcerer that is getting cocky got himself beaten by a powerful person.


    After all, I¡¯m someone who is disliked, so it would be strange if everyone instantly starts to cheer for me.


    This is fine.


    ¡¸Finish him off!¡¹¡¸There¡¯s no way he can win without his partner.¡¹¡¸After all, a Black Sorcerer is just a Black Sorcerer.¡¹¡¸There¡¯s no way he can match an actual fighting expert with just a little training.¡¹¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate Adventurers.¡¹


    Mark¡¯s expression is unpleasant.


    Only he and I can understand.


    ¡¸Ooh! Lem successfully managed to parry the first attack. However, he was blown away by Mark¡¯s prompt second attack. He somehow was able to get up, but he should have received quite a substantial amount of internal damage.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, without getting unfazed by Lem¡¯s response to the first attack, he immediately swung his sword upwards. What a splendid response. A normal Black Sorcerer would¡¯ve received severe damage.¡¹


    ¡­Yeah, that¡¯s right. Aerial is here. Fenix is also here. They must have noticed.


    I didn¡¯t receive as much damage as the audience thinks.


    Rather than being blown away, I jumped while avoiding the impact.


    From his point of view, on top of his slash being parried, I read his second attack and received almost zero damage. However, the audience did not notice this and made a fuss as if he had the advantage.


    Most people would be uncomfortable with the discrepancy between the evaluation of others and their own.


    Aside from unfair evaluations, many people are also reluctant with being evaluated more highly than they actually are.


    Now, there is a discrepancy between his and the audience¡¯s evaluation of the earlier offense and defense.


    If he is someone who is overly confident and also inexperienced, not only will he agree with the evaluation, but he won¡¯t even be able to notice my actions in the first place.


    But Mark is different.


    He should have noticed what I did and felt that his actions are not worthy of their cheers.


    That said, no Adventurer would actually explain it here. What kind of entertainer would dampen the excitement of the audience?


    If they¡¯re a serious person, maybe they would try to match the evaluation.


    A compromise derived from their work and their personal disposition.


    Win against me and finally reconcile the audience¡¯s evaluation with his own.


    No matter how much he tries to remain calm, this will definitely affect his movements slightly.


    ¡¸¡­Is this how you choose to fight?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you think it¡¯s pathetic?¡¹


    Some people may think it¡¯s shrewd.


    But he shook his head.


    ¡¸No¡­but, I can¡¯t lose.¡¹


    Even under normal circumstances, Holy Paladin is often considered to be the inferior version of Paladin. This is because the attribute of White Magic Aptitude is not desired in this current era.


    That is why the current situation of being able to contribute to the 99th rank Party is the best result.


    Even with the support of Berith, who used a considerable amount of Earth Magic equivalent to a Hero, the defeat will have a lasting effect.


    Getting defeated by a Black Sorcerer in a one-on-one fight can lead to a significant decline in his evaluation.


    A match is always something that people challenge in order to win, but this is a special match that he cannot afford to lose.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the same for me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    But one of us will have to lose.


    ¡¸Contestant Mark is starting to move! On the other hand, contestant Philip will unveil¡¸Diamond¡¹for the first time in this tournament! This is hard, if they fight separately in a tag battle, I¡¯m in a bind on where to look and what I should talk about.¡¹


    ¡¸After all, in a Dungeon Clear, the¡¸Hero party¡¹has the leading role, and from there it is a system where they focus on their own individual activities. The recording is edited and the voice is applied later. However, in a tag battle, everyone plays a leading role and there is also the audience that witnesses the battle in real-time. It¡¯s certainly difficult.¡¹


    Mark holds his shield and charges forward.


    He¡¯s planning to stop me from whatever I¡¯m trying to do with my sword by blowing me away with that shield.


    He might have thought that a simple, high-powered attack of hitting me with a shield wouldn¡¯t lead to a big mistake even if he was exposed to all sorts of Black Magic for a moment.


    In response to that, I¡­start running away from him.


    ¡¸What?! Eh, uh¡­ Contestant Lem is trying to gain distance¡­rather, this looks more like he¡¯s running away. It looks like he¡¯s sprinting with all his energy. ¡¹


    The commentator¡¯s voice sounds troubled.


    ¡¸Haa!?¡¹¡¸Stop running away, you coward!¡¹¡¸Just fight fair and square and die!¡¹¡¸If you¡¯re that scared, then just withdraw from this battle.¡¹


    The audience seats are somewhat noisy.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! So that¡¯s it! Since a shield holder¡¯s equipment is heavy, the other members will adjust their advancing speed to them during the Clear. Compared to the lightweight equipment of a Warrior, they are slower. This just can¡¯t be helped. Lem is now using that point to gain distance.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­. but what does that mean? ¡­No, maybe¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. The Adventurers in the audience seats would have realized this, right? Lem is generating his Magical Energy and putting it into his wand. It¡¯s like a temporary retreat in order to get ready.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­! However, if you think about this as an Adventurer, running away from the enemy is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, part of what makes him interesting is that he doesn¡¯t get caught up in such preconceived ideas. It¡¯s a big premise, but this is not a Dungeon Clear.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah. Certainly, that¡¯s true. In a Dungeon Clear, it is not recommended that the Hero party, who is an ally of justice, do acts such as turning their backs on the Monsters. However, this is a tag battle that pays no attention to whether they are Humans or Demi-Humans. All that they pursue is victory.¡¹


    ¡¸Increase their options according to the circumstances. Think and prepare what they need in order to win. Wielding a sword, showing his best cooperation with the Demi-Human, and being willing to turn his back in order to prepare his next spell. All of his actions are for the sake of achieving victory.¡¹


    Mark is pursuing me.


    I pour Magical Energy into the wand.


    Next I¡­

 CH 91

    91 ¨C On That Day, He, With His Own Strength, as an Adventurer, for the First Time¡­


    The next thing I use is¡­Poison.


    ¡¸¡­urgh.¡¹


    Poison is really simple. It simply erodes the other person¡¯s body little by little from the inside.


    It may sound like it¡¯s reliable when you say it does continuous damage, but it doesn¡¯t last even a minute if it was a normal Black Sorcerer casting it.


    There is also no change in the target¡¯s appearance, unlike the poisonous arrows used by Leraje, where the flesh around the point of impact would rot.


    It also has the effect of gradually worsening the target¡¯s sense of operating their physical body, but since my previous party members defeated the Monsters before this effect could show, there may be many Adventurer fans who do not know about this effect in the first place.


    ¡¸Contestant Mark¡¯s movements seem to be a bit disordered¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I think it¡¯s more important to figure out Lem¡¯s intention, rather than the Black Magic itself.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly, Lem¡¯s assertiveness in this tournament has been astonishing.¡¹


    It¡¯s possible for him to resist my Black Magic.


    It is also effective if he uses White Magic to detoxify the poison. If that happens, I will have to start over from the point where I have to reapply the spell again, instead of only using the Magical Energy needed to maintain the spell, and the Magical Energy consumed will increase.


    However, since he is giving more priority to maintaining the White Magic for Philip, he cannot devote all his energy to deal with the Black Magic.


    ¡¸The usual way of fighting for Black Sorcerers is to devote themselves to supporting the others. If they can make the enemy feel that they are troublesome, it¡¯s a success, and if they can shift the aim to themselves, it would be a great success. It is easier to defeat an enemy that is trying to force its way through than it is to defeat a perfect enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸ Yeah. It¡¯s not quite the same, but there have been instances in this tournament where people have tried to take on Lem, only to be thwarted by Berith¡¯s wall. I¡¯m sure that some of the people in the audience are aware of this.¡¹


    The video of the qualifying round was shown on the screen in between matches, during breaks, and when the venue was being repaired.


    ¡¸Contestant Mark is very calm. Without forcing himself to chase or ignore Lem¡¯s Black Magic, he is trying to read the true intention behind his action. Those who can do this will become stronger.¡¹


    Now, as I¡¯m standing still, he¡¯s closing the distance between me and him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s an amateurish idea, but I thought that¡¸Wouldn¡¯t things work out if he just went and straightforwardly fought him?¡¹, what do you think about that?¡¹


    ¡¸For me and Hervor, we would rush into the fight thinking that it would be fun, including whatever the opponent is planning to do. However, this is not recommended. After all, it¡¯s better to use your head.¡¹


    If someone has become the 1st and 3rd rank Hero, it¡¯s not just me, but anyone will be able to straightforwardly challenge any strong opponents and no one will laugh at them.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I see, so it¡¯s important to choose a countermeasure that suits you.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not saying that Mark isn¡¯t strong enough. He still hasn¡¯t cut off the White Magic on Philip. Moreover, he is maintaining the Resist towards Lem and he is still moving his body.¡¹


    ¡¸A lot of Holy Paladins give up on developing their White Magic, but he hasn¡¯t neglected that either.¡¹


    If so, it would still be easy.


    But Mark is different.


    There is no compromise in both his swordsmanship and White Magic.


    My line of sight intersects with him.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry, Philip.¡¹


    The poison is removed.


    He cast a detoxifying White Magic on himself.


    The attack power enhancement that was applied to Philip is released.


    The Diamond Hero is a swordsman with particularly good defense. With the addition of increased attack power, he has the strength to withstand Berith¡¯s attacks and crush her defenses.


    Berith would have an easier time fighting him since the enhancement had been lifted.


    At the same time, Mark is now in perfect condition.


    ¡¸Sorry, but I don¡¯t have that much time.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    The difference between the audience evaluation and his self-evaluation, and the release of the enhancement on his partner.


    There is one more reason for him to hurry.


    So far, it¡¯s been proceeding according to my strategy.


    The moment I thought that, I was surprised.


    That¡¯s because¡­Mark has thrown away his big shield.


    A shield user has thrown away his shield¡­? No, I see.


    ¡¸Ohh, Contestant Mark has begun to adapt to the situation. This is wonderful. If this was a Dungeon Clear, it is unlikely that a shield user would throw away his shield. Since it would mean that he is abandoning his role as the tank to protect his companions.¡¹


    ¡¸As I mentioned earlier, this is a Tag Tournament. Taking that into consideration¡­he might have thought that the big shield in a one-to-one fight with a Black Sorcerer has only been hindering his mobility¡­which is why he threw it away.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. He might also want to hurry to defeat Lem and support Philip. Did he decide that contestant Berith wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere or did he believe that contestant Philip wouldn¡¯t let her do that? Either way, the conclusion on this side seems to be nearing.¡¹


    Mark approaches me, as if to make Aerial¡¯s words a reality.


    The first attack came from the same trajectory as swinging down, it slightly shifted in a flash to make it hit my abdomen.


    I promptly cast Attack Down, but because there is also Resist, the sword I¡¯m using for the defense snaps off. Not only that, my field of vision is compromised. I got blown away.


    I managed to kill the momentum by tumbling on the ground and once I prepared my stance, he was already in front of me.


    Once he threw away his shield, he got faster.


    Of course, it¡¯s not only that, he also cast Speed Up on himself.


    No, he also threw away his sword.


    Well, that explains why he¡¯s so fast.


    A kick with the momentum of his sprint is approaching me.


    Although I tried to defend against it by crossing my arms, I received the impact along with the sound of my bone breaking.


    My back crashed to the wall of the field.


    My left arm can¡¯t move. My right arm somehow managed to have some strength in it and I didn¡¯t let go of my broken sword.


    ¡¸¡­urgh.¡¹


    The sword falls to the ground. Along with my elbow


    He had picked up his sword and threw it at me.


    His fist, approaching with a rushing momentum, is aiming for my head.


    Just in time, I avoided it by diving to the ground.


    That fist made the wall collapse.


    He pulls out the sword that had been stuck in the wall after it cut off my right arm.


    Mark kicks off the ground.


    I also start running towards him.


    Is there anything else? A moment of hesitation appears in his eyes. He brushes it away and holds his sword above his head.


    His countermeasure against my Black Magic is perfect. He also has White Magic. Moreover, I no longer have a staff.


    I don¡¯t have the physical ability needed to avoid his attack.


    There¡¯s no way to avoid his attack. Mark will win.


    If this continues.


    I use Black Magic and cast Speed Down¡­


    ¡­on myself.


    It¡¯s a form of sudden stop for one of the two that are rapidly closing the distance between them.


    I¡¯m sure he was expecting me to change direction, accelerate, or decelerate.


    But could he have imagined that I would cast a debuff on myself?


    For me, this is a training method that I use every day.


    But for most Humans, it¡¯s an unthinkable way of using Black Magic.


    My bangs were quickly slashed and the tip of the sword grazed over the tip of my nose.


    Then, the blade cut the ground.


    ¡¸Ku-¡¹


    I start to move again. I step on his sword and jump.


    ¡¸But you already have nothing else to-¡¹


    ¡¸You gave it to me, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    It was only a moment ago.


    Because of him, I lost my right arm starting from the elbow.


    Both the exposed bone and flesh are from an Avatar so it¡¯s obscured. The flesh immediately dissipates into magic particles, but the bones have a little more time before it gets disintegrated. Since the magic density is different.


    The cross-section is sharp enough to pierce the bare human body.


    ¡¸No way-¡¹


    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    Because the white bone from my elbow had pierced his throat.


    He opened his eyes wide and was stunned for a few seconds, but in the end¡­he laughed.


    Along with a regrettable, apologetic, praiseful smile, he left the field.


    My body fell to the ground.


    He had lifted his sword in that situation and severed my right leg from the knee down.


    ¡¸¡­Wh-what breathtaking offense and defense. Th-the winner is¡­contestant Lem!¡¹

 CH 92

    92 ¨C There Is One Thing That Should Be Done and Should Be Allowed to be Done Before Returning to the Battle


    ¡¸No way¡­he ended up winning single-handedly.¡¹


    Alba said with an astonished expression.


    ¡¸I know, I was watching.¡¹


    My tone was often misunderstood as an angry one, but that¡¯s not the case.


    Alba usually snaps when he hears my irritating tone, but now he¡¯s not even paying any attention to it and just continues to stick to the window to look at the field.


    ¡¸Lark, wouldn¡¯t you lose as well if you fight against him?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe, anyway I was already beaten once because of a certain someone who gave him a Magic Sword.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­tch¡¹


    Alba often makes people feel irritated, but this time Lark lightly eluded it.


    But at the same time, both Lark and I are surprised to hear that Alba mentioned Lem¡¯s victory with his own mouth, albeit jokingly.


    But then again, it¡¯s Alba, so it was probably just another whim of his.


    ¡¸Putting aside Bella, Lily doesn¡¯t seem surprised by Lem¡¯s victory.¡¹


    I shook my head at Lark¡¯s words.


    ¡¸I¡¯m surprised, but it¡¯s fundamentally the same as what we personally witnessed at the Demon King Castle. He researched to get a profound understanding of the opponent, predicted what the opponent would do and how he should respond to it, and then create a strategy.¡¹


    The Frost Hero Bella nodded to my words.


    I still have mixed feelings about Lem¡¯s withdrawal, but Bella has done nothing wrong.


    On the contrary, her calmness and keen opinions that one would not expect from a rookie have helped me a lot.


    ¡¸Even though it¡¯s as Lily said, I¡¯m still not sure how to react to this. That Holy Paladin is definitely not weak.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, he¡¯s excellent. In addition to magic resistance, he also has White Magic Aptitude, which should make it easy for him to deal with Black Magic. At any rate, I think he did a good job of reducing the effectiveness of Lem¡¯s magic.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because he has the same type of Job, but Lark is more talkative than usual.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. But what I¡¯m curious about is¨D¨D¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I also thought about that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. His Black Magic is not just something like that. Even if there¡¯s a reason as to why he can¡¯t muster that much strength as when he¡¯s purely focusing on defense, that¡¯s still way too weak. In the first place, compared to the previous matches¡­ Don¡¯t tell me.¡¹


    Everyone seemed to have noticed at the same time.


    It was different. However, there was one person who was concerned about something else, Alba.


    ¡¸Ah, where¡¯d Fenix go?¡¹


    We finally noticed it.


    The leader of our party was not here.


    No-.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t that our leader over there?¡¹


    The place that Bella pointed to was an ordinary audience seat.


    At that place, there was the figure of Fenix.


    ¡ó


    ¡ºWhoa, that was such an intense battle.¡»


    ¡º¡­Yeah.¡»


    ¡ºI think there are various perspectives, but personally I would like to applaud both contestants. Since it¡¯s not often for me to get the chance to watch an Adventurer match with such a fresh feeling.¡»


    ¡º¡­¡»


    ¡ºAlthough it was a wonderful victory, Lem has also received serious damage. An Avatar leaving the field is caused by a fatal injury or by losing too much simulated blood, as in leaking out Magical Energy, to the point that if the blood was real then that person would have died. He managed to avoid a fatal injury, however, he has lost one hand and one leg. Will the match depend on the one-on-one fight between contestant Philip and contestant Berith?¡»


    ¡º¡­¡­¡»


    ¡ºSir Aerial?¡»


    Mr. Commentator is saying something.


    I was refining my Magical Energy. To be precise, I continued to refine it.


    By no means did I go easy on Mark during the fight.


    It¡¯s just like how Mark continued to maintain the White Magic cast on Philip for quite some time while fighting me.


    It¡¯s exactly because this is a Tag Battle that using your power for the sake of your partner¡¯s victory is not treated with contempt.


    Because he was serious about this, he had racked his brains about the distribution of power.


    It¡¯s inevitable that there would be openings for Berith¡¯s desired fighting style. That¡¯s because of the super high firepower needed.


    Although she can also just avoid using it and fight purely with her nimble hands, this also has the purpose of displaying her fighting style.


    As her partner, and as a Black Sorcerer, it¡¯s natural for me to help her.


    We fought separately and now that I somehow managed to win, I have to cast Black Magic on Philip before I leave the field.


    I ignored the Magical Energy that is leaking out and maximized the operation of my Magical Energy organ.


    ¡¸Lem!¡¹


    Mark was a strong opponent. So I thought that an arm would be a necessary sacrifice, but I didn¡¯t expect to have one arm and one foot severed.


    It¡¯s impossible for me to move and distract Philip in this condition.


    ¡¸Lem!!¡¹


    A voice. A stranger¡¯s voice. No, it sounded familiar. I¡¯ve heard this voice countless times before. It¡¯s definitely Fenix¡¯s voice.


    It sounded like the voice was pretty close.


    When I turned my head, I saw my childhood friend leaning over the railing, further forward than the front seats, calling out to me, to the surprise of the general audience.


    His face was a little excited and he looked happy.


    What are you doing? You¡¯re going to cause a big fuss. More like, I¡¯m in the middle of a match right now, though?


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Lem.¡¹


    What¡¯s okay?


    I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re trying to say-.


    ¡¸You won.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Defeating the enemy head-on and helping his allies win.


    I admired those kinds of heroes.


    However, reality is harsh, and even though I like to contribute to the victory of my friends as a Black Sorcerer.


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t throw away that admiration.


    The battle with Fenix was extremely enjoyable.


    But that was only possible because of my master¡¯s horn, the cooperation of my allies, and my position as Lemegeton.


    Ahh, I see. I¡¯m now¡­feeling happy.


    I¡¯m so happy to the point that I¡¯m trembling, but I pretended not to notice it and tried to concentrate on the fight.


    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong for me to do that, but Fenix said that it¡¯s okay for me to express it.


    ¡ºS-sir Fenix seems to be shouting from the audience seats. Is he trying to cheer for his friend¡­¡»


    The generation of Magical Energy is still continuing.


    I have to observe the fight between the other two people and measure the best timing.


    I can be happy after finishing-.


    ¡ºHe¡¯s right, Lem. It¡¯s not an emotion that you should get used to stifling. You should express that emotion when it¡¯s at its greatest, even if it¡¯s only for a moment.¡»


    He couldn¡¯t have been close enough to hear that, but it seems like Aerial can understand Fenix¡¯s feelings.


    Fenix brought his hand forward.


    Since one of my arms was broken and cut off, he¡¯s probably offering his hand as a substitute for it.


    ¡¸¡­did you come down here just to do that, you¡¯re such an idiot.¡¹


    Okay then, I¡¯ll borrow your hand.


    Fortunately, I have a little bit of time. It¡¯s enough time for me to complete my magic.


    The torrent of emotions that was eagerly waiting to be expressed was released with my permission.


    My voice was raised and he clenched his fist at the same time.


    ¡¸-Yaaaaa¡­!!!¡¹


    I won. I won.


    With my Black Magic and body that was trained by my master.


    While leveraging the swordsmanship that was trained by Furcus.


    Utilizing all of the experiences and knowledge that I¡¯ve gained so far.


    I, against the vanguard of an Adventurer¡¯s party. I, single-handedly, against the Holy Paladin that¡¯s in the 99th rank.


    As the Black Sorcerer Lem, I won.


    When I realized it, I was already exclaiming in a loud voice, like an idiot.


    It wasn¡¯t pointless.


    It wasn¡¯t meaningless.


    All my efforts, during these 10 years, have steadily allowed me to realize my childhood dream.


    To think that I can¡¯t even express my happiness if I¡¯m alone¡­ I still have a long way to go.


    I¡¯m no longer looking at my best friend. But I know that, just like me, he was still smiling.


    I thanked my best friend and the one who¡¯s in 1st rank and cast the last Black Magic of the semifinals.


    Up until now, I¡¯ve always flowed my Magical Energy through the staff to cast magic, even if it took some time. I¡¯ve been doing that, except for the Speed Down at the end.


    By doing so, I can save my MagicalEnergy and get a huge magic effect with a small amount of Magical Energy.


    However, what is released now is all of my Magical Energy that has been produced in my body since the start of the match and was concealed with Magical Energy manipulation.


    Berith, I¡¯ll give you the best moment.


    That¡¯s why, with all of your strength, you should-.


    ¡¸Punch him hard.¡¹


    Immediately after the magic was activated, I left the field.


    I¡¯m leaving the rest up to you.

 CH 93

    93 ¨C Right Arm 1


    I started watching Clear videos because I was influenced by my brother.


    It seemed like he started watching it because of our father¡¯s influence.


    Mother didn¡¯t seem to like it though.


    The brother and sister admired heroes.


    And both of them became a Hero at the age of 10.


    It was impossible for us not to aim for it.


    The cool heroes that shook our hearts even through the screen.


    I can¡¯t help but want to become a hero.


    But no matter how much effort we put in to make our dreams come true, we couldn¡¯t get any results.


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want to recall how I felt at that time. When I tried to talk to people, their expressions would become worn out, so if I have to describe it, it felt like the end of the world.


    To put it another way, my brother had reconstructed my world.


    In the new world, there were people who admired me, loud cheers came from all over the place, and I became the beautiful and chivalrous Silver Prince.


    But that is only the result of the mask that he had prepared for me.


    Although I¡¯m the one who put in a lot of effort to act according to the role, my brother is the one who wrote the script.


    So, what¡¯s the problem with that world? There is nothing wrong with it.


    On the surface.


    The customers are happy, my teammates are satisfied, a lot of money is coming in, and we are doing well.


    The only problem is that I¡¯m not satisfied.


    In sports, there are times when a popular player would transfer to a different team.


    Perhaps there is a reason for him to do so, such as because the player is aiming for the top, or because he has long admired that team.


    Some fans will be supportive, while others will criticize it as a betrayal. I don¡¯t know who is correct. Is there even a right response? If there is, then who made that decision?


    All I can say is that these players thought about it all on their own and took responsibility for their decisions.


    It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t consider what their teammates and fans would think. They did and they made the decision by themselves because it was about them.


    What I didn¡¯t have was that kind of strong mentality.


    I¡¯ve always kept my past failures at the bottom of my heart.


    I was hesitant to talk to my brother about the party because he was the one who brought out these results.


    That day. The day I visited the room where Lem and Milla were.


    The reason I cried during the conversation with my brother. The reason that made me very sad.


    It was because I thought that my brother had changed.


    I have no intentions of denying a Party that can be sold and be popular. It should have been a part of the process.


    We admired Heroes, experienced a setback, and made a comeback.


    But that wasn¡¯t for the sake of becoming a popular party that can make a lot of money.


    It was because in order for us to become just like the Heroes we admired, we first need to be seen by the people.


    And in order for us to be seen by people, we needed to have a personality and elements that were easy to understand and can attract their interest.


    For me, I have someone I admire. I have a dream of wanting to become someone like the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, who is currently in 3rd rank.


    Even now, it¡¯s still the same.


    I think that my brother also had one.


    A hero he admired, a dream he¡¯s aiming for.


    ¡ºJust stop doing this and become a proper adult. The hero you¡¯re aiming for won¡¯t make any money.¡»


    ¡ºYou can¡¯t live without money. You¡¯re the one who chose this as your job. The results are finally showing. Stop acting like a child.¡»


    That day, I thought to myself.


    I see¡­brother Phil has grown up.


    I¡¯m the only one who still remained like the kid that eagerly watched TV.


    When I looked at him, the boy who was just as excited as me about the Heroes¡¯ fight was no longer there.


    When I thought so, I became sad.


    But I¡¯m sure it¡¯s wrong.


    I don¡¯t think the thoughts he said to Berith were a lie.


    So, is he now living in order to atone for the past, when he casually affirmed his sister¡¯s dream?


    That¡¯s much sadder, but there was one saving grace in it.


    And that is-.


    ¡¸It seems like you can¡¯t use any big moves without the support of a Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it seems like you can¡¯t even smash silver without the support of a Holy Paladin.¡¹


    The battle was in a stalemate.


    I have tried to attack with a silver arm from the ground, with my fist, and by using a weapon.


    However, I still couldn¡¯t break through the defense of the Diamond Hero.


    In addition, he used Diamond, which covered his entire body with an armor that has a rock-like texture. He doesn¡¯t seem to like that appearance because it made him look like artificial Demi-Beasts or a golem, but in exchange for his agility, his defense is now much higher.


    On the other hand, he has also been unable to destroy my magic since just a few minutes ago.


    To be more precise, since the number of attacks required for him to destroy my magic has increased, he chose to evade rather than destroy.


    Mark is excellent, but the enhancement by White Magic is only a temporary relief.


    However, since it¡¯s magic, it¡¯s possible to increase its effectiveness depending on the conditions.


    He can focus on the target and increase the amount of Magical Energy poured into it.


    As a result, his offensive power, which was originally slightly unable to crush the silver, managed to reach the level where he could crush it.


    But then Mark¡¯s magic was interrupted by Lem, resulting in this current situation.


    My attacks lack the decisive blow and his attacks are one step short of reaching me.


    But I wasn¡¯t just wasting my Magical Energy.


    If I depend on Lem for everything, then nothing will change.


    If I have a goal that I want to accomplish, I should at least think about how to fight for it and implement it by myself.


    I¡¯ve finished the preparations.


    ¡¸Philip, we will win this fight.¡¹


    ¡¸How are you planning to defeat us, when Mark will defeat Lem?¡¹


    He¡¯s implying¡ºWhat are you saying when you aren¡¯t even capable of defeating me?¡».


    I understand why he would want to say that.


    Since I always get helped by Lem.


    If it goes according to the strategy we made beforehand, I should be able to get a final boost.


    However, even if I don¡¯t get it, I have to try to win this fight.


    Because I¡¯ve been helped by so many people.


    So today, here, from now on, at least for this moment.


    By myself.


    With this silver magic, I will break both the¡ºDiamond¡»and the regret he has been carrying.


    A thin silver was coiled around my right arm.


    ¡¸Here I come.¡¹

 CH 94

    94 ¨C Right Arm 2


    I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a long time.


    People have different suitabilities.


    For me, however, it¡¯s not enough to just impersonate who I wanted to be


    That approach was a failure.


    In the first place, that¡¯s just an imitation. An inferior copy.


    I¡¯m not saying that admiration is bad. It¡¯s just that the world isn¡¯t that easy to live in, to the point that you can deal with it with only admiration.


    My perception was naive.


    Until the first failure, my brother and I were the same.


    But Phil is amazing.


    Both of us who weren¡¯t popular and our companions, the Thief Leila and the Fairy and Wizard Ruri, are now popular.


    The Holy Paladin Mark was also misfortunate at his previous party, so my brother turned around the lives of five Adventurers, including himself.


    He perceived Adventurers as merchandise, thought about trends and party balance, and created a personality that is suitable for him and me.


    The result was a success.


    Leila, Ruri, and Mark seem to be happy with the current situation.


    But what about me and Philip?


    ¡ºWhoa, there is a development in this side as well. The battle was in a stalemate after Mark stopped casting his White Magic, but contestant Berith is attacking him again!¡»


    ¡ºContestant Berith is very proficient in using Earth Magic. People tend to pay attention to those who have Spirits, but magic is a power that is approved by even Humans. Speaking of Adventurers, the famous Wizard of Foresight Merlin can use magic that is on par with contractors of the Four Great Spirits even though she doesn¡¯t have a contract with a Spirit.¡»


    ¡ºYou¡¯re referring to the Wizard in the 2nd ranked party, right? Well, although she might not be as good as Merlin, she certainly gives off the impression of being able to use both flashy, high-force magic and subtle, versatile magic.¡»


    I feel sorry for the two commentators and everyone in the audience.


    I¡¯m not an Insect-Human who doesn¡¯t rely on Spirits, but a Hero in disguise.


    Although, Aerial might just be pretending that he doesn¡¯t know, even though he actually realized it.


    ¡ºYeah, but will she be satisfied with just being able to properly use both magic? Or will she-¡»


    As expected of a top-notch Hero. To think that he can instantly give an answer for what I¡¯ve been worried about for the past few years.


    That¡¯s right.


    I admire a hero who ultimately wins in the end, even though that image became muddy and tattered.


    A hero who can endure the damage and defeat his opponent with great skill.


    I have learned how to fight with the fighting style that I admire.


    My Aptitude as a hero who wins with beautiful, flowing magic.


    A hero who is protected by her brother and Mark and defeats her opponents with ease.


    I have also learned how to fight with the fighting style that my brother demonstrated for me.


    Failure and success.


    Aspiration and Aptitude.


    Dream and reality.


    Two fighting styles that are seemingly at odds with each other.


    ¡­Thank you, brother.


    ¡­Thank you, Lem.


    Thank you brother for showing me how to survive in reality.


    Thank you Lem for showing me how to never give up on my dreams.


    I¡¯m grateful to both of you.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a pretty adorable armament.¡¹


    Contrary to my boastful speech, all I did was clad the surface of my arm with silver.


    It seemed a bit anticlimactic.


    ¡¸Is that so? Even if I do this?¡¹


    But of course, this is not the end.


    ¡¸What¡­? Ugh!¡¹


    He jumped to the side.


    A cannonball-sized silver was aimed at his back. The sword held by the¡ºarm¡»was reshaped and thrown at him.


    ¡¸I see, this will certainly allow you to have a longer range to some extent. But if that¡¯s all it¡­is¡­¡¹


    If it¡¯s only to that extent, I won¡¯t be able to defeat him.


    So I just tried to not let it end at that extent.


    The cannonball he avoided didn¡¯t miss its target, just like how I intended it, the cannonball crashed into my fist.


    Just like that, it coiled around my arm.


    The silver arm became slightly larger.


    ¡º-Ohhh¡­! Contestant Berith has taken all this into consideration! Since her special move takes a long time to prepare, she had to buy time with the walls and Lem¡¯s Black Magic. The problem was that the various skills she had will not damage contestant Philip, who specializes in defense. But if she doesn¡¯t use those skills, then he will close the distance. She solved that problem in a single swoop. It¡¯s brilliant!¡»


    ¡ºWhile maintaining the diversion of¡¸Minor Skills¡¹, she made the preparation to use her¡¸Greater Skill¡¹. Once the preparations were complete, she used her¡¸Minor Skills¡¹to stop her opponent and deliver the blow. Not only did she use them well, but she also combined the skills that she can use and made it evolve. This will be very troublesome for her opponent.¡»


    If I try to create huge magic all at once, it will result in a huge opening.


    If that¡¯s the case, I can use small magic and gradually make it bigger.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounds, and constructing the magic was so tedious that smoke was coming out of my head.


    But this is a new form.


    Not just one or the other, but a combination of admiration and Aptitude.


    All that remains is to produce results. That is the most difficult part.


    ¡¸Well done, but it¡¯s still not enough, and there¡¯s one flaw in that strategy.¡¹


    He remained calm.


    The¡ºarm¡»that grew before his evasion was holding a sword.


    He didn¡¯t avoid the swing of the sword.


    He gripped and crushed it with his arm that was covered with¡ºDiamond¡».


    Just like that, he put both of his hands around my¡ºarm¡»and put more strength into the grip.


    The creaking¡ºarm¡»developed a crack and eventually¡­broke.


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be finished off as long as I don¡¯t avoid it. With your skills, the silver can¡¯t harm me.¡¹


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll go towards you.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-!¡¹


    From the moment he caught the sword, I started running.


    By the time he turned around to look at me, our distance had shrunk to the point where we could hit each other.


    He didn¡¯t even block the blow aimed at his abdomen.


    There are two sounds of impact.


    One from my arm striking him in the stomach.


    One from his arm striking me in the face.


    The both of us retreated as if we were repelled from each other. We didn¡¯t intend to do that. It was the impact of both of our attacks that did it.


    At the moment of contact, the silver that was scattered around him stuck to my arm.


    The magic was set up so that the silver would merge together at a certain distance.


    My vision wobbled. What a heavy blow.


    I shouldn¡¯t take another hit to the head.


    I had considered that he would react quickly, but I didn¡¯t expect that that brother of mine would actually prioritize countering rather than defending.


    It didn¡¯t seem like- no, that¡¯s just like my brother.


    The person I admired was the Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    Then who did my brother admire?


    That person was called the Iron Wall Hero.


    ¡ºThe Iron Wall Hero is the most amazing. Because if the hero doesn¡¯t receive any damage, then he won¡¯t lose, right? A hero who never falls is a hero who never loses. Just because he¡¯s the Iron Wall Hero doesn¡¯t mean that his attacks are weak. An armor that is impervious to any attack can become a weapon that can shatter any armor. He can take on all of his enemies and then win. Isn¡¯t that so cool?¡»


    That¡¯s what my older brother told me when we were kids.


    I was moved by the cool female hero who tries to win even if she was torn and tattered.


    Phil was fascinated by the cool hero who remained unharmed against all kinds of attacks.


    ¡¸I will not be defeated by a fist of that level.¡¹


    I knew it.


    My brother has changed, but there are still parts of him that still haven¡¯t changed.


    You didn¡¯t lose your admiration for that hero, did you? It¡¯s just that you¡¯ve sealed it away and you¡¯re now acting as your sister¡¯s knight.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll hit you harder next time.¡¹

 CH 95

    95 ¨C Right Arm 3


    Punch, then defeat him.


    It¡¯s extremely simple, but when magic, weapons, and fighting techniques are involved, it won¡¯t be that simple.


    ¡ºA heavy and dull sound just resounded! Contestant Berith had been maintaining her distance until the preparation for her great skill was finished, but she¡¯s now abandoning that and is going for close combat! On the other hand, contestant Philip, who has been fighting a steady battle with his high defense, chooses to counter-attack instead of strengthening his defense!¡»


    ¡ºI personally like this development. Well, since I¡¯m a commentator, so if I had to say something more like a commentator, I would say that their actions aren¡¯t the result of leaving everything to their emotions.¡»


    ¡ºOhh. Can you please tell us more details?¡»


    ¡ºIn the case of contestant Berith, she might have had an intention to solve the lack of offensive ability of her¡¸Minor Skills¡¹. The feature of¡¸being able to manipulate it freely even if it¡¯s away from the caster¡¹consumes Magical Energy. If she uses it at a very short distance, she can save some of her Magical Energy and use it for increasing her offensive ability.¡»


    ¡ºI see¡­! Then, what is the intention of contestant Philip?¡»


    ¡ºThey¡¯re still exchanging blows, but his¡¸Diamond¡¹is still staying strong. With the current¡¸right arm¡¹and¡¸Minor Skills,¡¹Berith won¡¯t be able to do much damage. So it¡¯s not wrong for him to go on the offensive. If Berith¡¯s¡¸right arm¡¹is completed, it¡¯ll eliminate the need for her to incorporate the¡¸combination¡¹of her two skills, then her¡¸Minor Skills¡¹will be further strengthened,  so maybe he is trying to settle the fight before that future comes.¡»


    ¡ºSo you¡¯re saying that, even though at the first glance, the both of them seem to be having a fistfight, they are actually sketching the path to victory in their head!¡»


    As the commentary continued, so did our offense and defense.


    No, that¡¯s not accurate.


    This is more like offense and offense.


    I punched him. In the face, chest, abdomen, sides, and chin, and sometimes I even punch his fists that were aiming for my back and knees.


    With my right arm, or with my¡ºarm¡»that grew out from the ground.


    However, his¡ºDiamond¡»is still not broken.


    Even a real golem would be easier to deal with. This defense is too hard.


    Speaking of him, he didn¡¯t take any defensive stance at all and just comes straight at me.


    If there is an arm that gets in the way, he will tear it off, and if there is a wall standing in his way, he will hit it again and again until it breaks.


    ¡¸The bigger your arms get, the heavier your movements become.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s still better than you with your full-body golem armor though.¡¹


    ¡¸It seems that you still have the composure to crack jokes.¡¹


    I felt like he grinned inside the helmet that looked like a golem¡¯s head.


    Speaking of accumulated damage, I¡¯m at a tremendous disadvantage.


    The exoskeleton that the Insect-Humans were said to be proud of is already tattered. Some parts are dented or tore off.


    Although both the Insect-Humans and I have a contract with an Earth Spirit, each Spirit has different suitabilities.


    Even though they are like alter egos, they were split apart a long time ago, and they have different personalities.


    It might be similar to the story that says that if we trace the human ancestors back to the beginning, they are all one entity.


    Even if in the beginning they are one entity, every one of them is now a different individual.


    My partner is good at¡ºFormation¡». He was given the ability to transform a part of the earth, as long as it was silver.


    Phil¡¯s partner is good at¡ºHardening¡». He was given the ability to give a rock-like hardness that cannot be destroyed by a person¡¯s hands.


    ¡¸It¡¯s only¡­slightly heavier¡­!¡¹


    I was facing him, but then I started running in the opposite direction.


    Phil pursued after me.


    A silver slope was created right in front of me. However, there was something strange with its condition starting from the middle. It¡¯s bent backward. I ran through it regardless, and just before the top and bottom turned over, I kicked the silver.


    I twisted in midair and transmitted more strength to my fist.


    Below me, there was the Diamond Hero, who chased after me.


    My fist, which also has height added to its power, absorbed the silver used on the slope immediately after the jump and became even bigger.


    ¡¸No matter how many times you do it, the result will stay the same.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll just do it again and again until the result changes.¡¹


    I swung my fist toward his helmet.


    Just like before, he didn¡¯t try to defend against it.


    My right arm was already thicker than an Orc¡¯s arm, but looks like not even this will give him any damage.


    His arm tried to grasp my lower back.


    Is he planning to break my body right in half?


    But just before he did it, he jumped backward.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ve thought a lot about this, huh?¡¹


    Liquid silver was gushing out from the place he was standing before.


    His armor is like a golem¡¯s. It looks like a combination of stones of various sizes.


    If I can sneak the liquid silver into the armor through the gaps, then I can damage him from the inside.


    Although it¡¯s not an appearance that he wants to show, he also won¡¯t be able to ignore it. Since there are people watching.


    ¡¸Although my sister is planning to hit and defeat me, even if I ignore her, she probably won¡¯t attack me with this.¡¹, it won¡¯t play out like this.


    ¡¸Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡¹


    Phil didn¡¯t respond.


    He¡¯s thinking about it. He thought that his sister is an idiot. Well, I can¡¯t deny it.


    ¡¸All right. I¡¯ll defeat you while continuously moving. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¹


    ¡¸I told you already, we¡¯re the ones that will win.¡¹


    Phil started running.


    There are two chances. Neither of them is available now, but the chance will definitely come. I have no doubt about that.


    I created a wall to obstruct his path-.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    I¡¯m dumbfounded.


    I thought I had temporarily blocked his path. So, in the meantime, I also approached the wall and was trying to absorb the silver of the wall with my right arm while striking him on the other side of the wall.


    But I couldn¡¯t do that.


    The wall was being lifted along with the ground it grew out from.


    Of course, he was the one who did it.


    ¡¸You¡¯re trying to absorb this right. Feel free to do that.¡¹


    After saying that, he threw the wall. You¡¯re probably wondering what it means to throw a wall, but there¡¯s no other way to describe it because he actually threw it.


    Not good¡­!


    It¡¯s good that I know what¡¯s on the other side of this, but it¡¯s troublesome that he used it as an attack. Even if I can absorb the wall that¡¯s approaching, it will block my visual field.


    On the other hand, if I choose to avoid it, the completion of my right arm will be delayed.


    I hesitated. But in the end, I choose to absorb it.


    I used my fist to attack the silver that I made.


    ¡¸You made the wrong choice.¡¹


    He¡¯s fast¡­but that¡¯s okay!


    That¡¯s just how it should be.


    He was undoing the¡ºDiamond¡»on his body, other than his right fist.


    He knew that I¡¯ll choose to absorb it and threw off the best armor.


    He raised his fist from a low stance to punch me in the jaw.


    But it missed the target.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    The wall that I was trying to absorb had changed its form into an arm.


    The former silver wall, now the current silver arm grasped my right arm and raised me overhead.


    My body fluttered in the air.


    ¡¸¡­Ha.¡¹


    You¡¯re making a sound that seems as if you¡¯re having a lot of fun, aren¡¯t you forgetting your character?


    The first chance came at the perfect timing.


    ¡¸¡­Mark?¡¹


    Given my brother¡¯s personality, I thought he would choose Ruri, a Wizard who would look great for shows, as his partner.


    However, this time he chose Mark, the Holy Paladin who usually protects his sister alongside himself.


    He may have thought about what the audience wanted and decided that swordplay was better than brightly colored magic.


    There are winners and losers in Hero Shows and Dungeon Clears, but for the customers, it has a strong aspect of performance.


    In the case of Dungeon Clears, the party can decide how to present it themselves.


    From which angle and which shot to use.


    However, in the case of a Tag Tournament, there are people who watch the tournament live, regardless of the fact that it will be broadcasted on TV later.


    If you think about it that way, the Fairy, Ruri, is small and hard to see, and even though the venue is full of Magical Energy, the concentration is not as high or as plentiful as in a Dungeon.


    It¡¯s hard to make the best use of Ruri¡¯s strong point of gathering Magical Energy from her surroundings and use it as her own.


    He might also have such thoughts.


    But, those are probably not the real reason. Those are not the decisive factor.


    Isn¡¯t it because he wants to defeat Lem?


    Isn¡¯t it because he recognized that Lem is an excellent Black Sorcerer and is being cautious against him?


    That¡¯s why he teamed up with the Holy Paladin.


    If that partner loses, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay indifferent, even if it¡¯s in the middle of the match.


    ¡¸Now!¡¹


    I reduced all of the¡ºarms¡»that was located around my surroundings by one size smaller and turned those parts into spheres ¨C and threw it.


    Then, all of it merged with my right arm in midair.


    The enormous right arm was used as a hammer and I swung it down on him.


    The impact was big enough that it made the venue shake.


    My large hammer smashing him right in the head¡­did not happen.


    It was stopped by a right fist that was aimed upwards.


    The impact shattered the ground beneath his feet, making his body slightly submerged in the ground, but the damage seemed to have reached him thanks to the lack of armor on the other parts of his body.


    But still.


    ¡¸It was the best timing.¡¹


    Then how can you still react to it?


    With a slight sound, he stepped back.


    There was a feeling of floating for a moment.


    Having lost the support of his arms, my body started to fall down.


    Then, Phil approached me.


    ¡¸Ah.¡¹


    I put my left hand on my right arm, grasped it, and pulled it out.


    I formed a sword from my right arm.


    ¡¸How skillful. Aren¡¯t you more suited for this?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re noisy.¡¹


    The sword I swung was crushed, but I succeeded in deviating the trajectory of his fist.


    The fist that was supposed to hit my head ended up hitting my chest and my body was blown away.


    I pushed my right arm against the ground and slowly stopped the momentum.


    When I looked back, the¡ºDiamond¡»was already redeployed on his body.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t tell me, is what you¡¯ve just done the best that you can do? If that¡¯s the limit of what you can do when you get a good opportunity¡­you will never be able to smash this body of mine.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, that¡¯s not my limit.¡¹


    ¡¸I hope that¡¯s the case.¡¹


    Did he think that I didn¡¯t see that?


    It was only for an instant, but I clearly saw it.


    There was a crack in his right fist that resulted because of the previous attack.


    It has already been repaired, but it was definitely cracked.


    My attack power only needs to be slightly stronger.


    The next attack will decide the result of the match.

 CH 96

    96 ¨C With My Fist and Your Black Magic


    ¡¸In the best-case scenario, I can support you with Black Magic after defeating Mark. It would be great if I could turn Philip¡¯s attention towards me.¡¹


    This was the conversation I had with Lem at the strategy meeting before the tournament.


    The worst-case scenario would be if Lem lost to Mark, or if I lost against my brother even earlier than that.


    ¡¸Yeah¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m probably late at asking this but¡­you don¡¯t disagree with this?¡¹


    Lem¡¯s gaze seemed anxious.


    ¡¸Eh? No way. Of course, I¡¯ll try to win even in a one-on-one match, but this is a tag battle. I have no complaints about winning with the help of my partner. ¡¹


    ¡¸I see, if that¡¯s the case, then that¡¯s good.¡¹


    Lem smiled in relief and continued.


    ¡¸So, about the magic that I¡¯m going to cast on Philip, I¡¯m thinking about using¡ºConfusion¡». Since even if he uses¡ºDiamond¡», this will disrupt the thoughts that maintain the skill. Although the armor will only loosen for around the range of an instant to a few seconds, if you strike him at that moment with your completed right arm, you should be able to defeat him, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nicola?¡¹


    After hesitating for a short time, I somehow managed to say it.


    ¡¸Um, you see. Lem, about that¡­can¡¯t you cast Defense Down instead?¡¹


    Lem put his hand on his chin to think about it, without denying my opinion.


    ¡¸¡­Well, that¡¯s true, and I also think that the audience would be more excited to see you smashing the¡ºDiamond¡»rather than me making his armor become shaky. Moreover, it also fits the purpose of making the audience charmed with the fighting style that you wish to have, but¡­¡¹


    He had a complicated expression.


    ¡¸Black magic cannot be cast on objects. Also, since it also can¡¯t be cast on others¡¯ magic, the only thing that can be lowered by Defense Down is Philip¡¯s own durability. It can¡¯t make¡ºDiamond¡»turn brittle though¡­?¡¹


    The reason why White Magic and Black Magic are effective on Avatars is that it was configured to be that way during the creation phase. Otherwise, since Avatars are made out of Magical Energy, White and Black Magic won¡¯t have any effect against it.


    ¡¸Yeah, I know. In order to make the best use of Lem¡¯s support, I must first get past my brother¡¯s impregnable fortress.¡¹


    I thought he would say various other things to me.


    Lem is kind, but that doesn¡¯t mean that he¡¯s lenient. He is greedy for victory, is committed to helping his friends win, and even though it doesn¡¯t look like it to the audience, he has been thinking about ways to win more than anyone else.


    I wonder if that part of him would be a little bit more shown through this tournament. I would be happy if that was true.


    Anyway, he never compromises when it¡¯s about a match.


    If he thinks that my idea won¡¯t lead to victory, he¡¯ll tell me the reason why.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll leave the rest up to you.¡¹


    He smiled and only said that.


    I was so happy to hear that short sentence.


    He decided that this was possible.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll cast Defense Down at the same time you smash his armor. However, even if you can break through¡ºDiamond¡», most of your power will have been used up by that time.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸But you¡¯ll win.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸With Berith¡¯s fist.¡¹


    ¡¸And Lem¡¯s Black Magic.¡¹


    ¡ó


    I¡¯m not going to verify¡­


    ¡­what kind of situation Lem is in now. Of course, I¡¯m worried, but I¡¯m not going to pay any attention to it.


    He will definitely do what he said he would do. I have no doubt about that.


    That¡¯s why I will also do what I said I would do.


    I started running.


    Not towards my brother. I ran toward the vicinity of the remaining¡ºarms¡»on the field. As I ran, my right arm slowly became larger.


    My opponent didn¡¯t interfere with it. Is he focusing on increasing his defense ability, or is he unable to chase after me because of the damage he received earlier?


    ¡¸It¡¯s gotten a lot bigger.¡¹


    All of the¡ºarms¡»I¡¯ve created so far have been retrieved.


    The only thing left to do is to clash with him and crush him.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going, to hit you, with this.¡¹


    He seemed to be planning to attack me as I sprinted toward him.


    The ground shook with each step.


    Without any other interference, the distance between us dropped to zero.


    My right arm thrust out and he stopped it using both of his arms.


    A moment later, a thunderous sound on par with an earth tremor resounded throughout the venue.


    His body slowly went down, but the¡ºDiamond¡»is still not broken.


    ¡¸I told you. Breaking my body is-¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll definitely do it¡­!¡¹


    Because I¡¯m the one who made this decision and my partner has entrusted me to do this.


    Then, there was another thunderous sound.


    ¡¸¡­What, is this-?¡¹


    Phil looked surprised. His body went down even further.


    I made my right arm become gigantic only by using absorption. Although it also consumed Magical Energy to operate the¡ºarms¡»and create the walls, I am a Hero. Moreover, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m new to this. I¡¯m already 16 years old.


    I have been training for six years, ever since the identification of my Job. So, I have enough Magical Energy.


    The arm was already enlarged to the limit of the size that I could handle.


    That¡¯s why my brother never doubted that this was the best I could do. Because in fact, it really was my best.


    It¡¯s just that I received some support.


    A silver¡ºarm¡»was hitting the elbow of my right arm.


    After hitting, the arm was absorbed by my right arm.


    Since I¡¯ve already hit him, I don¡¯t mind even if it enlarges to a size that I can no longer handle.


    I repeated the process again and again, as long as I still have enough Magical Energy.


    Hit. Hit. Hit. Hit. I kept on hitting him. Again and again. Even if it doesn¡¯t seem to be effective at all, I just continued to do this.


    And then, one step at a time, it started to break.


    ¡¸Arghhhhh¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Guuoooo¡­!¡¹


    The next thing I knew, my opponent¡¯s back was against the wall of the field.


    He was in between my right arm and the wall.


    krk krk, there was the sound of something creaking.


    There was a crack in¡ºDiamond¡». But that¡¯s not all.


    My right arm also had a crack.


    ¡­but I didn¡¯t care about it.


    I continued to push. Kept on hitting him with my fist.


    As if to crush him with the impact.


    Eventually, it broke.


    His armor.


    And my right arm.


    There was an expression of disbelief on his face.


    In that instant, I closed the distance between us.


    The silver that was wrapped around my arm at the very beginning was the only part remaining. A right-arm wrapped in thin silver.


    This alone might not be enough to finish him off.


    But there was no need for me to be worried.


    ¡¸Punch him.¡¹


    I felt like I heard a voice saying that. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the voice of the best Black Sorcerer.


    I swung my fist as hard as I could toward my brother who had a fist clad in a thin golden color.


    The other party also did the same.


    We punched each other¡¯s face with all our strength.


    There was a dull, heavy sound.


    Although I previously thought that it would be bad to receive another blow in the head, I ended up completely receiving it.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t end up collapsing. I guess that was probably because his armament had also become weaker.


    On the other hand, he-.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Was not there. That¡¯s not accurate. I merely missed the moment when he disappeared.


    There were still traces of his presence.


    The magic particles that looked like scattered stardust showed it.


    He left the field.


    Lem¡¯s Defense Down was cast at the best possible timing.


    ¡ºContestant Mark, contestant Lem¡­and also contestant Philip has left the field¡­ Th-the winner is¡­Lem and Berith pair¡­!¡»

 CH 97

    97 ¨C If You Trace the Remains of Your Dream, There Is-


    The Cocoon opened.


    When I got out, Mark was there.


    He had an indescribable face. Is he smiling? But he also seemed calm. At the same time, he also looked frustrated.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, he was strong.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It seems so.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, even though I was already cautious against him.¡¹


    No matter how good of a Black Sorcerer Lem is, he actually shouldn¡¯t have been able to win against Mark.


    If they fought 100 times, then Mark would win 100 times.


    But that¡¯s just the overall strength. The answer would be derived if their fighting abilities are forcibly quantified and compared.


    However, this was a Tag Tournament, and there were a number of strategies that he had prepared for this battle.


    There must have been something more that I didn¡¯t know about. I won¡¯t be able to figure that out unless I ask Mark or check the video.


    ¡¸Why are you apologizing?¡¹


    ¡¸Those who actually fought against him would understand but¡­if you look at it from the audience¡¯s point of view, they have a firm impression of Lem as the one who was kicked out from his party. And due to the fact that I lost to him¡­¡¹


    Is he thinking that his value as a product would fluctuate because of that?


    ¡¸There won¡¯t be any problem with that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course there will be some worrisome opinions, but it won¡¯t be a big deal. There is also the fact that Aerial had invited Lem to his party and the other heroes that lost to him before you. Moreover, if you take Fellow¡¯s goal of establishing a fair competition into consideration, he won¡¯t treat Black Sorcerers as coldly as the Adventurer industry had done until now. In other words-.¡¹


    ¡¸So you¡¯re saying that¡­this matter will instead make Lem become reevaluated, so it will be hard for other people to look down upon the losers?¡¹


    ¡¸If this had been a project unrelated to Fellow, it would have been dangerous. Just like what you were worried about, it would have been normal to have comments saying that¡ºthose who lose against a Black Sorcerer are not fit to be an Adventurer.¡».¡¹


    What¡¯s more important than the facts itself is how it is presented and how it is captured.


    It¡¯s a relief that the person in charge of deciding that is Fellow this time.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, what are you smiling about when you just lost?¡¹


    It¡¯s not like he¡¯s smiling from ear to ear, but it¡¯s rare to see Mark smiling.


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s a man that doesn¡¯t smile at all, but his expression is normally unshakeable.


    ¡¸No, sorry about that. The battle with Lem¡­how should I express this. Aah, right. It was fun. When I think that this battle will not be tainted by outsiders¡¯ evaluation, I¡­feel happy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t tell me that even you have become his fan.¡¹


    I¡¯m probably even smiling at his grumbling. This is definitely a bitter smile.


    ¡¸How was Nicola?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I couldn¡¯t understand her until now. No, I didn¡¯t even try to understand her. Failure is a terrifying thing, isn¡¯t it? Especially in an occupation that is dependent on public favor, the slightest mistake can turn all your supporters against you. In this sort of industry, it is a mystery why she continued to obsess over a style that had failed in the past.¡¹


    Mark listened in silence.


    ¡¸But through this matter, I finally realized why. The reason why she admired Lem and why she couldn¡¯t give up on her childish admiration has become clear.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­and that is?¡¹


    ¡¸To put it simply, she¡¯s an idiot.¡¹


    ¡¸An idiot?¡¹


    Mark¡¯s eyes widened and became round.


    It¡¯s somewhat amusing and I ended up laughing. This time it was natural.


    ¡¸A normal person generally has a lot of consideration. Once he fails, he can¡¯t fail anymore. Once he succeeds, he doesn¡¯t want to let go of it. When his life is stable, he strives to maintain or improve it. This applies to normal or slightly smarter people. But idiots are different. What those people have is passion.  If there is a place they want to go to or scenery they want to see, they can never give up on it. It¡¯s constantly appealing to their mind, and it can¡¯t be restrained by reason.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a sentence with a lot of feelings contained within.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. Everyone starts out as an idiot. They become Adventurers because they are stupid. They are already an idiot at the point when they choose a difficult job where they¡¯re always divided into two sides, either a winner or a loser. Because they are stupid, they aim for first place, and because they are stupid, they think that they can be recognized by everyone. But then they realize the truth about reality and most of them realize that the only way to survive is to become smarter. Those who can¡¯t do that will disappear and no one will remember them anymore.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t want that to happen, so I aimed to become an Adventurer that can be popular.


    Since I can¡¯t let my sister become trash.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been watching her since I left the field, but Nicola is not an ordinary idiot. She didn¡¯t follow her past mistakes.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, she had a lot of schemes. Yet, she continued to stick to the style she admired. For an idiot, she really thought a lot about this. Not only that¡­¡¹


    She must have been fighting for the sake of her foolish brother as well.


    ¡¸It can¡¯t be popular? The style that Nicola wishes to have.¡¹


    ¡¸The new style itself is not the problem. It has a good balance with the current style. But¡­¡¹


    I think I probably understood what Lem and Nicola were trying to tell me.


    When I think about that¡­


    ¡¸¡­Mark. Am I not being calm?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve never been calm when it concerns your sister.¡¹


    ¡¸Ugh¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t expect to be stung like this.


    ¡¸If you thought so, then you should¡¯ve said so before.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you really think that you would actually listen to me when you were not calm?¡¹


    If before this incident, Mark had told me to properly listen to my sister¡¯s story or that I should stay calm¡­


    ¡­I probably wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve listen to him.


    After all, results are important.


    I thought that Lem and my sister would never be able to beat me and Mark.


    But at the least, they managed to overturn it.


    That being the case, I can¡¯t ignore that result.


    There was a knock on the door of the waiting room.


    ¡¸¡­I guess it¡¯s time for the interview of the defeated?¡¹


    ¡¸What should I say?¡¹


    Mark has been following my plan when it¡¯s related to the work of Adventurers. Or rather, that¡¯s the case for everyone in the party. Even Nicola was doing flawlessly at her job.


    ¡¸Just say what you want to. If you want to praise Lem, then do so.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    We headed for the door together.


    I have to fulfill my promise.


    It should be okay to do the apology after the tournament is over. First of all-


    ¡ó


    I raised my hand to Berith as she came back to the waiting room.


    ¡¸You did it.¡¹


    She walked up to me and just like that, she hugged me.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­! Yeah¡­! We won! Lem and I¡­!¡¹


    I was momentarily confused for a moment by the hug that had a mix of the hardness of the Insect-Human and the softness peculiar to women, but I soon realized that it was due to pure joy.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Actually, I¡¯m also very happy.¡¹


    I patted her back.


    After we stayed like that for some time, she suddenly pulled away.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry, Lem. I just suddenly¡­ it¡¯s so shameful of me¡­! I was just so moved.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know.¡¹


    ¡¸I got all tattered in the battle, and I made Lem¡¯s clothes all dirty.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about that when you¡¯re happy.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡­!¡¹


    Berith¡¯s eyes became teary.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­but the Finals will soon start, so you have to go back to your physical body, replace the Avatar, and get back in there again.


    The contestants that are participating in the main tournament have made multiple Avatars at the expense of the tournament management.


    So that the contestants can face the following Finals in a perfect condition.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­¡¹


    She went to the Cocoon.


    Although the winner can also use the¡ºwithdrawal¡»function to come back to the cocoon, I guess the tournament¡¯s side would want the winner to leave the venue gallantly. So, the winners are supposed to leave the field on foot.


    In that case, since the waiting room is close, if they don¡¯t find it too troublesome, they can continue walking from there.


    Philip and Mark were shown on the small-sized TV that was installed in the waiting room.


    It¡¯s the interview of the defeated. Perhaps because they were standing in front of the camera as Adventurers, they had the exact same appearance with their Avatars.


    Mark praised me in a few words, while Phillip praised Berith¡¯s attack technique.


    ¡ºLem has been making an unexpectedly steady advance in this tournament, what do you think of him, Philip?¡»


    ¡ºI didn¡¯t have any intention to underestimate him, but he¡¯s a better Adventurer than I realized. To be honest, I used to think he was unworthy of being in the 4th rank party, but now I¡¯m just ashamed of my previous perception.¡»


    ¡ºI see. So do you think that the Fenix party¡¯s decision was wrong?¡»


    ¡ºI don¡¯t know about that. He is strong, an excellent Black Sorcerer, and also a fighter. However, even if all those points were present, it¡¯s a different story when it comes to whether he can be famous or not. Moreover, the Fenix party probably had their own circumstances. The only thing that I can say is¡­¡»


    ¡ºWhat is it?¡»


    ¡ºLem showed the world a different way of fighting in this tournament than when he was in his previous party.¡»


    After that, he talked about how his sister and Berith have something in common, which is their Earth Magic, and how his sister can also do something like that, and that since the¡ºprince¡»will eventually become the¡ºking¡», he can¡¯t always be protected by himself and Mark forever. In other words, he said that eventually they might be able to fight side by side.


    ¡¸H-how resolute¡­ He¡¯s shrewdly advertising his own party.¡¹


    But it¡¯s amazing.


    Our thoughts were firmly conveyed to him.


    Nicola was watching it motionlessly with her physical body.


    All that remained was the Finals.

 CH 98

    98 ¨C Finally, The Finals


    If our victory was something unexpected, then Furcus and Kei, I should call her Orobas, since they are participating with their Dungeon Name, have accumulated a series of impressive victories without any hitches.


    In this tournament, the two of them have defeated numerous powerful people.


    None of them had been able to land a single blow on Furcus.


    It wasn¡¯t like her armor could repel the attacks. However, not even a single blow had landed on Furcus, nor was it able to land on Orobas.


    However, this didn¡¯t lower the reputation of the defeated side. ¡­No, there are some negative opinions, but most of the people¡¯s thoughts seemed to be more of admiring, like¡ºIs this the strength of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four?¡»


    And that¡¯s about it.


    Since I know firsthand how strong they are, especially Master Furcus, so I¡¯m not surprised to see how well they are doing in the tournament.


    ¡¸Berith.¡¹


    We were on our way to the venue.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    After the winner¡¯s interview, we are only left with the Finals match.


    But the battle with Philip is already over.


    ¡¸That¡­I want to win against those two.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Hmm? Sure¡­ ah.¡¹


    Berith seemed to have noticed something.


    ¡¸Are you worried that I¡¯m feeling burned out?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­sorry. I am.¡¹


    When you have achieved your goal, you can¡¯t help but relax. It¡¯s impossible not to feel a sense of freedom. And from that point, some people don¡¯t need much time to pull themselves together again, while others need more.


    I haven¡¯t known her long enough to know that.


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s okay. More like, it¡¯s understandable for you to be like that. It¡¯s true that I was exhausted until a while ago. But I¡¯m okay. Since I¡¯m already doing this, I¡¯m aiming to become the winner of this tournament. Besides¡­¡¹


    There was a pause before the next words were uttered.


    ¡¸Berith?¡¹


    I said, while feeling puzzled.


    ¡¸If, if I¡¯m with you, I don¡¯t feel like I will lose¡­¡¹


    Berith said that something like that while turning her face away.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you, that¡¯s the best compliment.¡¹


    A Black Sorcerer is a support position.


    No matter how highly evaluated they are, it is merely a Job that makes it easier to win if they were present in the party.


    Being with me and not feeling like she¡¯ll lose meant that she thinks that I¡¯ll definitely win.


    Isn¡¯t that the best compliment a person can get, no matter what Job they have?


    While feeling my heart getting warm, I keep on walking toward the light of the venue that is starting to be in sight.


    ¡¸What about you, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, um, I¡¯m not sure about that.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re so mean!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m just kidding.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­.I wonder if that¡¯s true. Well, compared to Fenix¡¯s party and the Demon King¡¯s army, I might not be reliable since I¡¯m only ranked 99th.¡¹


    Ah, it seemed like she¡¯s slightly sulking.


    I spoke while reflecting on my words.


    ¡¸Ever since I was little, I¡¯ve always admired Heroes and wanted to become a part of the 1st ranked party. I thought it was possible as long as I¡¯m together with Fenix. Although my goal has changed a little since I became part of the Demon King¡¯s army, I¡¯m now fighting alongside reliable companions so as to not lose the title of¡ºImpregnable¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Up until now, I¡¯ve only teamed up with people who want to win, and I¡¯ve always won together with them. And this time, I have been fighting together with you until this point right? Would that answer be okay with you?¡¹


    There were many times when I felt that Alba and I are not compatible in terms of personality, but his desire to help Fenix win was real. As long as we have the same desire, that is enough for me to accept him as my comrade.


    Berith murmured after hearing my words.


    ¡¸¡­too complicated.¡¹


    ¡¸Urgh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kidding. I got the message¡­ thank you.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s blushing behind her mask right now.


    I assumes as much when she averted her face.


    ¡¸Shall we go?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, to win.¡¹


    And so we were off to the Finals.


    Our opponents were already present on the other side of the field.


    ¡ºAt the beginning of the event, who could have predicted that this would happen? There is only one Adventurer remaining in the Finals, and that person is also a Black Sorcerer.¡»


    ¡ºWhen it comes to the Monsters, although they have the impression that they always have the role of villains and evil-doers, there is no need for them to play such a role in this kind of tournament. This kind of scene is happening only because this is a competition where the purpose is purely for determining which one is stronger.¡»


    ¡ºIt¡¯s a spectacle that can be seen only because we recruited the contestants regardless of their race. What do you think about this as the 1st ranked Adventurer? If you include those from the qualifying round, there were quite a few Adventurers participating.¡»


    ¡ºThat¡¯s a difficult question¡­ For example, if I was simply informed about this information, I might have said they are pathetic.¡»


    Aerial continued his words.


    ¡ºHowever, this time I have personally witnessed their fight. Along with everyone in the audience. We know the details of their battle and their enthusiasm. I can¡¯t raise any complaints regarding the fact that no Adventurers other than Lem are staying in the tournament. After all, they are standing here as a result of their victories.¡»


    ¡ºI agree. Besides, this is a battle that I¡¯m personally looking forward to watching. The tag team of a Human and a Monster, contestant Lem and contestant Berith. On the other hand, the members of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, the Reaper Knight Furcus and Orobas, a Centaur archer. Monsters fighting against other Monsters is something you can¡¯t see in a normal Dungeon Clear.¡»


    ¡ºTo be able to see Adventurers fighting other Adventurers and Monsters fighting other Monsters. I think this is a really interesting endeavor. For example, when I was a kid, when talking to my friends about which Adventurer we liked, we would quarrel that the Adventurer we liked is way stronger that the other Adventurer.¡»


    ¡ºOhh, even people like Aerial talked about such things when he was a child. By the way, I did that as well.¡»


    ¡ºThis time, it¡¯s a Tag Tournament, but if an event like an individual battle is held, the dream of having a one-to-one fight might be able to be realized. To be honest, I also have many opponents that I would like to fight against with.¡»


    ¡ºI get so excited when I think of the possibility that a battle between the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits may be realized.¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯d love to have a match with Fenix and also¡­ with you, Lem.¡»


    ¡­Aerial.


    It¡¯s an honor, but it sounds like you¡¯re supporting me.


    ¡ºAnd eventually, I¡¯ll fight against contestant Furcus in the Demon King Castle.¡»


    There¡¯s something different about this.


    Is he trying to get the audience interested in the contestants who had made it to the Finals?


    After that, he also mentioned Orobas¡¯ maneuverability and her skills in archery, and Berith¡¯s flexible magic skills that she can freely manipulate.


    If the 1st ranked Adventurer are commending the contestants to this point, the interest of the audience would increase even more.


    Furthermore, he also implied the Dungeon Clear of the Demon King Castle by the 1st ranked party, providing a topic of conversation apart from the match.


    Since the statement was made here, whenever it is mentioned, the existence of the tournament would inevitably be mentioned as well.


    Concerning the result, I wonder if it can be said that Fellow¡¯s personnel selection is perfect?


    Well, it¡¯s not something that I should be thinking about right now.


    ¡¸Black Sorcerer Lem, you¡¯ve done well to reach this point.¡¹


    There was Furcus¡¯ voice that was already changed by a voice changer.


    ¡¸At the Demon King Castle, I had withdrawn in the middle of the fight. I¡¯m honored to fight against you, Reaper Knight Furcus.¡¹


    The fact that we are colleagues, friends, and master and student cannot be known by the audience.


    Therefore, we exchanged our greetings in such a way that it would not be discovered.


    ¡¸That is quite a pretty good sword for a Black Sorcerer. I¡¯m sure that your master is excellent¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, and today, my sword master is also watching the match, so I can¡¯t lose.¡¹


    She¡¯s right in front of me.


    ¡¸Do you think that you can defeat I, Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s possible if I¡¯m together with my partner.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s the spirit.¡¹


    The Finals are about to begin.

 CH 99

    99 ¨C The Big Four and The Centaur Archer


    At the same time with the start of the match, Orobas shot an arrow.


    We could hear the sound of the arrow being shot from beyond the silver wall that Berith created.


    Furcus¡¯ size is comparable to a giant, so even with a wall the size of our height, we could still see her movements.


    ¡¸Well then, good luck, Berith.¡¹


    ¡¸You too.¡¹


    We bumped our fists together and then parted ways.


    The wall was blown away by Furcus¡¯ front kick.


    Then, Berith, already clad in silver, striked against her foot.


    ¡¸¡­So it wasn¡¯t Lem, huh?¡¹


    Although we previously had a heated discussion, I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to be her opponent.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t sound so disappointed, since it¡¯s also fun this way.¡¹


    ¡¸I shall be the judge of that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ok, then you can do that.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t look back.


    While flowing my Magical Energy into the staff, I went toward Orobas, the Centaur archer.


    ¡¸Do you actually think that you can catch up with me with those two legs?¡¹


    Her lower half of the body is that of a horse¡¯s and she¡¯s galloping in a high speed across the field with four legs.


    She is also talking to me in a reserved manner.


    The sense of distance made it so that no one would ever imagine that we are actually working in the same workplace temporarily.


    ¡¸Maybe you¡¯re right, I might not be able to catch up to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t this the part where you¡¯re supposed to say that you¡¯ll definitely catch me even if it¡¯s a lie?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not good at lying.¡¹


    ¡¸Excellent. However, how are you planning to defeat me then?¡¹


    It doesn¡¯t matter how fast she is, Black Magic can be cast as long as the existence can be recognized.


    Centaurs are a race that has low Mmagical Energy resistance. It should be easy to cast a spell on her.


    I used the Magical Energy flowing in the staff to cast Speed Down.


    Her movements visibly slowed down. The Black Magic has been enhanced by using high-purity Magical Energy and applying a target restriction and time restriction.


    I ran towards her at full speed.


    She noticed the Speed Down, then she carefully placed the arrow on the bow and fired it, making sure not to make any mistakes.


    She¡¯s fast, but I can see every movement she makes, so I know exactly what she¡¯s aiming for.


    The problem is that there is nothing I can do to defend against it, even the slightest deceleration by evading it is too valuable in this situation.


    So I won¡¯t avoid it.


    I put my hand on the expected trajectory of the arrow.


    The arrow struck the palm of my hand and was repelled.


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­Is that silver?¡¹


    It takes Magical Energy and time to cast magic from a distance.


    That¡¯s why I got my fist to be covered in silver when I bumped my fist with Berith.


    It can be concealed inside my robe, and for those who are curious about my equipment, the only thing they would see is the sword staff. It wasn¡¯t too difficult for me to hide the fact that the arm opposite to the one holding the staff was covered in silver.


    ¡¸Even so, to think that it couldn¡¯t even slightly reduce your speed¡­¡¹


    Orobas put away the bow while saying so, then she pulled out a spear from the cloth hanging on her torso.


    I¡¯ve never heard of her being proficient in spearmanship, did she get a brief lesson from Furcus?


    It¡¯s the first time she has pulled out a spear in this tournament, so I can¡¯t judge her skill.


    The distance between me and Orobas is getting shorter.


    I¡¯m almost inside the attack range of her spear.


    Just when I was about to take one more step, the attack came.


    Even though I had predicted it, I wasn¡¯t able to completely avoid it.


    I somehow managed to protect my Magical Energy organ, but it still pierced my abdomen.


    This is Furcus¡¯ Magic Tool. A super long distance piercing attack by a spear that can shapeshift.


    ¡¸¡­Did you think¡­ that you can ignore this Furcus and leave just like that?¡¹


    While fighting against Berith, she found a momentary chance and attacked me.


    A long, long spear extended from her hand to the back of my abdomen.


    Alright.


    There is no lie in the words I said before the match. I do think that if I¡¯m together with Berith, we are capable of defeating Furcus and Orobas.


    After that statement, I entrusted Berith to become her opponent and then I no longer paid any attention to them.


    From her point of view, I would be full of openings.


    That she would aim for the moment when my awareness is strongly focused on Orobas was one of the most promising possibilities I had considered.


    That¡¯s why I had told Berith.


    I told her not to interfere with the thrust that was aimed at me.


    As soon as the spear was fully extended, I¡­grabbed the shaft.


    ¡¸Berith!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    Furcus¡¯s spear is strange.


    It¡¯s possible to freely change the shape of the weapon as long as it does not deviate from the shape of a spear, and on top of that the parts that are worn out can be discarded.


    In the battle with Fenix, the part that was caught on fire was cut off and so it avoided being entirely burned down.


    But then there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering.


    The discarded part will no longer be a Magic Tool. It¡¯ll just be a part of the spear. This has been verified.


    Then, what separates the main body from the part?


    It¡¯s not the tip of the spear. This part had been discarded multiple times. The same goes for the end part of the spear¡¯s shaft. In other words, it¡¯s not defined by both ends of the spear.


    As far as I can see, there were no special decorations or markings.


    I didn¡¯t ask her about it. No matter how good the relationship is, there are some things you should never ask without consideration.


    That¡¯s why it¡¯s going to be a gamble from here on out.


    Furcus must not have imagined this because it¡¯s an action that I would usually be unlikely to do.


    Since it¡¯s not very Lem-like to plan a strategy based on something that hasn¡¯t been confirmed or revealed by prior information gathering.


    It¡¯s exactly because the strategy is like this that it was able to work on her.


    ¡¸You seem so relaxed that you can even afford to look away, Furcus!¡¹


    Berith struck the shaft of the spear that Furcus had thrusted toward me.


    ¡¸!¡¹


    Furcus¡¯ body movements are still nimble even if she is wearing armor.


    In the previous matches, not even a single person was able to touch her armor.


    But, how about the spear?


    Of course, it¡¯s different. A spear is a means of attack. A weapon. No matter what, it has to touch the opponent and sometimes even the opponent¡¯s weapon.


    If Berith had tried to hit her at this moment, she would have reacted. Or rather, Furcus would have predicted that.


    But as for the spear¡­ Since it is a weapon that is supposed to be used for attacking and because it can be regenerated, combined with this situation, the degree of caution for it must have been lower than for her body.


    A single blow was struck at that point.


    The spear was crushed and broken.


    Normally, there would be no problem.


    She could have immediately extended it again and skewered Berith.


    But she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡¸Come.¡¹


    It was me who gave the command.


    I won the bet.


    The spear¡­ the longer part will become the main body.


    She pierced me with it, who was far away from her, and Berith broke it just a short distance from her hand.


    The part of the spear from that point until it reached me was much longer.


    The spear shortened as I wished and I pulled it out of my abdomen.


    ¡­Somehow, just like that time with Alba, I keep on snatching away other people¡¯s Magic Tools.


    No, Lemegeton did it once and Lem did it once, so there should only be a limited number of people that would think so.


    I held the spear with one hand while maintaining Speed Down.


    ¡¸As expected, I wasn¡¯t able to catch up.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Since the beginning, you¡­¡¹


    Extend.


    Furcus¡¯ spear pierced Kei¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸Give it back.¡¹


    The voice was near.


    A gigantic black knight is approaching this way, while destroying the silver wall and ignoring the liquid silver that is coiling around her.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t just go and ignore me¡­!¡¹


    Just because she¡¯s huge doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s slow. Since she has a large stride, it¡¯s difficult to catch up to her when she runs.


    Inevitably, it¡¯s also difficult to run away from her.


    But I still ran away.


    Furcus¡¯ fist hollowed the ground.


    At the place where my body was until a moment ago.


    I¡¯m no longer there now.


    I had moved away by rapidly shortening the spear.


    However, in order for me to do this, the tip must be fixed in place.


    The tip of the spear that had pierced Orobas had barbs on it so that it won¡¯t be easily pulled out.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m now heading towards Orobas, who hasn¡¯t left the field yet.


    ¡¸¡­What a cruel thing you¡¯re doing.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, I also won¡¯t just accept this damage without doing anything.¡¹


    She threw the spear. I threw away my staff to try and catch the spear and turned my hand that was clad in silver toward it.


    ¡¸¡­Ugh¡¹


    The momentum of that single blow penetrated through the thin layer of silver and pierced my hand.


    But I still tried to grasp the spear.


    Because Orobas was already holding her bow.


    There should be enough time for her to shoot an arrow. Maybe even two.


    I repelled one of the arrows that she shot with the spear that I received from her.


    The second one pierced me in the shoulder.


    Just like that, we crashed into each other.


    I pulled out Furcus¡¯ spear and once again aimed at her- no, there was no need for me to do that.


    The burden of throwing the spear while being seriously injured, the crash, and the discharge of Magical Energy due to the spear being pulled out.


    Her body was crumbling due to these factors.


    Although she got influenced by a powerful Speed Down spell and was on the verge of leaving the field, she was still able to pull off that movement. She is a splendid archer.


    As I listened to the footsteps of the black knight approaching behind me, I made my next move.

 CH 100

    100 ¨C The Ogre God and the Black Sorcerer


    It was the same as the battle with the Holy Paladin Mark, the actual match was still different from what I had expected.


    At that time, the damage was estimated to be just one hand, but the result was that the damage actually made both arms and one leg unusable.


    It can be said that that was just how excellent he is, but I can also say that my assumptions were unsatisfactory.


    I thought I¡¯ve already made some minor adjustments this time, but nevertheless, I¡¯m still full of wounds.


    A stab wound piercing through the abdomen, a hole in the palm of my right hand, and an arrow lodged in my right shoulder.


    Due to the impact of the collision, Magical Energy was leaking from the wounds.


    Orobas¡¯ instantaneous response was amazing.


    To think that she could regain her composure so quickly even in the midst of the shock that her partner¡¯s Magic Tool was snatched away.


    Even though I had no choice but to do so, I even ended up throwing away my staff.


    Now all that¡¯s left is Furcus.


    Even though Philip specialized in defense, even the 99th rank Hero was unable to easily destroy the silver, but she actually easily destroyed it with just a single kick or a swing of her arm.


    Such a person was approaching me.


    Extend.


    Pointing the shaft end to the ground, I thought in my mind.


    Extend, extend.


    The spear stretched its shaft just like what its owner wished for.


    Extend, extend- Up to the skies.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Bam¡­! A huge arm had swung over to catch me, but she stopped when she broke the extending spear.


    By that time I was already high in the sky and this time as well, the spear extending from my hand was longer.


    I wished for the spear to be shortened and repaired it while it¡¯s returning to my hand.


    ¡¸Interesting¡­ but¡­¡¹


    Furcus sank both of her hands into the ground and lifted up a huge lump of earth.


    I don¡¯t even need to think about the purpose.


    She¡¯s trying to shoot me down.


    The scale of every single thing she does is huge.


    There¡¯s a limit to what I can do while in the air. It¡¯s going to be tough at this rate.


    But I¡¯m not panicking.


    Because I believe that things won¡¯t continue on like this.


    I looked at it as I continued to fall down.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve clearly told you to stop ignoring me¡­!¡¹


    The lump of earth that Furcus grabbed was smashed into pieces.


    Berith striked it directly from below.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, I¡¯ve forgotten about you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s the best thing to say if you¡¯re trying to provoke me.¡¹


    Furcus lightly parried Berith¡¯s continuous attacks.


    ¡¸So dull.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s because I¡¯m dividing my attention to do another thing.¡¹


    Silver¡ºarms¡»appeared all over the field.


    Those arms are holding a silver¡ºcannonball¡».


    Furcus evaded the¡ºcannonballs¡»that are thrown one after another. And that¡¯s not all.


    Perhaps she had watched the semifinals, since she¡¯s using the broken part of the spear and chunks of the lump of earth to deflect the cannonballs.


    She¡¯s probably doing this to avoid the silver being reabsorbed by Berith¡¯s right arm. She had figured out that distance was the key.


    But that¡¯s not the purpose of the rain of cannonballs. Or I should say that that¡¯s not the only purpose.


    ¡¸Here I go.¡¹


    Although no one was here to hear it, I still muttered to myself.


    In my right hand was the staff that was supposedly thrown away earlier.


    In order not to lose it, it was attached to me with silver.


    Yes, the¡ºarms¡»had picked it up and threw it into the sky.


    I flowed my Magical Energy into it with all my might. I ignored the fact that my body was approaching the ground and waited for the perfect timing.


    And then, the timing was here.


    The same as that time with Orobas, I casted Speed Down.


    She is not merely wearing an armor, rather she could control the armor by entering inside it.


    If the person inside gets slowed down, it is inevitable that the manipulation of the armor will also be hindered.


    Then, Berith will boldly strike at that moment.


    There was a momentary fluctuation. Furcus tried to change the way she moves her body in response to Speed Down, but Berith used that slight gap to strike her.


    It was the first time during this tournament that an attack was able to hit her.


    Then Berith struck the abdomen part of her armor three times and immediately jumped back.


    At that moment Furcus¡¯ right arm tried to attack her.


    The blow that seemed like it¡¯d gouge the ground due to Berith¡¯s avoidance actually¡­sank into the ground.


    It was as if the fist had dropped into water with a thud.


    And then it immediately solidified. Furcus¡¯ right arm was buried in the ground.


    Berith quickly approached her again and struck her abdomen four times this time.


    Now both of her arms are covered in silver.


    The silver is connected at her back, moreover the size of her arms were adjusted so that they have the same size.


    Although Furcus is hitting Berith with her left arm, she wasn¡¯t able to gather much strength into it, probably due to her stance. So Berith just ignores it and continues to hammer down her punches.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    On top of that, when the¡ºarms¡»hit the knee of the Reaper Knight, Furcus¡¯ gigantic body fell down right on her own knees.


    Both of Berith¡¯s arms are still getting bigger and bigger.


    And the other arms are striking Furcus¡¯ elbow.


    Just like that time with Philip.


    The onslaught lasted less than 10 seconds. My Magical Energy is also decreasing at a tremendous rate.


    ¡¸¡­That was a good Black Magic.¡¹


    Just when I thought I heard her muttering that, she pulled her right hand out of the silver.


    She used both of her arms to grasp Berith¡¯s arms and then¡­she tore them off.


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    It¡¯s not just the silver, both arms are missing from Berith¡¯s Avatar.


    ¡¸Once my body gets used to this degree of decline in speed, it would still be easy for me to move even in this condition.¡¹


    That is not something easy to do¡­.


    The more skilled a person is, the easier it is to notice the trivial discomforts. They would also be quicker to readjust, but Furcus¡¯ readjustment speed is way too quick.


    ¡¸You know, I¡¯m the one that is right in front of you¡­!¡¹


    At that moment when Furcus tried to find me.


    Berith¡¯s fist strikes into Furcus¡¯ armor.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Although she had lost both arms and is leaking a large amount of Magical Energy, she immediately wrapped the¡ºarms¡»that she used to hit Furcus¡¯ elbow around her shoulder and used it as a replacement for her arms.


    After seeing that, Furcus said.


    ¡¸¡­I apologize for my rude actions. Berith, you are also interesting.¡¹


    Furcus knocks down Berith¡¯s fist with her left hand and seized her body with her right hand.


    Berith still did not give up when both of her arms can no longer be used and head-butts Furcus¡¯ armor.


    A crack appeared in the armor.


    It is a means of winning that has been opened by her persistence.


    ¡¸It was wonderful.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t say it with a past tense.¡¹


    Yes, the fight is not over yet.


    I alleviated the impact of the fall by falling into the liquid silver, then I stood close to the wall while holding the spear.


    ¡¸Extend¡¹


    It was so helpful that Berith turned Furcus¡¯ attention towards herself.


    The tip of the extended spear¡­is aimed to penetrate through the crack that Berith made.


    Furcus didn¡¯t stay still to watch it happen quietly.


    She tries to crush it with her left arm, but the silver wall rises and hinders her movement.


    She was unable to destroy the silver wall that had been created from a short distance due to the lack of momentum.


    The same goes for the right arm that is seizing Berith.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to crush you-¡¹


    ¡¸I thought that you might want to do that so I am already wearing silver armor. Well, you should be able to crush it though.¡¹


    If Berith leaves the field, her magic will disappear. That perception is correct.


    But by that time, the spear already pierced her.


    She receives the impact.


    Furcus¡¯ spear had pierced her Avatar that is inside the armor.


    It is aimed right where her heart is located.


    Since I know her position inside the armor.


    The armor moved backwards.


    The blunt end of the spear penetrated into the wall and made a dent on it.


    This positioning is because my own strength is not enough to ensure that I will not be pushed back by Furcus.


    Eventually, the armor stops moving.


    The spear had pierced her heart.


    Although, the opponent is Furcus.


    ¡¸Wha?¡¹


    The front part of the armor opened.


    From inside, she¡­

 CH 101

    101 ¨C Master of the Sword


    The front of the armor opens with a creaking sound.


    I immediately returned the spear to its original length.


    A streak of silver ran past.


    It was as fast as lightning, faster than the returning speed of the spear.


    It wasn¡¯t an attack.


    It was Furcus herself.


    Her white hair fluttering like streaks of light drawn by a meteor, she was simply running.


    But there¡¯s a hole in her heart¡­?!


    I almost missed it because she¡¯s too fast, but you can see the afterglow of Magical Energy fluttering about the places that she passed by.


    Our attack was a success.


    Normally, she would have been defeated by now due to fatal injuries.


    This can¡¯t be explained by pure fighting spirit. She doesn¡¯t have regenerative abilities. Even if she doesn¡¯t have a heart, there should be a weakness. Her body should be the same build as Humans.


    In this world, there are creatures that are extremely hard to kill, but there aren¡¯t any that can¡¯t di-¡­that¡¯s it.


    A creature that is hard to kill.


    I¡¯ve thought about her race, but now I¡¯m certain of it.


    Her resemblance to Humans, her massive appetite, her immense strength.


    And her high vitality.


    ¡¸This time, I¡¯ll take it back.¡¹


    Furcus overtook the still returning spear, straightened her hand like a blade, cut the spear, and then grabbed it.


    The side she grabbed onto¡­was the longer side.


    ¡¸What about your sword?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Both I¡­and Berith said that.


    Because the moment she got her spear back, Berith was defeated.


    As she grabbed the spear, she adjusted the angle and made it elongate.


    It pierced Berith¡¯s head, who was still caught in the right hand of Furcus¡¯ armor, and immediately returned to its master¡¯s hand.


    Without even looking¡­!


    Berith¡¯s body crumbles, turning into Magical Energy particles.


    All of her accompanying silver disappeared as well. Including the silver that connected my right hand to the staff. The staff drops.


    I throw away the spear that has now turned into just a stick and grab the falling staff with my left hand.


    If I didn¡¯t do that, I would have been skewered.


    Furcus¡¯ Magic Tool pierces through the space where my upper body was.


    She defeated Berith, called back the spear, turned it around to face me, aimed, and thrust her spear.


    All in less than a moment.


    Just when I thought that the spear returned in the blink of an eye, Furcus was approaching me from the front.


    Her silver eyes were trained on me.


    Unconsciously, I utter.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re an Ogre.¡¹


    She bent her lips slightly into the form of a smile.


    She thrusts.


    Even though I could read its movements, my left ear was pierced and splintered.


    ¡¸Correct.¡¹


    I lost my posture and she kicked my abdomen like it was a football, knocking me into the air.


    The wind was knocked out of my Avatar¡¯s lungs, which didn¡¯t need to breathe in the first place.


    I tumble towards the ground.


    ¡­Come to think of it, you said that you¡¯d tell me if I was correct if I managed to guess your race.


    I recall that in the corner of my mind.


    It is said that in ancient times, many horned individuals were often mistaken for Majins, but Ogres cannot use magic. Some of them can use illusion magic called Witchcraft, but basically, they fight with nothing but their own bodies.


    People would often say¡¸The Magical Energy of a Majin, the Vitality of an Ogre.¡¹.


    As the words suggest, Ogres boast tremendous vitality.


    If your Magical Energy organ is not excellent, then you can¡¯t convert energy into Magical Energy.


    In that case, where does that vitality come from?


    Maybe the energy from the food they eat.


    ¡¸What did you learn from your swordmaster?¡¹


    In mid-rotation, I stick my left hand out to the floor to catch myself. I adjust the stance of my unsteady body.


    As I was thinking about how to dodge her attacks, she said that to me.


    ¡­With those few words, I understood her intent.


    I have used the sword staff many times throughout this tournament, but the only time that I can honestly, barely say that I fought with the sword was the match with Mark. But the match was decided with my Black Magic and a sharp pointed bone.


    If Furcus was defeated in that state¡­


    If she chose to be defeated as the Reaper Knight, avoiding the exposure of her true form¡­


    Everything would end without anyone knowing about the swordsmanship that was trained into the Black Sorcerer Lem by the Furcus.


    If that happens, Lem would once again return to the Demon King Castle to work as Lemegeton.


    It is a rare chance to stand on center stage as an Adventurer.


    For that reason, you exposed your true identity to the public?


    Even though the identity of the black knight has been a mystery for generations?


    ¡­Look.


    That was the only praise I received from my sword master.


    ¡ºThat¡¯s right, you have spent years watching your party. To ensure that they always win without discomfort. That is your polished powers of observation. That¡¯s why you¡¯re good at your job as Chief of Staff. You look closely and find the way to victory. This is good.¡»


    Look closely. Even she isn¡¯t invulnerable. There is no such living thing.


    Look at her face that never breaks a sweat. Most people would only see an expressionless face, but it¡¯s a face that I¡¯ve seen a lot. Don¡¯t miss the change. Isn¡¯t it painful? Even if there¡¯s no pain, the damage to the heart shows in her movements. She herself has a hard time moving.


    Here she comes.


    Fluid movements. Her upper body moves with the left step. Her left foot steps on the ground, the same time that force is put into her thrust.


    A thrust as fast as the Hunter Lily¡¯s Godspeed, aimed right at my chest.


    I jumped diagonally.


    Not to evade her spear.


    But to block it.


    With the staff.


    A sharp thrust strikes the staff. The impact was so great that it caused my mid-air body to rotate.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Instead of opposing the attack, I use its power to rotate me in the air one time. Using the momentum, I swing my sword, aiming at Furcus¡¯ neck.


    I knew that her thrust would break the sheath of the sword staff.


    Furcus¡¯ eyes widened, but she immediately responded.


    She avoided it by turning her upper body.


    Then, I applied Speed Down again. I carelessly canceled the spell when I pierced her heart through the armor and it stopped.


    Since it had already consumed a lot of Magical Energy, it was hard to regenerate it.


    I landed on her spear. For a moment, it almost hit the ground but it didn¡¯t.


    A normal person would have dropped their stance, but Furcus won¡¯t drop her spear for something like this.


    ¡¸Shrink.¡¹


    Her spear shrank to the size of a short spear.


    Of course, there is no space for me to stand.


    But it¡¯s too late. I saw that coming¡­I was already throwing myself at her.


    ¡ºThose eyes go well with Black Magic. Make the enemy slow, weak, and brittle. Avoid their attacks and hit with your own.¡»


    I add on Defense Down on her and slash Furcus from her right shoulder to her left flank as she was returning her upper body.


    Magical Energy particles danced in the air.


    For the first time, on that day, I was able to strike my master down. The master that I couldn¡¯t even hit during training.


    ¡ºAdjust those eyes for one-on-one battles. If you can do that, you¡¯ll get a little bit better.¡»


    ¡¸¡­Good¡­¡¹


    I felt like Furcus smiled.


    ¡¸¡­but not enough.¡¹


    ¡¸Gck-¡­?!?¡¹


    Her left hand tightened around my neck.


    Throwing away even the spear she¡¯s so proud of, she restrains my left arm with her right hand.


    If she breaks my neck like this, I¡¯ll be eliminated.


    ¡¸You shouldn¡¯t lose focus until the very end.¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?¡­!¡¹


    My right hand was shoved into her chest.


    It is true that after getting hit by the spear that Orobas threw, my right hand was damaged to the point that I couldn¡¯t hold a sword by myself and I didn¡¯t even pretend to lift it during the fight with Furcus.


    So it¡¯s not strange for her to think that I can¡¯t move my right hand. Even if I could, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    But I can shove my hand into the already gaping wound, into the wound in the heart that was made bigger by the previous attack.


    The spear wound penetrated her all the way to her back, but the gap wasn¡¯t big enough to pierce her heart.


    So I just crush her heart with all my might.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing personal. I just want to win.¡¹


    I know. Nobody wants to lose. When she lost to Fenix, she wanted a rematch, albeit as a helper.


    It wasn¡¯t for me, it was for themselves, is probably what they wanted to say.


    Both of my masters are strict, kind, and dishonest with their feelings.


    If they themselves say so, I won¡¯t deny it. That¡¯s what a disciple is.


    As my neck bone starts to creak, a sound that should not be made rang out.


    The strength in Furcus¡¯ hands abruptly leaves.


    ¡¸¡­Black Sorcerer¡­Lem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ye¡­ah?¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t speak well.


    ¡¸¡­Well done.¡¹


    My view clears.


    As the opponent right in front of me became particles of light.


    ¡¸Haa¡­haa¡­¡¹


    Such¡­such strength. Such vitality.


    Despite a hole wound on her heart, she continued the battle. She boasts a speed that surpasses that of the expansion and contraction speed of her Magic Tool, and her skill with the spear reaches the very pinnacle of martial arts.


    I was able to handle it at the very end, but just barely. Because I had the opportunity to see her spearmanship again and again. I was her disciple in the ways of the sword.


    My own strength is no match for her.


    But¡­at least for today¡­


    Only for this match, because of the Tag Tournament¡­


    Berith and I VS. Furcus and Orobas, we¡­


    ¡º¡­and the winner is LEM AND BERITH TEAM¡­!!¡»


    ¡­won!

 CH 102

    102 ¨C The Shaken Society and the People Who Discovered You


    ¡º¡­and the winner is LEM AND BERITH TEAM¡­!!¡»


    An old man lets out a sigh at the sound coming from the TV.


    ¡¸¡­I see my pupil still hasn¡¯t given up, as usual.¡¹


    The red-haired old man seemed to have a thin smile on his face as he muttered that.


    ¡¸A hero, as a Black Mage, huh¡­¡¹


    The one-horned, former Demon King watches his disciples victory while sitting on a chair.


    ¡¸Had I surpassed father¡¯s trials, perhaps I would have been able to overcome any and all hardships later in life.¡¹


    I am here as a guest¡­no, that¡¯s not quite right.


    Perhaps intruder is more apt.


    However the old man¡­my father, was not surprised by my entrance in the slightest.


    ¡¸What do you want?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that the first thing you say to your son who you haven¡¯t seen for more than a decade?¡¹


    ¡¸This¡­whaddya call it¡­Tug Turnamen? Was it your idea?¡¹


    Father had taken up residence in Sir Lem¡¯s hometown.


    Once I had surmised who his master was, the search area was narrowed down. Although, I thought he would have disappeared again.


    There were many letters atop a desk.


    When it comes to someone who knows his location and sends letters to him¡­only Sir Lem comes to mind. I suppose there could be others, but it is impossible that father would even open the letter unless it was someone important.


    Is he still here because he believes he wouldn¡¯t be able to receive news of his disciple if he disappears¡­? Impossible.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not original. Those martial artists do something like this sometimes too, and some sports even have doubles, right? I made it something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. You thought up something interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, this is my first time being praised by you, father.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t help but foolishly feel happy getting praised by my father, despite him disappearing for more than ten years.


    But what can I do? He is the greatest Demon King, after all.


    ¡¸Why¡­did you give your horn to a Human child?¡¹


    ¡¸Because he was a bigger idiot than I.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, I suppose one cannot call a Black Sorcerer, who declared that he will become a hero during his debut, clever. If anything, I believe him to be a very thoughtful person, however.¡¹


    ¡¸And that is why. An idiot who doesn¡¯t think can¡¯t be saved. But that boy, he thought it through, and still continued to challenge it all without giving up. He has the heart to not succumb to the ridiculous reality imposed upon him by the world and the people around him. All while he was a ten-year-old brat.¡¹


    ¡­


    ¡¸Father, you didn¡¯t run away.¡¹


    My father was simply the strongest and coolest Demon King there was.


    A strong hero will be happy, getting nothing but praises.


    But a Monster with a talent to wield Black Sorcery is seen as dangerous, simply because he is a Monster.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter. I got tired of it all. That place bores me¡­who¡¯s being the Demon King now?¡¹


    ¡¸My daughter is. Your granddaughter.¡¹


    ¡¸Lu, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Oho, I¡¯m glad to see that you still remember your granddaughter¡¯s nickname.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph.¡¹


    ¡¸And your faithful pupil is now the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸If that is what they decided, I will not interfere.¡¹


    ¡¸You value him very highly, I see. You did give him your horn after all, so it¡¯s to be expected.¡¹


    ¡¸What, did you want it?¡¹


    ¡¸If I did, would you have given it to me? You wouldn¡¯t even let me train.¡¹


    ¡¸You couldn¡¯t¡¯ve handled it.¡¹


    Back in the day, father¡¯s words sounded harsh and cold.


    But now, I feel like I can understand the true meaning of his words.


    He wasn¡¯t telling me to give up because I had no talent for it, he didn¡¯t let me do it because I would have died.


    ¡¸But a Human child could?¡¹


    ¡¸It is not about the body, it is to do with the heart.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah, I see.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t agree more.


    I don¡¯t like conflict. I like to watch fights, but I don¡¯t want to be on the side where I fight. My heart isn¡¯t cut out for a Job like the Demon King.


    My heart couldn¡¯t handle the harsh training. I lacked a goal to strive for to push me through it.


    I guess he saw through that.


    ¡¸So, what do you want?¡¹


    Back to the first question.


    ¡¸I will end all Dungeon Clears.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to erase the perception that Monsters are evil.¡¹


    ¡¸A wonderful thing.¡¹


    ¡¸And when that happens, father will only be seen as a powerful Demon King. And so-¡¹


    ¡¸Foolishness.¡¹


    ¡¸It is not foolishness¡­!¡¹


    This is revenge.


    Against the world that chased my father out. Against this industry.


    And it¡¯s a revolution.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    In order to clear the future for all the discriminated Monsters, including my father.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Doing so would rob your pupil of his reemployment that he worked so hard to finally get, but rest easy. A talented person like him can keep on living in the new world. I don¡¯t hate Adventurers.¡¹


    Quite the opposite. I am the ally to all who are misfortunate.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s what you want, then go ahead and do it. There is no need to ask me.¡¹


    ¡¸I want you to come back as the strongest Demon King.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­is for me to decide. And right now, I have no intention of doing so.¡¹


    ¡¸What would it take to change your mind?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Perhaps¡­if an opponent worthy enough to use the horn against ever appeared¡­¡¹


    Whispered my father, but soon after, he said¡¸It¡¯s nothing, forget about it¡­now leave!¡¹, waving his hand to shoo me away.


    He turned his face to his disciple on the screen, rather than me.


    ¡­Are you expecting that much out of him? From Sir Lem?


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll write you letters.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t expect a reply.¡¹


    Then I left my father¡¯s house.


    He harbors a new goal within his chest, to nurture an enemy worthy enough to fight.


    Fortunately, there are many candidates.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Wow, this guy¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Strong?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. He¡¯s a Black Sorcerer, but his movements are well trained. I can¡¯t tell by watching, but I bet his Black Magic is awesome too.¡¹


    ¡¸But I heard that Black Sorcerers aren¡¯t popular.¡¹


    ¡¸Who cares. He looks like someone who will win no matter what. And he actually did win. That¡¯s it, I¡¯ll invite him together with this Insect-Human into the party.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s hard to make an Adventurer out of a Monster-like Demi-Human.¡¹


    Maybe it won¡¯t work.


    But I¡¯m sure this Lem guy has been looking for a job ever since he got kicked out of his old party. That¡¯s probably why he chose to appear on center stage as an Adventurer.


    ¡¸Again, who cares. I said I want him, so I¡¯ll get him.¡¹


    That young boy just turned ten and just confirmed his Job.


    The same goes for me, the one talking to him.


    He¡¯s a Hero. He came back from the Spirit Shrine the other day, so I should probably call him that.


    The third person in this era to form a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits, the first person in sixty years to be chosen by the Water Spirit¡­the modern-day Water Hero.


    If I were to rank him among Spirits, he¡¯s on the same level as the Storm Hero Aerial, and the Flame Hero Fenix.


    ¡¸Lem, was it? Let¡¯s go meet this guy. What was that guy¡¯s name again?¡¹


    ¡¸Fellow¡­I think.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah, him. He can arrange things for me, right? I don¡¯t care about things like common sense. I¡¯m going to win with my friends and tell the world that what Adventurers need is strength. Right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    We met Lem not long after this.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Nico, what you and¡­Sir Lem wanted to say was¡­that there are ways to show¡¸discrepancies¡¹, right?¡¹


    After the tournament, the discussion was started up again.


    Everyone is here for the discussion this time as well, but the focus doesn¡¯t seem to be to point out my mistakes like last time.


    ¡¸Y-yeah.¡¹


    It seems that it was conveyed properly after all.


    My answer.


    The popularity I established as the Silver Prince is very valuable.


    Popularity that was held up by the fans who liked it from the very start. That much I know.


    I also know the feeling that we cannot neglect them.


    On top of that, I was worried over my aspirations from long ago that I couldn¡¯t throw away.


    ¡¸Eh, isn¡¯t that super good? While I do love the princely Nicola, I was invited by the original Nicola and became an Adventurer. If you can accept it, that¡¯s for the best.¡¹


    The Thief Leila was enthusiastic.


    We¡¯re adding elements, not changing course.


    Like finding out that a cool guy who can do anything is actually afraid of bugs.


    Of course, people might say that this breaks the illusion. When there are a lot of people, it¡¯s natural to have varying opinions.


    But most¡¸fans¡¹would just say that it¡¯s¡¸cute¡¹.


    I mean, I¡¯ve seen a lot of examples of that.


    On the contrary, a person who was selling themselves as a careless character got work on a cooking show where it was discovered that the only thing that person was a professional at was cooking.


    People like surprises.


    The calm and stylish Silver Prince. But hidden deep in her chest burns the heart of a wild animal¡­is how we¡¯ll present it.


    This part is the style that I once failed with, and the thing that Phil didn¡¯t take notice of in the first place.


    But in this tournament, in the semi-finals, the crowd was excited for not just my fight, but Phil¡¯s fight as well.


    And Phil, who studies the Adventurer business more than anything else, cannot ignore that.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be honest, it¡¯s worth a shot.¡¹


    I was surprised at how easily my brother said that.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­! Th-thank-¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get me wrong. We haven¡¯t decided on a broadcast yet. First, we¡¯ll test it out by diving into a Dungeon. And I¡¯ll validate your discrepancy or whatever with our allies through the camera lens. If everyone thinks it¡¯s acceptable, we¡¯ll adopt it. If it¡¯s rejected, you¡¯re paying for that Dungeon Clear.¡¹


    Phil said it quickly, avoiding eye contact. He¡¯s embarrassed.


    But I think it¡¯s a realistic compromise.


    We¡¯ll test it out, and if it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll stop. We¡¯re doing it because I want to, so it¡¯s my responsibility.


    ¡¸Huh, well, I¡¯m fine if Phil is fine with it. Personally, I want to see Diamond Phil. I¡¯d like to see Phil go wild.¡¹


    Said the Fairy Wizard Ruri, while sitting on my brother¡¯s shoulder and swinging her feet.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll think about it. In my case, the world already saw me. It depends on the response.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t wait~¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If Nicola is going to be on the front lines, then we have to rethink our battle formation.¡¹


    Said the Holy Paladin Mark, calmly.


    ¡¸So let¡¯s discuss about that.¡¹


    And so the party continues their discussion.


    It was decided that the first Dungeon that we¡¯ll challenge is the one that we already want payback for.


    I wonder if he¡¯s still there now.


    ¡ó


    After the tournament.


    I feel like I stood out too much at the award ceremony because Aerial had his arms around my shoulders, shouting praises, but I managed to get through it.


    I must also thank my colleagues, such as Cashew and Milla, who cheered until their voices were hoarse in the cheering seats.


    When we returned to our real bodies in the waiting room, I was about to ask Beri-no, Nicola, about heading home, but then we had a visitor.


    Just when I wondered who it could be, it was Fenix.


    ¡¸Congratulations on winning.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸You too, Miss Nicola. That was a magnificent fight.¡¹


    ¡¸Tha-thank you¡­so mush¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But didn¡¯t you put too much burden on the Black Sorcerer Lem? If I were you I¡¯d-mmm¡¹


    I cover his mouth.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. It was my plan, anyway.¡¹


    ¡¸Gmrh¡­mrgh.¡¹


    I let go.


    ¡¸It wasn¡¯t about that. I¡¯m talking about showing you how to fight better.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­due to my inadequacy, he really helped me out a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, it¡¯s thanks to you that we were able to win, Nicola.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, he¡¯s right. I apologize, I just got a little jealous at seeing how good the cooperation was between you and my best friend. ¡¹


    ¡¸No-no way¡­! I-I¡¯m so happy.¡¹


    ¡¸You getting jealous is creeping me out, man.¡¹


    ¡¸Harsh, dude.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­Lem is only saying that because he cares about Fen-gmph?!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ni-Nicola, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired, so why don¡¯t we head off?¡¹


    She¡¯s probably talking about the bet I made with Philip, but Fenix doesn¡¯t need to know about that kinda thing.


    Knock-knock, went the door.


    ¡¸Sir Lem. It¡¯s Philip. Are you still here?¡¹


    ¡¸Geh.¡¹


    Now?!?


    ¡¸I¡¯m coming in. ¡­If it isn¡¯t Fenix, a pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Philip.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that was a splendid fight.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But this is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh~no! This guy found out that we were training together.¡¹


    I said. Philip had a complicated look on his face, but then he gave a small nod.


    ¡¸I suppose I should say that that is impressive of you, Flame Hero. But I doubt that I have the right to say that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    Fenix was curious.


    Wait a minute, Philip. Please stop there.


    But then he bowed his head.


    ¡¸I am sorry about the other day. Blinded by my inexperience, I insulted your best friend, a person who is ranked 4th in the world and many times my senior. I stand corrected, along with my apologies.¡¹


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    And then Philip explained the situation to Fenix and apologized to him as well.


    ¡¸No please, I don¡¯t mind. It is true that I don¡¯t think about how exactly to survive in this industry. Even if you were to point out those shortcomings, I don¡¯t have a reply. But¡­I see.¡¹


    Fenix smiles unnaturally.


    ¡¸So that¡¯s it, Lem. You got angry for my sake. Thank you. You¡¯re as kind as you used to be.¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaaaaaah! Dammit¡­! Stop it! You¡¯re creeping me out!¡¹


    My whole body was hot from embarrassment. My face was red hot.


    Philip not only kept his promise, but apologized to the person in question, which isn¡¯t bad at all, but I am so embarrassed.


    ¡¸I¡¯m so happy.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up! You¡­you¡­idiot!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t laugh!¡¹


    The siblings looked on in bewilderment at our exchange.

 CH 103

    103 ¨C We Will Live in the World of our Own Choosing


    ¡¸Indeed, I have received a full reimbursement.¡¹


    Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    There were four people gathered in Thor¡¯s office.


    Thor, Kei, Me and Fellow.


    Thor and I sat on the same sofa while Fellow sat on the opposite one.


    Kei is a¡­maid? So she stands waiting behind Thor.


    Incidentally, I was asked to attend by name.


    I would have been surprised if I hadn¡¯t heard it from Fenix.


    However, I knew that he partly tied me with Lemegeton, and I wondered what he would think about being ignored as my master¡¯s son, i.e. the person who was originally supposed to inherit the horn, so I met him as Lem.


    My childhood friend of ten years, Nicola with her amazing sense of smell, and now my master¡¯s son.


    Although all of them are exceptions, three people saw through my mask in a short period of time.


    I think it¡¯s fine, but I can¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy.


    ¡­Not to mention there was Aerial who could sense my master¡¯s presence from the Adventurer version of me.


    ¡¸Truly a splendid revival.¡¹


    Fellow is smiling happily.


    A refreshing smile to make one think that this isn¡¯t a failed attempt at taking over the Dungeon.


    ¡¸Anyone can think of offering a Clear reward, but to create an All Level Dungeon! Certainly, not every Monster who works in an Elementary Level Dungeon possesses elementary level strength.¡¹


    I decided to participate in the tournament part-way through this job, and I was worried about winning, but this was my original task.


    Reshape Thor, who is the Master of this Dungeon. Repay their debt to Fellow.


    In order to solve that, prepare Clear rewards and change the Dungeon into an All Level Dungeon.


    Adequately provide a cash prize for the target clientele, newbie Adventurers, so that they can be emboldened by the Clear and be more useful in their future activities.


    Drive back the Intermediate Level parties who aimed for the Clear reward despite their level exceeding the intended target of this Dungeon, making them pay up for their Avatar repair expenses.


    The crucial point was to hide the fact that it was an All Level Dungeon.


    As a result, Clear failure videos from Intermediate Level parties were withheld because they did not want to admit that they were wiped out by an Elementary Level Dungeon, which held back the rumors from spreading.


    This is a plan to earn a lot in a short period of time. In order to defeat a load of clueless gold diggers.


    But it¡¯s impossible to keep this a secret forever. Word will eventually get out.


    If that were the case, it¡¯s not a problem at all.


    It is true that newcomers are getting rich.


    Yet there is unofficial but accurate information of the Monsters becoming stronger when an Intermediate level or higher party challenges the Dungeon.


    ¡¸To be honest, I believed this Dungeon to be at its end. It was outdated.¡¹


    Fellow was still smiling.


    ¡¸But in this status quo wherein it is difficult for a budding Adventurer to bloom, to be able to let them shine, yet also preparing something for the experts is nothing short of admirable.¡¹


    High praise.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­¡¹


    Thor was baffled.


    ¡¸I will give up on this Dungeon.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm, about that¡­¡¹


    I mildly raised my hand.


    ¡¸Ah, Sir Lem. Whatever is it?¡¹


    ¡¸About that, Thor here would like to have a discussion with you.¡¹


    I gave him a look, Thor¡¯s eyes widened as if he just remembered something and cleared his throat.


    ¡¸I heard that Sir Fellow had plans to use this Dungeon as a venue for a new type of game.¡¹


    ¡¸Correct.¡¹


    ¡¸How about if we¡­loan it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Fellow¡¯s smile froze.


    ¡¸This Dungeon has three strata in total but it was made in consideration of newbie Adventurers. There is a surplus of Magical Energy generated by the core. ¡­It is currently temporarily lacking of Magical Energy due to the recent Clear attempts, but there is nothing wrong with the generation ability itself.¡¹


    ¡¸In other words, you won¡¯t let my buy it, but you are willing lend it to me?¡¹


    ¡¸To-to put it simply, yes.¡¹


    Yes, this was yet another plan, but only after the repayment is complete.


    The lending of a Magical Energy space of Fellow¡¯s desired shape.


    Naturally, if a contract is signed, there will be a use fee.


    I¡¯m not worried about him not being able to pay, this is the man who managed to persuade the Union to hold a Tag Tournament, after all. And they could use the money received from him to use for the Clear reward for the newbies.


    ¡¸¡­I see¡­I see, I see. So this is what you have decided. Hah, hahaha! Please excuse me. I was sure that Sir Thor would have never wanted to see my face again.¡¹


    Ignoring the mistake Thor made by not properly reading it, ignoring that Fellow actually properly lent him money, he tied him to a contract that would result in the loss of the Dungeon.


    Even if you ignore the ethics, Thor probably doesn¡¯t think well of Fellow.


    To talk business with someone like that¡­


    I suppose it¡¯s only natural to be surprised.


    ¡¸Preserving this Dungeon¡­is the priority.¡¹


    Thor said straight to Fellow without looking away.


    ¡¸¡­Is that so. Well then, I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Thor was flabbergasted.


    It seems he was taken aback by how fast he responded.


    ¡¸Truly, this is a lifesaver. To be honest, because this Tag Tournament was held above ground, the cost was ridiculous. I thought that a place that is familiar to the citizens and easy to go to would have the greatest effect. If it was done inside a Dungeon, the surrounding would be full of Magical Energy which would make it easy to continue to scatter it about, we could repair the venue infinitely with Earth Magic, we wouldn¡¯t be forced to use the Avatar generation shops that are directly under the Adventurer Union, etc. It really was a hassle. On the other hand, there aren¡¯t that many Dungeons that I could buy ou-¡­that would transfer management rights over to me. I was in trouble.¡¹


    Well, it¡¯s difficult to accept something new so quickly.


    If it becomes a new competing industry, there may not be many Dungeons that welcome you with open arms.


    In those circumstances, her Highness is quite welcome of such methods. She¡¯s flexible.


    ¡¸I shall confirm the contract. If you plan to fool this pig of a Master again¡­I hope you¡¯re prepared for what is to come.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Kei. Stop with the pig Master thing.¡¹


    Fellow raised his hands to show no resistance.


    ¡¸Of course. Let us conduct business where both parties are happy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­shove it up your-¡¹


    ¡¸Hey now, hey now.¡¹


    Thor soothed a seething Kei.


    And then we more or less talked about the new business.


    The discussion that day was over.


    Just as I thought about why he called me to the meeting in the first place.


    ¡¸Sir Lem.¡¹


    I was getting ready for the final task for the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon after this.


    Fellow called out to me in the hallway.


    ¡¸Was all that your proposal?¡¹


    ¡¸I shall leave that to your imagination.¡¹


    Giving a forced smile is my specialty. I give one in response to his forced smile.


    Come to think of it, I stopped doing it recently. I feel like I¡¯ve been genuinely smiling a lot lately.


    ¡¸You wish to become a hero, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸And you believe becoming a Monster¡­will make that come true?¡¹


    ¡¸Human or Monster, it doesn¡¯t matter. A hero is someone who energizes the people, gives them hope, and gets them excited. If I win with my allies and make Demi-Humans think¡ºIt¡¯s ok for us to win too. Monsters aren¡¯t just there to be defeated!¡», I believe that is unmistakably a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Incredible. Why not take it one step further? How about overturning this current situation, where Monsters are perceived as evil?¡¹


    ¡¸By erasing Dungeon Clears?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸No way.¡¹


    I reply immediately, smiling.


    ¡¸Why?¡¹


    ¡¸Because I love Dungeon Clears, Defense as well. Both as my job and as entertainment. So how about you, Fellow? Why don¡¯t you take one step further?¡®¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸It is better to cast aside your anger towards Dungeon Clears and spread new values while preserving this form of amusement.¡¹


    His eyebrow twitched.


    ¡¸Did my daughter mention something?¡¹


    ¡¸No. Just a guess.¡¹


    If I were him, I¡¯d be angry too.


    The strongest Demon King, who single-handedly drove back multiple parties, which included a young Aerial, in a Clear.


    To have such a father that you¡¯re so proud of just¡­disappear one day¡­


    Perhaps he was sick of it all.


    The cause was possibly due to the evil setting that still remained.


    There¡¯s nothing wrong with wanting to break that.


    ¡¸Is that so? You¡¯re right, I hate Dungeon Clears. I do not mind the power struggles. But the current established setting is unnecessary. However, if you were to abolish the setting alone, it would not change people¡¯s perception. It is faster to get rid of it all entirely.¡¹


    Faster. He noticed it too.


    That if you do it slowly, there is a way to preserve it.


    As I thought, he is hurrying for master¡¯s sake.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. This time, you saved one Dungeon, but the demise of all Dungeons have advanced a step.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not over.¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder about that.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a task to attend to.¡¹


    Even if we talk about this more here, there will be no conclusion. No, we have already come to that conclusion, so we won¡¯t cross paths.


    ¡¸..When¡­when you told my father that you wanted to become a hero, what did he say?¡¹


    There¡¯s no reason to play dumb now.


    ¡¸A lot. But he never once said it was impossible. That made me¡­very happy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­see.¡¹


    I gave a quick bow and left the scene.


    ¡ó


    The task of the day was a big favour that I asked Thor for.


    I asked about the appointment and asked if I could participate in it one last time.


    The deepest stratum, the Orc Forest.


    Four people remained in the completely destroyed Field.


    Thor and I.


    Nicola and Philip.


    Thor and Philip were exchanging blows.


    Outside, Thor is usually unreliable, but in the Dungeon, he¡¯s a martial artist. Letting out a war cry while whittling down Philip¡¯s Diamond with his fists. What fearsome punches.


    No matter who else remains, if someone like the Floor Boss or Dungeon Master loses, it¡¯s all over.


    But I don¡¯t have time to go and help him. No, perhaps that¡¯s unnecessary, looking at him now.


    I should probably focus on my own fight right now.


    Sorry, Fenix.


    I said that I would preserve my Magical Energy for the horn, but this isn¡¯t an easy opponent.


    All my allies have been defeated, it¡¯s a one-on-one fight.


    It¡¯s tough fighting as a Black Sorcerer against her silver.


    ¡¸No matter what you see from now on, don¡¯t be surprised.¡¹


    Having said that, I unleash¡­the horn.


    I control and limit the tremendous amount of overflowing energy.


    I limit my transformation. Only my right arm turns pitch black.


    I can¡¯t be expected to empty the horn of Magical Energy every time.


    It¡¯s important to only pull out the appropriate required amount.


    She knows that I¡¯m Lem.


    Yet she¡¯s seeing me, her opponent, reveal a strange-looking right arm.


    I wonder what she thinks of this form.


    ¡¸¡­Ha¡­haha. What is this Magical Energy? Looks like I have to get stronger too¡­!¡¹


    Nicola looked happy. It¡¯s impressive that she wasn¡¯t surprised.


    She makes her silver fist as large as it possibly can while still being able to use it effectively.


    Then we both approached each other, both raising our right fists until we¡­clashed!


    With a thunderous noise, her silver arm is smashed to pieces and only my body continues advancing until I pierce through her chest.


    ¡¸¡­How frustrating.¡¹


    The Silver Prince¡¯s new form was beautiful yet noble, wild yet strong. It was so cool.


    I want to fight her again.


    And so I say¡­


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    She blinked at those words, then her whole face smiled as she nodded.


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­Yeah. Yeah¡­! I will definitely come and take you down!¡¹


    And then her body disappears.


    We are given a Job decided by God.


    We live, choosing our own occupation.


    There are things we won¡¯t be suited for, but we can¡¯t give up, because there are things that you should aim for.

 CH 104

    104 ¨C Reproduction! The ____ Clear of the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem. Breakfast is ready.¡¹


    ¡¸Morning¡­¡¹


    I wake up to the sound of Milla¡¯s voice.


    Her golden hair glistening as bright as the moon and her eyes as beautiful as gemstones. Her ample bosom swayed to and fro as she shook me awake.


    ¡¸Ufufu, look who has bed hair. Come come, you can fix it while washing your face.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    I head towards the washroom.  A dull man with lame bed hair.


    ¡¸How is it? Good?¡¹


    ¡¸gulp Yeah. It¡¯s delicious.¡¹


    I¡¯m eating my meal at the table.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad. Ah, that time that you unleashed the horn in the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon was on the news again.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm, well we kinda broke all the cameras that time with Fenix¡­¡¹


    I vacantly stare at the TV.


    Nicola and party submitted that Clear video.


    There are parties who submit even failed Clear videos if it was still a good scene or if there was something discovered in there that was newsworthy. There are also parties who submit failed Clear videos just to get back as much Clear attempt expenses as possible.


    This probably wasn¡¯t her intent, although it might definitely have been Philip¡¯s, but this ultimately made their party¡¯s popularity go up instantly.


    There are several reasons.


    ¡¸Fufufu, everyone is obsessed over Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    The first is, this is the first time that the image of me releasing the horn was captured on video.


    Although the form my horn took was extremely exceptional, it is not an entirely uncommon case according to the experts who appeared on TV.


    It¡¯s not the case of transplanting it onto a person.


    They say that there are Majins who, by birth, are unable to grow a horn properly.


    But that is not to say that they do not have horns, they just did not grow.


    In other words, it is a case where the horn is within the body.


    Upon its release, it comes out of the body.


    I was judged as that type of Majin.


    Maybe that¡¯s why my master decided to transplant it into me.


    Perhaps he thought that if Majins with an in-horn condition live their lives without any issue, then maybe that could be applied to Humans. And in fact, it was a success.


    ¡¸I wonder. I feel like everyone¡¯s watching Nicola.¡¹


    The other reason is¡­


    Nicola¡¯s appearance is beautiful, but very strong.


    She fought a fierce battle with the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton, who tormented the Fenix party, and even made him unleash his horn.


    The Silver Prince breaking out of her shell was also a shocking moment to her fans.


    Through their actions in the tournament the other day, the Diamond Hero Philip, the Holy Paladin Mark and Orobas from the Monster side gathered a lot of attention.


    ¡¸We-¡­well she certainly is beautiful¡­A-anyway, that Dungeon is now at peace.¡¹


    It was clear that the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon¡¯s difficulty was not at an Elementary Level. But at the same time, a great number of newbie parties were confirmed to be getting paid well by the Clear reward system.


    In other words, this wasn¡¯t a difficulty scam but a hidden element¡­which gave rise to the theory that it might be an All Level Dungeon. Accompanying that, parties who grasped the situation shared their information one after another. It¡¯s credibility was solidifying.


    The participation of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff and one of the Big Four remains as it¡¯s biggest mystery.


    Just that video created lots of topics to talk about.


    Topics that you can¡¯t exhaust in just one or two days.


    ¡¸Yeah. Looks like I was worried over nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh Lem¡­you really do care about your childhood friend, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    I thought about something that made me a little uneasy.


    If 5 was the maximum limit of unleashing the horn, I¡¯d say unleashing the horn when I fought Nicola is a 1 or a 2.


    That time with Fenix was a 5 out of 5.


    In the first place, I didn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy to unleash a 3 or more during the one-on-one fight with Nicola, but the audience doesn¡¯t know that.


    Which is why¡­I was worried that people would think that Fenix lost to my 1. I didn¡¯t want that.


    But he¡¯s the world¡¯s 4th ranked. Both the experts and the fans knew that well.


    I should be happy that a Majin is a famous Demi-Human to begin with.


    It was good that the camera managed to capture Fenix¡¯s battle in the tenth stratum annihilation.


    A Majin¡¯s horns stores Magical Energy. Like a savings account, if you will.


    If you imagine the time I fought Fenix as me almost emptying my savings completely, what I showed the Silver Prince was me making a quick withdrawal of the savings I¡¯ve been rebuilding.


    That is exactly the correct answer.


    ¡¸Please stop¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, I¡¯m jealous.¡¹


    It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve known each other too long to say it doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡¸Lem, it looks like it¡¯s going to rain today.¡¹


    After the meal, I put on the jacket she brought over.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯ll take the umbrella with me.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure. Well then, I shall see you again at work.¡¹


    I¡¯m going to pick up Cashew. I bid farewell to her for now.


    ¡¸According to a theory, whether or not one kisses before leaving appears to affect the risk of encountering careless accidents. For the sake of accident prevention, shall we test it out?¡¹


    For a moment, I stare at her glossy lips.


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha, I¡¯ll be off now.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw. Feel free to do it whenever you¡¯re ready, Lem.¡¹


    Milla looked unabashedly disappointed, but chuckled. She probably didn¡¯t think I would respond either.


    Milla¡­I think you¡¯re getting too familiar with my apartment.


    After leaving the dormitory, I thought for the first time about how surprisingly accepting I was about living with her.


    I don¡¯t dislike it. In fact, she¡¯s a lifesaver. Although there were many moments where I had to avert my eyes.


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Embarrassingly, I have never dated anyone before.


    I guess because¡­I was so focused on my training and my work?


    Fenix and Lark are popular with the girls and Alba is always on the prowl. Lily¡¯s eyes would turn cold if that topic was ever brought up so I never asked. I wonder¡­I just don¡¯t know.


    And well¡­there¡¯s also the fact that Black Sorcerers are hopelessly unpopular with the ladies.


    In any case, I don¡¯t really know much about love.


    That said, I know that Milla¡¯s feelings toward me go beyond the support of a fan.


    I¡¯ve been thinking about it.


    But I¡¯m hopelessly lacking in experience, and I¡¯ve been wondering what to do about it.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡¹


    My troubles were compounded by a problem that arose after leaving for work that day.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Teehee¡­¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s ears and tail waggled happily.


    Due to the tournament, we weren¡¯t together for quite a while so it seems she was lonely.


    We left for work, hand in hand. I feel like she¡¯s walking somewhat closer than usual.


    But as long as she¡¯s happy, that¡¯s all that matters.


    Today she¡¯s wearing a raincoat over her clothes.


    The hood has parts to fit in her dog ears.


    ¡¸So what¡¯s on the agenda today, secretary?¡¹


    ¡¸Right. Today uhm¡­first is an assembly in the meeting room. The participants are all of the Big Four, Lem, and the Demon King!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, I wonder if a strong party made an appointment.¡¹


    ¡¸The topic of discussion is¡­unknown¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. No, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    We talk about silly things while we head to the Demon King Castle.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Curse him¡­!¡¹


    Shouted her Highness.


    She looks like a little girl, but she is most definitely our boss. Like my master and Fellow, she has crimson hair and eyes. Black horns growing from the sides of her head.


    ¡¸Your highness, you shouldn¡¯t address your father in such a way.¡¹


    ¡¸Silence, Agares. Or I won¡¯t let you escort me during lunch break.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, My apologies¡­!¡¹


    Your Highness, Agares, are you sure that conversation is okay? I¡­guess it is. No one¡¯s pointing it out.


    The Time Demon Agares calls himself the guardian of young children. So I guess all is well.


    ¡¸It might be tough for Sitri¡¯s floor. Maybe. It¡¯s narrow and when there are more targets it¡¯s a little¡­¡¹


    A cat-like young lady with pink hair done up in twintails. She takes the form of a Dream Demon but she¡¯s actually a leopard Demi-Beast. My colleague and friend who likes cute forms.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine if it were just one party, but it is difficult dealing with multiple parties with our current strength¡­¡¹


    Milla also looked troubled.


    Incidentally, Furcus is silent. Probably asleep.


    ¡¸But we cannot run away. In spite of that man pulling out almost all the staff when he handed the Dungeon over to me, possibly knowing that Lemegeton doesn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy¡­he set up a raid! And the announcement of the application is all over TV! There is no escaping it! And we certainly do not plan to!¡¹


    Her Highness is livid.


    Her Highness likes all out clashes. In that vicinity, she has gathered like-minded staff members.


    But Fellow seems like the type to achieve his goal by exploiting weaknesses.


    Rather than the coming fight itself, she dislikes her father¡¯s ulterior motives.


    This time, he has commenced a joint Clear with several parties¡­a raid.


    A raid was once assembled during the time my master was the Demon King, and they were all annihilated in the end. There has been no such incident since.


    ¡¸What the hell is this¡¸Reproduction!! The Raid Clear of the Impregnable Demon King Castle.¡¹¡­?!¡¹


    If you think about Fellow¡¯s goals, it is quite a simple plan.


    The Impregnable Demon King Castle. The Dungeon where the strongest Demon King reigns.


    In fact, it has never been fully Cleared.


    It is the ultimate goal of all Adventurers.


    Fellow wants to eliminate Dungeon Clears. After that, he plans to reuse Dungeons for games.


    For that purpose, the complete Clear of the Demon King Castle is a sound strategy.


    To society, the purpose of Adventurers has been fulfilled, giving the impression that Dungeon Clears are over.


    In actuality, the Clearing of the Demon King Castle does not mean the end of the industry, but it could lay the groundwork for him to carry it to a new direction.


    This one time wouldn¡¯t be the end of it, but he will create the situation as such.


    ¡¸The participants are amazing as well.¡¹


    Perhaps because I was smiling, everyone looked at me with a piercing gaze.


    There are four parties to participate.


    The 5th ranked party in the world, led by the Thunderclap Hero Scathach. [1. TL Note: Scathach (pronounced ska-hack) is a Gaellic warrior maiden from the Ulster Cycle of Gaelic Mythology.]


    The 3rd ranked party in the world, led by the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.


    The 1st ranked party in the world, led by the Storm Hero Aerial.


    And lastly, the Hero who just formed a contract with the Spirit the other day, for the first time in sixty years, the Water Hero Wraith and his assembled Adventurers.


    You don¡¯t necessarily have to attend an Adventurer Training institute.


    I didn¡¯t.


    The idea that you have to be trained immediately after discovering your Job is certainly pervasive, but there have been people who started doing things immediately instead.


    Fellow even gave his permission, so he can¡¯t be just a hot topic.


    ¡¸What is so amusing, Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡­oh, sorry. I¡¯m just looking forward to it.¡¹


    ¡¸Looking forward to it¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re going to fight them, right? It¡¯s fun thinking about how to win against them with everyone¡¯s help.¡¹


    To be able to fight the Adventurers that stand at the peak, along with the newly formed Four Great Spirits contractor.


    Everyone¡¯s mouth was agape at my words.


    Soon, each of them started to giggle. Of course, excluding Furcus, who was asleep.


    ¡¸Fu¡­fufu, HAHAHA! You are exactly right! Just like that day, it is just a matter of crushing whatever they have planned! I am counting on you this time as well! Along with everyone!¡¹


    However, everyone¡¯s concerns are reasonable.


    Excluding the party with unknown abilities mixed in, the rest are a force to be reckoned with.


    Everyone at the Demon King castle is dependable, but as her Highness said, the reality is that many personnel were once pulled out of the castle.


    I was able to fool the audience with my summoning magic in the tenth stratum, but I¡¯m actually the only one on that floor.


    I have to gather allies.


    And also¡­what am I going to do about my lacking Magical Energy?

 CH 105

    105 ¨C Lem, Mr. Popular


    ¡¸Whoa¡­this is¡­I knew my eye¡¯s weren¡¯t playing tricks on me.¡¹


    The world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hero is touching me all over.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­? ¡­Long time no see, Hervor.¡¹


    ¡¸Call me Herv. I told you that last time, Lem. But yeah, it¡¯s been a long time. Still¡­I didn¡¯t ask you last time, but you¡¯ve trained a lot, huh? I don¡¯t see a lot of Black Sorcerers that look like¡­you.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­sigh, thanks. I¡¯m getting kinda ticklish and uh¡­people are starting to stare so¡­uhm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The only thing I don¡¯t like about you is your strangely reserved manner of speaking. Everything should be appropriate. I don¡¯t want you to act like a big-mouthed fish, but I also think it¡¯s boring to be strong yet too humble. You should behave accordingly.¡¹


    She smacks me in the small of my back, hard.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much. I¡¯ll be more careful.¡¹


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervo-¡­Herv is twenty eight this year.


    Fenix is 4th ranked but is twenty-years-old so you might get the wrong idea, but that¡¯s actually really young.


    In this industry, there are active Heroes who are even older than Aerial, who is forty-two-years-old this year.


    Within the top ten parties, the only people in their twenties are Herv and Fenix, which should tell you just how amazing they are.


    Furthermore, Fenix has been 4th rank for two years, but she entered the top ten when she was eighteen, and stayed in there ever since. And now she¡¯s 3rd rank.


    A well-toned body with healthy tanned skin. Her hair is gray and is surprisingly well groomed. Most people might know this, but she doesn¡¯t do it herself. It¡¯s well known that her party members are in charge of taking care of this troublesome Herv.


    Her pale blue-gray eyes are full of life, and you can tell from her appearance that she is not an average person.


    ¡¸Big sis! You-you shouldn¡¯t go around touching a man like that!¡¹


    A female Martial Artist from the same party grabbed onto Herv¡¯s waist and pulled her away from me.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a man or woman. I like strong people.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m strong too!¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    Herv says as she pats her on the head, causing the woman to melt and lose all strength.


    It¡¯s also well known that the 3rd rank party is all female.


    ¡¸Whoa, you say some cool things, Herv. I think the same way, strength is what¡¯s important!¡¹


    I don¡¯t recognize the boy who stepped in front of me.


    I don¡¯t recognize the little girl trailing behind him either.


    ¡¸Nice to meet ya, Lem. I¡¯m Wraith. I¡¯m the one who asked the old man to call you. The reason is¡­I want you to be mine!¡¹


    A¡­handsome boy of about ten years of age is asking me to be his.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Huh?¡¹


    How did things come to this-


    ¡ó


    It all started with the message I got from Aerial.


    Ordinary people use it a lot too, but to Adventurers, it is a necessity.


    For Adventurers who travel all around the world, an e-Mail Address is the only fixed contact address they have.


    Although you do need a Terminal and an Internet connection, it¡¯s possible to keep in contact.


    Since each person gets their own, you can continue to use it even after you were, say, kicked out of a party or had your Adventurer records erased.


    Since my address has not changed, it is not strange to receive a message from a former acquaintance.


    Recently, Nicola would send me messages frequently. When I was on a business trip, Milla would send me countless messages in a day.


    And then there¡¯s¡­well, Fenix. He doesn¡¯t send as much as the time I left the party but he still keeps in touch sometimes.


    There was a Terminal in my master¡¯s house but because he doesn¡¯t want to deal with people, he doesn¡¯t have an Address. I think maybe he used to have one once, but I¡¯m not sure¡­


    That¡¯s why I contact him via letters.


    So, the message I got from Aerial.


    He said that he was coming to the town where the Demon King Castle is and he¡¯d like to meet up, if I was still there.


    ¡¸He¡¯s already on his way. Well, I supposed he does have to coordinate with the other parties and whatnot.¡¹


    The Demon King Castle dormitories have a Terminal placed in every apartment. They treat us a little too well.


    I continue reading the message¡­there seems to be someone he wants to introduce me to.


    It¡¯s a great honor to be invited, so I¡¯ll make time for it. After work.


    ¡¸Who is it from?¡¹


    Milla peeked at the screen from behind me.


    ¡¸Oh it¡¯s from Aerial.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, from the 1st rank. He is a nice man, is he not? The commentary he gave during the tournament was also great. This time we will be enemies though.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, right? It seems he¡¯s already in town.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? It is said that when a famous party comes, people gather from other cities to see them. If you become a member in the raid battle of the Demon King Castle, things will get quite troublesome.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll have a huge economic impact.¡¹


    With just a few eye-witness reports posted online, passionate fans will come flocking in.


    There were a lot of chasers like that for Fenix too. I should say, there still are.


    This time, it seems an official announcement was sent, things are going to get crazy.


    ¡­Laying the groundworks to have a fund raiser or something with the incoming influx of people is probably one of Fellow¡¯s plans.


    ¡¸So, is this a dinner invite?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, something like that. He says that there¡¯s someone he wants me to meet.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so? I wonder if it¡¯s a woman.¡¹


    Some coldness was mixed into Milla¡¯s words.


    ¡¸No no, I¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything like that. He¡¯s seen you with me prior to this.¡¹


    There¡¯s no such thing as a senior introducing their sad, lonely junior to a potential lover.


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­I do wonder when the misunderstanding will turn into reality.¡¹


    Milla gently puts her hands on my shoulders.


    ¡¸Please let me know once the date has been decided. I¡¯ll have to make dinner for one on that day.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure¡­Would you like to come, Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But I¡¯ll pass.¡¹


    Milla is self-conscious about being a Vampire, and walking next to Lem, the Adventurer.


    She usually disguises herself, but Aerial saw through it.


    So she probably thinks that other Adventurers could do the same.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t mind, you know? I participated in the tournament with Berith after all.¡¹


    ¡¸If you introduce me as your lover, I will go with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah-¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m kidding. I have my own state of affairs.¡¹


    ¡¸Is¡­that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    On the day of the event, we had a conversation.


    Aerial wasn¡¯t the only one in the appointed bar. There was Herv and party, the 5th ranked party and the handsome young boy.


    And now we return to the present.


    ¡¸I saw the tournament. It was cool. It was amazing how you beat the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you¡­very much. Uhm¡­Mr.Wraith, was it?¡¹


    The boy¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    Both his hair and eyes were as deep blue as the sea itself. His ten-year-old face and body had the lingering remnants of childhood on them. Perhaps more blessed than the average.


    Also, I can sense the tremendous potential of his Magical Energy organ.


    Usually people would keep it hidden but he doesn¡¯t seem to have plans to do anything of the sort.


    ¡¸¡­Whoa, nice. Really nice. You show respect to even a brat like me?¡¹


    ¡¸If you¡¯re an Adventurer, doesn¡¯t that make us peers? You¡¯ve stopped being a normal kid by being here, so it¡¯s only natural.¡¹


    Age doesn¡¯t matter in this line of work.


    If you¡¯re here as an Adventurer, it would be rude to treat you as anything but.


    ¡¸I¡¯m getting more and more interested in ya.¡¹


    ¡¸Sigh¡­so, about what you mentioned earlier.¡¹


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t ya¡­no, aren¡¯t you unemployed right now?¡¹


    ¡¸Correct.¡¹


    ¡¸Join my party! Did you know that I¡¯m the Water Hero? You¡¯re strong. So you¡¯re qualified. Would you like to become the strongest with me?¡¹

 CH 106

    106 ¨C The Black Sorcerer that All Three Main Spirit Contractors Want is the Demon King Army¡¯ Chief of Staff


    The strongest. A title that sounds simple, very hard to reach, yet irresistible.


    There are people who make fun of it as a childish desire, but I think that people who seriously strive for greater heights no matter how many years pass are cool. Even if their destination isn¡¯t to be¡¸the strongest¡¹.


    The young man in front of me is saying that we should aim for that together.


    I was honestly very happy about that.


    I have failed at that once, and I was a wreck.


    I was able to join the Demon King Army when Milla invited me, but the fact that I was never able to recover as an Adventurer weighed heavily in my heart of hearts.


    Like that time with Aerial, I am very grateful to be highly evaluated and welcomed despite being a Black Sorcerer who was kicked out of the fourth ranked party.


    But also just like the time with Aerial, I cannot accept this invitation. No, perhaps it¡¯s not the same. That man was already first ranked and I refused the invitation in a different way.


    ¡¸I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nah, you don¡¯t hafta answer right away.¡¹


    Wraith interrupted me by saying that.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have any reason to trust me in the first place. Pretty sure you¡¯re not that dumb. Today was just a greeting and I¡¯m just happy for you to know how I feel.¡¹


    Smart kid.


    He¡¯s not letting the fact that he made a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits get to his head.


    He doesn¡¯t think that everything will go his way just because he has power.


    ¡¸I suppose you are right.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, enough with the formalities. You¡¯re going to be one of my allies, after all.¡¹


    ¡­Someone¡¯s confident¡­


    He says that I can give him a reply later, but he already believes that the outcome is going to be positive.


    But I suppose it¡¯s quite important to have the strength of mind to be able to say such things so plainly.


    ¡¸Uhh¡­right. Leaving aside the becoming an ally thing, I¡¯ll be more casual.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Oh and this is Fran. Her Job is Destroyer.¡¹


    A girl about the same age as him gave a quick bow of her head.


    Her hair was white, almost as if it had lost its color, and red eyes. Her skin was white as porcelain, you could say she had a doll-like beauty.


    A mantle covered her body from the neck down, with only her ankles being visible.


    Destroyer, huh¡­.that¡¯s very rare.


    During the war, it was a Job that manifested a lot among a portion of Demi-Humans.


    If a person can quickly get better at using weapons¡­that person will generally be a Warrior, but a Destroyer is special.


    They are not technically good at anything but they¡¯re strong.


    They don¡¯t know any sword techniques and just swing it around randomly, but they¡¯re strong.


    They¡¯re movements are crude and they move however they wish, but they¡¯re strong.


    That¡¯s kinda how they are.


    You could say that it¡¯s a Job that manifests in those that specializes in combat with an ability that is impossible to categorize.


    ¡¸A pleasure to meet you, my name is Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Just like Wraith, no need, formalities¡­¡¹


    Her voice is small but not small enough to go unheard.


    ¡¸Sure thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Aren¡¯t you surprised? Isn¡¯t it your first time seeing a Destroyer?¡¹


    ¡¸It is, but a Job is just a Job.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Whoa, as I thought, a person who aims to be a hero as a Black Sorcerer is really different. I agree. There are Heroes who are small fry and there are Black Sorcerers who are strong. What matters is not what you have, but what you have accomplished. In that respect, I still have a ways to go.¡¹


    He¡¯s smiling widely. He seems to be in a good mood.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure that if I become successful, Lem would want to become my ally!¡¹


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t public knowledge, but I actually have a place where I¡¯m working in now.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure sure, you have to work to live. But it¡¯s just a job, so you should just quit and then I¡¯ll re-employ you. Ah, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t abandon my allies. No matter what.¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¸Thank you. But¡­I decided to leave the previous party on my own.¡¹


    ¡¸Did you leave without being told anything?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really listen to rumors, but wasn¡¯t there some Warrior¡­what was his name?¡¹


    Wraith looked at Fran.


    She answers.


    ¡¸Alba.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah him. He said he was the one that kicked you out. I¡¯m not sure why, but he kinda stopped saying that suddenly. Is it true that he¡¯s the one who started it?¡®¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I suppose¡­that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸If I were the leader, I¡¯d reject topics like that. Although I suppose your previous Party didn¡¯t know about your true abilities. As an ally, you have to see through it. As a leader, you have to unify them. I don¡¯t care about what the world thinks or how we look. Once you¡¯re my ally, you¡¯re my ally till the end.¡¹


    He doesn¡¯t know about my situation nor about Fenix¡¯s feelings while taking my situation into consideration.


    So that assessment isn¡¯t wrong and his approach to it is wonderful.


    I could bring up reasons like¡¸It¡¯s not that simple.¡¹and so on, but I decided against it.


    I¡¯m sure Wraith knows what he¡¯s saying.


    He¡¯s saying things easily, but they are not necessarily said lightly.


    There are strong emotions in his words.


    I wonder if he has something against Adventurers and the industry.


    Speaking of Adventurer, I feel like I recognize him somehow.


    Not he himself, but¡­I feel like I¡¯ve seen someone who looks like him¡­


    ¡¸¡­Fenix and I are still friends.¡¹


    In conclusion, I¡¯ll end the topic there.


    ¡¸You¡¯re a nice guy, Lem. But nice guys finish last. It¡¯d be great if everyone could be nice to each other, but that ain¡¯t the case.¡¹


    ¡­Are you really ten-years-old? I think, but I guess it¡¯s possible to think like this after you¡¯ve found out your Job.


    When I found out that I was a Black Sorcerer, my thinking changed significantly.


    The first big hard fact that makes a kid realize that they can¡¯t keep being a kid is the Job confirming ceremony.


    In his case, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the only thing.


    ¡¸While Fenix remains your best friend, the Hero Fenix removed you from the party. I won¡¯t do that.¡¹


    ¡­Ah, I see.


    He thinks that I might have hesitations about joining my next party.


    Party up with a Four Great Spirits contractor, rush up the ranks, then get thrown away.


    He¡¯s trying to reassure me that that pattern won¡¯t repeat itself.


    ¡¸I see. Thanks. I understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you have anything else you want to ask? Oh, we¡¯ll split the money evenly.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that is an important point. But it¡¯s okay.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. Well, I guess we¡¯ll deal with it later. Oh, and Lem-¡¹


    ¡¸Lem just got here, don¡¯t hog him all to yourself.¡¹


    Wraith was bonked on the head.


    ¡¸Ow, what the heck, Uncle Air, that hurt!¡¹


    It was Aerial.


    Hmm, he did mention something about an uncle earlier. Was he referring to Aerial?


    Wait¡­Uncle Air¡­?

 CH 107

    107 ¨C A Gathering of the Strong 1


    I was called to a tavern that specifically caters to Adventurers.


    When I actually went there, it was rented out and everyone there, besides me, were participants in the raid.


    Not every member of a participant¡¯s party was here, there are a few who didn¡¯t attend.


    All the Heroes are here and I was caught by Herv when I was thinking about saying hello to Aerial.


    And now, that Aerial is standing behind Wraith.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry about him, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. We were just talkin¡¯.¡¹


    ¡¸Knowing you, I bet you invited him to join your party out of the blue after just meeting him.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­and what if I did?¡¹


    ¡¸If you did that, anyone would be baffled at your sudden invitation.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I told him that he can give me an answer later.¡¹


    Looking at them, I feel like they know each other very well.


    Like they¡¯ve known each other for far longer than a day or two¡­


    ¡¸Pardon me for asking but, have you two known each other for a long time¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Oho, very astute of you.¡¹


    ¡¸The old man¡¯s a little too friendly with me, ain¡¯t he?¡¹


    bonk


    ¡¸Stop hitting me!¡¹


    Says Wraith, but I¡¯m pretty sure he could dodge it if he wanted to. I suppose choosing not to dodge it is accepting his part of the exchange.


    ¡¸He¡¯s the son of my friend. Through that connection, we¡¯ve met countless times since he was little.¡¹


    ¡¸Not friend. Enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸I think of him as a friend.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s ¡¯cause you¡¯re the winner.¡¹


    For a moment, Aerial¡¯s expression was sad, but it soon returned to a smile.


    ¡¸¡­He-. No, not now.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. Yeah, I guess so.¡¹


    Wraith agreed with a bored-looking face.


    His father must have been an Adventurer.


    Enemy makes you think that he¡¯s a Monster, but Wraith is a Normal.


    It¡¯s not totally impossible that he might be a Human Monster like me, but it¡¯s more natural to assume that he¡¯s an Adventurer rather than consider an exception like mine.


    Besides, if he was an Adventurer, it would explain the sense of deja vu I feel whenever I look at Wraith¡¯s face.


    I¡¯ve seen his father in a Clear video before. I just can¡¯t remember who.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter who my father is or who he knows!¡¹


    Says Wraith, but something tells me he doesn¡¯t mean it.


    As soon as his dad became the topic of discussion, he became emotional.


    ¡¸Again with that¡­Nevermind. Anyway, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸The person I want to introduce you to was this boy. I think you¡¯ve heard it already, but he¡¯s been insisting on asking you to become his ally.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t talk about me like I¡¯m some selfish kid.¡¹


    ¡¸But you are a selfish kid.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be No.1 forever, old man.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m always looking forward to a threat. The appearance of a rival that pushes each other to higher heights is a wonderful thing.¡¹


    ¡¸I hate that calm composure of yours.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see, and you¡¯re my cute little disciple.¡¹


    Disciple¡­?!


    ¡¸I¡¯m not your disciple.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, you asked me so earnestly to train you, did you not?¡¹


    ¡¸That wasn¡¯t training¡­! Those were matches¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Hah hah hah, then it was a complete victory for me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll have the last laugh in the end.¡¹


    ¡¸I look forward to that.¡¹


    From what I¡¯m hearing, it sounds like he would train with Aerial sometimes even before he found out his Job.


    Aerial¡¯s a busy man so they probably didn¡¯t have a normal master-disciple relationship. He most definitely entertained Wraith whenever he visited his friend¡¯s house.


    It is a circumstance that all Adventurers would envy.


    However, that alone is frightening.


    Aerial has always put all his effort into nurturing promising Adventurers.


    If their timing matched, he¡¯d train Fenix as well.


    Would he train Wraith simply because he is the son of a friend? If he did, would it be something more gentle for children?


    Although Aerial is known to joke around, to go so far as to call him his disciple¡­


    If he received sword and magic training since he was a child before even confirming his Job¡­


    Just how far does Wraith¡¯s quick wit go-


    ¡¸¡­What a noisy brat. Please shut him up, Aerial.¡¹


    Said the man who stood up while holding a glass.


    Blond with yellow eyes. Sharp and expressionless.


    The Thunderclap Hero Scathach.


    ¡¸Sorry about that, mister 4th rank. Oops, my mistake¡­mister 5th rank. The Flame Hero party knocked you down a rank, didn¡¯t they?¡¹


    ¡­Wraith.


    Sure, it¡¯s not nice to call your peer a brat either, but¡­


    ¡¸¡­You sure bark a lot for a brat who doesn¡¯t know a thing about the world.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you become strong if you do?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re probably flying high having been chosen by one of the Four Great Spirit, but don¡¯t look down on Adventurers.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, there seems to be a misunderstanding. This Spirit is just a spectator. I don¡¯t intend to use Spirit Magic. All I said was¡ºAnyone who wants to see me win, follow me!¡»and it came. So you see, former mister 4th rank. I was always like this.¡¹


    He doesn¡¯t intend¡­to use Spirit Magic?


    ¡­It¡¯s true that the Four Great Spirits don¡¯t often choose a contractor, and when they do, it¡¯s for peculiar reasons.


    Even the Fire Spirit signed a contract with Fenix, who was not interested in being a Hero at all at that time.


    So it¡¯s not strange for a Spirit to show interest in a Hero who doesn¡¯t plan on borrowing it¡¯s power at all.


    For a moment, I thought the air was vibrating. But no, it was Scathach¡¯s Magical Energy leaking out.


    He¡¯s an adult though, so he quickly calmed down.


    ¡¸Aerial, are you sure about putting this brat in? We can¡¯t win like this.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, your concern is reasonable, Scathach. But if you saw him in an actual fight, you¡¯d understand.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re willing to go that far?¡¹


    ¡¸I guarantee it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I understand.¡¹


    There are four Heroes in this tavern.


    Everyone except Wraith has been seen through the TV screen.


    That Wraith is a possessor of strength enough to have the 1st rank guarantee his usefulness.


    Thinking as the Demon King Army Chief of Staff, I am in the middle of enemy territory right now.


    In my head, I¡¯m thinking about how I can win with my allies.

 CH 108

    108 ¨C A Gathering of the Strong 2


    What is common among the parties in the upper ranks is strength. This is an essential condition.


    Being unable to Clear a Dungeon makes it difficult to gain popularity.


    It is also difficult to gain popularity just by being strong. Just like the previous parties of Nicola and Philip, just Clearing Dungeons does not attract attention.


    Accumulating accolades and then one day having your popularity catch on is¡­a rare example.


    So what Adventurers need is the establishment of a strong sense of style.


    Those who have reached the top all have that.


    ¡¸Oh and Wraith, you should pay respect to your seniors.¡¹


    Aerial chides Wraith.


    Probably regarding his attitude towards Scathach just now.


    ¡¸Respect, huh¡­Well, alright. Fighting together makes us allies, although temporarily. Got it. Sorry, Scathach. I got to meet Lem and got a little excited. I¡¯ll be quiet from now on.¡¹


    Is he obedient or is he flexible?


    Despite personal preferences, fighting together means they are allies. Thus, respect should be paid. This seems to be what he thinks after coming to terms with it.


    Scathach was absolutely taken aback by the broad smiling Wraith.


    ¡¸¡­No, I was being immature.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, I said some rude things. For that, I apologize. I hope we can win the raid battle, prove our strength and you can return to the 4th rank.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right.¡¹


    ¡¸The hell, Scathach? You should at least say¡º4th rank isn¡¯t enough! I¡¯ll become 1st rank!¡», right?¡¹


    Says Herv, tauntingly.


    ¡¸Heh, pulling you down a rank sounds like fun.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s more like it. Although that¡¯d be impossible.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Try not to drop to the 4th rank when we pass you by. It won¡¯t be exciting to pull the carpet out from under you.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯ll send you flying, static boy.¡¹


    ¡¸Think you can do it, muscle girl?¡¹


    At first glance, their conversation looks like it¡¯s getting dangerous, but they¡¯re just messing around.


    Being close in rank for a long time, a lot of things happen.


    In fact, there is no animosity or anger from either of them. They even seem to be enjoying the conversation.


    ¡¸¡­Scathach. No one seems to mind, but are you sure Sir Lem should be privy to such information? The raid battle has not been officially announced.¡¹


    Everyone listening to the conversation had a look of realization.


    No one here knows that I work in the Demon King Castle, so it was an expected reaction.


    ¡­That would Suuri, I believe.


    A member of Scathach¡¯s party, the Hunter known as the Faceless Archer.


    He is faceless not only in Dungeons but even outside of them, wearing a cape and hood that hides everything.


    One of only three people in the world who can use Godspeed.


    For some reason, Lily doesn¡¯t seem to like him and one of her goals is to surpass him.


    His simple bow skills are better than Lily¡¯s and he is even better at stealth.


    Scathach¡¯s party¡¯s gimmick is speed.


    ¡¸Sorry, Lem. I¡¯m sure you must be wondering what is the occasion that has all of us gathered here, but could you please keep it a secret?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, yes, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸This¡¯ll all be settled if Lem becomes my ally.¡¹


    Perhaps because he promised to keep it quiet earlier, he spoke in a quieter voice.


    ¡¸I like the job I have now.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Huh? Didn¡¯t you want to become a hero? Can you do that with your current job?¡¹


    ¡¸I sure can.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? I don¡¯t really get it¡­No, it feels more like you can¡¯t tell me, which is fine. To put it simply, I just have to make joining my party more attractive than your current job, right? Let me know when you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll leave a slot open for you.¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s party isn¡¯t complete yet but I wonder what kind of style they¡¯ll have.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t give you a good answer.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not absolute, right? People can change their minds.¡¹


    Wraith seems confident.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t trouble Lem so much.¡¹


    ¡¸You wanted him too, old man.¡¹


    ¡¸And I was rejected just as you were.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not giving up.¡¹


    ¡¸You should respect a person¡¯s wish.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, so that¡¯s why I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll make an effort though.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, if there¡¯s a vacancy, I¡¯ll invite you too.¡¹


    Herv joined the conversation.


    ¡¸Big sis! We don¡¯t need no man in the party!¡¹


    Herv is all about hand-to-hand combat. Their gimmick is the unrefined, head-on fight that Nicola admired.


    ¡¸Oho, aren¡¯t you popular, Lem. However, never forget that I was the first to have my eye on you.¡¹


    ¡¸I noticed he¡¯s been training himself since he was in his previous party, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Both of you are already high-ranked. Lem like¡¯s starting from scratch. That¡¯s why he rejected you, right old man?¡¹


    I almost never experience me becoming a heated topic of discussion, so for some reason, I¡¯m really embarrassed.


    ¡­No, Milla and Nicola recently talked about me excitedly. So that¡¯s what happens when two very valuable people, my fans, encounter each other, and I didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or embarrassed.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Scathach gazes at the conversation between those three with a deadpan look.


    ¡­Yeah, I get it. These are probably the only few people who wish to add me into their party.


    Thanks to the tournament, people¡¯s opinion of me became more favorable.


    However, it¡¯s a different matter when it concerns Dungeon Clears.


    That fighting style isn¡¯t suited for large crowds and it isn¡¯t worth it to almost get defeated when I defeat a powerful enemy.


    Black Sorcerers play a support role. You¡¯re not supposed to let your support get out of hand and participate in the battle.


    My way of fighting was originally thought up for the tournament after all, so I had no problem, but from the point of view of utilizing it in a Dungeon Clear, it¡¯s completely useless.


    These three each have their own reasons for rating me highly, but they are out of sync with the general consensus.


    That¡¯s why the existence of such people is precious and I am very grateful.


    ¡¸Can¡¯t you talk about this while eating?¡¹


    The three of them nodded at Scathach¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Oh, are you sure it¡¯s ok for me to stay? This feels like a meeting for some kind of planning.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine, Lem. I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll spread any rumors.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, sit next to me. I want you to tell me about the tournament. I want to hear about that Insect-Human too.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh yeah, I like her too. Where did you find her?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d like to ask about the fight with Furcus. How did you know how to steal her spear? Were you aware of a similar Magic Tool or was it simply a hunch?¡¹


    Wraith pulled me by the arm to the dinner table.


    I enjoyed the meal that day, attended by those that most people could only dream of, along with two new Adventurers.


    Recalling that they are all enemies, I once again think of them as threats in the corner of my mind.

 CH 109

    109 ¨C Those who Received Requests from Childhood Friends, from Benefactors, from People they Admired.


    ¡¸Whaddya think, sir? I believe it was done exactly to your order.¡¹


    I nod to the words of the cane-wielding aged shopkeeper.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been made splendidly.¡¹


    ¡¸Good, good.¡¹


    The shopkeeper gave a broad, happy smile.


    It was a small room. There was a pair of cocoons and a mirror.


    It was a room to inspect the finished product in an Avatar generation shop.


    Seeing my Monster-self reflected in the mirror, I commend the shopkeeper.


    ¡¸However I am curious, good sir, as to why you have ordered another such Avatar? I made sure I kept it within the bounds of what was legal, but for the Flame Hero to pretend to be a Majin¡­¡¹


    An illegal alteration would be to alter it in a way that it is indistinguishable from the real person.


    For example, Lem¡¯s new Avatar has a horn but you can still recognize him as Lem.


    Masks or face-obscuring hoods are considered equipment, so there¡¯s no issue.


    Problems only arise if you change the body itself to look like someone else.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just thinking that I might need it soon.¡¹


    The shopkeeper tilted his neck at my vague response, but soon understood and said¡­


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­Aah, is it that? That thing on the TV, the whatchamacallit, tournament thing. Are you planning on entering it incognito?¡¹


    ¡¸I just thought it¡¯d be nice to fight without anyone knowing that I was the Flame Hero Fenix sometimes.¡¹


    I don¡¯t give him a clear answer, responding with something that is only barely not a lie.


    Lem contacted me the other day. It¡¯s rare for him to ask a favor of me.


    I confirmed the contents and readily agreed.


    ¡¸Hah hah. There are certainly many that seek a hero. Even heroes need a break, huh? But if that were the case, would it not have been better to have a more Monster-like design?¡¹


    ¡¸But in that instance, I wouldn¡¯t be able to request your esteemed services.¡¹


    In the event of entering the tournament, the number of items allowed to change on an Avatar will be increased only at certain stores.


    Which means I cannot make a request at this elderly shopkeeper¡¯s store.


    ¡¸There you go saying nice things again.¡¹


    I have a reason for using this place.


    Avatar generation shops are run by people. People who are far more familiar with Adventurers than regular people.


    Sadly, many of these people, as well as the Adventuring industry, have an unfairly low opinion of Black Sorcerers.


    This can be easily understood when a party visits such a store.


    They would visibly treat Lem worse and even sneer at him.


    Among them, this kindly old shopkeeper would treat all customers equally.


    A customer was a customer, regardless of their Job.


    This stance left a deep impression on me and henceforth I have made it a point to always use the services of this shop whenever possible.


    It¡¯s difficult because the nature of my work has me move from place to place, but I will try to make Avatars here when I can.


    ¡­That said, I rarely have to regenerate my Avatar.


    It is mainly for requesting a spare Avatar or making fine adjustments.


    This time, I have requested for the production of a Majin Avatar.


    And it was perfectly done.


    ¡¸If you ever see this Avatar on TV, please-¡¹


    ¡¸Rest easy, sir. I am not yet so senile as to tell people the private information of a humble client.¡¹


    This shopkeeper would be fine.


    ¡¸I guess I was worried over nothing¡­Right, I¡¯ll return to my real body now.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    The shopkeeper leaves the room.


    I enter the cocoon and return my mind to my body.


    The Registration Card with the Avatar information is pulled out of the cocoon and hung around my neck.


    I exit the room, walk down the hallway, and return to the reception area.


    ¡¸I need to talk to you.¡¹


    In addition to the shopkeeper, there was a beautiful woman. An ally. An Elf archer.


    It was the Hunter Lily


    ¡¸Lily¡­why are you here?¡¹


    ¡¸I want to have a discussion with Lem. So I thought it would be better to go through you.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see¡­¡¹


    She glanced at the shopkeeper.


    ¡¸Could we talk somewhere else?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, of course.¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Kei! Kei! You won¡¯t believe it! I got a message from Lem and he-gwargh¡­!¡¹


    I sent the pig master flying with a kick for entering my room without knocking.


    He slammed into the wall and then fell to the floor.


    ¡¸Knock.¡¹


    I point out his mistake with a single word.


    ¡¸So-sorry¡­but¡­but isn¡¯t the punishment a little too severe¡­cough¡­¡¹


    So said Thor, his cheek stuck to the floor.


    ¡¸Raise your head quickly. I know you wish to lick the floor in my room, but please.¡¹


    ¡¸I did not lick it and I never once thought of licking it!¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder.¡¹


    ¡¸What happened to your trust in me? We¡¯ve been friends since we were kids.¡¹


    ¡¸Trust¡­? What a nice word you know. I¡¯m surprised to know that such a word exists in my pig master¡¯s dictionary. The same pig master who was fooled by Fellow without telling me.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­That¡­that wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t trust you or anything¡­I was miserable.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, it¡¯s a little too late for that. You¡¯ve been miserable since I met you.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey Kei, my mind and body are already in tatters¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That was not a joke, but you can get to the point.¡¹


    ¡¸I wish you were joking¡­ Ah, well. You¡¯ve had a sharp, abusive tongue since back then as well.¡¹


    Thor stood up, smiling wryly.


    The damage from the previous kick cannot be seen from his appearance.


    A kick like that would have shattered the sternum of an ordinary person, but to an Orc, it merely hurt.


    His fortitude was suited for punishments.


    ¡¸So?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, right. Do you remember Lem¡¯s¡­Lord Lemegeton¡¯s ring?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course I do. We both made a contract, you and me.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t much of a thank you, but Thor and I made a contract with him.


    The thought of making a contract with Thor so that he could summon me at any time disgusted me to my core, but if it¡¯s that young man, I can rest assured that he will not abuse such power.


    ¡¸He says that he would like us to lend our strength immediately!¡¹


    Thor looked happy.


    I suppose I can understand that feeling. We have the opportunity to repay our debts, and we are pleased that the person who helped us is asking for our help.


    To put it mildly, I¡¯m honored.


    ¡¸I plan on going, but what about you?¡¹


    The answer to that is obvious.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Uhm¡­Phil.¡¹


    ¡¸No.¡¹


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t even said anything¡­!!¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s about having a secret date with Sir Lem, the answer is no.¡¹


    ¡¸Kh¡­.¡¹


    It hurts that he¡¯s not completely off the mark.


    ¡¸¡­Kidding. It seems he has a lover anyway, and with his usual Black Magic, no one will find out. I won¡¯t endorse it, but I won¡¯t tie you down either. So? When do you want your day off?¡¹


    ¡¸Milla is not his lover¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You say something?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing. Uhm, the date hasn¡¯t been decided yet¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. When it¡¯s decided, tell me as soon as possible.¡¹


    It was surprisingly easy to get permission.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    Lem contacted me the other day.


    Of course I want to cooperate with him, but I have a small problem.


    I can¡¯t use the Berith Avatar. No, that¡¯s not entirely accurate.


    I can¡¯t reuse what I used in the tournament.


    Using my body as a basis, if I attach Insect-Human-looking equipment¡­it might be tough¡­If I wore a mantle or something to fool people¡­it just might work¡­I think.


    ¡ó


    In front of my masked self is a row of Demi-Humans.


    ¡¸Well then, I am starting the interview.¡¹


    That day, the Demon King Army job interview was conducted.


    I¡¯ve sent out the request for helpers, but ultimately, they are helpers.


    Among these people, I need to find my subordinates¡­my new allies.

 CH 110

    110 ¨C Requirements for Newcomers, Floor by Floor


    There is no unifying concept for the Demon King Castle as a whole.


    Because of that, each stratum has its own clear set of rules.


    It could be a special characteristic, a tendency or even a sense of unity.


    Like a stratum of only werewolves or vampires, or a stratum of only aquatic Monsters or a collection of military types, or a stratum that¡¯s hard for parties with low Resist filled with Dream Demons, or a stratum where you cannot proceed unless you solve challenges called trials or tests.


    There is completely no one in the stratum I am in charge of, the tenth stratum, aside from me.


    It¡¯s called the Realm of Monsters but I got through it last time by summoning a large number of allies.


    ¡¸¡­em.¡¹


    There is nothing wrong with a swordsman who desires an excellent blade, or a craftsman who fusses over his tools.


    So there¡¯s no problem with wanting a high-performance Magic Tool for Dungeon Clears or defenses.


    Magic Tools are not tools that can make anyone strong in the first place. Alba¡¯s Magic Sword cannot be easily handled by an amateur, the same applies to Furcus¡¯ armor and spear. Once you obtain a Magic Tool that can simply increase your power, you have to amass a considerable amount of training in order to make use of such power freely.


    Even this ring. If I run out of Magical Energy, it just becomes a fashion accessory.


    Normally, that isn¡¯t an issue¡­


    ¡­but I don¡¯t have enough Magical Energy.


    ¡¸¡­Lem.¡¹


    Kei and Thor, who are participating as temporary employees, and the Big Four, who can reappear on any Stratum, are fine but I cannot borrow the strength of the other members if I can¡¯t summon.


    However, in order to form the Avatar of the target summons, I have to bear the burden of the required Magical Energy to do it.


    A Raid Battle has several rules that differ from normal Clears.


    Any Adventurer who is eliminated in the raid battle cannot come back and participate in the following strata.


    In a normal Clear, you can come back the next time the party continues the Clear, provided that the party isn¡¯t attempting one stratum after another on the same day. But you can¡¯t do that in a raid.


    On the Monster side, Monster deployment cannot be changed from stratum to stratum once the Raid Battle has started, all the way till the end.


    This means I can¡¯t deploy the Werewolf Chief Marchosias¡¯ subordinates and the Hellhounds on the tenth stratum like I did last time.


    With the exception of my summons and the leader designated Monsters who can reappear once.


    That being the case¡­although I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s entirely true, the Adventurer side has a few relief measures. Adventurers no longer have a limit on how many times they can use a Repair Potion, and one person can be revived for every two Floor Bosses they defeat, which overrides the aforementioned rule of defeated Adventurers who cannot come back.


    ¡¸Chief of staff¡­!¡¹


    A loud, sweet voice pulls me back to reality.


    ¡¸Hm? Oh, Cashew.¡¹


    She had a rare, angry look on her face, complete with puffed up cheeks.


    ¡¸I called you so many times!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry. I was thinking.¡¹


    I casually poke her cheek while apologizing, and all the air went out of them.


    She was embarrassed for a moment and then immediately looked worried.


    ¡¸Is it¡­about the newcomers?¡¹


    We were in the office allotted for the Chief of Staff.


    While I¡¯m not yet used to this high-class looking wooden desk, I¡¯m quite fond of this comfortable chair.


    Spread out atop that desk are the resumes sent by those hoping to work in the tenth stratum.


    ¡¸That too, I suppose.¡¹


    As long as I can¡¯t solve my Magical Energy issue, I can¡¯t rely on the ring.


    No, I just can¡¯t use it like I did last time, and it would definitely be impossible to summon him.


    But now is not the time to think about that.


    I should focus on the work in front of me.


    ¡¸However, it¡¯s not quite as easy as just reading what¡¯s written on a piece of paper, huh¡­.¡¹


    ¡ó


    The other day.


    ¡¸I have decided to recruit Monsters. For each stratum, if you have any specific desires, tell either me or Agares later. Now is fine too.¡¹


    Said her Highness during the meeting.


    At that time, all of the Floor Bosses were gathered.


    The meeting room was also a different room from last time.


    ¡¸I was thinking after seeing the movements of the Hellhounds lead by the Lord Chief of Staff,  having someone who can split them into groups and lead them could be more effective at repelling the enemy. A Beast Master would be a good candidate.¡¹


    Said the Floor boss of the first stratum, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius.


    He is basically a dog man. Walking on two legs, with fur all over his body. The only difference with regular people is the fact that he has three heads.


    Basically, the head in the middle seems to be in charge of communication.


    Incidentally, when he¡¯s out as a Monster, all three of his heads wear sunglasses.


    ¡¸I would like if¡­no, I would prefer their Avatars be damaged without eliminating them. I would welcome any Hunters or Craftsman who specialize in setting traps if there are any. If I may be so bold as to make this request.¡¹


    It was the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris.


    Currently the oldest staff member of the Demon King Castle. About forty or so. Since Majin¡¯s don¡¯t look that much different from Normals except for them growing horns, it isn¡¯t hard to tell his age from his appearance.


    Wavy black hair with a hint of purple, and a black pair of horns growing from the sides of his head.


    He is basically a knight, and his sword skills are also excellent, perhaps having an Aptitude for it. At least enough to defeat the Frost Hero Bella, even though she had just left the Training Institution.


    However, when the Necromancer side of him comes out strongly, he becomes, how should I put it, an avid collector.


    Necromancers manipulate the corpses of the dead. Of course, such acts are illegal in this day and age, so this Job is only helpful to Monsters.


    It steals the Avatars that have received enough damage to put them on the brink of being defeated and puts them under his control.


    ¡¸As long as they are a Vampire with a reasonable amount of blood manipulation and regeneration skills, I don¡¯t require anything else. I shall educate them after they¡¯ve been hired.¡¹


    Says the Floor Boss of the third stratum, the Vampire Queen Carmilla, also Milla, while smiling widely.


    To me and Cashew, she is the kindly Milla, but to the other Monsters, she is famous for playing a sadistic character.


    Having been treated coldly in her previous job just because she is a young woman, she respects and adores her Highness, who appreciates her true abilities.


    Her subordinates are loyal, but I also think they fear her. Well, there are many ways to do things.


    I can confirm that there is fear but there is no anger or hatred. She¡¯s perceived as a scary person, but not a bad person. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not my place to interject.


    When our eyes met, Milla looked happy.


    I also spontaneously smile back.


    ¡¸I would like to request for male Werewolves, your Highness! Of course, if their soul is manly, then their sex matters not!¡¹


    It was the Floor Boss of the fourth stratum, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias.


    His short cut, silver hair feels somewhat refreshing. His red eyes seem to be burning, and his tall stature feels more reliable than intimidating. He has the masculine facial features of a Normal but Werewolves are able to switch between a Human appearance and a wolf-like appearance.


    He calls his subordinates brothers and trains them with guts, and in the tenth stratum, he landed a blow on Fenix, so his approach to battle is not that of a thoughtless person.


    A fiery hot soul, with a calm mind. A strong man who only wishes to serve as the Floor Boss of the Demon King Castle, an all-around nice guy.


    ¡¸Here here, only cute Dream Demons need apply~¡¹


    The one who answered cheerfully was the fifth stratum Floor Boss, the Demon of Love Sitri.


    The fifth stratum was originally scaled like a cafe but it seems to be under remodeling until the commencement of the raid battle. She seems to be making it wider.


    ¡¸People who can use Water Magic would help a lot.¡¹


    The Floor Boss of the sixth stratum is the Ruler of the Waters Vepal, a beautiful mermaid.


    Long golden hair with tinges of blue, and scales that all sparkle like gemstones.


    Her upper half is only covered by a seashell-like designed swimsuit while the rest of her is freely exposed white skin.


    It is said that she is able to change her bottom half to that of a person, but no one has ever seen her walk on two legs.


    She normally moves around in a device that is a combination of a cart and a bathtub. She is submerged in the bathtub while her subordinates wheel her around.


    ¡¸I thank you, but the seventh stratum has no need for additional personnel.¡¹


    The Floor Boss of the seventh stratum, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, has a rather unique appearance. His head is that of a regular birdman, but for some reason¡­he wears a bird costume.


    He loves giving quizzes and speaking while spinning his cane around.


    ¡¸¡­People who are strong, in both mind and body.¡¹


    That was the Floor Boss of the eighth stratum, the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    It seems my esteemed swordmaster is awake for today¡¯s meeting. I was worried because she¡¯s generally asleep.


    ¡¸Hmm. What say you, Chief of Staff?¡¹


    The Floor Boss of the ninth stratum, the Time Demon Agares, looks my way.


    With silver swept-back hair, he is a Majin with a pair of goat-like horns growing out from the edges of his exposed forehead.


    There are only Majins on his stratum. If the eighth stratum is a stratum of pure military might, then the ninth is a stratum of magic warfare.


    If he were to hire new people, they would have to be Majin.


    When I noticed, everyone¡¯s eyes were on me.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­someone who¡¯s eager¡­I guess?¡¹


    At that instant, I thought time had stopped.


    But of course, it didn¡¯t. It was simply an illusion caused by every single person in the room being flabbergasted at the same time.


    ¡¸Yeah! I understand, Lord Chief of Staff! What¡¯s important is the mind, before ability, right?!¡¹


    Marchosias nodded repeatedly, astonished.


    ¡¸Lord Chief of Staff paves the path to victory with his own ability. Thus, it is not ability he seeks, but spirit, yes?¡¹


    Neberius as well folds his arms in understanding.


    ¡¸I am sure that the Chief of Staff, who is not particular about race, will not set any conditions that would restrict them.¡¹


    Even Kimaris.


    Milla looked troubled, Sitri seemed happy, and Caim laughed joyfully.


    ¡¸Very well, but heed this, Lem. You will get a veritable flood of applicants this way. Since there are no conditions, after all.¡¹


    It is as her Highness says.


    It¡¯s true that if you just say that you welcome people who are eager, it¡¯s just a common invitation.


    ¡¸Then how about¡­those who have the mettle to defeat a Hero¡­?¡¹


    The Demon King Luci looked at me with her big round eyes, blinking, but soon gave a little chuckle.


    ¡¸¡­Fu, that¡¯s fine. So the applicants shall gather under you in order to overthrow Heroes?¡¹


    The meeting ended after discussing a few more things. After everyone had left the room.


    At her Highness¡¯s orders, I remained in the room.


    I was alone with her Highness.


    Agares wanted to attend but her Highness kicked him out.


    ¡¸The Realm of Monsters, huh? Different people fighting together without discrimination, the realm of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff. Is it for this reason that you set restrictions on neither race nor Job?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It would be nice if a Black Sorcerer could become a hero, and win over heroes. That¡¯s what I think. It¡¯s not easy for anyone to say that, but I don¡¯t want to reject those who have the same thoughts and have worked hard for that purpose at the first stage.¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, You¡¯re a big shot because you can bark that out in a raid battle, even when you yourself are short on Magical Energy. Or perhaps you¡¯re just a complete idiot? Either way, I never tire of watching you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much. So is it fine?¡¹


    ¡¸We shall see. Oops, I almost forgot the main question.¡¹


    The smile disappeared from her Highness¡¯s face.


    ¡¸What would you do if I told you¡­that there was a way to rapidly accumulate Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸However, it is a tough path. Neither that man nor I were able to learn it. I dare say¡­no more than three people have mastered it in these modern times. One of them is grandfather. I am proposing this to you because you are a Human who has inherited grandfather¡¯s horn.¡¹


    A method that not even Fellow nor her Highness were able to learn.


    An ability that even those with the Aptitude of a Demon King were not able to acquire.


    Or perhaps it is not talent that is required.


    The details remain a mystery.


    My answer is obvious.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do it.¡¹


    ¡ó


    The training to learn that method will be done after the interviews.


    I have been preparing as much as I could, thinking about what to do if I am unable to acquire it¡­what should I do?


    No, not now, focus. I have to focus on the task at hand.


    ¡¸As I thought, I won¡¯t know until I meet them face-to-face.¡¹


    Incidentally, even though Milla said¡¸Please hire the people you believe you need. And I am not saying that you can¡¯t choose women¡­fufufu.¡¹, there are actually quite a lot of female applicants.


    I think for a moment that it¡¯s not like her, but then I reconsider.


    Milla has never interfered with my victory or that of my allies.


    She¡¯s just trying to prevent me from getting a little closer to women¡­


    ¡¸Chief of Staff, it¡¯s time.¡¹


    Led by my secretary, I leave the room and head to the interview room.

 CH 111

    111 ¨C Urgent Hiring! Would you like to work at the Demon King Castle? It¡¯s a Cozy Place to Work 1


    The persons involved in interviewing applicants for each stratum are the Boss of that stratum along with other upper management, and an HR department staff member.


    The head of the HR department is Agares. Handling HR while being a part of the Big Four and also taking care of her Highness, although that last one is voluntary, he seems like a busy man.


    As the Chief of Staff, my position is directly under her Highness as a formality, so I am required to attend almost all the interviews for every stratum. Due to several interviews proceeding at the same time in separate rooms, I wouldn¡¯t be able to attend the interviews for the strata that I am to attend to and the tenth stratum interview, time-wise.


    So I attended the tenth stratum interview.


    The conference room was appropriated as the venue, with a huge oval table and chairs arranged around it. This time, people sat on the side with the gentlest curve of the oval.


    It was arranged so that one side would have four interviewers, including me, and the other side would have one applicant.


    The interviewers were me, Milla, a Majin from HR and Furcus.


    Except for the Majin, we were all in our Monster outfits.


    The recruitment called for those who have the mettle to defeat Heroes, but perhaps because it didn¡¯t have specific requirements as the other strata did, there were a large number of applicants.


    No, it¡¯s possible that people are taking those words lighter than I thought.


    By the time half of the interviews were over, there were still zero people who fit the bill.


    ¡¸I believe there were some applicants who passed the mark, ability-wise.¡¹


    Said the blond Majin with a bob cut. She was female, with horns growing out the sides of her head. They grew in a spiral pattern and were black.


    We were making some light conversation after we had gotten through half of the interviews.


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­true. But in battle¡­how should I say this? It isn¡¯t as if you can determine the outcome of a battle by simply converting abilities into flat numbers and comparing them.¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, would it not be better to have the ability to overcome it?¡¹


    ¡¸There certainly is that way of thinking as well, but it isn¡¯t my priority.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you think that having the mettle to defeat Heroes is enough to make up for one¡¯s lack of ability?¡¹


    ¡¸I believe that the most important thing is a person¡¯s will. The will to achieve your goals no matter what it takes. I think it would be tough to fight together as a team if they don¡¯t share that point of view. Things like personality, age, gender, and principle could be all over the place so long as our goal is the same. If there is only one thing that is necessary to become one as a group, I thought that maybe it¡¯s that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Among the candidates so far, there were many that said that they and only they would defeat a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸They were merely all talk. You can tell just by looking at them.¡¹


    Said Milla as Carmilla.


    ¡¸We don¡¯t need those who talk big despite having an untrained Magical Energy Organ and body.¡¹


    Continued Furcus as the Black Knight.


    ¡¸¡­If so say you all. However, at the rate we are going, we might not hire anyone and Lord Chief of Staff will be in trouble.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. That¡¯s true, but¡­¡¹


    And so, the second half of the interviews.


    ¡¸The next candidate¡­are Normal applicants. A group of five who wish to be hired on a limited time contract. Well, they are¡­Adventurers, after all.¡¹


    Just like me, Adventurers becoming Monsters isn¡¯t against the rules.


    However, it is very difficult for Adventurers, who tend to move a lot, to have a side job as a Monster, who usually lie in wait in the same place.


    This party wishes to settle their employment after a short period of time, long enough to see through the Raid Battle.


    ¡¸Ah, this party caught my interest. Their party composition is two Black Sorcerers, two White Sorcerers and a Hero, and they are within the top 100 ranked, which is very rare for Adventurers.¡¹


    It¡¯s just as Milla said.


    I¡¯m not sure when she told me, but among the top 100, there are only three Black Sorcerers there, including me.


    Since I am no longer in Fenix¡¯s party, there are currently only two.


    And those two belong in the same party.


    They succeeded in standing out despite having two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerers. Two jobs that are treated coldly by the industry. But Adventurers are not so naive that they can survive on that alone.


    If it was just a novelty, they would have garnered a lot of attention temporarily, but people would soon tire of them.


    Her party is-


    ¡¸I was getting tired of waiting!¡¹


    The door opens.


    A red carpet comes tumbling through as a beautiful woman comes floating in, sitting on a gaudy chair. No, not floating. The chair she¡¯s sitting on was being carried by two men.


    One person was in charge of rolling out the red carpet, two were in charge of carrying her chair, and one was in charge of fanning her with an eccentrically large fan.


    Counting the beautiful leader, that was five in total.


    The Black Sorcerers wore black suits, and the White Sorcerers wore white suits. The four of them were young and handsome.


    And the one leading them, the Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    An extremely confident-looking beautiful woman with silvery gray long hair and eyes.


    ¡¸A pleasure to meet you, Demon King Army! And also, rejoice! For my manservants and I are here to lend our strength for the upcoming Raid Battle!¡¹


    They are ranked 95th. They rank higher than Nicola, Philip, and Mark¡¯s party.


    Their battle strategy is very simple.


    The two Black Sorcerers will weaken the enemy, while the two White Sorcerers buff Ellie.


    And then Ellie will defeat all the enemies.


    It¡¯s simple, but what¡¯s amazing about it are their Clear results.


    In all of their posted Clear videos, they have never once been defeated. What¡¯s more, Ellie herself has never been damaged once.


    Even those who thought that those four would be a burden, can¡¯t say anything after seeing the Clear videos. No, that¡¯s not entirely true. The naysayers say this¡­


    The Hero¡¯s ability far surpasses that of anyone in the party. If the other four people were strengthened with better Jobs, they could go higher.


    But that opinion is off the mark.


    Only for this party, this composition is correct.


    However, no one in the party brings it up, and to the rest of the world, they are flashy Adventurers who stand out by their appearance, composition, Ellie¡¯s character, and brilliant Clears.


    It wasn¡¯t just with their first impression, their ability was also enough for them to break into the high rankings.


    ¡¸R-right¡­ well, please have a sea- ¡­you¡¯re already sitting, right. Ah, how about the other four? Please, have a seat¡­ oh, you¡¯re fine as you are? ¡­Alright. Well, first off, what is your reason for applying?¡¹


    ¡¸You. Are you a moron?¡¹


    The HR Majin¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡¸You are seeking those with the mettle to defeat Heroes, are you not? Whoever wrote that is exceptional. Seeing that, I simply had to apply, because of course I have what it takes to take down a Hero!¡¹


    Oh, really?


    Everything comes naturally to her.


    I can see it in her eyes.


    The applicants so far were either lacking in confidence, shy, or conversely, brimming with confidence. Those who know how hard it is to take down a Hero, have no confidence, and those that do not, say whatever they want. Those were the two types so far.


    However, Ellie is different. She herself is a Hero. So she definitely knows how to take one down.


    On top of that, they are going to defeat the Heroes participating in the Raid Battle.


    There isn¡¯t a single hint of hesitation in the faces of the other four as well.


    ¡¸But, you are ranked 95th¡¹


    ¡¸So? If rank decided who wins or loses, then the rankings would never fluctuate.¡¹


    ¡¸No, but-¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re hired.¡¹


    ¡¸Lord Chief of Staff?!¡¹


    The Majin was surprised at my words.


    ¡¸I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    I say in Lemegeton¡¯s tone.


    ¡¸As expected of the Chief of Staff, you have a discerning eye. You won¡¯t regret this, I assure you.¡¹


    Ellie gave a smile filled with confidence.

 CH 112

    112 ¨C Urgent Hiring! Would you like to work at the Demon King Castle? It¡¯s a Cozy Place to Work 2


    Ellie is bold¡­or perhaps I should say, she has her own set of rules and also seems like an honest person. Such people often take actions that are outside the realm of common sense.


    She was like that when she entered, she was also like that when she left.


    ¡¸My work here is done! This is the inn that I¡¯m staying at, so please contact me. We¡¯re done, boys. Let¡¯s go home!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Miss Ellie!¡¹


    The four people in suits lined up their voices beautifully.


    The black suit-wearing man who rolled out the red carpet produced a business card from his breast pocket and placed it atop the table.


    Immediately after that, they left.


    ¡¸Ahaha, they are a lot more interesting in person than in the videos.¡¹


    I was smiling behind my mask, but at that moment, two separate gazes were shot my way.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton¡­is that the type of woman you fancy?¡¹


    ¡¸No, no¡­it¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s smile looked crooked. But I understand. I didn¡¯t smile because it was fun.


    ¡¸Rather than that, the decision to hire or not hire someone is not for you to make.¡¹


    Ms. Majin looked bitter.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll need to talk to Agares.¡¹


    She¡¯s just doing her job, too. There are set procedures and practices.


    Unlike the others, there are no specific requirements for the kind of person I¡¯m looking for, so it would be very difficult for her to do so.


    She¡¯s here as an observer to an interview that takes into account emotions, and wondering why the other Big Four seem to understand the Chief of Staff¡¯s decisions.


    Of course, she¡¯d be puzzled.


    I was the one who did it on my own, so I should be the one to also explain to her boss.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not the¡­Understood. I shall focus on progressing the interview. But about what happened just now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be more careful. It wasn¡¯t a good idea for me to decide on my own.¡¹


    ¡­It¡¯s just that, I think Ellie would have left on the spot if we told her that she¡¯d know the results at a later date. I thought that there was no way she could have made the decision on the spot.


    There are certain talents that can be overlooked if you follow common sense and procedures.


    It was just a hunch, but as a result, I was able to get Ellie¡¯s party to join me as allies.


    I take the piece of paper with the name of the inn written on it and put it in my pocket.


    I nod to Ms. Majin and she then turns her gaze towards the door.


    ¡¸Next person, please.¡¹


    ¡ó


    In the end, I¡¯ll touch upon only the people who I thought I¡¯d like to fight alongside.


    First off is Meadow, the Lamia. Twenty-three years old, female.


    Lamia are Demi-Humans with a snake¡¯s lower body. Meadow was white all over. From the scales covering her lower body, her skin on her Human upper-half, to her long hair that reaches all the way down her back.


    What about her eyes? I have no clue. She had some pretty long bangs, but that isn¡¯t why I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s because of the bandages she wore as a blindfold.


    ¡¸According to your resume, you have worked in three Dungeons in the past, but what about now?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I was fired from all of them¡­¡¹


    ¡¸And why is that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Th-they said it was because after they hired me, the number of Adventurers posting their videos had decreased¡­¡¹


    Due to her overwhelming special skill, the Clears failed. Not wanting people to see their humiliating forms, the Adventurers reject the videos. Doing that, the Dungeon loses exposure and experiences a drop in customers.


    It¡¯s a difficult place. You fight in a match with all your might, but it¡¯s the Adventurer side that decides whether to broadcast the video or not.


    Since this is a job that is dependant on public favor, they don¡¯t want to release a video that will diminish their popularity.


    In her case, especially, it isn¡¯t the kind of ability that can decide the outcome at the end of a fierce battle.


    It¡¯s the kind that decides an outcome the moment two people meet.


    ¡¸Do you think that you won¡¯t be fired again if you join the Demon King Castle?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¹


    ¡¸Then why did you choose to apply?¡¹


    ¡¸If¡­if it¡¯s here¡­I thought maybe it¡¯d be nice to defeat a Hero.¡¹


    In a normal Dungeon, her abilities are too much for her to handle.


    But if it¡¯s here, in the Impregnable Demon King Castle¡­in the Realm of Monsters that isn¡¯t tied down to following any specific theme of Monsters, a Lamia defeating a Hero wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all.


    If Adventurers don¡¯t end up posting their Clear videos because you¡¯re there, you¡¯re sure we won¡¯t fire you.


    Is that what you¡¯re thinking?


    ¡¸Yes, exactly.¡¹


    You¡¯re hired!¡­is what I wanted to scream, but I stopped myself.


    Her lips trembled, and it eventually arced into a smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m so glad¡­¡¹


    Her sigh of relief seemed very sincere.


    I was very impressed.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸What are my specialties~? Fufu, I¡¯m pretty good at singing~¡¹


    ¡¸No, not things like that.¡¹


    It was a woman with a single horn with a spiral pattern growing out from the middle of her forehead.


    She wasn¡¯t a Majin. According to her, her ancestors mixed with Unicorn blood.


    It seems she¡¯s able to change between a Human form and a horse form, much like a werewolf. Her horn remains in either form.


    It isn¡¯t uncommon in this day and age to meet someone of mixed race.


    Thea. Twenty-four years old. Her pale, purplish-hued fluffy hair flows down to her shoulders, and her eyes of the same color are squinted in the form of a smile that makes it hard to see her pupils.


    She tends to make a gesture of poking her cheeks, but every time she moves her wrists, her forearms touch her ample bosom and cause them to jiggle.


    That¡¯s all well and good, but I swear that every time that happens, I can hear Milla click her tongue¡­maybe it¡¯s just my imagination, yeah.


    ¡¸¡­? But singing is my specialty~. Other than that, I can break trees, smash boulders, and since I¡¯m a Beast Master, I can make friends with Demi-Beasts, that¡¯s about it~¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s more of what I wanted to hear. You have amazing abilities.¡¹


    ¡¸Really~? I¡¯m glad~¡¹


    ¡¸Beast Masters were being recruited by the first stratum, so why did you choose here?¡¹


    At that, Thea opened her eyes.


    ¡¸Singing after a victory is the best feeling in the world.¡¹


    Aside from Ms.Majin, the three of us all almost stood up.


    When we were hit by her fighting spirit, we reflexively got ready for a fight.


    We thought she was a gentle person, but she¡¯s actually an unimaginable warrior.


    ¡¸I was drawn to such a simple and wonderful phrase~¡¹


    Thea smiles once again, the fighting spirit from moments ago, gone.


    Those with the mettle to defeat Heroes. I guess those words caught hold of her heart firmly.


    Alright, I thought this was a bust, but with people like Ellie and co., Meadow, and Thea who reacted to it and showing up, I think it went well.


    Heroes are exceptional. In a fair and square one-on-one fight, only Majins or Demon King Majins could be their opponent. Or perhaps another Hero.


    Monsters can only hope to defeat them with positioning, traps, and teamwork on the stratum they are in charge of.


    There are very few who think they can defeat a Hero by themselves. That¡¯s not a bad thing at all.


    But I don¡¯t have anyone on my stratum anyway. That said, I wonder if I can suddenly have dozens of subordinates and control them well.


    It¡¯s different from giving suggestions to an already completed stratum. It¡¯s difficult to create a plan from scratch that will ensure that everyone survives. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, there are still a lot of challenges.


    There¡¯s also the problem with helpers. This time, I¡¯ll only go with a select few.


    I am waiting for more people who took that short phrase seriously.


    ¡ó


    The last one was a twenty-seven-year-old male. Lars the Minotaur.


    ¡¸¡­There is no mention of any work experience past the age of fifteen, what did you do?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Lars was looking down and not answering at all.


    ¡¸What did you do for twelve years?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    He clenches his fist on his knees. Not answering.


    ¡¸This Demon King Castle is known to be impregnable. How do you think you can be useful in its defense?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    His body is trembling slightly. Almost as if enduring shame.


    I wonder if he¡¯s not good at talking with people.


    ¡¸So, your Job is a Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    I ask, he shook in surprise. almost a minute passed before he gave a small nod.


    ¡¸Please, take your time to answer. If you find it difficult to talk, we can get you a pen and paper.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s¡­fine¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Your Magical Energy organ is very well trained, what kind of training do you do?¡¹


    Then we spent a long time exchanging words.


    When he was fifteen, he was kicked out of the Dungeon where he was working at the time.


    Unlike Adventurers, what is prioritized when hiring Monsters is not their Job, but their race.


    He¡¯s a Black Sorcerer, but he was hired as a muscular looking Minotaur. Contrary to what he actually hoped for, they were looking for hand-to-hand combatants. Since he wasn¡¯t good at that, he was ultimately fired.


    His re-employment efforts didn¡¯t go so well.


    But you can¡¯t change your Job.


    He continued to train himself, in hopes that he would return to working in a Dungeon, one day.


    It¡¯s a coincidence that he came up with the same training method.


    He would cast Black Magic on himself, training himself every day.


    Strangely, it¡¯s the same as what I was taught by my master.


    In Lars¡¯ case, he came upon the idea on his own.


    ¡¸Incredible.¡¹


    I blurt out that praise unintentionally, which caused Lars to raise his head in surprise.


    Then his expression scrunches up and he starts sobbing.


    I had my master. And a best friend who believed in me. Allies who didn¡¯t like me, but allies all the same.


    But Lars was denied and kicked out, and he continued to train himself for twelve years, all alone.


    And today, he chose the Demon King Castle.


    This isn¡¯t luck.


    And now he¡¯s my ally.

 CH 113

    113 ¨C With Reason and Heart


    Once again, my new subordinates, excluding Cashew, are as follows.


    Those of the Ellie party. The Undefeated Hero Ellie herself, the handsome, cool twin Black Sorcerers Lyner and Ryan, along with two White Sorcerers that came from the same village. One is the eloquent Kent, and the other is extremely loyal to his leader, Jean.


    These five are here on a short term contract until the Raid Battle is over.


    The Assassin Meadow, who is a Lamia. In addition to her Job, she possesses an excellent special skill.


    The one-horned Centaur, who can actually change from a human form to a Centaur form, the Beast Master Thea. However, it seems that her Aptitude for direct combat is high.


    Lars the Minotaur is a Black Sorcerer. In addition to his racial characteristically large build, he came up with a training method of casting Black Magic on yourself on his own.


    Five short-term and three permanent employees total up to eight people.


    The remaining ones are Thor and Kei from the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon. Other staff members that are certainly no strangers to Furcus and I have also chosen to collaborate with us. Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs.


    No matter how suitable they might be for the All Level Dungeon idea, this is the Demon King Castle. It seems they all discussed among themselves to choose and dispatch the strongest among them.


    After that is Fenix and Nicola. Berith¡¯s appearance will fall a little short of what it looked like last time, or I should say, you¡¯ll be able to see the difference between this and the perfect disguise it was last time. She seems to be trying something.


    Fenix has settled with a Majin Avatar. He¡¯s got horns, he¡¯s got the outfit and¡­well, you¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll manage my Magical Energy somehow.


    By the way, it¡¯s difficult to deploy these two with short term contracts like the Ellie party.


    It¡¯s not impossible, but you would have to hire them.


    Hiring two Heroes into the Demon King Army. Both of them are helping me out, but it isn¡¯t as if there¡¯s no risk involved.


    What if their mask gets blown off and they were found out.


    Especially Fenix, since he was the Hero who challenged this Dungeon last. If it¡¯s discovered that he¡¯s an ally, then it¡¯s possible that rumors will spread that our last fight was just a game.


    The same would happen with the one-on-one fight with Nicola.


    Both friend and foe. The public cannot know that they are friends of Lemegeton.


    I want to avoid the risk of having them sign a formal contract. Even under normal circumstances, that¡¯s asking a big favor.


    In that respect, the Ellie party is daring.


    They said that they will not hide their faces and participate as a Hero party that allied with the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    Any other Adventurer would be too terrified to do that, but not Ellie.


    I guess someone who leads a party of Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers into the high rankings is just different.


    So it¡¯s not like she¡¯s doing this without thinking. There is also a secret plan there.


    A plan that transcends the setting and excites the audience on top of cooperating with Monsters.


    Therefore, I had all those that were notified of their employment gather here.


    I give them a small greeting and immediately start showing them around the tenth stratum.


    Last time, the place felt like a wide and long hallway, but Fenix went and burnt the whole place into nothing.


    So this is the new tenth stratum, built to order from scratch, set to my preferences.


    That is¡­


    As soon as I transfer here to defend this area as it¡¯s Floor Boss.


    ¡¸Hey, Lemegeton. Your name is too long, can I call you Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Absolutely not.¡¹


    I reject Ellie¡¯s suggestion. Calling me that would be problematic. That¡¯s my real name, after all.


    Incidentally, she is sitting on a high chair today, as well. Carried on the shoulders of two white-suited men.


    ¡¸My, how surprising. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be particular about that.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s a name other than that.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, so that¡¯s how it is. Alright, no one would like being called a nickname they don¡¯t want, I suppose. Since Lemegeton is a little long¡­hmm, how about Meg, or Get¡­no, doesn¡¯t quite roll off the tongue¡­Len! How about Len?¡¹


    Connecting the first and last part of the name, huh?


    ¡¸If you find that easy to say.¡¹


    ¡¸I do, quite easy. As an ally, I feel like we¡¯ve gotten closer.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, even though the document officially says that she is my subordinate, we are treating her as an ally.


    Rather than a Hero who was subjugated by the Demon King Army, they have formed a united front for some reason. At least that¡¯s the setting she put forward.


    I have no reason to object, so I allowed it.


    However, the three Demi-Humans seem troubled by the response. Actually no, not all. Thea is just humming to herself.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve thought about it. Reason and Emotion. The conclusion is as follows. You are the Reason, as the master of this stratum, so we should follow your instructions.¡¹


    ¡¸And Emotion is?¡¹


    ¡¸I follow my own heart. If you betray yourself, you would hate yourself, right? I don¡¯t want that. I¡¯ve always respected my own will, not someone else¡¯s. I would like to do that this time as well.¡¹


    ¡¸And so?¡¹


    ¡¸But I also understand that it¡¯s arrogant to declare that people should be allowed to do what they want in people¡¯s homes. I mean, it¡¯s like this, right? All I have to do is ask for permission to do whatever I want.¡¹


    Hmm. I¡¯d like to avoid killing their mood by giving them instructions.


    But in a battle that we cannot lose, having a military asset whose movements are a mystery to me, or how to control them when a problem arises is¡­


    ¡¸There is no correct answer to this. If there is, it is merely an illusion. You¡¯re worrying over it. Wonderful. You consider, seriously, even my arrogant words.¡¹


    ¡¸If there is no correct answer to this, then what is it that you want to say?¡¹


    I have a rough idea, but I don¡¯t want to get it wrong so I don¡¯t say it.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to be right, you just have to choose one. You just have to be prepared for whichever you choose. You could leave it up to luck with a lottery or rock-paper-scissors, but I wish for the decision to be made by doing something we are both good at.¡¹


    Ah, so I wasn¡¯t off the mark.


    In other words, she is proposing for us to fight to decide.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t use my magic on my allies.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if that ally is earnestly challenging you to a fight, you would ignore it?¡¹


    ¡­My former allies, the Fenix party.


    My colleague and swordmaster, Furcus, as the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    Nicola, who I fought alongside, as the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    I fought each of them seriously.


    Regardless of the relationship, if it becomes a match, I give it all I got.


    I just wonder if this is an acceptable reason to turn into a match.


    ¡¸It¡¯s good that you¡¯re already in an Avatar, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Ellie smiled happily.


    ¡­Well, it is impossible to ask someone to trust a boss who you haven¡¯t seen do anything yet.


    In their case, they are allies, but the other three behind them have yet to see me fight.


    I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to show them.


    ¡¸What are the rules?¡¹


    When I answered, Ellie jumped out of her chair.


    ¡¸You decide. It¡¯s five on one.¡¹

 CH 114

    114 ¨C Absolute Idol Hero 1


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­¡¹


    My rules were simple.


    Whichever team¡¯s leader gets defeated, that team loses.


    They have to accept surrender.


    Ellie¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly at the word surrender.


    ¡¸Fine. And no medicine or healing magic, right?¡¹


    After thinking about it for a moment, I said this¡­


    ¡¸Fine with me.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks. You¡¯re free to use your ring. If it¡¯s a co-worker, you can call them, right?¡¹


    Certainly, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias would happily oblige, and the Vampire Queen Carmilla wouldn¡¯t mind either. Although she seems to be angry with Ellie.


    Well now, how should I answer her?


    ¡¸If the need arises, I¡¯ll do that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. Alright.¡¹


    She was dissatisfied, but she didn¡¯t say it.


    I think she was hoping that I thought it¡¯d be necessary.


    ¡¸What about your team?¡¹


    I pull one leg back and turn to the subordinates behind me.


    ¡¸Right here.¡¹


    I look at the three of them in their Avatars and Monster outfits.


    ¡¸Is it alright with you guys?¡¹


    They all gave a short reply.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹¡¸This look¡¯s like fun~¡¹¡¸¡­¡¹


    Meadow answered quietly, and Thea answered cheerfully. Lars nodded slowly.


    ¡¸Seriously? You¡¯re going to take on my party with that ragtag group of four?¡¹


    She isn¡¯t doubting their individual abilities. Ellie is merely pointing out the importance of teamwork.


    Her concerns are reasonable, but this isn¡¯t a defensive battle.


    Ultimately, this is her way of measuring me. I mustn¡¯t forget that.


    ¡¸No, don¡¯t answer. If you can¡¯t unify a team like that then you wouldn¡¯t have been hired as the Impregnable Demon King Castle¡¯s Chief of Staff, I suppose. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of.¡¹


    When I noticed, her four allies were already in a line, in the back. Only Ellie was standing in front of them.


    ¡¸Strategy meetings are a necessity, yes? I¡¯ll wait.¡¹


    I¡¯ll take her word for it, so I communicate the plan to the three on my team.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. But¡­¡¹


    Meadow nodded but seemed unconvinced.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do as the Chief of Staff says~. But what if Elly isn¡¯t being honest~?¡¹


    Thea was all smiles, but she was worried about the same thing Meadow was.


    ¡¸¡­If it¡¯s Lord Lemegeton, I¡¯m sure he has an idea.¡¹


    Lars doesn¡¯t seem to be good at talking to people by nature, but he seems somewhat better when he¡¯s in his Monster outfit and wearing a mask.


    He also said that by getting into the role, or rather, by being aware that he is not¡¸Lars¡¹now, he can move more calmly.


    I had the opportunity to talk to the Ellie party and the three of them individually.


    Speaking with Lars, in particular, he and I share a common point due to our training method, so it was quite a rousing conversation.


    We can mutually respect each other who knows and endured the same pain.


    The four of us are certainly not comrades who have gone through many battles together.


    But we share a desire to win.


    I don¡¯t expect an outstanding combination, but I can decide their roles based on that.


    After that, each of us just needs to do what we need to.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    We turn around to face the Ellie party.


    ¡¸That was quick.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t keep my allies waiting.¡¹


    ¡¸My, such a gentleman. Well then, shall we begin?¡¹


    As soon as the battle started, Ellie released her Magical Energy. She covered herself with it.


    Resist.


    Magical Energy that you release outside of your body cannot return. Even if you wear it, it will gradually melt into the air.


    The reason why no one puts on Resist all the time is that it would be a waste of Magical Energy.


    That¡¯s the reason why even Fenix was affected by Charm for a moment in the fifth stratum.


    The awareness to use it only when forced to is deeply rooted.


    This time, she did at the start because she knows what her opponent¡¯s Job is.


    But it wasn¡¯t just to repel Lars and my Black Magic.


    We haven¡¯t explained the special tactics or any trump cards of the other two. This is why I¡¯m fairly sure that she doesn¡¯t know about Meadow¡¯s special skill, but just the fact that she hides her eyes is enough to cause Ellie to be vigilant.


    That judgment is correct.


    Tools with mysterious powers are known as Magic Tools.


    It¡¯s said that there was once a race that created them. Alba¡¯s Magic Sword, my ring, and Furcus¡¯ armor and spear all fall under this category.


    Tools are created with a purpose.


    So what is the purpose of a tool with mysterious power?


    Of course, many of them were probably created out of necessity.


    But I¡¯m also sure that they were made to recreate.


    To recreate the mysterious powers of living beings in the form of a tool, to be used by those who do not possess such powers.


    Long ago, there were those who were blessed by the Spirits to produce magic, Ogres who used Witchcraft, Ninjas who used Ninjutsu, the list goes on.


    Some have special powers in certain parts of the body.


    Like the horns of a Majin.


    However, in terms of types, there are many who have eyes that have mysterious powers.


    If you are aware of them, it is natural to be vigilant.


    She disappeared.


    No. It only looked that way because she was so fast.


    If it¡¯s her, she¡¯s¡­she¡¯s right in front of me, ready to punch me in the face!


    She made a contract with a Lesser Spirit of Wind.


    Even taking that into consideration, she¡¯s too fast. All it took was a moment for me to lose sight of her.


    ¡¸Shouldn¡¯t you react?¡¹


    ¡¸Insolence.¡¹


    Saying that, Lars stepped in between me and her. No, that name isn¡¯t appropriate.


    I should say, the Black Explorer Foras. [1. TL Note: Unsurprisingly, Foras is yet another Demon from the book of Goetia.]


    The bull-man who discovered the Demon King¡¯s training method through his own effort, the Demon King Army Lemegeton¡¯s new subordinate.


    A man who carved a path to limitless magic with his own power.


    Three of my subordinates have already been given Dungeon Names.


    As well as a title to further emphasize that they are a small number of elites.


    Her fist crashes into his large shield.


    ¡¸Ooh, nice moves.¡¹


    I can hear her voice, but the person who produced it is no longer there.


    She disappeared again.


    The Undefeated Hero is flashy, beautiful, fast, and clever¡­a strong Hero, indeed.


    This is a good opportunity.


    To confirm the strength of the reborn tenth stratum.

 CH 115

    115 ¨C Absolute Idol Hero 2


    Once again.


    Ellie¡¯s party has an unusual composition of one Hero, and a pair of Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers each.


    Their roles when Dungeon Clearing is simply split.


    Ellie is offensive.


    The other four are support.


    This isn¡¯t unusual. The support roles don¡¯t fight, and Ellie doesn¡¯t support them.


    At least, that¡¯s how the general public sees it.


    No matter how excellent the five of them are, it is difficult to carry out this style of Clearing without losing an ally.


    I¡¯m not looking down on them, rather that Dungeon Clearing isn¡¯t so simple.


    There¡¯s a trick to it.


    This, again, has to do with popularity.


    Ellie¡¯s appearance and personality obviously attract people and the other four complete the picture.


    I¡¯m sure there are people who are charmed by the sight of a beautiful woman leading handsome men.


    Of course, they aren¡¯t Adventurers that are so naive that they think they can survive on that alone.


    No matter how beautiful or handsome, if only one out of the five in a party stands out, their popularity will fade quickly.


    However, they are within the top 100 ranked, so their popularity is firm.


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as the wind! Quick!¡¹


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as thunder! Quick!¡¹


    While the refreshing-looking Kent brushed back his chestnut hair, and while Jean, who is particularly fond of Ellie, clenched his fist, they each chanted White Magic.


    It¡¯s not strictly unnecessary, but generally, you should avoid announcing to your enemy exactly what you are buffing.


    But I suppose it makes it easier for the audience to understand, and they are quite handsome, and above all else-.


    ¡¸Lemege-¡¹


    Foras couldn¡¯t call out to me in time.


    He probably wanted to tell me to look out or to be careful.


    But Foras¡¯ words weren¡¯t the only thing that couldn¡¯t reach me in time.


    In one flowing motion, I took Foras¡¯ large shield and turned directly behind me to slam someone with it.


    ¡¸¡­You can see me?¡¹


    It was Ellie¡¯s surprised face.


    Ellie was trying to attack from behind, but she avoided my counter-attack.


    This time, she kept her distance just fast enough for a camera to record it.


    She really is a professional Adventurer.


    I mean, all official parties are, but in her case, I¡¯m talking about her frame of mind.


    Ellie doesn¡¯t simply think about the outcome of a match, she also moves while thinking a lot about how to charm the audience in a Clear video.


    Dungeons use high-performance cameras. Even if you move at a speed invisible to the naked eye, it can be slowed down in editing to show the audience your movements.


    Nevertheless, always moving at a high speed means that all the audience will see in the video is a slo-mo version of the entire Clear.


    Determine the speed at which you can move that can just barely be perceived as fast when the video is played at regular speed, and maintain that speed except during the deciding moments of a match.


    And then there are the effects of White Magic, I guess. Those two aren¡¯t prodigies by any stretch, but they are excellent White Sorcerers.


    Rather than the effectiveness, I assume that they trained to extend the effect duration.


    When they cast their magic, Ellie¡¯s speed increases. The magic does have an effect, but Ellie intentionally moves faster.


    This is very easy to understand.


    From a speed that¡¯s faster than an ordinary person to a speed that¡¯s faster than the eye can see. Watching at regular speed, Ellie disappears after receiving the effects of White Magic, reappears at another location, disappears, appears at another spot¡­again and again.


    The weakness of White Magic is that, aside from healing, it is hard for the audience to see the results of the buffs, so she acts in a way that clearly showcases the buff effects, playing up the magic users, which results in them gaining more than usual favor.


    What¡¯s amazing about her is her sense of balancing that combines¡¸Performance¡¹and¡¸Serious Fight¡¹.


    ¡¸Hah, as expected of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff! How fun!¡¹


    This is the issue of working while pretending to be a Majin.


    Horns aren¡¯t the only thing that differentiates a Majin from a Normal.


    Their body is also stronger.


    Their physique, arm strength, leg strength, five senses, Magical Energy organ, as well as their ability to manipulate Magical Energy.


    No matter what you compare, on average, Majins are better.


    But the only thing that¡¯s Majin level about me is the horn, Magical Energy organ, and my ability to manipulate Magical Energy.


    No matter how much training I receive from my master, there¡¯s no way I can completely become a Majin.


    It¡¯s not like I got a special talent or something.


    Even the horn, I wasn¡¯t able to use it as I do now during the beginning. From the day it was transplanted, where I wasn¡¯t even aware of it, to today, where I use it as if it was a part of me, I kept training.


    In other words, what I¡¯m trying to say is this.


    I have to fight in a way that doesn¡¯t reveal to everyone that the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff¡¯s endurance and close-combat skills are lackluster.


    I didn¡¯t follow Ellie¡¯s movements with my eyes.


    I watched their Clear footage over and over again, deduced her attack patterns, and counter-attacked her assumed speed.


    I need to fight without showing my lack of ability.


    The fight with the Fenix party went well because I knew them very well.


    From now on, that won¡¯t work.


    No matter how many times I research Clear videos, unexpected things can happen in actual combat.


    Taking that into consideration, just how far can I take this?


    This battle is a good opportunity to test that out.


    ¡¸Foras.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, sir.¡¹


    ¡¸Black Magic, huh?! Bring it on! Take that! And that!¡¹


    Ellie, who was keeping her distance, stopped moving for a moment and exaggeratedly swung her arms.


    As if in response to that, the sounds of gusts of wind were produced, and the walls and floor had cuts in them as if cut by a giant blade.


    ¡¸Brr¡­ It¡¯s getting chilly in here~¡¹


    Said Shea, the One Horned Poet Amduscias, nonchalantly. [1 TL Note: You guessed it, another demon from the Goetia. Amduscias is in charge of cacophonous music and can make trees bend at will. Sound familiar?]


    Ellie¡¯s wind blades weren¡¯t the only thing assaulting her.


    Before their leader said anything, the two dressed in black suits raised their voices.


    They chanted Black Magic, and soon Ellie released her attack magic. That Black Magic was¡­


    ¡¸Let my enemy experience their feet being stuck in the mud, my magic! Quick Down!¡¹


    ¡¸Make my enemy move as if they were carrying a boulder, my magic! Quick Down!¡¹


    By the way, the names of Magic and Skills have been generalized in the industry for the time being. It¡¯s for the sake of classification, although the users don¡¯t often say it.


    Lily¡¯s Godspeed is like that. It is sometimes used in live commentary or later when talked about, but the person herself does not shout it.


    Well, there are those that believe that skill names were made for shouting, and I can sympathize with them as a fan myself.


    Skills are categorized by their forms, what is its purpose and what are the movements, and magic is categorized by its effects.


    For both, in the case that someone has invented a never-before-seen skill or magic, it can be registered.


    The move that Berith did where she creates a giant arm and hits someone with it while she uses her magic arms to strike the elbow of said giant arm to make it hit harder is treated as new and can probably be given a name.


    In any case, those two cast Speed Down. Their target is Amduscias. [2 TL Note: Quick and Quick Down are the official registered names of Speed Up and Speed Down respectively. Lem still refers to them as Speed Down in his head.]


    She was dashing towards the four in her Centaur form but her speed was lowered slightly.


    The Black Magic of two excellent Black Sorcerers were overlapping each other. In their case, they emphasized instant casting rather than effect duration.


    Similar to the White Sorcerers moments ago, Ellie would defeat the enemy the moment the Black Magic took effect.


    During the editing process, the screen is split into two, easily comparing the difference in speed of the enemy before and after the debuff effect.


    She acts to pro-actively show off the appeal of her support members¡¯ actions. This is very unusual among Adventurers.


    ¡¸¡­Not bad. You dodged that well.¡¹


    Said Ellie, impressed.


    That¡¯s right, Amduscias avoided that last attack.


    The Black Magic of the two men was excellent, and the timing of Ellie¡¯s attack was perfect.


    The wind blades were aimed at Amduscias¡¯ torso, possibly to split her in two.


    However, the One Horned Poet is no ordinary Centaur. She can shapeshift between a Human and Centaur form.


    And so, the moment before the attack, she shifted to her Human form, going from a quadruped to a biped, thus avoiding the attack. If the horse torso part disappears, then it¡¯s a matter of course that the attack that was aiming for that part would miss.


    Amduscias immediately shifts back into a Centaur and sprints towards the four supports.


    ¡¸Here I come~¡¹


    She reaches into a cloth bag hanging around her waist and scatters its contents.


    It looked like small grains¡­they were seeds.


    They fell to the floor, wriggled, and changed their shape, growing larger.


    They were Demi-Beasts. Plant-based, Human-looking Demi-Beasts.


    Their limbs looked like a bundle of plant roots and leaves grew on their heads like crowns. Their hips were covered by flower petals like a skirt, and their breasts were covered by ivy. Green life-forms that looked like Human females.


    Alraune.


    While it is true that a Beast Master is normally accompanied by Demi-Beasts, it¡¯s difficult to have a mutual understanding with plants, which makes Amduscias uncommon.


    Among the countless Alraune that appeared, they ranged from small girls to young maidens. Their preference seems to be females.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get too excited just because they¡¯re handsome boys, okay~? Let¡¯s have clean and pure relationships~¡¹


    The Alraunes approached those four with smiles on their faces.


    ¡¸Tsk, don¡¯t you dare flock around my pets.¡¹


    Despite her annoyance, Ellie is not going to help.


    She doesn¡¯t want to create an opening.


    That¡¯s what makes the video so popular. She doesn¡¯t run to protect them. There is no scene where the one with the highest fighting power is put at a disadvantage because of her four support members. She has a style of Clearing that strips down to the bare minimum any elements that could make someone have the opinion that the Black and White Sorcerers are burdens.


    So then why is it that not one of the four has ever been defeated?


    She doesn¡¯t let any enemy get past her. To some extent, this is the reason.


    But this isn¡¯t the case for every Dungeon Clear.


    So how do they survive?


    Many viewers believe that the four of them support each other by buffing each other and debuffing the enemies, buying time.


    And then once Ellie is finished with her fight, she will finish off their enemies.


    This is correct as far as what is happening.


    But in fact, what is being done to make it a reality is not so simple.


    An Alraune stretches her arms as if to embrace the white-suited Jean.


    He crouched at the last minute to avoid it.


    I knew it.


    I was convinced that my prediction was correct.


    They¡¯re holding staves.


    Not the kind that I used in the tournament. It¡¯s longer. Wooden staves with spiral shapes at the tip of the upward-facing part.


    From the start of the battle, they were flowing their Magical Energy into it.


    The large sword wielded by Foras also incorporates a staff function into it.


    ¡¸It seems that the Hero Ellie thinks more of her allies than society does.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It seems that way. Just as Lord Chief of Staff predicted, she uses Wind Magic to notify them of the enemy¡¯s attacks.¡¹


    Foras is talking about what I said during the preparatory meeting.


    The four of them are excellent, yes, but they weren¡¯t trained by the Demon King. It¡¯s difficult to train the body while also training your magic. Even so, they are increasing their effectiveness by limiting them to specific uses.


    Looking at their bodies, they are more trained when compared to the average magic user, but no match for a combat Job.


    But then how is it that they can survive so well?


    Looking at it now, I understand.


    They are not seeing through the enemy attacks by themselves. For example, if an enemy¡¯s attack were aiming for one of their heads, Ellie¡¯s wind would blow onto that person¡¯s forehead. If that person crouches the moment that the wind stops, the attack can be avoided.


    The reason that they wear tight-fitting suits instead of the usual magician¡¯s robe is probably to avoid having it be blown about by her wind.


    Ellie¡¯s invisible support has its limits, of course, so the four in question have to make efforts to be aware in their everyday conduct. The minimum amount of bodybuilding is essential. This cannot be neglected.


    The Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    She is honest with herself to a fault. Her attitude is prone to cause misunderstandings, but could a strong person filled with only arrogance be able to form a party such as this?


    The reality is, while showing off her beauty, speed, and strength¡­


    ¡­she is an entertainer that shows off the charm and hard work of the allies she fights alongside, who happen to be unfortunate Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers, thoroughly and clearly to the viewers.


    ¡¸¡­You really are the Chief of Staff for a reason. But-¡¹


    She runs in a straight line. She was as fast as lightning, but I¡¯ve already experienced this once before. If I can¡¯t react, then-


    ¡¸A lady doesn¡¯t reveal all her secrets.¡¹


    I can see her right in front of me, but her voice came from my upper right.


    ¡­An afterimage?! No, it¡¯s Spirit Magic! She used magic to create a mirage!


    Foras slashes the Ellie in front of his eyes, but she just sways as if she were made of smoke.


    She wasn¡¯t the real person.


    It¡¯s a new technique!


    I¡¯ve never seen her use this magic in any of the videos I watched.


    ¡¸Be a dear and keep this magic a secret, please?¡¹


    She is floating in the air with wind magic and accelerating.


    Oh crap!

 CH 116

    116 ¨C Absolute Idol Hero 3


    Like the scythe of the Black Reaper, her kick approaches my neck.


    I buckle my knees, using my own weight to pull my upper body down.


    The sound of a sharp blade passes overhead.


    I was able to avoid it. But in this position, a second attack will-


    ¡¸You, you¡¯re a Black Sorcerer yet you know martial arts?¡¹


    That¡¯s because I became a disciple of one of the Big Four.


    ¡¸But with this-¡¹


    Am I out of time? If this keeps up¡­


    Just when I was about to unleash the horn.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, it is done.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?¡¹


    At that voice, Ellie looked stunned.


    As if she heard a voice that she shouldn¡¯t be able to.


    Then she looked at the other person, looked at what she had done, then back to me with a warped expression.


    ¡¸When did¡­no, how did you¡­?¡¹


    Her¡¯s was a face of utter astonishment.


    ¡¸At the time when you approached us.¡¹


    The one who reported to me earlier was Meadow, the Evil Eye Assassin Botis.


    The strategy was thus.


    At the same time as the start of the battle, I cast my Black Magic on all five people.


    What I cast was Confusion. An enhanced version of what I usually cast.


    I inhibited the cognition of Botis for all five of them. In other words, they couldn¡¯t sense her.


    And because she is already an Assassin with a specialty of erasing her presence, there isn¡¯t even the slightest chance of her being found out.


    ¡¸Impossible! I had Resist on¡­no, you didn¡¯t¡­you couldn¡¯t possibly have¡­¡¹


    An armor of Magical Energy is a Magical Energy guzzler.


    She had that on all the time while she moved around, used Wind Magic to shift, attack, and even give support. It¡¯s honestly quite impressive.


    I, too, have pride in my Black Magic.


    How one can repel Black Magic with an armor of Magical Energy is by deploying one¡¯s own Magical Energy in order to prevent the invasion of the enemy¡¯s Magical Energy.


    It¡¯s like, even if you had a bucket filled with water and tried to pour it on your opponent, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d get wet because they¡¯re wearing a full raincoat.


    However, what if you were to use a water gun and aim at pinpoint gaps in her raincoat?


    I form my Black Magic in the shape of a thread, rather than filling a bucket. I thread a needle of Magical Energy to my target, rather than shower them in it. My nerves were more worn down than usual, but I managed to confirm the state of Ellie¡¯s Magical Energy during that first attack that Foras blocked.


    When I swung his large shield around to intercept the second attack, I succeeded in threading the needle.


    As for the other four, I cast it on them the moment the battle began.


    And then, while Foras and I drew Ellie towards us, we cast Black Magic on the other four.


    We wanted to prevent them from narrowly avoiding attacks, so we chose Speed Down.


    The effects were outstanding. The two White Sorcerers were occupied with dispelling it, while the other two Black Sorcerers were no longer able to slow down Amduscias.


    The four, who are struggling with Alraune, were put into a predicament due to Amduscias¡¯ charges.


    That¡¯s why Ellie was trying to rush the fight.


    Defeat Foras and I, then magnificently save the other four.


    Foras¡¯ Black Magic wasn¡¯t able to affect Ellie because of her Magical Energy armor, naturally.


    If a lot of your Magical Energy is being repelled, it¡¯s much more beneficial to choose a different target.


    I had cast Black Magic that was separate from Confusion in order to distract her and keep her Magical Energy armor out.


    ¡¸¡­You can do that? ¡­Black Magic can be used¡­to that extent¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸What now, Hero Ellie? Shall we keep going?¡¹


    Botis lowered the bandage over her eyes and they glowed a faint red light.


    Jean stared at them and turned into a stone statue.


    She has the ability to petrify.


    Due to its range and the time it takes for it to take effect, it¡¯s necessary for her to hide her presence.


    Having predicted Ellie¡¯s support, I thought that the most useful thing in this fight was going to be Botis.


    Foras did well standing around as my guard, but he isn¡¯t a combat class.


    Neither is Amduscias but she has the Aptitude for close-quarters combat. But like the Alraune, her attacks were avoided because of Ellie¡¯s support.


    The ability to defeat the enemy without even fighting them is exactly why I thought her power would be so effective.


    Petrification has properties similar to magic and can be Resisted. So a Hero who has been deploying her Magical Energy since the start of the battle cannot be defeated this way.


    ¡¸Wait. What makes you think that I¡¯d give up if you defeat my pets?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve watched your fights. To you, victory is only attained by winning with all five of you.¡¹


    I can¡¯t comment on the bond that the five of them share.


    But I can tell by looking at them that it is a firm bond.


    The remaining three had regretful looks on their faces.


    ¡¸¡­What if you were off the mark, and I said to continue the battle?¡¹


    That, of course, is also a possibility. One that I don¡¯t want to happen.


    Without unleashing the horn, I stop hiding my Magical Energy.


    The Magical Energy created by my Magical Energy organ can be felt in my surroundings.


    ¡¸Do as you wish.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. Things would get a lot more fun if you use the horn.¡¹


    Ellie chuckled while giving a bewitching smile.


    ¡¸I surrender. I don¡¯t plan on offering my fan as a sacrifice in order to have a dance with you. That¡¯s just not beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    While some, like Nicola, wish to have an unrefined, tenacious fight, there are others who stick to their own aesthetics.


    There are many ways of doing things, and that¡¯s just fine. Because that¡¯s what being an Adventurer is all about.


    ¡¸My my, what a shock that was. It¡¯s like I was stripped naked. You saw through everything¡¹


    She landed on the ground and disengaged her combat stance.


    She approached me.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve got me, Len. I¡¯ll follow your orders. You¡¯re strong and smart. But there is one thing¡­¡¹


    Saying that, she leaned in to whisper in my ear.


    ¡¸Do something about your Magical Energy before the main event. You certainly don¡¯t have enough.¡¹


    Perceptive.


    She sensed not just my Magical Energy organ, but the horn¡¯s Magical Energy storage as well.


    In any case, the reborn tenth stratum won over the 95th ranked party.


    ¡ó


    As an aside, after the fight, the black-suited Lyner and Ryan came to Foras and me and bowed their heads to ask us to train them.


    Ellie thought she was gonna face the Evil Eye, but she didn¡¯t, so for a moment, she told Botis¡¸Use it on me. Turn me into a beautiful statue.¡¹


    It seems like the suit boys were a little traumatized by the mob of Alraune set upon them and the overwhelming offensive abilities of Amduscias¡¯ charges, because every time she calls out to them, their shoulders jolt for a moment.


    ¡¸Ellie.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it, Len?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to say it, but why did you think to create a party like this?¡¹


    ¡¸You of all people should know why. I hate being asked obvious questions.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah, that¡¯s right. My apologies.¡¹


    To understand the secret of this party, I had my suspicions.


    In the end, Ellie is the best of the bunch, and she¡¯s just protecting the four of them, or so I thought.


    I was wrong.


    Her enhanced speed is amazing, and on top of that, and it is extremely troublesome that she can only be weakened by pinpoint Black Magic.


    That¡¯s not all.


    Ellie didn¡¯t form a party based on her excellent support alone.


    It¡¯s because the four of them are always behind Ellie. If they were other Adventurers, this wouldn¡¯t work.


    One person runs out, and the others stay as a group. It¡¯s difficult to keep this consistent. Especially if a battle breaks out in the rear, they would fall apart by taking evasive maneuvers and defending themselves.


    But the four of them don¡¯t move much. They believe in Ellie and survive on that spot. They believe in her support and make the most of it.


    It goes without saying that it is much easier to support a group of allies that stays together in one spot rather than a group that scatters.


    This is the best way to capitalize on her special talent. You need allies who can support this formation.


    ¡¸I do so enjoy a stage where I shine.¡¹


    The best four support that allows her to move freely as she likes.


    It¡¯s for this very reason that she recognizes their value more than anyone else.


    She has to think of ways to make sure that the four of them are appreciated for their abilities and to protect them from being thought of as burdens.


    No gem can shine in the dark.


    Ellie, the idol-like Hero, chose the best lighting of her own volition in order to make her beauty known to the world.


    That lighting is the two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerers.


    No, I should call them Lyner, Ryan, Kent, and Jean.


    They are something that she cannot lose, so that¡¯s why she gave up at that point.


    But¡­


    What happens if she were to lose her allies in the main event?


    The reason why I predicted surrender this time was, of course, because of the aforementioned thoughts, but also because of the premise that this was a battle to test her strength.


    This time, we are allies, but we may be enemies one day.


    That is why, while testing her power, we both held back from showing our full abilities.


    She did reveal that one new technique, but that was all.


    Also the other four. I don¡¯t know if it was by Ellie¡¯s instructions or something, but their percentage of increasing and decreasing was lower than the information I found beforehand.


    I suppose there was no way they would reveal their hand in such a situation.


    In the end, I think Ellie was worried about continuing the battle.


    She¡¯s a Hero. She doesn¡¯t want to lose. If you¡¯ve lost your allies, it¡¯s more natural to think about avenging them.


    This time, they just admitted defeat, saying that their style had been broken.


    ¡¸Are you even listening?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Honestly. As I was saying, Len. I beg of you. Use your orders to make me the finest of Heroes.¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    Who would have thought that even after becoming the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, a Hero would ask of me such a thing?


    While smiling behind my mask, I respond.


    ¡¸Understood. Let us drive back the world¡¯s strongest Heroes, together.¡¹


    ¡¸Now that sounds like fun.¡¹


    She laughed happily, like an innocent child.

 CH 117

    117 ¨C  The Chief of Staff, the Queen, and the Pig


    In order for the reborn tenth stratum to work as I envisioned, I would need the help of all the Floor Bosses.


    The Floor Bosses that I have made a Contract with are the Watchdog of Hell Naberius of the first stratum, the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris of the second stratum, the Vampire Queen Carmilla of the third stratum, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias of the fourth stratum, the Demon of Love Sitri of the fifth stratum, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim of the seventh stratum, the Reaper Knight Furcus of the eighth stratum, and the Time Demon Agares of the ninth stratum.


    I¡¯ve had many the opportunity to speak to Caim from time to time and this time, when I consulted with him about the reborn tenth stratum, he cheerfully formed a Contract with me.


    ¡­Well, accurately speaking, he made a Contract with me after I managed to solve his riddles.


    I am also consulting with rare Monsters who have the strength equivalent to Floor Boss, and the Contract situation there is also going smoothly.


    The remaining Floor Boss is the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, but she¡¯s a woman.


    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a rule or anything, but if I meet her without Milla¡¯s permission, she¡¯ll be in a bad mood.


    Rather than being afraid of her wrath, I just think it¡¯s better for all parties involved if I can avoid making her angry.


    Anyway, at the first stratum playing field.


    One of the spaces for staff in the Dungeon.


    I tap my Registration Card on the Recording Stone and transfer. According to Cashew, she¡¯s supposed to be here¡­


    ¡¸Ahhn!¡¹


    I can hear a moan.


    The sweet, high-pitched voice of a woman can be heard echoing throughout this wide space.


    It¡¯s not Carmilla¡¯s voice.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla is standing there holding a whip.


    She flicked her wrist and the whip disappeared. No, she swung it. It¡¯s true that the whip is capable of moving at incredible speeds depending on how you use it. That¡­cracking, explosive sound is¡­the sound of it breaking the sound barrier, right?


    Anyway, the sound of the whip-cracking continues.


    That person is the source of the moans. The voice belongs to a fellow female Vampire.


    ¡¸I told you, yes? I told you I¡¯d leave the education of the newcomers to you, didn¡¯t I?¡¹


    ¡¸Yesh you jdid¡­¡¹


    ¡¸And you said¡¸Leave it to me. I¡¯ll do it perfectly¡¹, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeshh. Itz just as sister sayz¡­!¡¹


    The woman on all fours having her posterior whipped lets out moans of joy as her face melts in pleasure.


    Is it because it¡¯s not her actual body and is an¡­Avatar? But even if there is feeling, there should be no sense of pain¡­


    I guess it¡¯s a sensation?


    ¡¸Oh my, what did you just say? You didn¡¯t just call me sister, did you?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I-¡¹


    ¡¸If you are the younger sister of I, the Vampire Queen, that makes you, what? A princess?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry! Forgive m-hyah¡­!¡¹


    The whip was swung again. The woman was drooling and quivering in pleasure.


    I was completely overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t say anything.


    They haven¡¯t noticed me.


    ¡¸I asked you if you were a princess!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not! I¡¯m just a useless pig!¡¹


    ¡¸How odd. I swear I can hear normal words coming out of this pig.¡¹


    Carmilla tilts her head unnaturally.


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­o-oink¡¹


    Wheezing pig-like squeals came out of that woman¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¸Are you telling me to understand the words of a swine? Speak normally, you witless pig!¡¹


    She let¡¯s loose the whip, once again.


    This was the height of absurdity.


    But the woman is so happy that she can¡¯t express it in words.


    ¡¸So? Why is it that the newcomers¡¯ movements are so sluggish? And it¡¯s only the men.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Did you hear me? Fine, if you¡¯re eardrums can¡¯t pick up my words then those things stuck to the sides of your head are useless. How about I tear them off, hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸Th-the new girl was cute!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­And?¡¹


    ¡¸While passionately guiding her¡­I neglected the men.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry! I am devoted to you-Ow! My queen! I am devoted to my queen-Ow, ouch, more!¡¹


    I feel like there were some strange words mixed in there¡­


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care about your preferences. Complete your late work.¡¹


    ¡¸Uu¡­b-but you¡¯re to blame too, my queen. Ever since that man came, you stopped caring about me¡­you don¡¯t come back to the apartment much anymore, you even did things you never did with me like going on a date, and, and-hyah!¡¹


    ¡¸What I do outside of work is of no concern to you.¡¹


    ¡¸If-if only you¡¯d treat me like a pig in our private life as well¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t do your job and all you do is make demands¡­what am I to do with a subordinate such as you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll do my job! So please don¡¯t throw me away!¡¹


    The woman tries to cling to Carmilla¡¯s feet, but she takes a step back.


    ¡¸Ah.¡¹


    ¡¸You try to touch my skin without permission? Do I look like a cheap whore to you?¡¹


    ¡¸No, no that¡¯s not it at all!¡¹


    ¡¸Whatever. I¡¯m going to have a look at the newly remodeled tenth stratum, so you better do your job.¡¹


    ¡¸Uu¡­you¡¯re going to see that man again.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m taking a break from now on. Also, it isn¡¯t going to be just me. Lord Lemegeton has consulted with all of the Floor Bosses and we are working together to complete the Realm of Monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸And I will be left alone¡­uu¡­I¡­I think being left alone is starting to¡­turn me on¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If you skip out on work again, I¡¯ll find another pig to be my adjutant.¡¹


    ¡¸No! I-I understand.¡¹


    Saying that, the woman stood up, I watched over them with bated breath as she turns to face a large number of Vampires.


    That¡¯s right. This isn¡¯t a punishment room, but a playing field.


    Its purpose was never for whiplashes, but to train all Vampires.


    The woman turns from the sweet, softly spoken voice she had just used with Carmilla, to a violent tone.


    ¡¸Alright, you pig bastards! Are you trying to get me fired! Be able to manipulate blood as freely as possible! Regeneration is a conscious process! Do you think you have time to fully heal yourself automatically after receiving heavy damage?! What? How? The only way is to look at the example and practice, practice, practice, you moron! Alright, I¡¯ll show you an example. But first, you! You were getting all excited, listening to my heavy panting, weren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t get sexually aroused over your superior, you pervert!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not very convincing coming from you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ehehe¡¹


    ¡¸That wasn¡¯t a comment. You are one twisted girl.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Teeheehee.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m curious, what would it take to depress you?¡¹


    ¡¸I guess if I was ever thrown away by you, my queen.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I won¡¯t do that, now get to work.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, ma¡¯am!¡¹


    When the conversation between the two ended, I approached Carmilla.


    ¡¸Carmilla.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I called her from behind, but for some reason, she seems to be standing as still as a statue.


    ¡¸Geh¡­you¡¯re Leme-Lord Lemegeton¡­ Have you come to steal¡­pick up the queen?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. You are¡­Haagenti, yes?¡¹


    Carmilla didn¡¯t want me to meet her subordinates much.


    But that¡¯s not going to be the case from now on, so I came to see her today but¡­


    Her being her, it seems she had plans to go meet me after this.


    ¡¸Ye-yes I¡­am but¡­¡¹


    In brief, I would say that she¡¯s a smaller Carmilla.


    From her hairstyle to the way she dresses, they all match Carmilla save for her height and bust size.


    Her way of fighting is similar but she is crude in dealing with men and far too courteous with women.


    That isn¡¯t to say that she¡¯s staying her hand, more so that she defeats the men quickly and then captures the women. The female Adventurers are tormented until they Withdraw, returning their consciousness of their own volition.


    Carmilla torments men and women equally, so I guess you can say this is the difference between them.


    As she works in the Demon King Castle, of course, she¡¯s strong. She wouldn¡¯t be Carmilla¡¯s adjutant if she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡¸Wha-what are you staring at¡­No way, don¡¯t tell me you want to form a Contact with me?! Guh¡­who would want to be owned by a man¡­but it¡¯s hard to pass up being in the same position as my queen¡­f-fine. Make me your servant. Call me and use my body whenever and however you want, I don¡¯t care! My heart still belongs to my que-blargh?!¡¹


    She burst into a cloud of Magical Energy particles.


    ¡­She was defeated.


    ¡¸Please forgive the crude words of my subordinate, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    She finished her in one blow without hesitation.


    ¡¸Whoa, Miss Haage got got.¡¹¡¸That fearsome Miss Haage was defeated in one blow?¡¹¡¸Beautiful¡­¡¹¡¸I couldn¡¯t catch it but was that a Blood Manipulation Technique¡­?¡¹¡¸Has it been too long since Miss Haage was rewarded with a whip?¡¹¡¸She got stepped on.¡¹¡¸Hey, I¡¯ll tell Miss Haage about that.¡¹


    And so on and so on go the surprised group of Vampires, but apparently, this isn¡¯t the kind of incident that makes them speechless.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll make sure to make her reimburse her Avatar regeneration cost. Pay it no mind. Now, let us go.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­R-right.¡¹


    I felt a mysterious pressure from Carmilla, and I headed straight to the Recording Stone.


    Just once, Carmilla looked back at her subordinates.


    ¡¸Review what you have been taught until Haagenti gets back.¡¹


    They all responded immediately. Her leadership skills are spot on.


    After transferring, Carmilla returned to being Milla. Taking off her mask, her true face was bright red.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton? H-how long were you there?¡¹


    I checked my surroundings to make sure no one else was there and removed my mask.


    ¡¸Hmm, at least since the whipping?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! It¡¯s not what it looks like! If I don¡¯t punish that girl appropriately, her efficiency will go down! So it couldn¡¯t be helped¡­She get¡¯s even happier if you do it in front of her subordinates so it¡¯s easier to¡­to¡­uu¡­I¡¯m not into this kinda thing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I know.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? You¡¯re not thinking¡¸She¡¯s been hiding it from me, but she¡¯s actually way into S&M, oh god¡¹or something like that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m not, also I don¡¯t talk like that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What were you doing there in the first place, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, I¡¯m thinking of going to see Vepar, but I thought it would be smoother if Milla could talk me through it.¡¹


    Let¡¯s just go with that.


    ¡¸Ah¡­certainly. She¡¯s quite the moody one, and when she doesn¡¯t feel like it, she¡¯ll just dive underwater.¡¹


    The sixth stratum is the Realm of Aquatic Monsters. A stratum where a sea spreads out. If she dives underwater, it would be difficult to find her, much less meet with her.


    ¡¸Fufufu, but I am glad. I believe this is the first time you have come to see me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸It is. It¡¯s usually me who goes to see you, so today is a day to remember.¡¹


    Milla seems happy.


    ¡¸We spend a lot of time together, so even if I remember something, I tend to think about talking to you about it later when I see you. I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. In fact, It is a good sign that it has become rather commonplace¡­fufufu.¡¹


    ¡¸Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing. Although from now, if you meet more of my pig¡­subordinates, they know me as Carmilla, not Milla, so if you would please keep it that way?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah. Now that you mention it, just now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, about Haagenti? She¡¯s fine, that girl created an excessive amount of spare Avatars.¡¹


    ¡­Possibly because she wants to be defeated by Milla.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I got in the way of you making a Contract. I got irritated. She is quite excellent, so let¡¯s go together and form a Contract with her later on.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re okay with that?¡¹


    ¡¸I trust you. However, be sure to summon me and her as a set, okay?¡¹


    Her smiling face was the same face of the gentle woman I¡¯ve always known.

 CH 118

    118 ¨C Fire and Water


    ¡¸The revival of the Raid Clear has captured the world¡¯s attention right now, does the Fenix party have any comments about it?¡¹


    It was an interview being held in a room of an inn. Today¡¯s interview is for a magazine that handles Adventurer information.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re asking me if I had an interest in it, I did, for a moment.¡¹


    At my answer, the eyes of the bespectacled journalist gleamed.


    ¡¸My word! But looking at the current situation, isn¡¯t it true that you have declined?¡¹


    ¡¸We have failed once in Clearing the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸Considering that the furthest point that humanity has ever reached was the seventh stratum, what your party has achieved is a spectacular feat. For your efforts have updated the records a great deal.¡¹


    Once, there was a record of Adventurers reaching the seventh stratum of the Demon King Castle.


    However, the stratum information is updated whenever the Floor Boss changes.


    The introduction of each stratum of the Demon King Castle is published on the home page only when that stratum is Cleared.


    Before our Clear attempt, only the first to the third stratum was revealed.


    This means that the Floor Bosses of the fourth stratum and below were changed. The same goes for the first to the third stratum, just that other Adventurers have reached them.


    In other words, the past and present Monsters who serve as gatekeepers to the next stratum are different. You could say the same of their subordinates. There are possibly some who remained, but there are many who have left and joined anew.


    But I don¡¯t believe that we surpass the previous Adventurers simply because we updated the records.


    ¡¸That Clear attempt clearly showed us what we lacked in strength. But even so, I still want to Clear the Demon King Castle with this party.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. So what are your thoughts about the parties that are participating in the Raid Clear?¡¹


    ¡¸I cannot say anything about the Water Hero Sir Wraith and his ally for I am not acquainted with them, but I believe that they are all wonderful and excellent.¡¹


    ¡¸And what about multiple parties diving into a Dungeon?¡¹


    ¡¸I guess that¡¯s why the Demon King Castle is such a difficult Dungeon to Clear. In fact, each stratum has different characteristics, so it is effective to prepare a variety of Jobs. Just because we chose to Clear it with a single party doesn¡¯t mean that we believe that this is the correct way.¡¹


    ¡¸The world seems to have the opinion that the Adventurer side shall be victorious this time¡­¡¹


    Once, during the age of Lem¡¯s master, several parties, which included a young Storm Hero Aerial, were completely annihilated on the first stratum.


    It is a famous story among Adventurer fans, but the world in this case most likely also includes people who are slightly interested or regular people with a passing interest in Clears.


    Members are members. It is not unreasonable to think so.


    ¡¸I am praying for their victory.¡¹


    ¡¸This time, the 2nd ranked party isn¡¯t participating either, do you believe they have a similar reason to your party?¡¹


    ¡¸Please ask them that question.¡¹


    ¡¸My apologies, you are right. Now then, you all are currently in this town to-¡¹


    And the interview continued on, ending without any problems.


    ¡¸yawn Lame. They said it¡¯d be a party interview, but they¡¯ve just been slinging questions at Fenix. Do we even need to be here?¡¹


    ¡¸After having our picture taken, we were pretty much left alone. Some people are better at that than others, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Getting paid to do nothing sounds like a pretty nice job to me.¡¹


    The Warrior Alba, the Paladin Lark, and the Frost Hero Bella all expressed their feelings in turn.


    ¡¸Well, wanna leave?¡¹


    ¡¸I guess so. Are Fenix and Lily really not coming with us?¡¹


    Lily and I nod our heads at Lark¡¯s question.


    We are currently in the town where the Demon King Castle is located.


    The reason is that we were contacted by the raid members.


    They are all very serious about Clearing the Demon King Castle.


    So they wanted to hear about our experience.


    Of course, these are experienced, seasoned warriors. This won¡¯t be a one-sided exchange.


    People as good as they are would know that Alba and the others have changed their behavior since Lem left.


    To put it simply, they want guidance to become stronger, or even training, perhaps even a practice match.


    Aerial is active in nurturing the younger generation, but he is also on active duty. The fact remains that this is a rare opportunity. Moreover, the 3rd and 5th ranked are also here this time.


    ¡¸Yes, I have made a promise to meet someone.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? You gettin¡¯ with a guy or somethin¡¯?¡¹


    ¡¸Even if that were true, it is of no concern to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk, not like I care.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t like the idea of meeting Suuri, right Lily?¡¹


    ¡¸The Faceless Archer, yes? Did something happen between him and Lily?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing happened, Bella.¡¹


    Lily smiled at Bella, while she gave Lark a stare as if to tell him to not say anything more.


    ¡¸How bout Fenix?¡¹


    ¡¸I have an appointment as well. And then¡­I¡¯d like to do more training if I can.¡¹


    ¡¸The training you¡¯ve been sneakily doing by yourself? I¡¯m curious.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll reveal it to you guys. Just as soon as it¡¯s completed.¡¹


    We separated at the inn, each in disguises, although Lily and I are just wearing hoods that cover our eyes, we head towards our destination.


    ¡¸No one seems to suspect that you and I are going to meet with the same person.¡¹


    ¡¸I think it¡¯s because everyone has an idea of who I¡¯m going to meet.¡¹


    This is the city where the Demon King Castle is located.


    The Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff Lemegeton is the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    He came to see us off to another town after the battle where we were defeated.


    There, he used his ring to summon his subordinates and put on his mask.


    Saying that he will annihilate us again, he revealed his true identity to us.


    Bella and I already knew, but the other three found out who Lemegeton was at that moment.


    So, if I were to meet someone in this town, everyone would have thought¡¸Ah, Lem, huh?¡¹.


    Lily has no reason to come along, so they¡¯ll just think that she has a separate business.


    ¡¸So, where are we meeting Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, a certain tavern. Don¡¯t worry, I know where it is.¡¹


    It¡¯s the place I went with Lem, on the day before I challenged the tenth stratum.


    Choosing a path with little pedestrian traffic, we head towards our destination.


    ¡¸Wah-!¡¹


    Went a small voice. I think.


    ¡¸Fenix?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Please wait here for a bit.¡¹


    ¡¸I will not. It¡¯s about that voice just now, right? Let¡¯s go together.¡¹


    Lily smiles softly under her hood.


    ¡¸Alright, then let¡¯s go.¡¹


    That was the cry of a child¡¯s voice just now. It¡¯s something that I¡¯m very familiar with since long ago. Because I was the one that mainly made such noises.


    The voice that comes out of a bullied child¡¯s mouth when they¡¯re grabbed, shoved, or prodded.


    Of course, if I¡¯m just overthinking it, then that¡¯s fine. That¡¯s just fine.


    But if it is what I think it is, then I can¡¯t ignore it.


    After a few turns down the passageway, we found them.


    But the situation was different from what I had imagined.


    ¡¸I hate small fries who pretend that their believers of strength.¡¹


    A slender young boy, probably the victim, was looking up with a flabbergasted look on his face.


    The chest area of his clothes was wrinkled, indicating that it was grabbed earlier.


    The one floating in the air is probably the assailant.


    Confused and panicking, his hand holding on to the wallet that he thought to steal.


    And a third person. Who is the one making the assailant float while smiling.


    I saw him on TV recently.


    It was the Water Hero Wraith.

 CH 119

    119 ¨C The Words of a Certain Hero


    ¡¸You-¡¹


    I put my hand out to stop Lily, who was reflexively about to stop Wraith.


    It is certainly difficult to grasp the situation at a glance.


    However, this Wraith is helping the victim and punishing the perpetrator.


    ¡¸Why did you stop me? It¡¯s too dangerous for children to fight with magic.¡¹


    She¡¯s right. Lily is absolutely right. I say to her in a voice loud enough for only her to hear.


    ¡¸¡­He¡¯s a Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-?! ¡­! The Water H¡­ What is going on-¡¹


    ¡¸Young man.¡¹


    I call out to him.


    ¡¸I¡¯m in the middle of something right now. The one floating is the bad guy, I¡¯m just passing by. I¡¯ll explain the rest later.¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s explanation was quick and concise. He didn¡¯t even look my way.


    ¡¸He-help me! Thi-this guy¡­all of a sudden he-waaah!¡¹


    The young boy floating in the air via Wind Magic was raised even higher. If he goes any higher, he¡¯ll fly higher than than the surrounding buildings. That boy must be scared out of his mind right now.


    ¡¸Hold up, hold up. Isn¡¯t it weird to be calling for help? I¡¯m sure I heard you say something. When you pinned that kid to the wall and took his wallet, you said something, didn¡¯t you? Something like¡¸If you don¡¯t like it, then do something about it.¡¹or¡¸It¡¯s your fault for being weak.¡¹and so on. Well come on then, if you don¡¯t like it¡­do something about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Fo-forgive me!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? What¡¯s there to forgive? You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right? The weak are the ones who are at fault. By your logic, that kid is the one who¡¯s in the wrong. Oh, or are you talking about now? But isn¡¯t that funny? You attacked that kid without forgiving his weakness, didn¡¯t you? So what makes you think only I¡¯d be kind enough to forgive you?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It was-it was my fault!¡¹


    ¡¸I know. Of course, it is. You throwing your messed up reasoning around annoyed the heck out of me. The worst thing in the world is that reasoning. That stuff about how the weak are in the wrong and the strong is always right. If that¡¯s what you think, then see it through! If someone stronger than you shows up in front of you, you should abase yourself and say that you¡¯re in the wrong without question, you idiot. You resisted at first, didn¡¯t you? People who change their way of life as often as they change clothes are the people I hate the most.¡¹


    Then, Wraith dispelled his Wind Magic.


    ¡¸Huh, wha, waaaaaaaaaaaargh?!¡¹


    The boy fell. As if attracted to the ground itself. And then, just before he hit the ground.


    He floated again softly and hit the ground with a small puff.


    ¡¸That¡¯s all I have to say about bullying and purse-snatching being bad things.¡¹


    There was a black stain spreading across the boy¡¯s pants. He seems to have relieved himself out of sheer terror.


    Wraith picks up the wallet that the boy stole and handed it back to the other boy who has been staring dumbfounded at it all until now.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t need to be scared of ol¡¯ pee pants over here. If anything like this happens again, I¡¯ll be in this town for a little while so¡­uh, right, I¡¯m staying at the inn called the World Tree Pavilion, so come see me anytime.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Th-thank¡­you.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re welcome.¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s smile was an innocent one suiting his age.


    After the child with the wallet disappears from the alley, Wraith finally turns to face us.


    ¡¸You didn¡¯t stop me. Why?¡¹


    ¡¸Because you¡¯re Sir Wraith. Although I guess that isn¡¯t much of an answer.¡¹


    ¡¸No, no it¡¯s not. I don¡¯t get that at all.¡¹


    Apparently, he doesn¡¯t seem to recognize us.


    ¡¸Even if you were the disciple of Aerial, you wouldn¡¯t be drunk with power. If you were that much of a novice, you wouldn¡¯t be permitted to take part in the Demon King Castle Clear.¡¹


    Rather than going on a rampage, he used his magic rationally.


    First of all, if he wanted to hurt them or scare them, there are plenty of other ways to do it.


    He didn¡¯t damage the body of the bullying child at all. He just tossed his body up like a ragdoll.


    He threatened to carve a lesson into him, without hurting his body.


    Before dropping him, Wraith prepared magic to negate the impact.


    Taking all the above into consideration, I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s too much, though.


    Perhaps because I was once a victim, so I understand.


    The perpetrators won¡¯t give up with that level of a temporary measure. How many times did Lem get hurt because of that?


    Wraith said he was just passing by. I guess he thought that a half-hearted rescue would cause more pain to the victim at a later date.


    He follows his own rules and cannot overlook wrongdoings.


    However, the possibility of the act ending in hypocrisy may have been considered, and even the prevention of a second offense may have been attempted.


    Also, there was the way he dealt with the victim earlier.


    He does not find pleasure in exercising his power. He is a boy with a righteous heart.


    ¡¸¡­You talk as if you know the old man personally.¡¹


    I pull back my hood.


    ¡¸Sorry for the late introduction. I am the Flame Hero Fenix.¡¹


    Wraith opened his eyes wide.


    ¡¸It¡¯s you. That¡¯s right, the old man did call you. Man, you¡¯re good at hiding your Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸You get better at it when you¡¯ve been an Adventurer for a few years.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, is that so? Who¡¯s the girl behind you? Girlfriend?¡¹


    ¡¸N-no. I¡¯m the Hunter Lily.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, a girlfriend in the party.¡¹


    ¡¸I already said it¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. But, man am I glad to see you guys. You see, I was on my way to the meeting place, but I kinda got lost.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­oh, but¡­¡¹


    He seems to think that Lily and I are heading to the same destination.


    However, it is actually different.


    But I can¡¯t just leave him alone either.


    ¡¸We¡¯re actually headed for a different place today. If you¡¯re fine with it, we don¡¯t mind guiding you halfway there.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? OK, got it. Thanks, mister. I am in your hands.¡¹


    After that, Wraith woke up the boy who soiled himself. Before Wraith could say anything, the boy ran away.


    ¡¸I definitely think you went overboard with that child.¡¹


    We left the alley and were headed to Wraith¡¯s destination.


    ¡¸How do Elves punish bullies?¡¹


    ¡¸Those who have committed a crime will be locked in a Tree Prison, forced to confront their sins.¡¹


    In a hollow cavity of a tree just large enough for a person, who is hugging their knees, to fit into, sinners are put in and locked away.


    ¡¸I see. What if there¡¯s no time or space for that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not supposed to.¡¹


    It is said that Elves have a complete personal relationship with every village, so it¡¯s rare for them to have a dispute with an outsider.


    If it becomes a conflict with another village or tribe, it becomes the whole village¡¯s problem, not just the individual. If that happens, it can¡¯t be solved by one person.


    ¡¸Wow. Well if that works well, then that¡¯s great.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Lily had a difficult expression on her face. She¡¯s thinking of something but she doesn¡¯t intend to say it.


    ¡¸About what happened earlier, does that happen often?¡¹


    ¡¸Who knows? I just got to this town.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I know what you mean. Yeah, I only recently became able to use magic. I¡¯m pretty good at it. People bullying the weak? That stuff irritates me. In the end, a stronger person has to stop them, although I¡¯m not a fan of that idea. Using your strength to do boring things like that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So then, for what purpose do you have strength for?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s proof. I can win because I have strength. I can protect because I have strength. I can do what I think is right because I have strength. I have strength for that purpose.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see.¡¹


    ¡¸Strong people are cool. The one who always wins in the end, is cool. That¡¯s what a hero is. No matter what Spirit they have, what face they have, how old they are, what gender they are, how flashy they are or not doesn¡¯t matter¡­at least, that¡¯s what I think, heheh.¡¹


    His voice, which became serious halfway through, turned into a light tone, albeit forced.


    ¡¸¡­Have we¡­met before?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Me and Mister Fen? I don¡¯t think so.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see. ¡­Mister¡­Fen?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, you¡¯re hiding your face right now. I can¡¯t call you by your full name, right?¡¹


    Wraith hid his face as well as he walked with us.


    ¡¸Oh, right.¡¹


    He reminds me of someone.


    Heroes always win in the end.


    That¡¯s Lem¡¯s favorite phrase. But he isn¡¯t the one that came up with it, I feel like someone else did. The words of a certain Hero.


    Maybe Wraith is a fan of the same Hero.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    A white-haired girl completely covered from her neck down by her robe appeared.


    ¡¸Oh, Fran.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡¹


    ¡¸I got lost.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You have a terrible sense of direction. Please don¡¯t walk around on your own.¡¹


    ¡¸My sense of direction is fine. I just go where I want to.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re hopeless.¡¹


    ¡¸Besides, you always come and get me anyway, so it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­True.¡¹


    The girl¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but the edges of her lips moved up slightly.


    ¡¸Thanks, Mister Fen, Miss Lil. I¡¯ll be fine from here.¡¹


    ¡¸It certainly seems that way.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm, about meeting us¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yup, your secret¡¯s safe with me. I won¡¯t tell anyone about your love affair.¡¹


    ¡¸I already said it¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. Oh right, Mister Fen.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know the reasons, but you abandoned Lem, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Rest assured. He¡¯s going to reach the first rank in my party. I will never abandon my allies.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem has found his own path.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll show him that this path is more fun.¡¹


    Having said that, he leaves with a smile.

 CH 120

    120 ¨C A Tour of the Sixth Stratum?


    The sixth stratum ¨C The Realm of Aquatic Monsters.


    A path made of white sand is built above the sea. It seems to spread out endlessly, seemingly cut off midway in the horizon. You can see that it spreads out like a maze with many branching paths.


    Milla and I, each in our Monster forms, have come to visit the sixth stratum.


    By the way, it is possible to use the Recording Stone to transfer to the deepest part of each stratum where the Floor Boss resides.


    However, you have to get permission from the Floor Boss in charge to do so.


    For my allies that previously cooperated with me in the defense of the tenth stratum, I gave them permission.


    Since the Ruler of the Waters Vepar is so elusive, there is naturally no opportunity to ask her for permission to transfer to the deepest part of her stratum.


    We transferred to the room before the boss room and headed there on foot.


    ¡¸Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if I had gotten permission and then we could have transferred there together?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think so, the permission you would have gotten from Vepar would only be for you, right Milla? Having me tag along to that feels¡­improper.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, how very like you, Lem.¡¹


    Possibly because I responded exactly how she thought I would, her mouth loosens softly.


    ¡¸Nevertheless, your decision to bring me with you was a correct one. As expected of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Is¡­that so? Is she really that moody of a person?¡¹


    Milla seemed somewhat full of confidence.


    Vepar certainly has a hard to approach air about her¡­no, maybe not.


    Everyone here is more or less curious about the Human Chief of Staff. Setting aside whether they have good or ill will towards me, it¡¯s clear that they are at least interested to see what kinda guy I am.


    The only person who didn¡¯t have that was Furcas, whose reception of me was normal except for food-related matters. Although now she¡¯s my swordmaster and we¡¯re allies who were dispatched to another Dungeon together.


    The first time we met, which was during my interview with the Demon King Army, she was asleep.


    Vepar is different from the rest. I have a feeling that she has little interest.


    ¡¸Not at all, she¡¯s actually quite an interesting person. It¡¯s just that, when she is in front of something that she doesn¡¯t like, her mood goes down.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I see.¡¹


    I think I get it. The Paladin Lark is the type that¡¯s quite obsessive over equipment, so whenever we went to see a weapon and armor shop, he gets more excited than usual. The Hunter Lily is usually quite stoic but when we challenged a Dungeon with a forest stage, she becomes more talkative than the norm.


    Even people who are normally calm and collected can become energetic as if a switch was flipped.


    ¡¸Next, we take the right path.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, sure.¡¹


    At a split path, we turned to the right.


    The view was good, so it didn¡¯t seem too difficult to figure out the right route.


    In fact, it would be easy in the current situation.


    However, during a Dungeon Clear, there are Monsters attacking. You don¡¯t have time to slowly search for the right path.


    A still target is an easy target, so you have to keep moving.


    There are many an occasion where Adventurers accidentally went down the wrong path, reached a dead end and had to turn back.


    ¡¸Please leave this to me. I have procured an item that she should be pleased with.¡¹


    ¡¸When did you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I expected this to happen¡­is what I would like to say, but I actually got it for a separate matter.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you alright with using that today?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s perfectly fine. If it can prove useful to Lem, I¡¯ll gladly use it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Hearing those words is enough of a reward.¡¹


    ¡¸My my, such intimate lovers walking around made me wonder when this place became a date spot, but on the contrary, if it isn¡¯t Lord Chief of Staff and Lady Carmilla.¡¹


    The surface of the sea trembled, and something slowly appeared.


    Or rather, he appeared.


    The Seamonster Forneus. He is a huge shark Demi-Beast. A gentleman who can communicate normally with people and has a soft demeanor. He is a rare Monster equivalent to a Floor Boss.


    The moment he appeared, we were covered from top to toe in water. It seems that he tried to control how he would pop up, but it still sent a large amount of water flying.


    ¡¸¡­I beg your pardon. I only wished to greet Lord Lemegeton¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine. I haven¡¯t gotten many chances to converse with you, after all.¡¹


    Feeling that it¡¯s too little, too late, I go back to my Lemegeton tone.


    ¡­But if he heard our conversation earlier, it¡¯s probably pointless.


    ¡¸Forneus, would it not have been better if you came out a little further away?¡¹


    Milla was also in her Carmilla state. It looked like her cheeks were slightly red. Although, I suppose the same goes for me too.


    ¡¸I apologize, once again. It just so happen that I was sleeping below here.¡¹


    ¡¸So are we the ones who are nuisances?¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, it¡¯s just that there isn¡¯t much else I can do with this body of mine. Are you two perhaps here to visit Miss Vepar?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes we are.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, I see. Then, this may not be enough of an apology for covering you two in water, but allow me to guide you there.¡¹


    ¡¸I know the way, thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸I am sure you do, my lady. However, this is the area just before the Floor Boss. Taking the proper path will take some time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I guess you¡¯re right. What is your decision, Lord Lemegeton? If we accept his offer, we can take a shortcut.¡¹


    ¡¸When he says he¡¯ll guide us¡­?¡¹


    When I asked that, Forneus brings his body alongside the sand path.


    ¡¸Please, get on my back.¡¹


    So he means he¡¯ll take us there on his back, huh?


    But the sand paths are everywhere. Since they are obstacles, wouldn¡¯t he have to dive underwater?


    ¡¸No need to be worried, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    Since Carmilla says so, I stopped overthinking things.


    ¡¸Then, if you please.¡¹


    ¡¸Gladly.¡¹


    We slowly got on Forneus¡¯ back.


    Grabbing on to his huge dorsal fin, we sat down.


    Carmilla grabbed me by the waist.


    ¡¸Shall we be off?¡¹


    Saying that, Forneus dived underwater.


    My vision turned blue. But we didn¡¯t get any wetter than we already were, and water didn¡¯t enter our lungs.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    This is a form of Water Magic. Magic that excludes water. Around me and Carmilla, there was a small space where water could not enter.


    Thanks to this, we were able to enjoy the view of the sea.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, mermaids are swimming over there.¡¹


    In the direction that Carmilla pointed at, sure enough, there were two mermaids swimming.


    ¡¸Those girls are kind, but it is hard for me to understand the conversations of the young.¡¹


    Forneus seems to be an old-timer. Possibly a subordinate of my master.


    Before long, his body rose to the surface.


    There, in a miniature garden at the edge of the sea, was a door.


    ¡¸She is on the other side of this door. As to whether or not she is on the surface of the sea, I am not sure.¡¹


    ¡¸Not to worry, I have prepared bait to call her out.¡¹


    ¡¸My, my.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve saved us some time, Forneus.¡¹


    ¡¸The pleasure is all mine, Lord Lemegeton. If it so pleases you, please come again. At that time¡­we could talk about Lord Lucifer.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I will definitely come again.¡¹


    That was the Dungeon Name of my master when he was the Demon King.


    Regarding my horn, at first, only the Demon King and the Big Four knew about it.


    Even after the defense of the tenth stratum, the details were kept a secret.


    But since I unleashed the horn in the one-on-one fight with Nicola, I told all the major Monsters about it before the video was broadcast.


    I didn¡¯t say that it was the horn from my master, but Forneus seems to have somehow realized it.


    ¡¸I look forward to it.¡¹


    Forneus squinted and laughed, then disappeared into the sea.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton? What was that just now¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll tell you later.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. Let us catch a Mermaid princess.¡¹

 CH 121

    121 ¨C The Mermaid Princess is a _______ Fanatic


    This is the definition of a stratum in a Dungeon.


    For example, the Demon King Castle has a total of eleven strata, but it doesn¡¯t mean you can Clear the Dungeon by breaking through eleven chambers.


    Maybe it¡¯s easier to imagine it as a regular building.


    One floor of the building doesn¡¯t necessarily have only one room.


    Adventurers open the doors of a lot of chambers until they finally find the chamber that connects to the next stratum and fight the Floor Boss in order to move on. By defeating the Floor Boss, that stratum is considered Cleared.


    One floor is called a stratum, and the rooms within it can be of any number and type.


    The Demon of Love Sitri¡¯s fifth stratum, which was filled with maid Dream Demon, and also the battle with the Fenix party in the tenth stratum. These strata that had one chamber per stratum is an extremely rare configuration.


    There are more if you include the strata that have a stage that is a vast expanse of wasteland, forest, or sky.


    The sixth stratum sea stage is also close to this, but the number of chambers is two.


    Until now, Milla and I were in the first one, now we¡¯re in the second one.


    ¡¸She¡¯s not¡­here.¡¹


    The chamber is a square. The floor of one half of it is filled with white sand, while the other half is filled with water. It¡¯s like a space that had a beach stuffed into it.


    The weather was sunny. Although it seems like it¡¯s possible to change the period of time to evening or night, and the weather to stormy or cloudy.


    In the center of the sea section is a long pillar¡­no, it¡¯s a tube. A hollowed-out column that towers over its surroundings.


    It was made out of some transparent material, and it was filled with seawater.


    In a Dungeon Clear, the Floor Boss would be there to greet the Adventurers and then proceed to battle.


    Well, to begin with, people are rarely in the Boss room on a regular basis. It¡¯s just a stage.


    However, Vepar often secludes herself.


    If she isn¡¯t above water, then she¡¯s probably under it.


    ¡¸As I expected.¡¹


    Said Milla, then she pulled something out from her cleavage.


    It was a thumb-sized plate that looked similar to the Registration Cards we all regularly carry around.


    As a function, it is almost the same thing.


    It¡¯s called a Memory and functions exactly as the name implies.


    It¡¯s a small Recording Stone but it can record the Clear video of a Dungeon. More precisely, when you¡¯re finished with a Dungeon Clear, you take the Memory that contains the video and hand it to the reception desk.


    ¡¸Vepar. I¡¯ve got the usual goods.¡¹


    Said Milla. The way she said it sounded like the start of a shady business transaction somehow.


    But there was no response.


    The water¡¯s surface was still. Not a single wave.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the Dungeon Clear video from the former Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, now All Level Dungeon. Of course, it¡¯s the completely uncut, full version.¡¹


    ¡­Huh?


    I¡¯m pretty sure that was when Thor and I fought the Phillip party¡­?


    It¡¯s the talked-about Clear video that has had its momentum slow down lately by the news of the Raid Battle, but conversely, only the parts where I appeared have picked up again.


    ¡¸Also, I managed to get the video where Lord Lemegeton and Furcus had just begun their training sessions.¡¹


    It felt like the floor shook.


    No, perhaps the whole stratum was shaking?


    The sands were constantly shifting, the water surface became rough.


    ¡¸Here, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    Milla held an umbrella over us.


    I didn¡¯t think she had one, but that¡¯s just as well. It was an umbrella made of her blood.


    ¡¸To share an umbrella together¡­fufufu.¡¹


    Two people under one umbrella together. Considering what happened in the previous chamber, I nodded silently.


    The next instant, something jumped out of the tube in the center of the sea with the speed of a meteor.


    A large amount of water was splashed everywhere, and in its center, swimming through the air, was the Floor Boss of the sixth stratum, Vepar.


    Fluttering, soft blond hair with a tinge of blue, her mermaid tail paddling in the sky. Her skin was freely exposed save for her chest which was covered by two seashells.


    It was a fairytale-like spectacle.


    She landed with a great splash.


    ¡¸Caaaaarmilla!¡¹


    She swam towards us with tremendous speed. I could see her clearly thanks to the crystal clear waters.


    The scattered droplets of water were repelled by the umbrella, and Milla opened her mouth.


    ¡¸On my mark, run in opposite directions.¡¹


    Perhaps used to all this, she was calm.


    ¡¸Now.¡¹


    I leap to the left and Milla leaps to the right.


    Just as we did that, Vepar¡¯s body whizzed past the spot where we just were like a bullet from the sea.


    Vepar skids across the sand.


    She¡¯s different from her usual image.


    But I was given an explanation earlier. She¡¯s the type who gets really excited when there is something she likes in front of her.


    ¡¸How cruel of you to not catch a flying beauty headed straight for you.¡¹


    For a moment, her whole body was full of sand. Vepar used Water Magic to wash it all off.


    ¡¸You jumped slightly towards Lord Lemegeton, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because halfway through my flight, I realized that you were the type to avoid me. I didn¡¯t think mister Chief of Staff would be so cruel as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah-¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Do not listen to her Lord Lemegeton. If you tried to catch her, even if you were a Majin, you would have been blown away. You accelerated using Water Magic, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Heh¡­well, all is well.¡¹


    Ah, I misjudged it.


    That just now was definitely faster than if you were to simply jump out.


    There are many aquatic Monsters that use Water Magic to assist them in moving around in the sea. Using that, it¡¯s possible to super accelerate yourself.


    ¡¸Before we move on, hand over the goods.¡¹


    Water overflowed from under her and rose up. Twisting and turning, it formed a pillar of water. That pillar stretched towards Milla, and Vepar swam towards her inside it.


    Just like in the meeting, she should be able to change to a two-legged form, but she doesn¡¯t.


    ¡¸Talk first.¡¹


    ¡¸I need to confirm it¡¯s contents¡­is what I¡¯d like to say, but I trust you.¡¹


    Vepar shrugs her shoulders.


    From her words, I can infer that there have been enough transactions to build trust.


    ¡¸It was smart of you to bring her, Lord Chief of Staff. If you had come by yourself, I probably wouldn¡¯t have come out. Oh, it isn¡¯t because I dislike you or anything, just so you know¡¹


    ¡¸When she¡¯s focused, she doesn¡¯t care about her surroundings. At such a time, she only reacts to a specific word. Rather convenient ears, she has.¡¹


    Said an exasperated Milla, the hair at the back of Vepar¡¯s head turned upwards with a sizzling sound.


    ¡¸Please, they are evolved ears.¡¹


    ¡¸Evolved¡­¡¹


    I mumbled involuntarily.


    If you lure her with Clear videos or training videos as bait, she will bite, surprisingly.


    Which means, she¡¯s¡­


    ¡¸Vepar is a Monster fanatic.¡¹

 CH 122

    122 ¨C Negotiating with an Enthusiast


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t call me a fanatic. If you must, call me an enthusiast.¡¹


    Vepar said with a tired expression.


    ¡¸I wonder what the difference is.¡¹


    Milla tilted her head in confusion and Vepar declared¡­


    ¡¸It¡¯s the impression it gives.¡¹


    A fanatic and an enthusiast.


    Words that mean someone who is passionate about a particular field, but is there a clear difference between the two? Even if there is, it varies from person to person, and the difference in the dictionary sense is not always clear.


    ¡¸I see. I don¡¯t fully understand, but I get it. Monster enthusiast Vepar.¡¹


    ¡¸I thank you for your understanding. Fervent Black Sorcerer Lem fan Carmilla.¡¹


    Looks like Vepar knows about that too. Or perhaps it¡¯s because they are fellow enthusiasts?


    Even though I already know about that part of Milla, I get embarrassed no matter how many times I hear it.


    ¡¸So? What is it you would like to talk about, Mister Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸It concerns the Raid Battle.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that. Now that you mention it, you have been assembling everyone, haven¡¯t you? Are you perhaps here to invite little ol¡¯ me, as well?¡¹


    Her gaze turned to me.


    ¡¸Yes, you have the right of it.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm.¡¹


    I can¡¯t read her expression.


    ¡¸I¡¯m quite fond of this chamber, you see. Honestly, I rarely leave it¡¹


    While saying that, she manipulates the pillar of water. She winds it around like a vortex, with me in the center, and swims along it. Vepar swam until she and I were the same head height.


    ¡¸She tends to be a shut-in.¡¹


    ¡¸Please call me an indoorsman.¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder if that has to do with the impression of the word, as well.¡¹


    ¡¸It has a different nuance.¡¹


    Their dialogue is light.


    ¡¸Fine, indoorsman Vepar. Could you back away from Lord Lemegeton already? Aren¡¯t you a little too close?¡¹


    ¡¸Closer than you have been, you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-I got permission from him to do so¡­properly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, the Vampire Queen acting like such a pure maiden. What would your followers think if they saw you now?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I suppose you don¡¯t want this thing I went to so much trouble to prepare?¡¹


    Milla extends a blood nail and brings it close to the surface of the Memory.


    ¡¸Calm down now¡­Honestly, you can¡¯t take a joke.¡¹


    Vepar¡¯s tone was calm, but I could see the anxiety showing through.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll listen, I¡¯ll listen. First is that, right?¡¹


    I nodded and told her the idea for the reborn tenth stratum.


    After hearing it all, she¡­


    ¡¸This is what Mister Chief of Staff has thought up?¡¹


    ¡­asked with a hand on her chin.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Vepar¡¯s gaze drops down, deep in thought.


    The next time she lifted her head, her eyes were¡­gleaming.


    It¡¯s not as if they actually produced light, but more like they looked like the eyes of an excited child.


    ¡¸How interesting. I¡¯ve never heard of such a plan, and there are probably no more than five people in the world who can do it. Yes, if this can be implemented, it would be lots of fun. I approve. But therein lies the problem, can it be done?¡¹


    It is as she says.


    What is required to implement the reborn tenth stratum is a large number of allies, the ring, vast amounts of Magical Energy, and for me to fight.


    The largest issues are my Magical Energy and my movements.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll figure something out with my Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m sure you will.¡¹


    It didn¡¯t show on my face, but in my mind, I was surprised.


    Even if I say I¡¯ll figure something out, there is no method. Ordinarily. Even I didn¡¯t know until I asked her Highness.


    Even if she knew how to do that, it still wasn¡¯t something to take into account, since it wasn¡¯t something that people could usually learn.


    Also, anyone can guess that I lack Magical Energy.


    To win a one-on-one fight with the Flame Hero Fenix, I had to.


    It¡¯s normal to assume that I had to wager all of my Magical Energy to challenge him in order to produce that result.


    In this case, that is exactly what I did.


    Vepar just believed the words of someone uttering an impossibility in no time at all.


    ¡¸If you say you¡¯ll figure something out, I¡¯m sure you will. After all, Carmilla wouldn¡¯t be so infatuated with a man who would say things that he cannot do.¡¹


    So that¡¯s why.


    She doesn¡¯t trust me. Of course, she doesn¡¯t. There is no personal trust between me and her. How can she make use of something that we haven¡¯t even established?


    Instead, Vepar trusts in Milla¡¯s discerning eye.


    ¡¸However, whether or not I cooperate with you is a different story.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    This is also a matter of course.


    Cooperating with me means that she will have more work to do.


    For example, in the fight with the Fenix party.


    Furcus and I had a deal where one cooperation costs one meal, and the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris was aiming for the Avatar of the Frost Hero Bella, so he cooperated.


    There were many others who fought alongside me because they themselves desired a rematch.


    That is fine and also healthy for both sides.


    No one likes it when only one side benefits. The benefits part can be replaced by satisfaction or enjoyment.


    If it were an order from her Highness or me, they would have no choice but to follow it, but I don¡¯t plan on doing that.


    We wouldn¡¯t be uniting, emotionally, and I don¡¯t think they can bring out their full potential in a fight when they are unwillingly ordered to.


    If you¡¯re working together, it¡¯s best to feel good about it completely. It¡¯s as simple as that.


    ¡¸Fortunately, Mister Chief of Staff isn¡¯t lacking in bargaining chips, yes? After all, you were once part of the Fenix party.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s about the Fenix party¡¯s Clear videos, I am in possession of them and can submit copies of them. She will be able to witness various Monsters from a wide variety of Dungeons in the uncut versions.


    However.


    ¡¸I cannot hand those over to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, how come?¡¹


    ¡¸Because they do not solely belong to the Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹


    Those are the records of me fighting alongside Fenix, Alba, Lark, and Lily.


    It isn¡¯t right to use them in order to ask someone else for help. At least to me.


    The permission to share the Philip party¡¯s Clear video was probably attained from everyone through Nicola.


    As for the training video from the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon¡­Milla probably approached them like this.


    ¡¸I need the video of Lem and Furcus training, it¡¯s Demon King Castle business.¡¹or something like that. If you say that, I¡¯m sure no one in that Dungeon will disagree with that request. Everyone there is a good person, and they are indebted to us.


    If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m worried about the other deal that was originally made, but I¡¯ll put that to the side for now.


    ¡¸Is that so? How unfortunate. So, how are you going to convince me?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t believe you require any convincing.¡¹


    She tilts her head.


    ¡¸What makes you think that?¡¹


    ¡¸If you were to see the defense of the tenth stratum later and only you were missing, what would the Monster enthusiast Vepar feel?¡¹


    Vepar¡¯s eyes went wide, and then immediately smiled.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, so that¡¯s how it is. I would certainly hate that. Finally, an interesting experiment is being done but for it to finish imperfectly due to a lone missing mermaid would be unseemly and irritating. Were I to participate, I would get satisfaction as a viewer, myself. I see, so it is I who should be asking you to allow me to participate.¡¹


    She is a Monster fan.


    By not participating in this new experiment, the reborn tenth stratum will be imperfect.


    More than anything, she herself cannot allow such a thing to happen.


    ¡¸Fine. Let¡¯s cooperate. I look forward to seeing the end result.¡¹


    Having said that, Vepar grabs my hand, fingers entwined like lovers.


    She flows Magical Energy into the ring and declares her intentions to cooperate.


    The Contract is complete.


    ¡¸Looking forward to working with you, Mister Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Same here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Vepar. Your hand?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m just touching the ring. Isn¡¯t that necessary?¡¹


    ¡¸But do you have to entwine your fingers around his hand like that?¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose not. But isn¡¯t that odd coming from you? You kept bragging about it, did you not? About how you put your lips on the rin-¡¹


    ¡¸Vampire or Mermaid, here and now, shall we test which is stronger?¡¹


    Vepar separated from me.


    She did that in order to evade Milla¡¯s extended blood nails.


    ¡¸Ufufu, a fascinating proposal. But not today. More importantly, we¡¯re done, right?¡¹


    Vepar held out her hand and Milla, still pouting, responded. She handed over the Memory.


    ¡¸Thank you. That was a good deal. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have videos to watch-¡¹


    ¡¸Vepar.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? Whatever is it, Mister Chief of Staff?¡¹


    As Vepar was stretching the water pillar towards the sea, she turned around.


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t have to convince you. But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have to give anything in return.¡¹


    I only found out that she was a Monster enthusiast after I arrived here.


    If any persuading was needed, I was fully prepared to oblige.


    ¡¸How honest¡­Something else that I want is a video of that tag match with Berith, but I suppose you¡¯ll want permission from her, so that¡¯s out. Something I want that only involves you¡­aha, I forgot about the thing I wanted to ask you the most about. I wanted to ask you how you defeated the Flame Hero Fenix. I want to know what happened after the cameras were destroyed.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fine.¡¹


    The fact that I¡¯m a Human who possesses a horn is already known.


    The only ones who know that it is my master¡¯s horn and what went down in that battle are her Highness and the Big Four.


    In the first place, it¡¯s not as if my master told me to not hide the horn from the Monsters. He did say to destroy the cameras and threaten them to keep quiet after the attack, but that was probably a joke. He also said that if they knew it was his horn, no one would tell anyone about it.


    By no means can I tell anyone about what Fenix and I said during it.


    But I don¡¯t mind talking about the details of the fight itself.


    ¡¸On one condition¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, my lips are sealed. There is meaning in keeping treasured videos and information.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸How about telling me about it now, I wonder? You can come to my room. I¡¯ll make some tea. It¡¯s under here, but I assure you that it¡¯s comfortable. Well, shall we?¡¹


    Vepar¡¯s eyes were shining as she pulled me by the hand vigorously.


    Under here would mean¡­underwater?


    ¡¸Hold it right there, Vepar.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh Carmilla, you¡¯re still here.¡¹


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, I shall accompany you.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t particularly need you, though.¡¹


    ¡¸I shall accompany you.¡¹


    I feel intense pressure coming from Milla.


    ¡¸¡­Sure, whatever. Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    Vepar grabbed Milla¡¯s arm with her other hand.


    Later, I talked about that battle.


    Vepar seemed to genuinely enjoy hearing about it.


    And on that day, I managed to get another Contract.

 CH 123

    123 ¨C The Elf¡¯s Astonishment and a Favor


    The saying busy as a bee means exactly as it sounds.


    Securing direct subordinates, training their coordination.


    Making a Contract with all the Floor Bosses and rare Monsters, in addition to discussing their best position that suits each of their characteristics.


    Coordinating with the helpers from other Dungeons, etc.


    There¡¯s also my duties as the Chief of Staff to advise every stratum, gather information about the challengers who are part of the Raid Battle, and investigate them, all at the same time.


    Not to mention my own training. I have to resolve my lack of Magical Energy.


    Even Cashew, who keeps me connected with every stratum and helper as my secretary, is very busy.


    Everyone else is also busy strengthening their own stratum and training the new recruits.


    On top of their regular job¡­dealing with Adventurers.


    Although many of them are repelled at the third stratum, recently there have been parties that were able to reach the fourth stratum.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, did I make you wait?¡¹


    One of the causes may be the many Clear videos circulating the world, inspired by the Fenix party. Since the movements of their predecessors can be used as a reference.


    As the number increased, it became easier to find a method to break through that suits their party.


    Another cause is simply that¡­the number of highly skilled challengers have increased.


    ¡¸We ran into an unexpected individual¡­I¡¯m sorry for being late, despite being the one who called you.¡¹


    In the tavern where Fenix and I had a meal before.


    Fenix and Lily arrived late and approached the table where I was sitting.


    I rounded up my thoughts and looked at them.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. Who was the unexpected individual?¡¹


    They both sat down and ordered drinks. Since I knew what they liked to eat, I had already ordered.


    ¡¸It was the Water Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, joint training?¡¹


    The raid includes the Aerial party, the Hervor party, the Scathach party, as well as Wraith and Fran.


    I heard that they, including the Fenix party, got together to exchange ideas and do some joint training.


    ¡¸No, we aren¡¯t taking part in that, so we didn¡¯t go there. He¡­was lost.¡¹


    They told me the story of how he got rid of a bully in a slightly extreme fashion.


    ¡¸Wow¡­¡¹


    Believers of strength¡­huh?


    It¡¯s true that he is rather obsessed with strength.


    Coupled with his attitude brimming with confidence, he may come off as cocky.


    But it is completely different from a child who is drunk with godlike powers stemming from inexperience.


    The way he looked at Fran was one of trust and familiarity, and even though he was chided by Aerial, he changed his attitude towards Scathach and apologized for his impoliteness.


    And now this story from Fenix.


    Wraith doesn¡¯t act arrogantly, flaunting his strength.


    He believes in his allies and holds a conviction to never abandon them.


    Even if their beliefs may differ, he responds flexibly if cooperation is necessary.


    Also, if there¡¯s someone who oppresses the weak through violence, he drives them back without physically hurting them.


    Within him, he holds a clear definition of what a strong person is. Or rather, what a hero is.


    ¡¸Hey Lem, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­doesn¡¯t that kid look famili-¡¹


    Fenix was interrupted by the waiter who brought the drinks.


    ¡¸What about Wraith?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Later. That discussion will deviate too much from what we¡¯re trying to do today.¡¹


    By the way, I have obstructed their recognition ever since the two of them entered the tavern, so the other customers and workers don¡¯t notice them.


    Of course, they do think of them as customers, but that¡¯s all.


    ¡¸Hmm. Well, alright. So, Lily. You wanted to talk, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­Before that, a moment please.¡¹


    Lily takes a sip of her cider, only enough to wet her lips, and places the wooden jug back on the table.


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith mentioned this earlier¡­do you two know each other?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, yeah, sorta. I met with Aerial for a bit when he first arrived in this town, and Wraith was there.¡¹


    ¡¸And then he invited you to become his ally?¡¹


    Fenix smiles with just his lips.


    ¡¸What¡¯s with that face¡­I refused, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸He said he wasn¡¯t gonna give up so easily, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­How can you be so calm? Every single Four Great Spirits contractor of this era has requested you.¡¹


    The Flame Hero, the Storm Hero, and the Water Hero. Excluding the currently vacant Gaia Hero, that¡¯s all of them.


    ¡¸Ah, yeah, you¡¯re right. When you put it that way, I guess it is amazing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Amazing doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it¡­! ¡­No, I suppose catching the eye of the Demon King from the Demon King Castle is even more tremendous.¡¹


    A big factor of Lily¡¯s reaction to this is probably because she is an Elf.


    The Elf race is also called the children of the Wind Spirit.


    They believe that long ago, the Wind Spirit took the form of man and mingled with them, which gave birth to the Elves, but most people don¡¯t believe that in this day and age.


    Normal Wizards fundamentally do not specialize in any one element. You could say that they have equal talent for all of them, and you can also say that they don¡¯t have a talent that stands out.


    However, many Elves are born with an Aptitude for Wind Magic.


    In the same fashion, Insect-Humans are called the children of the Earth Spirit, and water Monsters are called the children of the Water Spirit.


    They are called that possibly because they have a high Aptitude for a single element despite not being a Spirit contractor.


    The reason Berith¡¯s power in the Tag Tournament wasn¡¯t called into question is that it is not impossible for there to be an Insect-Human with a Hero-level earth element Aptitude.


    However, it is a fact that that is extremely rare. The majority of them are no match for a Hero. It¡¯s just that they have an Aptitude that is incomparable to most Normals.


    Actually, Lily isn¡¯t very fond of the Wind Spirit. She said so herself.


    There are many Elves who use Wind Magic to raise their accuracy and power of the bow, and she, too, can do as much.


    But they can¡¯t use large-scale Wind Magic.


    This is probably why she is so focused on Godspeed.


    Anyway, for the Elves, the Spirit is familiar to them, and they recognize it as a being that gives blessings to their race.


    The main Spirit is extremely sacred.


    Of the four main Spirits, three of the contractors asked a lone Black Sorcerer to become their ally.


    That is an unfathomable shock.


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­true. But I don¡¯t plan on resigning from my job.¡¹


    The time that Fenix invited me, and the time that Aerial and Wraith invited me as well.


    I was happy. I was honored and fraught with emotion.


    I aimed to be the first rank with Fenix, but I had to give up that dream halfway.


    But the job I got after that, the myriad of allies, and my new dream are all very important to me.


    ¡¸N-no¡­it was our decision to remove you from the party in the first place that set everything in motion¡­I lost my composure.¡¹


    ¡¸I already said it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure it was hard to drag me around¡­yeah, we may not be allies anymore, but we¡¯re not strangers either. Can¡¯t we be friends?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­F-friends?¡¹


    ¡¸Guess not, huh?¡¹


    Lily looked at me in wonder.


    ¡¸If¡­if you¡¯re fine with it¡­¡¹


    She nodded her head.


    ¡¸Of course. Well, let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡¹


    When I smiled, she gave a weak smile in return.


    ¡¸R-right¡­I have come to you today to ask of you something only you can do.¡¹


    And then Lily revealed the details of the request.


    ¡¸Only for the Raid Clear, I would like to become your subordinate.¡¹

 CH 124

    124 ¨C Lily¡¯s Circumstances


    I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t see this coming.


    But I did think it was one of the many possibilities. Or perhaps it¡¯s for this reason.


    When she actually said it, however, I was still bewildered.


    ¡¸Uh¡­¡¹


    I look at Fenix.


    The dude just nods silently without saying anything.


    Say something, man. Don¡¯t just sit there and look at me like I know what¡¯s going on.


    ¡¸¡­You don¡¯t seem surprised.¡¹


    Lily said unexpectedly. She¡¯s a little surprised by my reaction.


    ¡¸W-well considering that you asked to speak to me while all this was going on¡­¡¹


    Even she knows that I am the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    If she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, she could have waited until I had some free time. Since she told me that she wanted me to make time during quite possibly my busiest period, it¡¯s only natural to assume that she has some reason.


    As to what reason that could be, I can only think of so many.


    ¡¸So you deduced my intentions through that?¡¹


    ¡¸No, not exactly. Since we were allies¡­I know that you are a serious person. I thought that maybe it had something to do with Suuri or¡­¡¹


    At that name, her brow curved.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri. The Hunter of the fifth rank Scathach party.


    ¡¸¡­That is exactly right. However, I¡¯m fairly positive that I have never mentioned my distaste of him¡­but even Lark noticed it. Was it that obvious?¡¹


    ¡¸Everyone knew. We all guessed he must be an Elf or something.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Everyone knew that much¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yeah¡­I mean, of course, we would.¡¹


    Lily left the forest and met us in the first town she went to and became our ally.


    Later, when she learned of the existence of the Scathach party, she has blatantly shown her hate for him.


    She isn¡¯t the type of person who would one-sidedly hate someone she barely knows, so we figured that she must have a reason of some kind.


    But after she joined the party, she and Suuri have never made contact.


    Also when she was in the forest, the only people she was involved with would be the forest races. Since Suuri looks like a regular person from the neck down, he probably isn¡¯t an Insect Human.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that something happened between the time she left the forest and the time she met us.


    If she hates him, he must have done something to her, but if that was the case, there was no need to hide it.


    For example, she always gives her honest opinion about Alba¡¯s bad mouth every time.


    If she thought it was a problem, she would point it out.


    If that¡¯s the case, then we can rule out Suuri being some kind of criminal or someone who has hurt her.


    He is most likely an elf who disobeyed the rules of the forest or their pride or something, and she doesn¡¯t like that.


    She doesn¡¯t talk to us about her race¡¯s circumstances.


    We would occasionally talk amongst ourselves about whether or not that was the case.


    When I mentioned this, she looked at me with a complicated look.


    ¡¸S-so¡­everyone knew?¡¹


    ¡¸We had our assumptions, I guess.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I have been careless.¡¹


    Her cheeks were slightly red.


    the face of the usually calm and collected Lily turning red out of shyness. A rare sight.


    Realizing that Fenix and I were looking at her, she purposely cleared her throat.


    ¡¸Ahem¡­If you know that much, then that should speed up this discussion. Yes.¡¹


    The tips of her long pointed ears were twitching.


    It would be an act of kindness to not bring it up.


    ¡¸In other words, you wish to have a place where you can do battle with him, right?¡¹


    She nods to my confirmation.


    She takes a swig of her drink as if to hide her face.


    ¡¸I guess I shouldn¡¯t hide more than what I¡¯m asking. I cannot tolerate the way he is.¡¹


    Lily told us the story.


    Lily and Suuri were from the same village. More precisely, her father taught him the ways of the bow.


    Suuri said he had no intention of living out the rest of his days in the middle of the forest, so he left his hometown.


    At that time, he seemed to still possess the pride of an Elf.


    Several years later, Lily left the forest. At first, it was planned to be a journey.


    She learned about the Adventuring business and also ran into Fenix, who made a contract with the Fire Spirit, her future was decided.


    A journey is a journey, so she chose a life of traveling from Dungeon to Dungeon as an Adventurer.


    And then she found him. She found her senior who inherited her father¡¯s teachings.


    He concealed the fact that he was an Elf and registered the ultimate in the art of Elven archery as Godspeed.


    There are three people in the world who use Godspeed. Lily and Suuri. And one of Suuri¡¯s party members.


    If you consider Godspeed as a divine skill that originally combined Elven Wind Magic and archery together, you can see why the number of users is so extremely low.


    ¡¸In these last few years, the harsh criticism towards Elves have weakened. Yet he still continues his charade.¡¹


    It was thanks to the precedent set by Lily that the existence of an Elven Adventurer was accepted.


    You might think that it¡¯s just a few years, but do you know how hard it must have been to survive as an Adventurer for a few years in an industry that didn¡¯t acknowledge you at that time?


    Certainly, she was fortunate to be able to work with Fenix.


    Even in such a party, we had a discussion on whether or not we should hide her Elf ears with her Avatar when we took her in.


    ¡­Well, it was only Alba who told her to hide it, but that opinion is only natural if you think about the situation at the time. Alba wants to gain popularity, so it¡¯s understandable that he wanted us to avoid walking on a thorny path.


    Hardships always come to those who take the first step.


    It requires the resolution to rip open a thorn wall with your bare hands to create your own path.


    Lily had such a resolution.


    This foolish young man who desires to be a hero despite being a Black Sorcerer did not want to deny her.


    ¡¸I¡­see¡­¡¹


    Lily doesn¡¯t seem to like anything related to hiding one¡¯s race.


    I understand her anger. It may be different from empathy, but I was able to understand after listening to her story.


    At the same time, I also understand Suuri¡¯s decision at the time to conceal his race. I mean, Lily is amazing, but in an occupation dependent on public favor, public opinion is very important.


    The main reason why I had to leave the party was because, let¡¯s face it, the party¡¯s popularity was unusually low.


    Well, in Lily¡¯s case, I suppose she can¡¯t forgive a fellow Elf who would continue as an Adventurer while lying about being the race that he should be proud to be.


    ¡¸But Lily, wouldn¡¯t standing in his way while pretending to be a Monster be the same thing?¡¹


    Said Fenix.


    Based on the Adventurer setting, Normals get preferential treatment.


    During the war, Elves stuck to their stance of non-intervention in the past.


    So Elves fighting alongside the hero doesn¡¯t fit the setting.


    The sense of discomfort created a sense of resistance, which many fans developed into disgust.


    Lily¡¯s beauty, her powerful Godspeed skill, the Flame Hero¡¯s trust in her, and above all else, her unshakable nobility in the face of all sorts of rumors.


    She impressed the people with those.


    ¡¸What¡¯s important right now isn¡¯t to win as an individual, but as an Elf. I wish to fight him as an Elf on the Monster side.¡¹


    I see.


    She wants to fight as an Elf and win as an Elf.


    I believe she plans on conveying something to him by doing that.


    Actually, I did notice something.


    When the Fenix party became the 4th rank and after the Scathach party went down to the 5th rank.


    Lily paid attention to their movements.


    In taverns or restaurants, she would watch the TV intently if they were on it, and when we¡¯re on the road, she would be reading information magazines about Adventurers.


    Surely, Lily has proven that she can move up in the world as an Elf. She wanted to tell him that there was no need to conceal your race, your ears, your beautiful blond hair and skin, and your pride as an Elf.


    But Suuri continued to conceal his identity.


    Lily didn¡¯t wish to expose his secret. She probably wants to change his perception somehow.


    She wants it bad enough to rely on me, for who she feels guilty about my withdrawal from the party.


    ¡¸Once, I was saved by your and Fenix¡¯s opinion. If either one of you were on the side of hiding my ears, I would have given up on joining you all. You have allowed me to fight as I am. In spite of that kindness, I thought of you as a burden and approved of your withdrawal from the party.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s a different story. You don¡¯t have to overlook mistakes just because you are indebted to me. I made decisions thinking about the fastest way to get to the 1st rank, and it failed.¡¹


    ¡¸No, Bella was right. We should have noticed. Truthfully, I always held a sense of uneasiness. About how my arrows would find its mark far better than in training¡­This is embarrassing to say but, I interpreted it as me just being stronger in a real match. If anything, it was not difficult to convince myself, as it was so long ago.¡¹


    It is difficult to prepare a moving target during training for something like Alba¡¯s Magic Sword. Even if it were possible, it wouldn¡¯t be the same as a living enemy.


    Lark¡¯s practice partners were always either Alba or Fenix, but compared to those two, especially Fenix, most Monsters feel slow and their attack power is weak.


    In addition, I was using my Black Magic in a way that no one would notice, so it¡¯s understandable that they didn¡¯t feel that something was off.


    What I said about Alba could also be applied to Lily, but she was originally a resident of the forest. An experienced hunter.


    If the process of shooting a target was slightly different between practice and in a match, she most likely noticed it unconsciously.


    ¡¸My method wasn¡¯t perfect either. I was so obsessed with winning that I robbed you all of your chance to grow and improve.¡¹


    ¡¸Without that imperfect method, what rank do you think we would be at by now? At the very least, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten as high as the 4th rank.¡¹

 CH 125

    125 ¨C A Toast with Friends, The Traces of his Hero


    ¡¸I wonder. Even so, it was my own circumstances that caused me to rush¡¹


    If only we could get to 1st rank, then all the voices criticizing Fenix for letting a Black Sorcerer in the party will cease.


    This guy didn¡¯t put me in the party just because we¡¯re best friends.


    We were both equals who aimed to stand at the top, so it¡¯s a misunderstanding that Fenix invited me into the party or whatever.


    I wanted to prove that.


    ¡¸¡­At any rate, I almost lost my relationship with you without being able to return the favor.¡¹


    ¡¸You did return the favor. That thing with Berith was more than enough.¡¹


    With her guidance, Berith¡¯s movements became even more like an Insect-Human.


    ¡¸¡­That is insufficient. Even if it was, not much time has passed since then and yet here I am now creating another debt.¡¹


    ¡¸Debt? Are you perhaps talking about your current request?¡¹


    Lily nodded.


    I smiled cheerfully.


    ¡¸A Hunter as strong as you will be of great help to the defense. I¡¯m grateful, there¡¯s no reason for me to demand gratitude. I¡¯m not that greedy, y¡¯know?¡¹


    Lily opened her eyes wide, Fenix smiled slightly.


    ¡¸Or what? Are you requesting me to let you participate through our connection as friends despite not knowing if you¡¯ll be useful? If that were the case, then you would owe me one.¡¹


    When I said that, she finally loosened her lips.


    ¡¸¡­No. Not at all, Lem. I will definitely be of use to you. If you give me the opportunity, I shall bring you victory.¡¹


    ¡¸Nice. Well then, to a fair and equal trade.¡¹


    We make a toast.


    I held out my wooden jug towards her and she modestly taps my jug with hers.


    And with that, I once again attained a reliable ally, even if it¡¯s only for the Raid Battle.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, why are you so chipper anyway?¡¹


    I glare at Fenix.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just happy that Lem is getting recognized.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re creeping me out, man.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, that¡¯s going too far. While it is true that Fenix¡¯s fellowship towards you is¡­excessive, and I¡¯ve honestly been worried about it for quite some time but¡­ Anyway, friendship is a hard-earned treasure. We misunderstood it, but so long as it doesn¡¯t disrupt calm thinking, we should respect it.¡¹


    Ah, so everyone did think that Fenix let an incompetent person in the party because he is his best friend.


    If that assumption is gone, then there is nothing wrong with his feelings towards a childhood friend.


    ¡¸Also, there is something that even I understand. Lem, aren¡¯t you in a good mood whenever you hear good rumors about Fenix?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uhm, Lily? It¡¯s not like that, right?¡¹


    I don¡¯t get into a bad mood, though.


    ¡¸Even someone who is as good at reading people as you can¡¯t read yourself, I see.¡¹


    ¡¸No, but really¡­¡¹


    Just as I was thinking about how I should explain it, I noticed that she was giggling.


    ¡­Looks like she was teasing me.


    ¡¸So even Lily laughs at that.¡¹


    ¡¸My apologies. You don¡¯t waver in the midst of a battle or even during the previous discussion, but when it comes to Fenix, you¡¯re at a loss for words, so it¡¯s a little¡­¡¹


    Guh¡­


    It¡¯s complicated.


    We¡¯re childhood friends. I was once like his older brother, chasing away all the kids who bullied Fenix.


    But when I turned ten and confirmed my Job, the world turned upside down.


    All my friends left me, save for Fenix who was a Hero of all things.


    We promised each other that we¡¯d become Adventurers and we did.


    He¡¯s my childhood friend, my best friend, my brother, my ally, my rival.


    I suppose I do get angry when someone makes fun of him, and I¡¯m happy when he¡¯s praised. I¡¯ll admit that.


    However, to simply say that it is because we are good friends doesn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡¸I¡­I feel as if I understand Fenix¡¯s feelings somewhat. You truly wish to save people, driven not by righteousness nor kindness.¡¹


    At that moment, Lily¡¯s smile was as beautiful as a work of art, which stunned me for a moment.


    It has a soothing sweetness like Cashew but lacks the heart-thumping, bewitching quality of Milla.


    It¡¯s similar to looking at a beautiful scenery. Your eyes are captivated by nature and you let out a breath of wonder.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t really know about that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸How surprising, to think that there is something you don¡¯t know.¡¹


    ¡¸What I do know is that you¡¯re not surprised at all.¡¹


    Smiling wryly, I scratch my cheek to disguise my shyness.


    After that, I confirmed Fenix¡¯s Monster Avatar,  talked about when to summon the two of them, how to get them to work, and made a Contract with Lily.


    ¡¸Everyone says I¡¯m cold¡­I¡¯m not cold. I just can¡¯t do things frivolously without meaning.¡¹


    Lily put her soft cheek on the tabletop, ears bright red.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen her this drunk.


    Maybe she felt somewhat relaxed because she was able to let out what happened to Suuri, which she hadn¡¯t been able to talk about with her allies before.


    ¡¸Ah, yeah, that¡¯s right. I think that¡¯s one of your strong points, Lily.¡¹


    Lily is dissatisfied with her public reputation. It doesn¡¯t change things, but even so, it¡¯s not as if it doesn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡¸¡­I hated your insincere smile.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I didn¡¯t like it either.¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­just now was¡­zzz¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lily?¡¹


    It looks like she fell asleep.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll take her home.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t bring her to some strange place, now.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s too much, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it was just a joke. I¡¯ll follow you too. If you walk around town with Lily on your back, it¡¯ll become minor news tomorrow.¡¹


    If we have my recognition inhibition, there¡¯s no need to worry about that.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯ll help a lot.¡¹


    I could lend a hand by carrying Lily back to her inn by myself, but somehow I don¡¯t have a good feeling about that.


    More specifically, I can see Milla being in a bad mood in the future saying something like¡¸Lem, I smell the scent of a woman on you, exactly who did you get close enough to in order to leave a scent? Oh, that¡¯s right, you had an appointment with the Hunter Lily today¡­fufu, fufufu.¡¹


    We paid the bill and went outside the tavern.


    We were silent for a while.


    ¡¸Oh, come to think of it. You were about to say something when you were talking about Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hm? Ah.¡¹


    We walked side by side on a crowded main street, nobody paid any attention to us.


    ¡¸He reminds me of someone but I can¡¯t seem to recall who. Did you notice anything?¡¹


    Fenix asked me a question on top of my question.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, where did you first hear the words¡ºThe hero always wins in the end¡»?¡¹


    No, it was an answer in the form of a question.

 CH 126

    126 ¨C The Youth who Admired the Same Hero


    ¡¸Huh? Where¡­?¡¹


    It took me a few seconds to realize the meaning behind Fenix¡¯s question.


    ¡¸¡­! No way¡­ Him?¡¹


    Once I realized, that¡¯s all I could think about. Even though there isn¡¯t a common feature between their hair color, eye color, personality, or even related Spirit.


    But somehow I feel like their facial features are similar. So there was a feeling of deja vu.


    And then there was the phrase that Fenix said.


    ¡¸I have no proof but that¡¯s what I thought.¡¹


    As far as we know, there has only been one instance of a party with a Hero who didn¡¯t make a contract with a Spirit that became 1st rank.


    They were overtaken by the Aerial party in one year and suddenly disbanded soon after, disappearing from the memory of their fans.


    But I know them. I happened to catch them on TV once and became a fan ever since, searching the net for their videos.


    I watched the Clear videos on the Terminal I begged my parents to get me during my free time. After becoming a disciple, I asked my master to let me use his Terminal to watch them.


    ¡¸¡­Is Wraith the son of the Unyielding Hero?¡¹


    That¡¯s it.


    I noticed something.


    ¡¸Fenix. He didn¡¯t use his Spirit Magic, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, he used Wind Magic.¡¹


    First of all, what is Spirit Magic? What does it mean to make a contract with a Spirit?


    Spirit Magic and magic are essentially the same things.


    It¡¯s a Technique that refers to the way Magical Energy is used that someone invents from scratch.


    It¡¯s a Technique that the Spirits used, and people trying to imitate that resulted in the magic we know of.


    In the same fashion, Black Magic is the result of people imitating Black Sorcery.


    Witchcraft invented by Ogres, Ninjutsu invented by Shinobi, Techniques invented by great or villainous magic users. There are all kinds of Techniques, but they can only be used by specific races or geniuses.


    In other words, magic is the highly reproduce-able and versatile version of these Techniques.


    Black Sorcery, for example, is a Technique that was invented by a former Demon King. There weren¡¯t many who could use it, be they man or Majin.


    Even though the Technique exists, there are not many people who can master it, and there are not many ways to use it.


    That Technique had to be reformed so that anyone could use it, and it became the easy-to-understand magic.


    ¡¸I thought it was odd, but it¡¯s possible that he hasn¡¯t used his Spirit Magic yet. That was my conclusion.¡¹


    I nodded to Fenix¡¯s words.


    Just as how my master taught me Black Sorcery, Spirits give their Spirit Magic to their contractors.


    Rather than just being able to use it instantly, that person¡¯s talent and ability must be able to endure it in order to use it.


    When the person has become a vessel strong enough to use it, then the Spirit Magic can be used.


    For example, if you made a contract with a lesser Fire Spirit, you might be able to shoot fire from your hands at first, but that¡¯s also all you can do in the beginning.


    Fenix started from there as well. He, himself, says that he hasn¡¯t mastered everything yet.


    It seems that that Flame of the Gods that depleted all my nine-years worth of Magical Energy wasn¡¯t some kind of secret final technique.


    This is the important part.


    A Hero who formed a contract with a Spirit cannot use magic of a different element than that of the contracted Spirit.


    Rather than not being able to practically, it¡¯s related to the Spirit itself.


    This is because the Spirit really hates that. Their attitude depends on the Spirit, but they generally get jealous, uneasy, angry, etc.


    Since the Spirit lends you its strength, it should be treated as a partner.


    If you were to use magic of a different element, before long, the power of your Spirit Magic will weaken. Even your magic will weaken. It is visibly reduced in various ways, such as power and effective range. The Spirit exerts its influence like this.


    A Hero is originally the type that breaks through with almighty strength, but forming a contract with a Spirit ties you down to one element.


    It can be said that that is a disadvantage. There are not many people who see it that way.


    Even under normal circumstances, a Hero is the embodiment of talent. What happens if you strengthen them with a specific element¡¯s Spirit Magic?


    They become strong people who can be called humanity¡¯s strongest like Fenix and Aerial.


    Even contractors of Lesser Spirits can have those who wield their powers in delicate or bold ways like Bella or Nicola, and those that are clearly strong like Philip¡¯s diamond.


    Those without a Spirit cannot do this. Or perhaps an extraordinary amount of time is needed to acquire the skill.


    Besides, Spirit contractors are popular in this day and age.


    The audience loves a master of one, more than a jack of all trades.


    ¡¸I think he hasn¡¯t officially agreed to the contract. Or maybe he doesn¡¯t want to.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. He said so, didn¡¯t he? Something about not planning to use Spirit Magic. He said that the Water Spirit is just tagging along as a spectator.


    That contract isn¡¯t completed in the Spirit Shrine. So it seems.


    I¡¯m not a Hero so I can¡¯t say for sure, but that¡¯s what people say and no Hero has come and denied so it must be true.


    So when exactly is the contract considered made? It seems to be when they use their Spirit Magic for the first time.


    If greeting the Spirit in the shrine is like going on dates, then using Spirit Magic for the first time is like marriage.


    ¡¸He doesn¡¯t want to¡­?¡¹


    Fenix raised his voice in surprise, but I was too deep in thought to respond.


    ¡¸I see¡­so that¡¯s how it is.¡¹


    So that¡¯s why he¡¯s so obsessed with strength, and why he rejects any evaluation criteria other than strength.


    The Unyielding Hero was not the flashy type.


    He was not good-looking, nor young. Because he wasn¡¯t a Spirit contractor, he could not use flashy magic. He was versatile, or perhaps skillful. To anyone who sees him, he was plain.


    He faced the Clear head-on without using any strange plans or forcing his way through.


    But he was strong.


    His ability never wavered with the ebbs and flows of his condition, and his Clears were steady because of his sure footing.


    They were veterans and their long years of hard work were finally paid off when they became 1st rank.


    However, the following year, they were overtaken by the Aerial party and fell to 2nd place.


    That year, they decided to retire and disbanded the party.


    I remember it well because I thought it was such a waste.


    At that time, I remember the audience¡¯s response too.


    Even though the contents of their Clears didn¡¯t change, their evaluation changed drastically.


    As if a switch was flipped, there was an overwhelming amount of opinions making fun of them.


    ¡¸So Wraith was¡­¡¹


    Even I, who was just a fan, found it so frustrating.


    But what if that Hero was my own father?


    What if you saw all the horrible things they said about their plain appearance, his inability to form a contract with a Spirit, being a late bloomer, and their disbanding.


    Considering Wraith¡¯s age, there¡¯s no way that he saw all this happen in real-time.


    But comments on videos and posts on online message boards don¡¯t totally disappear with the passing of time.


    If he found out his dad was a Hero and he went online to check it out, the words that he¡¯d find¡­were full of malice.


    It¡¯s only natural for him to feel frustrated. Of course, he¡¯d be angry. Isn¡¯t it normal to think of it as unforgivable?


    So he¡¯s going to get to 1st rank the same way his father did to prove that there was nothing wrong with it?


    One of the Four Great Spirits took interest in him, but he won¡¯t use Spirit Magic.


    He went to the shrine to receive a Spirit only to further emphasize that they did not need it.


    ¡¸Wraith¡­wants to prove that his favorite hero was right¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s possible that Fellow knew about this and approached him.


    And Wraith accepted his helping hand.


    Considering that the news and the like don¡¯t bring up Wraith¡¯s father, it¡¯s possible that one of the terms of their deal was to hide this information.


    The Demon King Castle Clear. There is no better opportunity to showcase your strength to the world.


    From Fellow¡¯s point of view, the Water Hero has become a part of his plan.


    ¡¸Being strong and winning in the end is the truest form of a hero, or so he said¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wow, I can get behind that.¡¹


    That should also be the case.


    We admired the same hero.


    He invited a Black Sorcerer and also said he wanted the Insect-Human Berith as his ally.


    It doesn¡¯t matter whether you have an unpopular Job or if you¡¯re a Demi-Human because it has no relation to strength.


    I told Fenix what I was thinking.


    Having heard that, Fenix said¡­


    ¡¸Is that¡­so? I see¡­But Lem, even if that were true, he¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I know. I definitely want to support him, but yeah. You have something more to think about than I do, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I don¡¯t wish to deny his desire. But¡­¡¹


    Wraith overlooked something.


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t something you can just lie down and say¡¸OK, got it.¡¹, right?¡¹


    Fenix nodded.


    ¡¸It¡¯s something you have to feel, yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­like, in a battle, maybe?¡¹


    ¡¸Yup.¡¹


    Even so, it¡¯s a strange feeling.


    There was once a hero I admired.


    Fenix, who admired me, is now the 4th-ranked Hero.


    The son of the hero I admired invited me, the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, to be his ally.


    And then, Fenix and I are surely gonna fight him.


    Provided that he doesn¡¯t drop out before reaching the tenth stratum.


    ¡¸Still, can we win, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I¡¯m the hero of the Monsters after all.¡¹


    I smile while reaffirming Fenix¡¯s question with my answer.


    Satisfied, he nods and throws one more question at me.


    ¡¸In order to do that, you¡¯re probably gonna need an enormous amount of Magical Energy¡­are you alright?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll figure something out.¡¹


    I have to figure something out.


    I answer him while thinking about my training with her Highness.

 CH 127

    127 ¨C Be the Spirit


    Let¡¯s go back in time after the interviews.


    ¡¸Hah hah hah! To think that you would hire Adventurers! Is there a curse upon you? That you must forever surprise people? ¡¹


    Her Highness and I were walking side by side in the Dungeon.


    More specifically, we were using the staff-only pathways to go to her Highness¡¯s office.


    She looked like she was in a good mood, more cheerful than surprised.


    Her appearance is that of a little girl. Hair and eyes, a deep crimson. A pair of horns growing from the sides of her head, both a deep black. Her hair is long and full, and today she has tied it in two. It was tied high, but still long enough that it would normally touch the ground.


    However, by some mysterious power, it manages to be so fluffy. Maybe it¡¯s Wind Magic.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been¡­¡¹


    By the way, there¡¯s no one else with us presently, but a staff member could pass by at any time in this corridor so I still talk in my Chief of Staff tone.


    ¡¸If that is your decision, it matters not. However, just because they are cooperating with us does not change the fact that they are Adventurers. You cannot let them access anywhere, yes?¡¹


    She¡¯s saying that they cannot be allowed to transfer to or use every and all facilities in the Dungeon.


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure Ellie and co. won¡¯t mind. On the contrary, she might get angry if I told her she was free to do as she pleased. In other words, I don¡¯t think I need to be vigilant with them.


    Someday challenging the Demon King Castle is the goal of an Adventurer.


    It would be humiliating to be considered a non-threat to the Monsters there.


    ¡¸I shall leave how much information to disclose at your discretion, but still, that¡¯s bold. Gaining the trust of your enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸For this Raid Clear, they are allies.¡¹


    ¡¸But then return to being enemies. They are able to witness the activities of the tenth stratum up close. Is it not valuable information to be giving a short-term part-timer?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I understand what her Highness is saying.


    Does Ellie¡¯s cooperation balance out her being able to attain information by being here?


    For example, if you knew that there was a spy but you chose not to deal with it. That decision was made because it¡¯s thought that a greater benefit can be gained by letting the spy go free.


    This is a different situation, but I believe that¡¯s what she¡¯s trying to say.


    Can we ignore the benefits that an Adventurer working on the inside would gain?


    ¡¸Indeed, I cannot deny that my personal feelings were mixed in.¡¹


    Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers. Four out of the five people in that party are filled with those unfortunate Jobs.


    I have hopes that their efforts and rapid progress can change the Adventuring world.


    Through Lily¡¯s efforts, Elf Adventurers are accepted little by little and are actually increasing in number.


    If Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers are thought of as useful rather than plain, etc, and are included in parties more often, then that would be great.


    But¡­


    ¡¸But, there is no problem.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? May I ask why?¡¹


    Even if I were to exclude the fact that Ellie¡¯s character is such that she wouldn¡¯t be sneaking around behind the scenes to gather information, I can say that there is no problem.


    ¡¸My tenth stratum isn¡¯t naive enough to allow a rat to sniff around.¡¹


    The inner workings of the tenth stratum itself will become clear during the Raid Battle.


    The only other things that Ellie and co. can know about are things like staff member¡¯s dispositions. Their personality or tendencies. Their likes or dislikes. In short, only private information.


    I¡¯m not saying those are useless, but we won¡¯t lose a battle just because she knows that stuff.


    Other than that, concerning the problem with access rights, she can¡¯t transfer anywhere in the first place. Not to other strata and so on.


    ¡¸Hmph. Fine. But if a problem ever arises-¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I, Lemegeton, will take responsibility and deal with it.¡¹


    ¡¸That is all I wished to hear. I will say no more, do as you wish.¡¹


    Her Highness smiled wryly with one side of her mouth.


    ¡¸Yes, Your Highness.¡¹


    Sometime during that conversation, we arrived at her Highness¡¯s office.


    The Recording Stone used to transfer to the Dungeon Core can only be here.


    Just before we enter the room, I sense someone looking at us and turn to look at the corner of the corridor.


    Standing there was a Majin in a tailcoat, the Time Demon Agares.


    ¡­He was most likely told by her Highness to not follow her.


    He looked at me with great frustration.


    ¡¸¡­Your Highness.¡¹


    ¡¸Ignore him.¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­¡¹


    Her Highness let out a sigh.


    ¡¸¡­For goodness sake. Agares. I wish to eat that. That special pudding from Honey and Bear. By the time you get back, our conversation should be ov-and he¡¯s already gone.¡¹


    I believe Honey and Bear is the name of the cafe that¡¯s opposite the Demon King Castle. Some products, such as puddings and cakes, are available for take-out.


    In order to fulfill the wishes of his beloved Demon King, Agares disappeared in a flash.


    ¡¸That one worries too much. Asking for a temporary change in guardian can be¡­difficult.¡¹


    Agares isn¡¯t a dangerous person, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried about the Demon King Lucy, who is striving to manage a Dungeon with a different goal than her father.


    Her Highness¡¯s mouth appeared depressed, but her expression was calm.


    ¡¸Now then, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    So we entered her Highness¡¯s office, went into the small room hidden by a bookshelf where a Recording Stone is set, and touched it, which transferred us.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    It was a vast space. The walls, floor, and even ceiling were made of some black, lustrous material.


    There, in the center of the room, the main object was enshrined majestically.


    It was an octahedron that gave off a faint glow. It was as transparent as glass and large.


    This object, large enough that you have to look up at it, is the Dungeon Core.


    If I look closely, I can see that the core is entangled in what looks like countless tubes.


    ¡¸This is the Dungeon Core.¡¹


    I remove my mask and stare at the Core. It¡¯s so big that my neck hurt when I looked up and was finally able to see the edge of it.


    ¡¸This is your first time seeing it, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s amazing¡­stunning, even.¡¹


    It isn¡¯t releasing it, but I can tell that there is Magical Energy within it.


    The mysterious device that supports a Dungeon. The ultimate in technological engineering that draws Magical Energy from the world to create Magical Energy spaces.


    ¡¸Speaking of which, have you heard?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Heard about what?¡¹


    ¡¸That question that Humans often ask,¡ºDon¡¯t you think that the Dungeon Core would benefit the world?¡»¡¹


    Couldn¡¯t the Magical Energy produced by the Dungeon Core be used in the consumption of people¡¯s everyday life?


    This is something that has been said since ancient times and has not been realized till today.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not possible, right?¡¹


    There¡¯s no way that every smart person from the past till the present hasn¡¯t thought the same thing that an ordinary person would think.


    That if it¡¯s still not implemented, then there must be a reason why it wasn¡¯t.


    There are far too many Dungeons to consider that it failed due to¡­strong opposition. For example, if someone took over a Dungeon and forcibly used the Core¡­we would have heard about it.


    Assuming it could be used, but¡­


    Her Highness nods satisfactorily at my answer.


    ¡¸Exactly. Magical Energy from the Dungeon Core cannot be used for anything other than the Dungeon maintenance and development. To be more precise, Magical Energy drawn in by the Core will dissipate when it is brought outside the Dungeon.¡¹


    Take Magic Stones for example.


    Without this useful Magical Energy-filled stone, watching TV and connecting to the Net wouldn¡¯t be possible. In addition, Magic Stones are essential for the operation of products called Magic Devices such as refrigerators and vacuum cleaners.


    They can absorb and store the Magical Energy from their surroundings, but it¡¯s not so easy that you could just leave it in your living room and it would recharge until it¡¯s full by itself.


    It must be left in a region thick with Magical Energy for a long period of time.


    Making the Dungeon Core release Magical Energy to charge a large amount of Magic Stones is an idea that anyone can come up with, but when you bring those stones outside of the Dungeon, the Magical Energy inside disappears.


    That is definitely not a selling point. Within the Dungeon, the Core provides the necessary Magical Energy without the use of Magic Stones, so they aren¡¯t needed.


    ¡­Maybe it¡¯s a function to prevent the Core¡¯s Magical Energy from being stolen in case we were defeated?


    The Core was created during the era when Humans and Monsters were mutual enemies, so it¡¯s possible.


    I wonder who created such a thing¡­Well, they are the only ones who could have.


    The same ones who created the Magic Tools, the now extinct, phantom race.


    If it¡¯s the same as Magic Tools, then that means that there isn¡¯t anyone who could create a new Core. That¡¯s probably why there isn¡¯t a Core that doesn¡¯t have the function that stops Magical Energy from being taken outside.


    But why did her Highness decide to show it to me now¡­oh no.


    ¡¸It seems you get the idea. I will have you absorb the Core¡¯s Magical Energy!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Please wait. I certainly have no objections to the amount of Magical Energy here. However, a Majin¡¯s horn isn¡¯t able to absorb Magical Energy from its surroundings. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you have the right of it. But did I not already tell you? That neither that man nor I was able to acquire this skill.¡¹


    My master was able to learn it, but neither his son nor his granddaughter could. No, Luci is still so young, so I don¡¯t know what she will able to do in the future, but at the very least, it¡¯s not a technique that can be learned just because one is a Demon King.


    But¡­if my master was able to¡­


    It is not impossible. It may be close to utterly impossible, but the chance isn¡¯t zero.


    If there¡¯s a slight chance, even if it¡¯s as small as a grain of sand, there¡¯s still a chance.


    ¡¸Fortunately, the Raid Battle is happening within the Demon King Castle. There¡¯s no worry about losing the Magical Energy when you go outside, yes? What say you?¡¹


    The answer is obvious.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do it.¡¹


    ¡¸Good answer.¡¹


    Her Highness nodded her head in satisfaction.


    ¡¸¡­So, what should I do?¡¹


    ¡¸First off, an explanation. There are several entities that are able to draw Magical Energy from their surroundings. The Core is one such entity, while Fairies and Spirits are another famous examples.¡¹


    I have definitely thought about how nice it would be to be able to learn that ability of Fairies and Spirits. Anyone who is a magic-based Job would think about that at least once.


    But even if you long to swim in the sea like a fish, it¡¯s like how a Normal cannot simply learn how to breathe through gills.


    It isn¡¯t a technique, but a function that they are born with, so it cannot be reproduced.


    ¡¸Ogres have the ability to convert food into regeneration or physical strength. Majins store Magical Energy in their horns, where it is purified and compacted into a high density. The ability to absorb and convert energy itself is not unusual.¡¹


    ¡¸R-right¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It is said that only Majins are able to master the Fairies¡¯ and Spirits¡¯ ability.¡¹


    ¡¸Is it because the horn has the function to draw in Magical Energy?¡¹


    Because I inherited my master¡¯s horn, I am no longer purely Normal.


    Perhaps, for this reason, I have a chance¡­?


    ¡¸Correct. However, it is far easier said than done.¡¹


    That¡¯s true. If it was easy, there would be way more people who mastered it. Only about three people in the world who have learned this ability is too little. Just how difficult is this path?


    Pouring magic into a horn is like throwing a bucket into a well and pouring the drawn-out water into a different vessel.  There is nothing difficult about it. It¡¯s just a matter of fatigue depending on the amount and frequency.


    But how would you imagine taking Magical Energy from the surroundings?


    I guess an example would be¡­


    ¡­like grabbing mist with your hands and trying to store it like water in a vessel.


    Even so, I have to try.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot guide you in this process. Alternatively, I shall give you the authority to transfer to this room.¡¹


    She herself did not master this ability.


    Lending me the most suitable place for training is more than enough, I¡¯m grateful.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    I approach the Core.


    It¡¯s just like my master¡¯s training.


    I¡¯ll train until I¡¯m able to do it.


    I¡¯ll find my own path through trial and error.


    It¡¯s the same as telling me to become a whole different lifeform. It is a steep path.


    But if I need to do it in order to win, I¡¯ll learn it!


    She said that few people could do it. She wouldn¡¯t lie about that.


    And so, I reached my hand out towards the Core.

 CH 128

    128 ¨C I Told You This Won¡¯t Make You Strong Right Away


    It¡¯s been two weeks since that day.


    The day of the Raid Clear is finally approaching and the town has been getting lively.


    This is because the son of my master, and also the father of her Highness, Fellow, has various projects going once again.


    He prepared a special experiment for the main event, but he¡¯s making good use of the preparation period.


    Public Adventurer training exhibitions, symposiums, autograph booths, meet-and-greets, stamp rallies, and the sale of limited goods.


    In perfect partnership with the shops of the town, there was a lively event that involved both residents and fans.


    Also, TV stations would be insane to ignore such an experiment, so the town where the Demon King Castle is is on the news every day.


    At one point, they even broadcast limited-time combat drills and so on being done in the space created in the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, the one that Thor earlier signed a contract with Fellow with to allow him to rent it, and it became a hot topic.


    The video this time will have several versions produced, each version featuring each party as the main character and distributed in each party¡¯s channel.


    Since there are officially five parties taking part, Wraith and his allies don¡¯t have their own channel.


    This will end up raising people¡¯s interest while limiting Wraith¡¯s exposure, which is most likely good for Fellow. It¡¯s probably all according to plan.


    ¡¸Oh, look, Lem. It looks like they are introducing the Floor Bosses of the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    I kept on thinking while chewing my breakfast.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    I half-heartedly answer whatever Milla just said.


    That¡¯s right, I have been stopped by a wall for the past two weeks.


    I can sense the Magical Energy built into the Core.


    I can also sense the Magical Energy that¡¯s released.


    But I just can¡¯t absorb it into the horn. I concentrate and try to make the Magical Energy touch the horn, but nothing happens.


    I¡¯ve tried this and that, but nothing works. It doesn¡¯t even twitch. Without grasping any sensation, I¡¯ve just wasted time.


    ¡¸Hmph¡­I¡¯m sure that there are far better scenes of Carmilla. What a shoddy job¡­But Sitri does look cute on camera¡­Perhaps I should be more aware of the camera?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Vepar is ostentatious the moment she appears, so it suits her. How Furcus leads the Dragonkin and lies in wait is also¡­Hmm, I believe I might have to think of something more interesting for my role. Is Lord Lemegeton going to sit on the throne to welcome the Adventurers like last time?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸By the way, does today¡¯s breakfast suit your tastes?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem. The forecast said it will rain spears today.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh-huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I believe we have become quite intimate. Shall we get married soon?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­huh?¡¹


    Marriage? Marriage¡­?!


    I look up from my meal in confusion.


    Milla looked unassuming, but if you looked closely, you could see she was pouting slightly.


    I restlessly eat this painstakingly prepared breakfast in a daze while not listening to a word she¡¯s said. Of course, she¡¯d be in a bad mood.


    ¡¸So-sorry¡­I was stuck in my own head.¡¹


    When I said that, she let out the air she was holding in her cheeks as a sigh.


    ¡¸Is it about your lack of Magical Energy?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­it¡¯s said that various people could do it, but still no success on my end¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Knowing you, Lem, I believe you have already exhausted your thoughts thinking of various things. At such a time, wouldn¡¯t it be important to take a break rather than forcing yourself to think?¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose¡­you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t mind, you could consult with me? Or perhaps there¡¯s something I could help you with?¡¹


    Milla tilted her head, eyes wet.


    I wonder if this is the usual performance she does.


    She laughed as if suddenly losing interest, I realized that her expression hardened.


    ¡¸Thanks, then, do you mind listening?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course not.¡¹


    Then I spoke.


    About the past two weeks of absolutely no progress.


    Until now, Milla had not asked me anything in-depth, perhaps out of concern for my well-being. I hadn¡¯t talked to her myself, so today was the first time I had talked to her in detail.


    ¡¸¡­I see. This is quite an extreme method¡­ It¡¯s like, no matter how much I were to struggle, I am unable to manipulate the blood of other races. I believe it is similar to that¡­¡¹


    The ability Vampires have to manipulate blood into weapons and armor is a Blood Manipulation Technique, if I¡¯m not mistaken.


    ¡¸If there wasn¡¯t a previous person who succeeded, I would have thought the same thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡¯s master, right¡­? Also her Highness¡¯s grandfather.¡¹


    My master could do it. If it¡¯s not technically impossible, then it¡¯s possible. No matter how difficult it is to realize, it¡¯s possible.


    ¡¸Yeah, it might be hard to learn something at Sorcery level, but it shouldn¡¯t be impossible.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you not ask your master for guidance?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­There are many reasons for that, but either way, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it in time.¡¹


    Fenix¡¯s and my hometown is deep in the countryside, so by the time I go there and return, the Raid Battle would have already started.


    My master doesn¡¯t have an e-mail account, so all I can do is send him letters.


    And well¡­I never really considered asking him about it in the first place.


    Of course, it is important to ask people if there is something they do not understand. Even if you think about it yourself, there are times when you cannot find an answer. Rather than leaving it as it is and causing problems, it is much smarter to rely on someone.


    ¡¸My master wouldn¡¯t give me training that had no meaning behind it. Even if his directions were unreasonable or nonsensical, they had meaning. By doing that, I definitely gained something and grew.¡¹


    ¡¸What a wonderful man.¡¹


    ¡¸To the rest of the world, he may not be seen as a good person. But to me, he is a great person, and I owe him a lot. That¡¯s why I think that the skill to absorb Magical Energy from the surroundings into the horn is amazing.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I think so too. After all, they say that only Spirits and Fairies are able to do it.¡¹


    ¡¸My master gave me his horn. He told me that if there ever came a time where an opponent that I want to defeat appears, I should win in a head-to-head battle. But I¡¯ve never heard my master talk about this skill.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uh-uhm. Is it so unnatural that your master, who wishes for Lem to win, would not talk about such a useful skill?¡¹


    I nod at Milla¡¯s words and continue.


    ¡¸If trouble ever arose, it was time for the horn. So why didn¡¯t my master teach me this skill? I can think of these reasons.¡¹


    And then, I list them, one finger at a time.


    One,¡¸Because it¡¯s dangerous.¡¹. From the way her Highness talked about it, this seems unlikely.


    Two,¡¸Because I¡¯m still inexperienced.¡¹. This may be so, but if it was, then my master would have said as much when he explained it to me.


    Three,¡¸Because you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you.¡¹. This is what I think it really is.


    My master wouldn¡¯t give me training that had no meaning behind it.


    Even if he revealed the existence of this skill to me, if even my master couldn¡¯t teach me how to use it¡­


    I would have wasted my time training zealously, just like these past two weeks.


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t say it.


    Perhaps the order was the other way around, to begin with.


    He didn¡¯t master the skill after knowing about its existence¡­


    but rather, he first acquired it by reaching a state of mind, personally.


    ¡¸Thi-this is getting somewhat complicated¡­¡¹


    ¡¸How should I put it¡­for example if you pulled up a dictionary and looked for the definition of love or the definition of justice, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find the answers you¡¯re looking for. I could be influenced by someone else¡¯s words, but it¡¯s what I find out for myself, in the end. My master didn¡¯t say anything because he could not give me an answer in his own words.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I completely understand.¡¹


    Milla nodded vigorously. She seemed very drawn to the¡¸Love¡¹part of what I said just now.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I thought it would be useless to ask him.¡¹


    There¡¯s actually one more reason I thought of.


    And that¡¯s¡¸I know that you can¡¯t learn it.¡¹.


    If it can¡¯t be mastered by someone who just inherited the horn, no wonder my master didn¡¯t tell me.


    My master is a strict person, but he isn¡¯t the type to deny someone¡¯s future by saying that it is useless or impossible. Although he will call you a sissy or tell you that you¡¯re not cut out for this.


    He never once told me that I could never become a hero.


    He isn¡¯t the type of person that would intentionally say¡¸I can learn this skill, but you can¡¯t.¡¹about absorbing Magical Energy. If there was, he would quietly tell me about it when I noticed it on my own.


    But I can¡¯t help but consider this.


    Now that I¡¯ve said I can do it, I must do it.


    Of course, I have to think about what happens if I can¡¯t, that is also a part of my duty, but I won¡¯t give up.


    ¡¸I think I have to do this by myself. I think it¡¯s the way I handle the horn, or the way I perceive Magical Energy. It¡¯s not about skill, but about sensation. Magical Energy is there, the horn is there, it isn¡¯t impossible yet I can¡¯t absorb it. Is it my perception? ¡­Are my preconceptions getting in the way¡­?¡¹


    I muttered to myself, staring at the floor before I knew it.


    My cheeks were wrapped by something soft and my face was turned upwards.


    There, I saw two crimson moon-like eyes staring at me.


    ¡¸I believe it¡¯s almost time for you to pick up Cashew, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    It seems I got stuck in the mires of my mind again.


    I look at the clock and she is exactly right.


    I quickly wolf down the rest of my breakfast and change my clothes.


    Time still passes even when I¡¯m worrying endlessly. Time doesn¡¯t slow down for me.


    ¡¸¡­Somehow, I feel like I am indebted to you more and more as time goes on, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Pay it no mind, it is simply what I love to do.¡¹


    It¡¯s more like, it feels like she takes care of me half of the time.


    She takes care of my home perfectly and she is a big help both at work and in my personal life.


    ¡¸No, this isn¡¯t good. You¡¯re always rescuing me.¡¹


    Just a little while ago, I was learning how to do the housework under her guidance, but that was interrupted by the Raid Battle.


    ¡¸Ufufu, do you feel as if you couldn¡¯t live without me? Truth be told, that is what I am aiming for.¡¹


    She laughs jokingly.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    When I realized that Milla¡¯s presence will always be felt, I gave a wry smile.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    While putting on my shoes at the entrance, I heard her voice calling me.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸About the reasons that your master did not explain it to you, earlier. I thought of one more reason.¡¹


    ¡­Did she realize the same reason that I didn¡¯t mention?


    No, I was wrong.


    ¡¸Surely, your master believed that you would arrive upon the answer on your own, perhaps?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    He didn¡¯t give me the answer halfway because it was something that I had to get on my own.


    Did my master think that I would be able to do that?


    I don¡¯t know the answer, and even if I asked him, he wouldn¡¯t tell me.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­if that were the case, I¡¯d be happy.¡¹


    In that case, I went off the regular learning route when I heard about it from her Highness.


    At the very least, I have to figure out the answers.


    ¡¸I¡¯m off. See you at the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    I smiled. I was able to give a completely natural one.


    ¡¸Have a safe journey. Of course, I believe that if anyone can do it, you can, Lem.¡¹


    Even if someone said it was impossible, I wouldn¡¯t give up on becoming a hero.


    But I was happy when my master made me his disciple and when Fenix asked to form a party with him.


    I feel the same way this time as well.


    Just knowing that Milla believes in me, makes me very happy.


    That will surely become my strength.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹

 CH 129

    129 ¨C  Worry. Worry. Cashew Greets Me. I Smile.


    On my way to pick up Cashew, I ponder about if there were any leads in these past two weeks up till now.


    What I think back on now is the conversation I had with the Demon of Love Sitri.


    The cat-like girl who takes the form of a Dream Demon, but is actually a leopard Demi-Beast.


    One of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, and a friend.


    ¡ºDrain? That doesn¡¯t suck Magical Energy, silly. Dream Demons suck in life energy. I thought you knew that, Lem?¡»


    ¡ºI do, but I was wondering about what is different about it specifically.¡»


    ¡ºHmm? I don¡¯t mind, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask Milly?¡»


    ¡ºMilla?¡»


    ¡ºBlood-sucking is the same, right? They call it absorbing vitality, but it¡¯s easier to understand because they suck blood, right?¡»


    According to Sitri¡¯s explanation, the reason it is so difficult to absorb Magical Energy is that Magical Energy itself is very hard to grasp.


    Magical Energy is the source of everything.


    Magic, life energy, vitality. All made of Magical Energy.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s difficult to meddle with Magical Energy itself. It¡¯s almost impossible. The Magical Energy of living things is generated by the Magical Energy organ, right? Have you heard talk about how you can consciously manipulate the process?¡»


    ¡º¡­I have.¡»


    The atmosphere is comprised of Magical Energy, yet we can¡¯t command it to turn into magic.


    Why? Your own Magical Energy becomes the magic you imagined when accompanied by your own technique.


    Therefore, it is theorized that natural Magical Energy is different from the Magical Energy produced by the Magical Energy organ.


    This is probably the case. Magical Energy is the source of everything. If one does not have the technique to manipulate it, even unconsciously, one cannot live. All living things are equipped with the function to create Magical Energy and process it in order to live.


    Living things that use magic have evolved to consciously use this function.


    ¡ºLife energy and vitality are both life force. If a living person is in front of me, and I can touch them, it isn¡¯t hard to imagine robbing their energy. The same goes for sucking blood to rob them of their energy. It¡¯s easy to understand.¡»


    I thought that explanation was a little vague, but Sitri continued.


    ¡ºLook, if you were splashed with Water Magic, you¡¯d get wet, right? You can drink that water, and you can even wring it out of your wet clothes. Magical Energy was turned into water, something that anyone can touch, and is easy to understand.¡»


    ¡ºAre you saying that perception is important in the activation of unique techniques and magic¡­?¡»


    ¡ºProbably. I can turn into many different living things, but if I can¡¯t imagine it properly, I can¡¯t reproduce it properly, either. I don¡¯t really understand Majin¡¯s horns either.¡»


    ¡ºIs that true?¡»


    ¡ºYeah. Blood-sucking and Drain are like eating a meal. It replenishes your energy. That¡¯s normal, right? But the horns store Magical Energy within them, you can¡¯t really replace that with something normal. I mean, something you eat is digested, right? Can you imagine what it feels like to store it in your body?¡»


    That is exactly how I imagine it¡­


    Well, I suppose that image is something that some people get and some just don¡¯t.


    ¡ºWhat if you think of it as what you ate turning into fats that are stored in your body¡­?¡»


    ¡ºFats doesn¡¯t sound cute at all, so I will not imagine that, but that doesn¡¯t work either. Cause horns don¡¯t get fatter when they store a lot of Magical Energy, right?¡»


    ¡­I see. It has to be a complete, one-to-one, analogy.


    Sitri¡¯s conversation is very interesting. But¡­


    ¡ºIs it impossible to absorb Magical Energy itself?¡»


    By the way, Drain and blood-sucking originally absorbed life force, but in this age of Avatar battles, they absorb Magical Energy instead since Avatars are made of Magical Energy.


    But this is just a technicality, they are still used with the image of sucking blood or life energy.


    Sitri tilted her head with a curious expression on her face at my question.


    ¡ºI haven¡¯t thought about it. Cause that¡¯s¡­weird, right? Why go out of your way to find raw meat when you can enjoy the taste of grilled meat? ¡­Hmm, that¡¯s probably hard to understand.¡»


    ¡ºNo, it¡¯s fine. I understand.¡»


    When you want to eat something right away, you can eat a delicious meal.


    Despite having that ability, you don¡¯t think about intentionally absorbing Magical Energy, which I suppose in this case can be likened to raw ingredients.


    While that may be true, Majin¡¯s are equipped with the ability to store Magical Energy in their horns.


    ¡ºSo, if Lem can easily imagine Magical Energy, that can¡¯t be seen but still exists, entering your body, you should be able to absorb it just like that.¡»


    I was very grateful for the advice.


    However, no matter how much I rack my brain, I just can¡¯t do it.


    I wasn¡¯t just worrying about it for the past two weeks.


    Magic, for example.


    I don¡¯t normally use it because it is inefficient and ineffective, but if I were a Wizard Job, I could use Elemental Magic.


    Even if I tried casting Water Magic to wet the exposed horn or Fire Magic, which is as short-lived as a match, it doesn¡¯t absorb it in the slightest. Of course, I can sense the Magical Energy, but I can¡¯t pour it into the horn.


    Maybe if it were my own¡­


    The stratum where the Dungeon Core is located is the best training environment.


    Originally, Magical Energy is difficult to sense. If you were on the receiving end of Fenix¡¯s Magical Energy, even a regular person would be able to sense it, but people can¡¯t sense the Magical Energy in the air. It¡¯s too faint.


    On that point, Magical Energy released from the Core is thick and plenty.


    Even so, I intentionally put myself in an environment with very little Magical Energy.


    I did this because I thought that if I was in a place where I strongly sensed no Magical Energy, I would sense Magical Energy better in places that do have it.


    This turned out to be true, but still no results.


    Sitri¡¯s advice is based solely on her own experiences.


    I have nothing but gratitude in my heart, but I shouldn¡¯t get too caught up with it. I have to find my own answer.


    I know I do, but¡­


    Thinking about this and that, I arrive at Cashew¡¯s house. A two-story apartment building. Each floor has five apartments, her¡¯s was the one right in the middle of the first floor.


    I rub my face with both my hands, cutting out my thoughts.


    I mustn¡¯t make Cashew worry.


    I form my hand into a fist to knock on the door, but it looks like I won¡¯t be doing that today either.


    Because someone always notices that I¡¯m here and opens the door before I can knock.


    It¡¯s usually Cashew, but sometimes it¡¯s her sister, Maca, like last time, or perhaps their mother, and sometimes her little brother and sister.


    Is it my footsteps? Do they sense my presence? I wonder how they know it¡¯s me.


    I have asked Cashew about it before, but she looked down shyly.


    For a moment, her nose twitched¡­no way, is it my scent? Do I smell?


    ¡¸Good morning Lem!¡¹


    Looking at Cashew¡¯s blooming smile, my worries vanished.


    I was thinking too much and doing nothing but worrying.


    ¡¸Morning, Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸Come in. I helped make breakfast today.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to that. Pardon the intrusion.¡¹


    I have breakfast twice a day. Once in my dorm room. Another at Cashew¡¯s house.


    Little did I know that I would find the key to solving my worries during my second breakfast.

 CH 130

    130 ¨C The Hint was on the Table


    ¡¸Oh, Lem. Good mo~rning~.¡¹


    The girl carrying plates bursting with her cooking noticed me and smiled.


    She had light brown hair, longer than Cashew¡¯s. Since she¡¯s cooking, she has it done up in a ponytail. She¡¯s only twelve years old, but the kitchen is already her domain.


    It¡¯s Maca. She has the Chef Job, and is Cashew¡¯s older sister.


    I am captivated by her green eyes that are shared among the whole family.


    ¡¸Good morning.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re just in time. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡¹


    ¡¸As always, thank you for the meal.¡¹


    While petting Mia¡¯s head, Cashew¡¯s little sister, as she drew close to my feet calling my name, I returned a smile to Maca.


    ¡¸Not at all. On the flipside, if I can¡¯t do this much, I¡¯ll be the one in trouble. It¡¯s thanks to Lem that I can do some decent cooking training. Wait, how many times have we been down this road?¡¹


    Maca laughed sarcastically.


    Cashew¡¯s family used to have trouble making ends meet, but ever since she became the secretary of the Demon King Army, it has gotten easier for them.


    The one who invited her was Milla, and the Demon King Castle is the one paying her salary.


    I think it¡¯s wrong to thank me, but when I say that, Cashew will end the conversation by saying that if she had never met me, the path to becoming the Chief of Staff¡¯s secretary would have never opened.


    I nodded vaguely, as I didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation that was becoming a routine and let the food get cold.


    ¡¸Well then, thank you for the meal.¡¹


    ¡¸Please, it¡¯s delicious today, as well.¡¹


    As usual, Nuts, Cashew¡¯s younger brother, is biting my hand, and Cashew has to pull him off, and then I sit down.


    ¡¸Oh my, you¡¯re looking paler. You seemed to have been struggling with something recently, I wonder if it has been resolved.¡¹


    Says Hazel, Cashew and everyone¡¯s mother, while putting a hand to my face.


    ¡¸Is it that obvious¡­?¡¹


    Just like Milla, Hazel was sharp enough to notice. Or maybe I¡¯m just easy to read.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s because Cashew has been very worried about you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll do my best to solve it.¡¹


    My condition is making all sorts of people worry.


    ¡¸Not at all, worrying isn¡¯t a bad thing. It just means you¡¯re working hard to find the answer. That aside, my daughter was very sad saying¡ºI wonder if it¡¯s something that he can¡¯t discuss with his secretary¡­¡»and-¡¹


    ¡¸M-mom!¡¹


    In a panic, Cashew clings to her mother¡¯s arm and shakes her to stop her from saying any more.


    All Hazel said was¡¸Ara ara¡¹, as she shook gently.


    While this and that was going on, we had breakfast.


    The meal continued peacefully, then Nuts went¡¸Blech!¡¹with a scrunched up face while sticking out his tongue.


    On it were finely chopped bitter-tasting vegetables.


    ¡¸Gwoss¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, eat it properly.¡¹


    When Maca scolds him, Nuts turns to face away from her.


    ¡¸It tastes bad, so I don¡¯t wanna.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-you little¡­Don¡¯t say such deplorable things about something so small. It¡¯s nutritious, so eat it. Look, everyone except you is eating it just fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Make me.¡¹


    I was absentmindedly watching the sisterly side of this lively and friendly girl, but when Maca started to twitch with rage, I decided to interrupt. An angry voice does not suit the spread of painstakingly, deliciously cooked food lined up on the table.


    ¡¸Nuts. Are you sure about this? You want to become strong enough to protect your mother and sisters, right?¡¹


    ¡¸!¡¹


    Nuts looks at me.


    I excused myself and stood up.


    Something easy to understand¡­hmm, this should work.


    I grabbed the table with all the food lined up on it, and lift it up as it is.


    Of course, I pay close attention to not drop the food or water. I lift it up without causing a single tableware to move, not even a speck of dust shifted. After confirming that Nuts was surprised, I gently put the table back down.


    That may have been a little rude. But I was able to get his attention.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you know this, Nuts, but I don¡¯t have a warrior-like fighting Job. Still, by properly eating nutritious meals, and a lot of training, you¡¯ll be able to do this much. Now I wonder¡­could a boy who was defeated by bitter vegetables  ever hope to win against a bad man targetting your family?¡¹


    I shouldn¡¯t interfere with the upbringing of someone else¡¯s family, but this time, I thought it would be fine to comply with Maca¡¯s feelings.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Nuts¡¯s eyes alternated between the plate of food and me.


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t eat your vegetables, I might take Cashew away.¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s ears jolted straight up.


    Maca went¡¸Take me as well~¡¹while laughing. Good, she seems to have calmed down.


    ¡¸¡­! I¡¯ll eat it! I¡¯ll never let you take Cashew!¡¹


    Saying that, Nuts ravenously devours his meal.


    He grimaced at the bitterness, but he gulped it down.


    ¡¸See!¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, well done¡­wait, no. Now you can protect your family.¡¹


    Nuts was in a good mood with a triumphant expression on his face.


    You may not see the results in one meal, but you will as the meals pile on.


    The food you take into your body becomes a part of you¡­¡­-?!


    I stand up suddenly, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Lem? You gonna lift the table again?¡¹


    Maca said with a curious look on her face.


    ¡¸Oh, no, sorry. The worries we were talking about earlier¡­I think I might have found the answer¡­or at least a hint towards it, I think. It surprised me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, you¡¯re always so calm, Lem, but I guess stuff like this can happen to you, too.¡¹


    I, too, laugh and take my seat, once again.


    I want to run to the Demon King Castle right now, but I will eat all of Maca¡¯s cooking.


    Being sent off by her family, I head towards our place of work with the ready-to-go Cashew.


    ¡¸Le-Lem¡­about the conversation earlier¡­¡¹


    ¡­That¡¯s right, she was worried about me not consulting with her.


    But how do I explain it?


    ¡¸Hmm¡­it¡¯s for the next battle. I need to think of a new technique. I¡¯ve already decided on the technique, but I¡¯ve been worried about how to learn it.¡¹


    ¡¸Technique¡­a secret final technique?!¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing as cool as that, heh. But, yeah, something just as difficult.¡¹


    ¡¸A technique like a secret final technique¡­Just now, you thought of a way to learn it right?¡¹


    ¡¸I feel like I¡¯ve got something.¡¹


    ¡¸You can do it, I know you can!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, thanks. When you say it like that, I feel like I can do anything.¡¹


    When we reached our workplace, I head straight for the Link Room, the room where you can project your consciousness into your Avatar.


    ¡¸Have you grasped something?¡¹


    Her Highness was there.


    It seems she was worried too, as she has been here every day recently, asking the same question.


    Until now, I¡¯ve always had a sorry look on my face, but not today.


    It¡¯s a weird story, but I may have been helped by Nuts¡¯s battle with bitter vegetables.


    ¡¸I think¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Incredible.¡¹


    First, I transfer my consciousness into my Avatar.


    ¡¸Ah, should I explain it? Master most likely came to the same conclusion on his own with his own thinking, at least that¡¯s what I think.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, I see¡­then I shall not ask. Instead¡­Carmilla. I leave it to you.¡¹


    After saying that, Milla suddenly stood up from the shadows and hit her head on a piece of machinery with a crash.


    ¡¸Ow. Your Highness¡­I asked you to conceal my presence¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I know that you know you can¡¯t pull a wool over his eyes. It¡¯s best to just come out honestly.¡¹


    She thought not to add more pressure onto me after cheering me on earlier, huh? Yet she was still curious and planned on watching while hidden¡­or something like that?


    ¡¸I wish to organize my own thoughts, so it would be of great help to have someone to talk to.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Then I, Carmilla, shall risk life and limb to fulfill this important role.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    Having said that, her Highness leaves the room.


    She wishes to learn it on her own.


    ¡¸Well then, let us be off.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹

 CH 131

    131 ¨C I Needed to Differentiate Myself from the World Since the Beginning


    ¡¸The horns of Majins store Magical Energy that is produced by their own body. So, when it was time to create my Avatar, I wondered what to do with the stored Magical Energy in the horn. There were two methods.¡¹


    ¡¸Reproduce the Avatar including all the stored up Magical Energy, or transfer the Magical Energy stored within into the Avatar.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup. In the former, you won¡¯t lose your own Magical Energy, but it will incur an outrageous cost. Enough to make you hesitate when you imagine such an expensive Avatar getting broken. That¡¯s why I normally transfer my Magical Energy. This way, I transfer the required amount of Magical Energy, so by not transferring all of my Magical Energy and then it getting completely destroyed, I don¡¯t experience a shortage of Magical Energy.¡¹


    Transferring all my Magical Energy into my Avatar for the Fenix battle is exactly why I lack Magical Energy now.


    ¡¸Yes, I understand so far.¡¹


    ¡¸So then, do you know how I transfer Magical Energy into the Avatar?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, by simple physical contact, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡¹


    I nod.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I just touch my real body with my Avatar. It¡¯s a little strange, but they are both me so there¡¯s nothing wrong with transferring my own Magical Energy into my own horn. Up to now, that¡¯s what I thought.¡¹


    I open the cocoon and absorb some Magical Energy from my real body. Yup, I can do it with no problem.


    ¡¸¡­Are you saying, that¡¯s not how it is?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s correct. It¡¯s just that I think that the explanation is insufficient.¡¹


    ¡¸Insufficient¡­¡¹


    ¡¸For Vampires, is it possible for you to manipulate the blood of your real body after you go into your Avatar?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I-I shall try.¡¹


    Milla becomes Carmilla. She transfers her mind to her Avatar.


    And then, she opens her cocoon and touches her real body as I did with mine.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡¹


    I knew it.


    The Magical Energy from the horn of a Majin can be transferred to the Avatar, but for Vampires, blood from the real body can¡¯t be taken into the Dungeon defense. The blood of the Avatar is ultimately Magical Energy that reproduces the same function.


    Bringing your real blood into battle is against the rules. That¡¯s why there isn¡¯t anyone who tried it.


    Whether it was possible or not, no one bothered to try it because it was meaningless.


    Or perhaps people knew, but it was completely useless.


    ¡¸Maybe it¡¯s a matter of awareness. With your real body, you can control blood, but with your Avatar, you control Magical Energy that mimics blood. You are unconsciously aware of that difference.¡¹


    ¡¸But is this not the difference between pure Magical Energy and the rest?¡¹


    It¡¯s possible that Majin¡¯s can bring in their own Magical Energy into battle purely because they bring in Magical Energy as it is.


    If that were the case, it would not help with the absorption of Magical Energy by the horns.


    It only means that you are transferring it from your body to your own body.


    ¡¸Yeah, but if so, that would mean that you could load Magical Energy from your real body into the staff.¡¹


    I touch my real body with the Chief of Staff staff that I have in my hand.


    ¡¸Only the Magical Energy of the user can be loaded into the staff. If we assume that the Magical Energy transferred into the horn is my own, then I should be able to¡­¡¹


    And then, I confirmed it.


    ¡¸Lem, this¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yup, it failed. Just as I thought.¡¹


    Incidentally, staves don¡¯t store Magical Energy as Magic Stones do. They compress and refine it. Depending on the quality of the staff, Magical Energy will start to leak out after a fixed period of time and melt into the air.


    That being the case, even if this method was possible, Wizards and the like wouldn¡¯t be able to bring it into Clears or Defenses.


    It doesn¡¯t make much sense to do so, and since the activity of the Magical Energy organ is suppressed when you are in the cocoon, you can¡¯t take much with you.


    ¡¸S-so, you¡¯re saying that the reason that the Avatar¡¯s horns of a Majin can absorb the Magical Energy stored in the horns of the Majin¡¯s real body is not that it is their own Magical Energy, but because of the ability to store Magical Energy equipped into the horns themselves? But that¡¯s strange.¡¹


    In that case, Majin¡¯s horns have always been able to absorb Magical Energy, but that¡¯s odd if that¡¯s true.


    That would mean that Majins have always been a living creature that could store Magical Energy from their surroundings.


    ¡¸Right? That¡¯s why that isn¡¯t the reason.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Milla gaped at the fact that I just admitted. Her small mouth formed a circle. It¡¯s rare to see her pull a face like that, but now is not the time to be fascinated by it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not because it¡¯s my own Magical Energy that I can transfer it. It¡¯s because I perceive it as such that I can absorb it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­Pardon me, I, I don¡¯t quite understand.¡¹


    I continue while putting my thoughts into order.


    ¡¸For example¡­in the living room in my dorm room, there are some fruits, right? I bought them from Blitz¡¯s shop.¡¹


    Blitz. Cashew¡¯s former employer, a friend of her mother¡¯s, and a friend of mine. A fruit stall seller.


    ¡¸Yes, there is.¡¹


    She nods.


    ¡¸When we eat them, we don¡¯t hesitate nor do we have any problems, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, well¡­ since Lem bought it, I would ask first¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I guess so. Well, in this scenario, let¡¯s limit it to just me.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, I suppose you¡¯re right. They belong to you, so you don¡¯t mind when you eat them.¡¹


    ¡¸So then, let¡¯s change the place to the marketplace. I am there, penniless, and decide to just eat the fruits from the fruit seller¡¯s store. What then?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡­would be a problem. That is just theft at that point, no?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly. The fruits are the same, yet depending on the situation, it is considered good or bad to eat. This example is based on the rules of the world, so of course, we must obey them. However, Magical Energy has no such rules.¡¹


    Of course, you can¡¯t steal Magic Stones. The rules of the world still apply there.


    But, there isn¡¯t a law that penalizes Spirits and Fairies for gathering Magical Energy from nature. Just like how there isn¡¯t a law against breathing.


    ¡¸¡­So, we freely use our own Magical Energy, but conversely, we think of Magical Energy from the outside as something we cannot freely use, so we unconsciously suppress ourselves?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what I think. I believe it¡¯s because the staff is a thing that purifies the Magical Energy of the user, in this case, the same person has two bodies, so the user is the one holding the staff. It is difficult to put the real body without a consciousness into the category of user. On that point, horns are simple. I take it from my horn, send it to my horn. I can do it without issue by perceiving it as my own Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case¡­It is often said that there is a way to become aware of your Magical Energy generation and manipulate it yourself¡­is it possible that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I believe it is about the perception that Magical Energy created by yourself is your own.¡¹


    With this, it¡¯s easy to see why there are so few people who acquired this skill.


    There isn¡¯t anyone who believes that the air belongs to them and they absorb it. Let alone people who would think to manipulate it.


    On the contrary, I can see why Spirits and Fairies can do it.


    They are both born from the world.


    It is theorized that Fairies were the same as Spirits but attained corporeal forms.


    To them, they are one with the world.


    They are born from it, they reside in it, they are it.


    It would be impossible for us Humans to acquire the exact same values now. There is a difference in our awareness as living things.


    That¡¯s why I thought that¡­


    ¡¸I am what I eat. It didn¡¯t work because I thought of it as absorbing Magical Energy. This is mine, something I can eat, my nourishment. All I had to do was think it and just do it.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I see¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Milla. I think I was able to sort it out while we were talking. Uhm, well, I¡¯ll head to the Core now¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Oh, sure. Good¡­luck¡­?¡¹


    I quickly head towards the room where the Core is.


    I approach the Core, follow the pipe where the Magical Energy flows, and twist the valve. Magical Energy spews out.


    I expose the horn and concentrate.


    This is mine, mine¡­mine.


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡¸¡­Heh, I knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.¡¹


    Of course.


    There are certainly times when you realize something and then you develop suddenly.


    But in any field, isn¡¯t there a huge amount of effort behind such moments?


    You work hard, go through trial and error, fail, but then you continue to work hard.


    At some point, you have a realization. You adjust your efforts and have a breakthrough. Success.


    You can¡¯t master a skill with just a flash of inspiration.


    But still, I did acquire that flash. All I have to do now is adjust my efforts, and train further.


    I tighten the valve.


    Concentrate.


    I release Magical Energy from the base of my feet. It¡¯s my own Magical Energy.


    Next, I release Magical Energy horizontally.


    It swirls around me slowly, like a whirlwind.


    Magical Energy dissipates as soon as it is left alone, so I wanted to let it float around me as much as possible by adjusting the way I release it.


    It is difficult to suddenly think of the Core¡¯s Magical Energy as my own.


    The first step is to bring the Magical Energy that was under my control a moment ago, back under my control.


    No, it¡¯s more like picking up something you dropped and putting it back in your pocket.


    I didn¡¯t lose it. It¡¯s mine.

 CH 132

    132 ¨C The Raid Battle is Finally Upon us Tomorrow, But Let¡¯s Go Over the Participants Once More!


    It¡¯s morning.


    I¡¯m chewing on toast.


    On said toast are a large serving of fried eggs and crispy bacon. I hold it in one hand, while the other hand is holding a glass filled with milk.


    I chew, swallow, then gulp down the milk.


    In the living room of my dorm room, Milla and I are watching TV.


    The screen is showing a special feature on the raid battle.


    It has been running over and over again in various places in the past few days, but I guess that¡¯s how high profile of an event it is.


    ¡¸People are getting really excited about it, huh? If it attracts so much attention, why hasn¡¯t there been a Raid Battle for all this time?¡¹


    When Milla is cooking, she ties her hair up into a ponytail. Occasionally, she forgets to untie it when she sits down to eat. Today is one such occasion.


    Her usual hairstyle where her hair is down certainly has its charms, but different hairstyles suit her too.


    I respond to the ponytailed Milla after I finished chewing my food.


    ¡¸I think there are several factors, but fundamentally, I think it¡¯s because there aren¡¯t many benefits for Adventurers.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that¡­so?¡¹


    ¡¸In this Clear, seventeen people are involved. Since there are so many people, their attention has to be distributed somehow.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s certainly true. However, the participating parties, excluding the Water Hero and his Destroyer ally, are all exceptionally famous. I think it would be rather impossible for them to not stand out.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s all there is to it, then there isn¡¯t much benefit in the end. They might as well put up their own videos. By Clearing together, they will end up comparing themselves to each other, they will have difficulties cooperating, and since there are many egotistical Heroes out there, there are many parties who would rather Clear a Dungeon by themselves.¡¹


    It¡¯s a different story if their ranks are far apart, but these are the top five parties. Without a shadow of a doubt, there isn¡¯t anyone who doesn¡¯t know who they are.


    ¡¸Hm, hmm¡­in that case, how about how much of a treat this is for the viewers?¡¹


    ¡¸That is true. There are many who would love to see the Spirit Contractors fighting together, or bitter rival parties working together.¡¹


    I, too, love that sorta thing.


    ¡¸The other reasons for it not being implemented are that high profile parties are busy, so they are tied down by their schedules. It is troublesome to settle the matter of the distribution rights and recompense, and the fact that there aren¡¯t many Dungeons that can handle multiple parties. There aren¡¯t too many grand personages who are willing to go through all of that to hold the event.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Her Highness¡¯s father is one such person, isn¡¯t he?¡¹


    ¡¸I think so. Even now, I find it curious as to how he assembled those members.¡¹


    The Wraith team is an exception, but they are a group of top Adventurers.


    I¡¯m sure they themselves think that too, so I didn¡¯t think that they would agree to do a group Clear.


    For some reason, I think Aerial decided to participate because of Wraith.


    ¡¸And then¡­¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s more¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸In the previous Raid Battle, my master instantly defeated all the top Adventurers in the first stratum¡­ It became taboo in the industry. Even if you were interested in it, you can¡¯t say you wanted to do it, or something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸In that sense, it may have been Fellow who is the only one who could revive it.¡¹


    Fellow, who respects my master as the strongest Demon King, hates the industry for forcing him into retirement.


    How many of us have the power to ignore the image that Adventurers and the Union have about raids and propose a plan?


    The town can be boosted with an exciting event, and the participating Adventurers can all be highlighted.


    No matter how big the image of a raid once was, there are a lot of fun event ideas to overwrite that image.


    After that¡­


    ¡¸Fenix and co. were on the verge of Clearing it completely, and that¡¯s big. Society thinks that they were one step away from Clearing the Demon King Castle, and before that thought goes away, we have a Raid Battle. The industry¡¯s best and fellow Four Great Spirits wielder will succeed where Fenix and co. failed. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a fan alive who doesn¡¯t want to see what happens next.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see¡­ Are you looking forward to it as a fan as well, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸To be honest¡­yeah.¡¹


    Just because I decided to become the hero of the Monsters doesn¡¯t mean that I changed my interests and preferences.


    My love for Dungeon Clears and Adventurers will never change, so I am looking forward to this Raid Battle.


    ¡¸Of course, I plan to defeat them all, but it is what it is.¡¹


    I¡¯m in a difficult spot.


    I don¡¯t expect them to be easily defeated, but I don¡¯t want them to be in a position where they can easily breakthrough.


    ¡¸Ufufu, I think that is just fine. When Lem came to Clear the Demon King Castle, even I fought with all my might, of course, but putting that aside, I intensely watched the video of it again and again and aga-¡­fo-forget what I said.¡¹


    Milla clears her throat. Face flushed red.


    ¡¸Th-that¡¯s right, Lem. The raid is finally happening tomorrow, shall we confirm the participants once more? I-it seems that we are just in time for the part of the show where they introduce the participants.¡¹


    Says Milla, to redirect my attention.


    She was being very cute, and I naturally smiled broadly.


    Playing along obediently, I turn to look at the TV.


    Sure enough, they had just started introducing the Aerial party.


    The lady on the screen is waving her hand at a display set up in a studio and beginning her explanation.


    The screen flows according to her explanation.


    ¡ºFirst off, the wielder of the Samurai Job, a warrior line characteristic of the far off lands of Yamato, Mr. Masamune! The curved blade known as a Katana is a Magic Tool that can, surprisingly, cut even magic! His secret skill, Iaijutsu, is a famous attack skill that is too fast for the eyes, just like Godspeed, that can cut anything that dares enter his range in two.¡»


    Masamune, hailing from the island country of Yamato, is dressed in his country¡¯s unique style. I believe it¡¯s called Yamato-style clothing.


    He is a friendly, military man who holds no discrimination against Black Sorcerers.


    ¡ºNext is a hot one! Before the appearance of the Flame Hero, she was known as the strongest fire user, the Crimson Wizard, Ms. Michel! Big Blast, a combined magic attack with Mr. Aerial, is so destructive that Dungeons beg her not to use it when they make an appointment! What will get burned and destroyed by her intense heat this time?¡»


    Michel gives the impression that she is fundamentally a pleasant and lovely woman, but once she enters a Dungeon, her personality suddenly changes. She is a beautiful woman who is very popular among some people for her slightly dangerous behavior and overly strong magic.


    ¡ºDoes everyone know of the Blade Alchemist Louie? An Alchemist Adventurer is extremely rare, but he has an Aptitude for battle and creates weapons and armor inside the Dungeon, during battles! Of course, he isn¡¯t just a one-trick pony, his skill at using weapons is abnormally high!¡»


    Louie is a silent, small-built craftsman who takes pride in his work.


    It¡¯s fun to see different footage because he creates weapons and armor from what he can find in the Dungeon.


    And next is¡­


    ¡ºThis one may still be unfamiliar to many of you. The newest member, who is the successor to the White Sorcerer, also known as the Great Saint, Panacea, is¡­¡»

 CH 133

    133 ¨C The Morning Before the Raid Battle, the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff¡¯s Resolution


    The Great Saint Panacea is a woman who has an extremely high Aptitude for White Magic. Of course, without her own efforts, she wouldn¡¯t be able to produce such effective White Magic.


    So long as the wound is not fatal, her ultimate White Magic can heal it completely. This magic should be called a Miracle or White Sorcery.


    She has a cheerful personality, and the nickname Saint, which she herself sarcastically says it doesn¡¯t suit her.


    She is a thirty-two-year-old who has children, yet there are still many teenagers who have had their hearts captured by her beauty. Beauty that has never waned and only seems to be getting more polished as the years go by.


    Pregnant with her third child, she has decided to retire.


    Because of that, I was invited in the past to be her replacement member.


    Since I declined, the Aerial party had to invite someone else.


    And that member is¡­


    ¡ºThe Gale Hero Mr. Ewan! He made a contract with a high-ranking Lesser Wind Spirit and turns thirteen-years-old this year! Mr. Aerial was invited to be a guest lecturer at the School and met him there. After joining, his actions are reminiscent of the younger days of the Storm Hero and excite the hearts of the fans who were depressed at the Saint¡¯s departure!¡»


    This Ewan seems to be from the same year that the Frost Hero Bella is from.


    I read an article about how this year¡¯s batch of students are the cream of the crop, and the article was thoroughly about Bella and Ewan. In particular, the two of them have both joined high-ranking parties, and it can be said that they have a lead on their peers when it comes to popularity.


    And they were judged not as being out of one¡¯s depth, but as excellent.


    When judged as members of the 1st and 4th rank party, they are talented enough to stand out from the group.


    I have actually talked to him before, but¡­how should I put this¡­perhaps due to how I was Aerial¡¯s first choice, he sees me as his rival of sorts, so he wasn¡¯t the friendliest of people to me.


    He is a courteous young boy and responded to conversation properly, but I sensed a slight edge to his tone.


    From his point of view, I am the man who refused the invitation of the Storm Hero, who he admires. It was thanks to my refusal that he was invited. He probably has complicated feelings, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    ¡¸Recently, there have been many Adventurers with beautiful faces.¡¹


    If Wraith is a cheerful handsome boy, then Ewan is a cool handsome boy.


    ¡¸Milla, do you pay attention to things like that?¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder. They say it¡¯s a feast for the eyes, and it certainly does feels good to have something beautiful in your sights.¡¹


    Milla answers, casually.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    I suppose Fenix is a fair-skinned, handsome young man that is swarmed by female fans, and Lark, despite his sleepy eyes, is quite handsome, so he¡¯s popular with the ladies.


    In recent years, it is the truth that the appearance of Adventurers has become more important.


    In order to attract casual fans, the easy-to-understand charm of beautiful men or women is effective.


    In that sense, I am unpopular.


    I understand what Milla is saying, yet for some reason, I feel slightly uneasy.


    ¡¸However, to me, it is just like admiring works of art. It is akin to appreciation.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I see.¡¹


    At her words, I was surprisingly¡­relieved.


    Huh¡­?


    I was confused by my own feelings.


    Just now¡­was that¡­


    ¡¸Fufufu, were you jealous?¡¹


    Her eyes see right through me.


    ¡¸Eh? N-no¡­¡¹


    She stands up from her seat and places her hands over mine that were on the tabletop.


    Her slender hand, as warm as the sun and as smooth as porcelain.


    Her eyes, as red as blood and as beautiful as gemstones.


    Her beautiful voice, as sweet as ice-cream and as intoxicating as wine.


    ¡¸Since two years ago, there is only one man who I am utterly obsessed with.¡¹


    Milla said that and smiled.


    It was a smile so intense, it felt like someone grabbed a hold of my heart.


    ¡¸Th-thank¡­you¡­?¡¹


    While feeling the heat rising in my cheeks, I manage to mutter some words.


    ¡¸Fufu, your welcome?¡¹


    During our conversation, Aerial¡¯s introduction came up on the TV.


    ¡ºAnd last but not least! The strongest of all Humans who stands head and shoulders above all Adventurers. The Storm Hero Mr. Aerial! He requires no introductions, everyone knows the valor of the man that is a contractor of one of the Four Great Spirits and can use Wind Spirit Magic! In this Raid Battle, just how will he defeat the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, who defeated his fellow Four Great Spirits Contractor, Mr. Fenix! Stay tuned!¡»


    ¡¸¡­By the way, her explanation makes it sound like Lord Lemegeton¡¯s defeat has already been set in stone and it angers me greatly. Let us send a complaint to the sponsor!¡¹


    Milla, who seemed to have been listening intently, glared at the screen.


    ¡¸Now, now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you not frustrated, Lem? In the first place, such trivial words and actions exude a sense of¡¸Monsters are meant to be defeated¡¹. To Lem, who is trying to eradicate such thinking, are her words not irredeemable?¡¹


    Well, I¡¯d be lying if I said it didn¡¯t bother me.


    ¡¸If you pay attention to what has changed, I think you¡¯ll see that things are different since back then.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­is true, but-¡¹


    Milla still doesn¡¯t seem convinced.


    I understand how she feels.


    ¡¸Then let¡¯s prove it.¡¹


    Milla was about to say something but then quietly closed her mouth.


    ¡¸Prove by winning. Although the current setting doesn¡¯t help, it can be said that society¡¯s perception is due to the innumerable victories that the Adventurers have accumulated. So then, we need to start accumulating too. We start winning the same number of times, defeat strong Adventurers, make them think twice about who will win in a Dungeon Clear.¡¹


    We don¡¯t have to get rid of Dungeon Clears quickly as Fellow wants.


    It will take time, but this is the way I want to go.


    This is our biggest chance yet.


    To repel a group of strong, top-ranking Adventurers, including the strongest of them all, in one fell swoop.


    ¡¸¡­You really are something, Lem.¡¹


    Milla smiles again.


    But it was different from the one before. This one was filled with pride.


    ¡¸Let us show the world that Monsters can win too. Show that even the first rank is no stranger to the taste of defeat. We, the Demon King Army, will prove it.¡¹


    ¡¸Right you are.¡¹

 CH 134

    134 ¨C To Force Out the Strongest, Perhaps it was Love


    I can¡¯t remember when.


    But ever since I was aware of my surroundings, I was already mesmerized by Clear videos.


    The coolest of them all being the Hero.


    And among the Heroes, at the peak, stood my father.


    No matter how big the enemy was, no matter how strong they were, he never gave up. He never stopped. He kept fighting, and fighting, and fighting, and the last one standing was always my dad and his friends.


    So co~ol.


    My father and his allies were strong and cool.


    According to my mom, they were even the world¡¯s 1st-ranked at one point.


    I wasn¡¯t proud of my childish thoughts. My father is the strongest Hero in the world.


    You can be proud of a father who was a little strong, so with how strong my father was, I couldn¡¯t be prouder.


    It was great at first.


    But then, little by little, things that distorted it began to appear.


    For example, my friends. I¡¯m not sure when, but they would hear things from their parents and more of them would start bad-mouthing my dad.


    Stuff like¡¸He was only 1st-ranked for a year.¡¹or¡¸He¡¯s just a coward who was frustrated and quit when younger people overtook him.¡¹or even¡¸To get to the 1st rank with no Spirit Magic, he must¡¯ve cheated or something.¡¹


    I was often subjected to heartless words.


    Like how my pride in my father is annoying¡­and so on.


    I couldn¡¯t forgive them.


    I don¡¯t care if I lose an argument. Whatever. If I was wrong and the other person was right, then I will apologize. That¡¯s how I was taught.


    But, that. Having the things you love being disgraced by heartless words made me very sad.


    I asked my father.


    I asked the father I am proud of, who quit being an Adventurer, took in a few disciples, and lived as a family man¡­


    Why did you quit?


    Why didn¡¯t you try to be 1st rank again?


    You¡¯re the Unyielding Hero, right? No matter how strong the Storm Hero was, you¡¯d be able to get to 1st rank again if you never gave up.


    My father said.


    ¡ºI got a job that¡¯s much more important than being a Hero.¡»


    And pat me on the head.


    That job he¡¯s talking about is being a father. Even a child knew that.


    But so what?


    Just because I was born into this world, the strongest Hero retired from the front lines.


    The posted videos were filled with shitty comments, countless baseless slander was forever carved into the message boards, and even the neighborhood kids make fun of him.


    Even without Spirit Magic, youth, a flashy appearance nor flashy skills.


    My father was strong.


    Why doesn¡¯t everyone acknowledge that? Why is that not enough?


    The hero is the one who wins, right?


    My father accomplished his role splendidly, stood at the very top, and even now, there are many who rely on him and visit our house.


    But only a mere portion of people understand.


    A vast majority of regular people don¡¯t even remember my father, and even if they do, they look down on him.


    To them, there are too many things that they value more than strength.


    Oh, I see. So that¡¯s how it is. I get it.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, my father would have aimed to become 1st rank again. He surely would have achieved it.


    The thing that got in his way¡­was me.


    I am the one who should be hated.


    But even if they were to repent, you can¡¯t rewind time.


    I thought with all my young mind could muster¡¸What should I do?¡¹. And then at some point, it hit me.


    I¡¯ll just prove it to them.


    Prove that it¡¯s OK to just be strong. The job of the Hero party is to achieve victory in the end, alongside allies.


    I¡¯ll gather strong, reliable allies.


    It doesn¡¯t matter what people think about them.


    My Destroyer childhood friend, who expressed her intention to fight alongside me.


    The Black Sorcerer who didn¡¯t succumb to his public reputation was kicked out of his party yet is still striving for more victories.


    I will gather allies and continue to Clear Dungeons.


    I don¡¯t need the Spirit. I don¡¯t care about appearance. I don¡¯t care about Jobs. I ignore all trends.


    All that matters¡­is winning.


    When that old man named Fellow came to talk to me, I thought that this was my chance.


    Now, I am attending the Clear alongside the parties currently sitting at the top.


    There is no better chance to prove my strength.


    My mom was worried, but she didn¡¯t stop me. Dad had a complicated look on his face.


    Both of them don¡¯t know my goal.


    ¡¸I guess that¡¯s a no, huh Lem?¡¹


    In front of me is the ally candidate Black Sorcerer, Lem.


    Via Aerial, he managed to make time to see me.


    I¡¯m wearing a cap that covers my eyes, and Lem is wearing a hood that covers most of his face.


    We were sitting face-to-face in a small cafe.


    The place was less than half full, but I didn¡¯t mind the quiet atmosphere.


    ¡¸I already have a job, so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Right, you did say that. I was curious, so I checked and, sure enough, you haven¡¯t joined any parties.¡¹


    After being rejected by him, I looked into him by myself¡­or so I say, but I actually just asked Mr. Fellow.


    ¡¸I wonder if you¡¯re just at the stage where you¡¯re deciding whether to join the party or not. I won¡¯t tell anyone, so just tell me which party you¡¯re joining.¡¹


    Lem said nothing with a sorry expression on his face.


    A certain suspicion occurred to me.


    ¡¸No way, are you¡­expecting a child?¡¹


    Lem spits out the black tea he had in his mouth.


    ¡¸Ch-child¡­? No, not at all. What would make you¡­¡¹


    Looking at him, looks like he isn¡¯t lying.


    ¡¸Nothing, really¡­I just thought you were disappearing for the same reason as a certain Hero.¡¹


    He said he dreams to be a hero. I don¡¯t wish to see him give up his dream for such a reason.


    At my comment, his expression turned serious.


    ¡¸About that, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you happen to know¡­about the Unyielding Hero?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, so you noticed. Yeah, he¡¯s my father.¡¹


    On the surface, I look flippant, but on the inside, I¡¯m preparing myself.


    I don¡¯t believe he is the kind of person who would speak ill of my father, who achieved 1st rank through great efforts, but I couldn¡¯t help but be vigilant.


    ¡¸I see. So you really are¡­ You know, I¡¯m a big fan of his. So big in fact that if I had never watched his videos, I probably never would have aimed to become a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Thank you for saying that.¡¹


    I felt sorry.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, he would have been able to see many more of my father¡¯s Clear videos.


    Lem hesitated in saying the next few words.


    ¡¸Is it possible that you¡­are fighting in order to prove that your father¡¯s way of doing things was not¡­wrong?¡¹

 CH 135

    135 ¨C Even if it wasn¡¯t a Mistake, it Still Hurt


    Wraith, who is sitting in front of me, blinks his eyes in surprise.


    clink goes the ice inside his glass.


    ¡¸I¡¯m surprised. I knew you were a quick thinker, but¡­ how did you know?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If I were you, I¡¯d be doing the same thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    Wraith found that hilarious and laughed. And then, he looked happy.


    ¡¸I see. That¡¯s good. Then, help me out. You get it, right Lem? Even when Mr. Fenix, Uncle Air, I, or any other strong person recognize your abilities, those who doubt it won¡¯t go away. There are always guys who can¡¯t admit someone is strong until they see it for themselves.¡¹


    Certainly, when Aerial mentioned inviting me into his party during the Tag Tournament with Berith, the evaluation of the Black Sorcerer Lem didn¡¯t completely change.


    It was just enough to make more, if ever so slightly, people acknowledge me.


    I am not dissatisfied with this small step forward, but Wraith seems to think otherwise.


    The people who deny me also have their own evaluation criteria.


    Even if I win, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m plain.


    It doesn¡¯t change the fact that Black Magic can¡¯t be seen.


    They don¡¯t think that my appearance is impressive in any way, nor that my way of doing things is useful for Clears.


    There are so many other reasons to deny me, all lying around.


    However, as long as you put yourself in a place where you are exposed to the evaluations of others, criticism is bound to follow.


    There are people who say Aerial is getting on in years, and Fenix lacks leadership skills.


    There isn¡¯t a single person who is universally praised by everyone.


    Even knowing that, it still hurts to be denied.


    And if the thing or person that is being denied is important to you, then it surely hurts more than if it was you being denied.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t help you.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t get it. I just don¡¯t get it. You wanna become a hero. You haven¡¯t given up on it, so what do you want¡­no, what are you doing? I just don¡¯t understand how you¡¯re going about achieving your goal.¡¹


    There¡¯s no way he¡¯d think that I went over to the Monster side.


    And that¡¯s exactly why my attitude is so incomprehensible to him.


    I¡¯m a man who hasn¡¯t entered a new party and declined the invitations of him and Aerial, yet still continuing towards my goal of becoming a hero.


    ¡¸Well, whatever. If you don¡¯t want to tell me that much. If you see us fight, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want to fight with us. It¡¯s fine if Lem just supports me and fights his own battles. If Lem is doing it, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s necessary for the sake of winning.¡¹


    He trusts me a lot.


    No, that¡¯s not entirely accurate. He simply saw me fight and made that judgment.


    My struggle with Berith was all he needed to see to make that judgment.


    ¡¸I am glad that you feel that way.¡¹


    ¡¸But you¡¯re refusing, right? I get it, I get it. Well, guess I¡¯ll head back, then. Busy day tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, what is it? Changed your mind? Welcome aboard!¡¹


    ¡¸No, nothing like that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I apologize if it was a misunderstanding.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that all? You scared me for a second there.¡¹


    Wraith shrugged his shoulders while giving a faint smile.


    I was hesitating.


    When you direct a word at someone, its meaning isn¡¯t the only thing that is important.


    The relationship between you and the other person, the circumstances, the other person¡¯s state of mind, and many other things come into play.


    I don¡¯t want to be able to just throw out a word and have it reach everyone the same way no matter who says it.


    Isn¡¯t what I¡¯m about to say too much? I had this hesitation.


    ¡¸I believe it¡¯s admirable to want to prove that the person you admired is right.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh that. Sure, thanks.¡¹


    He looked away, inclining his neck as if this was all a big pain.


    This probably isn¡¯t a favorite topic of his.


    ¡¸If you want to become the hero that you admired, then I think that that is a wonderful goal.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t really get what you want to say.¡¹


    He is trying to fully understand the meaning behind my words.


    Following the flow of the conversation, he knows that these aren¡¯t just words of affirmation.


    ¡¸Uhm, it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s fine to become whatever you want to. Well, that is¡­if-if you are trying to replace the Unyielding Hero¡­that¡­isn¡¯t healthy.¡¹


    He opens his eyes wide.


    I seem to have hit the mark.


    From his statement, I can sense that he did not feel comfortable about the Unyielding Hero retiring to raise a family.


    However, he believes that the way his father did things when he was an Adventurer was the right way, and he fights in order to prove that.


    Rather than wanting to become like him, he wants to prove that the strong hero is right as his goal.


    ¡¸¡­Did you¡­hear something from someone?¡¹


    ¡¸No, sorry. It¡¯s all my speculation.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­you really are fearsome. Or maybe I¡¯m still immature? Anyway, what¡¯s so unhealthy about it.¡¹


    ¡¸I, too, know what was said about Unyielding Hero after he retired. I was a fan, after all. It was very sad and frustrating. I wondered why such a strong, cool person like him had to have such horrible things said about him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¯Cause he had a kid and gave up challenging.¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    Wraith¡¯s expression distorted as he said that.


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸Which part? I don¡¯t know. He should have been able to surpass the Storm Hero in just a year. Could have. Because he didn¡¯t, they say he ran away. In other words, because of me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not your fault.¡¹


    ¡¸Heh, I¡¯ve heard it all before, Lem. The same old, same old.¡ºIt was all for you.¡», etc.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that other people saw that he was suffering and offered such words of encouragement.


    None of which were able to save him.


    ¡¸No, it was for himself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    Perhaps because it was an answer he¡¯s never heard before, Wraith listens to me intently.


    ¡¸For those who are serious about something, that goal is very important, of course. They are willing to sacrifice a lot of things and think about what sort of effort is required to fulfill it, and then actually do it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­In other words, he wasn¡¯t serious?¡¹


    ¡¸No¡­ Well, I don¡¯t have children so perhaps it isn¡¯t my place to say.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, let me hear it.¡¹


    ¡¸Finding something so important that it cannot be sacrificed and then shifting gears in order to protect that thing is not running away. I think he made that decision for himself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The Unyielding Hero didn¡¯t give up on becoming 1st rank. I believe he didn¡¯t give up his family.¡¹


    Therefore, you don¡¯t have to think that it¡¯s your fault.


    You can decide what you want to be and fight for it.


    That¡¯s what I wanted to tell him.


    I wonder how long had passed?


    Wraith let out a sigh.


    ¡¸Yeah, I think you¡¯re right, Lem. I¡¯ve heard that line before, somewhere. But y¡¯know¡­¡¹


    Wraith smiled with only his lips.


    ¡¸I hate that line.¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    It is not admiration that drives his actions right now.


    It¡¯s self-denial. Atonement, you might say.


    He thinks that he defiled the strongest hero.


    So he at least wants to sweep away that defilement.


    Unless he¡¯s made the strongest hero pure again, the world won¡¯t acknowledge him.


    He cannot forgive himself.


    It is too heavy a burden for a boy of ten years old to carry.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸This was fun, Lem. Let¡¯s talk again after the Raid Battle.¡¹


    Having said that, he stood up.


    There¡¯s no point in chasing after him.


    He clearly rejects that idea.


    Sometimes, a person can be saved by just words said during a trivial conversation.


    However, his worries may not be of that kind.


    In that case, what I can do is¡­

 CH 136

    136 ¨C  Today¡¯s the Day


    I had a dream.


    Pretty sure it was because of that conversation with Lem.


    ¡®Cause I dreamt about that day I asked my father.


    ¡ºI got a job that¡¯s much more important than being a Hero.¡»


    Just as Lem said, albeit worded in a cool way, the Unyielding Hero did not give up on being 1st rank, instead, he decided to not give up his family.


    That is exactly why I hate myself.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, he would have been able to prove that he was the strongest Hero.


    Wait a minute¡­


    Speaking of which, I feel like I told my father the same thing at the time.


    What did my father say in response¡­?


    In the end, my dream ended there and I woke up.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    I opened my eyes and what I saw was neither the ceiling, the wall nor the floor.


    It was a face.


    ¡¸What is it, Fran?¡¹


    ¡¸Morning.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Morning.¡¹


    She has long, flowing sickly white hair, and red eyes with no emotion behind them. Her skin was so white and her eyes and nose so neat that it was easier to believe that she was a doll created by a top-notch technician using the best of his skills rather than a person.


    This almost fairy-tale-like beauty is my childhood friend.


    I straightened up my back, scratching my head while looking at Fran.


    She¡¯s in a full-body robe today as well.


    ¡¸Y¡¯know, it¡¯s been buggin¡¯ me for these past few days, why have you been coming to wake me up?¡¹


    In these past few days, Fran has been coming into my room to wake me up.


    At least, that¡¯s what she says, but it¡¯s more like I wake up, and she¡¯s just there in the room. So technically, she didn¡¯t wake me up. But according to her, she came to wake me up. I don¡¯t get her.


    ¡¸Michel said to.¡¹


    ¡¸Her?¡¹


    The Wizard in Uncle Air¡¯s party. The Crimson Wizard. She¡¯s a strange one, but her power¡¯s the real deal.


    ¡¸She said¡ºGetting awoken by their childhood friend is every young boy¡¯s dream~¡».¡¹


    She said that trying to imitate Michel¡¯s voice, but there was no intonation, so her voice didn¡¯t change at all.


    ¡¸She said that?¡¹


    Fran nodded.


    ¡­What the heck do they talk about?


    ¡¸So then, you¡¯re trying to fulfill that dream?¡¹


    ¡¸If Wraith is happy, I am happy.¡¹


    It is difficult to see what Fran is thinking from her facial expression.


    But we¡¯ve been together since we were toddlers, so I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at understanding her.


    She isn¡¯t the type to joke or tease.


    ¡¸Well, thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸Did it cheer you up?¡¹


    ¡¸Seeing your face always cheers me up.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh.¡¹


    Ah, she averted her gaze. Seems like she¡¯s feeling shy.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go get something to eat and bring it back to the room.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    I wouldn¡¯t have minded eating downstairs with the others, but there was a reason.


    I went downstairs to the dining room and approached the kitchen counter.


    ¡¸Oh my, Wraithy-boy. G¡¯morning.¡¹


    The cafeteria lady noticed me and smiled. I smiled back.


    ¡¸Morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you and little Fran going to be eating by yourselves again today?¡¹


    ¡¸Pretty much.¡¹


    ¡¸You two are such good friends.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, we¡¯ve been together since we were little.¡¹


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you still little?¡¹


    ¡¸From here on, we¡¯re gonna grow up.¡¹


    In this country, fifteen-year-olds are considered adults. From fifteen, you are expected to act like an adult and take responsibility.


    After you find out what your Job is at ten-years-old, you spend several years training and studying for future careers.


    If you wanna be an Adventurer, you go to the School. If you¡¯re a Chef, you train at a restaurant that serves food.


    Ten-years-old is young, but if you consider that they¡¯ll be considered adults in five years¡¯ time, it isn¡¯t that young.


    As expected, there are a lot of adults who treat me like a kid¡­no, like a novice.


    Among them, this lady treated me like a child at first, but now she properly respects me as a person. It seems casual, and I love the sense of distance without overstepping.


    ¡¸Well then, give me a moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    I sat down on an empty seat and waited, then someone came up to me and stopped.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    It was a smart-looking man with hair the color of grass. A young boy, I guess. He¡¯s about three years older than me.


    What was his name again¡­ I suck at remembering people¡¯s names.


    ¡¸Morning¡­Ewan.¡¹


    I managed to remember it. He¡¯s the Gale Hero.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m the second-highest graduate of the School.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Ah, right. You sure are something¡­Mr. Ewan.¡¹


    I suck at this too. Forcing respect.


    I learned my lesson with Mr. Scathach, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m thinking of offending the allies I¡¯m fighting with on purpose.


    ¡¸¡­Forget it. Anyway, do you understand? Today is the real thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸We don¡¯t have much actual combat experience. So let¡¯s focus and face the Clear without slowing down our seniors.¡¹


    He¡¯s serious. I think it¡¯s good. Some people will be able to show their abilities when tightly wound up like that.


    But he has to understand that not all of us are like that.


    ¡¸I guess so. I guess actual battle and training are different. Thanks, I¡¯ll be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Somehow I feel like my words aren¡¯t reaching you.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like that at all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Honestly, I don¡¯t like you. Or I should say, I don¡¯t understand you. You are acknowledged by one of the Four Great Spirits, yet you refuse its divine blessing.¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t slow you guys down.¡¹


    ¡¸Is there a difference between choosing not to use something that will raise your combat potential and being negligent?¡¹


    ¡¸It won¡¯t raise my combat potential. This Spirit didn¡¯t make a contract with me just so that it could help me out.¡¹


    When I asked if anyone would come as a bystander, it just hopped on.


    But Ewan doesn¡¯t seem to be convinced.


    ¡¸Wraith, you¡­¡¹


    Just at the nick of time, a voice called out to let me know that my breakfast was ready.


    ¡¸Well, see ya later.¡¹


    Ignoring Ewan¡¯s cries behind me, I bring the food back upstairs.


    ¡¸Sorry for the wait.¡¹


    I stand in front of the door, and it opens quietly. It was Fran. She was probably waiting in front of the door.


    ¡¸Thank you for always doing this.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure thing.¡¹


    We put the tray on the small desk in our room and begin our breakfast.


    There¡¯s a reason that we eat meals like this.


    Fran takes off her robe.


    Her right arm is large and atrocious looking, as if the arm of a creature was sewn onto a little girl.


    Only on the arm, in contrast to other parts of her body, the skin is dark red, countless bluish, purplish veins running across it, and it pulsates like it¡¯s a different creature altogether.


    She was born with it.


    With this arm, it is also difficult for her to live a daily life. First of all, you have to eat meals with only one hand.


    You¡¯ll understand how difficult that is when you try it yourself. Eating bread is fine, but there are many times she¡¯s had trouble eating without a hand to hold a bowl or something.


    I¡¯m sure there are other things that she doesn¡¯t like about it that I don¡¯t know about.


    In fact, she doesn¡¯t like to let people see her arm. The only exception is during combat.


    Which is why I help her with her meals.


    I sit next to her and bring salad or soup to her mouth.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    I¡¯m used to it, but Fran still seems to feel sorry for all the trouble.


    ¡¸¡­Nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Your welcome.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t do things that I don¡¯t wanna do. You know that, right?¡¹


    After saying that, her anxious face, you could say it¡¯s expressionless from the side, softens slightly.


    ¡¸After we eat, we head to the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹

 CH 137

    137 ¨C Hero Group, Incoming


    Standing in the video room, which also functions as a control room but hasn¡¯t been used that way much so far, I look at the split video projections on a large screen and think.


    Incredible.


    The Hero parties have just now transferred into the first stratum, the Watchdog¡¯s Domain.


    A vast wasteland with a fake sky and sun above. The only thing interrupting the view is a huge rock.


    From their point of view, waiting for them deep in front of them is the entrance to the Demon King Castle built for the audience.


    The first stratum is set up to look like a stratum where we are trying to prevent intruders from entering the premises.


    There are countless Hellhounds and the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas toys with the intruders with his invisibility, eliminating the rabble with tooth and claw.


    If they get past them, standing in their way is the Watchdog of Hell Naberius.


    Standing beside me today are Carmilla and Cashew.


    Cashew anxiously watched the screen. Her little hands clutched tightly in front of her chest, hoping for the victory of everyone on the first stratum.


    ¡¸I wonder how they¡¯ll handle this?¡¹


    Asks Carmilla, almost in confirmation.


    There were other Monsters in the video room. Staff who move the cameras individually and respond to any malfunctions that may occur. Besides them, there were more than a few allies who have come to watch over their allies¡¯ defense.


    ¡¸¡­They are seventeen in total. A hard number to coordinate.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. They are not a force similar to soldiers, who were all similarly trained, similarly equipped, and operating under orders from superiors. Rather than function as a group, they will place importance on functioning as an individual due to being Adventurers.¡¹


    Nothing to do with superiority or inferiority, it¡¯s just a difference in their nature.


    ¡¸Yeah, I suppose five is the number of people that can form a party without their prominent individuality causing it to fall apart.¡¹


    Of course, that isn¡¯t the maximum. Some people might be able to lead dozens of Adventurers, and some might not even be able to do well on their own.


    But when Dungeon Clears were made into entertainment, rules had to be put in place.


    At that time, the number that they decided upon was five. All parties must consist of five people.


    Also, the number of people that the audience can recognize at once in a rapidly changing situation may have been taken into consideration.


    But well, this time is a Raid Battle and Wraith is participating with a two-man party.


    It¡¯s even difficult for me to be aware of the seventeen people on top of countless Monsters and the entire Dungeon which has environments that change with each stratum.


    ¡¸By nature, they are a group of self-willed Adventurers. Each party has a leader, but I believe their influence does not extend much beyond their own parties. The sole exception might be Aerial¡¯s influential voice.¡¹


    I nod slightly at Carmilla¡¯s words.


    A leader is acknowledged by their own, but there isn¡¯t a single Adventurer who would gladly follow the orders of another party¡¯s leader. This is a separate matter of whether they acknowledge their abilities or not.


    Of course, they are the top parties in the industry. It is possible to suppress such feelings and fight.


    However, they probably didn¡¯t choose that method.


    They know themselves better than anyone else.


    They didn¡¯t get to the top by suppressing themselves. They are parties who controlled their position in the top ranks by doing as they please.


    If that¡¯s the case¡­


    ¡¸Rather than trying to perform in perfect unison, they¡¯re going to Clear in a way that maximizes their individual strengths.¡¹


    As I said that, they began their fight.


    ¡ó


    Besides Fran and I, these guys are the best of the best. I mean Fran and I don¡¯t even have a rank because we aren¡¯t an official party due to not being a party of five.


    We are doing this Clear while mixed in with those guys. I didn¡¯t know what was going to happen until before the face-to-face meeting.


    I thought Uncle Air would say something gentle like¡¸Let¡¯s all get out there and get along!¡¹.


    But I was wrong.


    We trained together in order to know each other. Not just about our abilities, but our temperaments and habits as well.


    In addition, it wasn¡¯t to get in sync.


    It was to cooperate in order to not get in each other¡¯s way.


    That¡¯s not to say that you can¡¯t interfere.


    I¡¯m not really sure how to say it.


    ¡¸Well, well, well, the enemies are invisible! You could say that they are extremely difficult to sense before they draw near. What shall we do? What ever shall we do, Sir Wraith?!¡¹


    This very loud person is the Magician Mr. Theo from the Scathach party.


    He is donned in a gentleman¡¯s hat with a tailcoat that has an eyesore of a color scheme. He looks cheerful enough to be twirling a cane around, but instead, not necessarily, he wears rings on every one of his fingers.


    He feels like a really shady dude, but that¡¯s on purpose, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re gone, so our attacks can still hit them, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Splendid! However, blindly firing your attacks everywhere is a waste of Magical Energy, and is an unseemly sight to our dear viewers. Oh, woe is we, woe is we! Whatever shall I do?!¡¹


    Then, Mr. Theo hit his palm with his fist as if he just came up with something. He even did the whole exaggerated act of forming a cup with one hand and hitting it with a clenched fist like a gavel.


    ¡¸I have an idea!¡¹


    ¡¸Good for you.¡¹


    ¡­I don¡¯t really mind, but why is this guy even talking to me? He¡¯s totally looking at me.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we set a trap!¡¹


    ¡¸That sounds good.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I thought you¡¯d say that, so I already set a trap¡­right here!¡¹


    He¡¯s a very theatrical person, but he¡¯s in a non-combat position of the 5th rank party. He isn¡¯t weak at all.


    At the same time, I could hear the whines of dogs ring out.


    ¡¸¡­Aw man, I love dogs, y¡¯know? This just feels like animal cruelty.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh how kind you are, Sir Wraith! However, if we do nothing, we would be munched and crunched until nothing was left!¡¹


    ¡¸Guess you¡¯re right.¡¹


    From every one of his rings, something came out of them.


    And that something¡­was thread.


    It is a Magic Tool that comes in a set of ten rings.


    Threads made of a mysterious material can come out of these rings and is manipulated by the user¡¯s will.


    ¡­How much effort did it take for him to be able to manipulate it so freely?


    Similar to Mr. Alba¡¯s Magic Sword, it takes technique to make use of such a strong function.


    Even if a small fry were to use it properly, only other small fry would get done in by it.


    The threads extended everywhere and entangled something invisible, which were obviously the Hellhounds.


    The threads moved like they were alive, Mr. Theo manipulated them as well as he would his own limbs.


    His threads would wrap around something. Winding around something transparent.


    A Hunter¡¯s arrow, or Wind Magic, or Fire Magic, basically any of our allies¡¯ magic or weapon attacks would be aimed at those spots.


    Following a short yelp, the threads would instantly undo themselves and return to Mr. Theo¡¯s side.


    We do not hinder each other.


    We just know each other, so we can anticipate each of our actions and then win by working this way.


    If Mr. Theo makes a move, Hellhounds will be caught.


    This is why we exercise our Magical Energy to defeat them.


    This is how we cooperate.


    ¡¸Oho¡­?¡¹


    But it¡¯s not that simple in the Demon King Castle.


    ¡­It never is.

 CH 138

    138 ¨C The First Stratum ¨C The Watchdog¡¯s and _____¡¯s Domain


    ¡¸¡­The Weaving Magician Theo really did make his move. However were you able to predict that Lord Lemegeton?¡¹


    Carmilla, who stood next to me, asked me curiously.


    ¡¸As I said earlier, it will be difficult for seventeen people to cooperate. They thought of a form of cooperation through non-interference.¡¹


    ¡¸A method of respecting each other while not getting in each other¡¯s way, yes? That I understand, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸However, this method isn¡¯t perfect either. Take just now, for example. When Theo trapped the Hellhounds with his string. As expected of first-rate Adventurers, they instantly eliminated the Hellhounds but don¡¯t you think that there are too many people with the ability to do so?¡¹


    With other staff members in front of me, I speak in my Chief of Staff tone. I feel like I¡¯ve gotten used to it.


    ¡¸¡­! I see. Their coordination this time may not have gotten in the way of¡¸those that can settle the situation¡¹, but they are all first class. If there are too many people who meet that condition in the first place, it becomes difficult to decide in the heat of the moment who should take action and who shouldn¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸There most likely isn¡¯t just one method to solve this, but the simplest and effective method is most likely to decide on a different leading party per stratum.¡¹


    ¡¸In one stratum, they will revolve around one of the parties as the center. By deciding that in advance, they won¡¯t cause even the slightest delay in coordination.¡¹


    Of course, this isn¡¯t perfect either, but it will certainly be much easier to do.


    By not deviating too far from the designated party¡¯s usual activities, the fans will like it.


    ¡¸In that case, it seems reasonable to start with the lowest-ranked party. Is the Wraith party being treated as an exception I wonder?¡¹


    A two-man party. Do they consider them as one party and put them in charge of one stratum?


    Or perhaps as active support in every stratum?


    Knowing Wraith¡¯s personality, he definitely wouldn¡¯t consent to the latter idea.


    ¡¸Rather than go by ranking order, I think there is a high probability that they make the decision based on their compatibility with each stratum.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    A wasteland stage with no obstructions save for a huge rock where there is an unknown number of invisible enemies.


    Avatars cut off any sense of pain, but the body¡¯s performance still relies on the real body.


    Even without feeling fatigued, the body can move sluggishly, the mind exhausted from the mental strain.


    The best solution is to break through the stratum in one fell swoop.


    In order to do that, I figured that the most suitable party they would designate would be the Scathach party.


    ¡¸The Fenix party reached the tenth stratum, so the information of each stratum is well known. They are not so incompetent as to not make full use of such information.¡¹


    The Raid Battle is happening after the Fenix party¡¯s failed Clear attempt. There¡¯s no way that those standing at the top won¡¯t make use of such valuable information.


    There¡¯s a difference between running wild as you like and not thinking at all.


    ¡¸So it isn¡¯t about how to divide up the eleven strata among four parties, but rather about how to allocate them¡­¡¹


    That question wasn¡¯t aimed at me, she seems to just be talking to herself.


    There must have been some discussion among them about this issue as well.


    For example, in the seventh stratum, the Realm of Sky and Trials, they have to solve brain-racking riddles, so they might decide to tackle it together.


    There are some strata where designating a leading party will not work or a stratum where it isn¡¯t even necessary to in the first place.


    While pondering such things, I turn my attention to the screen once again.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong Mr. Theo? Could it be that you failed to catch something?¡¹


    I already knew, but I asked anyway. He kept looking at me as if begging me to ask.


    Mr. Theo looks apologetic, scratching his head as he answered my question.


    ¡¸Yes, just so! Some, how should I say this¡­ slippery individuals have slipped out of my trap and are closing in as we speak! ¡¹


    ¡­They predicted the use of his threads and took measures against it.


    Mr. Theo¡¯s threads have a high lethality to them, but only when used as an attack.


    Doing so would narrow its attack range since attacking in a wider range will create more gaps and spaces in between the threads. When forming a net to trap the enemies, it won¡¯t strangle or cut them.


    The first group of Hellhounds was sacrificed in order to see what our movements and attacks are, huh?


    Then the second group, the ones that slipped out of the trap, was probably coated in some high viscosity liquid. Simple but effective, since they¡¯re so slippery.


    Which means it¡¯s possible that they saw through our plans? No, they definitely did.


    This Dungeon has the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.


    The guy who dodged Mr. Alba¡¯s Magic Sword, stole it and then used it to avoid Mr. Lark¡¯s exemplary defense and stab him in the heart, distracted Ms. Lily¡¯s bow match with the Dark Elf by sending Hellhounds as support, and naturally sent out invisible subordinates as decoys in order to force Ms. Bella to expend her Magical Energy by using Spirit Magic to freeze them all.


    And then, using whatever method he used, he single-handedly defeated Mr. Fenix, who had activated the Flames of the Gods, a mysterious Spirit Magic, which is one of the eight Spirit Magic that is as close to divine power as possible.


    He¡¯s a master of Black Magic. Magic-using Jobs are, with the exception of Hero and Demon King, are characterized by their physical weakness.


    One Dungeon cannot have two Demon Kings. There is only one person in a Dungeon who may call themselves a king. Such is the setting, so it is a rule.


    He should be a Majin, so he should be sturdier than the average Human. Although, he may be weak by Majin standards. Even so, that isn¡¯t an explanation as to how he can go toe-to-toe with a Four Great Spirits contractor who is going all out.


    He was able to completely read his opponent¡¯s movements because of a huge amount of research.


    The reason he wasn¡¯t disintegrated by the Flames of the Gods is that he deployed an equivalent amount of Magical Energy to defend against it.


    He isn¡¯t simply a smart Majin. Nor is he simply a strong Majin.


    He is a greedy challenger who will spare no amount of effort to attain victory.


    He is someone who is that obsessed with winning, even though he was appointed an important-sounding title as Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    If everyone was like him, this industry would be way more fun.


    ¡¸Suuri.¡¹


    The robed Hunter that the Thunder Hero Scathach called simply nodded, saying¡¸Yeah.¡¹.


    It¡¯s the Faceless Archer Mr. Suuri. The mysterious Adventurer who hides his face regularly, not just in Dungeons.


    ¡¸Theo, how many?¡¹


    ¡¸About fifteen, I believe. A thousand apologies!¡¹


    ¡¸I care not.¡¹


    At the same time that conversation ended, seven arrows were fired and stopped in mid-air. High pitched dog whines ringed out.


    The arrows didn¡¯t actually stop.


    More precisely, they pierced invisible Hellhounds.


    ¡­This is just a guess, but he predicted their positions based on the traces of dust clouds and stains of whatever liquid that they were covered with that were left on the ground¡­I think.


    Or maybe even more precisely, he has the skill to accurately find their location.


    Either way, it¡¯s a supernatural feat.


    ¡¸¡­They all hit their mark. I expected nothing less, master.¡¹


    Praised yet another Hunter from Scathach¡¯s party, Ms. Caleena.


    Mr. Suuri¡¯s disciple, a quiet woman.


    The amazing thing about her is that she can hit her enemy no matter how she¡¯s moving. She could be dashing, or she could be falling, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    There was even a time where she was hit and sent flying by an enemy and she was able to defeat the enemy that hit her before she crashed into a wall.


    Her nickname is the Magic Arrow Archer.


    Well, having Mr. Suuri as her master, who she can¡¯t even notice firing arrows and is rarely hit by enemies, she thinks she still has a long way to go.


    Despite having such a talented group of allies, there was a hint of resignation in Mr. Scathach¡¯s eyes.


    I can¡¯t stand it.


    That¡¯s a major reason why I snapped at him when we first met.


    Sure, the four parties above him are excellent, but so what?


    So some people have a few things that you don¡¯t.


    So someone passed you in the rankings in less time than it took you to get there.


    That doesn¡¯t mean you should give up.


    The person who leads their allies is the leader, yet if that Hero thinks¡¸We can¡¯t climb up the ranks like this.¡¹even a little, then what about the hard-working allies who believe in him?


    If you once aimed to stand at the top, then no matter what kinda rival appears, how many times your efforts aren¡¯t rewarded, or even if you have children, you shouldn¡¯t give up.


    I shook my head after thinking of that last part. It seems that talk with Lem has made me think more and more of my dad. I¡¯m even thinking about him when I¡¯m thinking about other people.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­I-I suck at math, but fifteen minus seven would be¡­uh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh Hamill¡­¡¹


    Ms. Caleena looks at the speaker with pity.


    ¡¸H-hold on a minute, Caleena! That was obviously a joke. It¡¯s eight, right? I was just trying to point out where the remaining eight are.¡¹


    This slightly stupid person is the Scathach party¡¯s last member.


    The Fencer Mr. Hamill.


    Along with the high energy Mr. Theo, he is the life of the party in the normally quiet Scathach party.


    Of course, that isn¡¯t the sole reason that he is the vanguard of the 5th rank party.


    Even while playing around, he is always cautious of his surroundings, his dominant hand always resting on the handle of his weapon.


    You can tell by looking at the members that the Scathach party¡¯s gimmick is speedy Dungeon Clears.


    And, while it can¡¯t expand and contract, Mr. Hamill is also a Magic Sword user.


    There is another Godspeed wielder in the party.


    While not an exact match, aren¡¯t they reminiscent of a certain party?


    That¡¯s right. The Fenix party is similar in concept to the Scathach party.


    They¡¯re younger, flashier, prettier and their leader is a Four Great Spirits contractor.


    What¡¯s more, with the effectiveness of the former member, Lem, they practically completely Cleared Dungeons successively without taking any damage.


    Well, to society, Lem was treated as a hindrance, yet they were still the 4th rank.


    I understand that it would have been so frustrating. But I can¡¯t understand why you would give up.


    It¡¯s just¡­


    When you were talking to Herv, I could see your fighting spirit. Just by talking to the 3rd rank Hero, a fire was started. A small one, but you definitely didn¡¯t seem like you had given up.


    That¡¯s better. Like someone who believes that they will surpass them in the end, a motivated guy is better than a lifeless one.


    ¡¸You have the right of it, but they appear to be missing again!¡¹


    Mr. Theo said while shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡¸Was that right after they escaped? Or did they head this way but then turned around?¡¹


    The one who answered my question wasn¡¯t Mr. Theo, but Mr. Suuri.


    ¡­This is getting annoying, so I¡¯ll just call them by their normal names in my head.


    ¡¸About the missing eight, it was after they escaped. In other words, you could say that they were ordered to retreat after breaking through from the very start.¡¹


    ¡¸They let the other seven advance to see what we would do after they were caught by the net.¡¹


    Suuri nodded. I can¡¯t see his face, so I¡¯m just guessing from the movement of his hood.


    ¡¸Whoa whoa whoa. I¡¯m totally lost here, Water Boy. What do you and ol¡¯ Suuri over there understand that I don¡¯t? Help a guy out here.¡¹


    ¡¸If they headed our way and then turned back, that would mean that they were planning to come and bite us but then sensed danger and ran away, but if they went back right after entering the net, that means that was their plan all along.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? So eight of them planned to return after entering Theo¡¯s net? Since the beginning? Why?¡¹


    ¡¸Beats me. However, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re hunting animals. Maybe someone¡¯s giving them orders.¡¹


    The move of sacrificing the individual for the sake of the pack is typical of Hellhounds, but it¡¯s rather cautious and roundabout. It feels like an act.


    ¡¸Someone like Lemegeton? That would be impossible.¡¹


    This time it was Scathach.


    Certainly, it would be impossible for it to be Lemegeton.


    Leader level Monsters can only reappear in strata lower than the stratum that they are in charge of.


    Which is exactly why the Big Four-level Monsters are placed in the shallow strata.


    The goal is to apply the pressure of not knowing where and when they will reappear on the Hero party.


    In the Demon King Castle, the Vampire Queen Carmilla could reappear in the fourth stratum and below, the Demon of Love Sitri could reappear on the sixth stratum and below, the Reaper Knight Furcus could reappear in the ninth stratum and below, and the Time Demon Agares could reappear on the tenth stratum and below.


    The One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton can only reappear on the deepest stratum.


    That itself will be a problem, but when you look at it another way, now that he has officially assumed the position of Chief of Staff, there is no way he can appear on the strata above the one he is in charge of.


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, but hasn¡¯t the Demon King Castle gotten harder?¡¹


    After Lem was removed from the party, the Fenix party struggled but managed to make their way to the tenth stratum.


    The Demon King Castle¡¯s gimmick is that it¡¯s impregnable. There¡¯s no way that they didn¡¯t prepare some kinda plan to repel the Hero party.


    ¡¸Hmm. So, Scathach party. What is your plan?¡¹


    A delighted looking Uncle Air asks Scathach.


    ¡¸This stratum chips away at you with Hellhounds, which is troublesome. If we keep dealing with them head-on, I am unsure how many of us can keep up.¡¹


    Individually, Hellhounds¡¯ combat abilities are definitely not high, but they are a threat as a group.


    Not being able to see them is also a problem. These party members won¡¯t lose to invisible enemies, but dealing with countless invisible packs of beasts is going to be mentally tiring.


    If their Magical Energy and mental fortitude get worn down by fighting without any end in sight, it¡¯s possible for even the best of the best Adventurers to be damaged.


    Still, if these were the only enemies, it would¡¯ve been fine, but there are still Glasya-Labolas, the one making everyone invisible, and the Floor Boss to deal with.


    Due to that, it isn¡¯t so simple to just run through them.


    The Hellhounds won¡¯t just let us through, and if we have party members with slow-moving Jobs, we have to advance while matching their speed.


    If we neglect even that, we¡¯ll end up like a certain other thunder-themed Hero party.


    Scathach¡¯s answer was¡­


    ¡¸Theo will make a path, and after everyone runs through, I¡¯ll catch up while carrying Theo.¡¹

 CH 139

    139 ¨C The First Stratum ¨C The Watchdog¡¯s and Hellfire¡¯s Realm 1


    ¡¸Theo will make a path, and after everyone runs through, I¡¯ll catch up while carrying Theo.¡¹


    Scathach said.


    Scathach is also a lightning-type Hero, but he has a higher ranking Lesser Spirit so he can do a lot more things.


    You need both talent and technique to handle Spirit Magic, so effort is essential.


    Talent and effort. There are discussions about which is more important, but in the Spirit contractor¡¯s case, both are important.


    If you have talent but lack effort in developing your technique, the Spirit won¡¯t teach you Spirit Magic.


    If you shed blood, sweat, and tears with your effort but lack talent, the Spirit won¡¯t teach you Spirit Magic.


    Also, even with both talent and effort, if the Spirit¡¯s ranking is low, it might not know a strong Spirit Magic to teach you.


    Which means¡­


    If you rely on Spirit Magic, then talent, effort, and luck are essential.


    Scathach has all of that.


    The lightning element is derived from the wind element.


    Of course, it doesn¡¯t hold a candle to the main Wind Spirit that Uncle Air made a contract with.


    But among the Lesser Spirits, I think it is the closest in strength to it.


    Naturally, Scathach uses lighting strikes, he can also move as fast as a thunder hammer by wreathing himself in thunder and lightning.


    ¡¸Theo.¡¹


    ¡¸I already knew you¡¯d suggest that, so I have already prepared the way!¡¹


    Threads.


    Five from his right hand, another five from the left. A total of ten threads stretched out from his outstretched hands, each side linked in a complicated lattice, latching around the gate of the fake Demon King Castle.


    With this, the Hellhounds cannot attack from either side, and the unfortunate individuals who happened to be caught in strings were dispatched by us.


    Excluding Scathach and Theo, the plan is for fifteen of us to run and reach the gate, and then Scathach will carry Theo on his back and catch up with us to complete it.


    ¡¸Well then, we¡¯ll be going on ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we just beat up all the incoming enemies?¡¹


    Herv, or rather the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, pursed her lips in boredom.


    ¡¸In that case, we¡¯ll open up the threads just enough for you and your party. Then you can go out there and play with the dogs.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah, you really get me, Scathach. Alright! Open those threads!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It was sarcasm, you muscle-brained woman.¡¹


    ¡¸You what?¡¹


    I accidentally let out a laugh.


    I understand both opinions.


    Both are cool and are fine.


    Herv¡¯s style of¡¸Charge and scatter¡¯em!¡¹ brings invigoration and excitement to the audience and makes them want to applaud.


    A flashy Clear.


    Scathach¡¯s members pride themselves in excellently precise attacks and speed, surprising audiences with their speedy Clears.


    An expedient Clear.


    Both are fine. The important thing is that we choose the way we want to win.


    Do whatever you want. The Hero¡¯s job is to win.


    What is needed in order to do that will change depending on your own and your allies¡¯ abilities.


    ¡¸What a boring guy¡­ We can do a lot more, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸Drop it. I thought we said that we would lead on this stratum?¡¹


    Hearing that, she stopped complaining, shrugged, and let out a sigh.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get in the way, right? Do what you want.¡¹


    She said, and then gave up, but that wasn¡¯t the whole reason.


    If she thought that we couldn¡¯t win with Scathach¡¯s method, she would have ignored it.


    Expressing that this isn¡¯t her preferred method doesn¡¯t mean that she is denying the other party.


    She simply doesn¡¯t like it, it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not good.


    She seems to be acting as she pleases, but she actually has that kind of flexible thinking.


    ¡¸Well, see ya later.¡¹


    I gave a small wave to Theo since we had been talking frequently up to this point.


    ¡¸Fufu, I want to say¡¸See you soon¡¹, but I feel that saying that shall invite misfortune to occur so I shall NOT say it!¡¹


    You just did¡­


    But I won¡¯t say that to him. I already ran out, and it isn¡¯t worth turning around to say it.


    We ran in a formation where the Aerial party was the vanguard, followed by the Hervor party and my team, and then the three members from the Scathach party.


    I think it would be better if either the Aerial party or the Hervor covered the rear but I think the remaining three members thought it would make it easier for Scathach and Theo to rejoin them.


    If nothing bad happens, then I guess it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    But this is the Demon King Castle, after all.


    We were all about halfway through the space created by the walls of woven threads.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    Several things happened at the same time, each person had to make a decision instantly.


    I¡¯ll go through the events one by one.


    First, the threads were burned up.


    I saw it for an instant, a fire elemental attack came from midair, burning the threads.


    Two questions arose from this. Where did the sudden Fire Magic come from? How did the thread burn? The answers to both soon appeared in my mind.


    The magic probably came from an invisible enemy. This means that attacking does not cancel the invisibility. Because we could see the magic attack, but we couldn¡¯t see who fired it.


    ¡­They¡¯re probably firing from a distance.


    The threads burning up is also a mystery. Theo¡¯s threads are resistant to magic, so a fireball like that just now shouldn¡¯t have been able to burn it up.


    But once again, something immediately came to my mind.


    The Hellhounds. More precisely, the liquid that we thought they put on themselves in order to slip out of the threads.


    It was probably flammable.


    Among the fifteen dogs, eight of them slipped out of them and retreated. They had already coated the right amount on the threads.


    When creating the path, the threads were first stored in the ring first. Could it have been at that moment when all the threads were soaked? I don¡¯t know the mechanism behind the thread¡¯s expansion and contraction, but I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re all connected.


    The wall of threads soon changed into a path of flames. Because of the length of the path, extinguishing it is no easy task.


    Out of all of us, Theo is the one in trouble. It¡¯s gonna be a problem for him when the flames catch up to the user.


    This is one of the problems.


    The next is¡­


    ¡¸Guh¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Calm down, Ewan. We¡¯re with you.¡¹


    It was the Gale Hero Ewan¡¯s voice.


    Uncle Air called out to the panicking Ewan.


    His panicking can¡¯t be helped.


    The Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas appeared and swooped down from the air, aiming at Ewan, after all.


    If a Floor Boss equivalent Monster has decided to make you its target, it¡¯s not unreasonable to lose your cool.


    Ewan immediately fired off three crescent-shaped wind blades, but they were all avoided in the air.


    Maybe because he¡¯s panicking, or maybe he can¡¯t aim well. His power is considerable, though.


    No matter how excellent of a result you get in the School, it¡¯s all about practice, in the end.


    I know that he¡¯s excellent through his training so far, so in terms of ability, I know he has it.


    People have emotions, and depending on these emotions, they may or may not be able to demonstrate their abilities.


    The guy looked like he was trying not to drag down his seniors or something.


    Well, the Frost Hero Bella was doing well in her first Clear until the Demon of Love Sitri got her.


    But it¡¯s not just those two, there are very few people who can fully demonstrate their abilities in their first real battle.


    I¡¯m sure Uncle Air knows all about that.


    This is why I¡¯ll leave this second problem to them.


    The next is¡­


    ¡¸¡­! Master!¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    The usually calm and quiet Caleena calls out to her master, the Faceless Archer Suuri.


    Several arrows could be seen suspended in midair, the group of three Scathach party members in the rear were being assaulted by Hellhounds.


    Speaking of the rear, we already walked past those areas and weren¡¯t attacked, and the sides were blocked by the walls of threads, there¡¯s no way we could have been attacked from behind in the first place.


    Rather than worrying about a hole in the thread wall, I think it¡¯s highly likely that Glasya-Labolas was carrying enemies on his giant back and they jumped off of him.


    ¡­Wait a minute, how did Suuri know just now?


    Unlike before, there aren¡¯t any wet footprints left on the ground or anything.


    Maybe he felt a disturbance, like he felt their Magical Energy slightly.


    I guess I should say that that is to be expected of the 5th-ranked Hunter in the world. He¡¯s not normal.


    Caleena is a master of the bow, but she¡¯s glaring at the empty sky with a grim expression on her face, unmoving. Or rather, she can¡¯t move.


    Because she simply can¡¯t follow the movements of invisible Hellhounds.


    And it doesn¡¯t seem to be because of inexperience.


    ¡¸Watch out, there¡¯s more than just Hellhounds.¡¹


    This was clearly a plan thought up by someone. There¡¯s a guy giving proper instructions in accordance with what is happening.


    It¡¯s probably a Beast Master. Is that what Suuri is saying, or is there another hidden threat?


    I couldn¡¯t confirm it. Anyway, this was problem number three.


    The reason I couldn¡¯t confirm it is because of the final problem.


    ¡¸¡­Well this is a pain in the ass.¡¹


    Herv said. What we¡¯re facing really is a pain, but if you consider our actual situation, her tone could be described as carefree.


    The Hervor party, Fran and I were currently sinking.


    The ground gave way like quicksand and we were being swallowed up by a swamp of sand.


    This is a very Dungeon-esque trap, but this kind hasn¡¯t been seen on this stratum on the Clear videos.


    This must be new. I think there are other sand traps set elsewhere, but if they were set along the shortest route from the starting point to the fake Demon King Castle, then most speed-focused parties will step on them.


    If it¡¯s new, there¡¯s no way to anticipate it.


    What amazing timing.


    Due to the quicksand, neither the Aerial party nor the three members of the Scathach party can retreat.


    They have no choice but to confront each of their threats head-on.


    To the left and right of us are our ally¡¯s burning threads, they can¡¯t simply be crossed.


    And of course, since everyone has a threat before their eyes to deal with, no one can go and help out Theo.


    I¡¯m sure those two are being assaulted by Hellhounds right now.


    This feeling of all four Hero parties about to be crushed is amazing.


    If it was the usual first stratum, it would have been way too boring.


    This doesn¡¯t mean that the Clear level is low. It can¡¯t be helped if the seventeen Adventurers are all first-class.


    Dungeons are basically managed while thinking about how to best eliminate a party of five.


    Suddenly changing from that to a Raid Battle format in such a short time and having everything function perfectly is just like the Demon King Castle.


    It isn¡¯t called Impregnable for nothing.


    Four problems occurred at the same time.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    Fran is looking at me.


    Yeah, I know. We¡¯re a two-person group, but even so, I¡¯m the leader.


    The difficulties we must face are given to me.


    All I have to do is break through this, like an Adventurer.


    What we should think about is not how to get out of this quicksand.


    Instead, we should assume that we¡¯ll break free and think about who we should lend a hand to.


    I¡¯ll leave Glasya-Labolas to the Aerial party.


    Should we help the three-man Scathach party with the Hellhounds and the assumed Beast Master?


    Should we help the other two with the burning thread and the oncoming Hellhounds?


    Or perhaps the five sinking people in the Hervor party?


    Who can do what, how will it work, and how will it play out?


    All seventeen of us are now one group. Consider everyone as my allies, how should we Clear this stratum?


    Think and then act.


    If I can¡¯t even do that, then there¡¯s no way I can reach the Unyielding Hero.


    First I will¡­

 CH 140

    140 ¨C The First Stratum ¨C The Watchdog¡¯s and Hellfire¡¯s Realm 2


    There were cheers all over the video room.


    The timing could not have been better, for the plan had worked.


    That said, the important thing now is what the enemy does next.


    Whenever I was asked for my opinion, not just on the first stratum, I responded.


    Basically, a Dungeon is set up with a recommended Clear level.


    This is a rating that is given to Adventurers separately from their rank.


    If the Dungeon or area is in the same level range as yours, the video will become something worth the audiences¡¯ attention.


    That being the case, the Dungeon-side cannot blatantly change the Clears.


    Any big changes in the difficulty of Monsters that appear, the traps, or the area¡¯s configuration might create a gap resulting in a horrible recommended level.


    No matter who challenges it, a Dungeon seeks to expose them to almost the appropriate level of threat.


    There are exceptions, of course, but these are the basics.


    That¡¯s why there is originally no culture of researching the challenging Adventurers, finding their weak points, and creating a counter-plan against them.


    Doing something like that would classify it as an All Level Dungeon.


    However, if you recall how I was recruited to be the Chief of Staff, it¡¯s a different story.


    I¡¯m here to convince the audience that it¡¯s okay for Monsters to win.


    If that idea doesn¡¯t exist in the first place, then let¡¯s start by instilling it.


    It might become a problem for other places, but this is the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    The only Dungeon that has never been completely Cleared.


    There won¡¯t be any criticisms if something different is done in order to chase the Adventurer¡¯s back to the surface.


    Fortunately, the Monsters of the Demon King Castle crave victory.


    It¡¯s also possible that me defeating the Fenix party has made what I say more persuasive.


    ¡¸I expected nothing less from Lord Lemegeton¡¯s orders.¡¹


    I shook my head slightly at Carmilla¡¯s words.


    ¡¸It is only because they have abilities of their own.¡¹


    I was always an Adventurer fanatic, so I am able to provide information much faster than watching hours upon hours of their Clear videos.


    Everyone in the first stratum took the time that would have been spent gathering information and used it for training instead and trained to a level where they were ready for the real thing.


    No matter how good a strategy you come up with at the war table, it¡¯s meaningless if you don¡¯t have the people capable of pulling it off.


    Also, no matter how well you think the plan has been carried out, there are still living beings known as Heroes who can break through it.


    I used to watch the Flame Hero first hand, so I know.


    Even caught in a pinch and driven into a corner, a Hero can still snatch victory away from the grasps of defeat.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not over yet.¡¹


    I mutter.


    Several threats were attacking the Adventurers at the same time.


    So of course, several things happened at the same time.


    First off, the Aerial party.


    As expected of them. Only a few of them were shaken.


    If I think about who would be thrown into confusion, my first thought would be the Gale Hero Ewan.


    He¡¯s the newcomer who just joined, after all.


    I asked Gla-la to be his opponent. The Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas.


    The wings, reminiscent of a bird of prey, are huge and matches his large beast body.


    Just before canceling his invisibility, he lets down the several Hellhounds and Beast Master that were on his back.


    He did a nosedive that canceled his invisibility in order to draw attention to himself so that they wouldn¡¯t notice his allies landing behind them.


    Even that Bella made a mistake on her first Clear.


    Even that young woman, who is able to ignore common knowledge and think such thoughts as¡¸What if the Black Sorcerer Lem wasn¡¯t incompetent?¡¹, and made decisions far more calmly than the average person, could get worked up.


    You don¡¯t have to think too hard about it.


    He¡¯s challenging the Dungeon that is the ultimate final Clear of all Adventurers just as he got out of the Training Institute.


    What¡¯s more, he¡¯s a newcomer in a high-ranked party.


    It¡¯s impossible to not be nervous.


    In fact, Ewan was so flustered with the sudden attack that his counterattack was lackluster.


    However, he wasn¡¯t bitten by Gla-la.


    Gla-la crashed into an invisible wall, made a pained groan, and bounced off.


    ¡¸Calm down, Ewan. We¡¯re with you.¡¹


    It was the Storm Hero Aerial.


    His other allies should be able to attack Gla-la, but they don¡¯t.


    Are they taking it easy? No, it¡¯s not that.


    Just now was Ewan¡¯s mistake. Normally, you should back up your ally.


    But this should only be done when Ewan is comfortable with the party.


    If they back up his mistake in this situation, Ewan will lose confidence. He¡¯ll probably blame himself, harshly. It isn¡¯t easy to regain lost confidence.


    The Aerial party plans to make him redeem himself with his own two hands, here and now.


    ¡¸Prove to everyone who can see this¡­just who you are.¡¹


    Aerial just puts a hand on his shoulder. That¡¯s what it looks like on the outside.


    But for that young man, it was more than that.


    The Gale Hero locks eyes with the Storm Hero, the Samurai, the Crimson Wizard, and the Blade Alchemist.


    And in the next instant, his eyes and breathing return to normal.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    The world¡¯s 1st-ranked party is waiting for him.


    They have given him a chance to redeem himself.


    In other words, they believe that he can do it.


    Those who still get cold feet despite all this support are not fit to be a Hero.


    One wing of Gla-la¡¯s, who just stood back up, was cut in half in the next instant.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    It was cut off by Ewan¡¯s wind blade.


    ¡¸I am the Gale Hero of the Aerial party.¡¹


    This isn¡¯t the end for Gla-la. He applies invisibility on himself, once again.


    On the other hand, we turn to the three-man side of the split Scathach party.


    Once again, the Faceless Archer Suuri¡¯s skills are tremendous.


    Even though I know that he uses Elven magic according to Lily¡¯s information, I was still surprised. To those who don¡¯t know, it must look like an incomprehensible miracle.


    He must be using Wind Magic to interfere with the atmosphere and get a rough idea of what is happening within the reach of his Magical Energy.


    It seems to cause him to feel things in the space covered with his Magical Energy. If anything passes through that area, he can sense it as if he touched it with his own hand.


    This is why he can sense the whereabouts of objects that pass through his space, even if they¡¯re invisible.


    It seems that this magic was originally used to find the whereabouts of prey that would conceal its breath.


    Due to the fact that it requires very delicate Magical Energy manipulation, it normally lasts for a short period of time and it is normal to be unable to do anything else while it is active.


    I can¡¯t judge accurately through the monitor, but judging from the reaction speed, he is activating it for a long time and also firing Godspeed in quick succession.


    That alone proves that his technique is excellent.


    But it isn¡¯t perfect.


    The area of his¡¸sense¡¹can be roughly measured by the first wave of Hellhound attacks.


    Also, it can be confirmed that it isn¡¯t deployed in all directions because the falling Hellhounds and Beast Master weren¡¯t shot.


    He probably could if he wanted to, but as mentioned previously, it is a technique that requires very delicate Magical Energy manipulation. He probably narrows down the deployment area in order to lessen the burden based on his judgment.


    The Hellhounds are being dispatched at a tremendous pace.


    But¡­


    ¡¸Watch out, there¡¯s more than just Hellhounds.¡¹


    By the time you noticed, it¡¯s already too late.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    A knife pierces through the Magic Arrow Archer Caleena¡¯s neck.


    A large Hellhound carrying a Beast Master dashed towards them in Suuri¡¯s blindspot, and the Beast Master jumped off just as they entered Suuri¡¯s area.


    Flying through the air in an arc, the Beast Master lands close enough to cancel the invisibility, but the Beast Master was able to successfully stab Caleena¡¯s neck with a knife at the same time.


    ¡¸Gotcha¡­!¡¹


    The Beast Master purposely yells to draw their attention.


    If the Beast Master could steal their attention for just a moment, the Hellhounds could advance at that moment.


    That wasn¡¯t the wrong call.


    If the opponent wasn¡¯t Caleena.


    ¡¸So have I.¡¹


    She is a Hunter who can shoot and defeat an opponent even when said opponent attacked her and sent her flying.


    You can¡¯t expect her to be shaken by someone suddenly appearing in front of her and delivering a fatal wound.


    If he wanted to bide for time, he should have run away from her immediately.


    She immediately grabbed an arrow from her quiver and stabbed it into the eardrum of the Beast Master.


    He had a thin smile on his face.


    Caleena pushed the Beast Master away, readied her bow and muttered¡¸I¡¯m going down.¡¹with an apologetic expression on her face.


    ¡¸Master, please forgive this unseemly disciple.¡¹


    Until this point, Caleena had been hesitant to fire her arrows, but during the short time she has left until she is forced to exit, she fires off as many Godspeeds as she can.


    If she really wanted to, she would have aimed. She would have wanted to see through the enemy¡¯s whereabouts and shoot through them.


    But if that isn¡¯t possible and her defeat was imminent¡­


    Even if it is unseemly, she tried to cut down the enemy numbers even if by a little.


    Until she disappeared, she managed to shoot down four Hellhounds and a Beast Master.


    Even if we paved the way to their defeat, they will not be beaten with no casualties.


    Even against an invisible enemy, an opponent against who she can¡¯t use her own abilities, she will fight to the bitter end without retreating.


    The Magic Arrow Archer Caleena is defeated.


    While that was happening, Wraith and the others¡­

 CH 141.1

    141 ¨C The First Stratum ¨C The Watchdog¡¯s and Hellfire¡¯s Realm 3 Part 1


    It wasn¡¯t difficult for Wraith, Fran, and every member of the 3rd rank Hervor party to escape from the quicksand.


    This wasn¡¯t a trap to instantly defeat them, but simply to stall for time.


    If they have to use their own strength or magic to get out, that can buy us a few seconds. That¡¯s enough.


    Herv grabs the arm or the shoulders of her nearby allies and tosses them out lightly to save them.


    If you can temporarily seal an extremely powerful chess piece like a Hero, that is the best result of a trap.


    But¡­


    ¡¸Fran.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    An immediate decision was made.


    They came to an understanding with just an exchange of looks.


    Fran gently lifted her cloak and I saw a peek at what was underneath¡­it was a grotesque right arm.


    It looked out of place, like a giant¡¯s arm was sewn onto a young girl, but she had no issues with moving it.


    She grabbed Wraith¡¯s arm and tossed him straight up.


    Her strength was unlike that of a young girl.


    But that isn¡¯t what I was concerned with.


    Instead of helping Fran, he made her save himself.


    Possibly because he doesn¡¯t intend to use his magic to save his ally, but for something else instead.


    ¡¸Cut off your arms¡­!¡¹


    That short cry was made louder using Wind Magic.


    Loud enough to reach the separated Scathach and Theo.


    He¡¯s a quick thinker.


    A Hero surpasses an ordinary person in everything.


    From physical ability, magical talent, to how much they get back from their own efforts


    Of course, this applies to how fast they think as well.


    When Fenix was young, he would think about too many things in his head and not be able to speak well, and he was teased for that.


    At the time, I cheered him up by saying that he¡¯s just thinking about every single thing in careful detail, so he can¡¯t turn it into words right away, and I genuinely thought that. Also, I wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Actually, thinking back on it, it¡¯s possible that he was only showing a portion of it at the time.


    Because he could think about things deeply in only a short period of time.


    The right occupation is identified at the age of ten, but it¡¯s not like being granted a miracle.


    It¡¯s just an identification.


    In fact, Wraith studied under Aerial before his Job was identified, and his magic was tempered.


    Anyway, it¡¯s meaningless to measure the ability of a Hero by their age.


    He instantly grasped the situation and made the choice that would bring him closest to the form of victory he envisioned for himself.


    And then, his voice reached the leader of the 5th rank party, the Thunder Hero.


    Theo, the one operating the strings, was staring at the approaching flames when he heard Wraith¡¯s words and said¡¸Who-whose arms¡­?¡¹ in bewilderment. In that time, Scathach did the deed.


    ¡¸This is the fastest way to save you.¡¹


    By the time Scathach finished his sentence, all ten of Theo¡¯s fingers drop to the floor.


    He cut Theo¡¯s fingers off cleanly at the base of the fingers rather than the palm in order to limit the amount of Magical Energy leakage.


    Particles of light leaked out of the place where his fingers used to be.


    ¡¸¡­! I-I see! Certainly, the flames would not reach me this way! Splendid! However, with the loss of my digits, you must consider that I can now no longer operate the strings!¡¹


    Theo¡¯s smile has a slight twitch to it, but he seems to have understood their decision.


    ¡¸All that matters is that you don¡¯t fall.¡¹


    Raid Battles are held with different rules from the norm.


    Adventurers who have been defeated cannot return in the next stratum.


    With only one exception.


    And that exception is when you destroy two Floor Bosses.


    There is, naturally, a Floor Boss at every stratum.


    This means, if they finally reach her Highness, they would have gone through ten strata, destroying ten Floor Bosses, meaning that the maximum number of people they can revive is five.


    In the Raid Battle, it isn¡¯t possible to revive more than five times.


    The Magic Arrow Archer Caleena, limited to the second stratum, cannot return.


    It¡¯s only natural for them to reach the conclusion that they cannot lose any more of their allies.


    So long as they aren¡¯t defeated, their Avatars can be repaired when they reach the next stratum. This is also allowed by the rules.


    So even if you lose your ability to fight in this stratum, the decision to not let you be defeated isn¡¯t wrong.


    However, one person was defeated, and another person¡¯s fighting ability has been cut short tremendously. There are only three people in the Scathach party that can fight at full strength.


    As the leading party, how will they get out of th-


    ¡¸No way.¡¹


    A single thought suddenly crossed my mind.


    There is a way.


    With the Scathach party as the central figure, there is a way to turn this situation in their favor.


    They¡¯ll need someone¡¯s support and Scathach must reveal something.


    It¡¯s clear from even the few moves he¡¯s done.


    Wraith is just like me.


    Roughly speaking¡­an Adventurer fanatic.


    It¡¯s beyond the level of understanding because we spent the same time together in training.


    There is no way he watched only Unyielding Hero videos.


    Perhaps he thought of Scathach as a rival to surpass, so he researched.


    What should I call what happened just now?


    It took barely a second to wet the ground a little¡­Rain started and stopped in an instant.


    It was Wraith¡¯s Water Magic. Although, it¡¯s not Spirit Magic.


    He hasn¡¯t officially formed a binding contract with the Spirit so he isn¡¯t bound to any specific element.


    The invisibility extends to what the target is wearing as well. So it affects not just the clothes, but also any attached matter on them as well.


    Therefore, their location won¡¯t be revealed by the water.


    But how about the places that don¡¯t get wet?


    For example, when a four-legged beast is bathed in water from the sky, a small space under their abdomen avoids getting wet, which creates a small empty space.


    Of course, it¡¯s the dashing Hellhounds. Even if you could tell where they were, it was only for a short amount of time.


    But for the Scathach party, it was enough.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri¡¯s Godspeed and the flying slashes from the Far Reaching Swordsman Hamill¡¯s Magic Sword,


    take down the Hellhounds.


    Also, even the Thunder Hero Scathach made a move.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be back for you after you blink.¡¹


    He left Theo and did as he said.


    Cashew, who was watching the screen next to me, went¡¸Hya-!¡¹and grabbed on to me while trembling. Her ears twitched upright.


    A thunderous roar like getting hit by lightning and a flash of light sped across the field.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Behind my mask, I stared intently at the screen. I might have made a slightly grim expression.


    Before I realized it, Scathach joined up with his allies. Along with Theo.


    And they were not far behind the Aerial party, meaning that in the time that the Scathach party was in charge, countless glittering Magical Energy particles were released.


    Wraith has only just begun his descent.


    It truly was just a moment.


    All the Monsters that were aiming for them were completely annihilated.


    A combination of Spirit Magic and slashing that is made possible by the abnormal amount of Magical Energy, precision in manipulating said Magical Energy and the body, coupled with stamina.


    Scathach went around slashing Monsters in an instant with his one-handed Holy Sword.


    ¡¸As I live and breathe¡­I thought something unsightly would fly forth from my mouth¡­¡¹


    Theo, who joined up with his allies after a blink of an eye, looked a little nauseous.


    ¡¸¡­Thunder Domain.¡¹


    Carmilla muttered hoarsely.


    Originally, it is a skill that refers to an indiscriminate wide-area attack while wreathed in lightning, but Scathach uses it differently.


    He has complete control of it and uses Spirit Magic to gain super acceleration.


    However, he didn¡¯t use it in the beginning because it comes with its disadvantages.


    Naturally, it requires an enormous amount of Magical Energy, but it also requires the utmost concentration.


    Even he can¡¯t cut down enemies that he can¡¯t see in the first place. Even though it was for such a small period of time, it was because of the technique used to confirm their whereabouts that he decided to take the plunge.


    If possible, he probably would have liked to save it.


    It¡¯s possibly closer to that of a final attack or an ace up his sleeve.


    It¡¯s not comparable, but it might be easier to think of it as like Fenix¡¯s Flames of the Gods.


    I could say that forcing him to use it before a Floor Boss battle is a good enough result.


    But the fact that he used it here means that¡­


    ¡¸¡­You have my thanks, Water Hero.¡¹


    Using his own Wind Magic, Wraith landed gently as Scathach called out to him.


    ¡¸Heheh, your welcome.¡¹


    These two were at each other¡¯s throats before.


    But they aren¡¯t the kind of people who would not lend a helping hand for that reason or refuse to give their thanks when they are helped.


    ¡¸Sorry to interrupt this bonding moment, Scathach. May I?¡¹


    The Storm Hero Aerial¡¯s words were seeking confirmation.


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, I leave it to you.¡¹

 CH 141.2

    141 ¨C The First Stratum ¨C The Watchdog¡¯s and Hellfire¡¯s Realm 3 Part 2


    Understanding what he means, Scathach nods regretfully.


    He has consumed a lot of Magical Energy, and he¡¯s lost an ally. There¡¯s also another that lost all his fingers and his Magic Tool.


    They planned for them to be the central figure for the first stratum, but to insist on that considering the situation would be the height of folly.


    Having gotten permission, Aerial nods once and shifts his sights to an empty space.


    ¡¸Michelle.¡¹


    At his call, a pointy hat and robe-wearing woman holding a staff truly dressed as a wizard drew near.


    Until Fenix appeared, she was the strongest fire elemental user known only as the Crimson Wizard.


    Normally, she is a sisterly figure with a warm and snug air about her, but as soon as she enters battle¡­


    ¡¸Is it okay? I¡¯ll burn them~ I¡¯ll burn them all~¡¹


    She becomes unusually high energy.


    She cheerful waves her staff, and then it happened.


    Several fireballs the size of a huge rock were created, and they were let loose upon the ground, aiming at nothing in particular.


    She¡¯s probably trying to flush out the Invisible Slaughterer.


    Due to the damage he received prior, a direct hit from one of those would be enough to defeat him.


    Perhaps being grazed by one of the fireballs, Gla-la let out a pained groan.


    ¡¸You may be charged to defend this place, but we have business to attend to at the bottom. With the master of this castle.¡¹


    The Demon King Castle is an underground labyrinth. Stacked layer upon layer, the Adventurers head for the very bottom.


    Should they finally reach the bottom, they aim for her Highness who awaits them in the eleventh stratum.


    Aerial readies his two-handed Holy Sword overhead.


    I suppose he was weaving through the fireballs to get closer to them, the burned Gla-la, who lost one wing, nevertheless resolutely swings his sharp claws at the Storm Hero.


    ¡¸Your coordination was truly amazing.¡¹


    His downswing was faster than Gla-la¡¯s claws.


    In the next moment.


    The Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas was split vertically, and behind him, all the way on the far off fake Demon King Castle, a fissure appeared as if it were cut.


    The people in the video room, who were excited by the actions of the first stratum, are now looking at the screen stunned.


    When Gla-la was defeated, the wasteland fell silent.


    All the invisible Monsters that were on the Aerial party¡¯s side were all defeated.


    Fran was already rescued by Wraith.


    ¡¸Hmph, we didn¡¯t get to do anything.¡¹


    Said Herv, frowning.


    ¡¸That¡¯s the Demon King Castle for you. These party members can get through most of anything, but they¡¯re coming up with plans that cost us extra time to get through each of them.¡¹


    As usual, Wraith makes remarks that seem beyond his years.


    ¡¸Indeed. I feel bad for Scathach and team, but thanks to them, we got to see how they operate.¡¹


    ¡¸Right? They keep pushing us to come up with an Adventurer¡¯s most optimal solution.¡¹


    It seems that Aerial and Wraith weren¡¯t the only ones who noticed.


    ¡¸Hah, that¡¯s just perfect. A Hero crushes things head-on, right?¡¹


    Naturally, Herv would say that.


    ¡¸About that, let us leave that to the leading party of each stratum.¡¹


    Aerial concluded with that.


    That statement sounded more like it was directed at the Monsters in the Demon King Castle.


    As if to say, we¡¯ve noticed that you guys realize what our plans are.


    Without any particular objections, the sixteen people already resumed their march towards the fake Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸So? What¡¯s the plan? We gonna let the four of¡¯em fight the Floor Boss?¡¹


    Scathach, who was subjected to a testing gaze from Herv, shook his head in denial.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t afford to lose any more allies. Wraith, Fran. Can you assist us?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. If that is what it takes to win, I¡¯ll do anything you need.¡¹


    Wraith smiled innocently, and Fran nods with nary an expression on her face.


    Later.


    The Floor Boss, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius, fought hard but he wasn¡¯t able to defeat anyone.


    If the Scathach party insisted on being the center of the Clear, they probably would have lost one or two more members.


    However, they proved why they are the world¡¯s 5th-ranked party.


    They didn¡¯t do something as foolish as putting their allies in danger for the sake of their pride.


    There is perhaps another reason.


    If only for Raid Battles, Floor Boss battles are at a disadvantage for the Dungeon side.


    The Dungeon is divided into several sections.


    The biggest section is the Dungeon. Referring to the whole thing.


    Next is the stratum. Referring to each stratum starting from the first all the way to the deepest.


    After that is Area. In the first stratum, there are two Areas, the wasteland Area, and the Floor Boss Area.


    In this Area, usually, the Floor Boss Area is made narrower than the previous Area.


    The first stratum is a little hard to understand, but in contrast with the vast wasteland Area, there is the Area in front of the gate of the fake Demon King Castle.


    The Floor Boss is the Watchdog of Hell Naberius.


    In the second stratum, in contrast to the Area that evokes the image of an uninhabited city is a mausoleum on the edge of the city.


    The Floor Boss is the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris.


    In the third stratum, in contrast to the dark forest Area is a single room in an old building.


    The Floor Boss is the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    In the fourth stratum, in contrast with the complex Area reminiscent of a mine is a space as big as a dance hall.


    The Floor Boss is the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias.


    The journey to the Boss is long but the Boss fight itself is supposed to feel like a decisive battle.


    Of course, the Floor Boss is a Monster who wields mighty strength, bringing along their subordinates to engage the Adventurers.


    The Hero party are also strong people who will not be outdone.


    But, in this Raid Battle, there are five abnormal Heroes in the first place.


    There is a limit to the plans that can be used in a narrow space, and you can¡¯t place countless numbers of subordinates.


    What the audience expects from a Boss battle is a clashing of powers, after all.


    The Adventurers, who overcame hardships, squares off against the Boss and crushes them.


    In opposition to this, the Monster side has to respond in kind.


    Dungeon Clears and Defenses are entertainment. We cannot ignore this.


    The Scathach party replaces the defeated Caleena and the fingerless Theo with Wraith and Fran, maintaining a team of five.


    It¡¯s not surprising anymore. Wraith acts as the support and Fran serves as the vanguard. Basically, they endured the enemy¡¯s attacks until Scathach¡¯s Magical Energy recovered, each person will be bombarded with magic and skills at their own time.


    This time, the Aerial and Hervor party served as outriders.


    It was Scathach who dealt the final blow, cutting off all three of Naberius¡¯s heads in one cut, ending the battle.


    The Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill lost his right arm and Fran received severe burn injuries, but not enough to defeat her.


    The group of Adventurers, whose numbers were decreased to sixteen, Cleared the first stratum of the Demon King Castle.


    They are determined to advance to the next stratum.


    That day¡¯s Clear is over.


    ¡¸That boy¡­ On TV he gave off the impression of a confident and selfish child, but he considers his surroundings carefully and makes appropriate decisions swiftly¡­ He is not to be underestimated.¡¹


    I nod at Carmilla¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I wonder what people will say about this Clear.


    There will most likely be a few harsh opinions about the Scathach party.


    There is no shortage of people who make judgments based on easy-to-understand information rather than looking at the circumstance in detail.


    He lost an ally in the first stratum and enlisted the help of a newcomer. There will be those who criticize them based on these facts alone.


    However, overall, I think it will be exciting.


    A never-before-seen Demon King Castle welcome, which the Adventurers barely got through.


    The Scathach party turning a bad situation around and annihilating the enemy.


    The Water Hero who backed them up, who claims that the Water Spirit who acknowledges him as a contractor is merely there as a spectator.


    Looking at the results, despite one person being defeated, I think it turned out alright.


    Gla-la¡¯s power was a big help and the simple trap set by Hellhounds and Beast Masters was enough to make the Adventurers suffer and even managed to defeat one of them.


    Showing that Monsters aren¡¯t just there to be easily dispatched is a wonderful step forward, isn¡¯t it?


    Besides.


    I feel bad for my allies, but I believe they will reach the tenth stratum.


    Of course, I will cooperate with the intention of annihilating them before that and I do not doubt the strength of my allies.


    But I know these Adventurers. I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve watched their videos over and over again.


    It wouldn¡¯t be odd for each of these parties to challenge the Demon King Castle on their own.


    Wraith and Fran are an unknown factor, but after seeing their actions today, they are by no means inferior.


    ¡­No, let¡¯s not mince words.


    In the end, It¡¯s just a simple desire.


    I, personally, want to confront them.


    I, Lemegeton, just want to fight them.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸You¡¯re Lem, right? Oh, that¡¯s right, I saw you in the Tag Tournament. You did a heck of a job.¡¹


    A few days after the Clear of the first stratum.


    Aerial calls me out once again and¡­I froze.


    Why? Because standing there, at the meeting spot, is the man I admired¡­ None other than the Unyielding Hero, himself.

 CH 142

    142 ¨C The Unyielding Hero and The Black Sorcerer


    The Unyielding Hero Altreed.


    About ten years ago, the leader of the party that shone at the top of the world as the 1st rank, albeit only for a year.


    The last time I saw him was ten years ago, and inevitably, the passage of time can be felt from his appearance.


    However, he is still youthful enough to make you think that he isn¡¯t a day over fifty. Since he still trains Adventurers to this day, he probably hasn¡¯t neglected his own training.


    If he said he would dive into a Dungeon right now, I would be far more excited than worried.


    Looking at him like this, he really resembles Wraith. No, wait, I guess it should be the other way around.


    But the reason I couldn¡¯t see that straight away was because of the difference in hair and eye color.


    Wraith¡¯s hair is a dark blue as deep as the sea, while his father¡¯s hair is brown and so are his eyes.


    ¡¸Hm? Ah, Wraith takes after his mother.¡¹


    Guessing from the way I was looking, Altreed said that.


    I¡¯m probably staring too much.


    ¡¸Oh, no I¡­ Sorry for staring.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all. You noticed our connection without anyone telling you, right? Which means that there¡¯s something that my son and I have in common, huh? Wonder what it could be?¡¹


    Somehow, I don¡¯t think Wraith told him himself. Wraith probably let it slip to Aerial and then he told Altreed.


    Although it¡¯s not exactly true that no one told me.


    It wasn¡¯t until Fenix mentioned it, but I did have a sense of deja vu when I first saw him. And that was¡­


    ¡¸Your¡­facial features, I guess.¡¹


    ¡¸Oho! That makes me happy. I¡¯ll tell him that next time.¡¹


    He smiled a wide child-like grin.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your excitement, but why don¡¯t we ask Lem to sit down first?¡¹


    We were in the private room of a certain restaurant.


    It is not an open place where people usually eat and drink, and there are dividers to protect the privacy of the customers.


    ¡¸¡­! Oh, that¡¯s right, forgive me. Go on, take a seat. Of course, if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all!¡¹


    I said that louder than I thought I would.


    Face burning red, I sat down across the two of them.


    Aerial and Altreed were sitting side by side.


    A meal with the current and former 1st rank. Just what have I gotten myself into¡­?


    They are not just strong, they are both beings I admire. And also nervous around.


    ¡¸Sorry to bother you today. I heard from Aerial that my son has been particularly attached to you, so I wanted to meet you once, if at all possible.¡¹


    ¡¸No, please. For me to be able to meet you¡­it is an honor.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, you¡¯re a good kid.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem isn¡¯t just flattering you. I believe he truly is a fan of yours.¡¹


    I nod excessively at Aerial¡¯s follow-up.


    ¡¸Oh really? That makes me happy. I never thought a young man like you would know about me.¡¹


    ¡¸When I was little, I always watched you.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? That¡­must¡¯ve been rough.¡¹


    Certainly what kids came to like were flashy, magic-slinging Heroes.


    There were many kids who called those that fought roughly uncool.


    ¡¸I thought you were cool. You always gave me courage.¡¹


    In front of Fenix, I had a calm face, but when we¡¯re in a scuffle with a lot of bullies, my heart was beating like crazy.


    Even so, I went to help him, so I can¡¯t afford to lose.


    Even though I wasn¡¯t a strong person who could gallantly run around, defeating everyone in an instant.


    No matter what I had to do, I¡¯ll achieve my goal of helping someone. I will assuredly Clear this Dungeon without giving up, just like the Unyielding Hero.


    This time, Altreed reacted honestly.


    ¡¸I see¡­I¡¯m glad that that was enough to inspire you to become an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m the same as Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, since when were you so honest?¡¹


    Now that I think about it¡­Aerial did say that he was friends with Wraith¡¯s father.


    I don¡¯t think there was any information about any particular interaction or anything like that between them.


    However, considering that Aerial called me after he told him that he wanted to meet me, and their interaction just now, you can tell that they¡¯re friendly with each other.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, please forget about the time when we just met.¡¹


    ¡¸That young boy who said¡¸There¡¯s no way I could become a Hero.¡¹ is now the world¡¯s 1st ranked.¡¹


    Aerial scratches his cheek in embarrassment at Altreed¡¯s teasing.


    ¡¸¡­You never change.¡¹


    ¡¸I heard that you two were friends.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we¡¯re friends. He may be the strongest Hero right now, but a long time ago¡­ Hey don¡¯t glare at me like that. You don¡¯t wanna destroy your junior¡¯s image of you, right? I get it, I¡¯ll stop.¡¹


    It¡¯s probably obvious.


    Everyone has several faces. Their face for work is different from their face when at home.


    In more detail, faces can be divided into different categories like the face with a loved one, the face with a friend or the face with family.


    When you¡¯re with allies, when you¡¯re with juniors, when you¡¯re on TV.


    And when you¡¯re with an older friend who you¡¯ve known for a long time.


    Aerial is making it very difficult to see that face.


    He is the best of the best and an elder person among the Adventurers.


    ¡¸We¡¯re not here today to reminisce, you have business with Lem, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, you¡¯re right. Forgive me. As I mentioned earlier, it¡¯s about my son.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a little¡­He¡­told me that I¡¯m worrying about things I shouldn¡¯t have to worry about.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think I should be the one to tell him about his problems.


    But from the looks of it, Altreed seems to be aware of it.


    I suppose it¡¯s only natural.


    Because he watched from the beginning, the whole process that turned Wraith into what he is today.


    ¡¸¡­Did Wraith tell you that?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. It¡¯s just¡­I know it¡¯s pathetic, but he just won¡¯t talk to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s goal is to succeed using the Unyielding Hero¡¯s methods and proving to the world that it is right.


    His existence is what made Altreed choose to retire. Wraith can¡¯t forgive himself for that.


    Altreed doesn¡¯t think of his retirement as a mistake in the first place.


    They have a conflict of opinion, and Wraith doesn¡¯t plan to respond to discussions or persuasions.


    As a result, the son ignores the father.


    ¡¸I wonder if this is just his rebellious phase¡­¡¹


    Altreed is understandably depressed.


    ¡¸No¡­¡¹


    If anything, I think he respects his father¡­too much.


    He thinks that his father is a strong and cool Hero, enough for him to deny himself.


    ¡¸When I talked to him about Lem, he said¡¸If you like what my senior has to say, you might listen to him.¡¹.¡¹


    Aerial might have heard about what I noticed about Wraith¡¯s father from Wraith himself.


    Apparently, he didn¡¯t talk about the subsequent conversation.


    ¡¸These things can, y¡¯know, become more complicated if you¡¯re an interested party, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    I nod.


    That time I left the Fenix party. Fenix tried to stop me, naturally, and then he e-mailed me later to follow up.


    However, what ended up saving me from my depression were not the words of my best friend, but the brave smile of a little fruit shop girl.


    There are times when people who have nothing to do with a certain issue can make things better and help you feel better.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just that¡­¡¹


    I hesitated.


    That was enough for Altreed to understand.


    ¡¸Ah, I knew it was a long shot.¡¹


    He might¡¯ve half expected that.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of help to you.¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, it¡¯s not something I should be asking people to do. I feel like I¡¯ve already gotten you involved in this, and I¡¯m sorry about that.¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith is¡­¡¹


    I started to say something and then thought better of it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, please tell me what you wanted to say.¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith¡­Wraith is making a mistake. I believe it¡¯s difficult to change his mind with just words.¡¹


    ¡¸He¡¯s a stubborn one.¡¹


    Altreed gave a feeble, wry smile.


    ¡¸Reason can be avoided and pushed aside. It¡¯s fine for each to have their own. But hard facts are different. Of course, to each his own in terms of perceiving facts, but a loss, for example, is a loss. You can¡¯t change your perspective and say you won because there is a clear verdict.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I think the only way to make people realize that their way of doing things doesn¡¯t work is to confront them with the reality that it doesn¡¯t work.¡¹


    ¡¸Oho. So you¡¯re saying that if my son loses in the Raid Battle, he¡¯ll have to reconsider his actions?¡¹


    He rubs his chin, interested.


    ¡¸If he loses despite using the methods he believes is right, perhaps¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see. But my son doesn¡¯t know when to give up. No matter how many times he lost to Aerial, he keeps saying he¡¯ll win in the end.¡¹


    ¡¸If his goal is to become the Unyielding Hero, then I think being defeated will weigh heavily on him. In the Raid Battle, in particular, you cannot choose what will be broadcast.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I suppose so. You may be right.¡¹


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish always winning in the end.


    He isn¡¯t a child who would make light of it. Both in terms of character and in terms of his purpose.


    For a moment, I thought I saw a shadow cast over Altreed¡¯s face.


    But in the next moment, he shrugged.


    ¡¸Then, there¡¯s nothing we can do. I have no choice but to leave it to the hands of everyone in the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸Whoa now, what kinda father looks forward to his son losing?¡¹


    ¡¸His future happiness is more important than the immediate win or loss.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ I want to do something too, but I must face this Clear earnestly.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, of course. You have to challenge it with the intention of completely Clearing it. What Lem is saying is that if he happens to lose during the Clear, he might take this as an opportunity to take a long, hard look at himself, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s no point in mulling over something that I can¡¯t do anything about. I¡¯ll just have to wait and see until the day when I can get him to talk to me again.¡¹


    Having said that, the discussion is brought to a close and we moved on to the next topic, which was about the Tag Tournament.


    I was nervous at first, but halfway through, I was able to ask about details regarding my favorite videos.


    Like a dream, the time passed before I knew it, and it was about time to leave.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    It was around the time that Aerial stood up to go to the bathroom.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Please take care of my son.¡¹


    ¡­¡­?


    ¡¸Uhm¡­ I¡¯ll do what I can. But I can¡¯t join his party.¡¹


    He has a gentle smile.


    ¡¸You were blessed to be Lord Lucifer¡¯s successor.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    That¡¯s my master¡¯s Dungeon Name.


    The Demon King Lucifer, the name of the strongest Monster.


    The fact that I can¡¯t keep up the act quickly here is partly because his words are too unexpected, but it also proves that I¡¯m still immature.


    ¡¸As I thought, you¡¯re a good kid. Honest, and can¡¯t tell a lie.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­how?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, it was mostly a hunch. It¡¯s not something that anyone will notice, so rest assured. Of course, I won¡¯t tell anyone, either.¡¹


    I got caught up in his bluff, huh?


    But I can¡¯t blame him for that.


    ¡¸Was it my Magical Energy?¡¹


    Previously, Aerial said that he felt a relation to Lucifer when he first met me.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s¡­presence, I guess? Perhaps because I once fought him. I was surprised when I saw you. Through the screen, I didn¡¯t sense it, but meeting you in person, I felt chills. Similar chills to when I first confronted that Demon King. I don¡¯t know the circumstances, but becoming his successor is an amazing thing. I admire the strength of your willpower.¡¹


    If it wasn¡¯t through reasoning, then it can¡¯t be helped.


    There are people who just have a unique sense.


    ¡¸I probably shouldn¡¯t say this to a friend and enemy of my son but¡­I have high hopes for you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wraith is a wonderful Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸That so?¡¹


    ¡¸Which is why I will defeat him. I¡¯m sure he will become a more wonderful Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I look forward to it as a viewer.¡¹


    Just then, Aerial came back.


    ¡¸Oh? You two look like you¡¯re having fun.¡¹


    ¡¸We are, but it¡¯s a secret between us.¡¹


    Saying that, he put a finger to his lips and winked.


    I smiled wryly and gave a small nod.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Whaddya think? He¡¯s a good kid, right?¡¹


    Around the time Lem turned the corner after separating from us, I start up a conversation with my elderly friend.


    ¡¸Yeah, I can see why you invited him into your party. It¡¯s amazing how well he hides it. He must have done some outrageous training.¡¹


    ¡¸There is no end to that lad¡¯s ambition. On top of that, he has an unbreakable heart.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Climbing all the way to 4th rank with your childhood friend only to be driven out of the party. That would break anyone¡¯s heart.¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder if there¡¯s some kind of reason that made him like that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, it¡¯s most likely the current era in particular. There are many who struggle just because they are a Black Sorcerer, right?¡¹


    Even for Heroes, the peoples¡¯ interest can differ wildly depending on whether or not you have a Spirit.


    The impression you get from your Job is a considerable handicap.


    ¡¸Even so, he plans on rising back up. He said he¡¯ll surpass even me.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s good. Nothing like a good rival.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. I have one more thing to look forward to.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m a little jealous.¡¹


    That line sounded like a joke, but I think those were his true feelings.


    ¡¸By the way, you know Sir Fellow, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That would be the man who made my son the man of the hour.¡¹


    ¡¸He said that he had an interesting proposal for you.¡¹


    ¡¸Stop, please. What could he want with an old man like me?¡¹


    ¡¸He said that it doesn¡¯t have to be right away.¡¹


    Normally, he would have laughed and said no, saying he was retired.


    But today was different.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure.¡¹


    I wonder if this is thanks to Lem.


    While thinking that, we start walking.

 CH 143

    143 ¨C The Hero of TV and the Vampire in Front of Me


    The Raid Battle is broadcast on TV.


    Obviously, they can¡¯t use all the footage that was captured nor all the audio that was recorded.


    Footage has to go through a lot of toils before it becomes the product we all consume as Clear videos. It takes a reasonable amount of time.


    By the time the audience gets to watch the first stratum Clear, the second stratum Clear is already over.


    In that regard, it may be similar to the actors who appear on TV.


    Like how there¡¯s a big gap in time between the filming of a drama and when it actually airs.


    ¡ºMan, that was quite the spectacle!¡»


    On the living room TV was Wraith.


    The morning news was having a feature on the first stratum Clear with an appearance of members who actually took part in it, Scathach and Wraith.


    Kinda like a talk show.


    They each sat in their own studio-prepared chairs.


    ¡ºThanks.¡»


    Wraith smiled widely.


    ¡ºThe audience was concerned in the beginning but then you blew away all of their worries. Truly, amazing job! What calm and quick decision-making! Acting as the support for the central party! Using a diverse array of magic! Your actions are like that of a seasoned Adventurer, what¡¯s your secret?¡»


    ¡ºNah, there¡¯s no secret. I guess it¡¯s ¡¯cause I watched a lot of Clear videos?¡»


    ¡ºI see! You observed the actions of your predecessors and put them to good use in your own Clears. Is there a party that you particularly referenced?¡»


    ¡ºSure is. The coolest party in the world.¡»


    Altreed¡¯s party, I¡¯m sure.


    ¡ºOho¡­! Could you please tell us?¡»


    ¡ºStill don¡¯t get it?¡»


    The pressure emanating from his smile made the host¡¯s face twitch for a second.


    ¡ºA-apologies. I-it¡¯s the Aerial party, right?¡»


    ¡ºAhaha. Uncle A-¡­that man¡¯s party is strong. But they aren¡¯t my ideal.¡»


    ¡ºIdeal¡­ Oh that¡¯s right, you have said that you won¡¯t use Spirit Magic, right, Sir Wraith? What is the reason?¡»


    ¡ºIt¡¯s not like I¡¯m against it. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not someone who thinks that I have to have it. Look at what happened earlier. If I could only use water Spirit Magic, then I wouldn¡¯t have been able to use Wind Magic.¡»


    ¡ºCertainly, spirit contractors have a disadvantage when it comes to the breadth of elements that they can use. Since they are tied to one element. However, people commonly think that the blessing you get from Spirit Magic is so huge that it turns that disadvantage into an advantage.¡»


    ¡ºLike I said, I¡¯m not against it. I¡¯m just not using it in order to get rid of the idea that a Hero without a Spirit is no Hero at all.¡»


    ¡ºI see. You have a strong determination at such a young age. It was truly splendid how the Scathach party was able to keep the casualties to just one person with the help of your support.¡»


    The topic shifted to the Scathach party about said circumstances.


    Something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I turned to face the woman sitting across me.


    It was Milla.


    She¡¯s been acting a little odd, recently. I think it started sometime after the first stratum Clear.


    I find her absorbed in her own thoughts a lot.


    She usually wakes up before I do and makes sure she¡¯s perfectly groomed before she crawls into bed, but lately, she¡¯s been dozing off and she has some bed hair.


    She usually never makes mistakes while cooking, but she¡¯s been burning food, putting too much seasoning, or even putting no seasoning at all, instead. It¡¯s worrying that she seems to have not noticed any of that and just eats it.


    Also, her slightly extreme physical contact has been happening less and less.


    While this may be good for my poor heart, I can¡¯t leave her alone when she is so clearly troubled about something.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, yes. Whatever is it, Lem? Are you proposing to me? The answer is yes.¡¹


    Even her heart-stopping jokes lack a certain punch¡­


    Saying a line at the perfect timing with exceptional destructive force. That¡¯s the Milla I know.


    ¡¸That plate¡­looks pretty empty.¡¹


    Milla has been stabbing her fork repeatedly into an empty salad plate.


    ¡¸Huh? O-oh my, so it is. Ufufu, I must have been in a daze.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s been happening a lot lately.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re worried about me. But it is no big deal.¡¹


    Worries.


    I¡¯m more or less aware of it, but I¡¯m probably afraid of personal relationships.


    Now that I think about it, I think it started when my Job was identified, and everyone who I thought was my friend, left me.


    Only Fenix remained a friend and then I was blessed with my master.


    I had excellent allies and there were even veterans like Aerial and Hervor who did not discriminate against Black Sorcerers.


    However, this is fundamentally a frowned upon and undesired Job.


    Even among my allies.


    I believe my life turned around after separating from the Fenix party.


    I got to meet Blitz and Cashew from the fruit stall and was able to get a job in the Demon King Castle thanks to Milla.


    But it hasn¡¯t even been a year since then.


    The ten long years since my Job was identified is more than long enough to gnaw at someone¡¯s heart.


    A customer of the fruit stall, a fellow colleague at the Demon King Castle, sometimes a fellow Adventurer when talking with Adventurers.


    I¡¯ve always kept an adequate distance when dealing with people.


    But when it comes to personal relationships, it becomes much more difficult.


    It takes a lot of enthusiasm on my part for this mere Lem to get involved with someone.


    Not in order to buy something, not because of a job, and not because we have the same occupation.


    I have to personally want to, in order to do it.


    This is why I need courage.


    Just now, Milla drew a line by saying that I don¡¯t have to worry about it.


    That is a line that I must cross by taking one step forward.


    It¡¯s different from helping someone who is being assaulted by a violent drunkard. Not overlooking someone in danger is different from doing something someone didn¡¯t ask you to do.


    But¡­


    ¡¸MIlla¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re always helping me. I am truly grateful for it.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­is-is something the matter?¡¹


    ¡¸If you hadn¡¯t found me, I don¡¯t know what would have become of me. At the very least, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to be blessed with such amazing allies, find a new goal¡­or seriously fight Fenix and other amazing Adventurers.¡¹


    Even in that case, Aerial would have invited me, but I would have turned him down.


    Without finding someone to enter the Tag Tournament with, being invited by Wraith later in the future would not have happened.


    ¡¸L-Lem?¡¹


    Despite showing her bewilderment, her cheeks were blushing out of embarrassment.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if I could ever repay the kindness that you have given me in one lifetime. Even so, if you¡¯re troubled about something, I would like to help you. If I can help you in any way, I will. So please¡­¡¹


    I took that one step.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s not something that you absolutely do not wish to talk about, then I would like to hear it.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s mouth was agape.


    My face started getting hot as if it was burning up.


    ¡¸Well, y-y¡¯know, ¡¯cause we¡¯re, like, personal friends¡­right? Ahaha¡­¡¹


    The mumbling, the averting of gaze, the attempt to cover it up with an affectionate smile, it was all lame and caused a tremendous amount of self-loathing.


    Until recently, the only person I could call a friend was Fenix, who I met when we were of an age that you could count on one hand. There¡¯s no way I could listen to the worries of a friend¡­


    ¡¸Fufu.¡¹


    Milla laughed.


    Of course, she isn¡¯t the type to laugh at someone.


    A reserved but happy-sounding laugh slipped from the corners of her mouth.


    ¡¸Thank you very much, Lem.¡¹


    Her eyes looked a little teary.


    ¡¸Did I¡­cause you to worry that much?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, y-yeah. I suppose so. You looked like you were worried.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, my apologies. Despite not wanting to appear so deplorable to you, here I am, delighted that you are worried about me. Strange, aren¡¯t I?¡¹


    Milla covers her mouth with her right hand, smiling happily.


    Having returned to reality from the mires of her thoughts, she truly is charming and beautiful.


    ¡¸I¡­I don¡¯t think so¡­¡¹


    Is it a sign of my lack of experience that I am unable to say something clever back?


    ¡¸Can I ask you a question?¡¹


    I immediately responded to that. That I can do.


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    After a few moments of silence, she seemed to have made up her mind and opened her mouth. And then¡­


    ¡¸I¡­I wish to stand by your side.¡¹


    She said.


    ¡¸Stand¡­by my side¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You were already a wonderful Black Sorcerer from the start. However, ever since you took office as the Chief of Staff, you have demonstrated your boundless ingenuity and have contributed greatly to the success of the Demon King Army. Also, you proved in the Fenix party battle and in the Tag Tournament that Black Magic isn¡¯t just for support, and used it to enable yourself to fight your own way.¡¹


    ¡¸U-uhm¡­thanks?¡¹


    She has always appreciated me so much, so I don¡¯t think that¡¯s strange. Still makes me feel shy, though.


    ¡¸On the other hand, I am yet to be as successful.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all. You have repelled excellent parties who have reached the third stratum with your Vampire Domain, right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it is not enough. I do not think of myself as incompetent, but we are so far apart. Lem, you are so far away.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not-¡¹


    ¡¸So, do you think I am able to defeat Fenix by myself?¡¹


    Looking at Milla¡¯s serious expression, I swallow my words of encouragement.


    ¡¸¡­No, I don¡¯t. With Milla¡¯s abilities, you wouldn¡¯t beat that guy even if you went ten thousand rounds with him.¡¹


    Milla nodded at my words.


    ¡¸Correct. However, Lem¡­ Lord Lemegeton won. That is the distance that I feel between us.¡¹


    Even I¡¯m not arrogant enough to think that I can win every time.


    But I guess what she¡¯s saying is whether or not she can see a chance to win in the first place.


    A Hero¡­especially the Flame Hero, is abnormal.


    The fact that you can¡¯t beat him does not prove that that person is weak.


    But that doesn¡¯t matter.


    It isn¡¯t about how strong someone is, it¡¯s about how¡­frustrating it is to not be able to win against someone as strong as Fenix.


    ¡¸I respect you, Lem. From the bottom of my heart, I am delighted that you were able to find a place that acknowledges you not only as Lemegeton, but as Lem as well. Yet I remain unchanged. From the time I used to stare at you through the screen at your videos till now, unchanged.¡¹


    She grips both her hands tightly on the tabletop.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to just be a fan. As a Monster directly under her Highness, I don¡¯t want to be a weakling with an inferiority complex to you. Unless I can achieve results without bringing shame to the Big Four name, and show my true strength, I¡­I cannot allow myself to stand by your side.¡¹

 CH 144.1

    144 ¨C The _____ Relationship Between You and I Part 1


    Milla has been by my side ever since I met her.


    However, just because she is my ally doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t worry about anything. The heart isn¡¯t made so conveniently.


    I was surprised, but at the same time, I understood.


    ¡¸¡­Earlier when talking about my meeting with Aerial, you said had something you had to attend to and couldn¡¯t go with me. Is¡­this what you were talking about?¡¹


    Milla opened her eyes in surprise and gave a bittersweet smile.


    ¡¸¡­Honestly, yes it is. My uneasiness about your efforts has been growing¡­ I became worried about not being worthy to walk side-by-side with you¡­ Of course, I am delighted to be together with you, and I wanted to discuss with you, given the chance.¡¹


    ¡¸R-right.¡¹


    Being told directly that she is happy to be around me makes it difficult to respond.


    When in the Demon King Castle, she often talks to me when I¡¯m free.


    At home as well.


    So perhaps the worthiness she mentioned is¡­


    ¡¸I know that you are someone who is not concerned about such things. That is why it is my business.¡¹


    It isn¡¯t about what the other party thinks, but about what she herself cannot agree with. Something she cannot allow.


    I cannot deny that feeling.


    Even I would have voluntarily left the Fenix Party if I thought that my own abilities were lacking.


    Despite he and I being friends, if I was greatly inferior to him even though we chose to go down the same path together, I¡¯d feel frustrated and pathetic, and wouldn¡¯t want to be together. I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to act as if we were equals and walk side-by-side.


    ¡¸That¡­ In any field, it becomes difficult to talk when the difference in ability becomes too apparent, right?¡¹


    It¡¯s a little different, but it¡¯s kinda like how people who haven¡¯t made a contract with a Spirit can¡¯t really understand the relationship that the people who do have with their Spirits.


    Or in my case, it may feel like how a normal Black Sorcerer isn¡¯t able to comprehend Black Sorcery.


    We have the same starting point, as our field and job are the same.


    If there is anything that all of us can relate to, it is the hardships and joys that we experience in the very beginning.


    It is difficult for a beginner to understand the hardships of those who have mastered the path. In some cases, they may not even know what they are talking about.


    It isn¡¯t about being good or bad, that¡¯s just how it is.


    ¡¸When you¡¯re worried, when you¡¯re happy, I dread that day that we are so far apart that I am unable to understand why or how.¡¹


    So that¡¯s what she¡¯s anxious about.


    As a Monster, as a person in a fighting profession, there is a fatal distance between us.


    Feeling as if the other person was a completely different living being despite being on the same stage.


    I wish I could say that it isn¡¯t like that.


    ¡¸And¡­this may be presumptuous of me to say, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    She showed hesitation, but ultimately she opened her mouth.


    ¡¸I-isn¡¯t it frustrating? I respect Lem, and I would like to help as much as I can. But I am also a Monster. I am not the type of person who can throw away their competitive spirit just because we are allies.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸F-forgive me. It really doesn¡¯t make much sense, right? I said something strange.¡¹


    She waved her hands in front of her face. Almost as if to make the words that she spat out disappear.


    ¡¸No, not at all. I¡¯m actually really happy right now. You could even say I¡¯m moved.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹


    It¡¯s the truth.


    My chest is aflutter.


    ¡¸Would you laugh if I told you that I thought of Fenix as my rival?¡¹


    ¡¸O-of course not. Lem has actually won over the Flame Hero. No one would argue that the two of you are rivals.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s Lemegeton. For example, before the match with the Fenix party, what if I said that the first time I met you as the Black Sorcerer Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Th-that¡­ Even then, I wouldn¡¯t laugh at you.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, thank you. You¡¯re very kind. But I think most people won¡¯t even pay attention to it. A Black Sorcerer who thinks he can go toe-to-toe with a contractor of a main Four Great Spirit isn¡¯t even worth a laugh.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­There certainly are people who would think like that.¡¹


    She agreed, almost as if it pained her to.


    ¡¸Yup. But I was serious. I know Fenix better than anyone, I can say that with confidence. But I never once thought I was inferior to him. I didn¡¯t think about it. We formed the party, mutually thinking that¡¸If I¡¯m with him, we can reach the top¡¹. On my side, I couldn¡¯t simply lower my self-worth.¡¹


    Even when I left the party, it wasn¡¯t because I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look Fenix in the eye.


    Ultimately, it was for the continuation of the party.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I smiled from the bottom of my heart.


    ¡¸We¡¯re the same, you and I.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Even knowing the effects of my Black Magic.


    Even after finding out that I¡¯m the disciple of the Demon King.


    Even knowing that I inherited a horn from the Demon King.


    Even knowing that I can use Black Sorcery.


    Even when I defeated the Flame Hero.


    Even when I succeeded in revamping a Dungeon and winning the Tag Tournament.


    Even if I¡¯ve made a Contract with several strong people and am able to summon them.


    Even if I partake in the strategic planning of the other strata.


    Even if I¡¯m attempting something as absurd as absorbing Magical Energy from the surroundings into the horn.


    Despite all that, she doesn¡¯t treat me differently.


    Even if she feels as if I am far away.


    She didn¡¯t give up on at least trying to reach me.


    A truly, truly strong-willed person.


    I respect her from the bottom of my heart.


    And at the same time, I am very happy.


    Like meeting a survivor by chance in an apocalypse.


    A startling, yet moving happiness.


    ¡¸You are my benefactor, my ally, my friend¡­and also my rival.¡¹


    Slowly, Milla¡¯s eyes tear up.


    With a strained voice, she responds.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Yes.¡¹


    Then she closed her eyes once.


    And then opened them. They were filled with determination.


    ¡¸I am the Vampire Queen Carmilla. Lord Lemegeton¡¯s first Contract and bearer of the position of one of the Big Four. I will assuredly lay waste to the Adventurers. And I shall prove that I am not an inferior Monster.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed.¡¹


    I respond to her determination as Lemegeton.


    ¡¸Fufu.¡¹


    After saying that, Carmilla returns to being Milla.


    ¡¸I¡¯m¡­afraid.¡¹


    ¡¸That group is really strong, yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh no, not them. I¡¯m afraid of you.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    She smiles happily. Her cheeks flushed red.


    ¡¸I thought that there was no way that I could possibly adore you any more than I already do, but here you are, more attractive to me than ever before.¡¹


    Then, she deliberately reveals her fangs.


    ¡¸Aah, if this keeps up, I just might suck Lem until your as dry as a mummy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Th-that would be a problem.¡¹


    I recall the intense pleasure I felt when she sucked my blood and I shivered.


    ¡¸And I, out of guilt, will take my own life as well.¡¹


    ¡¸No one is happy in that scenario¡­¡¹


    It seems it was a joke. But in this case, I think only half of it might have been a joke.


    Even now, she is seductively gnawing at the second joint of her index finger. Enduring her blood-sucking urges.


    ¡¸Ah, uhm, ahem, right, so about the third stratum.¡¹


    Somewhat forcibly, I return to the discussion.


    If I don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to give myself away willingly.


    While smiling unintentionally, Milla responds.


    ¡¸Yes. Honestly, the second stratum is not inferior to the deeper strata in terms of combat ability. To Clear the second stratum with only two members defeated is¡­ They truly are strong opponents. I must brace myself.¡¹


    In the Demon King Castle, the sixth stratum and below is considered the deep strata. From here on, the recommended Clear level goes up to five, meaning that unless you are a first-rate Adventurer, you are not allowed to challenge it.


    This time, Wraith and Fran are an exception and are allowed to attempt these strata.


    That is, if they get that far, of course.


    ¡¸Right?¡¹


    The Demon King Castle, which has been powered up for the Raid Battle, does not follow the average recommended Clear level.


    The first stratum¡¯s Watchdog¡¯s Realm became the Watchdog¡¯s and Hellfire Realm.


    The second stratum¡¯s Realm of the Necromancer became the Realm of the Necromancer and Pitfalls.


    An uninhabited city. As you progress, Skeletons and Zombies will come out from everywhere.


    The latter are the reanimated corpses of the fallen Adventurers who made it to the second stratum¡­but not really, they¡¯re just the Avatars of defeated Adventurers. The one manipulating them is the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris.


    In addition, the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, a Dark Elf, is lurking around the city, firing Avatar corroding arrows.

 CH 144.2

    144 ¨C The _____ Relationship Between You and I Part 2


    Adventurers who decided to challenge the Impregnable Demon King Castle only to become Monsters that block off the way of future Adventurers is astounding.


    Well, Kimaris was pretty depressed when ol¡¯ Fenix came and almost destroyed all his Zombies though.


    Since gaining the Avatar of the Frost Hero Bella in the tenth stratum battle, he has gotten quite a few new strong Avatars in his collection.


    ¡¸However, that young boy truly is outstanding. He deserves a point for inviting Lem into his party, he certainly has a discerning eye.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wraith is a good study. I was surprised too.¡¹


    Wraith and Fran was the central duo of the second stratum.


    However, they are only a party of two. Instead of charging out in front, they gave well-thought-out instructions to the first-rate parties.


    They mainly relied on the Scathach party. Perhaps they having earned their trust in the previous battle, Scathach and company acted according to Wraith¡¯s judgment.


    The others also moved with those two as the lead.


    Stretching out Theo¡¯s threads towards their intended direction to check for the presence of traps.


    The powered-up pitfalls¡­sadly could not show their efficacy.


    They anticipated an enemy assault when they reached the intersection and limited where the enemy can come from to only one road by having Aerial and Ewan form an Air Wall at separate locations.


    Each member of the Hervor party crushed the oncoming enemies.


    He showed his leadership by making the most of each asset.


    Even more surprising was¡­


    ¡¸You are speaking of that, right? How he handled the Zombies was certainly eye-opening¡­¡¹


    Wraith himself participated in the battle.


    Fran¡¯s grotesque right arm was fearsome, just a graze is enough to blow that part away.


    Their fight had a charm to it that prevented you from looking away.


    For Fran, it was utter devastation.


    A small frame with a massive right arm.


    it¡¯s probably the root cause of many problems in everyday life. But she was like a raging storm.


    Everything that approached was blown away, destroyed, and had their Magical Energy particles scattered.


    She was the very embodiment of her Destroyer Job. Such destruction.


    In contrast, Wraith was truly elegant.


    Knowing his opponents very well, he takes out the Zombies with perfect coordination.


    I expected as much.


    ¡¸I believe he checked up on them. The Clear videos of the parties who advanced to the Demon King Castle¡¯s second stratum and had their allies turned into Zombies.¡¹


    Just counting who was defeated is no big deal.


    But researching the previous Clears of the Zombified Adventurers in order to memorize their fighting style is a huge task.


    Zombies are controlled by Kimaris but he has two ways of controlling them.


    He can assume direct control, manipulating them perfectly.


    Or he can semi-control them by giving them a simple order and let the Zombies carry out the order as they please.


    If the body still has its brain intact, it can move with the same thinking speed as the original.


    It¡¯s for this reason that Kimaris can sit in the Floor Boss area and control the Zombies.


    Most of them are semi-controlled, so there is merit in researching how the original Adventurers fight.


    ¡¸¡­He¡¯s like Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m not the only Adventurer fanatic out there.¡¹


    There definitely aren¡¯t many Adventurers who watch the Clear videos of their fellow Adventurers.


    Most of them just check out the videos of the top-ranked parties, hot topic parties, and any promising newbies.


    Just because you are a novelist doesn¡¯t mean you read every genre of book, no matter the age rating or country of origin.


    You have your own preferences and you also have your own manuscript to write.


    Adventurers are the same.


    You need a Terminal in order to view Clear videos, and it¡¯s not something you can just carry around.


    Inevitably, you can only use it when you¡¯re in a town that has such a facility, but you normally have other businesses to attend to in the town.


    After finishing your business, by the time you finish your meals and have a nice bath, it¡¯s dark out. You¡¯re tired and sleepy.


    And once you¡¯re popular, it becomes harder to check out your fellow Adventurers.


    ¡­Well, I had an unexpected amount of free time for a 4th rank party member, so whenever we weren¡¯t Dungeon Clearing, I could focus on watching videos.


    While the other four were busy taking interviews, appearing on TV, or shooting commercials.


    ¡¸As a Lem fan, I meticulously collected your videos and researched you, but that did take a fair bit of time. If it¡¯s something I enjoy, I¡¯ll do it anyway, but if it is research for the sake of winning, it can¡¯t be all fun.¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s him, he¡¯ll do it.¡¹


    At any rate, his goal is the Unyielding Hero.


    He¡¯ll continue to march towards victory, never giving up.


    Incidentally, the two people who were defeated were one member from the Hervor party and another member from the Aerial party.


    That Hervor party member was too engrossed with her fight against a Zombie Adventurer and got hit by Leraje¡¯s arrow and corroded.


    There was a moment where Hervor destroyed an entire building in order to take down one person and she was buried in the rubble, but she just crawled out of the destroyed building and laughed it off.


    Actually, despite the Hervor party being among the high-ranked parties, they often suffer casualties when Clearing Dungeons.


    It¡¯s due to their simple but powerful strategy of facing things head-on and figuring things out later.


    ¡¸Hard to believe he¡¯s only ten-years-old¡­ Far from being fearsome in the future, he is already fearsome now.¡¹


    The fallen member of the Aerial party is the Gale Hero Ewan.


    Ever since that matter of being shaken up by Gla-la in the first stratum, he has been able to keep his cool and contribute to the Clear.


    However, when confronted with Bella¡¯s Avatar, his movements became sluggish and he was stabbed in that moment of weakness, resulting in big damage and after some time, he was defeated from Magical Energy loss.


    I wonder if he hesitated because he and Bella graduated in the same year from the School.


    Like Bella, even those who are top-notch in terms of fighting ability can fall apart depending on their mental state.


    Aerial is surprisingly hard on his students when it comes to letting them gain experience on the big stage of a Raid Battle.


    ¡­No, perhaps that¡¯s because he has high hopes for Ewan.


    Meanwhile, Wraith¡¯s calmness stood out.


    Kimaris was utterly defeated by the combined attack of the Wraith and Fran pair.


    Having been childhood friends since they were babies, their breathing was in sync.


    The shallow strata have many parties that reach them. The same goes for the number of videos.


    And there¡¯s a limit to how much the strength of the Floor Boss itself can be increased in this short period of time from this Raid Battle program.


    Adding Wraith¡¯s research and countermeasures on top of that, it¡¯s as good as having no plan at all.


    Heroes are extraordinary existences, but in addition to being a main Four Great Spirits contractor like Aerial and Fenix, he is a threat.


    ¡¸But you¡¯ll win, right?¡¹


    She nodded confidently.


    ¡¸Yes¡­! I am where I am today because I met you. Just as how you dashed up the ranks to the 4th rank, I was specially chosen to become one of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four. Ever since that day, I have always watched you. This time¡­would you please watch me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    The challengers have been reduced to fourteen people.


    They have defeated two Floor Bosses but have chosen to reserve their right to revive.


    They have decided to advance to the third stratum with their group of fourteen.


    Who shall lead this time? The Aerial party? Or perhaps the Hervor party?


    Either way, one of the top three parties will take a leading role and hunt Vampires.


    On the other side are the outstanding Vampires under the Vampire Queen Carmilla who serves as a Big Four.


    Their battle is almost at hand.

 CH 145

    145 ¨C Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and _____


    The third stratum ¨C the realm of Vampires is comprised of two areas.


    A moonlit great forest, and the house full of immortals that appears after you get out of the forest.


    ¡¸Alright¡­! Come at me, Vampires!¡¹


    Shouted one among the Adventurers that entered the third stratum.


    The voice belonged to the Hero of the Cursed Sword Herv.


    Apparently, the Hervor party will be the leading party this time.


    Let¡¯s go over the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor again.


    She¡¯s twenty-eight-years-old this year, she entered the top ten when she was eighteen and is a heroine who continues to reign in the top ten.


    She has Tyrfang, which is a Demon King-slaying cursed sword passed down from generation to generation, slung around her, but she rarely ever uses it.


    Healthy, tanned skin, a toned body as if sculpted by artists, and ash gray hair that is groomed by her party members. Her pale bluish-gray eyes clearly portray her emotions at the time.


    A Hero who loves head-to-head contests of strength.


    She has an endless array of other nicknames ranging from Superhuman, Power Obsessed Warrior, Bare-Handed Giant Killer, etc.


    I can count the number of times she¡¯s pulled out the cursed sword. One when she fought an exceedingly strong Demon King and another famous battle when she fought an Ancient Dragon who was the Dungeon Master of a recommended Clear level 5 Dungeon.


    In other words, she only uses her bare hands to deal with anyone who isn¡¯t as strong as that.


    ¡¸Sister Herv, the floor is muddy. Please be careful.¡¹


    It was the Hervor party¡¯s Summoner, Margret. A woman who seems like an heiress from a good upbringing. In fact, she is the second daughter of the owner of a certain large company.


    The Warrior Alba, from my former party, once called her a School committee chairman type. I didn¡¯t really get it, but it seems to be a concept familiar to those who graduated from the School.


    I think it¡¯s meant to imply¡­that she¡¯s a serious mediator or something.


    Herv may be the leader, but she¡¯s not the type to give out detailed orders. It¡¯s thanks to Margret that there is a semblance of coordination in the party.


    ¡¸Yeah, might make it hard to walk.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s fog as well, please try not to stray too far from your allies.¡¹


    ¡¸C¡¯mon, Maggie, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m a little kid or somethin¡¯.¡¹


    ¡¸I am well aware of that. What I am uneasy about is Sister Herv¡¯s tendency to run out ahead of the party that I know all too well.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahah hah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Please refrain from averting your eyes.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m just being vigilant of our surroundings. Y¡¯know, like a leader.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu.¡¹


    ¡¸If you¡¯ve got somethin¡¯ to say, say it.¡¹


    With the loss of their Fencer, the Hervor party has four members remaining.


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the Thousand Form Summoner Margret, the Roaring Gunner Emeline, and the Rock Crushing Martial Artist Amelia are all fine and healthy.


    ¡¸Urgh¡­ I hate this¡­ Not only is it dark, but it¡¯s also foggy, damp, and slimy¡­ Why couldn¡¯t we do the realm of werewolves?¡¹


    ¡¸Were you listening, Em? Big Sis was worried about it. Trading blows with a pack of vicious werewolves would certainly have been exciting! But werewolves aren¡¯t that rare of a race and they don¡¯t have regeneration abilities, right? If it¡¯s the Vampires from the hardest Dungeon, I¡¯m sure we can look forward to a great fight!¡¹


    Emeline, who seems to dislike the third stratum¡¯s environment, looks like a gaudy and timid woman at first glance.


    But if you look at her chosen weapon, that impression will be blown out of the water.


    It was a cannon that would easily exceed the weight of a large man. Its size wouldn¡¯t look out of place if it were on a trolley being pushed by several people.


    As a matter of fact, it is a weapon with a handle and trigger that was made for a single person to use from the start.


    It¡¯s a Magic Tool.


    Much like the Fairies and Spirits, it is equipped with the mechanism to absorb Magical Energy from its surroundings.


    Since Dungeons are completely made up of Magical Energy, it is everywhere.


    While there is reload time to consider, she doesn¡¯t have to worry about running out of bullets.


    The power of cannonballs made of Magical Energy is by no means inferior to the real thing. It probably surpasses it due to the Magical Energy put into it.


    Its poor handling, which could be considered the weak point of this large cannon, is solved by Emeline¡¯s superhuman strength and endurance.


    ¡¸I heard her, but I can¡¯t help complaining about things~. I don¡¯t have blind love towards Big Sis like you do, Ames.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey! I-I¡¯m not¡­! It¡¯s not like that, right Big Sis?!¡¹


    Amelia¡¯s Job makes her have a similar fighting style to Herv.


    She completely approves of how she challenges foes directly with one fist and the way she drives back the enemy.


    ¡¸Ah hah hah, I love you all, too.¡¹


    At Herv¡¯s words, Margret went¡¸My oh my.¡¹with a hand to her cheek, Emeline just went ¡¸Yay.¡¹in response and Amelia¡¯s face went bright red.


    Every time, first-rate Adventurer converse happily while never letting their guard down for even a moment.


    They are used to it, so even when they are concentrating on the Clear, their individual personalities just come out unreservedly.


    Although voices can be added in post, there are many who enjoy these kinds of natural interactions.


    As one would expect, this becomes difficult to do once the battle starts.


    ¡¸At any rate, where are they? Speaking of Vampires, they¡¯re a species that transcends humans, right? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re all scared and hiding from us, huh?¡¹


    They¡¯ve been walking for a while and there have been no attacks, so Herv calls out in provocation.


    It¡¯s easy to tell that she¡¯s itching for a fight.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure they¡¯re afraid that they can¡¯t win against you, Big Sis.¡¹


    Amelia joined in as well. If this was someone who just mimics the leader, there would be an opening to take advantage of, but Amelia is not just a follower.


    She kept a sharp eye on her surroundings, looking for any enemy that might jump out at her at the provocation.


    This forest area is one that, if you¡¯re not careful, you can get lost and never find your way out, but Aerial, who is a contractor with the main Wind Spirit, has a firm grasp of the surroundings. He can confirm the geography with Spirit Magic that expands his senses and lead the way directly to the building.


    ¡¸If you think about the previous two strata, it¡¯s possible that even the third stratum has unknown traps. So please calm down, Sister Herv and Amelia.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what I¡¯m waitin¡¯ for. ¡®Cause there¡¯s been a whole lotta nothin¡¯ so far, my boilin¡¯ blood¡¯s startin¡¯ to cool down over here.¡¹


    Herv responds with a boring voice at Margret¡¯s chiding.


    But her boredom ends there.


    ¡¸Hervor. You¡¯d better get that blood boiling again¡­because your prayers have been answered.¡¹


    At Aerial¡¯s words, everyone went into their battle stances.


    ¡¸Welcome, welcome, inferior beings.¡¹


    Out from the mists came a Vampire in a dress. Her face was covered by a veil and her eyes were hidden behind a mask.


    Her golden hair and outfit suggest that she is the Vampire Queen Carmilla, but her height and breast size are different from her.


    The Impaling Daughter Haagenti.


    She bowed elegantly and then gave a ghastly laugh.


    ¡¸What business do you have with us tonight?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m here to kick all of yer asses.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, what a lively woman. I wonder if you¡¯ll allow me to sink my fangs into that beautiful skin of yours.¡¹


    ¡¸If you can beat me, do whatever you want.¡¹


    ¡¸How lovely.¡¹


    Haagenti snapped her fingers. At that signal, the battle began.


    The rustling of leaves signals the attack of bat Demi-Beasts and several figures came out from the fog¡­Vampires.


    ¡¸I am the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor! Don¡¯t get hunted too easily, Vampires!¡¹


    ¡¸I am Haagenti. I am called the Impaling Daughter, but rest easy. I only impale ugly men.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey now, don¡¯t say something so cold! You don¡¯t plan on getting beaten without using your full strength, do ya? Impaling or whatever, just do everything that you can!¡¹


    Haagenti¡¯s shoulders twitched at the way Herv talked as if Haagenti was assuredly going to lose.


    Of course, she was angry.


    ¡¸¡­It is impossible to not respond in kind to such an enthusiastic request.¡¹


    Haagenti crosses her arms behind her back. Her dress is designed to have her back exposed.


    She extended her nails and deeply pierced her exposed skin and pulled her arms back as if to rip her skin open.


    The fresh blood crawled on her skin and even scattered in the air, but they never hit the ground.


    Two giant whips grew from her back.


    Seeing that, Herv smirked and beckoned her.


    ¡¸Come on.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be a little rough.¡¹


    In the next moment, the whips disappeared.


    No.


    They were swung at the same time to get Herv from the left and right.


    The whipcrack sound of the sound barrier breaking can be heard.


    Haagenti is gentle to women and violent towards men.


    She normally swings her whips in order to instakill male Adventurers. And she has two of them.


    Herv grabbed onto the two high-speed blood whips and held them under each arm.


    She had a happy smile on her face.


    ¡¸Well, well, aren¡¯t these fas¡­t!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m honored to receive your praise.¡¹


    Haagenti¡¯s attack was twofold.


    Holding on to the whips, Herv¡¯s arms are naturally in an occupied state.


    Haagenti made the whips return to their source, her body, causing her to move towards Herv at incredible speeds. She succeeded in hitting her defenseless abdomen with a kick.


    ¡¸Nice one. What¡¯s next?¡¹


    It isn¡¯t strange for an average person to have their body ruptured by that kick, but Herv was perfectly fine.


    Instead, she wraps her arm around Haagenti¡¯s waist¡­and constricts her.


    ¡¸¡­Guh!¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, out of pure curiosity, if I bisect a Vampire perfectly in two, which will you regenerate from?¡¹


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you try it and find out? If you can, that is.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Oh¡­interesting. So that explains the Impaling part of your title.¡¹


    Blood drips from Herv¡¯s arms and abdomen as she¡¯s holding on to Haagenti.


    It seems that the Impaling Daughter turned her own blood into a thorn shape and clad herself in it.


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯m gonna crush you now.¡¹


    Herv¡¯s grip strength didn¡¯t loosen up at all.


    Haagenti¡¯s body starts to creak.

 CH 146.1

    146 ¨C The Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and Underlings Part 1


    Let us go back to the time before the third stratum battle began.


    In the Link Room.


    The people under the Vampire Queen Carmilla, her subordinates, gathered.


    In other words, the pigs and I.


    ¡¸Tonight, the vile villains who dare tread on our realm are no mere Adventurers. One could say that they could defeat us all single-handedly, Hero or not.¡¹


    As expected of Vampires, none were frightened by my words.


    ¡¸I would tell you to be careful¡­but that will not simply ease your mind. So instead, I shall hold food in front of your snouts.¡¹


    Haagenti twitched in response. She was clearly excited and fidgeting.


    ¡¸In accordance to your actions, I shall give out rewards.¡¹


    ¡¸YAHOO!¡¹


    Like a child, Haagenti jumps up and down.


    The others were trying to remain calm, but they couldn¡¯t seem to contain their excitement.


    ¡¸If by some miracle, one of you manages to take down a Hero¡­hmm, yes, so long as it is within the boundaries of a superior-subordinate relationship, I shall respond to any request.¡¹


    The Link Room became noisy.


    I stamp my heel on the floor and they immediately quieted down.


    ¡¸S-sister¡­no, Lady Carmilla. W-would it be alright to request for a¡­a duo suck?¡¹


    The place became noisy once again.


    Duo suck.


    This refers to the action where two Vampires mutually suck each other¡¯s blood.


    In the past, Vampires did not attack Humans because they liked the taste.


    It was just that they were the most numerous and individually weaker, yet have more Magical Energy than other animals, which made them tasty prey in a different way.


    If possible, we would rather suck a Majin or a Hero. To relish the taste of their exceptional Magical Energy.


    Which means it does not matter if we are from the same race. We are Vampires, a race said to be a transcendent of Humans.


    However, hunting the same race is many times harder than hunting Humans, also they can sense those of the same race and avoid them, there¡¯s also a rule against Vampires from sucking their relatives in order to preserve order, and various other reasons make it a rare occurrence.


    However, what¡¯s delicious is delicious. Its delicacy is without a doubt.


    So, someone, somewhere, somehow, tried it. Sucking each other at the same time.


    Vampires give supreme pleasure to other bloodsuckers.


    The feeling of getting sucked is amazing.


    Also, those who eat something delicious experience a sense of euphoria.


    Vampires who suck each other simultaneously will both experience euphoria together.


    An extreme sense of pleasure and satisfaction will overrun your mind.


    Haagenti is asking if I will grant that.


    ¡¸Do you think that my fangs are worth that of a Hero¡¯s life?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! O-of course not¡­! Please pardon me, Lady Carmilla!¡¹


    I don¡¯t really mind giving such a reward for defeating a Hero, but I simply did not wish to suck anyone else¡¯s blood but Lem¡¯s.


    That said, it¡¯s probably not good to shoot down a subordinate¡¯s request just after saying that I would give them a reward.


    ¡¸But yes, if you so desire it, I am willing to give you my blood.¡¹


    Haagenti fell to her knees. She wiped off her drool and continued.


    ¡¸slurp¡­that¡¯s too amazing¡­ I-I suppose directly sucking it is¡­out of the question. Then, let your blood drip on your foot so that I may please lick it off of it¡­¡¹


    Is this girl alright in the head?


    That is what I think, slightly worried, but it honestly isn¡¯t enough to put me off.


    I, too, say embarrassing things to Lem when I feel an intense desire to suck blood.


    To Vampires, the desire for the blood of someone you like is fearsome.


    In her case, it is slightly strange how she can express to her partner, reflecting her sexual preference, without hesitating.


    I guess it¡¯s acceptable, considering how good she is. Yes.


    ¡¸If you are able to defeat a Hero, I¡¯ll think about it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!!¡¹


    Haagenti¡¯s body trembled in anticipation.


    ¡¸Fu¡­fufufu¡­FUHAHAHA! Thank you, Lady Carmilla! On our pride as Vampires, we will bring you victory!¡¹


    Almost in concert, the other pigs begin to squeal.


    ¡¸If she¡¯ll give her blood for a Hero¡­I wonder what reward she¡¯ll give for the other Adventurers?¡¹¡¸I¡­I want her to sit on me like a chair.¡¹¡¸Then I¡¯ll be the footstool.¡¹¡¸¡­! You¡­ that¡¯s¡­?!¡¹¡¸Getting physical is for amateurs¡­ I shall ask her to allow me¡­to stare at her eyes beneath her mask.¡¹¡¸¡­! What are you doing with your hands¡­!¡¹


    These guys are hopeless, but not all Vampires are like this.


    Ever since the incident at my previous workplace and the case where Lem saved me, I could not wipe away the unpleasant feelings I had toward men other than Lem and may have trained my subordinates rather harshly.


    As a result, they became like this before I realized it.


    The other Vampire girls, other than Haagenti, are normal¡­I think.


    I feel like I¡¯m getting a lot of passionate looks and swoony eyes, but that¡¯s normal.


    As long as morale is high and there are no problems with leadership, it should be fine.


    ¡¸Now then, go forth.¡¹


    I send out my subordinates, and I head towards the night building where I shall await my enemies.


    ¡ó


    Is it just me or are the Vampires moving better than usual?


    Like¡­they¡¯re overflowing with motivation.


    That said, the Adventurers are full of people that can¡¯t be dealt with by ordinary means.


    Like the Scathach party for example.


    The threads released from the Weaving Magician Theo¡¯s ten ring-type Magic Tool entangles the enemy and cuts them into small pieces.


    But the Vampires are just barely able to turn their bodies into mist to get out of the strings.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri used his Godspeed to pierce the vital organs of a few of them while the Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill used his sword-type Magic Tool to cut the Vampires in two with his flying slashes, but they immediately regenerate and keep moving.


    The Thunder Hero Scathach used a lightning attack to fry a flock of bats dancing in the air while stabbing the approaching Vampires in the chest with his lighting Holy Sword and cut off the part where the Magical Energy organ is on his electrified foes.


    Those that receive that kind of damage cannot regenerate and are defeated, turning into Magical Energy particles.


    ¡¸The Vampire¡¯s regeneration is nothing more than a powerful cure technique! If you crush their head and Magical Energy organ at the same time, they are finished.¡¹


    If the head is left intact, the Magical Energy flowing into the body from the Magical Energy organ, or perhaps because the Avatar is made of Magical Energy, allows them to survive.


    Even if the head is crushed, it¡¯s possible that the magic that was prepared beforehand is cast as is, beginning the regeneration.


    However, if both were to be crushed at the same time, then there is nothing they can do.


    What Scathach said is correct, but with the physical capabilities of Vampires, this would be extremely difficult to achieve.


    There are three Vampire-specific Jobs.


    Blood Manipulators, those that specialize in manipulating blood. Carmilla and Haagenti are both Blood Manipulators.


    Shapeshifter, those that specialize in body transformations.


    Semi-Immortal, those that specialize in regeneration.


    Scathach¡¯s method for defeating them may have gone well this time, but they won¡¯t all go this well.


    There are those who can use their shapeshifting ability to shift the location of their Magical Energy organ.


    Even Suuri, who never misses, hasn¡¯t been able to take down an enemy, which shows just how troublesome they can be.


    Among the allies who heard Scathach, there were two kinds of responses.


    The first were people who put what he said into practice.


    And the other¡­are people who stuck to their own methods.


    ¡¸Hah! Hyaah!¡¹


    A Vampire turned into mist to avoid the Rock Crushing Martial Artist Amelia¡¯s fists.


    Behind the Vampire was a tree and¡­it was smashed to bits.


    The large tree came crashing down.


    ¡¸Stand still, Vampire!¡¹


    She chased her enemy around, enjoying every minute of it. Occasionally, she would grab a bat, crush it in her hand and toss it aside. Even if she¡¯s bitten a little, it¡¯s just crush, toss, crush, toss, without a care in the world. Exciting.


    Her exceptional punching power¡­isn¡¯t real.

 CH 146.2

    146 ¨C The Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and Underlings Part 2


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, the secret lies in the black glove on her right hand.


    This is also a Magic Tool. Its ability is to absorb and release impacts.


    However, she should only be able to absorb the damage she was supposed to inflict.


    She cannot absorb the impact that comes back to her fist.


    So, it is not as convenient an ability as the impression given by the written word.


    Every day, it steadily absorbs impacts that don¡¯t break her hand, then she releases the stored energy in Clears.


    In a way, it might be similar to my horn. I store Magical Energy and then use it in battle.


    It stores the punch impact.


    Breaking a big tree should have consumed a considerable amount, but Amelia doesn¡¯t seem to care.


    Herv is the one that brings out Amelia¡¯s true nature in a big way.


    Just as Haagenti thought her spine was about to snap, she turned into mist to escape.


    They can use abilities that don¡¯t manifest with their Jobs.


    However, it seems that she can¡¯t use it to travel large distances, in fact, she materializes right beside Herv.


    ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s handy.¡¹


    ¡¸Descendant of the Dragon-Slayer¡­¡¹


    Haagenti says that almost as if she was spitting it out and Herv merely shrugged her shoulders.


    Among her numerous nicknames, Descendant of the Dragon-Slayer was given to her not because of her achievements, but because of her abilities.


    Practically everyone knows that she¡¯s a descendant of a Demon King slayer, but fewer and fewer people know specifically which Demon King.


    It seems that that Demon King was a Dragon and Majin half-breed.


    It¡¯s said that Herv¡¯s ancestor was splattered with the blood of the subjugated Demon King and attained an ability close to immortality.


    it¡¯s a common legend, but one look at Herv¡¯s body will tell you that it is no lie.


    Her endurance is also legendary, but it is her natural healing power that has reached the levels of regeneration.


    Loss blood won¡¯t return to her body but any wounds she has will have already closed up.


    ¡¸What? Gonna cry foul? Or you gonna say that regeneration should belong to Vampires alone?¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, I was just thinking how difficult it might be to suck you.¡¹


    ¡¸I love you go-getter types.¡¹


    Haagenti took a deep breath and exhaled quietly.


    In that time, blood coiled around her right arm, and several cone-shaped spears were deployed around her.


    ¡¸I shall pierce, and then strike you.¡¹


    ¡¸Bring it on.¡¹


    The battle between those two isn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡¸sigh¡­ Fast, strong, beautiful¡­ Vampires sure are hard to deal with¡­¡¹


    Grumbled the Roaring Gunner Emeline, moving around with her colossal cannon with ease.


    The figure of a Vampire was chasing her.


    ¡¸Attacking while taking advantage of the night and fog¡­ Isn¡¯t it too much?¡¹


    Emeline counterattacked without turning around.


    She put the giant cannon on her shoulder with the muzzle aimed behind her and she pulled the trigger.


    A thunderous roar.


    The male Vampire was blown apart from the waist up and couldn¡¯t regenerate, so he was defeated.


    The Magical Energy bullet still continued on and disappeared into the depths of the forest.


    ¡¸What a powerful cannon you have.¡¹


    The voice came from a different Vampire, female this time.


    ¡¸Yeah, great, thanks.¡¹


    Before she realized it, Emeline was surrounded.


    ¡¸However, you only have one cannon. And it cannot fire in all directions at once.¡¹


    ¡¸Good guess, Captain Obvious.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    They all jumped towards her at once, but most of them couldn¡¯t lay a finger on her.


    ¡¸Hup.¡¹


    With a mechanical sound, a¡­handle sprang out from the middle section of the cannon.


    To put it simply, in an instant, the giant cannon became¡­a giant hammer.


    Emeline grabbed the handle and spun the hammer around her.


    The Vampires were smacked away.


    ¡¸Oh, some of you dodged it.¡¹


    A minimum amount of information about the Adventurers had been shared with the Monsters of the Demon King Army.


    How they handle such information in practice is a different matter, but there are those who put it to good use.


    A few of them turned into mist to avoid her attack and were closing in on her.


    ¡¸Boom, hammer time.¡¹


    Still in it¡¯s hammer state, she pulls the trigger.


    The Magical Energy bullet that was fired blew apart two Vampire¡¯s while the recoil propelled the giant hammer to attack the last Vampire and blast it away.


    After that, she spun around from the recoil until she stopped and put the hammer down, tired. Emeline was the only one left standing.


    On her cheek was one long wound made by a nail.


    As you can see from the fact that she didn¡¯t move an inch during the first bombardment, as a Gunner, she is also skilled at negating the recoil.


    But every once in a while, she would let the recoil wash over her.


    ¡¸Hoo, that was a workout. Job well done.¡¹


    Satisfied, she nodded to herself.


    ¡¸¡­J-just kidding. I wanna get crazy~!¡¹


    Probably feeling the gaze of the Thousand Form Summoner Margret on her, Emeline¡¯s back straightened up.


    Speaking of Margret¡­


    Her outfit has changed since the start of the battle.


    Now she¡¯s wearing¡­something like a nun¡¯s habit.


    A fairly rare Magic Tool that can resist Black Magic and has an effect that repels sudden attacks.


    Another thing is the golden cross she has.


    ¡¸Preferring to sip the blood of beautiful women is unforgivable.¡¹


    This is also a Magic Tool and is said to be able to exorcise demons.


    In actuality, it is a terrifying item that disrupts the flow of Magical Energy, hindering the Vampires¡¯ ability to manipulate blood, shapeshift, and regenerate.


    She seemed to have a talent for business, and although she initially borrowed the help of her family¡¯s company, she soon became successful enough to pay them back with interest.


    With all the money she attained, what she did next was start collecting Magic Tools.


    Apart from Herv¡¯s cursed sword, all the Magic Tools in the Hervor party were acquired by Margret


    Even financial power can be used as a weapon. As long as it¡¯s interesting to the audience, anything goes.


    Another special thing about her is her abilities as a Summoner.


    Originally, similar to my ring, a Summoner forms contracts with people and excels at the art of summoning them.


    But somehow, she is able to also make contracts with inanimate objects.


    In every Clear, she summons what she needs in that instant in her hands.


    Incidentally, since she wears her clothes in layers, she will be naked once.


    Of course, in Clear videos, it¡¯s done well in a way that her important bits are just barely hidden, but people in the Dungeon side can see them. The video editors as well.


    It¡¯s rather imposing how she doesn¡¯t seem to care about that.


    I¡¯d like to mention that I couldn¡¯t see anything, the fog hid everything from view. Yup.


    ¡¸Now then, I¡¯m counting on you, Nick.¡¹


    Nick is the name of the bear Demi-Beast that she made a contract with.


    That¡¯s right, living things can be summoned by other living things.


    Nick, who is normally the master of the forest, stands on his hind legs and swings his claws downwards at the Vampires.


    Because of the cross¡¯s ability, the Vampires¡¯ abilities were weakened and they were defeated.


    So far, it sounds like the Adventurers are getting overwhelmed and despite none of them actually being defeated yet, the Adventurer side has certainly received some damage.


    Herv and Amelia continue to fight while ignoring their injuries, and even Emeline and Margret, who dealt with the Vampires well, have been having their blood sucked by the bat Demi-Beasts that they didn¡¯t take care of.


    The ones that you can truly say are unharmed are all the Heroes aside from Herv, the Samurai Masamune, and the Faceless Archer Suuri.


    Although Vampires are getting defeated at an alarming rate, they are succeeding in whittling the Adventurers down.


    ¡¸Ahaha, unlike the Monsters that burst apart with just a little nudge, you Demon King Castle Vampires can take a beating! Now, this is fun!¡¹


    ¡­At least, I think it¡¯s working.


    Besides, the preparations are already complete, and the plan is still underway.


    The Adventurers still don¡¯t know the threat of the reborn third stratum ¨C  the Realm of Vampires and Underlings.

 CH 147

    147 ¨C The Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and Underlings 2


    ¡¸Alright, I get the gist of it.¡¹


    The Water Hero Wraith says with a wide grin on his face.


    Creating something like a wall of wind, the bats weren¡¯t able to bite him.


    ¡¸The further apart the manipulated blood is from the manipulator¡­the weaker the influence. So there¡¯s a limit to how far they are able to use their own blood once it¡¯s out of their body.¡¹


    A thrown blood knife can change its trajectory in mid-air.


    One such knife was headed towards Fran, but Wraith raised a defensive wall with Earth Magic to block it.


    Fran immediately closed in on the attacker and sent them flying with her right arm.


    Perhaps due to being too far from its owner, the blood weapon could not keep its shape as a knife and returned to being liquid.


    ¡¸Moving around the placement of their Magical Energy organ using shapeshifting is pretty interesting, but there are only so many places you can move it to in the body.¡¹


    Forcibly shifting around the placement of your internal organs alone is an amazing feat, but one has to think of balancing the other organs.


    Forcibly moving it was manageable, but changing its position would be a hassle.


    In other words, creating a space in time for an instant evasion is limited.


    Also, there is no place to hide the organ in the lower parts of the body. Even if you forcibly moved it down there, it will soon become obvious where it is.


    In the end, he arrived at the conclusion that it is better to blow apart their entire upper body in order to kill a Vampire in one shot.


    ¡¸If you wanna beat them without them regenerating, this is the way.¡¹


    Both Wraith¡¯s and the Crimson Wizard Michelle¡¯s explosion magic blew up at almost the same time. Various Vampires were defeated.


    ¡¸Then there¡¯re the ones that can turn into mist¡­ When they become mist, they can¡¯t think, right? Which means they thought about where they are going to materialize beforehand, so¡­about here?¡¹


    Just before they are crushed by Fran¡¯s grasp, they turn into mist and then materialize in a place a little bit away.


    But then, just as that Vampire felt a weird pressure on their chest, they burst open in the next instant¡­defeated.


    Thanks to the Defeat Mechanic, all that gets splattered around is Magical Energy particles, but still¡­what a fearsome technique.


    ¡­This is just a guess, but I think he placed a box or ball of compressed air at the materialization spot.


    The Vampire materializes there without realizing it. It¡¯s like having a bomb in your body.


    ¡¸But man, they¡¯re tough. They¡¯re difficult to aim at, and defeating them in one hit eats up Magical Energy. Vampires are troublesome Monsters.¡¹


    Says Wraith, giving high praise to the enemy.


    While he, himself, remains unharmed.


    It¡¯s hard to believe that this is his first actual raid battle. He¡¯s so stable and strong.


    Despite the Vampires steadily dealing damage to the Adventurers, they were annihilated.


    And now, the conclusion to the Hero of the Cursed Sword and the Impaling Daughter¡¯s battle draws near.


    Countless blood cones shoot out from the ground aiming to pierce Herv, but she simply smashes them, parries them, steps on them, and sometimes ignoring them completely while she forcibly closes the distance between them.


    ¡¸Come on, Haagenti! Let¡¯s end this!¡¹


    ¡¸Bring it¡­!¡¹


    Haagenti called back all the blood that she could and clad her right arm with them.


    I guess she¡¯s already determined that she can no longer escape Hervor¡¯s fists.


    The distance between them vanished as they exchange fists.


    The space around them shook, the trees rustled. There was a sound as if the forest itself rang out and the hair of all the Adventurers in the vicinity swayed as if hit by a shockwave.


    ¡¸¡­Tsk, what was that¡¸Bring it!¡¹all about, Haagenti¡­?¡¹


    Herv was smiling with a complicated expression.


    In terms of the match, Herv is the victor.


    But that wasn¡¯t what she wanted from a simple, pure head-on collision.


    ¡¸Big Sis!¡¹


    The Rock Crushing Martial Artist Amelia ran towards Herv, ignoring all the wounds that she herself has.


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. Although, I don¡¯t think I can grow this back.¡¹


    Herv said, jokingly, showing her right arm which was completely gone all the way to the joint.


    In response to Herv¡¯s way of doing things, Haagenti laid bare her fighting spirit¡­or so it seemed.


    At the moment that they clashed, the armor of blood that covered her right arm changed its shape into the fang of a beast.


    That fang was successfully thrust deeply into Herv¡¯s right arm.


    But at the same time, Haagenti was hit hard enough to send her flying into the forest, knocking over countless large trees, and was defeated.


    But her actions have cost Herv her right arm.


    ¡¸She must be pretty darn loyal. Haagenti thinks that the one deep within can defeat me. That¡¯s why she did this, thinking that she could help make it easier in any small way that she could.¡¹


    Haagenti, who witnessed Herv¡¯s healing ability first hand, probably knew that she wouldn¡¯t be defeated by the loss of her right arm. While her subordinates were being wiped out, she prioritized taking her right arm with her, rather than winning.


    Benefiting the team¡¯s chances of winning, rather than winning as an individual.


    ¡¸Hahaha! I can¡¯t help but get excited, I really want to meet this Vampire Queen already!¡¹


    While they were talking, her wounds closed up and the leaking of Magical Energy stops.


    If you think about how she¡¯s a Hero who fights with her fists, snatching away one of her strongest weapons is a huge achievement for Haagenti.


    The group then made their way through the forest without letting their guard down, and finally arrived in front of the mansion.


    The Adventurers enter the entrance hall of the mansion and are greeted by a single male Vampire in a butler outfit with a large crowd of maids.


    And then they got ready to¡­explain the rules of the Raid Battle.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla, one of the Demon King Army¡¯s Big Four, serves as the Floor Boss of the third stratum.


    She sleeps in a coffin atop a stone altar in a room within the mansion that is set up to look like a church.


    The Vampires in the forest are tasked with protecting her and those that lose to them are not worth any consideration.


    However, if those that possess the strength to brave the forest reach her place of rest, Carmilla will awaken.


    And in order to protect the door that leads to the fourth stratum under her, she will swing her blades of blood at the Adventurers.


    That¡¯s right. So that she never leaves her post as guardian of the fourth stratum door for even a moment, she sleeps atop it.


    At least, that¡¯s the setting.


    The exterior of the mansion is always the same, but the interior¡­or rather the structure of each room is different each time.


    It is not possible to locate the church from other Adventurers¡¯ videos.


    In addition, they will need three items to get to Carmilla¡¯s resting place. A rusty candlestick, a corpse¡¯s candle, and a black flame.


    When you light the candle with the flame, place it on the candlestick, and then set it in front of the door of the church, it will open.


    Usually, all the members of a party will search each room, sometimes falling into a trap or getting ambushed, they find items, other than the three important ones, like keys to unlock locked rooms, maps, etc that get them closer to reaching Carmilla.


    However, this time there are a large number of people and the rooms have been set up under the condition that they will be searched by a full party.


    The Aerial party, Hervor party, Scathach party, and Wraith & Fran each search one room.


    For TV, this is a welcome proposal.


    A large number of people fighting all at once is the exciting part of a raid battle, but leaving that aside, the fans of each party still wish to see their favorites party play an active role.


    Splitting up the group to fight their own battles is¡­the easiest way to do that.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­I don¡¯t really mind, but I have two questions.¡¹


    ¡¸What ever is it?¡¹


    The butler answers Herv.


    ¡¸Why are you generously explaining on and on about the rules?¡¹


    ¡¸In order to deter any violent behavior. This shall be the final explanation. As soon as we have verified that a room or the mansion itself has been destroyed in this Clear, Lady Carmilla will seal the path leading to the Demon King with her life. We cannot allow such uncouth intruders to have an audience with her Highness.¡¹


    This sort of item hunt system isn¡¯t particularly unique, but there are quite a lot of Adventurers who are impatient or ill-tempered.


    There are people who listen to the explanations and regard it simply to mean that the objective is in the basement, so they start digging through the floor to get to it.


    You aren¡¯t allowed to do that in the first place, but warnings are given so that they won¡¯t attempt it.


    All that stuff about Carmilla sealing the way with her life is just set dressing.


    She doesn¡¯t actually have the ability to do that and the Adventurers are normally just disqualified.


    Adventurers acting with the intent to shorten their Clear time by simply razing the mansion obviously have to be disqualified.


    ¡¸Hmm. So we gotta follow the rules, huh? Sure, we¡¯re intruders after all. It¡¯ll be bad if we ignore the rules and become unable to tango with the Demon King. So that¡¯s the first question, my second one is¡­are you guys not gonna fight?¡¹


    I can¡¯t tell from how Herv¡¯s looks if she realized it or not, but there aren¡¯t any butlers or maids in the regular third stratum Clear.


    Instead, there would be a single letter placed atop a table in a dark entrance hall with the minimum rules written on it.


    This time, it¡¯s a Raid Battle, a big stage. So we wanted to add a little more flare to it¡­at least that¡¯s one reason.


    The other reason is, of course¡­


    ¡¸We are Lady Carmilla¡¯s subordinates as well and know of ways to eliminate intruders.¡¹


    ¡¸Great, that¡¯s just how I like it¡­ Hey, you¡¯re not gonna disqualify us if we bust up the mansion, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Defeating us will legitimize the Clear.¡¹


    ¡¸You guys get me!¡¹


    And so, it quickly developed into a battle.


    The butler and maids were soon defeated by the fierce fighters who came through the forest.


    Each party began their item hunt.


    For instance, the Hervor party.


    ¡¸There¡¯s a piece of paper here that¡¯s clearly a hint. Let¡¯s see¡­¡ºA light that is darker than darkness itself, in a place closer to death than the ground, it is¡­¡»uh¡­what does this say?¡¹


    Herv passes the piece of paper that she found on top of a table in a certain room to the Summoner Margret.


    ¡¸That is¡ºimprisoned¡», Sister Herv. Certainly, that is a difficult expression.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I got the meaning. I just couldn¡¯t read it, thanks.¡¹[1 TL Note: As a translator, I feel you, Herv.]


    ¡¸I live to serve¡­is what I wish to say, but are we not allies? It¡¯s only natural that we complement each other.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That was a close one. I almost asked ¡ºWhat were you doing at School, big sis?¡». Was it the right call to follow Maggie¡¯s footsteps?¡¹


    The Gunner Emeline purposefully wipes her sweat, but then the Martial Artist Amelia bonks her on the head.


    ¡¸You said that out loud!¡¹


    ¡¸Ow. No violence! You¡¯re acting like a wife, Ames.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah?!¡¹


    Putting aside the friendly banter between those two, Herv and Margret continue their conversation.


    ¡¸So this black flame is somewhere underground? It says it¡¯s imprisoned, so maybe it¡¯s in a treasury or something.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I believe so.¡¹


    ¡¸Should we check it out first? It¡¯d be great if we can find a key too, but maybe I¡¯m just thinking too much.¡¹


    Herv scratches her head with her remaining left arm.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t we head over there to investigate first?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll leave the thinking to you, Maggie. Countin¡¯ on ya.¡¹


    Margret smiled happily.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    The leader of the Aerial party is versatile so Aerial is in charge of solving riddles as well. There¡¯s also the Alchemist Louie, who is also smart, and they both tackle the problems together.


    The Scathach party is similar, the leader and the Hunter Suuri are the brains of the operation.


    The Warrior Hamill moved a book in the study which triggered a trap. They all almost fell down the hole that appeared, it was quite the scene. Thanks to the Magician Theo¡¯s threads, they were didn¡¯t fall.


    If they had, they would have been pierced by the sharp spears at the bottom.


    In a show of the open-mindedness of youth, Wraith and Fran solved the riddles together.


    Somehow, Fran seems to talk more when she¡¯s with Wraith.


    And Wraith¡¯s smile as well is naturally gentler when he¡¯s with her.


    Some time passed.


    The Adventurers were standing together in front of a door.


    The Hervor party found a transparent box, inside which burnt a pure black flame.


    The Aerial party found the corpse candle, which has a skull pattern on its surface and is constantly moving.


    And the Scathach party found the, somehow screaming in pain, rusted candlestick


    Also, Wraith and Fran found the floor plan for the mansion as well as the keys that are required to get the other items.


    With all their powers combined, they reached the church.


    Atop a long, narrow stand made of stone, the three items were combined and placed¡­ With a rumbling sound, the stone door opens.


    At the end of the aisles was a stone platform where a coffin lies on top.


    However, the coffin lid was already opened slightly.


    ¡¸To those who have made it thus far, I welcome thee. You seem like formidable Humans.¡¹


    A dress steeped in black decorated with red here and there.


    The outfit was extravagant yet suggestive.


    The red-lined veil covered her head, a black mask covered her eyes. Long, beautiful golden hair and a smile that bared her fangs.


    As to the degree of skin exposed, her breasts are exposed as if she were wearing lingerie, her abdomen and back are freely exposed and even her thighs are exposed enough to draw the eye of the viewer.


    Some parts of the costume are in the form of bands, and they cover the body in a way that connects those lines to each other.


    However, the area of cloth used is quite wide. This is because only the front part of the dress, aside from the back, is exposed.


    And from her back grow the large wings of a bat. The little batwing antennas on her head are also lively.


    Overall, she gives off the feeling of a bewitching and beautiful female Monster.


    ¡¸You¡¯re Carmilla, right? We went through a lot of shit to get to you, so I hope you¡¯re strong. And if you¡¯re as strong as Haagenti believes you are, all the better.¡¹


    Carmilla smiled and gave a little chuckle.


    The third stratum Floor Boss fight¡­begins.

 CH 148

    148 ¨C The Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and Underlings 3


    The third stratum Floor Boss ¨C the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    There were four people behind her that were dressed in aristocratic costumes.


    Of course, they too are Vampires.


    While not as strong as Haagenti, they are people with excellent combat capabilities.


    ¡¸Strong? Fufufu, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, what exactly is strength to you?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? ¡­Oh, you¡¯re one of those, huh? You expectin¡¯ me to say I¡¯m the hard-headed type that¡¯d never let someone die without tryin¡¯ to help¡¯em?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course not, I can tell just by looking at your allies. You do not disapprove of them relying on weapons or tools. That is exactly why I find your definition of strength to be blurry. There is not a clear line to how strong one has to be in order to be included.¡¹


    Herv cocks her head at Carmilla¡¯s words.


    ¡¸It¡¯s true that I hate dull things. But that¡¯s just my temperament or¡­personality. If I had to say if something is interesting or not, I¡¯d say it isn¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸You hold a standard for strength that overcomes subjectivity, I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s the simplest way. Even a kid can understand it. If you win at the end of a match, you¡¯re the stronger one.¡¹


    As an Adventurer fanatic, I read those exact words in an interview article she did in the past, so I wasn¡¯t surprised.


    But Carmilla¡¯s lips parted slightly in surprise. It soon returned to her smile.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a very interesting condition you have. Well, if that¡¯s the case, then we can answer the often discussed question,¡¸If someone poisons a strong person, does that mean that person is stronger?¡¹. Defeat that is imposed on the opponent without waiting for the match to be concluded is not proof of strength.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s why you can all accept setting traps, right? We¡¯re attacking, you¡¯re defending. That¡¯s how the match is set. All that¡¯s left is to see which side wins. I don¡¯t really care what you throw at me. I¡¯ll bust through¡¯em all and beat the Demon King.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m relieved.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?¡¹


    ¡¸Shall we begin? You shall pay for the sin of hunting down my subordinates with your lives.¡¹


    Herv suddenly burst out laughing at the line Carmilla said in character.


    She was curious but not enough to ask her why.


    ¡¸Give it your best shot.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, without further ado.¡¹


    In an instant, the church turned into a scene out of Hell.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Go a few of the Adventurers. Several of them made similar sounds, so I¡¯m not sure who exactly said it.


    The church is wide. As soon as you enter, there is an aisle that leads to the stone altar, where a red carpet is laid out.


    To the left and right of the aisle are rows of long stone benches, all lined up.


    From the red carpet and the shadows of the benches¡­


    ¡­stretched countless blood thorns that assaulted the Adventurers in an instant.


    ¡¸Whoa, whoa¡­ There¡¯s way too many of them.¡¹


    Even the ever calm Wraith¡¯s eyes twitched.


    He immediately pulled Fran closer and deployed a wind barrier to defend against the thorns.


    But not everyone was able to deal with this.


    And the surprises didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡¸What¡­the hell¡­?¡¹


    It was the Roaring Gunner Emeline


    A gunner who wields a cannon as large as a large man.


    She quickly tried to fire a cannonball at the chair that seemed to be the source of the thorns, but the arm supporting her cannon¡­dropped like a sack of bricks.


    Like a detachable piece, the cannon falls to the floor.


    Carmilla puts her hand to her mouth as if she was concerned. She says in a voice kind enough to give the illusion that she¡¯s genuinely sympathizing.


    ¡¸Are you quite alright? Has your body become fragile? Be sure to eat healthy meals¡­or perhaps it would be better to consider the management of your Magical Energy. Next time¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Em¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry sis, looks like I messed up¡­¡¹


    Thorns wrapped around Emeline and soon after, Magical Energy particles could be seen shining through the gaps.


    The cannon disappeared as well.


    ¡¸Dammit! What is this? Wh-what is happening¡­!¡¹


    The Martial Artist Amelia dodged, parried, pulled, anything she could to defend against the thorns, but at some point, her posture crumpled. She began to crumble from her knee down.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t-¡¹


    -understand. That¡¯s probably what she was trying to say.


    The thorns spread out and wrapped around her, restraining her¡­and was defeated.


    ¡¸Amelia¡­ Sister Herv, we overlooked something seriou¡­s¡­¡¹


    One of Carmilla¡¯s subordinates pierces the Summoner Margret through the chest from the front with their hand.


    Her current equipment are a nuisance. Garments that protect her from surprise attacks, and a cross that suppresses the special abilities of Vampires.


    That¡¯s why it was necessary to defeat her fairly and directly.


    Her partner, the bear Demi-beast Nick, isn¡¯t here to help.


    The others before her had their bodies swallowed and crumbled by the thorns.


    She wasn¡¯t given any time to summon someone or something else.


    ¡¸Damn¡­! Maggie¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸The ones causing the Avatars to be brittle are possibly the Vampi-¡¹


    Margret was defeated.


    With this, the only one left in the Hervor party is the leader.


    ¡¸¡­I ain¡¯t gonna ask you what you did to¡¯em.¡¹


    Hervor was still smiling, but it wasn¡¯t out of joy.


    She may love to fight, but she isn¡¯t the type to find joy in her allies getting defeated.


    ¡¸Oh? I don¡¯t mind explaining it, you know? You see, from the very start, you all were-¡¹


    A thunderous roar.


    The floorboards of the church flipped up, as Herv¡¯s figure disappeared.


    Before anyone realized it, Herv had swung a fist at Carmilla.


    Carmilla deployed a protective wall made of a huge amount of blood from the vast room to deal with it, but it disappeared in an instant as if it had evaporated. Blood splattered from the impact of her blow.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh and you can have this back.¡¹


    Herv threw something on the floor¡­ It was the head of the Vampire who defeated Margret.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Did she rip it off on her way to hit Carmilla?


    It was already way too fast if she was going straight, but she took a detour to take down a Vampire as well?


    If you look at the Vampire from the neck down, their Magical Energy organ was crushed as well.


    Without looking, Herv stomped on the head.


    There¡¯s no regenerating that. The Magical Energy particles danced in the air. Defeated.


    ¡¸To be able to manipulate this much blood, you have to be the Boss, right? Which means, it¡¯s all over if I hunt you down.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you think that someone who would be so easily hunted would be appointed as a Floor Boss?¡¹


    ¡¸Like I said, it doesn¡¯t matter. If it¡¯s a match, I¡¯ll win.¡¹


    ¡¸Please, don¡¯t be so upset. It¡¯s true that our hospitality feels a little lacking than usual for intruders.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A hah hah. Don¡¯t mess with me, woman.¡¹


    The thorns coil around Herv. The thorns pierce and bite into her skin.


    But she still takes a step forward. She doesn¡¯t stop. One step after another, getting ever closer to Carmilla.


    ¡¸¡­Are you even Human?¡¹


    ¡¸Who knows.¡¹


    Carmilla becomes more vigilant and extends her nails near her wrist.


    She slashes her wrist and the blood that flows out quickly turns into a sword for her.


    ¡¸My apologies, but I am not particularly proficient in hand-to-hand combat.¡¹


    ¡¸Do whatever you need to.¡¹


    The battle rages on.

 CH 149

    149 ¨C The Third Stratum ¨C The Realm of Vampires and Underlings 4


    Herv may not have asked, but I¡¯m sure the audience is curious.


    There were two big mysteries.


    The source of the blood and the brittleness of the Avatars.


    Actually, both of those mysteries have the same answer.


    Firstly, I¡¯ll explain the organization.


    Being called a part of the Big Four is more than just a rank.


    As someone who is called the Chief of Staff, I have something special, such as Black Sorcery or the Demon King¡¯s horn in addition to planning strategies.


    Each and every one of the Big Four similarly possesses something special.


    Someone who fancies the appearance of a Dream Demon and can Drain her enemies without touching them. However, that is only one side, the actual person can change to any form she desires, reproducing even the special characteristics of the chosen form.


    The shapeshifting, black-winged leopard Demi-Beast, the Demon of Love Sitri.


    A warrior who rides in armor reminiscent of a huge statue and manipulates an extendable spear. The rider of said armor looks nothing but a young girl but can run faster than the wind, is powerful enough to crush rocks, and boasts an endurance to keep going even when the heart has been crushed.


    An appearance that belies her unimaginable physical strength, the mighty warrior Ogre, the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    A person of the same race as the Demon King herself, in possession of two magnificent horns. Devoutly faithful to her Highness, he who excels in Magical Energy generation, magical power, and physical ability. A Wizard who toys with his enemies with his movement magic which makes it seem like he¡¯s traveling through time.


    Quick and decisive, he moves without delay or hesitation. He is the Majin, the Time Demon Agares.


    The Big Four that the Adventurers encounter first. With a cold-blooded personality that sometimes scares people and sometimes helplessly attracts them. Her blood manipulation causes a gruesome yet beautiful massacre.


    Dripping with fresh blood, the Vampire who steals your blood and then terrorizes you with it, the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    She polished and polished her skills as a Blood Manipulator, which excels in manipulating blood.


    Normally, is it not possible for the master Vampire to manipulate the blood sucked by their vampiric Demi-Beast pets.


    Ultimately, it is only their own blood that they can meddle with.


    However, Carmilla noticed an exception to the rule.


    Blood sucked directly from others became her own. How does this work?


    She came to a conclusion.


    By mixing it with her own blood, it becomes susceptible to manipulation.


    In order to test this out, she repeatedly gave her blood to her own Demi-Beasts.


    Then, at some point in time¡­


    She was able to manipulate the bats as she wished.


    The day that she and I first met.


    Milla called and commanded the bats to attack her assaulter¡¯s source of violent carnal desire, ensuring that they will never function properly again.


    Carmilla¡¯s technique of turning the blood sucked from the Adventurer by her vampiric Demi-Beasts into her own weapons is one that was produced by her steady hard work, and trial and error.


    ¡¸¡­Aerial, have you noticed?¡¹


    Said the Samurai Masamune with a serious expression.


    The looming blood thorns form a circle around him, not moving any closer.


    For if they do, they will be cut to shreds and scattered.


    That¡¯s how fearsome his skill with the katana is.


    ¡¸I am also¡­like this.¡¹


    Masamune is also crumbling from his left knee down.


    He continues to fend off the thorns while standing on one leg.


    ¡¸Yeah, the ones who are crumbling are those with little Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸I am still unsure as to the cause of it, but if that is true, then it matches the current state of our party. Other than Masamune, none of us have shown any noticeable deterioration.¡¹


    The Alchemist Louie turns a stone bench into a shield in the blink of an eye in order to defend against the thorns.


    Aerial¡¯s guess isn¡¯t wrong.


    But to be more precise, the bodies of those that spent little Magical Energy in their Avatar generation are crumbling.


    Avatars are reproductions of living things using Magical Energy.


    The Magical Energy cost of the reproductions depends on the living thing, of course.


    The more information and the more complex it is, the more Magical Energy is required.


    So why are the bodies that were generated with little Magical Energy crumbling at this time?


    ¡¸If you count just the bats, it doesn¡¯t make sense. Isn¡¯t there something else?¡¹


    Wraith really is sharp.


    The bats that they encountered in the forest were mostly dealt with by the Adventurers, but no matter how many they get, they can¡¯t get all of them.


    For example, if there were bats that sucked just a little and ran away, it would be impossible to notice all of them.


    However, even if there were dozens of such bats, this doesn¡¯t mean that Carmilla can manipulate such an amount of blood.


    There is a possibility that she stored her own blood somewhere¡­but if that were the case, then there would have been plenty of ways to use it. For example, she didn¡¯t use it during the Fenix party fight.


    ¡¸Sucking blood without us realizing¡­ Mosquitoes?¡¹


    Said Fran while tilting her head.


    ¡¸Ahaha, good one, Fran. But in order to have collected this much, they would need a very noticeable amount of mosquitoes. Besides, you¡¯d hear the buzzing of their wings, right?¡¹


    Even in this situation, the banter between the childhood friend duo doesn¡¯t miss a beat.


    ¡¸¡­Leeches?¡¹


    Mutters Scathach.


    They seem to have arrived at the correct answer.


    That¡¯s right.


    In each stratum, a new plan for the purpose of the Raid Battle was formulated.


    The one Carmilla has been working hard on is controlling a Demi-Beast other than bats.


    And so, without the Adventurers noticing, their Magical Energy was sucked from their Avatars.


    The forest environment, with its rustling trees and night wind. Moist air and soil. Poor visibility due to the night and fog.


    And the Dungeon that is entirely made of Magical Energy called a Field.


    Furthermore, the Vampires joined the fray there. Many of their reliable allies have excellent Magical Energy.


    If all the conditions are met, the weak little leeches stick silently onto people and suck away at their blood, naturally unnoticed.


    Whether it is Magical Energy borne from a Magical Energy organ or not, they steal their blood, or in this case, the Magical Energy that their body is comprised of.


    When the Adventurers enter the forest, the leech Demi-Beasts stick to them and suck their blood, and when they have sucked their fill, they simply drop off.


    And then when the Adventurers go on ahead, someone will come by and gather them. Then deliver them to Carmilla.


    In a normal scenario, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual to notice your blood flowing out from a wound. Even after the fact.


    However, this is a Dungeon Clear. Blood that flows out¡­quickly turns into Magical Energy particles.


    It is difficult to notice Magical Energy particles leaking little by little from small wounds in the deep fog and in the middle of battle.


    Also as time passes, the bleeding will slow down.


    If a subordinate can defeat an Adventurer, that would obviously be the best outcome.


    But even if they were all defeated without doing that, it isn¡¯t a loss.


    ¡¸Just how many leeches would be needed to collect this much Magical Energy? I don¡¯t know how, but Carmilla can manipulate it. As if it were her own blood. How the heck is she able to do that, I wonder?¡¹


    Wraith seems to understand the tremendous efforts Carmilla had to go through.


    In order to be able to use the blood sucked by the leeches, she had to continuously give her own blood to the leeches prior to all this.


    How many tens, hundreds, or thousands of leeches? Looking at the time period, she wouldn¡¯t have made it in time unless she started her preparations long before the Raid Battle announcement.


    It¡¯s possible she started¡­since that time she met me again.


    When I became the Chief of Staff, I recall her saying that she wishes to stand as my equal which possibly caused her to start doing this.


    A winning strategy that suits the environment of the stratum she¡¯s in charge of.


    Ingenuity and effort that makes full use of her own abilities.


    ¡¸Not noticing the weak things and inviting prey into her nest. This is yet another way to fight, huh?¡¹


    Wraith looks impressed.


    But the situation is tense.


    Putting the Aerial party and Wraith & Fran pair aside, the Scathach party is in trouble.


    Aside from Scathach, the other three are not suited to a situation where they are surrounded on all sides by blood thorns indoors.


    Prioritizing survival, for now, the Magician Theo spins his threads into a cocoon enveloping himself and the Hunter Suuri.


    Then Scathach and the Warrior Hamill, with his Magic Sword, protect said cocoon.


    I don¡¯t think that can last for long, both efficiency-wise and for the camera.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­let¡¯s leave this to Hervor.¡¹


    After a bit of thinking, Aerial makes that judgment call.


    In fact, the liveliness of the thorns has decreased ever since she started fighting with Herv.


    A large portion of her consciousness has to be focused on the fight with her.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Queenie?! Go on and tease me some more, that¡¯s yer specialty, right?!¡¹


    Tearing the thorns off as she¡¯s moving, there is nothing to stop Herv.


    Just as she was about to be hit, Milla turns into mist and materializes behind her.


    ¡¸¡­There is no joy in striking someone who is asking to be struck. What I enjoy is gazing at the faces of despair.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha! Then I guess we¡¯re just not compatible! ¡®Cause I love fightin¡¯ strong people!¡¹


    ¡¸So it seems.¡¹


    Having given up on trying to restrain her, Carmilla splashes blood on the floor instead.


    That blood soon changes into a carpet of needles.


    ¡¸You think this is enough to stop me?¡¹


    Herv closes in on Carmilla without any care for her feet being pierced.


    ¡¸Do you think stopping you is my intention?¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s blood swords fly around her. Not just one or two swings.


    ¡¸There is no such thing as a creature that cannot die.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, and Vampires aren¡¯t immortal either, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Neither are dragon-slayers, I suppose.¡¹


    ¡¸You sayin¡¯ just because I can die, that means I can be killed?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t get carried away, you.¡¹


    The blood swords assault Herv one after another.


    She ignores them and continues on.


    Her priority is to strike Carmilla.


    And the Vampire Queen¡­stands firm.


    Gracefully wielding the blood swords created from her own blood, she unleashes a thrust.


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine, too.¡¹


    While licking her lips, Herv opens her left hand.


    She lets Carmilla¡¯s sword pierce through her palm.


    Then she moved her hand to forcibly change the trajectory of that sword. The thrust aimed at her face was deflected.


    She pushes forward like that. The blade having run all the way through Herv¡¯s palm, she grabs on to Carmilla¡¯s hand.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Gotcha.¡¹


    She doesn¡¯t have time to turn into mist. Herv knees Carmilla in the gut.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Furthermore, she dodges an attacking blood sword by just moving her neck and¡­grabs its handle with her mouth and swings the blade.


    She slashes Carmilla¡¯s throat and Magical Energy particles gush out.


    ¡¸You did some wild stuff, but in the end, it¡¯s over. This was fun, Carmilla.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s body shatters and Carmilla particles dance in the air.


    ¡¸This match is-¡¹


    ¡¸Yours, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?¡¹


    Herv let out a befuddled voice.


    The voice she heard just now was the voice of Carmilla who she thought she had just defeated.


    In the next moment, Carmilla appears behind the Hero of the Cursed Sword and sinks her fangs into her neck.


    Directly sucking blood from their enemies is an attack that throws aside the pride that Vampires prize so dearly.


    ¡¸You turned into¡­mist¡­!?¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    She changed shape. Vampires turn into mist in accordance with what people imagine, but it isn¡¯t particularly limited to that.


    It¡¯s a lot of work, but it isn¡¯t impossible for her to turn into Magical Energy particles to pretend to have been defeated.


    If she had the courage and ability to make the effort in the face of the Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    Like not turning into mist at the time when her arm is trapped and she is probably going to die in the next instant.


    ¡¸Hah¡­hahahaha! You¡¯re amazing, Carmilla! The best! A hell of a fighter! This is so fun!¡¹


    While being rapidly drained of her Magical Energy, she laughs out of pure joy.


    ¡¸You. Are. Worthy.¡¹


    Saying that, Herv grips the handle of the cursed sword with a crumbling left hand.


    The weapon that she doesn¡¯t take out unless she were facing something on the level of a Demon King or an ancient dragon.


    She unsheathes the cursed sword Tyrfang.


    However, from this position, she can¡¯t cut Carmilla that¡¯s behind her¡­but then.


    Aiming at her own abdomen, she plunges the blade without hesitation.


    She pierces herself in order to get to Carmilla behind her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a sword that can kill a dragon, pretty effective, huh?¡¹


    A sound like hot sizzling oil can be heard coming from both of their bodies.


    They are burning and melting.


    From there, Herv brings the blade further up toward the shoulder where Milla is biting her in order to slice her.


    Herv scorched and slashed herself and Carmilla.


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    There was a confused look on Herv¡¯s face.


    Because only her body was falling to the floor.


    If you looked, large chunks of her both legs were turning into Magical Energy particles and scattering, leaving whats left of her legs to crumble.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right¡­you did say earlier that you weren¡¯t trying to stop me¡­¡¹


    The blood carpet and even the thorns that wrapped around her earlier, weren¡¯t there to stop her.


    She was sucking her blood using the blood weapons.


    It was nothing short of an extraordinary feat.


    From the Monster¡¯s side, it¡¯s something even the Demon King should praise.


    It would appear that Carmilla pulled a reversal and won the match.


    But¡­the Hero of the Cursed Sword will never give up.


    As her remaining knee hits the floor, she uses it to spin around, pull out the cursed sword that is stabbed within her and slashed Carmilla in half at the waist, all in one motion.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Those are no longer the movements of a Human.¡¹


    ¡¸So what¡­?¡¹


    The Hero thrusts her cursed sword at the neck of the falling Carmilla.


    The ruler of Vampires cannot dodge that.


    Instead, she manipulates her blood swords to pierce her foe with all her might.


    She who lost her right arm and both legs, is completely skewered from head to toe.


    She, who lost her entire lower half, Magical Energy organ up to her shoulder burnt and cut, is stabbed through the neck by a cursed sword.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s my loss¡­Carmilla.¡¹


    The once-thought immortal Herv¡¯s¡­no, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor¡¯s body breaks apart at this very moment.


    A faint light is cast all over the church¡­she is defeated.


    ¡¸No¡­if you hadn¡¯t been my opponent, I would have assuredly defeated more Adventurers. In other words, it is a draw.¡¹


    Carmilla gives a final chuckle just before her end.


    Following the Hero, the queen¡¯s body breaks and shatters, scattering and melting into the air.


    The remaining subordinate Vampires were already defeated by the other parties.


    The third stratum ¨C the realm of Vampires and underlings.


    Four members were defeated.


    The Adventurers have been decreased to ten, their greatest loss so far, and they have decided to continue on to the fourth stratum.


    Carmilla has undoubtedly showcased the true strength of the Big Four this day.

 CH 150

    150 ¨C Carmilla and Milla


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Alone in a video room, I clenched my fist.


    It was the moment I witnessed Herv¡¯s defeat.


    As an Adventurer, I respect her from the bottom of my heart.


    But right now, I am the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff. My allies are the Monsters.


    Above all else, the one who just defeated the Hero of the world¡¯s 3rd ranked party¡­is Carmilla.


    Or perhaps I should say, Milla.


    To me, she is my benefactor, my dear friend, my ally, my subordinate, and my rival.


    Humanity¡¯s top-ranking powerful contender, to defeat such an opponent¡­


    I am as happy as can be.


    Things might have ended differently if Herv entered a simple one-on-one fight in perfect condition, but this is a Dungeon Clear.


    Just as she herself said, if a match is established, all that¡¯s left is to see who wins or loses.


    I don¡¯t know how Milla feels about it being a draw, but at the very least, I think it is an extremely amazing thing.


    With a plan that involves her manipulating leech Demi-Beasts, she weakens these Adventurers who are particularly nasty to fight head-on.


    And then, while using the collected blood to restrain the other Adventurers, a glorious battle unfolded between her and the Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    I can say without a doubt that her actions have not brought shame to the Demon King Army Big Four name.


    ¡¸Still¡­that leaves ten Adventurers left.¡¹


    Currently, they are allowed to revive one person after having crushed two Floor Bosses.


    If they plan to use it, the first candidate would most likely be Herv.


    However, even if they were to Clear all the strata from here all the way down to the tenth stratum without a scratch, the total amount of people they could revive is five.


    They have already lost seven members, so there are at least two members who can no longer participate in this Raid Battle.


    ¡­Geez, I really can¡¯t help thinking too hard about these things.


    It doesn¡¯t matter who they revive, we will eliminate them all. No one will completely clear the Demon King Castle, we cannot allow it.


    After all, that is our job.


    Suddenly, I heard something like an echo of an earthquake from afar.


    Wait, is it getting closer?


    I could hear the sound of someone running, getting louder and louder.


    And then, it stops just in front of the door to this video room.


    Did someone¡­run here in a hurry?


    I put on my mask and quietly approached the door.


    I sense who is beyond the door with Magical Energy Detection.


    Weird, I wonder why she¡¯s just stopping in front of it. It¡¯s fine for her to enter.


    While thinking that, I slowly open the door.


    What I saw was Carmilla, in the flesh, wearing her Monster attire, tidying up her hair with her mask off.


    Our eyes meet.


    ¡¸Lem¡­Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yeah.¡¹


    Being seen combing her hair with her hand, her cheeks blushed.


    Not knowing what to say, I say the first thing that pops into my head for now.


    ¡¸That was a splendid fight.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Th-thank you very much.¡¹


    Her face instantly became brighter.


    ¡¸Is there anyone else in the room?¡¹


    ¡¸No, just me.¡¹


    ¡¸Can I come in?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I do not mind.¡¹


    I invite her into the video room. Not that it¡¯s my room or anything¡­


    ¡¸Fufu, were you watching the whole time?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s kind of a hobby of mine.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, so you¡¯re cheering for the Adventurers?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course not, I¡¯m the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m kidding.¡¹


    It was the usual Milla.


    Since there¡¯s no one else here, I take off my mask. I¡¯ve gotten used to the Lemegeton tone, but nothing beats using my normal voice.


    ¡¸So, what is it? You were in quite a hurry.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, yeah¡­that¡¯s¡­ I-I wondered if Lem was here.¡¹


    Even Carmilla has returned to just being Milla.


    ¡¸Is-is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­but¡­ when I thought about it, I wasn¡¯t sure what I wanted to do¡­ When I woke up in the cocoon, I¡­ my body just started running like this¡­¡¹


    I think I kinda understand Milla¡¯s feelings.


    It¡¯s just that I¡¯m too overly self-conscious to say it myself, so I say nothing.


    Milla intertwined her fingers together, weaving a web of words while looking down.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure¡­I¡¯m sure that I wished to report to you since the start. And then, if possible, share in the joy. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what I was thinking.¡¹


    After the fight with Fenix, I wrote a letter to my master before I sent one to my parents.


    He was the one who trained me to that level and had me inherit his horn.


    Just like how a child rushes towards their parent when they¡¯ve done something well.


    There are times when those who have experienced something important, want to immediately share it with someone.


    In regards to this battle, I am that someone to her.


    I am honored and¡­somehow I am welling up with emotions.


    ¡¸Thank you. It really was amazing. I couldn¡¯t help but clench my fist during your fight with Herv.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fufufu, thank you very much. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Me? I didn¡¯t do anything, it was all you, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, It is because I met you that I am standing here today. If I hadn¡¯t met you two years ago¡­ I would still be at my old workplace, spending my days in despair without ever seeing the light of day.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    In her previous place of work, her abilities were under-appreciated and she was treated coldly.


    In just two years, she rose up the ranks to become one of the Demon King Army¡¯s Big Four as a Floor Boss who has just defeated four members in the Raid Battle.


    Just because she didn¡¯t succeed in one place, doesn¡¯t mean that she is incompetent.


    Including being given a place where her efforts can be rewarded, I was very happy for her.


    ¡¸In that case, if I hadn¡¯t met you, Milla, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now, either.¡¹


    ¡¸I knew you would say that.¡¹


    Milla smiled modestly.


    ¡¸Earlier, you said we were rivals, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Y-yes.¡¹


    Her expression became very nervous.


    This time, I¡¯m the one who smiled.


    ¡¸When I saw you in the Clear this time, I thought that for the first time. And then, I panicked. I thought¡ºI can¡¯t lose to you as a Floor Boss or as a Monster.¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    It seems those were very pleasing words to her.


    After shaking a little, she gave a beautiful smile. From the corners of her eyes, there were teardrops.


    ¡¸Thank you so much¡­ I¡¯ll¡­do my best.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I know very well that you are an amazing person, but I cannot simply look up at you and admire.¡¹


    ¡¸I feel the same. Neither can I, because there¡¯s a guy that I don¡¯t want to lose to.¡¹


    It¡¯s because of Fenix that I¡¯m able to do my best.


    You can¡¯t raise yourself up by yourself. There are some efforts that are made possible by the clear presence of someone.


    ¡¸Fenix, is it?¡¹


    Asks Milla directly with a straight face.


    ¡¸Eh? Ah¡­yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It would seem that I still have more work to do.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, hey, come on now, he¡¯s¡­y¡¯know, I¡¯ve known him since we were kids.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine Lem. This is my problem.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹


    I suppose if this is enough to keep her motivated, it¡¯s not a bad thing¡­


    Yeah, I¡¯ll leave it at that.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. I just thought of something, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸This time, I promised the pig¡­my subordinates that I would give them a reward if they defeated an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ I was wondering why their morale was unusually high this time¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As a result of that, they were of use to me, so I am thinking of rewarding them.¡¹


    While her subordinates did not directly defeat an Adventurer, it goes without saying that their battles were a huge help.


    Forcing the Adventurers to focus on fighting them made it extra hard for them to realize the leeches.


    Also, Haagenti managed to steal Herv¡¯s right arm. It gave us a big advantage.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be very pleased.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the problem.¡¹


    Is it?


    ¡¸You¡¯re worried if¡­they ask for something weird as a reward or something¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I am free to refuse any requests I don¡¯t like.¡¹


    She¡¯s resilient. I expected nothing less.


    ¡¸I am sure that my subordinates will be delighted by my reward. But the thing is Lem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes?¡¹


    I unconsciously gulp.


    ¡¸I, too, did my best.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Sure.¡¹


    Milla moves her face closer to mine.


    ¡¸I believe I have done very well.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes you did, you were wonderful.¡¹


    Isn¡¯t this almost exactly what she just said?


    Or I wonder if she¡¯s trying to hint at something else?


    ¡¸I wonder if someone will reward me for my hard work.¡¹


    Milla kept sending me glancing looks.


    At last, I understood what she¡¯s getting at.


    ¡¸O-oh¡­! I see, I see. If there¡¯s anything I can do, just say the word.¡¹


    Ever since we met by chance, I have been taken care of by her from work to my everyday life.


    While it may not be a reward, I did plan on congratulating her.


    Milla smiled and tilted her head, saying nothing.


    Uh-uhm¡­ Did I¡­misunderstand something?


    We stared at each other like that for a while.


    ¡­Could it be that rather than me asking her what she wants and then simply granting it to her, she wants me to think of a congratulatory gift and tell her?


    I think it would be more helpful if she just told me what she wanted, but human relationships don¡¯t work by logic alone.


    ¡¸Uh¡­hmm¡­¡¹


    Seeing me start to worry, Milla¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Looks like my first guess about her wanting me to propose ideas wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡¸Blood? To drink, I mean. Y¡¯know¡­mine. You uh¡­you said that it was delicious so¡­¡¹


    As I was saying that, I could see Milla¡¯s expression get steadily grimmer and grimmer.


    ¡¸Lem¡¯s blood certainly is delicious. It might even be the most delicious flavor in the world. But it isn¡¯t something you just do.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m¡­not really sure what to make of that, but I¡¯ll leave it for now.


    If not, I¡¯d probably have to acknowledge it.


    Milla likes me.


    She doesn¡¯t hide it, but she respects my wishes.


    Unless I acknowledge that and think about what would make her happy, I won¡¯t arrive at the right answer.


    It¡¯s very difficult for me to admit that because I¡¯ve lived a life that has little to do with being liked by others.


    ¡¸This might not be a reward, exactly.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    I was very nervous uttering these words.


    ¡¸I wonder if we could¡­celebrate.¡¹


    ¡¸Celebrate¡­¡¹


    Milla repeats my words, almost as if she were rolling them around in her mouth.


    ¡¸Yeah. If you want, we could go somewhere. Go out for a meal, or shopping. Sorry, I can¡¯t really think of a solid plan right n-nn¡¹


    Milla put a slender finger to my lips. Because I¡¯m saying too much.


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    Her smile was so beautiful that I froze.


    Somehow, I pulled off the correct answer.


    ¡¸Fufufu, that is the best possible reward. It was worth tormenting those Adventurers for.¡¹


    A beautiful woman with the best smile saying disturbing things.


    I let out a sigh as if I had just scaled a mountain.


    ¡¸But, are you sure? We¡¯re rivals, right? It doesn¡¯t really feel like a reward.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s celebrate as friends.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh and one more thing, Lem. This might be selfish of me to ask, however.¡¹


    ¡¸No, please. Go right ahead.¡¹


    She put her hands around my neck and put her lips close to my ear.


    Her scent tickled my nostrils and I could feel her body heat. Her breath was on my ear.


    ¡¸After we have enjoyed our date, if it¡¯s alright with you, would you let me suck your blood?¡¹


    ¡­I see.


    The act of blood-sucking isn¡¯t something you simply do when you feel like it.


    She seems to think of it as a way to extend our fun time together or perhaps as a way to conclude it.


    ¡¸Is that a¡­no?¡¹


    Ah, I haven¡¯t heard that in a long time.


    So I say this for the first time in a long time.


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡¹

 CH 151

    151 ¨C The Strongest Party


    On that day, we were reminded of something.


    Mankind¡¯s strongest.


    A phrase that seems clich¨¦d and sought after by young boys, but gradually becomes harder and harder to say aloud as they get older.


    There are only two people in this world who can be called that with every ounce of gravitas.


    The Flame Hero Fenix.


    The man who was acknowledged by the main Fire Spirit, which is said to be the world¡¯s first-ever flame.


    The compatibility between the two is outstanding compared to previous generations, which can be inferred because he unleashed an Esoteric Spirit Magic in the previous tenth stratum battle, the Flames of the Gods.


    The Spirit Magic can burn anything that is of this world to cinders.


    And then, there is one more person who also made a contract with a Spirit of equal power.


    The Storm Hero Aerial.


    The man who was acknowledged by the main Wind Spirit, said to be the source of all the air that fills the world.


    There are many who have a long history as an Adventurer but there are also those that change their Clearing style as the years go by.


    Aerial is no exception. Once, he would always go out first as the vanguard, hitting the enemy hard with his exciting Spirit Magic.


    But now, he works in the middle guard, preferring to Clear in a way that supports his allies.


    As might be expected for a party that has been doing it for a long time, they haven¡¯t replaced party members even once or twice.


    And yet, ever since the Aerial party became 1st rank, they have never once fallen to 2nd rank.


    He, along with his companions, will surely win. If he is there, the Dungeon will absolutely be Cleared.


    His Clears, which have become like a symbol to the Adventurers, give excitement and peace to all.


    ¡¸Watch closely, Ewan.¡¹


    Says Aerial on the other side of the screen.


    That¡¯s right.


    The one that the Adventurers revived for the fourth stratum Clear was none other than the Gale Hero Ewan.


    Regarding that decision, this was their response in a later interview.


    ¡¸I had my fill of fun. I don¡¯t really feel like being the only one who is revived while my whole party was wiped out.¡¹


    Said the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.


    ¡¸I figured that I can only revive the fallen Caleena once I have earned the right to.¡¹


    Said the Thunder Hero Scathach.


    ¡¸Fran and I weren¡¯t defeated, so I wasn¡¯t really interested in the whole revival rights thing in the first place.¡¹


    Said the Water Hero Wraith


    ¡¸What better nourishment for development is there than personal experience? He will become a fine Hero.¡¹


    Said Aerial, and after getting the approval of his allies, Ewan was revived.


    I wish to remember one thing here. Or rather, a strong impression was made on me.


    In this Raid Battle, a leading party is appointed for each stratum. That¡¯s the plan that they seem to have.


    In the first stratum ¨C the Realm of the Watchdog and Hellfire, it was the Scathach party.


    In the second stratum ¨C the Realm of the Necromancer and Traps, it was Wraith and Fran.


    In the third stratum ¨C the Realm of Vampires and Underlings, it was the Hervor party.


    How about the fourth stratum ¨C the Werewolf Realm of Fang and Claw?


    If you go by order, it should be the Aerial party. And in fact, it was.


    Those who saw the Clear video were excited, praising it for being exactly what people were looking for in an Adventurer, and even sympathizing with the Werewolves of the fourth stratum.


    You guys aren¡¯t bad. You¡¯re probably very strong. But too bad you¡¯re fighting that party.


    And so on.


    The Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias managed to land a blow on Fenix in the tenth stratum battle. That much is said of him by the Werewolves of the fourth stratum who he protects.


    Oh, how overwhelming.


    That much can be seen in the number of fallen Adventurers.


    In the first stratum, one fell. In the second stratum, two fell. In the third stratum, four fell. The Demon King Castle was doing well in whittling down their numbers.


    But in the fourth stratum¡­none were defeated.


    Honestly, I was surprised.


    The fourth stratum is tough. Even the Fenix party got caught in a dilemma despite me being in there. We somehow got out of that, but Fenix had to use his magic. Luckily, Marchosias responded in kind to have a one-on-one duel with Fenix and was defeated with one blow, but if he hadn¡¯t done that, it wouldn¡¯t be odd to say that one or two members would have fallen.


    The fourth stratum stage originally looks like a mine. The newly added Tooth and Fang part is actually only there to emphasize the already existing things in that stratum.


    The number of deployed Werewolves was increased, they will search out the Adventurers and rush them.


    ¡­That¡¯s right.


    That nice guy Marchosias¡¯s subordinates are all pleasant people and¡­don¡¯t like cheap tricks.


    Of course, I appreciate their methods and he greatly appreciated my Black Magic. They¡¯re good people, really.


    However, they are people who prefer to fight using their bodies as weapons to the last.


    Below, I shall list the actions the Aerial party took in the fourth stratum Clear.


    Using that, Ewan senses where the Werewolves are coming and slice them up into tiny bits with Wind Blades before they can even encounter the party.


    When checking the camera footage, the Werewolves on the way to the Adventurers were suddenly defeated.


    Compound magic is when you mix two or more magic spells together and cast it as one spell.


    If your breathing isn¡¯t perfectly in sync, it will be very difficult to handle.


    The two magic spells that she used were Roaring Explosive Flame and Wind Magic in order to raise its explosive force.


    The Werewolves who were waiting to come out in a small wide area were turned to dust in one attack.


    The same crossroads that almost got the Fenix party when they ambushed us from three sides. This time, they came from the path that the Adventurers came from as well, so they were attacked from four sides.


    Aerial unsheathed his Wind Holy Sword and leaped into the path with the most enemies.


    He was like a storm in Human form. As he passed them by, the Magical Energy particles of the shredded Monsters danced and mixed with the dust clouds.


    Conversely, Masamune stood still, immovable. Like a wall standing in their way, he didn¡¯t take a single step. Any that approached him was cut down.


    Based on the structure of the mine, the Adventurers must go through narrow passageways by all means.


    Even in such places, the enemy can attack.


    On the other hand, if they were to counterattack with a high firepower spell, they might cause a cave-in.


    That¡¯s where the Alchemist Louie comes in.


    He creates spears and daggers from the surrounding dirt. Aerial would take one of the weapons he already created and use them to stab the enemy, passing through without so much as a scratch. Louie himself fought bravely.


    But after all that, the biggest shock has to be that.


    Aerial is a contractor of the main Wind Spirit. This is why he can do anything that the Lesser Spirit can.


    Aerial can reproduce Scathach¡¯s Thunder Domain, routing the enemy as fast as lightning.


    As well as the air compression and release trick that Wraith did during the Vampire battle to blow them away.


    Furthermore, in a one-on-one duel with the Floor Boss Marchosias, he crushed him Herv-style, meaning bare-handed.


    Directing his party members to make full use of their strengths in the Clear, taking down foes as the mightiest Hero.


    A Hero¡¯s ideal situation.


    As the Clear progressed from the first stratum to the third, the scales tipped ever more in the Demon King Castle¡¯s favor.


    But that has been overturned by the fourth stratum Clear.


    The viewers who were wracked with worry can now feel relieved.


    As if to say¡¸It¡¯s alright, for the Storm Hero is here.¡¹.


    I sensed three hidden messages in Aerial¡¯s actions.


    The first was aimed at the viewers. As mentioned above, a message that aims to reassure them.


    The second is for the Monsters. A message saying that they are not so easily defeated.


    And the last one is for Adventurers. A message that says¡¸This is what 1st rank looks like, think you can climb up here?¡¹.


    He showed the technique and style reminiscent of each Hero who was formed in the Raid Battle.


    If you are aiming for 1st rank, then you must accumulate even more striking achievements than Aerial.


    He certainly is passionate about training the next generation.


    But that isn¡¯t just because he¡¯s kind or that he¡¯s ensuring the future of the industry.


    I¡¯m sure he has been looking forward to it.


    To the day that a rival appears that can take the title of strongest.


    After using their revival rights, the number of Adventurers has increased to eleven, and they have decided to proceed to the fifth stratum.


    By Clearing the fourth stratum, they have earned another revival right.


    The rotating leading party has come full circle.


    While the Hervor party was totally wiped out in the fourth stratum.


    The following fifth stratum is also a slightly peculiar stratum, I wonder who they¡¯ll choose¡­


    ¡¸HAH, I expected nothing less of mankind¡¯s strongest! It was a pure and utter defeat!¡¹


    At a later date.


    Marchosias came to visit my office.


    ¡¸I am ashamed of my inadequacy! A thousand pardons, Sir Chief of Staff!¡¹


    He¡¯s in his Human form today. A large man with silver hair and red eyes. Perhaps due to his presence or smiling face, his wild and sharp facial features don¡¯t feel intimidating.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing to apologize for. All we have to do is annihilate them at the end, together.¡¹


    Just like last time, I¡¯ll be able to summon Contracts like Marchosias.


    ¡¸¡­! Yes! Thank you! Thanks to you, I am able to fight them again! ¡­But still, he truly was formidable. I checked the latest Clear video and he seemed like a different man.¡¹


    ¡¸Aerial was in a particularly good mood that day.¡¹


    Since I met Marchosias before my Lemegeton character was established, and also because it¡¯s just easier to talk this way, I am dealing with him with my mask off.


    We sat on sofas across each other with a table between us.


    ¡¸Hm? Good mood?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Uhm¡­ Your performance can change depending on your mood, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm, yes indeed. When fighting a man among men, my blood boils!¡¹


    While saying that, Marchosias clenches his fists tightly.


    ¡¸Something like that, yeah. This hasn¡¯t been said in a long time, but I read in a comment in an old Clear video that somehow Aerial is the type who gets better the tougher the situation becomes.¡¹


    ¡¸Oho! I could get along with the man. There is nothing more boring than a battle that you know you¡¯re going to win. It¡¯s when neither side knows which will win that they both fight their hardest. That is precisely when the fighting spirit burns brightest!¡¹


    There¡¯s also that way of thinking, I suppose. On the contrary, there are those who don¡¯t wish to see their Heroes losing a match.


    Everyone has their own way of enjoying and engaging in a match.


    ¡¸But they have always been the immovable 1st rank party. There are people who look forward to seeing how stylishly they win, but only small children are likely to be on the edge of their seats wondering whether they will win or lose.¡¹


    If they¡¯re a young child who isn¡¯t yet used to seeing their Clears, they¡¯d be totally absorbed in the video, nervous over whether they¡¯d win or lose.


    Just like I was long ago.


    However, adults who are used to it are different. They don¡¯t even consider the possibility of them losing. Their victory has become absolute.


    ¡¸It has become extremely rare to see his party on the verge of defeat.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I see. So what Sir Chief of Staff is saying is the fact that he has lost seven members at the time of the fourth stratum in this Raid Battle has lit a fire within him?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Also, I¡¯m sure you noticed it too, didn¡¯t it seem like he was enjoying himself?¡¹


    After saying that, Marchosias let out a great hearty laugh.


    ¡¸Indeed! Despite me being twice his size, that man seemed happy as we traded blows and he truly laughed joyfully. I got caught up in it and ended up laughing myself.¡¹


    And at that timing, Cashew came into the office.


    Her dog ears drooping slightly, her fluffy and soft cheeks, and her beautiful eyes that look like trapped stars. A dog Demi-Human girl


    Once a small fruit seller, now the secretary to the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸I brought you some tea¡­!¡¹


    She put down the tray on the table, she then carried the tea sets which were on the tray and put it in front of Marchosias and me.


    Cashew made tea because we had a visitor in my office.


    Although Cashew did it properly, I was worried about her handling hot water at first. She might get scalded.


    However, when I asked her about it, she told me that she has some experience helping her Chef sister Maca at home, who watched her with some trepidation, but apparently, she did it very neatly, so I decided to leave it to her.


    Marchosias picks up the cup on the saucer and brings it to his mouth.


    Due to his size, it looked like he was grabbing a child¡¯s toy tea set.


    ¡¸Delicious! To be able to brew such delicious tea, I am envious of your talented secretary.¡¹


    Marchosias got along well with Cashew.


    Cashew couldn¡¯t say his name properly, so he told her to just call him Marco, and before I knew it, she started calling him Mr. Marco.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m proud of my secretary.¡¹


    Following Marchosias, I praise Cashew as well, which made her blush. I saw her ears start flapping, guess she¡¯s embarrassed.


    ¡¸¡­Ehehe.¡¹


    After that, we talked for a while about the future defenses.


    Until now, Aerial has respected and supported each party¡¯s methods.


    But in the fourth stratum Clear, he really resembled his past self.


    Next is the fifth stratum. The Realm of Dream Demons, ruled by the Demon of Love Sitri, the second Big Four member.


    Well then, what will happen?

 CH 152

    152 ¨C The Maids and the Master of the Fifth Stratum.


    One time, when I returned to my office.


    ¡¸Welcome back, Chief of Staff.¡¹


    A young voice greeted me¡­ A maid had welcomed me back.


    It¡¯s a voice I¡¯ve heard many times before, and a familiar face.


    In fact, it was my secretary. Cashew.


    She wore an ensemble of a black dress with a white apron over it. Complete with lace decoration on her head.


    She was in a maid style today. This, too, gave me a feeling of deja vu.


    ¡­Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s the same design as the maid outfits the Dream Demons wear in the fifth stratum. Her dress doesn¡¯t have an opening at the back for the bat wings, but that¡¯s pretty much the only difference. That and the size.


    It fit her perfectly, looks like it was made just for her.


    ¡¸¡­Lem¡­?¡¹


    Seeing her anxious face, I round up my thoughts.


    I seemed to have made Cashew, who tried her best to call me Chief of Staff out of professionalism, worried enough to unconsciously go back to calling me Lem.


    ¡¸Sorry, I was just a little surprised, that¡¯s all. It suits you really well.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ehehe, thank you very much.¡¹


    Cashew really looks her best with a smile on her face. Anyone who sees that smiling face will cheer right up.


    ¡¸But why are you wearing that?¡¹


    I have my guesses, but I asked anyway.


    ¡¸Sitri gave it to me.¡¹


    The Demon of Love Sitri. A woman who loves cute things.


    Her true identity is that of a Demi-Beast leopard with wings. With her shape-shifting ability that can reproduce the special characteristics of a different race with outstanding accuracy, she is a powerful person who can be counted among the Big Four.


    She is a Contract and a friend.


    ¡¸I see, it was from Sitri.¡¹


    Cashew is an innocent and good girl, so she has a good reputation even among the Demon King Castle personnel.


    When I ask her to relay messages for me, she often comes back with her arms full of sweets.


    She is treated very dearly.


    And I can completely understand why.


    But a maid outfit as a gift?


    Also, Cashew is a really good kid, so she would be hesitant in receiving a gift for free.


    ¡¸Hey hey hey.¡¹


    Greets Sitri, waving her hand.


    Distracted by Cashew¡¯s maid appearance, I failed to notice Sitri lying on the guest sofa.


    Using the sofa¡¯s armrest as a pillow, she looks at me upside down.


    ¡­She sure is relaxed¡­


    Lazing around as if this were her own home.


    But she managed to not look sloppy doing it.


    Her pink twintails droop over the side of the sofa, just barely touching the floor, and her bangs flow to the sides of her head due to gravity as she looks at me.


    Her maid outfit didn¡¯t have a single wrinkle, one of her wings was just lazily hanging off the sofa while the other one was wrapped around her torso so that she can fiddle with it.


    She raised one leg, causing her skirt to be alluringly short, exposing her youthful skin.


    Her tail, which has a tip like a reverse heart shape, is coiled around the raised leg.


    She has perfectly achieved a cute pose that has a theme of completely relaxed.


    ¡¸Hey there. Did we have an appointment scheduled?¡¹


    Inside, I was startled, but I talked with calm composure.


    ¡¸None at all!¡¹


    Sitri¡¯s reply was brief.


    With a wry smile, I sat opposite her.


    ¡¸Thanks for the clothes. Cashew seems happy.¡¹


    ¡¸All I said was¡¸Lem will love it!¡¹and she immediately put it on. Cute, right?¡¹


    ¡­I see. So that¡¯s the reason Cashew accepted it without reservation and wore it.


    ¡¸If there¡¯s anything I can do for you as thanks¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Geez, you¡¯re too serious. I just wanted to see little Cashew in cute clothes, that¡¯s all. That¡¯s all the thanks I need.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If you say so.¡¹


    ¡¸Relax, relax. Just relax.¡¹


    Saying that, she sits up properly.


    And I¡¯m glad she did, because the posture she had before was honestly a little too suggestive.


    Cashew pours out some tea for me and refills Sitri¡¯s cup.


    Her usual secretary look is cute, but the maid look at a time like this really sets the atmosphere¡­sorta.


    But in terms of her age, something just doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ What should I do? I don¡¯t know.


    Although Cashew doesn¡¯t seem to dislike it, so I guess it¡¯s fine¡­right?


    ¡¸Yay~. Thanks, Cashew. Got anything sweet?¡¹


    ¡¸We have cookies. Mil¡­ Carmilla gave it to us.¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh, picked by Milly herself. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be good. I¡¯d like some of that.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll bring some over.¡¹


    ¡¸Yay~. You¡¯re my cute little angel, Cashew.¡¹


    ¡¸Ange¡­ I-I¡¯m not¡­ Th-thank you very much.¡¹


    Cashew was shy.


    Although, should a Monster be calling someone an angel?


    ¡¸So by the way, Lem. Oh, is it alright if I call you that while we¡¯re working?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright.¡¹


    Having made temporary allies with a group of Adventurers recently, Sitri has been careful with the way she calls me.


    If there are other people within earshot, she calls me Chief.


    ¡¸I wanted to have a little chat with you, so I stopped by.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Before that, what were you doing before this?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, just training my subordinates.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, you finally have your own subordinates. I heard it was three people and some Adventurers.¡¹


    ¡¸The group of five Adventurers is being treated as temporary collaborators for this Raid Battle.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, you¡¯re never boring. Always going against the grain. So, did the training go well?¡¹


    ¡¸I think they¡¯re coming together. Depending on who¡¯s left in the Adventurer group when they reach the tenth stratum, I¡¯ll have to make some small adjustments¡­ I mean IF they reach it. Of course, I have full confidence that everyone will wipe them out before they even get to me.¡¹


    I was a little late in adding that last bit, but it looks like Sitri wasn¡¯t offended by it.


    ¡¸Ahaha, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    At that moment, Cashew came in carrying a plate lined with cookies.


    ¡¸Thanks, Cashew. Wanna eat with us?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? But¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fi~ne. They¡¯re bound to taste better if I eat them together with cute little Cashew. Ain¡¯t that right, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. We¡¯ll be talking a little, but you can think of it as a break and eat with us.¡¹


    ¡¸O-OK.¡¹


    Cashew sat slightly next to me.


    And then she slowly scooted near me. It looked like she was trying to do it discreetly.


    Perhaps she was nervous because her dog ears were twitching.


    Sitri stared at Cashew, clearly enjoying this little show.


    ¡¸So-so cwute¡­ She¡¯s just too cute¡¹


    Cashew took a cookie with her tiny hands and started munching on them. Seeing her cheeks relax as she tastes the cookie, Sitri says something dangerous.


    ¡¸I just want to take her home with me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No way.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha~? Hey, Cashew. I¡¯ll pay you double what Lem is if you become my secretary.¡¹


    Sitri put up two fingers, emphasizing the double.


    However, Cashew looked apologetic.


    ¡¸Just being with the Chief of Staff is enough¡­¡¹


    I was involuntarily moved to tears.


    I thought that Cashew would be drawn to doubling her pay as that would considerably help out her family.


    Perhaps she understood that Sitri was only joking, but her words imply that she finds worth in being my secretary and I am incredibly honored by it.


    ¡¸She¡¯s the ultimate cute life form¡­ Lem, where did you find her? Heaven?¡¹


    ¡¸In the marketplace.¡¹


    ¡¸Who knew heaven was so nearby.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    As the praises keep coming, Cashew¡¯s cheeks have been getting pinker and pinker since a while ago.


    After we calmed Cashew down, we got back on topic.


    ¡¸So, you said you needed to talk to me?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s right. I almost forgot.¡¹


    After saying that, her expression turned serious.


    ¡¸Lem, you gave me some advice before, right?¡¹


    ¡¸About the defense?¡¹


    I pretty much am the Chief of Staff, so we had talked about what I could do to help each stratum¡¯s defense.


    There are places that actively incorporate the idea, and there are those that stick to their own way.


    In the end, I am just offering a proposal, the final decision is ultimately up to each stratum.


    ¡¸I really thought hard about it. I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll do it.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    My proposal is focused on winning.


    But people have their own hang-ups or principles.


    For example, the advice that I gave Sitri went against her love of cute things.


    However, I told her that it might be an effective measure to include.


    She showed disapproval at first but¡­


    ¡¸Are you sure? It¡¯s my proposal, but it isn¡¯t the way you prefer doing things, right?¡¹


    ¡¸It is. But y¡¯see, I saw everyone¡¯s defense¡­especially Milly¡¯s, and I realized something.¡¹


    ¡¸What was it?¡¹


    ¡¸Usually, even though it¡¯s the same Dungeon, every stratum¡¯s battle feels like their own thing, right? But this time it¡¯s¡­different.¡¹


    After a bit of thinking, I understood what she was trying to say.


    ¡¸¡­Ah yes, certainly. Normally it¡¯s the stratum VS Adventurers, but the Raid Battle emphasizes the Dungeon VS Adventurers composition.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, right.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uhm, what¡¯s the difference?¡¹


    Asked Cashew tilting her head slightly, after eating half of the first few cookies.


    While wiping away the cookie crumbs around her mouth, I explain it to her.


    ¡¸Normally, as long as the Hero isn¡¯t defeated, the Adventurers get to move on to the next stratum and with everyone revived, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ye-yeah¡­¡¹


    Perhaps embarrassed to have crumbs on her face, she nodded while looking down.


    ¡¸But in a Raid Battle, they can only revive one member after Clearing two floors. The result of one stratum¡¯s battle will affect the next stratum¡¯s battle. If they are down one member, they will start the next one with fewer people, provided they don¡¯t use their revival rights.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly. So y¡¯see, it feels more the Dungeon is fighting as a team rather than each stratum having their own battles.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    Cashew said as she nodded repeatedly.


    ¡¸So, everyone¡¯s been doing their best, y¡¯know? Milly did all kinds of preparations and slightly changed her usual methods.¡¹


    ¡¸That she did.¡¹


    She twisted her rule of never sucking blood directly from the enemy and didn¡¯t exhibit her usual Adventurer torturing character.


    And yet, it was a brilliant fight.


    ¡¸So I gotta do my best too. I want to do my best¡­ I¡¯m part of the Big Four, and also¡­an ally of the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸Sitri¡­¡¹


    She¡¯s another member of the Big Four. Usually, she seems to do as she pleases, but within her hides a burning passion.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that she normally does a shoddy job.


    She just does as she likes. She is allowed to do so, so there¡¯s no problem.


    However, Sitri probably thinks that that isn¡¯t going to cut it this time.


    ¡¸Not being useful to Lu is the last thing I¡¯d want to do.¡¹


    Sitri, who adores cute things, wanted to be cute herself.


    So her chosen race was Dream Demon, in other words, the form she has right now.


    However, work for a Dream Demon was limited from the start. Sitri chose to be a Dream Demon, but she couldn¡¯t find a Dungeon that would hire her. The only work she found, was in the Demon King Castle.


    Sitri feels like she owes much to the Demon King Luci.


    She¡¯s obsessed with winning enough to bend the rules of her own obsessions.


    ¡¸I understand. If I am able, I will give as much advice as I can.¡¹


    When I said that, she smiled broadly.


    It was a smile that felt natural and not seemingly there to butter you up.


    ¡¸Thanks, Lem. Just now was only part of the plan, so I¡¯ll tell you the rest of it. I¡¯ll turn into that and then put together-¡¹


    We talked long enough to finish the plate of cookies.


    Even the fifth stratum¡¯s appearance will be changed to Raid Battle specifications.


    My advice is only concerning Sitri¡¯s individual movements.


    How will the Adventurers handle the Realm of Dream Demons?

 CH 153.1

    153 ¨C The Realm of Dream Demons and Temptation 1 Part 1


    ¡¸A thought just occurred to me.¡¹


    In the Safe Room connecting the fourth stratum to the fifth stratum.


    The Gale Hero Ewan opened his mouth to speak.


    A Safe Room is a modest square space with a Dungeon Clear Recording Stone installed on a pedestal at the center.


    Then there are two doors. So long as you are within this space, you are safe. No Monster shall attack you¡­so goes the setting.


    You can also purchase Avatar Repair Potions from the shelf in the corner of the room.


    The one who answered Ewan, the thirteen-year-old young boy with hair as green as fresh leaves, was Aerial.


    ¡¸And what would that be, young Ewan?¡¹


    ¡¸In the Realm of Dream Demons, the Floor Boss battle is just beyond that door.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, when Fenix and his allies Cleared it, it was set up like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Dream Demons can be said to be Monsters that are the natural enemy to those who are unable to Resist. Considering that Ms. Panacea isn¡¯t with us currently, there is no member that can dispel the effects of Charm.¡¹


    The departure of the White Sorcerer Panacea from the party is the reason that Ewan was recruited into the 1st ranked party.


    ¡¸Hmm. If you have any ideas, please share them with us.¡¹


    Ewan paused for a moment before speaking.


    ¡¸What if¡­we were to fire off spells at the same time that we open the door?¡¹


    Everyone there stared at him, mouth agape.


    Even I, watching them through the screen in the video room, reacted the same way. But a smile crept on my face soon after.


    Sure, if all you care about is winning, that¡¯s certainly one way.


    A strategy where you take out all the enemies before you get affected by Charm.


    ¡¸Ahaha, Mr. Ewan, tha-Ahaha. That sounds great! I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun.¡¹


    Wraith was holding his stomach and laughing heartily.


    Ewan looked offended for a moment, but that was all.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not that funny, Wraith. I¡¯m sure there are people among the audience who grapple with the same question.¡¹


    ¡¸No but, it, heh, it really is that funny!¡¹


    ¡¸For goodness sake¡­ Well, let¡¯s leave it at that. More importantly, Ewan.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Opinions like that are important. No matter what anyone else decides, it¡¯s a great thing to be able to think for yourself about what is best.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Now then, think about it a little more. Why is it do you think that we didn¡¯t openly praise that plan of yours?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it because¡­¡¹


    For a moment, Ewan was conscious of the camera.


    He continued in a somewhat quieter voice.


    ¡¸¡­it is undesirable in terms of entertainment?¡¹


    There is that too.


    Opening the door and immediately firing off spells, Clearing the stratum just like that is nothing more than dull.


    It¡¯s just that¡­


    ¡¸No, the audience has nothing to do with this. It is because it is an act that crosses the line drawn by both Adventurers and Monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Adventurers and¡­Monsters¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s look at it from the Monster¡¯s point of view. If they only thought purely about winning, wouldn¡¯t Safe Rooms actually be thought of as hindrances?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ah.¡¹


    He¡¯s right. If all Monsters needed to do was just defeat the Adventurers, then there would be no need for a non-aggression area like the Safe Room.


    Of course, what lead to its establishment was due to Dungeon Clears becoming a form of entertainment.


    But more importantly, the Monster side has followed that rule to the letter.


    Never breaking the rule, they don¡¯t attack the Adventurers in the Safe Room.


    ¡¸Your plan is to open that door and decimate them while they cannot attack us in this room. No matter how effective or efficient that may be, it cannot be said to be the deeds of the courageous.¡¹


    You should do whatever you can to win.


    But that plan just now was in strict violation of the rules.


    I¡¯m sure he would have come to the same conclusion too if he thought about it, but he blurted out the first idea that popped into his head.


    Ewan hanged his head in shame.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, it is good to have an open mind. You were just thinking of a way to progress without losing any allies, right? That is a noble sentiment. However, if you are a Hero, you must think swiftly and deeply about everything.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, sir¡­!¡¹


    Gripping his fists tightly, Ewan gives a strong answer.


    ¡¸Well, there is something to that plan of everyone firing off their spells when they enter the room. There will probably be people who will get charmed because of the timing, but we just need to take them down quickly.¡¹


    Aerial gave a bitter smile to Wraith¡¯s words.


    ¡¸It would be great if we could Clear the stratum like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw man, but I saw in Fenix¡¯s video that this place was full of ridiculously cute Dream Demon babes. I don¡¯t think I can bring myself to cut them down, man¡­¡¹


    The one talking is the Warrior Hamill from the Scathach party.


    He¡¯s someone who feels like a friendly and cheerful brotherly character.


    He¡¯s a man who is constantly straddling the line between taking it seriously and not. His relaxed nature is said to be both his charm and sometimes his weakness.


    ¡¸Ahaha, you¡¯re such a gentlemen Hamill. If they are beautiful even without makeup, all the more difficult it gets.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! Exactly, man.¡¹


    ¡¸So, would you like to remain here?¡¹


    Aerial says in a calm, but harsh voice.


    The smile on Hamill¡¯s face froze.


    ¡¸N-no¡­ I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m an Adventurer, after all.¡¹


    Aerial smiled and laughed at Hamill¡¯s reply.


    ¡¸Well said! Alright then, shall we?¡¹


    After saying that, the Adventurers take a step out the door.


    They didn¡¯t use their revival rights.


    Eleven Adventurers are invading the fifth stratum.


    The remaining Adventurer¡¯s Jobs are as follows:


    In the Aerial party there¡¯s the Hero Aerial, the Samurai Masamune, the Wizard Michelle, the Alchemist Louie, and the Hero Ewan.


    The Hervor party was totally wiped out.


    In the Scathach party, there¡¯s the Hero Scathach, the Hunter Suuri, the Magician Theo, and the Warrior Hamill.


    The Wraith & Fran team has the Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran.


    Among them, those that have the Magical Energy to Resist Charm are the four Heroes and Michelle. Followed by Louie and Suuri.


    Fitting of Masamune, Theo, and Hamill¡¯s Jobs, they don¡¯t have much Magical Energy.


    I should be able to say the same for Fran, but in her case, her abilities are still unknown.


    I wonder if Charm will actually work on a particularly strong Destroyer.


    ¡¸Welcome back, master~!¡¹


    Greeted all the maids.


    Dream Demon magic truly is troublesome.


    Protecting allies who cannot cope with Charm very well in a short-term decisive battle is a basic strategy.


    Fenix and co. did the same as well.


    ¡¸This is¡­most impressive.¡¹


    Masamune clutches his forehead. It seems the Charm is making him dizzy.


    ¡¸Shall I report this to Pan?¡¹[1. TL Note: ¡®Pan¡¯ is what Michelle calls Panacea.]


    ¡¸¡­Michelle, please spare my life.¡¹


    Masamune is Panacea¡¯s husband, after all.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t see the Floor Boss.¡¹


    Said Wraith, who froze every single Dream Demon in his field of vision as soon as they waved at him.


    Having seen the Fenix party¡¯s Clear, he probably thought that it would still be effective now.


    These Dream Demons are beautiful women who don¡¯t wear a mask, have horns, bat wings, and a tail.


    This tends to make scenes of them receiving enough damage to defeat them hard to swallow for the audience.


    In that regard, Bella¡¯s ice attack, trapping them in ice, finishes them off without giving off an extreme impression.


    ¡¸Did they¡­change their organization?¡¹


    Scathach turned into living lightning with Thunder Domain and ran around the caf¨¦-looking interior.


    Within a moment, all the remaining Dream Demon¡¯s Avatar scattered and turned to Magical Energy particles.


    Boasting such overwhelming oppressive power is the trademark of a Hero¡¯s magic.


    ¡¸Hey uhm¡­ hear me out, yeah? I got nothin¡¯ here.¡¹


    It was Hamill.


    ¡¸Well, we defeated everyone. Except for the Floor Boss at least.¡¹


    Answered Wraith, but Hamill shook his head.


    ¡¸No not that, like, from the very beginning, there was nothing. I didn¡¯t feel anything. Do ya think-¡¹


    Seeing how flustered Hamill is, everyone strengthened their vigilance.


    ¡¸Theo¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Right away, Leader! By the by, I, too, have felt nothing! Now let¡¯s see, what do we have here?¡¹


    ¡¸Fran¡­also seems to be fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Charm should easily affect those with little Magical Energy and low magic resistance.


    Yet, those three weren¡¯t targeted in the first place.


    Why is that?


    It¡¯s not because the Adventurer¡¯s reactions were too fast.


    In fact, there was one person who felt dizzy.


    ¡¸Aah, could it be¡­¡¹


    Wraith had a smile on his face, but it was different from his usual relaxed one.


    In the next moment, there was a deafening sound.

 CH 153.2

    153 ¨C The Realm of Dream Demons and Temptation 1 Part 2


    It was the sound of metal colliding against metal. The sound that you can clearly hear resonating signaled a clash of blades.


    ¡¸¡­How nostalgic. Do you remember? We crossed swords like this once before you became my ally.¡¹


    Aerial had unsheathed his Holy Sword and is now crossing swords with¡­the Samurai Masamune.


    He slashed at his leader with his katana.


    His eyes were vacant, and clearly not in the right state of mind.


    That¡¯s most likely due to that.


    The Dream Demons, whose numbers were enough to almost fill the whole space, all focused Charm on one target in the short time before they were all defeated.


    For example, like how Alba was willing to let them touch the Holy Sword he¡¯s so proud of.


    Dream Demon¡¯s temptation is that strong and that hard to resist that the target¡¯s cognition is warped.


    If the target is deeply affected, it can make them perceive even a sworn friend as an enemy.


    From there, he continued with seven more slashes, which produced seven more sounds.


    All of that was in the space of a single moment. It is a battle of swords that would have killed an ordinary person seven times by now.


    ¡¸As always, your skill with the blade is superb.¡¹


    They are both unharmed, but the one being pushed back is¡­Aerial.


    In terms of swordsmanship, Masamune is a powerful man who surpasses the Storm Hero.


    I don¡¯t even know if my sword master, Furcus, can rival him.


    ¡¸Everyone, you must ensure that you do not enter within reach of Masa¡¯s katana.¡¹


    ¡¸The fact that the Charm wasn¡¯t dispelled despite all the other girls being defeated must mean that there is one girl left maintaining it.¡¹


    There was tension in Michelle¡¯s voice.


    It might be easier to understand if you compare it with healing magic.


    Say someone gets hurt.


    The White Sorcerer tries to heal it, but then gets defeated.


    However, if there was another White Sorcerer, he or she can resume the healing of the wound.


    The healed part was left as it is so the healing could be continued by someone else.


    In terms of Charm, while I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s exactly the same as healing, the effect will start to fade when the caster is defeated but can be taken over by another caster much like healing can.


    The Dream Demons entered deep into the heart of Masamune.


    It isn¡¯t possible for him to simply regain his sanity.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll just freeze him¡­ what the?¡¹


    Masamune dodged Wraith¡¯s freezing attempt.


    He sliced up and broke the icicle that formed immediately after and continued his battle with Aerial.


    ¡¸Wow, he¡¯s fast. Now this is gettin¡¯ fun.¡¹


    ¡¸This is not the time for that, Wraith! We have to find the Floor Boss and defeat it!¡¹


    Shouted Ewan.


    ¡¸She¡¯s hiding, isn¡¯t she? Samurai have a strong will. To get through that and make him this crazy, she must be very careful about maintaining it.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you find her with Magical Energy? I can¡¯t sense her.¡¹


    The Warrior Hamill isn¡¯t good at sensing Magical Energy. But he is able to quickly detect any killing intent or hostility.


    ¡¸Since Magical Energy was scattered everywhere thanks to all of them using Charm, I can¡¯t sense it well.¡¹


    Said Scathach, perhaps looking for the right moment to assist Aerial.


    The Hunter Suuri swayed and began to move. Hiding his face with the hood of his cloak, his true identity¡­is an Elf.


    An Elf from the same hometown as Lily from the Fenix party.


    ¡¸¡­An insect.¡¹


    He readies his bow and nocks an arrow.


    He points it directly at¡­Theo.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­! Could it be that even Sir Suuri has fallen prey to Charm?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Theo, down.¡¹


    With Suuri¡¯s curt order, Theo complied.


    Without hesitation, Theo lay flat on the ground.


    Suuri¡¯s arrow passed through the space where Theo just was, embedding itself into a wall.


    ¡¸Did you get it, Suuri?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No.¡¹


    Thus ended the short conversation between Hamill and Suuri.


    By the time that concluded, the thing that Suuri was aiming for revealed itself.


    Until now, there was nothing there, but now there is. Almost as if it materialized out of nowhere.


    It was a Hellhound.


    The figure of a Hellhound bearing its fangs, about to bite off the grounded Theo¡¯s head appeared.


    Theo really is quick, because he immediately deployed his threads to protect himself just in time, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    The Hellhounds spits out flames at him at point-blank range.


    Theo burst into flames.


    ¡¸¡­Aren¡¯t you in the wrong stratum?¡¹


    Wraith quickly invoked Water Magic. He tries to extinguish the fire by pouring a large amount of water on Theo.


    Theo manages to get up and redeploys his threads.


    Hamill fires his Flying Slash and Suuri lets loose his Godspeed at the Hellhound, both hitting their mark.


    However¡­the Hellhound turns into mist!


    ¡¸What?! It can do that?!¡¹


    Shouts Hamill in surprise.


    Even Theo¡¯s threads couldn¡¯t prevent the mist from passing through. Maybe if it was completely airtight it would have worked, but it¡¯s impossible for the net-like formation he made.


    ¡¸Gr¡­!¡¹


    Theo immediately wrapped himself repeatedly with his threads, instantaneously creating an armor-substitute.


    There is a point to what he did. Even if only a little.


    The mist materialized into¡­a Werewolf.


    That large body let loose an explosive palm strike right at Theo¡¯s abdomen, knocking him into a wall.


    It turned into mist again to dodge the attacks from the Scathach party and materializes next to Theo.


    The form picking Theo up and using him as a shield as she runs around is¡­the Demon of Love Sitri.


    ¡¸This form really is the cutest, after all. Don¡¯t you all agree?¡¹


    The twintail, pink-haired maid gives a lovely smile¡­while casting Drain on Theo.


    Theo¡¯s body turns into Magical Energy particles and scatters and they all get sucked up into Sitri¡¯s mouth.


    He is defeated.


    Sitri is a winged leopard Demi-Beast with transforming abilities.


    Also when she changes form into a different race, she can perfectly reproduce that race¡¯s special characteristics.


    Reproducing the clothes that she was wearing is also a part of shapeshifting. It seems that she is able to shapeshift her body into outfits and ornaments with great detail.


    What¡¯s even more special about her is that she can reproduce just the special characteristic of things.


    For example, she can maintain the Charm while she¡¯s a flying insect.


    Turn into mist while in the form of a Hellhound.


    And materialize from the mist as a Werewolf.


    ¡¸Is she not a Dream Demon¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸She was defeated in one blow when Mr. Fenix got to her. So I guess it isn¡¯t odd to think she has a different ability.¡¹


    Said an agitated Hamill and a softly nodding Wraith.


    ¡¸Everyone¡¯s looking at me with such a burning gaze. I suppose I am cute enough to be admired. But I think it¡¯s a little rude to stare so much.¡¹


    ¡¸How dare you do that to Sir Theo! Release Sir Masamune¡¯s mind right now!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, so feisty. Ewan, was it? You¡¯ve got a cute face, why not try smiling?¡¹


    Ewan didn¡¯t respond and simply let fly his Wind Blade.


    The crescent-shaped air slash closed in on Sitri and¡­cut the wall behind her.


    ¡¸Wh¡­what?¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, you suck. Are you training properly? Or maybe¡­it¡¯s because of Black Magic?¡¹


    Her appearance had changed again.


    This time¡­it was a Majin.


    A jet-black robe with a gold design, decorated with purple cloth reminiscent of darkness itself.


    Head covered by a hood, a single horn sticking out of the side.


    It was the form of the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.


    Ewan didn¡¯t miss his shot. By disrupting his sense of aim, it resulted in him firing his magic in the wrong direction.


    Resist has to be undone during the magic building phase, right? That¡¯s why in that instant Black Magic took effect immediately.


    ¡¸The Demon King Army¡¯s¡­Chief of Staff¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸The Sitri Version, that is.¡¹


    There is also a limit to her reproduction.


    If she doesn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy to construct that body, she can¡¯t transform. And for the special characteristics, if she doesn¡¯t fully grasp how to use them, she cannot reproduce them.


    She has currently unmistakably reproduced the body of Lemegeton, but not all of my abilities.


    To put it simply, it¡¯s like a version of me that can¡¯t unleash the horn or use Black Sorcery.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take her. This¡¯ll be good practice before taking on the real thing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wow, the way you said that was so not cute.¡¹


    Wraith and Fran turned their full attention to Sitri.


    It was a tense scene, but all I could think in the corner of my mind was¡­


    ¡­Uhm, speaking that way with Lemegeton¡¯s form is a little¡­

 CH 154

    154 ¨C  The Realm of Dream Demons and Temptation 2


    The Samurai Masamune has been in the party and an ally to Aerial for a long time.


    His skill with the blade has been said to be nothing more than miraculous, being able to slice even magic.


    As a wanderer, he met Aerial who then invited him to become an ally.


    Masamune, himself, had no desire to show off his swordsmanship and refused, but Aerial is pretty persistent, so Masamune gave a condition.


    They will fight, and the one who loses shall listen to one thing that the winner wants.


    The two of them don¡¯t like to talk about it, so I don¡¯t know the details of the match, but it somehow ended in a tie.


    Masamune thought that Dungeon Clears were merely a show, but then he thought there had to be something to it if there are people who fight as seriously as Aerial does, so before long, he joined the party.


    Those two have fought side-by-side ever since.


    The Samurai who wields earth rending, sky splitting, and magic cutting sword techniques.


    ¡¸Uh oh, I¡¯m starting to enjoy this a little.¡¹


    Said Aerial, smiling like a child.


    I can¡¯t see Masamune¡¯s hand. All I see is a blur.


    Every time there was a high-pitched sound, it¡¯s followed by a sound like air being sliced.


    It was Aerial¡¯s Wind Blades being cut.


    In a flash, Masamune dips and gets in close on Aerial.


    Aerial immediately stopped Masamune¡¯s swing with his Holy Sword, but¡­


    ¡­the sword started to crack.


    The Holy Sword itself isn¡¯t an exceptional blade. No matter how inferior the item is, if a Spirit inhabits it, it will turn into a holy weapon. Its attack power, durability, Magical Energy flow, etc will increase dramatically.


    For example, Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword is just a cheap sword I got him as a graduation gift.


    It¡¯s the only thing a penniless thirteen-year-old could possibly buy, so it wasn¡¯t some top-of-the-line sword or something, but the Fire Spirit inhabited it and it became a Holy Sword. Instead of a crappy sword, it changed its appearance to a really cool shape and I was kinda surprised.


    So, even if it breaks, the Spirit can just inhabit another weapon and turn that into a Holy Sword. That isn¡¯t the issue.


    The issue is that a weapon with the divine protection of one of the Four Great Spirits is being damaged by a weapon that is none of that.


    It was different from when Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword was covered with the Flames of the Gods so it might be incomparable, but my fully horn unleashed fist wasn¡¯t able to damage his Holy Sword one bit.


    ¡­Is there something more there than pure strength?


    A katana is different from an ordinary sword, I hear that it is a weapon that specializes in slashing rather than hacking.


    Rather than swinging a lump of heavy metal with herculean strength, he cuts down his enemies with a sharpened blade and skill.


    ¡¸Now then, what to do?¡¹


    Aerial was having fun, but at the same time, he was also worried about what¡¯s going on behind him.


    With Wraith and the others.


    ¡¸Oh? Don¡¯t you have one of those, Wraith? A Holy something? All the Spirit Contractors have one.¡¹


    Said Sitri in Lemegeton form.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t carry anything heavier than a spoon. Am I cute now?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, are you bitter over me calling you not cute just now? I have to say, that is kinda cute-whoa!¡¹


    Sitri ducked immediately.


    A giant arm was swung over her head. The wall behind her was destroyed with a thunderous roar.


    ¡¸Wha? Why are you angry?¡¹


    The one who attacked was Fran.


    The girl with no expressions is hard to read, but she certainly has a dangerous aura around her right now¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m not angry.¡¹


    Fran pulls out her giant right arm from the wall and opens it to smash Sitri like a bug on top of a table.


    ¡¸Whoa, hold on a minute, it¡¯s huge but it¡¯s fast!¡¹


    Sitri used Black Magic well, casting Speed Down and Confusion at the right time, allowing her to dodge Fran¡¯s attack.


    It seems that Black Magic works on a Destroyer opponent. Or perhaps she¡¯s too angry to deal with it right now? Whichever way it is, what works, works. This is good to know.


    ¡¸Oh, I get it. I called Wraith cute and you-¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not angry.¡¹


    Fran clutches her previously open fist and swings it at Sitri.


    This time, she increased the speed, so Sitri failed to avoid it.


    ¡¸¡­sigh¡­this is not cute, this is SO not cute. It¡¯s so not cute that it hurts.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s saying that about herself, but her being in the form of Lemegeton has its advantages.


    She is able to combine and reproduce special characteristics.


    In other words, She takes my appearance while having the characteristics of a normal Majin.


    There may be people who appear, suspecting that Lem and Lemegeton are the same person. There are already people who can sense someone with first-rate abilities and those that know.


    I am a Human. I can pretend to be a Majin, but if I get found out, they can link Lem and Lemegeton together.


    Whether or not they think that I use summoning magic with the help of a Magic Tool, the fact is that I do.


    However, when Sitri changes into Lemegeton and if she shows the characteristics of a Majin¡­


    ¡­It will leave a strong impression that Lemegeton is a Majin who is good at using Black Magic.


    If she can also demonstrate that Lemegeton is a Majin that is good at close combat, it can make others think that closing in on me is a bad idea.


    No matter how much I am trained by Furcus, my own pure combat ability is no match to combat-focused Jobs.


    That is a harsh reality that cannot be easily overcome.


    On top of that, I decided to become a hero who will bring victory to Monsters.


    Making people think that I am a greater threat than I actually am will be useful in attaining that victory.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Fran was expressionless as usual, but her mouth was opened slightly. Perhaps in surprise.


    Her giant fist that she swung overhead was caught¡­by Sitri¡¯s right arm.


    That arm was covered in something black. And from the elbow, stuck out something sharp and black.


    Of course, it¡¯s all fake. In regards to what is covering the arm, it¡¯s her shapeshifting ability reproducing the appearance.


    The thing sticking out of the elbow is the horn of a Majin.


    Not my master¡¯s.


    It seems that she is able to reproduce innate things but how I inherited the horn is the exception of exceptions.


    Smashing the horn into powder, suffering for a long time to convert it and have it take root in my body using a secret technique.


    She admitted that she can¡¯t reproduce it, at least not right now, so the horn that is sticking out of the elbow is the horn of a Majin she knows.


    Even if it isn¡¯t me, Majins are a race that inherits horns in the first place.


    She reproduces the image of Lemegeton under the guise of having inherited a horn from another Majin.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like everyone, yknow? It¡¯s just that each person has an ideal self. If I could, I¡¯d wanna be cute all the time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t care.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw, but you¡¯re so cute.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am not¡­cute.¡¹


    For a moment, Fran showed a pained expression¡­at least that¡¯s how it seemed.


    Sitri pushes Fran¡¯s fist back.


    ¡¸Haha, yeah you¡¯re a Majin, alright. So you won¡¯t lose to Fran in terms of strength if you become the Chief of Staff, huh?¡¹


    Wraith nodded as if in admiration.


    By the way, the reason Sitri doesn¡¯t turn into mist to dodge is that she is wary of him. Wary of the Wind Magic he used to defeat the materializing Vampire in the third stratum. If that happened to her while she materialized, even Sitri would be in trouble.


    Also about what Wraith said, if I ever compared my strength with Fran, I would be crushed and defeated.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah.¡¹


    Fran swung her left arm. That arm was the arm of an ordinary little girl¡­but not for long.


    As it swung, Wraith covered it with rocks using Earth Magic.


    ¡¸Ah, geez. I really hate this¡­¡¹


    Just when I thought she was about to be hit.


    Sitri¡¯s figure disappeared.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­you reacted?¡¹


    She sounded surprised.


    She appeared behind Hamill and was about to hit him with her right arm.


    It was the magic of the Time Demon Agares of the Big Four.


    His spatial travel ability makes him look like he traveled through time.


    While not hostile towards each other, Sitri and Agares don¡¯t exactly get along. There are many times where I¡¯ve seen Agares get mad at Sitri for fawning all over her Highness.


    She probably hates having to use his powers.


    But his magic is no joke. Hamill was somehow able to react to Sitri, who suddenly appeared behind him.


    In a flash, he turned around and used his sword to clash with her right fist.


    But it didn¡¯t end there. It seems that he fired off his Flying Slash at the same time, and Sitri¡¯s head went flying¡­ Not.


    It missed.


    ¡¸¡­That was close¡­¡¹


    Muttered Sitri.


    Hamill¡¯s reaction time was fantastic.


    If things were normal, this would be the time where the Monster had an opening to exploit and the Adventurers turns the tables.


    More precisely, when he let loose a slash aimed for Lemegeton¡¯s neck. At that moment¡­


    Even so, there¡¯s a reason it missed.


    And that¡¯s because Sitri¡¯s height changed.


    She still looked like Lemegeton. Her right arm was the same.


    It¡¯s just her physique that changed.


    Changed back to that of the Dream Demon Sitri.


    By changing the position of her head, the attack missed. Sitri is much shorter than Lemegeton.


    A sweet face peered at Hamill from underneath the hood.


    ¡¸Hey, why don¡¯t you fight for me like that Samurai-Hey!¡¹


    The Charm attempt was canceled.


    Ewan¡¯s Wind Blade was approaching.


    ¡¸Too many! There¡¯s just too many of you. Everyone ganging up and bullying a sweet little girl isn¡¯t gonna look good, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸Someone who¡¯s able to stand up to this many opponents is not a regular little girl.¡¹


    Wraith used his freezing magic to freeze her feet to the floor.


    ¡¸So it¡¯s OK to be cold to an abnormal girl?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d be nice to everyone, y¡¯know? If we weren¡¯t in a Dungeon.¡¹


    Sitri grabbed Hamill¡¯s Magic Sword with her right arm and didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡¸Sir Hamill! Please move aside!¡¹


    Hamill looked like he hesitated for a moment, but then he eventually did as he was told.


    Much like the Warrior Alba in the Fenix party, those who are particularly attached to their weapon tend to hesitate to let go of it even in times of danger.


    In order to not hit an ally, Ewan reduced the speed of his Wind Blade for a moment.


    Hamill got away.


    The Wind Blade accelerates again.


    But in that moment¡¯s delay, Sitri got out of her predicament.


    Using the Magic Sword¡­she cut off her own legs.


    She changed into something tiny, a bug perhaps, and dodged the Wind Blade.


    ¡­I guess being stuck in place was preventing her from transforming. Which is why she cut off her legs.


    ¡¸Gr¡­!¡¹


    That¡¯s not all. She fired off a Flying Slash and carved a slice into Ewan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸You¡¯re good, but I gotcha now.¡¹


    Said Wraith.


    He stuck out the thumbs and forefingers of both his hands and put them together to form a rectangle, staring at a space through it.


    Hamill, who tried to take back his Magic Sword, noticed something.


    ¡¸A wall¡­? Wraith, did you do this?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s like I trapped her in an invisible box. Not even steam can get through it, let alone a bug. You can¡¯t get through it as a bug. You¡¯re trapped.¡¹


    Magical Energy is needed to use magic. So she can¡¯t cast magic as a bug.


    Perhaps noticing this, Sitri returned to her Dream Demon form.


    ¡¸I really wanted to fight more with Lemegton, though.¡¹


    ¡¸As a Dream Demon, I can show you naughty dreams, but in a Dungeon, I don¡¯t think I can let Adventurers do whatever they want.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I wonder if you avoided revealing Mr. Chief of Staff¡¯s hand. Well, I suppose I¡¯ll know when I fight the real thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith. Finish her.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup, well, see ya.¡¹


    He crossed his fingers and made the rectangle smaller. In accordance with this, the invisible box became smaller.


    ¡¸¡­Geez, this is Milly¡¯s fault.¡¹


    Sitri¡¯s body changed.


    Her left arm changed to that of a werewolf. An arm as large as Marchosias¡¯s. Her right arm changed into a Majin¡¯s arm.


    She spread both arms in order to stop the shrinking box.


    ¡¸¡­Hm. She¡¯s putting up a fight.¡¹


    ¡¸Wraith. Can you crush her¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m fine. This might be too gruesome, I should have gone with freezi-¡¹


    In the next moment¡­Masamune was defeated.


    ¡¸Crap¡­took too much time.¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s expression twisted in regret over his blunder.


    That¡¯s right.


    Sitri didn¡¯t fight in order to eliminate everyone.


    She deceived them with her exceptional skills, but actually, her Magical Energy is almost out.


    Masamune surpasses Aerial in sword technique.


    And right now, he has become the Adventurers¡¯ enemy.


    Aerial was fighting with no intention to kill, but Masamune was not holding back.


    Aerial can¡¯t hold him off for long. It won¡¯t take long for either of them to sustain enough injuries to fall.


    Sitri fought the way she did precisely to buy more time for that to happen.


    So now, Aerial had to use his Spirit Magic to defeat Masamune.


    The Wizard Michelle lost her legs, the Alchemist Louie lost an arm.


    Scathach¡¯s Holy Sword and Suuri¡¯s bow were broken.


    Even though Aerial fought under the condition of not killing him until the last second, Masamune is the wielder of such swordsmanship to push these members to such limits.


    ¡¸Oh, thank goodness. I¡¯m all out.¡¹


    Sitri was frozen and was defeated.


    The fifth stratum was Cleared with two casualties.


    Despite succeeding¡­there wasn¡¯t a hint of joy on the Adventurers¡¯ faces.

 CH 155.1

    155 ¨C The Flame Hero, Forest Hunter, Black Sorcerer, and Vampire Queen Part 1


    ¡¸P-p-pardon the intrusion. I am the Hunter Lily, I am currently working as an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, welcome to our humble abode. My name is Milla. I work at the Demon King Castle as a Vampire and so forth.¡¹


    A rather uneasy looking Elf beauty and the Vampire beauty that is smiling with her whole face.


    ¡¸Huh, so this is where you live, eh, Lem?¡¹


    Wow Fenix, this isn¡¯t some fun trip to a friend¡¯s house or something, y¡¯know?


    Do you not feel the intense pressure coming from Milla?


    We¡¯re in my apartment in the dormitory area.


    Milla, who has become more or less my roommate, is welcoming Lily and Fenix.


    Oh man, how did it all come to this¡­


    I recalled the time I had a conversation with Milla about meeting these two.


    ¡ºMeeting Fenix and Lily, you say?¡»


    ¡ºYeah, I¡¯m sure we talked about it before, didn¡¯t we? They wish to help us out as Monsters.¡»


    ¡ºWell¡­yes, yes we did. But¡­Lem?¡»


    ¡ºHm?¡»


    ¡ºThis would mean that you have to spare your free time out of working hours for your old allies, right?¡»


    ¡º¡­? Yeah, I guess so.¡»


    ¡ºBut Lem¡­I thought we had discussed that you and I would go on our big date when the Raid Battle has reached somewhat of a stopping point.¡»


    ¡ºYeah, we did talk about that.¡»


    ¡ºI concede that it is of the utmost importance to make advance arrangements. Know that I understand the full importance of such a thing. However, if I may say so, you are using your time off work in order to meet with your former allies. Under any normal circumstances, I would not mind in the slightest. What you do with your own leisure time is your business, after all.¡»


    ¡ºR-right.¡»


    ¡ºWhat is currently bothering me is that you graciously promised that you would reward me with a precious portion of your free time.¡»


    ¡º¡­I did say that, yes.¡»


    ¡ºSo then, what have those two done for you, Lem? Have they perhaps contributed enough to wedge themselves into our prior engagement¡­?¡»


    ¡ºUh¡­Milla? I sorta understand what you¡¯re trying to say, I think. But, this is a meeting that I can¡¯t afford to cancel.¡»


    ¡ºYes. I have already agreed that this is important in the grand scheme of things. However, so far as you do not think of me as annoying or troublesome, I have a suggestion.¡»


    ¡ºI would never think that of you.¡»


    ¡º¡­! I-¡­Th-thank you very much. R-right then, I was thinking if it would be possible for me to participate in this meeting. What do you think?¡»


    ¡ºAh, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re suggesting¡­ Sure, I don¡¯t think those two would mind.¡»


    ¡ºWould it be alright to hold the meeting right here?¡»


    ¡ºHuh¡­? But isn¡¯t this the Demon King Army dormitories? Is it OK for Adventurers to enter?¡»


    ¡ºWell, you¡¯re an Adventurer too, aren¡¯t you, Lem?¡»


    ¡ºTouche¡­ Well, I suppose we could meet up somewhere and then from there, as long as I use my magic, we won¡¯t get found out on the way here¡­¡»


    ¡ºMay I ask you to do just that?¡»


    ¡ºSure, I¡¯ll let them know. But¡­why here?¡»


    ¡ºIn order to show off, of cour¡­ I mean, I would like your former colleagues to witness the life you live now. The wonderfully full life that you are able to live after leaving the party. This is simply my own selfish desire.¡»


    ¡ºR-right. I get it.¡»


    ¡­is kinda how that went down.


    I have no reason to believe that Milla was telling a lie, but I get the impression that the goal was to invite Fenix and Lily into the house all along and the logic was sorta stuffed in there afterward.


    She had met Fenix once more after the tenth stratum battle, but that was it.


    As for my other former allies, she has only met them when she fought them as Carmilla.


    ¡¸For the time being, why don¡¯t you two come in?¡¹


    And with that, here we are.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, please come into our home.¡¹


    Under Milla¡¯s guidance, we proceed to the living room.


    ¡¸Hey Lem, you shoulda told me that you two have already made it this far. Keep me up to date, man.¡¹


    For some reason, Fenix was speaking in a hushed tone.


    ¡¸Huh? What the heck are you talking about?¡¹


    ¡¸I mean, you and Milla are already living together? That¡¯s huge.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­We¡¯re not, and even if we were, why should I have to tell you?¡¹


    We really aren¡¯t living together. We just spend most of our nights together, currently. Probably. I think.


    ¡¸In general, I don¡¯t think it would be too strange to tell a good friend about his wonderful love life.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯ve never heard any love stories from you, so I guess we aren¡¯t as good friends as I thought, huh?¡¹


    Fenix is in passionate love with so-and-so! or something like that would become news right away, but those are usually lies or just misunderstandings. However, Fenix is quite popular with the ladies. I mean, it¡¯s Fenix, after all.


    But we never brought up the topic amongst ourselves, nor did we ask each other about such things.


    Until recently, at least.


    Recently, Fenix has been clearly cheerful.


    I wonder if he¡¯s over the moon that his unpopular best friend has become intimate with a member of the opposite sex despite being unpopular.


    ¡¸In the end, we¡¯re talking about the general, ordinary people. Yup. It probably, totally doesn¡¯t apply to us at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup, sure it doesn¡¯t.¡¹


    That should probably keep him quiet for a while.


    Fenix and I, we¡¯re fine, honestly. No matter what the topic might be, he¡¯s a trusted friend.


    ¡¸You wish to fight alongside us as a Monster, right, Lily?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes. There is someone who I have to fight at all costs, so I have decided to ask Lem for his assistance¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? By the way, what kind of connection do you have with Lem that you can rely on him so?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­? Well, that¡¯s¡­ I suppose because he was someone who used to be in the same party as me? I¡­I had the opportunity to know that Lem is the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.¡¹


    The opportunity that she is referring to is that time after the Fenix party were repelled and I went to see them off as they were headed towards a new town.


    According to a plan that was lead by Milla, I summoned my Monster allies with my ring when I saw them off.


    ¡¸Oh my, but if memory serves me right, also I happen to be a fan of Lem¡¯s who checked every little movement he made, Lem was driven out of the Fenix party, was he not?¡¹


    ¡¸Urgh¡­ Y-you¡­you are not mistaken in your understanding¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I am certain that it was the Warrior Alba who lead the charge. Did the other three share any dissenting opinions I wonder? Of course, since you¡¯re all allies, I¡¯m sure you did.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The only one who opposed it was Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸Which would mean that the other two were in favor of his expulsion. Am I correct in my assumption?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It is embarrassing to admit, but at that point in time, I had yet to realize Lem¡¯s true capabilities.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Despite having fought countless battles alongside each other all that time?¡¹


    Milla spoke in a gentle tone. However, each word was like a knife being thrown.


    Fenix tries to say something, but in this case, he isn¡¯t the person who should be doing so.


    I raise a hand to stop my friend, and I open my mouth.


    ¡¸M-Milla? We¡¯ve talked about this before, the main cause was the fact that I tried to hide it in the first place.¡¹


    Lily was shrinking away.


    I try to gently calm Milla down, but-


    ¡¸I am fully aware of that, Lem. I wish to discuss feelings.¡¹


    As a fan, the fact that the one you are a fan of is being treated like dirt within the party and is then forced out is a painful one, no matter what the reason was behind it.


    Having one of the people who drove that person out now rely on the very person that they drove out, there¡¯s no way that their feelings can remain calm.


    It is also probably only natural to feel angry at how convenient it all is.


    However, I can¡¯t just leave Lily, who I finally became friends with, to wallow in self-loathing again.


    If Milla wants to talk about feelings, then¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m very happy about how you feel about me. But, please, don¡¯t say anything bad about the discussion that eventually led to me leaving the party.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸After all, if it weren¡¯t for that happening at that exact timing, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to reunite with you, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Also, I was able to meet Cashew in this town when I was driven out of the party.


    I was able to become friends with the fruit seller Blitz.


    I was able to become allies with everyone in the Demon King Army.


    I also got to know the people in the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    And I was also able to enter the Tag Tournament together with the Silver Hero Nicola.


    ¡¸All the encounters and experiences I had after I left the party are all filled with joy and warmth to me. It¡¯s true that things were tough during the time when I just left, but now I am nothing short of thankful for it. I would be glad if you would look at it that way, Mil-¡¹


    ¡¸I do look at it that way¡­!¡¹


    The anger that was seeping out from within her has been blown away without a trace, leaving only happiness behind.

 CH 155.2

    155 ¨C The Flame Hero, Forest Hunter, Black Sorcerer, and Vampire Queen Part 2


    ¡¸Would you like anything to eat, Lily? Fenix?¡¹


    It seems that the problem involving feelings has come to an end.


    Lily was utterly confused.


    Fenix was smiling broadly.


    By the way, Milla did the same thing when she first met Fenix, aiming to kill him softly with words, but Fenix just immediately apologized which drove away all the spite that Milla felt towards him¡­ It was quite effective.


    Speaking of Fenix, when Milla turned to head towards the kitchen, he was about to open his mouth, but I glared at him.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t. Say. A word.¡¹


    Even if what I said was from the heart, saying lines like that in front of my best friend and colleague is so embarrassing that my face feels like it¡¯s on fire.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­Lem?¡¹


    My arm was tugged a little. It was Lily.


    She tries to bring her face close to my ear. Due to the height difference between us, Lily had to stand on her toes. Even this wasn¡¯t enough, so I also had to bend my knees a little in response.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    Apparently, she thinks that I did that in order to save her from Milla.


    The long sigh that hit my eardrum felt a little ticklish.


    At that moment, in that gap between my ear and Lily¡¯s lips, something ripped through that tiny space.


    Something passed through quickly with a whoosh.


    ¡¸Oops, pardon me. I was aiming at a little insect that was flying around.¡¹


    I looked in the direction the sound went and what I saw was a blood knife sticking out of the wall.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you all sit down and wait patiently?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes, we¡¯ll do just that.¡¹


    Lily normally has a curly string of hair on top of her head, but I saw it fall flat like all the strength was sucked out of it.


    ¡­That knife flew by really quickly. It felt more like a gunshot than a knife throw.


    As expected of a Blood Manipulator. Her ability to manipulate blood towers above the rest.


    Although I wish she wouldn¡¯t use it in the living room.


    Perhaps not trying to fall victim to Milla¡¯s wrath any further, she sat opposite me.


    Fenix thought about it a little and chose to sit next to Lily.


    I think he was worried for a moment whether or not he should sit next to me, creating a boys and girls side separation or if he should sit next to Lily, so that it becomes a separation by affiliation.


    Milla came back holding a tray and she confirmed the empty seat, the one next to me, and smiled with satisfaction.


    Apparently, it seems that everyone chose the correct seat.


    ¡¸Thanks, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s perfectly fine. It is my pleasure, after all.¡¹


    She prepared tea for all.


    Milla then sat next to me.


    ¡¸But Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸Will it be alright to utilize these two for the defense? I have absolutely no doubts about their abilities, but I am worried about the coordination aspect.¡¹


    The Fenix party is currently in high demand ever since starting the training of those that are participating in the Raid Battle, TV commentary, the events planned by her Highness¡¯s father Fellow, and the like.


    Taking this opportunity, they are putting a hold on Dungeon Clearing, only during the Raid Battle period, and taking on more work, such as magazine interviews and commercial appearances, which they normally take only a select few of.


    Setting aside cooperating with me, it will be hard for them to cooperate with my subordinates. They can¡¯t even come and train with us in the Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸Ah yeah, we have to talk about that too. This time, I want the two of you to move separately. Meaning I won¡¯t summon you two at the same time. Just as you desired, Lily, I¡¯ll summon you so that you can fight Suuri.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Once again, thank you very much for allowing me to join. I will surely take him down and contribute to your victory.¡¹


    Lily has a bone to pick with Suuri, who came from the same village as her, but continues to fight while hiding his face.


    Wishing to fight against him, she will be summoned as a Monster this time in order to do just that.


    ¡¸Fenix, you need to-¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know. I have to take him on.¡¹


    Fenix nodded while smiling.


    Milla¡¯s eyebrows twitched and shook.


    ¡¸I-I expected nothing less from two best friends. One look at each other¡¯s eyes was enough for you two to understand each other as if it were telepathy, I see.¡¹


    ¡¸From my point of view, it is I who should be envious of you. For you two are connected by a strong bond despite not knowing each other as long as I have known him.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, do go on.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s mood instantly improved.


    ¡­This guy. Looks like he has already learned how to handle Milla.


    He really is mankind¡¯s strongest. His adaptability is terrifying.


    To the side of him, even Lily had a face that seemed to say¡¸I see, so that¡¯s how you do it.¡¹.


    ¡¸All things considered, the Raid Battle sure has gotten a lot of attention.¡¹


    ¡¸The Raid Battle is only possible because the people¡¯s interest in this Dungeon still remains since that time you were defeated. Of course, the contents of the raid are another reason for the popularity.¡¹


    It is difficult to be in this world where something can¡¯t become popular even if the contents of it were good.


    From my viewpoint as someone in the same line of business, it isn¡¯t unusual for a party that has an extremely interesting Clear to only have a two-digit number of views.


    Fellow handled things skillfully as well. Without his plans, this probably wouldn¡¯t have become such a big, headline-making event.


    This may be the town where it¡¯s being held, but now everyone is on the edge of their seat to see where this Clear is headed.


    Some people may say that if you gather all the popular parties, you will get the numbers, but the excitement goes beyond just gathering them.


    The more you draw in the casual crowd who are normally not interested in it, the easier it is to convey that to them.


    Speaking of which, even Cashew¡¯s older sister and younger siblings would ask her to secretly tell them the results of each battle.


    Even Blitz asked me the same thing when I would show up at his stall.


    Cashew would say¡¸It¡¯s strictly convi-con¡­confidential.¡¹and keep the results a secret properly.


    ¡¸By right, I shouldn¡¯t even be saying this I suppose, but I will make sure that I annihilate them all.¡¹


    ¡¸Is the great Flame Hero going to betray all of mankind?¡¹


    ¡¸The only one who¡¯s going to defeat you is me.¡¹


    I laugh back at him defiantly.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll win the next time as well.¡¹


    Fenix laughed at that joyfully.


    ¡¸Besides, I don¡¯t believe lending one¡¯s strength to a friend is a betrayal in any shape or form.¡¹


    He said something so grand without batting an eye.


    ¡¸¡­C¡¯mon, you¡¯re embarrassing me, man.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, your face is red.¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, you got it all wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem has always been like this.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh please, do tell me more about what Lem was like as a child.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s eyes sparkled with hungry curiosity.


    ¡­Come to think of it since not much of my private information was ever released to the public, Fenix is a treasure trove of such information to a die-hard fan like Milla.


    I glare at him, commanding him in my mind not to dare say anything. Y¡¯know, that friendship telepathy thing Milla mentioned earlier.


    ¡¸Oh right, well there was this time when he was seven-years-old¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s not working at all¡­!


    Where the heck did all your kindness and consideration from earlier go?!


    ¡¸Uhm, let¡¯s clear up the main issue first.¡¹


    I try to continue the discussion, somewhat forcefully.


    Milla looked a little dissatisfied by that, but she didn¡¯t interject.


    ¡¸Assuming they get to the eigth and ninth strata, how should we mobilize? Well, at the very least, let¡¯s talk about the best timing to summon Fenix and Lily. Lily, I¡¯ve spoken to the person in charge of that stratum, but I still think it would be better if you met face to face at least once.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­ Uhm, is she fine with that?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡ºInteresting. A forest Elf who has fallen to the dark side.¡»she said.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸And now on to Fenix. About summoning you¡­ I can do it.¡¹


    Fenix wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest.


    ¡¸I knew you¡¯d find a way to do it.¡¹


    Even though I did say that I would find a way to gather enough Magical Energy in a short period of time to summon the Flame Hero, he said it like it was a matter of course.


    Well, I suppose it doesn¡¯t hurt to have someone who believes in you that much.


    ¡¸And of course, I shall make my appearance as well.¡¹


    Said Milla.


    ¡¸Y-yeah. Good luck out there.¡¹


    ¡¸I shall present to you a complete and utter victory this time.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it, Milla.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, Herv has returned to the Raid Battle via the revival rights.


    As I continue the discussion, I think back on the sixth and seventh stratum battles that have already finished.

 CH 156.1

    156 ¨C The Attack and Defense of the Hardest Dungeon by the Strongest Group of Adventurers Part 1


    The sixth stratum ¨C The Realm of Aquatic Monsters and the Depths.


    Originally, the sixth stratum is one where pathways made of sand are spread out across a Field of water and Adventurers are to walk across them to progress.


    They will be assaulted by merpeople, fish folk, and aquatic Demi-Beasts from beneath the surface of the sea.


    In addition, the sand pathways are spread out like a maze and it becomes difficult to choose the correct path while dealing with all the Monster attacks.


    If they choose the wrong pathway, they¡¯ll be stuck in the worst scenario of coming up to a dead end while being pressed by Monsters behind them, all while there is no escape because there is nothing but sea surrounding them.


    This time, that has been greatly renovated.


    The largest change is the pathways¡­ No, that¡¯s not exactly right.


    I should probably say that the whole Field has changed.


    Until recently, the sand pathways spread out on top of the ocean but¡­


    ¡­in the new sixth stratum, the sand pathways go through the sea itself.


    It¡¯s like that place that I¡¯ve been to before, that aquarium place. It¡¯s very similar to those tunnel-like passageways where everything but the floor is made of glass.


    Rather than giving the sense of walking through the insides of an aquarium, this is more like a Dungeon where they walk through the actual sea.


    The Adventurers have to be on guard in all directions.


    On the aquatic Monster¡¯s side, this allows them to attack the Adventurers from every direction.


    Furthermore, in order to deal with Aerial¡¯s Spatial Awareness, a system was put in place where we will wait until the Adventurers reach a fork in the road, and then we¡¯ll block the passage with water.


    Even if he were to read the path the wind tells him beforehand, we can block the path with water at that point in time, essentially nulling his ability to lead them down the correct path.


    The idea of the Monster enthusiast Floor Boss, the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, has been evolved.


    However, in terms of results, not a single Adventurer in the group was defeated.


    The MVPs in this battle were mainly five people.


    First is Aerial and Ewan who both deployed a wind wall on the surface of the wall of water along the passageway.


    With this, they have effectively cut off the surprise attacks that could have come from any direction. The Monsters would have to go through a process of destroying the wind wall if they want to reach the Adventurers, and by the time they achieve that, the Adventurers are already ready to intercept them.


    Of course, this is within our expectations. In the process of traveling down the long, long passageway, the two Heroes will be constantly consuming their Magical Energy. That alone is extremely beneficial for us in the battle.


    What we didn¡¯t expect was what Wraith and¡­the revived Herv would do.


    The two of them willingly jumped out of the passageways, right into the sea.


    Wraith did it in order to look for the correct route from the outside, while Herv jumped out in order to fight all the aquatic Monsters.


    The Monsters of the sixth stratum were thrown into chaos.


    Wraith put his Water Magic to practical use by creating an area around him where water cannot enter, but Herv simply free dove.


    Just like that, she crushes the fish folk, one swing from her fist caused the Monsters to explode despite being underwater, she would pluck the arms off of a giant octopus or squid Demi-Beast until they are defeated, and when she is surrounded by weapon-wielding mermen, she decimates them all.


    The Seamonster Forneus appeared in front of Wraith, who was searching for the correct path.


    He is a shark Demi-Beast who boasts a size as large as a high-rise building, a Monster who can understand human speech.


    Wraith intercepts him with Wind Magic and Water Magic, but Forneus takes them head-on and just keeps approaching Wraith.


    That large lifeform almost bit into Wraith with sharp teeth.


    Someone hit him from the side.


    It was Fran.


    When she saw Wraith getting attacked, she busts through the wind barrier created by her allies and jumped into the sea, propelled by her massive right arm, she reaches Forneus and punches him.


    It was an attack that could have caused a tidal wave, Forneus¡¯s upper half shook as he was hit.


    However, he has worked in service of the Demon King Castle since the time when my master was on active duty. He¡¯s used to strong people and powerful attacks.


    He immediately shook his head after Fran¡¯s attack and¡­ate her.


    However, this was an attack that was meant to crunch her with his teeth.


    Fran used her quick wit to swim forward in order to avoid the teeth.


    In other words, Fran entered Forneus¡¯s mouth willingly.


    No matter how sturdy a living organism is, the same cannot be said about its insides. There are parts of the body that simply cannot be tempered.


    A loud, dull thump could be heard ringing in the sea. No, not from the sea. The sound came from Fran hitting Forneus from within him.


    He still tries to drown Fran by swallowing a large amount of water. Or perhaps he was trying to spit her out. Either way, it didn¡¯t go well for him.


    Wraith froze the area around his mouth.


    The Water Hero wasn¡¯t trying to save his childhood friend, rather he believed that she could defeat the enemy from within.


    And his belief became reality.


    Forneus¡¯s belly burst open as Fran emerged from there.


    These two ten-year-olds, with their abnormal attack power and adaptability as well as their mutual trust in each other, have defeated Forneus.


    No, this has nothing to do with their age. Those two are just strong. Plain and simple.


    After that, Wraith returned Fran to the passageway and confirmed the correct path.


    Aerial and Ewan consumed a large amount of their Magical Energy protecting their allies as they reached the Floor Boss Area.


    A fleet of something mysterious navigated in the sea towards them, but Herv destroyed them all single-handedly.


    In the Floor Boss fight, Scathach, who had been conserving his Magical Energy up to that point, unleashed a maximum strength lightning strike, defeating Vepar¡¯s subordinates.


    There were some who were on the verge of defeat, but with so few numbers, the Adventurers broke through in the end with no casualties.


    In regards to the results of the battle, Forneus said¡¸It appears I have more training to do.¡¹calmly and laughed.


    The beautiful mermaid Vepar said¡¸How vexing¡­ I¡¯ve run so many simulations, yet that insane group just¡­ Fine, I shall teach them to fear the deepest darkest depths next time.¡¹with a burning passion for revenge.


    ¡¸That reminds me.¡¹


    Back in the present, in the living room.


    The discussion had reached a stopping point, an opportunity which Lily used to interject.


    ¡¸That seventh stratum battle was quite surprising.¡¹


    She said as she graciously carries her cup to her lips.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, yeah. We were surprised as well. We knew it¡¯d be tough, but we didn¡¯t know it would be that bad¡­¡¹


    The seventh stratum ¨C the Realm of Sky and Steep Trials.


    Pathways spread out in midair, while Birdmen and Monsters who had wings from the start would assault the Adventurers.


    If this was all there was to it, it would simply be the sky version of the sixth stratum, so of course, it has its own unique characteristics.


    The seventh stratum¡¯s concept is like the good old Dungeon Clears where there are traps, riddles to solve, and an outrageous reset mechanic, where you go back to the starting point.


    Also, when an Adventurer falls off the path, or more precisely when their entire body is lower than the pathway itself, they shall experience falling forever, forcing the system to use the Give Up function and release their consciousness from their Avatars.


    Falling off the path when trying to solve a riddle is an exception and they will be instead returned to the starting point.


    The revival rights they attained from Clearing the second stratum were used on Ewan.


    The revival rights they attained from Clearing the fourth stratum were used on Herv.


    We¡¯ve made them use all of their revival rights so far.


    ¡¸To think that the seventh stratum that we labored so hard for would be so easily Cleared¡­¡¹


    With the revival rights they attained from the sixth stratum Clear¡­they revived Margret.

 CH 156.2

    156 ¨C The Attack and Defense of the Hardest Dungeon by the Strongest Group of Adventurers Part 2


    The Hervor party¡¯s Summoner and heir to a large company.


    The pure-seeming woman with a gentle demeanor, warm smile, and serious attitude, despite also having the audacity to get fully naked for a moment, even if it¡¯s just to change outfits.


    She can summon not only living creatures that she¡¯s formed contracts with, but also her own possessions.


    A rare kind of Summoner who occasionally summons suitable equipment in order to fight.


    As such a woman, she has the intellect to match her equally intellectual appearance, and this was the bane of the seventh stratum.


    All the riddles that the Floor Boss the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim happily, and sometimes laboriously, thought up were relentlessly and efficiently solved by her.


    ¡º¡¸The tears falling down from heaven flow alongside it, those bound to the firmament fantasize about its peak¡­¡¹¡­I see, Sister Herv, please destroy the third and fifth ones. Yes, if we destroy only the mountain art pieces, we can continue forward. Hm? Oh, the second one is not a mountain, but an ancient tomb, and the seventh one is a hill. What¡¯s the difference between a hill and a mountain? The definition is vague, but the buildings to the side of the hill depicted in the seventh one actually exist and the residents there refer to that as a hill so we can exclude that one as a mountain.¡»


    And so on.


    ¡º¡¸Those who believe they can be saved without asking the heavens, step forward. Those who do not qualify¡­¡¹¡­I got it. Sir Wraith and Miss Fran, please go through that gate. Sir Ewan and¡­myself shall head to the same place.¡»


    And so on.


    ¡º¡¸Live for ten days in search of a better tomorrow¡­¡¹¡­I got it. Monsters will start to appear from here on. I shall give you all instructions, so please defeat them as and when I say. You must not get carried away and defeat more than is needed, Sister Herv.¡»


    And so on.


    ¡º¡¸Stop the hands of time and force them back¡­¡¹¡­I got it.¡»¡º¡¸Rend judgment¡­¡¹I got it.¡»¡ºI got it.¡»¡ºI got it.¡»¡ºI got it.¡»¡­and just like that, Margret would find a solution for the riddle in almost no time at all after she sees it.


    Incidentally, the first riddle had nine numbered art pieces and a stone plaque with the riddle written it, and you cannot proceed unless you do the right thing.


    When you read the whole sentence, you would realize that you need to move or destroy something, but when it¡¯s written in such a long and poetic fashion, it becomes difficult to fully grasp the meaning.


    The correct answer is to break the mountains. As a trap, there were actual existing hills mixed in the bunch.


    The second riddle was themed after a gate from a famous legend which roughly goes like this¡ºInnocent children can ascend to heaven without having their eligibility checked.¡».


    There are many who know of that legend, but I wonder how many know that¡ºInnocent children¡»is actually an anecdote referring to height.


    In other words, if you correctly interpret this long and poetic sentence, it actually means¡ºThose who are shorter than the height of the innocent child in the legend must pass through the gate, and those who are not must wait.¡».


    It is a puzzle that tests a lot of your knowledge.


    In the third riddle, a timer is set and Monsters will land here and there in a limited space but simply defeating them all will result in a failure.


    Once the timer expires, it is reset and counting begins again.


    The total number of countdowns is ten and the correct way to solve this is¡ºDefeat more Monsters in the second countdown than you did in the first one. Defeat more Monsters in the third countdown than you did in the second one, defeat more Monsters in the fourth-¡»and so on until the tenth and final countdown.


    This may be a little mean, but there aren¡¯t enough Monsters standing on the Field, so they also have to defeat the Monsters that are flying around their surroundings to reach the numbers they need.


    In this way, the seventh stratum, which normally takes Adventurers a long time to Clear, is Cleared in no time at all thanks to Margret¡¯s efforts.


    Of course, there are many instances where strength is needed to fight Monsters, which is where the other party members shined.


    Those who could contribute to solving the riddles were Wraith, the Hunter Suuri, and the Wizard Michelle.


    However, it seemed like Aerial was holding himself back from speaking up.


    Despite being in a little trouble for only a moment, the seventh stratum was Cleared just like that.


    Caim said¡ºWhat an impressive intellect¡­but still, how vexing it all is.¡»praising Margret while realizing his own inadequacy due to his failure to defend his stratum.


    ¡­You weren¡¯t inadequate, Caim. Those puzzles were really difficult.


    Your puzzle solving system is surprisingly well-received by the viewers.


    I wonder if they feel like it¡¯s a quiz show where those watching along can also try and solve the riddle together with the contestants.


    Also possibly because it is a rare spectacle these days.


    Seeing a stratum where the Adventurers can¡¯t simply fight their way through with pure combat ability feels fresh.


    ¡¸If I recall correctly, it was mainly Lily and Fenix who was in charge of solving riddles in the Fenix party. Bella¡¯s free-thinking was also quite brilliant.¡¹


    Said Milla. Her words were somewhat more gentle than before.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Although, it was a Clear that came with a lot of regrets.¡¹


    Fenix replied with a smile.


    ¡¸Since I lived in the forest for such a long time, I became very interested in the world beyond the trees. Investigating various things became a sort of hobby of mine. That lead to me being surprisingly useful in that stratum. Although it did take us quite a while to get through¡­¡¹


    Lily certainly does have a voracious appetite for knowledge.


    However, solving riddles also requires flexible thinking.


    Fenix looked at me.


    ¡¸The difficulty of the Demon King Castle has gone up since the last time we challenged it, right?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s all for the Raid Battle. Let¡¯s just say that you and Lily are in that category.¡¹


    I don¡¯t expect many people to reach the tenth stratum, but I can¡¯t call these two every time they appear. The Fenix party is very busy.


    ¡¸Whenever you call for my help, I will always answer it.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, sure. It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for your allies. Just this time is fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    Fenix laughed.


    At that moment, both Fenix¡¯s and my stomach growled at the same time.


    Before we realized it, some time had passed. It¡¯s already time for dinner.


    ¡¸I shall start making dinner.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, sure. Thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸If it pleases you, would you two like some as well? ¡­In all honesty, I actually bought enough ingredients for all of us.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, then I would gladly accept.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-then I will as well¡­if it isn¡¯t too much trouble.¡¹


    Hearing Fenix and Lily¡¯s positive replies, Milla smiled broadly.


    ¡¸Shall I help you with the cooking?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, thank you very much. Do you cook, Lily?¡¹


    ¡¸During trips in between towns, Lark and I would be in charge of cooking for the others. If you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be in the way¡­¡¹


    Milla¡¯s whole body shook.


    ¡¸¡­! Th-that means that you¡­you¡¯ve been serving Lem hand-made cooking for years?¡¹


    Lily was flustered. The curly hair on her head was flapping frantically.


    ¡­I¡¯ve actually been curious about it for a long time, does it respond to her emotions? Her hair, I mean. Just how does that work? Or am I just seeing things?


    ¡¸N-not at all, it¡¯s not like I served Lem individually. I prepared food for everyone in the party to eat¡­¡¹


    I can almost see flames flickering in Milla¡¯s surroundings.


    ¡¸Please cook with me! ¡­Also if you happen to know Lem¡¯s favorite flavors and cooking, I shall pay handsomely for such information.¡¹


    ¡¸P-pay¡­? Uhm, I¡­ What should I¡­ For each of the party members, I believe there was a dish that they somehow responded well to. For Alba, he is a simple man who is satisfied as long as there is a large serving of meat.¡¹


    ¡¸How much for the information on Lem?¡¹


    I don¡¯t really have a specific cuisine that I like. All of Milla¡¯s cooking is delicious, so I always tell her the same thing when she asks, but it seems like that isn¡¯t exactly what she wants to know.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m not going so far as to ask you for money. I think I¡¯ll recall while we cook, is that alright with you?¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu.¡¹goes Milla while smiling.


    ¡¸It would appear that I have misjudged you, Lily.¡¹


    Looks like those two have gotten closer, I think.


    I put a hand on my chest, relieved, and when I turned to look at Fenix, he suddenly laughed.


    ¡¸What¡¯s so funny?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸Just say it, man.¡¹


    ¡¸You really care about her, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Never mind, don¡¯t say anymore.¡¹


    There is no way I¡¯m gonna talk about romance with this guy.


    He¡¯ll discuss it super seriously and I don¡¯t want to say anything related to that anyway.


    The only way to get out of this is to change the topic.


    ¡¸Anyway, have you been giving it some thought?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? ¡­Ah, about him, right? Hearing your story, I think I can give an answer in my own way. I think with this, we¡¯ll be able to knock some sense into him.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, when the time comes, you think you can win?¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t doubting him.


    I was merely lighting a fire under him.


    Perhaps knowing my intention, Fenix answered cheerfully.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t lose. I always win in the end. That goes for you too, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? I¡¯m looking forward to both encounters.¡¹


    We kept on talking about silly things while the girls carried on cooking in peace.


    Oh, I was allowed to take care of putting out the dishes as well as taking care of them after the meal.


    After this and that, four people enjoyed a meal together on that day.


    The eight stratum Clear approaches.

 CH 157

    157 ¨C The Morning of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff


    The way I spend my mornings has changed a lot as of late.


    At least, ever since I¡¯ve been on active duty in the Demon King Castle.


    Milla has helped me so much that it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that I am indebted to her, and she helps me in the mornings as well.


    Unsurprisingly, waking up in bed next to a gorgeous woman, who is only pretending to be asleep because I can tell that she put on make-up and did herself up before lying next to me, is bad for my poor heart, so I started getting up a little earlier.


    Before I do anything else, I go over the maintenance of the various Black Magics that I cast on myself. Adjusting the effectiveness of some of them.


    For example, the spell that shoves a blank space in between your thoughts is very troublesome when I¡¯m awake, so I concentrate it when I¡¯m sleeping, something like that.


    As a part of my training, I am always casting Black Magic on myself.


    Magic doesn¡¯t simply improve the more you use it, but the part where the organ that produced Magical Energy is used is trained up. It grows very steadily, but it definitely is getting stronger.


    Using up my Magical Energy while sleeping is mainly for the purpose of strengthening my Magical Energy organ.


    Next, I check on the horn. The horn that was handed to me by my master.


    Majin horns store Magical Energy, compresses it, and purifies it.


    Speaking of its efficacy, it is tremendous enough to even interfere with the laws of physics.


    Ever since the Fenix battle, I have been giving a larger portion of my Magical Energy to be stored in the horn.


    ¡¸Alright, not bad.¡¹


    Check complete. Condition is good.


    I get off the bed and gently open the bedroom door.


    When Milla sees me waking up, she looked a little disappointed but then smiled.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem.¡¹


    I also smile naturally.


    ¡¸Good morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Why not sleep a little longer?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha. I thought I¡¯d go for a run.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ is it Amduscias again?¡¹


    Milla puffed up a cheek, pouting.


    It is precisely because her mature womanly allure falters occasionally, showing childish gestures, that makes her loveliness stand out.


    ¡¸Hey, hold on, Foras is there too, OK?¡¹


    What started all this was my desire to get along with my three subordinates, that is, my new allies.


    What I mean by that is that I want to build a strong, trusting relationship between us, rather than becoming good friends or having them stick to me all the time.


    For Adventurers, the Hero is essentially the leader. They can¡¯t form a party without a Hero, they are like the protagonists in a Clear.


    But this doesn¡¯t mean they can do whatever they want.


    Adventurers are people too, there are bound to be those who dislike the person giving the orders.


    A party disbanding due to bad relations is unfortunately not uncommon.


    The Minotaur Foras, Amduscias who has unicorn blood in her, and the Lamia Botis.


    I am now the boss of these three.


    If the boss gives an order, the other three have to follow it to the letter.


    In terms of a party, it feels like when it is just newly formed.


    Like in the mock battle with the Ellie party, lead by the Undefeated Hero Ellie, you can put on a coordinated performance by fighting exactly according to properly defined roles.


    However, if you were to say that that was enough, I would say otherwise.


    Of course, I don¡¯t want to overstep if they don¡¯t want me to.


    ¡¸Well, whatever. It is important to mingle with your pig-¡­subordinates. Keeping their morale high and preparing an environment that allows them to demonstrate their best performance can be said to be the duty of those in charge.¡¹


    Said Milla, very convincingly.


    The Demon King Castle is the best because of the Vampires who work together well and are in high morale and the Werewolves who all call each other brother and stand side by side.


    ¡¸All I¡¯m doing is going on a run together with them, though.¡¹


    I actually heard from Foras, I essentially call my subordinates by their Dungeon Name, that he was doing some morning runs so that he could memorize the topography of the neighborhood.


    In that case, I offered to join him, and I got his approval.


    At that point, Amduscias came in and happily said that she wanted to join in, so of course, we said yes.


    Since things were proceeding this way, I thought to ask Botis to join us as well, but she said¡¸M-my apologies¡­ I¡¯m not exactly a morning person. However, if it¡¯s an order, sir, then I¡¯ll-¡¹¡¸No, it¡¯s not an order, don¡¯t worry about.¡¹I said in response, so she isn¡¯t joining us.


    ¡¸You¡¯re naive, Lem. You never know what life will throw at you, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see. I¡¯ll try to be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Have a pleasant run. I shall make breakfast and wait for you.¡¹


    I¡¯ve finished getting ready for the run and was sent off with a warm smile.


    ¡­I feel like I¡¯m being followed by a Vampire¡¯s Demi-Beast, but maybe that¡¯s just my imagination.


    When I went out, Foras was there waiting for me.


    Seeing me, he bowed his head slightly.


    My subordinates know about my true identity.


    As for being Human itself, those at the Demon King Castle have known about it since I was employed, and I thought that my subordinates should have a good grasp of their boss¡¯s abilities, just as it was important to correctly grasp the their abilities.


    Having the wrong idea that I have the stamina of a Majin despite only having the stamina of an average Human is beneficial for the enemy, but not so much for my allies.


    ¡¸Morning.¡¹


    Foras nodded.


    He¡¯s not very good at conversation. He feels like a completely different person when he puts on a mask, so it works out somehow.


    ¡¸Well, shall we go?¡¹


    He was staring at a fixed point. Which was at the bat Demi-Beast that was following me.


    I told him not to worry about it, so he didn¡¯t point it out.


    By the way, it seems that he stays in the Dragonkin dormitory.


    Normals and Majins use the same sized things, but there are many races that are different.


    Foras the Minotaur is larger than me on average.


    His arm is as big as a log.


    There were several candidates and it seems that the Dragonkin dorms were judged as suitable for him.


    ¡¸Good mo~rning~¡¹


    When we reached the female Majin dormitories, Amduscias was already outside.


    As a Beast Master, I guess she gets up early to let out the Alraune in the courtyard.


    While she was thinking about what to do while the Alraune were sunbathing, she heard about our run.


    Ever since then, we have been running together.


    The taciturn Foras and the talkative Amduscias have surprisingly good chemistry together.


    She doesn¡¯t talk in a way that seeks a reply, so the atmosphere feels somewhat calm even if she¡¯s the only one talking.


    While making the occasional interjection to show that I¡¯m paying attention, I change our running route today to show them around the town while jogging lightly.


    ¡¸I must say, Chief of Staff¡¯s magic is really useful~. Even running with us, no one seems to mind at all.¡¹


    There aren¡¯t that many people out in this time of day, but the scene of a Human, Minotaur, and a beauty with a horn growing out of her forehead jogging together is surely an uncommon sight.


    But there isn¡¯t a single person who has noticed us.


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not convenie-¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, Foras. I think it¡¯s convenient, too.¡¹


    I can tell that it was a compliment from Amduscias¡¯s tone.


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    I think Foras said that thinking about the hardships of mastering it.


    He was self-taught and came up with the same training regimen as I did. Except he wasn¡¯t blessed with a master like I was, and continued to work hard in solitude.


    We¡¯re from a different race from one another and were both raised differently, yet we are linked by Black Magic.


    ¡¸Did I¡­say something wrong? If so, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been told that I¡¯m not very good at going with the flow~¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine, really. Foras wasn¡¯t angry either. Right?¡¹


    Foras nodded.


    We ran around the town like that.


    I popped around Blitz¡¯s place to say hello and went back to the dorm.


    I ate Milla¡¯s breakfast and went to pick up Cashew where I ate my second breakfast.


    I head to work along with my secretary.


    This is how my mornings have been recently.

 CH 158

    158 ¨C The Realm of Military Might and Duels 1


    On the day of the eighth stratum battle.


    I¡¯m in the Link Room.


    It¡¯s a room where large cocoons, equipment that transfers one¡¯s consciousness to the Avatar, are set up.


    A girl with hair as white as snow is there. Her face is a blank canvas and her eyes are silver.


    She is a person with a somewhat ethereal air about her as if she could disappear the moment you looked away.


    ¡¸Chief of Staff.¡¹


    When she noticed my presence, she looked my way.


    The Reaper Knight Furcus. The Floor Boss of the eighth stratum, and one of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four.


    During battle, she is clad in massive black armor, but within it is actually a girl of small build.


    ¡¸Do you need me for something?¡¹


    A monotonous, tonally flat voice.


    It¡¯s not that she¡¯s disinterested. That¡¯s just how she is.


    ¡¸No, I just came here to wish my master good luck. As your student.¡¹


    Saying that, her eyelids raised a little higher than usual.


    And then she nodded. Somehow, she seems to be in a good mood.


    ¡¸Good work, disciple.¡¹


    She didn¡¯t just help out with the revival of the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, she also trained me with the blade.


    Even when we came back, we continued my training, and even though it has only been a short period of time, she is another master to me.


    A master of magic and a master of the sword. I was blessed with both.


    ¡¸Good luck out there.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    With a slight nod, she opens the cocoon.


    Before entering it, she looks back at me.


    ¡¸That reminds me, I heard from Carmilla.¡¹


    ¡¸From her? What did you hear?¡¹


    ¡¸By accomplishing something great, she got a reward.¡¹


    I guess this is about the date I promised Milla.


    Since Milla managed to take out four of the Adventurers in the third stratum, I invited her out for a date after much deliberation.


    To think that she told Furcus about it¡­


    I got really embarrassed, but I nodded.


    ¡¸Yes, we have decided to do it when the Raid Battle is over.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah.¡¹


    Furcus looked up at me, staring.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­¡­wh-what about it?¡¹


    She continues to stare intently at me.


    ¡¸Furcus?¡¹


    Finally, she muttered something quietly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a Floor Boss too.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Yes, I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    ¡¸My reward?¡¹


    I knew it!


    I was shocked for a moment, but she is my master.


    This shouldn¡¯t be the same as the discussion with Milla.


    A master seeking a reward from her student is a little strange, but without thinking too hard about it, I am the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    In other words, her boss. Rewarding a subordinate who has achieved something great is not a strange idea at all.


    ¡¸There is a restaurant that I frequent often, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal there, where you can order as much as you want as a reward. How does that sound?¡¹


    Furcus gave a big nod.


    ¡¸Well done, my disciple. Also, my boss.¡¹


    I can¡¯t say that I¡¯ll treat her any time she wants just because I¡¯m indebted to her.


    And that¡¯s because, despite Furcus¡¯ small frame, she¡¯s a far greater eater than one can imagine.


    In the Demon King Castle cafeteria where the staff eats for free, there is a limit put in place where one person is only limited to one portion.


    If that wasn¡¯t put in place, she would consume everything.


    If I were to casually say I¡¯ll treat her to a meal, my wallet will be drained within that day.


    However, if it can raise her morale even by a little bit, I won¡¯t regret it.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    She calls me by my name.


    There is meaning in calling me that way.


    For example, she is referring to me not as the Chief of Staff and the Big Four, but as a student and his master.


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Watch closely.¡¹


    She said and then entered the cocoon.


    Not long after that, the cocoon on the opposite side opened up and the armored figure of Furcus stepped out.


    Without looking at me, she heads over to the Recording Stone, touches it, and transfers to the eighth stratum.


    I look at the spot where her back was a moment ago and nodded.


    ¡¸Yes, master. Observing is also training, right?¡¹


    Training doesn¡¯t just involve moving the body. Observation is also extremely important.


    I hurry to the video room.


    The eighth stratum ¨C the realm of military might and duels.


    Originally, the eighth stratum is a stratum where you will see two doors the moment you enter it.


    The party must divide itself to enter both doors. Three people to one side, two to the other.


    On the other side of each door is a single Dragonkin that one of each group must fight alone.


    If they win, they get to proceed. If either group defeats five Dragonkin, they will arrive at the Floor Boss.


    This time, the number of doors has been increased to four.


    The Adventurers will be instructed to split up into groups of four, three, two, and two, respectively.


    This way, the number of people required matches the remaining members of each party.


    They are free to mix and match how they please, but in the end, it¡¯s easier to coordinate by sticking with your party.


    That is in fact how they ended up splitting up.


    The Aerial party. The Hero Aerial, the Wizard Michelle, the Alchemist Louie, and then Hero Ewan.


    The Hervor party. The Hero Herv and the Summoner Margret.


    The Scathach party. The Hero Scathach. The Warrior Hamill and the Hunter Suuri.


    The Wraith & Fran team. The Hero Wraith. The Destroyer Fran.


    Dragonkin possess a strong body and hard scales.


    In ancient times, a dragon species that was impressed by the martial arts used for slaughtering dragons took on the form of man in order to learn how to do the same¡­or so the story goes.


    There are those who can use Breath attacks, but a lot of them fundamentally have the spirit of a true martial artist.


    They prefer fair and square, one-on-one matches.


    So, many Dragonkin are one-on-one martial artist athletes.


    Since Dungeon Clears tend to be many vs many battles, it doesn¡¯t suit them.


    In the Demon King Castle, preparing one-on-one fights solves that issue.


    Those who aren¡¯t fussy over one-on-one fights and simply want to fight strong opponents will fight alongside Furcus in the Floor Boss battle.


    These are the Dragonkin that helped out in the tenth stratum battle.


    Aerial seemed relaxed.


    Herv was delighted.


    Scathach looks calm.


    Wraith looks excited.


    Each party¡¯s leader led the way, opening the door.


    The room was rectangular, and as soon as all the members entered through the door, it closed behind them and locked itself.


    Guarding the door and stopping their progress is an armed Dragonkin.


    The Adventurers have to take him on alone.


    ¡¸You have done well to come this far, intruders.¡¹


    A slightly unique series of one-on-one Clear and defenses begin.

 CH 159

    159 ¨C The Realm of Military Might and Duels 2


    Dragonkin are an outstanding race.


    Even a group of ordinary Adventurers don¡¯t stand a chance against them.


    However, as proven by their actions up to this point, each of their ranks themselves tells us that each and every Adventurer here is far from ordinary.


    The Alchemist Louie is wielding a war hammer. When he swings it, it grows in size every time he hits or grazes the floor, depending on his swing trajectory. The floor is disassembled and the materials used wrap around the hammer.


    Alchemy is a general term for the attempt to refine all things.


    It¡¯s not just for things like turning a pebble into gold.


    For example, a blade that needs to cut well will have its sharpness sharpened.


    A blade that needs to keep on cutting will have its durability improved.


    It is a technique that brings whatever it is closer to total perfection.


    Putting that to practical use, Louie goes to a place of battle.


    He creates weapons and armor from what is in the Dungeon, strengthens them, and fights.


    It is rare for an Alchemist to use smelting, disassembling, and fusion, which was originally for refining objects, for battle.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­!¡¹


    The Dragonkin crosses his arms to intercept the downward swinging war hammer.


    He probably thought that he could endure it. And he was right, he wasn¡¯t pushed back.


    But that was the first blow.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    When the Dragonkin pulled away from the hammer, scales coated it.


    In the moment of the attack, Louie stripped off his opponent¡¯s scales and fused them with the war hammer.


    They can defend against the stone weapon, but what if the scales that protect them were used by that same weapon¡­?


    Doing that, Louie was swollen all over, but in the end, he smashed the Dragonkin.


    Like that, the eighth stratum battle continues on.


    The Wizard Michelle said¡¸Here I go~¡¹in high spirits and let loose an absolutely massive explosive spell that scattered her enemy to the four winds.


    For the Gale Hero Ewan, it was his first time going against a Monster one-on-one. Against such a hardy opponent, he proved why he¡¯s the prodigy who graduated second in his class from the School. Making full use of his Wind Magic, he brilliantly defeated his enemy.


    The Hunter Suuri pierces both the eyes of his enemy with Godspeed before they could even get close to him.


    By following up a normal slash with a Flying Slash, the Warrior Hamill concludes the battle in a moment with two successive attacks.


    The Summoner Margret summoned physical strength improving equipment and a giant ax, and then she fought alongside a contract Demi-Beast.


    The Destroyer Fran is irregular, showing on this stratum as well that her actions are nothing if not strong. Rather than being swung around by her grotesque right arm, the way she willfully manipulates it was nothing short of spectacular.


    The Heroes got through unscathed.


    There were injured members, but none were defeated.


    And so, they all reconvened.


    What lay beyond the four doors was a spacious arena-like area.


    Lying in wait there was a large black knight and several Dragonkin.


    ¡¸Great Furcus! Do you remember me?¡¹


    Aerial calls out joyfully.


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah hah hah. No, nevermind. Do you recall that time you entered the Tag Tournament alongside Orobas? I was in the commentary room.¡¹


    The tournament that Berith and I took part in.


    ¡¸¡­Oh.¡¹


    It seems that Furcus remembered something.


    ¡¸What does that have to do with this battle?¡¹


    ¡¸No, nothing. I am merely honored to be able to fight you, who I witnessed that day.¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, your words remain unnecessary.¡¹


    Furcus readied her spear, Aerial quivered with delight.


    ¡¸You are absolutely right. I have been tactless.¡¹


    If you wish to fight, then simply fight.


    Even Aerial was moved by such words from Furcus.


    ¡¸¡­Wanna fight them solo?¡¹


    Looking at Aerial, Wraith asked that.


    ¡¸No, do not worry about it, Wraith. This is a Raid Battle, after all. But thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, OK. Well then, feel free.¡¹


    Aerial probably has a strong desire to do this alone.


    However, that is just a personal desire. As a person who will lead the team to victory, he has decided that his desires should not be a priority.


    ¡¸The Heroes shall handle Great Furcus. The rest of you, take care of the Dragonkin.¡¹


    The Storm Hero gives a succinct order. Everyone starts to act immediately.


    The Storm Hero Aerial approaches head-on.


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor also runs ahead head-on.


    The Thunder Hero Scathach is in the rear, hand on the hilt of his Holy Sword.


    The Gale Hero Ewan and the Water Hero Wraith moves with Wind Magic to the left and right, aiming to attack Furcus on both sides.


    The existence of living beings known as Heroes is outside the norm.


    The Job that can deal with them is the Demon King, but they are essentially only in the deepest parts of a Dungeon and not all Dungeons have a Demon King.


    They are extremely rare.


    Basically, a Dungeon is where the Adventurers win.


    When I was recruited to become the Chief of Staff, the Demi-Humans in the Dungeon asked themselves¡ºAre we here just to get beaten up?¡».


    That is precisely why I chose to find this new path to walk of becoming the hero of the Monsters.


    The reason why this Demon King Castle bears the title of Impregnable is that it is the only Dungeon that has never been completely Cleared among all the Dungeons.


    With the Fenix party, the deepest that mankind has ever reached is the tenth stratum.


    However, even the 4th ranked party could not grace the presence of the Demon King.


    But what will happen this time?


    There are a total of five Heroes, lead by Fenix¡¯s rival for the title of mankind¡¯s strongest, the Storm Hero.


    They are all first-class Adventurers.


    And now, those five are closing in on Furcus.


    She brandished her spear overhead. Her large frame stirred the air vigorously.


    In the next moment, the spear came down.


    It was aimed right at Aerial.


    The spear, which can extend itself while being swung downwards, naturally reaches him.


    But, he responds. With his wind Holy Sword, he slashes upwards, severing the spear.


    ¡¸¡­This is¡­¡¹


    Aerial realized something at the same time as Furcus¡¯s attack.


    From the cut cross-section of the spear, several spearheads grew out.


    And each spearhead extended out, aiming at the individual Adventurers.


    Furcus¡¯s spear is a Magic Tool. It can extend and contract. With the longer part acting as the main body, it extends itself again. Be it the spear tip or handle, it can regenerate either.


    And the degree of freedom seems to be quite high.


    To think that it can even change its shape¡­


    Only the wielder of the spear can manipulate it so.


    This is why now, Furcus is assaulting all eleven moving Adventurers with her spear.


    Against this series of direct attacks, what will they do?

 CH 160

    160 ¨C The Eighth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Military Might and Duels 3


    The tip of the spear divided into several tips.


    As far as I know, this is the first time Furcus has shown this technique.


    Even though I¡¯d already memorized her moves in my head from watching the battle with the Fenix Party and the Tag Tournament, there was no way I could create a countermeasure against this unknown attack beforehand.


    What is tested in these situations is the ability to adapt in the spur of the moment.


    ¡¸Wraith! Ewan!¡¹


    Aerial shouted.


    ¡¸Yes, yes.¡¹


    ¡¸U-understood!¡¹


    Soon everyone knew what the instructions to the two of them had been.


    A wall of air, or perhaps an armor made out of wind would be easier to imagine.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how sharp the thrust is, it would be useless as long as it cannot pierce the body.


    An armor that does not hinder the movement of the wearer, yet still maintains the hardness that could defend against the thrust.


    First of all, Aerial, Wraith, and Ewan covered themselves with a transparent armor.


    Aerial is with Herv, Michelle, Scathach.


    Wraith is with Fran, Margret and Hamill.


    Ewan is with Louie and Suuri.


    They seemed to have promptly divided their responsibilities into the front, right and left sides.


    The spear divided and extended just like the roots of a tree.


    Those who have the means to cut it did so.


    Even though it had the ability to extend the several spearheads, it¡¯s Furcus¡¯ brain that is executing this.


    Even the fact that she can control the spear while tracking the movements of eleven people is already extraordinary. So, even if the spearhead splits further, the precision of its manipulation will decrease significantly along with each additional spearhead.


    Then, rather than being wary, the plan is to just deal with the threat right in front of our eyes.


    The wind magic users¡¯s handling of the situation was close to perfect.


    But it¡¯s not perfect enough.


    The Alchemist Louie¡¯s main weapon is a war hammer. He swung his weapon to crush the extending spear, but the spear changed the trajectory of its thrust as if it had expected it.


    ¡¸Ugh.¡¹


    Then, it wrapped around Louie as if it is a snake that is trying to strangle its prey.


    Just like that.


    Louie¡¯s body floated in the air and slammed his head into the wall while still being tied up.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    This is not a shock that thin armor is capable of defending against.


    Something that people should not misunderstand is the fact that most adventurers are normal humans.


    Excluding the Heroes, their stamina is not much different from ordinary people.


    No matter how hard they train their body, they will never have steel muscles that can repel knives.


    If they shed too much blood, they¡¯ll die. If their head is smashed, they¡¯ll die. A fatal blow for an ordinary person is also fatal for most adventurers.


    After a fierce fight, a flashy defeat would be a good show. In fact, that¡¯s exactly what the viewers like to see.


    But, as with most deaths¡­


    Most defeats are not interesting.


    You never know when, who, or how someone will fall.


    In my opinion, that tension is one of the charms of Dungeons.


    That¡¯s why a party that can give the viewers a sense of security is valuable in a Dungeon Clear, where that is the norm.


    This does not mean that I am not thrilled.


    ¡ºI believe they will win, but I can¡¯t take my eyes off them to see how they will get out of this pinch.¡»


    Some parties can excite people even with the certainty that they will win.


    It¡¯s not about winning or losing, it¡¯s about how they win that can win people¡¯s hearts.


    That¡¯s what I used to aim for in the Fenix party.


    The same is true for viewers of this Raid Battle.


    The number of adventurers has been decreasing since the first Stratum.


    Some people were elated, while others were angry and said it was pathetic.


    But people never even thought about it.


    They have never thought that the Heroes at the peak will lose.


    And in order to live up to that expectation, they continued to move.


    Towards the Demon King.


    Louie¡­wasn¡¯t defeated.


    The wall where he was supposed to be slammed into had somehow become a pond. A pool of water that could receive the impact of a person being slammed into it. Of course, it was created by magic.


    It was Wraith.


    This alleviated the impact and saved Louie from having his head crushed to death.


    Wraith was also attacked by a spear, but it stopped shortly before touching him.


    It wasn¡¯t obstructed by the armor.


    If that was all, it would have been wrapped around him, just like what happened to Louie.


    Which means that there was something that made it so that that approach was not possible. Was it fixed together with the surrounding air? Is that why it couldn¡¯t move?


    ¡¸Take thiiiis!¡¹


    The onslaught of the spear, which had continued to grow from the point where it was cut, stopped.


    The reason was because Herv, who was sprinting on top of the spear, had slammed her fist into it with a huge momentum.


    The spear can just be broken from the middle, from where it hadn¡¯t divided.


    Yes, there is a reason as to why Furcus doesn¡¯t use this technique on a regular basis.


    It¡¯s powerful, but it also has its disadvantages.


    No matter how damaged it is, a Magic Tool whose main body is¡ºthe longest one of the remaining parts¡». That is her spear.


    Naturally, if it were to be destroyed while it was being stretched out this far, the broken part would become the main body, not the part she was holding.


    The advantage that she had shown in the battle with Fenix, that her spear could regenerate immediately after being damaged, would be lost depending on how the enemy deals with it.


    ¡¸Whoa.¡¹


    Herv landed on the part of the spear that Furcus is still holding and she tried to continue to run up.


    However, when the Reaper Knight swung her spear upwards, she was blown away, and her body rapidly approached the high ceiling.


    ¡¸Tch.¡¹


    That voice belonged to Wraith.


    Although it has lost the ability to extend, it still doesn¡¯t change the reality that it is still a spear that is being wielded by a gigantic knight wearing an armor.


    Wraith swiftly avoided the broken spear that was swinging downwards from the sky with Wind Magic.


    However, that response of his is what Furcus is aiming for.


    Since it would be difficult for him to support the others while simultaneously responding to the threat in front of him.


    ¡¸U-ugh.¡¹


    It was Ewan.


    He sliced the tip of the extending spear and is trying to get close to Furcus.


    One of Furcus¡¯ arms was reaching out to Ewan right before the spear was broken.


    Ewan was distracted for a moment when Herv was blown away, and Furcus took advantage of that opportunity.


    Her left arm seized Ewan.


    Then she increased her strength.


    ¡¸Let go of our darling newbie!¡¹


    The Wizard Michel, who is wearing a pointed hat, a robe, and a wand, casted Explosion Magic with a large amount of magical energy imbued into it.


    It exploded outside the headpiece of the black armor. Along with a red glow that burns the eyes and a thunderous sound.


    The armor shook, but it was not destroyed.


    ¡¸Wha-?! It¡¯s so tough!¡¹


    Michel was surprised.


    ¡¸Ewan, you can do it.¡¹


    Hearing Aerial¡¯s voice, Ewan nodded, although he had a pained expression.


    At the same time as the explosion cleared, the two Wind-users were creating a huge wind blade.


    Ewan went from top to bottom.


    On the other hand, Aerial went from bottom to top.


    The wind blade ran towards the black armor to sever her elbow.


    As the destruction progressed, a sound that made me want to cover my ears resounded and I could see the blade piercing into the armor.


    ¡¸Dodge¡­!¡¹


    It was Wraith that shouted.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Furcus¡¯ spear¡­had pierced Michel¡¯s abdomen.


    Michel was befuddled. That¡¯s just to be expected.


    The part that Furcus has is the shorter one. It should be just a broken pole, not the main body.


    It¡¯s strange that it could still create another spearhead and extend.


    How did this happen?


    The answer is simple.


    Because it once again became the main body afterwards.


    The three Wind-users first went to support their comrades.


    After that, Wraith helped Louie.


    Then, Aerial and Ewan fired a wind blade to destroy the opponent¡¯s left arm.


    And then the rest of the battle was with the Dragonkins.


    The Dragonkins hid behind the remnants of the spears remaining in the field and used them as shields and sometimes even cut the spear themselves.


    As that process was repeated several times in a short period of time, the¡ºpart that was longer and recognized as the main body¡»was gradually shortened and eventually became shorter than the part left in Furcus¡¯ hands.


    As a result, the main body of the Magic Tool was evaluated again and the pole she is holding has once again become the Magic Tool.


    She was using it to aim for Wraith, but as soon as she pulled it back, she extended it and pierced Michel.


    With a large hole in her abdomen, Michel still wielded her wand.


    ¡¸I¡¯m¡­sending one back to you.¡¹


    A large explosion occurred around the lower abdomen of the large armor.


    That is where Furcus¡¯ main body came out when the armor opened during the Tag Tournament.


    Almost simultaneously with the explosion, Michel¡¯s body scattered as magical energy particles.


    This explosion is much more powerful than the one aimed at the headpiece. It seemed like the previous one only had the purpose of being a distraction.


    ¡¸Keep up with me, shortie!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not short.¡¹


    The Alchemist Louie and the Destroyer Fran have already started running.


    ¡¸Sorry, but I¡¯m going to shorten this spear again.¡¹


    Wraith stood on Furcus¡¯ headpiece.


    The wind blade once again severed the spear.


    Furcus had reached out her right arm to seize Wraith who had let go of the spear, however, it didn¡¯t reach him.


    ¡¸Hey, hey, don¡¯t forget me, I¡¯ll feel lonely.¡¹


    Herv kicked the ceiling and accelerated suddenly, then she hit the back of Furcus¡¯ armor with the same momentum.


    The armor caved in and the impact led to her stance being broken.


    Then, Louie¡¯s war hammer and Fran¡¯s huge arm struck her in the abdomen.


    In addition to Michel¡¯s explosion, Hamill¡¯s flying slashes preceded and then it was followed by two simultaneous blows.


    Her left arm was on the verge of being severed, her right arm was hit, and her abdomen¡­was destroyed.


    If there is a girl inside the armor, it is an attack that will not let her go away uninjured.


    However.


    ¡¸Arghh¡­!!¡¹


    The Reaper Knight¡¯s right foot jumped up and her right knee welcomed the two adventurers who had hit her abdomen.


    The two of them disappeared from one of the cameras like a meteor. When I looked over, I found them.


    Embedded into the wall.


    ¡¸Fran!¡¹


    Worried about the safety of his childhood friend, Wraith moved away from Furcus¡¯ headpiece.


    The armor on the abdomen has been destroyed and we can see what¡¯s inside.


    There¡­were no signs of a girl who had been hurt there.


    ¡¸She¡¯s not here¡­? But, at that time¡­¡¹


    It can¡¯t be helped that Hamill would be confused.


    It is true that the Furcus that Berith and I fought against in the Tag Tournament came out of the abdomen part of the armor.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s always in the same place.


    That¡¯s right, there is still the possibility that she was only coming down and she was actually maneuvering the armor from the top.


    The armor¡¯s left arm had been severed. Starting from the elbow, the left hand fell to the floor.


    Something jumped out from the hollow elbow.


    A petite female¡­ It was Furcus.


    She ran on top of the falling arm and approached Ewan, who was still grasped in her armor¡¯s left hand.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you do that.¡¹


    Just when I thought that there was something like a streak of light running through, a person appeared to block Furcus¡¯ path.


    He was the Thunderclap Hero Scathach.


    He closed the distance in an instant, but Furcus just ignored him.


    She avoided the slash that was similar to a flash by lowering her stance.


    ¡¸What are you¡­?!¡¹


    She stabbed her fingers into the left arm of her armor and threw it.


    Furcus¡¯ race is an Ogre.


    Unlike her small physique, she is unimaginably powerful.


    ¡¸Wh-what?!¡¹


    Hamill was the one who raised his voice in surprise.


    Furcus, who had thrown her arm, had no choice but to fall slowly.


    She is an excellent warrior, but she does not have the ability to fly.


    But Furcus was able to accelerate in the air. Without anything to-no, that¡¯s not right.


    There was Hamill¡¯s Flying Slash.


    Some people misunderstand it because it is invisible, but as long as it can be touched, it exists.


    It¡¯s just a slash made by an invisible blade.


    That¡¯s right.


    It¡¯s not impossible for someone to evade and kick the blade that was aimed at them.


    It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think that it would actually be possible to execute.


    Furcus accelerated and easily landed on the ground.


    There was someone who was waiting for her.


    It was¡­the Storm Hero Aerial.

 CH 161

    161 ¨C The Eighth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Military Might and Duels 4


    No words are spoken between the two people facing each other. There is no need for that.


    There was only the sound of wind.


    The raging storm was drawn to the holy sword and coiled around it, eagerly waiting for the moment it would be released.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Furcus¡¯ white skin was tinged with scarlet and a bump-like structure rose from her forehead.


    It had a close resemblance to the appearance of the Ogres heard of in the legends.


    Furcus ran through the rain of wind blades released by Aerial.


    She would find a narrow opening and leap into it, and if she couldn¡¯t avoid it, she would choose the route that would cause the least damage. It was an artful sprint derived from her vast amount of combat experience.


    Seeing such movements from his opponent, The Storm Hero smiled happily.


    The distance between them shortened at an astonishing speed, the two of them approached each other at such a high speed that everyone thought that they might crash into each other.


    Aerial was ready to attack her and showed a stance with his weapon facing the sky.


    Furcus still didn¡¯t stop.


    Just as she was about to step within the range of the sword, she¡­stumbled.


    No¡­ She kicked up the floor.


    The impact caused the floor to turn over upwards. The size of it was like a wall.


    Suddenly, there was a wall between them.


    Aerial didn¡¯t move.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s such a shame.¡¹


    No words are needed for this battle.


    So that sentence was meant for the fact that they were unable to compete earlier.


    Aerial turned the tip of the holy sword to the right from his point of view.


    A man-made catastrophe assailed that direction.


    A storm that would normally be directed by the heavens is now being manifested by a human.


    This is one of the Spirit Magic that Aerial is allowed to use since he is the Contractor of the main body of the Wind Spirit. The restriction of its range of effect was something that he placed on himself.


    A tyrannical wind blew through the line from the tip of the sword to the wall. The floor was destroyed and the only thing left is dust.


    Furcus¡¯ left foot was no exception.


    She passed by Aerial and was heading towards Hamill.


    Furcus, who had lost one of her legs, leapt with her remaining right leg.


    She accelerated by stepping on the floor so hard that her footprints were etched on it.


    Hamill, who is located right where she was heading towards, attacked her with his Flying Slashes and Aerial follows up with a Wind Blade.


    Furcus sprinted with both hands on the floor, just like a beast. She also avoided the oncoming attacks.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    ¡¸No way, what exactly is that movement¡­¡¹


    I can¡¯t feel any impatience from Hamill¡¯s appearance, although he¡¯s pinching his cheeks.


    Furcus held the wreckage of the spear in her mouth, then with the same momentum, she rotated her body in that position. In the middle of that process, she picked up another wreckage and threw it at Hamill. Hamill tried to deflect that sky-rending javelin with his Flying Slashes but¡­


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    He wasn¡¯t able to achieve his objective.


    His skill is top-notch. He never misses his target.


    If he ever missed his target, it¡¯s either because his opponent is also top-notch, or because the target changes their movements after recognizing the attack, as was the case with Sitri.


    In Sitri¡¯s case, she avoided the blow to her neck by changing her form from Lemegeton to her Dream Demon form.


    But what Furcus threw was a spear. She can¡¯t deceive a top-notch warrior just with that.


    So yes, it was Furcus who did it.


    She used the second throw to hit and change the trajectory of the first spear.


    And with the third throw, she adjusted the trajectory again.


    This was done in an instant.


    ¡¸Haha, this is quite the-¡¹


    Hamill must have noticed. Even if he already knew it, he should have strongly re-recognized it.


    Furcus is not just an excellent armor manipulator, she is not strong just because she is an Ogre.


    She has extraordinary strength, a sturdy body, and delicate techniques.


    That is the current Reaper Knight Furcus.


    At the very last moment, Hamill deflected the spear fragment.


    However, his counterattack towards Furcus, who had caught up with the spear she threw, was also delayed by that amount of time.


    Furcus¡¯ hand was blurred. Actually, it was because her hand was so fast that it looked that way, she had actually hit Hamill¡¯s arm with the back of her hand.


    This had easily shattered his bone and his arm was bent towards its joint,  a result created by the violence.


    Naturally, he can no longer hold the magic sword.


    Furcus caught the magic sword as it fell.


    ¡­I guess that means that what a disciple can do, the master can do as well¡­


    I might be thinking too much.


    However, I did snatch the Magic Tool from the Warrior Alba from the Fenix party during the battle in the tenth Stratum and from Furcus in the Tag Tournament.


    ¡¸Wow, this is embarrassing.¡¹


    He kicked Furcus in the chin with his knee immediately after his arm was broken, but she was unfazed.


    Then Hamill¡¯s leg was also broken, but he was able to avoid getting defeated.


    That¡¯s because he was turned into a living shield by Furcus who is grabbing him by the neck.


    Aerial stopped attacking.


    At Furcus¡¯ current speed along with the increased weight, it should be possible for him to cut her.


    However, that would be like killing his own comrade along with the Monster.


    Moreover, it¡¯s not like the enemy is manipulating his comrade, like that time with the Samurai Masamune.


    For those who are standing on the justice side in the setting, it is an act that they would hesitate to do, and the decrease in the number of people in the Raid Battle will affect the subsequent clear. As a method of clearing one of the Stratums, the decision to desert one of their comrades is a heavy one.


    Furcus fired off Fflying Slashes in all directions.


    Louie and Fran, who somehow have managed to avoid defeat, were rescued by Wraith.


    The Gale Hero Ewan is still caught in the left hand of Furcus¡¯ armor. It seems that he is being restrained by a very strong force.


    And the one trying to help him is the Thunderclap Hero Scathach.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri and the Thousand Form Summoner Margret are fighting with the Dragonkins. There was only one left and his eye had been pierced by Suuri¡¯s arrow.


    The wreckage of the spear is burning due to the breath of the Dragonkin. Smoke is coming out of it and the visibility is poor.


    There is no way for Hamill to kill himself now. His arms and legs are broken.


    The Withdraw feature is designed in such a way that it cannot be used if the distance to the opponent is too close. One of the reasons for this rule is because in the past, there were many Adventurers who wanted to avoid taking damage since it would make them look uncool, so they would Withdraw right before they were attacked by the Monsters.


    Nowadays, it is used only when an Adventurer is caught in a trap that won¡¯t cause him to die, but he also cannot escape from it.


    ¡¸You also can¡¯t hold out much longer, can you? Even if you managed to defeat me, then what¡¯s next? How will you fight with one leg, no weapons, and no subordinates?¡¹


    Furcus didn¡¯t respond to Hamill¡¯s words.


    Slowly, the members who are available approached Furcus.


    But because of the Flying Slashes, things don¡¯t seem to be going as planned.


    At that moment, when all of their attention was on her, except for Scathach and Ewan,


    She moved.


    To be more precise, she and¡­her armor started to move.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    All of the Adventurers are surprised.


    The armor that had no one in there began to move, so it is natural for them to be surprised.


    There was no one else inside the armor.


    When I saw the screen, I was as surprised as the Adventurers, but I was also trying to comprehend the situation.


    ¡¸¡­Well, she never said that she had to be inside the armor in order to manipulate it.¡¹


    I guess she had a way to control it remotely.


    Considering that she is usually inside the armor, is there a demerit such as a decrease in operation accuracy if it is manipulated remotely?


    Anyway, the armor is moving.


    The large black armor has lost its left arm and its right hand is unable to grip anything properly thanks to Herv.


    The armor kicked a broken spear that¡¯s about the size of a log, since it had been used by the big armor, that was lying by its feet.


    The spear flew with tremendous force.


    The armor then approached Scathach. Fran and Louie are running for cover.


    Aerial was in the trajectory of the broken spear.


    He would be able to handle it¡­if everything was normal.


    ¡¸Eh? Uwa¡­?!¡¹


    That was Hamill¡¯s voice.


    Furcus threw Hamill at Aerial.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    And she tried to attack them with Flying Slashes.


    Naturally, Aerial protected him using a wall of air and also caught his body with Wind Magic, then he moved Hamill away.


    It would be extremely difficult even for him to completely destroy the broken spear while doing this in an instant.


    Aerial chose to move himself and Hamill out of the spear¡¯s trajectory.


    After losing her living shield, Furcus was only left with Hamill¡¯s magic sword.


    When Furcus pointed the sword to the front, an arrow hit it. The arrow was deflected and it flew away.


    It was Suuri who did that.


    He had already moved to avoid the Flying Slashes that was let loose just before.


    That was enough. She had already bought enough time.


    Furcus¡­jumped onto the broken spear that was approaching her with a great force.


    Then, she immediately executed an extending motion that seemed to have caused the growth of plants of several hundred years in an instant.


    This was all that was left of the spear. In other words, this is the main body now.


    ¡¸Haha, it¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it Furcus?! The Big Four of the Demon King Castle are all interesting!¡¹


    Furcus wrapped a part of the spear that had stretched like a spider¡¯s web around the base of her missing leg to make it turn into an improvised artificial limb.


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor approached her.


    Furcus did not stop Hervor from running on top of the spear again. Furcus also started to sprint and the two of them approached each other.


    Then the two of them held up their fists and smashed them at the same time.


    A dull sound echoed.


    After a moment of stalemate, both of their arms were repelled at the same time.


    Both of their hands were crushed. I¡¯ll say that this was a tie.


    In a simple fist match, Furcus is equal with the Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    However, Herv¡¯s side has the ability to regenera-.


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    I just realized that there was a spear wrapped around Her¡¯s body like a rope


    ¡¸Hey hey, that¡¯s not right!¡¹


    Furcus¡¯ objective was only to stop this Hero for a moment.


    The confinement is achieved. Even if she escapes from the restraint, she won¡¯t be able to catch up to her immediately.


    Aerial was injecting an Avatar Repair Medicine to Hamill so that he won¡¯t have to leave the field.


    Although he released a Wind Blade to destroy the web of spears, he prioritized the rescue.


    ¡¸She¡¯s aiming for Ewan!¡¹


    Wraith shouted. He didn¡¯t even use any honorifics, probably because of the urgency of the situation.


    Furcus continued to shoot Flying Slashes at him.


    Suuri is unable to fire his arrows because he doesn¡¯t have a clear line of sight.


    Margret is too far away.


    Fran and Louie are fighting against the armor.


    The reason why Ewan couldn¡¯t escape from the arm was also revealed not long ago. She must have continued to put a lot of pressure on the armor¡¯s arm remotely. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t get out of it. He must have been locked in place with just the right amount of pressure.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you get to Ewan. I¡¯m here.¡¹


    Scathach stood in the way.


    Furcus landed on the arm of the armor.


    Scathach¡¯s sideway swing is much faster than before, probably because he had accumulated Magical Energy.


    Furcus¡¯ crushed right arm is amputated from around her upper arm.


    The second attack approached immediately after the first one, but the trajectory was slightly off.


    Furcus hit the armor¡¯s arm with her left arm and that impact made the arm shake.


    Furcus stopped the deviated slash with the magic sword.


    Furcus endured the damage, although she trembled when the lightning made by the Holy Sword struck her. For the average Monsters, it was an attack enough to make them leave the field several times, but that was still not enough to defeat her.


    ¡¸I admire your endurance. But-¡­?!¡¹


    Scathach is defeated.


    Suddenly his neck was severed and he was defeated while his head was flying through the air.


    Furcus swung her non-existent right arm.


    No way.


    The Ogres are a race with excellent life force. They convert the food they eat into life force, which supports their unusual endurance and physical strength.


    And this is the basis of the world, Magical Energy is the power that is the source of everything.


    It is said that Magical Energy forms all things.


    That is why it is possible to imitate all things with magic.


    The reverse is also possible, depending on the race.


    There are Vampires that can suck Magical Energy from blood and Dream Demons that can extract Magical Energy from vitality.


    What if the Ogre race has the ability to convert life force into Magical Energy?


    What if she can turn that extraordinary life force into Magical Energy and wrap it around her arm to be used as a substitute for her severed arm¡­and use that to strike?


    Consequently, this result is not impossible.


    Although the person in question is Furcus, it is still hard to imagine that she would be able to produce the equivalent of high-density, high-purity Magical Energy without the help of horns or a wand.


    Even if she could do it, it would probably only be for a very short time, like one-hundredths of a second.


    She managed to do something like that?


    Even after being struck by the lightning created by the 5th-ranked Hero and missing two of her limbs.


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    Furcus didn¡¯t move.


    More like, she wasn¡¯t able to move.


    She seemed to be imprisoned by Wraith¡¯s Air Box.


    And in the meantime, they had gathered.


    Aerial, Herv, and Wraith.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Scathach¡­!¡¹


    Ewan is also refining his Magical Energy.


    A simultaneous attack by the four Heroes.


    In this state, even Furcus won¡¯t be able to avoid it.


    By this time, her skin tone and bump had already returned to normal.


    I felt I saw Furcus looking at the camera for a moment, instead of looking at her opponents.


    It felt like my eyes met with my master¡¯s.


    Yes, I have been watching properly.


    This is what Furcus once taught me.


    She acknowledged that my strength was being able to assess the situation and then figure out the winning move.


    Of course, the first priority would be to win.


    As it was a Raid Battle, she had decided to reveal a number of her undisclosed techniques.


    But Furcus proved to me that she could fight this far with my method.


    Not with Lemegeton¡¯s, but with Lem¡¯s method.


    Keep thinking, increase the options, and then win.


    She and I have very different cards to play, but I think I understood what she was trying to say.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if she actually said that or if I¡¯m just hallucinating.


    The third of the Big Four, the Reaper Knight Furcus was defeated.


    The number of Adventurers was reduced to nine and the eighth Stratum has been cleared. They obtained one resurrection right.


    There are only two Floor Bosses left to protect the Demon King.


    Only the Time Demon Agares and the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton are left.

 CH 162

    162 ¨C The Last Of the Big Four


    Lately, there have been quite a few visitors to my office.


    Sometimes I invited them, and other times they suddenly visit me.


    Today¡¯s visitor was the former. I had an appointment with him beforehand.


    ¡¸Excuse me, Sir Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please come in, Agares.¡¹


    A man in his late twenties, dressed in a tailcoat. He is a majin with silver hair combed to the back of his head and goat-like horns growing from both ends of his forehead.


    One of the Big Four, also known as the Time Demon.


    A man who always seems to be resolute, calm, and collected.


    He is also a gentleman who is courteous towards me even when I was suddenly selected as the Chief of Staff and takes care of me in many ways.


    However¡­


    ¡¸Hello, Agares.¡¹


    The dog-eared Demi-Human Cashew, the secretary of the Chief of Staff, welcomed the guest with a fluffy smile.


    ¡¸Aah, Miss Cashew. I¡¯m relieved to see you feeling well today. Oh, that¡¯s right, if you don¡¯t mind, would you like to take this? You can share it with your family.¡¹


    Agares took out an assortment of various cookies. It was a beautiful box with a lot of cookies in it.


    ¡¸¡­! Thank you for doing this all the time. But, I can¡¯t accept it.¡¹


    Cashew is very popular with the Monsters in the Demon King Castle and often receives various presents. Even among them, Agares often give her presents.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. It is a present I ought to bring as a guest, of course, there is the Chief of Staff¡¯s share as well. So it¡¯s only natural for me to prepare one for you as well, yes?¡¹


    Cashew glanced at me.


    ¡¸As long as you don¡¯t mind, I think you can just accept it.¡¹


    Cashew gulped. She loves cookies. The same goes for her sisters and brothers, so she is actually feeling really happy.


    ¡¸Th-then¡­ Thank you so much, Sir Agares.¡¹


    Cashew held the box carefully and smiled.


    Agares¡¯ body quivered and he looked up at the sky.


    Then he took a deep breath and smiled.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about it. You have been through a lot of hardships even with your young body, and you¡¯ve been doing very well. Even if I¡¯m not your direct superior, I would like to reward you for that.¡¹


    Cashew was embarrassed by the compliment.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯ll bring some tea over.¡¹


    Cashew went to prepare the tea.


    I called out to Agares, who was looking at her back.


    ¡¸Please have a seat.¡¹


    ¡¸A-ah. Miss Cashew is really wonderful. I¡¯m so touched by the way she works so hard for the sake of her family.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. She¡¯s a hard worker and has been a great help.¡¹


    ¡¸I truly admire your profoundness for extending a helping hand to her.¡¹


    ¡¸Milla is the one who invited her.¡¹


    ¡¸In that regard, I should commend her decision.¡¹


    ¡¸Concerning the result, I¡¯m also glad. When I was depressed after leaving the Party, Cashew had cheered me up, so I wanted to help her in any way I could.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s wonderful. In the past, I too have found the meaning of life when her Highness approached me.¡¹


    That might be the beginning of his loyalty.


    I¡¯m a bit curious whether his desire to protect the young children was originally there first, or if it had sprouted as a result of meeting the Demon King, but I¡¯ll refrain from asking that.


    ¡¸There are times when an encounter can change your life for the better.¡¹


    In my case, I have been blessed with numerous fortuitous encounters, such as Cashew, Milla, Master¡­and also Fenix.


    If even one was missing, I might not have been able to reach where I am now.


    ¡¸Yes, I agree.¡¹


    Agares nodded deeply.


    ¡¸Oh, by the way, thank you for the cookies.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem. It¡¯s a small price to pay to see the girl¡¯s smile.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha.¡¹


    Well, I also bought some fruits since I wanted to see Cashew¡¯s smile.


    Besides, Agares is a really good person.


    In the first place, there is no way that the Demon King would hire a dangerous person and let him become a close aide.


    Although I¡¯m slightly anxious about his words and actions, he is an excellent and good person.


    ¡¸So, do you have something that you would like to discuss?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, but first¡­¡¹


    After a short while, Cashew brought the tea and I took a sip of it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Miss Cashew, but could you please give me a moment alone with Sir Chief of Staff?¡¹


    This is the first time Agares has ever said such a thing. Usually, even when he¡¯s talking to me, he would continue to look at Cashew.


    Cashew nodded while trying to understand the situation.


    ¡¸Is it¡­a secret meeting¡­?¡¹


    His expression started to come apart to show a smile.


    ¡¸Ahh, yes, that¡¯s it.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay! Well then, Chief of Staff, I¡¯ll be in the room next door.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ll call out to you when I¡¯m done.¡¹


    Cashew, who had a resolute expression, quickly withdrew from the room.


    After confirming that she had left, I tilted my head to the side in confusion.


    ¡¸Is this supposed to be a secret meeting?¡¹


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t bear to ruin that child¡¯s dream.¡¹


    ¡¸Dream?¡¹


    ¡¸She thinks that Sir Chief of Staff and all the other Monsters are racking their brains to try not to annihilate all of the intruders and that¡¯s why we are on the defensive, right? If there¡¯s anyone who says otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t want her to know that. Well, it might just be my ego.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Can you explain more about that?¡¹


    Agares answered as if he had expected that question.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t be able to beat them.¡¹


    Them? He¡¯s probably referring to the Adventurers.


    ¡¸That is not-¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Sir Chief of Staff. Of course, I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m giving up. That¡¯s not what this is about.¡¹


    ¡­I¡¯m starting to kind of understand what he¡¯s trying to say.


    ¡¸Is it because of Aerial?¡¹


    He nodded.


    ¡¸He is on a completely different level. In addition to being a Contractor of one the Four Great Spirits, he also has an amazing combat ability. His nickname of being the strongest human is not an exaggeration.¡¹


    ¡¸That, yes, I agree.¡¹


    ¡¸I was convinced when I saw the battle on the eighth Stratum. He is strong enough that even Miss Furcus wanted to avoid a direct battle against him.¡¹


    Furcus is strong.


    If it was just about martial arts, she would probably surpass Fenix.


    However, if they fought, Fenix would win.


    Moreover, Aerial has the ability to compete with Furcus in martial arts.


    On top of that, his magic skills and power are also outstanding.


    To the point that some people in the world call Aerial this:


    The world¡¯s strongest.


    Even if it has such a childlike dreamy word to it, we can¡¯t laugh at the Hero named Aerial.


    ¡¸But we can¡¯t afford to lose. It doesn¡¯t matter how much people we need, we cannot allow the eleventh Stratum to be defiled.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Milla was the one who invited me and the Demon King was the one who hired me.


    I want to clearly repay them by doing my job properly.


    The Demon King Castle will not be cleared. No matter who the opponent is.


    And that fact will not change even if they¡¯re a close friend of mine or a senior I admire.


    ¡¸But it is also true that the reality cannot be changed by just one¡¯s feelings.¡¹


    Aerial has the strength to win single-handedly.


    If you look at the scene where Fenix defeated all the Floor Bosses and adjutants on the tenth Stratum, you¡¯ll understand that the strength of the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits are just absurd.


    ¡¸In other words, the topic that you wanted to discuss is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s about the battle that will connect to the tenth Stratum. It¡¯s pathetic, but-¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not true. After all, we are all members of the Demon King Castle. I¡¯m satisfied as long as we win together. Rather, I¡¯m glad you trust me.¡¹


    It¡¯s all the truth anyway.


    He will focus on reducing the number of opponents, not annihilating them.


    On the premise that they will be able to breakthrough, he will operate in such a way so that those on the tenth Stratum can fight with even a slight advantage.


    In other words, he thinks that the tenth Stratum is capable of annihilating the opponents.


    It means that he thinks that it¡¯s worth it to entrust the victory to us.


    ¡¸Please tell me if there¡¯s anything I could do to help. I will spare no effort in cooperating.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m your Chief of Staff, it¡¯s part of my job.¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, you have my gratitude.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll accept it. In that case, regarding the defense.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯d like to discuss with you about which opponent my magic is most effective against. I¡¯ve heard that Sir Chief of Staff is very knowledgeable in these matters.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes. Well, I think I¡¯m quite well-informed about the Adventurers¡­¡¹


    Our discussion continued in this manner.


    We discussed the number of remaining opponents, the possible targets of the resurrection right, and who we should target and how.


    Agares said he couldn¡¯t win, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s not serious about this.


    He is seriously trying to win this battle, but he understands that the odds of him winning are slim, and that his foremost priority is to fight in a way that will make it advantageous for the next step.


    The start of the ninth Stratum battle is approaching.

 CH 163

    163 ¨C The Two Young Heroes


    It¡¯s dark outside the window.


    The lights in the room have already been turned off.


    However, there was something faintly glowing.


    It was the glow of the terminal¡¯s LCD. On the screen was the clear video of Mr. Fenix and his comrades when they tackled the ninth Stratum.


    It was the uncut version, given to me by them.


    The place I¡¯m in seemed similar to¡­ an inn¡¯s office. It¡¯s a bit of a mess, but I¡¯m not particularly dissatisfied with it.


    Anyway, most of the time we would only be sleeping. Since we are pretty busy even when we are not participating in a Raid Battle.


    By paying for the three Magic Stones needed to activate the terminal, we were given permission to use it at any time during our stay.


    It seems that unless you¡¯re staying at a high-class inn, they won¡¯t have a terminal in each room.


    ¡¸Is that¡­Spatial Mobility?¡¹


    Earth, water, fire, wind, these are the four major elements. There are corresponding spirits for each of the attributes. A long time ago, Elemental Magic remade the spirit¡¯s magic so that it could be used by humans.


    But of course, these are not the only magic in the world.


    We, Normals, have no particular weaknesses, but we also have no particular strengths. As a race, that¡¯s just how we are.


    In order to win the war as this kind of race, we borrowed the power of the Four Great Spirits, and even now the most commonly used magic is from these four categories.


    I think that even ordinary people can use Water Magic to wet the palm of their hands or Fire Magic to make fire on the tip of their nails as long as they work on it hard enough. However, Elemental Magic is a technique for people with high versatility.


    Still, there is a lot of magic that doesn¡¯t require that.


    Some are race-specific, some are person-specific, and some have very strict requirements for learning.


    ¡ºSpatial Mobility¡»is person-specific. Agares can use this magic not because he is a Majin, neither is it because of his lineage, but because he is Agares. Occasionally, there are those with that kind of magic.


    Of course, that does not mean that he is the only one in the world that can use that magic. There are other people that can use¡ºSpatial Mobility¡»and they too can use that magic because they are them. It doesn¡¯t matter who their parents are or what their race is. In other words, the so-called talent.


    Of course, that just means that they have the right to use it.


    It¡¯s the same as the body or any other magic. In order to make it work the way you want it to, it is essential to put in a lot of effort.


    ¡¸¡­Almost perfect.¡¹


    The Agares on the screen is teleporting around to wherever he wants to go even when his vision is obstructed. He must have good spatial awareness.


    His timing is also good. Those who have convenient magic tend to be self-conceited and uselessly try to flaunt it, but as expected of the one entrusted with the position of one of the Big Four of the Demon King Castle.


    The ability of his horns is probably good as well. When it comes to the magic of moving a human-sized object to another location, the amount of Magical Energy consumed is enormous.


    This is also the reason why Recording Stones for the use of teleportation are generally not used.


    If it is not a Dungeon Core, it cannot cover the Magical Energy needed for its activation.


    ¡¸His subordinates are also Majin, so it should be hard to do¡­¡¹


    It is said that a Demon King corresponds to a Hero, but this is only the rough explanation.


    Majin corresponds to the Heroes who do not have a contract with a Spirit.


    The Demon King corresponds to the Heroes who have a contract with a Spirit.


    This is still closer to the actual situation. Even though this might also seem to be a little lacking in explanation, but it¡¯s just an image.


    In other words, just by being born into the Majin race, they are already equivalent to the Heroes, which is a Job that can only be acquired by a small number of selected humans.


    In addition, they once had many Demons under their control.


    It¡¯s no wonder they can wage war against humans, who greatly outnumber them. Since their individual strength is extraordinary.


    ¡¸Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¹


    It doesn¡¯t matter who the opponent is.


    A Hero is one who can win against any opponent.


    It is natural to work hard in order to win.


    Even if talented people continue to work hard painstakingly every day, if they fight against each other, only one side will win.


    I¡¯m going to do whatever I can to be on the winning side.


    When I tried to replay the video once again inside my head, I heard a sound.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t like the idea of a Hero trespassing. This is a staff room-like place, right?¡¹


    I called out to the figure.


    The one who appeared is Ewan.


    The Gale Hero. 13 years old. He has a contract with a Wind Spirit and if I¡¯m not mistaken he previously said that he had graduated from the Training Institution in second place.


    He has a leaf-like hair color and looks like an intelligent person.


    ¡¸I heard from the innkeeper that this was the place. There was also a magical signature.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. So what do you want from me?¡¹


    Ewan slowly approached. Then, he glanced at the screen.


    ¡¸Are you researching the ninth Stratum¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. We¡¯ve already watched this together, but this is more of a hobby. It¡¯s interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯s like when you read a book, there are things that you don¡¯t notice when you only read it for the first time, but when you read it for the second and third time you can notice it. There are quite a lot of things you can discover only when you repeatedly watch or read something.¡¹


    ¡¸During training, there are times when I can suddenly do something I couldn¡¯t do before, as if I had jumped a level. Is it something similar to that?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m not sure. But I understand what you¡¯re talking about. Those times when you couldn¡¯t do it no matter how much you tried, but then suddenly you could do it. Isn¡¯t there times when you can just master it after that and times when you fail when you try to do it again?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­There is. When that happens, I desperately try to remember the feeling I had when I was able to do it.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah.¡¹


    I chuckled. That¡¯s enough small talk for now.


    ¡¸So, don¡¯t you have something that you want to ask?¡¹


    Ewan was silent for a while. Then, he said.


    ¡¸I¡¯m also aware that I¡¯m not doing a very good job.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not so sure about that. You haven¡¯t made any mistakes. It¡¯s just that the opponent is strong.¡¹


    Ewan is not weak. On the contrary, he¡¯s strong.


    Compared to others of his age, he is one step ahead of them. Probably.


    The honor students of the Institution have good skills.


    For example, the Frost Hero Bella had so many variations of Ice Magic that she could play an active role immediately after joining Mr. Fenix¡¯s party.


    There were some misjudgments and carelessness, but that will change as she gains more experience.


    The same goes for Ewan. It¡¯s true that he was made to leave the field once and although he often falls into a pinch, his magic skills are solid.


    Also, in terms of power, he¡¯s probably better than me.


    Well, there is a big difference between Magic and Spirit Magic, but a Spirit is also part of his own strength.


    ¡¸Do you remember what I said to you before it started?¡¹


    ¡­¡­I don¡¯t remember.


    No, when I think about it for a moment, I feel like he did say something to me.


    Ah, that¡¯s right. He said that he doesn¡¯t like me or something along that line.


    Since, even though I could have made a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits, I didn¡¯t do it.


    ¡¸Ah, yeah, but I don¡¯t really mind that.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t even remember it until just now.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m the one who minds. In the end, you did a great job once the battle started, on the contrary¡­ I think I¡¯m the one dragging the team down.¡¹


    ¡¸Umm¡­ I don¡¯t know if that is something that you should say to me though. Anyway, are you planning to tell everyone about this?¡¹


    ¡¸None of them are blaming me.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because your mistakes were due to inexperience and the one who brought you into the party was Old Man Air, right? If you were at fault, then that would mean that he¡¯s also at fault. But everyone is a newcomer at first. So, in the end, no one is at fault. Isn¡¯t that the reason?¡¹


    ¡¸But you¡¯re¡­¡¹


    You¡¯re being kind of bothersome, Ewan.


    It was easier to deal with you when you were a little snarky like before.


    ¡¸You know, umm. Yeah. You probably started training after your Job was identified, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Yes. I think there are more people like that.¡¹


    Even if they vaguely understand their own Aptitude, the foundation for it is not clear until they find out what their Job is.


    That¡¯s why the training for each occupation is usually done after the Job is identified.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been using magic since I was 4 years old, so I have 6 years of experience. I¡¯ve spent more time with magic than you, who has been in the Training Institution for 3 years. As for Fran, she has continuously stayed together with me and she¡¯s also a Destroyer. You don¡¯t need to compare yourself to us.¡¹


    We grew up in different circumstances.


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s inferior to me, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been living while wholly focusing on being a Hero from the beginning.


    ¡¸Oh¡­ I see. Um, I actually came here because I have a request.¡¹


    ¡¸A request?¡¹


    ¡¸I should have said it earlier, but my stupid pride got in the way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t need to beat around the bush.¡¹


    ¡¸S-sorry, can you please teach me your methods? What should I do to make quick decisions just like the first-class Adventurers?¡¹


    Ewan bowed his head.


    To a younger, cheeky Hero that he disliked.


    There is only one reason.


    Because he wants to win.


    Ahh, damn.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m not good at handling him


    In the truest sense, Ewan is one of my comrades now.


    ¡¸Of course, I¡¯m aware that it¡¯s not going to happen overnight. Even the things that I need to be prepared and be aware of¨C¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine already, I understand. Just bring that chair here and sit down.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Ah, yes. Thank you¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸My method isn¡¯t particularly difficult. It¡¯s just a hassle to do.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸I just watch the opponents and remember it. Then, I¡¯ll create a list of plans like when the opponent makes a move like this, then I¡¯ll do this. I also make a list of all the things the opponent can do and think about what they might do and the countermeasures.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-I see?¡¹


    ¡¸For example¡­¡¹


    We watched the Clear video side by side.


    I think it was slightly more fun than doing it alone, probably.


    Well, I might just be mistaken.

 CH 164

    164 ¨C The Ninth Stratum ¨C The Domain of Space-Time ??and Demons 1


    The Ninth Stratum ¨C The Domain of Space-Time ??and Demons.


    Originally, the ninth stratum is a place where people can see a flashy magic battle, but this time, Agares¡¯ trusted intermediary has welcomed several Majins from other Dungeons as helpers and succeeded in strengthening his forces.


    The ninth stratum has an unusual space feel to it.


    It¡¯s basically pitch black. Up and down, left and right, even the bottom and the end are all black.


    In such a space, there are small sparkles laid out around it.


    I guess it would be easier to imagine that the space is like a night sky in all directions.


    Then, clocks are added on top of that.


    There are wall clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, wrist watches, and even hourglasses. Countless clocks of various designs and sizes are floating in the space.


    The sound of the clock ticking is a mess, and even the speed of the clock needles are different.


    The numbers engraved on the clocks are also inconsistent. The stage is filled with a bunch of clocks that seem to throw the flow of time out of order.


    Although the sixth and seventh stratums were stages of sea and sky, there were still paths laid out in it.


    However, the ninth stratum doesn¡¯t have that.


    Even though I¡¯m definitely standing on the floor beneath my feet, I could still see the starry night sky below me.


    Such a mysterious space.


    ¡¸It¡¯s time.¡¹


    All of the Majins who came said that.


    Some of them were looking at specific clocks and the others were looking straight at the opponents, but all of them said it simultaneously. It¡¯s time.


    ¡¸Time for what?¡¹


    Wraith asked.


    There was an immediate response.


    ¡¸¡­for battle.¡¹


    In addition, the other Majins answered like this.


    ¡¸¡­for destruction.¡¹, ¡¸¡­for your demise.¡¹, ¡¸¡­for you to be massacred.¡¹, ¡¸¡­for your defeat.¡¹, ¡¸¡­for the end.¡¹.


    ¡¸It¡¯s time.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, for your side?¡¹


    As expected of Wraith, he didn¡¯t lose his composure.


    The response was a magic attack.


    A flame ball about the size of a large beast attacked Wraith.


    ¡¸Did I make you angry?¡¹


    Wraith isn¡¯t perturbed even when he is faced with merciless and powerful magic.


    The fights have begun in various places.


    The resurrection right obtained in the eighth stratum was used on the Thunderclap Hero Scathach.


    The remaining ten members are the Storm Hero Aerial, the Gale Hero Ewan, the Blade Alchemist Louie, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the Thousand Form Summoner Margret, the Thunderclap Hero Scathach, the Far Reaching Swordsman Hamill, the Faceless Archer Suuri, the Water Hero Wraith, and the Destroyer Fran.


    Herv and Fran are engaged in a hand-to-hand combat against the Majins.


    Aerial, Wraith, and Scathach¡¯s Hero group also took on one opponent each and started a magic battle.


    ¡¸¡­Come!¡¹


    Ewan is also confronting one of the Majins.


    ¡¸You are just a young and inexperienced Hero. What exactly can you do?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll prove it to you right now.¡¹


    It seems that both of them are good at Wind Magic. They shortened the distance between them while their Wind Blades were fiercely clashing.


    The swaying of their hair and clothing, and the clocks drifting around the space showed the intensity of the battle.


    It was the moment when Ewan was about to step back to avoid a certain Wind Blade.


    With a thump, his back bumped into something.


    It was a wall created by Earth Magic.


    ¡¸Majins don¡¯t need to inquire a Spirit¡¯s mood.¡¹


    Therefore, Majins are not tied to just one element.


    It is also possible for Majins to simultaneously use Wind Magic and Earth Magic.


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    Ewan, who had been flustered until a moment ago, smiled.


    Was he acting?


    The next moment, his body soared high. He flew in the air with Wind Magic.


    But there¡¯s something strange about the timing. It was too quick. If he hadn¡¯t prepared this in advance, there¡¯s no way it would be this fast.


    ¡¸Sir Hamill!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m already on it~¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Blood is flowing from the Majin¡¯s chest. From two locations.


    He was bleeding from the position of his heart and Magical Energy organ.


    ¡¸It¡¯s called Soaring Thrusts ¨C Part 2.¡¹


    Hamill put his thumb and index finger on his chin and said that with a cool expression.


    His Flying Slashes can be used for any kind of slashing. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a slash or a thrust, as long as the blade can cut the opponent.


    That was a well-known fact, but the previous situation was also a good opportunity.


    As a result, the Majin personally obstructed his own view and was pierced there.


    Were you aiming for this? From the beginning?


    ¡¸It¡¯s true that I¡¯m young and inexperienced, but-¡¹


    ¡¸This kind of injury-¡¹


    The Majins have horns. So, even if he can¡¯t escape death, with his inherent sturdiness, he still has a little time before having to leave the field.


    He can still defeat a Hero with his remaining Magical Energy. Of course, that¡¯s only if the magic can hit the opponent.


    Ewan also prepared a huge Wind Blade.


    ¡¸I¡¯m definitely not weak! Moreover!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Urgh!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not alone!¡¹


    The clash between the huge Wind Blades did not last long.


    It¡¯s not because he ran out of Magical Energy. It¡¯s because he has reached the limit of his body from continuously using his Magical Energy.


    The Majin¡¯s body collapsed and the magic was undone. Then, there were Magical Energy particles fluttering.


    He was defeated.


    He¡¯s like a completely different person.


    In the past, Ewan seemed to have been careful to not fail, especially since he left the field in the second stratum.


    Whenever he received support from his teammates, he would seem apologetic and apologise to them.


    That¡¯s what the Monsters in the Demon King Castle saw as well. Since they watched the unedited version, they know much more than the viewers.


    Now, he is utilizing the inexperienced parts of him that had been accumulating so far in the battle.


    He acted as if he hadn¡¯t changed since the eighth stratum and set up the Majin who tried to exploit that weakness of his.


    He incorporated the opponent¡¯s evaluation of him into his strategy and actively asked for help from his teammates.


    Ah, Hamill¡¯s surprise attack worked so well because Ewan¡¯s planning was so skillful.


    His expression seems refreshed, perhaps because he had a breakthrough.


    He has accepted the fact that he is inexperienced, but he does not abase himself for that and instead changed it into a tool for the sake of victory.


    Even though he¡¯s the opponent, he did well.


    ¡¸As expected of Sir Hamill!¡¹


    ¡¸Little Ewan also did really good~¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­ calling me little is a bit¡­¡¹


    While saying that, the two of them moved on to the next opponent.


    It seems that they are heading to support Margret, who looks like she¡¯s struggling.


    People can change with just one trigger.


    He¡¯s an excellent person to begin with, so it¡¯s just a matter of how he manages it.


    He had stumbled and seemed to have dragged it along, but he seems okay now.


    I¡¯m happy that a promising Adventurer had escaped the darkness, but as the Chief of Staff, I¡¯m troubled by the birth of a strong opponent.


    But only a little. As a senior Adventurer, I could at least mutter something to him.


    ¡¸Congratulations, Ewan.¡¹


    That¡¯s it. That¡¯s all.


    He and I are opponents. An opponent to be defeated.


    After a moment of celebration, I stiffened my expression and returned my attention to the screen.

 CH 165

    165 ¨C The Ninth Stratum ¨C The Domain of Space-Time and Demons 2


    Ewan¡¯s movements have changed.


    Looks like the number of strong Heroes has gone up by one.


    No matter how strong the Majins are, this place is just filled with Heroes who have made contracts with high-ranking spirits or the Four Great Spirits themselves.


    If the Adventurers follow their role well and support one another without dying, we are at a disadvantage.


    In the end, while there were those who were injured, they managed to reach the Floor Boss with no casualties.


    The more powerful a species is, the more they tend to ignore exploiting an opponent¡¯s weakness and prefer to crushing them from above.


    Like how when people step on an insect, they don¡¯t tend to think up grand battle strategies to defeat it.


    It is precisely because Majins are that strong that they chose to confront the Adventurers with their superior technique and overwhelming Magical Energy, and lost.


    The Floor Boss area is mostly the same as the previous area.


    The difference is that there is actually a floor. A round, white space made out of a hard material cut out in the blackness.


    ¡¸The flow of time cannot be reversed.¡¹


    The silver-haired Majin who muttered that has his eyes hidden behind a mask.


    And in each of his hands¡­was a head.


    The head of the Alchemist Louie in one and that of Summoner Margret in the other.


    ¡¸¡­!!¡¹


    The Adventurers looked on in bewilderment.


    Those whose Job is not focused on combat will have a slightly inferior reaction time to others. Taking advantage of this, the Time Demon Agares most likely used his unique spell, Spatial Mobility, to attack those two and cut off their heads before the battle started.


    A technique used to kill two excellent Adventurers before they do anything.


    Even while being a powerful species, he is a serious man who will not hesitate to formulate a plan.


    The viewers won¡¯t be able to catch it, but this most likely used up a large portion of his horn Magical Energy to do that.


    Of course, he does not show it on his face and continues to look indifferent.


    ¡¸Therefore, I cannot feign ignorance to the crimes perpetrated by you lot, who dare approach in hopes to harm the Demon King.¡¹


    Magical imitation blood drips from the heads.


    Blood sprays from the necks of the headless bodies which sway and then collapse.


    ¡¸I, the Time Demon Agares, shall render judgment personally.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s all this about sins? We¡¯re just here to fight!¡¹


    The two bodies crumbled and turned into Magical Energy particles. Right at the moment, they were defeated¡­


    ¡­and the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor moves as fast as Agares¡¯ Spatial Mobility to strike him in the face¡­but it didn¡¯t connect.


    Before she knew it, Agares was standing behind her.


    And was touching the back part of her clothes.


    ¡¸Have you ever seen a meteor?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?¡¹


    The figure of Herv disappeared.


    ¡¸Fall to the ground from a realm higher than heaven itself.¡¹


    I managed to confirm her location. In the video room, there are cameras that film various places.


    The Floor Boss area actually has another difference from the previous area.


    It¡¯s hard to tell from the scenery, but the ceiling is actually unusually high.


    To be similar to the actual sky.


    And now, Herv is approaching the ground like a meteor. Falling.


    She was so high up that none of her allies could even sense her Magical Energy, let alone see her.


    That¡¯s right, he used Spatial Mobility to blast her away.


    Among the Heroes who are taking part in this Raid Battle, she is the weakest to these types of attacks.


    She has limited ways to handle falling from a height compared to the others.


    Even if it was Herv, I wonder what would happen if she were to hit the ground from that height.


    ¡¸To even think of fighting the Demon King with this level of strength, you all should know your place.¡¹


    His voice can be heard from a different place than it was a moment ago.


    He was in front of Ewan.


    ¡¸Oh¡­? You seem to be of use.¡¹


    Agares¡¯s sword hand was repelled.


    Ewan used Wraith¡¯s Air Box trick that he used previously to protect himself.


    ¡¸However, don¡¯t think that I cannot kill trapped prey.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah, kah¡­?!¡¹


    Ewan spurt blood from all over his body and collapsed to his knees inside the box that he created.


    ¡¸My power can teleport things beyond spaces as well.¡¹


    He created a tiny Air Blade in his hand and teleported it inside Ewan¡¯s Air Box and cut him up.


    ¡¸¡­Got¡­you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Agares didn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t.


    There was an odd feeling on his right foot.


    It would appear that Ewan is grabbing onto it with an Air Hand or something.


    Strong spells like Spatial Mobility consume a considerable amount of Magical Energy and their usage requirements are strict.


    Since his clothes teleport with him, it¡¯s safe to say that whatever he holds on to will also teleport with him.


    The question is, how far will it go? What kind of state will it teleport in?


    In conclusion, Spatial Mobility is done according to the configuration.


    For example, if he has set it to teleport him and whatever he is wearing, he will move to the predetermined spot with his clothes as he configured it.


    And so, if something were to be added to the configuration, it would deviate, preventing him from teleporting.


    In order to teleport while an Air Hand stretching from the box growing out of the floor is grabbing onto him, he would have to configure the spell to teleport him along with that.


    Unless he configures it to teleport him, what he¡¯s wearing, and the Air Hand, he cannot teleport.


    ¡­This is bad.


    Ewan is growing faster than expected.


    Young Adventurers are eager to succeed. They seek flashy performances and prefer big skills.


    Even the calm, collected and open-minded Adventurer, the Frost Hero Bella, felt that she had to make the audience acknowledge her in her first Clear, so she took care of all the Dream Demons on her own, but while she dropped her guard because she thought she had done a good job, she was defeated by the Demon of Love Sitri.


    With things like that, they accumulate such failures and grow.


    On that point, Wraith and Fran are exceptional beings.


    Ewan is a prospective newcomer who has both ability and power.


    While he hasn¡¯t been able to showcase much of his ability up to this point, he still has it. He wouldn¡¯t have graduated second in his class from the School if he didn¡¯t.


    But to be able to not only defend but to stop his enemy from moving after taking a large amount of damage¡­


    His style up to now has changed. He must have reached a major turning point.


    ¡¸Good job, Ewan.¡¹


    The sound of thunder could be heard.


    First came the flash. The Thunder Hero Scathach, who unsheathed his Holy Sword, dashes forward.


    A little later is the sound of thunder.


    Normally, the enemy would scatter with the thunder.


    However¡­


    ¡¸I suppose to man, the lightning spears that fall from heaven are something to be feared.¡¹


    Agares stops the Holy Sword with a kick.


    He immediately cut off his right foot that was grabbed, and kicked with the stump, releasing a Wind Blade from it.


    However it was done, the thunder and lightning cause sparks to fly in the Wind Blade, not affecting Agares in the slightest.


    ¡¸The only thing we fear is the wrath of our Demon King.¡¹


    He teleported.


    Along with Scathach.


    Agares appeared in front of the Destroyer Fran.


    And Scathach was dropped in a straight line between himself and the Hunter Suuri.


    This way, he can disrupt Suuri¡¯s line of fire, albeit slightly.


    In that slight time, he plans to end his fight with Fran.


    ¡¸Be they old or young, man or woman, it makes no difference on the battlefield.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Well said.¡¹


    Fran swings her massive right arm at Agares.


    It was a swing and a miss.


    Because Agares appeared behind her.


    But she already saw him do this with Herv.


    Perhaps expecting this, her swing kept going.


    She made it look like she was swinging at the Agares in front of her, but she actually swung aiming for when he appears behind her from the beginning.


    Fran turns with her fist, a swing that could bore through space.


    But once again, he isn¡¯t there.


    He appears upside down above Fran.


    He reaches out a hand to Fran and unleashes a massive explosion magic spell.


    And then he teleports.


    Overwhelming.


    The last of the Big Four is dodging all of the Adventurers¡¯ attacks, whittling down their numbers, and toying with them.


    It¡¯s an onslaught fierce enough to cause the viewers to think that the Adventurers might almost get wiped out here.


    That onslaught¡­ends abruptly.


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­¡­Wh¡­at¡­?!¡¹


    There are two surprises.


    The first was that Fran was unharmed.


    In an excellent display of timing, Wraith unleashed Wind Magic to save his childhood friend from the explosion.


    It would¡¯ve been fine if that was all. I know what Wraith is capable of. He can pull off things like that.


    The other surprise was¡­


    Agares¡¯s body was disfigured as if he had been scraped.


    ¡¸The Spirit Magic known as Sky Garden. Able to cut and rearrange space freely.¡¹


    A circle was cut out of Agares¡¯s upper half and it was floating in front of Aerial.


    This was a strange sight.


    ¡¸It¡¯s strange how there¡¯s no blood, huh? Even now, this is still connected to your body. But if I were to do this¡­and break that connection.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Silently, blood spurted out of Agares¡¯s body.


    An Esoteric Spirit Magic that rivals that of Fenix¡¯s Flames of the Gods.


    More so than Spatial Mobility, it is a high-ranking Spirit Magic that should be called Spatial Dominance.


    ¡¸You did well, Time Demon Agares. I am not particularly fond of this Spirit Magic. In fact, it has been twenty years since I last used it.¡¹


    The magic of the four elements of earth, water, wind, and fire. This is magic.


    Spirit Magic that has been diluted to the level that people can handle.


    And then, the people crowned the existences who gave this to them as thus;


    The Earth Spirit, the Water Spirit, the Fire Spirit, and the Wind Spirit.


    From the people¡¯s viewpoint, they are the beings who bestowed magic upon them.


    ¡¸But it seemed particularly hard to cut you with Wind Magic.¡¹


    However, it might go without saying, but there exists Spirit Magic that is on the level of Spirits.


    The Earth origin, the mother sea, the one wind, the primordial fire.


    These may be true, but they are mostly man¡¯s imagination.


    They govern over something far greater.


    Like that fire-shaped thing that burns anything by just getting close to it in the Flames of the Gods.


    Limited to only those with who they have high compatibility, Esoteric Spirit Magic is magic that transcends that of the four major elements.


    Spatial Domination is not Wind Elemental Magic.


    It is the power that the existence that is called the Wind Spirit lends to Aerial, who is the Contractor.


    One of the many miracles that the Main Four Great Spirits bestow upon special people that they take an interest in.


    ¡¸¡­I¡­can still¡­¡¹


    Agares, who had a circle cut out of him, still hasn¡¯t been defeated.


    He is just a head and neck with what is left of his left shoulder connected to his lower half.


    While in such a state, he activates Spatial Mobility.


    Just who will he teleport to, I wonder?


    When he reappeared, it was only to a space right next to him.


    ¡¸My apologies. I replaced the spaces next to my allies with the space right next to you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    No matter where he tried to teleport to, Aerial had scrambled all the target spaces.


    If the destination and the actual teleport position are misaligned, it is impossible to demonstrate the true power of Spatial Mobility.


    ¡¸We will have an audience with the Demon King. It is for that reason that we came.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­My deepest apologies, Demon King.¡¹


    With that, Agares¡¯s body¡­scattered.


    Aerial used Spirit Magic to end things quickly in order to Clear the stratum before Ewan succumbed to his injuries and to avoid Herv crashing into the ground in the near future.


    The ninth stratum was Cleared.


    As a result, all the Heroes were alive.

 CH 166

    166 ¨C Interview Just Before the Tenth Stratum Clear, Redux


    ¡ºSoon, this Raid Battle will reach its end! Now then! Let us look back at the road taken to get here, what are your thoughts¡­Mr. Aerial!¡»


    The Raid Battle is a Clear that is many times larger than the Fenix party¡¯s Clear attempt.


    Which also results in a bigger tenth stratum pre-battle interview stage set in the town square.


    Atop the stage are only those who will be participating in the tenth stratum battle.


    I suppose that is because they only wish to interview the people who will be fighting in the tenth stratum.


    I blended with the crowd in order to watch it.


    There was a huge crowd of onlookers there, so it was very hard to move.


    ¡ºAh yes, well I must say, the impression I got is that they are truly skilled.¡»


    Says Aerial while in a thinking pose, with his hand on his chin.


    ¡ºSkilled, you say? How so?¡»


    The host tilts his head as he asks.


    ¡ºThe last time I took part in a Raid Battle in the Demon King Castle was an odd one, because, for some reason, the Demon King left the deepest stratum to appear in the very first stratum and wiped us all out.¡»


    ¡ºAha, that battle that is legendary even to this day. Famous for causing countless Adventurers to abandon Clearing this Dungeon because they thought it would be impossible to fully Clear it with a Demon King such as that.¡»


    The time that my master annihilated all the Adventurers, including a young Aerial, in the first stratum.


    ¡ºThankfully, there were no surprise Demon King appearances this time around.¡»


    Aerial smiled and there was laughter throughout the square.


    ¡ºThere are many powerful Monsters in the Demon King Castle. Their management was skillfully done. Particularly this time, the strategy and unit placement done in order to repel the seventeen participants in this Raid Battle shined bright. For example, instead of focusing on defeating someone, they clearly focused on ensnaring me in a trap, and so on.¡»


    ¡ºI see¡­¡»


    ¡ºIt is because of the viewers that we can all stand in the higher rankings, but because of that, there is a lot of information that can be attained about us. The plethora of Clear videos that are published becomes a research treasure trove for the opponent. Conversely, the deeper you go in the Demon King Castle, the less information there is.¡»


    ¡ºAha¡­! Are you saying that the enemy has incorporated this gap of information into their plans?¡»


    The host forms a fist and strikes his open palm.


    ¡ºThat is exactly right. If they had simply strengthened their military might only, we would have all been able to fight the Demon King together. However, the Demon King Castle Raid Battle didn¡¯t stop at just doing that.¡»


    ¡ºBut I must say, is it really that simple to just research? Do you think that the Clear participants were investigated prior to this?¡»


    On the Monster side, we didn¡¯t just polish our skills.


    We check up on the Adventurers long before they make an appointment.


    ¡ºIndeed, personally, I wonder if there is a big brain behind this whole operation. If there is a personnel who is well versed with Adventurers, knowing each of their abilities and personalities, including what they might do at a given moment.¡»


    He¡¯s sharp.


    I suppose a personnel who is well versed with Adventurers isn¡¯t too far from the mark. I am just an Adventurer fanatic, though.


    ¡ºOho! In that case, the reason that Mr. Wraith and Ms. Fran were able to do so well is because of how little information there is of them¡­am I correct to assume that?¡»


    The host shoots a glance at Wraith.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s all skill¡­is what I¡¯d like to say. But I do think that has a lot to do with it. There weren¡¯t that many attacks or traps that aimed for Fran or me in the first half of the raid, right? They were probably still trying to gather information on us. And that¡¯s why we could be a little more flashy and heavy-handed than everyone else. There were more and more hairy situations in the latter half, though. But even so, we still haven¡¯t been defeated once.¡»


    Wraith and Fran were unknowns.


    Unless we understand them, we can¡¯t take countermeasures.


    In the Clear up to this point, I have understood a lot about those two.


    ¡ºAhaha, you two are really reliable.¡»


    From there, the interview continued on as they moved on to talk with the remaining three members of the Scathach party and the sole survivor of the Hervor party, Herv herself.


    After that, they moved on to the main topic.


    ¡ºSo the next battle shall be in the tenth stratum, which is the stratum where the 4th ranked party lead by the Flame Hero Fenix was totally wiped out.¡»


    I suppose it was for this very topic that they chose to deliberately conduct an interview now.


    ¡ºMr. Aerial, you had to use Sky Garden in the ninth stratum. According to what I¡¯ve heard, this used up quite a lot of the Spirit, right?¡»


    ¡ºIndeed. Although normally, this Spirit Magic would use my own Magical Energy. To use it in that scale unsurprisingly required me to borrow the power of the Spirit, but I used it in a narrow area and for only a brief period of time, so it is not as if I am unable to use it anymore. Please rest assured.¡»


    I interpreted this as his way of appealing to the audience.


    And also as a message to the Monsters, letting us know that he still has this trump card.


    Although, even if he is still able to use it, it probably can¡¯t be used in the same maximum condition anymore.


    Agares was able to succeed in forcing him to use it at maximum output, therefore degrading it during later uses.


    ¡ºHowever, many viewers were truly surprised to see you unleash that Esoteric Spirit Magic that you haven¡¯t used in over twenty years. The return of the Spirit power that transcends Elemental Magic. Magic that is given only to those who have made a contract with the Main Four Great Spirits and truly goes beyond what we know as magic. Was the Time Demon Agares truly such a formidable opponent?¡»


    There are several Esoteric Spirit Magics. There are at least two or more for each Main Spirit.


    After the battle in the tenth stratum, Fenix is working hard to learn another Esoteric.


    None of them are Elemental Magic.


    Fenix¡¯s Flames of the Gods is not Fire Elemental Magic.


    The miraculous ability to return all to dust is just recreated with something that mimics fire.


    ¡ºIndeed. The spell and the caster himself were troublesome. I think the viewers might have noticed the same thing we did, that the Demon King Castle has added some new things. Honestly¡­I find it all quite enjoyable.¡»


    He had a smile full of expectation, like a child who just received a present and is about to open it.


    ¡º¡­Enjoyable, you say? It¡¯s quite rare to hear you say such things, Mr. Aerial.¡»


    ¡ºNo matter how old you get, men don¡¯t change. Two souls fighting with all their might to decide who will come out on top. I don¡¯t know anything more fascinating than that uplifting feeling. This Raid Battle made me remember something that I almost forgot.¡»


    The Raid Battle rolled in out of nowhere in front of the Storm Hero who had long since lost a place where he could go all out due to him being the strongest.


    Standing at the summit, he turned to training the next generation and refining their skills.


    Even if he were to train an Adventurer who could surpass him, there is nothing he can do about the enemy.


    He can¡¯t raise a strong enemy. All he can do is hope and wait to meet such an enemy.


    Aerial is looking forward to this Raid Battle.


    He is hoping there is a place where he can fight with all of his power.


    ¡ºI truly am looking forward to fighting with the Demon King.¡»


    The crowd gasped in awe.


    ¡ºSo then that means, in the tenth stratum, you¡¯re going to¡­¡»


    ¡ºIn the words of a respected friend of mine,¡¸Heroes always win in the end.¡¹.¡»


    Those are the words of the Unyielding Hero Altreed.


    Aerial¡¯s friend, Wraith¡¯s father, and the hero that I look up to.


    Also, the person who¡¯s catchline that Fenix and I indirectly inherited.


    I slowly left the crowd as they got more and more riled up.


    The words are deeply etched in my heart.


    That is why we are the ones who will win.


    Fending off the strongest Adventurers should prove it.


    That it is OK for Monsters to win. That they aren¡¯t just there to be beaten up.


    When I turned to look back, I feel like I locked eyes with Aerial.


    ¡ºAlthough, it won¡¯t be that easy. Before we meet the Demon King, we have to fight the Chief of Staff that defeated Fenix. I truly am looking forward to this as well.¡»


    His lips twisted upwards in high spirits about the upcoming battle.


    I mutter to myself.


    I¡¯m looking forward to it, too, Aerial.


    That time when I was invited to join his party some time ago.


    I was very happy and honored, but I refused.


    I didn¡¯t want to enter into 1st rank like that, I want to arrive at it.


    Most of all, I have already found a place where I belong.


    I may not be able to surpass his ranking as an Adventurer, but I have obtained the opportunity to decide who will come out on top.


    The Raid Battle is nearing its end.


    I will surely put a stop to this invasion in the tenth stratum.

 CH 167

    167 ¨C A Speech Right Before Entering the Tenth Stratum, Redux


    There, in the eleventh stratum ¨C the completely lifeless realm at the edge of the world.


    There is no end to the Adventurers¡¯ battle. There is no end to this conflict.


    For the king of demons will never lose.


    No Adventurer has ever set foot in that realm that promises eternal struggle.


    Because they shall know the taste of defeat before they even reach there.


    I don¡¯t think me visiting this place as the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff counts.


    There is someone sitting on the true throne, different from the one that is set in my stratum.


    Our King.


    This space was constructed to look like an audience chamber.


    There is a throne from which a long set of stairs stretches down and at the end of those stairs, all the way to the door is a blood-red carpet.


    ¡¸Once again, Adventurers are have come to invade the tenth stratum.¡¹


    A childish body and a childish voice. She looks and sounds the same as ever, yet¡­


    Her usual friendly demeanor is nowhere to be found, all that¡¯s left was a pressure that made it feel like gravity was ten times stronger than normal.


    It feels as if the air itself was shaking.


    She is a true descendant of the Demon King. A direct bloodline from my master. Her aura alone is enough to kill a man.


    ¡¸But I feel neither fear nor dissatisfaction. For I know that they shall never trample upon my realm for all eternity. Isn¡¯t that so¡­Lemegeton?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Your Highness.¡¹


    Under the steps leading from her throne, gathered her subordinates who are appointed as Floor Bosses.


    In addition to them, including my direct three subordinates, all the Monsters who are to take part in the defense can be seen.


    Despite being collaborators, the Undefeated Hero Ellie and her party cannot enter here. Even the leader Ellie, herself, said¡¸I would refuse to go as well. We wish to unveil the most delicious part of this Dungeon ourselves.¡¹and laughed.


    In a similar fashion, Fenix, Lily, and Nicola aren¡¯t here.


    ¡¸They shall all follow the same fate as the Flame Hero lot.¡¹


    ¡¸It is good to hear that from you. Now, is there anything you have to say to them as well?¡¹


    I gave a single nod and turned my back to the Demon King.


    In other words, I turned towards my allies.


    ¡¸You all have done well thus far. The intruders¡¯ numbers have been whittled down to half. And that is on top of them already using their four revival rights. This is a great advantage for us.¡¹


    None of my subordinates said a word. They silently lent an ear to Lemegeton¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸I will not order you to obey me.¡¹


    Previously, I had said that If there is a slim chance that victory can be achieved, it is necessary that my allies obey my orders.


    But this time is different.


    ¡¸You have all evolved just as our tenth stratum has. Even my command has changed.¡¹


    I say that while looking at each and every one of them.


    ¡¸Do as you wish. Trample all the enemies beneath your might. Destroy them, and prove your worth.¡¹


    I pause for a moment and then declare.


    ¡¸¡­We cannot allow anyone to Clear the Demon King Castle!¡¹


    They started to roar.


    Even her Highness stood up from her chair and waved her arm.


    ¡¸Now go forth, my beloved Monsters.¡¹


    To say that every Monster of the Demon King Castle loves and respects her Highness is no exaggeration.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla was treated coldly in her previous Dungeon and even her road to reemployment was barred. However, she was hired by her Highness, who flies in the face of convention.


    The Demon of Love Sitri loves to be in the form of a Dream Demon, but nobody wanted to employ one. But she really wanted to work in a Dungeon in her desired form. It was her Highness who offered her hand.


    The Time Demon Agares, as well, mentions that he had his heart rescued by her Highness and he decided to work for her.


    The same goes for the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.


    Milla was the one who invited me. She is still my benefactor.


    Even so, no Dungeon Boss other than Luci would have approved of such a thing. They wouldn¡¯t even have entertained an interview.


    Her Highness was different. Even if she was urged on by Milla, she still considered the idea of welcoming the talked-about Black Sorcerer, who was kicked out of the 4th ranked party for being incompetent, into the Demon King Army.


    Our tiny, young Demon King is worthy of our servitude.


    We will not allow anyone to set foot on the eleventh stratum where she resides.


    For that is the only thing that we can truly do to repay her kindness.


    The Watchdog of Hell Naberius, the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas, the  Spirit Commanding General Kimaris, the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, the Vampire Queen Carmilla, the Impaling Daughter Haagenti, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias, the Demon of Love Sitri, the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, the Phantom Thief Crow Raum, the Reaper Knight Furcus, the Time Demon Agares, the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, the Evil Eye Assassin Botis, the Black Explorer Foras, and all the other allies of the Demon King Castle feel the same way.


    The Sea Monster Forneus can¡¯t be here due to his sheer size and ecology, but he feels the same way.


    The two that came from the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, the Orc Thor, who is now the Magnanimous Sage Ronove, and the Centaur Kei, who is now the Horseless Archer Orobas, are filled with determination. [1. TL Note: It¡¯s time for another Demon lesson, kids! Ronove is another demon from the Goetia. He is a marquis and Great Earl of Hell that teaches art, rhetoric, and language.]


    There were those whose expressions showed that they were fired up. Some simply understood and looked more serious.


    As for me, I¡¯m not really a guts and determination kinda guy. I don¡¯t really believe that simply working hard is enough.


    All you need is the right amount of effort and a sense of purpose to be able to do it. If there are people and words there to support you, you can work all the harder.


    Just as how being touched by the kindness of others gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.


    Someone¡¯s actions and words can affect their state of mind.


    We are being watched by the Dungeon Boss we respect, who doesn¡¯t doubt our victory.


    That fact sets my heart ablaze.


    That alone makes gathering here before the battle worth it.


    ¡¸All ready to go, Len?¡¹


    There is currently only one person who calls me that.


    Using the Recording Stone to teleport directly to the tenth stratum, I was greeted by the Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    The silver gray-haired and almond-shaped-eyed 95th ranked Hero.


    If you think about how there are tens of thousands of official parties that she has surpassed, it shows how outstanding she is.


    She and her allies are collaborating with us for only this Raid Battle.


    ¡¸I have long been ready.¡¹


    Ellie laughed, amused.


    ¡¸How wonderful. No offense to you all, but I look forward to when it is our turn to go out.¡¹


    Before the Adventurers get to fight us, they have to defeat a lot of enemies.


    That is how the reborn tenth stratum is set up.


    ¡¸When that time comes, work to your fullest.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, I can¡¯t wait.¡¹


    I heard Ellie mutter¡¸Not only do I get to fight them, but I get to go all out¡­¡¹and so on.


    She looked up at me with a fierce-looking smile on her beautiful face.


    ¡¸Well then, O Great Chief of Staff Sir, have a pleasant journey.¡¹


    She says in a joking, flattering voice.


    I nod and head towards the first area of the tenth stratum.


    Before long, the Adventurers arrived.


    The Storm Hero Aerial, the Gale Hero Ewan, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the Thunder Hero Scathach, the Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill, the Faceless Archer Suuri, the Water Hero Wraith, and the Destroyer Fran.


    Eight Adventurers in total. Out of the starting seventeen, only these remain.


    I met eyes with Aerial.


    ¡¸Oh? Are you going to be our opponent out of the blue like this?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course not¡­ To my side.¡¹


    I flow Magical Energy into the ring.


    Those who I have made Contracts with¡­appear.


    The final battle begins. I will make it the final battle for I will not let them fight the Demon King.

 CH 168

    168 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 1


    About the reborn tenth stratum.


    First, let¡¯s go over my weapons. There are three.


    The first is my Black Magic that surpasses that of ordinary people.


    The second is the Magic Tool that her Highness lent to me, the ring that can summon Contracts.


    The last is the fact that I know a lot more about these adventurers than the average person because I am an Adventurer fanatic. In other words, knowledge.


    Making use of all of that, I have established a stratum with key differences from the previous strata.


    On top of that, I¡¯ll have the Monsters that have appeared in the previous ninth stratum play an active role.


    The result of that is this, the realm of demons and the awakened interceptors.


    A space ruled by the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, where he will call upon a variety of Monster races and command them all to intercept the enemy.


    The interior is the same. A black passageway with black pillars on the side.


    It feels like the previous tenth stratum.


    ¡¸¡­To my side.¡¹


    Heeding the will of the summoner, the Contracts cross over to this space.


    Through vast amounts of Magical Energy, strong Monsters who are bound by a Contract all start to appear.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    The robed man, the Faceless Archer Suuri, wasn¡¯t exactly shaken, but more surprised.


    That is to be expected.


    I was immobile. With his Godspeed, he intended to shoot down a defenseless Lemegeton. A course of action that is both quick and correct on his part.


    But there was someone who shot it down. It was a surprise.


    Furthermore, he was shot at from a different direction.


    The arrow that he evaded pierced the ground and dissolved into it with a sizzle.


    ¡¸Well done, my faithful subordinate¡­ Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.¡¹[1. TL Note: Stolas is a Great Prince of hell that is depicted as a raven or a crowned owl with long legs.]


    ¡¸I am merely doing what is to be expected of a subordinate, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    An Elf archer.


    Previously the Hunter Lily of the Fenix party, but now the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.


    Her long hair was shortened to about shoulder length in her Monster Avatar.


    Her bow was modified to be black and her outfit, which originally was of a color that made one think of the fresh verdures of the forest, now makes one associate it with the image of twilight in the deepest parts of the woods.


    Wearing a cloak reminiscent of the wings of an owl, suppressing her curly hair, and instead, there is a small crown-like ornament on her head.


    She wore a mask over her eyes and a piece of cloth covering her mouth, but her long ears, the proud characteristic of her race, are majestically exposed.


    Through a voice-changer hidden behind the cloth. her voice becomes indistinguishable from her real voice.


    The one who shot the poison arrow was the Black Wound Hunter Leraje.


    But she couldn¡¯t be seen.


    She was made invisible by the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas, so the Adventurers cannot see her.


    ¡¸Oh Faceless Archer, I have heard tell that your Godspeed was originally a bow technique of Elf origin. Pray tell, just where did you learn such a thing?¡¹


    Suuri does not answer.


    I already know the answer. He is an Elf, just like Lily. A man who became 5th ranked while hiding that fact.


    Lily does not approve of how he hides his racial characteristics.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton asked you a question. Answer!¡¹


    Stolas piles on, but he still doesn¡¯t say a word.


    Instead, he answers with an arrow.


    It soared in the air. But the arrow was blown off course by a gust of wind, rendering it harmless.


    ¡¸¡­Wha-! Th-thats¡­!¡¹


    The Gale Hero Ewan shouted.


    ¡¸Hmph, this would mark the first time that I have ever had the opportunity to attain two of the same Avatar. You should be honored, Gale Hero.¡¹


    It was a puppet of the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris. A necromancy technique that puts him in direct control of a fallen enemy¡¯s Avatar.


    Ewan¡¯s Avatar, who was defeated in the second stratum by the Frost Hero Bella¡¯s Zombie, is now under Kimaris¡¯s control.


    That Avatar blew away his ally¡¯s arrow with Wind Magic.


    ¡¸¡­! You think you can get me again? I don¡¯t think so, and this time, I¡¯ll release Bella¡¯s Avatar too!¡¹


    ¡¸She, too, said that she would return to free her own Avatar. Either way, neither will happen.¡¹


    ¡¸It will. Because I¡­am a Hero¡­!¡¹


    The wind swirls around him in response to Ewan¡¯s determination.


    You can¡¯t just pay attention to the Boss Class Monsters.


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    A Hellhound was biting on Herv¡¯s arm. It was invisible up till now.


    Unsurprisingly, she uses her other arm to grab it by the neck and break it, tossing the Hellhound aside. The Hellhound was defeated before long.


    ¡¸¡­I get it. it¡¯s a combination of the two. The first stratum and second stratum have combined.¡¹


    The Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill was right. For now.


    He swung his blade and the rattling sounds of Skeletons breaking apart could be heard.


    A little later, their invisibility was dispelled. A side effect of them being defeated.


    Did the sound of their footsteps give them away?


    The first area ¨C the realm of watchdogs and necromancy.


    ¡¸¡­Even after seeing it, I still can¡¯t believe it. Summoning this level of Monsters all at once. Just how much Magical Energy does he have.¡¹


    Said a very surprised Thunder Hero Scathach.


    I summoned five Monsters. Two Floor Bosses, two Rare Monsters, and the best archer.


    The ordinary Monsters like the Hellhounds were rearranged to deploy here.


    In the Raid Battle, Monsters who have already appeared in a different stratum are forbidden from reappearing elsewhere, but the Monsters here have been set to deploy in the tenth stratum since the Raid Battle started, so there is no issue.


    However, I had to summon the Boss Class Monsters with the ring.


    ¡¸Hah! Bring it on. I was itchin¡¯ for a rematch with Haagenti and Carmilla! Are they next? I can¡¯t freakin¡¯ wait!¡¹


    Herv was very excited. She was cracking her knuckles.


    ¡¸Yeah, you¡¯re right. To be able to defeat that many Monsters again, this is gonna be fun.¡¹


    Even the Water Hero Wraith looked like he was having fun.


    Unsurprisingly, his childhood friend, the Destroyer Fran, lacks any expression on her face.


    ¡¸So then, Sir Lemegeton, Are we going to fight here?¡¹


    Only the Storm Hero Aerial was standing there, calmly.


    He looked at me with a gentle smile.


    ¡¸Do you dare to try, mankind¡¯s strongest?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­what to do? I¡¯m interested in what you will do. If I choose to challenge you here, I have to be vigilant and anticipate your strategies. If you had no plans to fight, then you most likely prepared an escape path.¡¹


    As he said that, his eyes were blazing with passion. He was overflowing with fighting spirit.


    He is looking forward to getting a chance to go all out.


    ¡¸Indeed. If you defeat all my subordinates, I shall fight the one who did so. It is as simple as that.¡¹


    Hearing my words, his smile widened.


    ¡¸Ah, rest assured. It will come to that because we aim to Clear this Dungeon. We¡¯ll pay you a visit once we¡¯ve annihilated everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸Daring of you to say.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it. To the fight that you and I will have.¡¹


    Mankind¡¯s strongest has set his sights on me.


    The battle is on.

 CH 169

    169 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 2


    There is a reason why I don¡¯t want to fight here.


    No matter how much my Magical Energy organ was tempered by my master¡¯s teachings, summoning this many strong Contracts at once is exhausting.


    I don¡¯t plan on using the Magical Energy stored in the horn just yet, so it would be foolish to remain here while I am regenerating my Magical Energy.


    Also, I ordered them to do as they please this time.


    I did not issue any proper instructions.


    I could wait a little and support them with Black Magic¡­but Aerial would forcibly try and make his way to me.


    He¡¯s only going along with the match because he understands the rules of this stratum, but if at any point he thinks that I am not worthy of being cautious over, there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll try to take my head.


    And that isn¡¯t my intention either.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, please retreat. You can leave it to us.¡¹


    Said the Elf Monster, the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.


    I nod once, stopped to think for a bit, and then said this;


    ¡¸Take down that Hunter where he stands.¡¹


    That was the whole reason Lily chose to become a Monster in the first place.


    To defeat the Faceless Archer Suuri.


    I hope you can fulfill your original purpose as well.


    I feel like I could sense her smiling behind the cloth covering her lips.


    ¡¸¡­Most definitely.¡¹


    ¡¸Very well.¡¹


    I wave my robe, turning my back on the enemy.


    ¡¸Ooh no¡­you ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ away that easy.¡¹


    They aren¡¯t so naive as to let an enemy that they could defeat escape.


    Hamill let loose his Flying Slash.


    It was aimed to the side of Stolas, right at me.


    I guess Hamil¡¯s the only one who took the bait?


    ¡¸¡­What the fu-¡¹


    Just before Hamill¡¯s Flying Slash hit me, my body disappeared from the first area.


    The last thing I heard was his dull, surprised voice before the scenery changed completely.


    I teleported to the second area.


    You could say it was Spatial Mobility, but I didn¡¯t use magic.


    This time, I equipped myself with a Recording Stone.


    With that, it becomes possible for me to move between areas.


    However, teleporting Recording Stones are normally placed in a point where the viewer can¡¯t see.


    Other than Safe Rooms, they are installed behind walls or inside a giant rock, where you can enter and leave through a door.


    Of course, I have also teleported into the Staff-Only room in the second area and then I leave it.


    In each area, Lemegeton will summon Contracts and Lemegeton himself will only fight the remaining people who have reached the deepest part of the tenth stratum.


    This is a method that can be used because of this format.


    Teleporting Recording Stones don¡¯t normally teleport with the teleporter, this one is special.


    In contrast with the regular ones that draw Magical Energy from the Dungeon in order to teleport people, the one I have teleports people only by using the wielder¡¯s own Magical Energy.


    It isn¡¯t something that can be conveniently used by everyone.


    ¡¸Now then¡­¡¹


    What will happen?


    While regenerating my Magical Energy, I think about the battle in the first area.


    ¡¸Hmm, perhaps I got here too early.¡¹


    A voice.


    ¡¸¡­Wh¡­how¡­?¡¹


    A voice that I know all too well, but also a voice that I shouldn¡¯t be hearing here. Even if I were to hear it, I expected to hear it much later.


    How could something like this happen?


    Even if this area is connected to the last by a door, I teleported to this area.


    Also, it has been barely a minute since I came out of the door.


    So then why¡­why is he in front of me?


    Why is the Storm Hero Aerial here?


    ¡¸I guess the welcome party hasn¡¯t been set up yet, huh? Or¡­could it be that this is where I get to fight you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­To me!¡¹


    Whether this is unexpected or not, what I have to do hasn¡¯t changed.


    My Magical Energy organ screams as I shift it into high gear, summoning my Contracts.


    He shows great interest in my decision.


    ¡¸¡­Splendid.¡¹


    Like a child who was given a new toy as a present, he smiled happily.


    Mankind¡¯s strongest drew near.


    ¡ó


    Just not too long ago, I didn¡¯t have the slightest idea that I would become a Monster.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri¡¯s true form is a senior disciple to me, and my father¡¯s best student, so I noticed it immediately.


    While it may be called Godspeed, there was no mistaking it.


    There is only one thing that I cannot forgive. Just one.


    And that is hiding his racial identity.


    He is treating his pride as an Elf as if it was something to be ashamed of.


    I think it is wrong to avoid discrimination and adapting to the outside world by hiding your true self.


    It is true that Elves are criticized harshly. It was very harsh and it changed for the better in a few years, but cold-hearted words are still thrown at me when I walk around town.


    Even when I walk in the Adventurer part of town as an Adventurer, people would say¡¸This ain¡¯t no place for a Demi-Human, girlie.¡¹¡¸You guys locked yourself up in the forest during the war but now that Dungeon Clearing has become a safe sport, you show yourself, huh?¡¹¡¸An Adventurer is an occupation for pure Humans!¡¹and other such things.


    That has decreased significantly now, and when I am with my allies, I almost never hear it, but it is not uncommon for people in the industry to respond differently to Humans and Demi-Humans without explicitly saying so.


    I know of the past.


    Elves are conservative people and respect the tradition of being born in the forest and dying in the forest. It is also a fact that we remained neutral during times of war. That fact cannot be changed.


    But what does that have to do with me diving into a Dungeon with my allies? I didn¡¯t choose to be born as an Elf, nor do I have anything to do with my ancestors refusing to fight in the war.


    If I am not being useful, then say so. I have no choice but to accept that. My incompetence is my fault.


    However, those people attack me simply because they don¡¯t like me.


    I don¡¯t believe it is right to attack the part of a person that they cannot change.


    I will never yield to such injustice.


    That may be one of the reasons why I always clash with Alba in the same party.


    I am an Elf. I have never felt ashamed of that.


    I have no choice but to live as Lily the Elf.


    And neither does he, the man who inherited all of my father¡¯s techniques, the senior disciple I respect.


    He is working as an Adventurer while hiding his face.


    It is impossible to not care.


    ¡¸Whoa¡­wha?¡¹


    Lem-¡­Lemegeton, purposely turned his back towards the enemy to trick them into attacking him.


    In the end, Sir Hamill was the only one who took the bait.


    Just as he fired his Flying Slash, I shot an arrow at him.


    Its trajectory was headed straight for him. The goal was to attack him just after he attacked.


    That was the plan, but it didn¡¯t hit him.


    ¡¸¡­Thanks, Aerial.¡¹


    The Storm Hero Aerial was the one who defended Hamill against the arrow.


    Just as how the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris¡¯s Ewan Zombie did a moment ago. He blew away the arrow with a gust of wind.


    ¡¸Oh sure, don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t worry about it, hm¡­ Mm, alright. I¡¯ve made my decision.¡¹


    In the next moment, I felt the presence of his Magical Energy coming from behind me.


    He moved. Possibly acceleration using wind, or by wrapping himself in lightning.


    He¡¯s too fast!


    ¡¸Aerial, what are you¡­¡¹


    The Thunder Hero Sir Scathach said in bewilderment at Sir Aerial¡¯s actions.


    ¡¸I thought about it. In this Raid Battle, there is someone who knows all about us and has imparted strategies to the Monsters, who all used it to full effect to decrease our numbers to this point, right? It¡¯s possible that us Clearing each area one by one as a unit is something that they expect us Adventurers would do.¡¹


    The battle continues while he is talking.


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s most likely it.¡¹


    ¡¸Which is exactly why, Scathach, I¡¯m going on a little adventure.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What? What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s in the name! An Adventurer is all about taking risks and going on a challenging adventure.¡¹


    He sounded cheerful.


    ¡¸Masa, Lou, Michelle, and obviously Pan aren¡¯t here anymore. And even Ewan will be alright by himself. So when I thought about all that, it occurred to me¡­ It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been on an adventure.¡¹


    There were several Skeletons standing in front of the door leading to the second area, but you could tell they were there by the sound.


    However, they weren¡¯t even enough to buy time. In an instant, they were cut up and scattered, only rattling noises could be heard as they were defeated.


    I have to turn around to shoot him, but that would mean turning my back to Suuri.


    Suuri isn¡¯t moving, but I know he¡¯s just waiting for the right opportunity.


    If Sir Kimaris is defeated, his Zombies would disappear as well. If Glasya-Labolas is defeated, we lose his powerful invisibility magic.


    Leraje is a Hunter. She isn¡¯t good at close combat.


    All that¡¯s left is¡­


    ¡¸Ah, Sir Naberius. Such magnificent firepower.¡¹


    The giant three-headed Hellhound. The Floor Boss of the first stratum, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius, is standing in the Storm Hero¡¯s way.


    The hellfire spewing from all three of his heads is illuminating the first area.


    ¡¸Hellfire that burns you to your very bones. If I was an ordinary Adventurer, I probably would have been sent to Hell by now. To experience such sweltering heat by my lonesome makes me feel nothing but honor. But sadly, I¡¯m sorry to say that that is all I feel¡­ I can¡¯t be burned.¡¹


    There was a sound of something being cut.


    Unbelievably, the light that could be felt moments ago had disappeared.


    I suppose it was to be expected.


    That¡¯s right. Even Fenix defeated Floor Bosses in a single blow.


    Only the Four Great Spirits contractors could do that.


    Furthermore, Sir Aerial has many years of experience. In terms of skill, he far outpaces Fenix.


    I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Yet I can¡¯t help but feel amazed.


    Or perhaps it is more of a combined feeling of amazement and sheer bewilderment at his sudden actions.


    ¡¸I wish to do battle with Lemegeton. Apologies, but I¡¯ll be going ahead first.¡¹


    Saying that, Sir Aerial passes through the door that leads to the second area.


    It is true that the door isn¡¯t actually locked until all the enemies have been defeated or something¡­


    It¡¯s the same with all the other strata. It isn¡¯t as if you cannot fight the Boss until you have destroyed every single deployed enemy.


    It¡¯s just that¡­who would have thought that the Storm Hero Aerial would decide by himself, here and now, to go on ahead.


    Which means¡­this has exceeded Lem¡¯s expectations.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! What the hell, Aerial?! That¡¯s the way. Now that¡¯s the Aerial that I wanted to surpass. Man, am I glad I joined the Raid Battle!¡¹


    The young Water Hero Wraith suddenly started shouting.


    To him, it appears that Sir Aerial¡¯s actions are something to celebrate.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Fran.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Along with the Destroyer Fran, young Wraith makes his way to the door.


    ¡¸Hmm. I ain¡¯t really suited to fightin¡¯ invisible enemies that go down in one hit. In that case, I should just go on ahead and fight Haagenti and Carmilla.¡¹


    Even the Hero of the Cursed Sword Ms. Hervor.


    Already, the cooperation structure between multiple parties has crumbled.


    Each of them runs toward their desired battle.


    I¡­do not attack them.


    Lord Lemegeton¡¯s orders were to take Suuri down here.


    This is an opportunity that Lem has given me as a friend. I should put my full attention to this.


    ¡¸¡­Scathach. Go on ahead.¡¹


    Suuri, who didn¡¯t respond to my words, says to his leader.


    ¡¸What are you saying? Do you think I¡¯ll let things get more out of hand?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You always think too much. Just for today, do as you wish.¡¹


    Sir Hamill joins in on what Suuri said.


    ¡¸He¡¯s right, man. You said you wanna get us back to the 4th rank, right? If the leader of our party doesn¡¯t go wild and do something big, no one¡¯s gonna root for us. So just go.¡¹


    ¡¸Hamill¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure the other two would¡¯ve said¡¸What my master says is right, leave this place to us.¡¹¡¸Indeed! We are more than enough to handle this!¡¹or something like that.¡¹


    Sir Hamill¡¯s impersonation of Ms. Caleena and Sir Theo¡­I think, was rather strange, but Sir Scathach laughed.


    ¡¸Alright¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to you guys.¡¹


    It seems that Sir Scathach as well is heading towards the second area.


    ¡¸¡­Hamill, you too.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think so, I¡¯m stayin¡¯ right here. Don¡¯t want you feelin¡¯ lonely, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Sir Hamill is hard to understand, but Suuri seems to smile a little at his words.


    ¡¸Lil¡¯ Ewan¡¯s staying behind too, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s something that I have to do.¡¹


    The destruction of his own Zombie and¡­the Zombie of Bella.


    I personally have my own thoughts on the matter, but that was taken from him by the enemy¡¯s ability after his defeat.


    Bella herself has decided to return and destroy her Zombie, so I shouldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡¸Ah, young love.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sir Hamill.¡¹


    There are three people who have decided to stay and fight in the first area.


    Suuri, Sir Hamill and young Ewan.


    Good.


    If the enemy is willing to disperse their forces, fine.


    What is unexpected and what is a good plan are two different things.


    I nock an arrow.

 CH 170

    170 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 3


    Calm down.


    Honestly, I was surprised. I¡¯ll admit that.


    Until now, Aerial has always thought about the overall balance.


    So that Ewan could gain some experience, or to treat the other parties with respect.


    Without the support from Aerial and Wraith, there would have been more scenes of Adventurers being defeated.


    They acted as a group in order to achieve victory rather than for their own individual achievements.


    However, his actions aren¡¯t beyond that of the 1st ranked Aerial.


    Adventurer fanatics and long-time fans would know.


    That time that he fought against the Charmed Samurai Masamune most likely reminded many people as well.


    That the Adventurer Aerial is a man who challenges Dungeons looking for strong opponents.


    In the grand scheme of things, his actions aren¡¯t against the rules.


    It¡¯s a different matter if it was like the seventh stratum where you couldn¡¯t proceed until you solved the riddles, but the doors between the areas in the tenth stratum aren¡¯t locked with a condition.


    It would be fine if you can Clear the Dungeon quickly by sheer brute force, but if you don¡¯t do it well, you¡¯ll be in trouble later.


    For example, in the mine-like areas of the fourth stratum ¨C the realm of werewolves. You can most certainly push forward while ignoring all the chasing enemies, but if you run into a dead-end, you¡¯re a sitting duck. The price of temporarily avoiding battles has to be paid once you reach a place with no escape.


    It¡¯s the same with this tenth stratum. Since it is treated as the same stratum, breaking into the second area by force will cause the Monsters from the first area to chase you.


    What he¡¯s done isn¡¯t against the rules, but it is a disadvantageous choice for the Adventurer.


    I interpreted his declaration about paying me a visit after annihilating everyone as a countermeasure to that.


    No, maybe he himself meant it that way.


    It¡¯s a possibility.


    ¡¸UoooOOOOOOOOOH!!!¡¹


    Someone caught the Wind Blade that Aerial fired.


    By crossing his claws, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias catches the Wind Blade that was meant to tear me apart.


    He responds instantly to sudden events. He risks his body to protect me.


    Being able to do that despite being just summoned is proof that he is a Demon King Castle Floor Boss and all-around tough guy.


    He has a giant body that is three times the size of a regular person, yet he is slowly being pushed back. Being pushed back by the Wind Blade¡¯s might, Marchosias¡¯s toenails carve a line into the floor.


    I knew it.


    Aerial is testing me.


    ¡¸Well done, Marchosias.¡¹


    ¡¸You did well too, Lord Chief of Staff, by summoning me!¡¹


    I look at the Storm Hero.


    ¡¸Are you sure about leaving the previous area to them, Storm Hero?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, there are other combatants there that are more suitable to that battlefield.¡¹


    ¡­He must be talking about Ewan and Suuri.


    Ewan wants to destroy his own Zombie as well as that of Bella¡¯s.


    There¡¯s no way Stolas will let Suuri pass her.


    ¡¸And there are other battlefields that suit you better?¡¹


    For a moment, his expression was forlorn.


    ¡¸That is what I have been searching for, for so long. You have been as well, haven¡¯t you, Sir Lemegeton?¡¹


    He would not have acted this way if he did not have something to relieve him of the responsibility of being the first.


    He decided that he could entrust them.


    Trust that they can still annihilate all the Monsters in the tenth stratum and meet with the Demon King, even though he went on ahead by himself, towards the battle he desires.


    He wants to know if I¡¯m the enemy he¡¯s been searching for.


    How will I get out of an invasion that surpasses my expectation? Whether I can pass this first test of his.


    I¡¯ll do it.


    I am not the Black Sorcerer Lem right now.


    I am the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, the One Horned Dark Sorcerer, Lemegeton.


    A being that is not to be tested by the likes of a Human, even if he is mankind¡¯s strongest.


    There is nothing that surpasses me save for her Highness.


    At the very least, they will have to be willing to do so.


    ¡¸I will not allow anyone to fight with the Demon King. That is why I am here.¡¹


    ¡¸I will surely reach you.¡¹


    I touch the teleportation Recording Stone and teleport to the third area.


    ¡¸¡­Dammit¡­my Magical Energy¡­¡¹


    I mutter.


    Aerial¡¯s plan to make me suffer a little is a success.


    The ring that can summon allies. Magical Energy is needed to create the Avatar of the summoned allies and depending on the distance between me and the summoned ally, the Magical Energy consumed will increase.


    The latter is nothing much to worry about since they are summoned within the castle, but the Magical Energy consumed by the former is tremendous.


    All of my compatriots are excellent fighters. The Magical Energy needed to create their Avatars is huge.


    ¡¸Heh¡­¡¹


    I let out a laugh. What is this?


    Excitement?


    Mankind¡¯s strongest, an extremely far-off existence.


    The Storm Hero Aerial.


    Looked up to by all Adventurers. The pinnacle.


    The immovable 1st rank.


    He is looking forward to doing battle with Lemegeton solo. Eyes gleaming with child-like glee.


    Changing the way he fights at the top of the industry to how he fought when he was young.


    I feel honored. Yeah, there¡¯s definitely that feeling. He is the man that I looked up to, after all.


    He is also the man who took the trouble to look for me after I left the Fenix party and invited me to join his party.


    But right now, the fire burning in my chest is¡­


    In the past, my goal was to surpass you in rank together with Fenix.


    But now, I¡¯m in the Demon King Army. In that case, there is a way to surpass you.


    By stopping you from Clearing this Dungeon.


    I regenerate my Magical Energy.


    ¡ó


    Uncle Ai-¡­Aerial¡¯s fighting style changed at the time that he became 1st ranked.


    As long as he was rising to the top, he was a challenger. Now that he stands at the top, he is a representative. The attitude change was unavoidable. Because his position has changed.


    But the one who surpassed my dad, the one who surpassed the Unyielding Hero was the challenger Aerial.


    I have always wanted to surpass that Aerial.


    However, I knew that I probably would never get a chance to do that, so I gave up halfway. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard I try. Because he is already at 1st rank and there¡¯s nothing higher to climb for, he cannot return to his challenger days.


    That¡¯s why, if I become 1st rank, he¡¯ll go back to being a challenger. That¡¯s what I think.


    But in this Raid Battle.


    In this Dungeon, a heart-pounding threat has appeared.


    Aerial has thrown away his conduct as a 1st rank.


    Which is why¡­


    If I do better than Aerial in this situation, I can surpass him. It¡¯s possible to make the viewers acknowledge me as the better hero.


    I can prove it by doing actions worthy of being called the strongest even without any love for Spirits.


    There¡¯s no reason not to do this now.


    It¡¯s for that very reason that I¡¯m here.


    When I reached the second area, Uncle Air already left.


    Only the dancing Magical Energy particles of a defeated Vampire, Werewolf, or Dream Demon were left.


    Damn, he¡¯s fast as usual.


    It¡¯s not surprising that there were three races of Monsters here.


    If Monsters from all nine strata are to be redistributed into several areas, there will be an area with an extra race, assuming that they placed two races per area.


    It¡¯s also possible that there are four races in the next area. Actually, there¡¯s also the possibility that there¡¯s an area with only one race.


    The combination of races depends on them, but it isn¡¯t worth being surprised at how many races are thrown at us.


    It looks like the Demon of Love Sitri has already been defeated.


    I sensed the Magical Energy of a Floor Boss level Monster disappear just before I reached the area.


    Did you get in the way like Naberius did and got taken out? She temporarily manipulated Masa and, while not technically for revenge, I have a reason to fight her. Oh well.


    Either way, pretty sure Sitri was quite the troublesome opponent.


    He must be pretty excited, ¡¯cause he didn¡¯t hold back at all, huh?


    The second area was the realm of Vampires, Werewolves, and Dream Demons.


    Considering the usual individuals, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias was here too.


    All that remains is¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m guessing Aerial has¡­already left.¡¹


    Said the Thunder Hero Mr. Scathach, who caught up with me, with a mixture of amazement and surprise in his voice.


    ¡¸Looks like it. All that¡¯s left is that. Probably left behind for her.¡¹


    ¡¸Haagenti! Carmilla! You alive?!¡¹


    There she is.


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. Herv is here.


    ¡¸We meet again, Hero of the Cursed Sword.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! I¡¯m so glad I get¡­to¡­? Hey Carmilla¡­what the heck are you sitting on?¡¹


    Yeah, that¡¯s a good question.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla is sitting down. What she¡¯s sitting on is none other than the Impaling Daughter Haagenti.


    ¡¸Last time, this thing took your arm, yes?¡¹


    She was referring to her chair, Haagenti, which is basking in ecstasy and panting.


    ¡¸Y-yeah, it was¡­fun.¡¹


    Herv is a woman who can enjoy a fight where she gets to go all out, but it seems she is utterly confused in the face of this.


    ¡¸Because of that, I am giving her a reward.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­¡­?? O-oh, I see! Sure, sure! So, how long are ya gonna be giving her this reward?¡¹


    Herv has abandoned trying to understand it.


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t mind if it was for forev-kyan! My apologies, Lady Carmilla.¡¹


    While standing up, Carmilla smacks Haagenti in the ass and she lets out a happy moan.


    Seeing her immediately stand up must mean that playtime is over.


    ¡­Well, I guess not showing any weak spots even while she pulls a stupid face is to be expected from a Rare Monster.


    ¡¸I understand the situation. I shall punish you all for the crime of disrupting Lord Lemegeton¡¯s plan to send you all into the abyss.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m down if it means we get to fight. You winning would do fine as a punishment for me, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I suppose so.¡¹


    Herv has been looking forward to fighting the Vampires.


    While picking up on the conversation in the corner of my senses, I head towards the door.


    ¡¸Did you think you could just pass by this area without stopping, young Hero?¡¹


    Marchosias stands in my path.


    ¡­Even though I¡¯m moving with Wind Magic acceleration. What amazing reaction and speed.


    ¡¸You bet I am.¡¹


    I will never stop. I fly to barely pass by his sides.


    ¡¸Not so fast!¡¹


    His claws are fast. More than enough power to rip me to shreds. The speed is nothing to laugh at either.


    But there¡¯s just one thing¡­


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get in¡­Wraith¡¯s way.¡¹


    There¡¯s someone who used her arm as a shield to block the claw.


    None other than my childhood friend. The Destroyer Fran.


    ¡¸Oho¡­well met!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Go, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be waiting ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Marchosias¡­doesn¡¯t chase me.


    ¡¸¡­To become a shield for your friend. You are quite manly!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m a woman.¡¹


    ¡¸Gahaha, this has nothing to do with gender!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t¡­understand.¡¹


    They don¡¯t seem like a match, personality-wise, but the same can¡¯t be said about their combat ability. Both of them excel at hand-to-hand combat.


    Later, I think Mr. Scathach will follow me. He hasn¡¯t moved yet, though.


    Anyway, I have to catch up with the old man.

 CH 171.1

    171 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 4 Part 1


    ¡¸Oh¡­? This is different.¡¹


    Aerial arrives here instantly.


    He casts his gaze here and there as if to take in the scenery.


    That¡¯s right, the third area looks totally different from the past two black and columned areas.


    The reason for that is the third area is the realm of sky and sea.


    A sand pathway spreads across with the sea below and the wide-open sky above.


    Of course, there are swarms of aquatic Monsters in the sea and winged Monsters in the sky


    And standing at the other end is me.


    ¡¸An interesting concept for a stratum. By combining multiple races of Monsters, it creates this idea that the Cleared strata will repeat endlessly, which is good. What is even more admirable, however, is your Magical Energy that is vast enough to summon such powerful Monsters altogether.¡¹


    ¡¸If that is truly how you felt, then I had hoped that you would enjoy it more.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I am. Even as we speak, I am enjoying it immensely.¡¹


    Aerial¡¯s face looked lively.


    ¡¸¡­Hmph. Are you able to dodge this as well, I wonder?¡¹


    Wind Blades came at me from all four directions, released by the Storm Hero one after another without any pause in between.


    However, they all crashed into each other with a thunderous noise instead of hitting their target.


    ¡¸Ka-kaka! I stole him, I stole him! I stole Lord Chief of Staff from the Storm Hero!¡¹


    My arm was grabbed by his bird feet.


    He flapped in the air with his wings.


    Right now, I am flying in the sky.


    It was the giant crow Demi-Beast, the Phantom Thief Crow Raum.


    The subordinate to the Floor Boss of the seventh stratum, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim.


    ¡¸Well done.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mention it, boss! It¡¯s good to have a thrilling heist like this once in a while!¡¹


    It isn¡¯t rare for there to be a Demi-Beast with high intelligence and is able to understand and communicate with people. Raum is an example of one such Demi-Beast.


    However, this isn¡¯t the time to be talking leisurely.


    ¡¸Yes, you did steal him, now can I have him back, please? My enemy, that is.¡¹


    The next attack is coming.


    A transparent blade that tears through the sky approaches.


    ¡¸Teleport.¡¹


    I order him.


    ¡¸Aye aye, sir!¡¹


    Raum is compliant.


    My field of vision changes completely.


    I am now at the bottom of the ocean.


    A magic circle was carved into the bottom of the ocean, on top of which I have just teleported on


    One of Raum¡¯s spells is Teleportation.


    However, this isn¡¯t the same as the Time Demon Agares¡¯s Spatial Mobility.


    In contrast with his spell, where he can teleport anywhere with anything depending on his skill, Raum¡¯s spell has conditions.


    One: The teleportation subject must be within sight.


    Two: The destination must have a magic circle carved there.


    Raum¡¯s spell is the one responsible for returning Adventurers who fall while trying to solve a riddle back to the entrance in the seventh stratum.


    This means that, compared to Agares, Raum¡¯s spell consumes a small amount of Magical Energy.


    As I appeared at the bottom of the sea, a shadow approached me without a moment¡¯s delay. An ally.


    A lone female Mermaid makes her way to me and touches me.


    At that moment, I feel something warm wrap around me. A film of air stretches around me. An application of Water Magic.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    An Avatar is defeated when it takes enough damage to kill your real-life body.


    Of course, this includes death by drowning.


    You really surprised me, Aerial.


    However, even if you appeared in the later areas earlier than anticipated, I did expect you to chase after me.


    I have prepared various ways to buy me time in order to regenerate enough of my Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Fufufu, I am honored to be of service to the Chief of Staff. But please, don¡¯t tell Lady Carmilla that I touched you. ¡­I would be torn to tiny pieces.¡¹


    The Mermaid who helped me smiles broadly.


    This can all be seen later in the video, so there¡¯s no meaning to me keeping it a secret.


    This really wasn¡¯t the right time to say anything, so I just nodded lightly.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    At that moment, the sea shook. No. The entire area itself shook. It can¡¯t be¡­


    ¡­It¡¯s splitting.


    Like a seashell being pried open, the sea opened up. Forcefully and fast, even.


    The sea was parted in two along the sandy passage.


    The rising seawater on the sides rose up and swallowed up the Birdmen in the air, and those that managed to avoid it got their wings wet which left them with no choice but to lower their altitude.


    And then there¡¯s me.


    I grabbed onto the Mermaid¡¯s hand and advanced through the rampaging ocean current.


    ¡¸Were you planning on teleporting some of us Adventurers to the bottom of the sea? Or perhaps, this is how you intended to use it all along? In any case, I applaud your methods.¡¹


    This isn¡¯t a good time to be underwater.


    Just as I thought that, I was caught in something.


    Not inside an Air Box, but an Air Sphere. Within it was seawater, the Mermaid, and the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸What now, Sir Lemegeton?¡¹


    Is this how it ends? Please don¡¯t let this end.


    That¡¯s what his eyes seem to say.


    Child-like eyes that seem to wish for the fun to not end. Not yet.


    What now¡­?


    I¡¯ll do this.


    Using the hoisted-up amount of water in the sides of the area that he caused, I summon him from it.


    Come, Forneus.


    A giant shark Demi-Beast.


    I haven¡¯t saved up enough Magical Energy to summon him yet.


    Seeing as how I didn¡¯t summon anyone else after the comparatively lighter to summon Raum, Aerial probably knows that as well.


    If I unleashed the horn, I¡¯d be able to summon him, but I didn¡¯t do that. Even if I did, he would be on guard.


    This is why now is the time to make this stick out.


    ¡¸What in the-¡¹


    Just as how I was surprised at how fast Aerial arrived in the second area ahead of schedule.


    This time, it was his turn to be surprised.


    Just the fin of a shark, the long upper portion of the fin if you were to divide a fin into upper and lower portions, jumped out of the water to crash into Aerial¡¯s body.


    He was blown away.


    The Air Sphere dissipated and I fell along with the seawater.


    While falling, the Mermaid pushed me out of the water and a Birdman catches me.


    ¡¸Let us distance ourselves from him.¡¹


    I search my surroundings, but I can¡¯t sense Raum¡¯s Magical Energy¡­It appears he was defeated.


    ¡¸Understood. But I must say, magnificently done, sir.¡¹


    I managed to do it¡­partial summoning.


    Summoning magic calls Contracts from beyond the boundaries of space.


    It might be easier to understand if you recall Aerial¡¯s Spatial Domination.


    Even though a piece of Agares¡¯s body was placed in a separate space, it was still connected to his body.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how it looks visually.


    No matter how distorted the space is, what should be connected is still connected.


    I thought that it might be possible to slowly summon a Contract instead of how I usually summon their whole body instantly.


    So I started summoning the Sea Monster Forneus¡¯s giant body starting with his fin.


    As expected of Forneus, who was around since the age when my master was in charge of the Demon King Castle.


    Even in that state, he sensed the Magical Energy in the connected space, surmised the intention of the summoner, and delivered an intense blow to the enemy.


    ¡¸Hahaha! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a move! Such intricate technique, yet such a powerful tactic! This is getting more and more enjoyable!¡¹


    Just before he crashed into the wall around the door, Aerial decelerates by emitting wind. Using said wind, he starts levitating like that.


    Will he aim for the piece of Forneus that disappeared into the sea, or will he fly towards me?


    ¡­It¡¯s definitely going to be me.


    As he¡¯s approaching me, he prepares Wind Blades. It¡¯s easy to tell because he¡¯s using a lot of Magical Energy¡­but it¡¯s still a lot of them.


    How should I say this¡­It¡¯s like a storm. But rather than strong gale force winds, it¡¯s more like a storm of sharp wind is raining down on us.


    I instruct the Birdman carrying me to find a way to avoid the Wind Blades.


    Seeking the help of the surrounding Birdmen, they use Wind Magic, or sometimes they apologetically use their own body to shield me.


    None of them hesitated to do so.

 CH 171.2

    171 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 4 Part 2


    Because we are all working towards the same goal. We will not let anyone reach where her Highness resides.


    Believing that that goal can be achieved with my guidance, the Birdmen nobly sacrifice their body and wings.


    ¡¸I would like to at least, finally, make you use one of your Black Magic spells.¡¹


    ¡¸If there is a need for it, I will.¡¹


    The last Birdman lowers his altitude, who is the male one carrying me and had one of his wings torn apart. He begins his descent.


    ¡¸My apologies, Lord Chief of Staff.¡¹


    After saying that, he threw me with the last of his strength. Immediately after, his body was torn in two.


    ¡¸No, you have done well¡­ To me.¡¹


    Aerial, who is chasing after me as I fall, dodged out of the way.


    From beneath the surface of the sea came a spear-like, or arrow-like, or perhaps even a beam of light-like attack.


    ¡¸I thank you for the invitation, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    I land on the water column that she created.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸So what is the situation?¡¹


    ¡¸Forneus¡¯s summoning is incomplete. I have not yet summoned Caim.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, understood. On my honor as the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, I will buy you some time.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡¹


    At that moment, the Water Hero Wraith joins the fray.


    ¡¸Whoa, ocean. And Uncle Air is¡­still here, good.¡¹


    Vepar¡¯s Water Magic is on par with a high-ranking Lesser Spirit wielder.


    In addition to her ability to generate large waves, she has also developed the ability to blow apart targets by shooting highly pressurized streams of water.


    It is a spell called Water Blade that has very few users.


    This is what Aerial dodged earlier.


    It¡¯s powerful enough to make him choose not to take a direct hit, even if he is enveloping himself in an armor of air.


    ¡¸We meet again, boy.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed we do, Mermaid lady. I¡¯m happy to see you again, too bad I¡¯m gonna have to defeat you again, too.¡¹


    She attacks both Wraith and Aerial.


    They deftly avoid the octopus tentacle-like streams of water coming from the surface of the water.


    ¡¸Bring out the fleet.¡¹


    Vepar is in possession of a Magic Tool. A Magic Tool that can summon an armed fleet of ships from a faraway place.


    A pirate ship floats up to the water¡¯s surface. Several of them. They are called pirate ships because of the image that the crew onboard portrays.


    Along with the ship came Fish men, one after another, clambering onto the ship.


    They wore feathered hats, raggedy and dowdy coats and trousers, and were equipped with curved swords.


    Some of them are even wearing eyepatches.


    Painted on the sails is the symbol of the Demon King Army, black horns, probably her Highness¡¯s horns.


    The water column I was standing on changed its shape and carried me to the deck of the ship.


    I got on the ship and the column dispersed.


    One of the Fish men came across me and called out in a happy voice.


    ¡¸Ahoy, Admiral.¡¹


    ¡¸You guys did well holding out against Aerial¡¯s attack.¡¹


    Referring to when Aerial split the sea.


    ¡¸Blimey, I nearly soiled me trousers when that happened! But we pirates ain¡¯t gonna die at sea that easily.¡¹


    To them, Vepar is their captain, and the person that she obeys is me, which makes me their admiral.


    Monsters are meant to play the bad guys, the side that instills fear. It¡¯s no wonder they act like pirates.


    There were a series of roaring explosive sounds ringing out. They had immediately started firing their cannons.


    This would be a considerable threat to people who have no choice but to walk on the sand pathway, but those two Heroes can fly.


    However, they are also being aimed at by the Water Blade. The number of attacks that they should be concerned about must have increased.


    Thanks to that, they managed to buy me some time.


    To me, Caim.


    The strangely dressed Birdman who wears a costume of a cartoon bird appears. Don¡¯t forget his tall hat and staff.


    The Floor Boss of the seventh stratum who loves quizzes, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim.


    ¡¸Hm, hm, I see¡­! Lord Chief of Staff, do you mind if I raise a storm?¡¹


    After confirming that I nodded affirmatively, Caim deploys his magic.


    A storm blew violently, causing even the sea to rise and fall, creating a whirlpool.


    ¡¸Encountering a raging storm on the ocean, huge water tentacles from beneath its surface, and a rain of gunfire from a mysterious fleet. Even if they are Four Great Spirits contractors, it is not so easy to get close to our Lord Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Caim.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it, sir?¡¹


    ¡¸Over there.¡¹


    Caim saw where I pointed and immediately started moving.


    ¡¸Fish men! Evasive maneuvers!¡¹


    Not only that, but he also guessed what I was going to say and gave an order.


    Everyone on board immediately dropped what they were doing and jumped overboard. This kind of adaptability is to be expected of the Demon King Army.


    Caim took to the skies, carrying me.


    Immediately after, the ship was split in two.


    With Magical Energy detection, I can tell that it was split by a massive Wind Blade. It appears that Aerial and Wraith combined their magic to form it.


    There was someone who flew immediately after the Wind Blade to overlook the wrecked and sinking ship.


    It was Aerial.


    He quickly found me.


    ¡¸Your ability to sense Magical Energy is high as well. I can¡¯t believe you were able to time that dodge so well in such bad visibility.¡¹


    I say to Caim.


    ¡¸Let me down here.¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish.¡¹


    Caim descended to sea level and then let me down.


    Right on a sand pathway that is barely there.


    ¡¸¡­Hm.¡¹


    Aerial was wary of me.


    I¡¯m leaving myself too open, so he suspects some sort of trap is lying in wait.


    Something like Vepar¡¯s magic, Forneus or Fish men that are under the sea, or some sort of unforeseen strategy.


    That way of thinking saves me some time, which is of great help to my Magical Energy organ.


    ¡¸Alright.¡¹


    Surprisingly, he lands in front of me.


    No, he didn¡¯t just do that.


    The storm is unnaturally calm only around us. I think he is using an air pathway, lid, and other Wind Magic to prevent any surprise attacks from below the sea.


    ¡¸I wonder what you will show me next.¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing?¡¹


    ¡¸If you insist¡­ How about I show you darkness?¡¹


    I flow my Magical Energy into the ring and complete the summoning.


    Aerial, along with the sand pathway, was swallowed.


    Visibility is terrible in this stormy weather. Because the storm itself was caused by magic, the surrounding is filled with Magical Energy.


    In that kind of situation, he wouldn¡¯t notice Caim carrying Forneus¡¯s fin and dropping it directly above him before it was too late. His reaction was too slow.


    After that, all I have to do is finish summoning the rest of Forneus.


    By doing that, Forneus will materialize completely in the third area, open his mouth wide and swallow the Storm Hero whole.


    However, I know for a fact that this won¡¯t be the end of the Storm Hero.


    I feel bad for Forneus, but Aerial is probably going to rip and tear his way out of his stomach before long.


    But even Aerial has used up a considerable amount of Magical Energy.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a Four Great Spirits contractor, everyone has their limits. In that case, there is only one other method left.


    To borrow Magical Energy from the Main Spirit. This, too, is finite.


    I sense someone watching me.


    Wraith, who is battling Vepar, looks my way.


    I, in turn, look back at him as I touch the teleportation stone.


    Then I teleport to the fourth area.

 CH 172

    172 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 5


    Aerial took longer to get to the fourth area compared to how fast he had been advancing thus far.


    It was enough time for me to summon the Reaper Knight Furcus and have a little chat with her.


    Even after I teleported, I¡¯m sure the Monsters in the third area are hard at work.


    Caim and Vepar are wizard types. Each of their bodies may not be strong, but instead, their magic is fearsome.


    On top of being fast, Aerial is prioritizing reaching me, so they have to resort to space-changing magic in order to stop him.


    Even he can¡¯t ignore raging seas, wild storms, Water Blades, and cannon fire.


    While thinking about that, I consulted with Furcus about something.


    ¡¸¡­Interesting.¡¹


    She agreed to it.


    And then¡­


    ¡¸Is Sir Lemegeton in?¡¹


    Aerial, who finally arrived, was noticeably less unscathed than before.


    His body was covered with small cut-like wounds. Even in the areas where his skin isn¡¯t exposed, his outfit is cut and you can see the wound underneath.


    It could have been Caim¡¯s handiwork, or even Forneus¡¯s.


    If it was the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, it would¡¯ve been with Wind Magic.


    If it was the Sea Monster Forneus, it would¡¯ve been with Water Magic.


    Normally, he is a mild-mannered, gentlemanly Sea Monster, but in battle, he is a force to be reckoned with.


    Just him moving his large body can be a terrible blow to the enemy, and no one stands a chance against his bite.


    Also, as I experienced that time I visited the sixth stratum with Milla, he is able to use Water Magic.


    He moved immediately after only having his fin summoned, so it is hard to imagine him being inept when the rest of him was summoned while he was just falling.


    After he swallowed Aerial whole, I wonder what happened.


    This is the second time that he¡¯s swallowed someone whole in this Raid Battle. He was ripped apart from the inside the first time, so I¡¯m sure he has prepared a plan for that this time.


    After all, he is also a Monster of the Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸Dragonkin and Majin¡­ It appears that the next area is Sir Lemegeton¡¯s area, right? Or perhaps the next area is one where only his subordinates are lying in wait¡­? Either way, it¡¯s almost time. Isn¡¯t that right¡­Ms. Furcus?¡¹


    So Aerial says.


    While looking straight at me.


    The reason for this is simple.


    It is because I am riding the black armor.


    Furcus¡¯s armor is a Magic Tool. Only someone with an exclusive key can use it.


    The key is not intended to be inserted and used, but only to indicate the qualification of the pilot.


    This is why Furcus normally wears her Registration Card around her neck.


    Borrowing that from her temporarily, I pilot the armor.


    The cockpit is simple. There is a seat, elbow rest, and a lever to adjust the seat. When I close my eyes, my field of view switches to that of the helmet.


    You wouldn¡¯t be able to judge who was inside based on appearance.


    I myself am suppressing my Magical Energy signature.


    That said¡­


    This isn¡¯t something that can fool someone like the Storm Hero Aerial.


    ¡¸¡­What happened to your beloved spear?¡¹


    Furcus¡¯s spear wasn¡¯t in my hand.


    Aerial moved quickly.


    He swung the Holy Sword in his right hand over his shoulder. He swung as if he was going to stab himself in the back, but it was the right decision.


    Because by doing that, the blade stops the tip of the elongating spear that was aiming to stab him in the back.


    Immediately after, he lets go of the sword and turns around. He grabs the falling sword and there was a flash.


    The blade-shaped wind spins like a propeller, shredding the spear all the way down.


    In an instant, it travels all the way, cutting it until the butt of the spear, and there is the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    The moment that he guarded against her attack, she already broke the spear and dodged out of the way.


    As the spear was cut, the remaining part left in her hand is the longer part, meaning the main body, and it can expand and contract once more.


    She closes the distance quickly and starts stabbing.


    Countless branches grow from the point where the spear broke, and only the part used for stabbing grew straight. The other branches move to wrap around Aerial¡¯s body and Holy Sword.


    Furcus protrudes her Ogre horn as her skin turns red.


    That small frame holds such unimaginable speed and agility.


    Aerial stops the stab with his left hand and pulls the spear to his side.


    Furcus¡¯s body jerks forward but she immediately adjusts her posture and kicks off the ground.


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Grunted Aerial.


    The part of the spear that he grabbed bent.


    The spear that grew straight and true only moments ago, now went limp.


    Using her small frame to full advantage, Furcus slides in between Aerial¡¯s legs like a small animal.


    All while still holding the spear.


    She points the butt of the spear to his back and extends it.


    ¡¸Heh.¡¹


    The cheerful Hero lets out a laugh.


    His Holy Sword scatters Wind Blades that cut the spear¡¯s branches to shreds.


    He forcibly turns around while slashing his blade horizontally in a flash.


    Along the trajectory of his blade, there is a raging wind that cuts everything in range.


    There are very few safe zones. You could say that there are practically no safe zones unless you dodged a far enough distance from him.


    One of the few safe zones is only around the attacker¡¯s body.


    The Wind Blade does not fly in a trajectory that would harm the one who released it.


    My sword master focused on the sword hilt held by the Storm Hero.


    Furcus, who jumped just before getting hit, lands on that hilt.


    She deftly steps on Aerial¡¯s finger, flips magnificently, riding the momentum, and kicked him square in the chest.


    A dull, heavy sound rang out and he was blown backward.


    If he was an ordinary man, that kick would have removed his upper body¡¯s existence from this world, but alas, he is a Hero.


    No, it¡¯s not just that. At that moment, he temporarily deployed an armor of air.


    Stabbing his sword into the ground to kill his momentum, he grinds across the floor, eventually coming to a halt.


    I could see Aerial¡¯s mouth move, forming the word¡¸Splendid¡­¡¹.


    In the next moment, the three Dragonkin who assaulted him were cut in half by his sword. The total of six individual body masses all turned into Magical Energy Particles and scattered.


    I just wanna say that Heroes are absurd. They are extraordinary. A Job that boasts strength that defies common sense.


    They are the ones that garner the most attention in a party, and the ones whose actions everyone most looks forward to. Just the fact that a party cannot be formed without them shows how important of an existence they are to Dungeon Clears.


    And right now, we¡¯re fighting the cream of the crop of Heroes.


    I recall what I once said to Fenix.


    Interesting Clears can happen because allies are around.


    When you have lost all your allies, you can get serious.


    You can freely use the magic that you normally don¡¯t use out of fear of getting your allies caught up in it.


    I told my best friend, who was worried about being the only one in the party with overwhelming strength, to not say such silly things.


    How a team attracts attention and how an individual attracts attention are different.


    Each has its own appeal, and a Hero can attract people either way.


    Right now, Aerial hasn¡¯t lost all of his allies.


    But since there are no allies around that will get caught up in his magic, he can attack without restraint or concern.


    ¡¸I¡¯m torn¡­truly, I am spoiled for choice. However, I must apologize, Ms. Furcus.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure he wishes to do battle with Furcus.


    But if he did that, that would give me time to create more Magical Energy.


    It¡¯s a priority problem. He chose Lemegeton.


    He became a blur, and I couldn¡¯t see him anymore. No, it¡¯s more like he is approaching me at terrifying speeds.


    Furcus tries to stop him with her spear, but he is essentially a human-shaped Wind Blade now and couldn¡¯t be stopped.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    In this very short amount of time, I manage to capture him in his sudden rush.


    I have him using the right arm of the armor that I¡¯m piloting.


    My eyes aren¡¯t particularly good and my reaction speed is average. Even if I were to train them, there are limits. Fields that I have no Aptitude for are very hard to improve.


    Even so, my eyes were once praised by Furcus.


    She said that I had strong observation skills.


    An Adventurer fanatic. Now turned Monster, where my hobby has become useful.


    The Adventurers on the Terminal screen who I respect and go crazy over. I have watched their actions countless times, over and over and over.


    Especially the higher-ranked ones.


    That¡¯s why I knew.


    I couldn¡¯t follow him with my eyes at all.


    However, if you know the starting point and the endpoint, then it doesn¡¯t matter what route he takes to get there.


    All that¡¯s left is to prepare my hand at the expected spot.


    The timing is difficult to grasp, but it isn¡¯t impossible.


    ¡¸¡­I knew it.¡¹


    His head that is sticking out the hand of the armor looks up at the helmet.


    What did he confirm just now¡­?


    It was only for a brief moment so it could have been a trick of the light, but the way he looked at me wasn¡¯t how one looked at an enemy, but rather how one looked at a friend¡­


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    In the next moment, the sound of creaking metal could be heard.


    I remember how difficult it was for the Gale Hero Ewan to break free.


    That¡¯s how strong the grip strength is on this armor.


    Even though I am gripping him will all that the armor can muster¡­even though¡­


    The hand is opening.


    I immediately apply pressure with the left hand to restrain him, but he can¡¯t be stopped.


    Starting with Furcus, the remaining Monsters turned their attention to me, but there was a flash of light.


    The number of Monsters that didn¡¯t get defeated, excluding the Reaper Knight Furcus and I, were two.


    Lighting in the form of a man was running across the floor.


    Smoke was slowly rising from Furcus¡¯s body.


    She was being burned by lightning.


    Even so, she pointed her spear at her enemy and held her ground.


    Unfortunately, the others were cut up by the Hero turned lightning.


    It was the Thunder Hero Scathach¡¯s Thunder Domain.


    ¡¸We meet again.¡¹


    Furcus responds to the lightning-clad Scathach¡¯s words with her spear.


    Back to my situation, Aerial has just escaped my hands.


    ¡¸I already know where you are in that armor.¡¹


    Restraining him was only to buy time.


    That¡¯s right, I was able to stall for time.


    His blade approaches. Just as he is about to pierce the armored chest section¡­


    ¡¸To me¡­Agares.¡¹


    The Time Demon Agares was summoned in the cockpit.


    ¡¸¡­I wondered where I would be summoned to when you were to call upon me, but I must say, isn¡¯t this a little too narrow, Lord Chief of Staff?¡¹


    I get it. This is a space that wasn¡¯t meant to accommodate two men.


    I put the key on the elbow rest and give an order to Agares.


    ¡¸Return this armor to its owner.¡¹


    ¡¸As you command.¡¹


    Before I knew it, I was on the shoulder of the armor.


    ¡¸Oh? Looks like I was just a little too late.¡¹


    No kidding.


    Aerial stabbed the cockpit seat with his Holy Sword.


    He looked up at me, our eyes met. Well, through the mask at least.


    ¡¸Trade blows with Furcus¡¯s spear to your heart¡¯s content.¡¹


    After that began the plan for Agares to use Spatial Mobility to teleport Furcus to the cockpit and start piloting it.


    ¡­I apologize for the new ventilation hole in the cockpit, but operating the armor itself should have no issue.


    Agares joins the remaining Majin. It won¡¯t be easy for them to escape this.


    ¡¸Well done. You have made it this far without having to unleash your horn.¡¹


    ¡¸The time that I unleash the horn will be the time that you are defeated.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t know that until you try.¡¹


    Then, I teleport to the final area.


    I exit the staff-only hidden room into the final area of the tenth stratum, only to be greeted by my ally.


    ¡¸Welcome back, Len.¡¹


    The Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re back faster than expected.¡¹


    ¡¸Is there a problem?¡¹


    She smiles and laughs.


    ¡¸Not at all. I¡¯m not particularly a fan of waiting.¡¹


    ¡¸That so?¡¹


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you glad to finally be able to fight as well?¡¹


    It is true that I have been fighting battles so far, but they were battles where I borrowed my allies¡¯ strength and then retreated.


    I would summon an ally, and then run deeper inside.


    Would I be happy to fight Aerial and the others?


    I think about it. No, I don¡¯t have to think about it at all.


    I put one foot in front of the other, going to meet my other subordinates as my lips form a smile.

 CH 173

    173 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 6 / Arrival


    Dungeon Clearing.


    A form of entertainment. However, I think it is different from just a simple form of entertainment.


    Or perhaps I should say, it is most definitely not just a form of entertainment to me.


    Fenix and I grew up in the remote countryside.


    How remote? Very, very, very remote.


    The mountains were our playground. The village is small enough that everyone who lives there knows everyone else.


    Well to be exact, my master lived outside the village, so he¡¯s an exception, but the village is small enough that it is very difficult to avoid someone who you don¡¯t get along with.


    It¡¯s for this very reason that the kids who bullied Fenix at the time never left him alone, but no matter how hostile they were, there was one thing that we all came together to enjoy.


    And that was Dungeon Clears.


    Since there was only one TV in the whole village, everyone would gather in one house to watch.


    Before the show began, there would be all kinds of arguments going around, but once it started, everyone would be absorbed by what¡¯s on screen.


    Whether they be young or old, men or women, they would all collectively forget their squabbles and alternate between happiness and sorrow as they worry over whether or not these Adventurers can Clear this Dungeon.


    I loved those times.


    A form of entertainment that brings people together, regardless of age.


    Back when I was a kid who looked up to Heroes, he was already a top-notch Adventurer.


    As I think that, I find it strange¡­


    ¡¸Hey there.¡¹


    ¡­that there would come a time where I would have to face off against that Hero I looked up to. A living legend.


    ¡¸You have arrived.¡¹


    Raising a hand as if he were greeting a friend, the Storm Hero Aerial.


    The final area where I await looks exactly like the time I welcomed the Fenix party.


    A long, dark passageway with a set of stairs at the end. On top of those stairs is a stone throne, behind which resides the door that leads to the deepest part of the Dungeon. Technically, it leads to a Safe Room, but it¡¯s because the setting states that you can fight with the Demon King after you defeat the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸You were sitting in that very chair when you fought Fenix as well, right? So I take that to mean that this is the final area?¡¹


    ¡¸That it is. It is also the area where you shall meet your end.¡¹


    He grins. It was aggressive, yet also looked like a happy smile.


    ¡¸That makes me happy. I don¡¯t often hear lines like that lately.¡¹


    Well, of course. There are few who can capture the world¡¯s 1st ranked and say to his face that they will defeat him.


    But I am the Demon King Castle¡¯s Chief of Staff. The Floor Boss of the tenth stratum. The protector of the door that leads to her Highness.


    No matter who the enemy is, they shall not pass.


    ¡¸Be that as it may, there are still yet more obstacles to overcome before I fight you.¡¹


    His gaze shifted to look to my sides.


    There are two people who are close to me.


    One of them is a Minotaur Black Sorcerer.


    One of the three that work directly under the Chief of Staff, the Black Explorer Foras.


    Equipped with a sword and shield, he looks like he has a knight-esque Job, but his specialty is actually Black Magic. A person who made great efforts to train himself to where he is now using the same methods I did.


    The other is a beautiful Human woman, sitting on the chair¡¯s armrest.


    Silver-gray long hair, and fiercely confident eyes of the same color.


    The 95th rank Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    She just floated down from the sky using magic and sat there.


    ¡¸My my, I suppose that¡¯s why you¡¯re 1st rank. I¡¯m not surprised.¡¹


    ¡¸I am the one who is surprised, Miss Ellie. Things just got more enjoyable. This is very different from the Demon King Castle I knew. Truly fascinating. To even have a Hero party as allies¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We have merely formed an alliance. For now, anyway.¡¹


    ¡¸There is something I must ask. Why go to the Monster¡¯s side?¡¹


    ¡¸The same reason you¡¯re here, old man.¡¹


    I only put in place one condition during my recruitment drive.


    You have to have the mettle to defeat Heroes.


    Ellie saw this and applied.


    What Aerial wishes for¡­is to fight someone strong who can stand toe-to-toe with him.


    Both of them are seeking the same thing.


    A satisfying fight.


    ¡¸Is that so? That¡¯s quite clear-cut.¡¹


    Wind started blowing around Aerial.


    ¡¸Let me have some fun with him first, Len.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure.¡¹


    As she moves down to meet him with her Wind Magic, four of her allies come out of their hiding places.


    Her uncommonly configured party of two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerers.


    And yet they are Adventurers that proved that they have true ability and are not just a novelty by getting to the top 100 parties among the many tens of thousands of other parties.


    In the final area, the battle starts with the five-man Ellie party and then me and my three subordinates. Which makes a total of nine.


    But that¡¯s not all.


    ¡¸We shall lend you a hand.¡¹


    A heavily armed Orc steps forward.


    The Dungeon Boss of the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, the Magnanimous Sage Ronove.


    To his side is the Centaur archer, the Horseless Archer Orobas, and around them were the Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs from the same Dungeon.


    For just this Raid Battle, these Monsters are temporary employees.


    They are doing the opposite of what Furcus and I did in the past.


    Rather than being sent out as reinforcements from the Demon King Castle, they were sent to the Demon King Castle.


    While their Dungeon may be called the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, they are now an All Level Dungeon.


    They are strong enough to repel the Nicola party, which is on the same 99-ish rank as the Ellie party.


    ¡¸Oh? ¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, you all are¡­¡¹


    Aerial seems to recall Thor, who is now Ronove, and crew.


    Considering how that matter with the Nicola party was constantly playing on TV, it isn¡¯t odd.


    ¡¸The enemy of Lord Lemegeton is our enemy! Do not falter because he is 1st ranked! This place is Lord Lemegeton¡¯s battlefield! Therefore, victory is assured! Isn¡¯t that right?!¡¹


    His subordinates roared in agreement at his speech.


    Unlike Thor¡¯s usually shy and timid attitude, he looks and sounds like a Dungeon Boss.


    With a body strong enough to withstand trading blows with Nicola¡¯s brother, the Diamond Hero Philip, he is a strong Dungeon Boss.


    And then we have¡­


    ¡¸Now don¡¯t get excited just because he¡¯s a handsome older man, OK~?¡¹


    The woman accompanied by countless Alraune is the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, inheritor of Unicorn blood.


    A female Beast Master who is able to change forms between a Centaur and a Human. She has a single, spiraling horn and light purple hair that goes up to her shoulders. She seems to have an Aptitude for battle, so she is a Beast Master who is also skilled at fighting.


    Forming a bond with these hard-to-handle plant Demi-Beasts, she is a Monster that boasts high mobility.


    ¡¸You asked for it, O Storm Hero.¡¹


    Even as I speak, the battle proceeds.


    Aerial uses his Holy Sword to stop another Holy Sword as Ellie slashes at him from the front.


    ¡¸¡­This is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, that was a slow reaction. Is something the matter?¡¹


    He was able to defend himself, but his movements were slightly slower.


    The two from Ellie¡¯s party, the Black Sorcerers from the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, Foras¡­


    ¡­and me.


    All of us assault the Storm Hero with Black Magic.


    He Resisted most of it, but there was more Black Magic than he expected, so some of it was able to go through.


    I wouldn¡¯t focus my Magical Energy and attention too much on that if I were him. He¡¯d be neglecting the frontal assault.


    By releasing Magical Energy and wrapping one¡¯s body with it, Resist is a Technique that allows one to escape the influence of other people¡¯s magic.


    Since Magical Energy that is released outside of the body will disperse quickly, a large amount of Magical Energy is needed to maintain it.


    Alas, Aerial has been continuously using up exorbitant amounts of Magical Energy up to now.


    Normally, he would go about the Clear while skilfully adjusting his consumption rate, but this time, he ignored all that while trying to chase after me.


    While that has caused me to suffer as well, his actions right now are far and away from the steady fighting style that he has a lot of experience in.


    ¡¸How is it? Our Black Magic.¡¹


    My voice seemed to reach him clearly after the Wind Blades used to attack and defend against Ellie had died down.


    ¡¸¡­It is truly splendid.¡¹


    He immediately adjusts what exactly to Resist.


    Just like Fenix did previously. He prioritizes repelling the debuffs that would inhibit his ability to fight, while receiving the debuffs that don¡¯t reduce his movement speed, like Defense Down, in order to lessen the burden.


    It¡¯s different for Fenix because his best friend is a Black Sorcerer, but this is not something that can be done normally.


    It requires the ability to sort out Black Magic, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if someone of Aerial¡¯s caliber has it, no?


    ¡¸I¡¯ll fight on hard so that I can see the powers of your horn next.¡¹


    The Storm Hero¡¯s Magical Energy swelled up.


    He is a threat even when he¡¯s alone.


    However, it appears that he isn¡¯t alone.


    Someone new has just arrived at the final area.

 CH 174

    174 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 7 / Events 1


    I got this information from the video after the fight.


    This is a record of the fights other than the one in the final area of the tenth stratum.


    First off, about the realm of watchdogs and necromancers.


    The Zombies controlled by the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris, along with the Hellhounds and Skeleton Warriors, were made invisible by the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas.


    In addition to that, the Black Wound Hunter Leraje and the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas both fired their arrows.


    The Watchdog of Hell Naberius was defeated when the Storm Hero Aerial bulldozed his way through.


    There are three Adventurers who stayed back in this place.


    Two from the 5th ranked Scathach party.


    The Faceless Archer Suuri, who is from the same village as Lily, Stolas at the time.


    The Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill, who chose to stay behind to accompany him.


    The other is from the 1st ranked Aerial party.


    The Gale Hero Ewan stayed behind in order to destroy not only his own Zombie but also that of the Frost Hero Bella.


    The match itself between the Hunters did not take too long.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    However, it is not hard to imagine that a great deal of thought went into both sides, including the moment when they drew their bows.


    Both sides have Godspeed. An Archery Technique that is unnoticeable to the naked eye.


    On Stolas¡¯s side, she has a Monster ally. On Suuri¡¯s side, he has a weapon that can change the trajectory of his arrows via Wind Magic.


    Lily¡¯s skill with the bow is without a doubt superior, but she doesn¡¯t have the Aptitude for Wind Magic, which is something that an Elf is commonly known to be good at.


    As an Elf Archer, Suuri is probably better.


    A good Archer plans to hit his mark with only his own arrows after reading the enemy¡¯s movements while facing his opponent.


    They wait for the right moment to pierce their target, as the battle situation changes from moment to moment.


    In that time, there was a conversation.


    A conversation that Suuri would most likely ask to be cut out of the video in the near future.


    ¡¸¡­Assuming if¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    It is rare for Suuri to ever respond to the enemy¡¯s conversation.


    Just as how he didn¡¯t give her an answer when being interrogated by Lily after they met again.


    That¡¯s why she decided to stand before him in this way.


    Even if he avoids conversing personally with someone from the same village, she will impede him from Clearing the Dungeon as a Monster so long as he doesn¡¯t defeat her as an Adventurer.


    ¡¸Assuming if, as you said, there was an Adventurer who used a bow Technique of Elf origin. Also assuming that that person is hiding their true identity by claiming to be a Normal. What is wrong with that?¡¹


    ¡¸If there was nothing wrong with it, why hide it then?¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps to avoid causing problems in the first place?¡¹


    Lily finds this unforgivable, but I can understand Suuri¡¯s decision.


    Elves are a race that refused to take part in the war-like times before Dungeon Clearing became a form of entertainment.


    A race that chose to side with neither Humans nor Monsters, choosing instead to reside in the forests.


    This is why there are many fans who express their disapproval at the descendants of those Elves taking part in Dungeon Clearing.


    Standing in the face of all that hate is a woman named Lily.


    Her efforts and achievements are now widely accepted, and the number of Elf Adventurers has increased recently.


    However, times were different when Suuri became an Adventurer.


    It became a topic of discussion in our party as well, about choosing to hide the fact that the person is an Elf while Adventuring in order to avoid unnecessary criticism.


    ¡¸If there are people who view that person¡¯s race as a problem, then they are the ones who are in the wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If a certain someone was not happy with that person¡¯s choice, that someone would find contentment in their own way. But what of their allies?¡¹


    That person is referring to Suuri, while the certain someone refers to Lily.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Stolas stopped talking.


    ¡¸People acknowledge people¡¯s battles, efforts, and victories. Demi-Humans mixing in is not a sin, but it merely creates noise.¡¹


    Even now, there are viewers who are not comfortable with Elf or Demi-Human Adventurers.


    Even if they are no longer the majority, they are still a loud minority.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Boring entertainment does not function as entertainment. Let¡¯s say that someone thinks about aiming for the top with Clears that ask the viewers to accept diversity. Who has the right to criticize that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Are you saying that that person chose a life of hiding his identity in order to not cause any trouble for his allies?¡¹


    ¡¸Foolish, I suppose, to the eyes of someone who doesn¡¯t know what should take precedence over pride.¡¹


    The Scathach party are a friendly bunch.


    It is unthinkable that they would force Suuri to hide his identity against his will.


    This is why I understood that if there was any reason for him to hide it, it was Suuri¡¯s own decision to do so.


    Suuri did not abandon his pride as an Elf, nor was he ashamed of it.


    He saw the reality and made a strategic decision.


    To not expose the party to criticism simply by joining them as an Elf.


    Lily chose to oppose the irrational hatred.


    Suuri adapted to reality.


    Finding out the true intentions of her senior after many years, Stolas¡¯s hands¡­shook.


    Suuri is aware of Stolas¡¯s true identity. He knows that she is Lily. And of her prowess.


    If this stalemate goes on any longer, he won¡¯t be able to rejoin his allies. That being said, it is not so easy to cause Stolas to create an opening.


    This is why, just this once, he personally touched on a topic that he decided he would not speak of and cause Lily¡¯s excellent archery skills to crumble.


    Disturbing the concentration of Godspeed, which requires the utmost concentration, to render it unusable.


    The match reached its conclusion in an instant.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    It is a victory for Stolas¡¯s side.


    Suuri¡¯s Godspeed was superb.


    In addition to the three arrows that were headed straight for Stolas¡¯s head, heart, and Magical Energy organ, there were two more high-angle shots that covered the left and right of her in case she tried to dodge the aforementioned three, which makes up a total of five arrows that were fired with Godspeed.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The Faceless Archer was not off the mark.


    However, he misinterpreted her.


    He thought that his little junior¡¯s heart was faltering after hearing of his true intentions.


    ¡¸Was he¡­was that man right?¡¹


    Stolas muttered quietly.


    An arrow stuck out of Suuri¡¯s chest.


    Three of his arrows pierced the Elf, and the other two were shot down.


    But the Elf that was damaged was not Stolas.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­Even though this is for the sake of victory, to think I¡¯d become your shield¡­¡¹


    It was the Black Wound Hunter Leraje. The Dark Elf Hunter.


    She is tall. Due to the height difference with Stolas, the vital spots that Suuri aimed for were off when they struck Leraje. Even so, the second arrow penetrated her abdomen.


    She wasn¡¯t just made invisible, she also used Elf Wind Magic to approach while evading detection.


    Even then, if he sensed her, he wouldn¡¯t allow her to get to point-blank range.


    Which is why she settled for this method.


    Combined with the fact that she¡¯s invisible, she would become Stolas¡¯s shield.


    Standing in the way of the arrow¡¯s trajectory, she receives the arrows in her stead.


    At the same time, the high-angle shots that were aimed at Stolas were shot down by Leraje¡¯s own Godspeed-like shots taught to her by Lily, it isn¡¯t easy to perfectly learn the real thing.


    Stolas¡¯s wavering was all an act. Although, that one moment where her hands shook was real.


    She wouldn¡¯t be able to use Godspeed in time.


    This is exactly why she planned to shoot an arrow normally when she predicted Suuri¡¯s aim.


    She never intended to bring Godspeed into this match in the first place.


    ¡¸¡­You have my thanks, Leraje.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph¡­ I merely carried out Lord Lemegeton¡¯s orders.¡¹


    Leraje¡¯s Avatar sustained fatal damage and crumbled into Magical Energy particles and scattered.


    Suuri¡¯s reading of her was not off the mark. If Lily had remained stubborn in her denial of his methods, she would have been shaken by his true intentions.


    The three of us, Fenix, Lily, and I, met face-to-face countless times.


    In those times, we got through to her.


    Even though it was a guess at the time, we told her the reason why Suuri would hide his face and become an Adventurer.


    It was certainly a shock to her at first.


    And then she was troubled by it.


    From the beginning, Lily never intended to hide her ears.


    And thought that Suuri was simply choosing to run away from the problem. She assumed that he thought being an Elf to be an inconvenience on their climb to the top.


    But even if it¡¯s not wrong, it¡¯s only one side of the story. What if there was an underlying thought of not wanting to cause problems for his allies?


    She worried about whether or not she had made the right choice.


    Downplaying the problems that she more or less caused for her allies due to her actions in order to keep her pride.


    However, she was thinking too much.


    ¡¸I cannot deny that person¡¯s thoughts. But this is what I think now. It is because they are that person¡¯s allies, all the more reason that that person should tell them what that person thinks is important.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    This discussion was already had when she joined the party. We all agreed that she would be an Adventurer with us without her having to hide her ears.


    And so after that, any opinions from the audience will be accepted by the party. This was never the responsibility of one person.


    Her ability in Dungeons was never in question, so there was never talk of kicking her out because of that.


    After the battle with Fenix, when I met her again, she was displeased with the fact that I hid my abilities while using my Black Magic to ensure everyone attains victory.


    Of course, she was tough on herself, so she was ashamed that she didn¡¯t notice my abilities sooner at first.


    She never pretended to be something she wasn¡¯t, so I guess she didn¡¯t like that I pretended to be something I wasn¡¯t.


    ¡¸That person¡¯s allies respect that person¡¯s will, right? However, I do not know if that person is satisfied with the status quo.¡¹


    Even though Elves are being acknowledged recently, Suuri revealing his race will cause another problem to arise.


    It¡¯s possible that viewers will think of him hiding his true identity up till now as lying to them.


    To some extent, there will be fans who take it that way. It wouldn¡¯t be odd for there to be people who think that he tricked them into believing that he was a Normal who hid his face.


    On the other hand, if Suuri were to discuss with his allies, everyone in the Scathach party would gladly agree to him revealing his race.


    That way, they can accept any criticism from anyone together as allies.


    Lily or Suuri, I don¡¯t know which method was the right one.


    However, hiding oneself for the sake of one¡¯s allies is not always a pleasure for them.


    Suuri did not reply to Stolas¡¯s words.


    Instead, he said this.


    ¡¸It would appear that you are a better Archer than I expected.¡¹


    The reason he didn¡¯t fire an arrow even until he was defeated is that Stolas was still vigilantly holding her bow at the ready.


    Or it¡¯s possible that he is admitting that he lost the match.


    Either way, the Faceless Archer left behind some uncharacteristically encouraging words¡­then he was defeated.


    Lily¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t able to reach Suuri as someone from the same race imposing what she believes is right.


    This time, they were able to confirm each other¡¯s thoughts in the end by confronting each other as enemies.


    Lily achieved her goal.


    Also, with the help of Leraje, she managed to perform her role as the Monster Stolas.


    The number of Adventurers left in the tenth stratum at that point in time¡­was seven.

 CH 175.1

    175 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 8 / Events 2 Part 1


    Naturally, while Leraje, Stolas, and Suuri were having their archery showdown, other people were fighting.


    It was thanks to this man that Suuri could afford to put all his attention into confronting Stolas with his bow.


    ¡¸Hoo boy¡­ It really sucks fighting invisible dudes.¡¹


    The troubled-looking but still easy-going man who is laughing at the face of it all is the Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill.


    One-by-one, he defeats the Monsters turned invisible by Glasya-Labolas with his Flying Slashes.


    ¡¸I was just thinkin¡¯, ain¡¯t this kinda lame? Cos the enemies are invisible, doesn¡¯t it kinda look like we¡¯re just waving around our swords at nothing? Will it look alright, Ewan buddy?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm! Now¡¯s really not the time!¡¹


    Ewan was currently fighting with his own Zombie and other Monsters.


    ¡¸Ahaha, yeah, you right¡­schwing.¡¹


    Even though it seemed as if he was fooling around, that slash had tremendous speed to it.


    It became a Flying Slash and intercepted a Wind Blade that was headed for Ewan.


    ¡¸¡­! You have my thanks¡­!¡¹


    Hamill put his index finger and his middle finger to his eyebrow and swung his arm forward in a sort of salute pose.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯ll almost done here, then I¡¯ll come over and help ya out.¡¹


    Warrior Job Adventurers who possess a Magic Sword are strong, but there are quite a few who tend to rely too much on their sword¡¯s abilities.


    Hamill is a sword-user type Warrior with his own strengths.


    His ability in battle can be counted among five others in the world, including the Samurai Masamune of the 1st ranked party and the Knight Lord Arthur of the 2nd ranked party.


    Said to be on the same level as Masamune, the Katana-user who can slice through magic, and Arthur, who can use a unique Holy Sword that isn¡¯t for Heroes, he is an excellent swordsman.


    However, he uses his abilities mainly for support.


    Between defeating the enemy or ensuring an ally¡¯s survival, he always picks the latter.


    This is why he has so few outstanding achievements when compared to those two people.


    However, if you looked closely at this Raid Battle, you would be able to surmise his true abilities.


    In the third stratum, he protected his allies against Carmilla¡¯s assault that used an enormous amount of blood, and he avoided Sitri¡¯s surprise decisive strike in the fifth stratum.


    Even though he suffered damage at the hands of Furcus in the eighth stratum, he was able to react to Furcus¡¯s movements while she unleashed her Ogre strength in Human form.


    Furcus was aiming for Aerial and that fight was decided more by her bizarre and unusual strategy rather than a pure and simple sword fight, so it can¡¯t be easily talked about.


    ¡¸The invisible guys are a pain, but the Skeletons make rattling noises, and you can hear the footsteps and breathing of the doggies so you can tell where they are.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think that he doesn¡¯t take things seriously.


    But I do think that his priority is to make his allies look good.


    Even now, he regularly takes on Monsters, taking down the ones that assault Suuri while letting others get really close to himself and saving Ewan at just the right time.


    Of course, he has a reason for not participating in Suuri and Stolas¡¯s match.


    He believes in Suuri¡¯s abilities.


    As long as no one else gets in the way, he believes Suuri will win, which is why he never made any moves aimed at Stolas.


    Of course, he is wary of the Demon King Castle side as well. Several of the Zombies of the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris were waiting on standby to provide support.


    They weren¡¯t interfering.


    And then it happened, almost as if it was timed just as the archery showdown started.


    No, the truth is that it probably was planned that way.


    Those on the same side who were made invisible can see each other. Leraje knew of Stolas¡¯s plan and the other Monsters knew it was time to move as soon as she did.


    ¡¸I was wondering when the big shots were finally gonna come for me.¡¹


    Hamill audaciously swings his sword from the floor towards the ceiling.


    The slash drew an arc heading directly upwards, intercepting a Glasya-Labolas that was about to attack him¡­at least that¡¯s how it would have gone.


    ¡¸Wha~t the¡­?¡¹


    A Zombie that could manipulate Wind Magic deployed an Air Wall to defend against Hamill¡¯s slash.


    At the same time, the air turns cold.


    A freezing attack by Bella¡¯s Zombie.


    Hamill immediately jumps to avoid the ice attack from freezing his feet to the floor.


    But the attacks didn¡¯t stop there.


    ¡¸Whoa, crap¡­! Godspeed?!¡¹


    Stolas fired off Godspeed while he was in the air, making it unavoidable for him.


    The fact that she is firing at him means that Suuri has lost. Otherwise, Suuri would not have allowed her to fire at his allies.


    It wouldn¡¯t be odd if his mind was taken over by the shock of Suuri¡¯s loss and dulled his movements, but instead he¡­


    He fired off two Flying Slashes at two arrows, skilfully used the belly of his blade and the pommel to block two more, caught one with his left hand, and tilted his neck to avoid the one aimed for his head. He dealt with all six arrows that were fired.


    Very impressive movements, but as expected, doing so ruins his posture. In addition, the floor remains frozen.


    He lands, almost falling over, but gets back up, then he swings his sword¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m not gonna-¡¹


    -make it in time.


    Gla-la lands while breaking the floor and bites onto his right arm.


    He starts to fly away, still holding onto his arm.


    Hamill grabs Gla-la¡¯s fur with his opposite hand and jumps in the same direction as Gla-la flies towards so that his arm won¡¯t get ripped off.


    Gla-la¡¯s flight almost reaches the ceiling.


    Hamill is smiling as usual.


    ¡¸Hey, you know my Magic Sword? It can make slashes go flying off, but you ever wonder what exactly a slash is?¡¹


    His Magic Sword draws from the will of the user. The slash is determined by the power as it is, and the speed is determined based on how fast it is swung. The user is the one who decides what is the start point and endpoint of a slash.


    The user¡¯s intention of¡¸I am slashing.¡¹to¡¸I have finished slashing.¡¹is the basis of whether something is a slash or not.


    In other words, it isn¡¯t necessary for him to swing the sword himself.


    So long as the user thinks it is a slash and the sword itself is moving, a Flying Slash can be activated.


    Which is why¡­


    ¡¸¡¯Cause I can¡¯t use magic, I don¡¯t get to fly like this often. It¡¯s cool. I¡¯ll die if I fall from here though. You shouldn¡¯t fly this far with that kinda momentum.¡¹


    Gla-la¡¯s actions weren¡¯t wrong.


    Just like that one time with that Thunder Hero guy, he would normally bite someone and then fly away while tearing off that part. Hamill instantaneously grabbing onto Gla-la, matching his movements, and flying away while he is still connected to his arm, essentially being eaten, is completely out of common sense.


    In addition to that is his mentality of thinking that the moment his arm was bitten is the¡¸I am slashing.¡¹point, and approaching the ceiling is the¡¸I have finished slashing.¡¹point.


    The Magic Sword manifests a Flying Slash based on Gla-la¡¯s flight distance and speed.


    The sword is in the Monster¡¯s mouth.


    The slash flickered, cutting up the Invisible Slaughterer from the inside.


    Magical Energy particles scatter about in place of blood which bathes Hamill as he begins to fall.


    Sadly, this means that Glasya-Labolas was defeated.


    However, Hamill¡¯s arm is barely connected to him. It no longer has the strength to swing the blade.


    But this is just his dominant hand.


    He immediately puts the sword in his other hand and shouts.


    ¡¸Ewan! Defend!¡¹


    Ewan complies with his uncharacteristically serious-sounding voice.


    Immediately after, a torrent of Flying Slashes rains down upon the first area.


    All-Seeing Slash.


    A skill of Hamill¡¯s own invention where he instantly produces countless tiny slashes to rain down on the enemy.


    How it works isn¡¯t too hard to understand.


    If the Flying Slash is made from the movement of the sword from the¡¸I am slashing.¡¹point to the¡¸I have finished slashing.¡¹point, then it is possible to segment a usual single swing¡¯s starting and endpoint into starting point till A, A till B, B till so on until it reaches the endpoint.


    If his usual slashes are precise and meaningful, taking down enemies one by one, then this is an AoE attack. [1. TL Note: The word used to describe his attack is equivalent to what we use in English to describe enemy Area of Effect attacks in games where a single attack can damage multiple entities.]


    He swung his sword in all directions sending out a flood of tiny swords boasting terrifying speed and power.


    The problem is that, in a short amount of time that is further ticking away, he must change his perception rapidly to activate the Flying Slashes.


    Above all, for this to be a successful AoE attack, he has to fire off an enormous amount of slashes instantaneously.


    To pull that off with his non-dominant hand, while falling, and not be concerned that an ally is within range¡­amazing.


    He continues to swing his sword towards the entire first area floor with his left hand.


    The sounds of Hellhounds crying out and the bones of Skeletons breaking apart rang out.


    Ewan seemed to be clad in an armor of air.


    That¡¯s right, Hamill was warning Ewan.


    Even the Monsters of the Demon King Castle heard him.


    Kimaris¡¯s reaction was swift.


    He probably started preparing the moment Gla-la was defeated.


    Excluding a portion of them, he stored away his Zombies. Their shadows began to squirm and then they sank into them.


    It proved useful in the Fenix battle how invisibility works well with Zombies.


    Its abilities may be the same as the originals, but an Avatar without a personality cannot be said to be equal in strength to the originals.


    By being turned invisible, they can put the strength of their magic to good use without having to fight a losing battle.

 CH 175.2

    175 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 8 / Events 2 Part 2


    When Gla-la was defeated, his invisibility was canceled.


    The location of the necromancer Kimaris is also revealed to the enemy.


    Removing what is necessary, his decision to recover them was correct.


    He himself used Bella¡¯s Zombie to deploy an ice wall to guard against the slashes.


    ¡¸I wanna take down that Elf chick too.¡¹


    Stolas aims her bow at Hamill.


    However, it is extremely difficult to find an empty space in between the countless slashes. Also, there is no time.


    ¡¸As an individual, you are probably better than me. However¡­¡¹


    Stolas has figured it out.


    A party is made up of five people. And they have to defeat a lot of Monsters.


    The skill required by each person is considerable.


    Even so, it is basically assumed that the Hero party will Clear the Dungeon.


    Heroes are overwhelming forces, but even the Adventurers who support them are important.


    So how do you defeat such Adventurers?


    It is a fact that most Monsters who challenge a Hero to a one-on-one fight cannot win.


    This hard fact, with some exceptions, will never be overturned in a person¡¯s lifetime.


    Yet even then, they can lose.


    If your numbers are large, make good use of them.


    If you can¡¯t win in a one-on-one battle, then make use of your power for something other than that.


    So long as it results in the total annihilation of the Adventurers, then that is an absolute win for the Monsters.


    ¡¸I thank you all for your dedication.¡¹


    At the moment after their invisibility wore off, the Hellhounds and the Skeletons all ran toward Stolas.


    There are those who didn¡¯t make it in time, but there are those who did.


    The Hellhounds leap and the Skeletons raise their shields.


    They offer their lives to decrease the number of slashes that are assaulting Stolas and blocking her line of sight.


    One Skeleton throws away its shield and stands in front of Stolas, arms spread.


    To Stolas, that was the best possible support she could ever get.


    The last of them broke and shattered. Soon after, even Stolas¡¯s body was torn up.


    But she made it in time.


    She fired one shot.


    She found a gap the size of the eye of a needle in between all his sword swings and fired.


    Stolas uses her bow as a shield to remain on the field for even a moment longer.


    For if she perishes, then the arrow would disappear as well. So she wants to survive at least until the arrow hits him.


    And then¡­the arrow pierces Hamill¡¯s right leg.


    ¡¸You¡¯re kiddin¡¯ me¡­¡¹


    I think I know who Hamill saw in Stolas.


    It takes someone like Suuri to pull off the archery technique that she did just now.


    He is falling, but he still hasn¡¯t been defeated.


    This is because there was someone to stop his fall gently with Wind Magic.


    ¡¸Whoa¡­thanks, Ewan buddy. You doin¡¯ alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, somehow.¡¹


    Ewan was struggling with a lot of Zombie opponents, but now that most of them were gone, he could focus on his own Zombie.


    Ewan¡¯s Zombie was aiming for Hamill so he splendidly took that opportunity and succeeded in destroying it.


    As a result, he was able to help out Hamill.


    ¡¸But, y¡¯know¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I do.¡¹


    It isn¡¯t over yet.


    From the battered and broken ice wall, an additional snowball was being formed.


    The snowball was sent out on a collision course with Ewan.


    Right now, Hamill is behind him, so Ewan has no choice but to stand his ground and intercept it.


    He fired a huge Wind Blade directly in front of him, but his eyes went wide with shock at the figure that jumped out of the cut-up snowball.


    ¡¸Bella¡­!¡¹


    Barely dodging the Wind Blade, Bella¡¯s Zombie closes in on Ewan.


    Due to his acquaintance with Bella, Ewan is bewildered by the Zombie¡¯s actions.


    This certainly doesn¡¯t seem like something Bella would do.


    Engaging the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.


    It grew blades of ice from the palms of its hands and was skilfully slashing and stabbing at him.


    Also, there was someone running atop the broken snowball.


    It was Kimaris.


    ¡¸We can see you, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸I know full well.¡¹


    He deftly fended off Hamill¡¯s Flying Slashes.


    He may be a Necromancer, but he has the Aptitude of a Warrior.


    Subsequently, the water flow created by Ice Magic was completed.


    Kimaris skilfully glides across the route of ice that looks like a wave or a rainbow.


    He was headed towards Hamill.


    Any Flying Slashes aimed at Kimaris will be fended off, and even if he were to destroy the ice route, it can easily reform itself.


    Kimaris always seems to pass by his right side, so Hamill cannot currently display his usual abilities.


    With his right arm and leg damaged, he has to face and cut down his enemy with his left arm and leg.


    ¡¸Gh¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Bella. It appears I will be destroying your Avatar. If you have any complaints, you can tell them to me next we meet!¡¹


    Ewan cut off Bella¡¯s arm with his Holy Sword, then stabbed it in the heart, and from there, sliced upwards towards its head.


    Her Avatar was released from its necromancy and scatters.


    ¡¸¡­This doesn¡¯t feel right at all.¡¹


    Defeating the user should cause the road of ice to disappear.


    Ewan was about to go and help Hamill when¡­he noticed a sword came flying in Hamill¡¯s direction.


    ¡¸Ts!¡¹


    He swung his Holy Sword as quickly as he could, but there was no way he could make it in time.


    However, in the end, the trajectory of the sword that was thrown by Kimaris deviated, cutting Ewan¡¯s cheek and flying past him.


    Kimaris¡¯s aim was never Hamill in the first place.


    He wanted his heart to waver even slightly by letting him strike down Bella and taking advantage of his desire to immediately go to Hamill¡¯s aid to deal a decisive blow.


    Kimaris¡¯s specialty is ultimately necromancy.


    Unless you are a martial artist of Furcus¡¯s caliber, a master of high-level necromancy will have a tough time challenging a Hero.


    Having lost his ghosts, all that¡¯s left is honest to goodness swordplay.


    If magic is involved, victory will be difficult.


    Knowing this, he came up with a plan.


    ¡¸¡­That did not go as planned.¡¹


    Kimaris¡¯s body shifted diagonally and quickly turned into Magical Energy particles.


    He was sliced by Hamill.


    The Monsters of the first area were defeated.


    Ewan was stunned and stared at his own sword.


    ¡¸No¡­just now, that was¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yo~, Ewan buddy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Th-that¡¯s right. Sir Hamill!¡¹


    Returning to his senses, Ewan rushes to Hamill¡¯s side.


    ¡¸Quickly, use a repair potion!¡¹


    ¡¸Nah man, it¡¯s too late for that.¡¹


    Avatar Repair Potions are a temporary measure.


    Hamill¡¯s wounds are deep, but if they were to use it right away, he may be able to stay alive till the final area.


    Of course, assuming that he goes to the final area practically without any stops, but¡­


    If he can do that, someone as skilled as Hamill could probably still contribute to this Clear.


    Unfortunately, this was not meant to be.


    ¡¸That big doggie got me good.¡¹


    Gla-la¡¯s claws destroyed Hamill¡¯s Repair Potion.


    You are only allowed to use your own items, so Ewan can¡¯t lend him his.


    ¡¸¡­?! Ah¡­that¡¯s why Kimaris¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Probably. I¡¯m a pawn that can¡¯t be left alone until the end, so he used me as a way to catch ya off guard. But hey, nice parry back there, lil¡¯ dude.¡¹


    Air Armor demands very delicate Magical Energy management. It is difficult to maintain the Wind Magic around you with a certain level of defensive power while matching your movements.


    Since he had just released a giant Wind Blade and fought with Bella, he did not have Air Armor on when the sword came flying his way.


    Even if it sounds convenient, it isn¡¯t feasible to always have it on and continue to fight.


    ¡¸That was¡­merely a coincidence. At that time, all I could think of was coming to Sir Hamill¡¯s aid. The thought of being attacked didn¡¯t even occur to me.¡¹


    Ewan looked down.


    There were no more Magical Energy signatures of Zombies and Kimaris himself possesses no form of long-range attacks.


    It isn¡¯t strange to think as he did.


    This is exactly why Kimaris threw his sword at him.


    ¡¸Ain¡¯t that great? Not only the Spirit, but luck is your ally too!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Come on, get a move on, buddy. You¡¯re a Hero too, right?¡¹


    While being able to help Hamill once, he got through fighting against the Zombies of several excellent Adventurers without a scratch and fulfilled the proclamation he made in the beginning to destroy Bella and his own Avatars.


    He no longer has any weaknesses that the enemy can take advantage of.


    Ewan raised his head and there was a smile on his face. A smile to keep himself going.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be off.¡¹


    ¡¸The rest is up to you, heh.¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to me!¡¹


    Ewan headed towards the door with Wind Magic and he soon disappeared into the passageway connecting this area with the second area.


    During that time, Hamill had a foolhardy smile on his face as he was left behind, but as soon as Ewan couldn¡¯t see him anymore, his expression began to warp.


    Into one of extreme regret.


    ¡¸¡­Dammit.¡¹


    He slowly drags his Magical Energy leaking body, using his sword as a cane, towards the door.


    He wants to get to the battlefield where his leader, the Thunder Hero Scathach, is.


    Unfortunately, this was not meant to be.


    He probably knows this all too well, but that will not stop him from trying his best to reunite with his comrades until this body shatters.


    The number of Adventurers left at this point in time¡­is six.

 CH 176

    176 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 8 / Events 3


    To the Adventurers, the reborn tenth stratum might sound like trouble, but even though they are fighting the same Monsters doesn¡¯t mean that they pose the same threat that they did before.


    Even if they are summoned with brand new Avatars, there are unavoidable problems.


    Take the Vampire Queen Carmilla for example.


    She was able to drive the Adventurers into a corner last time because of her plan involving blood-sucking leeches, in addition to her abilities.


    Even if an Avatar were to eat food, that wouldn¡¯t become nutrition for the main body.


    Even if an Avatar were to suck blood, that wouldn¡¯t become strength for the main body.


    Therefore, she cannot use that power for her rematch with the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.


    Kimaris couldn¡¯t use the ghosts that were destroyed previously, and the Time Demon Agares was summoned not long after he started replenishing the spent Magical Energy in his horn.


    Carmilla and the Impaling Daughter Haagenti put up a hard fight as normal Vampires, but they failed to murder Herv, who is a descendant of those bathed in dragon blood.


    The Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias demonstrated his power as a Floor Boss and overwhelmed the Destroyer Fran, who is simply strong, and I almost thought he had her.


    He managed to break her grotesque right arm which greatly reduced her mobility.


    Her right arm, which caused nothing but uncharacteristic violence, has now become nothing but dead weight.


    However, she let Marchosias¡¯s claws sink into her right collar.


    Doing that, she was able to tear off her right arm from the joint.


    In that state, she threw the severed arm at Marchosias, then attacked him while his guard was down, biting his windpipe.


    It would have been impossible to kill Marchosias in that kind of situation.


    But in this battle, that Destroyer is the exception among exceptions.


    A rare, illogical existence.


    Perhaps related to her growing up with Wraith, she normally looks and acts well behaved.


    But her actions in getting out of that predicament and defeating Marchosias were bizarre.


    By the time Ewan reached the second area, all the Monsters were annihilated.


    Ewan met up with Fran, who took a Repair Potion to stop the bleeding, and Herv who said ¡¸I like your style!¡¹to Fran as she supported her by carrying her side.


    In terms of the scale of battle, the one in the third area can be said to be the largest.


    The Ruler of the Waters Vepar summoned a fleet of pirate ships and she wielded Water Magic.


    The Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim poured all his strength into attacking, creating large-scale Wind Magic.


    First off, Wraith dived underwater to destroy the fleet from below.


    He would blow a hole in the bottom of the ship and then use Wind Magic to capsize it.


    He overpowered them in the aquatic Monsters¡¯ own field, but Vepar could not allow that.


    You would know if you watched him that he is particularly good at using Wind Magic.


    Possibly the influence of having Aerial as his teacher.


    No matter how talented a Hero he is, he isn¡¯t perfect in every element.


    He is very good at creating the illusion that he¡¯s good at every element, but there is a difference in proficiency with each one.


    From most proficient to least, the order would probably be wind, water, earth then fire.


    Due to the bad weather and the Water Blade, he can¡¯t freely fly around, and Vepar in the sea and Caim in the skies block his way.


    He could or might have been able to force his way through like Aerial did.


    But¡­


    ¡¸I guess even the Water Hero can¡¯t get away from water-users, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸How about borrowing the power of the Spirit? I¡¯d love to see it in action, boy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sorry lady, I¡¯m not gonna use it.¡¹


    Wraith has another problem he has to deal with in order to pass through.


    Magical Energy.


    Magical Energy-related abilities are hard to develop. This applies to Heroes as well.


    The only way is to increase the maximum amount little by little by continuously using the Magical Energy organ.


    The Frost Hero Bella is an excellent Adventurer, but in the Fenix battle, she used the time in between her magic spells to regenerate her Magical Energy. She knew of the necessity to fight while considering such things.


    Even if Wraith has been training and training since he was a child, there is a limit.


    In Bella and Ewan¡¯s cases, they are Spirit Contractors. In times of emergency, they can borrow the Magical Energy from the Spirit.


    But Wraith, on the other hand, refuses to make a contract.


    Not only can he not receive Spirit Magic, but he can¡¯t receive a blessing of Magical Energy either.


    The youngest age one would start as an Adventurer if they had gone through School would be thirteen-years-old, but Wraith flew right past that stage and took part in a Raid Battle at the age of ten.


    With how he rushed through each area and the flashy way he fought in this area, he used a considerable amount of Magical Energy.


    Unlike the other strata, you can¡¯t set your affairs in order after defeating a Boss-class Monster.


    He has to break through to the final area as he is.


    Perhaps taking that into consideration, Wraith takes up a defensive stance.


    Thinking that, Vepar began to attack him, but the truth is, her assumption was wrong.


    ¡¸You¡¯re late, Ewan.¡¹


    ¡¸We came as fast as we could.¡¹


    The two young Heroes exchanged smiles.


    He believed that the comrades in the previous areas would catch up with him, so he was waiting.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯ll leave the Fish Men to you, Herv.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    On what¡¯s left of the sand pathway, the Fish Men warriors detected Herv and Fran and came up from beneath the sea.


    Wraith didn¡¯t say anything to Fran.


    Their eyes met, and that was it. It was more than enough.


    Even I know how easy a battle will become once you can leave the other enemies to your allies.


    By the end of the fierce battle, both Vepar and Caim were crushed.


    Herv tore the Fish men apart and threw them away, tore them and threw them away, over and over until they were all defeated.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m pretty sure you would have been able to take them all on by yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸Meh, I just thought it¡¯d be a lot easier if I had help.¡¹


    Ewan and Wraith were franker with each other than before, cracking jokes.


    Returning to the sand pathway, he looked at his childhood friend again.


    ¡¸Hey, your arm¡­you gonna be alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright.¡¹


    What each person saw when they went towards the fourth area was a smoldering and smoking battlefield and the form of the Thunder Hero Scathach¡­on his knees.


    There was no one else around.


    ¡¸Sir Scathach!¡¹


    He turned his head slowly towards the rushing Ewan.


    ¡¸Yo Fiver, you dead?¡¹


    He laughed in response to Herv¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸Unfortunately not, you muscle girl.¡¹


    Scathach glossed over his stab wound in the abdomen with a Repair Potion and was resting to regenerate some Magical Energy in order to head towards the final area.


    Aerial destroyed Furcus¡¯s armor and went towards the final area before her true body came out of it.


    ¡¸Furcus and Agares were here? You defeated them by yourself?¡¹


    Scathach stood up while nodding at Wraith¡¯s question.


    ¡¸Aerial¡¯s the one who took care of Furcus¡¯s armor, though. But even then, she was hell to deal with.¡¹


    Furcus had no armor, and Agares did not have Magical Energy from his horn to rely on. But even then, they are both formidable Floor Bosses.


    The Reaper Knight is the mightiest martial artist and the Time Demon has an incredible Magical Energy organ.


    In the fourth area, Scathach used Thunder Domain twice.


    It is a Technique where he runs around the field as fast as lightning, slashing his foes with his Holy Sword as he goes.


    Most of the enemies were defeated with the first use, but the Floor Bosses didn¡¯t die.


    Usually, it is a skill that is so fast that even the user can¡¯t aim with it, but Scathach is a rare individual who has complete control over it.


    But having the ability to aim means provoking Furcus to counterattack.


    If there is intent, my sword master will read it and match it.


    I learned that much from the Tag Tournament.


    Scathach used Thunder Domain but he was stabbed by a spear instead.


    As expected of him, he quickly put distance between them after an unexpected situation.


    Thinking that he was read by Furcus, he decided to use it a second time but relinquished control this time.


    He ran around the field at speeds that he himself had no idea when or where he will cut, wreaking havoc on Furcus¡¯s ability to read his movements.


    Knowing that an average lighting strike would not be enough to take down Agares or Furcus, he used Spirit Magic meant normally for groups to defeat just two opponents.


    This is how he ran out of Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Are Suuri and Hamill¡­¡¹


    ¡¸They¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, the fact that you¡¯re here means they won. That¡¯s all that matters.¡¹


    Scathach frowned at the absence of his allies, but he quickly faced forward.


    ¡¸Let us win this. For the sake of those two!¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, I¡¯m gonna go on ahead.¡¹


    Herv was already opening the door.


    Scathach smiled wryly at her and started walking.


    The number of Adventurers who reached the final area is¡­six.


    The Storm Hero Aerial. There are several small lacerations on his whole body.


    The Gale Hero Ewan. No noticeable damage.


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. She has made a full recovery thanks to her regenerative ability.


    The Thunder Hero Scathach. There is a stab wound through his abdomen. Repair Potion was used.


    The Water Hero Wraith. Minor damage.


    The Destroyer Fran. Missing right arm. Repair Potion was used.


    Unfortunately, every Hero that participated in this Raid Battle was permitted to enter the final area.


    However, even still, I will not let them make it to the eleventh stratum.

 CH 177

    177 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 10 / The Summoning


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    The Minotaur Black Sorcerer, who is a subordinate directly under the Demon King Army, the Black Explorer Foras raised his voice.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I already knew what he was going to tell me.


    Other invaders besides the Storm Hero Aerial have appeared. At almost the same time.


    The Gale Hero Ewan, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the Thunder Hero Scathach, the Water Hero Wraith, and the Destroyer Fran.


    All the Heroes who partook in this Raid Battle have reached here.


    I stand up and look down at them.


    ¡¸I am sure the lot of you must be thinking this:¡ºNext is the Demon King.¡»¡ºWe shall defeat the Demon King.¡». It would seem that I must teach you just how foolish those thoughts are.¡¹


    The 1st rank, 3rd rank, 5th rank, and a Four Great Spirits Contractor with Destroyer tag-team.


    These members are almost the strongest line-up that mankind can muster.


    And they have actually invaded the final area of the tenth stratum.


    If there is anything I regretted about the Fenix party battle¡­


    While I couldn¡¯t have been more satisfied with the fight against my best friend itself, from a defense standpoint, the fact that it got that far is a failure, I believe.


    There are many viewers who had the opinion that it was a close fight.


    Many of them are under the impression that they could have cleared the Demon King Castle if they had just done a little more.


    Even if I were to stop their Clear here, they would say the same thing again.


    The victory that I am leading Monsters towards is a series of strategies.


    Different from the overwhelming violent capabilities that these high-ranking Heroes possess.


    ¡¸Oho, I¡¯m looking forward to that.¡¹


    Aerial was laughing.


    While he easily fends off the Undefeated Hero Ellie¡¯s mirage surprise attacks with his Holy Sword.


    My retreat so far was originally supposed to be where I would summon subordinates to oppose their Clear and then calmly return to the final area.


    That plan went down the drain due to Aerial¡¯s pursuit of me.


    Right here, right now, it isn¡¯t enough to just annihilate them all after a fierce battle.


    I need to make a strong impression on them and the viewers.


    That no matter what happens, the Demon King Castle will never fall.


    That no matter who it is, they will not kill the ruler of the Demon King Castle.


    And what is required for that¡­is a certain someone.


    There is no one else I can call other than her.


    A black material covers my right arm. A hard material where something cone-shaped grows out of my elbow.


    ¡¸¡­So that¡¯s your horn, huh?¡¹


    As expected of top-notch fearless fighters, none of them flinched at my Magical Energy.


    Even so, they probably realize it purely because they are powerful people.


    Realized that the Magical Energy in my horn isn¡¯t running dry at all.


    I used it all during the Fenix fight? Yeah, I did. There was nothing left.


    Was what I showed in the fight with Nicola my full strength? Not at all, I didn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy at the time.


    And now¡­


    I learned it¡­the new skill that absorbs Magical Energy from the Dungeon Core.


    The very air trembles.


    ¡¸Ahaha. That¡¯s the spirit, Lemegeton!¡¹


    Wraith uses Wind Magic to float and flies towards me.


    Scathach and Ewan ready their Holy swords and Herv pulls out her Cursed Sword.


    Fran runs after her childhood friend.


    I move to the side of the chair, the opposite end of where Foras is, and we both kneel down.


    Then, I let Magical Energy flow into the ring.


    Every ounce of purified and condensed Magical Energy in the horn is lost.


    ¡¸¡­This way, my liege.¡¹


    The world seemed to scream as this being moved through space.


    It was different from the usual summoning.


    For this being is rarely the one that is summoned. The task of opening the way for her is such a tremendous thing.


    Suddenly, the space in front of the throne cracks.


    ¡¸So you have called me, my Chief of Staff.¡¹


    A small hand reaches out of the crack. The cracked space peels off much like that of an eggshell, and then, she appears.


    Crimson hair longer than her body, a blazing pair of eyes, and a set of black horns.


    Whosoever looks down on her diminutive, child-like stature shall never be forgiven.


    But of course, I doubt there is anyone who could spit out such drivel after bathing in the overwhelming Magical Energy her Highness is releasing.


    ¡¸Do you wish me to slaughter them?¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all, my liege. I merely wish you to show them your imperial majesty.¡¹


    I do not intend to have her Highness do the same thing that my master did during his time.


    Eliminating them all by himself. Certainly, it would live up to the name of Impregnable.


    However, we shall win by ourselves. I have no intention of destroying the premise of entertainment that everyone has labored to create.


    But in contrast with how the Adventurers enter the Dungeon from the start with a Hero of the highest combat ability, the Demon King greets the enemy who has reached the deepest stratum.


    It is a well-known fact that my master is no longer in the Demon King Castle.


    This is why it was necessary to inform them once.


    It is true that the Demon King Lucifer has retired.


    But the Demon King Castle hasn¡¯t changed. There still exists the strongest being that will force the Adventurers to fight for all eternity.


    ¡¸Oho¡­¡¹


    Luci¡­no, I should call her by her Dungeon Name.


    The Demon King Lady Lucifa curves her lips cheerfully.


    ¡¸You truly are my loyal subject. Very well, if my beloved children so desire it. I shall show them the disparity in rank as you count to five with your fingers.¡¹


    Her Highness then disappeared.


    At that moment, the Adventurers¡¯ shouts echoed out.


    Aerial, Scathach, and Ewan all say the same words.


    ¡¸Hear me, O Spirit¡­!¡¹


    I suppose they felt it instinctively. That they would immediately require the aid of the Spirit.


    However¡­


    ¡¸How noisy.¡¹


    One by one, Herv¡¯s Cursed Sword, and Scathach and Ewan¡¯s Holy Sword were destroyed.


    It was all too fast for my eyes to follow.


    Only a crimson afterimage could let me know that her Highness was running around the field.


    ¡¸Hm? Well, you¡¯re as tough as I thought.¡¹


    Only Aerial¡¯s Holy Sword kept its shape as a sword.


    Yet it was cracked all over.


    Even so, when he turned to face and fight the Demon King, it broke and shattered anyway.


    It only lasted that long because of the divine protection of the main Wind Spirit.


    She said count to five¡­she destroyed all the Adventurer¡¯s weapons before even reaching five.


    ¡¸I shall return to my quarters. I am fairly certain I will not see all your faces again.¡¹


    Her Highness is proclaiming that we will win. So they won¡¯t be able to see her Highness¡¯s face again.


    ¡¸Wait.¡¹


    Lighting flashed.


    A lightning-wreathed Scathach swings his right leg in an arc at the spot where her Highness was just a moment ago.


    His lightning-fast kick missed.


    Our Lady now stood behind Scathach without making so much as a sound.


    ¡¸Did you not hear me? Your opponent shall be my children-¡¹


    ¡¸Thunder Domain ¨C Guiding Needle.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Just as I thought Scathach disappeared, lightning flashed with alarming frequency around her Highness.


    Thunder Domain is an indiscriminate AoE Attack of which Scathach has complete control.


    What he is doing right now is an advanced version where he can focus on a single target, causing lightning to strike her from all directions.


    Her Highness became a blur¡­It seems that she handled all the lightning strikes with her two hands.


    Just as how I defended myself against Fenix¡¯s Flames of the Gods, she is able to defend herself using high-density Magical Energy.


    Her Highness must be wearing it like armor.


    ¡¸Hey, hey, Scathach! Let me get in on the action too!¡¹


    Herv is running in. I summon her in her path.


    ¡¸To me¡­Berith.¡¹


    Herv stops when she sees the female Insect-Human who appeared and immediately looked delighted.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, I know you¡­Ah, you were with Lem in the Tag Tournament.¡¹


    ¡¸It is an honor to be known by a 3rd rank Hero.¡¹


    It was alright for her to use a Monster Avatar during the Tag Tournament thanks to the special rules, but this time, it¡¯s a Dungeon Clear. To compensate, she has on Insect-Human reminiscent decorations and a loose-fitting costume.


    The Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith. The person underneath is the Silver Hero Nicola.


    My friend, my dear fan, and my partner in the Tag Tournament.


    ¡¸You workin¡¯ here now?¡¹


    ¡¸For now. I heard that I might be able to fight you.¡¹


    ¡¸Yer makin¡¯ me blush. Unfortunately, my Cursed Sword¡¯s all busted. But I think I can still play with you¡­ Do you know about my Spirit Magic?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Of course. The Spirit does not like the curse of the Cursed Sword. While you¡¯re equipped with the Cursed Sword, the Spirit doesn¡¯t lend you its strength out of anger, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? You sure know your stuff. That about sums it up. I don¡¯t get a lotta chances to use it, but it¡¯s Earth Elemental, just like you.¡¹


    Herv spreads her arms and rocks cover them.


    ¡¸You love brawls, right? Let¡¯s do this.¡¹


    The Cursed Sword-less Hero of the Cursed Sword smiles belligerently as she slams her fists together.


    ¡¸I would like nothing more than to be your opponent.¡¹


    Berith¡¯s arms were covered in silver.


    ¡¸I guess the Demon King ignoring me means that you¡¯re gonna be my opponent?¡¹


    Wraith approaches me through the skies.


    Right now, I am his enemy. I shall tell him what I think as the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    ¡¸You are out of the question. You aren¡¯t even worthy of being a Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    ¡¸To me, Bennu.¡¹[1. TL Note: Another demon from the Goetia¡­NOT! Bennu is an ancient Egyptian Deity linked with the Sun, creation, and rebirth. Its depiction resembles a heron and may be the origin of the Phoenix legend in Greek Mythology. Guessed who it is yet?]


    Those flames burned blue.


    It was a Majin. Two horns grew towards the back from the sides of his head.


    His hair was the deepest of blue and extremely long.


    He has on a metallic mask that covers his entire face.


    The Immortal Demon Bennu.


    The Flame Hero Fenix¡¯s Majin Avatar.


    ¡¸He¡¯s a brat who doesn¡¯t realize his own folly. Give him a little roasting.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Emitting flames, Bennu dashes to the sky.


    ¡¸¡­Who the hell are you? My fight is with Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Those who are unworthy shall not pass.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m a Hero, dammit. I defeat Monsters and lead my allies to victory.¡¹


    ¡¸How loud you boast about things you have yet to do.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t get what either of you have been saying. Screw it, bring it on.¡¹


    Storm winds swirl as blue flames flare-up.


    Most people won¡¯t realize it, but a battle between Four Great Spirits Contractors is about to begin.


    ¡¸Hmm, things are getting lively.¡¹


    The second Aerial struck his open palm with his fist, the laws of the world were warped.


    ¡¸Ewan, fire Wind Blades in all directions.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes.¡¹


    In the end, a Holy Sword is just a sword that received divine protection.


    Spirit Magic can be used unaffected.


    The Wind Blades that Ewan fired in all directions ripped apart each Monster from the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon from their front.


    ¡¸Fran, go on a rampage as you like to do.¡¹


    Fran kicked empty space and her foot, and only her foot, appeared in front of the Orc Dungeon Master, the Magnanimous Sage Ronove, delivering an explosive blow to his chest.


    Ronove withstands the blow while getting sent back quite a bit.


    The arrows fired by the Horseless Archer Orobas would disappear mid-flight and, for some reason or other, appear to attack her from behind.


    The surrounding Orcs immediately held up their shields to repel the arrows, but they were unsettled by the strange occurrences.


    But they should soon realize what is happening. It was confirmed in the video of the ninth stratum.


    Complete control over space. One of the Esoteric Spirit Magics, Sky Garden.


    ¡¸Now then, Sir Lemegeton, how exactly will you defeat me?¡¹


    In answer to his question, I¡­

 CH 178.1

    178 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 11 / Investigating the Garden Part 1


    ¡¸¡­I thought I said that I would take my leave.¡¹


    Her Highness¡¯s summoning took some time. Of course, it takes the same amount of time to prepare a return trip for her.


    It¡¯s a problem on the summoning system side.


    I don¡¯t know if the Thunder Hero Scathach thought that far, but as a result, he has managed to keep her Highness from retreating.


    Defeating the Demon King is the duty of a Hero.


    As a Hero, there is no action more righteous than that.


    However, whether that is possible or not is another matter.


    At the very least, I can¡¯t say that it is a good plan to attack the Demon King alone, wounded, and without a Holy Sword.


    Surely, despite taking all of the above into consideration, there are situations where you cannot back down.


    Everyone in his party was lost, and he himself is suffering from a large wound. I¡¯m sure he must be thinking¡­


    What can I do? What should I do?


    ¡¸Tsk¡­it appears I will have to apologize to Lemegeton. For this ruler devouring her subordinate¡¯s prey¡­¡¹


    Until that point, her Highness has been limiting her strength.


    If she hadn¡¯t done that, there is no guarantee that the Holy Swords and Cursed sword would be the only things that were damaged.


    This is why she avoided Scathach¡¯s kick and defended against Thunder Domain ¨C Guiding Needle.


    So that she wouldn¡¯t kill him by accident no matter what.


    But Scathach is the world¡¯s 5th-ranked Adventurer who poses as the industry¡¯s fastest.


    In response to his quick and bold attack to block her return, her Highness was forced to raise a hand.


    A single fist.


    With just that, the right half of Scathach was blown to smithereens.


    Even while suffering enough damage to kill a normal person, the Thunder Hero fires off Spirit Magic.


    However, along with his lightning, there was something else that enveloped him.


    It was a flame so black that you might think that the darkness of night itself was swallowing you whole.


    ¡¸¡­Consider this a reward for your impressive skill and tenacity. I shall allow you to burn to death with the fires of Hell.¡¹


    Flames of the Gods, Sky Garden, and the like with the moniker of Esoteric Spirit Magic can give the impression of the existence of Heaven.


    Their image evokes the logic that they are borrowed for a short period of time from God or angels in the realm that they reside in.


    On the demon¡¯s side, there was once such a thing.


    Hell, in direct opposition to Heaven.


    Most of the Monsters who use techniques that are said to originate from Hell itself are Demon Kings.


    Ebony Flames is not a rare category of magic that Demon Kings can use.


    It is a flame that uses lifeforce as sustenance to continue burning. The living thing that the flame has spread to shall burn black until it perishes.


    Lady Lucifa¡¯s power is on another level.


    ¡¸¡­Next time I¡¯ll-¡¹


    ¡¸There will not be a next time.¡¹


    The Ebony Flame rages as if devouring Scathach, and then it disappears together with his Avatar.


    And then, only her Highness remained.


    For a moment, it felt like our eyes met.


    She then leisurely tore space apart and disappeared.


    The Thunder Hero Scathach challenged the Demon King and lost.


    ¡ó


    The first person to leave the final area was Scathach.


    There are five Adventurers left.


    An air battle between the Immortal Demon Bennu and the Water Hero Wraith is currently unfolding.


    While accelerating using blue flames, Bennu avoids the Wind Blades. Using the momentum from this, he closes in on Wraith.


    When Bennu releases a fireball, the young man defends against it by deploying an Air Shield.


    Confirming that, the next fireball avoids the shield.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, right.¡¹


    The fireball that almost drew near Wraith¡­was trapped in a small Air Box. As if the fireball had collided with something, it wasn¡¯t able to reach Wraith.


    ¡¸Impressive precision and speed.¡¹


    ¡¸Same to you. It doesn¡¯t seem like you have only Magical Energy. You a Floor Boss or somethin¡¯?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph.¡¹


    I think he¡¯ll be fine.


    At the same time, a slugfest between the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor and the Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith was underway.


    ¡¸You¡¯re pretty good, Berith¡­! But you¡¯re still¡­soft¡­!¡¹


    Both of them had arms so large they looked like the arms of a Golem attached to a person¡¯s body.


    One side had arms made of giant, rough rocks, while the other was covered in silver armor and they relentlessly collided with each other from the front.


    Each punch of Herv¡¯s was heavier.


    But Berith was hitting Herv more times.


    Also, in terms of arm strength, Herv has the upper hand.


    When their fists collide, only Berith¡¯s are dented. With her inherent skillfulness, she tries to repair the arms quickly, but Herv¡¯s attacks are gradually becoming more severe, which suppresses her ability to repair.


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll just keep repairing them and keep hitting you.¡¹


    ¡¸Bring it on! Let¡¯s keep hitting each other until one of us can¡¯t stand anymore!¡¹


    I probably don¡¯t need to lend a hand to the fight between Four Great Spirit Contractors and the fight between those who will settle things with their fists.


    Or I should say, Aerial won¡¯t let me lend a hand.


    His Sky Garden can switch around spaces.


    With that ability, it seems that he is not letting anyone interfere with his allies¡¯ battles.


    And at the same time, it is also so that he can focus on his own battle.


    ¡¸Wraith¡­¡¹


    The Destroyer Fran has lost her gigantic right arm that carved a path of destruction to anything within its reach.


    She¡¯s also losing Magical Energy profusely through wounds that would normally cause an average person to be unable to even walk.


    Yet, this little girl walks forward, trying to get as close to her best friend as possible.


    Without any interference from Aerial, she manages to reach the space under where Wraith is fighting in the air.


    She crouches, putting power into her legs, coiled and ready to jump like a spring, but she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡¸¡­Black Magic?¡¹


    It was the Goblin Black Sorcerers who trained hard in the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon. Those with staves all faced her and cast Speed Down on her.


    Fran looks up once again, then bites her lip. She mutters something.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t¡­get in my way.¡¹


    The one who stepped forward¡­was the Magnanimous Sage Ronove.


    His durability is extraordinary. Enough to trade blows with Nicola¡¯s older brother, the Diamond Hero Philip, without so much as taking a step back.


    ¡¸That kick moments ago was brilliant. Certainly, that isn¡¯t the end of it, yes?¡¹


    Much like me, he changes his tone when he¡¯s in his Monster Avatar.


    ¡¸Fine.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Pardon?¡¹


    Almost robotically, she turns her head towards Ronove and company.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll destroy you all¡­then go to Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re really looking down on us.¡¹


    Even in front of the riled-up Orcs, Kobolds, and Goblins, Fran¡¯s face has no expression.


    They are all excellent Monsters who endured Furcus and my training, and then never neglected their own training after we left.


    This is the ability of only those that can establish an All Level Dungeon, the existence of which is known only to a select few.


    ¡¸Looking down? No, enemies are enemies. That is all.¡¹


    However, it appears that all enemies are equal in Fran¡¯s eyes.


    The Monsters let out a war cry as they descend upon the Destroyer.


    On the other hand, the Gale Hero.


    ¡¸Sir Scathach!¡¹


    Even though he was concerned about the recently defeated Scathach, perhaps it is proof of his growth that he did not let that pull his attention away.


    Enough to counter the sudden Wind Blade that assaulted him with his own Wind Blades.


    Ewan has been growing at alarming speeds during this Raid Battle.


    No, perhaps by learning how to conduct himself as a Hero, he is able to showcase his true abilities.


    ¡¸My my, you¡¯re better than I thought, kid.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, aren¡¯t you a Hero?¡¹


    Ellie smiles broadly.


    ¡¸What if I am?¡¹


    Ewan grimaced at the Undefeated Hero Ellie¡¯s attack.


    ¡¸I-I don¡¯t understand. Why would an Adventurer be on the Monster side?¡¹


    ¡¸Does it matter?¡¹


    Ewan was shocked by Ellie¡¯s mocking words and he just stared at her.


    ¡¸¡­No, it doesn¡¯t. I will defeat you and help my allies. As long as that is clear, that is enough.¡¹


    He has already calmed down.


    ¡¸Good boy. It pisses me off that I was tossed aside by that man, but oh well. I am the Undefeated Hero Ellie. Like you, I specialize in the wind element.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am the Gale Hero Ewan¡­and I¡¯ll win.¡¹

 CH 178.2

    178 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 11 / Investigating the Garden Part 2


    Aerial used his Sky Garden to divide up the battlefield.


    Occasionally even sending people off together with the space.


    Bennu vs. Wraith.


    Berith vs. Hervor.


    Fran vs. the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    Ellie vs. Ewan.


    Aerial vs. Lemegeton.


    At the same time as all these situations, I give an order to the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, one of the three subordinates who are in my direct control.


    The Black Explorer Foras was waiting by my side and the Evil Eye Assassin Botis is in hiding.


    ¡¸Amduscias, do it.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay~. Alright everyone, do your be~st.¡¹


    The woman with a spiral horn growing from her forehead is currently in Human form. She is able to change into a Centaur form, has an Aptitude for battle despite her main Job being a Beast Master and she¡¯s good at singing.


    With long, wavy, light purple hair, and eyes squinted in an upward arc shape. She¡¯s a woman with a gentle air about her, but it might be quite a rare skill to be able to maintain that while fighting.


    At her instruction, the countless Alraune all go¡¸Waaah~¡¹in response. Plant-based Demi-Beast Monsters that mimic Humans.


    Due to Amduscias¡¯s tastes, they are all young-looking, but they obey their master¡¯s orders.


    ¡¸Foras, be their shield for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish.¡¹


    For the time being, there is one thing that I have to focus on.


    Watching.


    The Alraunes scatter.


    They cover the whole field as much as they can and pitter-patter forward.


    ¡¸¡­Alraune.¡¹


    Even though Aerial confirmed it, he chooses to wait and see.


    ¡¸Oh, I hit a wall~¡¹¡¸I fell down even though I was walking forward~¡¹¡¸I¡¯m back to where I started~¡¹¡¸I can¡¯t get to the handsome man~¡¹¡¸Is there a way to him~?¡¹


    Sky Garden is Spirit Magic that controls space.


    As he did with Agares, he is able to swap pieces of the body with another space.


    And also just like that time, that piece is still connected to the body despite being switched around.


    And once again like that time, it is only connected until the connection between both spaces is severed.


    This final area has been divided into several blocks.


    Let¡¯s arrange them from 1 onwards, in order.


    Normally, block 2 would be adjacent to block 1. So for example, if you were to walk straight ahead from block 1, you would immediately end up in block 2.


    Aerial can freely switch and replace that order.


    This means that if you were to walk straight ahead from block 1, you could end up in block 13.


    If they remain connected like that, then you should be able to return to block 1 by going backward from block 13.


    Only Aerial knows the order in which these blocks were switched around.


    Furthermore, the fact that the order of the blocks could all be shuffled again later if Aerial so chooses is why it is called an Esoteric Spirit Magic.


    Right now, the final area has been divided into blocks as mentioned in the previous example, and has been switched around.


    However, much like the Flames of the Gods, the Magical Energy consumption for Esoterics is extraordinary.


    Even if he is borrowing Magical Energy from the Spirit, there are limits.


    It can be thought that the switching of blocks is not being done constantly, but rather only when it is necessary.


    He wouldn¡¯t want to waste Magical Energy.


    He may have control of space, but actually controlling it all and managing them is extremely difficult.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Watching. No, perhaps I should say I¡¯m sensing? Checking, sorting, committing to memory.


    Countless Alraunes have spread out on the field. They haven¡¯t spread out.


    They¡¯re all over the place. One Alraune¡¯s path had her step out of a block only to end up on the ceiling, and then when you thought she¡¯d fall, she reappears in the middle area between the floor and the ceiling, then you¡¯d think she¡¯d continue falling, she reappears and runs into Amduscias¡¯s backside.


    ¡¸¡­Making use of a vast amount of Alraunes to find the route through the garden, eh?¡¹


    I¡¯m looking for which block is connected to which from the Alraune¡¯s movements.


    ¡¸But doing such a thing¡­using the movements of each and every one of all these Alraune, analyzing them, memorizing them, and solving the maze is completely¡­impossible?¡¹


    Aerial seems to have realized that this isn¡¯t a challenge to me.


    It is certainly extremely difficult. But I do not think of it as impossible.


    I thought about various ways to deepen my relationship with my subordinates. I talk to Foras a lot about Black Magic and there are also many times when I train with him.


    Even Amduscias joins us in our morning runs.


    It¡¯s not about getting along with them. Although, I would be glad if that happened as well.


    As allies who I fight alongside, I think it is very important to know them.


    To Adventurers, the countless Alraunes look indistinguishable, but to me, they are my allies.


    They are living creatures that are looked after by my subordinate every day and have hearts that you can form a bond with.


    Personally, I am grateful that they mimic people. It¡¯s easier to remember them.


    I have memorized every name that Amduscias has given them.


    Considering I¡¯ve made it this far, it isn¡¯t so hard.


    Grasping when and where my allies are through their Magical Energy signature, and then deciding where they should go next is kind of my specialty.


    It¡¯s something I did constantly when I was an Adventurer.


    Then, finally, three Alraunes reached where Aerial is.


    From his point of view, they appeared from his front, back, and above.


    ¡¸Did you see that Lord Lemegeton~? Ufufu, Pala, Gal, and Luca have reached him~¡¹


    Rather than defeat the three of them, Aerial lifted a finger and pointed it to the side.


    The Alraune went¡¸Waaah~¡¹and went through various other blocks until finally ending up at the edge of the field.


    This confirms another route to him, but until I find the route from here to that starting point, I can¡¯t use it.


    ¡¸Indeed. Well done. Come, Foras, Amduscias. We are heading out.¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish.¡¹


    ¡¸Oka~y.¡¹


    Aerial looked at me in surprise.


    ¡¸If you are uneasy, why not shift everything around again, Storm Hero?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, how do I know that that isn¡¯t what you want me to do?¡¹


    This could be a bluff and I haven¡¯t actually solved the maze yet.


    In that case, hurriedly switching the spaces around would only consume Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Why not cancel it and rush towards me right now? Didn¡¯t you wish to fight me?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m torn. I do want to do that¡­but I must first confirm whether or not your plan is real. If it is, then fantastic, there would be no problem. Because I want to fight you.¡¹


    Can I only win against Aerial by unleashing my right arm?


    The people that are here aren¡¯t strong simply because they are Heroes.


    In fact, most of the Hero parties that challenge the Demon King Castle every single day get annihilated when they reach the third stratum.


    Those that have gotten this far are the handful of super first-class Adventurers among Adventurers.


    Wraith and Fran may be irregulars, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve been acknowledged through this Raid Battle.


    In order to defeat Aerial, I need to draw out a certain Technique from him.


    To do that, I must first break through this garden.


    ¡¸Oh, Lord Lemegeton. Have you decided on whose route to use~?¡¹


    ¡¸Gal¡¯s, but¡­do you know it?¡¹


    It¡¯s only natural that she knows which individual Alraune that is, but does she know which route that is?


    ¡¸Not at all~. But if Lemegeton can do it, I think I can too~.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that¡­so? Do not worry, I will not let their efforts go to waste.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s go~¡¹


    We step forward.


    The scenery changes.


    We head towards the next block.


    With each move, Aerial¡¯s expression changes from astonishment to admiration to delight.


    ¡¸Hahah¡­ Honestly, you are full of surprises.¡¹


    His friendly-sounding voice soon changes back to one belonging to an Adventurer.


    ¡¸It would appear that you weren¡¯t bluffing, Lord Lemegeton.¡¹


    I speak in a voice low enough for my allies to hear.


    ¡¸After the scenery changes three more times, we¡¯ll be at the Storm Hero.¡¹

 CH 179.1

    179 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 12 / Traversing the Garden Part 1


    He started to move the moment that there were two blocks remaining before we reached him.


    I pointed a finger in the direction we were moving and muttered¡¸Shield.¡¹.


    The Black Explorer Foras moved in front of me and readied his shield to protect me.


    At almost the same time, Foras¡¯s huge body moved back, accompanied by a high-pitched sound.


    It was Aerial¡¯s Wind Blade.


    ¡¸Well done.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    Foras is a Minotaur. However, among a race that, on average, always gets Jobs that specialize in combat or physical training, he is a Black Sorcerer.


    Minotaurs are sought after to work as the very personification of violence, which makes Foras inferior to his brethren in that aspect.


    He has been fired from several Dungeons and even turned away at the door of many of them, but even then, he never gave up.


    He continued to polish his Black Magic by practicing it on himself continuously just as I do.


    And also like me, he trains his body in things he has no Aptitude for.


    We train together sometimes and he is quick to respond to instructions.


    This did not slow our advance. There was only one block left until we reach him.


    With hand gestures, I tell Foras to ready his shield and then I gesture with my staff and mutter¡¸Halberd.¡¹.


    At the same time as these motions, he jumped backward.


    Immediately after, three Wind Blades assaulted each of us.


    One was repelled by Foras¡¯s shield, I managed to dodge the other one and it bore into the floor.


    ¡¸Heave-ho~¡¹


    And the last one, the One-Horned Poet crushed it with a swing of her halberd.


    A spear that has the function of an ax. A weapon with a sharp point, an ax part, and a sharp spike on the opposite end of the ax part, all incorporated together by a long handle.


    It can stab, cut, hook and even bash armored opponents as a blunt weapon.


    If someone with combat Aptitudes like her swings it, she has the power to crush even small boulders.


    ¡¸Ufufu, I heard it go SNAP~¡¹


    Her main Job is a Beast Master. In addition to that, she succeeded in employing the plant-type Alraune, who are known to be hard to form a bond with, and she herself possesses an Aptitude for combat.


    Furthermore, she can freely take the form of a Human or a Centaur.


    She wears a loose cloth around her waist, possibly so that it covers the horse portion whenever she transforms into her Centaur form.


    Also, she doesn¡¯t just have the halberd as her weapon. She is also equipped with a sword, whip, and throwing knives.


    ¡¸Lord Lemegeton, please praise me too~¡¹


    ¡¸Right, well done.¡¹


    ¡¸Yay~, I¡¯ll do even better, alright?¡¹


    She is a woman with a strange air about her, but she too applied to the tenth stratum with her mettle to defeat Heroes.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t bat an eye at the Storm Hero¡¯s attack. She is already prepared.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    That attack just now was merely a test.


    Not an individual test, rather a test with the intention of seeing how good our cooperation as a group is.


    It¡¯s also possible that the Wind Blade was a sort of counter-response to the Black Magic that I cast prior.


    A troublesome aspect about Aerial¡¯s Sky Garden is that it affects the invocation of my Black Magic.


    If I think about it, it only seems natural.


    For example, if I were able to use a Fireball from Fire Elemental Magic, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hit Aerial if I didn¡¯t know the correct route.


    Even if I were to properly fire it, it would go through several blocks and end up colliding into a wall or the ceiling.


    Black Magic is only able to take effect when the Magical Energy from me hits my opponent.


    This is exactly why Resist, where one clads themselves in Magical Energy to repel someone else¡¯s Magical Energy, holds meaning.


    With only so few blocks remaining, I can finally cast Black Magic. I was so focused on advancing through the correct route that only now do I have the luxury to do so now that we¡¯re close.


    Aerial is cautious of me. He considers me a considerable threat.


    If it weren¡¯t for his Sky Garden, his allies on the field would be exposed to all manner of Black Magic at any time.


    The Black Sorcerers on the field don¡¯t just include me, there are a lot including the Monsters from the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, and the two from Ellie¡¯s party. It¡¯s not officially known, but Foras is one too.


    It would be dangerous to neglect them while in the heat of a fierce battle.


    In fact, much like with the Fenix party and the Nicola party, I have a track record of instantly hitting people with Black Magic.


    ¡¸Now then, Sir Lemegeton.¡¹


    However, there is one thing that I find curious.


    To solve all of the above, he could have simply flown straight to me.


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t go down so easily, but pretty much no one doubts that the Storm Hero will win.


    So then why?


    I¡¯m sure that the answer is simple.


    As the leader of this Raid Battle, he chose the safer route.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Temporarily, he chased me down while reliving his younger days, but once his allies caught up with him, he had to be aware of everyone as a whole once again.


    I¡¯m not sure whether that change is beneficial or detrimental for me.


    We finally set foot on that block.


    Aerial stands before me.


    ¡¸I am impressed. You are the first person to ever conquer the Sky Garden in such a fashion.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? How many Monsters have defeated you like so?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I lost quite a lot back in the day. If I were to limit it to the past twenty years though, zero.¡¹


    That time with my master was the first official loss of Aerial¡¯s career.


    From there, he would go on to challenge the Demon King Castle countless times, where a life or death struggle with the Monsters, who have experienced countless battles under my master, would unfold.


    With their Clears ending in failure many times, the young Aerial party only reached the seventh stratum.


    That¡¯s the record of how far mankind¡¯s strongest could reach.


    That record was never broken until later when the Fenix party reached the tenth stratum.


    Ever since the Aerial party heard that the Demon King of that time had disappeared, he didn¡¯t challenge the Demon King Castle ever again.


    That is¡­until now, in this Raid Battle.


    ¡¸Well then, we shall put an end to that twenty-year streak.¡¹


    ¡¸There have been many who have said that very line. But so far, not one of them has been able to actually do it. I wonder if you¡¯ll be different.¡¹


    ¡¸We shall know soon enough.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    First off, let¡¯s talk about our advantages.


    The Magical Energy organ has its limits. Like how you cannot continue sprinting for eternity. While running, your speed will drop, and eventually, your stamina will run dry.


    The Holy Sword is a weapon that houses the Spirit¡¯s divine protection. Its durability and sharpness are incomparable to normal weapons. The lack of which is a huge plus for us.


    Even doing that alone is constantly consuming Magical Energy.


    The Magical Energy required to Resist us is more than the average. In the end, he doesn¡¯t have a lot of Magical Energy that he can spare for the battle with us.


    He has to put his all into maintaining the Garden, Resisting Black Magic, and fighting.


    These are our disadvantages.


    We are facing the world¡¯s 1st-ranked Hero.


    No matter how many strategies or plans I pile on him, he could blow us all away in one.


    That¡¯s how overwhelming being 1st rank is.


    The attack and defense battle took roughly ten seconds.


    In fact, it probably only lasted that long.


    So this is what my senses, which were stretched to extreme concentration, could capture.


    Aerial moved. No sooner than that, Amduscias¡¯s halberd was broken in two, and her torso was pierced by his right arm. No. His hand didn¡¯t even touch her, yet there was a wound¡­ He¡¯s extending a blade of wind from his arm!


    Amduscias immediately dropped her halberd and grabbed the enemy¡¯s arm with her right hand, and she changed into her Centaur form while swinging a sword in her left hand.


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    When he thought he stabbed her chest in her Human form, she changed to a Centaur. What happens with this change is that she becomes much taller than her Human form. Aerial, who was grabbed by the arm, is naturally lifted off the floor. Foras and I let loose our Black Magic with all our might to aid her.

 CH 179.2

    179 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 12 / Traversing the Garden Part 2


    Amduscias¡¯s blade hit Aerial¡¯s neck, but it stops there. It wasn¡¯t Air Armor, it was on a much smaller scale and defended a pinpoint area like an Air Sheet on his neck, deflecting the sword. At the same time, Aerial puts on a blade of wind on his left arm and severs Amduscias¡¯s right arm. He tries to pull out his right arm from her abdomen.


    But then Amduscias starts running. Since she is moving forward along with him, he isn¡¯t able to pull out his hand. That¡¯s not all. His movements are slow because our Black Magic finally got through to him.


    Speed Down. More precisely, the speed at which signals get sent from the brain to the body is slowed down, which results in the opponent¡¯s speed falling. Two people¡¯s worth of Magical Energy Black Magic was sent straight into his eyeball.


    Even though he has Resist on, there isn¡¯t a thick layer of Magical Energy on the mucous membrane. It feels irritating to those who can sense Magical Energy, and there aren¡¯t many Black Sorcerers who are able to target at a pinpoint target like their opponent¡¯s eyes during battle in the first place. It¡¯s a complete waste.


    Even to Black Magic users like Foras and I, this was next to impossible. But we did it. The second his movements twitched to a stop, Amduscias swung her sword again, Foras closed in to bash him with his shield and I continued casting Black Magic while my arm was still covered by the horn¡¯s Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Wind Blade.¡¹


    Before Amduscias¡¯s blade could land a hit, her body was split vertically. Her body instantly turned into Magical Energy particles and scattered. She was defeated. She took a massive Wind Blade at point-blank range¡­


    However, the fact that he had to deliberately yell out the elementary magic¡¯s name is evidence that Speed Down is working. Magic materializes the image in your mind via Magical Energy manipulation. The time it took to create said image was slowed down, so he was forced to practice the basics that they teach in the School, which is to say the word and then picture the effect from there.


    By that time, Foras was approaching him. Since Amduscias was defeated, Aerial¡¯s right arm was no longer stuck in place and he was falling. but he was already swinging his left arm horizontally, which Foras intercepted.


    As the blade tears halfway through the Black Explorer¡¯s shield, I understand why Foras decided to put his weight on the shield. It was to wedge the blade. Aerial¡¯s body was pulled forward and the blade broke on the way. Aerial posture crumbles.


    Suddenly, our Black Magic was resisted.


    Aerial performed a roundhouse kick in midair. The kick missed, but this was just like the matter with his arm. There was a blade of wind on his leg.


    It split Foras¡¯s upper half and lower half and turned into Magical Energy particles.


    Cutting across that, I rush in front of Aerial.


    As he landed, I attacked Aerial with my right arm.


    His deployed Air Shield shattered into pieces like glass as my fist continued forward.


    Aerial tries to dodge.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡¸¡­This¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You bullied Ammy-!¡¹¡¸Hey-!¡¹¡¸I¡¯m mad-¡¹¡¸Go, Chief of Staff-¡¹¡¸Beat him up-!¡¹[1. TL Note: Ammy is short for Amduscias.]


    It was the Alraune.


    In the end, a Beast Master is just someone Monsters obey. Even if the Beast Master is gone, the employed creatures will still remain.


    Each and every one of them possesses an Avatar.


    The Alraune are brought in as seeds by Amduscias, and when she turned into a Centaur, she scattered them about. The ones that were used to help find the correct route weren¡¯t all of them.


    The seeds sprouted quickly and they stretched out ivy to entangle the man who split their master in two.


    It is difficult to sense the Magical Energy of plant types. Just as how you can¡¯t sense the very thin amount of Magical Energy in the air, they feel too natural and aren¡¯t enough to give an unpleasant feeling.


    My fist will finally connect.


    ¡­This blow is from everyone.


    This attack is only possible due to the strength of all the Monsters that Aerial defeated to get this far.


    The Magical Energy he had to use to defeat the Watchdog of Hell Naberius, the Demon of Love Sitri, the Phantom Thief Crow Raum, the Sea Monster Forneus, all the Birdmen and aquatic Monsters, the Dragonkin, the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, and the Black Explorer Foras.


    Other than that is the Magical Energy he had to use to destroy Furcus¡¯s armor, defend against Ellie¡¯s attacks, and deploying and maintaining Sky Garden.


    That is why he was forced into a situation where he had to fight the three of us with very little Magical Energy.


    None of their efforts were wasted. Even if they looked like mooks to anyone else, I will prove to them that it all piled up and lead to this victory.


    Prove that it¡¯s OK for Monsters to join forces and defeat a Hero.


    I give my thanks to the Alraune as well, who kept him in place, as I swing my fist.


    ¡¸Disappear, Storm Hero.¡¹


    My fist drove into his gut.


    The wind is knocked out of him as his body goes flying through the space like a gust of wind.


    The ivy that the Alraune grew to entangle him were torn, and his body flew through dozens of blocks in an instant.


    Finally, he hit the ceiling.


    Sky Garden¡­is canceled.


    Immediately after, he falls to the floor¡­but just before he crashes into it¡­


    He gently floats and leisurely lands on the floor.


    ¡¸Heh¡­heheh, hahaha¡­¡¹


    Is he¡­laughing?


    ¡¸Splendid. Judging from the extent of her wounds from the first attack, that one-horned woman immediately set out to buy time for her allies, and even thinking as far as after she is defeated, she sows Alraune seeds. That Minotaur was not in fact your shield and was actually an extremely excellent Black Sorcerer just like you. In addition, he fought while covering you, who was behind him. I was also caught completely unawares by the Alraune. Last but not least, your Black Magic and fist were nothing short of superb.¡¹


    The side of his torso was gouged by my fist. I was sure I was about to gouge a hole in his center¡­


    Did he divert my fist in that instant?


    But that spot is¡­


    ¡¸I tried to dodge your fist but I failed. My Magical Energy organ is unusable now. Which is why¡­¡¹


    Even if he had enough Magical Energy remaining within his body to cushion his landing, it is impossible to fight with anything more.


    Of course, he still has alternatives. Spirit Contractors still have a trick up their sleeve.


    ¡¸Sylpheed, I wish to borrow your power.¡¹[2. TL Note: A Sylph of Sylphid is an air spirit stemming from the 16th-century works of Paracelsus.]


    The very air trembled. This feeling¡­ It¡¯s probably too soon to call it nostalgic. Not even a year has passed.


    This is the same feeling I felt when Fenix called upon the power of his Fire Spirit, Sara.


    One of the Four Great Spirits ¨C Ruler over wind Sylpheed distributes the requested power to the contractor.


    Spirits. Paranormal beings that let Heroes, who they find interest in, enter a contract with them. Each and every Spirit has a personality of its own.


    Particularly the Four Great Spirits, who are famous for being difficult to deal with. It is said that one of the reasons why Four Great Spirits contractors don¡¯t often appear is that the criteria they have to choose a contractor are peculiar.


    Take Wraith¡¯s Water Spirit for example. He told them to hop on only if they want to be a spectator and they did.


    Simply asking them to lend you their strength like a normal Hero is just not attractive to them.


    Sylpheed only gives out its Magical Energy when the contractor¡¯s life is in a time of crisis.


    Like when her Highness approached them, it responded to Aerial¡¯s cries.


    The fact that the Wind Spirit is lending its strength to Aerial now must mean that we have driven him into a corner.


    This is still within expectations.


    He has a large-scale Spirit Magic called Storm Crash. It is an attack that sends out swirling wind, like a condensed storm. At a time like this, he would use that.


    Normally, that would rip me to shreds and that would be the end, but I have found an opportunity to win there.


    By deliberately charging into the scenery-warping, wind-churning attack, I can hide my body from the camera. After that, I release what¡¯s left of the horn while clad in high-density Magical Energy, and approach him from the opposite direction that he released the Technique.


    I give him a quick blow and then retract the horn. The timing will be tough, but it should be possible.


    ¡¸Storm Wrap.¡¹


    Wha-?!


    It¡¯s not Storm Clash. On the contrary, it¡¯s a magic spell he¡¯s never used once up till now¡­


    ¡¸Honestly¡­I prepared this to do battle with Sir Lucifer. But¡­hm. I believe you are a suitable opponent.¡¹


    This¡­is Spirit Magic that he came up with in order to defeat my master.


    I could hear the sound of a storm brewing. A storm that can be heard even from afar. The closer it got, the more unsettling the sound of the wind. It was a sound of a natural disaster that spreads fear, that people can never go against.


    The source of this sound was incredibly¡­from a man¡¯s arm. A storm swirled around Aerial¡¯s right arm.


    There are many similar-looking Techniques among Wind Magic users, but there are none that have ever had complete control over such an amount of Magical Energy.


    ¡­I¡¯m not sure if the complete unleashing of the horn could¡­


    ¡¸I am a Hero too, so I cannot afford to lose.¡¹


    Think! It¡¯s because this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it. Because it was unexpected. Because of the power of the Spirit.


    I will win.


    ¡¸I shall crush that hope with this next attack.¡¹


    We both clench our fists.

 CH 180

    180 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 13 / Azure Heart


    The battle with this Monster called Bennu was extremely fierce.


    ¡¸Haah¡­haah¡­¡¹


    Avatars have no sense of pain, but they do have sensations. There¡¯s no pain, but there is damage, and even if there is no sense of exhaustion, you become exhausted. It reproduces the act of breathing air in and out even though the body does not expend oxygen, and the heart pumps Magical Energy throughout the body in place of blood.


    Therefore, when you exercise in a way that would make your real body out of breath, you would be out of breath in your Avatar. Similarly, if you are excited or agitated, your breathing will be disrupted.


    What is with this guy? He¡¯s way too strong.


    ¡¸Out of breath, lad?¡¹


    He can read the movement of my Wind Blades, and he¡¯s too fast for me to catch with Air Box.


    The sweltering heat from his side is making my Avatar sweat buckets.


    His speed and magic control in midair battles makes Wind Magic users look slow.


    He¡¯s got Fire Magic that not even Water Magic can extinguish.


    The more I fight, the clearer it becomes. Just how overwhelming the amount of Magical Energy he has is.


    I don¡¯t particularly think of myself as the strongest at the current time.


    But I do think that there are few who I can fight one-on-one with and lose.


    Even so, this guy¡­


    ¡¸Are you perhaps lacking Magical Energy?¡¹


    That¡¯s definitely true. At my age, there are limits to training my Magical Energy organ. When I was chasing after Aerial, and when I fought with that Mermaid lady, I used too much Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Why do you not borrow power from your Spirit?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t watch TV much, do ya? I declared to the world that I won¡¯t use it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­How foolish.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if it is, I made it this far.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph.¡¹


    Bennu disappeared.


    No-he¡¯s behind!


    I turn around and release a Wind Blade.


    It cuts his body in two.


    ¡­Huh?


    In the fight so far, he¡¯s been able to handle this level of counter-attacks.


    For it to end so anti-climatically¡­ The hell?


    What¡¯s happening?


    Bennu¡¯s split in half body crumbled and scatte¡­no it didn¡¯t.


    On the contrary, his cross-section was made up of flames. It¡¯s as if he is a flame that is in the shape of a person.


    ¡¸Why do you think that you were able to make it this far?¡¹


    He grabbed me by the neck with his hand.


    His two halves stuck back together, as good as new.


    The hell is this guy? Isn¡¯t he a Majin? Or was that Hell Magic?


    I immediately extended a blade of wind on my arm and cut off his arm. But just as before, it immediately restores itself.


    Since his body is made of flames, I can¡¯t kill him the normal way?!


    ¡¸Gck.¡¹


    Our midair battle was unfolding, and thanks to Aerial¡¯s Sky Garden, there is no interference.


    Each and every block has been tinkered in a way that the entrance and exit lead back within itself.


    No one can interfere with our fight, and neither of us can help our allies.


    ¡¸Look at her.¡¹


    Instead of burning me, Bennu starts talking for some reason.


    But his grip on my neck is considerable, and I can¡¯t escape with my arm strength alone.


    However, what should I do against a foe that immediately restores itself even after being sliced by a Wind Blade?


    The person he¡¯s pointing at¡­is Fran.


    ¡¸That girl is doing everything she can to come to your aid. No matter how far ahead you go, she tries to follow behind and be with you. Look.¡¹


    Fran is a Destroyer.


    There is no reason. It is a Job that is given to strong creatures.


    Her huge right arm is only part of her. She¡¯s strong even without it.


    Even while it¡¯s many against one, the number of Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon Monsters has reduced drastically.


    Ah¡­but, she¡¯s already¡­


    Her body was trembling. thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk. Her body jerked like it was pushed by something.


    It was due to the four arrows shot by the Centaur archer in quick succession. Orobas. I saw her in the Tag Tournament.


    The Orc with one of his arms severed¡­Ronove, I think he said his name was, he praised Fran, saying¡¸You fought well.¡¹.


    Fran turned her head in my direction.


    When she saw the state I was in, her eyes went wide and she tried to run towards me.


    But she failed¡­ Her Avatar lost too much Magical Energy from her wounds.


    She fell over and hit her face. Even so, she crawls towards my direction with just her broken and battered left arm. Despite there still being enemies remaining, she turns her back on them.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care what your goals are. But your ally is betting her all to ensure that you are victorious, yet here you are joking around about not using a power that you have. This is a plain and simple fact.¡¹


    Fran wasn¡¯t able to crawl for long.


    The Monsters of the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, who had lost many of their allies to Fran during their fierce battle up till then, have all diverted their eyes. They didn¡¯t lose interest. They just didn¡¯t need to anymore.


    ¡¸Wrai¡­th¡­¡¹


    Muttering that as her final words, Fran¡¯s body turns into Magical Energy particles and scatters.


    Fran and I are childhood friends. Our parents were close, so we¡¯ve been together since we were very little.


    Fran was born with that right arm. Her parents are good people who love their daughter, but at the same time, they are also regular people who possess regular emotions. It would be odd to not be a little afraid of your daughter who has the power to crush your hands even as a baby, right? Whether or not they can love her while considering the above is Human nature.


    So, they consulted with the former Hero next door. In other words, my dad.


    I¡¯m not sure if it was because of that, but Fran was able to grow up without causing any serious destruction.


    By the time we were old enough to understand what was going on around us, my dad gently taught her how to control her power.


    Fran immediately understood that she was different from everyone else. To me, her strength, her huge discolored right arm was just a part of Fran, but the other people in the village saw otherwise.


    Strange objects will be rejected.


    The adults blatantly avoided her, and as soon as the kids understood that she won¡¯t hurt anyone, they started bullying her.


    They¡¯d throw handfuls of mud at her, trip her, and see how hard they can punch her without her getting angry.


    That¡­really pissed me off.


    I taught them a little lesson. My father told me to never use magic on people, but there are guys out there who just won¡¯t listen to a punch.


    Sorta similar to what Mister Fenix and Miss Lily saw me do.


    Guys who hurt someone, who is kind enough to never hurt anyone, as a joke or playing around deserve to have a painful experience.


    It wasn¡¯t so much that I couldn¡¯t make any friends at all, but more like when the kids who I thought were my friends started bad-mouthing my father, I wanted nothing to do with them.


    Fran¡¯s favorite words were Thanks and Sorry. Thanks I get, but why Sorry? I told her to stop apologizing when she¡¯s done nothing wrong, but that habit took a while to fix.


    One time, I had a fight with my dad. It wasn¡¯t really a fight, it was just the shock I got from learning that the reason the 1st ranked hero retired was me.


    It was probably around that time when I decided to climb the ranks to number one without a Spirit.


    The Unyielding Hero had a kid and decided to retire.


    But that was also the time that he dropped to 2nd rank. It was the year that the Storm Hero Aerial party overtook him.


    If he had worked hard for a year, he would¡¯ve been able to turn the tables. I¡¯m sure of it. My dad is the strongest Hero, after all.


    But instead¡­he left the industry after having a kid, and there are people who say things like he ran away with his tail between his legs when he was overtaken by a Four Great Spirits contractor.


    It¡¯s all my fault.


    That¡¯s why I have to prove to them.


    Hah, look at me, I got to 1st rank without the Spirit, dumbasses.


    I have to tell them that. If I don¡¯t¡­for the rest of my life¡­I¡¯ll¡­


    ¡º¡­Wraith, you¡¯re gonna be an Adventurer?¡»


    ¡ºOf course!¡»


    ¡ºI see.¡»


    ¡ºWhy don¡¯t you become one too? There are only idiots here, but Adventurers are only good if they¡¯re strong. If you become an Adventurer, everyone will notice how awesome your arm is. More importantly, it¡¯s OK to beat up the enemy. It¡¯s gotta be stifling to always have to be careful to not hurt anyone, break anything or punch anyone, right? Let¡¯s get to 1st rank together!¡»


    ¡ºI don¡¯t really mind¡­as long as Wraith is here, that¡¯s all I need.¡»


    ¡ºThe heck is that about? I¡¯ll be traveling around the world as an Adventurer, so I¡¯ll be leaving this village soon, y¡¯know?¡»


    ¡º¡­Then I¡¯ll do it.¡»


    ¡ºHeh, the heck¡­¡»


    ¡ºWill¡­will I be in the way?¡»


    ¡ºHuh? I wouldn¡¯t invite someone I didn¡¯t need as my ally. I¡¯ll make a 1st ranked party. I thought about who I¡¯ll need to achieve that, and invited you.¡»


    ¡º¡­I see. Then I really will become one.¡»


    ¡ºHmm. I¡¯m glad but¡­don¡¯t force yourself, alright?¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯ll break anyone who gets in your way. So take me with you.¡»


    ¡ºAhaha, you said it. I¡¯ll bring you along then.¡»


    ¡º¡­Mm.¡»


    Now that I think about it, that was also the day that I promised to form a party with Fran.


    ¡¸What are allies to you? Are they worth less than your own pride?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Will you shut up?¡¹


    I scatter a sizable amount of small Wind Blades. His body was chopped to pieces. I escaped during the moment that he was restoring himself. I put some distance between us using Wind Magic to accelerate.


    ¡¸That thing is made of magic instead of something physical, right? Then you can¡¯t regenerate forever.¡¹


    The blue flames take the form of a Majin once again.


    I don¡¯t know why he chose to chat instead of killing me, but I don¡¯t have any obligation to do the same.


    ¡¸You possess no Technique that can push me to my regeneration limit and kill me.¡¹


    Something¡¯s wrong. But what? That¡¯s it. His right arm isn¡¯t regenerating. No, wait.


    It¡¯s still hanging on to my neck!


    Just as I notice that, it pulled me along with the force of it returning to its body.


    Because of where his arm is, I can¡¯t cut it with a Wind Blade. Despite being a Hero, I can¡¯t tear it off of me.


    My only option is to defeat the main body, huh?


    Blade Whirlwind. A blade of wind that imitates the fierce, swirling wind of a maelstrom. Those caught within the whirlwind are chopped up.


    I fire it at him and¡­it missed!


    ¡¸I tire of your Wind Magic.¡¹


    That voice came from above.


    As soon as I reacted to it, he collided with me.


    His kick, which violently burst my left shoulder, was on fire. My Avatar¡¯s skin sizzled as it burned.


    I fell as if none of that mattered.


    But I won¡¯t fall to the ground. The bottom of this block is connected to the ceiling, meaning that we cannot escape from this midair block.


    At least, that¡¯s what I thought.


    I fell normally towards the ground without the scenery changing.


    I hit the ground forcefully, knocking the air out of my lungs.


    Aerial¡­he canceled Sky Garden?


    ¡¸It¡¯s been canceled.¡¹


    As if reading my mind, Bennu says that as he descends towards me.


    I immediately fix my stance, but Bennu showed no signs of pursuing.


    I look around and see Aerial embedded into the ceiling.


    The¡­the Storm Hero was blown away¡­?!


    ¡¸¡­Unfortunately, our time together has been cut short.¡¹


    I get why Bennu was concerned over Lemegeton. Aerial isn¡¯t dead yet. The battle rages on.


    You wanna go help your boss, huh? You¡¯re not interested in this little brat anymore, right?


    Don¡¯t mess with me¡­


    Despite thinking that, I don¡¯t have any ideas on how to blow this guy away.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s end this, Ms. Botis.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    His cloak. Someone was lurking in the shadows of his cloak.


    She had the upper body of a person and the lower body of a snake. A Lamia¡­is looking at me.


    Or I should say, she¡¯s seeing me for the first time. Because there are bandages wrapped around her eyes, and she¡¯s only removing them now.


    Her red¡­eyes¡­ are looking at¡­me¡­


    ¡¸Wraith¡­!¡¹


    Someone¡­stands in front of me.


    It was Ewan. The Gale Hero. He was a mess. He¡¯s not on the verge of being defeated, but he¡¯s been severely cut up. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he was fighting the Hero that¡¯s on the Monster¡¯s side for some reason. Her party¡¯s composition was interesting, so I remembered them. The Undefeated Hero Ellie. He got done in by that woman, huh? No, wait, more importantly¡­


    ¡¸What¡­are you doing¡­?¡¹


    Ewan was gradually turning black. No, how should I say this? If I were to describe it as I see it, he was slowly turning into stone. His skin, his clothes, his hair¡­all petrifying.


    An¡­Evil Eye?


    Like the Cursed Sword, it¡¯s an eye that harbors a special curse. Herv¡¯s Cursed Sword brings misfortune upon the wielder, but Ms. Botis¡¯s Evil Eye causes anything she sees to turn to stone.


    Even if he doesn¡¯t have Resist on, to turn even a Hero to stone¡­


    Ewan was smiling.


    ¡¸As long as you are left, we¡¯ll be one step closer to victory. That¡¯s what I thought.¡¹


    With those last words, he turns into a stone statue.


    The Gale Hero Ewan can no longer fight.


    He turned to stone¡­to protect me.

 CH 181

    181 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 14 / By Flames of Blue


    ¡¸Yet another ally perishes. While believing in you.¡¹


    Said Bennu coldly.


    What is up with them?


    Both Lemegeton and him, they keep harping on and on about how I¡¯m not qualified to call myself a Hero or how I¡¯m not giving it my all.


    Suddenly, I had a bad feeling. When I looked at my left leg, it was petrified. I immediately cut it off with a Wind Blade, which destroyed my balance, but I used Wind Magic to right myself.


    ¡¸Farewell, random child. It was not your time to come here¡­ It would appear that your allies made a mistake in trusting you.¡¹


    Bennu turned his back to me. Botis can no longer be seen. She probably has a Job that specializes in staying hidden.


    I accelerate towards Bennu with Wind Magic and extend a blade of wind on my remaining right leg to thrust at him.


    ¡¸Yo, full-body flamer! Who misplaced trust in me?¡¹


    I won¡¯t let him call Fran and Ewan¡¯s trust in me a mistake because of my weakness.


    ¡¸Every single Adventurer who let you join the Raid Battle.¡¹


    As if knowing it was coming, Bennu turned around and deflected my kick with his left hand, and punched me in the face with his right fist.


    This series of movements were too quick, I couldn¡¯t react to it.


    I was blown away like an idiot and crashed into a wall, collapsing. It¡¯s a wonder that I wasn¡¯t defeated by that power.


    ¡­This guy really isn¡¯t your average Majin.


    My vision was shaky. My eyes were open but everything was a blur. I could see something blurry. What is it? It wasn¡¯t Bennu. In fact, this isn¡¯t even the tenth stratum final area.


    ¡ºI got a job that¡¯s much more important than being a Hero.¡»


    It¡¯s my dad. It¡¯s the conversation I had with the Unyielding Hero when I was younger.


    Lem said it too. The Unyielding Hero didn¡¯t give up on being 1st ranked, he¡¯s a man who didn¡¯t give up on his family.


    I agree. He¡¯s a good husband and a good father. But I wanted him to be the best Adventurer.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve proven that.


    ¡ºYou sayin¡¯ it like that makes me sad.¡»


    When I said what I was thinking, he said that with a genuinely sad face. That¡¯s right, I remember.


    ¡ºPlease don¡¯t say things like how my life would be better if you weren¡¯t in it when you are the one thing in this world that makes me happier than being 1st ranked.¡»


    I don¡¯t get him.


    He¡¯s the leader of the world¡¯s strongest party. The world¡¯s coolest Adventurer.


    I didn¡¯t think that there is anything worth more than that.


    ¡ºI¡¯ll become a Hero. And then, I¡¯ll prove everyone who made fun of you wrong.¡»


    ¡ºUhh¡­ I¡¯m glad, but I want you to make decisions about your future based on more positive reasons. You don¡¯t have to become an Adventurer. Your Job hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet.¡»


    ¡ºI will. I¡¯ll get to the top without the power of a Spirit¡­!¡»


    ¡º¡­Wraith.¡»


    Pretty sure that was one of the rare times when my dad got mad.


    ¡ºYou¡¯re right in that I wasn¡¯t chosen by the Spirit. If you really wish to become an Adventurer, you have my full support. You have a talent for magic and your training has been going as usual. But y¡¯know, Wraith. You must never forget one important thing.¡»


    ¡º¡­What is it?¡»


    ¡ºCherish the allies who fight alongside you.¡»


    ¡ºHuh? Of course, I know that!¡»


    ¡ºYou sure? Cos what you said earlier sure didn¡¯t sound like you did. Cos¡­¡»


    I sensed someone approaching me, probably to finish me off.


    It wasn¡¯t Bennu. Botis? I can feel the presence of someone as if they suddenly appeared.


    She¡¯s someone who conceals her presence completely when she goes to kill someone, so it¡¯s most likely on purpose.


    ¡¸These are the words of Lord Lemegeton. Heed them.¡¹


    That voice and my father¡¯s both overlapped.


    ¡¸¡ºThe Spirit is an ally too.¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­oh.¡¹


    Suddenly, I got it.


    I don¡¯t deserve to be a Hero. That¡¯s why Lemegeton¡­


    Individually, Monsters are weak, but they¡¯re able to give the adventurers a tough time and help each other.


    Lemegeton¡¯s commands are like asking everyone to pile their efforts together to finally achieve victory.


    That¡­ Adventurers should be just like that. Cooperating with allies, seizing victory. That¡¯s the ideal.


    My dad was able to do that. He did his best, even though he wasn¡¯t chosen by the Spirits, and became 1st ranked with his allies.


    And yet¡­I¡­


    Despite being chosen by the Spirit, I chose to not use its power.


    I thought I could win without it, that I had to. Yeah, I did think that¡­


    ¡­that if I had just used the Water Spirit from the start, the outcome from the first stratum till here would have been different.


    I was serious about it all, I still think that. I had no intentions to pull my punches. But¡­it wasn¡¯t my all. I didn¡¯t use all the strength at my disposal. I was seriously trying to win without using all of my strength.


    ¡ºY¡¯know, Wraith¡­ Instead of seeing you imitate me, I want to see you Clear Dungeons with your own allies and in your own way if you become an Adventurer. I can¡¯t wait to watch your Clears while wondering what kind of Hero people will call you.¡»


    I stopped listening at that point. I couldn¡¯t understand him, so I kinda blocked him out.


    But now that I do, I am disgusted at how dumb I was.


    Trying to prove the strength of the world¡¯s coolest Adventurer, only to continue exposing myself as a failure of a Hero.


    All I could do was watch as my childhood friend, who helplessly chased after me when I ran ahead of her, get defeated.


    After getting beat up by a stronger opponent and refusing to use Spirit Magic, a Hero turned to stone trying to protect me from an Evil Eye.


    Also, ever since being acknowledged by a Spirit, I have constantly ignored an important ally.


    I was in no position to say something so high and mighty to Mister Fenix.


    I won¡¯t abandon my allies? I¡¯m an idiot. I¡¯m just some brat who¡¯s been constantly ignoring an ally.


    I¡¯ll never forgive myself if I don¡¯t do it like how my father did?


    What I should have learned from watching him was not something so superficial as swearing never to use the Spirit¡¯s power.


    I have always been unable to confront such an obvious thing.


    Cos we kept winning and proceeding, even while I was in the wrong. We got this far¡­because my allies were superior.


    Undine.


    I pray. So that my voice may reach the Spirit. Its reply was immediate.


    ¡ºWhat¡¯s up, kid? The stage play isn¡¯t over yet, right? Why¡¯s the actor calling out to the audience?¡»


    I said that you could be an onlooker but¡­I have to apologize.


    ¡º¡­Oh? Whatever for?¡»


    I wanted to be someone who would cherish his allies, but I failed that. I didn¡¯t consider you an ally. Sorry.


    ¡ºHmm¡­? But you can¡¯t right? Borrow the strength of a Spirit, that is. You wanna be just like your dear old papa, right?¡»


    What I want to become is the coolest Hero in the world. Ignoring my Spirit, causing my allies to perish, and kicking the bucket like this is the worst. All this makes me is the world¡¯s lamest kid.


    ¡ºSo?¡»


    It took courage to admit this.


    I¡¯m still weak but I¡¯ll become 1st ranked together with Fran, you, and the future allies that I¡¯ll make. I want to. So¡­if you aren¡¯t completely disgusted by me yet¡­


    ¡­Please form a contract with me.


    Words that I could only say because I was in a pinch and I suddenly understood it all due to a Monster¡¯s words.


    No matter how much it was interested in me in the Spirit Shrine, it¡¯s only natural to be appalled. It¡¯s normal to think of me as pathetic.


    I prepared myself for some harsh words-


    ¡ºEeeeeeeee! WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!¡»


    ¡­¡­??


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears.


    Or rather, the sound of the Spirit¡¯s voice ringing inside my head was so loud that I thought my brain was gonna explode.


    ¡ºI was thinking how it¡¯s been so long since such a lively and cheeky bra¡­young boy last appeared, so I thought I¡¯d watch you for a while! And before I knew it, I was blessed with a growth event-¡­opportunity! Please let me see your face? My~, that face of yours that was brimming with confidence is all so delightfully crumpled up! It¡¯s things like this that make fluttering about through eternity all worth it~!¡»


    ?????


    I don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯re talking about¡­


    There are many Spirits with distinct personalities, which rather frequently cause Heroes to rack their brains. Aerial himself is strong so there probably aren¡¯t many times where his life is in danger and has to call out to the Spirit, but for a Spirit to be¡­this unique¡­


    ¡ºI¡¯ll lend you my strength.¡»


    ¡­! ¡­Thank you.


    This isn¡¯t the apology, reconciliation, and contract forming I expected, but this isn¡¯t the time to mention that.


    ¡ºBesides, I don¡¯t want to lose to him. He¡¯s been getting carried away with the idea that there¡¯s no one better in terms of offensive power, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough to just scorch everything. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the only one with invulnerability. You think the same as well, don¡¯t you, my boy?¡»


    I am not your boy.


    ¡ºThe fact that you don¡¯t give up easily is one of your strong poi-¡­best features.¡»


    Then, I look forward to working with you.


    ¡ºSame here, Hero Wraith. I accept you as a contractor.¡»


    My awareness quickly sharpens.


    ¡¸Goodbye.¡¹


    Botis¡¯s voice was nearby.


    Her knife was just about to plunge into my chest.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t do that petrify thing in quick succession, huh?¡¹


    Her Evil Eye was already hidden by bandages, but I could see the surprise in the way her lips moved.


    ¡¸¡­You¡­ how?¡¹


    ¡¸Goodbye.¡¹


    It¡¯d be rude if I didn¡¯t say it back to her.


    I stand up facing Botis and go through her.


    What remained after that were her Magical Energy particles, pierced by something through her chest.


    My body was now made of water.


    She went through me like a stone dropped on the water¡¯s surface.


    An Esoteric Spirit Magic called Assimilation. Becoming wind itself or becoming water itself. It¡¯s like being Human but also Fire at the same time. Like being made of rock but also a Human.


    Transitioning to such a state.


    My missing left leg was made up with Water Magic.


    ¡ºI should mention that you can¡¯t stay in this form for longer than fifteen seconds.¡»


    Got it.


    If it could be used so easily, it wouldn¡¯t be an Esoteric.


    I wouldn¡¯t be using this now if my body was in perfect condition.


    The fifteen-second time limit isn¡¯t the time until I¡¯m out of Magical Energy, it¡¯s the time until Assimilation can¡¯t be maintained and my body crumbles.


    The damage I sustained was so bad that I wouldn¡¯t be able to move if I don¡¯t use this. Magical Energy is slowly leaking from my left leg, and the damage to my head was so bad that my consciousness is all hazy.


    To at least be of use from now on, I figured the only way was to get back to fighting strength for just fifteen seconds.


    ¡¸Bennu¡­!¡¹


    As I yelled, he looked back in my direction.


    ¡¸Still alive are you, Water Hero Wraith?¡¹


    His voice wasn¡¯t as cold as before.


    I already know. I realized. Who he and that man really are.


    ¡¸Thanks to you.¡¹


    They were clearly trying to do something about my faults. They were trying to make me realize it.


    I don¡¯t know the details but thanks to that, I won¡¯t end this raid as the biggest loser.


    ¡¸Come, the final battle awaits.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? This isn¡¯t the final battle, though.¡¹


    Blue flame erupts from Bennu¡¯s body. It spread, more and more, until he took the form of a giant bird with two huge wings.


    A large amount of water flowed out of my body. It spread, more and more, until it resembled a giant snake-like creature.


    To be more precise, it was a dragon. A snake body with dragon scales and head.


    He probably already knows. That if he just leaves me alone, or lightly fends off my attacks, my body will break and scatter.


    But he acknowledges me as a Hero, and is fighting me head-on.


    Dungeon Clears are a form of entertainment created by Adventurers and Monsters, after all.


    A giant blue bird and a giant blue dragon. Each an integration of Majin and Hero respectively, they drew closer and then¡­they clashed.


    With the sound like water hitting a sizzling hot pan, the surrounding area was filled with steam.


    White filled my field of vision. By the time it cleared, a conclusion was reached.


    I withstood two of his fire attacks. One of my Water Blades pierced his chest. This is what I used to do Botis in.


    But it didn¡¯t go through him.


    The white clears. His flaming fist pierced through my chest.


    Steam was rising from my body.


    ¡¸¡­I want to fight you again next time.¡¹


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you gather your remaining allies first.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right. Yeah, I¡¯ll do that.¡¹


    To be honest, I¡¯m super frustrated.


    About the loss, but also because I became an Adventurer in order to prove that my father was right.


    The people who made fun of my dad have probably forgotten the things they¡¯ve said and are just living life.


    I wanted to prove them wrong.


    But I¡¯m finally self-aware. An adventure isn¡¯t a tool for revenge.


    It¡¯s a challenge for the Adventurer and an amusement for the viewer.


    Also, it¡¯s better to say that I will be the best Adventurer because I was born from the best Adventurer.


    Some day, I¡¯ll become 1st ranked, and say that.


    This isn¡¯t revenge, this isn¡¯t atonement, it¡¯s a goal.


    Thank you, Lem.


    Thank you, Fenix.


    I didn¡¯t know that there were fights like this, where it¡¯s not all about winning.


    Bringing the best out of your opponent, fighting, and maybe winning¡­is the coolest.


    Sorry, Fran. Ewan. Undine. Everyone.


    From now on¡­ I-


    ¡¸Farewell, young Hero. You are blessed with good allies.¡¹


    Just before my body crumbled, I heard Bennu¡¯s voice.


    Yeah¡­I think so too.

 CH 182

    182 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 15 / Strong Arm


    The brawl between me and Hervor continued on relentlessly.


    Almost as if talking to herself, she said¡­


    ¡¸¡­Fufu, heh, haha. Haagenti and Carmilla were great too, I¡¯ve been meeting nothing but badass chicks in the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    She boasts astounding regenerative abilities, but she isn¡¯t immortal. She can¡¯t heal particularly large wounds or losses, and can even be defeated. She isn¡¯t invincible.


    But you could say that she¡¯s pretty darn close.


    ¡¸¡­Does the sex of the enemy interest you?¡¹


    I was sure that she paid no attention to that kind of thing.


    ¡¸Huh? Not really. It¡¯s more like¡­what was it? Kindred sprints? ¡­That doesn¡¯t sound right.¡¹


    Usually, this is when the Thousand Form Summoner Margret would come in and correct her, but she isn¡¯t here right now.


    ¡¸¡­Kindred spirits?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I think that¡¯s it. No matter what the enemy is, I¡¯ll beat them up, yeah? But when I meet a fellow fighter who trained themselves up and not get beat up easily, I can¡¯t help but smile.¡¹


    Someone like Hervor, no, especially someone famous like her, must have had a lot of remarks thrown at her. No one can live on praise alone.


    I¡¯m sure that she, more than anyone else, knows the hardships of surviving as a woman in a fighting profession.


    I understand the feeling of elation when you meet someone who has accumulated strength and victories through training.


    ¡¸I am honored that you think of me so.¡¹


    As we exchange both words and blows, our battle is slowly reaching its conclusion.


    In terms of damage, I think I¡¯ve dealt quite a lot of it.


    Because rather than simply using my fists, I am also weaving in the Silver Arms, chains, nets, and prison Techniques that I¡¯m used to and also new never-before-seen techniques to toy with her.


    She is the type that jumps straight into it even knowing that it¡¯s a trap, but the plan will work. The traps all get torn apart as a result but it still takes effect.


    ¡¸Comin¡¯ at ya!¡¹


    Her giant rock-like fist closes in. I meet it with my silver-covered right arm, which I have dubbed the Snow Covered Strong Arm.


    I have lost count of how many times we have clashed like this. Fearsome energy ripples through the silver covering my arm. It¡¯s so powerful that I¡¯m sure I would be defeated in one blow if I ever took that hit directly.


    Gradually, the frequency in which we clash starts increasing. She starts breaking through my plans faster and faster, and it soon became a simple fistfight.


    I managed to create a new fighting style after meeting Lem.


    A form where I don¡¯t just use beautiful and delicate magic as the Silver Prince, but also respond with the head-to-head confrontations I so desire.


    A way to embody the style that I admire alongside the skills that I have honed.


    However, it doesn¡¯t seem to be enough up against the battle-worn, 3rd rank, descendant of dragon slayers Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    My arm was knocked aside by Hervor¡¯s fist and I was hit in my torso.


    The silver armor that I deployed in my chest area was smashed and Berith¡¯s Avatar flew backward.


    Both arms were Snow Covered Strong Arms, so I put them behind me and scrape the ground as I kill my momentum.


    cough


    Magical Energy particles fly out of my mouth. If this was a real body, that would probably be blood. The damage is deep.


    ¡¸You can keep going, right, Berith?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Of course.¡¹


    Every moment of this has been an incredible experience.


    My stubborn brother gave me permission to participate in the Raid Battle because the chance to fight with an industry-leading Hero like Hervor alone is valuable. But not as a coach. We are going to kill each other as enemies.


    A battle that can both return the favor to those I am indebted to as well as elevate me to new heights.


    I wouldn¡¯t dream of not taking part in this Raid Battle which kills two birds with one stone.


    I know why the Sky Garden was canceled just now.


    Lem¡­Lord Lemegeton did it.


    Soon after, an incomprehensible amount of Magical Energy was released, but we continued fighting on.


    ¡¸Your magic really is somethin¡¯!¡¹


    Hervor can¡¯t be trifled with cheap tricks. Her Clears are simple, she has the strength to run through them.


    As I did in the Tag Tournament, I am able to fight her by changing my arm into a giant Snow Covered Strong Arm by disassembling and absorbing each of the Silver Arms that I deployed around the field.


    However, even if I increased my power with a larger fist, I am pushed back.


    As expected of the world¡¯s 3rd rank. A Hero that attracts viewers with her strength.


    ¡¸Lem sure found himself an interesting partner. If possible, I would have wanted to fight you and him together, but that would probably be askin¡¯ too much.¡¹


    Her trash talk soon became reality.


    ¡¸Berith.¡¹


    A voice called me in my Monster form. He spoke in a tone as if he didn¡¯t know me personally, it was Lem.


    I did not ask why he came here.


    If he is here, then I am sure that he thinks that it is required to achieve victory.


    I glanced out of the corner of my eye to confirm that he is readying his right arm.


    Guessing his intention, I deploy my magic.


    ¡ó


    ¡ºYou faithfully keep the promise that you made with me, yes? That, too, I know. But, if ever there come a time where victory takes priority over your oath to me¡­do what you will with the power!¡»


    The debt of gratitude I have towards my master is very important to me.


    He made a Human kid who turned out to be a Black Sorcerer stronger. He looked over me and trained me until I was able to be an Adventurer. In addition, he transplanted his horn, which should be given to his own descendants, to me.


    He should have wanted to live a quiet life, but he accepted the risk of getting into trouble and left it up to me.


    I owe him so much that I don¡¯t even know what I can do to repay him, or even if there is a way to do so, I don¡¯t know how much time I can spend on it.


    My promise? Or victory?


    That time with Fenix, he took it into consideration. That¡¯s why I could go all out.


    In the Tag Tournament, I appeared as Lem.


    Right now, I¡¯m a Majin, so it isn¡¯t strange for me to have a horn. In fact, although it is somewhat peculiar, the way it releases and changes my right arm isn¡¯t a problem.


    Is¡­this the time?


    No, this is the only time.


    The world¡¯s 1st ranked Hero has set his sights on me and will kill me with his strongest Spirit Magic.


    I cannot lose this match.


    In that case¡­


    ¡¸Don¡¯t forget about us, O Storm Hero¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right!¡¹¡¸We all endured Master Furcus¡¯s training, don¡¯t think we¡¯ll kick the bucket that easily!¡¹¡¸Suffer the Black Magic that was polished and trained by Lord Lemegeton¡¯s direct training!¡¹¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate Elementary-Level Monsters, we won¡¯t back down even if you¡¯re the world¡¯s number 1!¡¹


    It was each and every Monster from the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon lead by the Magnanimous Sage Ronove.


    ¡¸Well said, my master. I, Orobas, shall accompany you in this Hero subjugation.¡¹


    Even the Horseless Archer Orobas responded. They all stood in Aerial¡¯s path.


    ¡¸This is for Ammy-¡¹¡¸Protect Chief of Staff-¡¹¡¸I¡¯ll string you up and hang you from the ceiling-¡¹


    Even the Alraunes.


    Aerial smiled happily.


    ¡¸¡­Incredible. The fact alone that the fire of battle still burns bright within you after seeing my magic is proof that all of your hearts are strong. Very well, let us fight.¡¹


    My body floats up. I didn¡¯t fight back against this because this was the magic of an ally.


    On the opposite end of Aerial, waiting for me is the Undefeated Hero Ellie.


    ¡¸Half-way through my battle a while ago, I had to fight a kid, so I¡¯m frustrated. My turn with him still isn¡¯t over yet, right Len?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What happened to that boy?¡¹


    ¡¸Once the Garden was broken, he immediately flew away. Then I came here.¡¹


    Judging by her appearance, she hasn¡¯t suffered any noticeable damage.


    I already knew this, but she really is an excellent Hero. Even if he was young, Ewan has already mastered magic to a high degree, so you could say that she would be fighting him on more than even ground.


    ¡¸Right now, you should be doing things that you need to.¡¹


    I don¡¯t have any Techniques to escape from Aerial when he¡¯s in that state.


    In that case¡­right.


    ¡¸I leave it to you, my ally.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I love a fast talker.¡¹


    I quickly look.


    Due to Aerial¡¯s fearsome pressure so far, I couldn¡¯t afford to look around.


    Thanks to my allies, I am able to calm down and regain my composure.


    Ewan is petrified. By Botis¡¯s Evil Eye.


    ¡­In a situation where he is fighting a losing battle with Ellie, he caught sight of Wraith, who had never lost his cool until now, in trouble and he used Wind Magic to fly towards him as soon as the Garden was canceled. He received some damage from Ellie chasing him, but he became Wraith¡¯s shield until his dying breath.


    Rather than worry about the outcome of the battle in front of him or his pride, he made a move thinking about who should be the one to remain in this field.


    I don¡¯t need to worry about Bennu.


    ¡¸Now then, my little doggies. It¡¯s the moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for.¡¹


    Ellie steps forward majestically and the four people who couldn¡¯t support her due to the Sky Garden all lined up behind her.


    The twin Black Sorcerers Lyner and Ryan. The White Sorcerers Kent, and Jean.


    ¡¸Regenerate your Magical Energy and start chanting. Make my dance all the more beautiful.¡¹


    ¡¸Ma¡¯am! For Lady Ellie¡¯s victory!¡¹


    All four of them shout.


    ¡¸Who is the most beautiful?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹¡¸Who is the strongest?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹¡¸And who will win this battle?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹


    ¡¸Such fools we are.¡¹


    ¡¸Ma¡¯am!¡¹


    They¡¯re a¡­unique party, but their ability is the real deal.


    All that¡¯s left is¡­the battle between Herv and Berith.


    Berith is a great fighter, but there are few who can take on Herv alone.


    The combination of Herv¡¯s strength and regeneration ability alone makes her powerful. In place of her lost Cursed Sword, she has taken up Earth Magic again and has powered up her punching power.


    If Berith falls like this, then I¡¯ll be caught between two Heroes, Aerial and Herv.


    Now that my allies are facing Aerial, what I should do now is¡­


    ¡¸Berith.¡¹


    She was able to quickly surmise my intent.


    ¡¸Oh?¡¹


    Herv noticed me.


    I touch a nearby Silver Arm and it covers my right arm.


    I repeat this several times until I complete my own Snow Covered Strong Arm.


    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be able to even move such weight, but I am currently unleashing the horn.


    The inside of my arm is supplemented by the horn¡¯s release.


    High-density Magical Energy is spraying out of my elbow. Just like that time with Fenix, I am able to propel it by emitting highly purified and pressurized Magical Energy.


    At the same time, I hit her with Speed Down, Defense Down, and Blank Space.


    ¡¸Now.¡¹


    We aim for the moment that the Hero of the Cursed Sword wavered, we crashed our Snow Covered Strong Arms into her.


    She was blown all the way to the wall, and I used Magical Energy jet propulsion to follow up the attack. I wasn¡¯t alone, Berith used her Magical Energy to move in the same direction.


    ¡¸I guess this is how effective superior Black Magic is, huh? It¡¯s a hell of a thing.¡¹


    Herv immediately covered herself in Magical Energy, Resisting Blank Space. She made it so that she can at least continue thinking.


    ¡¸Hurry, let¡¯s finish this, Berith.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t say that. Things are just gettin¡¯ good, right?¡¹

 CH 183

    183 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 16 / Slaying the Dragon-slayer


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.


    The unique Hero who doesn¡¯t use Spirit Magic as her main offensive while continuing to be placed in the higher ranks in this harsh Adventuring industry.


    The 1st ranked Storm Hero, the 2nd ranked Jet-Black Hero, the 4th ranked Flame Hero, and even the 5th ranked Thunder Hero all use Spirit Magic.


    But the 3rd ranked Hero of the Cursed Sword rarely uses her Spirit Magic or her Cursed Sword.


    She swings her Cursed Sword at opponents she deems worthy, and if the sword breaks, she¡¯ll bring out Spirit Magic for the first time.


    It appears that the Spirit dislikes the Cursed Sword¡¯s curse and will not lend its strength when she is equipped with it.


    She wields outrageous power and absurd regeneration ability.


    She loves pitting her full strength against an enemy who is also going all out, which results in flashy, easy-to-understand battles that excite the viewer.


    Both Nicola, who is Berith¡¯s true identity, and I love those kinds of fights that she has.


    We know her strength well.


    But right now, she is the enemy. We have to find the path to victory and cross it at all costs.


    ¡¸Berith joining forces with the Chief of Staff that beat Fenix, huh? Man, I¡¯m stoked!¡¹


    Herv is genuinely enjoying herself, but the damage definitely got through to her. Even if this is a reproduction of the real thing, her regenerative abilities are not all-powerful.


    I think we can win this.


    Herv, who crashed into the wall after that last attack, stared down our approaching Snow Covered Strong Arms and readied her own giant rock-covered arm.


    ¡¸Berith, fly.¡¹


    Understanding my intent, she removes the Snow Covered Strong Arm from me.


    The fist that is large enough to hide a person received propulsion from my Magical Energy jet streams and headed towards Herv along with Berith.


    Judging the timing, I jump out from the shadows of the fists.


    ¡¸Bring it¡­!¡¹


    A thunderous roar. The dull sound of two gigantic arms crashing.


    Berith¡¯s fist struggled for supremacy whereas mine was the only one that faltered.


    With that, Herv finally realized that something was wrong.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, you are the Chief of Staff, after all!¡¹


    It was impossible to see me and Berith at the same time.


    With a minimum amount of silver on my arm, my right arm shouldn¡¯t look like it¡¯s being augmented by the horn.


    ¡¸One of your plans? Fine! As long as I can enjoy trading blows with a Majin!¡¹


    Smiling while bearing her fangs, the Hero of the Cursed Sword looks at me as I dash towards her.


    She readies her fist again.


    While looking at me, she is wary of Berith¡¯s next attack.


    I slid under the fist that mowed down the entire area in front of me.


    I used the jet propulsion of Magical Energy to accelerate me forward as I slid. Herv plunged her other arm into the ground to defend against my low kick.


    ¡¸Ooh! That¡¯s got some kick to it! ¡­Whoa, whoa, holy sh-¡¹


    I inherited this horn in a non-regular fashion.


    Normally, a horn would be grafted or embedded in some way onto the Majin, but not only did my master use various secret methods to mix it into a Human, but it was also crushed and ingested a bit at a time. If he hadn¡¯t done that, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been possible for the horn of the Demon King to be inherited by a Human child.


    As a result, the shape that my horn takes is simply¡­strange.


    In the Fenix fight, the upper right half of my body was covered in a hard, black substance, and I grew a wing.


    However, it has evolved further¡­Is that the right word?


    Right now, my right foot has been transformed by the horn.


    And it can break Herv¡¯s fist. This is what surprised her.


    I break through her arm shield and break her leg with that kick.


    But then Herv¡­ With her posture broken due to the broken bone, she used the momentum of her upper body falling to throw a punch at me, who is below her. Using the arm that just had the giant rocks covering it broken, she hits me. Contact. Mounting me, she punches again. And again. She just keeps punching. The floor cracked as explosion-like punches continued to bombard my whole body. I¡¯d be in trouble if I hadn¡¯t deployed the horn to cover the portions of my body that were covered by clothes from my neck down.


    ¡¸Hahaha! I like tough ones! It ain¡¯t fun if it ends too fast!¡¹


    There will probably be opinions like What a shameful sight for the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff. Who cares? In order to defeat the world¡¯s 3rd rank, I can¡¯t afford to care about vanity. Right now, I only have one job, which is to protect the tenth stratum.


    ¡¸I¡¯m afraid this will all end soon.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah, Berith!¡¹


    She looks around, but can¡¯t confirm where Berith is. I can see her very well.


    ¡¸¡­Above?!¡¹


    Herv immediately thrust her remaining giant rock arm towards the heavens.


    In a moment, there was a thunderous sound. The floor shook heavily.


    Berith jumped into the air using a Silver Slope, and used Snow Covered Strong Arm to change her two arms into one big one.


    A fist thicker and larger than Furcus¡¯s armor¡¯s arm punches the Hero of the Cursed Sword.


    ¡¸Never a dull moment with you two! You planning to crush me along with the Floor Boss?!¡¹


    It is difficult to beat Herv head-on.


    In that case, we¡¯ll beat her from other angles


    For example, having the Floor Boss engage her in a suicide attack, and then crushing her along with the Floor Boss while she is occupied with said Floor Boss.


    All of this ends with my defeat, so I became the decoy.


    We didn¡¯t discuss or plan this beforehand, this was simply because we were Tag Tournament partners.


    We both know what we are likely to do, and match each other while putting faith in it.


    ¡¸The only one getting crushed is you.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re higher and heavier, but I can still¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Then, how about I make her faster as well.¡¹


    I make Magical Energy jet out of the elbow part of Berith¡¯s fist.


    That¡¯s not all. I have already applied Attack Down on her.


    ¡¸Gu¡­rgh¡­¡¹


    I place my right arm on her chest and grabbed her free arm with my left.


    And then, I give her a full force Defense Down. This isn¡¯t effective against magic, but the goal is to decrease her defensive power.


    Herv¡¯s fist started to crack, and her body was sinking.


    ¡¸Come, Hero of the Cursed Sword. Try and stop it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Heh, well aren¡¯t you a gentleman. Tellin¡¯ me to put¡¯em up or shut up.¡¹


    The test of might didn¡¯t last long.


    Herv¡¯s arm broke and then Berith¡¯s continued falling. The Hero of the Cursed Sword punched again with her regular, non-rock-covered arms, and she got pushed back again until finally, her body was hit by Berith¡¯s Snow Covered Strong Arm.


    With the crushing force from the impact above, she was pushed until she was pierced by the fist that I placed on her chest.


    Herv¡¯s face was very close to mine.


    Berith canceled her Snow Covered Strong Arm and stood back up with her fists at the ready.


    ¡¸You think this is enough to kill me?¡¹


    ¡¸I do. Why? Because none of my subordinates are incompetent.¡¹


    Her regenerative abilities aren¡¯t without limit. She can¡¯t regenerate a lost arm, and she can die from all her blood being sucked out.


    And when she appeared in this area, her clothes had holes made from when she was wounded in those spots. Even though all those wounds were gone by the time she showed up.


    In other words, she had been receiving damage from my subordinates up until she reached the final area.


    Due to her personality and battle history, I knew she would want a rematch with Haagenti and Carmilla.


    I am of the firm belief that the damage received from that has exhausted her regenerative ability considerably.


    In addition to that, I have considered the exhaustion from her punch-up with Berith.


    I have already come to the conclusion that it is not possible for her to regenerate enough to overturn death.


    I want to borrow Berith¡¯s strength for the battle with Aerial. So, if a decoy is required, I will volunteer.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I see, you¡¯re right about that.¡¹


    She smiled. Like a kid satisfied after a full day of playtime.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been fun. I¡¯ll get ya next time.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re welcome to try.¡¹


    The Hero of the Cursed Sword body crumbled and scattered.


    ¡­It¡¯s pretty crazy that she endured this long while my arm is pierced through her chest.


    I did something similar to Furcus in the Tag Tournament, but she has Ogre blood in her.


    I suppose in that regard, Herv does have dragon-slayer blood in her¡­


    I quickly stand back up and look at Berith.


    ¡¸Well done. But your work isn¡¯t over yet.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry but¡­I think it is.¡¹


    Berith fell to her knees.


    She vomited Magical Energy from her mouth like blood.


    ¡¸Actually, I took a solid hit from her. I don¡¯t think I can move after the recoil of that last attack.¡¹


    She got hit by Herv¡¯s rock fist? If that¡¯s the case then, then her insides are¡­


    Rather, it¡¯s amazing she was able to move until now.


    ¡¸I am truly sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be. Rest, we¡¯ll deal with him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes. If it¡¯s you, Chief of Staff, I¡¯m sure you can.¡¹


    Berith¡¯s body turned to Magical Energy light as if she was being disassembled.


    The only remaining enemy is the Storm Hero Aerial.


    The battle¡¯s end draws near.

 CH 184

    184 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 17 / Wreathed in Fire and Wind


    Berith was defeated and her silver disappeared.


    I look over at the Storm Hero Aerial.


    The total number of people remaining, friend or foe, has been reduced to three.


    ¡¸Even she got taken out, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡ó


    Regarding those who boldly challenged Aerial.


    I confirmed what happened later by watching the video.


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as the wind! Quick!¡¹


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as a thunderbolt! Quick!¡¹


    Kent and Jean¡¯s White Magic further improved Ellie¡¯s speed.


    ¡¸Let him feel like he is lost in the seas without a compass! Blank!¡¹


    ¡¸Let him feel like he lost the light to guide him through dusk! Blank!¡¹


    Lyner and Ryan fire off Black Magic to try to shove a blank space in Aerial¡¯s mind.


    ¡¸Follow the Adventurer Black Sorcerers¡¯ lead! Shave off his Magical Energy as much as possible, even if it¡¯s just a little bit!¡¹


    Obeying the orders of the Magnanimous Sage Ronove, the Black Sorcerers from the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon respond.


    ¡¸Goblins! Distract him and cast Black Magic! Kobolds! Back them up! Orcs! Lord Lemegeton will surely come up with a plan to defeat the Storm Hero! We shall slow him down, even if it¡¯s just by one step!¡¹


    ¡¸Uoooooooooh!!!¡¹went the Monsters repeatedly.


    ¡¸What marvelous spirit. However, I won¡¯t back down either.¡¹


    Aerial made one rotation. While making a fist, he rotated it on the spot. No, there was a large sound. An uncontrollable wind blew, lifting the Kobolds in the rear and tearing them up.


    The Orcs with their shields up were able to withstand somehow, but their shields would be broken and then suffer countless lacerations on their body.


    The Alraune were able to coil around Aerial, but they flew around, unable to defy the wind, going¡¸Wa-¡¹and¡¸Uu-¡¹.


    ¡¸Orobas!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, right away.¡¹


    Ronove got on the Horseless Archer Orobas¡¯s back. An Orc cavalryman on Centaur-back.


    Orobas readied a shield while Ronove pulled a spear that Orobas came equipped with.


    She dashed with fearsome speed.


    ¡¸Ah, Miss Orobas. You did well in the Tag Tournament.¡¹


    Aerial smiled cheerfully as he swung his Storm Wrap at them.


    A gust of wind blows in the direction of his fist, and the shield-wielding Orcs were blown through the air as easily as flower petals.


    Orobas quickly dodged this, but Aerial was already preparing his second attack and launches it.


    ¡¸Master.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­!¡¹


    Just before the attack hits, Ronove jumps off of Orobas. He rolled and quickly stood up and closed in on Aerial.


    Behind him, Orobas is swallowed up by the wind. He runs down the road made possible by her sacrifice.


    ¡¸Sacrificing an ally to move so. You are excellent not just as a Dungeon Master, but as a warrior.¡¹


    ¡¸HM¡­!!¡¹


    Ronove threw the spear with all his might as he himself closes in on Aerial.


    Aerial doesn¡¯t intercept it with Storm Wrap on his right arm, and instead just dodges the half-length spear.


    ¡¸That was good teamwork, I¡¯ll commend you on that.¡¹


    The spear that went past Aerial turned around and now the tip was aiming for his back.


    This was done with Ellie¡¯s Wind Magic.


    ¡¸Hmm.¡¹


    Aerial catches the spear that was flying towards him again with his left hand and punches the approaching Ronove with his Storm Wrap.


    ¡¸Gu¡­oh¡­¡¹


    Can Ronove endure it? But no matter how high his stamina may be, the amount of Magical Energy charged in Storm Wrap is far beyond the norm. Resisting it purely with physical strength is difficult, and his body was smashed up.


    The Storm Hero took the spear in his hand and swung it like he was hitting a baseball.


    That just happened to be where Ellie was flying in from.


    Her small frame¡­was not hit by the spear.


    Just as what she showed me in our fight, it¡¯s her mirage caused by Spirit Magic. By manipulating the atmospheric density and adjusting light refraction, she can use this magic to shift where she appears to be as compared to the real thing.


    Demanding delicate senses and Magical Energy control, it would be difficult to do even after hearing how it¡¯s done.


    ¡¸Oho.¡¹


    Aerial sounded impressed. Floating behind him is the real Ellie, and she wrapped her beautiful leg with a blade of wind and swung it downwards like a sword.


    Had there been no interferences, it would have split Aerial clean in two. But there was interference.


    By a Wind Blade fired by Aerial.


    He¡¯s the world¡¯s 1st ranked, so even if he was late in responding, he is still able to make it in time.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    As if she was knocked back, Ellie¡¯s posture in the air falters and Aerial tries to drive his Storm Wrap into her.


    ¡¸Good reflexes.¡¹


    Ellie immediately deployed several layers of Air Shield and flew backward, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.


    But even so, Ellie was unable to go against the wind pressure and was blown through the air like a leaf dancing in the wind. This was done with just the residual winds of the attack.


    Aerial was about to move to pursue her but then stops for some reason.


    ¡¸¡­I see, so this is what cut Ewan all over.¡¹


    Aerial moved forward, creating a sound like something made of glass shattering.


    She placed minuscule Wind Blades in the air to create a trap made of invisible bladed objects?


    Aerial got through it unharmed because he clad himself in Wind Armor, but if he had dashed through it without realizing it was there, he would have been cut all over his body. A trap inlaid with Wind Blades.


    ¡¸You are able to Clear Dungeons in such a flashy way because you understand how to very delicately manipulate Magical Energy. You are a good Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Why, thank you. Although, I don¡¯t like the way you say it as if you¡¯re looking down at me.¡¹


    ¡¸My apologies.¡¹


    Aerial approached Ellie.


    ¡¸Like your head is too high up¡­teehee.¡¹


    Immediately after, Aerial fell to the floor on one knee.


    ¡¸¡­This is¡­I see.¡¹


    If I may say, it was rather simple magic. A gigantic Air Box.


    Starting from a state where it stuck tightly to the ceiling, it gradually grows larger. Instead of putting something in it, it¡¯s to flatten whatever is outside of it.


    Right now, Ellie rapidly increased its size and it crashes into the tallest person that currently remains.


    With the combination of a space filled with Magical Energy, a large amount of Magical Energy drifting around, and the person in question being able to control the Magical Energy, it flew under Aerial¡¯s perception.


    At the same time, Ellie clads herself in wind again and attacks.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad to have fought you, truly.¡¹


    Ellie¡¯s whole body was suddenly thrust into the Storm Wrap and ripped apart like a cloth being cut by a sharp object. He immediately followed up and attacked her.


    After being pierced by the fist-sized storm, there was nothing left. Only her Magical Energy particles.


    ¡¸She will only get stronger from here on. You four happened upon a wonderful leader.¡¹


    All of Ellie¡¯s Techniques hit their mark. Yet she was immediately ripped apart.


    The four in the Ellie party supported the remaining Goblins but before long, they too fell victim to the storm.


    Slicing excellent Monsters like they were nothing, and not even a Hero in the top 100 was able to deal a solid blow even when all her Techniques worked.


    If he wasn¡¯t this strong, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reign as the world¡¯s 1st ranked for so long.


    From here on is where my memory begins.


    ¡¸Even she got taken out, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this. That I would lose all my allies like this. However¡­ Ah, this might not sound nice to say, but I am very much enjoying this turn of events. Say, Sir Lemegeton. Would you kindly please show me whatever it is you used that time to defeat Fenix?¡¹


    The complete unleash of the horn. The amount in the horn has increased to more than what I had when I fought Fenix, so it will probably be even more sinister.


    Even so, I don¡¯t know if I can beat him. That¡¯s right, this isn¡¯t an opponent that I can afford to be stingy with.


    Above all else, it would be an insult to my allies who went all-out and were defeated.


    I prepare myself, and then-


    ¡¸Lord Chief of Staff.¡¹


    Bennu came to my side.


    ¡¸His Storm Wrap Spirit Magic is extremely troublesome and dangerous.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you have a plan?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Fine, do it.¡¹


    There was no need for further discussion. If Bennu thinks he can be of use, then better to let him do it.


    In a moment, Bennu¡¯s body turned into blue flames.


    Then, for some reason, it approached me. No, more like¡­ Wrapped around me?


    ¡­I see, so this is his plan.


    My garment mixed with the blue flames.


    Currently, Lemegeton¡¯s body was engulfed in blue flames. The raiment of a blue phoenix.


    Fenix acquired the Esoteric Spirit Magic to Assimilate with fire.


    He is now both man and flame. Man, yet Spirit Magic. You could say that he is Spirit Magic with a will of its own.


    I can fly faster in a straight line with this, more so than with my wings. I¡¯m thankful I am able to use Bennu¡¯s maneuverability when fighting Aerial. This form is more suitable than operating things remotely.


    In addition, I am able to attack from mid-range with fire elemental Spirit Magic.


    Also, this may be the biggest reason that Fenix chose to take the form of armor¡­So the complete unleashing of the horn will not be revealed.


    I have a somewhat distorted-looking horn currently, but the flames are enough to hide it. So even if I were to grow a wing, he can grow a blue one to hide it.


    I can go all out without breaking my promise to my master.


    With such consideration, I can¡¯t even crack a joke about how it¡¯s weird to now be wearing my best friend who turned into fire.


    There¡¯s no need to destroy the cameras. The whole of the fight can be delivered to the audience.


    There is no room for any distractions like feelings of guilt over breaking my promise to my master. Because I can end this without anyone finding out.


    Although¡­Aerial most likely already knows who I am, but I think he¡¯ll be cool with it.


    ¡¸You truly are a fount of new experiences.¡¹


    Said Aerial happily but¡­this is the only one that isn¡¯t my idea.


    ¡¸That magic¡­what is it called?¡¹


    Asked Aerial.


    I can hear Bennu whispering. Is he trying to tell me?


    ¡¸Immortal ¨C Flame Wrap¡¹


    ¡­Okay, he definitely took that idea when he heard Aerial¡¯s Storm Wrap.


    Eh, whatever. It¡¯s thanks to his consideration that I can now go all out without any worry, after all.


    I am honestly indebted to him, for I can now¡­unleash the horn.


    Blackness seeps out from my whole body. As I thought, the amount has increased. Horns protruded from both elbows. A pair of wings grew. Appearing more sinister than before, my arms and so on became like armor. A horn grew on the opposite end of the fake horn, where there was nothing before. This is the only part that feels like a normal outcome of unleashing a horn.


    Magical Energy that was absorbed from the Dungeon Core, refined and condensed.


    I pour all of it into defeating the Storm Hero.


    An opponent who I am unsure I could beat even if I did so.


    But I am not worried. I would never say this to him but¡­


    As long as Fenix and I are fighting together, we are unbeatable.


    ¡¸Let us begin, Storm Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸I am tired of waiting. I have waited a long time for a day like this.¡¹


    That is how the final battle in the final area began.

 CH 185.1

    Translator: Kobracon


    Editor: Weasalopes


    185 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 18 / To the Top (Part 1)


    Our enemy is the Storm Hero Aerial. The world¡¯s 1st ranked party¡¯s leader. Deemed fit by one of the Four Great Spirits, ruler of wind, Sylpheed to be its Contractor.


    He defeated a dozen or so Monsters and a high-ranking party within the top 100, all while his Magical Energy organ was crushed.


    Currently, his right arm is tantamount to a storm. Only called Storm Wrap, its power is reminiscent of a natural disaster.


    On our side are the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton and the Immortal Demon Bennu.


    The true identity of each is the Black Sorcerer Lem, formerly of the world¡¯s 4th ranked party, and the Flame Hero Fenix, leader of that same party, respectively. Fenix is also a Contractor of the Four Great Spirits.


    When we were young, we made a promise to become 1st ranked together.


    At some point in time, we deviated from that path. Separately, we both still continue to walk the path toward the hero we each want to become. I thought that our paths would cross again someday, but I didn¡¯t know that would happen so soon.


    The two of us, who clashed at the Demon King Castle, are now both pretending to be Monsters and facing off against the world¡¯s 1st ranked.


    ¡¸Well then, you two. Shall we begin?¡¹


    My body, which is covered with my abnormal-looking horn, is hidden by the blue flames.


    It¡¯s the Spirit Magic of Bennu¡¯s that he¡¯s named Immortal ¨C Flame Wrap. It is an application of the Assimilation Esoteric Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸We shall put an end to your boredom of being the strongest.¡¹


    The words that we uttered to encourage ourselves unexpectedly pleased us.


    We respect Aerial from the bottom of our hearts. It¡¯s fine to respect him, but we shouldn¡¯t be afraid. Our opponent is the world¡¯s 1st ranked. Our idol since we were kids. Usually, he is someone we would be nervous and unable to calm down when talking to. However, right now, he is just an enemy that is approaching her Highness.


    We will defeat the world¡¯s best Hero who excites fans all over the world, defend the Demon King Castle, and at the same time, save him from his solitude.


    If it¡¯s us, we can do it.


    The first clash was from the front.


    Almost as if both parties planned this beforehand, we flew straight at each other with no plans or strategies, both of our right fists clashing with the other¡¯s.


    For a moment, all sound disappeared from the world. Probably a trick of the senses.


    Immediately after, storms and furious flames burst out to the boundaries of the area. Wind Blades and flames ran amok in every direction.


    Both our Magical Energy was too strong and couldn¡¯t reach behind the enemy. The flames and wind, both were seeking a place to go, instantly tried to pass through a narrow space, and when it was impossible to do so¡­it destroyed the Dungeon.


    The ceiling, walls, and floor were torn. Cracks formed in the Magical Energy space as if the very earth was being torn asunder.


    Hero and Monster alike did not stop.


    At the moment after that, there were five clashes.


    I was able to respond to the offenses and defenses of Aerial¡¯s, which were faster than I could see, thanks to Bennu.


    I left all the flying up to him while I focused on attacking.


    Just before a clash, the flames in my right fist would grow fiercer and I would charge it further with my Magical Energy.


    By concentrating only on that, I was able to deal with the Storm Hero¡¯s attacks as a Black Sorcerer.


    Like fireworks exploding in the night¡¯s sky, our clashes twinkled in the Magical Energy space.


    With each clash, the Dungeon neared its collapse from the aftershocks alone.


    With each clash, an attack that could shatter continents and an attack that turns an entire forest into scorched earth would smash together.


    We continued to fly and repeat our clashes, each time expending a farcical amount of Magical Energy.


    My Black Magic isn¡¯t going through.


    I have to hit the target with my Magical Energy in order to apply Black Magic.


    But Aerial is just too fast. The only chance I have is the moment we clash, but by the time I notice it, we separate, then the next clash happens and we separate. On and on like that.


    ¡¸Fu-hahaha¡­!¡¹


    Aerial was truly enjoying himself.


    Not only am I an enemy that isn¡¯t defeated with a full-powered strike, but I am also one that can match him in offense.


    If you look at how he was undefeated for the last twenty years, you can guess how precious such an enemy is to him.


    This back and forth cannot last long.


    There is the problem of both our Magical Energy reserves, but also Aerial¡¯s wounds are too deep. As expected, his performance didn¡¯t drop despite his stomach being gouged, but he is seriously leaking Magical Energy.


    The blow that all the Monsters and I put our power into has affected mankind¡¯s strongest. It was not in vain.


    Even so, he is a Hero that we have yet to defeat completely.


    ¡¸Bennu.¡¹


    ¡ºYes.¡»


    ¡¸I shall leave it to you for the moment.¡¹


    ¡ºYes.¡»


    I, myself, cannot catch sight of Aerial. There is no way I can split off and fight him. So what should I do?


    For a moment, I stop moving my body.


    I won¡¯t control my stance, open my eyes or even swing a fist.


    Apart from charging strikes with Magical Energy, I leave it all to Bennu.


    Controlling the flames around me, he manipulates me like a marionette.


    This is what I meant when I said I¡¯ll leave it to him. Bennu understood my intent and moved accordingly.


    ¡¸Do you understand, Lemegeton?! Bennu?! With each strike, our Magical Energy swells! Do you understand?!¡¹


    There is this saying.


    Sometimes, people with outstanding abilities in a certain field are concentrated in a particular industry, in a single era.


    In fact, there are sports that have not been popular for years, but then one year a lot of gifted individuals emerge and the sport takes off in a big way.


    There¡¯s also a saying that this isn¡¯t a coincidence.


    The story goes that when good people are aware of each other and influence each other to keep working hard, they can grow more than when they are alone. By watching them up close, others are also inspired, and as a result, the entire industry is raised.


    I think this to be true.


    To put it simply, competition breeds excellence. Without a rival, there is no competition.


    Rather than just improving themselves, they feel like they can work harder knowing that there is someone that they can¡¯t lose to. That¡¯s all there is to it.


    Since Fenix said that we¡¯d aim for 1st rank together with me, a Black Sorcerer, I was motivated to get stronger to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with my best friend. I was so inspired that I said things like¡¸I¡¯ll surpass you if you fall behind!¡¹.


    Aerial and many other adventurers were really, really cool, so I wanted to be like them and worked hard.


    That longing and fighting spirit drew out feelings of giving that little extra push when training got too hard or too tough and I felt like I¡¯d fall over any second.


    And now, thoughts of¡¸We can¡¯t completely defeat him like this¡¹is affecting our magic.


    Even though I am pouring in all the Magical Energy I can control, even more Magical Energy is poured in with each strike. And yet, we move on to the next attack without breaking down.


    Aerial is also doing the same with the Spirit¡¯s Magical Energy. At any moment, he could lose control of the storm in his arm and his body could go ballistic, but he is in complete control.


    Right now, we are growing with each moment, getting stronger with each moment.


    ¡¸This! This is it! This is why I became an Adventurer!¡¹


    Those who braved the unknown, looked danger in the eye, aiming for the deepest darkest parts of a Dungeon are called Adventurers.


    Those who once did battle for glorious treasure,  for legendary weapons, for peace, or for loved ones.


    It is said that Aerial never planned to become an Adventurer.


    Aerial is from a village in the countryside, but he had no interest in one of the most fun things available in the meager countryside, Dungeon Clears. All he thought of was pretending to be a good adult to amuse himself.


    He was busy caring for his sick sister, so he had no time to be infatuated with such things.


    That all changed when he met a real Hero.


    If this man feels that all this is worth staking his life on, then just what kind of world is Adventuring? He was curious.


    Seeing through her little brother¡¯s feelings, his sister gave him a little push.


    Everyone is doing their best, frantic, and no one knows when or who will kill them. But no one will die.


    You can fight seriously using Avatars.


    He was fascinated by Dungeon Clears.


    It is precisely because of someone like him fighting that people who watch are naturally attracted.


    You can¡¯t peel your eyes off of someone who enjoys Dungeon Clearing more than anyone else.

 CH 185.2

    185 ¨C The Tenth Stratum ¨C The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 18 / To the Top (Part 2)


    ¡º¡­Lord Chief of Staff.¡»


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Preparations are complete.


    ¡¸Lemegeton! Even you cannot cast any Black Magic on m-¡¹


    After countless collisions, Aerial stopped in midair.


    ¡¸¡­This is¡­What Black Magic is this?¡¹


    ¡¸Be honored, for you are the first to fall prey to it.¡¹


    You have to hit the target with your Magical Energy for the Black Magic to work. This isn¡¯t limited to just Black Magic, this applies to all magic. Needless to say, it¡¯s the most basic of basic rules.


    As expected, I can¡¯t hit a target, that not even something as fast as a Wind Blade can hit, with my Black Magic.


    Which is why¡­I deployed Black Magic throughout this entire space.


    With this, he can¡¯t avoid it. This space is filled with my Magical Energy. The Magical Energy used for Resist will be shaved off just by moving. No matter how fast he dashes around this space, nothing will change.


    This is the Magical Energy taken from the Dungeon Core, refined and condensed with my master¡¯s horn. Also, my horn is currently going at full power.


    ¡¸Completely covering this entire area by emitting Black Magic in all directions. This isn¡¯t something that can be done by just having enough Magical Energy. Just what kind of training did you¡­¡¹


    He has probably realized who I really am. He can also probably suspect who the original owner of my horn is. At any rate, he told me that he felt the same sensation when he confronted my master when he saw me for the first time. I think he told me that around the time he invited me to join the 1st ranked party?


    He has held me in high regard since a while ago.


    But there is no way he would know. The things that I have done, how far I went with my training.


    It is because of my master¡¯s horn, the Magical Energy from the Dungeon Core, and the hard work I have accumulated up till now that I am able to use this Technique for the first time.


    Time is working against Aerial.


    In addition to the Magical Energy leaking out of his abdomen, there is my Black Magic.


    ¡¸I wish this could go on forever, but it appears that I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¹


    I could hear the sound of a storm brewing. Nearby, the sound of a flame roaring.


    Fists are clenched. Magical Energy is put in. Eyes wide open, for a moment, both parties disappeared.


    Then at the same time, their fists were let loose with all of their body and soul.


    Even with Bennu¡¯s flames and my Magical Energy, we received a shock that could tear an arm off and send it flying.


    The storm fanned the flames, and its shape kept changing.


    The Magical Energy of the Storm Wrap that came our way increased further.


    This is totally not an amount of Magical Energy that people can control, but Aerial managed to keep it in shape.


    The fist we¡¯re struggling against moves. Slowly but surely, one side is winning. And that side¡­is Aerial¡¯s side.


    ¡¸You two are strong¡­! But I¡­am the Storm Hero¡­!!¡¹


    Mankind¡¯s strongest. The pinnacle of Adventurers. The world¡¯s 1st ranked party. A Four Great Spirits Contractor.


    ¡¸Who you are¡­has nothing to do with this¡­!¡¹


    If I lose here, then it would all be for naught.


    As an Adventurer, I was shunned by society and I ended up leaving the party.


    While I had no plans of giving up on becoming my desired hero, reality was as harsh as ever.


    Meeting Milla, getting taken to the Demon King Castle and meeting her Highness felt like the path had opened up for me.


    Thanks to Milla, my dream took on a new form.


    My magic can be of use. She said I could give the Monsters victory. Doing that and repelling the Adventurers, I can give hope to the Monsters who were worried that their only role was to be beaten up, and I might be able to increase the number of Demi-Humans who want to become Monsters.


    Dungeon Clearing is a form of entertainment created by Adventurers and Monsters alike.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re Human or Demi-Human, both can get sucked in by the nail-biting, passionate struggle on the TV.


    If you can¡¯t raise the spirits of the viewer and make their chests burn with passion, then don¡¯t be an Adventurer.


    Even Monsters have great heroes¡­!


    Storm Wrap digs into Immortal ¨C Fire Wrap, extinguishing the flames to reach the body¡­The flame armor was blown away.


    ¡¸¡­What¡­?¡¹


    Immortal ¨C Flame Wrap has been broken.


    However, I am no longer inside it.


    Just before it was broken, the flames scattered to the surroundings, which blocked Aerial¡¯s field of vision and I made my escape during that time.


    Wearing only half of what made up the flame armor, I flew directly above him.


    There is almost no Magical Energy left in me. The horn that covered my body returned back into my body, save for the one covering my right arm.


    I ready my fist once again, all of Bennu¡¯s remaining fire wrapped around my right arm, and accelerated at bursting speed.


    ¡¸Splendid¡­!¡¹


    Even saying that, he meets our fist with Storm Wrap, but it didn¡¯t have the same power as before.


    I didn¡¯t give him a chance to put his magic into it again.


    ¡¸¡­!!¡¹


    Aerial¡¯s body was pushed down. With our punch from above, he went lower and lower. Towards the floor. He was going down. Like he was gradually falling, which means¡­our plan succeeded.


    ¡¸¡­Black Magic, huh?¡¹


    The space is still filled with my Black Magic. Aerial, who is continuing his descent toward the ground, is defending against our fist, but he himself is continuously exposed to Black Magic.


    And finally, the Magical Energy used for Resist has been whittled down, and he was affected by Black Magic.


    Blank. The spell that my allies, including Ellie¡¯s Black Sorcerers, were trying to cast on him.


    Black Magic that shoves a black space in between your thoughts.


    This doesn¡¯t simply force one to not be able to think of things. No, that isn¡¯t its only effect but it is important in making things happen via Blank.


    In order to maintain magic, you must always keep thinking about it.


    Especially something like Storm Wrap. Continuing to put on an overwhelming Magical Energy in the shape of a powerful storm on one¡¯s arm cannot be done with average Magical Energy manipulation. Relax for a moment and it will crumble in the blink of an eye.


    And now¡­


    Storm Wrap, which boasts the highest level of offensive ability, self-destructs and is about to rip its user to tiny bits.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    However, Aerial can deal with even this. He immediately cuts his right arm off with a Wind Blade and flies away as far as possible. Immediately after, the storm that he has lost control of spreads throughout the space. Finally¡­


    With our fist, we¡­catch the Storm Hero.


    ¡¸I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You lose.¡¹


    The other half of Bennu¡¯s body that was pierced by Storm Wrap a while ago returned. We accelerate further¡­


    ¡­and slam Aerial into the floor.


    A crater forms in the floor, shattered, as Aerial is sunk in its center.


    My Magical Energy is all but spent, and Bennu returns to the form of man and falls to his knees.


    He fought well using the Spirit Magic he had just acquired. He is both my friend and an amazing person.


    If Aerial stood back up right now, we wouldn¡¯t be able to resist and would just get taken out.


    My body is shaking, having gone past its limits. It would be impossible to do anything more.


    Aerial looked at us.


    There was a hole in his chest.


    ¡¸Ah¡­this is¡­¡¹


    He covered his eyes with his left hand and murmured in a hoarse voice.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll train myself again from scratch.¡¹


    Magical Energy particles scattered slowly.


    The source was the Storm Hero¡¯s broken body.


    Aerial¡­is defeated.


    For a while, we were stunned. It just didn¡¯t feel real.


    I mean¡­he¡­was beaten.


    That Aerial¡­was beaten¡­by us¡­


    I look at Bennu.


    That¡¯s right, right now, we¡¯re Lemegeton and Bennu. Remembering that, I say this.


    ¡¸Well done.¡¹


    Bennu gave a respectful¡¸Yes.¡¹. We both had a little smile beneath our masks.


    Offering a hand to him, Bennu grabs hold of it and stands back up.


    ¡¸It appears we¡¯ve won.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, with the help of every Monster who took part in this battle, the invasion of Adventurers was prevented.¡¹


    How strange. I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if it was just me.


    But when I think about it all being possible because of everyone, I can accept it easily.


    Even in this destroyed final area, I turn to look at a wall with an intact camera.


    ¡¸No matter who may come, the Demon King Castle shall never fall.¡¹


    Well¡­it was extremely close to falling, but I have to say it this way.


    This, too, is the job of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.

 CH 186.1

    186 ¨C Our Adventure Will Not End (Part 1)


    After the Raid Battle was over, I got a message from Wraith.


    ¡¸Grr¡­ That boy, has he still not given up on getting you into his party? Be that as it may, I still haven¡¯t even received my gracious reward yet¡­¡¹


    As I was leaving my home, Milla says that while puffing one of her cheeks, I smile wryly.


    ¡¸He told me that it won¡¯t take long.¡¹


    When I said that, Milla¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment, then her expression quickly turned seductive.


    ¡¸Oh my, so does that mean that I can have a date with Lem all to myself?¡¹


    ¡¸Aha¡­haha¡­¡¹


    Milla contributed wonderfully to the war effort in the third stratum fight. We decided on going on a date together as a celebration, but she was fine with waiting until after the Raid Battle was over to do it.


    ¡¸I am extremely looking forward to being escorted by Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡¹


    In our little chat, we exchange¡¸Have a safe journey.¡¹¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ll see you soon¡¹and I head out.


    I was heading to the same cafe we went to last time.


    The crowd inside was as moderate as last time, but I think it¡¯s a good atmosphere for a nice little chat.


    ¡¸Ah, over here.¡¹


    A young boy was waving at me from his seat, I go closer.


    At the table that can seat four, the two seats on one side were filled.


    On them were the Water Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran.


    I sit on the opposite side.


    ¡¸Sorry for calling you out all of a sudden. Thanks for coming.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    To be honest, I was worried.


    I checked the video after the fight, but it¡¯s better to meet him directly to check.


    I look at him. A ten-year-old who had only just had his Job identified. Hair and eyes of deep blue, reminiscent of the deep sea. The young boy looked back at me with a friendly smile.


    ¡­Alright, he seems fine.


    Wraith was trapped in a prison of his own guilt. He cursed himself for being born into this world, which prevented the best Hero from taking back his seat at the top of the rankings.


    Wraith thought that the only way to free himself from this curse was to prove that his father¡¯s way was right.


    I have no right to meddle in his way of living.


    However, he was deemed worthy by the Spirit.


    Even if he was aiming to be like the Unyielding Hero, I don¡¯t think the important takeaway from him is something as superficial as swearing not to use Spirit Magic.


    While his father was not chosen by the Spirits, he valued his allies, honed their cooperation, and never gave up in any sort of predicament. He did his very best and put forth every effort.


    Wraith probably understands all of that now.


    The slow, heart-tightening, painful atmosphere from before has cleared up beautifully.


    ¡¸I see Fran is here too. Good day.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Mm. Good day.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah yeah, she wants to say thanks to you or something so she came along.¡¹


    ¡¸Also, so that Wraith won¡¯t get lost.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh-huh, s¡¯that so? Gee, thanks. C¡¯mon, say¡¸Ah¡¹.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah~¡¹


    That¡¯s right. This whole time, Wraith has been scooping up a parfait with a spoon and feeding it to Fran. Like a baby bird being fed by its mama bird, Fran was supplied sweet treats by Wraith.


    Am I totally in the way, right now? I feel like I am intruding on their space somehow.


    There¡¯s something charming about all this, though. Perhaps it¡¯s because they¡¯re still young.


    ¡¸Thank me?¡¹


    ¡¸Mm. Thank you¡­very much for helping Wraith. It was something¡­that I couldn¡¯t do¡­¡¹


    I guess she realized the situation as well.


    I suppose to someone who knows about Wraith¡¯s situation, the way Bennu and I treated him made it really easy to understand. Rather than guiding him to the right answer, we actually tried to make him realize it himself.


    Fran is his childhood friend, and she knows about the time that Wraith met with me here. Knowing all that, it¡¯s no surprise that she put it all together.


    There is the possibility that Wraith just told her, but somehow I don¡¯t think he did.


    ¡¸Just having you there helped me plenty. Truly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    Wraith said that while scratching his cheek and Fran looked down expressionlessly. She¡¯s shy¡­I think.


    Wraith looked back at me.


    ¡¸I want to thank you too. I understand why you turned down my invitation. With so many great allies, who¡¯d wanna link arms with a brat who¡¯s got the wrong idea, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re a good Hero, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I wonder if I¡¯m worthy.¡¹


    Wraith laughed it off. As Lemegeton, I said some pretty harsh words about him not being worthy of being a Hero when I faced him.


    I smiled and nodded.


    ¡¸Indeed, you did your very best to achieve victory. You were a cool Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hehe, that so?¡¹


    The embarrassed look he has right now looks appropriate for someone his age.


    ¡¸Oh, by the way, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? What is it?¡¹


    After feeding Fran the last bite of the parfait, Wraith leans forward.


    He smiles while looking at me and says¡­


    ¡¸Once again, would you like to join my party?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ahaha.¡¹


    This might be where he resembles his father the most.


    He won¡¯t give up after only one or two rejections.


    ¡¸You really are awesome, Lem. Let¡¯s reach 1st rank, together. You¡¯re the best Black Sorcerer. I¡­we don¡¯t care about all the naysayers. Let¡¯s win, win and keep on winning and drop Uncle Air down to 2nd rank.¡¹


    Wraith excitedly talks about the future.


    He was so dazzling and full of passion. I was honored, and truly, truly happy.


    But¡­


    ¡¸I really like my current job.¡¹


    I mean this from the bottom of my heart.


    Wraith¡­wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡¸Aw man, I knew it¡­¡¹


    He said as he leaned back on his chair and his shoulders sank.


    ¡¸But, yknow¡­¡¹


    He immediately revived and continued with renewed vigor.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t give up. I¡¯m the son of the Unyielding Hero after all!¡¹


    He said those words proudly, and I couldn¡¯t feel the anguish eating away at him.


    Good. I¡¯m glad.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll make the best party. Now it¡¯s just me, Fran, and Undine, but I¡¯ll search for the remaining allies. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll stick with this job, but I¡¯ll always keep a slot open for you. Let¡¯s go Adventuring together someday.¡¹


    ¡ó


    About the others that took part in the Raid Battle.


    I¡¯ll take excerpts out of the interviews of each party that I saw.


    First off, the world¡¯s 5th ranked Scathach party.


    ¡º-take a look back at Raid Battle, how do you feel about it?¡»


    ¡ºI am mortified to have been defeated in the first stratum¡­ That alone showcases how high-level the Demon King Castle is as a Dungeon, but wish I could have contributed more to the party.¡»


    Said the Magic Arrow Archer Caleena with a quiet, regretful look on her face.


    ¡ºTwas an extremely thrilling fight! I take pride in the practical applications of my threads, but I got the impression that the enemy had various countermeasures ready and waiting!¡»


    The Weaving Magician Theo gleefully narrated.


    ¡ºWho me? Heh, I, like, played a super big role. You could say it was fulfilling, fun even. I¡¯m sure all the Hamill fans all over the world are gonna love the video. Right, guys?¡»


    ¡º¡­sigh, the battle in the tenth stratum was really cool too¡­¡»


    ¡ºCaleena, hey, could you maybe not sigh so loudly?¡»


    ¡ºI, too, was greatly moved by Sir Hamill¡¯s display in the tenth stratum! Especially that scene after he saw off Sir Ewan with a brave smile! The sight of him dragging his dying body to try and rush to our leader¡¯s side brought me to tears!¡»


    ¡ºHey! You promised that you wouldn¡¯t mention that, Theo?! It was cut out, right? It didn¡¯t make it in the final cut, right?¡»


    The Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill¡¯s face was turning red. ¡­It totally made it in.


    ¡º¡±¡­Dammit¡­¡±¡»


    ¡ºCaleena? Is that¡­Is that supposed to be an impression of me?¡»


    ¡º¡±My leader needs me, I have to go and save him.¡±¡»


    ¡ºI didn¡¯t say anything like that! It sounds like something I would say, though! Don¡¯t spread lies!¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m only joking. Although, if you acted more like that and less like your usual playful self, I¡¯m sure people would like you more, Hamill.¡»


    ¡ºEven you, Caleena?¡»


    ¡º¡­¡­sigh¡»


    ¡ºThat was an even deeper sigh than before!¡»


    The Scathach party gets along really well.


    Once all the clamor reaches a stopping point, the camera shifts its focus to the Faceless Archer Suuri.


    ¡º¡­The enemy exceeded my expectations. The cause of defeat was clear. I must revise my methods.¡»


    He was hiding his face that day as well.


    Then, it was finally the Thunder Hero Scathach¡¯s turn.


    ¡ºThere are many things we could have done better. After the fact, we tend to think things like ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if I did it like this, everything would have changed.¡± and so on. The first time I was defeated, if I wasn¡¯t killed by Miss Furcus, we could have used the revival rights on someone else. It is regrettable that Caleena could not be revived, for she is an excellent Hunter. I still ask myself whether or not the decisions I made in the tenth stratum were the right ones. But in the end, we did our best and lost. We have to accept that and move on.¡»


    ¡º¡­Would you challenge the Demon King Castle again?¡»

 CH 186.2

    186 ¨C Our Adventure Will Not End (Part 2)


    ¡ºMy allies are nothing but outstanding people. In addition to them, there were other members in the Raid Battle and we couldn¡¯t win. We have come to terms with it and we will devote ourselves to improving. Of course, we will challenge it again, but not so soon.¡»


    Scathach said so with honest eyes.


    ¡ºAw shucks, thanks, leader. Calling me¡­the best swordsman in the world is¡­sniff so touching¡­¡»


    ¡ºI said no such thing.¡»


    ¡ºUh, ahem We have a big announcement!¡»


    Hamill really is a free spirit.


    ¡ºOne of the seven wonders of the Adventuring world is the true face of our very own Suuri.¡»


    ¡ºFirst I¡¯ve heard of that¡­¡»


    Caleena was astounded.


    While I¡¯ve never heard the phrase Seven Wonders either, there certainly are many Adventurers with unknown mysteries to even the fans.


    ¡ºWould you believe it, ladies and gentlemen? We shall be unveiling it right here, right now! Yaaay! Clap your hands! Add in the sound of a roaring crowd and clapping!¡»


    Caleena facepalmed, Theo laughed out loud, and Scathach gave a faint chuckle.


    From their expressions, it appears that this wasn¡¯t Hamill¡¯s idea, but rather it was a decision made by the whole party. I wonder if their way of unveiling it was ad-libbed? Judging from how no one is surprised at the unveiling itself, it seems that way.


    ¡ºNow then, without further ado, watch and be amazed by Suuri¡¯s true face!¡»


    Before anyone realized it, Hamill had a microphone in his hand.


    Despite his excited announcement, Suuri remains cool and calm.


    He gently pulls his hood down.


    Blond, long hair, blue eyes, white skin, a beautiful face, and¡­pointy ears.


    There was the face of an Elf.


    Having removed both his hood and the cloth covering his mouth, he slowly opens his mouth.


    ¡ºThis is why I hid my face. I am prepared to accept any and all criticism. However, for my allies who accepted me, in order to take my Hero to the 1st rank, I will continue to be an Adventurer. No matter what happens, I will not simply give up. ¡­That is all.¡»


    ¡ºThe true face hidden underneath that hood this whole time¡­was a stunningly handsome Elf~! Well, we all knew it, but I¡¯m sure all of you are shocked and amazed. Please, continue supporting the four handsome men plus one beautiful woman Scathach party!¡»


    ¡ºStop it, your embarrassing us.¡»


    Scathach took the mic away from Hamill.


    ¡ºSuuri hid his face out of consideration of how Demi-Human Adventurers were treated at the time. We agreed to it. Looking back, however, that may have been a mistake. No one can say that Suuri isn¡¯t an outstanding Hunter, and I am proud to count him as an ally. There is nothing for him to hide. This¡­is the Scathach party. Thank you for your support.¡»


    Naturally, this interview became a huge topic of discussion. There were too many topics related to the Raid Battle, and they all caused a stir among the fans.


    Not all the opinions were favorable, but I¡¯m sure the Scathach party will be fine.


    I later heard that after that interview, the number of female Suuri fans seemed to have surged rapidly.


    ¡­The handsome, taciturn, and excellent Hunter who would sacrifice himself for the sake of his allies.


    No wonder so many people are gripped by this tale.


    ¡ó


    The interview with the world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hervor party was a refreshing one.


    That is to say, the Fencer the Flashing Swordswoman Eloise, who fell in the second stratum said ¡¸I really wish I could have done more!¡¹.


    Since the rest of them, including their leader, fell in the third stratum, there was much talk of regret and wishing they did things better.


    The ones who were brought back to life with the revival rights were Herv and the Thousand Form Summoner Margret. Margret contributed greatly to the solving of the riddles in the seventh stratum, although the person in question is modest about it. She is probably more concerned about when she was immediately defeated by Agares in the ninth stratum.


    Their leader, Herv, was in high spirits and kept encouraging her allies saying¡¸As long as we win next time, it¡¯s all good!¡¹and then laughing heartily.


    ¡ºYour efforts even after you were revived were wonderful as well.¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m glad I was revived. Thanks to that, I was able to have some fun. I wanted to fight Haagenti and Carmilla again. I wanna challenge them again right away, but I can¡¯t, right? The tenth stratum was all busted up by old man Aerial and Lemegeton so we can¡¯t go.¡»


    ¡­That¡¯s right.


    Similar to Fenix, when Four Great Spirits contractors go full power, the Magical Energy space cannot be preserved.


    Well¡­this time there was both Bennu and I as well so¡­anyway, it¡¯s wrecked.


    Since it needs to be repaired again, the tenth stratum is closed for now.


    ¡ºLet¡¯s go as soon as it¡¯s fixed, Big Sis!¡»


    ¡ºShush, Ell. Big Sis, please give us time to train up. We won¡¯t lose next time.¡»


    ¡º¡­I couldn¡¯t fire my cannon at all either, I¡¯ll do better next time.¡»


    ¡ºHow splendid of all of you. I have work to do, so it would be helpful if a timeslot were to open up in time for the rematch.¡»


    Eloise, the Rock Crushing Martial Artist Amelia, the Roaring Gunner Emeline, and Margret all spoke in turn.


    ¡ºHey Ames, I told you not to call me that, right?¡»


    ¡ºEven though Elloi was the first one to fall, she¡¯s the loudest.¡»


    ¡ºHey, Em! Don¡¯t shorten it like that! It sounds like something bad!¡»


    ¡ºPlease calm down, Ms. Elloie.¡»[1. TL Note: Ok, this joke kinda got lost in translation because of JPs ¡®L¡¯ and ¡®R¡¯ thing. In JP, Elloise¡¯s name is ¡®eroi-su¡¯. Amelia shortened it to ¡®ero¡¯ which is also short for ¡®Erotic¡¯ in JP. Then Emeline calls her ¡®eroi¡¯, which means ¡®sexy¡¯ and so on.]


    ¡ºMaggie? If you¡¯re gonna go that far, you might as well say the S in my name¡­¡»


    The Hervor party gets along together as well.


    ¡ºThe Demon King Castle was a ton of fun. We¡¯ll be sure to Clear it next time.¡»


    Hervor said, baring her fangs as she smiled.


    ¡ó


    ¡ºAh, it¡¯s kinda lonely with just the two of us, huh? No wait, the Spirit counts as well, but people can¡¯t see her.¡»


    ¡º¡­As long as Wraith is there, I¡¯m not lonely.¡»


    ¡ºNo, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ah, whatever.¡»


    ¡ºEven though you two have only just had your Jobs identified, you both played quite an active role.¡»


    The Water Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran didn¡¯t take part in the raid as a party.


    Rather exceptionally, they entered as a duo.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s because my fellow Adventurers were top-notch allies. If you were to ask them for a ten, they¡¯ll come back to you with an eleven or more. When I support them, it goes well, when they support me, it¡¯s super helpful. It¡¯s because of party members like them that we were able to reach that far.¡»


    ¡ºI see. By the way, prior to the battle in the tenth stratum, Mr. Wraith, you had been stating again and again that you would never use Spirit Magic, but¡­¡»


    ¡ºYeah, about that. I was wrong. It¡¯s really embarrassing to admit, but I was mistaken about what a Hero is. A truly cool Hero is one that leads his allies to victory. What I did was childishly and stubbornly ignore the Spirit, who is an important ally. I¡¯ve thought it over. But¡­¡»


    ¡ºBut?¡»


    Wraith said the following with a dazzling smile.


    ¡ºFrom now on, I will truly be joining forces with my allies. I¡¯ll become the strongest Water Hero in history and even become 1st ranked.¡»


    He laughed while smiling. Ah, I saw that smile recently.


    ¡ºOh, I have something I¡¯d like to discuss now.¡»


    ¡ºD-discuss, you say?¡»


    ¡ºYeah! We are recruiting people who want to become 1st rank with us! Specifically, two. The only condition is that they want to be 1st ranked. And of course, your race doesn¡¯t matter!¡»


    ¡ºI¡­er¡­ I see¡­?¡»


    ¡ºThe reason there are only two slots is that the last member has already been decided. I¡¯ll tell you all my e-mail address, so if you¡¯re interested, please write it down and contact me. Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s-¡»


    ¡ºMr. Wraith?¡»


    Such out-of-the-box thinking is truly just like him.


    If you announce that you¡¯re recruiting on a show being watched by a lot of people, you¡¯ll deliver your message to a ton of people.


    ¡­That last member he mentioned is most likely me.


    While feeling the intense gaze from Milla, who was watching TV beside me, I was looking forward to seeing just what kind of party he¡¯ll create.

 CH 186.3

    186 ¨C Our Adventure Will Not End (Part 3)


    ¡ºI must retrain my weak will.¡»


    Said the Samurai Masamune while crossing his arms.


    ¡ºAhaha, did you get scolded by Pan? You were deceived by the allure of young girls and you ended up slashing at your allies, right?¡»


    The Crimson Wizard Michelle was laughing gleefully.


    ¡ºIt is the biggest blunder of my life¡­!¡»


    ¡ºThat¡¯s just how much of a threat they thought of you, Masa. Every Dream Demon in the Demon King Castle cast Charm on only you, after all.¡»


    The Blade Alchemist Louie followed up.


    Actually, Masamune, who is the best of the Samurai who are known for their strong will, was affected because it is impossible to fight against it unless you are someone who can maintain a large amount of Magical Energy to use for Resist.


    I¡¯m sure Michelle knows this, but she¡¯s just teasing him.


    ¡ºWhat I regret the most is having absolutely no memory of crossing swords with Aerial¡­! I saw the video and I could not believe it. I could have done better!¡»


    ¡ºAhaha, that¡¯s what you¡¯re sad about?¡»


    ¡ºIndeed. If Masa¡¯s mind had been normal while he was hostile, countless people would have fallen there.¡»


    Aerial said while nodding.


    ¡ºThis time, it felt like the Demon King Castle clearly had countless plans for whoever would be coming. If it was just strong Monsters, there is no way we would have lost. But I believe they thought about who to kill and when, moving accordingly.¡»


    Louie gives praise while stroking his beard.


    ¡ºAh, I think you¡¯re right. Like how that Time Demon took Lou¡¯s head off before you can even make any weapons. I was defeated by the spear of that incredible Reaper Knight. That branching spear thing¡­that was the first time she used it, right? On that point, our own little newbie did his very best, didn¡¯t he?¡»


    ¡ºTh-thank you very much¡­!¡»


    ¡ºYour pure innocence really is adorable. Also, you kept growing and growing in this Clear, I think everyone has approved of you in this Raid Battle.¡»


    Masamune and Louie both nodded their heads and Ewan¡¯s face turned red.


    ¡ºThank you very much¡­¡»


    ¡ºIndeed. I¡¯m glad. At the end, your decision to save Wraith was the right one. You considered the damage you have sustained, thought about who would be necessary to attain victory, and moved. Well done.¡»


    Aerial compliments him in passing, but then he continues.


    ¡ºBut you mustn¡¯t be complacent. Do not be satisfied with losing a match, saving an ally, then getting defeated. Win, save an ally, then defeat the enemy. Doesn¡¯t that kind of Hero sound far cooler?¡»


    ¡º¡­! Yes! I¡¯ll do my best!¡»


    ¡ºGood¡­ Although¡­I went and lost as well.¡»


    ¡ºNot at all, it was a terrific battle!¡»


    ¡ºAhaha, thank you. That said, the jury is still out on whether my actions were good or bad. When asked if I did the right thing, I honestly can¡¯t tell you. It was simply¡­fun. Truly, it was a very, very exciting battle.¡»


    No one said anything to Aerial, smiling with child-like glee.


    But in some respects, his allies were smiling happily.


    After a while, the interview resumed.


    ¡ºUntil this Raid Battle, you haven¡¯t challenged the Demon King Castle in over twenty years, why is that?¡»


    ¡ºAh, I¡¯m often asked this. Let¡¯s see, at the time, we had challenged it countless times but lost every time. Furthermore, we got dangerously close to boring the viewers by constantly posting nothing but failed Clear attempt videos of the Demon King Castle. We knew that this could not go on.¡»


    ¡º¡­One cannot eat if one does not have money.¡»


    ¡ºI apologize for that¡­ We honestly became alarmingly low on funds. I kept stubbornly challenging the Demon King Castle and everyone always followed along, but we soon reached our limit, thought that we required training, and headed to a different Dungeon. There are many who know at least this much.¡»


    ¡ºEven after that, when the party had stabilized, you didn¡¯t challenge it again, yes? Did it really have something to do with the retirement of the Demon King Lucifer?¡»


    ¡ºThe disappearance of an enemy that I deemed as the strongest was certainly quite a shock. I couldn¡¯t help but think that there is no pride to be had in Clearing a Demon King Castle without him and ending the battle between Adventurers and Monsters.¡»


    ¡ºAfter that, strong Monster after strong Monster kept leaving the Demon King Castle.¡»


    This is linked to the current state of the Demon King Castle where it¡¯s full of young people. Actually, it is more those that Fellow pulled out along with himself which lead to how it is today, though.


    ¡ºIndeed. After that, we sought those that had transferred to other Dungeons, asking them for a rematch. Because we lost a lot of times to them as well. There was a thought that we couldn¡¯t truly say that we have Cleared the Demon King Castle unless we had surpassed them. This might not matter to the kids of the current generation, but we have experienced direct losses to them.¡»


    ¡ºThe Aerial party went around to crush each and every former Demon King Castle Monster who once defeated you all. Among all your activities other than Dungeon Clearing, there were a number of fans who voiced out about how they wish you all challenged the Demon King Castle again, but what was the reason to finally do it in Raid Battle form?¡»


    ¡ºThere were many reasons for that. It happened a little later than expected, but it was fun to join forces with other parties, Pan retiring made us all realize again that we won¡¯t be young forever, and then, of course¡­¡»


    ¡ºYes?¡»


    ¡ºI wished to try my hand against the man who killed a Four Great Spirits contractor.¡»


    I could tell that the interviewer paused to gulp.


    ¡º¡­¡­And what did you think?¡»


    ¡ºHe was magnificent. And not just him, all the Monsters of the Demon King Castle were magnificent as well. There were countless Monsters who did their best to kill even a Hero. They were those who staked their lives to do so. Individually, their strength was inferior to us, but it was an easy-to-understand Defense with the foundation of ¡°So long as the Adventurers fall in the end¡±.¡»


    ¡ºDo you have any plans for the next Demon King Castle Clear attempt?¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m not sure. I mentioned earlier how we aren¡¯t young anymore, but losing that battle reminded me of something. About how vexing defeat can feel. I want to train myself right away. To be frank, I am desperately suppressing the urge to burst out of this studio.¡»


    ¡ºMy apologies, just a little more. There have been voices of concern among the fans that you might finally retire¡­¡»


    Aerial smiled.


    ¡ºAdventurers are mysterious creatures. We are happy when we are victorious, but then we think about how we must win the next one. And then the next, and the next, and so on. We don¡¯t want to lose, but winning all the time creates an empty feeling inside ourselves. I¡¯m sure what we¡¯re looking for are heart-pounding experiences. Excitement. Suspense. Feeling like they wanna go on Adventures until the day they die. This world is vast and filled with Dungeons. I¡¯m sure one lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough to see them all. The Demon King Castle, the very symbol of the eternal struggle, is alive and well. Retire? Never. I simply can¡¯t. Because¡­¡»


    Aerial looked at his allies, and then he looked at me.


    No, wait. His gaze was so intense that I had forgotten that I was looking at him through a camera.


    ¡ºOur Adventure is far from over.¡»


    ¡ó


    This is something I learned from the fight with the Fenix party; although a lot of the viewers want the Adventurer side to win, they will praise the effort put into a really serious all-out battle.


    There are harsh opinions among them, but these are but one of the reactions.


    We have no choice but to work every day toward our own goals.


    The Raid Battle caused a huge splash.


    There were plenty of topics. Just limiting to the final area, there were topics about the appearance of the current Demon King, the mysterious Majin Bennu, the appearance of the Tag Tournament winner Berith, also the appearance and struggle of the Ellie party, the three subordinates who are directly under the command of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, the brave efforts of the Monsters from the Elementary Level ¨C  Beginner¡¯s Dungeon which is rumored to be an All Level Dungeon recently, the Water Hero¡¯s Spirit Magic, Herv¡¯s rarely seen Spirit Magic, Aerial¡¯s full power and on and on.


    If you looked at the entire tenth stratum battle, there are just too many topics to count.


    From Suuri¡¯s face reveal to Aerial¡¯s declaration of never retiring, even the aftermath of the raid has caused more topics to pop up.


    There are issues and even questions. However, let¡¯s look at them one at a time.


    What Aerial said is right. I completely agree with him.


    The Job I was awakened to is Black Sorcerer? Who cares.


    I left the party? That¡¯s no reason to give up.


    Fighting with my best friend, rebuilding a failing Dungeon, participating in a tournament with a Hero worried about her status quo, a Raid Battle that¡¯s full of the industry¡¯s strongest leading figures, and the road to our faraway destination.


    My dream is to become the best hero. To become the hero of the Monsters.


    I know that the end is still a long way away. Besides, I won¡¯t be the one who decides it.


    Up to now, and from now on, the people who watch us are the ones who will decide.


    I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll still continue to fight even after they have made their decision. There will be many hardships, but even so, I¡¯ll be having too much fun to stop.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve come, my Chief of Staff.¡¹


    The Demon King Army¡¯s conference room. The room that only the Big Four, Chief of Staff, and also the Demon King may enter.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla, the Demon of Love Sitri, the Reaper Knight Furcus, the Time Demon Agares, and the Demon King Lucifa have already gathered.


    The Impregnable Demon King Castle is my workplace.


    I¡¯m sure many more things will happen in the future.


    But, no matter what happens.


    I¡¯m sure that, for all eternity¡­


    ¡­our Adventure will not end.

 CH 187

    187 ¨C Moving On, In Various Ways


    Stepping out from the bathtub, Milla taps on the Terminal in the living room. Other than being connected to the Net, it is equipped with various convenient functions.


    A couple could be seen on the screen.


    ¡ºMan, at first I was, like ¡°Dude, why are you running?¡± but I started liking him a lot more when he started fighting. I mean, he beat Aerial, man. That¡¯s crazy. I just couldn¡¯t help but think that, man. Like, dude¡¯s seriously strong.¡»


    ¡ºThat whole running away thing was also a part of his strategy, right? I mean, summoning uses a stupid amount of Magical Energy, and since he kept calling nothing but strong Monsters like those, it¡¯s totally normal for him to be too tired to fight. Being able to summon in the first place is already amazing. He managed to solve the Sky Garden, his horn¡¯s output is insane, and he even beat Hervor with an ally. What the heck was that thing he did at the end where he filled the whole space with Black Magic? It was amazing how he combined with Bennu, but his ability as a magic-user is just insane. Who the heck is he?¡»


    Milla stared at the screen intently.


    ¡¸The boyfriend¡¯s vocabulary is rather unfortunate, but the comments from the girlfriend are excellent, so I¡¯m concerned. But I shall assume that she is a rather heavy fanatic. ¡­Yes, I¡¯ll excuse her for now and leave it at that.¡¹


    clickity-clack goes the keyboard as Milla types, and then she moves the mouse.


    Lately, she¡¯s been devoting any spare time she can find to this task.


    She would record every street interview in the news, transfer it into the terminal and edit them.


    ¡ºIf the enemy simply had superior Magical Energy, there is no way those members would have lost. What should be focused on is how he used it and conducted himself.¡»¡ºThe people who predicted that he used up all his Magical Energy in the Fenix fight seemed to have been off the mark¡­ Could one even store that much Magical Energy if they had hundreds of years?¡»¡ºEvery time he called out a Monster, I was excited remembering the last time they were on TV.¡»¡ºDepending on how you look at it, it¡¯s almost as if the Monsters are disposable or on a suicide mission but, you can tell from how they moved or the lines they said that they did it all willingly for Lemegeton¡¯s sake, which means it was all a strategy that could only have succeeded with mutual trust. It was very entertaining.¡»etc, etc¡­


    ¡¸Fu¡­fufu¡­to think that there would be so many who noticed Lemegeton¡¯s brilliance¡­fufufu.¡¹


    Milla let out stifled laughter, different from how she normally presents herself.


    I saw the street interviews on TV as well, and it seemed like they found a lot of favorable comments.


    But of course, there are harsh opinions among them as well, and you can see all sorts of positive and negative opinions when you scour the Net. The comments section in each of the party¡¯s videos has both comments that praise their brave efforts and those that call them sloppy.


    However, overall, I get the impression that a lot of people enjoyed it.


    In addition, there has been an increase in interviews with Demi-Humans this time around.


    ¡ºBeing a Black Sorcerer myself, I was very happy that Lemegeton used Black Magic aggressively, perhaps because he, himself, specializes in it. While he is amazing, there were also a bunch of Goblins, right? Black Magic is strong when stacked up like that. That can¡¯t really be done on the Adventurer side, so Black Sorcerers are seen rather negatively¡­ I suppose this is why the Ellie party¡¯s participation isn¡¯t a mystery. Both Lemegeton and Ellie understand the usefulness of Black Magic.¡»


    ¡ºNameless Monsters tend to get kicked aside and never given a second glance, but I felt that the Monsters that survived in the Demon King Castle proved the worth of each and every Monster that was defeated and that¡­that moved me.¡»


    ¡ºIt was worth watching the Raid Battle just to see the current Demon King¡­so strong¡­so small¡­gasp A-anyway, the Chief of Staff can even summon the Demon King¡­?¡»


    And so on. Seeing the bright expressions of the Demi-Humans who saw the Defense made me well up with emotions.


    ¡ºSuck my blood, Carmilla~¡»


    ¡¸Tsk¡­who¡¯d want your blood. I sucked Hervor¡¯s blood out of necessity, so I had decided to bend my conviction.¡¹


    I think it¡¯s about time I said something.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­Milla? The bath is ready.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­??!!¡¹


    Milla was shocked out of her trance and looked at me.


    ¡¸I-I just gop oup¡­!¡¹


    Looks like she bit her tongue.


    ¡¸I-I just got out.¡¹


    By the way, I take a bath first. It¡¯s kinda embarrassing for someone to go in before me. She¡­suggested going in together before, so ever since then, I decided that I¡¯d go in first.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ Um, then¡­well¡­ I¡¯ll¡­be taking a bath.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes.¡¹


    Milla smiled gracefully while her face was red, and she slowly stood up.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. Is it alright if I use the Terminal as well?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, of course. This is your apartment, after all. What do you plan to use it for, if I may ask?¡¹


    ¡¸Just thought I¡¯d check my mail.¡¹


    I¡¯ve been keeping in touch with the people I¡¯m indebted to in the Raid Battle recently.


    The Silver Hero Nicola, who was the Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith.


    The Hunter Lily, who was the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.


    The Flame Hero Fenix, who was the Immortal Demon Bennu.


    In addition, each member of the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, the Undefeated Hero Ellie and so on.


    ¡¸¡­If it isn¡¯t too much trouble, may I join you?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? No¡­not at all, but all these messages are written for me, though.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. In that case, I shall gaze at the expression on your face as you read them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I wonder what you can conclude from that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu.¡¹


    ¡¸W-well¡­sure. If you¡¯re fine with that.¡¹


    I looked over my mail. Milla pulled up a chair and was observing my expression.


    After a brief check, my expression twists.


    ¡¸Urgh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lem? Whatever is the matter?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just a mail from my mom.¡¹


    ¡¸Your mother? The person who gave birth to Lem¡­in other words¡­God¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s just a regular person.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­By your expression just now¡­do you not have a good relationship with her?¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder about that. Well, I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer, and there were a lot of things.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­see.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t talk at all or something. It¡¯s just not a happy story.¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s about you, Lem, I wish to know every detail.¡¹


    All I can do is nod at such a straight and honest reply.


    ¡¸A-alright. Well, where should I start?¡¹


    The relationship between me and my parents is not perilous. First off, let me set the scene.


    Everything was perfectly fine till my Job was identified. My parents were excited to see what the future of their son could be, and I was happy believing that I would be a Hero.


    Then¡­I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer.


    My parents were in despair. Well, the treatment of Black Sorcerers is already that bad.


    But it¡¯s even worse being a Black Sorcerer in the countryside. Because you can¡¯t contribute to living in the countryside.


    It can be used for hunting, but even then, it¡¯s difficult unless you¡¯re a good caster.


    However, my parents did not throw their son out the door. They tried desperately to find me work.


    However, their son did not give up on becoming a hero. On the contrary, I started talking about going to the School. Actually, I was training under my master, but things were complicated, so I had to tell them a lie.


    I persuaded them by telling them how Fenix promised to definitely form a party with me, and then finally gave me permission.


    Since becoming an Adventurer, I have not contacted them much. I haven¡¯t even returned home once.


    Occasionally I¡¯d get a message, but I just write a brief reply back.


    ¡¸-and that¡¯s how it is. They contacted me when I left the party, but thanks to you, Milla, I was able to reply to them, saying that I had found a new place to work and am doing fine. So there¡¯s no issue.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. Uhm, so what does the letter pertain to this time?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, continuing to blur where exactly I work, she¡¯s saying¡ºWe got in touch with Fen and we will be visiting.¡»¡­Oh, Fen is what she calls Fenix¡­whatever.¡¹


    It appears that Fenix apologized to my parents when I left the party.


    It isn¡¯t his fault, but he probably recalls that he managed to persuade my parents by telling them that we would form a party together.


    Looks like my parents don¡¯t blame him either. Actually, I think he keeps in touch with my parents more than I do.


    ¡¸Your parents are coming here?¡¹


    ¡¸Nah, I¡¯ll probably end up going to them¡­ She wrote about something interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Something interesting¡­you say?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, my mom is saying that an Original Dungeon has sprung up near the village.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    Milla¡¯s surprise is understandable.


    A Dungeon is a Magical Energy space created with the Magical Energy gathered by the Dungeon Core.


    Dungeon Cores were created by a race that is considered to be extinct, so reproduction is impossible.


    You could say that all Dungeons that function completely by a Dungeon Core are man-made Dungeons.


    The first-ever things to be called Dungeons were natural occurrences. Things like castles, or underground labyrinths that popped up overnight.


    As a Spirit with a will of its own approaches a natural reservoir of Magical Energy, A Dungeon can be made with or without an idea.


    This doesn¡¯t have a stable Magical Energy absorption system like a Dungeon Core, and it could disappear in the blink of an eye.


    However, the amazing thing about Original Dungeons is that whatever is produced inside it can be taken out of the Dungeon without it disappearing.


    Magical Energy produced by the Dungeon Core cannot be used once taken out of the Dungeon.


    On the other hand, Original Dungeons are created by the will of a Spirit using natural Magical Energy, so such a restriction does not exist.


    Furthermore, there have been instances where the Spirit would use this Magical Energy to grant the wish of whoever traverses the Dungeon and reaches it.


    ¡¸It seems that the country is already making moves, so even if I went, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything but¡­they¡¯re still my parents.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-you¡¯re right. I¡¯m sure that you would be worried, and I¡¯m sure you would feel relieved if you go there.¡¹


    It¡¯s not like I can do anything, but it¡¯s important to just see how they are.


    ¡¸The tenth stratum is still being repaired, so I¡¯ll be departing tomorrow. I need to get in touch with her Highness, but maybe you could tell her for me? Ah, I have to tell Cashew too. I¡¯ll give her a visit before I leave¡­¡¹


    I replied telling my mom that I¡¯ll be there soon, then I got up to start getting ready.


    ¡¸Uh-uhm, Lem¡­!¡¹


    As if mustering all her courage, Milla calls out.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    I stop in my tracks and look at her. Milla¡¯s face was bright red.


    ¡¸I-if it¡¯s quite alright, I would like to go with you¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I would like to greet your parents.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    Isn¡¯t that¡­


    ¡¸Is¡­is that a no?¡¹


    I have absolutely no defense Techniques against a line like that.


    ¡¸It¡¯s¡­not a no.¡¹


    I agreed to it before I knew it.


    Milla¡¯s face immediately brightened up.


    ¡¸I-in that case, I shall start preparing immediately.¡¹


    Just as she started to move, there was a sound from the entrance. A knock on the door.


    ¡¸¡­Who could it be at this hour?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll get it.¡¹


    I head towards the front door.


    ¡¸Is Sir Lem in?¡¹


    I know that voice¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s Fellow¡¯s.


    Her Highness¡¯s father.


    Opening the door, I see his red hair and the same horns as both her Highness and my master. It really is him.


    ¡¸Long time no see¡­except not really. Good evening, Fellow.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, indeed, good evening. There is much I wish to discuss, but there is something I wish to talk about urgently.¡¹


    With those words, his mysteriously vast personal connections and negotiating skills, and the mail from my mom¡­


    I tried saying the first thing that came to my mind.


    ¡¸Is it about the Original Dungeon?¡¹


    His eyes opened wide in mild surprise.


    ¡¸Oho, word travels fast.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s in my hometown.¡¹


    ¡¸This I know. I wish to urgently discuss this matter with you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­.Please, come in.¡¹

 CH 188.1

    188 ¨C Onwards! To the Original Dungeon! (Part 1)


    ¡¸Pardon the intrusion.¡¹


    Heading into the living room, Fellow ran into Milla.


    ¡¸Lem, isn¡¯t that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This is Fellow, the organizer of the Tag Tournament that I entered previously. This is Milla, she¡¯s¡­a friend of mine.¡¹


    There¡¯s no way I can leak out the fact that she¡¯s one of the Big Four of the Demon King Castle, so I give a vague introduction.


    ¡¸Ah, Miss Carmilla. Thank you very much for helping with my daughter.¡¹


    Milla and I were surprised.


    Seeing our reaction, he smiles.


    ¡¸I know about what goes in my daughter¡¯s workplace at the very least. I am her father, after all.¡¹


    If you think about it, it isn¡¯t strange that he is able to attain information from the Demon King Castle even now.


    The Monsters of the Demon King Castle respect her Highness, but it isn¡¯t as if it is full of nothing but Monsters that she had found.


    For example, Monsters like the giant shark Demi-Beast, the Sea Monster Forneus, have been around since my master¡¯s reign.


    So of course, there has to be those that were from Fellow¡¯s reign, as well as those who feel that they owe him a debt of gratitude.


    They may not be able to cooperate with him on his goal to eliminate Dungeon Clears, but¡­it¡¯s not odd for them to at least talk to each other.


    Of course, it¡¯s possible that there is no inside informant at all and Fellow is simply using his personal connections to attain information.


    You could say that Monsters in a Dungeon are like employees in a company. They keep a record of them. While such things may not be easily disclosed, Fellow is the type of Majin who would dig up such information even if it is difficult.


    ¡¸¡­I am fairly sure that her Highness had banned entry to Demon King Castle-related facilities.¡¹


    Milla pointed a harsh gaze at him.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­you have the right of it. I asked the staff if I could get in touch with my daughter, but I was ignored, so I tried to speak with her directly by visiting the Demon King Castle, but my Registration Card was disabled, and no one would talk to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Not only did you throw your Dungeon aside, but you are also working to abolish Dungeon Clears, so isn¡¯t it obvious why?¡¹


    ¡¸That is harsh. But alas, this is neither the time nor place to discuss that, so I shall continue with the topic at hand. With my heart heavy with sadness over not being able to meet my own daughter, I thought long and hard. I looked for dormitories that are suitable for Normals to live in, and lo and behold, I sensed Sir Lem¡¯s Magical Energy signature in this very building.¡¹


    ¡­¡­Hmm?


    My Magical Energy signature? That isn¡¯t something that can be easily identified.


    There was that time a while ago when Fenix found my inn by following my signature, but we¡¯ve been best friends for ten years, so I can accept that. ¡­Scratch that, it¡¯s still pretty far from normal.


    It¡¯s possible¡­that he can sense the Magical Energy in my horn.


    If so, then it¡¯s the Magical Energy of his father. There¡¯s no mistaking it.


    The ability to sense Magical Energy differs greatly from person to person, but Majins are generally excellent at it.


    ¡¸Wha-¡­ Not even I can tell apart Lem¡¯s Magical Energy signature yet¡­!¡¹


    Says Milla, frustrated about the wrong thing.


    It can be said that discerning the sizes of signatures and determining an individual¡¯s signature are two different skills. As different as the sense of sight is from the sense of hearing. Probably.


    Besides, I suppress my Magical Energy signature, which should make it even harder to sniff out.


    The world may be wide, but finding my location by my Magical Energy alone among everyone in the whole town seems like something that only Fenix and Fellow could do.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­we have to start getting ready for a journey, so could we please get to the point.¡¹


    He sat down on the living room chair and I sat opposite him.


    Milla was a little reluctant at first, but she eventually said that she would make some tea and headed into the kitchen.


    ¡¸First off, how much do you know about Original Dungeons, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸A Dungeon that is created from the whims of a Spirit who has chanced upon a natural reservoir of Magical Energy. Due to the instability of its structure and lack of a Core, it will naturally disappear after a set amount of time. In the same fashion, due to there not being a Core, Magical Energy or items created from which within the Dungeon can be taken out, and how the Spirit can grant the favor of whoever traverses the Dungeon to reach it.¡¹


    ¡¸A splendid answer. Monsters will appear as well, but these are not living things, rather they are imitations created by the Spirit. You could say that they are Avatars without a real body.¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    An easy-to-understand explanation, which Fellow probably already knows, is that the opposite is true.


    You could say that Avatar technology has its roots in imitating the way in which the Spirit creates imitations of living things using Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Due to the nature of Original Dungeons, they must not become the target of modern-day Hero parties. To be more precise, they must not become entertainment for mankind.¡¹


    There are many reasons for that, the first being that the safety of all cannot be guaranteed. The Dungeon¡¯s structure is unstable and could disappear at any time. If it was an underground labyrinth, the worst-case scenario would be that the Dungeon disappears and you¡¯re buried alive¡­anything could happen. There aren¡¯t any cameras or microphones, not even cocoons to transfer your consciousness to your Avatar.


    Therefore, instead of Hero parties challenging it, an organization that can ensure its safety goes to investigate.


    ¡¸It¡¯s carried out by the national government, right? In the email from my parents, they mentioned that people have come and sealed off the surrounding area.¡¹


    This is why I wish to head down there as fast as possible to reassure them, so I want to finish packing.


    ¡¸To be precise, this country does not have such an organization that Clears Original Dungeons. There are too few occurrences of such Dungeons to warrant establishing such a specialized agency. Most of the time, they entrust it to the Union and partnered organizations. This way, Adventurers can also be used. The Knights Order might make a move as well, but that is extremely rare.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Uhm, if I may¡­how should I put this?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    Fellow is smiling.


    ¡¸About the partnered organizations you mentioned¡­is that where you come in?¡¹


    ¡¸I expected no less from you, Sir Lem. Your mind is as sharp as a tack.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all¡­ If you think about everything that has happened so far, it¡¯s not difficult.¡¹


    ¡¸A dim person would not have noticed.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Then, I suppose I¡¯m not dim.¡¹


    ¡¸Such a modest individual.¡¹


    At that moment, a sullen-looking Milla brought the tea.


    Fellow smiled.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Your welcome.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Oho. Not only is she beautiful, but she can brew such delicious tea. Sir Lem has been blessed with a most wonderful partner.¡¹


    ¡¸I-if you say it like that, I¡­¡¹


    Milla couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Regaining her sullenness, she sits next to me.


    ¡¸I have been listening to the conversation. Please continue.¡¹


    ¡¸As Sir Lem pointed out, the national government has commissioned a separate company to conduct a joint investigation. This is likely thanks to my father. As Sir Lem most assuredly knows, he has taken up residence near that village.¡¹


    ¡­Ah, so he found my master.


    When he noticed the connection between my master and me, it probably wasn¡¯t difficult to put two and two together.


    ¡¸Did my master contact you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That¡¯s why I was able to appeal to the national government as soon as possible. Have you heard anything from him, Sir Lem?¡¹


    Hm. He hasn¡¯t contacted me at all. Or rather, he never replies to my messages to him.


    ¡¸No, nothing at all.¡¹


    ¡¸He most likely did not wish to disturb you. When I visited him a while ago, I saw a mountain of letters from you upon his desk. Of course, they were all opened.¡¹


    So he reads them¡­


    ¡¸Also, he watched the Tournament.¡¹


    ¡­He watched it.


    Those simple acts alone were enough to make me happy.


    ¡¸Is¡­that so? What were the contents of master¡¯s letter?¡¹


    ¡¸It simply read ¡°A Dungeon has appeared, deal with it.¡± By the way, all attempts at communication I had made since then were ignored.¡¹


    That is really, really like my master. It is so like him that I want to add one more really.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, master probably isn¡¯t there anymore.¡¹


    If it turns into an investigation of an Original Dungeon, it will be a pretty large-scale operation that will include some powerful people.


    There will bound to be people who notice the Magical Energy signature of someone like my master even if he were hiding it.


    ¡¸Indeed, it appears that he is not in that neighborhood anymore. His house is gone, and that¡¯s not all, even the plot of land where it stood has become a part of the forest.¡¹


    He didn¡¯t just destroy the house, he grew the surrounding trees to make it look as if nothing was ever there and covered his tracks. My master should be able to do something like this. He is an all-round person who can use any element.


    ¡¸Uhm, I believe you are here to ask Lem for help with the investigation, yes?¡¹


    Said Milla, impatiently.


    ¡¸That is correct, Miss Milla. But you must be wondering as to why? Considering that there is already an investigation team.¡¹

 CH 188.2

    188 ¨C Onwards! To the Original Dungeon! (Part 2)


    ¡¸Could you please explain yourself?¡¹


    Milla¡¯s tone was sharp.


    ¡¸It would appear I am rather disliked. My daughter must be loved by her subordinates.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. She is the best Demon King, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It would be nice if all the world thought the same as you do.¡¹


    Fellow wishes to destroy the way Monsters are currently valued as evil.


    And the quickest way to do that is to abolish all Dungeon Clears.


    When the war was over, there came an era where mankind and those who were once called Demons could co-exist.


    However, the form of entertainment that was based on incidents that occurred during those violent times, known as Dungeon Clears, has made the image of Monsters = Evil remain till this day.


    In addition, the national government has not lowered its guard against powerful Demi-Humans.


    Fellow believes this to be the main cause as to why my master disappeared from center stage.


    He wants to end Dungeon Clears as quick as possible because he wants my master, to him the greatest Demon King, to make a come-back.


    ¡¸¡­We have strayed off-topic. I have several reasons to invite Sir Lem. The first is, of course, because I believe he wishes to solve the issues plaguing his hometown. And the second is¡­because this is a chance for him to prove his usefulness to the government.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­see.¡¹


    I work as Lemegeton in the Demon King Castle, but I can¡¯t hide my identity like that with the national government. As for the Human Lem using the horn, it could be explained away as my being a person of mixed parentage or some sort of power from my ancestors, but that sort of deception will not work when considering how I repelled Fenix and then Aerial.


    Unless I was a pure-blooded Demon King-level, there is no way I should have won against such opponents.


    How a twenty-year-old with a horn managed to prepare an exceedingly vast amount of Magical Energy will also become a point of interest.


    There are bound to be people who notice that I can utilize the Magical Energy from the Core as my master did.


    ¡¸I can scarcely believe it as well, someone who was once the world¡¯s 4th ranked becoming the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff will surely catch people¡¯s attention.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem isn¡¯t a dangerous person of the sort.¡¹


    ¡¸I believe that as well. However, the harsh reality is that not everyone will think the same.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Grr.¡¹


    Milla grinds her teeth.


    ¡¸If I return with good results from the Original Dungeon, will that change people¡¯s minds?¡¹


    ¡¸Achievements are important. Having them or not can make a big difference.¡¹


    That¡¯s something that I can agree with.


    ¡¸You and I have different goals, don¡¯t we? Knowing that, should you be here, pretending to want to help me?¡¹


    ¡¸What a mean question. You know very well, Sir Lem. I am on the side of anyone who puts their all into a fight. By eliminating Dungeon Clears, I can offer a new job to Adventurers and Monsters alike. At such a time, they would all be called Athletes equally.¡¹


    His ultimate goal and mine may be different, but that¡¯s no reason to not help.


    Even the people from the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, assuredly extended a helping hand to him after acquiring the property rights. Although they did that because they wanted the Dungeon to survive, so they had to in order for that to succeed.


    ¡¸However, it is important to doubt. In fact, I didn¡¯t come to speak with you with good intentions alone.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸It would be troublesome if you were to disappear for boring reasons. This also benefits me, as well as my father.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Did you discuss with my master about something else?¡¹


    Fellow smiled broadly.


    ¡¸That¡­is a secret. A conversation between father and son.¡¹


    In other words, they did.


    Something that benefits Fellow as well¡­could it be?


    ¡¸Did my master promise to do something if you helped me?¡¹


    ¡¸It is possible to be too astute. But rest assured. I swear that I am not making any sort of deals between father and son.¡¹


    He didn¡¯t make a deal, yet my guess was astute¡­?


    If that¡¯s the case¡­ No, let¡¯s leave it for now.


    ¡¸¡­Are there any other reasons for inviting me?¡¹


    ¡¸The current members are causing delays in the investigation, so one of my reasons is to bring a breath of fresh air by inviting the superior Black Sorcerer Sir Lem. The other reason pertains to the aforementioned separate company. A person from said company recommended you, Sir Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Recommended? Is it someone who knows me?¡¹


    To recommend the Black Sorcerer Lem, it would have to be someone who saw the Tag Tournament and took an interest or an old acquaintance. But do I have an acquaintance in a large company that would be commissioned by the government to investigate a Dungeon?


    ¡¸I won¡¯t spoil the surprise and let you meet them and see for yourself. Oh, that person is taking a horse carriage there tomorrow. If you like, you can ride to your village with that person.¡¹


    It would honestly save me a lot of trouble, not having to make travel arrangements. Just preparing a journey to my hometown would have taken quite a bit of time.


    ¡¸¡­There is no danger, yes?¡¹


    Asked Milla, Fellow nodded.


    ¡¸Cocoons will be prepared, so challenging the Dungeon with Avatars is possible. Of course, we shall compensate for any injuries sustained, as well as give recompense.¡¹


    ¡¸Not about that, I am talking about the deepest part where the Spirit resides.¡¹


    ¡¸How it usually goes is that the Spirit shall grant the favor of those that pass its trials, yes? The Spirit does not force the Human into a contract. The choice of whether or not to challenge the trials has always been solely on the Human¡¯s side. Even if Sir Lem were to reach the deepest parts, he will be in no danger provided he does not take up the challenge.¡¹


    In this case, if you fail the final trial, there will be a nasty penalty.


    That penalty is only known when you reach the deepest parts.


    ¡¸If Lem is going, then I shall go too.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that is reassuring. Having the strength of one of the Demon King Army¡¯s Big Four on our side shall help us greatly.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Also, I have notified her Highness of your visit.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, there is no need for that. Surely-¡¹


    ¡¸What plans do you have for my subordinates¡­!!!¡¹


    The window glass shattered to bits as something jumped through it into the apartment.


    It was her Highness.


    ¡¸It¡¯s good to see your face. It has been a long time, Lu. Well, I suppose your dear papa did see your face when you came to cheer on Sir Lem and Miss Furcus, so I guess it hasn¡¯t been that long. Ahaha.¡¹


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, her Highness came to the Tag Tournament to cheer us on.


    ¡¸Who cares! I forbid you from setting foot in the dormitories!¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, I shall create a house rule that forbids you from ignoring emails from your papa.¡¹


    ¡¸Silence! Do not involve yourself with my adorable subordinates!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, afraid that papa will poach staff again? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be the case with these two.¡¹


    When Fellow retired as the Demon King, he pulled out a considerable amount of Monsters.


    Because of that, the tenth stratum Floor Boss position and so many others were vacant.


    ¡¸I am worried about no such thing! Carmilla and Lemegeton are like my children! They shall not lift a finger to help you achieve your goal!¡¹


    ¡¸Just as Lu has inherited the occupation as Demon King from two generations past, I only wish to inherit his will. I only wish to realize a world that welcomes anyone to freely compete with all their strength.¡¹


    ¡¸Liar! If that is all you wanted, then there are other ways to achieve it! It is clear that you are rushing the process simply because of your Father Complex!¡¹


    Well, I suppose it is as her Highness says.


    To get rid of the cause of my master¡¯s disappearance so that he can return to the world, he wants to quickly change the status quo.


    ¡¸It would be nice if you could love papa the same way.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Heh.¡¹


    Her Highness laughed and readied her fist.


    ¡¸Please wait, your Majesty¡­!¡¹


    I hurriedly jump in between them.


    ¡¸Do not stop me, Lem. Fear not, I shall reimburse you later.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really the problem.


    Milla and I managed to keep talking to her to calm her down and, after a long period of time, we succeeded.


    Although, I do wonder why Fellow, who has proven to specialize in negotiations, doesn¡¯t demonstrate such prowess when faced with his daughter?


    Wait¡­is it because he is dealing with his daughter¡­?


    Fellow is just happy to be able to talk to his daughter, and he is smiling.


    I don¡¯t think this is the recommended way to communicate¡­


    After her Highness has understood the situation, she gives her permission with an extreeeeeeeemely reluctant look on her face.


    ¡¸If anything happens to them¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ll what? Kill me? Please don¡¯t say such things.¡¹


    ¡¸I will break your horns.¡¹


    Her Highness was dead serious.


    ¡¸¡­I believe it¡¯s too early for you, Lu.¡¹


    ¡¸I will break¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha-¡¹


    ¡¸¡­your horns.¡¹


    Even the smile on Fellow¡¯s face had disappeared.


    ¡¸I shall bear that in mind, Demon King Lucifa.¡¹


    After that, her Highness laid out several conditions, and my homecoming and Milla¡¯s accompaniment were approved.

 CH 189

    189 ¨C The Additional Investigators are a Black Sorcerer And¡­?


    At the time I returned to my hometown, I temporarily gave the ring back to her Highness.


    I did this because Milla works as the Vampire Queen of the third stratum.


    No matter how good the Monsters in the Demon King Castle are, as more and more Clear videos appear in the world, it becomes easier to see how they can be Cleared. Of course, this only works if they are good enough, but there are many excellent Adventurers.


    The third stratum is seen as the first wall of the Demon King Castle.


    Because most of those that break through the second stratum are annihilated in the third stratum.


    It would be very troubling if the Floor Boss of the third stratum was taken out.


    But Milla has decided that she will follow me no matter what.


    This is where the ring comes in.


    The ring that can summon Contracts can actually retain the information of the last three owners.


    Yes, this means that her Highness can use it too. She can call Contracts. Honestly, this shouldn¡¯t even need to be mentioned because it belonged to her to begin with.


    In addition, Milla is also a Contract of her Highness¡¯s.


    ¡­Now that I think about it, she was the one who explained the order of Contracts to me in detail on the day I received the ring.


    For some reason, she said in quite a panic ¡°I am so sorry for telling you that you were my first when I was actually already experienced! I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you¡­!¡± and apologized. This was about forming Contracts with the ring.


    Milla was my first Contract, but she had already formed a Contract before with her Highness.


    Hearing that, I just said ¡°Oh, sure.¡± and accepted it.


    Anyway, by temporarily returning the ring, we have established that she can summon us when a Floor Boss is required.


    The next morning.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we go?¡¹


    ¡¸O-oh, yes¡­!¡¹


    Milla was nervous.


    For some reason, she had been practicing her greeting, mumbling ¡°I apologize for coming to you empty-handed¡­ but there just wasn¡¯t enough time¡­ I could only purchase a gift en route¡­¡±, and she hadn¡¯t been able to calm down since last night.


    We are to accompany the additional investigation team prepared by Fellow, so we didn¡¯t have much prepared.


    Those we are traveling with have prepared the necessities of travel, so Milla and I only carried luggage packed with clothes. I also decided to bring along my sword cane.


    With this tool that compresses and purifies the Magical Energy that I flow into it, I can increase my magics¡¯ effectiveness even though the incantation time will be longer.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll carry your bags.¡¹


    ¡¸My my¡­ ufufu, then I shall take you up on that offer.¡¹


    I do not think of Milla as helpless and powerless. She is a Vampire, after all, which means her physical strength is well over my own.


    Even so, it felt like something I should do.


    Like when seeing a close friend carrying heavy luggage, it¡­ just feels right to do.


    Perhaps she thought the same, she relaxed a little and smiled.


    When I held on to it, it was profoundly heavy.


    ¡¸¡­It feels like there are more things in here than just clothes.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, all the essentials.¡¹


    ¡­Well, I suppose there¡¯s that too.


    They say that they have prepared all the essentials, but there are things that you, yourself, prefer using or have things done, as well as many other¡­ things that I don¡¯t fully understand.


    We left the apartment.


    First off, I went to meet with Cashew and explained that I was going.


    Her lonely-looking face was like a dagger to my heart, but she was still only eight years old, so there is no way that I can bring her along for a long journey such as this.


    I¡¯m sure her family is worried as well. The Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon was in a nearby town and it was also Demon King Castle business, so it was fine, although I¡¯m sure they were still a little worried. But this time is a personal trip back home.


    I am also involved with a job with the Original Dungeon, but it has nothing to do with the Demon King Castle.


    For now, Cashew will be her Highness¡¯s temporary secretary and her salary will continue to be paid.


    When I recall her gripping the hem of her skirt tightly, squeezing out a ¡°H-have a pleasant journey¡­¡±, I swear on my heart of hearts to return as soon as possible.


    ¡¸By the way, if I¡¯m not mistaken, does Lem know the person who recommended you?¡¹


    ¡¸My previous party was pretty famous, so I¡¯ve met quite a few people through that.¡¹


    Whenever we reached a new town, we usually greet that town¡¯s most influential person.


    As to which company it might be¡­ try as I may, I honestly don¡¯t remember a lot of them.


    ¡¸So then, how about any woman you might know who is the type to rush to the scene herself?¡¹


    Milla, who is walking beside me, is all smiles, but her words were flat.


    ¡¸Why a woman?¡¹


    ¡¸Call it intuition.¡¹


    ¡¸Intuition, huh?¡¹


    I think about it.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Ah, I think she¡¯s that type of woman. Y¡¯know, the one in the Raid Battle-¡¹


    While we were talking, our consciousness was drawn to something.


    Just around the corner should be the gate that is serving as our rendezvous spot.


    As we turned the corner, we stopped.


    A crowd of people had formed.


    There were quite a few people gathered in a spot that wouldn¡¯t get in the way of people going in and out of that gate.


    ¡¸Are you really doing this?¡¹


    Milla asks again.


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine, how about you, Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Pay me no mind. Carmilla is the Floor Boss of a different stratum, and the one next to you is Milla.¡¹


    Milla tilts her neck slightly and smiles.


    At that instant, my heart skipped a beat at that captivating smile.


    ¡¸How bittersweet.¡¹


    A Wizard appeared in front of us.


    The flow of Magical Energy was too spontaneous, so I didn¡¯t notice her approaching us with Wind Magic until she was nearby.


    Instinctively, I cast Confusion, but it was Resisted, almost as if she knew it was coming.


    ¡¸Wow, great reaction. I have no objections to such instantaneity, output, and Magical Energy manipulation.¡¹


    It was a suggestively dressed beauty.


    You can see her voluptuous chest and nubile waist at a glance, with her attire that sticks tightly to her body shape.


    She wore a pointy hat large enough to hide her face.


    On the curved tip of her old staff was a red gemstone that fit into it.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Milla was surprised by her sudden appearance.


    ¡¸Long time no see, Lem. It seems you have improved greatly since the last time we met. Isn¡¯t that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ It certainly has been a long time, Merlin.¡¹


    The Wizard of Foresight Merlin of the world¡¯s 2nd ranked party.


    All the members of the 2nd ranked party are known as irregular people.


    Merlin is famous for being a Wizard who can use magic that is on par with Four Great Spirits contractors.


    In a fight where they only used magic, she could go toe-to-toe with Aerial or Fenix.


    She glances over at Milla.


    ¡¸Well, well¡­ it seems you have been blessed with a wonderful mate, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, she is a good person. I can feel it.¡¹


    Despite Milla being fundamentally a prudent person, she tends to become lenient and judges a person as good when they have fulfilled a very specific condition.


    ¡¸Fufufu, and she¡¯s quite an interesting one as well. I do wish for us to be formally introduced, but let us go over there first. Actually, they¡¯re about to do the unveiling.¡¹


    The Hero Show, the Tag Tournament, the Raid Battle.


    Also, although his buy-out failed, the new games are still ongoing in the Dungeons¡¯ Magical Energy space that he rents.


    Today, with two large signs that read ¡°Famous Adventurers participating in the Clear of an Original Dungeon!¡± and ¡°Investigators will be chosen regardless of race!¡± he plans to garner the public¡¯s attention.


    The 2nd ranked party is no doubt famous, and I used to be a part of the 4th ranked party. With how I won the Tag Tournament after I withdrew from my party, it¡¯s easy to attract the public¡¯s attention.


    And in my case, it involves my hometown. The tale of a young man rushing to save his hometown¡­ is not only easy to understand but easy to empathize with.


    ¡¸Fufufu, that man, Fellow was it? He is rather shady but his way of doing things is most interesting. As a Wizard, I¡¯ve always wanted to have a nice, long chat with you. I look forward to it during our journey.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    ¡¸It appears you were just in time. Your turn is coming up soon.¡¹


    The center of the crowd began with the camera. I could see the TV crew as well as the journalists in the crowd.


    The general public must have wondered what was going on when they saw them and gathered around.


    ¡¸Will you go? Or will you stay hidden? Don¡¯t force yourself.¡¹


    If I tell them that I don¡¯t want to show my face here, they will help me go to my hometown secretly.


    ¡¸¡­No, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    The trouble with Fellows¡¯ approach is that he is not the only one who benefits from it.


    By involving famous Adventurers, it is important that the existence of Original Dungeons spreads to the public. If things like how dangerous they can be becomes common knowledge, it will aid them the next time this occurs. It might reduce the number of people who get caught up in it unwittingly.


    It¡¯s not a bad idea to do it in a grand way in the first place, considering that we¡¯re trying to show off to the government. Rather than reporting ¡°We did our best!¡± it can be ¡°An achievement the world will recognize!¡± and be judged better that way.


    One of the goals this time is also to show off to the government that the Black Sorcerer Lem, who can use the power of a Majin¡¯s horn, can contribute to the country.


    ¡¸Well said! How about you, Miss Vampire?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Splendid.¡¹


    Gently, I began to float. Not just me, but Milla too.


    Along with Merlin, we approached that place.


    Each member of the 2nd ranked party was already assembled there.


    Seemingly acting as the presenter, the figure of the 3rd ranked party member, the Thousand Form Summoner Margret, could be seen.


    That¡¯s right, she is the daughter of a large corporation, an Adventurer, and a collector of Magic Tools.


    She is most likely the person who recommended me.


    When Margret leaves to do her job, the other members help out and some focus on their training.


    I can see the figures of other people there, and not all of them were Normals, there were Demi-Human¡¯s too.


    ¡¸Oh my, it appears the final participant has arrived. The sudden appearance of the Original Dungeon near his dear hometown. The man who is standing up to save the hearts of each and every resident of his hometown who are growing anxious every day, the Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹


    I landed gently.


    All eyes and lenses were on me.


    ¡¸And to his side is the lovely Vampire Milla, who will also be participating. Of course, it is impossible to challenge the likes of the Original Dungeon with beauty alone. Her abilities will be of great help to us.¡¹


    ¡­This is where I have to say something.


    I think about it a little, and open my mouth¡­


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been back home, and I have to admit that I would have liked to step on the grounds of my hometown for better reasons if I could. On top of not knowing what is happening with the Original Dungeon, the time until it naturally disappears is not fixed at all. In order to ensure the safety of the surrounding area, all of our investigators will work to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.¡¹


    ¡¸Does this mean that you will be traversing the Dungeon?¡¹


    The sound of a male reporter asked.


    In such a time, one must not waver.


    ¡¸If the need arises.¡¹


    Thus, began my rather abnormal homecoming.

 CH 190

    190 ¨C Oh¡­? The State of the Investigation Team is¡­?


    With Milla and me, the introduction of the Original Dungeon Investigation team is over.


    Margret gave a signal for the crowd to disperse, but several of the people from the TV company and reporters did not withdraw.


    For example, those that tried to get a private interview, or those hanging around to try and get an interesting photo.


    Their reaction to me saying that we will Clear the Original Dungeon if it becomes necessary was¡­ lukewarm.


    While there were people who were intrigued by such a grand declaration, the general mood of the crowd was basically¡­ ¡°What can a Black Sorcerer do?¡±


    Even if I had won the Tag Tournament, that¡¯s because Berith was there.


    They think of me better as an excellent support member that is reasonably good at fighting by myself.


    There were some onlookers who outright laughed.


    But on the other hand, there were those who yelled out ¡°Well said!¡± or ¡°Good luck!¡±, etc, which is already a considerable difference from before.


    For every person who honestly accepted Aerial¡¯s high praise of me, there was someone who merely thought that he was just being nice to his younger colleague.


    The world isn¡¯t gonna change in a day, but little changes can keep happening, day after day.


    ¡¸Your words from earlier moved me.¡¹


    It was a shockingly beautiful man.


    He had the kind of well-featured face that made you think he had been blessed by God. Golden hair and azure eyes.


    Clad in silver knight armor with a pure white cape.


    He should be in his late thirties but he doesn¡¯t look a day over twenty.


    It was the Knight Lord Arthur of the 2nd ranked party.


    Along with the Samurai Masamune of the 1st ranked party and the Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill of the 5th ranked party, he can be counted among one of the five best swordsmen in the world.


    The handsome Adventurer who was chosen as the top of the ¡°Top 100 Hottest Adventurers¡± annual feature of a certain magazine.


    ¡­Not like I care, but Fenix and Lark were also in the top 100.


    ¡¸It has been a long time, Arthur.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, Lem.¡¹


    His Job is a Paladin, but a unique thing about him is that he owns a Holy Sword despite not being a Hero.


    Weapons that receive the divine protection of a Spirit are called Holy Swords, but once that happens, those who possess it are limited to Spirit contractors.


    He cannot use Spirit Magic. But he can use a Holy Sword.


    In other words, he somehow received a Spirit¡¯s divine protection.


    ¡¸I, too, hail from the countryside, so I can understand how you feel about your hometown. I swear to do my very best to save the village you grew up in.¡¹


    With a hand on his chest, Arthur says so with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Thank you very much¡­ By the way, is it just the three of you participating?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes, a lot has happened.¡¹


    Arthur¡¯s smile seemed to fade for a moment.


    The 2nd ranked party didn¡¯t take part in the Raid Battle either. Perhaps something happened.


    ¡¸Lem. I doubted my ears when I heard Miss Margret, but you really are here! Good to see you.¡¹


    A man who was just dealing with his fans a little bit away from us approached us.


    He had black hair and black eyes. He had a solid physique but he wasn¡¯t intimidating, perhaps due to his gentle demeanor.


    Wearing a jet-back outfit, almost in direct opposition to Arthur, that suits him well.


    The leader of the 2nd ranked party, The Jet-Black Hero Ex.


    All members of the 2nd ranked party are irregular. The leader Ex is the top of the irregulars.


    Currently, he is the only Human in the whole world who has formed a contract with a Spirit that doesn¡¯t belong to any of the four major elements.


    The Spirits of water, earth, wind, and fire are among several Spirits who favor humanity.


    So much so that they still continue to cooperate with Heroes after the war was over.


    But of course, there are more than just four elements.


    These other Spirits are like something out of a fairy tale.


    Out of a whim, they do things that they think will benefit people but is actually cruelty born of innocence.


    It is these Spirits outside of the four major elements that create Original Dungeons.


    ¡¸Ex, I am honored to meet you again.¡¹


    ¡¸I truly am happy, Lem. I thought it was a genuine shame that you left the Fenix party. Because I always felt a sort of affinity towards you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha, could it be because we are both ¡°Black¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸You encourage far more people than you believe you do, Lem. I am sure that there are many Black Sorcerers who stand firm by seeing you perform your best in the higher ranks. Even I, worried over my own Spirit Magic, am emboldened when seeing how you do whatever you can with the powers you have.¡¹


    From Ex¡¯s face, I could see that he wasn¡¯t simply saying this to be nice. He meant it.


    I met him several times when I was in the Fenix party, but I never knew he felt that way.


    ¡¸¡­And well, I suppose that, as you said, both of us preferring black is a large factor.¡¹


    Drawn in by his smile that could soften the mood, my expression relaxes.


    ¡¸Anyway, first an Insect-Human partner, and now a beautiful Vampire. Is your fate linked with that of female Demi-Humans?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, well¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The combination you two showed in the Tag Tournament was superb. I wonder if she will come as well.¡¹


    Even Arthur said as much.


    Milla, who was chatting with another Demi-Human a little ways away, seemed to be listening because I didn¡¯t miss the way that her batwing antennas were twitching.


    Even now, she keeps her distance from me when I¡¯m with other people.


    Meaning that outside of the times when I cast Confusion on my surroundings, when we are at the Demon King Castle, or when we¡¯re alone in the apartment, she is concerned about me being seen standing side-by-side with a Vampire.


    ¡­She really doesn¡¯t have to.


    ¡¸Berith isn¡¯t coming. However, Milla here is also a skilled fighter.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Oh, my apologies. I am not doubting you or Miss Vampire¡¯s prowess in battle.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, I understand.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s batwing antennas flap rapidly out of happiness.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    Her antennas freeze in surprise.


    Her shoulders were shaking and, after bidding farewell to the Demi-Human she was talking to, turns and walks towards me.


    ¡¸Wh-whatever is it, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸This is Ex and Arthur. Ex, Arthur, this is Milla. We are actually¡­quite intimate.¡¹


    Milla looked at me in surprise.


    Honestly, my face is red hot out of embarrassment right now, but I thought that this was the fastest way to let her know that she doesn¡¯t have to worry about such things anymore.


    That it¡¯s OK for everyone to know that you play an active part in my life.


    The two from the 2nd ranked party smiled and laughed, exchanging greetings with her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a long journey. You can bet that I shall ask about how this romance began.¡¹


    Ex said, jokingly. At least¡­ I hope he was joking.


    ¡¸Hm?! Ain¡¯t this way too light? This is the box with food in it, right?¡¹


    That voice caught our attention.


    Perhaps to keep them as fresh as possible, a portion of the provisions is being loaded.


    It seems that the box filled with foodstuffs is somehow lighter than expected.


    ¡¸Huh? No way. It was filled to the brim¡­ This one¡¯s light too.¡¹


    ¡­For some reason, Milla and I looked at each other, having the same premonition.


    ¡¸It¡¯s¡­empty¡­ It¡¯s empty!¡¹¡¸This one too!¡¹¡¸What the hell is going on?!¡¹¡¸Hey, this one feels like it¡¯s still full.¡¹¡¸Whoa!! Did that box just move?!¡¹


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, let¡¯s keep quiet. It has nothing to do with us.¡¹


    Certainly, this has nothing to do with Lem and Milla.


    But this probably has a lot to do with Lemegeton and Carmilla.


    ¡¸L-let¡¯s open it on three. One¡­two¡­thr-WAAAGH?!¡¹


    A silver light ran past.


    It was the same speed I witnessed in the Tag Tournament finals.


    All the combat personnel in the area, except Milla and I, were on their guard.


    But that wasn¡¯t necessary.


    That¡¯s because¡­


    ¡¸Oh, Lord Le-¡­Sir Lem. What a surprise. Ever since the Tournament.¡¹


    The gushing silver flash that cut through the winds stops right in front of me.


    The person raising a hand while munching on radishes was a white-haired, bluish-purple-eyed, petite young girl.


    A person who eats a lot, and it is obvious by looking at her voluptuous chest and healthy, plump thighs where all those nutrients go.


    Perhaps feeling that it is easier to move dressed as such, both her arms and legs are boldly exposed.


    Her spear that is her pride and joy is carried on her back, it¡¯s¡­


    ¡¸Indeed¡­ It¡¯s been a while, Miss Furcus.¡¹


    One of the Demon King Army¡¯s Big Four, one who works as the Floor Boss of the eighth stratum, the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    To the public, the only time that Lem and Furcus ever met is at the Tag Tournament, so her greeting took that into consideration.


    ¡¸What? Furcus?!¡¹¡¸One of the Demon King Army¡¯s Big Four?!¡¹¡¸¡­Wait, so where did all the food go¡­?¡¹


    ¡­In her stomach.


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t hear any word of you taking part in this.¡¹


    ¡¸Emergency participation.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I suppose even her Highness couldn¡¯t back down by allowing only two of her subordinates to take part in her father¡¯s plan on the surface.


    If Furcus is here, her activities can promote the name of the Demon King Castle.


    This appears to be a counter-measure to her father¡¯s plan to abolish Dungeon Clears.


    The ring has been temporarily returned to her, so if there is a Defense, she can just be summoned.


    ¡¸And the food¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I was told that there was a buffet.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I see.¡¹


    All expenses were paid by them, and I certainly hadn¡¯t heard of any food restrictions. I¡­suppose it can be interpreted as a buffet¡­


    ¡¸I do not mind. Compared to the service that Miss Furcus shall provide us, the cost of food is nothing. Please, eat to your heart¡¯s content.¡¹


    Bowing gracefully, Margret says so.


    ¡­I¡¯m not sure about this. Furcus¡¯s stomach is bottomless¡­


    I decide to swallow those words and not mention it.


    Well, considering that we will pass through many other towns and villages on the way, I believe¡­we won¡¯t be low on provisions while traveling¡­for long.


    ¡¸Mm. Later, load this on as well.¡¹


    Before anyone realized it, Furcus¡¯s giant set of armor appeared nearby.


    ¡­Did Agares use his Spatial Mobility to teleport it here?


    ¡¸R-right away. In the Raid Battle, we were enemies, but right now, we are allies. I look forward to working with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Same here.¡¹


    Furcus glanced at her surrounding.


    ¡¸What are you doing, Sitri?¡¹


    ¡¸Aw, I was trying to surprise them¡­¡¹


    Said the Demi-Human that Milla was talking with moments ago.


    In an instant, her form changes to that of Sitri.


    One of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, the Floor Boss of the fifth stratum, the Demon of Love Sitri.


    ¡¸I¡¯m here too~! Teehee~!¡¹


    Ah¡­


    Accidentally, the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff and three of the Big Four have gathered.


    While thinking that things were about to get very lively, I also thought about how reliable they all were.

 CH 191.1

    191 ¨C A Doomed Robbery (Part 1)


    ¡¸My my¡­if it isn¡¯t Lady Sitri.¡¹


    Margret¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade, but she was surprised enough to call out her name.


    The Demon of Love Sitri.


    The petite girl with the appearance of a Dream Demon. With her horns, tail, batwings, and her twin-tailed pink hair.


    Her true form is a leopard Demi-Beast, and she has the unique ability to transform, even to the point of recreating the target form¡¯s abilities.


    In the Raid Battle, she is a Big Four who splendidly toyed with the Adventurers, but outside of that, she is just a girl who loves cute things.


    ¡¸Sorry for tricking you, Mary.¡¹


    ¡¸M-Mary¡­? No please, I do not mind it. With Lady Sitri¡¯s aid, being able to vary oneself depending on the situation will be of big help to us. You are more than welcome.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I was ordered here by Lu¡­her Highness, so I¡¯ll do my best, but I actually hate things that aren¡¯t cute, so don¡¯t expect me to do the same thing as last time, kay?¡¹


    Sitri wishes to be cute.


    In the Raid Battle, she still had her pride as a Floor Boss, but after seeing the struggles of Carmilla and her crew, she departed from her obsessions to fight.


    It is good that she has something that she prioritizes over her cuteness obsession, but I can¡¯t say that she sealed it away forever.


    ¡¸¡­Your appearance is different from what I saw in the Raid Battle, yes? I mean, not that I would know.


    Said Milla.


    Certainly, wearing the clothes that she wore when she was assuming the form of the Demi-Human from a moment ago, she gives off a fairly mature impression.


    ¡¸I wore it to surprise you~. I have my usual cute clothes right here.¡¹


    Saying that, she pats the bag slung over her shoulder.


    ¡¸Speaking of, I¡¯ll go and change right now.¡¹


    Sitri dashed into an empty horse carriage.


    What a free spirit.


    Ex and Arthur were called by Merlin, so we went our separate ways.


    ¡¸Still, to bring along Sir Lem and even the two from the Demon King Castle, Sir Fellow is truly a remarkable man.¡¹


    Margret said as she put a hand to her mouth.


    Our eyes met.


    She gave well-mannered smile.


    ¡¸We met once during the gathering for the Raid Battle a while ago, didn¡¯t we, Sir Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you¡¯re right, Margret.¡¹


    Margret seems like a woman of good standing, and she is, in fact, the heir to a large company.


    Smooth, brown, long hair. With a hairstyle where her sideburns are tied, joining at the back. She has the air of a high-born lady, raised with the utmost care.


    She, herself, seems to possess business acumen, as all the Magic Tools that each of the Hervor party members use are from her collection.


    Like now, she was given permission to cooperate with Fellow to investigate the Original Dungeon, so her skills are real.


    ¡¸There¡¯s also Ex and co. as well, right? Not just anyone can get the 2nd ranked party involved.¡¹


    To be more precise, only three out of the total five are here, but that¡¯s still amazing.


    ¡¸Ufufu, you¡¯re right. But Sir Fellow is the one who brought about the Raid Battle.¡¹


    I suppose he did gather the 1st, 3rd, and 5th ranked party along with the newly discovered Water Hero.


    In addition to that, he even got the 4th ranked party to participate as special trainers.


    ¡¸It is because we high-rank Adventurers are easy to get in contact with. When there is an Original Dungeon, it is normal for Adventurers to be gathered. On the other hand, since Sir Lem¡¯s location was unknown, I thought it would be difficult to negotiate with you unless I had personal contact.¡¹


    The more famous a person is, the more connections they have with various people.


    Even though it is difficult to get in touch with ordinary people, when it comes to work, it is not uncommon for people to get in touch with them through others.


    Certainly, I am here right now because Fellow invited me directly.


    It probably would have been difficult to find me as an individual even if he contacted the Fenix party.


    I suppose he could have contacted Aerial or other people, but Fellow was probably in a hurry.


    ¡¸Moreover, I am personally interested in you, Sir Lem.¡¹


    Said Margret and she approached me. She places both her hands, as well as her cheek, on my chest.


    A gentle scent softly tickles my nostrils. My chest feels warm.


    I could feel a murderous aura emanating from Milla.


    ¡¸You truly have trained yourself well.¡¹


    Her ecstatic voice was very close to me.


    ¡¸Uhm¡­ Margret?¡¹


    ¡¸Please, call me Maggie.¡¹


    ¡¸Maggie, uhm¡­ could you stop doing that¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, silly me. I beg your pardon. I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡¹


    ¡¸You couldn¡¯t help yourself, you say? I would like you to explain yourself more thoroughly if you please? As someone who is intimately close to Lem.¡¹


    Quickly standing in between me and her, Milla spoke.


    Her voice was so cold, you¡¯d think a blizzard was upon us.


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t help but try to confirm it for myself. It is as Sister Herv said before, yes? That Sir Lem had trained his own body.¡¹


    It was the time that the Raid Battle members met. The Adventurers, I mean.


    I nodded, but beside me, Milla was murmuring.


    ¡¸¡­That Hervor. Well, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be strange for someone like her to notice it.¡¹


    Speaking of which, Furcus noticed it too. About how I trained myself to the limit, having no talent for it.


    I suppose when you become top-class like them, you are able to understand as much by simply looking at your opponent¡¯s appearance.


    ¡¸Sister Herv highly values people who live their life to the fullest. However, considering her personality, she prefers those with easy-to-understand strength. A man, no less. This is why this is the first time¡­¡¹


    Maggie paused for a moment, purposefully leaving a gap before she continued.


    ¡¸¡­The first time that she has expressed such a strong interest in a Black Sorcerer gentleman such as yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yet the public opinion of him is quite the opposite.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ That¡¯s right. Without having to think too much about it, considering that he belonged to the world¡¯s 4th ranked party, he shouldn¡¯t be incompetent. Nonetheless, we love our Sister Herv very much and were concerned. We wanted to understand. What exactly about Sir Lem attracted Sister Herv so?¡¹


    Those that realized who I was in the Raid Battle are the Storm Hero Aerial and the Water Hero Wraith. Also the Destroyer Fran, I guess.


    This is just a hunch, but I think the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor realized it as well.


    It¡¯s possible that there are others who have an inkling, but I can¡¯t be sure.


    It took even Fenix until he was directly affected by my Black Magic to realize.


    For Herv, directly fighting the tag team between me and Berith is a large factor.


    The remark that Herv gave me previously was before she realized my identity, and I simply thought she was acknowledging how I continue to put in the effort despite lacking talent.


    Yet for Maggie, or rather, everyone in the Hervor party, it was more than enough to pique their interest.


    ¡¸Having seen the fight that Sir Lem put up recently, I believe I can understand a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that why you recommended Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, that isn¡¯t the sole reason. No one knows what might happen in an Original Dungeon, so I plan to challenge it with a squad that is rich in variety. If I required an excellent Black Sorcerer, I can only think of Sir Lem, no?¡¹


    Since she is gathering capable people such as an excellent Warrior, Wizard, and Hero, she requires an excellent Black Sorcerer or White Sorcerer to balance things out.


    As the leading candidate at the time, my name came up.


    ¡¸Is that so? I understand. However, I wonder if getting unnecessarily close to the gentleman would cause a problem. For the time being, you are the representative, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, you seem well acquainted with Sir Lem, Lady Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, of course. As Lem said earlier, we have a personal intimate relationship.¡¹


    She seems rather taken with that phrase.


    ¡¸Then I gather that you are well-informed about things concerning Sir Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Why, of course. In regards to knowledge of the Adventurer Lem, there is no-¡­ there are only two others in the whole world who know as much as I do.¡¹


    I think she¡¯s referring to the Silver Hero Nicola and Fenix.


    ¡¸I am ashamed to admit that I am not particularly well versed in how Black Sorcerers fight. If it pleases you, could you share your knowledge, Lady Milla?¡¹


    I could sense that Milla was more than eager.


    ¡¸I-I applaud your admirable way of thinking.¡¹


    As an Adventurer fanatic myself, I understand how fun it is to talk about something you like.


    However, there is nothing more annoying than to have something you have no interest in shoved in your face repeatedly.


    So a situation where knowledge about the thing that you love is not only tolerated but sought after is a situation to be welcomed.


    There are the types that are happy to quietly enjoy what they love, but that differs from person to person.


    If you were to ask me which type is Milla, I¡¯d say she is the type that wants to talk about it.


    ¡¸Of course, compensation will be provided.¡¹


    ¡¸That will not be necessary. The thought of compensating one¡¯s knowledge is admirable, but a fan¡¯s information is not to be exchanged for monetary gain.¡¹


    ¡¸I apologize for my rudeness.¡¹


    ¡¸If you must express your gratitude in some way, then how about having Lem appear in one of your commercials? ¡­Fufufu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I cannot make any promises there, but you can be certain that I shall repay you in some form other than money.¡¹


    Maggie, who had so far been maintaining the impression of a calm and peaceful air about her, seems to be overpowered slightly by Milla¡¯s pressure.


    That said, that was impressive of her.


    She came to the conclusion that it would be difficult to get to know me with how Milla is.


    She immediately understood Milla¡¯s trigger and she pulled it spectacularly.


    None of what she is saying is a lie and no one comes out unhappy.

 CH 191.2

    191 ¨C A Doomed Robbery (Part 2)


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, I have something to give you two. We are also preparing one for Lady Furcus, so please wait a moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    By the way, after she finished eating the radish, Furcus was munching on some baked sweets she took out from her pouch. She has nothing else to do, so she¡¯s just standing next to me.


    Maggie handed us a thumb-sized metal plate.


    It resembled the Registration Cards that we hold.


    The Registration Card is essential to Adventurers and Monsters alike.


    Other than having our name, gender, Job, and identification number engraved in it, it is also required when using Teleporting Recording Stones.


    But what she gave us were not Registration Cards.


    ¡¸This is a permit to allow you to fight within the Original Dungeon, as well as a permit allowing you to use magic or skills during times of emergency. Please carry it along with your Registration Card because we will link the permit to the person.¡¹


    This size makes it possible to be hung together with the Registration Card on a chain. Like so, it will not be unwieldy.


    In everyday life, the use of magic is somewhat allowed, but legally, permission is required.


    And even if you do have permission, you are only allowed to use it in specific places.


    This is why Adventurers go to the underground area of the Union, and Monsters go to the Dungeons to practice.


    In a more or less emergency situation, like if you or someone is gravely wounded and you need to use magic, you are allowed, but you will be questioned in the future on whether or not it was the right thing to do.


    ¡¸Ah yes, because an Original Dungeon is not your average Dungeon.¡¹


    An Original Dungeon is not a licensed facility. It is a natural occurrence.


    Therefore, you can¡¯t just use magic without permission. It is important to get permission beforehand.


    ¡¸That, I understand, but what do you mean by emergency?¡¹


    ¡¸It is to avoid trouble in the future. If you didn¡¯t have this and, say, you had to subjugate bandits, soon after, you will have to be questioned by the Knights Order. I cannot allow such a burden to be placed on those that are cooperating with the investigation.¡¹


    ¡¸B-bandits?¡¹


    Milla said in surprise.


    I think it¡¯s because she grew up in the city.


    ¡¸They come out quite often, the bandits.¡¹


    Furcus and Maggie both nodded at my statement.


    ¡¸I hunted many of them during my training days.¡¹


    ¡¸I shall pretend I didn¡¯t just hear that, Lady Furcus. Actually, our merchant groups often get targeted, which causes nothing but trouble. If there were no evildoers in the world, there would be no need to hire guards¡­¡¹


    There may not be any war, but that doesn¡¯t mean all problems are solved.


    There are many reasons that someone has to resort to being a bandit, but that does not mean that they get to strip us of all our possessions.


    ¡¸L-Lem seems quite calm about all this. Have you encountered them before?¡¹


    ¡¸I often hear about them. One time, a merchant arrived at our village in tatters¡­ The Knights Order are near large cities, so you probably don¡¯t hear that many stories of bandit attacks.¡¹


    But there weren¡¯t any attacks near my village. Even if there were in the past, there aren¡¯t anymore.


    If there were bandits who targeted our village, they would have to answer to the strongest Demon King who lives nearby.


    ¡¸And then, there are a surprising amount of people who want to test their strength. People who either want a match or people who want to know if you really are that strong outside a Dungeon. They cause all sorts of problems¡­ Those people are impossible.¡¹


    ¡¸Truly. I happen to change my attire in the middle of a Dungeon Clear, so there are more than a few people who come up to me asking ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re completely naked for a split second? How about doing it right now?¡± and other such disgraceful requests¡­ it is a sad state of affairs.¡¹


    ¡¸Such a man should instead be stripped naked himself and left to rot.¡¹


    Said Milla, coldly.


    ¡¸Oh, I couldn¡¯t possibly, Lady Milla. I couldn¡¯t handle seeing such filth.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, indeed. I may have been the one who proposed that idea, but I wouldn¡¯t want to see it either.¡¹


    They laughed amicably.


    ¡¸W-well anyway, at such a time, I shall do my best to be of use. By all rights, we have a duty to report such incidents to the Knights, so I don¡¯t think we can settle things quite like that on this journey.¡¹


    To tell the truth, these incidents are normally taken care of individually, but considering that we are currently working as representatives of the government, we have to follow the procedure properly.


    ¡¸Understood. If I knew this might happen, I would have brought along my lovely little Vampire bats.¡¹


    ¡¸Did you leave them all behind?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I brought a few.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, are you a Beast Master, Lady Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, not really, it would appear that I have some Aptitude for it.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? It is wonderful to have useful Aptitudes for things outside of your main Job.¡¹


    We talked like that for a while.


    Then it came time to finally depart.


    Milla and I rode on the same horse carriage as Maggie. The maid uniform-dressed Sitri also joined us. Furcus simply said ¡°I sleep.¡± and disappeared somewhere. Probably in one of the carriages.


    Merlin wished to discuss magic, so she hopped on as well.


    While talking about this and that, I felt assured.


    That no fool would choose to assault this group of people.


    Even though everyone is suppressing their Magical Energy, so long as there is just one among the bandits that can sense Magical Energy, they should be able to see the difference in power.


    ¡¸This is robbery¡­!¡¹


    A few days later.


    We were assaulted by bandits.


    Or rather, I should say a coalition of bandits. There were quite a lot of them. At least two hundred.


    I could sense them by their Magical Energy movements. From the way each of them moved, it seemed as if several groups of bandits had recently started working together. All bound together by the rule of ¡°follow the leader¡±, but I can sense several of these leaders. They aren¡¯t moving that well as one body.


    It¡¯s more of an alliance.


    ¡¸We already know that you punks are the Original Dungeon investigators! It don¡¯t matter if you got strong guys on board, you all ain¡¯t no match for us! If you all die here, there ain¡¯t no goin¡¯ back to pretendin¡¯ to be Adventurers no more! So just hand over all the goods and then piss off! No, wait. Hand over the women, too!¡¹


    Now then, I wonder who leaked the info?


    No, we¡¯re the additional investigators, they probably only heard about the main group.


    The bandit alliance knew that a large number of supplies and valuable equipment like Cocoons will be carried to a place where the Knights Order can¡¯t reach. Estimating that they¡¯ll score big, they all banded together to form this alliance.


    Maybe they were really planning on attacking the main group. But they saw our carriage coming from a distance and decided to attack us first.


    Well, whichever way it was, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    We step down from the carriage.


    Mainly the Adventurers and Demi-Humans.


    ¡¸E-Ex and Arthur?? M-Merlin too¡­?!¡¹


    Within the group that stood in our way, a mediator-type guy shouted.


    It¡¯s possible that they thought that since the main group didn¡¯t have any high-ranking Adventurers, this one shouldn¡¯t have any either¡­right?


    ¡¸Either way, you¡¯re all going to jail. Would anyone like to at least save us some time and go directly to jail by themselves so that they don¡¯t get hurt?¡¹


    Ex says gently.


    ¡¸H-hell no! Even if you¡¯re a Hero, you¡¯re still just a Human! You¡¯re the Forever 2nd Ranker, so you don¡¯t get to talk big to us!¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    Wow.


    I flow Magical Energy into my wand. Merlin does the same to her staff.


    Furcus rests her spear on he shoulders, and Milla puts her nail to her wrist.


    The male werewolves changed into their wolf form, the male Orcs readied their clubs, and the female cat Demi-Humans unsheathed their swords.


    Arthur put a hand to the hilt of his blade, and Ex¡­dropped his shoulders.


    ¡¸Those are¡­harsh words¡­¡¹


    He said it like it was nothing, but maybe not.


    There are many who are seriously aiming for 1st rank. No one actually says it, but they are all working hard to surpass the Aerial party.


    The Aerial party is the immovable 1st rank.


    They¡¯ve been immovable ever since the Unyielding Hero Altreed¡¯s party retired.


    And for practically the whole time since then, the Ex party has maintained 2nd rank.


    They have been close to the top of the summit for nearly ten years.


    Those years were not spent day after day with stagnation.


    If you stopped, your rank would easily drop.


    So you have to challenge and prove yourself every day.


    Pay it no mind. Viewers can say what they want, and since you¡¯re making a spectacle of your Clear, it¡¯s part of your job to accept it.


    But we Adventurers have feelings too. We can feel hurt, and even anger.


    At the very least, being called the Forever 2nd Ranker is more incorrigible than being attacked by bandits.


    ¡¸Lem, can you take the left half?¡¹


    The trees were overgrown on either side of the road. It looked like a slope from here.


    They have the higher ground. They also have the numbers over us. We have non-combat personnel here, as well as equipment that has to be handled with care.


    With the path as the centerline, Merlin is asking if I can cast Black Magic on the left half of the bandits, which is roughly a hundred of them.


    Normally, it¡¯d be impossible.


    But I answer her without hesitation.


    ¡¸I can take all of them.¡¹


    Merlin raised her eyebrows slightly and then¡­she smiled happily.


    ¡¸Good. Excellent.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s expression softened for a moment, and the corner of Furcus¡¯s mouth raised ever so slightly¡­


    Sitri yelled ¡°You go, cutie!¡± in¡­cheer? I guess.


    Did she decide that, with these members, she doesn¡¯t have to move?


    I suppose if an enemy gets too close, she can just cast Charm.


    Having finished grasping all the Magical Energy signatures of the enemy.


    Something black gushes forth from Ex¡¯s shadow.


    ¡¸Seems that negotiations have failed. You¡¯re all gonna get hurt a little and thrown straight to jail.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re bluffing! E-everyone! Attack!¡¹


    The robbery that is doomed to fail, begins.

 CH 192

    192 ¨C A Properly Failed Robbery


    I cast my Black Magic on all my targets simultaneously, but if I had to order them in terms of priority¡­


    I would go for those holding bows first. Those with the Hunter Aptitude cannot be underestimated, even if they are bandits. Even if they never attended the School, they improve their skills by hunting.


    They learn the skills to aim at and hit their targets.


    This is why I cast Darkness on them.


    Their vision, which is ever so important for aiming, is dyed a pitch black.


    ¡¸Wha- I can¡¯t see!!¡¹¡¸What¡¯s going on?!¡¹¡¸Wh-who turned off the lights?!¡¹


    One after another, those whose vision went dark start panicking and dropping their bows and arrows. There were also a few who fired in the wrong direction. A few of them were able to shoot at the investigation team, but the number has been reduced to an easily manageable amount.


    There are many Adventurers and skilled Demi-Humans here.


    Next are the Wizards. As with the bowmen, their weapon is their long-range attacks.


    There aren¡¯t that many Wizards here so it was pretty easy.


    For them, I cast Blank Space.


    What is necessary for magic is Magical Energy and imagining the spell.


    If there was a blank space shoved in your mind where you can¡¯t even think, you shouldn¡¯t be able to imagine, either.


    Which, of course, means that you cannot form the magic spell.


    There were two people who made the most of the time I created.


    The Reaper Knight Furcus and the Knight Lord Arthur.


    They ran to the left and right respectively, unhindered at all by the rocky roads.


    ¡¸Did¡­did something flash by¡­?¡¹¡¸Was it Wind Magic?!¡¹¡¸Hey, hurry up with the magic alre-¡­eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Barely a challenge.¡¹


    When one of the bandits looked back, those that were supposed to be firing arrows and those who were supposed to be casting magic were all¡­taken out.


    Under normal circumstances, that is already an unbelievable thing, but seeing that the perpetrator is a single spear-wielding girl, his surprise is understandable.


    On the other side of where Furcus ran through, the same thing happened.


    ¡¸¡­Is this Lem¡¯s Black Magic? Incredible.¡¹


    By the time Arthur muttered that, all the people in charge of long-range attacks were taken out.


    Not a single one of the long-range attackers who tried to pincer us from both sides was left.


    Arthur tied the handle and scabbard of the sword with string and used it as a club to avoid killing the enemy.


    Also, he was just as fast as Furcus. He also achieved the same result at almost the same time.


    Both battles were far from serious, but it was clear that both of them were excellent warriors.


    All that remains are those with melee weapons.


    Of them, they were divided into two categories.


    The ones that were inclined to run away, and the ones that were inclined to launch a suicide attack.


    I cast Confusion on the former, and Speed Down on the latter.


    Those who were thinking of escaping ran in wrong directions, crashed into trees, or started punching their comrades.


    Those that tried to attack started to run down the slope, but due to the Speed Down, they lost their balance and tumbled down.


    Once that happened, it became very difficult to beat us anymore.


    Affecting this many people and casting different spells at the same time sacrifices effect duration, but I don¡¯t think that matters here.


    I believe this should be enough.


    Milla used her blood whip to strike the bandits in the head or their¡­delicate areas, causing them to faint from the former or¡­faint in agony from the latter.


    The Adventurers looked at the state of the enemy and calmly knocked them down, adjusting their strength so as not to kill them.


    ¡¸¡­I suppose my assistance is not required.¡¹


    Said Maggie, Merlin chuckled.


    ¡¸I¡¯m quite a fan of your whole costume change thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, is that so? Is it the costumes you are interested in? Or perhaps the part where I change?¡¹


    ¡¸Both.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, oh Lady Merlin. So naughty.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh dear, are you willing to forgive my sexual harassment?¡¹


    ¡¸Only because it¡¯s you, Lady Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸I really might do something when you say such things.¡¹


    ¡¸Again with your jokes, I see.¡¹


    While she¡¯s talking, Merlin has been elegantly swinging her staff.


    Each time she did so, a bandit was incapacitated.


    For example, a water ball would cover a bandit¡¯s head until he suffocated. She fired Wind Blades to slash at their hands, causing them to drop their weapons, or slash at their feet, causing them to fall down. Causing the earth to form an arm and grab onto them, or moving tree roots to entangle them. Some were frozen, some were shocked by lightning strikes, and others received tiny explosion magic all over their body.


    Fire elemental magic wasn¡¯t used to avoid burning the tree roots.


    ¡¸What do you think? Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡¹


    Merlin is able to use various elemental magics at a high level.


    And she looked like she was having a blast doing it.


    She is nicknamed the Wizard of Foresight because she seems to cast magic as if predicting the future.


    The way she casts her spells with impeccable timing is what gave her that nickname.


    We¡¯re just eradicating bandits, she shouldn¡¯t need such a variety of magic. Just sticking to one element would have been more than enough for this lot.


    I looked at her without realizing it, and she winked at me.


    ¡¸Consider this thanks for giving me a good show.¡¹


    I could say the same to her.


    All that¡¯s left is the lone leader.


    Those who blocked our path, both front and back, were all knocked down.


    Everyone has already begun restraining the incapacitated bandits.


    ¡¸Now then¡­¡¹


    The leader¡¯s cronies have already fallen.


    Slowly retreating, the remaining leader glares at Ex.


    ¡¸D-dammit! This is impossible! There were two hundred of us!! They were different from you trash! They were combat type Jobs who trained up¡­! T-to lose to a bunch of pretend Adventurers¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We modern-day Adventurers are accepted by the masses by not killing. It is only by enacting Dungeon Clears with Avatars that it can be established as amusement. So I understand where you¡¯re coming from. We can¡¯t kill you. No matter how good of an Adventurer, that is our weakness.¡¹


    It isn¡¯t as if they had no chance of victory.


    Fighting in a Dungeon is completely different from fighting in real life.


    Think about it. When fighting in real life against a terrible opponent, you might kill him accidentally.


    One¡¯s mental state has a large effect on one¡¯s movements.


    Nobody can fight in a perfect state.


    A moment of hesitation can turn fatal.


    Even if they¡¯re the 2nd ranked party, they¡¯d still show weakness when trying not to kill their opponent, or at least that is the conclusion the bandits would arrive at.


    ¡¸To be honest, I had my apprehensions. Just a few. But it looks like it wasn¡¯t necessary. Because thanks to my excellent colleagues, everyone earned the luxury to adjust their attacks.¡¹


    ¡¸He¡¯s talking about you, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸I believe he¡¯s including you as well, Merlin.¡¹


    We stood vigilant on the sidelines while watching the battle reach its end.


    No additional help was necessary.


    ¡¸Dammit¡­! You monsters! Looking down on us from your ivory towers¡­! Acting all high and mighty just ¡¯cause you were talented and blessed by the Spirits and called a Hero! Not everyone has it easy like you bastards!¡¹


    Both those with talent and those without have their own worries.


    But if I told him that, he probably won¡¯t accept it.


    ¡¸Certainly, there is inequality in the world. You lot were most likely exposed to certain injustices and found yourself stooping to banditry. However, this does not give you the right to do harm unto others.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, get off your high horse¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸In life, there are no highs and lows. Only right and wrong. That might change depending on the era and the region, but they are there. And right now, you are living life doing wrong things. You must atone.¡¹


    The bandit leader was frantically searching for a way out, but then he runs towards Ex, perhaps finally realizing that there is no way out.


    ¡¸You piss me off, old man!¡¹


    Ex¡¯s right arm was wrapped in a black mist.


    That was his shadow. A shadow given form.


    The Spirit that he formed a contract with gave him the Spirit Magic to manipulate shadows.


    Ex clenches his fist and the mist changes into the shape of a wolf¡¯s head.


    ¡¸ As I said earlier, this is gonna sting a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Die!¡¹


    The bandit leader swung his sword downwards.


    Ex extends his right fist.


    The shadow bites and shatters the sword, driving into the leader¡¯s face.


    The leader screamed unintelligibly and was blown away.


    He was blown a comically far distance away until he finally lands on a faraway tree.


    ¡¸¡­Oops.¡¹


    ¡¸Pfft¡­! Ahaha! He was going on and on about adjusting strengths, yet he goes and fails himself! Ahaha! Did you see that Lem? Maggie? That¡¯s our leader, the Jet-Black Hero! As you can see, he¡¯s a clumsy man.¡¹


    Like she was struck in the funny bone, Merlin guffaws.


    ¡¸¡­Uhm, shouldn¡¯t we bring along some White Sorcerers and look for him?¡¹


    ¡¸I-it is just as you say, Sir Lem. I¡¯m sure Sir Ex made the proper adjustments, so if we hurry, we might reach him in time to treat his injuries.¡¹


    This is a man who was the leader of this many bandits. He should be appropriately sturdy and skilled.


    I pray that the tree softened his landing.


    ¡¸Fufu, ahaha¡­ha~, you two are so earnest. Fine, I¡¯ll go.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sorry, Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸Honestly. Well, I suppose it was impossible to expect an elephant to step on an ant without killing it.¡¹


    Even at the best of times, a Hero is abnormal. What they consider as going easy is different from what normal folks consider it as.


    ¡¸But¡­I¡¯m not an elephant, and he¡¯s not an ant.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh for goodness sake, it was a metaphor.¡¹


    Laughing all the way, Merlin flies up and goes to search for the bandit leader.


    ¡­Well since she¡¯s in a good mood, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.

 CH 193

    Translator: Kobracon


    Editor: Weasalopes


    193 ¨C Getting Along, Courtesy of the Bandits


    Milla took one look over her shoulder and then ground her heel against the head of the kneeling bandit.


    ¡¸Your boss said to leave the women behind, didn¡¯t he? Pray tell, what did you all have in mind for those women, hm? Go on, there¡¯s a woman right here. Why don¡¯t you show me what you planned to do? Come on, do it.¡¹


    The trampled man is trembling while making some strange noises but doesn¡¯t form any actual words. ¡­It sounds like he¡¯s beginning to enjoy this, but I think that¡¯s just my imagination. Right?


    ¡¸You¡¯re not enjoying this, are you? Incredible. Not only are you a criminal, but you¡¯re also a pervert too.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Milla? It looks like he doesn¡¯t have the will to resist anymore, so maybe stop?¡¹


    I gently say to Milla, who seems to have let Carmilla come out to play a little.


    She twitched in surprise and turned towards me.


    ¡¸¡­! L-Le-Le-Lem?! Y-you¡¯re right. This man gave me a filthy look and then I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡¹


    Eyes that just now looked as if she were staring at pure trash immediately became teary-eyed as she approached me.


    ¡¸The magic you cast moments ago was truly magnificent¡­ I¡¯m sure that even in the investigation team, there are a fair few who don¡¯t fully understand what you did.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸By all means, Lady Milla. Please elaborate. I understand that a tremendous amount of Magical Energy surged out of Sir Lem.¡¹


    Utterly fascinated, Maggie calls out to Milla.


    Milla glances at me, I nod in response.


    ¡¸Hm, Alright. This might sound completely unbelievable to have happened in only a few seconds, but I swear that everything I¡¯m about to say is true.¡¹


    Once, I was an Adventurer who didn¡¯t cut corners, yet tried my best to not expose my true abilities.


    Black Magic that is too strong will remind people of Black Sorcery. Once, Black Sorcery was used to kill many people. It makes the government uneasy. It might cause trouble for my allies, or worse, expose the whereabouts of my master.


    However, through my activities as Lemegeton, most of that has been revealed.


    Proving that I am not a threat to Humanity is one part of this trip.


    I trust my fellow Adventurers Merlin and Maggie, but I don¡¯t know who could be lurking among the investigation team.


    Not like I planned to in the beginning, but I shouldn¡¯t hold back now.


    Besides, Black Magic is terribly plain looking in the first place.


    Unless their Magical Energy sense is exceedingly great, they won¡¯t specifically understand what it is I¡¯m doing.


    In addition to that, Milla is a fan of mine, so she understands.


    I looked away from Milla, who was giving an impassioned speech about my Black Magic, and check on everyone else.


    Furcus hands a bandit over to Sitri.


    ¡¸This one is pretty good.¡¹


    Whether by his attire, his behavior, or the way he spoke, she seems to have found someone of a certain status among the bandit coalition.


    ¡¸Okay~. Ugh, what a not-cute smell.¡¹


    ¡¸That hurts.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not talking about you, Fufu.¡¹[1. TL Note: Fufu is Sitri¡¯s nickname for Furcus.]


    ¡¸Kidding.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, good one.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what are you bastards going to do to me?¡¹


    ¡¸Be a good boy and cooperate, OK?¡¹


    I realized that she cast Charm.


    ¡¸Ask me anything!¡¹


    ¡¸Well then~, are there any more of you besides the ones here?¡¹


    The man incessantly told everything he knew.


    Whether or not this was everyone, the location of their base, the places where they hid their stolen goods, etc, etc.


    ¡¸¡­Wow, you¡¯ve been a really bad boy.¡¹


    Sitri looks over at me.


    ¡¸Hey Le-¡­left of Lem, Mary~¡¹


    She probably wanted to consult with me out of habit from the Demon King Castle, so she covers up her slip-up somewhat heavy-handedly.


    After hearing the report, Maggie speaks a little anxiously.


    ¡¸I suppose I expected no less from you, Lady Sitri. Hmm, I don¡¯t really wish to use this but¡­I shall report to the Knights Order using the portable magic communications device.¡¹


    It may be portable, but it¡¯s heavy as luggage, it doesn¡¯t have a Magical Energy supplying cable as the public magic communication devices do, so it has to use a Magic Stone, its use time is limited due to its miniaturization, and not to mention it is extremely expensive, which makes it a very unpopular piece of equipment.


    It feels like a product that you would use only during a disaster, or a life or death emergency.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not like we can go and do it.¡¹


    They would need to investigate the hideout and choose to seal or destroy it, and they most likely also have to find the original owners of each stolen item.


    That is the Knights Order¡¯s domain, while ours is the investigation of the Original Dungeon.


    ¡¸If it was up to me, I would¡¯ve Charmed all of these guys and forced them to surrender, y¡¯know?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. However, I would prefer if they weren¡¯t charmed. Telling the Knights Order the information that Lady Sitri obtained, we would then have to leave these people behind, yes? Of course, we have to leave them in a state where they cannot run away.¡¹


    ¡¸H-hold on! If you call the Knights Order to come here, it¡¯ll take them at least three days to get here! We¡¯ll die!¡¹


    Shouted one of the bandits who seemed to have been listening. A man wrapped around with rope.


    ¡¸What¡¯s this now? You attack people, but then want us to leave you all three days worth of food?¡¹


    Milla¡¯s eyes stared daggers into the bandit, he cowered in fear and shut his mouth.


    ¡¸You¡¯ll be fine, you can last three days.¡¹


    I say to him, encouragingly.


    Back in my training days, I experienced being tossed into the mountains to fend for myself, so I know the limits of the body well. So long as they don¡¯t move, they should be able to manage three days.


    Just to be sure, it may be better to at least give them water.


    ¡¸Sir Lem I¡­I thought you were a gentle soul but¡­are you perhaps a sadist¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Occasionally, Lem says harsh things with a smiling face, but I believe that to be one of his many good points.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹


    I seem to have gotten a rather odd evaluation.


    ¡¸Food, where is it?¡¹


    Furcus asked the still Charmed bandit.


    ¡¸Rejoice, Ex. The ant still yet lives.¡¹


    Merlin came floating back with Wind Magic.


    She held on to an ivy that has apprehended the bandit leader. He seems to be unconscious.


    ¡¸Oh, thank goodness. Truly.¡¹


    ¡¸Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you didn¡¯t use Spirit Magic?¡¹


    Hearing Arthur¡¯s words, Ex scratches his face.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­but it¡¯s important to show what each of us can do to the allies we will be fighting alongside with in the Original Dungeon, so I thought that would¡¯ve been a good opportunity¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood, leader. That certainly made the situation tense for a moment. But then it was reduced by Merlin¡¯s laughing.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, don¡¯t say that, Arthur. This guy came out like a villain straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon and was blown away in the same fashion, not to mention the Hero who did it was just explaining to him about holding back. Anyone would¡¯ve laughed at that.¡¹


    ¡¸You should follow Lem¡¯s example.¡¹


    ¡¸Is this about his magic? It¡¯s true that Lem is remarkable, but I also value my own enjoyment.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m talking about his attitude.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh really-¡¹


    While that conversation was happening, we finished arresting everyone in the bandit coalition.


    Many of them had water in their possession, so we had them drink it, and then tied them to trees.


    They have shade thanks to the leaves, and they drank water, so they should be alright until the Knights Order arrive.


    A good thing happened in this battle.


    The mood was strange because Adventurers and Demi-Humans were going to be working together, but this battle gave us the chance to clear it all up.


    Arthur said to Furcus ¡°Well done.¡± and Furcus said ¡°You too.¡± in return, which prompted all the close-range combatants to gather and praise each other.


    The cat Demi-Human who fought near Milla came up to her and said ¡°May I call you Sister?¡± to which Milla replied ¡°My apologies but I already have enough people who call me that¡­¡±, politely refusing her.


    A female Adventurer said to Sitri ¡°I saw you in the Raid Battle and¡­you weren¡¯t just cute, but strong as well! It was incredible. Professionally, we may be enemies, but I want to be like you, Sitri¡­¡± and Sitri replied with ¡°Right~? I don¡¯t wanna throw away my cuteness~.¡±


    All the Wizard types flocked to Merlin. She said ¡°I like diligent students, y¡¯know? Alright, fine. Call me Prof Merlin.¡± and began a lecture on magic


    ¡­Yes, mingling that transcends the racial barrier is a wonderful thing.


    Due to the nature of their job, Adventurers don¡¯t get close to Demi-Humans, but I think it¡¯s good to see that happening less and less.


    We can at least feel like friends while fighting together.


    That said, I guess even in a time like this, Black Sorcerers like me just aren¡¯t popula-


    ¡¸Uhm¡­L-Lem?¡¹


    It was a young man with pure white hair. Judging from his attire, he was a White Sorcerer.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸E-earlier¡­how did you do that?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You were fully aware of every bandit and you cast the right Black Magic for each one. To be honest, I thought that was simply inhuman.¡¹


    ¡­This guy¡­he can understand what I did.


    ¡¸¡­To put it simply, those are the results of my training.¡¹


    ¡¸Wow¡­¡¹


    His exclamation that he uttered instinctively, honestly made me happy.


    ¡¸Thank yo-¡¹


    ¡¸P-please! Can that training me applied to White Magic?!¡¹


    ¡¸D-do you mean you wish to cast several White Magics on multiple people?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, my apologies. I want to be an Adventurer myself, but the outlook on White Sorcerers isn¡¯t very positive, right? But if I can cast multiple powerful spells on all five party members, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be of use and perhaps change that outlook on White Sorcerers.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ I see¡­in that case-¡¹


    I think I may have seen a bit of my old self in him.


    That isn¡¯t the only reason, I decided to respond seriously to serious people.


    I later learned that that young man was recommended by Fellow.


    However, he doesn¡¯t seem to have ulterior motives, himself. Much like Wraith and Fran, he might be a talented young prospect that Fellow had found.


    ¡­Although, from what I saw in the battle with the bandits, he had some pretty good moves.


    Wielding his staff like a club, he took down several bandits.


    A fighting White Sorcerer? Sounds great to me.


    Since that day, we have often exchanged words with one another.


    The journey continues in a much more peaceful atmosphere than when we departed.

 CH 194

    194 ¨C A Hot Spring Tour?


    That day, we decided to stay in a certain village.


    It was situated in the middle of a mountain crossing, but the village also had¡­hot springs.


    It¡¯s nighttime. After our meal, when I decided to head to the hot spring, both Ex and Arthur decided to accompany me.


    ¡¸Whoa.¡¹


    Passing through the dressing room, I couldn¡¯t help but be in awe as I stepped out to the open-air bath.


    Constructed with stone, the steam rising out of the hot spring gives off a unique scent.


    The twinkling stars in the night sky and the tranquil atmosphere is comforting.


    ¡¸What a wonderful atmosphere.¡¹


    The Jet-Black Hero Ex enters. His well-trained body is dazzling.


    ¡¸It seems to be a common thing in this region to drink sake while soaking in the bath. I have asked the innkeeper for some drinks, will you be joining us, Lem?¡¹


    The Knight Lord Arthur is thinner than Ex, but his body is still pretty firm.


    ¡¸Oh, I see. Yes, I will join you, thank you.¡¹


    If we were to enter the Original Dungeon tomorrow, I would refrain, but our journey is still underway. It¡¯s fine as long as I don¡¯t drink enough to have an effect on me tomorrow.


    ¡¸Hm¡­by the way, Lem, you truly have trained well.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, to harden your body to that level as a Black Sorcerer must have been tough. You did say that you want to be a hero.¡¹


    Said Ex and Arthur, praising me.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­thank you very much. Let¡¯s wash up before our bodies get cold.¡¹


    ¡¸Heh, you¡¯re right. By the way, do you know about the special usage of my Spirit Magic, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Special usage?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Ex¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no one to show off to.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Do as you please.¡¹


    Arthur smiles wryly and heads toward the washing area.


    ¡¸So, Lem. The Spirit that I formed a contract with lets me manipulate shadows. I can freely manipulate my own shadow, and materialize it, or manipulate my enemy¡¯s shadow. But in order to manipulate anyone¡¯s shadow, my own shadow has to touch my target¡¯s shadow, but I¡¯m sure you already knew that.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Manipulating shadows is pretty difficult, I think it¡¯s easier to imagine it to be as difficult as Wizards manipulating Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I see¡­¡¹


    Magical Energy is invisible and doesn¡¯t have a specific shape. It takes a considerable amount of training to be able to manipulate it freely.


    ¡¸So I had a thought. If I use my shadow every day, I¡¯ll improve quicker.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, I thought that as well.¡¹


    In that respect, it may be similar to my own training method with my Black Magic.


    By constantly casting it on myself, I train my Magical Energy organ while training my Magical Energy control.


    ¡¸Through many long years of training, this is the level that my Spirit Magic has reached¡­! Observe!¡¹


    Ex extends his arm rather exaggeratedly, and his shadow begins to move.


    It turned into countless arms, each moving nimbly.


    There was an arm that grabbed the soap. Several arms lathered up and covered Ex in foam.


    There was also an arm that was scrubbing his hair. And it didn¡¯t end there, one took a bucket and poured hot water over Ex.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have to use my own hands anymore.¡¹


    His technical skill is incredible, but the scene was so surreal that I¡­burst out laughing.


    I tried my best to hold it in, but seeing his shadow take the form of a shampoo hat on his head to stop the suds from going in his eyes was the final straw and I just started laughing.


    ¡¸Ahaha, no¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Ex, it¡­heh¡­it¡¯s amazing¡­t-truly.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah hah hah¡­! See Arthur, he thinks it¡¯s funny.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, that¡¯s because he hasn¡¯t seen it a thousand times.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s fine. Right, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes. Uhm¡­ I think, uh, it¡¯s about time I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Want me to wash you too?¡¹


    ¡¸I can do it myself¡­!¡¹


    I hurried to the washing area.


    Seeing me hurry, he laughed heartily again.


    After this and that, we entered the bath.


    I breathe a sigh of relief as I feel all my tiredness melt away into the bath.


    Traveling from town to town in search of Dungeons meant that I didn¡¯t get to take a bath every day.


    I would wipe my body down with a wet cloth but I also had to think about the remaining water we had and the distance left until our destination.


    There¡¯s a saying in the Adventurer business that is said half-jokingly, ¡°Make sure you have a Water Magic-user in your party.¡±


    Whether you have one or not would drastically change the level of comfort of a trip.


    Because we had Fenix, a fire could be started in an instant.


    ¡¸Ooh, that¡¯s the stuff¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Right you are. Ah, here, you two.¡¹


    There was a wooden floating tray. On it was a peculiarly shaped earthenware pot and small bowls.


    Arthur poured sake from the pot into the bowls and we each took one.


    ¡¸Well then, cheers!¡¹


    Saying to no one in particular, we hold up the bowls.


    When I bring it to my mouth, the aroma like that of a clear river stream passes through my nose.


    ¡¸Mm, delicious.¡¹


    From then on, we talked about this and that.


    Before long, Arthur said that he would get up first and then left the bath area.


    I think it was around that time¡­


    That Ex¡¯s mood changed a little.


    Perhaps just a little, but a shadow seemed to be cast over his expression.


    ¡¸Lem¡­ I had something I wanted to ask you.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I said this before we departed, about how your efforts inspire more people than you realize. I¡¯m one of them. Even while having an unfortunate Job, the party you were a part of dashed up the ranks to 4th rank. 4th rank! Out of the tens of thousands of parties, you guys were the 4th ranked from the top.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸And yet, there was no end to those who called you unnecessary. That is the result of the perceived status of a Black Sorcerer in the industry, the sheer brilliance of the Flame Hero, and your¡­chosen supporting style all piled up on top of each other.¡¹


    More than thinking that a Black Sorcerer who is 4th rank could be adequately strong, people would naturally rather think that the contractor of one of the Four Great Spirits was amazing enough to get to 4th rank despite having a Black Sorcerer in the party. It¡¯s normal. Easy. Funny. Something to joke about.


    1st ranked to 3rd hasn¡¯t changed for a long time.


    Actually, you could say it was almost until the 4th rank until they traded places.


    The Scathach party fell to 5th rank when the Fenix party overtook them.


    Because of this, there is a perception among Adventurer fans that if there is a group of Adventurers that can make it into the top three parties, they are the real deal.


    That¡¯s one of the reasons that I aimed for the top three.


    Think about it.


    The Aerial party, the Ex party, and the Hervor party.


    If I could rise higher in rank than them, no one would complain even if there was a Black Sorcerer mixed in the party.


    From my point of view, there are a lot of people who are strong and respectable regardless of ranking, but at the time, I needed a result that was easy to understand.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t regret forming a party with Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸I know that. What I want to ask is¡­why did you leave? Because I know for sure that you wanted to rise to 1st rank with Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­¡¹


    Of course, I did.


    No, I¡¯m sure Ex knows that as well.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you know, Ex. I wasn¡¯t able to persuade the other three, and kicking them out of the party was out of the question. Who would admire a Hero who would kick out perfectly good allies for his hindrance of a best friend?¡¹


    Not long after leaving, Alba said many things about it during interviews, so even the general public know the gist of it.


    ¡¸So, it was for Fenix¡¯s sake?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    It hit me. That¡¯s it, that¡¯s what he¡¯s asking me.


    ¡¸¡­No, it wasn¡¯t. It was a decision I made for myself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Alright.¡¹


    ¡¸I longed to be a hero who could lead his allies to victory. Even though I was a Black Sorcerer, I wanted to contribute towards the party¡¯s triumph, advancing towards realizing my dream. But¡­on the day I left, I realized something.¡¹


    Alba¡¯s complaining was the same as always, although he was particularly serious at that time, and I could have just brushed it off. I¡¯ve gotten used to taking it.


    Yet, I decided to leave that day because¡­


    ¡¸Choosing to stay behind, furthering the awkwardness in the party, or, worst come to worst, breaking up the party. Is that what a hero would do?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I was far and away from the hero that I longed to be. I believe that is why I left. It was necessary to continue challenging myself.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Ex scooped up some water and splashed it at his own face. Then he violently slaps his cheeks.


    ¡¸You are strong.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸I am ashamed of myself. I thought that, even if only for a moment. When I heard the news about your withdrawal, I was saddened by the thought that even you had given up. When I saw you in the Tag Tournament, I was overjoyed, and being able to work with you now is an honor. However, I was curious about what you were thinking at that time.¡¹


    ¡¸Ex¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I can imagine how Black Magic looks to people. Our Merlin has a lot of problems as well. Arthur and me, too.¡¹


    Merlin is a rare individual who wields magic as powerful as the Four Great Spirits.


    Ex and Arthur received the divine blessings of Spirits other than the Four Great Spirits.


    From the point of view of the government, abnormal Heroes are simply those who wield strong powers.


    There was a period where they were infamous due to the baseless rumors that they were being monitored by the government or that they should be regarded as dangerous wherever they are.


    Surpassing all of that, the Ex party stands as the world¡¯s 2nd rank.


    ¡¸But when I say you¡¯re strong, I¡¯m not talking about that kind of strength. Lem¡­you have a strong heart.¡¹


    In the past, my master said those words to me.


    First, my master who I am greatly indebted to, now a senior who I respect has said it.


    ¡¸I¡­am weak.¡¹


    Due to the sound of women coming into the women¡¯s bath over the partition wall, I couldn¡¯t really hear what he said.


    ¡¸Wow! Aren¡¯t the stars beautiful, Sister?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­as I said before, you can refrain from calling me that.¡¹


    That embarrassed-sounding voice was Milla¡¯s.


    ¡¸Want me to wash your back, Fufu?¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you eating?¡¹


    ¡¸Hot spring egg.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? You look kinda cute when you¡¯re eating. I want to feed you!¡¹


    ¡¸Later.¡¹


    ¡¸Yaay.¡¹


    Sitri and Furcus are there as well.


    ¡¸¡­Everyone is¡­certainly quite well-endowed¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Heh, don¡¯t make that face, Maggie. The worth of a woman isn¡¯t decided by the size of her breasts.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much, Lady Merlin. So then, what does decide a person¡¯s worth?¡¹


    ¡¸Their soul.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡­see?¡¹


    Maggie and Merlin too.


    I can hear a few other voices as well. Perhaps they all talked and decided to go together in advance.


    ¡¸Hahaha, the girls are nice and lively, eh? Ah, no peeking, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸I wasn¡¯t planning to¡­¡¹


    I smiled wryly, but I was interested in the look Ex had a moment ago.


    Right now, he¡¯s his usual calm and slightly mischievous self.


    Just now, it felt like he was trying to tell me something¡­


    ¡¸By the way, Lem, how far have you gotten with Miss Milla? Go on, tell this old man some stories.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? N-no I¡­¡¹


    I tried to run away gently, but my body wouldn¡¯t move.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve stepped on your shadow. There¡¯s no escape, Lem. Hah hah hah.¡¹


    For a while after that, he asked me all sorts of inquisitive questions.


    I was released from my shadow prison when other men from the team came in and he asked them ¡°Do you know about the special usage of my Spirit Magic?¡± and proceeded to do the same laughter-inducing washing act he did earlier.


    I¡¯m curious, but I don¡¯t want to ask him when he isn¡¯t in a mood to talk about it.


    And like that, we were able to get some rest in the middle of our journey.


    ¡ó


    I woke up to the sound of something tapping the window.


    It wasn¡¯t a single bedroom, it was a large room where several of the investigation team members slept.


    I slowly get up and approach the window.


    When I looked, it was a bat. A vampire bat. Milla¡¯s Demi-Beast.


    I opened the window and looked down at the beautiful woman below.


    ¡¸Would you like to join me for a little walk?¡¹


    Being invited by a beautiful vampire standing under the moonlight, I nod.


    ¡¸Sure, I¡¯ll be right down.¡¹

 CH 195

    195 ¨C A Hot Spring Tour


    Stepping outside, it was a little chilly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, did I wake you?¡¹


    Said Milla apologetically, I shook my head.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Were you able to sleep easily without me by your side?¡¹


    She says while flashing a mischievous smile.


    If I were in my dorm apartment, she would sneak into my futon every night.


    As one would expect, she can¡¯t do that on this journey.


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha, I wonder. But I think being in my own bed in my own apartment gives me better peace of mind.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, indeed. I¡¯m¡­lonely. Nights without Lem feel ever so lonely.¡¹


    She looked at me with her head slightly tilted, her expression, gorgeous.


    I had no words.


    Seeing that, she smiled and changed the topic. Or rather, I should say she got to the main topic.


    ¡¸The locals informed me of a great little-known spot, would you like to go there?¡¹


    ¡¸S-sure.¡¹


    We started walking, side by side.


    As time passes, I calm down and ask her a question.


    ¡¸This place¡­can you stare at the beautiful starry sky at it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you can. I suppose that is one of its features.¡¹


    ¡­? The way she said that sounded as if that isn¡¯t its main attraction.


    We moved away from the village and continued on a mountain path.


    ¡¸I wonder if we¡¯ll get lost.¡¹


    ¡¸We shall be fine so long as we follow the little one.¡¹


    If I strained my eyes, I could see a vampire bat flying overhead at a slightly distant position.


    ¡¸However, since we must not be separated, we should walk like this.¡¹


    Having said that, Milla wraps around my arm.


    She¡¯s close enough for me to smell her scent and feel her body heat.


    As expected, I¡¯ve gotten used to this¡­which would be cool to say if I could, but this still makes my heart race.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu.¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what?¡¹


    ¡¸Just thinking about how adorable you are. You continue to have such refreshing reactions since the day we met.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I wish I could do something about it, but I can¡¯t.¡¹


    ¡¸On the contrary, they make me happy. It simply means that you are still as excited about me as you have always been.¡¹


    Milla is very sexy today.


    ¡¸But I¡¯m the same as well. Since the day you rescued me, since that night we had that talk, you have always made my heart race.¡¹


    Her red eyes, filled with moonlight, seemed to shine more beautifully than any gemstone of the same color.


    My heart started beating louder, to the point that I was worried she might hear it.


    ¡¸We¡¯re almost there. Look, it¡¯s over there.¡¹


    Slightly off the mountain path, after walking through the forest for a while, the scenery opens up.


    ¡¸¡­A hot spring?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. A secret one that only the locals know of.¡¹


    ¡¸Wow¡­what a wonderful atmosphere. ¡­Wait. Are we¡­are we going in?¡¹


    Because it is an open-air bath, of course, there are no partitions.


    There is no way that nature could create men and women-only sections of the hot spring.


    Due to it being a secret hot spring, it is largely untouched by man.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s.¡¹


    Actually, Milla has been carrying a handbag with her this whole time, and I¡¯ve been wondering what was inside it.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Do you not¡­want to?¡¹


    ¡­!


    Usually, those words would be enough to make me yield, but I can¡¯t give in so easily here.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not that, I was just wondering if it would be a good idea.¡¹


    ¡¸I figured this might happen so I did come prepared with a swimsuit. Would that be¡­agreeable?¡¹


    You figured this might¡­?


    Wait, I did tell her about a gently flowing river I used to play in as a child in my hometown, so is it possible that she was prepared to go to it if we had the time?


    ¡¸Of course, I have prepared a pair of swimming trunks for you too, Lem.¡¹


    Of course???


    ¡­Uhm, how do we change into them¡­? Should I turn around, or maybe shut my eyes?


    How about towels¡­? No, she definitely came prepared with those as well.


    Although I did just have a dip in the hot spring not too long ago¡­ Oh who cares?!


    Wait¡­if I were to refuse here, it would mean that the only reason is that I don¡¯t want to.


    ¡¸Do you¡­not want to?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I do.¡¹


    It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t dislike this. I didn¡¯t dislike it, but I felt like we shouldn¡¯t and was finding any excuse I could to refuse.


    With all my methods of escape destroyed, all I can do is answer honestly.


    And so, I undress.


    Undressing in the middle of the forest certainly feels weird. I put my clothes on a nearby rock. While shivering as the cold air brushes against my skin, I put on the swimming trunks.


    I enter the hot spring first and call out to Milla.


    I shut my eyes.


    The hot spring is a little hot but comfortable. I think. I¡¯m too nervous to tell.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t look please.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Although I say that, I don¡¯t mind if you took a little peek.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll do my best to resist.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu.¡¹


    I wonder why my heart skipped a beat every time I heard the rustling sounds of her changing clothes.


    I think she took a longer time than I did to change clothes, and then she called out saying that she had finished.


    Slowly, I open my eyes and look at her.


    Milla had on a black swimsuit that had a decorative cloth on her waist.


    This goes without saying, but other than the parts hidden by her swimsuit, her porcelain skin was unabashedly exposed.


    ¡¸Do I look odd in this?¡¹


    Saying such a thing with cheeks dyed red, I hurriedly shook my head.


    ¡¸I-I think it suits you.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Getting praised by Lem makes all the hard work I spent worrying over choosing the right one worth it.¡¹


    Perhaps not wanting to get her hair wet, she tied up her long hair into a ponytail.


    She enters the hot spring, raising suggestive noises.


    Milla slowly inches closer to me. The ripples on the water¡¯s surface that accompanied this movement distracted me.


    ¡¸It feels lovely, doesn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes, it does. The sense of liberation you get after feels great too.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed.¡¹


    ¡¸And the moon is beautiful tonight.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­As a Vampire, the less intense the moonlight, the better.¡¹


    ¡¸Really?¡¹


    ¡¸We can see well at night, so a faint moonlight is enough for us to see well. If it¡¯s too bright, our prey can see its surroundings better as well, right? It isn¡¯t good for hunting, you see.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I was worried about how to react to that.


    Of course, Vampires don¡¯t assault people to suck their blood these days, but it is a fact that there used to be a time when they did.


    Unintentionally, I gazed at her mouth.


    Perhaps on purpose, she smiled in such a way that it revealed her fangs.


    ¡¸You can see the figure of the person hunting you well, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Even if it wasn¡¯t a moonlit night, I don¡¯t think I could go against the Vampire Queen if she swooped in for the kill.¡¹


    ¡¸If you fought back seriously, Lem, I doubt that even the legendary true vampires of old could win.¡¹


    Somehow, we calmed down enough to slip back into the rhythm of cracking jokes with each other.


    We were close enough for our shoulders to touch.


    Under the water, Milla put her hand on top of mine.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸In a few days, we¡¯ll arrive at your hometown, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the plan.¡¹


    ¡¸The Original Dungeon appeared near the village, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸As far as I¡¯ve heard, it seems a part of the forest turned into the Dungeon.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad that no one in the village was harmed.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, we are going to be building a base of operations near the village.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Will you¡­be visiting your parents at least once?¡¹


    ¡¸I plan to. There isn¡¯t much time, but it seems that we¡¯ll be starting the investigation on the day after the estimated date of arrival. I wondered if I could have a chat with them that night.¡¹


    Milla began to sound a little nervous.


    ¡¸¡­C-could I greet them as¡­as well?¡¹


    ¡¸S-sure. That¡¯s weird, didn¡¯t we already have this conversation before we departed?¡¹


    ¡¸W-we did but¡­ Thinking about it again, I worried over how exactly I should introduce myself and whether or not this would be a bother in the first place¡­!¡¹


    ¡­I was definitely worried about the same things.


    ¡¸Sir Ex and Margret are both people you knew from your Adventurer days. And also¡­Normal. ¡­I¡­was wondering exactly what I should introduce myself as¡­ Lem¡¯s¡­what?¡¹


    ¡¸My parents wouldn¡¯t care about you being a Demi-Human.¡¹


    But I knew that was not what she wanted to convey.


    I¡¯ve been thinking about it too.


    But I couldn¡¯t get my thoughts together.


    The silence continued on for a little while.


    I don¡¯t know if I can get the message across, but I have to say it.


    I open my mouth.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸In the past, I never doubted that I would become a Hero. I only realized I was mistaken when my Job was identified. Still, I couldn¡¯t just give up.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I studied under my master, even while all the other Adventurers went to School, I continued my training with just me and him.¡¹


    The School is a place for serious learning. However, many things can happen in a place where boys and girls of appropriate age are gathered for several years. Some become lovers, but even those that don¡¯t will start being aware of the opposite sex, right?


    I wouldn¡¯t call them wicked thoughts, but I lead a life that had no room for such things.


    Even after reuniting with Fenix, things were desperate.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not particularly talented, so I felt I had to put everything I had into it. I had to put all of my energy into my Adventuring career. My training, understanding the condition of my allies, research¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    My master said this when I told him that I wanted to be a hero as a Black Sorcerer¡­


    He said that it would be a long and difficult battle.


    He didn¡¯t say it was impossible, useless, or meaningless as the rest of the world was so willing to call it.


    This is why I put all of my body and soul into confronting it.


    ¡¸So that¡¯s why I¡¯m so bad at cooking and¡­I don¡¯t think this is a good excuse for my lack of experience in romance but¡­ Well¡­that¡¯s how it is.¡¹


    There are people who do well in that regard even while they are busy.


    It¡¯s just that I am not one of those people.


    ¡¸Indeed.¡¹


    Milla listened to me intently.


    ¡¸To be honest, I didn¡¯t get it at first. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t react to it, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why I immediately classify it as love.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That sounds very much like you, Lem.¡¹


    Milla smiles feebly.


    It takes courage to say it.


    ¡¸You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re important to me, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    The water splashed a little with her movement. Because her shoulder jerked.


    ¡¸And Cashew is important to me too.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The joyful look on her face disappeared.


    ¡¸Her Highness, Furcus, Sitri, Agares, and everyone else in the Demon King castle. They are all important to me. They are the best of allies.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Even Fenix, Aerial, and Wraith. The people who acknowledge me are very hard to come by. Of course, my family and my master too.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right.¡¹


    At this point, I understand why Milla would take her hand off of mine.


    But this time, I grab onto hers.


    She looked surprised.


    ¡¸When I thought about it, I thought something was odd.¡¹


    ¡¸Something¡­odd?¡¹


    ¡¸For example, I was able to enter into the Demon King Army thanks to her Highness and you, but even though her Highness is a similar benefactor, I hold generally gratitude and respect towards her.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Both you and Cashew support me, both of whom make me happy. But different from the way Cashew¡¯s support warms my chest, your support makes me feel something like a sweet numbness.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I wondered what to call this. I wondered if this was a different kind of important. What is this feeling that I hold towards you? I think I¡¯ve understood it a little. Maybe I already know it.¡¹


    My eyes meet Milla¡¯s. Were they wet? Maybe a trick of the light.


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that should be decided because we are being pressured by introducing you to my parents. So, Milla. For now, I¡¯ll introduce you as a really important friend to my parents¡­ What do you say?¡¹


    Milla smiled and nodded.


    ¡¸Yes, I would be honored.¡¹


    She was beaming brightly, but it soon changed into a coquettish smile.


    ¡¸¡­But you know, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    She brings her face directly close to mine.


    Just before our lips meet, she shifts to the side, approaching my ear.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t keep me waiting too long. I¡¯m almost at my limit¡­¡¹


    After a warm sigh, she lightly touches the nape of my neck with her fangs. It was probably on purpose.


    My spine shivers. My body remembers the pleasure it felt when she sucked my blood.


    Seeing my reaction, she flashed a beautiful smile.


    In good humor, she sits back next to me and rests her head on my shoulder.


    With such an act, my heart easily starts pounding again.


    ¡¸A clear moon night isn¡¯t so bad either¡­¡¹


    Her muttering mixes with the steam and melts into the night sky.

 CH 196.1

    196 ¨C Stepping Foot onto my Hometown (Part 1)


    A few more days after leaving the hot spring village.


    We finally reached the hometown of my birth around the evening.


    A crowd of villagers gathered.


    The investigative team¡¯s carriage stops in front of the village, and Maggie descends to obtain permission for passage and for some of the personnel to stay.


    We talked in advance, but it is important for representatives from both sides to greet each other when there is a gathering of people.


    Not having one greatly changes the impression the villagers will have of the investigation team.


    At Maggie¡¯s insistence, I followed her down towards the village¡¯s entrance.


    Perhaps she is considering that people will calm down if they see a familiar face among the additional personnel of strangers.


    ¡¸Goodness¡­! Is that you, Lem?¡¹


    It was the village elder who was already a fairly old man when Fenix and I were children. About ten years have passed since we left the village, he¡¯s still as healthy as ever.


    ¡¸It has been a long time, I¡¯m glad you are looking well.¡¹


    It¡¯s thanks to this person setting up the TV in the village assembly hall that I first encountered Dungeon Clears.


    Good and bad things happened in this village, but when I look upon this person, I recall all the good things.


    My expression naturally relaxes.


    ¡¸Look at how you¡¯ve grown¡­ To think that little leader of the pack would grow into this.¡¹


    ¡¸Aah¡­ahaha.¡¹


    I certainly am quite different now.


    I don¡¯t want him to mention it too much in front of everyone. It¡¯s kind of embarrassing.


    ¡¸You look better now than you did when I saw you on the TV. I was worried, but it looks like I didn¡¯t have to.¡¹


    I guess he¡¯s talking about the Clear videos when I was still in the Fenix party.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh stop with the formality. It feels like there¡¯s a wall between us.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡­heh, yeah. I¡¯m home, gramps.¡¹


    ¡¸Welcome home, Lem.¡¹


    The villagers started getting noisy.


    I introduced Maggie to the elder, and when I went away from them a little, I was caught in a throng of villagers.


    There were many nostalgic faces, and the conversations were lively.


    I was welcomed relatively well by the people who were already adults while I was growing up.


    The adults in the countryside village collectively raise the children of the village, perhaps not to the level of their own child, but they still treat them well.


    The ones who openly changed their attitude towards me when I became a Black Sorcerer were the kids who I thought were my friends at the time.


    Speaking of, I see the familiar faces of a trio of people coming this way.


    ¡¸Well, if it isn¡¯t the grand return of the self-proclaimed hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? But aren¡¯t those Black Sorcerer clothes?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, where¡¯s that crybaby Fenix, huh? Oh, that¡¯s right, he tossed you aside like yesterday¡¯s garbage.¡¹


    These three are the ones who especially picked on Fenix.


    In other words, they¡¯re the three I fought with the most.


    ¡­Hmm. It¡¯s not like I plan to set a trap for them in the forest or brawl with them until we¡¯re covered in mud after all this time.


    I could just smile politely and let it go, but something one of them said ticked me off a little.


    I¡¯m used to people saying things about me, so I don¡¯t care, but I can¡¯t stand idly by while my best friend is made fun of.


    ¡¸Right now, Fenix is leading the world¡¯s 4th ranked party. Also, our relationship hasn¡¯t changed in the slightest. So you have no reason to laugh.¡¹


    I smile.


    I release just a little of my Magical Energy.


    Enough to feel a slight pressure, but not harm.


    That one person¡¯s expression changed, and stepped back in surprise.


    ¡¸B-but it¡¯s true¡­!¡¹


    Before I could open my mouth, a voice called out to me.


    ¡¸Is something the matter, darling?¡¹


    It was Milla.


    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Milla¡¯s Lover performance.


    Gazing at me like she¡¯s madly in love while holding onto me in a way that my right arm is sandwiched between her breasts.


    ¡¸Are these your friends? My name is Milla, and I am very intimate with my darling here.¡¹


    The three of them were shocked.


    ¡¸D-da-da-da-darling¡­?!¡¹¡¸She¡¯s so pretty!¡¹¡¸No way¡­ Her? With him¡­?¡¹


    I heard Milla let out a small laugh.


    ¡¸Le~m. Hurry up and show us around~. You got a secret base or something? Can you bring me along?¡¹


    Sitri wraps around my left arm the same way as Milla does.


    ¡¸Th-the Demon of Love Sitri?!¡¹¡¸Sh-she¡¯s so cute!¡¹¡¸Why is she so close to Lem?! Sh-she said bring her along¡­¡¹


    When our eyes met, she winked at me. She seems to be doing the same thing as Milla.


    ¡¸Practice with me, Sir Lem. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s in the middle of the night.¡¹


    Furcus, who walked in front of me, puts her arm around my waist.


    ¡¸Th-the Reaper Knight Furcus?!¡¹¡¸She so small, but so big!¡¹¡¸Midnight practice¡­ What the hell¡­ Dammit¡­!¡¹


    Looks like even Furcus is going along with it. She has no expression, but I know this is one of her unexpected jokes.


    ¡¸Oh that simply won¡¯t do, Miss Black Knight. Lem has a prior engagement to discuss magic with me all night.¡¹


    Says Merlin as she presses her breasts against my back and wraps her arms around my neck.


    ¡¸Th-the Wizard of Foresight Merlin?!¡¹¡¸S-she¡¯s so sexy!¡¹¡¸Talking about magic all night¡­? Goddammit¡­!¡¹


    These three seem to be stuck on the same surprise pattern.


    ¡¸My my, is there no room for me? You absolute cad, Sir Lem.¡¹


    Even Maggie joined in.


    ¡¸Th-the Thousand Form Summoner Margret?!¡¹¡¸She¡¯s so pure!¡¹¡¸This many of them¡­ Lem¡­just what are you¡­?¡¹


    I understand what Milla was thinking.


    For some reason or other, these people just want to say mean things.


    So it would be meaningless to give them a sound argument or respond emotionally. The words won¡¯t sink in.


    So in that case, Milla chose to create an enviable situation.


    It is true that I am a Black Sorcerer, and that I left the Fenix party. It¡¯s a perfect target for them.


    However, witnessing the state of me being sought after by a beautiful lover or several beautiful and powerful individuals, any snide remarks said would be ineffective. They thought that it would have been nice to make a fool of me, but they would lose interest at the sight of me at the height of happiness right in front of their eyes.


    It¡¯s embarrassing doing this in front of everyone else, but everyone did this in consideration for me, so I¡¯m happy.


    ¡¸Lem¡­you¡¯re in a pretty enviable predicament.¡¹


    Ex laughs as he approaches.


    The villagers got even noisier.


    ¡¸Are your parents here? This would be a great opportunity to greet them.¡¹


    Even Arthur is here, which elicited a high-pitched cheer from the ladies. He responds to said cheers with a smile.


    When I looked back at the trio, they were gone.


    ¡¸¡­Originally, I wanted to tear them limb from limb, but I didn¡¯t want to stain the ground of Lem¡¯s hometown with blood. I had to put up with it by resorting to this¡­ By the way¡­ Could you all please step away from Lem?¡¹


    All three of them gripped me tighter with cheerful expressions on their face, well, except Furcus, who had no expression as usual.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw, but I wanna get to know Lem better~¡¹


    ¡¸The Magical Energy you released earlier was an exquisite display of Magical Energy regulation. You kept it at a level that would cause ordinary people with no resistance to feel fear but not know why for just a moment.¡¹


    ¡¸The three of you are famous! Won¡¯t your association with Lem cause suspicion?¡¹


    Right now, Milla is the only one who is participating as an average person.


    The other three are well-known Adventurers and Monsters, whose appearance is known to the public.


    But these three didn¡¯t seem to care one bit. Maggie was her usual self, smiling from a place slightly away from us.


    ¡¸Everyone, thank you very much for just now. But I think it¡¯s about time you let go of me. I mean, what if my parents were to see-¡¹


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    ¡­this.


    In the exact spot where the trio was just now, stood my parents.


    My mother, calling her own son¡¯s name, had a very confused look on her face. I suppose if the roles were reversed, I would have reacted the same way.


    Milla hurriedly let go of me and gave her best modest smile.


    ¡¸¡­Hi, I¡¯m home.¡¹


    Uhm¡­ When Fenix graduated and came back home, I followed him and showed my face to my parents just once, which was about seven years ago¡­


    ¡¸He¡¯s home he says¡­ That¡­¡¹


    That is probably referring to me being coiled around by multiple beautiful women.


    Just as I thought my mom looked a little faint, she started falling backward.


    ¡¸Mom¡­?!¡¹

 CH 196.2

    196 ¨C Stepping Foot onto my Hometown (Part 2)


    I panicked.


    My father immediately caught my mother¡¯s falling figure.


    ¡¸She¡¯s fine. Her heart couldn¡¯t take the sight of our son with beautiful women at his beck and call after not seeing him for a while and she fainted. She¡¯ll wake up soon enough.¡¹


    That calm and collected person is my dad.


    ¡¸N-no, there¡¯s a reason for this¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure there is. Perhaps you¡¯ll tell us later? If you have the time.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ Not right away, but I will visit you guys.¡¹


    My dad¡¯s expression softens at my answer.


    ¡¸Alright.¡¹


    After all the Adventurers and Demi-Humans who were nearby exchanged greetings with my dad, they returned home.


    ¡¸¡­Urgh¡­ They say you only get one chance to make a first impression and yet¡­ I hope the stunt I pulled just now did not leave a bad impression¡­¡¹


    Milla looked depressed and was mumbling.


    ¡¸Everyone, I believe it is about time we head towards the investigation camp. Sir Lem, will you be joining us this once? I shall send you to the village before long.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, sure.¡¹


    At Maggie¡¯s behest, we returned to our carriages.


    We passed through the village and head towards the forest.


    The camp was established at about the halfway point between the village and the Original Dungeon.


    Many tents were set up in the open space, people were coming and going.


    A man in his prime acted as the representative and shook hands with Maggie.


    The engineers and support staff who are here to carry things separated from us here.


    Those who would be diving into the Dungeon all proceed to a certain tent.


    It¡¯s big, but there isn¡¯t much in it. There¡¯s a table in the center with a map spread across it.


    ¡¸Is that a Dungeon Map¡­?¡¹


    As the name implies, it is a map that showcases the structure of the Dungeon in its entirety.


    ¡¸Yes, but not only is it incomplete, there is also a problem¡­ First, let me explain the Original Dungeon once again.¡¹


    Having said that, she begins to speak while holding a bundle of what looks like a written report in one hand.


    ¡¸This is the 24th Dungeon, a temporary title. The total number of strata it has is unknown. Currently, we have confirmed three strata. We have temporarily established a Safe Room in the pathway connecting the second stratum to the third stratum. Various Imitations have appeared with no prominent characteristics. This appears to be a particularly moody Spirit, for it has been confirmed to often change the structure of the Dungeon. It has been mapped as best as it can be. It tends to not change the bigger spaces or passageways, so please memorize those.¡¹


    The Original Dungeon is just given a chronological number. That said, the number refers to how this is the 24th Original Dungeon to appear ever since the world knew peace.


    Before that, during the war, both Original Dungeons and Dungeons operating with a Core had to be Cleared by risking one¡¯s life, so Humanity didn¡¯t really have a reason to differentiate them.


    In addition, the Magical Energy created pseudo-lifeforms that mimic Monsters spawned by the Original Dungeon are called Imitations.


    ¡¸We have confirmed the existence of Floor Bosses and wandering powerful individuals, and it has also been confirmed that they will revive after some time after being destroyed.¡¹


    This is why establishing a Safe Room is important.


    Perhaps because it is mimicking a Dungeon, the pathways connecting a stratum with a stratum often don¡¯t have Imitations.


    A Teleport Recording Stone is set up there, and it is fenced off in a room made using Earth Magic, just in case.


    With this, the Clearing of the Original Dungeon can proceed smoothly.


    With a Safe Room being established in the pathway connecting the second stratum and third stratum, we can begin Clearing the Dungeon from the entrance of the third stratum.


    Shortly after that, Maggie continued talking.


    ¡¸Also, this time, we would like everyone to form a Clan.¡¹


    A Clan is an old Adventurer term referring to the formation of a group of multiple parties that all have the same goal.


    It might be easier to imagine it like the multiple parties who came together to partake in the Raid Battle against the Demon King Castle.


    In regards to Clearing an Original Dungeon, a Clan leader is appointed rather than a party leader, so that in times of emergency, every party can move as one.


    In a sense, we are a mishmash group, so it is vital to set up a chain of command.


    ¡¸I was thinking of having Sir Ex act as the Clan leader. Are there any objections?¡¹


    There were none.


    ¡¸¡­Hm, it seems it has been entrusted to me. Despite there not being any restrictions on party sizes, is it alright if I keep to the basic foundation of five people per party?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, especially since Adventurers are used to forming parties of five. However, I have no issue with a party having less or more than five.¡¹


    As soon as he said that, people started to divide themselves up for some reason.


    It was quite a long trip and we were told about forming parties beforehand.


    I¡¯m sure that in the course of the journey, people have found party members that seem to fit or perhaps balance out their party in terms of combat power.


    ¡¸Hmm, I want to invite Lem but¡­fufufu, that seems rather difficult.¡¹


    Merlin said cheerfully, sounding somewhat regretful.


    The reason for that is that Milla was on my right, Sitri was on my left and Furcus was in front. ¡­Is it a coincidence that everyone ended up in the same positions that they were in a while ago?


    It¡¯s a secret that I am Lemegeton, but forming a party with the Demon King Castle members is actually a lifesaver.


    They are all, of course, excellent combatants, and we get along well, which is important.


    There was no surprise from everyone else as if they realized it during this trip.


    ¡¸What? The basic idea is to work together. There¡¯s no issue.¡¹


    Said Arthur.


    Since the Ex party is participating with three members this time, there are two empty slots.


    ¡¸May I join the Ex party?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, my dear Maggie. Do you want to be with me that much? You¡¯re so adorable, come here!¡¹


    Merlin spreads her arms out exaggeratedly.


    Maggie dodged that with a smile and got permission from Ex and Arthur as well.


    She, herself, is a member of the 3rd ranked party, so she has reliable strength.


    The remaining spot was taken by a male Minotaur with the Defender Job.


    Defender is a rare Job that is said to be a Knight-type Job that specializes in defense.


    In terms of defense, they have the Aptitude for it that surpasses that of Paladins.


    It¡¯s important to have a role that can defend Merlin and Maggie, so I¡¯m sure his strength will be of use.


    If he¡¯s there, those two can focus on attacking.


    ¡¸Uh-uhm Lem¡­!¡¹


    It was the young male White Sorcerer with pure white hair. His name is Yoss.


    I spoke with him quite often ever since the matter with the bandits.


    ¡¸I-is there any possibility that I could please be a part of your party¡­?!¡¹


    Just to make sure, I looked at the faces of the other three. No complaints.


    He is a very welcome addition to me, so I nod.


    ¡¸Welcome aboard, Yoss.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Thank you very much! I will contribute to the best of my ability! A pleasure to work with you all¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, I look forward to working with you.¡¹¡¸Mm.¡¹¡¸Welcome~. You¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re nervous~.¡¹


    In the end, five parties were formed. The first team of investigators will also be added to this group, making it a large gathering, but that won¡¯t be a problem since the Original Dungeon has its own way of operating.


    After linking the Registration Card with the Teleport Recording Stone, and committing to memory the required information regarding Avatar adjustments and generating spares, we disbanded for the day.


    ¡¸Sir Lem, your carriage is ready.¡¹


    While talking to everyone for a while, a voice called out to me and said that. It was a male member of the investigation team.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Milla?¡¹


    After giving my thanks, I call out the name of my traveling companion.


    ¡¸Kya, yes¡­! Let us go¡­!¡¹


    Accompanied by a nervous-looking Milla, we got on the carriage


    This will send us to the village so that I can drop by my parent¡¯s house.


    I should first explain what happened with that trio.


    It¡¯s a little melancholic when I think about it, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    I should try to calm down Milla, who is so nervous she is as stiff as a board, so I look for a topic to discuss.

 CH 197

    197 ¨C Lem and the Four Parents


    The surrounding was already dark.


    In the city, there are still places that are lively and brightly lit even at night, but there are no such places in the country.


    The carriage took us as far as the entrance to the village, and we walk from there.


    I give my thanks to the coachman and walk side-by-side with Milla.


    Due to the familiar road and the starlight illuminating the darkness, we proceeded without losing our way.


    Milla has been muttering something almost inaudibly this whole time.


    I strain my ears and¡­it sounds like she¡¯s practicing her greeting or something.


    She is gripping her little bag of souvenirs tightly.


    Since it¡¯s my first homecoming in a long time, I, too, bought some souvenirs during our journey here. We had to depart in quite a hurry, so there wasn¡¯t enough time to buy anything in the town where the Demon King Castle is. I am carrying a rucksack with various things stuffed in it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s gonna be alright, Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸No, Lem, It won¡¯t. I have already disgraced myself in front of them, I simply cannot do so again.¡¹


    The stunt she pulled to repel that trio, huh?


    It seems that Milla considers my parent¡¯s first encounter with her, being wrapped around my arm, as a disgrace.


    ¡­Well, I understand how she feels. If the same situation happened during the opportunity to meet with Milla¡¯s parents, I¡¯d be troubled as well.


    Like, they might think I was some clingy boyfriend or something¡­


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll tell them properly about how it was all a misunderstanding. Or rather, I think they already know that.¡¹


    ¡¸Uurgh¡­¡¹


    The trio seemed to be too shocked to notice, but with a little thought, they would have known that everyone was just concerned for me. Even Ex and Arthur stepped down from the carriage.


    I¡¯m sure some villager saw that exchange and already explained it all to the others.


    Word travels fast in a small village.


    While thinking about all that, we arrived in front of my home.


    ¡¸We¡¯re here.¡¹


    Inhale. Exhale. Milla took deep breaths.


    Normally, she¡¯s a fearless Vampire Queen in the face of any Adventurer, but here, she is at her wit¡¯s end over greeting a middle-aged couple in the boondocks.


    I could feel the heat welling up in my chest as I felt the passion she had for this matter once again.


    Slightly hesitantly, I rub her back.


    As she looks at me and our eyes meet, I say a little joke.


    ¡¸They aren¡¯t tougher than Herv, so relax.¡¹


    Carmilla¡­no, Milla, faced the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hero and won.


    This isn¡¯t something to be feared.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu, this and that are different.¡¹


    I thought she might say that¡­ Although, I think she calmed down a little.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    And so, we opened the unlocked door to my home¡­


    ¡¸Lem¡­! Welcome back!¡¹


    My vision turned pitch black.


    ¡¸L-Lem¡­?!¡¹


    I can hear Milla¡¯s surprised voice.


    I feel something soft on my face as well as a flowery fragrance. A hug, with slight pressure.


    I immediately know who this is.


    ¡¸I¡¯m home¡­Ms. Canary.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?! Such formality! Such distance! sob¡­ I believed in my heart of hearts that you thought of me as your own mother but now¡­ Have you tossed me aside the moment you left the village? ¡­Oh how sad¡­ I¡¯m gonna cry¡­¡¹


    Canary is Fenix¡¯s mother.


    Being best friends with him, I inevitably became close with his parents. Conversely, he became close with mine.


    Due to that, both sets of parents mutually treat each other¡¯s children as if they were their own.


    Enduring the suffocating hug I was being given, I put my arm around Canary¡¯s back and gently returned the hug.


    I¡¯m not very good at these kinda things, but Canary won¡¯t let you go unless you do at least this much.


    Perhaps satisfied, my vision returns.


    Except¡­she was puffing up her cheeks.


    ¡¸Do you think a hug is good enough? I¡¯m going to cry, you know? Cry!¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that Canary and my mom are around the same age, but you wouldn¡¯t think so from her appearance.


    She looks young enough that people would believe it if they were told that she was in her early twenties. Or rather, no one would believe it if they were told her actual age.


    Fluffy yellow hair and eyes of the same color. She¡¯s a slender beauty who hasn¡¯t aged a day since I was a kid.


    She is honest when expressing her emotions, which makes it very easy to understand what she¡¯s feeling at any given moment.


    Having the Singer Job, she traveled the world before she got married. At banquets or festivals, Canary would sing songs, and the adults of the village would be captivated.


    ¡¸No, but I¡¯m not a child anymore¡­¡¹


    Canary¡¯s eyes began to tear up.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not your child anymore¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t say that. I didn¡¯t say that¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸So, do you still think of me as your mother?¡¹


    I nod fervently.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s try this greeting again from the beginning.¡¹


    While my face was red hot, I endured the shame and called her as I did when I was a child.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m home, Auntie Cana.¡¹


    Her expressions instantly brightened up.


    ¡¸Welcome back, Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸Gweh¡­¡¹


    I was hugged again.


    ¡¸¡­This is embarrassing, Auntie Cana.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong with a mother hugging their child that they haven¡¯t seen in so long? That¡¯s right! Nothing! Lem and Fenix are the naughty ones! Not coming home to visit your parents. Horrible!¡¹


    ¡¸That is definitely my bad, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve grown taller. Oh my, you¡¯ve toughened up, as well. Good, it seems you¡¯ve been eating your three square meals a day. Also, what is your new job? Even that child of mine won¡¯t tell me. Is it a job that you can¡¯t even tell your parents about?¡¹


    ¡¸No¡­ I-it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just, I have to prepare myself mentally before I tell it. Also, I-I¡¯ve been busy¡­¡¹


    I mean, I went from an Adventurer wishing to become a hero, to a Majin aiming to become a hero of the Monsters.


    That¡¯s not something that I can just casually write in a letter.


    ¡¸Even if you¡¯re busy, you can still send a letter, right¡­?! That boy sends us a letter once a month, you know?¡¹


    Well¡­that¡¯s because he has a mother who would be stricken with grief and shaking with rage if he ever shirked his correspondences.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be more careful¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Promise?¡¹


    Damn¡­ I wasn¡¯t told that this person would be coming. But I suppose I should have predicted it. Dad probably invited her. Even if he didn¡¯t, I can imagine her coming anyway.


    Now even I might feel nervous about introducing Milla.


    ¡¸Come now, Cana. You¡¯re causing trouble for Lem and his lady friend.¡¹


    The person who said that while gently prying off Canary from me is Fenix¡¯s father, Hawk.


    He has hair a deeper red than Fenix with the same colored eyes. He¡¯s tall and firmly built, and perhaps due to the calm personality that he exudes, he doesn¡¯t feel intimidating.


    ¡¸Haw¡­ Uncle Hawk, long time no see to you too.¡¹


    ¡¸Welcome back, Lem. I¡¯m happy to see you.¡¹


    He didn¡¯t hug me, but he did firmly grip my shoulders. With a happy face, he pats my shoulders.


    ¡¸I feel the sa¡­ Me too.¡¹


    ¡¸So¡­about your withdrawal from the party.¡¹


    ¡¸To say I didn¡¯t mind it¡­would be a lie, but it is something I consented to. Besides, I enjoy the life I¡¯m living currently.¡¹


    Hawk¡¯s expression twisted for a moment, but then he smiled gently, perhaps realizing I wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­? Having met such a beautiful lady, I can see why.¡¹


    Finally, the topic has moved on to Milla.


    My father, who came out of his room after hearing the noise, and my mother, who was quietly cooking in the kitchen, must have heard the whole conversation.


    ¡¸This is Milla. We got to know each other at work, and now we-¡¹


    ¡¸How cute!!! She¡¯s absolutely adorable!¡¹


    Canary¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she grabbed Milla¡¯s hand with both of hers.


    ¡¸I am Canary. I¡¯m like a mother to Lem. You can call his real mother Mother-in-Law and I would be ever so pleased if you called me Mama¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸M-mama, you say?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! Ufufu, while I wish for a daughter-in-law myself, I am still so happy. Speaking of which, Lem, how is my son doing in that area? I ask but he never tells me anything.¡¹


    That¡¯s not the kind of thing you want to talk about with your own mother. Or¡­ I guess it depends on the person¡­?


    ¡¸If the person in question isn¡¯t saying anything, then I won¡¯t either.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw¡­ By the way Lem, you¡¯ve really become so polite, huh? You didn¡¯t used to talk like this in the past, but it was so cute. Even that son of mine is acting more like an adult. I wonder if he¡¯s impersonating yours truly? Fufufu.¡¹


    I highly doubt that¡­


    When Canary is around, the whole world seems to revolve around her.


    Normally, this isn¡¯t a problem, but thanks to that, Milla is all confused and disorientated.


    ¡¸Well anyway, why don¡¯t you have a seat? It¡¯s been a long journey for you too, right?¡¹


    At my dad¡¯s words, Canary went ¡°Shoot¡­¡± and looked despondent.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ Sorry about that, Lem and Ms. Girlfriend. Come come, sit and relax.¡¹


    ¡¸P-pardon the intrusion.¡¹


    It seemed like Milla was relieved to finally be able to say that.


    ¡¸T-this, uhm, this is for you¡­¡¹


    Milla nervously hands over her souvenir.


    She didn¡¯t have time to prepare as well, but her Highness said ¡°This will surely please them! Trust me!¡± and gave her this souvenir to give my parents.


    ¡¸Thank you. That¡¯s very thoughtful of you.¡¹


    My dad received it and Canary approached it, eyes gleaming.


    ¡¸Oh my, I wonder what it is? What could be inside? Shall we open it?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Cana¡­¡¹


    Says Hawk, disapprovingly.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s fine, Hawk. Milla, was it? Can we open it?¡¹


    ¡¸O-oh, yes¡­!¡¹


    Out of the paper bag came a long, rectangular box of sweets.


    To be more precise, it¡¯s a featured product from the Demon King Castle, The Demon King Castle Floor Boss Chocolates.


    Since the Fenix party had already gotten as far as the tenth stratum and revealed their constructions, there was no longer any reason to keep them a secret and so they were quickly commercialized into products.


    A popular product that has twenty bite-sized chocolates, rich in variation, molded in the image of the front and side profiles of the Floor Bosses which include the Watchdog of Hell Naberius, the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris, the Vampire Queen Carmilla, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias, the Demon of Love Sitri, the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, the Reaper Knight Furcus, the Time Demon Agares, and the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.


    Sold in several shops other than the Demon King Castle store.


    Incidentally, the Demon King Castle also sells a limited-edition Demon of Love Sitri¡¯s Specially Curated Cute Chocolate version, which only includes chocolates in the shape of only the female Monsters that are found in the Demon King Castle.


    It includes the rare Monsters not included in the Floor Boss Chocolate, as well as the Dream Demon maids from the fifth stratum but they sold better than expected and are currently sold out.


    ¡¸Oh my~. It¡¯s chocolate in the shape of the Demon King Castle that annihilated my son¡¯s party~¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?! I-I-I¡¯m so sorry. Clearly, I wasn¡¯t being considerate enough-¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, just kidding. Only a joke, Milla. I think I¡¯ll have a bite of Sitri and Carmilla. And then, fufufu¡­perhaps Lemegeton here.¡¹


    I whisper into Milla¡¯s ears, who is resisting the urge to talk about Lemegeton.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. Auntie Cana¡¯s facial expressions always match what she¡¯s really feeling. She isn¡¯t secretly mad when she¡¯s smiling on the outside.¡¹


    Milla put a hand to her chest, letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡¸Cana, hands off Lemegeton.¡¹


    Said my dad, to which Canary puffed up a cheek.


    ¡¸Aw¡­ Then I suppose I¡¯ll eat Vepar. I¡¯ll eat all the cute girls.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It isn¡¯t even our souvenir to begin with.¡¹


    Canary waggles her finger, tutting.


    ¡¸This is a souvenir intended for Lem¡¯s parents. In other words, we have the right to eat them as well. You just don¡¯t get it, Hawk.¡¹


    ¡¸Goodness, what am I gonna do with you¡­¡¹


    Said Hawk exasperatedly while his lips curled up slightly.


    ¡¸Cana? I think it¡¯s about time you went back to helping me in the kitchen.¡¹


    ¡¸Wah! So sorry, Tia! I was so happy reuniting with our child that I completely forgot¡­! Hold on, aren¡¯t you gonna greet them, Tia?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m in the middle of cooking.¡¹


    ¡¸Goodness, you need to be more honest with yourself, dear.¡¹


    I can only see the back of my mom from here, so I can¡¯t read her expression.


    Milla and I were getting nervous.


    ¡¸I-I shall help out as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, oh my my my, did you hear that, Tia? We are being given the opportunity to fulfill our dream of cooking with our daughter-in-law! We must grab hold of it while we can!¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t have a guest do that, now can I?¡¹


    ¡¸Mgrgrh. Uhm¡­ The cooking is almost done anyway. Let¡¯s do that next time, Milla. You aren¡¯t just saying that to be polite, right?¡¹


    ¡¸N-not at all.¡¹


    Milla was halfway standing up but then sat back down.


    ¡¸Oh, I brought some things as well but¡­I guess I¡¯ll do it later.¡¹


    Putting things on the table now would probably get in the way of the food.


    Speaking of food.


    The dishes were finally all lined up on the tabletop and my mom took a seat.


    ¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹

 CH 198.1

    198 ¨C The Sword from That Day (Part 1)


    ¡¸I am Tia. Lem¡¯s mother. This is my husband, Goe.¡¹[1. TL Note: Gee I wonder what happens if you put Lem¡¯s parent¡¯s names together :3]


    ¡¸M-my name is Milla. Lem has been very good to me in both my public and private life, so when I heard that he was heading to the Original Dungeon, asked if I could come along¡­ So¡­uhm¡­a-about earlier at the village entrance¡­¡¹


    Chuckling to herself, my mom smiled wryly.


    ¡¸I heard about what happened with those three fools. If I¡¯m not mistaken, everyone simply wished to aid in driving the fools away, correct?¡¹


    Perhaps remembering what she had done, Milla¡¯s face was dyed scarlet red.


    Canary puffed her cheeks while saying ¡°Honestly! Those three haven¡¯t changed¡­!¡± clearly enraged.


    The fools¡­ That trio is well known to my parents as well as Fenix¡¯s parents.


    After all, they were the ones that their children got into a fight with every single day.


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­ You are correct.¡¹


    Then, my mom smiled broadly.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for aiding my son.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! N-no, it was no trouble at all¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸So¡­since you are the only one of the girls who came, am I correct to assume that you and Lem are¡­?¡¹


    Ah, the other girls who helped rescue me from the trio aren¡¯t here, and only Milla tagged along.


    My mom probably thinks that that must mean she¡¯s my girlfriend.


    ¡¸She¡¯s a friend. ¡­Uh, a very, very important friend.¡¹


    Crap, my face is red hot.


    I was going to say that a little more smoothly or grandly, but I ended up saying it with a strained voice¡­


    I guess even this shows my lack of experience with this sorta thing.


    My mom looked stunned.


    ¡¸¡­If you two met after you left Fenix¡¯s party, then it hasn¡¯t even been a year yet. Nonetheless, friend, hm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lem! You are a clever boy, but sometimes you have to be foolish and passionate! Love is a beautiful thing when it gets out of control to the point that others laugh at you¡­! Don¡¯t you think so too, Milla? You want to officially call me Mama as soon as possible, right?!¡¹


    Canary, I think your true intentions leaked into the latter part of your little speech.


    Milla¡¯s face was bright red due to embarrassment, her neck was tilted down slightly and her lips were forming a smile.


    ¡¸I believe that Lem is simply waiting for the right time. Of course¡­ I would be happy if that time came sooner.¡¹


    Canary jolted as if she were struck by lightning.


    ¡¸I-isn¡¯t she adorable?! Don¡¯t worry, Milla! Mama is rooting for you!¡¹


    From there, our meal proceeded calmly.


    Well, I think it¡¯s more accurate to say that it was lively. Milla would happily listen to the stories from the four of them about mine and Fenix¡¯s childhood, and Canary would vigorously ask us probing questions about our relationship. It was particularly hard for me to get through¡­


    Oh well, everyone seems to be having fun, so I suppose that¡¯s fine.


    Surprisingly, they weren¡¯t as intense about asking me about my new job.


    Just indirectly.


    My dad and Hawk were in charge of cleaning up. Usually, Fenix and I would help out, but Milla chose to help this time.


    In the meantime, I started to take out the souvenirs that I bought while on the journey here. There¡¯s a lot. There¡¯s some for Fenix¡¯s parents, of course, and the others can be distributed to the others in the village.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see, next is¡­ah, this is sake from the village with hot springs. It¡¯s strong stuff, but has a great fragrance.¡¹


    Milla twitched at my mention of hot springs.


    ¡¸Whoa, you alright there, miss? Did you drop something?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Your face is red. Leave the cleaning to us, you go and have a rest.¡¹


    Milla shrank slightly at the concern from my dad and Hawk.


    ¡¸P-please, do not worry. Thank you very much.¡¹


    It was a little delayed, but I remembered the events of that day as well and my face turned red.


    ¡¸Oho? Ohohoho? My mother-senses are tingling. So, you two, did something happen at the hot springs~?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uh¡­uhhh, next are some harvested vegetables that were dipped in the hot springs in that village, which makes them pretty delicious when ea-¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re not dodging the question that easily.¡¹


    I endured Canary¡¯s tickle torture till the bitter end, holding fast to the details that she wanted to hear.


    After the cleaning up was finished, Hawk and Canary had to return home.


    ¡¸That reminds me, where is Milla gonna sleep?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, we don¡¯t have a guest room or anything like that¡­ Well, I suppose she could stay in Lem¡¯s room. Lem is fine on the sofa, right?¡¹


    Is this how you treat your son?


    ¡­The idea itself was reasonable, so I stayed quiet.


    ¡¸I-I couldn¡¯t possibly¡­! I can¡¯t use Lem¡¯s room.¡¹


    While saying that, Milla¡¯s nostrils were flaring excitedly.


    ¡¸Alright¡­! Then how about this! Milla will follow us home!¡¹


    Canary put a hand to her chest as if she had just given a brilliant idea.


    ¡¸¡­Are you going to lend Fenix¡¯s room to her?¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s no good for Lem or Milla. You¡¯ll sleep in that boy¡¯s room, and Milla and I will sleep together! What a perfect plan! You¡¯re in the presence of a stupendous intellect¡­¡¹


    Milla said ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± in bewilderment, but we had already given up.


    ¡¸No¡­? Milla. D-do you hate me¡­?¡¹


    Canary¡¯s eyes begin to water.


    ¡¸O-of course not, there¡¯s no way I would ever hate you¡­!¡¹


    Instantly, Canary¡¯s face showed a smile as bright as the sun.


    ¡¸Then let us go¡­! I¡¯ll put you to sleep gently tonight, alright?¡¹


    Having said that, she grabs Milla¡¯s hand and heads towards the door.


    ¡¸L-Lem¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­if you don¡¯t dislike it, just go along with her.¡¹


    ¡¸If Milla doesn¡¯t want to, perhaps I can take Lem instead? We can snuggle in be-¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go.¡¹


    ¡¸Oho, such a quick answer. Ah, young love.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sorry about all this, Lem, Miss Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸No, if anyone, it¡¯s my fault for not thinking about where Milla would sleep¡­¡¹


    For example, I could have arranged for her to be picked up and sent to the camp.


    ¡¸If they were lovers rather than friends, then the two of them could sleep in Lem¡¯s room.¡¹


    Our faces turned bright red at my mom¡¯s words.


    As one would expect, I can¡¯t just tell them that we¡¯re Sleep Buddies so there¡¯s no issue.


    And so, the three of them left my home.


    ¡­Now then, this is where it starts.


    It¡¯s possible that Hawk and Canary were being considerate towards my parents.


    They thought about creating a space for parents and child to talk with no outsiders.


    ¡­Although I can¡¯t say for sure that Canary had zero ulterior motives.


    The three of us naturally sit in chairs.


    My mom speaks slowly.


    ¡¸Have you¡­been eating well?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m eating a more nutritionally balanced diet than when I was an Adventurer.¡¹


    Because I¡¯ve been eating well thanks to Milla¡¯s cooking, Cashew¡¯s older sister Maca¡¯s cooking, as well as at the canteen in the Demon King Castle, incidentally.


    ¡¸The money you send back to us hasn¡¯t changed at all even though you¡¯ve changed jobs. Please don¡¯t push yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not. My new job pays well. They even provide me with a place to stay.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ By the way, Milla seems like a nice girl.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, she truly is.¡¹


    Our back-and-forths are ending rather¡­formally? Or perhaps routine.


    ¡¸¡­Honestly, when I saw the news about you leaving Fenix¡¯s party, I thought ¡°So, it finally happened.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right.¡¹


    From my mom¡¯s point of view, I can see what she¡¯s getting at.


    As a Black Sorcerer who wished to be a hero, I formed a party with Fenix after he graduated from the School. It¡¯s doubtful I could have become an Adventurer if it wasn¡¯t for him.


    Since my debut, I have been constantly bombarded with negative opinions from the public, and even the voices of the live broadcasters on TV programs gave me harsh evaluations.


    That is the son that she sees. The life her son lived since he was thirteen years old till now.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know the details, but I could see it in your face. As the years went by, it got gloomier and gloomier, so I thought that it became a thankless, unpleasant job.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    ¡¸However, today, members from the 2nd ranked party came to your aid, right?¡¹


    This is about what happened when I was confronted by the trio. I nod, smiling.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸At the¡­Tag¡­Tournament, was it? You were praised by the Hero of the 1st ranked party there, and in the¡­Raid, is it? There was that boy, right? Wraith? He said that he wanted you to join his party, didn¡¯t he?¡¹


    ¡¸Aah¡­ Yeah.¡¹


    I turned down Wraith¡¯s invitation, but he hasn¡¯t given up. He truly is the son of the Unyielding Hero.


    ¡¸The Adventurer¡­what do you call it? Industry? It isn¡¯t just a painful place to you anymore, is it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a place worth continuing to strive in.¡¹


    It¡¯s just a harsh place where I can continue to challenge it.


    I don¡¯t plan on giving up, but I was able to find a new dream.


    No. I was able to make that which was shown to me into a new dream.


    ¡¸Even at your new workplace?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, I have nothing more to say.¡¹

 CH 198.2

    198 ¨C The Sword from That Day (Part 2)


    Having said that, my mom stood up and headed toward her bedroom.


    ¡¸Ah, if you¡¯re not an Adventurer anymore, then your excuse about being too busy because of all the traveling you do doesn¡¯t hold water anymore, correct?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Uhm¡­well¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Come visit us once in a while.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well¡­once in a while¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Heh¡­ Good night.¡¹


    ¡¸Night.¡¹


    With my mom disappearing into her bedroom, I am left with my dad.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t really have much I want to ask you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re old enough to drink now, right, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Yeah. ¡­But no, sorry. We¡¯re going into the Dungeon tomorrow so¡­¡¹


    My dad looked a little disappointed, but he nodded.


    ¡¸I suppose you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸When this is all over, I¡¯ll pop by again.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that would be great. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    My dad smiled like he really is looking forward to it.


    After that, we just talked a little about this and that.


    Like about someone in the village who already got married and has three children, or about how there are a lot of shops in the Demon King Castle town that offer good food.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, I have something I wanted to give you if I ever had the chance to meet you again.¡¹


    Said my dad, as he briefly left his seat to fetch something.


    He came back carrying a long, rectangular wooden box.


    It wasn¡¯t big, but it was long.


    ¡¸I wonder what it could be¡­ Can I open it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    I gently open the lid of the wooden box and inside was¡­a sword.


    A single sword, sheathed in its scabbard.


    Perhaps, my father and I both had the same memory in our heads.


    I¡¯ve told my master about it before.


    ¡º¡­Uhm, when I was six years old, I asked my dad to buy me a sword.¡»


    ¡ºBut he said things like ¡°It¡¯s dangerous¡± or ¡°You¡¯re too young¡± and wouldn¡¯t buy it for me. I understand why now, but at the time, I couldn¡¯t. I wondered why even though I wanted it, he kept giving me reasons why he wouldn¡¯t. I would have given up if he had just said we had no money.¡»


    ¡¸You¡­probably don¡¯t remember that time when you-¡¹


    ¡¸I remember. I remember it well.¡¹


    If he had told me that he couldn¡¯t buy it, then there¡¯s no helping it. I would have given up at any time.


    But because he kept giving me reasons why he wouldn¡¯t buy it, I remember feeling sad at that moment.


    As if he were telling me that I couldn¡¯t handle it. Even if that was true, it was sad to be told to give up in a roundabout way.


    ¡¸Is that¡­so? I could never forget your face that day. Honestly, if you turned out to be a Hero¡­no, any combat-type Job, I was planning to buy it for you.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    But I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer instead.


    I guess that¡¯s also why he couldn¡¯t buy me a staff. That would be like twisting the knife of how his son couldn¡¯t be the Job he wanted to be.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ It¡¯s a sword.¡¹


    I take it in my hands. I could feel its heft.


    It¡¯s different from the sword cane I used in the Tag Tournament.


    This was a pure and simple weapon.


    ¡¸I watched you in the Tag Tournament and saw how much better you¡¯ve gotten with a sword.¡¹


    ¡¸I was blessed with a great teacher.¡¹


    ¡¸Seems so.¡¹


    He smiled, a moment passed before he spoke next.


    ¡¸That sword¡­isn¡¯t really that expensive, it¡¯ll probably just slow you down, so if you don¡¯t like it you could-¡¹


    ¡¸What are you saying? Of course, I¡¯ll accept it¡¹


    My vision got hazy and I wiped my eyes with my arm to clear it. With a welling of emotions coming from deep within my heart¡­I laugh.


    I laughed with all my heart, enough for both me and even my younger self from that day.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯ll treasure it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­Yeah, I firmly believe that you¡¯re more than ready to use it now.¡¹


    My dad rubbed the corner of his eye and then stood up.


    ¡¸You got a job to do tomorrow, right? Go on, get to bed.¡¹


    He turned around, hiding his expression.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, good night.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    My dad heads to his bedroom as well.


    I look at the sword again.


    Even if I had bought it myself, I¡¯m sure I wouldn¡¯t be as happy as I am now.


    We¡¯re going to recreate Avatars tomorrow, so I¡¯ll update the information then.


    I pulled the sword out of the scabbard and caught myself staring too long at it, so I thought it was finally time to get up and go to bed.


    I put out the Magical Energy lamps and head to my bedroom.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Huh?¡¹


    At the end of the dark hallway, there was a faint light.


    As if drawn to it, I moved closer. Light seems to be leaking out of the gaps in the door.


    That room is¡­the study? Whatever its official name is, ever since I became obsessed with Dungeon Clears, it became the video-watching room. It¡¯s the terminal that I begged my parents for and watched Clear videos on whenever I had free time.


    Of course, the Terminal and the Magic Stone required to function and transmit are both expensive, but I told them that I would pay them back when I became successful, so they bought them for me.


    I wonder if my parents use it now.


    It will continue to drain Magical Energy from the Magic Stone if it¡¯s kept on like this, so I enter the room.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    When I turned on the lights, I was at a loss for words.


    The wall was decorated with a frame.


    In the frame are photos of me when I was with the Fenix party, newspaper articles, and magazine cut-outs.


    If that was all that was there, I could have accepted it as something parents would do.


    I¡¯d be embarrassed, but I can accept it.


    But what caught me by surprise¡­was that even a photo of Lemegeton was in there.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Heh¡­haha.¡¹


    ¡ºUfufu, just kidding. Only a joke, Milla. I think I¡¯ll have a bite of Sitri and Carmilla. And then, fufufu¡­perhaps Lemegeton here.¡»


    ¡ºCana, hands off Lemegeton.¡»


    I guess he wasn¡¯t just simply interested in the Monster Lemegeton¡­


    ¡¸They¡¯ve known for a long time, huh¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t think Fenix told them.


    But even my best friend only realized it was me when he got hit by my Black Magic.


    So, how¡­? I don¡¯t know, but what I do know is that they realized my true identity and have been pretending not to know the whole time.


    No, they¡¯ve been asking me indirectly to make it more likely for me to talk about it.


    They are waiting for me to give an explanation.


    Like why the Demon King Castle, or how did I beat Fenix, or why do I have a horn?


    They can¡¯t help but have all these questions, yet despite it not being at all strange to want to question me about them¡­


    ¡­they chose to leave it alone and watch over my deeds.


    ¡¸I¡¯m no match for them¡­¡¹


    If there¡¯s anything I have that I can boast about to other people, it¡¯s that I am blessed with people.


    My best friend, my master, Milla and her Highness, the many allies and friends that I¡¯ve made in the Demon King Castle, and the respectable senior Adventurers.


    Ah, but before all that, the Human Lem was blessed with parents.


    Parents who believed in their child¡¯s future, who didn¡¯t abandon their child after he turned out to be a Black Sorcerer and instead tried to find a job for him, and who ultimately accepted him becoming an Adventurer after omitting that option.


    Parents who welcome me home with open arms as if nothing had happened, even after I left the party and became the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff and grew Majin horns.


    Once again realizing just how amazing my parents are, I stood there for a while before remembering that I could move.


    I turned off the lights, powered down the terminal, and returned to my room.


    My room was just as it was when I was a kid. It was clean, perhaps cleaned regularly.


    I go to bed, sleeping with the sword in the scabbard held close to my chest.


    I had a dream that I used the sword to fight like a hero.


    Even though I looked like a Black Sorcerer, the dream was realistic and fun.


    I woke up in the morning and had breakfast along with Canary and Hawk who brought Milla along.


    It was almost time for the carriage to arrive, so we left the house.


    I exchange one or two words with my parents and I was hugged by Canary.


    I started to walk alongside Milla.


    After a few steps, I turned around to look back at the four of them.


    I¡¯ll tell them everything regarding my current job after we Clear the Original Dungeon.


    But I can at least say this much.


    ¡¸I¡­am still aiming to be a hero. Its form has changed slightly from when I was a kid, though. My wish has never changed.¡¹


    The four of them just smiled gently, without saying a word.

 CH 199.1

    199 ¨C  It¡¯s a Dungeon Type that Adapts to the Invaders¡­? (Part 1)


    ¡¸Allow me to go over the investigation once more.¡¹


    We have gathered in the same tent as yesterday.


    Similar to yesterday, Maggie is acting as the chairman.


    ¡¸What I wish for you all to do is investigate the Dungeon, not Clear it completely. Once we have confirmed the threats and treasures held within, our main objective is to accurately study the former and acquire the latter. However, this does not mean that completely Clearing it is out of the question.¡¹


    If the Imitations from the Original Dungeon get out, they won¡¯t be able to function for long in areas with scant amounts of Magical Energy in the air, similar to Avatars.


    But in that short span of time, it¡¯s possible that they could cause some serious damage, and if it turns out to be a Dragon-level threat, things will get quite dangerous.


    What sort of Imitations appear in the Dungeon? Do they have the tendency to head towards the outside? These kinds of questions are critical to confirm.


    At present, none of them have shown that tendency, but they have only Cleared the second stratum. We must stay vigilant.


    It is possible to take out items acquired in the Original Dungeon. So, she¡¯s saying that, if possible, she would like us to bring them out.


    ¡¸The aim today is to investigate and Clear the third stratum, and establish a Safe Room. The first investigation team is at a stalemate, thus we are being dispatched. Of particular note is the variety of Imitations that appear. Speaking purely of races, the variety surpasses that of the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    Usually, Dungeons have a characteristic theme.


    A Dungeon where Monsters who specialize in the fire element gather, and a Dungeon that operates under the concept of catering to beginners like the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    The Demon King Castle is meant to be the Monster¡¯s stronghold and the true dwelling place of the Demon King, so a variety of Monsters are gathered.


    An Original Dungeon is a place created on a whim by a Spirit who came across a pool of Magical Energy.


    So, it is a place brimming with the Spirit¡¯s fancies, and it just so happens that what it fancies this time is a Dungeon overflowing with different races.


    There is no consideration of any sort for entertainment.


    ¡¸In addition, this Dungeon is predicted to have the characteristic of ¡®Studying the invaders¡¯. This is thought to be the cause of the delay in the first investigation team¡¯s investigations and, in truth, the Imitations that appeared in the second stratum were nothing but races that were a bad match-up for the first investigation team. They were able to somehow break through, but they have decided that proceeding further would prove difficult. These are the events that lead up to the need for a second investigation team.¡¹


    The first stratum is a forest area. An area where Orcs, Goblins, two-headed demon dogs called Garms and Hellhounds, tree Demi-Beasts called Trents and two-horned horse Demi-Beasts called Bicorns, and even Fairies to Elves have made an appearance.


    The first investigation team overcame them. The Spirit most likely observed this. Even if the Dungeon was made because it was bored, it would have anticipated attackers since it is imitating Dungeons.


    The second stratum is a mine-type area.


    First, the movement of a large number of people is inhibited by the limited width and height of the passageways.


    In the face of countless branching paths, the first investigation team divided their manpower.


    What appeared were Kobolds, Zombies, Skeleton, Necromancer Job wielding Lichs, giant worm-like Demi-Beasts known as Sandworms, Vampire Bats, Arachne, Spectres, and Golems.


    If, for example, a certain small group of them that had no White Sorcerer met with a Spectre, they would be in trouble.


    With physical attacks and magic attacks being ineffective, they get hit by the full brunt of their Black Magic. Individually, they aren¡¯t that bad, but it¡¯s troublesome if they all were to attack together.


    And then the Zombies and Skeletons controlled by the Lich came.


    In addition, the Wizards in the rear guard were assaulted and eaten from the back and even the sides by the Sandworms.


    The swordsmen¡¯s attacks are repelled by the Golems, and the defenders are captured by the Arachne¡¯s webs.


    Those with little Magical Energy are sucked dry by the Vampire Bats and defeated.


    Using all sorts of Monster types, they were plunged into disarray and were unable to handle the attacks of the mob of Kobolds.


    ¡¸Maybe the reason for the wide variety of Imitations is to see as many different battles as possible. To force us to show our hand, you could say.¡¹


    Several people agreed with my words.


    ¡¸I feel the same. Knowing your enemy like the palm of your hand and then forming a plan to defeat them. ¡­Sounds a lot like a certain Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, doesn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Said Ex.


    Arthur puts his hand to his chin, adopting a thinking pose.


    ¡¸If Lemegeton uses past Clear videos to do research on the Adventurers, then the Spirit is using the first stratum to attain information on the first investigation team. In terms of the difference between Lemegeton and the Spirit-¡¹


    ¡¸Unlike Lor-¡­Sir Lemegeton, who was considering the Demon King Army¡¯s victory as well as keeping things entertaining, the Spirit is merely acting on a whim and is causing nothing but trouble.¡¹


    As if taking over, Milla spoke.


    Ex and Arthur both nodded. They seemed to be smiling slightly.


    ¡¸It is as Lady Milla says, but let us say that the situation is perilous precisely because of that. A Spirit with the disposition to do anything that it fancies and engaging us using Sir Lemegeton¡¯s methods. On top of that, it is using natural Magical Energy.¡¹


    ¡¸Lemegeton does it with a mostly fixed cast of Demon King Army members, but there¡¯s a very high chance that this Spirit will toy with the invaders in the next stratum. In other words, it may have more up its sleeve than the Demon King Army.¡¹


    Merlin crossed her arms to support her ample bosom and smirked happily.


    The second investigation team seemed to have a new awareness of the troublesome nature of the Dungeon now that they had something concrete to compare it to.


    It¡¯s kinda odd that what they are comparing it to is me¡­Lemegeton, though.


    The third stratum was an icy cave area.


    Here, the first investigation team continued until they sustained damage close to total annihilation and decided that they were not fit to Clear it.


    ¡¸Fortunately, there seems to be no change to the area¡¯s characteristics or appearing Imitations. Although, we cannot rule out any additional possibilities.¡¹


    Even if you were to dive into the Dungeon from the first stratum, the cast of Imitations won¡¯t change.


    The Original Dungeon is the domain of the Spirit, so if it wants to drive away Humans, it should restructure its first stratum.


    The fact that it doesn¡¯t means that it probably enjoys having people try to Clear it


    As if it wants to cleverly defeat them rather than outright crush them.


    ¡¸That is why you have gathered a team with a rich variety of Jobs regardless of whether they are Human or Demi-Human, right? It should prove amusing to try and find the weakness of this group, wouldn¡¯t it, Ex?¡¹


    Ex gave Merlin a slightly delayed wry smile in return.


    ¡¸¡­Indeed. If we could overcome the weakness that the Spirit finds in us through its analysis, we shall climb ever higher heights.¡¹


    ¡¸Correct. Let us use this to our benefit instead.¡¹


    Merlin¡¯s positive remarks made the atmosphere slightly brighter.


    ¡¸Fufu, I expected no less from you, Lady Merlin. ¡­Next is the introduction of techniques and styles that will come from the second Investigation team that I explained during our journey but¡­I believe it would be better to let Sir Lem explain it.¡¹


    I may be an Adventurer fanatic, but, as one would expect, I don¡¯t have much knowledge of Original Dungeons.


    All I know is the information I got from the one or two news reports about their discoveries and their findings in the past.


    The rest of the time, as in this case, the exploration is outsourced, so there is not much information available to the general public.


    That being the case, I have been thinking about how best to Clear the Original Dungeon after getting an explanation from Maggie.


    It was Fellow and Maggie who won the investigation this time, but they lack Original Dungeon Clearing experience.


    Just how important is building practical knowledge via accumulating experience?


    To put it quickly and crudely, say that ¡®You were hit by a Black Magic debuff¡¯ and you¡¯re going through the experience thinking ¡°What do I do?¡± ¡°Should I defeat the Black Sorcerer first?¡± ¡°Since there are so few of them, should I just leave them be?¡± ¡°Black Magic seems to be done by firing off Magical Energy, I wonder if it can be defended against like other attacks.¡± ¡°If it activates by hitting me with Magical Energy, what if I were to wrap myself in an armor of Magical Energy?¡± ¡°I guarded against it.¡± This is the conclusion you would arrive at, which is how the use of Resist came to be.


    Due to the trial and error of our predecessors, our generation gets to skip that whole process and simply know that you use Resist to deal with Black Magic.


    However, due to how Original Dungeons only appear occasionally, the organizations in charge of handling it always change, and how the Spirits disposition can wildly change the difficulty of the Dungeon, it is very difficult to both accumulate and inherit experiences.


    Changing places with Maggie, I stand in front of everyone and begin to speak.


    ¡¸First¡­¡¹

 CH 199.2

    199 ¨C  It¡¯s a Dungeon Type that Adapts to the Invaders¡­? (Part 2)


    The reason why the camp wasn¡¯t set up in front of the Dungeon is that if in a one-in-a-million chance that an Imitation steps out of the Dungeon and goes on a rampage, it might destroy the equipment and the like.


    It¡¯s all over if it destroys the Cocoons that transfer our consciousness to our Avatars.


    We would have to fight with our own flesh and blood, and we might lose our lives.


    Therefore, a number of people are stationed in front of the Dungeon, while the camp is set up at the halfway point between the village and the Dungeon.


    If anything comes out, we¡¯ll receive a report, then we¡¯ll use our Avatars to deal with the Imitations.


    ¡¸Now then¡­¡¹


    Stepping out of the Cocoon, I check my equipment. Right now, I am the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    Covered in a black robe, sword cane in hand. Also, hanging from my waist¡­is a sword.


    Surprisingly, no one, including Milla, mentioned it.


    Everyone just looked at me warmly.


    ¡­Perhaps they could pretty much guess why if they know about my dream.


    ¡¸Lem, am I wearing this right?¡¹


    The White Sorcerer member of my party, Yoss, raises his voice.


    Pulling his hair over his ears, he shows me the device.


    It is a tool that is equipped on the ear, where the important part is shaped to fit snugly in the ear.


    ¡¸Yeah, looks fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. All things considered¡­you really are cool, Lem. I thought this about you during the Tag Tournament as well, you¡¯re really open-minded.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s just how you use it.¡¹


    His eyes were staring at me, shining with respect, to the point that it was dazzling. It made me let out a strained laugh.


    ¡¸It is amazing in and of itself to think of something like that. It is not something to be so humble about.¡¹


    ¡¸It is just as Milla says¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸What an honest boy, you are, Yoss. Since you are a boy there is no danger of¡­¡­you are a boy, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-what are you saying? ¡­Do I look like a woman?¡¹


    ¡¸Apologies, it is because you have such an androgynous face.¡¹


    ¡¸He really does have a cute face~. And cuteness does not discriminate.¡¹


    Even Sitri joined in.


    ¡¸Urgh¡­ I¡¯m a man. If you like, you could ask everyone who was in the hot spring with me. That¡¯s right, you were there as well, weren¡¯t you, Lem?¡¹


    He looked this way with a troubled look.


    Furcus is already in her Avatar and, as one would expect, she isn¡¯t eating anything and just standing there, but I can tell that she¡¯s just thinking about food.


    As my sword master, we trained together a lot, so I¡¯ve come to understand this kind of thing.


    ¡¸Hm? Oh, yeah, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    I answer Yoss while thinking.


    ¡­That my party seems alright.


    In a good way, as usual.


    They don¡¯t show any trepidation or anxiety because they are capable people who have control over their emotions.


    ¡¸Shall we go, Mr. Clan Leader?¡¹


    ¡¸Heh, it will be difficult to lose while leading members like these.¡¹


    Even Arthur and Ex are calm.


    ¡¸Oh Maggie. The thought of you exposing your beautiful skin in front of everyone fills my heart with such anguish. Could this be love or possessiveness?¡¹


    Margret is a summoner who replaces various equipment instantly. That process involves her becoming completely naked for an instant.


    ¡¸Thank you for your concern. However, everyone gathered here is nothing short of capable individuals. Certainly not those that would get distracted by one naked woman.¡¹


    ¡¸What if I looked at you like a hungry wolf?¡¹


    ¡¸Goodness, Lady Merlin, that certainly won¡¯t do.¡¹


    Merlin and Maggie¡¯s conversation was the same as usual.


    By the way, Merlin is usually like that to people she¡¯s taken a liking to who are not from her party, so she isn¡¯t seriously aiming for Maggie¡­I think. They¡¯ve been sticking real close to me, but I have a feeling that the Demon King Castle members have been targeted as well recently.


    Ex and Arthur spoke with the remaining male Minotaur saying¡¸Take care of those two.¡¹to which he replied¡¸Leave it to me.¡¹


    Taking the role of the defender, he will protect Merlin and Maggie.


    The Ex party, the Lem party, which doesn¡¯t have to usual restriction of having a Hero leader, and the three groups of five-member parties are accompanied by several non-combatants.


    Consisting of government officials who are here to witness the investigation, the photography team prepared by Fellow, and those that boast the strength enough to lend a hand to carry big heavy equipment.


    ¡¸Shall we go and take part in the Spirit¡¯s little game?¡¹


    Everyone responded to Ex¡¯s voice with cheers or nods.


    Then, we touch the prepared Teleportation Recording Stone and, one by one, teleport to the Safe Room connecting the second and third stratum.


    The Safe Room is like a large room made out of the dirt, but there is no evidence of the Imitations invading it, so it can be quickly judged as safe.


    ¡­This Dungeon really was made while referencing modern-day Dungeons.


    ¡ºTesting, testing, everyone hear me?¡»


    I could hear Ex¡¯s voice come out of the device fitted in my ear.


    ¡ºSeems to be working fine. Next is¡­uh¡­I¡¯ll just press this-¡»


    His voice was cut off. But the members of Ex¡¯s party should still be able to hear him.


    The device that was provided to everyone¡¯s Avatar is a communications device.


    Usually, Lemegeton would be using such devices to give orders and advice to the Monsters in various strata from the video room.


    Otherwise, those on the Dungeon side would do the same to give instructions.


    In a wide forest area, for example, it would be difficult to efficiently find a group of five Adventurers without any information.


    You can¡¯t just fortify the entrance and Boss area with Monsters, and if you were to place them at specific spots to lie in wait, it would all be for naught if the Adventurers don¡¯t end up passing through that spot.


    Also, this isn¡¯t entertaining to the viewers in the first place. It just becomes a video of a bunch of people wandering in a forest.


    So, in order to make Dungeon Clears thrilling, the Adventurer¡¯s movements are relayed to the Monsters.


    This time, we¡¯re using those devices to communicate with fellow invaders.


    It has two channels. One for the whole Clan, and one for the party only.


    This was made with the condition that, in case of emergency, we would have to work as a party unit.


    If one were to get separated, they can communicate with other parties, and also interact with party members.


    In addition, the Clan channel can also communicate with the investigation team back at camp.


    Even though it was an Original Dungeon investigation, since all they had hired so far were Adventurers, they would have naturally tended to just add more people to the conventional method.


    Some of the previous investigation teams may have incorporated this information, but there is no way to know because the information is not shared or passed on.


    Since this Dungeon seemed to be taking steps to divide the invaders, it was thought that it would be useful to establish a means of communication.


    ¡¸Well, this is interesting. I wonder if we could use these in normal Clears as well. What do you think, Arthur?¡¹


    ¡¸While it would be convenient to be able to talk with each other even while whispering, I do wonder if this would make things more confusing for the viewers.¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe we could add in our voices later in post.¡¹


    ¡¸But there¡¯s a difference in our actions when we¡¯re shouting or whispering, right? We can¡¯t ignore the visual cues that our motions can convey to the viewer.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡¹


    Ex and Arthur were having such a conversation.


    ¡¸Alright, everyone done with testing? Let¡¯s get going. Just a little down this passageway is the door that leads to the third stratum. It appears the first investigation team wasn¡¯t able to investigate much of it, so information is scarce. Brace yourselves.¡¹

 CH 200

    200 ¨C The Best


    Sitri¡¯s Charm seemed to be effective and the dazed Yetis were defeated one after another.


    However, more Yetis are springing up one by one. There is a tunnel inside the cave and they keep on coming out from there.


    These members would be able to handle this, but this Dungeon is different from the normal ones.


    This is not like a Dungeon where there is a finite limit to the number of personnel, the Imitations here are created by the Magical Energy of nature and can appear in an almost inexhaustible supply.


    When you also include the regenerative abilities of the Kraken and Hydra¡­


    ¡¸You shouldn¡¯t face them seriously.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s ridiculous to wear yourself out in this kind of entrance.¡¹


    Merlin nodded to my muttering.


    Our objective is to investigate the 3rd Stratum, but building a Safe Room in the passage leading to the 4th Stratum is also one of our objectives.


    We shouldn¡¯t wear ourselves out this quickly.


    If this was a Floor Boss battle, I¡¯d be fine with us going all-out for the sake of victory, but it¡¯s not that kind of battle.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure our leader will find out about this soon enough, but for the time being, let¡¯s leave the extermination of the strange-looking dragon to them and we¡¯ll deal with the disheveled ones.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree.¡¹


    ¡¸So, what are your instructions, leader?¡¹


    Maybe it was because she was temporarily part of my Party, but she seemed to have a policy of following my decisions.


    ¡¸Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    ¡¸The right side.¡¹


    Oddly enough, that phrase was similar to the one I used with the group of thieves.


    ¡¸Ah, what¡¯s your order?¡¹


    ¡¸Defeat the Yetis and block the tunnel.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll make that happen.¡¹


    Then I immediately called out to Furcus.


    ¡¸Furcus.¡¹


    ¡¸Should I destroy it?¡¹


    If she destroys the tunnel, the Yetis won¡¯t be able to come out, but¡­


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be trouble if it gets destroyed, so can you use your spear to plug the tunnel?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Interesting.¡¹


    Furcus disappeared. More accurately, she kicked the ground and headed for the tunnel on the left side.


    With their backs to the door, Merlin was in charge of the right side and Furcus was in charge of the left side.


    ¡¸Lem. Sitri is tired~¡¹


    She may have a lot of Magical Energy to spare, but I can understand why she would be mentally exhausted with all the new Yetis coming out.


    Sitri leaned against my back and let out a sigh.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s switch.¡¹


    Thanks to her, I was able to easily repel quite a lot of Yetis.


    It¡¯s just the right time, so let¡¯s give her time to rest.


    ¡¸Ehh, Lem is going to use Charm? I want to see that.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t do that, so I¡¯ll use Black Magic to deal with the Yetis.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Well, you¡¯re quite the player even without using Charm~¡¹


    Sitri said, while rubbing her little head against my back like a whimsical and spoilt cat.


    ¡¸Milla-¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m aware of my role. No matter what happens I¡¯ll-¡¹


    ¡¸Nope, I want you to help out in the battle against the Hydra.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­But then, I won¡¯t be able to protect you.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you please switch places with the Defender?¡¹


    I¡¯ve judged that Milla¡¯s offensive power is more necessary than his defensive power.


    Maggie has already changed her outfit. She flew with her white Heavenly Wings, held a Mysterious Bow that can be loaded with an infinite number of arrows just by having the motion of knocking an arrow, and equipped with a Lightning Bracelet that adds lightning attributes to her attacks.


    Of course, her partner, a Bear Demi-Beast named Nick, has also appeared.


    Merlin is also here, so it¡¯s better to have the Defender near in order to make good use of his power.


    On the contrary, Milla is the one protecting us, but she¡¯s better at attacking.


    I¡¯m sure she is aware of this as well.


    However, Milla was delighted to be in a Party with me and was enthusiastic about protecting me.


    My body had already started to move and since I¡¯m going to do this, I want it to be a pleasant fight.


    ¡¸Milla, I know full well how cool you are and I want everyone to know that too. Is that¡­not okay?¡¹


    Milla made her blood sword shorten and made it look like a knife, aimed it on her back, and used it to cut the flesh around her waist.


    Blood spurted out from there and became bat wings. They were really big, as big as the ones used by Birdmen for flying.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll even slaughter a dragon¡­!¡¹


    After being fully motivated in an instant, Milla flew away.


    She collected all the blood swords scattered that were intended for the Yetis to use and fused them all together¡­to make a huge stake.


    She plans to use that to strike the dragon¡¯s neck to the ground.


    The Minotaur Defender that came after changing places with Milla, stood in front of me and said,¡¸I will protect you.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    After saying that, I called out to the White Sorcerer.


    ¡¸Yoss.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Can you push yourself a little bit more? I¡¯d like you to cast ¡°Intelligence¡± on me and maintain it for some time.¡¹


    ¡¸I can do that¡­!¡¹


    I changed the channel to the whole clan and concentrated.


    I saw it.


    There¡¯s a door behind me and the non-combatants have evacuated to the safety zone. The Kraken has been dealt with and there are no other Magical Energy responses.


    It¡¯s a good thing that we only have to worry about the front.


    Directly in front of us is the huge water dragon with nine heads, Hydra. The ones handling it are Ex, Arthur, Maggie, and Milla. Adventurers and Demi-Humans that are confident in their skills are also participating in the fight.


    Everyone has already adapted to its regeneration ability.


    Milla sewed one of its necks with a huge stake to hinder its regeneration.


    Arthur burned the wound with the Holy Sword of Light, which also hinders its regeneration.


    The arrow wound caused by Maggie is also obstructing the regeneration because the arrow is still inside its body.


    While my comrades were restraining its movements, some of them crushed its neck with giant rocks created by Earth Magic.


    By the way, an Ogre that has a huge physique to the point of being admired by others used both of his arms to constrict its neck.


    This is a powerful opponent equivalent to a Floor Boss, but the fact that everyone is able to attack it so well¡­a large part of it is due Ex¡¯s power.


    He touched the Hydra¡¯s shadow, restrained it with its own shadow, and greatly reduced its mobility.


    Now, little by little, its body is being encroached by a black shadow. Once the shadow covers its body, that part can no longer regenerate. The Hydra was trapped by the shadow and couldn¡¯t move.


    If it¡¯s him, he wouldn¡¯t cause any harm to the group dealing with the Yetis even if he made a mistake.


    ¡¸Since we¡¯re already at it, we should just use the resources that are already here. Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    A part of the icy ground was shattered and a huge amount of water was sucked up from the sea.


    When Merlin waved her wand, the water rushed into the tunnel on the right side.


    It filled the tunnel along with the Yetis that were coming out from it, and then¡­


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little cold today, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    It froze.


    I don¡¯t know how long the tunnel is, but with this, I don¡¯t think there will be any more Yetis coming out from the right side.


    Furcus had also blocked the other tunnel.


    For this side, with her small stature and just a single spear, she cut across the group of Yetis, and when she arrived at the tunnel¡­she thrust her spear.


    The spear extended rapidly and there were simultaneous sounds of screaming.


    But it soon disappeared.


    Because Furcus¡¯s spear had blocked the tunnel.


    Her spear is a Magic Tool. Not only can it extend and shorten freely, but it can also flexibly change its shape.


    Another noteworthy point is that it can also be cut off.


    She can pierce the enemy, hold them back, make the spear return to her, block the tunnel by changing its shape, and cut it off.


    Repeat it at a speed that is not noticeable.


    The process was repeated at a high speed.


    So yes, I only need to focus on the remaining Yetis.


    I opened my mouth. Give out instructions through the transmission. To be more exact, I only gave suggestions, but everyone accurately moved according to them.


    There are five parties from the second group participating today.


    No additional instructions are needed for Ex¡¯s Party and Lem¡¯s Party.


    Some of them are participating in the Hydra extermination, but basically, most of them are moving as a party.


    If a person who seems to be alone gets surrounded by the Yetis, I¡¯ll stop the movements of the enemy with Blank Space, and use that time to break through the enclosure.


    Immediately afterwards, he and his teammates will rush to attack the enemy¡¯s back, while I simultaneously cast Defense Down on it.


    If the party has a member that has high offensive ability, but whose movements can be easily read due to his large swing, I¡¯ll use Speed Down on the enemy.


    There were enemies who were wary of this and cooperated with each other, so I cast Confusion to induce them to attack each other.


    When a Wizard¡¯s magic is completed, I would simultaneously cast Magic Defense Down on the target.


    For the enemy who is trying to bash the shield of a comrade, I would cast Attack Down and instruct that comrade to rush at the enemy with the shield. Then, the Yeti¡¯s fist would be smashed.


    These are the people originally gathered by Fellow and Maggie, it didn¡¯t take long until the enemies were wiped out.


    After confirming that there were no signs of new enemies appearing, I released my concentration.


    ¡¸Gotcha.¡¹


    Not long after that, the Hydra was swallowed by its own shadow.


    It couldn¡¯t even sink into the sea and just remained still.


    ¡¸Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, your Magical Energy consumption level will be really high if it stays as it is, right? You should be grateful that this Great Wizard is willing to freeze it for you.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, you are really dependable.¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    As soon as Merlin froze the Hydra, Ex lifted his magic.


    The gigantic sea beast sank into the bottomless sea.


    Since it wasn¡¯t a Hydra that had rampaged around with its nine heads and powerful magic, but instead a Hydra that could no longer move, she was able to easily trap it in the ice.


    It¡¯s not very easy in terms of magic, but that¡¯s Merlin for you.


    ¡¸Now, we need to bring back the non-combatants.¡¹


    One person from the film crew rushed out in response. I guess he went to call them.


    There was a brief silence in the ice cave.


    Milla landed near me and put away her wings.


    ¡¸You looked cool.¡¹


    When I told her that, she smiled shyly.


    I was a little concerned about the fact that everyone¡¯s eyes seemed to be on me.


    The member who was in charge of the Hydra assault had done something really amazing though¡­


    ¡¸I saw that.¡¹


    Merlin said.


    She looked at me and continued speaking.


    ¡¸Your instructions were really amazing, Greatest Black Sorcerer, sir.¡¹


    She called me that while laughing.


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at her face when hearing those unfamiliar words.


    There are many ways to get a popular name, nickname, or something like that.


    In the case of the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits, they had the same title as the previous Contractors, like Storm Hero or Flame Hero.


    It is also possible to create your own title.


    Or someone else can create the title.


    The four Contractors of the Four Great Spirits are the only exceptions and the rest are divided into those two types.


    Only a few Adventurers would create a title for themselves. Even if they do, it often doesn¡¯t get established and stick.


    In the case of the Monsters of the Demon King Castle, the Demon Lord will name them when they become a Floor Boss or an Adjutant.


    As for the other Monsters, they often accept the name they have been given in the Clear Videos.


    Of course, depending on their activities, they might fail to live up to their name or the name¡¯s meaning might be ambiguous.


    ¡¸Do you not like it?¡¹


    Well, there are also some conditions though.


    Like staying inside in the Top 100 Rankings for more than three years, having debuted for ten years, or clearing at least one Dungeon under the rule of a Demon King.


    Somehow¡­ there¡¯s an atmosphere that makes the Adventurers have to clear these requirements among the fans


    The only exceptions are the Heroes that have made a contract with a Spirit, even the Heroes that haven¡¯t made a contract with a Spirit won¡¯t get a title for a long time. Maybe even until they retire.


    This is why the Water Hero Wraith¡¯s father, the Unyielding Hero Altreed, is so awesome.


    Those who do not have an easy-to-understand special point, like a Spirit, would be hard to distinguish from each other, even if they are Heroes.


    The Hero named Altreed has overturned that common sense and got his own title.


    ¡¸Wh-wh-what, Mer-Merlin, that¡¯s not fair¡­! I¡¯ve been thinking of a title for Lem for a long time.¡¹


    Milla complained.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m sorry about that. By the way, what titles have you thought of?¡¹


    ¡¸The Strongest Black Sorcerer in History, The Unprecedented Black Sorcerer, The Unparalleled Genius Black Sorcerer-¡¹


    ¡¸I understand your feelings, but they¡¯re a little long.¡¹


    Merlin smiled wryly, which is unusual for her.


    ¡¸To summarize Lem¡¯s greatness in but a few words¡­ Hmm, how about this? The Great and Unprecedented-¡¹


    To Milla¡¯s credit, there is nothing wrong with her naming sense.


    That, precisely because she is my fan, when it comes to the Black Sorcerer Lem, her various abilities become a little bit disordered¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m the Wizard of Foresight, that¡¯s why I know. Lem, you¡¯ll be called that someday.¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure how many people can match Merlin¡¯s ability to see ahead.


    Just by looking at her during a battle, I think she has the ability to predict the future.


    I¡¯ll just refer to it as an eye that can see future prospects.


    In fact, many of the Adventurers that she has taken a liking to are now flourishing on the front lines.


    In my case, I can¡¯t imagine myself greatly flourishing in the Adventurer industry after all this time¡­


    Even if I¡¯m in this industry, the viewers would rarely have the opportunity to see any scenes of me having direct combat.


    Did Merlin solidify her evaluation of me through this trip and the previous battle?


    The Greatest Black Sorcerer.


    What should I say?


    People can put pretentious expressions on their titles as much as they want. I know a lot of cool people who do that.


    The greatest. It¡¯s a simple and plain expression. I think there are only a few people who would hear this word and find it difficult to understand. In that sense, it doesn¡¯t sound playful.


    Ahh, but¡­


    What an honor.


    To say that I¡¯m the greatest.


    What kind of honor is that?


    In the modern Adventurer industry, Black Sorcerers are said to be unnecessary.


    Some people, like the Undefeated Hero Ellie, recognized the usefulness of Black Sorcerers and included them in her party, but there are too few of those kinds of people


    A title that recognizes the existence value of Black Sorcerers.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do my best to reach that future.¡¹


    I carefully engraved it in my heart.

 CH 201.1

    201 ¨C The Fishing Promise and the Radiance of the Night (Part 1)


    While waiting for the non-combatants to come back, we resumed the Dungeon exploration.


    In conclusion, the Clearance of the third Stratum was a success.


    We were able to temporarily set up a Safe Room in the passage connecting the third Stratum to the fourth Stratum and returned to the camp.


    In addition to that, not a single person was defeated.


    This was the result of everyone¡¯s combined efforts, but the contribution of the Ex Party was particularly impressive.


    Speaking of the third Stratum, Merlin most likely performed the best.


    She froze the water below the iced land and thickened the ice. This made it impossible for the Imitations in the sea to easily break through the ice and come out. Also, even if they did come out, the vibrations and cracks made it possible to anticipate the attack.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    When a huge elephant Demi-Beast with two tusks rushed in, she attacked it with a huge Air Spear and defeated it.


    After that, various threats appeared, such as Dwarves that have the ice attribute, Demi-Beasts that looked like a combination of a crocodile and a lizard, and Crystal Golems, but we were able to break through them.


    The fact that there was no constraint on the number of Imitations made the Dungeon much more troublesome than normal Dungeons.


    It made sense that the Adventurers had struggled with this since there was a large number of Imitations around the class of a Floor Boss in here. It¡¯s no wonder that the first group was repeatedly wiped out.


    ¡¸Um¡­ Margret. Do you have a moment?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Miss Milla. What do you want to talk about?¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­ About the Magic Tool that was found in today¡¯s exploration¡­¡¹


    Milla and Maggie are talking.


    That¡¯s right, we also found a Magic Tool today. Not just a Magic Tool, but other various things as well.


    For example, even though Furcus was the one who finished off the Crystal Golem, the treasure chest fell out of another already defeated Golem.


    When I opened it, I found that it was filled to the brim with gold coins that were once in circulation in a ruined country.


    The items found in Original Dungeons can be divided into two categories.


    Items collected by Spirits and items made by Spirits.


    I don¡¯t think they collected it because of its value, but rather because they liked its shape or it was shiny.


    By the way, the Magic Tool that Milla mentioned was the one that had fallen near the place where Kraken was defeated.


    It was a metal tube with a bottom and a lid. The inside was hollow and Mar said it was probably a water bottle.


    What makes it a Magic Tool is its capacity.


    We tried putting a lot of water into it, but it never overflowed. Or rather, even when we looked inside it, it still remained empty.


    However, when the person who poured water into the bottle tilted it while thinking about the water, the water flowed out.


    I don¡¯t know the exact capacity, but it¡¯s definitely a lot.


    And most likely, the liquid poured into it won¡¯t deteriorate.


    ¡¸Are you talking about the water bottle?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, can you sell it to me? Of course, I¡¯ll offer an appropriate price for it.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ You¡¯re going to use it to store blood right?¡¹


    Until now, Milla has been able to use attacks that needed more than just her own blood quantity by using the blood of her enemies that was sucked by the vampire bats and bloodsucking leeches.


    It¡¯s difficult to regularly draw blood, store it, then use it for defense.


    Some of the Avatar¡¯s equipment had conditions in order to use it and required clear information that that person was truly in possession of it.


    For example, Alba¡¯s Magic Sword.


    In order to reproduce this along with his Avatar, naturally the real object must be present.


    The information of the real object is read and Magical Energy is used to reproduce it.


    However, if that is all that is required, then if Alba lends or sells his Magic Sword, a situation where various Adventurers and Monsters can use the Extendable Magic Sword might happen.


    Even though there is only one of it in the world, there are multiple Avatars that can use it at the same time.


    In order to prevent such a situation from happening, it was decided that when someone wants to reproduce a special piece of equipment together with his Avatar, then that person needs to be in possession of the real object.


    This also applies to blood that has been drained separately, other than the blood flowing through the body.


    So in order for Milla to use the additional amount of her own blood for defense, she must have the same blood registered in her Avatar¡¯s equipment in her possession when she enters the Cocoon.


    This puts a heavy burden on her since she has to drain her own blood on a daily basis.


    However, if she has this water bottle Magic Tool, the blood inside will not deteriorate.


    She can also clear the problem of having to prepare the same blood as the registered one.


    Moreover, because it has a large capacity, she can collect even more blood.


    This will strengthen Carmilla, a Blood Manipulator that specializes in manipulating blood.


    ¡¸Yes. Would it be possible¡­?¡¹


    The enormous cost spent for this Dungeon exploration can be seen from the number of people involved and the equipment.


    They have also prepared proper remuneration for us and basically the ownership of the things we acquire here belongs to the company of Fellow and Maggie.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t make this decision on my own¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But personally, I feel more reassured if Miss Milla uses it than for it to fall into the hands of a rich man who I don¡¯t even know. I promise that I will do my best to provide you with a pleasing response.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Thank you, Margret.¡¹


    ¡¸You can call me Maggie if you¡¯d like. People who are close to me call me that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu. Yes, Maggie.¡¹


    ¡¸By the way, Miss Milla. I¡¯d like to ask you one question, I can¡¯t seem to get used to the feeling of flying and I get a bit anxious whenever I use Heavenly Wings. Miss Milla flew very beautifully as if you were dancing in the sky when you used the wings created from blood, could you please share some tips with me?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, about that-¡¹


    Near the two beautiful women that were smiling and having fun talking, the White Sorcerer Josh looked shocked.


    ¡¸Lem¡­ Is Milla rich?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Because she said that she¡¯ll offer an appropriate price for it¡­ depending on the type, Magic Tools can cost enough for a mansion to be built in the city¡­!¡¹


    That¡¯s right, but Milla doesn¡¯t seem to be a wasteful spender and she has worked as a Monster even before she started working at the Demon King Castle. If she had been saving her money all this time¡­ I guess she can afford that¡­?


    I¡¯m not so sure. However, since Milla said that she can pay, then she can definitely afford it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not sure about that¡­ Anyway, you really moved around a lot today. You mentioned that you¡¯re aiming to become an Adventurer, but did you really not go to the Training Institute? It somehow felt like you were used to it.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ My parents were against me going to the Training Institute. You¡¯re referring to the moves I showed during the battle, right? Just in case, I did some training on how to fight hehe¡­¡¹


    Looking at how Josh is laughing so ambiguously, it doesn¡¯t seem to be something he would like to remember.


    They trained their son, who awakened as a White Sorcerer, on how to fight¡­?


    ¡¸I see¡­ Well then, I¡¯m looking forward to the future.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸After all, you¡¯re quick-witted, agile, understand how to fight, and to top it off, if you can also cast multiple White Magic on all your comrades. I¡¯m saying that I hope you can become a White Sorcerer like that.¡¹


    Josh widened his eyes and then embarrassedly laughed.


    ¡¸I wish to become like that. Lem is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you not going to join a Party?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. Although participating in events like the Tag Tournament is an exception, I probably won¡¯t go back to becoming an Adventurer that travels around the world.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ That¡¯s such a shame.¡¹


    Josh anxiously raised his voice.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    Furcus called out to me.


    ¡¸What is it, Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸Here, Lem¡¯s hometown.¡¹


    At first, she used to call me formally as Sir Lem, but now she stopped calling me that. Anyway, we also got to know each other along the way¡­ so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any problem with this.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I heard there¡¯s a river.¡¹


    Then it hit me.


    ¡¸¡­Ahh, there is. We can also catch fish there, but it¡¯s going to be too late if we go now, so how about we do it tomorrow?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­First thing in the morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, let¡¯s do that then.¡¹


    I guess she¡¯s eager to fish because of the Kraken. Since she couldn¡¯t eat that.

 CH 201.2

    201 ¨C The Fishing Promise and the Radiance of the Night (Part 2)


    Furcus nodded with satisfaction and walked away somewhere.


    ¡­¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, the cooking area is over there.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, you¡¯re not nervous?¡¹


    ¡¸Nervous?¡¹


    When I looked at him, Josh¡¯s expression was a little tense.


    ¡¸Because she¡­ Furcus is quite the strong opponent, you know.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Furcus is very strong.¡¹


    ¡¸Since the Demon King corresponds to the Heroes, it is usually necessary for several Monsters to cooperate with each other in order to defeat a Hero. This is the reason why even the Dungeons that don¡¯t have a Demon King can successfully be defended.¡¹


    It seemed like it was a long time ago, but the way that I and everyone else in the first Stratum annihilated the Thunder Hero Party could also be counted as the cooperation of several Monsters.


    They are still growing, but still, in a battle between a Hero and the Hellhounds, it would be difficult for the latter to win. It¡¯s almost impossible.


    I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s bad. It¡¯s just that there is such a reality.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But there are always exceptions to everything. For example, Sir Arthur is not to be outdone by the average Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸I also think so.¡¹


    Obviously, a Job is just a Job.


    Even if they are all Heroes, their abilities vary.


    If the one on the top is the Storm Hero Aerial, the one on the bottom is the youth that failed to clear an Intermediate Dungeon multiple times and has sunk into despair.


    Both special Adventurers and special Heroes that are present in the human race are further graded in this industry that is filled with Heroes.


    Still, they are special among the human race.


    However, even those people are not invincible.


    Just like Arthur, the one that Josh just mentioned, some of the best Warriors are capable of fighting single-handedly against a Hero and can actually make the viewers think that he has a chance of winning.


    ¡¸Furcus is like that as well.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    Furcus is my comrade from the Demon King Castle. So I don¡¯t feel uncomfortable with the compliment for her, but I was a little bothered about how he was wording it.


    ¡¸Did something happen with Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? No, no way. I hardly ever talk to her.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying. That¡¯s not just limited to Josh, since Furcus doesn¡¯t talk much in the first place.


    ¡¸I just felt like you had a lot more emotions contained in those sentences.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I have a lot of Ogre acquaintances. That¡¯s why, um, how should I word this, the difference in strength between the other races and the Ogres is so apparent¡­ To be honest, there are not many Monsters, even among the purebloods, who are as strong as they are.¡¹


    I wonder how many purebloods are there in this day and age in the purest sense of the word.


    I feel like I¡¯ve heard somewhere that even Humans have some Demi-Human blood mixed in their veins if they trace it back to their ancestors.


    Still, there are still places that insist on marriage only between people of the same race.


    ¡¸It is believed that the darker the blood, the stronger the Ogre becomes, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    From Josh¡¯s point of view, Furcus is someone to be nervous about.


    It may be similar to how an Adventurer becomes nervous in front of Aerial.


    ¡¸Then, would you like to go fishing with us tomorrow?¡¹


    ¡¸Ehh¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not going to force you to do it, but we¡¯re all on the same side now. You can¡¯t always be on your toes all the time, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ You¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s not scary. She¡¯s kind and sometimes even jokes around, despite her appearance.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re¡­so daring.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, is that so¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Or more like you¡¯re not timid¡­ I¡¯m learning a lot from you¡­!¡¹


    What¡­?


    But I think it¡¯s very good that Josh is yearning for growth.


    ¡¸O-okay. Then, you are agreeing to go together with us tomorrow, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Definitely¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I will accompany you too, right?¡¹


    When I noticed, Milla was standing next to me.


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    I¡¯ve gotten used to it, but Josh froze in surprise.


    ¡¸Sir Lem, Sir Ex, a moment of your time?¡¹


    After being called by Maggie, I left the place.


    The leaders of the five parties were gathered together.


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to thank you again for your hard work today.¡¹


    After bowing gracefully, Maggie continued.


    ¡¸I would like to hear your opinions concerning today¡¯s exploration¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The 3rd Stratum was originally ¡°adapted¡± to the first group, right? That¡¯s why, although it was troublesome, we were able to smoothly get through it. Of course, it¡¯s also because our comrades are excellent.¡¹


    My eyes met with Ex¡¯s. One side of his lip was raised and he laughed.


    I thought to myself that there are actually people who can make such a trivial gesture look good.


    ¡¸Hmm, we think that the next stratum is the crucial one.¡¹


    He¡¯s a male Ogre. The one who constricted the Hydra¡¯s neck with his arms.


    He¡¯s the leader of a party that includes a cat Demi-Human who calls Milla her older sister.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s a place full of narrow passages, such as a mining area, then it¡¯ll cause large-scale magic that Master Merlin is good at to be sealed.¡¹


    She¡¯s a Wizard. She is also one of the people who is learning magic from Merlin during this trip.


    ¡¸Ahh, so that¡¯s the pattern, huh~ That sounds possible~ Hmm, more like, don¡¯t you think that the Imitations are strong? The Floor Boss battle was so hard that I wondered if we could actually defeat it though~ Well, it turned out we could~¡¹


    She¡¯s a rabbit Demi-Human. Her leg strength is amazing, especially her jumping ability. The kicks delivered from those legs of hers are so powerful that they can open a hole in the Imitations¡¯ abdomen.


    By the way, the word ¡°tough¡± is usually used to describe her high stamina.


    There were two types of Imitations that appeared in the Floor Boss battle.


    One was a half-horse, half-fish Kelpie. A horse Demi-Beast with the lower body of a fish and it was green in color.


    It lived in rivers and lakes and was said to eat people.


    The other is a Giant with hard skin and a strong body. According to Furcus, he¡¯s called a Grendel.


    It was hard to defeat a Grendel.


    Most of the attacks were blocked by his skin and it was hard to see that even if the attack had worked, the damage to his huge body would be almost negligible.


    In addition, the field was destroyed by a single blow from the enemy, making it harder and harder to fight.


    It was also hard because the stage was in the shape of a lake so that the Kelpie could move around.


    In the end, Maggie summoned Furcus¡¯s armor, this is how Furcus¡¯s armor form is used, then we all prepared while the armored Furcus held Grendel back.


    I prepared Defense Down, Merlin and the Wizards prepared the wind blades, Ex was trying to sew the shadow of the enemy to stop his movements, Maggie had a huge axe, and Milla created a huge blood blade.


    Everyone¡¯s attacks struck at once, overcame the enemy¡¯s defenses, and inflicted massive damage.


    ¡¸I think that the Grendel was meant to force us to show our power. In addition to Merlin¡¯s magic power, I think it wanted to see the other members¡¯ maximum attack power.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If that¡¯s true, the 4th Stratum is likely to be a more intense adventure than this one.¡¹


    ¡¸I also think Lem¡¯s prediction is correct, but there are still some points that bother me.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you talking about how there¡¯s no restraint?¡¹


    Maggie nodded.


    ¡¸Yes. The Original Dungeon is created using a natural pool of Magical Energy rather than a Dungeon Core. Although the pool is huge, it is clearly limited. If you think about the reappearance of the Imitations, even if we just keep hunting the Imitations in the 1st Stratum, it will eventually be used up.¡¹


    The Spirits won¡¯t enjoy that either, so they might release the Imitations from the 2nd Stratum onward if they realize that the humans have chosen this approach.


    The reason why we are attacking and exploring in a straightforward manner is that we want to avoid offending the Spirits as much as possible.


    They have even prepared treasure chests and they seem to be completely looking forward to our attack.


    ¡¸If you think about it like that, a considerable amount of Magical Energy would have been consumed in the 3rd Stratum alone.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s true. It takes a considerable amount of Magical Energy to reproduce the regeneration ability and high durability.¡¹


    The male Ogre and the Wizard said.


    ¡¸Um, so~, so~, so~?¡¹


    The Rabbit Demi-Human glanced at me while squeezing her fluffy ears.


    ¡¸¡­So, I think that the 24th Dungeon is not so deep.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah! I see, I see, now I understand it perfectly. There won¡¯t be a lot of Stratums because too much Magical Energy is being used on the Imitations, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, but Spirits also have their own Magical Energy, so it¡¯s hard to say exactly how much¡­¡¹


    I nodded in response to what Maggie said.


    After that, our conversation continued for a while.


    In the end, we have no choice but to proceed with the exploration.


    Although the most important thing is to ensure the safety of the people in the vicinity, from the perspective of the company, the treasures that we are finding this time are also important¡­ For us investigators, we are also concerned about the Trial of the Spirits that may be held at the deepest part of the Dungeon.


    We disbanded and shared the information with our party.


    We ate our meals and went into the tents to sleep.


    Of course, it was separated by gender and the places were far apart.


    In the middle of the night.


    I woke up.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I usually cast Black Magic on myself for training. Not only will the effect and duration of the Black Magic get trained, but also the Magical Energy organ. Because of my master¡¯s hellish training, it became possible for me to unconsciously control my Magical Energy.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m so sensitive to magical signatures.


    I slipped out of the tent, left the camp, and entered the forest.


    If I go too deep into the forest, I might get lost, but I¡¯m familiar with this place and I can sense the Magical Energy of my comrade.


    ¡¸Did I wake you?¡¹


    It was Merlin.


    It¡¯s shining. She¡¯s not the one shining though.


    It was a swarm of butterflies that glowed like the moonlight. It must be Merlin¡¯s magic.


    In the middle of the night, a Great Wizard created light butterflies and made them flutter around.


    I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on here, and for a moment I suspected that I¡¯m actually dreaming.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s beautiful.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, thank you. But the real ones were even more beautiful.¡¹


    ¡¸The real ones¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aah ¡­Hmm, I was just thinking I¡¯d like to talk to you. Would you like to hear my old story?¡¹


    And then the Wizard of Foresight began to speak.

 CH 202

    202 ¨C The Great Wizard¡¯s Dream and Request


    Merlin looked at the glowing butterflies and began to speak.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not a long story. It¡¯s more like the reason why I started aiming to become an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    I was surprised.


    Famous Adventurers often get asked that question in various interviews.


    What made you want to become an Adventurer?


    It was the same for Merlin, but in her case, no one knew the real reason why.


    Because she told a different story every time.


    Some fans enjoy the fact that she tells a different story every time and some even speculate that the real story is hidden in the ones she has told so far.


    ¡¸Rest assured, what I¡¯m about to tell you is true.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re going to tell that to me?¡¹


    She smiled slightly, then opened her mouth.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s not a big deal. I once saw the Spirits when I was little.¡¹


    In short, Merlin¡¯s story was like this.


    When she was a little girl, she saw the Spirits. The Spirits were playing with all sorts of magic like shining butterflies, dancing flower petals, popping sparks, rain falling towards the sky, and stone statues that constantly changed shape.


    It may or may not have been meaningful to the Spirits.


    But Merlin was fascinated and it looked like they were having fun playing around.


    It¡¯s a child¡¯s nature to want to join in when they seem to be having fun.


    However, Merlin could not join the Spirits¡¯ playing.


    As soon as they noticed her, they all disappeared, as if everything that had happened up to that moment was a lie.


    ¡¸The reason why I¡¯m trying to master all kinds of magic elements is simple. It¡¯s because I want to be able to play together with the Spirits when I meet them again.¡¹


    After saying that, Merlin waved her wand.


    The scene of the Spirits playing around that she talked about became a reality.


    I was rendered speechless by the fantastic scene.


    ¡¸Are you going to laugh at me?¡¹


    ¡¸No way.¡¹


    I answered as quickly as I could.


    For the sake of her childhood dream, she came to the point of handling magic on par with the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits.


    Given that amount of effort, I respect her and it¡¯s impossible for me to laugh at her.


    ¡¸Fufu, I knew you would say that. After all¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m starting to get it.


    ¡¸¡­Is it because I¡¯m also pursuing my childhood dream?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. Unlike me, you weren¡¯t afraid of being criticized by others who didn¡¯t understand you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You don¡¯t seem to be afraid of that though.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you. You¡¯re right, I just don¡¯t like anything that is troublesome. It¡¯s unpleasant to be judged whether or not I could fulfill that dream by strangers, but that¡¯s not what I want to talk about. If it¡¯s you, you should be able to realize the reason why I joined Ex¡¯s Party, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it because of the person who got to meet the Spirits without even going to the Spirit Shrine?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. What is the difference between me and them? Could I also become friends with the Spirits if I want to? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Well, in the end, I still couldn¡¯t understand. On top of that, we even reached the 2nd Rank together. No, I think I figured one of the reasons.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Spirits like interesting people. It¡¯s difficult because this ¡°interest¡± is based on the Spirit¡¯s criteria, but at least it seems that a little girl who approached them while saying ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± isn¡¯t good enough.¡¹


    An easy-to-understand example would be the Water Hero Wraith.


    In the beginning, he said he wouldn¡¯t borrow the power of the Spirits and the main Water Spirit actually got pleased with him.


    I don¡¯t know what criteria the Spirits have to choose people, but I¡¯m sure that it depends on the Spirit itself.


    ¡¸¡­Are you implying that the job this time is also like that?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, I¡¯ve heard that if you go to the deepest part of the Dungeon, you might be able to meet a Spirit. Of course, that¡¯s not all.¡¹


    When she lowered her wand, all the wonders stopped.


    There was nothing left behind.


    ¡¸You know, Lem. My purpose was to meet the Spirits once again, but I¡¯ve enjoyed improving my magic. Regardless of my purpose, I also like my current friends. Even though most of my life is just a process I have gone through to achieve my goals, I actually enjoy it. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I don¡¯t think so.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. It¡¯s okay to enjoy the process. It¡¯s okay to enjoy the effort you put in. There¡¯s no need to suffer until the time you have reached your goal. Right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸What about you?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸You are an excellent Black Sorcerer. This trip has given me a better understanding of how you did things when you were in the Fenix Party. Rather than showing the awesomeness of your Black Magic, you chose to show the awesomeness of your teammates through your hidden efforts. It is easier to understand, more flashy, and more enjoyable for the viewers, especially since they can¡¯t sense Magical Energy from beyond the screen. Seeing Alba¡¯s reaction, I¡¯m pretty sure that you¡¯ve been using magic while hiding your Magical Energy so that even your teammates won¡¯t find out about it. What great technique.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    It was necessary so that my teammates could fight comfortably.


    Alba is a Warrior, that¡¯s why he can be deceived easily, but if I didn¡¯t hide my Magical Energy, Lily would have noticed it.


    ¡¸Effort and patience are two different things. As your friend, I hope that you yourself will come to like Black Magic and enjoy the journey to becoming a hero.¡¹


    I froze after hearing Merlin¡¯s words.


    It was too much of a shock.


    Not because of her words, but because I just realized my own subconscious thinking.


    I love Adventurers. I also like Clear videos and the existence of Heroes.


    But have I ever thought about it? Have I ever considered it?


    ¡¸Have I ever truly thought that I like Black Magic¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    Noticing my state, Merlin approached me.


    ¡¸¡­I may not have thought about it. I didn¡¯t want to become a Black Sorcerer. And yet, I became a Black Sorcerer. Still, I couldn¡¯t give up, so I decided to aim to become a hero¡­but now, I understand. What I did was very disrespectful to Black Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s amazing, though, that you were able to train to such an extent without considering your likes and dislikes.¡¹


    I tried thinking about it.


    Certainly, the support of Black Magic does not overlap with the hero image I once aimed for.


    However, I don¡¯t dislike Black Magic that can help me contribute to the victory of my friends. I don¡¯t hate it.


    After joining the Demon King Army, I often felt like that.


    Probably because all of my friends there acknowledged it.


    They were able to repel the Adventurers because of my contribution. They told me that I had won.


    I¡¯m sure what I feel towards that kind of Black Magic is¡­


    ¡¸Thank you, Merlin. I¡¯m sure that I like Black Magic. With every time I was able to help my friends, I liked it more and more. Because what I admired was a Hero that can help his friends win. I¡¯m blessed with an encounter that made me believe that I could become a hero even with Black Magic.¡¹


    Merlin looked surprised this time.


    ¡¸No, no, you totally just¡­ Usually, you would¡¯ve spent more time thinking about this. Wait, did you already have the answer but just didn¡¯t realize it? It seems like your new workplace is a really great place, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, it is.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ I wish he could learn from you.¡¹


    ¡¸Who¡­?¡¹


    Merlin nodded.


    ¡¸Oh, actually, this is what I wanted to talk to you about. You noticed it right? Ex¡¯s problem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t know if it could be considered a problem, but it did seem like he was worried about something.¡¹


    Just like that time in the hot spring, sometimes I could feel his anxiousness.


    ¡¸That¡¯s it. That¡¯s what made the atmosphere in our party a little rough.¡¹


    ¡¸Could it be that the two people that aren¡¯t participating this time¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, they said that they¡¯re not going to participate because they were going to train. It¡¯s okay for them to do that, but Ex is still feeling concerned about it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I couldn¡¯t feel anything wrong when I saw him fighting today.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because he¡¯s a professional. He won¡¯t let his troubles pull him down while he¡¯s working. But the problem is deep-rooted. It¡¯s not just a trivial quarrel.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Why are you telling me this?¡¹


    ¡¸Ex was worried when you withdrew from the Fenix party. I guess he saw himself in you.¡¹


    He said the same thing on the day we met.


    A Black Sorcerer and the Jet-Black Hero.


    Black Magic and Shadow Spirit Magic.


    A Job that is considered as unneeded and the Contractor of a Spirit that isn¡¯t one of the Four Great Spirits.


    It might be possible for him to see himself in me and yet some other people might think that we have nothing in common.


    However, I feel like the fact that Ex cares about me is not a lie.


    ¡¸It can¡¯t be me or the others from the party. I guess we¡¯re too close. Aerial and Fenix are out of the question. Their voice would be more like a poison to him, since they¡¯re like the protagonists of the world. Although there are people all over the world who admire them and are saved by them, they can¡¯t help Ex.¡¹


    When there¡¯s an attractive person, some people admire them, while others envy them.


    When getting involved with kind people, some feel helped by that person, while others feel miserable.


    Regardless of whether the other person is good or bad, how a person perceives the other person depends on themselves.


    A problem that can¡¯t be solved by Ex¡¯s friends and those who are loved by the Four Major Elements.


    At the hot spring, Ex tried to tell me something.


    ¡¸Ex is¡­ suffering in the process, am I right?¡¹


    This is the reason why Merlin revealed her dream, which is not disclosed to the public, and also mentioned things like purpose and process.


    She smiled sadly at my words.


    ¡¸Can you share your thoughts on what makes the best decision to our leader? Please?¡¹


    The answer was obvious.


    ¡¸If there¡¯s anything that I can do, I¡¯ll do it. Because I also like the Jet-Black Hero.¡¹


    She smiled gently for a moment and then immediately grimaced.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, what do you mean ¡°also¡±? You made it sound as if I ¡°also¡± care about that guy.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Give me a break, who cares about that guy?¡¹


    Merlin shrugged her shoulders.


    Seeing her like that, I couldn¡¯t help myself and burst out into laughter.


    ¡¸Why are you laughing?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just a little jealous. You guys get along well, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Hah?¡¹


    She gave me a look of extreme disgust.


    ¡¸¡­Haaa, nevermind. I¡¯ll leave it to you when the chance comes. I¡¯m sure your words will reach that idiot.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    Then I returned to the tent.


    When I woke up in the morning, I was surprised to see Furcus looking down at me.


    ¡¸G-good morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm, good morning.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fishing, right? It¡¯s okay, I still remember.¡¹


    It was early in the morning, so I was careful not to wake the others. After calling out to Josh, I went outside.


    What I didn¡¯t expect was that Ex also woke up and said he would go with me.


    ¡¸This brings me back. My father and I used to do this all the time.¡¹


    He was smiling happily and seemed to have no worries.


    But there are many things you have to face in life. Being in the Adventurer business requires you to be popular and I understand some of the troubles that we have to face.


    We hide our troubles as we try to clear the Dungeons and laugh in front of our fans.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to catch and devour the fishes.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­ Furcus, please take it easy.¡¹


    By the way, the catch was excellent.


    We stopped fishing once we had caught enough and returned back to camp.


    I was relieved to see that Furcus didn¡¯t intend to catch so many fish that they would disappear from the river.


    ¡¸If all of the fish were gone, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat them anymore. That¡¯s a loss.¡¹


    And so it seems.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised even if she caught all the fish in the lake and ate all of it. That is possible for Furcus.


    Today, we are going to explore the Dungeon two times, once in the morning and once in the evening.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Lem?¡¹


    Ex said as he chews on a skewer of grilled fish.


    Apparently, I was unconsciously looking at him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing, just wondering how it tastes.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s good.¡¹


    I recalled what he said to me at the hot spring.


    After Ex complimented me saying that my heart was strong, he continued to say.


    ¡ºI¡¯m¡­weak.¡»


    There must be a reason as to why he would think like that.


    If I can help him, I want to do something about it.


    With that thought in mind, I ate my breakfast.


    After that, the exploration of the Original Dungeon begins.

 CH 203

    203 ¨C The Pitch Black 4th Stratum


    The 4th Stratum was pitch black.


    ¡¸I see, so it¡¯s going to be like this¡­¡¹


    Ex¡¯s voice.


    A welcome unique to an Original Dungeon.


    In a Dungeon Clear where it is important for the viewers to be able to enjoy it, even if there is a dark area, there would be no such thing as a pitch-black area.


    In the 10th Stratum of the Demon King Castle, there was special lighting that maintained a balance of ¡°A dim area where you can still have clear vision.¡±¡¹


    However, this 4th Stratum is engulfed in true darkness that makes it difficult to even tell the boundary between the space and yourself.


    Even if Merlin and I are skilled in sensing Magical Energy and the top-notch Adventurers excel at sensing the enemy¡¯s presence, we still rely heavily on our vision.


    ¡¸But this kind of thing is also very Dungeon-like and interesting. Isn¡¯t a Dungeon originally supposed to be a place where you go explore carefully while holding a torch?¡¹


    Merlin muttered cheerfully, then she created a fireball.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not going to create a torch?¡¹


    ¡¸This is more convenient. You should also walk while holding up your Holy Sword.¡¹


    ¡¸My Holy Sword is not a torch.¡¹


    During the conversation between Arthur and Merlin, the other parties also brought out their own lights one after another.


    Most of them are created from Fire-attribute Magic, but some people had lanterns.


    In my party, Sitri created a light ball.


    It wasn¡¯t part of the Four Major Elements, but I¡¯m not surprised to see that, especially after considering Sitri¡¯s ability to recreate.


    Rather than that, although I said it was a ball, it wasn¡¯t actually round. A heart shape was giving off the light.


    ¡¸Now then, how should we move? What¡¯re your thoughts, Lem?¡¹


    Ex¡¯s faintly illuminated face turned to me.


    Rather than just wanting to know my opinion, it¡¯s more likely that he¡¯s asking this to confirm whether our opinions matched or not.


    ¡¸If we believe that this place is the same as the precedent, that once we set foot in here then the structure will no longer change. Then it¡¯s possible for us to explore this place little by little, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really want to spend too much time here. I want to go to the 5th Stratum by the afternoon.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to ask Ex or Merlin to work hard.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be Ex. Hey, hurry up.¡¹


    Merlin answered immediately.


    ¡¸You¡­ sigh, I¡¯ll do my best. Then, everyone, I¡¯ll borrow your shadow for a moment.¡¹


    Immediately after we entered the Safe Room, all of our shadows were stepped on by Ex. Of course, he did this after receiving our consent.


    It¡¯s called Group Shadow.


    It is a state in which he controls the shadows of multiple targets.


    There are a few magic spells that can be developed from this state.


    In this case, the shadows take the form of small birds and animals and fly into the darkness.


    This is called Birds and Animals Scouting. It allows the caster to explore the field with shadows that are shaped like birds and animals.


    With the shadows of this many people, it should be able to cover quite a wide area.


    As long as we move based on the terrain that has been explored, we won¡¯t waste any time.


    ¡¸Eh, so cute¡­¡¹


    Sitri muttered.


    There are certainly many cute silhouettes, such as small birds and rabbits.


    ¡¸Thank you. I wonder if it¡¯s possible for you to recreate these as well?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡­ I guess you can look forward to finding out that answer when you come to the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    Sitri said, while putting her index finger on her lips and tilting her head.


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha, that¡¯s true. I have one additional thing to look forward to then.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey Ex, to think that you¡¯re looking forward to meeting the lovely maids¡­ Good grief.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡¹


    Merlin laughed at Ex, who had a troubled expression.


    Even while they¡¯re talking, the shadow birds and animals were moving and Merlin was refining her Magical Energy.


    We naturally formed a formation in which people with shields and excellent physical abilities surround the Wizards to protect them.


    Then, I noticed that Ex¡¯s shoulders jolted.


    ¡¸¡­The animals were trampled on. By something huge. The birds¡­disappeared, no, wait, they were erased?¡¹


    Those made from shadows will return to their original state even if they are crushed. It won¡¯t receive fatal damage because it is originally something that does not have a shape, the magic merely gave it a temporary shape.


    As long as it receives Magical Energy, it can continue to explore the terrain.


    But¡­it was erased?


    Erased? That usually won¡¯t happen.


    ¡¸So you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s not because you stopped supplying Magical Energy, right?¡¹


    Merlin asked.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Your Spirit Magic got erased. This is going to be troublesome.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s probably because of an Evil Eye.¡¹


    One of Lemegeton¡¯s subordinates, the Evil Eye Assassin Botis also possesses an Evil Eye, but there are a lot of different types of Evil Eye.


    Botis¡¯s Evil Eye can petrify. It is not uncommon for the petrification speed, range of effect, and activation conditions to differ depending on the owner.


    ¡¸Since this Dungeon tends to recreate the race rather than the individual, it¡¯s very likely it will recreate a race with the Evil Eye rather than an Evil Eye possessor who lived a long time ago. So, it¡¯s probably-¡¹


    Except for the lanterns, all the other lights have disappeared.


    The problem is that no one undid their spell.


    It was forcibly erased.


    Boom¡­boom¡­ The sound of the ground shaking.


    The sound made it apparent that a being around the size of a Giant was approaching us.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ it¡¯s dark, our magic has been erased, and a group of Giants are approaching¡­ This is fun.¡¹


    As an Adventurer, I don¡¯t feel that Merlin¡¯s way of thinking is odd.


    It would be different if life and death were at stake, but encounters with the unknown and new experiences are exciting.


    However, we will lose if we only feel excited and do nothing, so we have to quickly come up with a plan.


    She looked at me.


    ¡¸Lem, where do you think the enemy is?¡¹


    ¡¸Probably above. With the combination of this darkness and the sealing of our magic, it¡¯s a pretty advantageous position to be in.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, but we can¡¯t detect it.¡¹


    ¡¸The Magical Energy density here is high. The Imitations and the Dungeon were made from the same Magical Energy, so it¡¯ll be hard to find them when it¡¯s so dense.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a problem. This means that we¡¯re no better than the non-combatants.¡¹


    She said, while not sounding as if she¡¯s troubled.


    ¡¸First, Merlin should regroup with the combatants. Ex as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, I¡¯ll do that then. Ex, you heard that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Ex¡¯s shadows seemed to have hindered their progress.


    He and Merlin stood side by side and we gathered together with the two of them in the center.


    As for the top, multiple shields were used as a ceiling.


    A wall of people and a roof made of shields. This will protect us from the Evil Eye.


    ¡¸U-um¡­! You¡¯re saying that we can¡¯t use magic? What¡¯s going on here¡­?!¡¹


    Someone shouted.


    ¡¸Oh, sorry about that. I forgot to explain. This is probably the work of Gazers.¡¹


    Many of them were surprised, while others didn¡¯t seem to get it.


    ¡¸G-Gazers? Aren¡¯t those Monsters that are often mentioned in books!?¡¹¡¸The huge eyeball-shaped Demi-Beast that was destroyed a long time ago¡­¡¹¡¸So the Evil Eye that can nullify magic actually existed¡­¡¹¡¸Even extinct species are starting to show up.¡¹


    It is now an extinct species that only appears in folktales and fiction stories.


    It¡¯s not surprising that some of the current Adventurers have never heard of it.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t use my Summon Magic¡­ Miss Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸Mm, it won¡¯t extend.¡¹


    Maggie¡¯s prediction had hit the mark. The Gazers¡¯ Evil Eye negates even the special abilities of Magic Tools.


    Including the divine protection granted to Arthur¡¯s and Ex¡¯s Holy Swords.


    However, there is a condition. It can only be nullified when the Gazers have it inside their field of vision.


    Black Magic and White Magic will not work on inanimate objects, but Avatars aren¡¯t exactly living things.


    However, Black and White Magic is effective on Avatars. That¡¯s because they were configured to be so.


    It seems that the Spirits also followed the human¡¯s rules and put a restriction on the nullification ability of the Gazers.


    Otherwise, the body constructed from Magical Energy would have dissipated as well.


    They probably wanted to make the battle as realistic as possible.


    ¡¸Lem, do you have a plan?¡¹


    Merlin chuckled.


    She¡¯s giving me a chance to think. If I didn¡¯t have a plan, then she would handle it.


    Part of me wants to observe how she would handle this, but I can¡¯t waste this good opportunity.


    It¡¯s not every day that I get the experience of dealing with an extinct species while receiving the support of this group of people.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a very violent strategy though.¡¹


    ¡¸Go ahead and tell us.¡¹


    I set the channel of the communicator to the whole group.


    ¡¸Both I and Merlin can¡¯t trace the Gazers¡¯ Magical Energy signature. However, I think they are located on top of us. We¡¯re not sure how many of them are there, but all of us are currently in their field of vision. Right now, we should temporarily surround some of the members to shield them from the enemy¡¯s sight.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm¡­ that¡¯s so unfair.¡¹


    The male Ogre had an indignant tone.


    ¡¸Among us, Arthur and Furcus have excellent perception ability, except for sensing Magical Energy. Ex is ??also proficient at it, but I want you to refine your Magical Energy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you for saying that, Lem. However, neither I nor Furcus can fly in the sky. Moreover, Miss Margret and Miss Milla probably also can¡¯t use their flying abilities now, right?¡¹


    It takes Magical Energy to summon Magic Tools and to manipulate blood. Now that our magic is sealed, we have no way to fly.


    ¡¸In addition to Josh¡¯s and Merlin¡¯s White Magic, I will borrow her strength.¡¹


    The one I picked was the Rabbit Demi-Human.


    ¡¸Eh, did you call me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. First of all, the two people that are shielded from the Gazer¡¯s field of sight will cast White Magic on her, then she¡¯ll jump while bringing Arthur and Furcus with her. She¡¯ll be able to exert greater leg strength when we time the shield to be removed right before she jumps.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? That¡¯s fine with me, but wouldn¡¯t all three of us fall to the ground and be forced to leave the field though?¡¹


    ¡¸Before you fall, we¡¯ll get Arthur and Furcus to defeat all the Gazers there.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I could see all the clan members gasping.


    Gazers can erase magic. Its effects as well. That¡¯s why it¡¯s impossible to fly with Wind Magic.


    I have also considered this point of having the magic nullified right after she jumps when I chose to enhance her jumping strength. It doesn¡¯t matter even if the enhancement is nullified after she jumps.


    I¡¯m not even sure if this strategy can be called a strategy.


    However, it¡¯s a different story if these two people are the ones doing it.


    If it is the Knight Lord and the Reaper Knight, it¡¯s not an impossible feat.


    ¡¸Hm, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Since my junior believes in me and thinks that we can pull this off, as his senior I¡¯ll show that we can do this.¡¹


    The two people in question weren¡¯t surprised and just directly walked to the center of the group.


    The Rabbit Demi-Human soon followed.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll even jump to the moon. The moon hasn¡¯t come out yet though.¡¹


    We proceeded with our preparations.


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you now, even though I¡¯m a Great Wizard, I¡¯m not proficient at White Magic. Because I have a different aptitude. Don¡¯t have high expectations.¡¹


    Saying that I shouldn¡¯t have a high expectation, what a Merlin-like thing to say.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Lem¡­¡¹


    By the way, since Sitri is also in the field of sight of the Gazers, she returned back to her original appearance, which is a small leopard with wings.


    She seems to dislike that appearance, so she has taken an emergency refuge in the chest pocket of the Black Sorcerer robe.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay.¡¹


    I said to reassure her.


    Milla was also nonchalantly standing in a position where she could cover Sitri. She has also retrieved Sitri¡¯s clothes.


    ¡¸We¡¯re ready. It¡¯s time to launch the Knights.¡¹


    Arthur is a Paladin and Furcus is sometimes called the Dark Knight.


    ¡¸Are you ready, Josh?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    The footsteps that shook the ground are getting quite close. On top of that, there are multiple footsteps.


    They might be right in front of us.


    To attack while being surrounded in total darkness and with no magic is rough.


    The role of supporting the shields held above was now taken over by tall people, including the male Ogres.


    We decided that with their height, there would still be enough time even if they remove the shield immediately after her jump.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    A Rabbit Demi-Human held the two of them and crouched down.


    Then¡­she jumped.


    A hole was created in the ground along with a thunderous sound.


    The timing of removing the shield was perfect.


    ¡¸If they can¡¯t beat the Gazers¡­ the three of them will¡­¡¹


    I heard someone feeling anxious.


    After a while, something crashed into the ground.


    Some people were surprised to hear the sound of the impact.


    Right at that moment, the lantern light illuminated the figure for a moment.


    A huge sphere large enough to fit a child inside.


    It was a huge blackish eyeball.


    A Gazer.


    The enemy groaned and then dissipated into magic particles.


    ¡¸I wonder how many are left.¡¹


    Merlin and I are refining our Magical Energy while being protected by the shields.


    ¡¸¡­I missed the chance to hear the explanation before. Can someone tell me how they can beat the Gazers in the middle of the air?¡¹


    ¡¸The Imitations are the same as Avatars, they dissipate into magic particles instead of dying. Conversely, they will continue to exist as long as they don¡¯t die. So we need to inflict a fatal injury on it and then jump to the next one before it dissipates.¡¹


    Ex said in a light tone, but there¡¯s not a lot of people who can actually pull this off.


    On top of that, they are doing this while being surrounded in darkness, only relying on the enemy¡¯s presence while not even knowing how many of them are actually there.


    ¡¸Maggie.¡¹¡¸Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹¡¸I¡¯m ready.¡¹


    Maggie and Milla responded to the voice of Merlin and I.


    ¡¸Everyone, it will be bright soon and don¡¯t be surprised by whatever you see.¡¹


    Merlin continued to pour out a small amount of Magical Energy to check whether it would be erased or not.


    If it stopped being erased, then the plan was successful.


    ¡¸Okay, let there be light.¡¹


    Like a firework being launched, it bloomed in the sky.


    It¡¯s like a small sun.


    It illuminated the darkness and we could see what exactly was making the ground rumble.


    What we saw was¡­

 CH 204.1

    204 ¨C The Pitch Black 4th Stratum (Part 1)


    After it was illuminated and revealed, it became apparent that there are no motifs in this area.


    There was no environment. No wilderness, forests, or mines.


    It¡¯s just a dark space. A black space. Including the ground.


    As for the intention¡­ or rather the reason, I think I figured it out.


    It¡¯s to economize.


    For both houses and Magical Energy spaces, elaborate interiors will increase the cost.


    The difference is that the cost for a house would be money, while the cost for a Magical Energy space is Magical Energy.


    To put it simply, they prioritized creating Imitations so much that they became frugal when preparing the environmental area.


    Or maybe they used too much Magical Energy on the Imitations that they didn¡¯t have enough Magical Energy to prepare the environment.


    Either way is possible.


    After all, the Gazers have an exceptional Evil Eye that can nullify all magic effects and there is only one activation condition which is to keep the target in sight.


    They even have the ability to generate Magical Energy from another dimension and the ability to fly.


    It¡¯s no wonder that during the war, the Monsters side used them to the fullest and the human side was desperate to destroy them.


    Since it is such an existence, it would cost a lot of Magical Energy to recreate them as Imitations.


    Also, regarding what caused the ground to rumble.


    Another amazing Imitation has come out.


    It was a giant.


    It was different from a Grendel. If I had to describe him, he¡¯s wider. His skin was gray and he had a face only a mother could love. In addition, I could sense intense anger from his eyes.


    I knew what race he was from.


    ¡¸Spriggan¡­¡¹


    Although this race is rarely seen in Dungeon Clears, they still exist now.


    They can change the size of their body from a dwarf to a giant. Depending on the individual, some of them can even use powerful magic.


    They are responsible for protecting the Fairies and treasures and repelling intruders.


    As Imitations made by the Spirits, their role is to annihilate us, the intruders of this Dungeon.


    There were five of them.


    When all of the Gazers were annihilated, Maggie and Milla flew into the sky.


    To retrieve those three people.


    ¡ºMaggie. Armor, in the sky.¡»


    It was a message from Furcus.


    ¡ºI-in the midair¡­?¡»


    ¡ºTeleport it near me. Possible?¡»


    ¡ºU-understood¡­!¡»


    ¡ºMiss Maggie, can you bring me to right above the Spriggans?¡»


    ¡ºYe-yes, I¡¯ll do that¡­!¡»


    As expected of a member of Hervor¡¯s Party, Marggie¡¯s adaptability is high.


    Milla is entrusted with the task of retrieving the Rabbit Demi-Human.


    ¡¸Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I know what you want to say.¡¹


    Large clumps of earth flew out from somewhere near Merlin.


    It accurately hit each Spriggan right in the chest.


    It¡¯s colored and divided into red, blue, yellow, black and white.


    This made it possible for the whole clan to identify the Spriggans.


    ¡ºBlue.¡»


    ¡ºIs that Merlin¡¯s doing? That helps a lot. I¡¯m closer to the white Spriggan.¡»


    It was a message from Furcus and Arthur, who immediately sensed the intention of this.


    Then, we need to deal with three of them.


    The Spriggans that are marked with red, yellow, and black.


    The red Spriggan is about to trample on us right now.


    While experiencing the rarely experienced horror of having a giant approaching us, I tried to observe my surroundings.


    ¡¸Phew¡­!¡¹


    We won¡¯t get trampled on.


    Because the Jet-Black Hero is here.


    One of the spells developed from Group Shadow is Giant Armor.


    It¡¯s a bit similar to Nicola¡¯s Snow Covered Strong Arm.


    He would be covered in a huge armor. In Nicola¡¯s case, mainly only her arms are covered, but for Ex, the armor might be able to cover his whole body depending on the amount of shadows.


    Ex caught the Spriggan¡¯s legs with both of his arms and made it hang upside down.


    Six more arms grew from the back of his armor and all of it were coiled around the Spriggan¡¯s legs.


    ¡ºTowards the black Spriggan¡­!¡»


    Ex swung it around and made the red Spriggan crash into the nearby black Spriggan.


    ¡­¡­He threw a giant!


    ¡¸Lem, you give the instructions!¡¹


    Since Ex said so, I can¡¯t possibly refuse. Although I have no intention of refusing.


    The black Spriggan lost its balance only for a moment, it left the red Spriggan behind and is heading here.


    The biggest threat right now is the yellow Spriggan.


    ¡¸Gather your Magical Energy. Cast Resist.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    They gathered their Magical Energy according to Merlin¡¯s instructions.


    The Spriggans are just like a moving mountain. Actually, they¡¯re not that big, but that¡¯s just how intimidating they are.


    There is no way we can escape.


    There are non-combatants around and the Spriggans have huge bodies. Even if we wanted to avoid the attack, someone else will end up receiving the damage.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll cast Black Magic on it.¡¹


    While holding her wand, Merlin closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them immediately.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll believe in you.¡¹


    Sitri moved around inside my robe¡¯s pocket.


    She probably missed the timing to turn back into her humanoid form.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll help you, Lem.¡¹


    Instantly, I felt clear-headed. I¡¯m in a state where I could fully concentrate on just one thing.


    I quickly realized that it was due to Sitri¡¯s White Magic, but I¡¯ll say my thanks later.


    The Magical Energy that was continually poured into the wand was sublimated into magic, giving it directionality.


    Normally, it would be enough to hit the target with the Black Magic that was emitted.


    But the enemy had already used its Magical Energy to cast Resist on itself.


    It would be difficult to break through this. Even if it is possible to push through by using more Magical Energy, the enemy¡¯s attack will hit us before that happens.


    There is no choice but to hit the enemy rapidly.


    That¡¯s the only way.


    What I did to Aerial together with Foras during the raid battle.


    An armor made of Magical Energy usually has a lot of openings. It¡¯s difficult to make it cover the entire body and it is also annoying for those who can sense Magical Energy.


    However, there are places that you can¡¯t help but instinctively defend.


    Most often, it would be the eyes.


    I waved my wand and emitted the Black Magic¡­


    ¡­toward the eyes of the yellow Spriggan.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The Spriggan held his arm in front of his face as if he had predicted it.


    If the Magical Energy hits his arm, the spell will fail.


    ¡¸I knew it.¡¹


    They already understand my magic.


    So, instead of strengthening the Resist, they¡¯ll show an opening and prepare a countermeasure against it.


    I thought I would do that if I was in their position.


    So I took that into consideration when I released the magic.


    My magic curved to avoid the enemy¡¯s arm and immediately afterward hit the enemy¡¯s eyes.


    The giant body of the Spriggan shook.


    Then it immediately resumed its movements.

 CH 204.2

    204 ¨C The Pitch Black 4th Stratum (Part 2)


    It approached us and with great momentum and¡­it struck the black Spriggan.


    A loud, dull sound echoed.


    The black Spriggan was blown away and the yellow Spriggan started running to kick the red Spriggan that was trying to stand up.


    ¡¸¡­Ha, haha¡­! Lem, you never cease to amaze¡­! What a guy!¡¹


    The only one who is excited is Merlin and the rest of them are still trying to grasp the situation.


    ¡¸I cast Confusion on the yellow Spriggan. Now it recognizes the other Spriggans as enemies, instead of us. If we want to defeat the other Spriggans, we should start with the black or red Spriggan.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, what¡¯s your favorite element among the Four Major Elements¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­I guess it¡¯s Fire.¡¹


    When I immediately answered like that, she laughed.


    ¡¸I knew you¡¯d say that. It gets me fired up to be compared with Fenix.¡¹


    The jewel in Merlin¡¯s wand gave off a dazzling light.


    ¡¸It¡¯s my thanks for showing me something interesting.¡¹


    After being hit by the yellow Spriggan, the black Spriggan was about to stand up to adjust his stance.


    Just as I was wondering why she released sparks to surround the black Spriggan, in the next moment¡­the giant was engulfed by a pillar of fire.


    What was surprising was the firepower.


    Because it only needed a moment.


    When the pillar of fire disappeared, there was nothing left.


    In a blink of an eye, that huge body was completely burnt.


    This is the Wizard of Foresight.


    The Great Wizard that can handle magic equivalent to Spirit Magic, even though she does not have a blessing from a Spirit.


    She has an enormous amount of Magical Energy and the technique needed to control that Magical Energy to activate such large-scale magic.


    ¡¸That¡¯s amazing¡­but¡­¡¹


    Sitri murmured.


    ¡¸Phew, now then, good luck everyone. Since I¡¯ll be useless for a while.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, this kind of magic will consume an enormous amount of Magical Energy from the caster.


    So there will be a huge time gap until it can be cast again.


    Well, that¡¯s just a trivial problem. Since the effect was really great.


    The surprises are just beginning.


    It was done almost simultaneously, but I¡¯ll explain it in order.


    Furcus was fighting against the blue Spriggan.


    Maggie summoned Furcus¡¯s armor, then Furcus went into the armor in the middle of the air just like that.


    She adjusted the size of her spear to fit the armor and taking advantage of gravity, she held her spear downward and fell towards the blue Spriggan.


    The enemy tried to knock her down but failed.


    In the end, he got pierced in the arm, but the spear didn¡¯t stop there.


    He got pierced in the head, then dissipated.


    Next is Arthur.


    This side was even more simple.


    Arthur¡¯s Holy Sword of Light has the blessing of a slashing ability using light and heat.


    Furthermore, the length of the sword can be temporarily extended due to the blessing.


    In other words, it can be made into an unbelievably long sword.


    While it is powerful, it needs to be handled with care, but it is not so difficult to just swing it from top to bottom as it falls from the sky to earth.


    The white Spriggan was split right in half.


    After the confused yellow Spriggan burned the red Spriggan with a thunderbolt level of lightning element, he spaced out after losing his enemy, then we all used that opportunity to defeat him.


    After returning to the ground, the Rabbit Demi-Human and Milla also played a very active role.


    By the way, during this time, Sitri returned to her Dream Demon form. She also put on her clothes.


    After the battle, they all talked about the Black Magic I used.


    When I explained it, they were very surprised.


    I felt like Josh¡¯s respect for me has intensified.


    What I did was included in the category of Black Magic, but the manipulation of Magical Energy and the effect of Confusion were out of the ordinary, so it was no wonder that they reacted that way.


    Aerial once told me that I was the Black Sorcerer version of Panacea.


    Panacea is a former member of the 1st-ranked party and is by far the best White Sorcerer.


    Panacea¡¯s White Magic cannot be measured by common sense.


    There is such a precedent of ¡°non-standard¡± and a lot of people knew about Aerial¡¯s remark, because it was recorded on TV, so they accepted that explanation for the time being.


    It might also be related to the fact that we fought together in the 3rd Stratum.


    This will inevitably lead to some people wondering about what actually happened when I was still a member of the Fenix Party¡­ But as expected, no one is going to ask about it in the middle of a Clear.


    Leaving that aside, we resumed the exploration.


    Speaking of Spriggans, they were the guardians of a treasure.


    They weren¡¯t in front of us from the start, rather they approached us after noticing the shadow birds and animals.


    In other words, they were originally guarding a place somewhere. Then they noticed the intrusion, so they set out to eradicate it.


    So, under the leadership of Ex, we explored the area.


    There was both good news and bad news here.


    First, the good news. We found the treasures that were guarded by each of the five Spriggan.


    Three of them had gold coins in them and the other two had Magical Tools. There was a dagger with a description of ¡°Wounds inflicted with this dagger will never heal¡± and a wand that had the magic of ¡°Fires arrows, wind blades, earth walls, and water balls¡± incorporated in it.


    With this, we have discovered a total of three Magic Tools. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to find this many.


    It is said that there are still many undiscovered and missing Magical Tools in the world and that some of them might be in the hands of the Spirits.


    Next, the bad news.


    Some people had been sent off the field.


    The enemy was¡­a Slime.


    This was a very troublesome enemy.


    A Slime has a spherical core with a mucus-like body surrounding it.


    Physical attacks have little effect on it, and unless the core is destroyed, it cannot be defeated.


    Moreover, depending on the species, they are often covered with mucus that is harmful to humans.


    For example, it can digest any living creature they swallow.


    We were attacked by a Slime that mimicked the pitch-black ground and a number of people ended up being swallowed.


    Its Magical Energy signature was unreadable due to the dense Magical Energy in the space, the birds and animals have avoided it so it managed to pass through Ex¡¯s detection, and Arthur and Furcus were not able to detect it in time due to its weak presence.


    By the time we were about to challenge the Floor Boss, a third of the exploration team, including the non-combatants, were sent off the field.


    The Floor Boss was¡­a Demon.


    The ¡°Demon of ___¡±used in the Monsters¡¯ inscription is only a metaphor, but this one is an imitation of the real thing.


    It has a humanoid form. However, it has a beast-like head, horns, bat-like wings, and even a tail. Its ears are pointed and its claws are sharp. Its entire body is black and radiates an ominous presence.


    We succeeded in defeating the huge Demon, but it was a fierce battle.


    It was a battle that forced us to expose most of our trump cards. It was an illogical move made as if to figure out the diverse types of magic and sturdy bodies that our group have.


    Six people were sent off the field here.


    ¡¸¡­It was as if we were being tested.¡¹


    It seemed like Ex also felt that way.


    Anyway, we also broke through the 4th Stratum.


    We opened the door that led to the 5th Stratum and made a Safe Room after walking a little further.


    More like, we tried to do that.


    There was a text engraved on the wall.


    ¡ºNext is the Trial Room. Those who wish to undergo the Trial of the Spirits must come in with their real body. You are not allowed to enter with an Avatar.¡»


    Everyone was unable to take their eyes off that text.


    There really is a Trial of the Spirits.


    We don¡¯t know what kind of difficult questions will come up, but if someone gets through this Trial, they will receive a reward from the Spirits.


    But I didn¡¯t know that we had to participate in the Trial with our real bodies.


    Well, it¡¯s true that the other side would certainly think that it¡¯s not fair if we could challenge a wish-granting Trial without any danger.


    For the human side, even if the worst case possible happens they can still escape using the Withdrawal feature.


    However, if we use our real bodies, that can¡¯t happen.


    I understand that, but¡­


    In other words, that¡¯s why it¡¯s so dangerous.


    ¡¸For the time being, let¡¯s make a Safe Room. Then we¡¯ll go back and discuss this.¡¹


    I somehow managed to nod to Ex¡¯s words.


    The plan to challenge the next Stratum in the afternoon will also have to be revised.


    Everyone started to move.


    But I¡¯m sure we were all thinking about the same thing.


    Our wish will be granted if we pass the Trial.


    Should we challenge it? If we do, what kind of wish would be granted?


    I also thought about it.


    Then, someone held my hand.


    It was Milla.


    She was looking at me with an anxious expression.


    I gently grasped her hand and smiled.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. I need to live on because I still have my dream of becoming a hero.¡¹


    I can¡¯t choose to risk my life, even if I might be able to get something useful to help me in my path. At least, I can¡¯t make that choice right away.


    Because I know that there are people who care about me.


    However, I ended up challenging the Trial of the Spirits the next day.

 CH 205.1

    205 ¨C Retreat is Prohibited (Part 1)


    I stared at them building the makeshift Safe Room as I had nothing to do.


    Ex approached me from the side while I did this.


    ¡¸You gave orders brilliantly once again today, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much. But¡­why is it that both you and Merlin sought orders from me?¡¹


    There isn¡¯t a single doubt about Ex¡¯s ability to command nor Merlin¡¯s magical prowess.


    Yet I feel as if both of them have been giving me a lot of opportunities to do either despite both of them being more than able to handle the situation at the time.


    ¡¸That Merlin just wants to see your magic.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see. Well, I suppose I was able to learn a lot by seeing Merlin¡¯s magic firsthand.¡¹


    Even if I can¡¯t cast offensive magic, there¡¯s still a lot I can learn from watching how she controls and operates Magical Energy, the time it takes for her to flow Magical Energy into the staff, etc.


    And on Merlin¡¯s side, if there is anything that she can glean from watching my Black Magic, then I¡¯m glad.


    ¡¸As for me¡­I¡­think I would like to just focus on fighting.¡¹


    Ex¡¯s tone became slightly gloomy there.


    ¡¸¡­While it¡¯s customary for a Hero to serve as the leader, it can be a big burden, right?¡¹


    One has to fully understand everything that is going on and call out suitable commands all while giving your all into your own fight.


    I feel as if I understand the difficulties of serving as both a Hero and a leader.


    There is supporting with Black Magic by itself, then when you add battling on top of that, it becomes more difficult. It¡¯s probably similar.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve found that it¡¯s a lot easier to let someone else do the work. Well¡­that someone else, in this case, turns out to be you, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. If I think of that as the price to pay to get front-row seats to watch such Adventurers fight, I¡¯d pay twice the cost.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re pretty positive, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    Ex said as his eyes seemed to be fixed on something in the distance.


    I recalled the talk I had with Merlin.


    I think about it a little, and open my mouth.


    ¡¸Perhaps I¡¯m just afraid of looking back.¡¹


    Saying something more negative than he was expecting, he turns to look at me.


    ¡¸¡­If you were to look back, what do you think you would see?¡¹


    I try imagining it.


    ¡¸The edge of a cliff, I suppose. If I don¡¯t keep moving forward, the ground would crumble before me.¡¹


    An Adventurer is an occupation that is heavily dependent on popularity. The fear that accompanies it is probably the same fear that follows sports athletes.


    Even if you were to achieve something great and get rich from it, that is only during a very short period of time in a person¡¯s entire lifespan.


    Young and talented people keep coming all the time. Only a select few can compete with them and remain in the industry.


    I wonder how many of us will be able to successfully move on with our lives after losing our place in the industry.


    ¡¸Ah, that is indeed scary. All we can do to keep from falling is to keep running ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, facing forward.¡¹


    Even Monsters can¡¯t rest easy.


    Just like Milla in the past, one decision from your boss can result in you being given the cold shoulder, despite being great at your job.


    You could even be on the verge of losing your job when the Dungeon is going through financial difficulties like the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon did.


    Of course, you could always be fired from a Dungeon when they have judged that your abilities are lacking.


    We have no choice but to continue running with all our might in order to attain our goals and not disappear into obscurity.


    ¡¸I wonder if we¡¯ll ever find solid footing.¡¹


    ¡¸At the very least, I have decided on where I¡¯m running to.¡¹


    For me, that¡¯s becoming the hero of the Monsters.


    For Adventurers, that¡¯s becoming 1st ranked.


    After reaching that, I suppose it¡¯s challenging the world¡¯s strongest.


    There are countless things to do.


    ¡¸¡­Indeed.¡¹


    Before I knew it, everyone was glancing this way.


    ¡­It might have to do with my Black Magic, maybe.


    ¡¸I¡¯m just talking to myself here, but¡­¡¹


    Ex prefaced what he is about to say while rubbing his chin.


    I bet he also noticed everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¸I believe Lem¡¯s policy when he was part of the Fenix party was ¡°I will make sure my allies achieve great things using my Black Magic¡±. Moreso than using his own strength to appeal to the public, he chose to take the shortest path to the top of the ranks by helping his allies achieve the best results without them knowing. Considering his goal of reaching the top, at the very least, I know that his methods did not fail.¡¹


    Although, I ended up leaving the party after that.


    We entered the high ranks. We managed to get to the 4th rank.


    ¡¸At the same time, being an Adventurer is not the kind of occupation that rewards those who are competent. This could be said, to some extent, about any industry, I suppose. Especially Lem, who is a Black Sorcerer. There are sadly few who would deny judging the Job, itself, as unnecessary, rather than considering the ability of the person.¡¹


    Even though I have a history of having been a member of the 4th ranked party, I couldn¡¯t find another party.


    That¡¯s how much of a deal-breaker being a Black Sorcerer was.


    ¡¸But of course, there are exceptions. There are parties that employ Black or White Sorcerers, and Lem was, in fact, invited by Aerial and the young Wraith to join their respective parties. He also formed a party together with Fenix.¡¹


    Ex was explaining all this to the Clan members, not to me.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure the question is, if he had power comparable to Panacea, then why hide it from the start? He shouldn¡¯t have done that. That is a very good point, but I would like you all to think about it a little. Fenix and Lem were only thirteen when they debuted. That was seven years ago. Naturally, his policy would have been determined based on his abilities at that time instead of current standards, right?¡¹


    Matching the time until Fenix graduated from the School, my training period lasted three years.


    I was blessed with the best master and surpassed his hellish training, but life isn¡¯t so easy that I can just become a first-rate Black Sorcerer in three years.


    Amassing Magical Energy into the horn, developing my Magical Energy organ, increasing the effectiveness and extending the effect time of my spells, Magical Energy manipulation sense, techniques, etc were all honed when training or through battle experience after I debuted.


    Of course, the plan to rush to the top three was cooked up by my thirteen-year-old self.


    If I could go back in time to when I was thirteen but with the abilities and mentality that I have now, I¡¯m sure I could have found countless other methods.


    ¡¸And then, of course, Black Magic that is too strong would be perceived as Black Sorcery¡­ The reason why is easy to imagine. My party is used to such perception, so we understand. In truth, magic and sorcery are different things. No matter how much one trains Black Magic¡¯s Speed Down, it won¡¯t resemble Black Sorcery¡¯s Complete Stop. Still, popularity can easily rise and fall with a single rumor. You can¡¯t be too cautious.¡¹


    Black Magic and Black Sorcery are different things.


    Similar to how magic is a lower quality version of Spirit Magic. No matter how one trains their magic, it will never reach the level of Spirit Magic.


    Even the magic, that can match the strength of Spirit Magic, by the greatest Wizard Merlin doesn¡¯t get Esoteric attached to her spells.


    She¡¯s so close, yet so far.


    Black Magic cannot reach the levels of Black Sorcery through mere training.


    ¡­Although, I was taught Black Sorcery by my master.


    But anyway, it is true that Black Magic is not connected to Black Sorcery in any way.


    And, like Merlin¡¯s magic, the fact that you can use magic that is exceedingly close to the original magic itself may invite trouble.


    The Ex party took a long time to overcome their predicament.


    There are problems with the decision I made, but there are also reasons as to why I did so.


    ¡¸Anyway, all I know is the fact that Lem has been a big help to this Original Dungeon investigation, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important. We have all been gathered here regardless of our Job and affiliation. Something like one¡¯s past is all trivial.¡¹


    Ex looked around at everyone.


    ¡¸It has been an honor to fight alongside all of you, even the ones who were defeated. If any of you somehow feel the same, then I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that the people who were already defeated can still hear him back at camp. Since Ex casually switched the channel so that everyone could hear.


    ¡¸Heh, once in a while, you give a good speech.¡¹


    Said Merlin, chuckling.


    ¡¸And there¡¯s a certain level of persuasiveness behind it all. As a party made up of ¡°A Hero who formed a contract with the Shadow Spirit, which is outside of the Four Great Spirits¡±, ¡°A Paladin who gained the divine blessing from the Light Spirit, yet another Spirit outside of the usual four, despite not even being a Hero¡±, ¡°A Normal Warrior who can reproduce the characteristics of more than ten Demi-Humans due to a unique ancestry¡±, ¡°A Guardian, a very minor Job that is the opposite of a Destroyer and is even rarer than that¡± and ¡°An exceedingly beautiful Wizard¡± that managed to make it to 2nd rank.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Leaving the other four aside for the time being, what the heck was up with that ¡°Exceedingly beautiful Wizard¡± part? Shouldn¡¯t it be ¡°The abnormal Wizard who can use all four elemental magic that almost exceeds the level of Spirit Magic¡±?¡¹


    Corrects Arthur with a wry smile.


    ¡¸Not at all, my special feature is my beauty. Wouldn¡¯t you say, Maggie?¡¹


    ¡¸Lady Merlin is an extravagant beauty, but I can only marvel at your unparalleled magical talent.¡¹


    ¡¸No no, it is much harder to maintain these proportions. I¡¯m sure you understand?¡¹


    ¡­Merlin is completely in a joking mood right now.


    Having sorted out her emotions, she can classify her past as something to joke about.


    From his attitude, I can see that Arthur is the same.


    Even Ex has a similar expression.


    I can see his shoulders shake as he laughs to himself.


    He was somehow able to understand that I once gave fake smiles, perhaps out of habit from getting used to giving insincere smiles.


    After this and that, the temporary Safe Room was completed.


    With the Teleportation Recording Stone set up, either Avatar or real bodies can instantly teleport here.


    You could return, switch over to your real body and immediately teleport back to take on the Spirit¡¯s trial.


    ¡­Not that I would do that.


    ¡¸Now then, let¡¯s head back.¡¹


    We each touched the Teleportation Recording Stone one by one and returned to camp.


    The discussion that took place after that was concise in reaching its conclusion.


    With the interior of the fifth stratum a mystery, it might have a forced participation mechanic, making the condition of challenging the trial with real bodies extremely dangerous.


    It would be wise not to take part.


    After that, the first and second investigation team patrols the entrance of the Dungeon to look out for any Imitations that might walk out of the first stratum.


    The camp will remain until the Original Dungeon disappears.


    There were no objections.


    To be precise, there was a slight impression that people thought it was a waste of an opportunity to get their wish granted.


    There was no one who expressed an intent to take the challenge.


    Merlin, who wishes to meet with a Spirit, made a sour face but didn¡¯t object.


    If you think about the Imitations that have appeared up to the fourth stratum, you can imagine how dangerous it would be to take the trial in your real body.


    The Spirit¡¯s trial might not necessarily be a battle, but you can¡¯t take that chance.


    Risking one¡¯s life to fight at a critical moment is different from being reckless.


    That¡¯s right, we are not going to be taking the Spirit¡¯s trial.


    Things changed the next day.


    It was actually just after the date changed, in the middle of the night.


    I could sense the unrest in the camp, so I woke up and left the tent.


    Perhaps she had just been woken up by all this, Maggie, who had rare, unkempt, bed hair, was receiving a report.


    ¡¸Did something happen¡­?¡¹

 CH 205.2

    205 ¨C Retreat is Prohibited (Part 2)


    ¡¸Ah¡­Sir Lem¡­ Right, there is¡­how best should I put this¡­¡¹


    I turned to the investigator who gave Maggie the report.


    After receiving a nod to go ahead from Maggie, he turned to face me.


    ¡¸We are in charge of patrolling around the Original Dungeon. If there are any nearby residents or animals approaching, we prevent them from invading the Dungeon and report immediately if anything about the Dungeon has changed.¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    It¡¯s an important role. Even late at night, they check around to make sure it is safe.


    ¡¸Just now, we received similar reports from several places. All the reports were that ¡°An opening was made.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I understood the meaning.


    It¡¯s a guess, but I need time.


    Maggie must be worried as well.


    A structural change now, of all times, and modifications to the exterior as well¡­?


    First of all, this isn¡¯t a modification to suit us.


    I have to see it to know, but like how the fourth stratum was made to be completely black, these new entrances shouldn¡¯t be connected to the new area now.


    If it was gonna do that in the first place, it would¡¯ve been better to create the fifth stratum.


    This means that the number of entrances connected to the first stratum has increased.


    ¡­No.


    ¡¸Has anyone gone into the Dungeon?¡¹


    Interested to know as well, Maggie listens in.


    Apparently, I had called out to him in the middle of his report.


    This is new information that not even she has heard yet.


    ¡¸Following emergency procedures, an Adventurer from the first investigation team tried to infiltrate it but¡­they were defeated the moment they stepped foot in the Dungeon. However, according to the actual person, he couldn¡¯t sense the Avatar receiving any sort of damage.¡¹


    Maggie and I looked at each other.


    ¡¸Directly¡­ But, why¡­?¡¹


    You can¡¯t even enter. Avatars cannot enter.


    It¡¯s the fifth stratum.


    ¡¸If it listened to our discussion, then it should know that the investigation team has chosen not to challenge the fifth stratum. And if this is the response to that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is it trying to invite someone from the investigation team to defy that policy and challenge it?¡¹


    ¡°It might be a bad idea, but if my wish could come true, I would like to try.¡±


    There are people who can¡¯t help but hold thoughts like that.


    Reasoning is what regulates such thoughts.


    But if tempted, desire might overpower reasoning.


    Somehow, I feel like it¡¯s different. It¡¯s not impossible, but it isn¡¯t smart.


    This Spirit would be more likely to pinpoint the individual and guide them to the fifth stratum.


    ¡¸Confirm the whereabouts of all hands and tell them all to be wary of the increased entrances. Also, it is possible that more entrances will be formed. Double the number of patrols.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, ma¡¯am.¡¹


    When he left, my eyes met with Maggie, once again.


    She had a serious expression on her face, but when she looked at my appearance, she seemed to remember that she, too, had just gotten out of her cot.


    She hurriedly combs her hair with her fingers and bows. It¡¯s like she¡¯s trying to hide her face from my field of vision as much as possible.


    ¡¸I-I have shown you something unseemly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Oh, no, I don¡¯t look great right now either.¡¹


    ¡¸It is an emergency, yes?¡¹


    ¡­And right on cue.


    I figured she¡¯d show up around this time.


    Maggie¡¯s shoulders jolted in shock.


    Milla, groomed to perfection, comes to my side.


    ¡¸Were you having a serious conversation?¡¹


    Being completely right, we nodded repeatedly.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to imagine that there¡¯s anyone within the investigation team who would ignore the order and challenge the trial but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes. The problem is¡­¡¹


    The gentle air around us disappears.


    ¡¸¡­if the surrounding residents get involved.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­We should inform the village. Tell them to not heed anything the Spirit tells them.¡¹


    It¡¯s awkward to wake the villagers at this time of night, but this isn¡¯t the time for that.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll go.¡¹


    ¡¸Arthur and I will go as well.¡¹


    Before we knew it, Ex and Arthur were here.


    Having the two members of the 2nd ranked party along is reassuring,


    It should help everyone understand the seriousness of the situation.


    ¡¸I shall accompany you as well.¡¹


    Milla raised her voice.


    It will take time to wake all the villagers and confirm their whereabouts. The more people helping out, the easier it¡¯ll get.


    Borrowing a few other investigators, we hurried to the village via horse carriage.


    Speaking of the conclusion to that¡­it was the worst possible result.


    As we woke everyone up, we confirmed that¡­thirteen people have gone missing.


    Everyone who realized the seriousness of the situation gathered in the village assembly hall, and everyone was upset. The families of the missing people were especially distraught.


    It¡¯s only natural. Because someone they love has disappeared into an unknown Dungeon to challenge a trial, to which its contents are unknown.


    It¡¯s also natural that there are those who blame us as the ones responsible.


    ¡¸Enough. Preventing the tricks of a Spirit on top of trying to Clear a Dungeon is too much. I do not believe that this situation was caused by the investigation team¡¯s negligence, so it is illogical to blame them.¡¹


    The village elder kindly said that, and the scene somehow calmed down enough for us to have a talk.


    ¡¸I believe the Spirit lures people out by telling them that it can grant their wishes. Is there anyone here¡­who heard the voice of the spirit?¡¹


    In response, several people raised their hands.


    My dad was among those who did.


    Hearing all their testimonies, it boiled down to this¡­


    ¡­the Spirit basically said ¡°If those strong of heart were to overcome my trial, I shall grant you a wish.¡±, whispering into their ears.


    ¡¸¡­You didn¡¯t think about taking up its offer?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have a wish for the Spirit to grant.¡¹


    He isn¡¯t just my father, but also a man of a strong heart.


    But just what is the Spirit¡¯s aim?


    To gather those who succumbed to temptation and point out those with a strong heart¡­?


    No, I know its aim.


    It¡¯s to bait us to enter.


    ¡¸While I don¡¯t expect this to relieve your worries, this does not appear to be a Spirit that kills people. If it was a Spirit that enjoyed murdering people, it would have long since caused some casualties among the investigation team by now.¡¹


    It tried to reproduce Dungeon Clears as much as possible and tried its hardest to crush us.


    In the end, it was following all the rules.


    If a strong enemy is defeated, it unsparingly rewards us.


    Its recent actions are most likely because we lost the motivation to challenge the deepest depths.


    It¡¯s telling us to come and fight till the end.


    ¡¸Wh-what¡¯ll happen if they fail the trial¡­?¡¹


    That shaking voice belonged to one of the trio from before. The remaining two disappeared.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know. But I promise you this. We will bring every single one of them back alive. I swear it.¡¹


    A hand gripped me tightly on the shoulder.


    It was Ex.


    ¡¸Well said, Lem. Of course, the Ex party will take part in this rescue operation as well. I¡¯m sure you are all feeling uneasy, but please rest assured. We will help them. I promise.¡¹


    I sensed that everyone¡¯s anxiety alleviated slightly at the declaration from the strong Hero from the 2nd ranked party.


    In the end, both my parents and Hawk and Canary all had worried looks on their faces.


    I smiled at them and left.


    ¡¸Lem¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t have the time to respond to Milla¡¯s worried voice.


    ¡¸I am certain that this Spirit holds no ill will towards people. It had the evil intentions needed to defend its Dungeon, but it isn¡¯t wicked enough to hurt a person¡¯s real body. As Lem said, there will be no casualties.¡¹


    Arthur responded to Ex¡¯s words.


    ¡¸¡­Yes, however, the fifth stratum has a condition that you must enter with your real body. Even if no one will die, I can think of penalties. Have the thirteen who disappeared even entered the fifth stratum in the first place? Aren¡¯t the entrances being watched?¡¹


    ¡¸Spatial Mobility is a possibility. I¡¯m sure that there are plenty of ways to get around the patrols using Spirit Magic.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m curious about the strong of heart part, too. Is it a trial that even villagers can overcome? Or did it prepare a trial for the villagers and a different one for us? There is too little information.¡¹


    ¡¸Fortunately, we have communication devices. One person enters the fifth stratum and lets everyone know the situation.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¹


    Even on the carriage ride back to camp, the two of them continued talking constructively.


    When I returned to the camp, I immediately got my equipment in order.


    My Black Sorcerer robes, my sword cane, and the sword I received from my dad.


    I¡¯m fine and healthy.


    I leave the tent, and Furcus was right there.


    Her brown tanned skin, her face framed by her bright white hair that follows the contours of her face, curling up and down at some parts. Her purple eyes do not betray her emotions. She¡¯s a young woman of small stature that has a chest that is paradoxically voluptuous which tends to draw attention.


    The Reaper Knight Furcus. The Floor Boss of the eighth stratum in the Demon King Castle. My swordmaster.


    ¡¸Lem, bend forward.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Uhm, I¡¯m kind of in a hurry.¡¹


    ¡¸Master¡¯s orders.¡¹


    ¡­¡­


    Furcus gave me guidance but never once did she order me.


    For someone like her to say something like that, I suppose it¡¯s something serious.


    I did as she said and leaned forward.


    In a flash, her small hands pinched both of my cheeks.


    Her soft hands squeezed and stretched my cheeks.


    ¡¸Your strong points¡­are your passionate heart and a clear head.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You have a clear head even when frustrated. When surprised. When afraid. Your heart is strong. So, Lem, don¡¯t lose your head when angry. You become weak.¡¹


    I could feel my hot head get cooler.


    She¡¯s right. I was angry at there being missing people from my village and causing everyone to worry.


    And that led to cracks in my composure.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Yes, master.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm. You¡¯re still inexperienced. You need more training.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I shall devote myself.¡¹


    I laughed. I managed to laugh. I was able to secure my peace of mind. This is good.


    I join the others alongside Furcus.

 CH 206

    206 ¨C A Dream


    ¡¸¡­I planned on going alone.¡¹


    ¡¸If you say you¡¯re going, then I¡¯m going too.¡¹


    Ex and Arthur are childhood friends. It¡¯s said that they were good friends since before their Jobs were identified.


    Even if it¡¯s fighting in the flesh, one will not let the other go alone.


    ¡¸It seems the Spirit really wants to meet us. It went to all the trouble to send us such an invitation, how could I refuse?¡¹


    It seems Merlin is going too.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going too. I would like everyone in the village to rest easy as soon as possible.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I am going as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Me too.¡¹


    ¡¸Then I guess Sitri will go too~. I¡¯d hate to be the only one left behind.¡¹


    The participants have been decided.


    The Jet-Black Hero Ex, the Knight Lord Arthur, the Wizard of Foresight Merlin, the Black Sorcerer Lem, the Blood Manipulator Milla, the Reaper Knight Furcus, and the Demon of Love Sitri.


    Both Milla and I have another name, those being the Vampire Queen Carmilla and the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton respectively.


    ¡¸¡­It appears any attempt to talk you all out of this would be fruitless. As the person in charge of all this, I must remain. ¡­Everyone, please be careful.¡¹


    Getting our blessing from Maggie, we head out.


    ¡¸Lem!¡¹


    It¡¯s Josh.


    ¡¸¡­Um¡­I¡­wanna go too¡­¡¹


    His sentiment makes me happy. Truly.


    ¡¸You heard about the villagers, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes.¡¹


    ¡¸We will definitely bring them back, so I want you to check their health when we get back. Can I count on you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­Yes! I¡¯ll discuss with the White Sorcerers and medical staff, and await your return!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    Even now, we used the Teleportation Recording Stone to teleport to the Safe Room.


    Not using the new entrances that were created as a matter of certainty.


    The nervousness caused by challenging a Dungeon with your real body was more than expected.


    Even so, we did not stop.


    We continued along until the door that leads to the fifth stratum.


    Ex places a hand on the door to open it by himself.


    The other side was pitch dark and nothing was visible.


    ¡¸We move forward cautiously.¡¹


    Said Ex as he looks around at all of us.


    We take a step out, and then¡­


    ¡ó


    ¡¸L-Lem¡­¡¹


    My sleeve was being tugged.


    Fenix looked at me with a worried look on his face.


    It was noon.


    In the forest.


    There were many people of similar age to us in a row walking forward.


    ¡¸Hm? Oh, sorry. I was spacing out.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see¡­¡¹


    My best friend looks like he¡¯s trying to smile but failing.


    ¡¸What¡¯s up, Fenix? Nervous?¡¹


    There is a ceremony that is held once a year where all the children who would turn ten years old that year are gathered.


    In each region, they are taken to the nearest temple.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­ You¡­look like you¡¯re having fun.¡¹


    Even though it¡¯s a ceremony, we only go to one of the temples in the world, led by the village adults.


    In any case, I was nervous.


    But my excitement levels were higher.


    My Job will be identified today.


    ¡¸Little Feeny¡¯s gonna turn out to be a Crybaby Job, right? I mean, he already is! Ahaha!¡¹


    Said one of the three idiots, so I kicked him in the ass.


    ¡¸Yeah? Then you¡¯re gonna get the Fool Job. Know what a fool is?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡­ Lem, if you don¡¯t turn out to be a Hero, we¡¯re all gonna laugh at you!¡¹


    ¡¸I will definitely be a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸No way!¡¹¡¸What kinda Hero fights using pitfall traps!¡¹¡¸You ain¡¯t strong in a fight, yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s that? I think I hear the cries of three little kids who end up crying every time because of said weakling who uses pitfalls. Is that coming from you three?¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk.¡¹¡¸Ugh.¡¹¡¸Mm.¡¹


    These three idiots aren¡¯t fun, I¡¯ll just ignore them.


    ¡¸Lem¡­ If you become a Hero, will you leave the village¡­?¡¹


    Said Fenix with a worried look on his face.


    He looked like a pretty boy straight out of the TV, but he was timid.


    We became friends ¡¯cause we lived next door to each other, but he¡¯d always hide behind my back like a scared baby chick.


    He ain¡¯t good with other people, and he only joins me playing with the other kids when I ask him to.


    I thought he was a little strange at first, but I got it when we played together.


    This guy can¡¯t go with the flow. He just can¡¯t seem to do it.


    He can¡¯t speak or move unless he carefully thinks and gives a proper answer.


    That¡¯s his quirk.


    Words can wait, and so can thoughts. If you¡¯re in trouble, you can think about it together.


    That¡¯s what friends are for.


    Above all else, Fenix is a good guy.


    But even so, there are many guys like those three idiots who mess with him coz he doesn¡¯t fit in.


    ¡¸¡¯Course I will. I¡¯ll go to a village with a School.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I s-see¡­¡¹


    Just that was enough to make Fenix look like he was about to cry.


    I mean, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m not worried about leaving my best friend behind.


    ¡¸If ya get a Job fit for an Adventurer, let¡¯s form a party together.¡¹


    ¡¸M-me? ¡­N-no way. I can¡¯t¡­can¡¯t fight¡­ A-and besides¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re not interested?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯re ya apologizing for? It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll cheer you on. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be the best hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, you really are a nice guy.¡¹


    I said temple, but the nearest one to our village is in ruins.


    With broken columns and weirdly shaped broken rocks scattered around.


    Only one thing was maintained, the statue of God.


    One person stands in front of the statue at a time and closes their eyes.


    Then, God will tell them what their Job is.


    I think the ceremony happens all around the world, I wonder if God can be at all these places at once. I guess so, coz he¡¯s God? I don¡¯t really get it, but it¡¯s amazing.


    ¡¸Well then, who¡¯s next?¡¹


    Said the old man village mayor who is acting as the mediator.


    I shot my hand straight up.


    ¡¸Ooh, ooh, me! Me! I¡¯ll do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Oho, Lem, huh? Well, come on, then.¡¹


    I run straight up to the front of the statue and stopped for a moment.


    Something¡¯s not right.


    Almost like¡­I know what¡¯s going to happen.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, Lem? Nervous?¡¹


    ¡¸No way!¡¹


    I say back to the old man and close my eyes.


    In my head, my Job was told to me.


    Hero.


    Something¡¯s not right.


    ¡¸So whaddya get, Lem?! Did you become a Hero?¡¹¡¸No matter how you look at it, he¡¯s gonna be a Lumberjack!¡¹¡¸What if he¡¯s a Black Sorcerer?! Oh no~, Black Magic~. Ahaha!¡¹


    Why¡­?


    Why?!


    Why¡­do I feel like this? I don¡¯t get it.


    I¡¯ve become a Hero just like I¡¯ve always wanted.


    But why does it feel wrong? That strange thought swirls around my insides. Twisting. Churning.


    ¡¸Lem¡­?¡¹


    It¡¯s Fenix¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸I¡¯m¡­a Hero.¡¹


    Suppressing my bad feeling down, I say that.


    Everyone was surprised.


    The mouths of the three idiots hung open, the old man yelled¡¸Oooh!¡¹in joy, and my friends all congratulated me.


    ¡¸¡­Congratulations, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Why the heck are you crying?¡¹


    I smile at my best friend, who is crying and wiping his tears on his sleeve.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m just so happy¡­for you. I think you d-deserve to be a hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah? ¡­Thanks.¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    My best friend is happy for me even knowing that this means we¡¯ll be separated.


    Why was I worried about that wrong feeling I had?


    I¡¯m sure the reality of it just hasn¡¯t hit me yet.


    ¡¸I¡¯m gonna create the strongest party and become 1st ranked!¡¹


    I declare once again.


    ¡ºThere are many who are strong in battle. What I wish to see are those who are strong in battle and strong in heart. Those who would choose to return to live through this bitter, painful reality even when given their ideal world.¡»


    ¡¸Did you say something, Fenix?¡¹


    I feel like I could hear some kind of whispering.


    A muffled voice, like I¡¯m hearing it through a wall or barrier.


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    Fenix shook his head. Teardrops scattering and falling to the ground while reflecting light.


    ¡º¡­How surprising. It seems a part of you still remains in reality. Interesting. When you have completely embraced the dream, you have failed the trial. I shall give you your ideal world for all eternity. Fall into everlasting slumber. However, if even one of you manages to return to reality¡­I shall awaken all those who have failed and grant your desire.¡»


    That voice again. It¡¯s, like, even harder to hear now.


    ¡¸Wha-, Lumberjack?!¡¹


    One of the three idiots yelled out.


    I should be paying more attention to his Job than some weird disembodied voice.


    Anyway, I¡¯m a Hero. I got it.


    From now on, I¡¯ll gather reliable allies, lead them to victory over and over again, excite the world and dash up the world rankings.


    Nothing would make me happier.


    I have the best time of my life waiting for me.


    And yet¡­what the heck?


    What is this pain in my chest, like it¡¯s telling me something?


    I can¡¯t get the idea that my best friend in front of me will make a better Hero than I will out of my head.


    I just don¡¯t get it¡­

 CH 207

    207 ¨C The Ideal World?


    Ten years have passed since my Job was identified.


    My party has made it to the world¡¯s 4th rank, and we aim to rank up even higher¡­by challenging the Demon King Castle.


    The world¡¯s 4th ranked party, the Lem party, has broken through the first stratum.


    ¡¸Yo, why the long face, Lem?¡¹


    Said Alba, the Warrior in my party.


    A gruff young man with short, gray hair and a sharp gaze. In addition to his sleeveless tunic, he has on a breastplate over where his heart is.


    He freely exposes his trained upper body with his light armor, allowing him to move quickly, which is a selling point of a Warrior.


    We graduated in the same year at the School.


    As a country boy Flame Hero who formed a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits, the way I spoke with restraint didn¡¯t get me any admirers. I was either watched from afar or approached out of obvious self-interest, and the other Heroes would openly hate me.


    Among the students, Alba brazenly challenged me to a match.


    After the battle, he said¡¸Man, you¡¯re strong! Hey, let¡¯s form a party!¡¹and laughed.


    When I told him that I was aiming to be 1st rank, he said¡¸Well, duh! If we¡¯re going to do this, we gotta aim for the top!¡¹.


    There are actually very few people who think like him.


    Even if they say it, those who understand the current state of the industry just aim to survive. The majority are just trying to make it as an Adventurer.


    Most students were attending just because they have combat-oriented Jobs, most of them weren¡¯t that interested.


    Among them, for him to seriously challenge the Flame Hero thinking he could win and say that aiming for 1st rank is obvious, makes him a part of a minority.


    This makes him admirable and like-minded.


    His foul mouth is a problem, but we decided to form a party.


    After graduating, we gathered three new allies and made our debut.


    ¡¸Hm? Oh, I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    It¡¯s become a tradition for us to celebrate after a successful Dungeon Clear.


    In a noisy tavern, we sit around a round table.


    ¡¸We¡¯re counting on ya, leader. We¡¯ve only Cleared the first stratum, yknow?¡¹


    ¡¸I know, I know.¡¹


    The first stratum of the Demon King Castle is the Watchdog¡¯s Realm.


    It was a wasteland field where packs of Hellhounds appeared.


    The rare Monster was the Invisible Slaughterer Glasya-Labolas.


    The Floor Boss is the Watchdog of Hell Naberius.


    Glasya-Labolas¡¯s ability to make his allies invisible was annoying, but it¡¯s not like their Magical Energy signatures disappeared.


    I burned the ground just the right amount, then the Hunter Lily pierces them with her honed eyesight.


    After Glasya-Labolas was defeated, Alba used his Extending Magic Sword to sweep the area.


    The Paladin Lark was as stable as a rock today too, and the newbie, the Frost Hero Bella, was in fine form.


    ¡¸If I may, I wish I could have been given more chance to shine.¡¹


    Muttered Bella.


    Long blue-tinged white hair, ice-like eyes, and an outfit that contrasts between black and white, all of which give her an ephemeral look. She is only thirteen years old, yet she has already graduated.


    Her Holy Sword was a rapier type.


    A little while ago, one of our members had to leave the party to return to their hometown, so she is a newly accepted member of the party.


    ¡¸Ahaha, is that so? Then maybe I¡¯ll give Bella time to shine next time.¡¹


    In order for the viewers to accept Bella, it is necessary for them to get to know her.


    ¡¸You gotta be more aggressive, Bella. You gotta go in thinking about defeating the enemy before any of us do.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Alba¡¯s Magic Sword is quite the nuisance, so if I were to awkwardly freeze everything, I would freeze your sword along with the Monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸What was that?¡¹


    ¡¸Enough with the glaring, Alba.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, this doesn¡¯t involve you, ya Tsun Tsun Elf.¡¹


    Alba and Lily don¡¯t get along.


    And yet, they can coordinate very well, so I don¡¯t see it as an issue.


    ¡¸There you go again with your indecipherable descriptions¡­ At any rate, Bella has a point. Knowing that this team structure is still new to us, we must fight having understood Bella¡¯s strong points.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Tsk. Yeah, I know¡­¡¹


    Lark just stares into empty space by himself, carrying food to his mouth.


    It¡¯s rare for him to actively participate in the conversation. He replies if you talk to him, so it¡¯s not like he hates conversations.


    ¡¸By the way, Leader¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What is it, Bella?¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­pardon me if I misunderstood, but it seemed like you were having a bad day today.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What makes you say that?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh no, it¡¯s just¡­ You looked like you were having difficulties fighting. My apologies, I¡¯m just a newbie, and yet I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s good to speak your mind because I believe that to be the foundation of a healthy party.¡¹


    ¡¸Then¡­how are you feeling, truly?¡¹


    ¡¸I feel fine. It¡¯s just¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s just¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸You were right. As you said, I felt like it was difficult to fight. I thought perhaps that was due to how high level the Monsters of the Demon King Castle are.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­see.¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t a lie, but it wasn¡¯t the whole truth either.


    When I defeated the Hellhounds, I saw strange images flash through my mind.


    Images of me petting them¡­fighting alongside them.


    I saw the same thing when Glasya-Labolas was defeated, and I had visions of me having a friendly conversation with Naberius in Demi-Human form rather than the Cerberus form.


    There¡¯s no way I could have discussed such mysterious visions with my allies.


    To dodge the question, I carry the jug of beer to my mouth, and for some reason, I look at the contents of it.


    I saw the reflection of my face on the liquid¡¯s surface.


    For some reason, there was a single horn growing from the side of my head¡­


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    I involuntarily let go of the jug.


    It hit the table and spilled beer everywhere.


    ¡¸Whoa, hey, what¡¯s the matter?!¡¹


    Alba looked at me with concern.


    I quickly put a hand to my head, but of course, there was no horn growing there.


    ¡¸S-sorry¡­ I think I¡¯ll head back first.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? The hell? You alright, Lem? You really are acting weird today.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Right now, I¡­¡¹


    What was that¡­?


    I don¡¯t want to be here anymore, so I quickly escape the tavern.


    Wait¡­which way was the inn?


    We just used it this morning, yet my memory of it is vague.


    I wandered around until I spot a clothes shop.


    This is my first time seeing it, yet I feel like I¡¯ve been here with someone before.


    The vision of a beautiful blonde woman flashes in my mind. I can¡¯t see her face clearly.


    In the next instant, my reflection in the shop window¡­changes to that of a Black Sorcerer-robed figure.


    ¡¸¡­?! Wh-what the hell¡­?!¡¹


    This is genuinely strange.


    I have no relation to a Black Sorcerer. I have never once worn their garb.


    And yet¡­I look far more suited in them than in a Hero outfit.


    I walk away from that place and ended up wandering into the marketplace.


    ¡¸Fruits! Would you like some fruits¡­!¡¹


    It was a child¡¯s voice.


    I look to the fruit stall¡­no, it¡¯s coming from beside it.


    There was a child selling fruits spread out on a piece of cloth.


    A modestly clothed dog Demi-Human little girl.


    She had fluffy brown hair, and her cute round eyes were a pale green.


    Her voice and expression were stiff out of shyness.


    ¡¸F-fruits¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Whoa, aren¡¯t you Flame Hero Lem?!¡¹


    The bald man next door called out in surprise.


    ¡¸Ah, uhm¡­yes, well¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Holy cow! What are you doing in a place like this? Oh, before you answer that, ya gotta give me your autograph!¡¹


    Pressured by the man¡¯s enthusiasm, I give him my autograph while also asking him to lower his voice.


    I pulled over my hood, surprised that no one else had recognized me by now.


    ¡¸¡­That girl, does she work here?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, she¡¯s a hardworking girl who wants to help her family in any way she can.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that¡­so¡­?¡¹


    I lean over in front of her and ask¡¸May I have one?¡¹.


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­!¡¹


    Her ears stand up in surprise and she hurriedly but carefully selects a fruit.


    Without meaning to, my expression relaxes at the sight of her serious face.


    ¡¸Is¡­this OK?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯ll do. Thanks.¡¹


    I pay for it and receive the fruit.


    ¡¸U-uhm¡­are you¡­famous?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Ah, aha¡­I wonder. I¡¯m an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I¡­don¡¯t have a TV at home¡­sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, no, it¡¯s fine. Thanks again for the fruit.¡¹


    ¡¸S-sure. Uhm, thank you very much!¡¹


    Cute kid.


    Although, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be meeting her again.


    For some reason, the fruit I took a bite out of tasted nostalgic¡­


    ¡ºI¡­wanna form¡­a contract¡­with Lem¡­¡»


    Why¡­do I feel like I¡¯m about to cry¡­


    ¡ó


    Since then, we continued Clearing the Demon King Castle one stratum after the other.


    The second stratum, the Realm of the Necromancer.


    While fighting Zombies and Skeletons, I was fortunate that no strange visions flashed before me.


    However, I did get them when fighting with the Black Wound Hunter Leraje and the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris.


    Visions of going to a strategy meeting and talking with Leraje and¡­Lily, for some reason.


    The third stratum, the Realm of the Vampires.


    This is where things felt really wrong.


    We defeated the Vampires, solved the puzzles in the mansion, and faced off with the Floor Boss in the underground chamber.


    The Vampire Queen Haagenti.


    She was a fearsome foe, but all I could think was¡­


    It¡¯s not her.


    The Floor Boss of the third stratum isn¡¯t Haagenti. That incomprehensible feeling would stay in my head and never go away.


    ¡ºLem.¡»


    I could hear a voice gently calling my name, it was enough to make my head hurt.


    I couldn¡¯t suppress the pain in my chest.


    I felt a warmth every time I could hear that voice, but it soon fades because I can¡¯t grasp the identity of the speaker.


    I feel like it¡¯s someone incredibly important, but I have no memory of them.


    The more I advanced through the Demon King Castle, the worse my headache became.


    The fourth stratum, the Realm of Werewolves.


    They all look alike, yet I am able to distinguish every single one of them. How do I even know their names?


    I even relive an impossible memory of training together with the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias.


    The fifth stratum, the Realm of Dream Demons.


    Just like the previous stratum, I am able to distinguish each of these lovely Dream Demons. What¡¯s more, I knew who the Floor Boss was at a glance.


    A cat-like girl with pink hair. She said she was the Demon of Love Sitri.


    The sixth stratum, the Realm of Aquatic Monsters.


    I am no longer surprised that all the mermaids and fishmen look familiar to me.


    My memory of how kindly the Sea Monster Forneus talks or how great it felt to ride on his back are just my imagination playing tricks on me.


    The unexpected side of the Ruler of the Waters Vepar that I know of is just an illusion.


    The seventh stratum, the Realm of Sky and Trials.


    I recall being carried by the Birdmen or the Phantom Thief Crow Raum.


    I recall solving riddle after riddle created by the Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim.


    The eighth stratum, the Realm of Warriors.


    I remember asking the Dragonkin for a match.


    I know that the Reaper Knight Furcus is actually a small framed girl and that she pilots that suit of armor as a Magic Tool rather than wear it like armor.


    She¡¯s a glutton, a woman of few words, yet can crack jokes and a harsh yet kind swordmaster.


    The ninth stratum, the Realm of Space-time.


    I know how strong all the Majins are.


    I know that the Time Demon Agares boasts tremendous power, but has a weakness for small children. Particularly little girls.


    ¡¸Dammit¡­¡¹


    I feel like I¡¯m going crazy.


    There¡¯s information in my head about things I have no way of knowing.


    Memories of things I have no way of experiencing pop into my head like it¡¯s second nature.


    And yet, it disappears when I try to remember more details.


    Like trying your hardest to recall the contents of a fading dream you had as you awaken.


    In a room in an inn, I am holding my head in my hands.


    ¡¸My head feels like it¡¯s going to split open¡­¡¹


    Just a little more, and we¡¯ll have Cleared the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    A feat that even the Aerial party could not accomplish.


    Once we have, we¡¯ll aim for even greater heights.


    Knock knock There was a knock on my door.


    ¡¸Lem¡­?¡¹


    That voice¡­ It sounds so familiar.


    I hurry to my feet and rush to the door.


    When I opened it, what I saw was the face of my best friend who I haven¡¯t seen in a while.


    ¡¸Fenix¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a long time, Lem.¡¹


    My best friend, who turned out to be a Priest ten years ago, had a gentle smile on his face.

 CH 208

    208 ¨C What if there was Something that Cannot Be Let Go?


    ¡¸What are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you found me via my Magical Energy signature again?¡¹


    I just blurted that out, which caused Fenix to stare blankly at me.


    ¡¸¡­? Again? I¡¯m not sure I understand, but I¡¯ve never been able to do that sort of thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Y-yeah, that¡¯s right. Heh. My bad.¡¹


    When he said that to me, I realized how crazy I sounded.


    What the hell am I saying?


    ¡¸Besides, you are the one who called me.¡¹


    ¡¸T-that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Yeah, I¡­I remembered that Fenix¡¯s place of work was in the town where the Demon King Castle is, so I contacted him.


    He came from his workplace in his Priest garb.


    ¡¸Are you alright? If you¡¯re not feeling well, would you like an examination?¡¹


    Those with the Priest Job have an Aptitude for White Magic.


    I thought it was a Job well suited to the kind-hearted Fenix who can empathize with people¡¯s pain.


    ¡¸Nah, getting a physical examination by a man doesn¡¯t sound very exciting.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡­this has nothing to do with male or female.¡¹


    ¡¸You sure? Won¡¯t your heart be pounding if a beautiful woman did it?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve trained myself to not look onto those who have come to help me with wicked thoughts.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, is there even training for that kinda thing?¡¹


    ¡¸Jokes aside, are you sure you¡¯re OK? You look pale.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m fi~ne. Let¡¯s go get some grub.¡¹


    ¡¸R-right¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s been a long time since we last met.


    Even though I say he¡¯s my best friend, that¡¯s just how life is.


    But despite the time apart, I can talk with him like how I used to just as soon as I meet him.


    We talked about what we¡¯ve been up to these days, laughed about old stories, and ate.


    ¡¸Hey, Lem. Do you remember that time? The day your Job was identified?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸That time, you told me something. You said that if I got a combat-oriented Job, we¡¯d form a party together.¡¹


    ¡¸I remember saying that, yeah.¡¹


    Fenix smiled broadly as he got nostalgic.


    ¡¸I was happy. Even though you were aiming to be the world¡¯s 1st rank, you still invited someone like me.¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t say that because you were my friend, y¡¯know.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Really?¡¹


    ¡¸I did it because I knew that you were really strong.¡¹


    ¡¸Strong? ¡­Me?¡¹


    Fenix looked surprised.


    ¡¸No matter what happened, you never looked down on anyone, and you even worried about me over your own injuries when you were hurt. I always thought that that was amazing. I¡­ On that day, I¡­I truly thought that you would become a Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­.That¡¯s impossible.¡¹


    ¡¸it is possible¡­!¡¹


    I¡¯ve always thought that countless times.


    The whole being a Hero, getting the blessing of the Fire Spirit, the Holy Sword. Everything.


    They all suit him way better than it does me.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, is¡­that what you would prefer?¡¹


    When I looked at Fenix, his attire had changed.


    He was wearing the Hero outfit I was wearing not too long ago.


    But after I blinked, he returned to his Priest garb.


    ¡¸You said you¡¯ll be the greatest Hero, right? I¡¯ll be cheering you on.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ah, yeah. Thanks. Hey, Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you¡­happy? With your life right now?¡¹


    Fenix didn¡¯t say anything, he just gave a troubled smile.


    After that, we talked about random things and had fun.


    After parting with my best friend, I returned to the inn.


    I wonder when I¡¯ll see him again.


    Maybe I never will.


    ¡ó


    We¡¯ve arrived at the tenth stratum of the Demon King Castle.


    A dark hallway.


    At the end lies something like a throne.


    Sitting atop it was a Majin, who slowly rose.


    That Majin only had one horn.


    I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before.


    ¡ºThis truly is a well-made ideal world.¡»


    I could feel my body get heavier.


    Speed Down¡­ It¡¯s Black Magic!


    I immediately try to Resist it.


    ¡ºI wanted to be a Hero. Even now, I aim to be a hero. However, why do you think you are unable to fully give yourself over blissfully to this world?¡»


    The tone of his voice is a little different, but it somehow sounds familiar.


    ¡¸Alba! Use your Magic Sword! Bella, freeze him!¡¹


    ¡ºYou are not the leader of that party.¡»


    There was no response from the two of them.


    I turned to look at them, but there was no one there.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    They were gone.


    Like they never existed in the first place.


    Alba, Lily, Lark, Bella¡­all gone.


    The only ones here are the Majin and me.


    ¡ºEven if this world is an ideal one for a child who dreamed of being a hero, it is not an ideal one for a Black Sorcerer who lives to become a hero.¡»


    What is this Majin talking about?


    The black-robed Majin removed his mask.


    And what was underneath it was¡­my face.


    ¡ó


    What is the best way to describe this sensation?


    It¡¯s like being lucid in a dream, but your own body is moving on its own regardless of you in the dream.


    Finally.


    I was somehow able to appear in front of him as Lemegeton.


    This is a trial where only the strong of heart may succeed.


    I am grateful that the Demon King Castle, a place that strongly reminds me of my actual life, could make an appearance in the dream world as well.


    Because of how my life has changed here, I never had the chance to meet my master or Milla.


    However, purely because I am aiming to be the greatest Adventurer, there is no avoiding having to Clear the Demon King Castle.


    Also, the town where the Demon King Castle is is packed with cherished memories.


    Thanks to that, I was able to remember my allies every time I Cleared a stratum.


    While walking through town, cherished memories were triggered.


    With all that accumulation, I was given a body with my own mind that I could move with within the dream.


    I was able to gain a strong heart to overcome the dream.


    The One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton is now facing off¡­


    ¡­with the Flame Hero Lem.


    The Lem of this world didn¡¯t live a life free of hardships, but it was fulfilling.


    I was accepted by the world, and the world watches my every move with great interest.


    Loads of children admire me, and I¡¯m able to excite people all over the world.


    Of course, I lead my allies to victory over and over again.


    The ideal world. The best environment. A wonderful life.


    And yet, there is a reason that I wasn¡¯t swallowed up by it.


    That being, I would be leaving behind a lot of important things in reality.


    And above all¡­she isn¡¯t here.


    The person who supported me as a Black Sorcerer. The person who showed me a new dream.


    This world may be ideal, but it isn¡¯t perfect.


    It¡¯s lacking that important someone.


    ¡¸This dream¡­wasn¡¯t made from my desires. All you did was read my mind and create it, right?¡¹


    I say to the Spirit, who I am sure is watching.


    ¡¸I certainly did want to be a Hero. Things would have been amazing if I could have formed a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits. But¡­¡¹


    I close the gap between me and the confused Flame Hero Lem.


    I take a deep breath.


    I put all my thoughts into words.


    Things that I wanted to say, no matter what.


    Things that cannot be forgotten, no matter what.


    You know, I don¡¯t know what you think you¡¯re doing but¡­


    ¡¸There is nothing in this world that I want bad enough to steal my best friend¡¯s place¡­!¡¹


    Lem took a step back.


    ¡¸What¡­what are you saying? Why do you have my face?¡¹


    ¡¸Meeting master! The days toiling together with Fenix! Cashew! Milla! Everyone I met ever since joining the Demon King Castle! There¡¯s no way I can go on without them!¡¹


    ¡¸What are you saying? Wh-what are you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Even if I don¡¯t get to love the future I dreamed of as a child! I never once thought about getting rid of the life I live now! I don¡¯t care if I don¡¯t get to live in an ideal world! Everything that matters to me is right there in reality!¡¹


    ¡¸No!¡¹


    Lem yells.


    The me that lived in this ideal world, screams in panic.


    It seems that he, too, has realized what I am.


    No, he¡¯s known for quite a while, but he probably pretended not to know.


    ¡¸Are you an idiot¡­? Have you forgotten the time since you became a Black Sorcerer? All the kids in the village made fun of you, and Fenix turned out to be your only friend. The adults pitied you and your parents were in despair. You worked hard under master¡¯s tutelage until you almost died, but when you debuted, everyone just ridiculed you. Even though you helped your allies win, you carried a burden for seven years. You had to hide the power of your horn and your Black Sorcery. And in the end? You were driven out of the party. Demon King Army? Hero of the Monsters? All you really wanted was to be an Adventurer. You just wanted to be the world¡¯s 1st ranked. You¡­you¡¯ve always-¡¹


    Lem says it.


    ¡¸-been jealous of Fenix.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course I was!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not a saint, so of course I was annoyed. How could I not be jealous? But¡­I accepted it, didn¡¯t I? I thought if anyone had to be a Hero, it¡¯d be Fenix, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­.!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not a Hero. But the thing we admired was never the Job. It was living as a hero would.¡¹


    ¡¸N-no¡­¡¹


    Lem unsheathed his Holy Sword.


    He wreathed it in flames.


    ¡¸Every time I was made fun of, every time I was laughed at, it hurt so much, like my heart was being torn to pieces. Every time I forced a smile, I would hate myself. Here, I can be free of such suffering. I can live as an object of adoration, showered by praise. I can actually smile. Why¡­why should I have to walk the life of a Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    He is me. No one knows my pain more than I do.


    My conflict. The things I¡¯ve thought about countlessly in my mind. However, I have already found the answer.


    ¡¸Because that¡¯s who I am.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re a fool.¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe so.¡¹


    ¡¸O Spirit¡­!¡¹


    Swinging his flame-covered Holy Sword, Lem assaults me.


    I unleash the horn and block the sword swing with my right arm.


    The horn I inherited from my master grows out of the right side of my head.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    ¡¸Also, I¡¯m sure you know this as well as I do. I am the Flame Hero Fenix¡¯s friend, his rival, and¡­his No.1 fan.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸He is far stronger. Your flames aren¡¯t enough to light a match.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We are the Black Sorcerer Lem, the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton, and the One Horned Black Magician Lem. It¡¯d be nice if we¡¯re called the Greatest Black Sorcerer one day.¡¹


    I put strength into my arm.


    The dream world Holy Sword was easily shattered.


    ¡¸Then, go.¡¹


    Before I knew it, Lem got smaller.


    It was my ten-year-old self.


    ¡¸I¡¯m gonna be a Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I want to have an adventure that will make someone¡¯s life exciting, just like it made mine.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I know.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you do that as a Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, who knows. But¡­no matter what the Job is, we¡¯ll never give up, right?¡¹


    My ten-year-old self was ready to burst into tears, but still, he smiled.


    ¡¸¡­You bet! Giving up would be¡­so not cool!¡¹


    I smiled. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m making a similar face.


    ¡¸That¡¯s just what I¡¯d expect me to say.¡¹


    I extend a hand to him.


    My young self¡­grabs onto Lemegeton¡¯s hand.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s become a hero. No matter how long it takes, we¡¯ll make that dream come true. At least, not when you¡¯re asleep.¡¹

 CH 209.1

    209 ¨C No Regrets (Part 1)


    ¡ºWell, well¡­This kid¡¯s strong.¡»


    I thought I heard the voice of the Spirit say that.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸¡­m¡­Le¡­L¡­Lem¡­Lem¡­!¡¹


    I could feel raindrops falling onto my cheek.


    No, raindrops are cold. These¡­were very warm.


    Tears?


    When I opened my eyes, the crying face of a beautiful Vampire filled my vision.


    ¡¸¡­! Lem!¡¹


    Her gemstone-like eyes shimmered as if they were melting as tears formed into large drops and fell from her eyes.


    ¡¸Mi¡­lla?¡¹


    My mind was in a daze.


    In the end, that dream that felt so real already feels so distant.


    I can still remember what happened in the dream, was it really a dream?


    It¡¯ll gradually fade away after I wake up and return to my everyday life.


    ¡¸Lem¡­! Oh, Lem! I¡¯m glad¡­so glad¡­!¡¹


    It seems that I was lying on the cold floor surface.


    I sat up with her help.


    And then, in the next instant, I was hugged.


    I was enveloped in her sweet scent and comforting warmth.


    ¡¸You weren¡¯t waking up, Lem¡­and I¡­I was so worried about you, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It must have been quite a tempting dream. It must be if it took even you as long as it did to awake from¡­¡¹


    Everyone was given this trial.


    The moment we entered through the doors, we all fell into a dream.


    The first to wake up was Furcus. Followed by Arthur at almost the same time. Then it was Milla and Merlin, followed by Sitri, a little bit later. And then me.


    ¡¸¡­It appears that Sir Ex is still undergoing the trial. We have already led the villagers who had awoken, to the outside.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I sorta understand.


    I have a feeling that I heard a voice say that if even one person were to clear the trial, all the people who failed will be awoken. Guess it was telling the truth.


    The other members didn¡¯t wake up after Furcus cleared her trial because they didn¡¯t fail.


    I suppose it meant that those who were still undertaking the trial, having neither failed nor succeeded, won¡¯t be forcibly awoken.


    In other words, that means that all the villagers failed the trial¡­?


    ¡­No, they didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    ¡¸Lem¡­? Ah, are you still feeling dazed?¡¹


    Asked Milla, voice filled with concern.


    It¡¯s true that I still can¡¯t think clearly.


    I could feel her about to let go of me.


    Subconsciously, I put an arm around her.


    ¡¸¡­! L-Le-Lem¡­?¡¹


    I bury my face in her neck.


    Perhaps out of nervousness, her body goes stiff.


    ¡¸What¡­was your dream about, Milla?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? Uh, r-right¡­ Uhm¡­something Lem-shaped whispered his undying love to me but it all felt too convenient and had zero sense of realism so I told it to bring me back to reality.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hehe. You¡¯re strong, Milla.¡¹


    I could have guessed that she would¡¯ve dreamed that any day.


    ¡¸¡­H-how about you, Lem? Did you dream of living with a Vampire wife with at least three children happily building a logwood cabin¡­?¡¹


    Milla asks me in an excited voice.


    ¡¸¡­I wasn¡¯t able to reunite with you in the dream. That incident that happened two years ago, I don¡¯t think it even happened¡­¡¹


    I must have lived for ten years in the dream, but I have no real memory of it. I can¡¯t quite grasp any memory of the past few years in the dream.


    I didn¡¯t harbor any more uncomfortable feelings in the middle of dreaming, but it felt like a life that was set that way, rather than a happy one.


    ¡¸¡­I¡­I see.¡¹


    She said in a painful, strangled voice, which made me realize I messed up.


    I didn¡¯t say enough.


    With my thoughts all fuzzy, I quickly form these words.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I came back.¡¹


    ¡¸!¡¹


    Her whole body jolted.


    ¡¸Wh-what do, what do you m-mean¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸In the dream, I was a Hero. I had the best allies and lived a good life. It took me so long to wake up because¡­I¡­was truly happy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    She put more strength into the arms that were hugging me.


    Almost as if she were making sure I would stay in reality.


    ¡¸But y¡¯know? Something was missing.¡¹


    ¡¸Missing¡­?¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t meet my master. Never got a lifelong rival in the form of my best friend, Fenix. While it¡¯s true that, in reality, I caused great sadness for my parents, it was precisely because of that that I had the chance to know of their strength and kindness.


    In that world, I couldn¡¯t meet Blitz and become friends, have Cashew as my loyal secretary, be of service to her Highness, or meet so many allies and friends.


    I wonder if Nicola would be a fan of the me of that world. Would Aerial or Wraith have wanted to invite the me of that world to their party?


    Would Milla still¡­


    In that world, my relationships with important people were very different. Some of them even disappeared.


    Even so, it was a dream that made my childhood dream come true.


    ¡¸Honestly, it was close. But in the end, I was able to come back.¡¹


    Fenix is better as the Flame Hero.


    I don¡¯t want to have not met the best master I could have asked for.


    I want Cashew to be my secretary.


    I can¡¯t turn all the training I did with Furcus into nothing.


    I want to think that the way of life I lived, that Nicola admired, wasn¡¯t meaningless.


    And¡­


    ¡¸Because I remembered you, Milla. I thought that this reality is much better¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­!?!!¡¹


    There are many other things. The list goes on and on. I¡¯d be leaving behind an almost endless list of great things behind in reality.


    The ideal world was comfortable, but¡­


    ¡­in this cruel world, I am sure that there are encounters and good fortunes to be had.


    I want to continue living in this world.


    ¡¸Milla¡­?¡¹


    ¡­For some reason, Milla feels like she¡¯s boiling up in my arms. I mean, she already felt warm, but this feels like she¡¯s getting a fever.


    ¡¸I-is¡­is that¡­a p-p-proposal¡­?!¡¹


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Saying that a reality with me in it is much better¡­how else am I supposed to interpret that¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸I-it was just an expression¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s the same!¡¹


    I desperately try to backpedal the previous conversation.


    Then I realized that I was so dazed that I couldn¡¯t really remember how much of it was in my head and how much I actually said out loud.


    Did I¡­did I only mention Milla?


    If I did¡­then I can see why she¡¯d think¡­


    She suddenly pushed me down, pinning me. She shows her fangs.


    Her golden locks cascaded down, forming a veil around us.


    ¡¸Wait, Milla, please listen.¡¹


    ¡¸Was it¡­a lie¡­?¡¹


    Her eyes start to glisten.


    ¡¸Hey, no, no way.¡¹


    I have to say clearly here.


    ¡¸Then there¡¯s no problem¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸But listen, I lacked a few words.¡¹


    ¡¸There is already no need for any more words, Lem. It¡¯ll be fine, leave everything to me.¡¹


    Leave what¡­?


    She was breathing rapidly, she had the eyes of a predator and her face inched closer to mine.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­! Looks like those two are about to go wild in the deepest part of the Dungeon. Ah, youth.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s not very nice, Merlin. This is when you should politely walk away quietly.¡¹


    ¡¸Milly¡¯s pure red face is so~ cute.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You need more training. Even if your opponent is a Vampire, you were taken advantage of way too easily.¡¹


    Came a few voices. From beyond the door walked in four people.


    ¡¸¡­Grr. Things were just getting good¡­!¡¹


    Milla looked really frustrated.


    As expected of her, even she wouldn¡¯t continue to force this while being watched by everyone.


    Just before she separated from me, she whispered into my ear.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll continue this later.¡¹


    Her seductive voice left my brain in a state of shock and it stayed like that for a while even after she got up.


    ¡ºAhaha! There are still men and women who get raunchy in a Dungeon in this era? In the past, because they risked their lives, there were quite a few like that. People who felt the powerful animalistic urge to leave behind a prodigy after staring death in the face.¡»


    I¡¯m pretty sure I know who this is already.


    The owner of this voice is the Spirit who created this Original Dungeon.


    The other four immediately enter the room while I grabbed my fallen staff nearby and stood up.


    You could say that the Spirit looked like a floating soul. It was a glowing¡­something. It floated around and constantly changed its shape.


    ¡ºHm, what¡¯s up? There¡¯s no need for such blatant hostility¡­ Humans can¡¯t even lay a finger on Spirits in the first place, let alone kill them.¡»


    It¡¯s frustrating, but it¡¯s the truth.


    Even if the Spirit may seem to be in the same place as you, it¡¯s actually more like it¡¯s in another world.


    And yet, the Spirit can interfere with us.


    So, we will remain vigilant.


    ¡ºHm, oh well. At any rate, congratulations~. You are all people with strong hearts. I mean, all the villagers failed. They all thought it¡¯d be better to live in a world that suited their needs. But that¡¯s just boring. You guys, who chose to come back to this world, are interesting kids. I haven¡¯t thanked you for showing me a good time, so it¡¯s reward time~¡»


    It is pointless to judge the Spirit by normal values.


    However, it must be said.


    ¡¸You¡­are the worst.¡¹

 CH 209.2

    209 ¨C No Regrets (Part 2)


    ¡ºHm?¡»


    ¡¸Until the fourth stratum, you did things properly. You arranged the attack and defense of the Dungeon appropriately, making it a difficult Dungeon worth the challenge.¡¹


    ¡ºYeah, I adjusted the difficulty to match your strengths accordingly. If you all had shown your best performance, you would have been able to Clear it, right?¡»


    ¡¸But kidnapping villagers to force us to challenge the fifth stratum doesn¡¯t make it a Dungeon Clear anymore.¡¹


    ¡ºSpeaking of today¡¯s Dungeon Clears, you don¡¯t stop in the middle of Clearing one, right? Clearing it all the way means traveling all the way to the end, right? There is meaning in doing that, right? You were the ones who abandoned it before accomplishing that, right? ¡»


    I expected the Spirit to say that.


    From her point of view, she perceives that it was the investigation team that ran away first.


    ¡¸Today¡¯s Dungeon Clears are a form of entertainment. Your fifth stratum made the villagers feel fear, shed tears, and feel resentment. If this Dungeon was made purely for your enjoyment, then it is a failure by today¡¯s standards.¡¹


    ¡º¡­¡­Nfufu. You sure you should be saying that? If you anger a Spirit, they might not reward you, you know? I might bring you a step or two closer to your dream of becoming a hero as a Black Sorcerer.¡»


    ¡¸I don¡¯t need it. What kind of hero would I be if I accepted the gift of something that would so easily choose to harm people?¡¹


    ¡º¡­Wo~w. You really are an interesting one. But too bad. I said that I might not reward you earlier, but a Spirit¡¯s word is absolute. You Cleared the trial, so I will be rewarding you. So, what do you wish for?¡»


    ¡¸¡­Hold on, Ex hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Why are you rewarding us now while he¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Said Arthur.


    We were all still conscious of Ex still lying on the floor, sleeping.


    The sword, along with its scabbard, was removed from his belt and his head was resting on a makeshift pillow made from Arthur¡¯s tunic.


    ¡ºDon¡¯t you get it? The final results are out, so it¡¯s time to talk about rewards.¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    For a moment, we were at a loss for words.


    In the next, Arthur dashed to Ex¡¯s side.


    ¡¸Ex! Wake up! You passed the trial too¡­right?!¡¹


    I¡¯m sure Arthur believed that.


    That¡¯s precisely why he took up the duty of escorting the villagers out.


    I¡¯m sure both Arthur and Merlin wanted to stay by his side until he woke up like how Milla did with me.


    But they knew that a position as easy to understand as the world¡¯s 2nd ranked would reassure the dazed villagers who had just woken up.


    ¡¸Ex¡­!!!¡¹


    Merlin calmly stops Arthur, who is greatly shaking his best friend¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Merlin! How can you be so calm?! This¡­this can¡¯t be happening¡­!¡¹


    This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the normally cool, calm, and collected Arthur so upset.


    Just from that, I can see how important Ex is to him.


    The same goes for Merlin.


    But I already knew that about her. I knew that she was worried about him.


    Ex conducted himself in a way such that Arthur couldn¡¯t sense that there was anything to worry about.


    There are things you can talk about with your best friend and things that you can¡¯t talk about because he¡¯s your best friend.


    ¡¸Spirits may lead people astray, but they don¡¯t lie.¡¹


    What the Spirit said earlier about¡ºThe Spirit maybe not rewarding you.¡»was a misleading phrase. It wasn¡¯t a declaration, she said it in order to upset me by implying that there¡¯s a possibility that I might not get a reward.


    Everything after she said¡ºThe final results are out, so it¡¯s time to talk about rewards.¡»wasn¡¯t a lie.


    Ex failed the trial.


    He was swallowed by the dream.


    ¡ºSo, for your reward, what do ya want?¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡­I want Ex to wake up.¡¹


    ¡ºNuh-uh, no way. The trial is also a contract. A contract that states that those who clear it will be rewarded and those who fail will suffer a penalty. I can¡¯t invalidate another contract with a reward. That¡¯s beyond the scope of Spirit wishes.¡»


    ¡¸Don¡¯t screw with me¡­!¡¹


    ¡ºOh, shut up. Ah, by the way, it¡¯s only one challenge per person, OK? So you can¡¯t get multiple rewards just ¡¯cause you know how to clear it again. If you want to save a failed contestant, then how about bringing along someone who hasn¡¯t taken the challenge yet?¡»


    In other words¡­


    If you clear the trial, the failed contestants at that moment in time will be woken up.


    The reason we didn¡¯t wake up when Furcus cleared it was that we were still at the stage of undergoing the trial.


    The reason Ex didn¡¯t wake up when I cleared it is that he was still undergoing the challenge at that stage.


    After everyone else¡¯s trial was over, he failed his own.


    The Spirit didn¡¯t tell a lie.


    It was a matter of timing. Right now, the only way to save Ex is to do as the Spirit said and have a new contestant conquer the trial.


    However, I believe it was only because of this selection of members who did the trial that we managed to clear it.


    Also, it¡¯s a dream that can trap even Ex. That¡¯s how ideal the world is.


    It¡¯s not an option that we can just simply try.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t think that this Spirit would penalize someone by making them sleep for all eternity.


    I thought that it only wanted to enjoy watching the investigation team Clear its own Dungeon in the end.


    So, even if the villagers were left asleep, they would all wake up once the Original Dungeon disappears, right?


    Deep down, I still believe that.


    Even so, we couldn¡¯t leave them alone. Not only is this just conjecture on my end, but we also have no way of knowing when the Dungeon will disappear.


    Just as there are Spirits that benefit people, there are those that seek to cause them harm.


    Which means¡­


    With the reasoning that he will surely wake up and the conjecture that this Spirit won¡¯t just steal a person¡¯s life away, I cannot leave Ex alone.


    ¡¸I have decided on my wish.¡¹


    ¡ºOh my, I thought you said you didn¡¯t need one? Although, I¡¯d be in a bind if you didn¡¯t tell me your wish.¡»


    ¡¸I want you to put me in Ex¡¯s dream.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-, Lem¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Wait¡­I see. He¡¯s seen as a failed contestant, but Ex is still swallowed by the dream, currently living within the ideal. He simply wasn¡¯t able to escape with his own strength. So, if someone were to intervene¡­¡¹


    Went a surprised Arthur and a pensive Merlin, with a hand to her chin.


    ¡ºSure~, I can do that, but, in the end, it¡¯s the challenger¡¯s dream, ya know? Your role in it hasn¡¯t been decided. You think the voice of a side character can change the mind of the main character?¡»


    ¡¸There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡¹


    In my own dream, I was able to grasp it to some extent.


    For example, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to intervene with myself if I was in the form of a complete stranger.


    However, with the appearance of Lemegeton, I was able to make use of that body.


    I am absolutely sure that Ex is involved with Adventurers in his ideal world.


    This means that the Demon King Castle will be there as well.


    If so, I can meet him.


    I should be able to appear as his world¡¯s Lemegeton.


    ¡¸Halt, Lem. I am grateful, but I can¡¯t let you do this. I will go.¡¹


    ¡¸Stop, Arthur.¡¹


    ¡¸Merlin¡­? Why are you stopping me?¡¹


    ¡¸You are far too noble. That may be a virtue, but not everyone in this world can be saved by such purity.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What are you saying?¡¹


    ¡¸Your ¡°best¡± won¡¯t be enough to bring back Ex, even if you had hundreds of years.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You know something, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t the time for that.¡¹


    ¡¸Like hell it is¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Can¡¯t you just trust me? Do you truly believe that I, the Wizard of Foresight, would willingly hide information in the face of an ally in trouble?¡¹


    Said Merlin with a serious look on her face.


    ¡¸¡­¡­No, I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t, but¡­¡¹


    Arthur¡¯s expression contorts in anguish.


    Because he¡¯s being told that he cannot save his own, dear friend. That has to be quite painful.


    Still, Arthur suppresses it with one, long breath.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I leave Ex to you. Can I count on you, the Greatest Black Sorcerer?¡¹


    ¡¸I will definitely bring him back.¡¹


    I look around at everyone.


    Milla smiled in understanding.


    ¡¸If you take too long, I¡¯ll cry again, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Then I better make it back quick.¡¹


    Sitri said¡¸That¡¯s so you.¡¹, and Furcus said nothing. However, I could tell that she was worried about me.


    When my eyes met Merlin¡¯s, she gave a nod and I nodded back.


    ¡ºSo you¡¯re really doing this. Isn¡¯t it a waste of a wish?¡»


    ¡¸Not at all.¡¹


    ¡ºEven though you¡¯re not exactly selfless yourself, you¡¯re doing well. Fine, I shall grant your wish. If, by some miracle, you cause the challenger to regain his strong heart, you can both return. However, if the challenger chooses to continue to see the dream¡­I¡¯m sure you understand?¡»


    ¡¸Whatever, just hurry up and do it.¡¹


    He is a man who came along to help save the villagers. A respectable senior and an Adventurer that I adore.


    I have no regrets about going to the aid of such a man.


    ¡ºWell then, have a nice trip to the land of convenient dreams~.¡»

 CH 210

    210 ¨C I am Not Hesitating, I Wasn¡¯t


    Back in our hometown, Arthur and I were called¡­


    ¡­the miracle duo.


    Before our Jobs were identified. It was when we were nine years old.


    It¡¯s a story about a bunch of village kids going to the temple to take a look before they do it for real next year.


    Having persuaded Arthur, who was quite against it, forcing him to come along, there were a total of five kids heading for the temple.


    But when the friend who supposedly knew the way to the temple got lost, we were led to a completely unknown place.


    Rather than the temple, we ended up at a cliff edge.


    In that wide-open scenery, all the kids, except Arthur, forgot about being lost for a moment and just ran around.


    And that¡¯s when it happened.


    Suddenly, the ground beneath our feet crumbled.


    ¡ºWe¡¯re going to fall!¡»I thought.


    I immediately pushed the closest two kids. The two kids I pushed ran into one more kid, causing him to fall over to safety.


    In the end, those three were saved.


    I couldn¡¯t make it in time.


    ¡¸Ex¡­!¡¹


    Without hesitation, Arthur sticks his hand out to save me, and I grab a hold of it immediately. I shouldn¡¯t have done that.


    Because of that, both of us ended up falling.


    I hold Arthur¡¯s head close to my chest. Maybe¡­I unconsciously thought that it¡¯d be bad if he hit his head, so I did that.


    With all sense of direction lost as we fell, all we could hear was a sickening series of sounds as we tumbled.


    I suppose it¡¯s a miracle that we reached the bottom without dying.


    It was fortunate that we tumbled down a slope rather than fall straight down¡­I guess. I¡¯m not sure.


    At the pitch-black bottom, the two of us were still breathing.


    It¡¯s just that¡­how should I put this?


    We were going to die anyway.


    Perhaps thanks to how I protected him, Arthur was in a condition just barely able to move, a far cry from me. He still suffered terrible injuries, but that guy still went to call for help.


    Thinking about it now, even before our Jobs were identified, we were two people who already had the makings of a Hero and Paladin. We probably didn¡¯t die immediately because our bodies were tougher than the average kid.


    ¡ºHey, there was a kid who was with you just now, right? What would you say if I told you that I could only save one of you?¡»


    I didn¡¯t know at first that the voice I heard was that of a Spirit and not just me hearing things.


    But I understood what it was asking, and I answered without a shred of hesitation.


    ¡¸Please, save Arthur.¡¹


    ¡º¡­You sure? You¡¯ll die here, at the bottom of a gorge, cold and alone. You¡¯ll rot and turn to bones before even finding out what your Job is.¡»


    ¡¸Please, save Arthur.¡¹


    ¡ºWhy?¡»


    ¡¸¡­Because he¡¯s my friend.¡¹


    ¡ºSo? Does that make his life more important than yours? Aren¡¯t you afraid of death?¡»


    ¡¸¡­O-of course I am.¡¹


    ¡ºThen, why?¡»


    ¡¸How would I know, dumbass.¡¹


    That wasn¡¯t something I could answer while my mind was all messed up.


    I just knew that I had no regrets.


    That¡¯s all.


    ¡º¡­Heh. I see, how interesting. Pretty sure the other kid gave the same answer. Although, it¡¯s someone else who¡¯s watching over him right now. I suppose this is congratulations? Maybe. Both of you will be saved.¡»


    And just like that, I received the divine blessing of the Shadow Spirit, and Arthur, the Light Spirit, and we survived.


    That time, if either of us had placed more importance on our own lives and abandoned each other, we most likely would have died together.


    But that didn¡¯t happen.


    When I think about it, that was the beginning of my hell.


    ¡­Wait, what am I thinking?


    That was a miracle. We were lucky.


    I mean, we are the world¡¯s 1st ranked after all.


    Surpassing the Aerial party, we made it to 1st rank.


    We were rewarded. No one will ever call us Forever 2nd Rankers ever again.


    My allies are incredible. I¡¯m so glad. I am truly glad that these guys can be rewarded.


    They are the greatest allies I could ever have.


    The Samurai Masamune is strong, but our Arthur is strong too. He won¡¯t lose.


    The Crimson Wizard Michelle is an excellent wizard, but our Merlin has complete control of all four elements. In terms of their skill as a Wizard, Merlin is better.


    The Blade Alchemist Louie and the Gale Hero Ewan are also excellent. The former member Panacea too.


    But our Mordred and Galahad are amazing Adventurers as well.


    I¡¯m glad. Truly.


    I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t let their Adventuring lives end in second place just because they followed me or because I was their leader.


    I¡¯m so happy.


    All that¡¯s left is to Clear the Demon King Castle, then we truly will be the greatest party of all time.


    I¡¯m sure we can do it.


    I am unworthy of such incredible allies.


    We broke through stratum after stratum, all the way to the ninth stratum.


    Before we knew it, we were in the final area of the tenth stratum.


    All the Monsters summoned by Lemegeton were annihilated, and only he remained.


    As to be expected of the Majin who ensured that the Raid battle ended in failure.


    Sadly, all my allies were defeated as well.


    But it¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t let everyone¡¯s efforts go to waste.


    I will defeat this guy, and then we can all challenge the eleventh stratum together.


    Lemegeton grew his right horn.


    He unleashed the Magical Energy stored within a Majin¡¯s horn.


    But the Black Magic he¡¯s so good at can¡¯t reach me.


    I covered my whole body with my shadow.


    I am covered from head to toe with nary a gap, so the Black Magic had no way in to affect me.


    My vision is closed off, but I can obtain information through my shadow.


    My shadow armor is Spirit Magic, highly dense in Magical Energy. That itself serves as a Resist effect.


    I¡¯m not an idiot. I¡¯ve understood from watching videos that his physical ability is lower than that of the average Majin.


    Lemegeton can do battle without making that weakness feel like a weakness.


    However, without his Black Magic and my armor that can withstand his compressed Magical Energy-powered attacks, it is now a pure one-on-one fight. He¡¯s out of options in this situation.


    In fact, he had no choice but to take my fist to the face and get blown away.


    He crashed into the throne, causing it to crack, and he fell down.


    He fell in the perfect way, landing in a sitting position on the throne.


    If I look at him properly, I can see a crack on his mask.


    ¡¸The ones who will Clear the Demon King Castle is us, the Ex party.¡¹


    For a moment, my vision shook.


    Like a wave had blown past me.


    ¡¸Looks like¡­I¡¯m just in time, I guess.¡¹


    Lemegeton¡­seems different.


    ¡ó


    I quickly assess the situation. I can tell that my body has received a considerable amount of damage. I¡¯m not holding my staff. But I can still move my arms and legs. There is no fatal damage or Magical Energy leakage.


    But the ring can¡¯t seem to work. Rather than not working, I guess I should say that it has already summoned everyone and they were annihilated. I¡¯ll withhold judgment for now.


    Ex is the only Adventurer left. The other four were defeated¡­? In his own world¡­? Does that mean that his ideal sequence of events is that he alone defeats the Floor Boss and they proceed to the eleventh stratum?


    Or does the fact that the four of them are not here say something about his heart?


    In any case, I am still in a condition to fight.


    But the problem is Lemegeton¡¯s ability.


    There is a difference in information regarding Lemegeton between the contestant and the viewers, including Ex.


    For example, Ex doesn¡¯t know about the fact that I can use Black Sorcery.


    This world is created by the Spirit after taking a peek at Ex¡¯s memories.


    Putting my consciousness in this body was the work of the Spirit, but how about Lemegeton¡¯s strength?


    If it¡¯s based on Ex¡¯s memory, it¡¯s going to be¡­tough to beat the world¡¯s 2nd ranked Hero.


    But as someone who also entered the dream, it should be possible to intervene with my mind¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Ex kicks off the floor and the distance between us shortens in an instant.


    His fist, covered in shadow, looms closer.


    I can¡¯t dodge it. Then, all I can do is stop it.


    I reach out my right fist to meet his fist.


    ¡¸¡­What¡­is that?¡¹


    Ex said.


    I wasn¡¯t defeated. Not even hurt.


    Right now, my right arm is covered by a black substance, and wings of bone grow from my back.


    This is a dream world. I don¡¯t have to be worried about anyone seeing this.


    No restraints. No considerations.


    While letting out an overwhelming amount of Magical Energy, I pierce his torso with my bare left arm.


    In an instant, his body blew all the way backward.


    He flew and crashed into the wall near the entrance of this area.


    ¡¸¡­To think you would have such power. I suppose this is how you could do battle with Fenix.¡¹


    Ex landed on the floor neatly while muttering that.


    I, too, walked down the stairs that led up to the throne.


    In that time, the cracks in the mask had reached their limit and it broke.


    The mask falls to the floor in pieces.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Le¡­m¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t seem surprised¡¹


    I had already prepared myself mentally for this. Ever since I decided to enter his dream, I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be able to bring him back as Lemegeton.


    I had to do it as Lem.


    ¡¸Somehow, I had a feeling¡­ At any rate¡­ At¡­any rate¡­?¡¹


    Ex¡¯s face looked confused at the words coming out of his mouth.


    It¡¯s possible that, in this world, he never experienced the event that led him to guess my true identity.


    He probably never went together with me to Clear the Original Dungeon.


    He would be tormented by headaches due to the contradictions between reality and dream.


    I¡¯ve experienced it too, so I get it.


    ¡¸More importantly, are you sure this is OK?¡¹


    Even at a time like this, Ex is worried about others.


    ¡¸¡­Is this a live broadcast?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­no. So, I guess this wouldn¡¯t be an issue. You can put your mask back on, I¡¯ll wait.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way that can be true. I¡¯m sure you have a reason for hiding in the first place.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be a problem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸After all, this is just a dream.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    He applies pressure on his forehead.


    ¡¸¡­Put on the mask, Lem. We¡¯re going to continue fighting, with you as Lemegeton.¡¹


    First, I have to make him aware.


    ¡¸At what point in time is this Clear? If I¡¯m here, it must be after the Fenix party. Is it after the Raid Battle? If it is, I have something I want to ask you-¡¹


    ¡¸Lem¡­!¡¹


    If I don¡¯t force him to be aware of reality, we can¡¯t even start a conversation.


    ¡¸Why didn¡¯t you participate in the raid battle?¡¹


    ¡¸Hear me, O Spirit¡­!¡¹


    A large amount of Magical Energy flows into Ex.


    He usually manipulates his own shadows or the shadows of those he touched.


    Originally, the Shadow Swarm skill is used after gathering shadows.


    But with the power borrowed from the Spirit, he can make use of the shadows collected by the Spirit instead.


    And right now, a large shadow is wrapping around his body, enveloping him in a large suit of armor.


    It¡¯s Giant Armor.


    ¡¸This is the last time, Lem. I don¡¯t want you to expose yourself to the world. But my party and I have already decided to Clear the Demon King Castle. Hide your face! I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want anyone to know your true identity as Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been thinking about Ex¡¯s worries.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Lem, you¡¯re not speaking sense. I don¡¯t have any worries.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re strong, Ex. So is everyone in your party. Even so¡­you couldn¡¯t get to 1st rank.¡¹


    While clad in a sturdy suit of armor, he still screamed out in agony, as if he had received damage.


    ¡¸We¡¯re¡­1st ranked¡­! We surpassed Aerial and crew and now, we are going to Clear the Demon King Castle!¡¹


    So it really was that.


    Ex¡¯s dream¡­is a world where he reached the 1st rank along with his allies.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s a wish that came true here, I see. But why? You¡¯re not one to give up.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying! In the first place, you and I are enemies right now.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re not one to give up. I am sure of that. If you haven¡¯t given up, then why are hesitating?¡¹


    ¡¸I am not! I will defeat you! I will defeat the Demon King! That is all!¡¹


    ¡¸Is it party trends? No. Lack of ability? No. Age? No. ¡­In that case¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Why are you here?! Aren¡¯t you here to defend the Demon King Castle?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is it about whether or not you can ever become 1st rank?¡¹


    That made him stagger greatly.


    ¡¸¡­! We¡¯re¡­ Lem! We¡¯re already in 1st rank!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­In fact, I think you already realized it. The moment my movements changed, I¡¯m sure you figured it out.¡¹


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t understood a word you¡¯ve said so far! I am-¡¹


    ¡¸-clearly moving slower than normal. The Jet-Black Hero I know is much stronger.¡¹


    He suddenly became quiet.


    How long did this silence last, I wonder?


    From within the armor of shadow, came his voice.


    ¡¸¡­Why have you come? This is my wish.¡¹


    I could hear the anguish in his voice.


    Ex¡¯s heart, which sank into the dream world, accepting it wholly, has stopped with the deception.


    ¡¸That is why I came. To take back the hero I look up to.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not worth it.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s for me to decide.¡¹


    He let out a dry chuckle.


    ¡¸¡­Say, Lem, is there anything that you fear more than death itself?¡¹


    He asked me that.

 CH 211.1

    211 ¨C If there¡¯s One Thing I Fear More than Dying¡­ (Part 1)


    In truth, I knew right away.


    I knew that Lemegeton came alive.


    Conversely, he had been acting like a puppet up till then, so when he came in, I realized it.


    But I pretended not to know. I was afraid that I would wake from this dream.


    I asked him, is there anything that you fear more than death itself?


    But I wasn¡¯t looking for an answer.


    I continued before he could even open his mouth.


    ¡¸For me, the answer used to be no. You know the story about Arthur and me, right? Having felt the fear of death at the time, I thought that there was nothing scarier. But as the years went by and I got older, I became obsessed with another fear.¡¹


    ¡ºWe¡¯ll become 1st ranked together. Let¡¯s never again leave each other alone. Together, you got that?¡»


    We had our first big argument after that incident. I mean, why wouldn¡¯t we? We both chose to save each other, meaning we both chose to give up our own lives.


    We both took our lives for granted and we got mad at each other to never do that again.


    Arthur and I survived and became Adventurers. We vowed to become 1st rank.


    Arthur hasn¡¯t changed at all since then. Just and noble. Always looking ahead.


    ¡ºSo, you two are the miracle duo? Hmm¡­ Tell me your story.¡»


    In the beginning, Merlin thought that if she stuck with us, she could find a way to meet Spirits without having to go to the Spirit Shrine. But as we worked together, I could tell that she became an ally in her own way and became attached.


    Still not giving up on her childhood dream, though. Still aiming for the day she can genuinely meet the Spirits again.


    ¡ºHah? Adventurer? Are you insane? I¡¯m a freak.¡»


    We found Mordred on our journey to find allies.


    He was being persecuted in his own village. He¡¯s a Normal, but he can reproduce the special attributes of more than ten races at once. The strength of a Werewolf, the wings of a Birdman, the scales of a Dragonkin, the agility of a cat Demi-Human, the kicking strength of a rabbit Demi-Human, and so on.


    It also changes his appearance, but a young Mordred wasn¡¯t skilled at controlling this ability.


    The villagers feared the fact that he could change suddenly at any time.


    What was it that I said to him at that time?


    ¡ºYou aren¡¯t abnormal, you¡¯re special. Come with us, and I¡¯ll prove to you how amazing you are.¡»


    Eventually, Mordred agreed to become our ally.


    Once he¡¯s set his mind to it, there¡¯s no changing it.


    ¡ºYou would have me as an ally? ¡­You shouldn¡¯t bother, it would be a waste of time for both of us.¡»


    Galahad held the extremely rare Job of Guardian. He was in a previous party that had an eye on his rare Job, but eventually kicked him out because they could only see his abilities as ¡°A Paladin with the lowest attack power.¡±


    Galahad was hurt by that. He thought that it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to make allies.


    So, we decided to have a match.


    Even with all four of us attacking him, Galahad showed that he could withstand it all.


    ¡ºI would like you to defend us from any and all threats. By doing so, we will continue to win battle after battle, showing the world just how sturdy your shield is.¡»


    Galahad looked surprised and then he started giggling.


    Ever since then, we have worked hard to fulfill that promise.


    Unlike me, each and every one of them is amazing.


    They all genuinely believe that we¡¯ll be in 1st rank.


    I know it. That their abilities are equal to those at 1st rank.


    They all genuinely believe that I am a Hero worthy of 1st rank.


    I¡­became unsure of that. If I am worthy of being 1st ranked¡­then why are we always 2nd?


    So, I couldn¡¯t show this weakness to my most trusted allies.


    I wasn¡¯t able to consult with anyone about this suffering.


    ¡¸Lem, living in a dream isn¡¯t all fun and games. But that¡¯s fine. This is my own decision. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright because the only thing at stake is my life. Even if I fail, I¡¯ll be the only one laughed at. I can endure that. But we Adventurers, we work as a party.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    Everyone followed me on this journey.


    We have long since dreamed of becoming 1st ranked together.


    They have all worked so incredibly hard. I couldn¡¯t ask for more.


    And yet¡­why? Why are we always¡­2nd rank?


    ¡¸But what I¡­what I can¡¯t endure is my allies being laughed at. No matter how many times they achieve results, there¡¯s always someone there making fun of them. Do you get it? It¡¯s because we¡¯re 2nd rank. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re climbing the ranks. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re struggling for supremacy. But you can¡¯t be stuck in 2nd rank.¡¹


    I know that there are many who respect and praise us.


    The Adventuring industry is tough. If we weren¡¯t popular, we wouldn¡¯t be able to stay at 2nd rank for so long in the first place.


    I also understand that this is a luxurious problem to have.


    However, even Lem, even in a 4th ranked party, is ridiculed just because he is a Black Sorcerer.


    Whether we¡¯re at 2nd rank or having gathered the best party members possible, there will always be a pile of heartless criticisms.


    It has been ten years since we became 2nd ranked.


    For a decade, we have continued to challenge an insurmountable wall.


    All the while, drawing in negative comments after another, each one like a knife to the heart.


    ¡¸Arthur, Merlin, Mordred, Galahad. They are all top-of-the-field Adventurers. I couldn¡¯t help but think¡­ If only the leader they followed wasn¡¯t me¡­ Think about it. If every one of my allies is the best and worthy of being at 1st rank, then the reason that they can¡¯t become 1st rank¡­falls to the Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸Ex¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The thing I¡¯m afraid of, Lem, is¡­that my allies¡¯ lives were destined to end in failure the moment they formed a party with me. That them choosing me as their leader might have been a mistake. I dread the day that they realize the mistake they¡¯ve made¡­¡¹


    This is why, in this dream, I am a leader who is leading my allies to 1st rank.


    A world where my precious allies¡¯ lives won¡¯t end in failure.


    I wasn¡¯t able to tell anyone about my fears until now.


    Definitely not to the 1st ranked Aerial, but neither to the 3rd rank or below Adventurer who were chasing after him.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell the fans. They¡¯re supporting us. They are the kind people who have always wished for us to be 1st ranked.


    The kind-hearted Lem in front of me makes a pained expression when he hears the words of this pathetic senior.


    He hangs his head, grips his fists, shoulders shaking, and then¡­he exhales.


    I wonder how long he¡¯d been worrying about it.


    He raises his face with a pained expression, looks up at me, and says¡­


    ¡¸But you still have to try. Right?¡¹


    Ah¡­this kid really is¡­


    ¡¸You¡¯re strong. ¡­I¡¯m weak.¡¹


    His attitude toward life itself is a yell of encouragement to those who earnestly strive hard.


    Those who are laughed at, told that they can¡¯t do it. You¡¯ll never make it. They scoff at you, saying that you don¡¯t have the talent, the Aptitude, that you¡¯re not cut out for it.


    Just how many people with dreams has he encouraged?


    He declared that he would become a hero even after he had awoken as a Black Sorcerer, and he dashed up the ranks to 4th rank while being treated as dead weight to his allies. Treated unfavorably by the public, the comment section of all of their videos was a storm of criticism.


    Going so far as to be called a parasite clinging on to his best friend, he still continued to work hard to make sure his allies won.


    Even he was driven out of his party.


    I truly felt that it was a shame when I heard that he left the Fenix party, but when I saw him in the Tag Tournament and understood that he still continued to be an Adventurer, I was very happy.


    No matter what anyone says, no matter how high a wall, even if all avenues are closed, he didn¡¯t give up. He isn¡¯t discouraged. He doesn¡¯t yield.


    He keeps on moving forward, one step at a time.


    This is also the difference between me and him.


    ¡¸That¡¯s wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re strong.¡¹


    I know that he¡¯s the real-world Lem.


    He probably used his wish from the Spirit to come in here and bring me back.


    So those words are nothing more than words to cheer me up.


    That¡¯s what I thought.


    But his eyes weren¡¯t clouded. On the contrary, they were burning with passion. A red, fiery hot passion

 CH 211.2

    211 ¨C If there¡¯s one thing I fear more than dying¡­ (Part 2)


    He looked up at me with that intense gaze.


    ¡¸If your heart is weak, Ex, then why are you an Adventurer even in your dream?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If you hadn¡¯t become an Adventurer, if you hadn¡¯t met your allies, you could have walked down a completely different life.¡¹


    I was shocked by his words.


    Mostly because he was exactly right.


    Even if this is a world created by the Spirit, she must have looked into my mind and memories to construct an irresistible world.


    And yet¡­


    In the end, Arthur and I fell off the cliff, formed a contract with the Spirit, gathered the same allies, and I aimed for 1st rank together with them.


    I walked an almost identically painful life with the only difference being that we became 1st ranked.


    Why is that?


    I could have been shown all sorts of convenient dreams and yet¡­


    No, it¡¯s precisely because it is my dream.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to fully understand Ex¡¯s fears. But being afraid of failure after earnestly trying your best¡­ The heart of such a person is far from weak. Please don¡¯t mock the Jet-Black Hero that I admire so.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­¡­!!¡¹


    I had thought that there was no way to dispel my fears other than to become 1st ranked.


    I thought I would be free from my fears in this dream, but this dream itself is proof.


    Proof that no matter what freedom I am given¡­I will eventually become an Adventurer.


    Gather the allies that I think are the best and aim for the top even knowing that it will be a painful journey.


    The reason that I gave in to this dream isn¡¯t that I had no fears anymore.


    It is because this is a dream where I stood at the peak without ever giving up even while I had my fears.


    And still¡­Lem used up his one wish to come here and save me¡­


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t pretend to stop when you haven¡¯t even given up. If there¡¯s a place you¡¯re aiming for¡­your only choice is to keep running.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Heh. Hahaha, hahahaha!¡¹


    When was the last time that I laughed from the bottom of my heart like this? It feels like forever ago.


    I dispel Giant Armor.


    ¡¸It seems I was mistaken about you, Lem. You aren¡¯t just kind, you¡¯re pretty harsh, too.¡¹


    He said that I had pretended to give up my anguish.


    And he even told me to keep running anyway. He¡¯s quite the drill sergeant.


    I don¡¯t think he¡¯s right.


    But being right doesn¡¯t save people.


    Push on ahead without giving up and everything will be fine? That just doesn¡¯t happen in real life.


    The world is full of futile efforts, littered with more unfulfilled dreams than fulfilled ones.


    To tell someone, who¡¯s tried so hard until they¡¯re exhausted, to¡¸Keep going¡¹is cruel. I¡¯m sure that even he knows that.


    He¡¯s kind, yet he throws out harsh words because he sees where this is headed.


    We¡­might never become 1st ranked.


    But even so, don¡¯t stop.


    Because I am aiming for 1st rank, because I promised we would, I have to keep running.


    If I stopped, the ground will suddenly crumble before me, and I¡¯d be swallowed by total darkness.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t want to fall down any more cliffs.¡¹


    I subconsciously remember the talk I had with Lem yesterday, about the example I gave.


    All we can do to keep from falling is to keep running ahead. Towards the goal that we¡¯ve set.


    Even though we might never get there, it¡¯s a decision that we made.


    ¡¸¡­What would you have done if I hadn¡¯t chosen to be an Adventurer?¡¹


    If that were the case, Lem wouldn¡¯t be able to appear in my life.


    It¡¯s questionable if he¡¯d even be given a role, and even if I¡¯d met him in a different form, it would have been difficult for him to remind me of reality.


    The Greatest Black Sorcerer stood there, mouth agape.


    And then¡­


    ¡¸I knew that there was no way that would be a possibility.¡¹


    He just stated that so simply.


    Even though he thinks so much in battle, he doesn¡¯t sweat the small stuff when dealing with important things.


    He wants to be a hero because it¡¯s cool.


    He appeared as Lemegeton because he knew that Ex would definitely be an Adventurer.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you, Lem.¡¹


    He just smiled.


    ¡¸When we get back, I should thank you properly.¡¹


    Perhaps a little reluctant, Lem considered my feelings.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t mind if we do it now.¡¹


    He said, on the contrary.


    But I immediately knew what he was trying to say.


    ¡¸You sure? Shouldn¡¯t you keep your cards close to your chest until we fight for real?¡¹


    ¡¸If I get to experience fighting the Jet-Black Hero at full strength, I have no regrets.¡¹


    ¡¸Full strength¡­huh? I guess so. We are free from the constraints of reality here. Even if we both went full force, there wouldn¡¯t be any repercussions later. Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    The sooner we decide, the better.


    ¡ºShadow Soldiers¡»


    The is the Esoteric Spirit Magic of the Shadow Spirit.


    A freely controlled Spirit Magic that forcibly summons every shadow I¡¯ve ever touched up till now.


    It can be used in various ways. Like controlling them as an army of soldiers.


    But this time¡­ Let¡¯s go with a fist.


    A simple, straightforward attack seems the most hero-like.


    I put on¡ºGiant Armor¡»again. This time, the scale of it was bigger.


    Bigger than that time I fought the Grendels and Spriggans in the Original Dungeon.


    This size was all in order to swing an even larger fist.


    ¡¸Well that¡¯s¡­certainly new.¡¹


    Said Lem, smiling defiantly.


    ¡¸You¡¯re the first to see it. Consider it my thanks.¡¹


    It¡¯s too big for the TV screen. It¡¯s also so big that it makes my allies look like ants.


    I could recklessly destroy the Dungeon which we¡¯ll have to pay for, it takes time and Magical Energy to cast, and various other reasons. The biggest reason that I can¡¯t use it all willy-nilly is that it¡¯s a Technique that borrows the Spirit¡¯s power.


    However, every single one of those problems doesn¡¯t exist here.


    Why? Because this is a dream.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯m grateful.¡¹


    His Magical Energy increased even further.


    A black substance is covering his entire body?!


    It clearly has the same abilities as the horn.


    Accumulating Magical Energy and honing it.


    If a Majin with two horns is already a threat, just how dangerous would something that covers the whole body be¡­?


    The horn on his left cracks and shatters. No sooner after that, an identical black horn grows on his right.


    The changes didn¡¯t end there.


    The wings on his back spread out further. No, perhaps it would be easier to say that they got bigger.


    His wings of bone expanded more and more, no longer just an imitation of Birdmen.


    If there was a giant Birdman, it¡¯d probably have wings of this size.


    That¡¯s how big these wings were.


    Even though I am as tall as the ceiling, I am looking straight at him rather than down.


    ¡¸¡­Is that¡­your horn? Why is something like that inside your body¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸This and that happened and well¡­ The amount of it in my body seems to increase, matching my growth.¡¹


    He doesn¡¯t seem to really understand it well himself. However, he can genuinely handle it.


    In that case, I won¡¯t pry further.


    ¡¸The Jet Black H-¡­no. Ex. Just Ex.¡¹


    I¡¯ll announce my proper name when we fight for real.


    He smiles and responds.


    ¡¸Lem. Just Lem.¡¹


    I could sense the massive difference in Magical Energy even through the shadows.


    This clearly exceeds the amount of Magical Energy he could naturally accumulate in his life.


    A Spirit Contractor could borrow the Magical Energy of the Spirit.


    He, too, might have his own special way of borrowing Magical Energy. It¡¯s a dream, so he probably isn¡¯t holding back and drawing out all he can.


    I swing my fist.


    The fist of a giant and the fist of a Majin clash.


    A fist that could shatter a mountain like it was made of glass.


    And yet¡­


    Our fists collided, creating a shockwave, and¡­we were equally matched.


    Even the maximum output of Magical Energy of a higher-ranked Majin isn¡¯t this strong.


    Is it¡­the horn of a Demon King?


    Lem isn¡¯t a Majin. Then is he like Mordred who had a unique ancestry? If not¡­did he inherit it?


    I have never heard of a Majin passing down its horn to be inherited by a different race, but the possibility isn¡¯t zero.


    In this world, there is someone who formed a contract with the Shadow Spirit in a life-threatening situation.


    There is also a fool who had gathered the best of allies that let himself be swallowed by a dream.


    And there also exists a young man who would come to the rescue of that fool.

 CH 211.3

    211 ¨C If there¡¯s one thing I fear more than dying¡­ (Part 3)


    ¡¸Lem! I am honored to have met you¡­!¡¹


    I¡¯m not sure if I can say that my fears are completely alleviated. I can¡¯t change myself that easily.


    But I was able to realize my own hopelessness.


    I can¡¯t give up no matter what. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no time to waste shaking in fear.


    But even that won¡¯t make the fear go away.


    So, I have no choice but to run with it.


    ¡¸To be honest¡­! I really do think I am weak! I mean, think about it! If I slept soundly, the four of them in the real world would lose their leader! And yet, I succumbed to the dream once!¡¹


    If I had kept going with a strong heart, I probably would have returned to reality quickly.


    ¡¸Anyone¡¯s heart can grow weak¡­! So weak that you can¡¯t stand back up on your own! That¡¯s why I came to help¡­! You¡¯ve cheered up countless people till now with your strong heart! You¡¯ve saved all sorts of people¡¯s hearts! It¡¯s alright for that kind of person to be the one who¡¯s saved once in a while¡­!¡¹


    ¡­¡­!!!


    ¡¸I-I¡­! I¡¯ve wanted to be at 1st rank ever since I decided to be an Adventurer¡­! I will surpass Aerial! My allies are the best! I will prove to the world that I, the person leading them, am the best Hero¡­! That¡¯s right! Just as you said, I was only pretending to have given up!¡¹


    That was what angered Mordred and Galahad.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll answer your question! I passed on participating in the Raid Battle because I was scared¡­! I couldn¡¯t help but be scared, thinking about standing shoulder to shoulder with Aerial and being no match for him¡­! I fear that even now! Knowing my own limits, I couldn¡¯t help but be afraid¡­!¡¹


    Of course, that isn¡¯t something I could tell my allies.


    They fully believe in my strength from the bottom of their hearts, so I¡¯ll cause a misunderstanding.


    Mordred and Galahad each thought that we didn¡¯t participate because they were lacking in ability, so they said that they¡¯d take a break from the team to train by themselves, separately.


    I told them that that wasn¡¯t the case, but they wouldn¡¯t listen.


    Of course, they wouldn¡¯t. I would have to tell them the real reason to make them listen.


    I would have to expose the deep-seated fear inside me. But I couldn¡¯t do it.


    I was also afraid of breaking the trust of my allies.


    I was full of fears.


    When did I become such a coward?


    When I was a kid, I would put one foot in front of the other, never hesitating.


    ¡¸But you made me realize something! So what if I¡¯m no match for that guy?! I can¡¯t give up no matter what! I have no choice but to keep running¡­! If I¡¯m no match for him today, then I¡¯ll beat him tomorrow! If tomorrow is no good, then on to the next! I¡¯ll keep challenging him until I win¡­!¡¹


    I am afraid of letting my allies¡¯ careers end in failure! Utterly afraid. More than death itself.


    That is why I must keep taking on the challenge.


    I can¡¯t let my own life, which my allies put so much faith in, end in failure either.


    I was a little late in realizing such an obvious thing.


    When I get back, I have to apologize to Mordred and Galahad.


    I¡¯m sure Arthur is gonna yell at me for not confiding in him about this. If I told him that I didn¡¯t want to seem vulnerable to my best friend, he¡¯d probably get even angrier.


    Merlin most likely saw through it all. She¡¯s the Wizard of Foresight after all. Yet, she kept quiet. I¡¯ll thank her¡­ She¡¯ll probably just make a fool out of me even if I do. But still, I must thank her.


    But first, the friend in front of me.


    ¡¸Thank you, Lem¡­!¡¹


    The conclusion to our battle draws near.


    ¡ó


    What Spirit Magic? This is definitely Esoteric-class.


    As for me, I imagined absorbing as much Magical Energy as could be absorbed from the Dungeon Core.


    As expected of the horn from my master, I have yet to truly feel the limits of how much Magical Energy it can store.


    Even that time I absorbed Magical Energy from the Demon King Castle¡¯s Core, and I absorbed quite a lot, I didn¡¯t aim to fill the horn to its limits.


    Because I felt like I could keep on absorbing. Although, I¡¯m sure that it must have a limit.


    If I had absorbed to the limits of the horn, the Demon King Castle would have stopped functioning. There is no way that I would have been forgiven for consuming the Core, which is specifically for the operation of the Dungeon, for the sake of one person¡¯s fight. Putting the entire Dungeon out of commission in order to protect it defeats the purpose in the first place.


    It isn¡¯t mine to begin with, so of course, I can¡¯t do with it as I please.


    However, no such limitations exist in this dream.


    I can do it precisely because this is a dream without restriction, so I unleash my Magical Energy endlessly.


    The same goes for Ex.


    But I¡¯m using my master¡¯s horn.


    Even then, I can¡¯t overpower him.


    ¡¸¡­UoooOOOOOOOH¡­!¡¹


    A yell that came from either of us. It probably came from both of us.


    I can¡¯t completely fathom Ex¡¯s fears.


    But I can imagine how painful it can be to not be able to show your allies the victory they deserve.


    Not becoming 1st ranked means constantly losing to the Aerial party.


    In terms of rank, it is just a difference of one. Just one more rank and he becomes the top of the industry.


    So close, yet so far.


    Continuing like that day after day, Ex didn¡¯t blame his allies.


    He tried to shoulder all the responsibility and ended up blaming himself.


    They can¡¯t be young forever. With every year that passes by, the urgency to update their rank increases.


    How many more years can we keep doing this? Will we ever get to 1st rank? We might not even be in 2nd rank next year.


    Did Ex continuously blame himself while worrying about all that?


    With his already weakened heart, he fell prey to this fake solace.


    If he had sincerely refused anything I said, that would have been the end of it.


    But that didn¡¯t happen.


    If the heart has grown weak, then make it stir. Stir the strong heart he once had.


    This was a little heavy-handed, but I know that if he recovers, he can overcome this trial.


    No, I believed that he would.


    ¡¸Lem¡­! O savior of heroes¡­! I¡­wish to defeat you too¡­!!!¡¹


    The world¡¯s 2nd ranked Hero, one I look up to, is putting all his strength into defeating me.


    ¡¸No matter who my opponent is, all shall fall before this horn¡­!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Same here¡­! This is the guy who saved my life¡­! Borrowing the full strength of a partner like this, there¡¯s no way I can lose!¡¹


    Even if both sides claim to not be able to lose, one side still has to lose.


    I begin pushing him back.


    ¡¸Next time¡­challenge the Demon King Castle along with your allies¡­!¡¹


    I fold my wings. This isn¡¯t the end. In an open state, the wings were arranged so that they overlapped directly behind me.


    Up till now, I released Magical Energy in order to not be overwhelmed by his fist.


    If that isn¡¯t working, time to focus on a single point.


    Instead of his entire fist, I focus on the point where my fist meets his. With this, I win.


    My fist starts to sink into his.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    Rather than clashing a giant fist against a giant fist, I pierce it with a stake.


    My fist sinks into the shadow fist. I continue forward. With the enormous amounts of Magical Energy being shot out from my bone wings, my body is propelled forward. I pierce the shadow fist and tear my way through. Past the elbow, the upper arm, and then the upper body.


    The upper body of the shadow giant that appeared in the final area of the tenth stratum burst open.


    As long as there is Magical Energy, the shadow can mend itself, but I don¡¯t think there is any surplus energy.


    We both decided to give it our all, so there was no more Magical Energy left.


    Ex was ejected by the armor into the air.


    He had a refreshing smile on his face.


    ¡¸Before I knew it, I became afraid of losing¡­but, hahaha, that¡¯s right. Defeat hurts as bad as getting your body torn to pieces¡­but that¡¯s exactly why you do your best to win the next time.¡¹


    Our eyes met.


    His body, along with his shadow, began to crumble.


    ¡¸Well then, see you in hell¡­which we call reality, heh.¡¹


    There wasn¡¯t a hint of a shadow in his smile. It was the Ex we all knew.

 CH 212.1

    212 ¨C Reward Time (Part 1)


    I open my eyes¡­ I¡¯m back in reality.


    My head still feels dizzy, but it feels better than the first time, perhaps because this is the second time I¡¯ve woken up like this.


    ¡¸¡­! Lem, y-¡¹


    ¡¸Ex¡­!¡¹


    I slowly sat up and just as Milla was about to hug me with open arms, someone moved much faster than her, shocking her stiff.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Who, ah, Arthur¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad¡­! But you¡­no, let¡¯s not get into that now¡­! In any case, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re back.¡¹


    Arthur slaps his best friend, who returned to reality, on the shoulder with tears welling up in the corner of his eyes.


    ¡¸sigh¡­ Goodness. What a completely unreliable leader you are. Causing nothing but trouble.¡¹


    Merlin repeats that last part repeatedly while she¡­lightly taps Ex with her staff.


    Even she must have been very worried in her own way.


    Milla lost her steam and slowly lowered her arms.


    I look into her eyes and smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m back.¡¹


    When I did, her expression changed completely from a dissatisfied look to a smile like that of a blooming flower.


    ¡¸Welcome back, Lem.¡¹


    We stare at each other for a while.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­! Lem!¡¹


    It was Arthur.


    ¡¸Thank you, Lem. I thank you from the bottom of my heart¡­! I shall never forget this debt.¡¹


    ¡¸Please, allow me to thank you as well for the ideal course of action that you chose. What sort of reward would you like? If it¡¯s anything I can arrange, I can get it done right away. Anything you like, fufufu¡­¡¹


    While Arthur was moved to tears, Merlin said that while crossing her arms under her breasts to prop them up.


    I could feel a chill coming from Milla.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. If we¡¯re talking about a reward, I already got mine.¡¹


    Just at that moment, my eyes met with Ex¡¯s. We both gave a satisfied smile.


    ¡ºYes, yes, it was a great story. I had lots of fun too~. Now, shall we get back to the rewards?¡»


    That voice came from a ball of light that popped out of nowhere. It was the Spirit.


    ¡ºLet¡¯s go in order of clear time~! This means, first we¡¯ll start with the always-hungry, tanned, boobie girl.¡»


    Furcus points at the ball of light while her face was in the usual expressionless state.


    ¡¸Requesting permission to destroy.¡¹


    ¡ºAhaha, that¡¯s impossible. Don¡¯t make me tell you again. Hmm, you¡­ You splendidly defied standing at the height of martial might and resisted your inexhaustible appetite! You could silently make your wish in your mind or say it out loud.¡»


    Furcus readied her spear, but after hearing the Spirit¡¯s words, she looked at me once again.


    I nodded, and she nodded in response.


    ¡º¡­Oh? I see. No amount of Spirits can grant that, but I¡¯ll give you one that is as close to ideal as possible. With this, you could showcase even more of your power¡­ Nice!¡»


    There was a puff of smoke that was gone as soon as it came.


    At Furcus¡¯s feet was¡­a large silver lid, like those silver cloches that cover food in fancy restaurants.


    Furcus sits down, puts a hand on the cloche, and stops for a few seconds.


    Then she lifts it. Amidst the steam that came out, there was¡­a hamburger.


    But that¡¯s not all, it also came with a bowl of soup and bread.


    ¡ºOh, there she goes. Well, I¡¯ll just say that I call this the Culinary Cloche. Put the lid down, think of the food you wish to eat, if it can fit underneath the lid, then it will be recreated under it! ¡­But it creates the food by gathering the Magical Energy from the air around it, so it takes time for the food to be ready, and even though the taste and texture have been fully recreated, it¡¯s made from Magical Energy, so it has absolutely no nutritional value. Cool, right?!¡»


    Furcus wasn¡¯t listening to a word she said. She was mesmerized by the hamburger.


    ¡ºThe taste is based on your memories, so you can eat your favorite meal as much as you like. If possible, use it in a place that¡¯s thick with Magical Energy¡­ Hey, have you eaten at least ten refills while I¡¯ve been talking¡­?¡»


    The instant the food is completely eaten, Furcus instantly closes the lid and opens it again. She repeats this series of actions.


    From what I heard, it sounds like the only thing you can¡¯t get from it is a feeling of fullness¡­but this only matters to a Normal.


    Furcus is an Ogre. They eat food and convert it into physical strength or regenerative abilities.


    So what if one were able to convert a clump of Magical Energy in the stomach¡­?


    No, I¡¯m sure she can.


    Strictly speaking, refining Magical Energy into the shape of food is an extreme waste of time, but to the Ogre race, it is useful.


    ¡­However this¡­is obviously a Magic Tool, but is it one that the Spirit made or one she already possessed?


    If it¡¯s the former¡­then everything we ever knew will be flipped upside down.


    I mean, the race that can make Magic Tool has long since died out, so it should be impossible to create new Magic Tools.


    Thinking that, the Spirit said¡ºOh, don¡¯t worry about things like that¡»and laughed.


    ¡­Did she read my mind?


    ¡ºUp next, second place only by a slim margin, Mr. Shiny Paladin! When you said ¡°Dreams are things to be granted, not shown by Spirits.¡± with a straight face, I was shocked. It was your true feelings, too. So, what do you want?¡»


    ¡¸I want nothing from you. Meddlesome Spirit.¡¹


    ¡ºThere are no good or bad Spirits, and contracts are absolute~. I can just read your mind, y¡¯know. ¡­Bwuh? You¡¯re way too selfless. How old are you¡­? Did you fail to notice the dark and gloom in your friend¡¯s heart because of how bright and shiny your heart is, ya goody two-shoes?¡»


    Arthur places a hand on the hilt of his Holy Sword.


    ¡ºWhoa there, geez, you guys sure are short-tempered. ¡­Ah, a sword. Nice, in that case, your reward i~s this! A Magic Scabbard. A scabbard with the super handy ability where the wielder will not come to harm so long as the sword is sheathed in the scabbard! Man, you got a real doozy of a reward, right?¡»


    ¡¸¡­Doesn¡¯t one fight battles with the sword unsheathed?¡¹


    ¡ºHeheh.¡»


    There was another puff of smoke and when it cleared, there was a scabbard in front of Arthur. In the case of Magic Tools like this, their size often automatically adjusts itself to match the sword. I¡¯m sure this scabbard is also like that.


    Its ability is amazing, but it¡¯s going to be difficult to find a use for it.


    ¡ºOK, next! Hmm, ah¡­you. The overbearing fanatic.¡»


    The Spirit said that with a slight reluctance.


    ¡¸Do you want me to carve you to pieces?¡¹


    ¡ºOh, how scawy. The really scary thing was how you started lecturing the Mr. Black Sorcerer in the dream about all the charms of the real thing, though.¡»


    ¡¸H-hey¡­! Please respect my privacy¡­!¡¹


    Milla¡¯s face turned a slight red.


    ¡ºLust is written all over your face¡­looks like you¡¯ll be pretty much satisfied with anything you can get from Mr. Black Sorcerer over there.¡»


    ¡¸Can you please shut up? Don¡¯t listen to her, Lem. It¡¯s not as if I, in any way, was wishing for your used items or something¡­!¡¹


    After glaring at the Spirit, a bright red-faced Milla turns to me and explains.


    ¡¸R-right¡­¡¹


    Used items¡­? Let¡¯s not pry deeper into that.


    ¡ºHmm. Doesn¡¯t seem like you want anything that I could particularly give you. ¡­Aah, there is one. Hmmm¡­You really do lov-¡»


    ¡¸I¡­am getting pretty angry, here¡­¡¹


    ¡ºFi~ne, respect your privacy, right? Well, then, here ya go.¡»


    Having said that, my body was covered in light.


    It quickly subsided, but nothing in particular about me changed.


    ¡ºI granted your wish.¡»


    ¡¸¡­H-how is that discreet? It¡¯s like you¡¯re not even trying to hide it¡­!¡¹


    ¡ºHuh? I thought you people liked things that lit up or glowed. If they didn¡¯t, you¡¯d all think it was dull.¡»


    ¡¸¡­Gr. What an unpleasant Spirit¡­!¡¹


    Milla mentioned not being discreet but I thought about it a little and still can¡¯t figure out what her wish was.


    She looks at me and tries to smile, but it seems that her shyness has won this round.


    ¡­Ah.


    It was at that moment that I realized what her wish was.


    My chest felt hot and my face naturally breaks into a smile when I look at her.


    ¡ºOK, ne~xt. Ah, how about the dreamy, stacked little Wizard.¡»


    ¡¸If you¡¯re offering a reward, then I¡¯ll gladly take one.¡¹


    ¡ºGreat! Finally, someone with the normal response I wanted! For you, let¡¯s see¡­I¡¯ll do this.¡»


    For a moment, Merlin¡¯s staff shone with light.


    ¡ºI gave you a blessing. So long as you are holding it, that staff will instantly compress and conduct Magical Energy. It¡¯s like all the disadvantages of using a staff are gone and the advantages were strengthened! Isn¡¯t that great~?¡»


    ¡¸How about my main desire?¡¹


    Merlin wishes to reunite with the Spirits she saw when she was young.


    ¡ºNo can do. I took a peek at your memories, but I don¡¯t know who those Spirits were.¡»


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    ¡ºThat¡¯s why I strengthened your cane.¡»


    ¡¸Is that a proper reward?¡¹


    ¡ºIt is. Well, whatever. I¡¯m getting bored of this, next! You-¡»


    ¡¸I can just think of what I want to wish for in my head, right?¡¹


    Sitri speaks out, interrupting the Spirit.


    She¡¯s her usual smiley self, but her smile seems a little stiff right now.


    ¡º¡­Indeed. Tell me thine wish. Hm, hm, I see. Thy wish be granted!¡»


    Smoke rose from the ground and it soon dissipated.


    What was left was¡­a picture book. It had no cover.


    Sitri turned its pages over and the inside was pure white.


    ¡ºThat is a Picture Book Where Little People Live. If you desire something you want, the materials required for it will be written on an empty page. And, the final page is all black, right? If you place the materials on top of that and wait overnight, the thing you wanted will be made and placed on top of the book by the next morning!¡»


    ¡¸¡­Wow.¡¹


    ¡ºIt embodies all the cute things in your head! It¡¯s an amazing book that can grant the image of the thing you desire with pinpoint accuracy. By the way, if you don¡¯t desire the thing from the bottom of your heart, no materials will appear on the page and nothing will be consumed, so be careful.¡»


    Materials are needed in order to be preserved for later.


    Like Furcus¡¯s Culinary Cloche, it can create things with Magical Energy, but it will scatter and disappear in a short time after.


    ¡¸OK.¡¹


    Sitri loves cute things.


    Considering her shape-shifting abilities, she can provide herself with the necessary abilities for battle each time.


    I can understand her wanting a Magic Tool that she can use every day.


    ¡ºWhat a weak response¡­ Well, next is the weird and wacky Black Sorcerer¡­who already used his wish to save the Hero whose appearance, magic, and even heart were dyed black.¡»

 CH 212.2

    212 ¨C Reward Time (Part 2)


    ¡¸Well, that was a mouthful¡­¡¹


    ¡ºEven though you failed once, you managed to recover and pull through. I¡¯ll give you a reward for that. So, what do you want?¡»


    ¡¸In that case, I wish¡­to give Lem my wish.¡¹


    Even while people expressed their surprise at this, the two of them continued their conversation.


    ¡ºReally? Are you sure? Won¡¯t you need some kind of handy item to fulfill your dream?¡»


    ¡¸I already have what I need. I¡¯m fine so long as I have my allies and my Holy Sword.¡¹


    Ex said while looking at the Spirit with a refreshing smile on his face.


    ¡º¡­My my, looks like you¡¯ve been purified. It seems like these are your true feelings, alright. But y¡¯know~, Mr. Interesting over here doesn¡¯t really like little ol¡¯ me~.¡»


    The Spirit floats around me, sulking.


    ¡ºIf you forgive me, then I could give you my divine blessing or something~.¡»


    ¡¸I¡¯m not the person you should seek forgiveness from, it¡¯s the villagers that you troubled. I simply don¡¯t like you. If you still want to grant my wish after saying that¡­¡¹


    It would be rude of me to not use the wish that Ex handed over to me.


    ¡­Part of me begged him to show me his full strength because I knew he would do this, but it looks like he saw through that.


    On top of that, if he wants to give me his wish as a form of thanks, then I should receive it gratefully.


    Even so, I don¡¯t think this Spirit can help me on my road to becoming a hero.


    ¡º¡­And?¡»


    I looked at Milla for a moment.


    She shook her head vigorously. Looks like she knows what I¡¯m going to say.


    I say my wish, which I am sure is the same wish that she made.


    ¡¸May all of the cherished people in my life live in good health.¡¹


    ¡ºgasp Ufufu. Ahaha. You really are a delightful little man.¡»


    ¡¸Is that beyond the scope of what a Spirit can grant?¡¹


    ¡ºPerish the thought¡­! I just need to make a few adjustments. I can give the subjects a weak divine blessing. The list of important people in your life is too wide, so¡­let¡¯s pare it down to loved ones, hm? I¡¯m a Spirit after all, so I know exactly who those people are. ¡­OK, I think this number of people should be fine.¡»


    The Spirit gave a little chuckle and continued.


    ¡ºYour loved ones will be less prone to illness, less likely to suffer bad luck, and less likely to fall into despair. But this isn¡¯t some absurdly powerful repellent blessing that guarantees happiness. For example, it¡¯ll be difficult to catch a cold from people, but if you were to overexert yourself resulting in a weakened body, you can still catch a cold.¡»


    There are various types of divine blessings.


    In the modern age, it mainly refers to the blessing given to a Hero¡¯s Holy Swords or the Spirit Magic, but originally, it meant the various powers given to mankind from beings from on high.


    This is why Arthur gaining a blessing from a Spirit without forming a contract isn¡¯t a contradiction.


    People who are known to be fortunate all the time could have also received a divine blessing from something.


    ¡¸That won¡¯t be a problem.¡¹


    ¡º¡­Looks like you¡¯re serious about that. I granted your wish. Ah, since I received a complaint from a certain someone, there¡¯s no light show this time. Aw, what a shame.¡»


    Said the Spirit as she flew circles around a fidgeting Milla.


    ¡¸Kh¡­.¡¹


    ¡ºAhaha. If that person hadn¡¯t complained, they¡¯d probably be shining brightly right about now~.¡»


    ¡¸Grnnnn¡­¡¹


    Milla glared at the Spirit with a frustrated look on her face.


    ¡ºAnd with that, we¡¯re done¡­! By the way, I¡¯m still accepting contestants, but the same person can¡¯t take on the challenge twice.¡»


    After saying that, the ball of light disappears.


    ¡¸In the end, she never showed us her true form, huh¡­ Oh well, shall we?¡¹


    Said Merlin, uninterested.


    I looked at everyone, all holding what they were given by the Spirit, and prepared to head back.


    ¡ºYup, no one else but you can see me.¡»


    ¡­I knew it.


    When the ball of light disappeared, a black¡­chick appeared at the same time.


    The way it jumped and flew, flapping its tiny wings, is adorable, but knowing that it¡¯s actually the Spirit gives me complicated feelings.


    ¡ºYou like baby chicks, right? From your first impression of me¡­no, you seemed to think fine of me before the trial so¡­I guess it would be the second impression then? Since your second impression of me was bad, I thought that I should first change my appearance to match your tastes.¡»


    I don¡¯t really get why this Spirit is worried about my impression of her in the first place.


    Also, why does she think that I like baby chicks¡­?


    ¡ºDo you really not get it¡­?¡»


    ¡­¡­


    I said this earlier, but I-


    ¡º-can¡¯t become a hero with a Spirit that messes with people? Yeah, yeah, I remember. But that¡¯s bull and you know it. Even the Four Great Spirits weren¡¯t always the allies of mankind. Even your best friend¡¯s Spirit, she caused trouble for people in the past, y¡¯know? Does she get a free pass just ¡¯cause you don¡¯t know? Or will you think your best friend is a failed Hero the moment you know?¡»


    Even so, the Fire Spirit has proven to be an ally to mankind over a long period of time. How about you?


    ¡ºI¡¯ll spend time with you for your lifetime. Whether or not you make me end my days of messing with people as a Spirit or I become a Spirit ally of the hero Black Sorcerer is up to you.¡»


    Why me?


    ¡ºI¡¯ve always liked taking a peek into the world of Dungeon Clears, but I¡¯m interested in seeing what happens to people like you. All us Spirits are like that. We are beings who live our lives constantly curious. Even forming contracts with Heroes is decided by whether or not that Spirit wants to see how that person will live their life.¡»


    She seems more well-versed than I am on what contracts with Spirits are based on. If she says so, she¡¯s probably right.


    It¡¯s common sense that people who aren¡¯t Heroes can¡¯t endure forming a contract with them, though¡­


    ¡ºThat¡¯s about right. Even if I want to form a contract with you, I can¡¯t. It¡¯s a problem that can¡¯t be solved by sheer effort.¡»


    Heroes are abnormal.


    If you aren¡¯t a Demon King or at least someone who can win single-handedly, you are incompatible with the Spirit.


    Originally, a person¡¯s body cannot handle the use of Spirit Magic.


    The only special subset of humanity that can are Heroes.


    ¡ºYour physical strength is lower than average and multiple methods were used to make the horn take hold within you, so if we were to force your body to undergo a contract, not only will your body not be able to withstand it, it might interfere with the methods used to keep the horn inside you and¡­ufufu, your body might pop like a balloon.¡»


    Why does she sound amused by that¡­


    Anyway, I can¡¯t form a contract with a Spirit.


    But still, why is she acting as if she still wants to¡­?


    Could it be that, just like Arthur, you want to¡­ Please, could you wait a moment?


    ¡ºHu~h? The quality of the sword you got from ol¡¯ pops is a little meh, right? If it gets a divine blessing of a Spirit, it¡¯ll instantly become a Holy Sword.¡»


    Holy Swords are weapons that harbor the divine blessing of a Spirit. It doesn¡¯t matter if it was a rusty weapon. It changes to a weapon worthy of being called a Holy Sword with the blessing.


    Its quality doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s a good sword.


    ¡ºPerformance is key, right? Even if you¡¯re trying to be a hero, you can¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t care if the weapon is good or bad, can you?¡»


    ¡­¡­


    This time, there wasn¡¯t any occasion to use this sword. I was the rear guard, and my allies were superb, so it isn¡¯t strange that there wasn¡¯t an opportunity, but even if I did actually use it, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with the Monsters in this Dungeon.


    If you slashed at a giant, it would probably break in one swing no matter how skilled a swordsman wielded it.


    It¡¯s very important to me, symbolic even, but I can¡¯t say that it has any worth as a weapon.


    ¡ºThe boy who inherited the Demon King¡¯s horn and mastered Black Sorcery. You worked so hard to get this far because of your lack of talent. You worked so hard, yet you¡¯ve experienced nothing but pain. You were kicked out of the party and now, ufufu, you¡¯re under suspicion of being a dangerous individual. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t like that, right? However, you didn¡¯t wish for all that to be resolved.¡»


    ¡­If I made a wish to the Spirit, could she have done something about this situation¡­? I don¡¯t know.


    But from the way she¡¯s talking, it would appear that the answer is yes.


    The Spirit could arrange things in a way that paved the way for me to be able to work as Lemegeton without worrying about anyone¡¯s prying eyes and clear all suspicion towards me.


    I never thought about all that.


    ¡ºThat¡¯s another thing I like about you. But above all else¡­your Clear and Defenses are interesting.¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    It annoys me that hearing even this Spirit saying that makes me¡­happy.


    ¡ºI mean, I can give you my divine blessing on my own and you can¡¯t tie me down since we can¡¯t form a contract, right? So I¡¯ll just follow you, loitering about until I¡¯m bored! Looking forward to seeing you work, pal¡­!¡»


    In the end, this is how it turned out, huh¡­


    Spirits are unfettered beings. When they decide they wanna do something, they just do it.


    While walking to the Teleportation Recording Stone with everyone, I let out a sigh.


    So long as you don¡¯t cause any trouble for anyone.


    ¡ºAs long as you¡¯re able to entertain me, at least.¡»


    With a shimmering noise, I could sense something inhabit the sword.


    Perhaps in consideration of my feelings, the shape of the sword that my dad gave me stayed the same. A Holy Sword often changes its shape to match its name.


    But this is just fine.


    ¡ºYou should use it when you want to. By the way, this Dungeon will probably disappear in a few days. Since there¡¯re no more Imitations appearing.¡»


    I guess she¡¯s stopped using Magical Energy to maintain the Dungeon.


    She did say that she would still accept further contestants for the trial, but I suppose it¡¯s only limited to the few days until the Dungeon disappears.


    ¡¸sigh¡­ Hmm.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, is something the matter?¡¹


    Milla, who was walking beside me, looked at me curiously.


    ¡¸Ah, yeah, I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­see. I understand. Please do. Who were you conversing with earlier?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡ºShe can¡¯t see me. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s constantly watching you.¡»


    ¡¸Fufu.¡¹


    Milla smiles and I give her one in return.


    The black chick is riding on top of my head.


    I hear that even Spirit contractors have difficult relationships with their Spirit¡­and this one isn¡¯t even tied to me in any way.


    Thus, I, a Black Sorcerer, inheritor of the Demon King¡¯s horn, instilled with the knowledge of Black Sorcery, attained a Holy Sword¡­and am haunted by a Spirit.

 CH 213

    213 ¨C Is it Just Me or Is My Best Friend Rushing here on a Dragon?


    We teleport from the fifth stratum Teleportation Recording Stone to the camp Teleportation Recording Stone.


    ¡¸Sir Lem! Sir Ex! You¡¯re both safe¡­!¡¹


    Maggie greeted us with a relieved expression on her face.


    ¡­I see. Everyone else must have gone back once to tell her about what happened and that both of us were still sleeping.


    ¡¸I apologize for making you worry.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks to Lem, I managed to come back. Ah right, I need to give a report, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I received a brief report from the others¡­ It sounded like quite the ordeal.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I guess you could say that¡­¡¹


    ¡ºAll you need to do is keep up your strong heart.¡»


    Said the black chick.


    Yeah¡­ You didn¡¯t exactly make that easy.


    At the present, I am the only one who can see it.


    Spirits can both choose their form as well as who is able to see it.


    She appeared as a ball of light to everyone else, but she only appears as a black chick to me.


    Even among Spirit Contractors, they can¡¯t see each other¡¯s contracted Spirits.


    Even Spirits don¡¯t interact with each other unless they are made specifically aware of each other.


    ¡ºThe beings that everyone calls Spirits have a wide variety, y¡¯know?¡»


    I¡¯ll take your word for it. She¡¯s probably right, surely.


    For the time being, it doesn¡¯t seem likely that Ex¡¯s or Arthur¡¯s Shadow and Light Spirit would take the trouble to appear before them and tell them about this one.


    ¡­Not like I plan to hide this. I¡¯ll be discussing this with them in the near future.


    ¡ºHuh? Don¡¯t you want this to be your secret power or something?¡»


    ¡­I have a duty to report to the government about a Holy Sword¡­


    ¡ºThe world you live in sure is strict, huh?¡»


    Says the free Spirit who constantly peers into our so-called strict world.


    ¡ºAhaha, touche. Endless freedom can be pretty boring, y¡¯know?¡»


    So you create an Original Dungeon?


    ¡ºThanks to that, I had some fun. Also, I was able to find you.¡»


    I involuntarily let out a sigh.


    I was about to give Maggie a detailed report¡­but before that, I want to visit the village.


    ¡¸Indeed¡­ After the villagers had received a medical examination from the doctors and White Sorcerers, they were sent back to the village once they recovered. For the moment, you should head there and reassure your family and the villagers, Sir Lem.¡¹


    By her orders, a horse carriage was prepared.


    ¡¸Th-then I shall follow along as wel-¡¹


    ¡¸Sitri is going to~. Sorry, Maggie, but I don¡¯t wanna tell you the details of my dream.¡¹


    Sitri says while raising her hand, interrupting Milla.


    One hand was raised, while the other was slightly raised and clasped in front of her chest. Also, one of her legs was raised slightly.


    ¡¸I-I see. But I will go too-¡¹


    ¡¸You overcame the trial quite quickly, Lady Milla. I wish to talk to you in detail about it if possible¡­¡¹


    ¡¸B-but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be fi~ine, Milly. I¡¯ll be there with him.¡¹


    With that, she grabbed my arm and pulled me outside the tent.


    ¡¸Ah¡­Milla. I¡¯ll talk to you when I get back.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm¡­ Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Milla looked frustrated but didn¡¯t persist any further.


    ¡­Probably because she noticed it as well. Sitri¡¯s discomfort.


    ¡ºYou wanna know about this little lady¡¯s dream?¡»


    You don¡¯t have to tell me.


    ¡ºKnew you¡¯d say that.¡»


    She said, laughing joyfully.


    I wonder if this is how life is gonna be from now on.


    ¡ºNot at all. I won¡¯t take a peek when you¡¯re in the toilet or taking a bath.¡»


    ¡­¡­


    ¡ºBut for everything else, I¡¯ll be watching over you like the other Spirits.¡»


    If I think about it, since a Spirit contractor¡¯s life is constantly being watched by the Spirit, do they not have truly private moments anymore?


    Perhaps they don¡¯t appear unless called upon in order to make the Human unaware of their presence.


    The Spirits don¡¯t want to get involved, but they do wish to watch. The life of the Human they chose.


    They form a contract, making that person¡¯s life more interesting by lending them their power.


    ¡ºYes, yes, exactly! That¡¯s why I gave you a Holy sword. To make your life more interesting, mhm.¡»


    ¡¸Maybe not as badly as Milly, but I was worried about you too, you know? You took your time getting up, Lem.¡¹


    Said Sitri, pouting.


    I end my conversation with the Spirit and return my attention to Sitri.


    ¡¸Sorry for making you worry.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmmm? Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me instead?¡¹


    Sitri said with a teasing smile.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right. Thank you for worrying about me.¡¹


    ¡¸How obedient of you, Lem. Cute.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­¡¹


    We call out to the coachman, and then we get into the carriage.


    Once we start moving, I resume the conversation.


    But before that, I ask the Spirit to ¡°Not listen in to this conversation¡± in my head.


    ¡ºHuh? Even though I already know everything about this girl from her dream to her inner thoughts?¡»


    Yes, if you please. I don¡¯t like the idea of someone eavesdropping.


    ¡º¡­¡­Mrgh. Hmph. One day, I¡¯ll make you say ¡°I¡¯m glad I met you, partner.¡±, you¡¯ll see¡­!¡»


    Saying that in a deliberately forced tone, the black chick flaps its little wings and flies off somewhere.


    Not sure if all the theatrics was necessary, but I¡¯ll believe that she isn¡¯t listening.


    ¡¸Was it¡­hard, to escape from the dream?¡¹


    I knew this would be the topic of discussion. Rather, I should say that I expected it.


    Sitri seemed a little strange after overcoming the trial.


    After all, she overcame her trial not long after I did.


    Different from how Furcus, Arthur, Milla, and Merlin overcame the trial at the early stage, she was in the dream for longer.


    ¡¸R-right. In my case¡­about ten years had passed in the dream. It was so pleasant that I couldn¡¯t break free from it for a long period of time. It was so pleasant around the time I was Clearing the Demon King Castle. Ah, I was an Adventurer in the dream.¡¹


    By the way, even though I say that ten years had passed in the dream, only a few hours had passed in the real world from when we entered the fifth stratum.


    ¡¸¡­I get it. It¡¯s you, after all. You aimed to be a hero as an Adventurer, right?¡¹


    Sitri gives a fragile smile.


    She¡¯s different from her usual, always-conscious-of-being-cute self.


    Here and there, I caught a glimpse of something.


    ¡¸I told you about me before, right?¡¹


    She is a small, winged leopard Demi-Beast. Possessing the ability to transform, going so far as to reproduce even the ability of the subject. While it can¡¯t do everything, it certainly proved its worth in the Raid Battle.


    She is a capable individual worthy of being one of the Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four.


    She has always liked cute things. She took a liking to the form of a Dream Demon and chooses to stay in that form all the time.


    ¡¸Yes. Yes, you did.¡¹


    ¡¸In my dream, I was born a Dream Demon, you know? I lived my life happily chasing after cute things. I was a model, an idol, and even an actress.¡¹


    Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers are treated coldly in the Adventurer industry.


    However, for example, if a White Sorcerer that can heal wounds were in the medical field, they¡¯d be in great demand.


    In that sense, Black Sorcerer is a Job that is treated coldly by reality in general.


    It can¡¯t do any other work. Even the only choice it has, an Adventurer, is a tough path to tread on.


    In that regard, Dream Demons have difficulty finding a Job as a race unit.


    Because the average person can¡¯t judge whether or not their appeal is the real deal or simply something amplified by their Charm spell.


    Of course, that¡¯s illegal, not to mention good Dream Demons won¡¯t abuse it, and it¡¯s not like there are no countermeasures against it but¡­


    Since there are a plethora of races, it¡¯s easier to just avoid Dream Demons in the first place.


    There are not many jobs available for beautiful-looking Dream Demons who are not trusted because of their race.


    All the occupations that Sitri mentioned exist in reality, but it is difficult for a Dream Demon to work in those industries even if she wanted to.


    ¡¸I had a blast¡­¡¹


    She couldn¡¯t talk to the others about this.


    In terms of being sucked in by the dream, Ex falls into that category as well, but I also happen to be her friend.


    The other four immediately escaped from their dream the moment they arrived in it.


    I don¡¯t think that Ex or Sitri¡¯s hearts are weak.


    Even I¡­my master praised me for having a strong heart.


    Besides, didn¡¯t the Spirit say¡­


    All you need to do is keep up your strong heart?


    The strength of one¡¯s heart isn¡¯t fixed, it¡¯s something that can go up and down.


    Ex was assaulted by his worries, and Sitri and me¡­were assaulted by our past-held ideals.


    ¡¸So, how did¡­you manage to return?¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe, about that. I saw the Raid Battle happening on TV. Everyone was working so hard without me. Remember that time when Lu made an appearance? Via your ring?¡¹


    ¡¸She did, yeah.¡¹


    My real self struggled to somehow remind me of reality in my dream.


    I guess the TV screen was the result of Sitri¡¯s hard work, who lived a life completely unrelated to the Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸That¡¯s when I thought¡­ even though I have everything I ever wanted, the important things aren¡¯t here.¡¹


    She met her Highness¡­Luci, and was given an opportunity to work as a Monster.


    Everything she gained from that didn¡¯t exist in her ideal world. Because she never worked as a Monster.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I thought the same.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­but what a dream it was¡­ I didn¡¯t think that I didn¡¯t need it as everyone else did.¡¹


    Sitri rested her head on my shoulder.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A reality where I have everything I want and everything important to me¡­ I wonder if that exists.¡¹


    I get what she¡¯s saying. I really do.


    ¡¸That might be tough¡­because we were able to meet all the important people in our lives precisely because we couldn¡¯t get what we wanted.¡¹


    I wanted to become a Hero.


    But there are people I was able to meet because of the fact that I was unable to become one.


    I can do important things even while living a life unable to get the things I wanted.


    ¡¸Heheh. Hey. We think alike. I don¡¯t like my original, uncute self, but not having met Lu is even worse. So, I came back.¡¹


    She really is a strong person.


    ¡¸Me too. I was depressed when I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer, but I¡¯m glad to have joined the Demon King Castle and befriended you, Sitri.¡¹


    Sitri looked up at me and gave me a childish stare.


    ¡¸That¡¯s exactly the kinda thing I¡¯m talking about, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Geez, you¡¯re such a playboy. My, my.¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But I¡¯ll let it slide this time. After all, I think the same. Milly, Foofoo, Lem¡­I tease him all the time, but Agarest too, you¡¯re all very important friends to me. It¡¯s so much better here.¡¹


    Having said that, she gave a big smile.


    ¡¸But it really was a good dream. Oh well.¡¹


    This time, she rests her head on my lap.


    ¡¸¡­So¡­you wanted to be an idol?¡¹


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t idols cute? I love cute things. ¡­Although the realities of being an idol are full of difficulties, but hey, the heart wants what the heart wants.¡¹


    ¡¸How should I put this¡­I think¡­you could have been an idol if you took the form of another race¡­right?¡¹


    ¡¸What? No way. Dream Demons are the cutest.¡¹


    She answered immediately.


    With such a clear answer, I quietly nod my head.


    ¡¸I see, then I guess there¡¯s no helping it.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup.¡¹


    And with that, our trial ended with it leaving an effect or not at all in our hearts.


    It¡¯s still accepting contestants, but I¡¯m pretty sure the investigation team will unanimously agree to not set foot in the fifth stratum.


    ¡ºDone with your little talk?¡»


    The black chick came back at almost the same time as we arrived at the village.


    When I appeared in the assembly hall, Canary hugged me tightly


    ¡¸Lem¡­! You took so long, so I was so worried¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry¡­and thank you. I¡¯ll be fine.¡¹


    I talked with Hawk and my parents as well.


    Canary saw Sitri and yelled ¡°So cute!¡± and Sitri replied ¡°So are you, miss! Are you Lem¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Yup! I¡¯m his big sister!¡±, to which Hawk heard and scolded Canary, saying ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tell lies.¡±


    I was thanked by the villagers, even by the trio, surprisingly, and considering that everyone made it back, including me, we decided to break up the gathering for now.


    And then, everyone who exited the assembly hall looked up at the sky.


    Even though the sun was out, there was a very large shadow cast over the village for a moment.


    It soon cleared up, but what that shadow belonged to surprised us all.


    It was a dragon.


    There were people about to panic, but I quickly yelled out to reassure them.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright! It¡¯s alright! That¡¯s not a wild dragon!¡¹


    On the dragon¡¯s belly, there was a cloth that had the logo indicating the organization it belonged to.


    It¡¯s so that people on the ground can immediately distinguish it.


    The Dragon Express.


    They are famous for being able to carry a large amount of luggage at once and, not to mention, quickly.


    Also, for high-ranking Adventurers, the party can spend some money to be transported by the dragon.


    But, why would such a dragon be here¡­?


    If this is a common route it takes, then why would everyone be surprised¡­? I also didn¡¯t hear anything about Maggie calling for such a service.


    Hm?


    While staring at the sky, I spot something.


    A dot¡­in the sky.


    No, it¡¯s¡­something. Wait, is that¡­a person?


    ¡¸Hyaaaaa!¡¹


    I could hear a kinda cute scream.


    It would seem that two people were falling.


    A single male and a woman clinging to his back.


    Wait, the male is¡­the Flame Hero Fenix?


    The heck are you doing?


    Emitting flames to decelerate, he completely killed all momentum and landed safely on the ground.


    The Hunter Lily tumbled off of that guy¡¯s back.


    After helping Lily to her feet, Fenix turns to everyone.


    ¡¸Everyone¡­ Ah, Lem! You¡¯re alright!¡¹


    I turn to look at Canary.


    ¡¸I sent him an email. But that boy¡­heh, to think he¡¯d come on a Dragon¡­¡¹


    Having said that, Canary runs out to hug her son.


    ¡­Well, I guess it is his hometown too. He has the right to know.


    I¡¯m sure he had to do some filming for a Dungeon Clear, and he took a dragon here as soon as it was over.


    ¡ºOh, it¡¯s the Priest boy.¡»


    Said the black chick.


    ¡¸Not Priest. Hero.¡¹


    I mutter to myself.


    It really does suit Fenix better than me.


    I approach my best friend.


    ¡¸You¡¯re late.¡¹


    He was slightly flabbergasted by that, but then he laughed.


    ¡¸I came as fast as I could.¡¹


    Sure seems that way.


    We looked at each other and laughed.

 CH 214.1

    214 ¨C Holding your Hand is Far Harder than Fighting the Strongest of Foes (Part 1)


    The reason why Fenix and Lily came rushing here on a Dragon is thus;


    In the beginning, the Fenix party was watching TV and found out that I was participating in the Original Dungeon investigation.


    Nothing strange about that.


    If you think about the time it took to get from the town with the Demon King Castle to the village and the fact that the Original Dungeon investigation has been underway for several days at that point, that news would have been broadcast a while ago.


    Also, when they saw it, Fenix and co. were in the middle of Clearing a Dungeon.


    Knowing that Ex and co. were there, not to mention a few of the Demon King Big Four, and the fact that they would be conducting the investigation via Avatar, there was nothing to worry about.


    So, naturally, they continued their Clear.


    What made him ride here on a dragon was Canary¡¯s email telling him how some villagers were lured into the Original Dungeon.


    The party was heading to an Adventurer Union facility to hand over the Clear footage to the guy that they usually ask to edit their videos.


    Rather than looking for a facility to rent a Terminal, it¡¯s better to just head to the Union in that town.


    That¡¯s how he checked his email.


    After reading it, he immediately left the Union saying ¡°I¡¯m going to the village.¡± and took off on a dragon.


    Judging from how suddenly Fenix ran out, Lily surmised that it was an emergency.


    Linking the word village with me, she immediately chased after Fenix.


    ¡¸Elves honor friendships. There is nothing strange about rushing to a friend in need of aid, now is there?¡¹


    So Lily said.


    Her expression was as tense as usual, but her golden locks were a mess thanks to the wind zipping past her as she was falling, and the one strand that sticks out from the top of her head drooped as if it was tired.


    I was touched by her concern and gave her my thanks.


    At first, Canary thought that Lily was Fenix¡¯s girlfriend, but after hearing what she said, Canary said ¡°Lem, could it be that you¡¯ve entered your popular with the ladies phase? You have, haven¡¯t you? Goodness, but I¡¯ve already decided to become Milla¡¯s mother-in-law¡­¡±


    I don¡¯t really get what she means, but it makes me uneasy.


    As Lily strings words together to try and get rid of this misunderstanding, Fenix and I let out a strained laugh.


    ¡¸So, how are you getting home, anyway?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, about that. The dragon is supposed to come back in three days¡¯ time.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Oh, right. I guess I should thank you. You came to help, right?¡¹


    ¡¸The villagers, that is.¡¹


    Joked Fenix, laughing.


    ¡¸Ahaha, so you weren¡¯t worried about me at all, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s you, you¡¯d overcome any sort of trial.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Gee, thanks.¡¹


    I¡­guess I shouldn¡¯t tell him that it was a pretty hard struggle to come back.


    ¡ºAhaha, the Fire Spirit contractor has so much faith in you. You¡¯ve got a lot to live up to, huh?¡»


    The black chick says, happily


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    Fenix suddenly reaches a hand out to the top of my head.


    To others, he might look like he¡¯s patting me on the head for some reason.


    But to me, he looks like he¡¯s trying to grab a hold of the black chick.


    ¡ºWhoa there. Well, it¡¯s not like I need to dodge it since he can¡¯t touch me anyway, but better safe than sorry.¡»


    Perhaps giving me an explanation, the black chick flies into the air to dodge Fenix¡¯s hand.


    I thought other people couldn¡¯t see you in the first place?


    ¡ºHe can¡¯t. But it¡¯s like that overbearing fanatic girl. He watches you and can sorta sense my existence.¡»


    The black chick must be talking about Milla.


    It¡¯s true that Milla seemed to notice when I was talking to it.


    ¡­Huh, there are times when I catch Fenix staring at nothing and wondered if he was conversing with the Spirit. Is this the reverse of that situation?


    Not really, considering I had no idea what the general location of the Fire Spirit was when I suspected he was talking to it¡­


    Is it a technique made possible by the sharpened senses of a Hero? Sure, let¡¯s go with that.


    ¡¸Is¡­something there, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yup, there is. I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? ¡­By the way, that sword.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you feel it?¡¹


    It¡¯s pretty much a Holy Sword now, but it¡¯s a little odd.


    A Holy Sword¡¯s rank is determined by the rank of the Spirit.


    The Holy Sword blessed by the main Fire Spirit that Fenix formed a contract with became a sword renowned as the pinnacle of modern-day weapons.


    Rivaled in strength by Aerial¡¯s Holy Sword and also whenever Wraith holds on to a weapon.


    But you can¡¯t sense any power that is characteristic of a Holy Sword from this sword.


    In a sense, Merlin¡¯s staff received a divine blessing from the same Spirit, so you could say it was turned into a Holy Sword, considering it won¡¯t display its power when held by someone other than her just like a Holy Sword, but that one has an easier-to-sense presence around it.


    ¡ºWell, of course. I turned it into a Holy Sword, but I didn¡¯t pour any power into it.¡»


    Is there some kind of condition I need to meet?


    ¡ºEvery time you prove entertaining, I¡¯ll make that sword stronger.¡»


    ¡­I see. That seems like something this Spirit would do.


    ¡¸Finally, a Spirit that acknowledges your abilities has appeared. I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    He says with a dazzling smile.


    ¡­This guy doesn¡¯t seem at all surprised that I¡¯m haunted by a Spirit.


    But he quickly looked down. Troubled.


    ¡¸Spirit¡¯s are pretty tough to handle, though¡­ Please be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I already know.¡¹


    ¡ºHey, don¡¯t lump me together with that cold-then-hot Fire Spirit. I¡¯m always honest with my feelings, so you don¡¯t need to read between the lines with me at all. Nice and easy.¡»


    Listening to her, I think that comes with its own set of troubles.


    ¡ºAren¡¯t you just a little too cold to your partner here? Are you still mad about what I did to the villagers?¡»


    Still? It¡¯s only been a few hours¡­


    ¡¸Lem, I¡¯ll get all lonely if you leave me alone for too long.¡¹


    Said Sitri as she grabs a hold of my arm.


    ¡¸Spirit? Did you mention Spirit? Did something happen with Lem and a Spirit?¡¹


    Lily, whose hair was straightened by a comb that Canary produced out of nowhere, drew near in surprise. Her one strand on the top of her head was energetically bouncing, having regained its vitality.


    I heard from her before that Spirits are sacred beings to Elves and that Spirit contractors are the subject of respect and jealousy.


    In Lily¡¯s case, she thinks very highly of Fenix, who caught the interest of one of the Four Great Spirits.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, I felt the same when I saw you with Miss Nicola, I don¡¯t find your conduct admirable when you already have Miss Milla.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh shut up, it¡¯s not like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? You mean, we aren¡¯t good friends?¡¹


    ¡¸No, of course, we are, but that¡¯s not what Fenix is saying¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uhm¡­about the Spirit¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, Lily. It would seem that Lem has caught the eye of a Spirit. It has to be the one from the Original Dungeon-¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, look at you all flustered. You¡¯re so~ cute, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Please don¡¯t tease me.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-?! A Spirit¡¯s divine blessing¡­?! Lem! Is this true¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, uh, y-yeah. That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸P-please, tell me the full details. ¡­Also, I, too, do not admire your conduct.¡¹


    ¡¸Like I said, it¡¯s not like that!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? You mean we aren¡¯t good-¡¹


    This conversation is such a mess¡­ It¡¯s surprisingly working, though.


    Suddenly, Canary clapped her hands.


    ¡¸Anyway~, let¡¯s have a party! It¡¯s time for a feast¡­!¡¹


    Even Hawk nodded happily.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. We should celebrate everyone¡¯s safe return¡­and the return of our sons.¡¹


    ¡¸And also celebrate the arrival of so many cute kids!¡¹


    With the couple¡¯s words, the rest of the villagers who were watching this unfold started getting enthusiastic and made some noise.

 CH 214.2

    214 ¨C Holding your Hand is Far Harder than Fighting the Strongest of Foes (Part 2)


    First off, Fenix was surrounded by a flock of both old and young women.


    This happens to him no matter what village he goes to¡­I recalled the days when I was in the Fenix party.


    ¡¸Lem, looks aren¡¯t important¡­ Okay, I can¡¯t say that, but looks aren¡¯t the only thing that¡¯s important! Your Job is also important, but it¡¯s not just that¡­!¡¹


    Sitri was trying to cheer me up.


    ¡¸Exactly. What we should look at in relationships should not be what people are born with, but what they cultivated throughout their lives. It¡¯s¡­different when it comes to working though¡­¡¹


    Perhaps recalling my withdrawal from the party, Lily added to Sitri¡¯s point with some difficulty.


    Having the Aptitude for a Black Sorcerer and being identified as one at only the age of ten, it is something I was born with.


    I ended up leaving the party because of that, but this and personal relationships are different.


    It is important to separate the two slightly in one¡¯s mind.


    ¡¸Thanks, you two¡­¡¹


    As I said that, the two of them were also surrounded.


    ¡­Well, I¡­I guess I have¡­finished talking with everyone¡­


    Without even realizing it, my dad got close to me and tapped me on the shoulder.


    I thought he was going to console me, but he had a serious look on his face.


    ¡¸Everyone is laughing and smiling, almost like the few hours we spent scared and worried didn¡¯t exist. Surely, this is what people would call the work of¡­a hero?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The one who woke everyone up in order was Furcus¡­¡¹


    He hit me on the head.


    ¡¸That Lady Furcus had this to say,  ¡°I was just following Lem.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You took the first step to save people in need and gathered those that would follow such a hero. Don¡¯t downplay your actions. Be proud. That¡¯s something a hero would do, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re pretty knowledgeable about heroes, huh, dad?¡¹


    ¡¸Who¡¯s fault do you think that is?¡¹


    Said my dad with a deliberately disgruntled look on his face.


    ¡¸Ahaha, a son who was utterly obsessed with Clear videos, maybe?¡¹


    ¡¸Looks like it was worth it, though.¡¹


    I look at everyone again.


    They are all certainly laughing.


    ¡¸I know. You¡¯re right. I hope.¡¹


    If my actions had even the slightest effect on this outcome¡­


    I should be proud of it.


    ¡ºOoh, a feast. Nice. Oh, don¡¯t eat any chicken, OK? Feels kinda weird ¡¯cause of how I look.¡»


    ¡­And the moment is ruined.


    ¡ó


    While they were making preparations for the party, Sitri and I went back to the camp for the moment.


    Fenix was caught by Canary and Lily got dragged into it as well.


    Well, since it¡¯s their reunion with a son who never visits, her reaction is only natural.


    I went to the carriage to go back to camp to escape before I was dragged into it as well.


    I, uh, had to go back and give a report. Yup. No other reason.


    Now, about the Original Dungeon investigation after all that.


    Opinions on whether or not to challenge the fifth stratum are split.


    Not because some people wanted a reward.


    They were apprehensive about the Spirit¡¯s behavior.


    They were worried that the Spirit might lure other people again to take the challenge if there were no further contestants, which makes sense when you think about it.


    ¡ºThat¡¯s an expected response from people who don¡¯t know about my relation to you right now.¡»


    Exactly.


    In regards to this, the Spirit turned into a ball of light again and appeared in front of everyone to explain the situation, and they reached a conclusion.


    It won¡¯t refuse any further contestants, but it won¡¯t use ordinary people as hostages either.


    Spirits can¡¯t tell a lie.


    It has been decided that no one will participate in the fifth stratum challenge.


    There were a few voices that expressed regret, but even Ex was swallowed by the dream once. There wasn¡¯t anyone who was arrogant enough to think they could do better.


    Next, about the investigation and Clear of the fourth stratum.


    This shall continue.


    Hearing that the Dungeon will disappear in a matter of days, it will be Cleared to at least retrieve the treasures within.


    By the way, as a countermeasure to this Dungeon that adapts to the attackers, a Teleportation Recording Stone will be installed within.


    Not in a Safe Room, but in an area where Imitations can appear in.


    With this, even if the enemies were to adapt to the Adventurers within it currently, personnel from the camp can transfer in to deal with them.


    At first glance, it seems like a good idea, and there is nothing wrong with using it, but there are some drawbacks.


    The Teleportation Recording Stone must be firmly secured. Then, the coordinates need to be registered.


    This operation takes a fair amount of time, making this an unrealistic plan because of the threat of sudden attacks.


    It¡¯s not something that can be done in normal Clears, and they¡¯re going to try it a few times to see if it¡¯ll work.


    Also, about the Spirit haunting me.


    Merlin looked displeased.


    ¡¸I see¡­ It¡¯s good to know that Arthur wasn¡¯t the only exception. Lem, if at all possible, could you please tell me more?¡¹


    Arthur had a suspicious look on his face.


    ¡¸While I am glad you received a divine blessing¡­the fact that it is from that Spirit is worrying. If anything happens, please consult with me immediately, as a fellow Possessed, I might be of assistance.¡¹


    Ex laughed heartily.


    ¡¸Ahaha! That Spirit has a discerning eye. If you aren¡¯t against it, just let it watch your life unfold. They are free Spirits, but they can also become friends or partners. At the very least, it hasn¡¯t done anything to cause me concern, so it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Furcus said, expressionless while munching on her Magical Energy-made food¡­


    ¡¸¡­No matter what kind of power you gain, the importance placed on one¡¯s own strength remains unchanged. We shall resume training once we return. We shall train so that you won¡¯t get pushed down by Milla¡¯s assault.¡¹


    Sitri already found out in the village and said this at the time¡­


    ¡¸Is it cute?¡¹


    Milla had mixed feelings.


    ¡¸I¡­I¡¯m very glad that¡­you were able to receive a divine blessing but¡­gr, for it to be from that Spirit¡­that Spirit¡­¡¹


    Maggie was rather stiff.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Oh. I-I see¡­Divine blessing from a Spirit¡­I-I expected no less from you Sir Lem.¡¹


    Her confused reaction is a normal response.


    By the way, when I told Yoss, he yelled ¡°Whaaa~?! A Spirit?!¡± in great surprise.


    After that, the camp celebrated the full Clear of the Original Dungeon, and we were all treated to a lavish meal at noon.


    Ex and Arthur exchanged drinks with one another.


    There, allies who fought alongside one another mingled.


    Merlin gathered everyone for a drinking contest and drank all challengers under the table.


    Furcus ate not only her Magical Energy-made food but normal food as well and for the first time since I¡¯ve known her, her belly swelled just a tiny bit.


    Yoss, who saw it as well, trembled and said ¡°For Lady Furcus¡¯s belly to swell like that¡­ She must be growing in power.¡± with a serious look on his face.


    Before I knew it, Sitri was surrounded by a group of women, saying ¡°There¡¯s a cute way to eat too, y¡¯know?¡± which everyone listened to intently.


    Everyone was having fun.


    Right now, I¡¯m walking to grab a drink.


    And food for Milla.


    ¡ºHey, partner.¡»


    ¡­


    ¡ºHello~. Partner?¡»


    Is that how you plan on calling me?


    ¡ºI mean, you already have a best friend, masters, and parents, right? I thought that a partnership was the only relationship slot you had left for me.¡»


    Well¡­you¡¯d still call me that even if I told you not to, right?


    ¡ºYup, yup. Also, it¡¯s easier to remember.¡»


    So? What is it?


    ¡ºCome here. Got something important to talk about. No, really. It won¡¯t take long, it¡¯ll be over before you know it.¡»


    The black chick flapped its wings and flew in a direction. Guess I have no choice.


    I followed it to just a little ways away from the camp, but the scenery changed in an instant.


    ¡ºSurprised?¡»

 CH 214.3

    214 ¨C Holding your Hand is Far Harder than Fighting the Strongest of Foes (Part 3)


    We were in the middle of a forest. But I couldn¡¯t hear everyone¡¯s voices anymore.


    We teleported.


    Well, I thought you¡¯d do something like this.


    ¡ºAw, how boring. Eh, whatever. I told you that the Original Dungeon will disappear in a few days, right?¡»


    Since there was no one else here, I spoke out loud.


    I could talk in my head, but it feels weird knowing that my mind is being read every time.


    It¡¯s probably the same whether I talk or not, but I just feel better speaking.


    ¡¸You did, yeah.¡¹


    ¡ºIt will disappear because I am no longer intervening with it. The pool of Magical Energy still has some juice left in it, y¡¯know?¡»


    The black chick flies in a circle around a certain spot.


    Suddenly, a crystal imitating the function of a Dungeon Core appeared there.


    The Spirit probably made this.


    The functions of a Core aren¡¯t imitated. Just the appearance.


    It only appears that way to me, but in reality, it¡¯s just a collection of Magical Energy.


    Otherwise-


    ¡ºWhat you¡¯re able to absorb is pure Magical Energy. Also, it seems you still have to be aware of taking it, to absorb it. You take it as your own by touching the Core and absorbing it from there.¡»


    It knows that much because it took a peek through my memories.


    Fairies are said to be able to absorb the surrounding Magical Energy but there are Magical Energies that they can¡¯t absorb.


    For example, the magic of others.


    Since it is inscribed with the command of others in the form of a magic formula, it appears to be very difficult to forcibly make it their own.


    The structure of a Dungeon is created by the combination of Magical Energy that belongs to no one, and the will of the designer.


    Corresponding to the magic formula, I can¡¯t, for example, absorb the Magical Energy used to create a pillar into the horn.


    It might not be impossible, but I, personally, can¡¯t do it.


    ¡¸You¡¯re telling me to¡­absorb this?¡¹


    ¡ºIt¡¯ll just melt into the air and disappear anyway. I want you to use it in interesting ways.¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡ºThere¡¯s enough here for other Spirits to find and create a small Dungeon to have some fun with, y¡¯know? Is there anyone else who could make use of this? ¡­Well, I guess that hungry girl could probably use it and change it all into food or something.¡»


    I tried imagining that and ended up laughing.


    ¡¸So, what¡¯s your name?¡¹


    ¡ºOh? What a calculative son of man, you are. ¡­Just call me Black Chick. Not like I have a name, anyway.¡»


    Now that it mentions it, I did hear about that.


    How the names of Spirits were given by people out of necessity, but Spirits originally don¡¯t have names.


    ¡ºIf I must have one¡­ I got it, how about Chicky?¡»


    ¡¸I¡¯d rather not¡­¡¹


    ¡ºAhaha. ¡­Then how about¡­alright, I got it.¡»


    After worrying about it for a while, the Spirit spoke out.


    ¡º¡­How about Dark? Sounds like an appropriate name for the partner of a Black Sorcerer, right?¡»


    It¡¯s probably a better name than Black Chick.


    ¡¸Dark it is then. You have my thanks. I¡¯ll happily take this.¡¹


    I reach a hand out to the Core.


    ¡ºNot like it belonged to anyone, anyway.¡»


    ¡¸I know. But I¡¯m thanking you for giving me the choice. Thank you for bringing me here.¡¹


    ¡ºYou¡¯re not mad anymore?¡»


    ¡¸This and that are two different things.¡¹


    ¡ºTsk.¡»


    Clicking its tongue, the Black Chi¡­Dark, lands on my head.


    I laugh a little at the Spirit as I approach the large mass of Magical Energy in the shape of a Core¡­and absorb it into the horn.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸How could you, Lem?¡¹


    Milla was in a bad mood.


    ¡¸I was so worried, you know? You promised me that you would talk to me later, yes? And yet, not only did you immediately go to the village with Sitri, you disappeared without a trace during lunch. You only talked a little tiny bit about the Spirit with everyone. I thought you would discuss it with me in detail. Just the two of us.¡¹


    ¡¸S-sorry¡­¡¹


    Right now, we are both riding in the horse carriage.


    The village party will be held tomorrow.


    Acquiring permission to return to the village today, I decided to go to my parent¡¯s home accompanied by Milla once again.


    I plan on properly telling them about my current job.


    ¡¸A-and¡­uhm. Ah, is it here right now?¡¹


    ¡ºI know, I know. Privacy.¡»


    Dark took off.


    ¡¸It went off somewhere.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    For a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Milla stared at me.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s not fair.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    I understand what she¡¯s talking about.


    ¡¸My wish¡­that is, it was as you surmised. I¡­uh, the subject of my wish was you, Lem, but I still don¡¯t know to who you gave your divine blessing..!¡¹


    Milla¡¯s wish was the same as mine. The order was reversed, but I made the same wish as her.


    That all of the cherished people in my life live in good health.


    The Spirit changed the cherished people part to loved ones instead, and when Milla made the wish¡­my body glowed with light.


    I-in other words, she¡­well, you know.


    But when it was my turn, no one in the area shined with light because the Spirit chose to not have a light show due to Milla¡¯s dissatisfaction.


    But my parents, of course, Canary and Hawk, and Fenix too, are like family to me. I¡¯m sure they were included without a doubt. My master too.


    The loved in loved ones has many meanings.


    I think Milla is anxious about the truth.


    About whether or not she was included.


    It truly is unfair.


    I got an answer as soon as she made her wish.


    But when it was my turn, the answer wasn¡¯t clearly given.


    The horse carriage reached the entrance of the village in awkward silence.


    The full moon is beautiful tonight, just like a certain night.


    Unlike usual, Milla walks a few steps ahead of me, rather than side-by-side.


    Her back looked so lonely.


    I wish I could just say something.


    I¡­still can¡¯t put the feelings in my heart into words.


    But I know this can¡¯t go on like this.


    I quicken my pace to catch up to her and muster up all my courage.


    The normally clear senses in my body were so uncertain that I felt as if I were about to float softly into the air. My heart beats quickly in my chest, and I know that my cheeks were burning hot. There was sweat on my forehead and my palms were sweaty. Not to mention my dry throat. My body was shaking so much that I felt like I had to watch my step lest I trip.


    If this was a battle, I would have stood against any sort of powerful foe without hesitation.


    She stops and tries to say something with a considerate smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Lem. I¡¯m sorry for being so mean to you, I did say that I would wai¡­t¡­fo¡­r¡­?¡¹


    She couldn¡¯t react well to what happened while she was in the middle of speaking.


    With all the strength I could muster, I did it.


    Something that, to other people, might not even seem like that big of a deal.


    But to me, it was the best way that I could express my emotions.


    My hand overlapped and held on to Milla¡¯s slender, white hand.


    Thank goodness it¡¯s nighttime.


    I¡¯m sure my face must be bright red. Not something that I would want her to see.


    But it¡¯s no use.


    I became painfully aware that the moonlight illuminated every little detail.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­!!¡¹


    I knew this because I could clearly see Milla¡¯s face turn bright red.


    She jolted and then very slowly, almost as if terrified that this moment will disappear, closed her hand to grip mine.


    Then she jolted again as if surprised at the sensation.


    I couldn¡¯t say anything, I just tried to smile somehow.


    From the stiff way she returned a smile, my smile probably looked similar to hers.


    It seems that when faced with too much emotion, we both don¡¯t know how to express it properly.


    We stayed like that for a while.


    Bathed in the moonlight, she looked like she was glowing.

 CH 215.1

    215 ¨C I Shall Run Through the Hell of Mine Own Choosing (Part 1)


    ¡¸Sir Fellow! What in the world is this report¡­!¡¹


    We are in a conference room.


    The people sitting around an oval-shaped table are, more or less, very important people.


    I have my usual smile plastered on my face, facing the person that called my name.


    This meeting is a debriefing of sorts about the investigation of the Original Dungeon which was entrusted to us.


    ¡¸Exactly as is written there. The investigation of the 24th Original Dungeon was completed without a hitch. We collected not only valuable data but several treasures were retrieved as well. Regarding the Spirit¡¯s trial, as per our prior contract, those who underwent the trial have the right to their spoils. As for the rest-¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t give a damn about that!¡¹


    Officially recorded Magic Tools are thoroughly kept track of.


    In addition, even if a person had ownership of a Magic Tool, they do not have the permission to use it, except for Dungeon Clears and Defenses, and special cases.


    In these modern times, they are essentially treated as antiques.


    One may have been able to acquire them through money, connections, or pure luck, but they are not allowed to use them.


    To the point that if, for example, there was some sort of criminal act done which was impossible for ordinary people, Magic Tool owners along with certain Jobs or races will be suspected.


    After all the Magic Tools found in this investigation are recorded, ownership of them will be approved for Lady Margret¡¯s and my company.


    Some of them could prove to be dangerous if misused, but both she and I shall strive to ensure that never happens. We stake our pride on it.


    Although, they would probably prefer handing over dangerous Magic Tools to Lady Margret, who is a Normal that built trust through the business that has been passed down for generations.


    I am a Majin, after all.


    Except for the inevitable, it is best to avoid trouble.


    They perceive my actions as ¡°Discriminating.¡±


    The fact that they are aware of this is the reason why Magic Tools are such a big deal to them.


    ¡¸Then what appears to be the problem?¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t it obvious?! The Black Sorcerer Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What about him?¡¹


    ¡¸Excessively superior Black Magic! Abilities on par with that of a Demon King! Unthinkable amounts of stored Magical Energy well beyond his years! In addition to that, he has the divine blessing of a Spirit! Not to mention that he is far too close to all manner of Heroes!¡¹


    Other people voiced their agreement.


    Its details are hidden to ordinary people, but the Demon King Castle is also a Dungeon. They pay their staff well, and there are those here who are privy to the fact that Lem is working there as Lemegeton.


    ¡¸He is the closest possible friend of the 4th ranked Flame Hero Fenix, highly praised by the 1st ranked Wind Hero Aerial, close enough to the 99th ranked Silver Hero Nicola that she¡¯d dress up as a Monster to cooperate with him, and the 95th ranked Undefeated Hero Ellie even helped with the Defense as a party! It doesn¡¯t end there! The Water Hero Wraith publicly declared that he wants him in his party and now, the 2nd ranked Jet-Black Hero Ex is indebted to him¡­! Don¡¯t you dare tell me you don¡¯t know anything about this!¡¹


    A different person from the one before spoke up.


    ¡¸He made considerable contributions to the investigation and Clear efforts of the Original Dunge-¡¹


    They wouldn¡¯t hear the end of my sentence.


    ¡¸Enough! The question is how large of a threat he will be once he becomes an enemy of mankind!¡¹


    I suppose only those who know Sir Lem could say how ridiculous of a notion that sounds.


    In order to protect a country, I suppose those in power must first doubt everything.


    It¡¯s a sad fact that there are those who failed as an Adventurer or as a Monster, mainly those who awakened to a combat-related Job without attaining any other Aptitudes, and stoop to becoming criminals.


    It would be too late once they¡¯ve experienced an unthinkable incident.


    For example, if you give them the option of becoming a part of the Knight¡¯s Order, will they become knights who serve their country, or will they grow resentful of the viewers who didn¡¯t appreciate them?


    There is an agency that exists to keep a watchful eye on the movements of Adventurers or Monsters. The big wigs of such an agency are surely in this conference room as well.


    ¡¸He has the support of many Demi-Humans as the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, and he also has close ties with several superior Adventurers. How much trouble do you think this guy would be if he were to turn evil? He is powerful on his own, but in the unlikely event that a person he has deep ties with lends a hand with performing a crime, it¡¯ll be a crisis!¡¹


    The Spirits governing the four major elements are mankind¡¯s allies.


    Beings that lend their power to Humans in accordance with an ancient oath.


    If a contractor were to fall to the dark side, the contract would become null and void.


    But that isn¡¯t the problem.


    Not only will the Hero receive a massive decrease in combat ability, but if they were to become the ally of a Black Sorcerer, the immense support that Heroes receive from the masses would¡­


    Even so, even if it is a one-in-a-million chance, there are many of them.


    The impact on society will be immeasurable.


    To doubt is part of their job. That¡¯s fine. Not only is it perfectly fine, but it¡¯s also healthy.


    However, no matter how secretive you try to be, rumors will always leak out somewhere.


    It¡¯s not uncommon for things to develop into something more troublesome if there are actual personnel involved.


    This is close to the tragedy of that time with the Ex party.


    The Jet-Black Hero Ex and the Knight Lord Arthur both received a divine blessing from Spirits outside of Four Great Spirits.


    They caused a commotion when they debuted, but the people grew interested in them once they saw how good they were.


    I believe what kicked off their popularity was a certain research institute asking for their cooperation.


    There are still many mysteries surrounding the Spirits, even now. Other than the Four Great Spirits and their fragments, they seldom appear before us.


    They believed that they could learn something that could help improve future relations with Spirits.


    In the blink of an eye, the rumor spread and there were countless people flocking to them, all wishing to gain a divine blessing from a Spirit as those two did.


    They could only talk about what had happened to them, but some of those who had not been as successful as they had hoped were slandering them and spreading rumors that had no basis in fact.


    It happened to the other members as well.


    Such as the rumor that the Wizard of Foresight Merlin is able to use spells of various elements at such a high level because she used heretical sorcery to force Spirits to obey her.


    Or the one about how the Transcendent Mordred didn¡¯t have special ancestry but was actually a monster born from Human experimentation.


    Another about how the odd way the Absolute Guardian Galahad acts as a shield is weird, maybe he tinkered with his Avatar to cheat so it can¡¯t get damaged?


    Even if the information is not true, it can spread, and the number of people who fall for it can be enormous.


    Being special does not guarantee that person¡¯s happiness.


    The people around them do not always celebrate their specialness.


    It¡¯s possible that completely unrelated people could view the things that he gained as a result of him living an earnest life as dangerous.


    Normally, this would be the time to let my talents shine and coerce them all somehow.


    But it looks like that won¡¯t be needed today.


    I play with words and persuade people by presenting the benefits because that¡¯s the only way I can achieve my goals.


    In this world, there are those that can solve things without resorting to such dull methods.


    For example¡­


    ¡¸Pardon me.¡¹


    ¡­those like my father. Yes.


    He entered the conference room like he owned the place.


    Just how strict was the security in this facility leading up to this room?


    To him, none of it mattered.


    He didn¡¯t even need to harm the guards.


    If he decides to go somewhere, nothing and no one can get in his way.


    No one would dare disrespect him by standing in the way of the King.


    All the weak can do in the face of overwhelming strength is cower in fear.


    The air in the conference room changed completely.


    No one spoke a word.


    Everyone is conscious of every breath they take, doing their best to not offend the King in any way.


    Pressure that makes them forget their position and draws out their basic instincts.


    The strongest Demon King Lucifer had full control of the scene by simply being there.


    A natural-born king.


    ¡¸¡­This appears to be a place for absurd discussions about him.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, Father, what a surprise. By him, do you mean Sir Lem?¡¹


    I immediately make a supplementary comment in the form of a question.


    Naturally, my father ignores it and does not respond.


    However, his silence is enough of an answer to everyone else.


    Enough for everyone to understand that this is about Sir Lem.


    ¡¸He is my disciple.¡¹


    Only when they heard those words for the first time did they realize that my father was lacking his right horn.


    ¡¸He is merely a man who wishes to simply live the life of a hero with all his heart. That is all that boy wants.¡¹


    My father took one step forward and that was enough to cause several of them to fall off of their chairs.


    ¡¸If anyone connected to any of you tries to interfere even once¡­ every single one involved will not even live to regret it.¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that his words were engraved into the very soul of everyone in this room.


    Most of them could only tremble in fear.


    ¡¸B-but¡­! W-we can¡¯t afford to not do anything in the face of someone even slightly s-s-suspicious¡­!¡¹


    ¡­Incredible.


    The person who managed to stand up must possess a strong sense of belief.


    ¡¸So it seems.¡¹


    Said my father, somewhat happily.


    Indeed, my father did not come here simply to threaten people.


    He released his usually suppressed Magical Energy to force them all to experience first-hand the power that he possesses.


    ¡¸By some impossible chance, for argument¡¯s sake, he happens to stoop to evil deeds¡­I shall take care of him. That is the duty of a master, after all.¡¹

 CH 215.2

    215 ¨C I Shall Run Through the Hell of Mine Own Choosing (Part 2)


    This¡­is a promise from the world¡¯s strongest to all of Humanity.


    A guarantee that the Black Sorcerer Lem is not a dangerous individual.


    And if he were ever to betray that trust, the Demon King himself shall take responsibility for his disciple¡¯s failure.


    Nothing could be more reassuring.


    If it were from the mouth of an ordinary person, such a verbal promise would hold no worth.


    But he is the Demon King Lucifer.


    Is he lying? Impossible.


    What need is there for him to deceive the world?


    If anyone were to search the past, present, or even the future, they will find none.


    Why? Because he has never lied.


    Every single person here is aware of that.


    To everyone who is in a position high enough to take part in this meeting, he was once regarded as a dangerous being and investigated by them.


    ¡¸That is all.¡¹


    Having said that, my father left.


    As if released from his gravitational pull, the air in the conference room felt lighter.


    A release of Magical Energy that¡¯s enough to make even me feel pressure. He sure is going to great lengths for the sake of his disciple.


    In the past, I never would have imagined that my father would be so concerned about anyone.


    While thinking that, I look around at everyone and smile.


    ¡¸Goodness, that was rude of my father. If it truly was about that, perhaps we should draw up a contract and have him sign it? ¡­Heh.¡¹


    The meeting proceeded smoothly after that.


    It goes without saying that the decision of what to do with Sir Lem simply became ¡°Let¡¯s just observe him for now.¡±


    And so, the meeting was brought to a close.


    When I boarded the horse carriage I hailed, my father was already on board.


    ¡¸Hey, didn¡¯t I just see you not too long ago?¡¹


    ¡¸About our prior conversation¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What, don¡¯t I even get a greeting?¡¹


    I sat across from my father while giving him a wry smile.


    He¡¯s referring to the conversation we had when I received an email from him telling me to settle the occurrence of the Original Dungeon.


    I also nonchalantly talked about Sir Lem¡¯s current situation. That¡¯s probably why my father made an appearance like this.


    And then, I actually talked about one more thing, a plan of mine.


    A plan that I have told to Aerial and the Unyielding Hero Altreed.


    ¡¸About your plan. I am on board.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!!!¡¹


    YYYYEEEEEEEESSS~!!!


    I involuntarily rose partway from my seat.


    I couldn¡¯t quell the thumping of my heart.


    My body trembled with joy and excitement.


    It was all for this. Everything I¡¯ve done was for this moment and the future.


    The ideal world wasn¡¯t constructed in time, but to think that my goal would come to fruition first¡­


    My father grew tired of this worthless world and disappeared from center stage.


    I have not forgotten the words that my father let slip when we reunited.


    The answer that I somehow got when I asked if the strongest Demon King will ever make a return.


    ¡º¡­Perhaps¡­if an opponent worthy enough to use the horn against ever appeared¡­¡»


    ¡¸Do you feel that Sir Lem is such a worthy opponent?¡¹


    My father looked at me without answering.


    ¡¸I am about to mention several names. Gather them all, I care not if you use my name.¡¹


    The names he uttered were the names of the peerless Monsters who once gathered under the Demon King Lucifer.


    In other words, albeit limited, the strongest Demon King army is to be resurrected.


    ¡ó


    When I woke up in the morning, I felt someone watching me.


    In my bedroom, in my own apartment, in the dormitory.


    The beautiful Vampire Milla is lying down, happily staring at my face.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem. Your sleeping face was so adorable.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Morning. How long were you staring at me?¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, a long time.¡¹


    After the night that I held her hand, I could almost feel an¡­aura of happiness emanating from her constantly.


    For example, until now, she would smile at me when our eyes met, but if that felt more like a smile before, recently, it feels more like a grin.


    ¡¸Breakfast will be ready soon, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸S-sure.¡¹


    Milla walked out of the room.


    ¡ºLittle Miss Fangirl is bad news. I mean, this morning she-¡»


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡¹


    As I sit up, a black chick lands on my head.


    It¡¯s Dark.


    I still don¡¯t know what element it governs. It keeps dodging the question every time I ask.


    It doesn¡¯t seem to be a Spirit that governs dreams and visions.


    Well, if the person in ques-¡­ Spirit? If the Spirit in question doesn¡¯t want to tell me, then I¡¯ll just leave it at that.


    ¡ºMaybe if you show me something more interesting, I¡¯ll tell you.¡»


    ¡¸I wonder what¡¯s for breakfast.¡¹


    ¡ºHey, are you more interested in the breakfast menu than the true form of your partner?¡»


    I head to the bathroom, wash my face, then head to the living room.


    I take a seat at the dining table and turn on the TV. The Ex party appeared on the screen.


    ¡ºAnother interview? You people sure love these.¡»


    After waiting for the Original Dungeon to disappear, the investigation team decided to leave the village.


    The party in the village was a free-for-all, so the investigation team offered their own food as well. Cooperating with the Chefs, a veritable variety of food was lined up.


    It was a truly enjoyable time.


    Incidentally, on the day prior to the party, I told my parents about my true identity and they weren¡¯t the least bit surprised.


    ¡­Well, it was because they had already noticed since the start.


    I asked them when exactly did they realize it was me, and they said that they knew the instant I made an appearance.


    I¡¯m sure they were very curious, but they didn¡¯t ask me about anything more than what I told them.


    For example, how I came into possession of the horn.


    They simply said ¡°As long as you¡¯re not unhappy.¡±


    Unless¡­perhaps my master already explained the situation to them.


    At the time, I was only thinking about myself, but if I really thought about it, I realized that having a child, with no familial relation, inherit the horn was a very serious matter.


    Even if the child said he was ready, my master just did it.


    I was curious, but since my parents and master hadn¡¯t said anything about it, I guess it wasn¡¯t my place to ask.


    ¡¸¡­Lem. Doesn¡¯t Ex¡¯s face look a little swollen to you?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, apparently that¡¯s because Mordred beat him up before the recording started. That¡¯s what Merlin told me in her email.¡¹


    This isn¡¯t a live broadcast. Merlin wrote me an email while they were recording.


    Or rather, that is all she wrote about in the email.


    Just as I mentioned it, the reporter touches upon that as well.


    ¡ºOh, Mr. Ex, are you hurt?¡»


    It was an interview.


    They probably asked why the other two didn¡¯t partake in the Original Dungeon despite being a party.


    There were a lot of interviews both on the journey back as well as once we returned to town.


    Milla and I went through several interviews as well.


    ¡ºOh, please don¡¯t mind it. Just settling some hard feelings within the party.¡»


    From what I heard, Mordred was angry at Ex¡¯s weak heart and how he didn¡¯t speak his mind.


    The reason was that Ex was strong, so he had no need for a weak heart, and there was no need to keep secrets among friends.


    Mordred also most likely thought that that was the reason that they missed taking part in the Raid Battle and why the party members temporarily did their own thing.


    Mordred sat there in a bad mood with his arms crossed, Galahad the Guardian had an uncomfortable smile on his face.


    Arthur put a hand to his forehead and Merlin was holding her stomach, laughing uncontrollably.


    ¡ºsnrk, hehe, oh, it was so funny¡­! I¡¯ll never be bored as long as I¡¯m with you all.¡»


    The reporter started the interview looking a bit perplexed.


    Milla and I watched it while we had our breakfast.


    ¡ºThe Spirit¡¯s trial gave you a tough time, did it not?¡»


    ¡ºYeah, it struck deep into my vulnerable heart at that time.¡»


    ¡ºHmph, pathetic. That¡¯s right! Hey, Lem! You saved our dumbass of a leader, right? Thanks.¡»


    I was surprised when I suddenly heard my name.


    ¡ºIndeed, we are in your debt.¡»


    Arthur agreed as well.


    Ex did not hide the fact that he failed the trial. Nor did he hide the fact that I used up a wish to enter his dream.


    This drew attention to me like never before.


    ¡¸My my, it would seem that you are getting more and more popular, Lem.¡¹


    Says Milla, happily.


    ¡ºThat¡¯s right. He made me realize. The more time spent on something, the more people fear that it would all be for nothing. I was like that as well. I was so scared and in so much pain that I couldn¡¯t help but sink deeper into the dream. And yet, even in a dream, I was an Adventurer.¡»


    Ex chuckled a little and then continued.


    ¡ºIt seemed that I didn¡¯t just want to live in a land of pure joy. No matter how much freedom I had, no matter how many times I turn back the clock, I¡¯d make the same choices, gather the same allies, and aim for the same peak. Even if I knew that there was nothing but an endless hell of suffering waiting for me, I can¡¯t help but jump right in.¡»


    ¡ºDid you conquer your fears and overcome the trial?¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m not so sure about that. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a battle against fear. It will never go away. Rather than conquering it, I have no choice but to move forward while holding on to it. So, from now on, I shall walk forward while being afraid. Along with the best allies a man could ask for, we head toward a future where we are 1st ranked.¡»


    In order to prove that not only your allies, but you, yourself, are worthy of being 1stst ranked.


    I¡¯m sure everyone who works hard with all their might will experience similar suffering.


    Even if you devote a lot of time and strive to achieve your goal, there are many people who are not rewarded.


    In terms of giving up, you¡¯re damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t.


    The pain of leaving and the pain of staying can only be understood by those who are serious about it.


    Even so, I hope that one day, we will all be smiling at the end.


    At the end of this hellish existence that we chose to walk on called reality.

 CH 216.1

    216 ¨C The All-Heaven Festival Games (Part 1)


    It was a large venue. It¡¯s used for singers or idol events.


    To say that the turnout was great would be an understatement, it was packed.


    We were invited by the organizers and they let us through to the front row.


    The fact that this many people came despite this being a secret event just proves the star power of the guests.


    Every Adventurer and Monster that was revealed to be here is famous.


    All possessing countless fans throughout the world and simply having them all gather here is enough to pique everyone¡¯s interest, thinking something might happen.


    Those from the Demon King Castle that have come to have a look are the Demon King, the Big Four, the Chief of Staff, and his secretary.


    Her Highness was firmly flanked by Agares and Milla. To Agares¡¯s side was Furcus, while I was beside Milla. Sitri beside Furcus.


    From left to right, it was Sitri, Furcus, Agares, her Highness, Milla, me, and Cashew.


    ¡¸Tsk, why is it that I and my beloved subordinates have to accept an invitation from that man.¡¹


    Her Highness sat on her chair cross-legged and angry.


    Long hair as red as lava and a pair of similar-colored eyes. Also, a pair of black horns.


    By the way, her hairstyle of the day is twin-tails. That plus her one-piece dress along with her small frame make her look like nothing but a sweet little girl, but she is actually the master of the Demon King Castle.


    The organizer that has so angered our sovereign¡­is none other than Fellow.


    Her Highness¡¯s father wishes to abolish Dungeon Clears by establishing new forms of games in order to remove the stigma of Monsters being viewed as evil due to their portrayal in Dungeon Clears.


    This also makes him the son of my master.


    As Agares and Milla were calming her Highness down, the lighting in the venue dimmed.


    Only the stage that was prepared in the depths of the venue was illuminated with dazzling light.


    To my right, Cashew¡¯s ears twitched with excitement. She held on to the sleeve of my clothes lightly, perhaps because she got a little scared when the lights went out.


    To my left, Milla entangled my hand with hers just as the lighting changed.


    Her upturned gaze radiates a magical charm that melts away any will to resist.


    ¡ºEver since peace had arrived, Dungeon Clears continue to deliver thrill after thrill to all in the continent.¡»


    ¡¸Oh my, that¡¯s Maggie.¡¹


    Mutters Milla.


    The voice reverberating throughout the venue was certainly that of the Summoner Margret of the 3rd ranked party.


    To us, she is also an ally who fought with us in the Original Dungeon Clear not too long ago.


    At the back of the stage, there is a large screen where a video started playing.


    It was a compilation of the Clear videos of various Adventurers.


    The already riled-up audience all went¡¸Ooooh¡­¡¹.


    ¡ºBut have you ever asked yourself¡­ What would happen if that Adventurer and that other Adventurer fought? Which of those Monsters is the stronger one?¡»


    One after another, the figure of high-ranking Adventurers flashed on the screen, followed by famous Monsters from high-difficulty Dungeons.


    The Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four and I also appeared. Her Highness only made an appearance for a moment in the Raid Battle but her image was captured perfectly.


    The moment Lemegeton was on the screen, Cashew looked at me with sparkles in her eyes. I smiled and nodded.


    ¡º¡­Or perhaps you asked yourself¡­ Who is the superior party among the history of 1st rankers? Who is the absolute strongest Monster?¡»


    The Unyielding Hero Altreed and the Storm Hero Aerial appeared on screen, followed by the figures of my master and ferocious fighters that many past Adventurers struggled against.


    Before I realized it, I found myself glued to the screen, unable to look away.


    ¡ºAnd finally, I am sure that we have all asked ourselves this¡­ In the end, who is the strongest of all?¡»


    Everyone in the venue gasped.


    ¡ºLet us find out.¡»


    shhh Smoke rose from the floor of the stage.


    When the smoke cleared, what we saw was a dream.


    No.


    We saw a dream-like scene.


    ¡ºI hereby declare the festival to determine who is the strongest of this era¡­!¡»


    Out from the smoke came¡­


    ¡ºThe Phantom 1st Ranked party, the party led by the Unyielding Hero Altreed!¡»


    ¡ºThe Overwhelming 1st Ranked party, the party led by the Storm Hero Aerial!¡»


    ¡ºAnd, would you believe it, the living legend that cut all ties to the rest of the world for so long, the Undefeated Absolute Monarch Demon King Lucifer! As well as the Monsters who all once served him¡­!¡»


    It was my master.


    My master was here.


    HUH?


    Wha¡­?


    HUH?!!!!!


    I am not surprised that my master was able to completely hide his Magical Energy signature. It¡¯s my master, after all.


    The participation of the Aerial party and the Altreed party wasn¡¯t as exciting.


    I mean¡­master, you¡­


    You didn¡¯t even tell me anything¡­


    It¡¯s not as if you need permission from your student but¡­


    My master doesn¡¯t even look my way.


    It was a little delayed but I turned to look at her Highness.


    The Demon King Luci also turned to look at me.


    We both shook our heads.


    It seems that he didn¡¯t say anything to not only his disciple but neither to his granddaughter.


    ¡¸H-how did that man get Grandfather to¡­ Gr¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    With that alone, the top brass of the Demon King Army all nodded, stood up, and followed after her Highness.


    Cashew didn¡¯t really get what was happening and panicked a little, but she gripped onto my outstretched hand and followed behind.


    The audience was already standing and cheering.


    According to the guest information that was released in advance, the 2nd ranked Ex party, the 3rd ranked Hervor party, the 4th ranked Fenix party, the 5th ranked Scathach party and other high-ranking parties will also be coming.


    Normally, unless it was a job at the level of the Raid Battle, first-class parties won¡¯t gather like this because they¡¯re too busy.


    However, considering the contents of this project, anyone would punt any and all work they have currently away to take part in this one. The side that got kicked aside don¡¯t mind either, because they can¡¯t help but also want to be a part of the audience


    Coming out of the side entrance meant for personnel, a woman in a suit was awaiting us.


    The woman, who gave a polite bow, had two horns¡­ A Majin.


    ¡¸It has been a long time, milady.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Irune, huh?¡¹


    I heard that she was and always has been Fellow¡¯s secretary.


    ¡¸I am glad to be able to meet you once again, milady.¡¹


    ¡¸State your business.¡¹


    ¡¸To think you used to adore me like an elder sister¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Until you disappeared along with him. Out with it.¡¹


    Irune looked lonely for a brief moment, but she quickly started giving an explanation.


    ¡¸At the master¡¯s orders, I have prepared your costumes for you.¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk¡­ He predicted this, huh? Fine, lead the way.¡¹


    ¡¸This way, please.¡¹


    I followed as well.


    ¡¸U-uhm¡­Lem?¡¹


    Cashew looked worried. I gave her a reassuring smile and explained it to her.


    Her Highness and her father don¡¯t really get along.


    Her father probably wanted the Demon King Army to go out on stage as well, but if he had asked her normally, she probably would have refused.


    But on the Adventurer side, the former 1st rank and the current 1st rank or out together on stage, and on the Monster side, the former Demon King Army made an appearance.


    It wouldn¡¯t look good for us if the current Demon King Army doesn¡¯t make an appearance as well.


    Her Highness immediately thought that we should go up on stage, but since we didn¡¯t dress appropriately, it would be hard to hide our true identities, right? So her father anticipated that and prepared our Monster costumes beforehand.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­!¡¹


    There¡­is also the possibility that Fellow just wanted to surprise his daughter.


    No matter how on bad terms she may be with her father, she would be inclined to go up on stage if she gets to talk to her grandfather.


    ¡­It¡¯s quite possible.


    Males and females were separated to their respective changing rooms, then Irune hurriedly led us to the side entrance of the stage after we had changed into our attire.


    Not only the design, but the size of the costume was perfect, which made me feel uneasy.


    Fellow¡¯s ability to gather information is absolutely terrifying.


    ¡¸Are you OK, Foofoo? On the stage just now, isn¡¯t that your¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Mm. I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    Furcus responded to Sitri¡¯s concern with her usual, unchanging, flat voice.


    Indeed, the previous generation¡¯s Reaper Knight Furcus was on stage along with my master.


    A former Demon King Army Big Four who had retired and passed on the armor and spear to the current generation.


    ¡­By the way, Furcus is currently wearing an outfit that she exclusively wears when she pilots the armor.


    Tight clothing that conforms neatly to the curves of her body. A sort of one-piece swimsuit that leaves little to the imagination.


    With long stockings that go up to her thighs, she isn¡¯t as exposed as usual, and yet I couldn¡¯t help but have my attention drawn to her.


    And, just at that moment, Furcus stuck a finger in the space between her skin and the fabric, pulled it and it snapped back when she released. Perhaps she was bothered by how it was riding up. That was around her buttocks and I felt a swirling vortex of guilt in my chest as if I had seen something that I wasn¡¯t supposed to.

 CH 216.2

    216 ¨C The All-Heaven Festival Games (Part 2)


    ¡¸A-ahem. M-my, this dress is quite tight around my chest¡­¡¹


    Said Milla in a somewhat deliberate tone.


    However, my attention focuses on the area of herself that she mentioned.


    I quickly try to avert my eyes, but the sight of Carmilla¡¯s suggestive attire was already burned into memory.


    She was playfully pulling on the belt that was supporting her breasts to¡­no, this isn¡¯t the time to think about such things.


    ¡¸There is a time and place, Vampire.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-? But, I¡­gr, I have no excuses¡­!¡¹


    Agares fixed a cold gaze on Carmilla as her face turned red with regret.


    ¡¸I must later punish my student who so stares at his master¡¯s buttocks with wicked thoughts.¡¹


    Furcus¡¯s stare pierces right through me.


    ¡¸Huh? ¡­No¡­I¡­Uh¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸Kidding. I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Le-¡­Chief of Staff. You can look at me, too. I¡¯m outstandingly cute today as well.¡¹


    Sitri¡¯s Monster outfit takes the form of a maid outfit due to the unique concept of the fifth stratum, a Dream Demon maid cafe.


    Speaking of maids, the Hunter Kei, who is a Centaur in service to the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, fits the maid image perfectly.


    Sitri¡¯s maid outfit is different. How should I put this? It was remodeled to maximize cuteness? Decorated with ribbons and hearts, her skin can be seen here and there in¡­deliberately placed gaps in the costume.


    Today, as usual, she has her long pink hair done up in gently cascading twin-tails.


    From the center of her lace-decorated Alice band, a tuft of hair was curled in the shape of a heart as well as cat-like creature hair ornaments decorated that area.


    Of course, the horns, wings, and tail appropriate to a Dream Demon race are going strong.


    ¡¸Hmph. Please do not tease Lord Lemegeton so, you two.¡¹


    ¡¸Same to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Agares, please be quiet for a bit.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s cheek twitched, and Cashew looked somewhat dejected.


    Speaking of attire, I tell her¡¸Your clothes look very nice today.¡¹


    As we were going to an event, Cashew wore new clothes.


    ¡¸T-thank you very much¡­!¡¹


    When I saw Cashew¡¯s beaming face, I put a hand to my chest and breathed a sigh of relief.


    A smile truly does suit Cashew better.


    Her Highness watched our exchanges and her worried expression up to that point turned into bright laughter.


    ¡¸Heh¡­Hahaha! I expected nothing less of my subordinates. You all aren¡¯t the least bit perturbed by such a foe before us. I am proud of everyone here.¡¹


    ¡¸Ma¡¯am¡­! Your words shall not go to waste!¡¹


    Agares got down to one knee and looked down, but everyone else continued walking, including her Highness.


    ¡¸You are exaggerating, Agares. Now, come.¡¹


    ¡¸As you wish!¡¹


    Agares uses Spatial Mobility to teleport one step behind her Highness.


    ¡¸Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸You know what to do, right?¡¹


    ¡¸! ¡­Yes.¡¹


    She saw through me. I suppose that is to be expected of her Highness.


    My head isn¡¯t in the right place at all.


    This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve seen Furcus wear that.


    Neither Carmilla nor Sitri.


    If I turn on my combat focus, I wouldn¡¯t be phased even if the opponent were to strip butt naked. If it were an opponent, I would instead calmly think about their intentions and advantages.


    Her Highness referred to the people on stage as foes.


    That¡¯s right.


    I should treat them as foes.


    The peak that every Adventurer strives for, Adventurers who are all still active including the Aerial party.


    Legendary Adventurers, including the Altreed party, who I would enjoy with my eyes glued to the TV or Terminal screen.


    The same goes for the Monsters in their respective Dungeons or when they used to be active.


    I have no problem with thinking of them as enemies or treating them as opponents.


    I am both an Adventurer and a Monster.


    But¡­I¡¯ll admit.


    To me, my master isn¡¯t someone I can include in such a framework.


    Of course, I am aware that he is the strongest Demon King. I saw the footage of him driving back powerful foes, including Aerial, in the first stratum during the Raid Battle.


    But to me, my master is just¡­my master.


    It¡¯s different from how I am with Furcus, who is my co-worker and who taught me the ways of the blade.


    He is a man I owe a great debt of gratitude towards because he trained me, taught me Black Sorcery, and gave me one of his horns.


    I was aiming to be the world¡¯s 1st ranked. Of course, I also imagined traversing the Demon King Castle.


    But, honestly, this wasn¡¯t the only thing.


    I have never once had the wild idea of fighting him and winning.


    I can¡¯t say that I know him better than anyone else, but I can say that I have studied under him closer than anyone else.


    It might actually be wholesome to think about surpassing one¡¯s master. In some industries, it is said that achieving things greater than your master is a form of repayment.


    But¡­


    ¡¸Think about what everyone on that stage is searching for. That is all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Her Highness¡¯s words took me by surprise.


    She¡¯s right.


    This is my master we¡¯re talking about.


    He wouldn¡¯t come to any old event that he had no interest in.


    Not just him. The same goes for everyone who has made an appearance on that stage.


    What they are searching for¡­is to have a fierce battle with a strong foe and prove who is the strongest.


    Master isn¡¯t the type to confirm the obvious. He wouldn¡¯t come all this way and take the time to crush weaklings.


    So, he¡¯s here because¡­


    He thinks that there is, in fact, a foe with which he has to prove who is the strongest.


    My mouth is agape.


    A fire had been lit in my heart.


    I don¡¯t know who it is, but I don¡¯t want to lose.


    If I can defeat that person, then¡­I could become the foe my master seeks?


    ¡¸Now that¡¯s the face of someone who¡¯s got their head in the game.¡¹


    Her Highness sounded satisfied.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be sure to hide it with my mask.¡¹


    I calmed down enough to joke around.


    ¡¸Heh.¡¹


    Her Highness gave a little chuckle, then put on an air of seriousness.


    ¡¸No matter what the plan is, now that it has come to this, there is no way that I cannot take part in this. If they wish to decide who the strongest is, then it is only the Demon King Army that shall stand on top.¡¹


    All of us walking behind our King agreed in our hearts. I know that we all share the same feeling.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    We walked to the wing of the stage without anyone getting in our way.


    Even the people working backstage all made way for us, almost as if they knew we were coming.


    I wonder if Fellow gave them such orders.


    Cashew can only go this far.


    She clasped her hands in front of her chest, mouthing¡¸Good luck¡­!¡¹in support.


    I gave her a quick pat on the head and then headed toward the stage.


    It seems that they are still in the middle of explaining the rules.


    No other group has appeared other than the first three.


    ¡ºThis All-Heaven Festival Match will surely¡­ Hm?! Right now, some unexpected guests seem to have made their appearance¡­!¡»


    Apparently, this grand event of the century is the All-Heaven Festival Match.


    I wonder if Festival is a metaphor for something¡­ If it¡¯s not, then it might be a form of ceremony that is dedicated to the God that informs us of our Jobs.


    Either way, I am eternally grateful.


    Grateful to have every powerful individual I have worked with and even those that I have not, gathered in one place.


    Such an opportunity is beyond rare.


    Even if this is yet another step in Fellow¡¯s plan to abolish Dungeon Clears¡­


    I¡¯ll simply win and find a way to ensure the continuation of Dungeon Clears.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s¡­The Holy Sword Breaker, the Demon King Lucifa! Following behind her are the current Demon King Army Big Four and the Chief of Staff¡­! Wh-what an amazing turn of events! Just what will happen at this festival?!¡»


    Maggie¡¯s really getting into it.


    We all appeared in the Raid Battle, so there are many who know of us.


    The venue erupted into an even bigger uproar.


    My master is nearby.


    I haven¡¯t met him since I left the village when I was thirteen, so it¡¯s been seven years since last I saw him.


    I¡¯m sure that the various reactions of everyone in the audience will flood out into the world as soon as they leave the venue.


    Topping them all will undoubtedly be my master¡¯s missing right horn.


    I can imagine speculation after speculation flying around the Net about who inherited it.


    If a disciple surpassing the master is a form of repayment¡­


    Then disappointing one¡¯s master is a betrayal of the highest order.


    I absolutely must not make him think of me, the one who inherited the horn of the strongest Demon King, as a failure.

 CH 216.3

    216 ¨C The All-Heaven Festival Games (Part 3)


    My dad was on TV.


    ¡¸Look, Fran, dad and everyone are on TV. Man, they¡¯ve gotten old¡­¡¹


    After the party disbanded, they still kept in touch, and they¡¯d even show up in the house now and then.


    But seeing them all gathered together as a party¡­ They¡¯ve aged.


    ¡¸You look happy, Wraith.¡¹


    Said my childhood friend, Fran.


    To me, the Water Hero Wraith, she is one of my most reliable allies.


    The coolest and prettiest girl who is a Destroyer born with a grotesque right arm.


    ¡¸O¡¯course I am. I gotta thank the old guy. He¡¯s the one who talked my dad and everyone else into it.¡¹


    Right now, we¡¯re in a certain town, in a certain individual¡¯s house.


    ¡¸Sir Fellow.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, him. I owe a lot to him. Following the Raid Battle, he even gave me an opportunity like this. It¡¯s perfect for a party reveal¡­don¡¯t you think so too, Melania?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Urgh¡­I¡­do¡­¡¹


    We are currently in a house that is huge in its overall size.


    Even though Normals have the largest population, we live in an age of harmony.


    A village comprising of only Normals isn¡¯t uncommon, but when it comes to the city, there are facilities that are built to suit various races. This house is one of them.


    A residence for a large Demi-Human.


    She¡¯s a member of my party. She¡¯s a Cyclops, but she¡¯s short for a Cyclops due to being a half-Cyclops. By Normal standards, she¡¯s pretty large.


    Hidden behind verdant green hair, like that of a forest, is a single eye that is characteristic of her race.


    ¡¸¡­We¡¯re¡­taking part¡­right¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course we are. Let¡¯s win together.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­I¡­yes¡­I¡¯ll¡­do my best¡­¡¹


    Melania has a reserved personality and isn¡¯t very self-confident, but her abilities are true.


    Above all else, she applied for our member recruitment drive all on her own.


    ¡¸I¡¯m counting on you, too¡­Josh.¡¹


    A tall young man with white hair, a White Sorcerer, appeared in the living room with a steaming hot mug.


    ¡¸I promise to do all I can. That aside, are you really going to ask that person to be our final member?¡¹


    ¡¸You bet I am. At the very least, even if it¡¯s only temporary, I think he¡¯ll say yes. Our fifth member¡­Lem.¡¹


    Josh smiled broadly when he heard me say that.


    ¡¸I hope he does.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, now that I think about it, you fought alongside him, right? Lucky.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, it really was a great experience.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re doing it again.¡¹


    Fran pulls on my arm.


    I don¡¯t know why, but recently, she would puff up her cheeks whenever I talk about Lem.


    I return my attention to the TV and catch the current Demon King Army making their appearance on stage.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸We¡¯re going too, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. All those who wish to participate will have a chance to participate in the preliminary round. Seems that some of the stand-out legendary people are being treated as so-called Bosses.¡¹


    In a room of an inn, on a TV that every room has.


    I, of the Nicola party, and the rest are currently gathered in the room of the Diamond Hero Philip, my brother.


    ¡¸Heheh, ni~ce! I love this kind of festival feeling.¡¹


    Said the Thief Leila, happily.


    ¡¸Won¡¯t the Iron Wall Hero make an appearance? Weren¡¯t you a fan of his, Phil?¡¹


    Said the Fairy Ruri, playfully swinging her little legs while sitting on my brother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸¡­I heard the same thing. That he admired him.¡¹


    Said the Holy Paladin Mark.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, but the important bit of info is the part about how the festival will remain until the Boss is defeated. The closer we get to the final fight, the more the public will get excited. You can aim for a huge rank-up based on our actions in the following year.¡¹


    All of us smiled bitterly. That truly is something my brother would say.


    Only Ruri went¡¸That¡¯s what I like about you.¡¹and smiled.


    ¡¸But yeah, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll just win, win, and keep on winning. Simple.¡¹


    And, if possible, Lem¡­I guess it should be Lemegeton¡­


    I want to fight with you again¡­I want to see who is stronger.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸This will be utilizing our Dungeon, yes, Pig Master?¡¹


    Said my childhood friend in a maid outfit, while watching the TV in the main office.


    Rather than a live broadcast, it was a video summary of what happened via the news.


    ¡¸Yeah, as per the contract allowing him to borrow our Magical Energy spaces. If it isn¡¯t enough, it seems that they will prepare an extra-large Magic Stone whenever that happens. Also, please stop calling me Pig Master¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I guess so, considering that the contract stipulates the amount of Magic Energy they are allowed to use. Of course, I remember, since I was the one who verified it. I am sure you overlooked it. After all, you are the man who almost had the Dungeon stolen from him.¡¹


    ¡¸Grk¡­please don¡¯t mention that¡­¡¹


    Once, I was worrying over my unprofitable business operation and immediately signed a contract with Fellow, who would lend me money, without doubting him once and almost lost this Dungeon that I inherited from my grandmother.


    It was the Demon King Castle folks that saved me from that predicament. Especially the Chief of Staff and Lady Furcus.


    ¡¸Participants will basically take part as a party¡­ Similar to the Tag Tournament, the party can be formed regardless of race¡­ Seems like a plan that man would come up with. Oh, but in that case, then the current Demon King Army¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, if you were to include her Highness as the leader, then forming a party with the Big Four and the Chief of Staff would result in an extra member.¡¹


    Participating as a party would mean that the five-person restriction still exists.


    Preserving its entertainment roots, it isn¡¯t a good idea to do away with the five-man party system that came from numerous trial and error.


    ¡¸Hm, well, there are many other Floor Bosses and powerful Monsters he could party with, or he could even choose to take part as an Adventurer¡­ But more importantly.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸We should take part as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­?! B-but¡­I thought with so many people flocking to the town, I thought it would be a great time to make a profit as an All Level Dungeon.¡¹


    ¡¸We can just close the Dungeon on the day that we¡¯re participating. At any rate, you, as the Floor Boss, and I work in the deepest parts of the Dungeon, right? It wouldn¡¯t be hard to adjust our schedule.¡¹


    Certainly, the first stratum would get sudden reservations, but in the deepest stratum, it is easy to arrange the schedule because you can see the Adventurers who are clearing the prior strata.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you not mortified? The number of challengers coming to this Dungeon has increased even more ever since the Raid Battle, but that is all thanks to Lord Lem summoning us. I am certain he didn¡¯t exactly have that outcome in mind, but our debt of gratitude towards him grows ever larger.¡¹


    ¡¸!¡¹


    She¡¯s exactly right.


    I participated in the Raid Battle because I wanted to help him, and I don¡¯t think that I was useless.


    I, along with everyone, did our very best.


    But¡­I did not think that that would repay our debt to him.


    I change my mind and look at my childhood friend.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. We have to win our battles on our own, attract more customers, and make the viewers think ¡°Wow, it¡¯s amazing how Lemegeton formed Contracts with such strong people!¡±¡¹


    Kei gave a satisfied chuckle.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t stare at me, you¡¯re creeping me out.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, come on¡­!¡¹


    But, y¡¯know, I know my childhood friend is just being dishonest with her feelings and hiding her embarrassment. I know this because I¡¯ve known her for so long.


    ¡­That is what she¡¯s doing¡­right?


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Ooh, they thought up something fun.¡¹


    I was submerged in a lovely bath, looking at the TV set up in the bathroom.


    Ever since taking part in the Raid Battle, more and more people started paying attention to our party.


    There was some drivel about me lending Monsters a hand even though we¡¯re Adventurers¡­but I choose to ignore such noise.


    The Raid Battle was fun.


    I got to meet an interesting man called Len¡­Lemegeton.


    This looks like fun as well.


    The more stages I can shine on, the better.


    ¡¸When next we meet, will we be friend¡­or foe?¡¹


    This festival is still riddled with many mysteries, so anything could happen.


    I pray that I can experience both.


    I¡¯m sure it will be more fun that way.

 CH 217.1

    217 ¨C The One With Endless Potential (Part 1)


    I¡¯m currently in the Demon King Castle. Inside the council room dedicated to the use of the highest executives.


    This is also the place where I met the Demon King for the first time.


    I also made the Contract with Milla using the ring in front of the Recording Stone of this room.


    There is the Demon King¡¯s throneroom, a long table, and five chairs.


    Currently, all the seats are occupied.


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla, the Demon of Love Sitri, the Reaper Knight Furcus, the Time Demon Agares, the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton, and the Demon King Luci.


    The Demon King called us here and the reason is probably to discuss our party compositions.


    ¡¸Agares, you should leave.¡¹


    Agares is a Majin dressed in a tailcoat-like costume. A male in his late twenties, his silver hair is combed to the back, and has horns on both sides of his forehead. Horns that remind you of a goat.


    ¡¸That¡¯s foolish. There¡¯s no way I would leave the Demon King¡¯s side.¡¹


    Sparks flew between the two of them.


    Sitri smiled with an embarrassed face and Furcus was eating the food created using the Culinary Cloche.


    I also remained silent.


    The standard rule of the All-Heaven Festival Contest is to participate in groups of five.


    The reason I said ¡°standard¡± is that there are some participants who are not bound by this rule.


    The concept of this year¡¯s festival is to determine the strongest and the tagline prepared was ¡°Those who challenge the legends!¡±


    First, the active Adventurers and Monsters are grouped together as contestants, then they¡¯ll be screened to reduce the number.


    Some of the remaining strong contestants will be made to fight the Legends, namely, the retired former Adventurers and former Monsters.


    At the moment, they are still receiving applicants, but it¡¯s not hard to imagine that almost all of the Adventurer parties who can make it will be there.


    It is said that even only the Hero parties amount to tens of thousands, so the scale of the qualifying round will be quite large.


    By the way, there is no special treatment for the top-ranked parties.


    Even that Aerial party has to participate in the qualifying round.


    In the previous tournament, the top-ranked Adventurers were exempted from the qualifying round, but this was a tournament to determine the strongest, so there was no need to do that.


    There were many who hoped for an overwhelming victory by the top-ranked party, but there were also many who hoped for an upset by their favorite party, even if they lost in terms of ranking.


    The expectations of the Monsters fans were also added to the mix, so everyone was excited even before the event began.


    ¡¸W-what do you think about this, Sir Lemegeton?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, you¡¯re just a Vampire that brought calamity upon herself. Unlike you, Sir Chief of Staff will never let his personal feelings cloud his judgment.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha¡­?! You¡¯re the one who¡¯s so self-interested saying that you don¡¯t want to leave the Demon King¡¯s side.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah, what are you saying? I merely judged that it would be better if I, a retainer with excellent strength, remained by her side.¡¹


    ¡¸Although I¡¯m not sure about other Dungeons, in the case of the Demon King Castle, there is no such thing as the deeper the Stratum you¡¯re in charge of, the stronger you are. Don¡¯t delude yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph. However, just like how the title ¡°the Weakest of the Big Four¡± has been said since ancient times, the member of the Big Four that fights the earliest against the Heroes often earns this-¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu. Agares, it seems like you really want to see blood being shed, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    In a sense, their quarrel is kind of wholesome because although both of them do not back down from their argument¡­


    Carmilla doesn¡¯t actually think that he¡¯s a pervert and Agares doesn¡¯t actually think that she¡¯s weak.


    If they were serious, they would have already made a move to remove the other from the Big Four.


    They both respect the Demon Lord from the bottom of their hearts.


    If the Demon King doesn¡¯t think that they are suitable for this position, there is no way that she will allow that person to have this seat.


    ¡¸I am aware that you guys love me. That¡¯s enough of your petty quarrels.¡¹


    With just a single sentence from the Demon King, the two fell silent.


    ¡¸The reason I called you here today is obviously that I have something to tell you about the festival.¡¹


    Our attention was focused on the Demon King.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been thinking about it. If it is enough to form just one strong party, then we can just exclude one person from the people here to form the Party. However, I dare say that this will not be enough to defeat my grandfather.¡¹


    The Demon King loves the staff of the Demon King Castle more than anyone else.


    After my master left, many of the powerful Monsters left as well.


    After all, the only reason they stayed is that my master was their boss.


    When Fellow left, he also brought a lot of Monsters out with him.


    Maybe they sympathized with his ideals, or maybe the rewards offered were really too good.


    And the remaining Monsters and the Monsters that Luci gathered could not be comparable to the Demon King Army during my master¡¯s reign, no matter how hard she tried.


    But that¡¯s unavoidable.


    Dungeon management is not so easy that it can be quickly rebuilt when most of the main forces are gone.


    It might be easier to understand this if you imagine a sports team.


    However, the Demon King and her subordinates continued to maintain their reputation for impregnability even in such a situation.


    They still maintained the record of zero parties reaching the deepest Stratum.


    Even though most of the Monsters are young and the tenth Stratum¡¯s Floor Boss position was left to a human, the Demon King¡¯s castle has fended off the invasions of all kinds of Adventurers.


    But¡­


    Even an achievement like that is nothing in front of that person.


    The Demon King Lucifer.


    There is no need for the word ¡°candidate¡±. We can just call him this way and no one will object to it.


    The strongest in the world.


    The only existence that can be called that.


    The All-Heaven Festival Contest is an event to see how the contestants challenge the strongest Demon King.


    The threat is immeasurable since even the previous Big Four and Altreed party is joining this festival.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t force you, but I want you to form your own party and remain until the final round.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m sure that each of the executives has different feelings at this moment.


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Furcus stopped eating and answered.


    ¡¸Okayyy.¡¹


    Sitri responded with a smile while raising one hand.


    ¡¸If this is what you want¡­¡¹


    Carmilla looked surprised but still nodded.


    ¡¸I have no intention of leaving you. If it¡¯s absolutely necessary, then give me an order.¡¹


    Agares refused perhaps because she said that she won¡¯t force us to do this.


    ¡¸¡­Haa. Understood. You can come with me.¡¹


    The Demon King smiled as if she had expected this to happen.


    ¡¸Ma¡¯am¡­!¡¹


    Her gaze turned to me.


    ¡¸Lemegeton.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I¡¯ve thought about joining a different party and there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you concerning that¡­¡¹


    Only these members are present. So I didn¡¯t bother to act out a Lemegeton-like tone.


    ¡¸Okay, you have my permission.¡¹


    Before I started talking about the content, the Demon King already gave me permission.


    ¡­I guess she can see through what her subordinates are thinking about.


    As expected of our King.


    ¡¸Well then, come here.¡¹


    The Demon King spread her small hand and reached out to me.


    I smiled and reached out my hand.


    With this I¡­

 CH 217.2

    217 ¨C The One With Endless Potential (Part 2)


    ¡¸One, two.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re doing good¡­! Shake the wand lightly and let the robe flutter!¡¹


    Swoosh.


    ¡¸O-okay¡­ um, like this right¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­! That¡¯s perfect, Cashew! You¡¯re a genius! A genius Wizard!¡¹


    Click click click click.


    For some reason, in addition to Cashew¡¯s voice, I can also hear an out-of-control female voice and shutter sounds coming from my office¡­ Is it just my imagination?


    I opened the door after denying the reality for just a moment.


    Inside my office¡­a photo session was going on.


    I know the culprit.


    ¡¸What are you doing¡­¡¹


    The term Demi-Humans is an excessively rough classification.


    In the first place, it¡¯s only a term that¡¯s used by the majority of Humans.


    Leaving that aside, there are more detailed classifications.


    For example, Dog Demi-Humans refers to those that have dog racial characteristics on their human body, just like Cashew.


    Dog Beastmen refers to the race that has the appearance of an animal that has evolved into a humanoid form.


    For example, the Minotauruses are Cow Beastmen.


    There is a similar classification for Aquatic Monsters. If their human body has the characteristics of an aquatic creature, they are called Mermaids. If an aquatic creature has evolved to gain a humanoid body, they are called Fishmen.


    ¡¸Oh, the Chief of Staff is here. You¡¯ve come at just the right time. Could you lend me a hand?¡¹


    A tentacle suddenly stretched out and gave me a camera.


    She¡¯s an Octopus Mermaid.


    Her upper body is a human and her lower body is octopus tentacles.


    Her name is Skew and she is the chief of the department that is in charge of the Avatars of the Monsters in the Demon King Castle and their designs.


    She is also a designer and was the one who created Lemegeton¡¯s costume.


    Recently, she also designed the costume for Lily¡¯s Monster form, the Deep Forest Archer Stolas.


    ¡¸Sir Le-ah, Ch-chief of Staff¡­! D-does it look good on me?¡¹


    Cashew approached me while embarrassed.


    She is currently dressed in a Wizard-like costume.


    The pointy hat had holes for the dog ears and Cashew¡¯s dog ears were popping out from there. The robe was fluttery and the outfit inside looked like some kind of uniform. The rest is a skirt.


    She was holding a wand prop in her hand that probably doesn¡¯t have the ability to purify and compress Magical Energy.


    That appearance is like a cute Wizard apprentice.


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s so cute¡­no, I mean, you look very intelligent.¡¹


    ¡¸Really¡­!¡¹


    Cashew gave a dazzling smile.


    Skew couldn¡¯t stand Cashew¡¯s cuteness and collapsed on the sofa.


    I twitched when I saw her like that, but it¡¯s normal for her to do that so I¡¯ll just leave her alone.


    ¡¸Y-yes. So today¡¯s theme is a Wizard, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    It seemed like a long time ago, but this happened right after I was hired in the Demon King Castle.


    I promised to go out with Milla, but I also promised to go out with Cashew on that day.


    One of the places we went to while strolling around the alleys of the Demon King Castle was Skew¡¯s office.


    Skew became very fond of Cashew and wanted to dress her in various outfits, calling it possible outfits for her Avatar.


    Cashew seemed fascinated because her dream is to become my 72nd Contract, but she had no money to pay for it.


    However, Skew said that if she just let her take Cashew¡¯s picture then that would be enough for the payment.


    Since then, after Skew obtained Cashew¡¯s approval, she acted like a fish that just got water.


    Like this time, she brought Cashew¡¯s costume, a dress made of actual fabric, not Magical Energy, to check the design before the creation of her Avatar, and took pictures of it.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯ll prepare tea.¡¹


    Cashew went to the office kitchen.


    I turned my eyes to glare at Skew.


    ¡¸¡­You do know that it¡¯s difficult for a Dog Demi-Human to manifest as a Wizard, right?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you talking about?! Cashew¡¯s possibilities are endless!¡¹


    In response to my whisper, Skew stood up and shouted loudly at me.


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, but that¡¯s not what I mean¡­ You did this just for your hobby, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    Skew¡¯s body flinched so much that I could hear her panicking.


    Cashew is very serious about her future Avatar, but Skew wants Cashew to wear cute outfits.


    If I use the word ¡°cute¡±, Cashew, who is aiming to become a cool Monster, would give me an expression that just says ¡°Eh¡­¡±, so I can¡¯t say that.


    ¡¸So you¡¯re implying that I had a bit of my own hobby in mind when I said that she has a lot of possibilities?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, stop looking at me with that kind of look as if I¡¯m a good-for-nothing adult. I feel hurt!¡¹


    She¡¯s a Mermaid with quite a lot of personality, and although she often takes Cashew¡¯s pictures for her hobby, Cashew is also happy with it, so I¡¯m not unhappy with her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m kidding, but I didn¡¯t call you here today for this reason¡­¡¹


    When I went straight to the point, Skew finally had a composed expression.


    Excluding the fact that she gets weird when it¡¯s about Cashew, she¡¯s usually a competent designer.


    ¡¸Of course, I will do it. Anyway, you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps the most frightening thing about you is¡­ your ability to connect with people.¡¹


    I was taken aback because she said it so seriously.


    ¡¸¡­I also think that I¡¯m blessed with good companions.¡¹


    ¡¸A Contract with the ring is advantageous for the owner of the ring. Once a Contract is made, the other party can be freely summoned by the Contractor. Normally, people would hesitate to make a Contract, even if they trusted the Contractor. After all, they won¡¯t know when and for what reason the Contractor will summon them, so it¡¯s a very important decision.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But you have gained quite a considerable amount of Contracts in a short period of time. There are a lot of people who are willing to be used by you. That¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t want to betray their trust.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­. Above all! Cashew wants to have a Contract with you! I¡¯m definitely not jealous at all about that.¡¹


    In the end, Skew had a slovenly expression again.


    ¡ó


    After the meeting with her.


    ¡¸U-um¡­ Chief of Staff.¡¹


    After Cashew went back to her secretary appearance, we took a break on the sofa.


    ¡¸Yes?¡¹


    For some reason, Cashew looked anxious.


    Her dog ears, which are always up, are drooping down. Her tail, which always swayed in response to her emotions, is also just staying down on the sofa.


    She looked like she wasn¡¯t feeling well.


    ¡¸I heard that you can know your Job when you¡¯re 10 years old¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸I also heard¡­ that even before reaching that age, their Aptitude is already showing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s true. If someone has the Aptitude of a Martial Artist, then he will be great at fighting even as a child, and if he has the Aptitude of a Painter, then his painting skill will quickly improve. It¡¯s like a glimpse of their ability even before their Job is identified¡­ I guess that explanation is hard to understand. Hmm, right, it¡¯s like they have things that they are good at.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ sister Maca has always been good at cooking¡­¡¹


    Gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, Cashew looked downcast.


    Maca is Cashew¡¯s older sister, her Job is a Chef.


    ¡¸Are you worried?¡¹


    She nodded then looked back up at me.


    Then, Cashew slowly began to speak.


    After deciding to become a Monster, Cashew searched for her own Aptitude.


    Fortunately, there are various Monsters in the Demon King Castle and Cashew is loved by everyone, so they took the time to accompany her.


    She exercised with Marchosias and the Werewolves, had the Hellhounds show their attacks using claws and fangs, learned the basics of archery from the Dark Elf Leraje, saw Kimaris¡¯ Necromancy being done right in front of her, learned how to swim from the Mermaid Vepar, and received training from Furcus, incidentally, it seems like the sounds I heard from their room in the inn when we were dispatched to the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon was them training, solved Caim¡¯s puzzles, got dressed in a maid costume by the Dream Demons, and got Agares to kindly teach her about magic, she said that nothing weird happened, other than him constantly having a gentle smile, and continued talking about all the other things she did.


    She also had a consultation with the Demon King.


    She tried a lot of things, but most of them were done when I went to the Original Dungeon.


    However, Cashew still couldn¡¯t find her Aptitude.


    The only thing she could say was that she was physically strong, but that was not an uncommon trait to have for a Dog Demi-Human


    Cashew thought to herself.


    What should I do if I don¡¯t get a combat-related Job? Even if it is not combat-related, I hope that I can at least get a Job that is useful for support.


    What if I get a Job that is useless on the battlefield¡­?


    ¡¸Cashew¡­¡¹


    On the way back from the welcome party for Lemegeton. We promised each other.


    Someday, Cashew will become a Monster and become my last Contract.


    I couldn¡¯t help but worry because Cashew gives her utmost effort in everything.


    Some people, like the Water Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran, are showing overwhelming strength when they¡¯re only 10 years old.


    Cashew watched them during the raid battle and she probably couldn¡¯t comfort herself by saying that she is only 8 years old.


    A strong person is strong whether he is young or very young.


    ¡¸I, I¡­ um, I will continue to do my best¡­ so¡­¡¹


    Cashew¡¯s voice trembled.


    I got up from the sofa and kneeled in front of her.


    I raised my eyes to gently look at her and smiled.


    ¡¸Who is your boss, Cashew?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh? T-the Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. Is the Chief of Staff someone who decides whether he needs his hardworking subordinate or not just because of her Job?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Cashew raised her face and shook her head.


    ¡¸N-no, he¡¯s not¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s true that the Job is important. It¡¯s very, very important. It¡¯s something that influences the lives of many people. However, there are people who decide their lives before their Job is identified and I don¡¯t think that a Job is great enough to change that decision.¡¹


    Just like the Black Sorcerer child who aims to become a Hero even if he wasn¡¯t identified as a Hero.


    ¡¸Someday, Cashew¡¯s Job will be identified and whatever it is, I will support what Cashew wants to do. It can be different or the same as it is now.¡¹


    Cashew nodded.


    ¡¸If Cashew becomes a Monster in the future, then whatever your Job is, you will become my last Contract. We already made a promise, right?¡¹


    The little girl with infinite possibilities had tears in her eyes, but she didn¡¯t let them out.


    ¡¸Yes¡­! I¡¯ll become a Monster and help the Chief of Staff¡­!¡¹


    She said that and smiled.


    ¡ó


    I had something to do on that day, so I asked Milla to bring Cashew back to her home and left the Demon King Castle a little earlier than usual.


    ¡¸Hey, that older gentleman over there, would you like to have a cup of tea with us? Just kidding.¡¹


    For some reason, this phrase, which seemed like it will never have any relation to me, was actually directed at me.


    It was a sentence that neither the person saying it nor the person receiving it would ever experience, but I never thought that I would be the one receiving it.


    ¡¸¡­Wraith?¡¹


    Dark blue hair and eyes reminiscent of the deep sea. A young face and small stature. His smile is full of self-confidence, but it also gives off a mysterious impression due to the charm peculiar to children.


    The Water Hero Wraith was there.


    His childhood friend the Destroyer Fran was also there.


    Her pure white long hair and red eyes remind me of a rabbit. If someone said that she was a doll created by a renowned craftsman, her white skin and beautiful, expressionless face would make it believable.


    ¡¸I arrived earlier than I expected, so I came to pick you up.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have taken the wrong road a dozen times.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I came with you.¡¹


    The two of them were happily holding hands together.


    Yes. The meeting place has changed, but the thing that I had to do was¡­to have a meeting with them.


    ¡¸I see. Did you wait for a long time?¡¹


    ¡¸Fran, ¡°it¡¯s that kind of phrase¡±, it¡¯s your turn next.¡¹


    It seemed like they were playing some strange game.


    Fran expressionlessly looked up at me and said.


    ¡¸¡±No, I just got here.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s a relief.¡¹


    I smiled wryly and we started walking together.

 CH 218.1

    218 Part 1 ¨C The Qualifying Round of Lem and the Others


    ¡ºThe long-awaited qualifying round of the All-Heaven Festival Contest is finally here! I¡¯m currently in the 12th venue of the qualifying round! As you know, this battle to determine the world¡¯s strongest has brought together Heroes from all over the continent! However! Unfortunately, not all contestants will be able to fight against the legends! This qualifying round will reduce the number of contestants!¡»


    It¡¯s a live broadcast.


    The battlefield, or rather the competition stage, was not the only thing set up inside the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    Spectator seats and multiple huge screens have also been prepared.


    There were spectator seats and 4 screens surrounding the stage where the battle would take place.


    The screens were divided into sections and images from multiple locations were projected on them.


    It seemed like the size of each image and screen would change according to the battle situation.


    Since the contract with the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, Fellow has negotiated in the same direction of borrowing rather than acquiring and succeeded in renting enough magical space to hold the festival.


    The Dungeons¡¯ managers all over the world are also grateful for the source of income that doesn¡¯t depend on the Attackers. It¡¯s no wonder that the number of people willing to work in Dungeons is increasing since they won¡¯t lose their entire workplace.


    I¡¯m currently waiting for the time to enter the venue with my party members.


    ¡ºWell then, today is the first day of the qualifying rounds that will be held across the continent! Everyone may not be familiar with the rules yet, so I will give you a quick rundown!¡»


    There are two people giving the live broadcast. One is a male Minotaurus and the other is a female human.


    As if to continue the words of the Minotaurus, the voice of the female human resounded.


    ¡ºThe rules are super simple! Just defeat the opponents to earn points. Since the festival is held with five-man groups, the total points allocated to each party are the same! 10 points for 1 opponent, 50 points for 5 opponents!¡»


    ¡ºThere are 100 parties gathered in one venue, so that¡¯s a total of 5,000 points! The round is over when there is only one party left or when it reaches the time limit! If you survive, the points that you gain will be added to your total points, so for example, if one party wipes out all the opponents, then they¡¯ll get all 5,000 points! I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s actually possible though!¡»


    ¡ºAhaha, that¡¯s true! But 100 parties mean¡­ umm, a total of 500 people, right? Isn¡¯t that too much? Well, the field is very wide, so there should be no problem in terms of capacity. It looks like the contestants are likely to be confused as to who to look for since there are so many people.¡»


    In a Dungeon Clear, even if there are a lot of Monsters, they won¡¯t appear in the same space all at once, and even if that does happen, it won¡¯t be as many as 500 Monsters.


    Moreover, unlike the Dungeon Clears where we only have to concentrate on the five-member Hero Party, this time there are 100 parties and a total of 500 contestants.


    ¡ºAt first, the area projected on the screen will be mainly focused on the famous contestants. We can expect to see a flashy battle from them. The spectators can enjoy the realism of the battles happening near their seats and if they want to see a popular party, then they can pay attention to the huge screen. Of course, there¡¯s always the possibility that your favorite party will be fighting right in front of you, just like a dream come true!¡»


    ¡ºUfufu, by the way, the place where the parties will enter from has been announced at the time of ticket reservation, so customers who were able to secure the seats they want can see the recommended entrance from up close. However, although it can¡¯t be helped, there is a feeling that the famous contestants are receiving preferential treatment on the screens. Can¡¯t we do something about that?¡»


    ¡ºWell, we have also prepared a screen that projects the battle situation at random¡­ Hmm, if the contestants want to be noticed, maybe they should aim for a Giant Killing or steadily show their results.¡»


    If the famous contestants are given preferential treatment for screen time, then the other contestants can just fight those famous parties. If they manage to win, then they will definitely stand out.


    ¡ºOhh, what do you mean by showing their results?¡»


    ¡ºWe¡¯ll be tallying the points and announcing the parties with the most points periodically. Of course, it will be done during the battle. If they can show a good result at this opportunity, then we also won¡¯t be able to treat them as mobs.¡»


    For example, they will announce a ranking of which party has the most points five minutes after the start, then they will announce it again ten minutes after the start.


    In this case, it won¡¯t matter whether the contestants are famous or not. The party that defeats more contestants will have its name announced.


    ¡ºAh! I see! In that case, the Parties that do well at the beginning would have a possibility of being targeted by the other parties because their results would be revealed!¡»


    ¡ºYes. In addition, the total number of points they can earn will decrease with every second. Because even if they defeat a party that has earned 1,000 points, they will only get 50 points.¡»


    So even if someone has defeated another contestant, they won¡¯t be able to take away the points that that contestant has acquired.


    ¡ºIn that case, the record of the Party that got wiped out will stop at 1,000 points.¡»


    If all the members of the Party survive until the time limit after acquiring 1,000 points, then that Party will receive an additional 50 points.


    On the contrary, even if the Party got wiped out, the points they acquired by defeating the other contestants will not be lost and will be recorded as their points.


    ¡ºAh, by the way, in this qualifying round, the party will still be able to continue fighting even after their leader gets sent off the field. If it¡¯s a Dungeon Clear, it¡¯ll be over after the leader gets sent off the field, but you don¡¯t have to worry about that here!¡»


    The only exception was the raid battle. Basically, the Party would fail to Clear the Dungeon if their leader has fallen.


    ¡ºThe qualifying round will be held under the same conditions, and after the results of all the venues, not just this venue, have come out, the contestants for the next battle will be decided in descending order of the ones who have the most points!¡»


    ¡ºThere are other rules as well, but I¡¯ll explain them whenever needed during the actual round! By the way, there is a chance for those contestants, who have so-called unfavorable Jobs, to shine in this qualifying round, so please look forward to it! Everyone in the audience has been given a pamphlet that has the detailed rules written on it at the entrance, so feel free to read that!¡»


    ¡ºAnd now it¡¯s time for the contestants to enter! We can¡¯t introduce all of them because there are so many of them, but I hope that the contestants who were not introduced here will catch our eyes with their abilities!¡»


    The excitement of the audience could be felt all the way from the entrance place of the contestants.


    Numerous famous Adventurers and Monsters¡­ No, the contestants are entering the field.


    Especially if you want to extract only those who are interested in me.


    If I had to choose just a few people I¡¯m particularly interested in, I would say¡­


    ¡ºAlthough I¡¯m one of the commentators for the live broadcast, I can¡¯t hide my excitement at the thought of being able to see them in action because of this festival! The leader is the Commander of the 7th Knights Order! The Scales of Justice Astrea!¡»


    Astrea is a beautiful woman. Her gold hair is cut short so that it won¡¯t reach her shoulders and her blue eyes are looking straight forward. She has a dignified manner of walking, but it doesn¡¯t make her look haughty.


    The Knights Order.


    To put it bluntly, during the war, the Knights Order was the army and the Adventurers were the mercenaries.


    Of course, there were many who adventured as they pleased, but since it was a time when humanity needed to unite for victory against the Demons, there were many who were hired to fight.


    There were also many who chose to be neutral like the Elves, and there were also a lot of Demi-Humans who sided with the Demons at that time, like the Orcs and Goblins. Anyway, there was a conflict, but it¡¯s all over now.


    Adventurers and Monsters now coexist together due to the Dungeon Clears.


    And the Knights Order has become more like a security organization.

 CH 218.2

    218 ¨C The Qualifying Round of Lem and the Others (Part 2)


    The Knights Order handles a wide range of criminals, from petty thieves to criminals of the century.


    Of course, this also includes criminals who are not Adventurers or Monsters.


    Although they are not well-known criminals, these criminals have great fighting abilities.


    Even though there have been cases where the arrests brought harm to civilians, I have never heard of a case where the Knights Order who went to capture the criminals were defeated.


    Why is that?


    The reason is simple.


    Because they¡¯re strong.


    This is something that should not happen, but even if the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits become the enemies of humanity, at such a time, the Four Great Spirits that are on the side of humanity would break their contract, but even if they do not, the Knights Order have publicly stated that they can contain them.


    Of course, there are almost no people who can stand single-handedly against a Contractor of the Four Great Spirits in terms of fighting ability.


    So, they have given this remark as a group.


    They said that their combined strength as a trained group is superior to the strength of humanity¡¯s strongest individual.


    The Knights Order are divided into thirteen groups according to the area they are in charge of and each of these groups is assigned a number.


    Among them, the thirteen people known as Commanders are exceptional.


    Anyway¡­


    ¡ºThe position of Commander for each of the thirteen Knights Order is hereditary and it is said that there is only a slight difference in strength depending on the generation! The reason is that they have gone through consistent training, but there are also rumors that it is largely due to Contract Inheritance! Spirits usually love a single human and after that person dies, they would once again travel around the world to search for their next love, but rumors say that the ancestors of the thirteen Commanders of the Knights Order of our country are deeply loved by the Spirits and have obtained a love that lasts as long their bloodline continues!¡»


    In other words, the Spirit Contract can be passed down from parent to child.


    However, there are still doubts about this.


    Only a Hero can make a contract with Spirits. It is probabilistically unlikely that their child would always be born as a Hero.


    Perhaps it¡¯s not that the descendants would directly make a contract with the Spirits, but rather that the Spirits would give their blessings to the descendants in accordance with the promise they have made to the first Contractor.


    Every generation has a Holy Sword and is raised with a gifted education from an early age.


    In that case, it¡¯s no wonder that there is little variation in strength from generation to generation.


    In fact, as each generation accumulates more information on the details of the blessing, efficient training, and types of techniques, it is likely that they will become stronger as time goes on.


    ¡ºCommander Astrea¡¯s Job is actually¡­a Hero! As I mentioned earlier, there is only a little difference in terms of strength depending on the generation, but this is truly exceptional!¡»


    I don¡¯t know the exact details of Contract Inheritance, but if it is really possible for a Hero descendant to directly make a Contract with a Spirit, then they¡¯ll become even more powerful.


    In the first place¡­


    ¡ºAs you all know, Spirits also have their own rank. The main body, which are the Four Major Spirits, are the highest ranked, while the power of the other Lesser Spirits is determined by the size of the fragments when they were separated! In other words, those 13 Lesser Spirits are part of the earliest Lesser Spirits that were created from fragments during the war, during the time when the Four Major Spirits began to divide themselves to create Lesser Spirits for Humans. Is it something like a trial test before creating a lot of Leser Spirits for the Heroes? Or maybe they were created just because they felt so? There are a lot of rumors about this among historians.¡»


    For example, the Frost Hero Bella in Fenix party has a contract with a Lesser Water Spirit.


    The Spirit Magic she acquired was Freeze. Although it appears to be a high-rank Lesser Spirit in terms of power, it was not able to grant the Spirit Magic of producing water.


    The Water Hero Wraith has a contract with the main body of the Water Spirit, so he can freeze and create a big wave.


    It¡¯s just a rough analogy, but that¡¯s how the Spirits¡¯ ranking works.


    There is a difference in power and what they can do.


    Similarly, the 5th Ranked Thunderclap Hero Scathach was given a practical Spirit Magic, Lightning Strike, by the Lesser Wind Spirit, but he cannot create wind blades.


    The Storm Hero Aerial rarely uses Lightning Strike, but it¡¯s possible for him to use it.


    ¡ºIt can be inferred from the actions of the successive generations of the Scales of Justice that her family lineage has a contract with a high-rank Lesser Earth Spirit! The details are unknown, as is the case with the Knights Order, but I¡¯ve heard that criminals who face the Scales of Justice can only kneel in silence! The contestants are not criminals, however, would it be possible for us to see this Spirit Magic being used in this festival!¡»


    The rumors that the Spirit Magic can only be used on criminals came out only because of their profession. Since it is Spirit Magic, it can probably be used even against contestants.


    It¡¯s not that the possibility of the contract stating that the Spirit Magic can only be used on a criminal is zero, but I don¡¯t think she would participate in the battle to decide the strongest without being able to demonstrate her true ability.


    However, the criminals can¡¯t oppose it and just kneel down silently, is it an Earth-related Spirit Magic¡­?


    ¡ºThere are a lot of mysteries related to the Spirits of the Knights Order, so why did she participate in the Festival this time? After all, if it¡¯s to decide the strongest, won¡¯t she have to go all out?¡»


    ¡ºUnlike the Adventurers and Monsters, the Knights Order do not have a place to show their true abilities in an easy-to-understand manner. There are a lot of differences in terms of persuasive power when only seeing the result of the arrest written in newspapers and the Net news and actually seeing them fight. Normally, the Knights Order are not allowed to participate in events including Dungeon Clears, so this time they might also have the purpose of showing their power as a security organization.¡»


    Astrea¡¯s party is not the only one that will be participating.


    In addition, the qualifying round will be broadcasted on video and will be shown on TV for a few days.


    The interest of people around the world will change according to what the contestants do in this Festival and that is what the Knights Order is aiming for.


    ¡ºAhh, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s not exactly the same, but you know, it¡¯s like when you see someone who can do Spatial Transference, then you might think for a moment that ¡°It would be easy for him to steal¡±. If he turns out to be a bad person, then the ones that can arrest him are the Knights Order, however will the Knights Order really be able to capture them? It¡¯s probably something like that.¡»


    ¡ºUnfortunately, incidents wherein an Adventurer gets drunk and acts violently are only occasionally reported and it is the job of the Knights Order to control the situation. If they don¡¯t have enough strength to suppress the Adventurer, then the situation won¡¯t be taken under control. The same goes for stealing. Whoever tries to abuse their powerful abilities will definitely be thrown in jail! This festival might be the perfect opportunity for the Knights Order to show that it¡¯s possible for them to do that. Of course, the audience here does not have to worry about such a situation happening here!¡»


    ¡ºYes, that¡¯s correct. Flames that can burn people to ashes without leaving any evidence, Earth manipulation that can bury people deep in the underground, and lesser-known Magic that is unique to a race! All the contestants present here will only use those abilities to entertain the audience! It¡¯s important to emphasize this.¡»


    ¡ºIt¡¯s really important. Oops, this is getting a little long. Now, for the next party¡­¡»

 CH 218.3

    218 ¨C The Qualifying Round of Lem and the Others (Part 3)


    This is a really big event. So, there must be a lot of different motives involved.


    It¡¯s not good to be indifferent or unguarded, but it¡¯s also not good to just blindly believe in them. It¡¯s a difficult situation.


    Anyway.


    The members of the Knights Order are people who would never have had the chance to fight if it weren¡¯t for this Festival.


    I haven¡¯t had a chance to think about this before, but it¡¯s probably safe to say that the rank of the 13 Lesser Spirits is second only to the Four Great Spirits.


    I turned my attention to Dark for a moment.


    The black chick sitting on top of my head wriggled around.


    ¡¸Hmm? Isn¡¯t that pretty good? You think that they have enough strength to fight against your best friend and not get burned right away, right? Even if their Contractor is just a small fry.¡¹


    Dark doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in other Spirits, so it¡¯s probably okay to assume that this assessment was pretty good.


    If the current assessment is based only on the rank of her Spirit, then if we include her strength as a Hero and a Knight then¡­


    ¡ºIt might be fun to watch this. Well, what I want to see is her partners¡¯ participation though.¡»


    Another advantage for the members of the Knights Order is the lack of information on them.


    Even if I¡¯m an Adventurer enthusiast, I still can¡¯t find any undisclosed information on them.


    Since the announcement of the Knights Order¡¯ participation, I¡¯ve done as much research as possible, but it¡¯s not enough.


    After the members of Astrea¡¯s Party were introduced, the commentators mentioned the next Party.


    ¡ºNow then, for the next Party! Ranked 11 in the world, the Ash Hero Garo¡¯s party! They were one of the top ten parties in the world before the Fenix Party made it to the top ten! I¡¯m sure many of you know of their strength! Enemies that get hit by Garo¡¯s Explosion will disappear without a trace! That overwhelming attack power and maneuverability will be displayed in this qualifying round!¡»


    Garo is a tall man. His eyes are sharp and his hair is black. His characteristics are his dark skin and flashy outfit.


    He is often misunderstood because of his scary appearance, but he is a cheerful person.


    As he entered the field, he snapped his fingers and created small explosions in the air to excite the crowd.


    He¡¯s a cheerful and kind person, but that part of him shows that he is an Adventurer.


    He seemed to have some lingering feelings about the current situation of being in Rank 11.


    After the members were introduced, the female commentator said.


    ¡ºWe have finished introducing the Garos. Next is the introduction of their fated opponent!¡»


    ¡°Garos¡± refers to Garo party. I¡¯ve never heard it being used by a commentator, but fans use it to abbreviate the party¡¯s name.


    The Adventurers¡¯ names are also abbreviated when they are long. So, it becomes something like the Aeros or Fenies. I don¡¯t use it because I feel that it somehow makes the name sound less interesting.


    But that¡¯s not the point.


    They are here.


    The party that made the Garo party¡¯s ranking drop to 11th rank.


    ¡ºThanks for being patient¡­! It is finally their turn to enter the field! Ranked 4th in the world, the Flame Hero Fenix party¡­!!!¡»


    The sound of cheers mixed with roars and shrill voices dominated the venue.


    With Fenix in the lead, the Warrior Alba, the Paladin Lark, the Hunter Lily, and the Frost Hero Bella entered the field.


    ¡ºThe person that has made a contract with the main body of the Fire Spirit for the first time in 130 years, Fenix! I don¡¯t even think there¡¯s a need to elaborate more on what he has done! However, since I¡¯m here to narrate, I¡¯ll talk about it! They can be said to be the instigators behind the boom in attacking the Demon King Castle. They remained undefeated and eliminated Floor Bosses in one blow until they were defeated in the 10th Stratum of the Demon King Castle! They have been training since then and the whole world is paying attention to what kind of battle they will show in this festival¡­¡­!¡»


    ¡ºIt seemed like the Party¡¯s condition has been dropping ever since the withdrawal of the Black Sorcerer Lem, however, they have recently become more stable. With the addition of the Frost Hero Bella as a new member, their control ability has definitely increased! The other three members also seem different from before! As for what exactly has changed from them, we can find out more about that during this festival!¡»


    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of what I said after the battle at the Demon King Castle.


    In fact, everyone has become even stronger.


    These are the people who have gathered to make Fenix reach the 1st Rank and who Fenix acknowledges as his comrades.


    They are getting stronger and stronger and they are still growing.


    ¡ºAnd it turns out that the Black Sorcerer Lem is also participating in this qualifying round!¡»


    In addition, there are a lot of strong people gathered in this venue, such as the party led by the Big Four of the Western Demon King Castle and other high-ranking parties.


    ¡¸Lem, they mentioned your name.¡¹


    Said the leader.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    The leader of my party laughed belligerently.


    Then he said.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, everyone. For the time being, let¡¯s aim for number one.¡¹


    We proceeded through the wide, no-ceiling entrance prepared for the sake of the various races.


    ¡ºThey are entering the field! This party has no rank because it has just been formed, but their ability has become known to the world because of their participation in the raid battle, the Water Hero Wraith! And the members of the Wraith party!¡»


    The cheers were not as loud as when the Fenix party entered, but I guess that¡¯s to be expected considering their popularity.


    A lot of people were bewildered, probably because of our party composition.


    Just the composition of Hero, Destroyer, Black Sorcerer, White Sorcerer, and Miner is probably already unprecedented. To top it off, Melania is a Half-Cyclops Demi-Human.


    And I already half-expected this, Josh is also a Demi-Human.


    In addition to those two, the Black Sorcerer that was thought of as so incompetent that he was kicked out of the Fenix party has been playing an active role since he withdrew from the party and for some reason he is highly evaluated by high-ranking people in the same industry.


    These three people are the ones that the two people who showed their abilities in the raid battle chose as their comrades.


    It¡¯s understandable that the audience might be unsure of how to react to this party that is so different from the usual Hero party.


    However, the leader was not at all concerned about this problem that would have troubled a regular Hero.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s make them cheer for us.¡¹


    Seeing Wraith¡¯s confidence, I smiled.


    He is confident that this party can achieve it.


    The Hero Commander of the Knights Order that has a contract with the Spirit only second to the Four Great Spirits, the top Adventurer ranked 11th in the world, the Big Four of the other Demon King Castle that has repelled many Adventurers, and they¡¯re not the only strong ones, there are a lot of strong people participating in this festival.


    Of course, there is also the Fenix party, who have improved their skills even more than before.


    To make this entire venue cheer for us.


    I wondered how difficult that would be.


    Still, I nodded.


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡¹

 CH 219.1

    219 ¨C The Theory of the Strong People (Part 1)


    The nervous Melania and Josh nodded when hearing the leader¡¯s remark of making the audience cheer for our party.


    The Destroyer Fran nodded as well.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay even if we stand out from the rest, right?¡¹


    Wraith looked at me to check my opinion.


    The Black Sorcerer Lem has decided to participate as a member of the Wraith Party.


    ¡¸Yeah, looking at the rules, that¡¯s probably the best option. Let¡¯s defeat the surviving contestants together.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay then, let¡¯s go with that strategy.¡¹


    Wraith is the leader, but it was decided that the overall command would be left to me.


    Josh and Wraith suggested it and since there was no opposition, I decided to accept it.


    It¡¯s a heavy responsibility, but it suits the style of the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    ¡ºNow for the countdown of the desperate point battle. Three, two, one¡­ Start¡­!¡»


    The stage is circular.


    It¡¯s made to look like a part of the mountain had been carved out.


    There is a flowing river, an open grassy area, a space with a lot of lush trees that make the place have poor visibility, and a steep slope.


    The first assigned location was decided by a lottery for each party.


    Contestants are allowed to move after the start of the round.


    Positioning is also important in this battle.


    After the start, the first thing to do is to move to a location that is advantageous for your own party.


    Or to attack the other parties while on the move.


    There are still 100 parties, so if you unskillfully start a fight, you might get flanked.


    Also, some parties might have teamed up.


    There¡¯s a lot I have to think about. The most important thing is to survive and earn points.


    Meanwhile, several unusual incidents happened at the same time.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸Boom¡¹


    The space that looked like a hill was completely blown away.


    I, the Ash Hero Garo, have blown up the hill just because it¡¯s obstructing my view.


    Naturally, many of the contestants caught in the explosion have been sent off the field.


    I don¡¯t feel sorry for those contestants that have disappeared without getting a chance to show what they can do.


    If they came here aiming to become the strongest and were prepared for a rough fight in the qualifying round, how can they not be able to respond to powerful magic being cast right after the start?


    If this was enough to defeat them, then that just means that they are not qualified to challenge the strongest.


    ¡¸Blau.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Garo.¡¹


    A Wizard that is both my comrade and my younger brother used Wind Magic to clear the dust.


    Unlike me, he¡¯s a very diligent guy with a well-featured face.


    ¡¸As usual you still like to be flashy huh?! But it seems like there are other people like you this time! I don¡¯t feel happy about that!¡¹


    The huge guy carrying a ridiculously large hammer on his shoulder is a Heavy Warrior.


    In exchange for losing the agility of a Warrior, this Job allows him to deal a heavy blow.


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re right. The flames are created by the fire boy and the huge waves are created by the water boy. As for that¡­ I wonder if a knight did that.¡¹


    The woman dressed in a sensational outfit like a dancer is a Sword Dancer.


    That Job is passed down in a foreign country and the blade that is swung while dancing is said to cut through wicked hearts and evil spirits.


    ¡¸I¡¯m also fine with defeating far-away opponents, but why don¡¯t we deal with the nearby ones first?¡¹


    The female Warrior equipped with bikini armor is the last member of the Garo Party.


    It¡¯s not because she¡¯s an exhibitionist, but because that whole set of armor is a single Magic Tool. Wearing extra layers of clothing will cause the ability to fail, so she has to expose her healthy, well-trained, and beautiful body.


    What she said was right, it¡¯s not as if all of the contestants near here were eliminated by the magic I just cast.


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re right. But first of all, I should say this!¡¹


    I spread my arms, looked around the audience seats, and shouted.


    ¡¸All of you in the audience should rejoice! We¡¯re going to entertain you again today! And we¡¯re also going to have fun while we¡¯re at it!


    The cheers from the audience were explosive.


    Being able to experience the real-time reactions of the audience had an uplifting feeling that I couldn¡¯t get from Dungeon Clears.


    Since I¡¯m an Adventurer, it¡¯s natural for me to do something that can please the audience.


    If someone only wants to fight, then he can go ahead and start a brawl. However, if that person is a part of the popularity business, then of course he has to pursue the audience¡¯s satisfaction.


    The audience wants to see flashy magic? I¡¯ll show it to them. The audience would like to see those who have a nice face? Those people who are called eye candies. Some audiences get excited when they see muscular beauties, other audiences feel aroused when seeing those with soft and fair skin. Okay, that¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll let the audience look at them to their heart¡¯s content. Hm? There is no use for small fries even if they have all those qualities?


    Of course, that¡¯s right. After all, what the audience wants to see is a victorious adventure.


    In that respect, I and the rest of the Adventurers are the same.


    We will provide the best entertainment so that the audience can enjoy themselves to the fullest.


    But first, it¡¯s our life. What¡¯s the point of all this if we don¡¯t enjoy it to the fullest?


    Isn¡¯t it best if both the audience and the Adventurer can enjoy themselves?


    The opponents that escaped from the explosion came into view.


    Together with my comrades, we will defeat all of them, then both the audience and I will see the scene that we want to see.


    ¡¸The flames were located over there, right? Let¡¯s go greet Fenix and the others.¡¹


    ¡ó


    The Scales of Justice Astrea. That¡¯s what people call me.


    The trees had disappeared from the forest area.


    To put it more accurately, everything that stretched from the earth to the sky had been crushed.


    It was as if the hand of God had fallen from the sky.


    The same is true for the other contestants, their bodies were crushed by so much pressure that they were unable to retain their Avatar and dissipated into magical particles.


    They were sent off the field.


    But not all of them.


    This qualifying round of the festival had gathered many strong people from various races and Jobs.


    There was one Dragonkin. He is a man with a large build and his skin is covered with scales reminiscent of a dragon.


    He crawled on the ground to draw near me.


    ¡¸Excellent tenacity, I admire it.¡¹


    As I said these words, I cut off his head with my Holy Sword.


    His body continued to crawl for a few moments as if he didn¡¯t realize that he had lost his head.


    It only took a very short amount of time before he was sent off the field, but I marveled in my heart as he seemed to have shown the fortitude of his spirit.


    In the same way, my subordinates sent the contestants that were resisting my magic off the field one by one.


    It was easy for me to adjust my magic range to match the actions of my four subordinates.


    ¡¸¡­Three Contractors of the Four Great Spirits in the same period. The Demon King Castle that is capable of defeating those people. Although it is not desirable to have so many powerful contestants gathered here, the reality is reality. At least we should assure the world. That no matter how strong the person that falls into evil is, as long as the Knights Order still exists, the peace of the continent will never be broken.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    The voices of my subordinates overlapped.


    Heroes are not regarded as dangerous as the Demon King because they have a contract with a Spirit.


    The Four Great Spirits and the Lesser Spirits love people and they have incorporated into the contract itself the condition of preventing the misuse of that power.


    For example, if the Contractor intentionally murders a person, the contract will be nulled.


    After the war, the scope of the category of ¡°person¡± was expanded to include Demi-Humans, who were once known as Demons.


    It¡¯s not easy, but there are many other ways to do it, and anyway, there are other ways to get turned back from being a Spirit Contractor to just being a Hero.


    When a Hero becomes evil, his contracted Spirit is not the only troublesome aspect, the popularity and personal connections that he has cultivated can also be an obstruction and make it difficult to capture him. It is troubling because sometimes there are even fans who wish that the Knights Order would not capture him.


    However, even taking into account these various obstacles, a Demon King that becomes a criminal is far more terrifying.


    Because¡­

 CH 219.2

    219 ¨C The Theory of the Strong People (Part 2)


    ¡¸Commander, you should release the magic any time now.¡¹


    One of my subordinates was concerned about my Magical Energy consumption and called out to me.


    ¡¸Not yet. There are still some opponents that haven¡¯t been crushed.¡¹


    In my field of view, I can perceive the ground rising along with its movement.


    My subordinates most likely failed to detect it because the surrounding area is filled with my Magical Energy and it is also underground.


    ¡¸I will attack it!¡¹


    ¡¸Avoid it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Understood!¡¹


    I¡¯ve included people skilled in Earth Magic in my party in anticipation of an approach from underground, but the enemy¡¯s speed is faster than I expected.


    As my subordinates and I jumped away, the location where we were standing until just a moment ago was broken through¡­by a gigantic mole.


    Following that mole Demi-Beast, a single Majin crawled out of the hole.


    Is he offsetting my Spirit Magic with the Magical Energy of his horns?


    High-density and high-purity Magical Energy itself can affect the world.


    It is also capable of resisting the pressure created by Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸I have to prove here that the Demon King Castle is not ¡°impregnable¡±!¡¹


    Just as there is not only one king or leader of Humans, the same goes for the king of Monsters.


    Not as a Job, but in the other Dungeons.


    There are a total of 5 Dungeons that have been crowned with the name of the Demon King Castle at this present time.


    However, it seems that the only one that can be simply referred to as the ¡°Demon King Castle¡± is the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    Since the Dungeons are scattered in all directions with the Impregnable Dungeon in the center, they are named after the north, south, east, and west.


    The opponent right in front of me is one of the Big Four from the Western Demon King Castle, the Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos.


    Still, the Majins are really special.


    The Demon Kings that are worthy of being at the top are even more exceptional.


    The reason why a Demon King criminal is more terrifying than a Spirit Contractor criminal who can use the Four Major Attributes is mainly because they would not be weakened even when they commit wrongdoings.


    In addition, if they have mastered Black Sorcery, then there is no way for an ordinary person to defend against it.


    There are no Humans or Monsters in evil, but there is a difference in threat.


    In that sense, it¡¯s no wonder that the Jet-Black Hero Ex was once regarded with caution.


    Shadow Spirits are Spirits that have nothing to do with the Four Major Attributes.


    In other words, there is a possibility that the conditions that are usually incorporated in a Spirit contract do not exist in the contract between the Shadow Spirit and him.


    Even if Ex killed a person, the contract may continue as long as the Spirit doesn¡¯t mind it.


    The same goes for the Holy Sword possessor, the Knight Lord Arthur, the Wizard of Foresight Merlin, and the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    No matter what they do, the blessing will not disappear and they might be able to retain the power of the Spirits.


    How fearsome.


    Unfortunately, trusting that they will not do such a thing is not an adequate assurance for the world.


    That said, it is not right to tie up the lives of people who have not committed a crime.


    Then what is the best thing to do?


    ¡¸If your goal is to make the name of the Western Demon King Castle known to the world, I believe that you should fight against the high-ranked Adventurers first before trying to defeat the Knights Order.¡¹


    ¡¸I was also planning to do that, but I have no other choice since my comrades had suffered damage because of your first attack! I can¡¯t just ignore that and continue to aim for points!¡¹


    From the magical response, the members of the Barbatos Party haven¡¯t been sent off the field.


    He has a Beast Master Aptitude and uses mole Demi-Beasts and other beasts.


    The Demi-Beasts that follow him are not included in the number of members. The power of the Job of a Beast Master is to train Demi-Beasts that are not normally friendly to people. It¡¯s not fair to put a restriction on this.


    To summarize the story, I guess my Spirit Magic has crushed one of the Demi-Beasts that follow him.


    So he¡¯s more interested in avenging it than fulfilling his original goal.


    ¡¸You¡¯re being very conscientious.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re very composed, aren¡¯t you?!¡¹


    The mole Demi-Beasts disappeared into the ground again and Barbatos drew near me while offsetting my Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸I did not intend to do that. It¡¯s just that even if you are a god, I can¡¯t allow myself to waver as long as you are an enemy.¡¹


    A knight cannot appear frightened in front of innocent people.


    Vigilance and fear are important emotions.


    And the Knights Order has an obligation to reassure the people.


    We have an obligation to continue to show that everything is okay, to prove that this is a country where even people with no power can live with peace of mind.


    No matter how hard we try to nip it in the bud, the seeds of evil will continue to sprout, and we are still far from establishing perfect peace.


    Nevertheless, we must continue to fight without giving up.


    It¡¯s okay even if a strong person becomes an evil person.


    Because there is always someone righteous and stronger than those people near you.


    If we need to prove that we are the strongest in order to achieve that, then we¡¯ll do it.


    If there is a better way to reassure the innocent without tying up other innocent people, that would be it.


    We just have to prove that the righteous are the strongest.


    That fact would also be a deterrent for crimes.


    I held my Holy Sword.


    ¡¸Ha, that¡¯s interesting. I hope you will be my opponent, Commander of the Knights Order.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I intend to do that.¡¹


    Dungeon Clears provide wonderful amusement.


    In a world where war has ceased to exist, it provides a job opportunity for those who have a combat-type Job.


    It entertains all the people in the world with safe battles where no one will die.


    However, that is different from the battles of the Knights Order.


    Being undefeated is a must for the Knights Order since we have to deal with battles while using our real bodies, which means that we can easily die.


    We can¡¯t afford to worry about giving a good show and we don¡¯t need to, since our battles are not a show, to begin with.


    What we need is not splendor, but simply victory.


    Otherwise, innocent people won¡¯t be able to live with peace of mind.


    I gave out instructions to my subordinates and took over the situation.


    ¡¸Oh Spirit.¡¹


    Barbatos stopped and put his hands on his knees.


    It seemed that he could still withstand the increased pressure.


    ¡¸If you thought that I¡¯ll be defeated by something like this, you¡¯re really looking down on me.¡¹


    ¡¸I have no intention to look down on you, but I admit my lack of understanding. I¡¯ll increase the pressure.¡¹


    I narrowed the area of effect and increased the power.


    Even the ground within the very small effect area around him had sunk.


    Magic is only for the sake of victory.


    And that victory is for the sake of the tranquility of the good people.


    ¡ó


    From the moment I made a contract with the main body of the Fire Spirit, my title was decided.


    The Flame Hero Fenix.


    That Flame Hero pulled out his Holy Sword at the start of the qualifying round.


    Flames erupted from the sword, dyeing the world red.


    ¡¸It pains me to damage the beautiful scenery, but¡­¡¹


    As soon as I swung my sword, a huge wave of flames that far surpassed the height of the trees gushed out to scorch the grasslands.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve got someone I don¡¯t want to lose against, so I can¡¯t take it easy.¡¹


    The majority of the people standing in the grasslands left the field without getting a chance to play an active role.


    ¡¸It would be easier if all of them were wiped out with this attack, but it won¡¯t go that easy, huh?¡¹


    The Hunter Lily responded to what the Warrior Alba said.


    ¡¸Yes. No matter how powerful the Spirit Magic is, not everyone will be helpless against it.¡¹


    Large-scale attacks occurred in four places at almost the same time and those places are probably experiencing the same situation.


    Some escaped the flames by flying in the sky or going into the underground, while others were able to resist because of magic, weapon, armor, or racial characteristics.


    Likewise, there are definitely people who have survived the explosion and those who were not crushed under the pressure in the forest.


    They have to at least be that strong considering that they are people who have gathered with the aim of becoming the strongest.


    Some might say it¡¯s unfair, but I don¡¯t think those who are unable to handle this attack are qualified to challenge the strongest Demon King.


    I think that there are parties like this in every venue, parties that are participating just for the sake of making a memory, or parties that are participating to gain experience while being aware of their lack of ability. Unfortunately, those parties will probably leave the field without showing any results.


    The Demon King, who is my friend¡¯s master.


    And the Hero that my friend admires.


    As they are both legendary existences, they are waiting for strong people that will remain until the end of the Festival competition.


    ¡¸¡­Somehow, I feel more motivated than ever. Is it because Lem is here?¡¹


    I smiled when I heard what the Paladin Lark said.


    ¡¸As we discussed beforehand, we won¡¯t challenge the Wraith Party in the beginning.¡¹


    A fight between us and the Wraith Party would be the most favorable situation for the other contestants.


    They would earn points while we¡¯re fighting and have the chance to defeat the exhausted winner no matter which one of us wins.


    The subject of this round is not just about defeating the strong.


    ¡¸Then, you¡¯re completely confident about this right?¡¹


    The Frost Hero Bella said in a flat tone.


    We were still fighting as we talked to each other.


    Lark skillfully repelled the flying arrows and wind blades with his large shield.


    On the other hand, Lily rapidly shot arrows at the enemy archers and wounded them.


    Alba successively slashed, pierced, and wrapped his extensible magic sword around the Birdmen and the opponents who were floating by using Wind Magic, injuring and grounding them.


    Those who were targeting us from the flanks or behind either had their whole body or their foothold frozen by Bella.


    I stabbed my Holy Sword into the ground and used my Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸No, Bella, I¡¯m not completely confident about it. However¡­¡¹


    This Spirit Magic is only possible to be cast because I have the blessing of the main body of the Fire Spirit and the Magical Energy output and control ability of a trained Hero.


    The effect immediately appeared.


    The ground was scorched and melted.


    In a Dungeon Clear, Adventurers would get fined for unnecessary destruction, so I almost never had the opportunity to use this.


    What had been a grassland with refreshing air before the qualifying round began now looked like the surroundings of an erupted volcano.


    The contestants in the underground left the field before they could crawl up to the surface and those in the area of effect collapsed after being engulfed in the liquid state of the ground that glowed red.


    The Fury of the Flame God.


    ¡¸Right now, I¡¯m a little¡­fired up.¡¹

 CH 219.3

    219 ¨C The Theory of the Strong People (Part 3)


    It seemed to be called Roll Over of the Sea God.


    The Spirit Magic that Wraith cast was on a scale as if a giant god sleeping in the sea had turned over, then it would certainly create such a fearsome scene.


    A really huge wave.


    The other three people took refuge on Melania¡¯s shoulders.


    I wondered how many people would be able to resist the raging fury of nature.


    Most of those who were swallowed up did not come up to the water surface afterward, they got sent off the field.


    ¡¸How many points was that¡­ well, I guess we won¡¯t know yet. That¡¯s okay, let¡¯s just go defeat more contestants.¡¹


    ¡ºWh-wh-what¡­?!!! As soon as the round started, large-scale Spirit Magic exploded in each area¡­!! A considerable amount of contestants have been sent off the field in an instant!¡»


    ¡ºA-ahaha¡­ Since the number of people was narrowed down immediately, I guess the audience no longer has to worry about where to look. The four reckless Heroes have done very flashy attacks, but don¡¯t worry! This is not the end!¡»


    ¡ºThat¡¯s right. There are contestants who are still alive and well even after being subjected to Spirit Magic of that scale! Also, the time until the fight between these four parties is nearing!¡»


    ¡ºIf 5,000 points are equally divided by 4, it¡¯ll be 1,250 points, but there might be other powerful parties in the other venues who might get more than that amount, right? The important point is not the ranking in this venue, but rather the overall ranking.¡»


    ¡ºIf the contestants do not annihilate the strong parties in the venue before they defeat too many other contestants, the total amount of points they can earn will inevitably decrease. The decision must be very difficult to make for the contestants who are aiming for a high overall ranking. They have to decide whether they should quickly earn points or defeat the parties that seem capable of earning a lot of points first.¡»


    A live commentary is something that won¡¯t be heard in a Dungeon Clear.


    Well, I¡¯ve experienced live commentary in the Tag Tournament, so I¡¯m not that surprised.


    ¡¸Josh, feet.¡¹


    Fran said.


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    Josh cast Leg Strength Up on Fran.


    When Fran went down to the muddy ground, her figure disappeared. Looking at the gouged-out mud, I understood that she had jumped to somewhere else with a terrifyingly strong jump.


    I put my hands on the hilt of the Holy Sword.


    I didn¡¯t pull out the sword, but there¡¯s a reason as to why I¡¯m doing this.


    This Holy Sword was also endowed with the ability of a wand.


    The Holy Sword is better than the sword wand that I used in the Tag Tournament, so this time I only brought the Holy Sword.


    ¡ºThe kindness of customizing it according to my partner. Have you fallen for me now?¡»


    ¡­That¡¯s not possible, but thanks.


    Most of those who escaped the huge wave were flying.


    Whether they are flying with magic or with wings, the effectiveness of Black Magic remains the same.


    I cast magic using the Magical Energy that was poured into the Holy Sword.


    Confusion.


    They fell down because the movements of the wings were disrupted or because they failed to maintain their magic.


    That short amount of time was enough for Wraith.


    Thin streaks of water, that looked as if it was coming out of a hose, gushed out like a geyser.


    Offensive magic that gives directionality to pressured water, Water Blade.


    ¡¸Nice assist, Lem.¡¹


    According to the rules of the qualifying round, the last 2 contestants that attacked and caused damage to the contestant that was sent off the field are recorded and the points are divided between them.


    In other words, if my Confusion and Wraith¡¯s Water Blade caused that contestant to be sent off the field, both of us will get 5 points each.


    This calculation also applies to attackers from different parties, so if someone defeats a wounded opponent, then the points might be split with someone from another party.


    We have to take this rule into consideration when fighting, but this rule is very typical of Fellow.


    Since he is someone that takes into consideration those with an unfavorable Job, he probably adopted this method so that even the support members can earn points.


    For example, if Fran, who has been strengthened by White Magic, caused a contestant to be sent off the field, the points will be split between her and Josh.


    Similarly, if the damage was caused by a registered Demi-Beast used by a Beast Master, the point will also be counted as belonging to the Beast Master.


    The points earned by an individual can be checked later, so the hard work of those who have an unfavorable Job, which until now has not been visible, can be clearly seen in the form of points.


    ¡¸Please hold on¡­okay?¡¹


    Josh and I were on Melania¡¯s shoulder, but after hearing her words, we immediately grasped her clothes.


    ¡¸O-okay.¡¹


    A big rock that was lying nearby was thrown along with her cute voice.


    Just as I heard the dull air-piercing sound of the rock being thrown, I heard a scream.


    The rock that Melania threw hit a contestant that was falling down from the air because of Confusion.


    ¡ºThe up-and-coming Wraith Party! Not only were two of their members so successful in the raid battle, but the other three are excellent as well! A Miner excels in physical strength, arm strength, and stamina, but it seems that for a Giant Miner, even a single throw can be a killing blow! This has created a commotion among the audience!¡»


    ¡ºThe White Sorcerer Josh and the Black Sorcerer Lem have been earning a lot of points by supporting the other members. By the way, in this qualifying round, it will be possible to see how many contributions did those with a support Job provided to¡­¡»


    The two commentators were busy talking about the battle situations, including ours.


    ¡¸I-I did it.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, good job Melania!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­ Ehehe.¡¹


    While complimenting his friends, Wraith froze the drenched survivors, attacked the opponents in the sky with Water Blade, and for those who were still not defeated by all those attacks, he drew his Holy Sword and engaged against them in close combat.


    That¡¯s right. Since Wraith has officially made a contract with the main body of the Water Spirit, he has decided to let his weapon get turned into a Holy Sword.


    The weapon is a short sword that is easy to handle so that even his small body can handle it. However, the sword itself was made heavier in consideration of the physical strength of a Hero.


    After being turned into a Holy Sword, the sharpness and the power of the slashes made by the weapon have been greatly improved.


    ¡¸Ha¡­haha, what a reliable comrade.¡¹


    Said Josh while maintaining the White Magic he cast on Fran.


    ¡¸You too. ¡­Once you can cast more magic, enhance Wraith¡¯s physical strength.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay! I¡¯m preparing for it!¡¹


    A Hero is an all-rounder.


    Because it¡¯s like a Job that combines a Warrior and a Wizard and further strengthens the result.


    Also, rather than a vanguard, Destroyer is more like an irregular combat-type Job.


    Our result will be a lot better if we just let them go fight freely.


    The Black Sorcerer and the White Sorcerer will accurately give them support so that they can fight more smoothly, and the two supporters will be protected by Melania, who is a Half-Cyclops.


    Cyclops is a race that specializes in blacksmithing and construction, and it seems that the Job of Miner and Lumberjack has been common for them since a long time ago.


    However, although Miner and Lumberjack are necessary Jobs, it tends to be looked down upon as a Job for those who do not have the prided skills of blacksmithing and construction.


    When Melania saw that Wraith was recruiting comrades, she thought it was a chance to get out of her current situation.


    She will do her best to make Wraith, who welcomed her as his comrade, become 1st Ranked.


    ¡¸L-Lem. Thank you¡­for the Black Magic. Thanks to you, i-it was easy to hit him.¡¹


    Her words naturally made me smile.


    I didn¡¯t look at her, kept on concentrating, and responded to her.


    ¡¸I¡¯m glad to hear that. We are also able to concentrate on giving support thanks to you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! Eh-ehehe¡­ that¡­ fuhehe¡­ uh, I won¡¯t let them lay a finger on you two¡­ ehe¡­ I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡¹


    While swinging her body slowly, Melania took out her round shield and her club, then she struck the club against the ground.


    We were shaken because of the tremendous shock, but we somehow managed to withstand it.


    The approaching huge serpent Demi-Beast couldn¡¯t withstand the shock and got sent off the field with a single blow.


    ¡¸It looks like there¡¯s a Summoner. From what I sensed just now, he should be nearby, but I can¡¯t confirm his Magical Energy signature¡­ It¡¯s probably because of a Magic Tool. I didn¡¯t get any information about someone having a Magic Tool, but looking at the serpent that had just appeared¡­¡¹


    I came up with a guess for the opponent that is probably lurking nearby.


    ¡¸Lem¡­did you memorize all of that information?¡¹


    I shook my head when I heard what Josh said.


    ¡¸No way. I only did that for the contestants that I feel cautious against. Melania, can you strike the ground once again with the club?¡¹


    ¡¸L-leave it to me¡­!¡¹


    We were shaken again, but the height of Melania¡¯s shoulder is quite convenient.


    The view is good and it is impossible for the opponents to attack me and Josh even if Melania did not see the sudden attack.


    I think it¡¯s an advantage for those with inferior physical abilities because they have a support Job to be able to give support from a safe zone.


    ¡¸Ah, I-I think I just blew away a contestant.¡¹


    We knew that a contestant got sent off the field because there were Magical Energy particles scattered around.


    From the moment the club struck the ground, the surrounding ground was cleared away.


    Although she¡¯s a Half-Giant, it could become a terrible ranged attack when she did that.


    I hope that the contestant who was defeated was the Summoner, the master of that serpent.


    ¡¸Lem! A Giant is coming! A Giant!¡¹


    Wraith cheerfully shouted.


    ¡¸It¡¯s so big¡­!¡¹


    Said Melania.


    It was so huge that even Melania said that he¡¯s big.


    He¡¯s probably pure-blooded, not half.


    ¡­Really, he¡¯s so gigantic. Everyone had noticed him even before the start of the qualifying round.


    It appears that he has decided to aim for us.


    Wraith has expended a lot of Magical Energy due to the large-scale magic of Roll Over of the Sea God and the battles so far.


    It will take some time for him to create enough Magical Energy to cast that large-scale magic again.


    ¡¸Josh, focus your White Magic on Fran. I want Melania to let us down and go attack the Giant. Wraith should retreat for a moment! Fran! You will be the one to deliver the finishing blow¡­!¡¹


    I¡¯ve already experienced defeating Giants with my excellent comrades in the Original Dungeon.


    It¡¯s okay, I can do this.


    I poured Magical Energy into the Holy Sword.


    ¡ºYou look like you¡¯re having fun, huh?¡»


    Yeah, I¡¯m enjoying this.


    Everyone is earnestly exerting their strength so that we can win.


    There¡¯s no way that this is not enjoyable.

 CH 220

    220 ¨C Dragon Killer?Dragon


    ¡ºThe qualifying round of the competition in this venue has taken a shocking turn right from the start! Here is the new update!¡»


    The live commentary of this venue was done by a male and a female and the one who shouted just now was the Minotaurus male.


    The human female tends to prolong the end of her sentences.


    ¡ºOhh. It¡¯s the point announcement that you previously mentioned! Well then, let¡¯s announce it! It is now displayed on the screen!¡»


    1st  Place: The Water Hero Wraith Party¡º1060 Points¡»


    2nd Place: The Flame Hero Fenix Party¡º1010 Points¡»


    3rd  Place: The Scales of Justice Astrea Party¡º760 Points¡»


    4th  Place: The Ash Hero Garo Party¡º720 Points¡»


    5th  Place: The Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos Party¡º450 Points¡»


    The reason why the number of points is not considered as the number of people the party has defeated is probably because of the rule of point division.


    10 points per contestant defeated. The points are split between the last two people who contributed to defeating that contestant. So 5 points for each contestant.


    ¡ºThis is the first time we¡¯ve tried this, so we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen until we actually try this out¡­ This is one of the interesting points about this Festival, but I never expected this! Looking at the number of points they have earned, I would believe it if someone said that this is the final ranking.¡»


    ¡ºIsn¡¯t it strange that the points earned have exceeded 1,000? Even if there are 5,000 points for the 500 contestants, I think that the points would usually be more evenly distributed though.¡»


    ¡ºYou¡¯re right. A contestant cannot get the points that another contestant has earned by defeating that contestant. In other words, the number of points a contestant can earn decreases as the number of contestants decreases.¡»


    The reason why it became like this is obvious.


    ¡ºThat¡¯s right. Usually, it¡¯s supposed to be a battle where the contestants try to collect points, but at the start of the round, there was large-scale magic exploding in four different locations.¡»


    A significant part of the reason is that the leaders of the top four parties in terms of points earned have used their Spirit Magic to eliminate a lot of contestants while they still had 0 points.


    Before the other parties earned any points, these four parties had already defeated many of the contestants.


    That¡¯s why we have these numbers before the end of the qualifying round.


    When I checked the total points for 6th place and below, there were actually fewer than 30 contestants remaining.


    If any of the members from the top four parties got sent off the field, the live commentary would mention it, but that didn¡¯t happen.


    So, if we exclude twenty people, then there are only less than ten people left.


    In other words, those ten people are the ones that were not defeated even after being subjected to a large-scale Spirit Magic.


    ¡ºNext is the ranking for the points earned by an individual!¡»


    1st  Place: The Flame Hero Fenix¡º800 Points¡»


    2nd Place: The Ash Hero Garo¡º605 Points¡»


    3rd  Place: The Scales of Justice Astrea¡º560 Points¡»


    4th  Place: The Water Hero Wraith¡º415 Points¡»


    5th  Place: The Black Sorcerer Lem¡º365 Points¡»


    ¡ºWha!? This is¡­!?¡»


    ¡ºI see¡­! It makes sense for the leaders of each party to occupy the top ranks due to their large-scale magic, but Contestant Astrea¡¯s points were divided because she left the finishing blow to her subordinates, while Contestant Wraith received the support of Contestant Lem¡¯s Black Magic when crushing his opponents so his points are also divided!¡»


    ¡ºBut in the case of Contestant Lem, it¡¯s really bizarre that he earned this many points if we take into consideration that he is a support member!¡»


    ¡ºFor the Adventurers that have a support-type Job, on top of it being hard for them to deliver the finishing blow, it¡¯s also hard to see the effects of their magic. That¡¯s why a Black Sorcerer is treated coldly in the Adventurer industry, but with this kind of rule, their contribution can be converted into points!¡»


    ¡ºThe element of being simple but excellent is hard to be evaluated in the Adventurer industry since the audience prefers flashy and easy-to-understand performances. However! There is a possibility that future evaluations might be changed with this as an example!¡»


    ¡ºThat certainly might happen if it could be proven that the non-flashy but excellent support members can make their other comrades perform even flashier and cooler! Whether all the participants in this festival, including those who have a support-type Job, can increase their ranking or not depends on their own contribution!¡»


    ¡ºThere is also the White Sorcerer Josh in the Wraith party. Looking at the number of points that he has, it seems that he has also made quite a contribution! The heavy attack of Contestant Melania is also standing out. In the beginning, when this party was just created, there were a lot of different opinions about this party, but it was actually the result of the foresight of the leader, Contestant Wraith!?¡»


    While I still paid attention to the live commentary in the corner of my mind, I concentrated on the Giant that is approaching.


    ¡ºThere had been more developments on the battles while we were talking! It¡¯s also our job to talk about what is happening right now!¡»


    ¡ºRight! This venue is fun because I get so busy that I don¡¯t even have the time to stop talking for a moment!¡»


    As expected from professional commentators, the two of them talked about what was happening throughout the venue in a light-hearted manner.


    ¡ºIn the western area, which is now a scorched earth area instead of grassland, the Fenix party, and the Garo party have finally met!!¡»


    ¡ºIn the northern area, which has become a flatland instead of a forest, the battle between Contestant Astrea and Contestant Barbatos has finally reached an end!?¡»


    ¡ºIn the flooded eastern area, where the Wraith Party is currently reigning supreme! The people approaching their location are the mysterious Giant Garth and the¡­¡»


    ¡¸I finally found you. The Black Sorcererrrrr!!! Lemmm!!!!¡¹


    When we saw that person, both Wraith and I spoke simultaneously.


    ¡¸The Dragon King Valac¡­!¡¹


    I said.


    ¡¸She¡¯s the Dragon Killer?Dragon!¡¹


    Wraith said.


    And neither of us is wrong.


    ¡ºThe Dragon King Valac, who is a member of the Barbatos Party and also one of the Big Four of the Western Demon King Castle, is currently running while shouting the name of the Black Sorcerer Lem¡»


    ¡ºWow, this looks like it will be interesting! She is also a world champion in the True?Mixed Martial Arts Competition! Many of you may know her ring name as the Dragon Killer?Dragon!¡»


    If the Mixed Martial Arts Competition is a competition in which people who have mastered different martial arts fight according to the same rules, the True?Mixed Martial Arts Competition is a competition where the boundaries of race are removed as well.


    Therefore, depending on the situation, it is possible for a Giant and a Human to fight each other with their bare hands.


    It¡¯s hard to say that all kinds of matches can happen considering the industry¡¯s point of view and risk, but the possibility is not zero.


    Dragon Killer?Dragon is the nickname given to her after the match in which she defeated a Dragon.


    The Dragon in the latter part of her nickname is her race.


    However, she is not a pure-blooded Dragon species.


    She is a Demi-Human that has inherited the blood of a Dragonkin.


    Normally, Dragonkins are humanoids with the head, scales, and tail of a Dragon, just like the Monsters that guard the 8th Stratum of the Demon King Castle.


    But her appearance is extremely similar to a female human.


    Jet-black long hair, slender but toned body, and eyes that blaze with a fighting spirit.


    The characteristics that make her look like a Dragonkin are the scales that can be seen in some exposed areas such as her cheeks and arms and also her tail.


    Also her two horns.


    She was wearing a tight, one-piece outfit that clearly showed the curves of her body. There was a deep slit in the side, boldly exposing her beautiful, strong legs.


    I¡¯ve heard somewhere that the outfit was inspired by outfits from a distant foreign country.


    It¡¯s not from the same country as the outfit that Samurai Masamune is wearing.


    ¡ºBut, what kind of connection does she have with Lem?¡»


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah, what kind of relationship?¡¹


    Wraith said in a cheerful tone.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think¡­I¡¯ve ever met her though.¡¹


    The Fenix Party has never challenged the Western Demon King Castle.


    There are plenty of Dungeons around the world and we often encounter those.


    Even just the Giant alone is already a threat, so it would be terrible if the Dragon Killer is coming here as well.


    I poured my Magical Energy into the Holy Sword, refined the magic, and thought deeply about it.


    But the mystery was soon solved.


    ¡¸Even though it was a tag team battle, you defeated Fuu! Show me that strength of yours!!!¡¹


    Apparently, that was the case.


    ¡¸What? Fuu?¡¹


    ¡¸Since she is talking about the Tag Tournament, I think that she is probably referring to Furcus.¡¹


    I said that to answer Wraith¡¯s question.


    The Reaper Knight Furcus.


    A spear master who serves as the Floor Boss of the 8th Stratum of the Demon King Castle and also one of the Big Four. She is the teacher who taught me how to fight using a sword and is also my opponent in the Tag Tournament finals.


    ¡¸Ohh, so now the mystery is, what is the relationship between Furcus and the Dragon Killer?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s a mystery for you since you¡¯re from the current generation.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah, I see. So Valac is¡­¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s impression of her as the Dragon Killer is so strong that he was slightly slow to remember.


    I muttered.


    ¡¸Valac¡¯s family predecessor was the Monster adjutant of Furcus¡¯ family predecessor.¡¹


    As the previous generations of Demon Kings left, many Monsters also left the Demon King Castle.


    I can guess from the fact that the 10th Stratum was empty when I was employed there.


    A considerable amount of battle strength has been lost.


    This included Furcus¡¯ family predecessor and Valac¡¯s family predecessor.


    It is not surprising that the successors of the current generation are acquainted with each other.


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way she would lose against a small fry! You don¡¯t even have a combat-type Job, but you managed to win against Fuu, then just how strong are you!? I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¹


    Her shout was so loud that it drowned out the live commentary.


    ¡¸Here I gooo-Ugh!¡¹


    ¡ºEh¡­umm¡­C-Contestant Valac was¡­trampled on by the Giant.¡»


    Both of them were heading toward the Wraith Party from the same direction.


    Then, the Giant Contestant Garth stepped on Valac, who was heading straight toward me.


    I don¡¯t know if he did it on purpose or not, but right now I¡¯m more concerned with the fact that¡­


    ¡¸She hasn¡¯t been sent off the field.¡¹


    Just like what Wraith said.


    That damage would have killed even those from other races, let alone a human. However, Valac¡¯s Avatar hasn¡¯t been destroyed.


    The Giant¡¯s foot was moving while making a noise.


    It was lifted slowly upward, regardless of the owner¡¯s will.


    ¡¸Watch your step¡­!!!¡¹


    The Giant¡¯s foot was¡­pushed upward by her.


    ¡¸Even a true Dragonkin wouldn¡¯t be able to¡­¡¹


    The White Sorcerer Josh muttered in a daze.


    Then, Valac continued to turn Contestant Garth upside down.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    When I realized her figure had disappeared, the next moment she was already soaring high in the sky.


    She jumped until she reached the abdomen of the stumbling Giant that was about to collapse, raised her leg near her face, then turned her face toward the sky.


    Then¡­she spewed flames from her mouth.


    With tremendous propulsion, she drew crimson traces midair and decided to drop her heel on the abdomen of the Giant.


    ¡¸Ohh! It¡¯s Reverse Eruption!!¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s eyes were shining.


    Is he a fan of Dragon Killer?


    Instead of erupting from the earth to the sky, the flames erupted from the sky toward the earth and it directly hit the Giant.


    The Giant was slammed into the ground like a ball, but the resulting damage cannot be compared to a small ball.


    The thunderous crashing sound reverberated throughout the venue and the ground was shaken.


    The scene when the gigantic body that was composed of Magical Energy dissipated into light particles was magical.


    ¡ºWith just a single blow! Contestant Valac has used her signature magic Reverse Eruption in this match!¡»


    ¡ºWow. Moreover, the nearby contestants have also received damage from the impact of Garth¡¯s fall. It seems that more contestants have left the field.¡»


    ¡¸Ah? They¡¯re so weak¡­eh, it¡¯s you, huh?¡¹


    I cast Black Magic not only on Garth but also on all of the contestants that were at the point of impact of Garth¡¯s fall.


    I would have taken all of the points for our party if it was possible, but it¡¯s already good that we got half of it.


    Valac seemed to have realized what I did.


    ¡¸Cast it on me next time.¡¹


    ¡¸No, no way¡­!¡¹


    Melania jumped out to stand between Valac and me.


    ¡¸Are you trying to protect your comrade?! I like things like that¡­but you don¡¯t have enough strength!¡¹


    Melania, who is a Half-Cyclops, was hit with a single fist.


    That alone was enough to blow her, who was trying to protect me, away.


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    But she won¡¯t get sent off the field.


    Because there were two supports created by a single person.


    Both were created by Wraith.


    First, right before she was hit by the fist, he deployed a water shield to alleviate the impact.


    Then, on the wall where Melania was supposed to crash into, he deployed a water ball to catch her.


    Coupled with Melania¡¯s sturdiness, she was able to avoid getting sent off the field.


    ¡¸Josh.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    I entrusted to him, the White Sorcerer, the recovery of our comrades.


    The Magical Energy lost due to the damage that the Avatar received will not be restored, but it is possible to close the wound and heal the injury.


    Wraith immediately froze the water shield, but Valac destroyed it with a single swing of her arm.


    ¡¸Comrades complement each other.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t try to say stuff like that, boy. I¡¯m not good with those.¡¹


    ¡¸I thought so.¡¹


    Water was created so that it could be wrapped around Wraith¡¯s short sword-type Holy Sword.


    Just before Valac rushed towards us again¡­there was a huge arm attacking her.


    A 10-year-old girl with a different-sized right arm, the Destroyer Fran.


    A dull and heavy sound echoed.


    It¡¯s the kind of blow that would normally cause an Avatar to burst and disappear or at least blow away those with high durability.


    Moreover, Valac was hit by it on her sides that had no protection


    But, the Dragon King only staggered for a bit.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a good punch! But¡­it¡¯s not heavy enough!¡¹


    Fran tried to launch her second blow without giving a break, but this time Valac also responded.


    Valac matched her kick to the mysterious arm of the Destroyer.


    A sudden gust of wind was generated along with the sound of the air bursting, and immediately after that, only Fran was blown away and she tumbled to the ground.


    ¡¸Eat a lot and sleep a lot! I expect great things from you!¡¹


    ¡ºShe¡¯s the type that¡¯s absolutely strong. The type of person who comes up with a strategy is not good against this kind of opponent that only has insane strength. Now then, I wonder how my partner will do?¡»


    The black chick Dark said cheerfully.

 CH 221

    221 ¨C Dragon Killer?Dragon Killers


    If a person has excellent skills or a large amount of Magical Energy, he might try to devise a strategy.


    However, there are strong people that will just break straight through that strategy. Those types of simple and reckless people are very troublesome as an opponent and very fascinating to the audience.


    Valac is definitely that type of person.


    But that¡¯s exactly why.


    Ever since I was 10 years old, I¡¯ve had my best friend who is a Contractor of the Four Great Spirits as my rival.


    He is unbelievably strong and I can¡¯t stop thinking about it.


    ¡¸Wraith. Get behind me for a moment.¡¹


    He quickly stepped back while worrying about his childhood friend, Fran.


    Although he is highly capable of assessing the battlefield, he reacted way too quickly.


    Is it because he has entrusted the task of giving directions to me, so he decided to not interfere with my decisions?


    If that¡¯s the case, then I have to live up to that trust.


    ¡¸A Black Sorcerer is standing in front of a Hero? I¡¯ve never seen such an amusing formation!¡¹


    Valac jumped.


    She looked surprised at what she just did.


    It seemed to be an instinctual reaction, not a rational decision.


    As expected of someone who had even defeated a Dragon. She seemed to have excellent wild intuition.


    I converted my Magical Energy, which I had refined with my Holy Sword, into Black Magic. Then I emitted it forward.


    It is impossible for me to cast the Black Magic that I cast in the middle of space during the battle with Aerial.


    However, with the Magical Energy that has been poured into the Holy Sword since the start of the qualifying round, although it won¡¯t become like a huge wave, it is possible to cast magic on a scale close to that.


    Instead of filling the space with Black Magic, it¡¯s more like emitting a large output of Black Magic.


    Unless they are a Hero, it should be impossible to remove the Resist that the opponent has and then instantaneously cast Black Magic.


    It¡¯ll waste too much Magical Energy, so I can¡¯t fire it in rapid succession, but it¡¯ll be helpful if it could hit an opponent with extremely high mobility.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a fan of yours, but I have to defeat you since we¡¯re opponents.¡¹


    Wraith released Water Blade. The high-pressure water blades thrust straight toward Valac, then when it was on the verge of piercing her¡­she avoided it.


    She inhaled so much air that her inflated stomach could be seen from a distance and exhaled it to move her body position.


    What a great lung capacity. She managed to avoid midair with only her breath, like what a Wizard would do with Wind Magic.


    However, Wraith also expected the possibility that she could avoid his attack.


    The Water Blades are continuously released at short intervals.


    The next attack reached her sooner than she could breathe in again.


    But she tried to defend against it with her tail.


    ¡¸That¡¯s quite a feat for someone so young!¡¹


    The Water Blade broke through the hard scales and pierced her tail, but due to that, its trajectory was changed and no additional damage was done beyond a scratch on her cheek.


    She avoided the third blade by using Reverse Eruption to accelerate diagonally downward from the sky, that is, in our direction.


    ¡¸Lem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ice!¡¹


    Wraith was probably trying to ask what he should do in response, whether he should create water, ice, or fog.


    The next moment, Wraith stepped in front of me and swung his Holy Sword, and covered my field of vision with blocks of ice.


    It only took less than a few seconds.


    My eyes met with Wraith¡¯s


    We don¡¯t have time to talk for a long time.


    ¡¸I feel the same.¡¹


    I wondered how much I could convey to him with just those words.


    I felt that Wraith grinned.


    As she kicked a lump of ice, the Dragon King reappeared.


    Aiming for the moment she was wide open, Wraith tried to slash her while riding on the water current that he created


    ¡¸An excellent decision.¡¹


    As if she was using a sword, Valac used her arm to parry Wraith¡¯s slash.


    Well, I should say that it¡¯s more like a shield.


    By utilizing the scales that are on her arms, it was possible for her to do that without tearing her own flesh.


    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be possible if it wasn¡¯t for her ridiculous ability.


    Then, just like that, Wraith gets a knee strike on his abdomen, but the battle still doesn¡¯t end since he hasn¡¯t been sent off the field.


    Not only did he create a water shield on his abdomen to absorb the shock, but Valac¡¯s right arm which had parried his slash was¡­frozen.


    ¡¸I put a lot of Magical Energy into it.¡¹


    In addition to the power of the magic, the amount of Magical Energy consumed depends on the range and duration.


    For example, assuming that the same amount of Magical Energy is used, if the power of the Fireball is emphasized, then the flight distance will decrease and the range will narrow. The same goes if the flight distance or the range of effect is emphasized.


    The magic was cast at close range and the target is only her arm, and on top of that a large amount of Magical Energy was used¡­the power it has would be unbelievable¡­


    ¡¸Ha! That¡¯s great!¡¹


    After being kicked, Wraith fell down and returned to the ground after having the impact stopped by the water he created.


    Valac smashed the ice on her arm again, but her arm turned bluish-black.


    ¡¸It¡¯s frozen to the core¡­ Then it¡¯s useless.¡¹


    She said that and made a prompt decision.


    She tore off her own arm by herself.


    Instead of blood, Magical Energy particles were scattered around.


    The leak of Magical Energy continued for a while, but it stopped when she fired herself up and said¡¸Hm!¡¹.


    No, there might be another reason other than being fired up, but it looked like that.


    It has been less than a few seconds since she landed on the ground.


    I was running toward her.


    My hand was on the hilt of my Holy Sword.


    But she can¡¯t find the ¡°me¡± that is approaching her.


    Or perhaps I should say, there were too many of ¡°me¡± that she saw.


    ¡¸Ah?¡¹


    It¡¯s a Water Mirror.


    You can see your own reflection when you look into the water.


    Wraith used that phenomenon to make a disturbance by creating multiple full-length-sized Water Mirrors.


    Now Valac is looking at the countless mirrors that are reflecting me.


    It is extremely difficult to identify an individual only by their Magical Energy response.


    Even I can only distinguish a few of my comrades and best friend. The rest just depends on intuition.


    Valac is strong. On top of being strong, she is also tough, has good intuition, and can breathe fire.


    However, it is obvious that she is not a Wizard type. No matter how I look at it, she is a Warrior type.


    In this situation where the magic of a Hero is surrounding us, she can¡¯t discern my Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Interesting magic, but it doesn¡¯t mean much to someone like me.¡¹


    Ordinary people would be confused, those who are accustomed to fighting would be wary, and experts would try to find the real one.


    But some people, like Valac, would do nothing.


    Because¡­the moment the real one attacks her, she can just deal with it.


    In fact, the attack using my Holy Sword that was revealed to the world for the very first time was easily repelled by the back of her hand.


    Ahh, that¡¯s a relief¡­


    ¡¸You¡­¡¹


    ¡­Valac is someone who prefers to fight.


    She values the process of fighting, not just the victory.


    She is strong. A very, very strong and sturdy person.


    The Dragon King is a strong woman who can choose to remain unguarded¡­because of her own overwhelming strength and interest in the fight.


    If she was cautious, she would not get stepped on by the Giant.


    With her speed, she might have been able to bypass Melania and still approach us at a high speed.


    She didn¡¯t even show any pretense of avoiding Fran¡¯s attack.


    Despite all that, there are another two points to consider.


    From the beginning, she tried to avoid my wide range Black Magic and Wraith¡¯s Water Blades.


    She wants to enjoy the fight, including the strength of the opponent, so she will not avoid the attacks.


    However, if she does not avoid the lethal attacks, the fight will end, and above all, she will be defeated.


    She has the sensitivity to discern the attacks that could immediately end the fight if she ignores them.


    It resembles the innate talent that I felt from the Silver Hero Nicola.


    Anyway¡­


    In order to defeat her, we either need to execute consecutive lethal attacks and corner her until she can no longer avoid it¡­


    Or¡­make her receive the attack without realizing that it¡¯s actually lethal.


    My large-scale Black Magic is something that can¡¯t be done by an ordinary Black Sorcerer, and even if they could, their Magical Energy will be completely exhausted and it will take time for them to restore it.


    In addition, her well-honed combat instincts allow her to avoid the Black Magic even after it has been cast.


    In other words, she would think that it is possible for her to continue the fight even if she does not resist the Black Magic that was squeezed out after I cast the large-scale Black Magic.


    With her personality, she probably wanted to experience the attacks from the very first one.


    It can be said that the time needed for Valac¡¯s instinct to judge that it would be bad to receive the attack was quicker than her thought process.


    Rather than the power of Black Magic itself, she may have sensed that if she had received that attack, then she would become defenseless, if so, she would be exposed to a concentrated attack from the Wraith party and get sent off the field.


    ¡¸It¡¯s hard for me to defeat you by myself.¡¹


    Unfortunately, the Black Sorcerer Lem¡¯s swordsmanship is better than the average person since he was blessed with a teacher named Furcus.


    This is why I knew that I probably won¡¯t be able to slash her, no matter how sharp the Holy Sword is.


    Of course, I struck her with all my might, but I knew she could deal with it.


    I also knew that I would be counterattacked immediately afterward.


    That was all necessary.


    I have known beforehand that this slash would be dealt with by her. So, I immediately pulled back right after the sword was deflected.


    I stopped her kick with my sword and jumped simultaneously with the impact.


    I was flung up into the sky like a cannonball.


    But I could see it clearly.


    Wraith froze Valac¡¯s feet, the recovered Melania was protecting Josh from the other contestants, Josh cast White Magic on Fran, and Fran¡¯s fist captured Valac again.


    What I cast on her was not Confusion nor Speed Down.


    It was Defense Down that nullified her incredible durability for just a moment.


    I predicted that she was going to deal with my sword directly, so when the sword was deflected, I used that opportunity to cast Black Magic through the contact surface.


    From her point of view, the individual members of the Wraith party must be lacking in some areas.


    In fact, I think she¡¯s right.


    All of my allies are still in the process of growing.


    They will become stronger from now on.


    But at this moment, we have to win.


    If we are lacking and it is difficult to win alone.


    The answer is easy.


    We are not alone.


    ¡¸Comrades complement each other.¡¹


    Wraith also said this and I feel the same way.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­¡¹


    Valac left the field with a vexed, fun, unsatisfied, yet satisfied kind of smile on her face.


    ¡ºI see, so you earned the team¡¯s victory after abandoning the individual victory and incorporating a reckless strategy.¡»


    Dark was saying something.


    Anyway, Valac, she¡­


    ¡ºShe wasn¡¯t fixated on dealing the final blow. Her objective was probably to fight against you, partner.¡»


    That¡¯s right. The main reason why all the members of our party are safe and sound was that even though Valac counterattacked, she didn¡¯t pursue us.


    From her reaction when she noticed that I cast Black Magic on Garth, she might not care much about the points.


    ¡­I wonder what happened between her and Furcus that she would pay that much attention to me.


    ¡ºMore importantly, partner, the current you can¡¯t fly in the sky.¡»


    My body was still in midair.


    But it¡¯s okay.


    It¡¯s about time.


    I twisted my body and swung the Holy Sword right behind me.


    Instantly, the sound of swords clashing resounded.


    The one who had a trail of crimson flames, with his cloak fluttering like the wings of a bird, and flew toward me was¡­


    ¡¸Hey Fenix, what a coincidence, meeting you in mid-air.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It seemed to me that you were intentionally flying toward me, though.¡¹


    The Flame Hero Fenix was there.


    Our eyes met over our clashing Holy Swords.


    I sensed that Fenix was coming here. All I had to do was to adjust the positioning and timing, then jump simultaneously with Valac¡¯s counterattack.


    Well, the plan has worked out well so far, but there isn¡¯t much time.


    ¡¸Can you bring me down?¡¹


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t we opponents now?¡¹


    ¡¸That person as well.¡¹


    Fenix instantly confirmed what I was trying to show him with my eyes.


    Immediately after, Fenix grabbed my outfit and left the place.


    After a short pause, the space we were flying through seemed to distort.


    Beyond the distorted space, a knight was standing on the ground.


    The Scales of Justice Astrea.


    One of the 13 Commanders of the Knight Order who has a contract with a high-ranking Lesser Spirit that is extremely similar to the Four Great Spirits.


    If we were a little slower in leaving that place, we would have been crushed flat on the ground, just like the trees in the forest that were crushed.


    ¡¸¡­It doesn¡¯t seem that it would be easy to fight against the party that you picked.¡¹


    I felt there were some thorns in his words when he said ¡°the party that you picked.¡±


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be sulky, all five members of the Fenix party are present, right.¡¹


    We went down to the ground as we were cracking jokes.


    I know that Fenix wants to have a rematch with me.


    I decided that he wouldn¡¯t like the idea of me being sent off the field by Astrea¡¯s magic, even if we are currently opponents.


    ¡¸If possible, I¡¯d like to fight with all the members from our respective parties present.¡¹


    While we were fighting Valac, the other battles naturally went on as well.


    The battle between Fenix and Garo was won by Fenix, despite turning the area into a hell-like place.


    The battle between Astrea and Barbatos was won by Astrea, with her only having a slight scratch on her outfit.


    Considering that Barbatos and Valac are in the same rank as the Big Four in the Western Demon King Castle, Astrea is considerably strong.


    ¡¸Then what do you want to do?¡¹


    Fenix laughed.


    ¡¸I guess I¡¯ll have to ask everyone other than us to leave the field.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    This was the moment when an alliance was made so that we could fight against each other comfortably.

 CH 222

    222 ¨C Flame, Water, and Scales


    Fenix immediately brandished his Holy Sword.


    A fire bursts out as if it was tracing the trajectory of the sword and the flame that resembles a crescent-shaped sword headed toward the Scales of Justice Astrea.


    But before it reached her, it was blocked by a wall of earth protruding from the ground.


    ¡¸¡­It seems that she can also use the general earth-attribute magic.¡¹


    I nodded slightly at Fenix¡¯s words.


    If a person has a Contract with a Spirit, he will be able to use Spirit Magic, which is one step higher than magic.


    However, in many cases, he would end up not being able to use other types of magic.


    For example, Wraith was a versatile type, but after his Contract with the main body of the Water Spirit, he can no longer use other attributes, including the Wind Magic that he was good at.


    To be more precise, if he uses it, the Spirit will be in a bad mood and he will not be able to use Spirit Magic for a while.


    Even so, in Wraith¡¯s case, since he has a Contract with the main body of the Water Spirit, he can use all water-attribute magic.


    The Silver Hero Nicola has a Contract with a Lesser Earth Spirit so she can only create and manipulate Silver, the Frost Hero Bella has a Contract with a Lesser Water Spirit so she can only use Freeze, the Thunderclap Hero Scathach has a Contract with a Lesser Wind Spirit so he can only use Lightning Strike and a part of one attribute as Spirit Magic.


    As much as those who have a Contract are strong, they are inferior to those who do not have a Contract in terms of freedom,


    The person who made full use of this freedom is the former 1st Ranked in the world, the Unyielding Hero Altreed that does not have a Contract with a Spirit.


    Some people say that he is a jack of all trades but a master of none, however, this is not a world where people who fit into that frame can become 1st Rank.


    ¡¸Usually, even if they can use other attributes, they can only be used as a support¡­¡¹


    I was a little surprised as well.


    For example, Nicola¡¯s older brother, the Diamond Hero Philip, was given the Spirit Magic of Hardening.


    If it was used as it is, his appearance will not change and it will be limited to increasing his endurance, but in reality, it¡¯s different.


    He can use a skill called Diamond to cover himself with a Golem-like armor and apply  Hardening to it.


    He is probably only allowed to use it when it covers his own body.


    This is only allowed because the magic is of the same attribute.


    There are cases where a Contractor who has been granted Spirit Magic to use magic of the same attribute.


    But Astrea has now created an earth wall that is strong enough to block Fenix¡¯s magic.


    Since it seems that her main Spirit Magic is Invisible Pressure¡­ that means that she can also use general earth-attribute magic, even though the attribute is different.


    She is an unconventional Spirit Contractor.


    The position of the 13 Commanders of the Knights Order is hereditary. Those who are connected by blood with the Commanders will inherit the position.


    And it¡¯s not only the position of Commander, the Spirit Contract is also inherited.


    This is an extremely exceptional and special Spirit Contract and there are many mysteries about it.


    I guess we¡¯ll just have to accept it for now.


    The Black Magic that I cast just as a trial was resisted by her.


    ¡­She is also very cautious about me. I guess I can¡¯t expect her to be negligent.


    ¡¸I suppose you are the Flame Hero Fenix and the Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹


    Astrea tore down the earth wall, faced us again, and said that.


    We nodded, then she continued speaking.


    ¡¸The two of you will be working together to deal with me, is that correct?¡¹


    Fenix nodded with an amiable smile.


    ¡¸Yes, is there a problem with that?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯d appreciate that.¡¹


    Fenix looked skeptical for a moment but quickly nodded in agreement.


    The Knights Order is an organization that cracks down on criminals.


    Although they might grandly announce their achievements to deter criminals, they do not publicize the abilities of each of the knights.


    Since doing so would only give the criminals a chance to respond.


    Unlike Adventurers and athletes, it is not a job that needs to attract the audience, so it can be said that it is a natural response.


    And that Knights Order is now taking the risk to send their excellent knights and commanders to the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    It was probably for the sake of achieving good results in this contest, and if possible, even winning to bring the title of the strongest to the Knights Order and to use that as a deterrent in itself.


    Because there¡¯s probably no one who would try to commit a crime if the strongest person in the world might come to capture those who are committing a crime.


    ¡¸Contestant Astrea seems to be planning to defeat you.¡¹


    She will immediately become popular if she can defeat the 4th Ranked Hero in the world.


    ¡¸That is incorrect. I will send both of you off the field.¡¹


    Was her previous attack because she wanted to stop us from crushing each other?


    I tried to quickly grasp the situation. I also picked up some information from the live commentary.


    First of all, it seems that the other 4 members of the Fenix Party have won against the members of the Garo party.


    The Garo party is similar to the Fenix party not only in terms of the leader¡¯s specialty attribute but also in terms of the party¡¯s Clear strategy.


    Their strategy is to use firepower to forcibly advance quickly.


    To think that they can fight against the 11th Ranked party whose members are all powerful and are all present for the battle¡­ They are really amazing even if I consider the fact that the Frost Hero Bella is there.


    The four of them are heading here to meet up with Fenix.


    As for the Wraith Party. The White Sorcerer Josh is sitting on the shoulder of the Miner Melania and it seems that they are also aiming to meet up with the rest of the Party, but they are blocked by two knights and the situation has developed into a battle.


    The Destroyer Fran has joined them now and they are currently fighting on even terms.


    If they underestimate Fran just because she is a 10-year-old girl, they¡¯ll be in for a painful experience. She has a special Job, the Destroyer, that specializes in combat and she is a strong person who wields her talent to the fullest.


    However, the two knights did not fall apart even with Fran as their opponent.


    The other four members are probably quite strong since they are the ones participating in the Festival Contest along with the Knights Order Commander.


    The other two knights sent the other remaining contestants off the field and are currently returning to Astrea¡¯s side.


    And that¡¯s what I¡¯ve summed up from the information I¡¯ve received in these several seconds, then Fenix said.


    ¡¸Contestant Astrea seems to be planning to defeat us.¡¹


    Why does he look a little happy?


    ¡¸I¡¯m also included in that ¡°us¡±, right? Fenix?¡¹


    On the opposite side of Fenix, the one that appeared beside me and put me in between them was¡­the Water Hero Wraith.


    Fran went to help Josh and Melania, so Wraith probably came to help me.


    ¡¸Hi, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Hello. Thank you for taking care of our Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s all for the sake of fighting to the best of our abilities later on.¡¹


    ¡¸Ohh, you¡¯ll definitely regret it though. Because we¡¯re strong. Of course, the Black Sorcerer as well.¡¹


    ¡¸I know that.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    I don¡¯t think they¡¯re on bad terms, but I wonder why they seem to be smiling while giving off sparks at the same time¡­


    ¡¸¡­The Water Hero Wraith¡­ the same goes for the Destroyer girl¡­ I don¡¯t want to point my sword at children, but if you choose to stand as my opponent, I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡¹


    Astrea broke her expressionlessness for the first time. It seemed difficult for her.


    ¡¸You¡¯re very kind, lady. But don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m stronger than you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Fenix and Wraith pushed me back at the same time.


    Invisible Pressure struck them while I had retreated a few steps backward.


    The two of them put one hand on their knee and the other hand on their Holy Sword.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, I made a mistake. I meant that we are stronger than you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­When you said ¡°we¡±, you are also including us in it, right? Wraith?¡¹


    A tremendous amount of Magical Energy is released from the two of them and along with that their posture has recovered.


    By releasing high-purity Magical Energy, it temporarily offsets the Spirit Magic.


    Only those with high magic aptitude and ability can do this, but it¡¯s not a problem for these two people.


    The problem is Astrea¡¯s real ability. It¡¯s certainly very high, but I still can¡¯t measure her limit.


    Also, how effective is long-distance Spirit Magic¡­


    She herself, like these two, should be considered capable of offsetting the Spirit Magic with high-purity Magical Energy.


    In that case, long-range attacks that require Magical Energy to be devoted to effect range and flying distance are not suitable. Because either the power of the attack needs to be reduced or it would need more Magical Energy to make up for the reduction in power.


    It¡¯s also true that it consumes Magical Energy to constantly offset the Invisible Pressure, and these two have been using large-scale magic and Spirit Magic since the beginning of the round.


    There is also a way of borrowing the Magical Energy of the Spirits, but this is not infinite. Even if it was, we couldn¡¯t possibly borrow it starting from the qualifying round.


    The two of them glanced at me.


    I whispered a few words to them that could not even be considered a plan and started running.


    They nodded with cheerful smiles on their faces and kicked the ground at the same time.


    ¡¸They want to have a close combat fight.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s exactly the same as what the Commander predicted.¡¹


    The two knights who have returned to Astrea¡¯s side stepped forward to intercept them.


    ¡­The effect range of Spirit Magic is also moving according to the movements of Fenix and Wraith. They have an excellent Magical Energy manipulation ability.


    The fact that she chose to pay attention to the manipulation ability even though she could just cast a wide-range magic like how she crushed the forest¡­ means that she is preserving her Magical Energy.


    Since even the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits are in a situation where they have to care about their Magical Energy, there is no way that she, who also used Spirit Magic in the same way, would not fall into the same state.


    Right now, the three of them are probably consuming Magical Energy as they continue to generate it.


    The two of them would be fine. I know that they are strong.


    Rather than that¡­


    ¡ºOhhh!! The Fenix party and the Wraith party seem to have formed an alliance!¡»


    ¡ºFrom the situation, I get the feeling that Contestant Lem has joined hands with Fenix while they were in midair. After all, Contestant Lem is a former member of Fenix party.¡»


    ¡ºAfter the battle with Contestant Valac, the situation continued to develop quickly without giving him the opportunity to take a short rest!¡»


    ¡ºRather, did he crash into Fenix after the battle? Then an alliance? I¡¯m surprised because the timing was too perfect. It¡¯s as if everything went according to plan¡­¡»


    Actually, almost all of it was an impromptu decision, but it seemed like it was planned because the Wraith party executed it so well.


    As for Fenix, I¡¯ve always been paying attention to the live commentary, so I just searched for his Magical Energy response after Garo was sent off the field.


    The only thing that was difficult was the timing of the airborne slash, but thanks to Wraith¡¯s Water Mirror, I was able to pick the perfect moment.


    It was only because Valac was just standing around waiting for my attack that I was able to successfully attack her.


    I continued to run while thinking about this.


    ¡ºThe two knights are attacking the approaching two Contractors of the Four Great Spirits!¡»


    ¡ºWhile Contestant Lem is¡­ oh my?¡»


    I was heading in the direction of the 4 members of the Fenix Party.

 CH 223

    223 ¨C A Perilous yet Perfect Cooperation


    Excluding the Astrea Party, Fenix Party, and Wraith Party, there were only a few contestants left.


    And those few remaining contestants are in the middle of the battle against four people.


    I¡¯m heading there to assist them.


    I need the strength of the four of them, and even in this situation, the points are still important.


    ¡¸Ah?! Lem?! What the hell are you doing here?¡¹


    The one who gave me a greeting that is very typical of him is the Warrior Alba.


    His voice made the opponents who were fighting pay attention to me as well.


    Alba is a Magic Sword wielder with a thin but toned body, short silver hair, and sharp eyes.


    He seemed to have injured his dominant right hand and was wielding his Magic Sword with his left hand.


    He has trained his left hand just in case a situation as this happens, so he¡¯s fighting quite well with it to some extent, but it¡¯s still not as good as using his dominant hand.


    ¡¸¡­Lem?¡¹


    The Paladin Lark with deep blue wavy hair and sleepy eyes might have gotten his sword destroyed since he is using the Hunter Lily¡¯s dagger.


    The length of the blade is short to be used in combination with a shield, so it seemed a little difficult to do.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Lily, who lent her dagger, seems to have injured her leg and is shooting arrows while being protected by Lark.


    There is an opponent that uses Wind Magic, so her ability cannot be fully utilized because the air is constantly disturbed.


    ¡¸Even without our leader, we have to be able to deal with this much¡­¡¹


    The Frost Hero Bella seems to be hesitant to freeze the opponents that are standing close to her allies.


    Probably because it might freeze her comrades as well.


    She should be aiming for the Wizard and she should be aware of that, but the Wizard¡¯s side is also aware of that.


    After blocking the view with an earth wall, Wind Blades are occasionally released as a diversion.


    Perhaps she used quite a considerable amount of Magical Energy when they defeated the Garo party, so she could not defeat the Wizard with a large-scale attack.


    It¡¯s easy to misunderstand this, but the exception is a child like Wraith, who has been trained since he was a child. Usually, even though the Adventurer is a Hero, that doesn¡¯t mean that he can easily use magic.


    In particular, the Magical Energy organ is said to be very difficult to train.


    Bella entered the Fenix Party shortly after graduating from the Training Institution, so she probably spent the whole three years in the institution just training.


    It¡¯s a difficult road that all young Wizards have to go through.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry! They are excellent, but they are currently not in perfect condition!¡¹


    ¡¸The strategy is working! Let¡¯s keep going and slowly wear them down!¡¹


    ¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem is really heading here! What should we do?!¡¹


    ¡¸Rumor has it that he does not have a good relationship with the members other than Fenix¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll handle this.¡¹


    There are four visible opponents.


    The one coming towards me is a male Paladin.


    I didn¡¯t know that there were still people remaining who could act as a party¡­


    I¡¯m not familiar with them, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re weak since they have remained this long.


    As they said, the four members of the Fenix party are not in perfect condition.


    That¡¯s why they are struggling, but on the other hand, even though they are injured, these people have the strength to force the 4th Ranked party to struggle.


    ¡¸I have been listening to the live commentary! Even though he is an excellent Black Sorcerer, he must have used a lot of Magical Energy to earn that many points! Now, he shouldn¡¯t be able to break through Resist!¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder about that.¡¹


    He is cautious and did not step in easily.


    Given my old reputation, it¡¯s unthinkable that someone with a combat Job would be so cautious of going against a support Job in a one-on-one battle.


    Since the Tag Tournament, I feel that my reputation has gradually changed.


    It might become more and more difficult to use the method of taking advantage of the opponent¡¯s contempt like before.


    If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just take advantage of the opponent¡¯s caution.


    I poured out my Magical Energy and he became more cautious.


    Paladins originally have magic resistance, so he is probably thinking that he can defend against my magic if he adds Resist on top of that.


    He¡¯s probably going to try to repel and cut through my Black Magic as he momentarily increases the amount of Magical Energy poured on Resist.


    However, the opportunity never came.


    ¡¸Gahh?!¡¹¡¸Wha¡­?!¡¹¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The spear-user Warrior who was incessantly attacking Lark by taking advantage of the interval and the Fencer who kept avoiding Alba¡¯s Extensible Magic Sword by making use of his nimbleness.


    And the Paladin who was facing me.


    All three of them got sent off the field almost simultaneously.


    The Warrior was sent off by Lark, while the remaining two were sent off by Alba¡¯s attack.


    It was just as I had expected.


    ¡¸What¡­?!¡¹


    The Wizard said in surprise.


    They have dealt with the Magic Sword just fine until now, moreover, the hand wielding the sword is not Alba¡¯s dominant hand, but two people were sent off the field with just a single attack. No wonder he was surprised.


    I took that opportunity to approach him.


    ¡¸Ugh.¡¹


    He pointed his staff at me.


    I don¡¯t have a combat-type Job, so I can¡¯t really use my intuition or try to read the wind, or my physical abilities to avoid him.


    But there is one thing I am good at.


    And that is sensing Magical Energy.


    If he were to promptly cast magic, he would choose to cast Wind Blades, which he had just used not long ago.


    Since he was also panicking, he would generate it from the tip of his staff without taking any time to craft it. In fact, he did just that.


    I can see his staff and sense his Magical Energy.


    Then all that¡¯s left is to get the timing right and jump sideways.


    ¡¸You avoided it?!¡¹


    I cut his staff before he could cast another magic and then turned back the trajectory of the sword to slash through his abdomen.


    His body was divided into two, his upper body and his lower body, and the earth wall was visible beyond it.


    ¡­As expected of a Holy Sword. Its sharpness is amazing.


    ¡ºDepending on its partner, it can become even more amazing from now on.¡»


    The black chick said cheerfully.


    That¡¯s right, even though it¡¯s this strong, this Holy Sword seems to be incomplete.


    I¡¯ve heard somewhere before that if you satisfy Dark, you can obtain more divine protection.


    Certainly, the Holy Swords possessed by the Spirits seemed to have a feature that those who did not have a Contract can still use the power of the Spirits.


    Just like the Knight Lord Arthur¡¯s Holy Sword of Light.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t let your guard down!¡¹


    The moment I bypassed the earth wall and tried to approach the four of them, someone jumped out of the ground.


    An Ant Insect Demi-Human.


    He must have been lurking underground this whole time waiting for the best timing for a surprise attack.


    ¡¸No, I haven¡¯t.¡¹


    But unfortunately for him, the Insect Demi-Human already had Black Magic cast on him.


    Even when he was underground, I already knew where he was located by sensing his Magical Energy.


    The Insect Demi-Human, whose spatial awareness ability was disturbed by Confusion, jumped out in between of the earth wall and me.


    At the same time, Lily shot him right through his unguarded parts and he was sent off the field.


    She gave us advice when Nicola was disguised as an Insect Demi-Human and she is well-informed with the races that live in the forest.


    ¡¸Hey.¡¹


    Alba made his Magic Sword return to its original length and said that with a bad-tempered expression.


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thanks for the help, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem.¡¹


    I answered Lily with a smile.


    ¡¸I thought Alba was an idiot when he shouted.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. After being informed about the alliance by the live commentary, even if he is my senior, I thought that he wouldn¡¯t be so foolish as to call out to the approaching reinforcement, only then did I realize that it was all part of his plan.


    ¡¸You guys¡­¡¹


    Alba¡¯s veins were bulging after hearing what Lark and Bella said.


    ¡¸If I think about it, it was a clever decision. Due to Alba¡¯s belligerent attitude, the opponents wouldn¡¯t have expected Lem to support Alba.¡¹


    I wanted to change that situation where the opposing party had the upper hand, even if only slightly, as soon as possible.


    If something had happened, one of my friends might have suffered further damage, which might have led to them getting sent off the field.


    If I had come a little later, I might have been the one to speak out first.


    The pressure on the four members of the Fenix party was reduced as the Paladin headed for me and the remaining three opponents couldn¡¯t help but be aware of me.


    The live commentary was useful in that it provided information, but it did the same for the opponents.


    The opponents would probably immediately find out that I was approaching, and Alba¡¯s remark was very typical of him.


    Thanks to that, the Paladin was conscious of protecting himself.


    ¡¸¡­But this is interesting. This meant that Alba and Lem had guessed what the other was thinking before taking action, right?¡¹


    We continued the conversation as we moved.


    ¡¸Tch.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, we¡¯re not exactly close friends, but I think we¡¯re both serious about winning.¡¹


    It would be a different story if it was the previous Alba, but I thought he would do well if he knew to some extent what I was doing when I was still in the party.


    In addition to Bella¡¯s words, the fact that he learned that I was Lemegeton after the battle in the Demon King Castle would have cleared up his suspicions that I¡¯m incompetent.


    ¡¸¡­Although it is frustrating that I couldn¡¯t send anyone off the field.¡¹


    Lark sent off one, Alba sent off two, Lily sent off one, and I sent off one, a total of five opponents.


    Bella didn¡¯t earn any points in the battle against the five-person team.


    ¡¸You did your best in the battle against the Garo party and you also protected us earlier. It¡¯s a contribution that can¡¯t be measured in points.¡¹


    Lily followed up for Bella.


    I was carrying Lily on my back right now.


    The uninjured Lark or Bella could also carry her, but I wanted them both to be in a state where they can move quickly at any moment.


    I smiled at what Lily said, but just as I was about to tell them about the current situation¡­ Alba turned his fist toward me.


    This is that right? That thing where you bump your fist against each other.


    I know that, but it was so unexpected that I froze.


    ¡¸Hey.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yeah.¡¹


    When I bumped my fist against his, Alba snorted and turned away.


    Given his personality, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not thinking about pretending the past doesn¡¯t exist or burying it.


    In the first place, I had been hiding my own abilities and he was just speaking out his opinion.


    Well, the way he said it was quite unpleasant, and it really hit me hard, but it¡¯s true.


    Rather than saying ¡°I¡¯m sorry for saying those unpleasant things to you¡± or ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hiding my abilities¡±, I feel more comfortable with this distance.


    We¡¯re not close friends and I¡¯m sure we won¡¯t have that kind of relationship.


    But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we used to be comrades and now Alba has acknowledged my strength to some extent.


    We may cooperate as we did this time, but it will be for the sake of victory, not for friendship.


    That¡¯s fine.


    Even if you don¡¯t like them as a person, you can still fight together with them, you can recognize their abilities, and you can trust them.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s amazing that you can make such a big swing that can leave you with openings by believing that Lem¡¯s Black Magic will definitely come and that you can show Lem an attitude like ¡°You did well!¡±¡¹


    Said Lark, while Lily said ¡°In terms of his standards, I think he worked hard this time.¡± and Bella continued by saying, ¡°Rather than that, it should be said that he has made considerable progress.¡±


    ¡¸Shut up! Anyway, Lark, you did the same too!¡¹


    ¡¸Believing in Lem? Well, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve had the chance to see what he¡¯s capable of, and I don¡¯t think I can say ¡°It¡¯s the same whether he¡¯s here or not¡± like I used to. Oh, yeah. Thanks for the help earlier, Lem.¡¹


    Bella also nodded her head and said ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Even in those days, Lark¡¯s opinions were less malicious or more indifferent than Alba¡¯s.


    The same goes for Lily.


    Lily also had the chance to meet me after I left the party and I feel that she is more open than before.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s hear from Lem about the current situation.¡¹


    Bella said so, and I spoke about the main subject.


    I thought about it as I told them.


    After defeating Garo, Fenix left the remaining four members to his comrades and headed toward the Wraith party.


    If all of them had stayed together, they might have been able to defeat the four members of the Garo party and the five people earlier more quickly, but he might have lost the points that he could earn as the Wraith party and the Astrea party cut each other down.


    So far, the Fenix party has defeated all the members of the Garo party and although the points of the five-person team have been split with me, they still earned 25 points from it.


    In addition, he has made an alliance with the Wraith party and made it a 10 vs 5 instead of a 5 vs 5 vs 5.


    Although four of his comrades were injured, the choice itself was not a mistake.


    Rather, the correctness of the choice is not determined at the moment of the decision, but after seeing the result.


    If all four of his comrades had been sent off the field, it would have been said to be the wrong decision.


    If we could all work together to defeat the Astrea party from this point on, then others might say that the creation of the alliance was the key decision.


    I checked the condition of the four of them again and confirmed the battle situation with my own eyes along with the live commentary.


    ¡ºThere are only 15 contestants left!!! The Wraith party and the Fenix party have teamed up and the Astrea party will be counterattacking against them!¡»


    ¡ºAnd then, finally, Lem and the rest of the members of the Fenix party have joined the battle! I think this will make a big difference in the battle situation!¡»


    We will start to take action to make a big difference in the battle situation just like what the live commentary said.

 CH 224.1

    224 ¨C Bring Out Our Best (Part 1)


    The situation was like this.


    There were 500 contestants at the beginning of the qualifying round, but now there are only 15 contestants remaining.


    It can be neatly divided into three: the Fenix party, the Wraith party, and the Astrea party.


    Then, the Fenix party and the Wraith party, which I belong to, teamed up.


    As of now, the remaining 15 contestants can be divided into 3 groups.


    The White Sorcerer Josh & the Miner Melania & the Destroyer Fran VS two knights.


    The Water Hero Wraith & the Flame Hero Fenix VS the Scales of Justice Astrea & two knights.


    Then, quickly heading there to intervene is the Black Sorcerer Lem & the Warrior Alba & the Paladin Lark & the ?Hunter Lily & the Frost Hero Bella.


    By the way, all the members of the Astrea Party are women.


    We are superior in terms of the number of people.


    I do want to say that we are also superior in terms of our battle strength¡­ However, there are some concerns.


    The Fenix party is not in perfect condition.


    Alba¡¯s dominant arm was injured and one of Lily¡¯s legs was injured. Lark lost his sword and got it replaced by Lily¡¯s dagger, while Bella is trying to regenerate her Magical Energy, but the amount of Magical Energy she has expended is too extreme.


    On top of that, the knights¡¯ combat abilities are high.


    Many Adventurers are specialized. They specialize in attack power, speed, and so on.


    Sometimes they make up for what they lack in members, and sometimes they team up with members who have overlapping specialties.


    But the knights are different.


    ¡ºContestant Ibbott & Contestant Ursula are brilliantly dodging Contestant Fran & Contestant Melania¡¯s attacks which are packed with a lot of power.¡»


    They are all trained to use the same knight combat techniques and basically fight with the same equipment.


    The Hero parties can challenge a Dungeon¡­ In other words, they can choose the battlefield.


    But the knights can¡¯t do that.


    They don¡¯t know when and what type of criminals they have to fight against.


    That¡¯s why they were trained in such a way that they can handle any opponent.


    Unlike Adventurers, they don¡¯t have to worry about the audience, so they are all-rounders who can respond flexibly according to the situation.


    Moreover, since it is the party of Commander Astrea, I¡¯m sure that they would have selected especially skilled knights.


    In fact, the four knights other than the leader are also excellent.


    ¡ºContestant Esther and Contestant Olivia are also showing their skillful sword handling against the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits! In particular, Fenix is famous for his ability to scorch the swords without even allowing them to clash against his sword unless it is a Holy Sword, but Contestant Esther has coated her own sword with Earth Magic! She managed to launch a slash attack with just a slight contact so that the Earth Magic scabbard was not completely scorched and succeeded in engaging in a short-distance sword fight!¡»


    ¡ºContestant Wraith¡¯s Holy Sword is also amazing! It seems like the Water Blades are wrapped around his Holy Sword. Just now Contestant Olivia¡¯s shield was split in half. However, after that, Contestant Olivia was able to barely avoid the attack! I was just watching but it made me nervous as well. It was a very close call, but does the fact that she handled it so skillfully means that she has actually read through the opponent¡¯s movements?!¡»


    ¡ºThat might be true, but I also think that it¡¯s largely due to Contestant Astrea¡¯s Spirit Magic.¡»


    That¡¯s right.


    There are different ways to use Invisible Pressure.


    If it¡¯s from a distance, she can aim and shoot it. It will only have an effect in the limited space around where the target is.


    However, if the target is close to her, it can be a ranged attack. A form in which the Invisible Pressure is deployed around her.


    In addition to that, to avoid burdening her comrades, she prepared an opening where the Spirit Magic does not work and moved it according to the movements of her comrades.


    Fenix and Wraith are in a situation where they have to fight against an unrestrained first-class knight while offsetting the high-level Spirit Magic.


    ¡ºContestant Wraith has subtle skills and bold tactics, but the choices that he can take are limited since he is in a situation where he needs to refine his Magical Energy while offsetting Contestant Astrea¡¯s Spirit Magic.¡»


    ¡ºI see! So that means his forte of making his opponents think that ¡°I have no idea what he is going to do next¡± has been crushed this time.¡»


    The two people who are not defeated by the knights even in this situation where they almost can¡¯t use their specialty Spirit Magic are amazing, and even if they¡¯re in such a state, the two knights who are fighting against the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits, Contestant Esther and Contestant Olivia, are also amazing.


    The audience was excited, especially since they don¡¯t usually get to see Fenix¡¯s swordsmanship.


    That said, if it went on for too long, it would have made the audience feel uneasy, but there was no need to worry about that.


    We arrived and the situation was about to change whether they liked it or not.


    ¡¸Esther.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­!¡¹


    Esther, an earnest-looking knight, tried to move away from Fenix.


    After seeing through her intentions, Fenix tried to pursue her, but Astrea stopped him.


    ¡¸Would you like to have an opponent, Sir Fenix?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I was just about to ask you that.¡¹


    The Holy Swords of Fenix and Astrea clashed with each other.


    I think¡­.I just saw my best friend glancing in my direction for a moment.


    It¡¯s okay.


    ¡¸Everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸I know already¡­!¡¹


    Alba shouted and everyone else began to move silently.


    The Frost Hero Bella dropped the crushed ice as if it was snow.


    Astrea looked puzzled for a moment but continued the battle.


    Contestant Esther, who is coming towards us, isn¡¯t stopping either.


    Okay, I was able to confirm it.


    When I looked at the Hunter Lily, she gave a small nod.


    Lily shot an arrow toward Contestant Esther from the Paladin Lark¡¯s back.


    At the same time, the Warrior Alba¡¯s Extensible Magic Sword moved in a semicircle and targeted Contestant Esther.


    However, both the arrow and the Magic Sword were knocked to the ground by Invisible Pressure.


    ¡¸Tch¡­!¡¹


    After confirming that Alba¡¯s stance had collapsed, Contestant Esther accelerated quickly.


    There are 5 people here, although 4 of them were injured.


    It is better for there to be as few people as possible that can deal with me.


    ¡¸I allow the use of your own unique combat techniques.¡¹


    The moment Astrea muttered something like that.


    The four of them changed their movements.


    Contestant Ibbott threw away her sword and shield and pulled out the twin swords she had on her back.


    Contestant Ursula threw away her weapons as well, but she remained empty-handed as she confronted the Destroyer Fran.


    Contestant Olivia discarded her sword and held her knife with a backhand grip.


    Contestant Esther is still armed, but she created an earth wall behind us.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    Bella muttered in surprise.


    It¡¯s understandable that she¡¯d do that.


    Contestant Esther¡¯s Earth Magic was far from just being a support, it was on a level where she could use it to fight against her opponents.


    Either her Job is originally a Wizard type or she has a high aptitude for magic.


    While assuming that she had cast Resist on herself, I cast Black Magic and restrained Contestant Esther.


    She probably won¡¯t be able to use large-scale magic since she has to release Magical Energy in order to defend herself from my Black Magic.


    ¡¸¡­Ahh, right, not all of them have a Knight-type Job.¡¹


    Lark muttered in comprehension and parried Contestant Esther¡¯s sword with a shield.


    Although they are called the Knights Order, it would be difficult to have all of their combatants own a Knight-type Job.


    Even if it is possible, it is not preferable.


    Those with a Knight-type Job wear armor and specialize in fighting with shields.


    Not all criminals can be dealt with by them, and the Knights Order also accepts those with other combat-related Jobs.


    Not everyone wants to be an Adventurer, and not everyone can succeed as an Adventurer.


    The Knights Order accepts various types of Jobs and trains them all so that they can operate as knights.


    Perhaps, at the same time, they also provide combat training suitable for their original Job.


    So, the current knights can use the all-rounder type and the specialized type according to the situation.

 CH 224.2

    224 ¨C Bring Out Our Best (Part 2)


    ¡¸Ahh¡­!?¡¹


    A scream-like voice is heard from the Miner Melania.


    The twin-swords wielder, Contestant Ibbott, most likely has a Warrior-type Job from the start.


    She toyed with Melania at a speed that is completely different from earlier and slashes Melania with her twin swords.


    In the end, Melania fell to her knees. She could no longer stand up.


    It¡¯s a relief that the Invisible Pressure didn¡¯t reach there.


    Just a little bit more time, just a little bit longer¡­.


    I don¡¯t want to see my comrades get hurt, but I still needed a little more time.


    I guess Contestant Ursula, who threw away her weapons and fights with her bare hands, has a martial artist-type Job. Instead of stopping Fran¡¯s fist, she uses her power to fling it away.


    Contestant Olivia thoroughly avoided clashing swords with Wraith and kept provoking him by getting behind him.


    If anything, I¡¯d say that she¡¯s doing this in order to hold him back.


    ¡¸You¡¯re fast. Are you a Thief? Or an Assassin?¡¹


    Wraith is proficient in his ability at predicting the opponent¡¯s next moves while watching their current movements, so it would be troublesome if their movements change to something completely different.


    ¡¸Steady movements¡­ That can act as a pretty good shield.¡¹


    Lark replied to Contestant Esther¡¯s murmur with a short ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡¸But because it¡¯s so steady¡­it¡¯s easy to read.¡¹


    A lump of earth sticks out right under the shield held by Lark.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    As a result, Lark¡¯s shield was blown up into the air.


    Lark successfully defended against Contestant Esther¡¯s onslaught, but unfortunately, the dagger borrowed from Lily wasn¡¯t long enough.


    ¡¸If you hadn¡¯t lost your sword, we would have had a better fight.¡¹


    Okay¡­!


    I pulled out my Holy Sword and raised it to the sky to give the signal.


    The Wraith party already knew what this meant. I told the Fenix party about it on the way here and I told Fenix when I left earlier.


    Then several things happened.


    The first one.


    Contestant Esther, who had bypassed the clump of earth and was about to attack Lark, was instead slashed by him.


    Magical Energy particles were scattered.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    A look of astonishment appeared on her face. In terms of the timing, she had probably calculated that even if he tried to slash her, the attack would not reach her.


    The reason why she was wrong is simple.


    By creating a blade made out of ice at the tip of the dagger, he made the dagger the same length as his large sword.


    ¡¸Thank you for predicting my moves.¡¹


    Lark showed a steady fight.


    Just a few moments before, he was a Paladin who tried to do his best while not being able to fight as well as he wanted to since his large sword was substituted with a dagger.


    He showed such moves all the time and made Contestant Esther think that she had read through him.


    When Contestant Esther made a bold move, he extended the dagger by using the blade made from Bella¡¯s ice.


    In the past, he would have fought that way from the beginning.


    However, by temporarily making those irrational moves, he was able to make his opponent¡¯s predictions fail.


    ¡¸If I had been alone, we might have had a better fight.¡¹


    As Lark said, I can¡¯t predict what would happen if they had been fighting composedly one-on-one.


    However, Contestant Esther was wary of my Black Magic, Lily¡¯s arrows, the return of Alba¡¯s Magic Sword, and Bella¡¯s Ice Magic attack.


    ¡¸Ugh¡­ it¡¯s not over yet¡­¡¹


    The wound was deep, but Contestant Esther hasn¡¯t given up yet.


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s over.¡¹


    Alba¡¯s Magic Sword protruded from her abdomen.


    Alba¡¯s first attack, the extending slash attack that was knocked to the ground by Invisible Pressure, did not end in failure.


    It continued to grow in accordance with the original plan.


    The trajectory of Alba¡¯s Magic Sword has to be set beforehand. The sword has to return to its original length first before it can be extended again.


    This rule is well known.


    That¡¯s why the opponents thought that there would be no immediate attack by the Magic Sword because it was knocked to the ground by Invisible Pressure and it would take time for it to return to its original length.


    In reality, the tip of the Magic Sword that had fallen to the ground continued to extend through the underground and was headed toward Contestant Esther.


    The point where the sword tip was going to appear had been decided beforehand, so all I had to do was cast a slight Confusion to adjust her standing position.


    The moment she was hit by Lark¡¯s attack, the Magical Energy she used for Resist was disturbed, and I took advantage of that opportunity.


    Contestant Esther got sent off the field.


    The second one.


    ¡¸¡­Ohh, this is unusual.¡¹


    There was a person who grabbed Ibbott¡¯s twin swords.


    ¡¸So this is the Ogre White Sorcerer?¡¹


    Even with his blood dripping down, the white-haired young man would not let go of the twin swords.


    The wind blew and his bangs fluttered softly.


    There were small horns on both ends of his forehead.


    Yes, the White Sorcerer Josh¡¯s race was Ogre.


    That¡¯s why he knew so much about Ogres and reacted so well toward Furcus.


    For Josh, the signal of the sword being raised meant that ¡°I want you to utilize the power of an Ogre.¡±


    ¡¸Do you think that it¡¯s strange for an Ogre to have a non-combat type of Job?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I think that it¡¯s peaceful and wonderful. However, you won¡¯t be able to stop me for long.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Since there is no need for that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    It arrived.


    I extended my Magical Energy while making it thin like a thread so that she won¡¯t be alerted and made it touch Contestant Ibbott.


    Then, she stopped moving.


    ¡¸Melania, can you stand up?¡¹


    Josh said as he moved away from Contestant Ibbott.


    ¡¸Y-yeah¡­ because you¡­ healed me.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, please.¡¹


    ¡¸E-ei¡­!¡¹


    I cast Blank on the knight. Since she was forced to blank out as a result of the magic, she couldn¡¯t avoid the club being swung down by Melania who had stood up¡­and got sent off the field.


    The third one.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s getting heavier and faster, how ominous.¡¹


    The Destroyer is a special Job that shows extraordinary talent in destroying enemies.


    If they had fought against each other normally, even if she is a trained knight, she would be helpless against her.


    That¡¯s why Contestant Ursula focused on parrying and evading.


    Her outstanding skills were astonishing, but they came to an abrupt end.


    Ursula¡¯s arms were crushed as she tried to parry Fran¡¯s fist.


    The reason was that her arms moved in a different way than she intended. She was unable to parry Fran¡¯s fist and got her hands crushed instead.


    ¡¸My senses got disturbed¡­? It¡¯s probably the work of the Black Sorcerer Lem. To think that he could do this with Black Magic-¡¹


    She got smashed by Fran¡¯s huge arm and couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    The fourth one.


    ¡¸¡­To keep wandering around behind the back of a helpless young boy. Aren¡¯t you acting extremely suspicious? I might just report this to the Knights Order~¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, after all, I¡¯m a knight.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that doesn¡¯t make me relieved at all.¡¹


    As soon as Contestant Olivia¡¯s body quivered, she stopped moving, and at that moment¡­arrows were incessantly launched at her.


    What I confirmed with Bella¡¯s snow-like ice was the verification of the safety zone of the knights.


    The falling speed of the snow-like ice is different between the effect range of Invisible Pressure and other areas.


    As a result, I¡¯ve confirmed that the safety zone was surrounding the knights in the shape of a circle.


    In other words, if we make an attack from above, we can aim at the knights directly without being affected by Astrea¡¯s Spirit Magic.


    But this was the hardest part because the knights were constantly moving.


    The moment Blank had taken effect, Lily immediately shot the arrows at a high angle.


    Without missing her target, she turned the knight into a hedgehog.


    The countless arrows that pierced her back caused her Avatar to reach its limit and Contestant Olivia¡¯s body scattered as Magical Energy particles.


    The fifth one, this one is not as straightforward as the others.


    When Contestant Olivia¡¯s Avatar was on the verge of scattering, Wraith used her body as a cover, held his Holy Sword, and took an attack stance.


    As soon as her body disappeared, Water Blades were released from Wraith¡¯s Holy Sword and headed toward Astrea.


    Bella and Fran were already running.


    I cast Black Magic on her just like I did on Contestant Olivia and Lily fired arrows as well.


    Astrea, who was exchanging blows with the Holy Sword that had received the blessing of the Fire Spirit, was¡­

 CH 225

    225 ¨C The Scales of Justice Astrea


    There is little information about the 13 Commanders of the Knights Order.


    They are the successors of the Contract Inheritance. This means that the relationship with the Spirit is passed down to their descendants.


    Their Lesser Spirits are the earliest large fragments separated from the main body and their power is considered to be second only to the main body.


    Although it won¡¯t be done single-handedly by the Commanders, even if the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits become the enemies of humanity with all of their powers still intact, the Knights Order have publicly stated that they are capable of defeating them.


    Also, the Scales of Justice Astrea is even more special among the top knights.


    After all, she is¡­a Hero.


    Her movements were so swift and without hesitation that I could not follow them with my eyes.


    So some of the moves I¡¯m about to describe are from the information I got from replaying the recording in slow motion after the qualifying round.


    First, she defended against Wraith¡¯s Water Blades by stabbing her Holy Sword into the ground, then she avoided Fenix¡¯s horizontal slash by leaning forward until her head was about to touch the ground.


    Just like in the previous case with Contestant Olivia, the Black Magic that went through the safety zone of Invisible Pressure was resisted, then Lily¡¯s arrows that went through a similar trajectory were made to float upwards.


    In addition, Astrea formed a sword from the ground with Earth Magic as she stood up, grabbed it, and attacked Fenix.


    Fenix parried the attack with his Holy Sword, but her sword retained its shape.


    It was not possible for a sword made from Earth Magic to withstand the Holy Sword of Fire.


    It was changed into a Holy Sword.


    The sword of a Holy Sword is not special. What is referred to as a Holy Sword is simply the weapon that the Spirits have given a blessing to.


    This is why it could accomplish the duty of defending against Wraith¡¯s Water Blades, then she decided that a sword that she could not grasp from her previous stance is unnecessary.


    So she made a sword from the ground and transferred the Spirit¡¯s blessing to it.


    Naturally, the sword that had lost its blessing returned to being just a normal sword.


    Is it really that simple to do?


    I was a little late in understanding what exactly had happened, but Dark responded to my question.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s possible as long as the Spirit responds to her. However, looking at that response speed¡­ they probably talk a lot on a regular basis. Spirits usually only watch over you humans, so it seems the Spirit that the Commander is in a Contract with is quite the eccentric one.¡»


    I understand that, but with that theory, that means that you¡¯re eccentric as well.


    ¡ºAhaha.¡»


    As Fenix and Astrea were engaging in a fierce battle, Fenix¡¯s body was pushed back as they exchanged attacks.


    He¡¯s losing?!


    No, that¡¯s not right.


    There was no longer any doubt as to the true nature of that Spirit Magic.


    If I had to categorize it, I¡¯d say that it¡¯s¡­ a part of the Power of the Earth.


    It¡¯s Gravity Manipulation.


    She probably increased the gravity for Invisible Pressure and lightened it when she made the arrows float.


    And now, it seems that she is doubling the Power of the Earth on her slashes.


    To Fenix, her sword must have felt unusually heavy.


    But interfering with gravity, and anything that has a similar effect to it, isn¡¯t that part of Esoteric Spirit Magic?


    ¡ºYeah. Even if it is called a Lesser Spirit, if it can do this much, its abilities are almost on par with the main body. That said, the current main body of the Spirits are-¡»


    I can¡¯t even hear Dark¡¯s voice.


    I met her eyes. I¡¯m not hallucinating this.


    ¡¸I admit that I have made a mistake in the priority.¡¹


    This is what Astrea said.


    I should¡¯ve defeated the Black Sorcerer Lem first.


    ¡¸Hey¡­!!¡¹


    I received an impactful blow.


    As my body flew sideways, I saw the one who pushed me away.


    I already knew it by his voice, it was Alba.


    He looked at me for a moment and clicked his tongue.


    ¡¸Tch, I¡¯ve paid my debt.¡¹


    Debt¡­ ahh.


    If we¡¯re comrades, it¡¯s natural to help each other, but we are in different parties¡­ in other words, we¡¯re opponents.


    Is receiving support considered being indebted to for him?


    For Alba, receiving my support probably meant that he is in debt to me.


    So he tried to repay the debt.


    But in doing so, he was crushed by the Invisible Pressure that was aimed at me and got sent off the field.


    She is the Scales of Justice Astrea.


    In the middle of a situation where four of her comrades were defeated almost simultaneously, she was getting targeted by two Heroes, and the rest of her opponents were also heading toward her¡­


    While dealing with all of that, she cast Spirit Magic which is aimed at only me.


    By the time I finished thinking about this, my feet had finally returned to the ground after being pushed off and floating in the air for a moment.


    At the same time, I started to run.


    ¡¸Lark! Bring Lily with you and get as far away as possible! Lily, fire your arrows at her at the farthest possible distance!¡¹


    I continued to run without listening to their response.


    I can feel a large amount of Magical Energy falling behind me over and over again.


    The situation is not good.


    I¡¯ve figured it out.


    Astrea is, so to speak, a prodigy who has been working hard since her childhood.


    She has the same observational skills that Furcus praised in me.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    What if she was naturally destined to be a knight because of the Contract Inheritance?


    She must have been trained in magic and swords from an early age.


    Wraith¡¯s abilities in things related to Magical Energy are high considering that he is only 10 years old.


    This is because he, who had the Unyielding Hero as his father, showed his interest in magic from an early age, then his father and the people around him taught him well. For as long as he could remember, he has actively strived to train himself.


    Normally, the hardworking efforts spent in the training suitable for a specific Job is done after the Job Identification. That is, at the age of 10.


    I also fall under this category.


    However, Wraith and Astrea were different.


    Wraith is now 10 years old and he can handle magic so well that it could surprise the world.


    Then, what about Astrea? Just like him, she has been rigorously trained from an early age until now, in her late 20s.


    She has mastered Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸Caught you.¡¹


    In the end, I was caught by the Invisible Pressure.


    However, it was just in time!


    My Magical Energy that has passed through the Holy Sword was released around me.


    It is clear that the high concentration of Magical Energy is interfering with the Spirit Magic.


    It seems that I have somehow managed to offset the Spirit Magic.


    Just like that, I continued to run to get closer to her.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s just as I suspected, she¡¯s playing with the structure of the magic. The Spirit Magic they refer to as Esoteric Spirit Magic needs Magical Energy just like any other magic, but it meddles with the rules of ¡°burning everything to ashes¡± or ¡°putting the space under their control.¡± It basically has the same principles as magic, if you try to increase the magic¡¯s power, the amount of Magical Energy used will increase.¡»


    In other words, in the case of the Flames of the Gods, it takes a tremendous amount of Magical Energy to achieve the effect of¡±burn¡± ¡°everything¡± ¡°without any questions.¡±


    ¡ºThat¡¯s right. What if you change the second keyword to ¡°a single tree¡±? Wouldn¡¯t the amount of Magical Energy used be super low?¡»


    By relaxing the conditions from the true Gravity Manipulation, did she make it possible to activate it in rapid succession and for a long time to a certain extent?


    ¡ºYou¡¯re right. After all, the large-scale magic that the Commander of the Knights used right after the start of the qualifying round was almost on the same level as the large-scale magic of the Shotacon and Tsundere Contractors, right?¡»


    Sho-¡­? ¡­He¡¯s probably referring to the main body of the Water Spirit and the main body of the Fire Spirit.


    Certainly, if that magic is really Esoteric, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for it to have more power.


    ¡ºRather, the fact is that she can flatten the mountain, so it might be Esoteric Spirit Magic. The magic was exquisitely degraded so that it had enough power to make the people kneel on the ground. While the swordsman was crushed because she made the magic aimed at Lem more powerful.¡»


    ¡­Is he talking about the main body of the Earth Spirit this time?


    I don¡¯t think what Alba did was surprising.


    He is serious about winning.


    But he still helped me, saying that he was repaying the debt.


    Which meant that for him, this choice had the best chance of winning.


    I sharpened my concentration and approached the center of the battle while refining my Magical Energy.


    There are three Heroes and one Destroyer surrounding her.


    Setting aside the three Heroes, Fran was boldly attacking her even while she was not able to offset the Spirit Magic with her Magical Energy.


    ¡¸I understand that those fists are incredibly powerful.¡¹


    Fran¡¯s feet were dissolved into the mud. That¡¯s not right, it¡¯s more like the state of the ground was changed by Earth Magic.


    If I look at it closely, it¡¯s not that the ground has melted, but that it became like sand, which caused Fran¡¯s feet to sink into it.


    The ground quickly returned to its original state and the little girl was buried from the ankles down.


    Astrea attacked her before she could break out from it.


    A lump of earth protruding from the ground unfolded on her front and back, sandwiching her body and her huge arms.


    Fran has been restrained by Earth Magic.


    ¡¸¡­Ugh.¡¹


    ¡¸You should be proud as you are a splendid warrior.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you please stay away from our Fran?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s sharp, but still light.¡¹


    She parried Wraith¡¯s downward swing and made the tip of his sword face the ground.


    ¡¸It¡¯s hot, I guess you¡¯re continuously maintaining the Magical Energy around the Holy Sword.¡¹


    As if it bounced up, the sword swung upwards, then it joined Fenix.


    At the same time, multiple earth walls were created along Bella¡¯s course to delay her from joining them.


    I knew it, the amount of Magical Energy is strange!


    This is similar to what I and Lemegeton¡¯s direct subordinate, the Black Explorer Foras do, we continuously cast magic on ourselves to train our Magical Energy organ.


    Wait, that¡¯s probably right.


    I¡¯m not sure since when she¡¯s been doing it, but she¡¯s been applying Gravity Manipulation on herself, continued to use magic in that state, and trained her Magical Energy organ.


    Even before that, she must have tried to use as much magic as possible.


    It is a family that has been making Contracts with the same Spirits for generations, so it¡¯s not surprising that they have a training method passed down in the family that could help them better utilize the power of the Spirits.


    It¡¯s as if she has the strong points of me, Wraith, Fenix, and Furcus.


    Her powers of observation, Spirit Magic, and swordsmanship are extremely good.


    What a strong person.


    The only other person I can think of who has such an excellent overall strength is the Storm Hero Aerial.


    But I¡¯m not in despair.


    She is really strong.


    However, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to lose in terms of our individual abilities.


    In the attack and defense just now, the only ones that got sent off the field were her four comrades. She even admitted that she had misplaced her priorities, didn¡¯t she?


    This current situation where we have to devote Magical Energy to offset the Spirit Magic is troublesome, but Wraith and Fenix are better at using maximum output Spirit Magic.


    Master Furcus isn¡¯t here, but in a one-to-one fight where they can only use weapons, the Reaper Knight could surpass her.


    And Aerial, who I used as a metaphor for his overall strength, would definitely win if they fought.


    There is no perfect life form.


    And we are not alone.


    I made my Magical Energy surround the entire Holy Sword.


    Then, I approached one of my comrades.

 CH 226

    226 ¨C The Holy Sword of the Tower, The Black That Is Clad in Red


    During the short time that it took me to approach her.


    An intense battle was going on.


    After Astrea parried Wraith¡¯s downward swing, Wraith didn¡¯t try to attack Astrea again, instead, he immediately went toward Fran.


    He destroyed the lump of earth that restrained Fran and surrounded Fran with his Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Wraith¡­¡¹


    Fran¡¯s anxious voice.


    Wraith used the Magical Energy he had managed to regenerate while fighting to save her from the Invisible Pressure. It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s concerned.


    But Wraith laughed.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. This is the strongest we¡¯ve ever been.¡¹


    Wraith had always cared about his comrades, but now he wasn¡¯t as impatient as he had been during the raid battle.


    To win without abandoning his comrades. This is his ideal.


    He said that to tell her that they would be closer to victory if Fran could move rather than him regenerating his Magical Energy.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹


    If that¡¯s the case, then all I have to do is make it a fact. It was as if Fran¡¯s determination was conveyed until here.


    ¡¸Your sword-handling skill is more polished than in the video I watched previously.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I can¡¯t just use flames all the time. Swordsmanship is so useful in situations like this.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a good idea.¡¹


    The two of them are clashing their swords against each other, but their speed is too fast.


    Only the sounds of the metal colliding made it possible to understand that they were attacking each other.


    Even while fighting, Astrea was cautious of her surroundings.


    I paid attention to the movements of my comrades by sensing their Magical Energy.


    Lark is carrying Lily on his back and he¡¯s about to join Josh and Melania.


    In this situation, there is little benefit in releasing Invisible Pressure to reach the four people who are far away from her.


    Well, she might earn 40 points, but it¡¯s not something she should do in front of such opponents.


    She is a knight.


    Her priority should be to appear unyielding, prove her strength, and win.


    The reason she attacked me was that she changed her priorities. She is seriously trying to win.


    If so then¡­ It¡¯s here!


    She¡¯s not just trying to hinder Bella.


    A cone of earth protruded from the ground, trying to skewer me.


    Though it takes more thought and Magical Energy to create this compared to a lump of earth, she still chose to do it.


    I cut off the top half with my Holy Sword and jumped over the rest.


    ¡¸You responded even before it was created¡­ you seem to have sensed the Magical Energy.¡¹


    Astrea¡¯s voice.


    Alba¡¯s blow that was meant to protect me caught me off guard, but if I sharpened my senses based on the premise that I am being targeted¡­


    ¡¸Payback.¡¹


    Fran¡¯s fist drew near Astrea.


    ¡¸Unfortunately, I can¡¯t receive it.¡¹


    The Destroyer¡¯s fist pierced the space where the opponent was just a moment ago, but that opponent actually¡­appeared on top of her arm.


    Did she jump as she reduced the gravity on herself and then landed on top of Fran¡¯s huge arm?


    She touched Fran¡¯s arm.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little heavy, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Fran¡¯s arm dropped toward the ground as if it was being pushed.


    Is she intending to increase the power of Invisible Pressure that was offset by the struggle of Magical Energy and put her under its influence again?


    ¡¸Wicked, evil.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m surprised.¡¹


    Fran forcibly lifted her arm and Astrea¡¯s body was lifted into the air.


    No, it seemed that she herself jumped.


    Fran pursued after her.


    Astrea tried to reduce the gravity on herself to escape further upwards, but as she was upside down in midair, Fran¡¯s arm grazed her left arm.


    That was it, but that was more than enough.


    The resounding dull sound told me that Astrea¡¯s arm was broken.


    ¡¸So this is a Destroyer, that was brilliant.¡¹


    The impact of the graze caused Astrea¡¯s body to fall down with great force. However, she skillfully took a stance in the air, deflected Wraith¡¯s thrust that was aimed at her, and threw her Holy Sword toward Fenix.


    Just like the four knights that were sent off the field, her fight has already disregarded the general knight combat techniques.


    By the time Fenix deflected the Holy Sword, she had already landed.


    Wraith knocked the Holy Sword to the side without trying to attack her again.


    After his thrust was deflected, Wraith wielded his Holy Sword to make a horizontal slash.


    Eventually, the attack¡­sliced through the ground.


    ¡¸Hmm, all of you are really interesting. Just like a certain Chief of Staff.¡¹


    Wraith had a smiling expression, but he seemed frustrated.


    I¡¯m not sure how to describe this. It¡¯s kind of like a distorted pillar of earth. No, it can¡¯t really be considered a pillar though.


    Even though I think that this is an absurd expression, it looked like a tower of earth.


    She created an enormous tower of earth beneath her feet just before Wraith¡¯s horizontal slash.


    It was big enough that we had to raise our heads to look up at it and huge enough to hold several people if it were a building.


    A cloud of dust fluttered and the visibility was slightly worse.


    ¡¸But the amount of Magical Energy consumed is too much, especially if she only cast that to gain some distance between us.¡¹


    Fenix was right.


    However, the moment the point of contact between the tower and the ground was cut off, I suddenly understood what she wanted to do.


    ¡¸A Holy Sword!¡¹


    The two of them immediately understood and were surprised.


    The Holy Sword became useless because it was deflected by Fenix.


    That¡¯s why this time she¡¯s planning to use this tower as her Holy Sword.


    The tower floated softly. This is due to gravity reduction.


    ¡¸¡­The downward swing of a Holy Sword with the size of a ridiculously large building. I guess I¡¯ll leave this to Fenix since he¡¯s older than me.¡¹


    ¡¸If nothing is done, Miss Fran and Lem will get sent off the field. Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect them since you are their leader?¡¹


    They are still cracking jokes even in this situation.


    I¡¯m glad to see that they are on good terms.


    ¡¸Fenix!¡¹


    Finally, I was able to meet up with Fenix and the others.


    Fortunately, she was high up in the sky, and it would be difficult for her to see us through the cloud of dust.


    ¡¸Give me a hand.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, what do you want me to do?¡¹


    I said.


    ¡¸For now, give me your mantle.¡¹


    I explained the strategy in a whisper, then we immediately started moving.


    I also explained the strategy to Wraith.


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, Senior Bella.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s work together to freeze it and stop that ridiculous Holy Sword.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you keep up with me? If you can¡¯t, then I¡¯ll match your speed.¡¹


    ¡¸I can do it. Now that Lem has shown his strength, I also have to show the value of my existence. I have to show that I¡¯m skilled enough to have joined the Fenix Party as his replacement. Besides¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Besides?¡¹


    Bella said in a monotonous tone.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a little older than you, so I can support you, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Aha. That¡¯s nice, well then, I¡¯m counting on you, Bella.¡¹


    Fran is standing beside them.


    With this, the preparations are complete.


    ¡ó


    A knight must not be defeated.


    Because if a knight is defeated, he cannot protect the people.


    Even if the battle is fought by using Avatars, so no one will get hurt, defeat is still a heavy blow.


    The audience is also the people. How can I possibly reassure them if I show them the moment when a knight is defeated?


    It doesn¡¯t matter whether the opponent is a Human or a Demi-Human.


    The Knights Order will defeat any criminal.


    I have to show that I¡¯m strong so that I can reassure the people.


    The Black Sorcerer Lem.


    I have never seen a Black Sorcerer of such caliber before.


    It¡¯s to the point that I¡¯m not sure if I can simply call him a Black Sorcerer.


    That amount of Magical Energy, I see, he probably did the same training as me, but with Black Magic.


    His excessively subtle Magical Energy manipulation is the result of effort and he achieved that efficacy of magic by repeatedly casting magic on himself.


    However, I will make him, the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits, and the others get sent off the field with this one attack.


    This is a large-scale attack that causes a lot of damage to the surrounding area, which is uncharacteristic of a knight.


    It is an attack that can never be used in the city and its utilization is restricted.


    I have to go this far because they are such strong opponents.


    And they are not the kind of people who would give up after seeing this.


    Did you come just as I expected?


    A figure clad in flames approached me after he forcibly separated the cloud of dust.


    ¡¸The Flame Hero¡­ it seems you have already gathered enough Magical Energy to approach this place.¡¹


    He flew straight here.


    I¡¯m feeling a sense of discomfort.


    What exactly did I unconsciously perceive?


    He still didn¡¯t stop even after receiving the gravity amplification.


    He still had enough Magical Energy to offset this additional gravity amplification?


    He might be someone that is not inferior to Sir Lem¡­!


    ¡¸So, it turns out that he¡¯s not Fenix.¡¹


    I was late at noticing this fact because of the numerous flames he was clad in, he was also wearing Fenix¡¯s mantle, and I couldn¡¯t clearly see him until he was on the verge of getting out of the cloud of dust.


    The real Sir Fenix may be coming, so I have to stay vigilant.


    However, I would be grateful if Sir Lem came to where I am directly.


    He has tremendous ability as a Black Sorcerer, but he won¡¯t be able to handle close combat since he has no aptitude for it.


    He makes up for it with ingenuity, but how far can he handle it in midair, especially when he¡¯s flying by using someone else¡¯s magic?


    And his Black Magic.


    I will no longer underestimate it.


    I will attack him to the best of my ability.


    I used Earth Magic to create a sword and temporarily transferred the Spirit¡¯s blessing to it.


    The Spirit complained when I requested him to do that, but he quickly did the task.


    The giant lump of earth was kept afloat.


    It hurts to have my left arm injured, but fortunately, my dominant arm is on the right.


    I directly stopped his sword.


    Then he cast Black Magic.


    He won¡¯t have enough time to break through my Resist. He will probably try to exploit any openings I have.


    He will try to aim at the opening where humans tend to unconsciously have a sparse amount of Magical Energy deployed there, the eyes.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    I felt a huge amount of Magical Energy and defended against it.


    Then, when I finally realized that even this was part of his plan, the Holy Sword of Fire was already right before my eyes.


    ¡ó


    Astrea is wary of me.


    If she fails to crush me from a long distance, she will definitely try to defeat me at a short distance.


    If she could read through what I¡¯m aiming for, block it, and then swing her Holy Sword at me, it would be over.


    In fact, that¡¯s what was supposed to happen.


    If it was my Black Magic that struck her in the eyes.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t.


    That was¡­Bella¡¯s Magical Energy.


    I was running in order to call out to her in the middle of that battle.


    After that, I tried to prevent Astrea from reading through my plan by having Bella take a defensive stance along with Wraith.


    Bella was originally proficient at manipulating Magical Energy and her various applications of the ice attribute are also wonderful.


    Even if I requested her to manipulate only the Magical Energy, she did it very well.


    The Scales of Justice used a considerable amount of Magical Energy to offset the Magical Energy of the Frost Hero.


    This time, I struck Black Magic toward her eyes.


    In order to seal Astrea¡¯s extremely troublesome way of thinking¡­I cast Blank on her.


    The flames that sent me into the sky went out.


    That¡¯s fine.


    Concentrate all of your remaining Magical Energy into that one strike.


    ¡¸Go, Fenix.¡¹


    The Hero who lost his mantle, but is still clad in red, swung his burning Holy Sword.

 CH 227

    227 ¨C All Together Against the Unyielding Knight


    Honestly, I thought we had already won.


    Because the plan could not have gone any more perfectly.


    In fact, it was going well.


    Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword approached Astrea and¡­should have slashed and burned her.


    Just before it hit her, Astrea¡¯s body twitched.


    There are two reasons.


    There are possibly two reasons why she was able to move in this situation.


    The first being that she had already predicted this and possessed magic resistance.


    Just like how Paladins and Holy Paladins have magic resistance, she may also possess that Aptitude. Well, she pretty much already has it since she¡¯s a Hero but she probably has an especially high Aptitude for it.


    It¡¯s also possible that she has a Magic Tool, but at any rate, this could be the reason for her strangely quick response.


    Even if I, myself, am spending Magical Energy to offset the Invisible Pressure, to break free from it this fast is¡­


    And the reason she was able to immediately respond to Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword is¡­


    This explanation is even simpler and even more astonishing.


    Pure reflexes.


    The moment her awareness was interrupted and suddenly returned, there was a sword about to cut her right before her eyes for some reason.


    In that situation, she readied her sword rather than be surprised.


    However, my Blank Space was surely worth something.


    She managed to sandwich her Holy Sword in between Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword and her own body.


    That¡¯s right, this wasn¡¯t a counter or a defensive move, but rather her body simply reacting by reading her blade.


    This meant that Fenix¡¯s pressure applied through his Holy Sword forced her own sword to cut into her right shoulder.


    ¡¸Despite receiving Lem¡¯s Black Magic¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I felt as if time itself flew away.¡¹


    She reduced the gravitational pull on herself and she floated up even higher.


    ¡¸Think you can get away?¡¹


    ¡¸I do, yes.¡¹


    My body continues to fall.


    That¡¯s not the only thing falling.


    With the gravity manipulation canceled when she was affected by Blank Space earlier, even the tower she made¡­fell.


    ¡¸Uh¡­hey Bella, you got any more Magical Energy left to freeze things?¡¹


    ¡¸It is said that to deceive your enemy, you must first deceive your allies. The exchange we just had was designed to disguise my role.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kidding.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, joking, huh? Alright then, let¡¯s do this. Fran, you go catch Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Those three will be fine, probably. I¡¯ll let Fran take care of catching me.


    Fenix chased after Astrea by emitting flames but this isn¡¯t an ideal position.


    Rather, it is correct to aim for the shortest distance between them. You don¡¯t want to give her any more time in this situation.


    But that¡¯s exactly why she escaped upwards.


    To lure a bird down a bad path in the sky.


    By floating higher than Fenix, she can pile on her Invisible Pressure without reservation and if he still continues to approach, she can intercept him with her Holy Sword in her remaining right arm.


    ¡¸Fall, Flame Hero.¡¹


    ¡¸You would have to pluck my wings with your own two hands if that is what you desire.¡¹


    ¡¸If there are no other options, I¡¯ll do just that.¡¹


    She probably increased the gravity on her own Holy Sword.


    I wonder what would happen when the two Holy Swords collide.


    The flames that once enveloped Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword were already put out.


    He was already at his limit when he attacked her earlier and now while he¡¯s chasing after her.


    This isn¡¯t a matter of Fenix¡¯s Magical Energy ability. That guy is excellent in that area too.


    But the amount required to offset the gravitational forces were too great. He and Wraith were the two who fought with Astrea the longest, so it¡¯s understandable.


    Astrea raises her Holy Sword overhead.


    Fenix closes in on her.


    And that¡¯s when it happened.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    An arrow pierces the Scales of Justice¡¯s right hand.


    ¡¸How was that, Lem?¡¹


    It was Lily.


    Lark, Lily, Josh, and Melania were certainly able to regroup.


    After that, Lark covers Lily with his shield to hide her from Astrea¡¯s sight.


    Utilizing the time there was a lot of dust flying around, Lily moved and hid behind Melania.


    As far as Astrea knew, Lily was still behind Lark.


    Estimating the right time to do it, Josh used his White Magic to increase Melania¡¯s physical strength and she then picked up Lily and¡­threw her toward the sky.


    After that, she took aim at Astrea just as she was applying her Invisible Pressure onto Fenix and fired.


    My eyes met Lily¡¯s.


    ¡¸It was perfect.¡¹


    She giggled slightly.


    ¡¸Indeed, well done, Lily.¡¹


    Muttered Fenix.


    Astrea¡¯s Holy Sword fell out of her hand and flew by Fenix.


    Fenix flew higher than Astrea, reversing their earlier positions, and brought his Holy Sword down.


    ¡¸It is you who will fall.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­So it seems.¡¹


    For a moment, the burning Holy Sword erupted in flames as if it was about to explode, as if trying to muster its last strength.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Receiving the slash at her chest area, Astrea falls rapidly from her great heights to the ground.


    As she crashed into solid ground, dirt and mud flew everywhere.


    And then, almost as a reminder, the live commentary rang in my ears.


    ¡ºTh-th-there¡¯s the match¡­!!! By banding together, the captain of the knights, the Scales of Justice Astrea, who showed tremendous ability, has now fallen to the ground¡­!!!¡»


    ¡º¡­¡­gasp I-I forgot to breathe for a second there¡­! A-and then~! The match is over! It¡¯s time out~!¡»


    ¡ºWho could have possibly imagined that the fight would turn out like this?! Ten people have survived! ¡­¡­Hm?¡»


    ¡ºHuh¡­? Ten¡­? Huh~? R-really?¡»


    Wraith and Bella stopped the tower, which is now not a Holy Sword and just a giant lump of dirt, with a big lump of ice.


    Fran caught me mid-flight.


    Panicking, Melania went to catch the falling Lily.


    Seeing that, Josh called out to calm her down while Lark breathed a happy sigh.


    Fenix was able to somehow land on his own.


    Isn¡¯t that nine?


    As soon as we landed, I asked Fran to let me down and then I ran there.


    To the place where a cloud of dirt¡­no, sand appeared when Astrea landed.


    Fenix and Wraith noticed as well and came too.


    Our eyes were wide with astonishment.


    A burning slash wound on her chest armor, a broken left arm, a lacerated right shoulder, and an arrow wound on her right hand.


    And yet, there she was. The Scales of Justice Astrea, was standing.


    She was standing on sand. I¡¯m pretty sure that was solid ground before.


    This means that she used Earth Magic to turn the ground into sand in order to soften her landing.


    On top of that, she is still conscious.


    ¡¸¡­It would¡­seem that I have lost.¡¹


    She said in a hoarse voice.


    None of us agreed.


    ¡¸Hey, not at all. I know I said I was the stronger one, but I¡¯m not shameless enough to call this a win.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well fought, Lady Astrea. You embodied the very figure of the knight you envisioned. You are surely the unshakable incarnation of justice.¡¹


    ¡ºA-Astrea was not defeated!¡»


    ¡ºWhaaaaaaaaaaaa~?!¡»


    ¡¸We had to win¡­with this, the people will¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Astrea, please take a look around.¡¹


    I say to the woman who was standing there like a ghost.


    Absentmindedly, she looked around.


    ¡¸Please listen.¡¹


    ¡¸Whoooaaaaa!! Is she immortal?!¡¹¡¸Being able to endure the combined forces of the Fenix and Wraith party until the end of the match is inhuman¡­!¡¹¡¸You¡¯re awesome, knight captain!¡¹¡¸The people living in your town must sleep soundly every night!¡¹¡¸Get to the main tournament! I want to see you fight again!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! ¡­¡­sniff¡¹


    Astrea¡¯s expression scrunched up.


    ¡¸There isn¡¯t a single person who is worried.¡¹


    ¡¸Everyone¡­is smiling. They¡¯re excited¡­and happy. I see. So this is the work of you Adventurers¡­ Truly, it was an utter defeat.¡¹


    She continued.


    ¡¸But¡­if we were to ever cross swords once again, we will win.¡¹


    We all smiled.


    ¡¸Took the words right outta my mouth. Next time, we¡¯ll win completely.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure none of us, you included, have shown all our cards. If there truly is a next time, let us have a different battle.¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    Neither Fenix, Wraith nor Bella borrowed Magical Energy from the Spirit this time.


    The two Four Great Spirit Contractors fought to the very end without using their Spirit Magic, including their Esoterics.


    And in that area, neither did Astrea.


    The three Adventurers refrained from using them in the preliminary rounds in anticipation of the battle ahead.


    I¡¯m sure Astrea has her own reasons for not using them.


    ¡¸I, too, wish to fight you and your crew once again.¡¹


    At that moment, a voice could be heard from the audience shouting out her name.


    She looked troubled.


    ¡¸How about giving them a wave?¡¹


    ¡¸B-but I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I am sure that it will bring them joy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­In that case.¡¹


    She awkwardly and kinda forcefully raises her right hand a little and the crowd explodes into applause.


    ¡¸Sorry¡­you¡¯re injured, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Heh. No, it¡¯s fine. As you said, this will bring them joy.¡¹


    Saying that, Astrea seemed to be smiling.


    ¡ó


    The final rankings for the preliminaries are as follows; The Wraith party is in 1st place, the Fenix party is in 2nd place, with the Astrea party is in 3rd.


    Regarding the points gathered, we are unable to see how high or low our scores are because the overall results haven¡¯t been announced yet.


    If it exceeds a thousand, that means that more than a hundred people were defeated. So if you keep in mind that there were five hundred people in each preliminary¡­


    Well, I¡¯ll just wait for the totals to be calculated.


    Now then, after the end of the preliminaries.


    After we return our consciousnesses to our real flesh and blood bodies, we celebrated the fact that we were in 1st place, but we also shared opinions about how we weren¡¯t able to completely defeat Astrea or have a fight with the Fenix party, but then we figured that 1st place is still 1st place, which means we should celebrate.


    Then, as we exited the venue.


    ¡¸Sir Lem, if I could please have a moment of your time.¡¹


    It was the Scales of Justice Astrea.


    ¡¸Yo, Lem. I got sumthin¡¯ I wanna ask ya. Ya mind if I borrow ya for a sec?¡¹


    The Dragon King Valac was here too.


    ¡¸¡­My apologies, but could it please wait till after I talk with him.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Hey, I was waitin¡¯ for him this whole time too.¡¹


    ¡­H-how did it come to this?

 CH 228.1

    228 ¨C The Talk with the Dragon King and the Scales of Justice (Part 1)


    The Scales of Justice Astrea.


    Captain of an order of thirteen knights. Hero.


    With beautiful golden hair and beautiful looks that give off a stiff impression, she is a fearless fighter who, not too long ago, fought a fierce battle against the Wraith party and the Fenix party in the preliminaries.


    The Dragon King Valac.


    One of the Big Four of the Western Demon King Castle, and a true martial artist champion in a different sport.


    A woman who inherited certain traits of Dragonkin, she also fought against us in the preliminaries. To be honest, it wouldn¡¯t have been odd if any of my allies were defeated during our fight with her.


    It would seem that she is acquainted with my sword master, Furcus. She has long black hair almost as if¡­in contrast with Furcus.


    ¡¸¡­I seem to recall that I was the first to call out to Sir Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m tired of waiting. I ain¡¯t gonna wait any longer when my opponent is right in front of me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Rude.¡¹


    ¡¸Stubborn knight.¡¹


    I felt like sparks were flying between them.


    ¡¸Ahaha, well aren¡¯t you popular, Lem.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think this is a laughing matter, Wraith¡­


    ¡¸Actually, even during the Original Dungeon Clear, Lem was surrounded by girls¡­¡¹


    Um, Josh¡­? You were there too, as was Ex and Arthur¡­


    ¡¸Hya~¡­.I see¡­so, Lem has become¡­popular¡­¡¹


    Melania hid behind Josh out of shyness, but unfortunately, she¡¯s half-cyclops, so she can still be seen from behind Josh¡¯s back.


    Also, I have not become popular. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡¹


    Fran doesn¡¯t seem the least bit interested.


    ¡¸Uhhm¡­right, I can listen to you both, so please¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nah Lem, what they wanna decide is the order. So let¡¯s do this. Oh, ladies!¡¹


    The two of them turned to his voice and he flipped a coin.


    He nimbly catches the coin on the back of his hand and covers it with the other.


    Ah, so his plan is for me to listen to the first one to guess whether it¡¯s heads or tails.


    But this plan will fail.


    ¡¸Heads.¡¹


    Because both of them guessed at the same time.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry, Lem. I forgot to account for the fact that these two are able to follow the exact movements of the coin as it flips.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­right.¡¹


    I already knew that, but there was nothing else I could say.


    ¡¸In that case, I¡¯ll do it like this instead.¡¹


    Wraith turned his back to us and turned back around with the coin under his hand in the same way as before.


    ¡¸Ah, I see, Sir Wraith. Good thinking.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, since we can¡¯t see the coin, all we gotta rely on is luck.¡¹


    Wraith did the same thing but eliminated the process of flipping the coin.


    Wraith has no reason to be in favor of either of them, so no one can say he was being unfair.


    ¡¸Heads.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah, Miss Knight sure loves heads, huh? I¡¯m going with tails.¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, here goes. Oh, it¡¯s tails.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hah! See that, Miss Knight?!¡¹


    ¡¸I shall obey the rules that were laid out. I shall take my leave for a bit.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Tsk, you should be more frustrated. Ah well. So Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes?¡¹


    Valac brought her face closer to mine and I retreated in response. I have no issue with her glaring at me, but I do have an issue with being at a distance where our lips could touch.


    Eventually, my back was against a wall and there was nowhere to run.


    ¡¸You¡­just what are you to Foo¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t ¡°Huh?¡± me! I saw it in the Tag Tournament. That girl¡­she ain¡¯t the type to take off her armor in front of someone she doesn¡¯t like!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    That was something that surprised me at the time as well.


    Furcus didn¡¯t remove her armor even during the fight with the Fenix party.


    I mean, she boards her armor in order to strengthen herself in the first place, so I suppose that isn¡¯t odd.


    She did come out of her armor during the Raid Battle but I understand that that was part of her strategy.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s for Lu¡¯s sake, then I get it. But that girl ain¡¯t too fond of her own name and appearance, y¡¯know? Yet she was clearly enjoying herself in that fight! You ain¡¯t just a stranger to her.¡¹


    I can¡¯t think of a way to reply.


    Now that I think about it, she was in her armor the first time I met her in the Demon King Castle.


    Was she against the idea of showing her true form in front of me since she wasn¡¯t sure whether or not I would become an ally?


    Actually, she came in her flesh and blood during the welcome party after I officially became the Chief of Staff. ¡­Although, it¡¯s possible she did that only because it would be difficult to eat while in her armor.


    Also, I have heard before about how Furcus doesn¡¯t like her real name.


    ¡¸¡­Have you tried asking Lady Furcus?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?! You think I haven¡¯t tried that? I would if I could¡¯ve! ¡­She doesn¡¯t wanna meet up with me.¡¹


    Valac looked sad.


    ¡¸Did something happen between you two?¡¹


    ¡¸Not really¡­ She and I are childhood friends, see. But when her old man left the Demon King Castle, I followed him. It¡¯s not that I hate Lu, but my personal and work relationships are different.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Indeed.¡¹


    ¡¸But that girl, she stayed out of her feelings for Lu. I didn¡¯t like that and we got into this huge fight¡­ She¡¯s been ignoring me ever since¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I mean, c¡¯mon!! She ignores all my emails and even when I go straight to her dorm, she completely ignores me!!¡¹


    ¡¸I-incidentally, what happened in the big fight?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Ah well¡­we were both young, so we just sorta broke two or three of each other¡¯s bones. Oh, and when I bent her horns, she ripped my tail off.¡¹


    ¡¸I-in¡­your real bodies¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It was an argument that turned into a fistfight, there weren¡¯t no time to hop into an Avatar, man. Lu¡¯s dad healed us up with White Magic anyway, so our injuries healed up.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the issue¡­


    Perception and understanding change depending on race, so I can¡¯t say for sure.


    An action that looks like¡¸Whoa whoa, you¡¯ll die!¡¹to a Human will look like just people fooling around or even a sort of trial depending on the race.


    I¡¯ve heard before that in ages past, the Demon King would make their children undergo training that very few survive.


    Even though we are now in an age of coexistence, the differences between races will not be bridged so easily.


    I turn to look at Josh and he nods bitterly.


    It would appear that such fights often happen among Ogres.


    But at any rate, it must have been a serious matter if it made Furcus angry.


    ¡¸Ah, And! Lem! I was surprised! Somehow, that girl took part in that Original Dungeon Clear! And I heard even you were there! Could it be that you¡¯re her b-¡­b-boyf-¡­boyfreh¡­grah dammit! Are you her boyfriend?!¡¹


    Valac shouts while her face was red with embarrassment.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m not¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Really?! I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not one of those perverts who gets off on the idea of a kid¡¯s body with disproportionately huge monster tits! If you were a man who¡¯d molest her with your eyes while she¡¯s wearin¡¯ that tight, tight suit she wears when she rides the armor, and pushes her onto the bed and plays with her little horns, I¡¯d¡­I¡¯d¡­kill¡­gasp.¡¹


    Noticing everyone¡¯s stares, she comes back to reality.


    ¡¸Well, I can tell that you aren¡¯t lying.¡¹


    ¡¸G-good, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    ¡¸I also know that you haven¡¯t told me the whole story.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Just how far did she see through me?


    No, this is Valac we¡¯re talking about. She probably sensed Furcus¡¯s guidance in my shoddy swordplay.


    I guess she decided that this was enough now that she confirmed that I¡¯m not Furcus¡¯s lover from my reaction.


    ¡¸Catch ya later, Lem. I mean, the Wraith party. I lost today. But I¡¯ll get ya next time.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t treat us with kid gloves next time, alright?¡¹


    Said Wraith and Fran gently nodded in agreement.


    ¡¸Ah¡­you guys are strong, I admit that, but¡­I don¡¯t really like hittin¡¯ kids. That¡¯s got nothing to do with strength. But if you still want me to hit you for real then¡­be careful whatcha ask for.¡¹

 CH 228.2

    228 ¨C The Talk with the Dragon King and the Scales of Justice (Part 2)


    Valac¡¯s expression disappears, and a terrifying fighting spirit is released.


    In the face of pressure that would make an ordinary man loosen his bowels, Wraith laughs.


    ¡¸Hah, bring it on. I truly hope you make it to the main event.¡¹


    When she checks that Wraith isn¡¯t batting an eye, she laughs¡­and quickly calms down.


    ¡¸¡­Me too, kid. I¡¯m sure if we meet in a match, even Foo can¡¯t ignore me.¡¹


    It seems like Valac is really worried about her childhood friend, Furcus.


    ¡¸It would appear that your conversation has concluded.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s over, stubborn knight.¡¹


    ¡¸My name is Astrea.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know.¡¹


    Valac gave us a wave and left.


    ¡¸You guys can have your talk, but do you mind if you do it while we walk somewhere else?¡¹


    Astrea agreed to Wraith¡¯s proposal.


    My party members walked in front while Astrea and I were behind, walking side by side.


    ¡¸What I wished to talk about was a job offer.¡¹


    Astrea gets right down to business


    ¡¸¡­Uh¡­ You mean, with the Knights Order?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. Your Black Magic will be most useful. Please consider it. With your Black Magic, my comrades would not be hurt during battles with criminals. And above all else, damage to the surroundings can be limited.¡¹


    ¡­There was that time with the purse snatcher near Blitz¡¯s fruit stall, Cashew¡¯s former workplace.


    At that time, I had Blitz bear the brunt of the attack, but certainly, it was resolved with no one, other than the criminal, getting hurt.


    ¡¸In addition, if one considers your abilities, you would be a huge asset to my allies even in a large group battle. I also believe that you can help contribute to the decline of repeat crimes.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that might work. People do bad things because they think that they stand to gain something from it. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand once they¡¯re made immobile by Lem¡¯s Black Magic and surrounded by big strong knights. That there isn¡¯t any worth in committing a crime in this area, at least.¡¹


    Said Wraith, cheerfully.


    ¡¸¡­To put it in other words, yes. Also, this might require patience, but I wish for you to become the hope of Black Sorcerers.¡¹


    ¡¸Hope¡­huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Injuries are a part of everyday life, so White Sorcerers are always in need. However, the main place of employment for Black Sorcerers is only as an Adventurer, and I understand that it is currently difficult for them to find employment. A portion of them are employed by the Knights Order but¡­they ultimately end up training other Aptitudes.¡¹


    Not a lot of Wizard types have an Aptitude for combat, but someone like me is able to handle a sword as well as the next guy thanks to Furcus.


    If your movements aren¡¯t too shabby, or if you have an Aptitude for something other than Black Magic that is useful, you can develop that and make yourself a knight.


    However, this isn¡¯t a demand for someone who is good at Black Magic.


    ¡¸It would appear that Sir Lem has¡­somehow or other trained yourself in very much the same way that I have, but due to my own circumstances, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take the initiative in spreading the method around.¡¹


    I guess she¡¯s referring to how I trained myself by casting Black Magic on myself.


    If this is some sort of trade secret taught from parent to child, then I suppose she can¡¯t just casually tell others about it.


    I also understand that it¡¯s a way of doing things that won¡¯t gain support if you go public with it.


    If you consider other types of magic users, it would be fairly dangerous if they started burning their own skin or freezing themselves.


    Black Magic and Gravity Manipulation are just as dangerous.


    I cast it on myself knowing that it was dangerous because I had a strong sense of purpose.


    It would be¡­difficult to gather and nurture Black Sorcerers by loudly touting such a method.


    ¡¸And that¡¯s¡­where I come in?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. If those who reject idealism were to see you, the fruits of such labor, even their resistance would lessen.¡¹


    It is common, in fact, that with or without precedent, the ease of discussion changes.


    White Sorcerers are also considered an unfortunate Job, but thanks to the existence of Panacea, formerly of the Aerial party, they cannot be held up to be as unnecessary as Black Sorcerers.


    ¡­I have thought before if I could become such an existence for Black Sorcerers.


    ¡¸Everyone will notice Lem¡¯s abilities before long. This time, your contributions were made visible thanks to the points system. Won¡¯t there be a ton of people that are like ¡°A Black Sorcerer can get this far, and you¡¯re saying that it¡¯ll be tough but there¡¯s a way that I can get that strong too? Sure, sign me up!¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸I wish to say that I want you to join the Knights Order but¡­let us talk if you ever have the desire to join. In ten or even twenty years¡¯ time, I believe that the negative image of the Black Sorcerer can be eradicated by the work of you and everyone serving under you.¡¹


    I¡¯ve never thought about that, but that sounds amazing.


    It truly, truly sounds incredible.


    But¡­


    ¡¸I am honored by your proposition and your speech fills me with hope. However, I love this industry. And my dream has yet to come to fruition.¡¹


    My new dream of becoming the hero of the Monsters is still underway. In fact, it may never end.


    Yet I still want to aim for it.


    ¡¸I see. ¡­I thought that you might say as much.¡¹


    Astrea¡¯s expression loosened ever so slightly.


    ¡¸Y¡¯know, knight lady, it¡¯s a little weird to be poaching a party member right in front of the party leader.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­My apologies. Now that I think about it, this is quite disrespectful.¡¹


    Astrea apologized after Wraith¡¯s little remark.


    ¡¸Aah it¡¯s fine, but is Lem the only one you wanna recruit?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The White Sorcerer young man and the Cyclops woman have promise. If you have any desire to join, we would accept. However¡­I cannot hand a child a sword and make them fight criminals. Once you turn thirteen, we can accept you as a trainee if you so desire.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m gonna become the strongest Hero so I don¡¯t have a~ny interest in being a knight.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡­want to go with Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright.¡¹


    Astrea doesn¡¯t question why he asked in the first place.


    ¡¸¡­I get the impression that the Knights Order are mostly Normals.¡¹


    Said Josh.


    ¡¸Just as how there are more Normals in a town, it is a matter of percentage. It is not uncommon for a Demi-Human to become a knight now. Criminals don¡¯t care what race they are, if the people who catch them don¡¯t respond, we will fall behind.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-that¡¯s true¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But your concern is valid. Minorities have a hard time. I wish to improve it as well but there aren¡¯t many effective measures¡­¡¹


    Astrea answers even casual questions earnestly.


    Josh is listening particularly intently to what she has to say.


    Once the conversation reached a natural stopping point, I asked her.


    ¡¸By the way, where are your other four members, Astrea?¡¹


    ¡¸It would appear that they went for a long training run on their own after they were defeated. They left a note. I also plan to join them later. We¡¯ll get the footage later, and we¡¯ll figure out what we did wrong, and we¡¯ll make the most of it next time.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸While continuing to be an Adventurer¡­this may be difficult as you are temporarily enrolled in the Wraith party, but¡­ When you have the time, I don¡¯t mind if you were to come as an interim instructor. It would help us greatly if you do.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you for the offer.¡¹


    Huh¡­along with my position in the Demon King Castle, this is an unexpectedly viable proposal.


    ¡¸Hey, hey, now look here, Lem¡¯s gonna be working with us after the festival games are over.¡¹


    ¡¸This is only if that doesn¡¯t come to pass.¡¹


    ¡¸Now listen here¡­¡¹


    We walked out of the venue while talking about this and that.


    At the side entrance prepared by the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon for those involved in the games.


    ¡¸Yo¡­! Lem! A~nd the Wraith party! And little miss knight captain as well!¡¹


    Using the Teleportation Recording Stone, we teleported to the hollowed-out tree room from before.


    When we exited that, that voice called out to us.


    ¡¸Garo¡­?¡¹


    It was the Ash Hero Garo, the world¡¯s 11th ranked party.


    His party members are here too.


    ¡¸In the flesh! I¡¯ve been waiting for you¡­!¡¹


    There was even Valac from before along with her other party members, including the Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    ¡¸¡­H-hey, Lem. L-looks like Garo and I had the same objective¡­¡¹


    Fenix was here too.


    Garo had his arms around the shoulders of the Flame Hero Fenix, of the world¡¯s 4th ranked party, with a troubled expression on his face.


    Of course, Lily and the others were there too.


    To get wrapped up with Garo while waiting for me¡­ He must¡¯ve wanted to talk to me.


    ¡¸After fighting with all our might, let us eat and drink with the same zeal! So without further ado, let¡¯s go¡­!¡¹


    Somehow, it came to this.


    But I must say¡­what a crowd.

 CH 229

    229 ¨C The 4th and the 11th Ranked


    On our way out of the Dungeon, the world¡¯s 11th ranked Hero invites us out for a drink.


    ¡¸I apologize on behalf of my brother.¡¹


    Blau, Garo¡¯s younger brother and Wizard, was standing near the Paladin Lark, bowing his head.


    He¡¯s probably apologizing for Garo putting his arm around Fenix¡¯s shoulder and causing him to look uneasy.


    Blau is, rather contrastingly, polite.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s actually pretty amusing to see our leader get so flustered from a random interaction.¡¹


    Lark said with a slight smile cracking on his usually unchanging expression.


    ¡¸I thought you were just a muscle-headed dumbass with a pottymouth, but it looks like you can use your brains a little in a fight, huh?¡¹


    The Warrior Blanca is the type to blurt out whatever pops into her head, coupled with a personality that occasionally says indecent things, making her popular.


    The person she was talking to, the Warrior Alba, has a doubtful look on his face.


    ¡¸Oh, shut up. How bout you? How long are you gonna wear that extreme bikini armor?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll chop your head off, you shitty brat.¡¹


    ¡­Yeah, I should probably add the fact that she wears bikini armor into battle as another factor for her popularity.


    ¡¸You¡¯re so pretty no matter how many times I see you¡­ Can I touch your ears?¡¹


    While Blanca only wears her bikini armor in her Avatar form, the Sword Dancer Rafa normally dresses very suggestively. It¡¯s not exactly that of a dancer, but the way her breasts almost seem to spill out of her clothes certainly draws the eyes of male passersby.


    Having her shoulders gently embraced, the Hunter Lily slowly tries to distance herself from Rafa while her expression remained stiff.


    ¡¸No, touching is a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Then¡­can I pinch your little silly strand on top of your head?¡¹


    ¡¸Silly strand¡­? I don¡¯t believe I have anything of the sort.¡¹


    Lily¡­ Are you not aware of it?


    ¡¸But you do¡­ and it¡¯s swaying ever so adorably¡­ Well then¡­can I take a bite out of your ears?¡¹


    ¡¸Bite? ¡­M-most certainly not!¡¹


    The earnest Lily is being teased.


    ¡¸At any rate, the girls in the Fenix party are far too scrawny¡­! Especially you, Miss Bella! Eat more heartily and get some meat on them bones!¡¹


    The Heavy Warrior Gorka has a large body and an equally large voice.


    He is a good and caring person, but any type of person will have some other type that they are not compatible with.


    For example, someone like the Frost Hero Bella, who holds various differing values from the average Adventurer.


    ¡¸¡­Don¡¯t talk to me like you¡¯re my uncle.¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?! You should speak up, child! I can¡¯t hear you!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I can¡¯t¡­ Not against this kind of enthusiasm¡­ I want to crawl into a quiet room and read a book¡­¡¹


    Bella slowly approaches Lily for help. Perhaps they have gotten close due to being the only girls in the party.


    Unfortunately, Lily was already locked in a one-armed embrace by Rafa, causing Lily to end up being sandwiched by two beauties.


    They all seem to be getting along¡­maybe?


    ¡¸Will you guys shut up?! I¡¯m trying to talk to Lem here!¡¹


    Everyone, unfortunately, did not quiet down when Garo yelled. The Garo party does whatever they want.


    I gave a strained laugh and replied.


    ¡¸I thank you for your invitation but I already promised that I would go with my party.¡¹


    Despite the pressure that can be felt from his tall, muscular stature, sharp eyes, and flashy clothes, he¡¯s a cheerful person.


    ¡¸I thought you might say that! Fear not, Lem. We¡¯ll pick a place where even a kid, giant, and a glutton can eat! My bro will, that is!¡¹


    Being called, Blau steps forward.


    ¡¸Goodness. There you go again making careless remarks.¡¹


    ¡¸I come up with the ideas, you implement them.¡¹


    ¡¸Only my brother could make dumping the work onto someone else sound that cool.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, stop. You¡¯re making me blush.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh-huh¡­ The Barbatos party is taking part, but what of everyone else? Of course, if it inconveniences any of you, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if you declined.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, yes it would!¡¹


    ¡¸Please pay no attention to my brother.¡¹


    When I looked at the Dragon King Valac, she scratched her nose and gave a tiny wave, perhaps feeling awkward having just walked away from us not too long ago.


    I smile and wave back.


    ¡¸We don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Said Fenix, who still had Garo¡¯s arm around his shoulder.


    ¡¸I thought you¡¯d say that, Fenix Bro!¡¹


    ¡¸You and I aren¡¯t brothers¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, don¡¯t be so cold! After a hot and heavy fight like that, we¡¯re practically family, right?!¡¹


    I recall what I heard in the live commentary.


    I was in the middle of a fight, so I just put it in the corner of my mind, but if I¡¯m not mistaken¡­


    Garo used his explosions to propel himself into the air and challenge Fenix to extreme face-to-face combat.


    The power of his explosions is so great that when he was once trapped in Bella¡¯s ice, he blew it to bits from the inside.


    Thinking that his allies would get caught up in the fight, he knocked Garo into the sky with his Holy Sword and shifted to air combat.


    Garo stopped Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword with his gloves, which contain the Spirit¡¯s divine blessing. Coming out unscathed.


    Any weapon that has the divine blessing of a Spirit within it is called a Holy Sword regardless of its shape, but what if it¡¯s a glove? ¡­Is it a Holy Glove?


    Anyway, Garo calls it his Holy Fist.


    Enemies punched by his Holy Fist get blown away by an explosion in almost cartoon fashion.


    It¡¯s not often that an enemy can be defeated in such an easy-to-understand way. Garo¡¯s fights garner a lot of popularity.


    As they fought, the sky roared with explosive sounds and colored it a blazing red.


    In the end, Fenix defended a full-powered punch from Garo and slashed him with his fire-wreathed Holy Sword, ending the fight.


    He flew just as he was to the Wraith party after that.


    ¡¸While I appreciate the sentiment, I already have a friend I consider a brother¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oooh! Lem, right? Hahahah, fair enough!¡¹


    Thanks to Fenix¡¯s big mouth, everyone¡¯s eyes are on me again¡­


    I looked over at my party members.


    The White Sorcerer Josh and Miner Melania were nervous but didn¡¯t seem like they disliked the idea.


    ¡¸We shall join you.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Garo, you treatin¡¯?¡¹


    Upon Wraith¡¯s words, Garo¡¯s eyes sharpened grimly.


    ¡¸Kids shouldn¡¯t have to worry about such crap! Of course, I am!¡¹


    He smiled brightly after saying that and tussled Wraith¡¯s hair.


    Wraith wasn¡¯t particularly against that.


    He understands that he isn¡¯t looking down on him as a kid.


    ¡¸Woohoo, how manly. My party eats a lot, so please take care of us.¡¹


    ¡¸Naturally! What¡¯s the point of a feast if everyone involved can¡¯t be satisfied?! By the way, yo bro, please arrange a place for everyone here to enjoy.¡¹


    ¡¸I believe you¡¯re overestimating my abilities, brother.¡¹


    ¡¸I know you can do it! Hell, I know you¡¯re the only one who can!¡¹


    ¡¸sigh¡­I must be a simple man myself if hearing those words is enough to make me try my best.¡¹


    This is the town where the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon is.


    There¡¯s also a large stadium where something like the Tag Tournament could be held, along with various races.


    Actually, when I think about each of the members of the Barbatos and Wraith party, we¡¯re fairly varied.


    Adventurers are mainly Normals and Monsters are mainly Demi-Humans.


    With this forming the base, even the commercial districts are divided as such.


    Thus, we Normals are not familiar with the streets and stores of the Demi-Humans, so this isn¡¯t an easy situation.


    Ah, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s ask someone who is familiar.


    Just as I think that¡­


    ¡¸Oh yeah, how about you, Captain? You comin¡¯? Where are your allies anyway?¡¹


    Garo calls out to the Scales of Justice Astrea.


    ¡¸Oh, no¡­ I thank you for your invitation, but we-¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah, I get it. Knights are all prim and proper. If you¡¯re caught drinking and hollering, there¡¯ll be a review meeting waiting for you, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You are not far off the mark.¡¹


    ¡¸Right? But that¡¯s exactly why you should come!¡¹


    ¡¸What is your reasoning for that?¡¹


    ¡¸Why, that¡¯s simple!¡¹


    Then, Garo says¡­

 CH 230

    230 ¨C Various Parties Partying


    ¡¸All the people who beat you are all gathered here, you know? If there¡¯s anything that¡¯s on your mind, you can ask them on the spot!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Y-yes, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Besides, I¡¯m sure even a knight understands, right? If you¡¯re tired, you have to relax. If you work, you need to rest, eat, and joke around. You¡¯re not gonna tell me that once their shift is over, the members of the Knights Order start doing another job, right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, most definitely not¡­ But¡­all of you cannot rest easy when mixing with us.¡¹


    ¡¸Hu~h? Yo Lem, what¡¯s she talkin¡¯ about?¡¹


    I was a little surprised to suddenly be called out in this conversation.


    Well, I suppose it¡¯s to do with how I walked out talking with Astrea.


    I understand her intention and I speak my mind.


    ¡¸If it pleases you, I could talk about this as much as I can. Besides, I would like to hear your story, Astrea. Of course, the story of your allies as well.¡¹


    All five of them are very strong.


    We may have won if you were to look at the points, but we can¡¯t take pride in an overwhelming victory in a localized area.


    If just one thing, a slight deviation in timing or something happened, who knows how many of my allies would have been defeated.


    ¡¸Ooh, me too. Your Magical Energy and Spirit Magic were crazy, also I haven¡¯t really heard much about the Knights Order.¡¹


    Said Wraith.


    ¡¸¡­I wonder if this is alright.¡¹


    Seeing her still hesitating, a voice calls out to her.


    ¡¸Hey, stubborn knight! Who cares about everyone else! All that matters is whether or not you want to go!¡¹


    Valac yells at Astrea.


    ¡¸My name is Astrea.¡¹


    ¡¸And?¡¹


    Before long, the Scales of Justice said¡­


    ¡¸¡­If it isn¡¯t too much trouble, then I would like to join you.¡¹


    ¡¸Al~right! You¡¯re more than welcome!¡¹


    Garo clapped ecstatically.


    ¡¸Hmph, should¡¯ve said that at the start.¡¹


    Said Valac while cracking a smile.


    ¡¸W-whoa, look at them all¡­¡¹¡¸I guess the top people all know each other¡¹¡¸What in the world could they be talking about¡­¡¹


    Those of us who stayed until the end of the qualifying round would normally be the last ones to leave the service entrance.


    The players who had left the field before us were able to check the situation in a separate monitor room.


    Not just Garo but other participants were still around the area.


    All fascinated by the gathering of famous parties and Monsters.


    But this isn¡¯t good.


    Before long, that man will¡­


    ¡¸Don¡¯t just stare from a distance, whispering to yourselves! I hate that sorta thing!¡¹


    Yelled Garo, causing everyone to twitch in surprise.


    I knew it.


    But all of us who were close to him could imagine what he was gonna say next.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re interested then come closer! If you wanna be a part of it, just say so!¡¹


    Garo hates it when people are reserved.


    ¡¸U-uhm! Is it alright if we join too?!¡¹


    ¡¸Sure! Do as you wish!¡¹


    Garo won¡¯t refuse those that can step forward by themselves.


    Hearing his reply, voices rang out one after another.


    It is an honor to be invited by Garo, it isn¡¯t a problem for the number of participants to increase but¡­ the numbers grew to an alarming amount before long.


    ¡¸Brother¡­? Do want me to reserve the entire stadium or something?¡¹


    ¡¸When it comes to a feast, money is trivial, I¡¯ll pay.¡¹


    ¡¸There are many more problems other than money¡­¡¹


    I can imagine the hardships that Blau usually goes through.


    ¡¸About that, there is a person I would like to consult with.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, Lem, that¡¯s right! This isn¡¯t your first time in this town, yeah?!¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    ¡¸Lem, please tell me more.¡¹


    I talk for a while with Blau.


    ¡¸I see, I see¡­ Then, can I leave this to you? I shall handle the arrangements for the food and alcohol. Of course, non-alcoholic drinks shall be prepared as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I¡¯ll try asking.¡¹


    Then Blau and I each made a move, and as a result, we each did well.


    I will secure the venue while Blau secures and transports the food and drinks.


    It seems that there are many who volunteered to help, so I think they can manage.


    ¡ó


    After some time had passed, within the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon


    ¡¸Sorry for the sudden request.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all. I am happy to help you in any way I can.¡¹


    ¡¸I hope to repay even a small part of the favor we received.¡¹


    It was the Orc Dungeon Boss Thor and his Centaur maid Kei.


    The two of them also have the Dungeon Name the Magnanimous Sage Ronove and the Horseless Archer Orobas.


    I visited Thor and asked if he could lend me a Magical Energy space.


    Since the venue was lent to the management of the festival games, it was decided that I would be lent the first stratum Goblin Forest.


    It¡¯s not as if we cannot enter a Magical Energy space with our flesh and blood.


    Publicly, Orobas and I had the chance to become friends after we fought in the Tag Tournament, and I am asking her for this favor through that connection¡­or so I¡¯ll tell the others.


    ¡¸However, will this be alright? Won¡¯t that explanation cause some to be suspicious about our relationship?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Whaaa?! Oh, y-you mean people might suspect that Lem and Kei are¡­l-l-lovers? Maybe? Just a little? And such misunderstanding perhaps¡­?¡¹


    Kei smiled at Thor¡¯s reaction.


    ¡¸Heh, what could you be so flustered about, I wonder.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I am not flustered¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Lem holds no prejudices against Demi-Humans, is extremely kind and on top of that, he¡¯s brilliant. I wouldn¡¯t mind such a rumor floating around about me.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­I agree that Lem is amazing but¡­guh¡­¡¹


    Kei tends to tease Thor a little and they seem to be getting along just as well today too. In a way only childhood friends can.


    Ah, speaking of childhood friends.


    ¡¸Lem¡­it¡¯s about time for Garo¡¯s toast.¡¹


    Fenix came.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ll be right there. Uhm, you two are free to join.¡¹


    ¡¸R-really? Hehe, in that case¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Pig Master. Today¡¯s celebrations are for the participants of the preliminaries, we should politely decline.¡¹


    ¡¸Urgh¡­I told you to quit it with the Pig Master¡­ Anyway, you heard her, Lem. Perhaps another time.¡¹


    Thor¡¯s figure disappears into the distance as Kei drags him along.


    ¡¸To lend his treasured Dungeon so cheerfully to you¡­he must have faith in you.¡¹


    ¡¸If so, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    With their permission, we lit a big fire and everyone gathered around it.


    Large quantities of food and drinks, large open space, and a large crowd of people.


    Excitement was in the air for the feast to start.


    ¡¸Little by little, you¡¯re going back to the old Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    On our way back, we exchanged a few words.


    ¡¸You were always at the center of everyone, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really want to remember those days¡­¡¹


    Even though I acted as the leader back when I was a kid, it¡¯s not fun to remember the harsh reality that I was left alone, isolated, when my Job was discovered.


    ¡¸Sorry. But, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    Doing things like becoming the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, or being in charge of giving commands in the Wraith party.


    ¡¸¡­You looked like your old self as well when you got all wrapped with Garo.¡¹


    Seeming unreliable and unable to speak his mind, despite being able to think well.


    It wasn¡¯t that he disliked talking to Garo, the close distance made him feel uncomfortable and he couldn¡¯t speak out smoothly.


    Now, he doesn¡¯t need my help when he gets like that.


    It seems like old times, but we¡¯ve changed and we¡¯re living in the present.


    ¡¸I see, it¡¯s something I don¡¯t really want to remember.¡¹


    ¡¸Right?¡¹


    We both laughed.

 CH 231

    231 ¨C The Partying Participants 1


    There were quite a few people, but each seemed to be enjoying the gathering.


    ¡¸C¡¯mon, say ¡°Ah¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah~¡¹


    Fran was born with an irregular right arm.


    It has affected her personality as well as made her everyday life difficult.


    She learned to use her left hand, but even then, she was still one-handed. I hear that this causes her problems in various situations.


    Like eating, for example.


    Right now, Wraith has scooped up a spoonful of soup and carried it to Fran¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¸nom¡¹


    Fran puts the spoon in her mouth.


    A soft smile spreads across Wraith¡¯s face, then he pulls the spoon out.


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    ¡¸You kids havin¡¯ fun?!¡¹


    It was Garo.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯d say so. This level of noise makes me feel like I¡¯m back home.¡¹


    ¡¸Home? Aah, with Altreed, huh?¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s father, the Unyielding Hero Altreed, trains aspiring Adventurers in their home¡¯s training hall. I guess Wraith got used to the sound of a large number of people having a meal together.


    ¡¸You know about it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, ¡¯cause anyone who trains there comes out strong. But what I¡¯m more interested in, or rather who, is little miss white hair.¡¹


    I¡¯m assuming he¡¯s talking about Fran.


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸Your right arm is cool and all, but it looks like it gives you a hard time when you¡¯re eating, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Mm. But it¡¯s fine as long as Wraith is here.¡¹


    ¡¸Aah~, young love!¡¹


    ¡¸Why are you here, Garo?¡¹


    Wraith looked up at him, glaring slightly. Wraith¡¯s face was red, but was it read because he was shy¡­or because it was illuminated by the fire?


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure being fed by Wraith is fun and all! But don¡¯t you sometimes wish to eat with your own power? You can eat at your own speed!¡¹


    ¡¸Not really.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly! You must want to eat!¡¹


    ¡¸This just guy just says what he wants to say¡­ But honestly, Fran must have thought about trying to eat by herself before.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wraith is here.¡¹


    ¡¸So you say, but I know you secretly practice with cutlery and end up breaking them.¡¹


    Said Wraith, causing Fran to cast her gaze downwards.


    ¡¸¡­Tableware is too fragile.¡¹


    ¡¸If eating the normal way is a difficult enemy to you, why not eat in a way that suits you?! Like so!¡¹


    Garo snaps his fingers, summoning the waiters that Blau hired for this event.


    They brought over an oversized plate with an oversized piece of meat with a bone sticking out.


    ¡¸Like this, even you could eat with your hands! I can assure you that it¡¯s cooked all the way to the core.¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t just the two of them, but the other people in the surrounding area also stared blankly at what they were seeing.


    Eventually¡­Wraith laughed.


    ¡¸Pfft-hahah, what the hell?!¡¹


    ¡¸I suggested it, my bro arranged it, and the chef cooked it!¡¹


    ¡¸Aah, man I haven¡¯t laughed like that in a while¡­ What do you think, Fran? If you don¡¯t mind, feel free to accept it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t¡­mind it.¡¹


    Garo wasn¡¯t joking, he seriously prepared this.


    Even though she¡¯s only known him for a short time, she can understand that much about him.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take it.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thanks for the meal.¡¹


    Fran grabbed onto the bone part with her right arm. It was as thick as a tree trunk, and the meat was the size of a small boulder.


    The surface looked well cooked, and the meat was dripping with juices.


    From what Garo said, it¡¯s cooked to the core despite its size.


    ¡¸Aah~ bite.¡¹


    Fran opened her tiny mouth as large as it could and took a bite out of the meat.


    Her cheeks were filled as she chewed it.


    ¡¸How is it?¡¹


    gulp. After swallowing, she answered.


    ¡¸¡­Delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸Al~right!¡¹


    Garo was pleased as if he had just eaten it himself.


    ¡¸Next time, I¡¯ll make some especially sturdy tableware. I¡¯m sure an unbreakable personal fork would be more than useful.¡¹


    Wraith replied to Garo¡¯s statement.


    ¡¸I actually tried that a few times as well, but it didn¡¯t go so well.¡¹


    ¡¸It should be fine if we ask a Dwarf to make it.¡¹


    ¡¸Dwarf-made, huh¡­.actually, yeah¡­ But I heard that it¡¯s hard to get anything Dwarf-made.¡¹


    While those two were talking, half of the meat has disappeared into Fran¡¯s belly.


    ¡¸Holy crap, you sure can eat. You sure you¡¯re a kid? Hey, Garo! I¡¯ll have what she¡¯s havin¡¯!¡¹


    It was the Dragon King Valac.


    ¡¸Coming right up!¡¹


    The same meat-on-bone thing was brought over.


    ¡¸Hey, Miss Cyclops!¡¹


    ¡¸Hyes¡­?!¡¹


    Sitting down, hugging her knees while staring at the fire with a calm expression, Melania was surprised by the sudden callout.


    ¡¸How about you? I¡¯ve prepared some tableware and other food for you.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, um, uh¡­I¡¯ll¡­have the same thing Fran is having.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure! I thought you might say that!¡¹


    Even if she is able to eat the same things as us, they usually don¡¯t come in the same size.


    It¡¯s a rare chance to have this kind of opportunity with a gathering of different races.


    Her expression relaxed with happiness somewhat as she crawled closer to it.


    ¡¸Lem and Josh too! There¡¯s no way people like us can grab a hold of it, but you can split it up to three portions and eat!¡¹


    Josh was brimming with curiosity, asking various people what was going on, and I was also looking around to see what was going on.


    ¡¸Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    I nodded to our smiling leader.


    Right now, I am part of the Wraith party.


    It¡¯s a wonderful thing to gather and eat with your allies.


    ¡¸Heh, yo Lem. How ¡¯bout having a little drink with me?¡¹


    There was a glint in Valac¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¸Even if I was drunk, I wouldn¡¯t give out information on Lady Furcus.¡¹


    I give a wry smile at her obvious plan.


    ¡¸Ahaha, hey, you don¡¯t know till you try, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Sir Lem, I wish to ask you about your Black Magic and ability to read the flow of battle.¡¹


    Even the Scales of Justice Astrea came.


    Seeming slightly nervous, the other four knights were just behind her.


    ¡¸In that case, let¡¯s call the Fenix party over. You don¡¯t mind if we discuss it over a meal, right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, not at all. You have my gratitude.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? Hey, Lem is gonna talk about Fuu with me!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Another.¡¹


    Fran held up a clean bone that once had meat on it, requesting more.


    ¡¸Whoa¡­ Even Ogres aren¡¯t this fast¡­ No, perhaps someone of Lady Furcus¡¯s level¡­¡¹


    Slightly late to the party, Josh was mumbling to himself.


    Valac was able to hear him.


    ¡¸Huh?! You know Fuu, too?!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? No, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re friends or anythi-¡¹


    ¡¸Tell me more! Tell me everything! Oh right, you¡¯re an Ogre! No way¡­! Could it be that you¡­ you¡¯re her boyf-¡¹


    ¡¸N-no, not at all, not at all!¡¹


    ¡¸Hah?! The hell you sayin¡¯? You sayin she ain¡¯t attractive enough for ya?!¡¹


    ¡¸Eeh¡­.?!¡¹


    A noisy but fun time passes.


    And it¡¯s far from over.

 CH 232

    232 ¨C The Partying Participants 2


    What a strange feast.


    Various races gathered around a fire in a Magical Energy space set to be nighttime, laughing and reveling.


    ¡¸Hey, Alba, your swordsmanship has all gone to shit ¡¯cause you rely on your Magic Sword, so let¡¯s have a practice round.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? The hell is this drunkard saying?¡¹


    The Warrior Alba and Blanca are strangely compatible in some places.


    ¡¸I borrowed a wooden sword, so why don¡¯t you see if you can get a hit in.¡¹


    ¡¸Where the hell did you get that¡­? Tsk, whatever. I¡¯ll show ya that not just our leader, but this Warrior¡¯s got a winning arm, too.¡¹


    ¡¸Hah! That¡¯s the spirit.¡¹


    People around them were getting excited, watching them go at it for a while with wooden swords.


    Alba tends to prioritize his gut feeling over reason at the very last minute because he has a sense for these things.


    This often works well, but if the opponent is the same type of person with even more experience¡­


    ¡¸Hah ha! Up goes the sword!¡¹


    ¡¸Dammit¡­!¡¹


    Alba¡¯s wooden sword danced in the air as Blanca¡¯s wooden sword was at his throat.


    ¡¸Still too young. It ain¡¯t enough to just be greedy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Old hag.¡¹


    ¡¸Looks like he¡¯s rarin¡¯ for another fight¡¹


    ¡¸Whoa, you old- H-hey! I haven¡¯t even picked up my sword yet!¡¹


    A sword was swung at Alba at speeds just barely slow enough for him to dodge.


    ¡¸You think that excuse is gonna fly in a real fight?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re the one who called it a practice round!¡¹


    ¡¸Well aren¡¯t you a pure kid, believing the enemy¡¯s words like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut it! Ah, dammit! You wanna go?!¡¹


    ¡¸C¡¯mon, c¡¯mon. And a bang, and a boom!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s with the sound effects?!¡¹


    They look like they¡¯re having fun.


    ¡¸Are you alright, Bella? You aren¡¯t good with all this noise, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I am fine, Lily. I have gotten used to after-Clear celebrations, and besides¡­ I don¡¯t particularly hate watching a lively spectacle, especially when it doesn¡¯t involve me.¡¹


    The Hunter Lily and the Frost Hero Bella were sitting on a fallen tree, slowly sipping on fruit wine.


    Lily would pierce any men trying to inch closer to them with her icy stare, and they would retreat, dejected.


    When the Elves that took part in the preliminaries started talking to her, several people gathered and a calm conversation developed.


    Bella didn¡¯t really take part in it, but she didn¡¯t walk away either. She just sat there, absentmindedly listening to the conversation.


    By the way, the Paladin Lark was surrounded by girls around the time he was choosing what food to be served, and he had his usual sleepy-looking face.


    Even so, the girls seemed to be having fun screaming their heads off around him.


    ¡­Lark has always been incredibly popular with the ladies.


    ¡¸Whooooaaa!! The drinking competition between Gorka and Barbatos¡­it¡¯s still going!¡¹¡¸Magma Beer¡­ they say that drinking that¡¯ll burn the throat of any ordinary person!!¡¹¡¸They¡¯re already opening another cask!¡¹


    The Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos of the Western Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four and the Heavy Warrior Gorka of the Garo party are having a drinking competition.


    It isn¡¯t an act that I can easily recommend, but they are adults after all. I¡¯m sure they know their own limits, so I guess it¡¯s fine?


    I should probably find some White Sorcerers, in addition to Josh.


    ¡¸You¡¯re a hell of an opponent, Gorka! I¡¯ve wanted to face off against you!¡¹


    ¡¸You aren¡¯t too shabby yourself, Sir Barbatos! Heh, I¡¯m sure we will have plenty of opportunities from here on out!¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose so! First off¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. We drink until one of us makes a sound.¡¹


    Then they both yell¡¸Fight!¡¹in unison.


    ¡¸It warms my heart to see everyone enjoying the festivities so.¡¹


    ¡¸Heh, Didn¡¯t I tell ya? I knew you could do it.¡¹


    The Ash Hero Garo appreciatively hits the Wizard Blau on the shoulder, the man who worked hard to make this all possible.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been dealing with your ridiculous demands since we were kids, so this wasn¡¯t any different. I was able to get help from Lem this time.¡¹


    ¡¸You really outdid yourself.¡¹


    There was a moment of silence between them.


    ¡¸¡­We¡¯ll pass the preliminaries.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I know that you are the strongest, brother.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s win the next one.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, little brother. Let¡¯s win, and have fun doing it!¡¹


    ¡¸Right.¡¹


    Laughter escapes from Blau¡¯s lips.


    The Garo party doesn¡¯t dwell in defeat. But that doesn¡¯t mean that they don¡¯t care about it.


    They simply have the strong will to swallow their past regrets, enjoy the present, and fight for the future.


    While all this is happening, the Sword Dancer Rafa has been showing off a bewitching dance, illuminated by the fire.


    The surrounding girls take turns being her dance partner, their shoddy dancing skills being turned into a thing of beauty.


    If the girl¡¯s buttocks and breasts weren¡¯t felt up every time they took turns, I would be honestly moved by the dance.


    Is it lucky that the girls aren¡¯t against it because of Rafa¡¯s demeanor or perhaps because of her being the lead in the dance?


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    Before I knew it, Fenix was standing beside me.


    I was handed a wooden jug filled with beer.


    ¡¸Thanks.¡¹


    I take it and take a drink.


    ¡¸So, how are you liking the new party?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s fun. I see you guys have gotten better than last time.¡¹


    ¡¸After we lost in the Demon King Castle, everyone took what you said to them to heart and earnestly made an effort to improve.¡¹


    ¡­I definitely remember giving them some advice at the time.


    ¡¸I see. Well, it looks like we¡¯re both doing well.¡¹


    Once again we toast each other.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸I want to fight you at full power again.¡¹


    I am currently participating as the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    Ever since the preliminaries, I haven¡¯t used even an ounce of the Magical Energy in the horn.


    I used my own Magical Energy that was compressed and purified through the Holy Sword.


    ¡¸¡­I wonder about that. I mean, it¡¯s fine if it doesn¡¯t happen this time, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Just come again. We will take you and your allies on, once you reach that place.¡¹


    My subordinates and I will be waiting in the Demon King Castle tenth stratum.


    Fenix laughed.


    ¡¸Heh, I¡¯ll do that.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not gonna be easy, though.¡¹


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter how hard it is. I¡¯ll reach you. After all¡­I¡¯m a hero.¡¹


    And just like that, we enjoyed our beer in silence for a moment.


    The knights were perplexed at first, but gradually, they started to talk with other people.


    After she finished talking with us, Astrea explains what a knight really is to Josh. ¡­Actually I sorta excused myself from the conversation to get away from it, so I should probably bring Josh some food later.


    Wraith and Fran were huddled together, sleeping, and Melania was watching over them with a gentle expression on her face.


    And then¡­hm? Where¡¯s Valac?


    ¡¸Ah, I just noticed! Isn¡¯t there usually that kinda thing at feasts or festivals? You know, fireworks? Let me show you the¡­reverse order?  The Reverse-Reverse Eruption!¡¹


    Reverse Eruption is Valac¡¯s Technique where she spews fire while in the air, greatly accelerating her downwards, as she ends the fight with a high-powered ax kick.


    The reverse of the Reverse Eruption would be¡­spewing fire while aiming at the sky, I guess.


    ¡¸Whoa, whoa, slow your roll, Valac! I can¡¯t let you steal the show! Simply spewing a great plume of fire isn¡¯t fireworks. Leave that to my bro and me, who have been known in our neighborhood since we were kids as the Firework Bros. Let¡¯s go, Blau!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah¡­ Everything¡¯s ready.¡¹


    ¡¸Fireworks Bros., huh? Well then, let¡¯s have a match to see which one of us can excite the audience more.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re on. In that case, I¡¯ll recruit others! Are there any other fire users around?!¡¹


    If this was in the middle of a city, it would probably be under strict supervision, but we¡¯re in a Magical Energy space, so it should be fine.


    Astrea said¡¸They¡¯ve been doing this¡­since they were children?¡¹as her eyes narrowed, but Josh immediately pulls her attention away by asking her a question about her work.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you go, Fenix?¡¹


    I say to Fenix.


    ¡¸Me? No, I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I guess I¡¯ll go. Even if it¡¯s just a sideshow performance, there¡¯s no way that the Contractor of the main Fire Spirit can shy away, right?¡¹


    It¡¯s not like you¡¯re preparing to go to war here¡­


    ¡¸Yeah, good luck.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks. I¡¯ll go in with enough fighting spirit to light up the night sky.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s called the sun.¡¹


    I smile sarcastically as I see him off.


    The¡­fireworks showdown, I guess? That was a white-hot show.


    That marked the end of the preliminaries.


    The results were announced and the scheduled main event was approaching.

 CH 233

    233 ¨C Those Who Qualified


    All of the preliminaries held in each region have ended.


    We knew about the points that we acquired soon after the prelims, but it¡¯s impossible to judge whether or not that means we passed.


    I mean, rather than a party passing when they attain a certain number of points, it will be decided when the final results from every location are pooled together and the top five hundred teams are arranged by points.


    Five hundred parties might sound like a lot, but a considerable amount of parties gathered for this considering that there are thousands of Adventurer parties, not to mention the fact that non-Adventurers can participate as well.


    Roughly only the Adventurers who had time on their schedule participated, so this already narrowed down the numbers considerably.


    In addition, the number of participants will decrease even further in the main event.


    Just what manner of people will make it to the final stage where they get to face off against my master or Altreed?


    ¡¸Fu, fufu¡­fufufu¡­¡¹


    In a dormitory room reserved for the Demon King Castle.


    I am currently sitting on a chair in the living room in front of the TV, awaiting the announcement about who qualified.


    No, that¡¯s not entirely accurate.


    The results were already mailed to the party leader.


    The announcement on the TV is about the remarkable parties that have passed.


    ¡¸Milla, it¡¯s about to start.¡¹


    I called out to the beautiful Vampire who had been sitting and staring at a Terminal screen while smiling all this time.


    ¡¸Kuku, to think that the Warrior Alba would protect Lem. I thought he had muscles for brains but he exceeded my expectations. That aside¡­pant pant¡­ speaking of Lem¡¯s actions in the preliminaries¡­! It is enough to excite me even while editing it. I should send it to Nicola later.¡¹


    I wanted to look at it objectively, so I managed to get a copy of the video of the preliminaries.


    I was watching it in my room, and Milla, who joined me, expressed interest in it, and she has been eagerly watching it over and over again ever since.


    ¡¸But I must say, this system of visualizing the deeds of support party members is ingenious. Their relationship may be strained, but I must commend her Highness¡¯s father.¡¹


    ¡¸Milla~.¡¹


    Milla was muttering something and then her shoulders twitched in surprise when I called her again.


    ¡¸¡­! L-Lem. What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸The program is about to start. You said you wanted to watch it too.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my, is it time already?¡¹


    Milla moves her chair right next to mine and sits down.


    She was close enough for me to feel her body heat and smell her scent.


    Then, she once again takes my arm into hers.


    ¡¸M-Milla¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Despite it being my own intent to take part in the tournament, I was still lonely being away from you, Lem.¡¹


    Now that she¡¯s mentioned it, I feel like Cashew, the Chief of Staff¡¯s secretary, has been moving closer to me recently.


    ¡¸Is¡­is it too much?¡¹


    She looks up at me with her puppy-dog eyes¡­there¡¯s no way I can refuse that.


    ¡¸No¡­it¡¯s not.¡¹


    While all this was happening, the awaited program began.


    I¡¯m able to acquire a plethora of desired information in this special feature about the All-Heaven Festival Contest preliminaries.


    Especially when it comes to extracting information that catches my eye¡­


    ¡ºThe world¡¯s 7th ranked party, the Forest Silk Hero Demeter party, has passed the preliminaries with total points of 1300! Manipulating the trees like silk with Earth Magic, countless parties were crushed at the start!¡»[1. TL Note: Demeter is the Greek goddess of harvest and grain.]


    ¡ºThe world¡¯s 6th ranked party, the Snow-White Hero Snow party has acquired approximately 1300 points! She has passed the preliminaries by putting on a brilliant show with her fairy-tale-like snow Spirit Magic that is a hit amongst women and children!¡»


    All the other top ten parties have passed as well.


    Regarding those that I have been recently involved with¡­


    The 1st ranked Storm Hero Aerial party with 2300 points,


    The 2nd ranked Jet-Black Hero Ex party with 1890 points,


    The 3rd ranked Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor party with 1570 points,


    The 4th ranked Flame Hero Fenix party with 1080 points,


    And the 5th ranked Thunder Hero Scathach party with 1550 points.


    The 11th ranked Ash Hero Garo party also passes with 720 points.


    ¡ºShe¡¯s in the top 100 parties, appears in the Hero Show, unraveled the mysteries behind the All-Level Dungeon, and went to war against the other leader and the Holy Paladin. The constantly talked about Silver Hero Nicola party, ranked 99th, has passed with 660 points! ¡»


    ¡ºThere¡¯s still more! I¡¯m sure many of you know her as an ally of the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff during those Raid Battles! Leader of four studs, two are Black Sorcerers and the other two are White Sorcerers, the silver idol who dances magnificently through the battlefield! The 95th-ranked Undefeated Hero Ellie party has also passed the preliminaries with 710 points!¡»


    ¡ºIt¡¯s not just Adventurers who did well! Among the thirteen parties led by captains from the Knights Order, twelve will actually be moving on to the next stage!¡»


    The Scales of Justice Astrea party has passed the preliminaries with 800 points.


    Each of the other eleven parties achieved excellent results.


    ¡ºFive martial artists formed a party just to participate in the tournament, and each of them fought separately, yet still earning them 550 points, and the so-called Five Samurai party that hails from the east has collected 680 points and the appearance of various other dark horses set the venue ablaze with excitement.¡»


    ¡ºFurthermore, Normals aren¡¯t the only ones who are strong! Allow me to introduce strong Demi-Humans one after another~!¡»


    ¡ºOne of the Big Four hailing from the Impregnable Demon King Castle, the Reaper Knight Furcus party has 1650 points!¡»


    ¡ºA Big Four from the same place, the Vampire Queen Carmilla party has 1260 points!¡»


    ¡ºYet another Big Four from the same castle, the Demon of Love Sitri party has 880 points!¡»


    Furcus formed a party with three Dragonkin who work in the Demon King castle, as well as the Minotaur the Black Explorer Foras, a subordinate of Lemegeton.


    As soon as the match started, she made her spear split into countless branches and pierced through the contestants in the vicinity, defeating them.


    This skill that she revealed in the Raid Battle was officially registered as Forest of Spears.


    While Furcus was focused on generally defeating a large number of enemies, Foras cooperated with her using his Black Magic.


    The Dragonkin who prefer one-on-one battles went around and fought as they pleased.


    Carmilla supposedly purchased a Magic Tool that was found in the Original Dungeon, but she did not use it this time.


    Her party is formed of her adjutant Monster the Impaling Daughter Haagenti, the Lamia Evil Eye Assassin Botis, who is a subordinate of Lemegeton, and the remaining two slots were filled by Vampires.


    Sitri leads a team of her subordinate Dream Demon maids, exercising the full power of Charm.


    Using this, they manipulated the contestants to defeat other contestants.


    In this situation, the person who cast Charm would get 5 points. Even if the target loses, it¡¯s 5 points.


    When someone is defeated in the preliminaries, there is a rule where the points are divided up between the last two people who dealt damage.


    In relation to the Big Four, most of the parties consisting of the Big Fours from the North-South East-West Demon King Castles also passed.


    The Barbatos party, the one the Dragon King Valac is in, passed with 470 points.


    For instance, you would have to defeat a hundred people to earn 1000 points.


    If you survive until the end, you will also earn the 10 points that were allotted to you, but no one is thinking about that in the middle of battle.


    How to defeat your enemies and earn points is important.


    With the number of remaining players dwindling by the minute, how many of us could have predicted that a single party would defeat over a hundred?


    Those at the top are fearsome, but the points earned by the Barbatos party aren¡¯t anything to scoff at if you look at it as a whole.


    Incidentally, the show also touched upon the Wraith party.


    ¡ºHaving no rank since he just debuted, the young prodigy the Water Hero Wraith showed us great feats during the Raid Battle and his party has passed with a whopping 1150 points!¡»


    ¡ºThe composition of a party is always a super hot topic! When speaking of adding a Demi-Human to a Hero party, an Elf is common, but the Wraith party has a half-Cyclops and an Ogre. The other two are a young Destroyer and Black Sorcerer who left his party and started widening the scope of his activities. His party members are quite a collection of unique individuals.¡»


    ¡ºWraith, the contractor of the main Water Spirit, and his magnificent Spirit Magic! The Destroyer Fran with her overwhelming attack power! The White Sorcerer Josh with his meticulous and accurate support spells, and the Miner Melania with her devoted and fearsome club!¡»


    ¡ºIt is possible to see the scores of each member in the preliminaries, but would you believe that the Black Sorcerer Lem acquired 470 points!¡»


    ¡ºHm¡­?! Is that not the same amount of points as the entire Barbatos party as a whole? Considering one can get 5 points if a person is defeated with the help of support spells, aren¡¯t these tremendous numbers?¡»


    ¡ºBlack Sorcerer is a Job that is generally treated coldly for various reasons, but surely no one can deny their contributions anymore after looking at these numbers.¡»


    ¡ºLem was originally from the 4th ranked party, so one cannot assume that¡­all Black Sorcerers are like this. But it can be said that this was a battle where the possibilities of a Black Sorcerer can be seen.¡»


    ¡ºSpeaking of Black Sorcerers, the Ellie party-¡»


    And it went on like that for a reasonable amount of time.


    Milla to my side looked very pleased.


    Also, there is a reason that the points that we earned are slightly lower than those at the top.


    Luck.


    Which party will be taking part in which venue is completely random.


    However, those with fixed workplaces, like Monsters, can¡¯t really go to a venue that¡¯s too far away. I mean, they can, but the burden is too great.


    Therefore, priority will be given to venues that are close to their area of activity.


    Also, it seems that adjustments were made so that people from the same workplace would not be on the field at the same time, for example, the date and time of the event being shifted even while they are at the same venue.


    I agree with this arrangement.


    If those of the same Dungeon banded together and cooperated, they would¡¯ve had an unfair advantage during the match.


    About that¡­I guess they decided that I already had no connections to the Fenix party despite being an ex-member.


    Well, I suppose replacing party members isn¡¯t a rare thing in this industry, so they thought that there was no way that I would join forces with them during the preliminaries.


    At any rate, somehow, the venue we were assigned to just happened to have the 4th and 11th ranked party, the newest of the Four Great Spirits Contractors and his allies, a knight captain and her subordinates, and a selection of strong people, which includes the two Big Four from the Western Demon King Castle and a mysterious Giant.


    As far as I could see and hear, there were few venues where so many talented people were thrown together.


    There are many more people of interest, but the ones I pay special attention to are¡­


    ¡ºEach of the rulers of the five Demon King Castles scored tremendous amounts of points and made it through the preliminaries!¡»


    Beelzebub, Astaroth, Paimon, and Asmodeus are each the rulers of the North-South East-West Demon King Castles.


    Each of the parties led by these Demon Kings all scored higher than 1500 points.


    However, on this day, the party that gathered the most attention, pushing aside several other popular parties is none other than¡­


    ¡ºWe¡¯ve touched upon the activities of several parties so far, but this next one took me quite a while to understand as well. The Demon King Lucifa party, of the Impregnable Demon King Castle, acquired a mind-boggling¡­¡»


    The camera pans out, leaving as much space as possible for the number that is about to follow¡­


    ¡º¡­5000 points¡­!!!¡»


    That¡¯s right. Her Highness has acquired 5000 points.


    In other words, they defeated everyone.


    I watched the video but¡­what a sight it was.


    The instant the match started, her Highness simply waved her hand and the entire field was engulfed in black flames, and in the next moment, the match was over.


    She led a party consisting of one of the Big Four, the Time Demon Agares, the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, Lemegeton¡¯s subordinate, and two giants who are normally deployed in the eleventh stratum, but the four of them didn¡¯t move a muscle, as if knowing full well that it would turn out like this.


    This was in direct opposition to how I preserved the Magical Energy in my horn, how Fenix, Wraith, and possibly Astrea as well, chose to fight without using their Spirit¡¯s Magical Energy.


    Her Highness unwaveringly unleashed the Magical Energy of her horns.


    If the goal was to get through the preliminaries, then I don¡¯t think the way we did it was wrong.


    However, her Highness was sending a message.


    A message to my master and to the world.


    I am the strongest Demon King.


    Milla and I are, once again, taught the true strength of our King.


    And I was reminded of the true strength of my master.


    Why? Well¡­I don¡¯t really want to say it this way, but whatever her Highness can do¡­so can my master.


    No matter how much she thinks she¡¯s trained and grown.


    It doesn¡¯t hold a candle to my master.


    That is how much of an absolute being he is.


    And yet, this time, that is the person who is waiting at the very end.


    The man who once disappeared from center stage is now stepping onto the stage of battle once more.


    The All-Heaven Festival Contest is a battle to determine who is the strongest.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen in the main event, but I will probably have to fight my allies, depending on the situation.


    Even so, when it comes to the right to become my master¡¯s opponent¡­


    ¡­I won¡¯t give it up to anyone.

 CH 234

    234 ¨C Lemegeton and the Dog-Eared Family


    The All-Heaven Festival Contest is a battle to determine who is the strongest.


    However, since we can¡¯t keep having an absurd amount of one-on-one fights, contestants will first participate as a party.


    Even so, there are still too many people who wish to participate, so everyone who gathered from all over the world will be narrowed down to five hundred through the preliminaries.


    That said, the number of people who took part is two thousand and five hundred.


    The details of the main event are yet to be revealed, but the number of parties that will challenge the Legendaries awaiting at the end will probably be extremely few.


    The Black Sorcerer Lem of the Wraith party.


    That is how I am currently participating.


    In this party, with these allies, I plan to take part in the battle with my master.


    Among those who will be advancing to the main event are the seniors that I respect, the Fenix party led by my best friend, and various people who know me as both Lem and Lemegeton.


    Even the allies and friends who know me as Lemegeton from the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    But¡­there isn¡¯t a future where everyone can remain in the final battle.


    Eventually, there will come a time when I must defeat them all.


    That time just might come sooner rather than later.


    Call it a hunch.


    ¡­So I think during my morning walk.


    I do my morning runs with Lemegeton¡¯s three subordinates, return to my apartment for a spell to have breakfast with Milla, and then go and pick up Cashew.


    It feels like it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done this routine, but this is my morning.


    In a unit of a two-story apartment complex lives Cashew and her family.


    I knock on the door and Cashew¡¯s mother, Hazel, opens the door and greets me.


    A beautiful woman that makes me wonder if Cashew will grow up to be this pretty if she continues to grow properly.


    ¡¸Oh my, good morning, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸A good morning to you, Ms. Hazel.¡¹


    Hazel greeted me with a gentle smile.


    As I take my shoes off and step up from the entrance, the sole boy amongst the four children, Nuts, comes rushing at me.


    ¡¸Take this, Lem¡­! Fury of the Flame God¡­!¡¹


    He held in his hand Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword! ¡­The toy version, that is.


    It isn¡¯t rare for the equipment of a famous Adventurer to be commercialized.


    Even Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword has had all manner of products made, from life-size replicas to toy swords for children.


    In the past, there was a project to sell the outfits of the Fenix party, so that anyone can dress up as their favorite member¡­ Even my robes were recreated, but despite the fact that far less of that was made compared to the outfits of the other four members, there was a stock of them sitting in inventory.


    But one day, about two years ago, a large order came in for those robes.


    It seems that, for some reason, a single customer bought a whole bunch of them.


    To this day, we never found out just who that person was.


    Time-wise, I believe that was a little after my run-in with Milla¡­


    Meh, whatever.


    The Fenix Holy Sword that Nuts is holding right now is the latest model. I got a sample model of it from ol¡¯ Fenix not too long ago, so I gave it to Nuts the other day as a present.


    I¡¯m glad he likes it.


    The Fury of the Flame God is a Spirit Magic that turns its surroundings into scorched earth, if the real thing ever hit me¡­


    I would die¡­


    ¡¸Gwargh¡­You got me¡­¡¹


    For now, I¡¯ll pretend to be hurt and kneel on the floor.


    Nuts looked really happy.


    ¡¸I did it¡­! My home has been protected¡­¡¹


    Am I¡­a threat to the home?


    ¡¸Now Nuts, you¡¯re being rude to Lem.¡¹


    Says Hazel in a tough tone.


    ¡¸Heheh, Nuts has been playing with that thing non-stop. We don¡¯t really have many toys, so I think he¡¯s just happy.¡¹


    Says Maca, Cashew¡¯s older sister, moving around briskly in the kitchen.


    This 12-year-old girl already knows what her Job is.


    the young Chef Maca is training at a restaurant her mother¡¯s friend works in.


    At the same time, she is the head chef of the family.


    ¡¸Lemy~.¡¹


    After I stood up, Nuts¡¯ twin sister Mia came and hugged my leg.


    Her lisp is so adorable.


    ¡¸Cute? Ish it cute on me?¡¹


    Thinking that I couldn¡¯t just give Nuts a gift, I also looked for a toy for little Mia.


    It was a small toy crown, modeled after the small crown that the Silver Hero Nicola wore when she was the Silver Prince.


    ¡¸Yes, it looks very cute on you.¡¹


    That made her beam brightly.


    Accompanied by the twins, I head toward the dining table.


    Scanning the area for my secretary, I spot her carrying Maca¡¯s cooking to the table.


    ¡¸Morning, Cashew.¡¹


    When our eyes met, she smiled broadly.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Aw, the little twins got a gift from Lem. I sure hope he gives me a cute present or something.¡¹


    Maca says in a sickly sweet tone.


    Hazel pressed a hand to her forehead, troubled.


    ¡¸Maca, don¡¯t cause trouble for Lem. Besides, you already received a souvenir from him, now didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    I immediately thought about toys for the kids, but then I was worried.


    Cashew is 8-years-old, two years before her Job is identified, so giving her a toy like her 5-year-old brother and sister¡­might bother her.


    This is around the age when kids dislike being treated like children.


    I have no idea what the 12-year-old Maca would like to receive as a gift.


    And would it be strange if their mother received nothing¡­?


    And so, I bought them food as a souvenir to be safe.


    ¡¸Aww, I mean, yeah they were delicious but¡­ I would¡¯ve been happy with something that could remain as a keepsake. Don¡¯t you think so too, Cashew?¡¹


    Cashew twitched in surprise.


    ¡¸Huh? I¡­no, I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You say that, but I saw the way you looked at Mia¡¯s gift. Green with jealousy.¡¹


    ¡¸M-Maca¡­!¡¹


    Cashew said, panicking while puffing her cheeks.


    Her face was bright red.


    ¡¸I-it¡¯s not like that. My sister is¡­just saying things, I¡­ It wasn¡¯t like that¡­¡¹


    Finally, she looked down.


    ¡¸M-my sister, what a spoiled little thing you are¡­¡¹


    Having finished her cooking, Maca stroked her sister¡¯s head to calm her down.


    Cashew resisted at first, but then she gave in.


    I see.


    After confirming something from the state of my secretary, I decided on something.


    But first, let¡¯s eat.


    Everyone takes a seat.


    There is one new addition to Cashew¡¯s household.


    ¡ºThe qualifying round of the All-Heaven Festival Contest has been a great success around the world, and today, let¡¯s take a look at it from a different perspective!¡»


    Yup, they now have a TV.


    During the time that I challenged the Original Dungeon Clear, Cashew was continuing her work, helping her Highness.


    Maca earns a living even though she¡¯s in training, and Hazel is also working.


    Once they had some money to spare, they purchased a TV, which they had always wanted.


    The meal proceeded while Maca would occasionally warn the twins as they tend to suddenly stop eating and watch.


    ¡ºThere are thirteen parties led by thirteen Knights Order captains, but only twelve parties passed the preliminaries. I¡¯m sure many of you are wondering just who was it that caused that one party to fail.¡»


    ¡ºPlease have a look. ¡­That¡¯s right! They were burned to a crisp by black flames from Lucifa, the ruler of the Impregnable Demon King Castle, in the match where she earned 5000 points!¡»


    ¡ºThe Knights Order captains demonstrated more than enough of their strength to the world in the other preliminaries, so this is all the more surprising. The current Demon King made her appearance in the Raid Battle, but she is no less superior than the former ruler, Lucifer, as her large-scale magic shook the entire world!¡»


    Cashew stared at the screen with eyes brimming with respect.


    ¡¸Not Lem~?¡¹


    Said Mia in a somewhat dissatisfied tone.


    ¡¸Lem was so~ cool. Giving orders one after the other and he, himself, fought. That¡¯s why they won first place. He was so~ dreamy~.¡¹


    Maca gave me a wide grin.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸Az-¡­Astrea was so strong¡­! Which one is stronger? Fenix or her?¡¹


    ¡¸If they ever fight again, Fenix will win. I¡¯m sure of it.¡¹


    Nuts heard my answer and went¡¸Whoaa!¡¹in excitement.


    ¡ºOur next section is¡¸Mysteries abound! Why didn¡¯t that Famous Person Participate?¡¹. From active adventurers to foreign combatants, the preliminaries of the Festival Contest were attended by a wide variety of talented people, but somehow, some never showed up!¡»


    Not all of the Floor Bosses and their adjutants from the Demon King Castle participated, and the same goes for those from the North-South East-West Demon King Castles.


    Neither did every Adventurer participate.


    I was absentmindedly staring at them interview a renowned martial artist and he answered¡¸I have no interest in the rule where I must create a party in order to participate.¡¹, but in the next video that appeared, I was surprised.


    Even Cashew gasped in surprise.


    ¡ºNow then, I¡¯m sure the strong contender who is missed the most in this competition is this man! The man who broke the Fenix party¡¯s undefeated streak, who turned the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon into the All Level Dungeon as well as made an appearance to crush the likes of the Nicola party and other Adventurers. Not to mention in the Raid Battle, he faced off, together with his allies, against the combined forces of the Aerial party, Hervor party, Scathach party, and the Water Hero Wraith & the Destroyer Fran, and magnificently defended the title of Impregnable. The one and only One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton¡­!¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Unknowingly, I almost dropped my fork.


    It¡¯s technically not a lie, but to pile on information after information on an introduction like that¡­


    ¡ºWhile not uncommon for Monsters, his private life is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. He was seen for the first time when the Fenix party reached the tenth stratum, but when he started working there is unknown! Why does he only have one horn?! How old is he?! He has formed contracts with many a strong Monster, and he has the Magical Energy to summon them! Combat capabilities that cannot simply be labeled as a Black Sorcerer! Word on the street is that he might actually be a Demon King! Why, oh why, is he not taking part in the All-Heaven Festival Contest?!¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m sure everyone is as curious as I am. As such, we tried to get in touch with the Impregnable Demon King Castle.¡»


    Huh? This is the first I¡¯ve heard of this.


    No, I¡¯m sure we have people to deal with this sorta thing.


    Like the cat-eared Demi-Human at the front desk, not all the staff members hired are sent out to defend as Monsters.


    ¡ºIn the end, the answer we got was¡¸Our Chief of Staff shall make his appearance when he is most needed.¡¹! What could this mean?!¡»


    ¡ºIt can be interpreted in many ways. Perhaps Sir Lemegeton does not see the Festival Contest as a necessary battle? Perhaps he will make an appearance when someone performs Summoning Magic? Or maybe-¡»


    ¡ºMaybe he has already challenged the preliminaries as an ordinary person and passed!¡»


    ¡ºIn that case, will he reveal himself to be Lemegeton at some point?¡»


    ¡ºMy word, this is honestly more information than I expected to glean from this! To think that we have a chance to see Sir Lemegeton in action.¡»


    After that, they continued to talk fervently about the Festival Contest.


    After the meal.


    Cashew and I left the house together.


    Walking side by side for a little bit, Cashew gently grabs onto my hand.


    I close my hand gently, smiling at her reassuringly.


    ¡¸Is¡­is there really a way for the Chief of Staff to appear in the Festival Contest?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that. Hmm¡­that¡¯s right. There¡­is a way. I¡¯ll tell you all about it later.¡¹


    ¡¸O-OK.¡¹


    ¡¸But more importantly, Cashew. About that previous conversation.¡¹


    ¡¸Previous¡­conversation?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. The one about Nuts¡¯ and Mia¡¯s toys¡­¡¹


    The mere mention of this made Cashew¡¯s face turn red.


    ¡¸L-like I said, that was just my sister teasing me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸To be honest, I was rattling my head about it. Thinking about what would make you happy, but that isn¡¯t my area of expertise.¡¹


    I knew that her ears were twitching.


    ¡¸So, I¡¯ve been moving around a lot lately, leaving my excellent secretary behind, yet I hear that you¡¯ve been working really hard. So as an apology, a thank you, and¡­a bonus, I guess?¡¹


    ¡¸Bo¡­nus¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I was wondering if I could give you something. It¡¯s OK if you want a do-over for the souvenirs.¡¹


    To be honest, I noticed it as well.


    In the face of the older sister smiling and staring at the twins, happy with their toys, I could see a little bit of child-like envy seep out.


    ¡¸N-no, not at all, I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I didn¡¯t say that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Well then, when we¡¯re on break today, let¡¯s go have a look around, hm?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Won¡¯t I be a bother?¡¹


    Cashew looked up at me with an uneasy look on her face.


    She seems to be concerned about me since I¡¯ve been busy lately, moving around a lot.


    ¡¸That¡¯s my line.¡¹


    When I said that, a laugh finally escaped her lips.


    ¡¸OK. Then¡­uhm¡­ I¡¯ll look forward to it¡­!¡¹


    We continued on to the Demon King Castle peacefully.


    Then, on that day, a notice was sent out to all the qualifiers.


    It was the first of several main events and the matter of¡­our opponent.


    That opponent is¡­

 CH 235.1

    235 ¨C My Love is My Enemy (Part 1)


    And so, the day finally arrived.


    We once again arrive at the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon.


    Of course, it¡¯s to attend the Festival.


    A portion of this Dungeon is being rented out for the Festival Contest.


    Before we, the Wraith party, make our entrance, we can hear the lively voices of the live commentary duo.


    ¡ºA~nd the da~y has finally arri~ved! From this day onwards, the All-Heaven Festival Contest main event is officially underway!¡»


    ¡ºThe main event is split into three stages. First off, we¡¯ll explain the first stage! Five hundred parties will be reduced to one hundred!¡»


    ¡ºThe following second stage will be in a tournament format! Separated into several blocks, parties will face off against other parties in party vs party battles to find out who will come out on top!¡»


    ¡ºOnly those who have achieved the top results in each block will move on to the next stage, stage three¡­where they get to duke it out against industry legends!¡»


    ¡ºAwaiting them in the third and final stage is the party of former Impregnable Demon King Castle Demon King Army, led by the Undefeated Absolute Monarch Demon King Lucifer, and¡­!¡»


    ¡ºThe former 1st ranked party led by the Unyielding Hero Altreed!¡»


    ¡ºThe Adventurers and Monsters who both once made everyone¡¯s hearts around the world race with excitement are now joining hands to challenge the strongest of our current age! Which party will snatch the challenger¡¯s seat at the very end of all this?!!¡»


    ¡ºAt any rate! Let¡¯s first explain the rules of the first stage of the main event¡­!¡»


    And on they went about the rules. Compared to the rules in the preliminaries, this is pretty simple.


    First of all, only five parties will participate in one match at a time.


    There is no time limit.


    They are all released onto the field at the same time, they fight with all their might, and only the last party standing can move on to the second stage.


    And that¡¯s it.


    With the number of parties on the field greatly reduced, it should be easier for the viewers to watch the action on the screen.


    ¡º¡­and those are the rules!¡»


    ¡ºI think it¡¯s about time we get to the contestant entrances.¡»


    If I remember correctly, we are going to be the fourth party to be called out.


    The first is an Adventurer party ranked 130th. While not within the top 100, the fact that they are here proves that they have the ability.


    The second is a unique party that is just made up of a collection of certain Jobs.


    And the third is¡­


    ¡ºNext is the party from the Southern Demon King Castle led by one of their Big Four, the Fire Manipulator Aym! They earned 880 points in the preliminaries! Along with her fellow fire-user, the Flame Spearman Amii, and their fellow Monsters from the same Dungeon, they appear on the stage!¡»[1. TL Note: Aym and Amii are both Demons from the Goetia related to fire.]


    I can hear the cheers of the audience.


    ¡ºAnd the next party is¡­ The Wraith party led by the Water Hero! They scored 1150 points in the preliminaries, and by simple calculation, that means that they defeated one hundred and fifteen people!¡»


    ¡ºIn truth, they have points that they earned via support spells, so the true number of contestants they defeated is most likely more than that! The man who started out as the former 4th ranked party member, then became the champion of the Tag Tournament and Original Dungeon investigator, the Black Sorcerer Lem has done it all and more, and now he has become the brains of the operation for the Wraith party, bringing this varied party together to act as one.¡»


    They continued to introduce the Destroyer Fran, the White Sorcerer Josh, and the Miner Melania.


    ¡¸Brains of the operation, huh? Not bad. Maybe I should start calling you that too? I¡¯m counting on you, Mr. Brains of the party.¡¹


    Wraith says to me with a cheeky grin.


    Josh nods his head, agreeing fervently, Melania says¡¸I think¡­Brains of the bunch¡­suits you, Lem.¡¹and Fran had her usual expressionless face.


    God, I¡¯m so embarrassed.


    ¡¸Likewise, fearless leader.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, leave it to me. We, all of us, are strong. So let¡¯s win this, and move on to the next stage.¡¹


    The stage this time has an altogether different feel from the one in the preliminaries.


    While the last stage made one think of the wonders of nature, the stage this time makes you think of cold, hard, man-made structures.


    To be more precise, the stage is modeled after the town that the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon resides in.


    While it isn¡¯t a full replica of the entire town, it¡¯s pretty spacious, and a perfect space for a few parties to clash together in.


    The second stratum of the Demon King Castle is also sorta modeled after a town, but it has a strange atmosphere about it.


    ¡ºNow then, all of the parties have made their appearance! Let the first stage of the main event of the All-Heaven Festival Contest ¡­BEGIN!¡»


    The fifth and last party has already been introduced while we were talking.


    ¡¸What was the plan that Lem the Brains came up with again?¡¹


    Says Wraith, although I¡¯m sure he remembers perfectly.


    ¡¸¡­We start with the closest enemy.¡¹


    He smiled happily.


    ¡¸Nice and simple. I like that plan.¡¹


    The parties that are here are those that passed through the preliminaries.


    Since the goal is to be the last one standing, there won¡¯t be anyone who avoids contact with other teams until the very last moment.


    They¡¯d aggressively seek out and clash with other parties.


    Information about each party and how they fight has already been shared amongst the parties.


    If so, there¡¯s no need to worry about the order we tackle them.


    Since the information about the stage is only revealed at the last moment, that is the only thing that we need to make adjustments to.


    ¡¸¡­Oh? Looks like there¡¯s a party that has some free time to stand around.¡¹


    Said Wraith.


    He probably sensed them through their Magical Energy signatures. I noticed it too and nodded.


    It was at a caf¨¦ facing the street that has chairs and tables in the open, each with an umbrella.


    Oh hey, it¡¯s the one where Nicola, Cashew, and I went to all that time ago.


    I think, for a moment.


    To my surprise, someone was sitting on one of the chairs.


    Just brazenly sitting there in the open, in full view of any possible sniper attack from the top of buildings.


    Not only did they stop on a route with the worst of conditions, but they were also sitting down.


    ¡¸Guess they¡¯re the closest, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. This doesn¡¯t change the plan, though.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright then.¡¹


    We, too, brazenly walk out in the open and show ourselves.


    ¡¸Oh my, there they are.¡¹


    It was a Majin woman.


    Long, smooth wine-red hair and eyes of the same color. Considering her history within the industry, she is in the latter half of her thirties, but she boasts a beauty enough to make a young lad in his teens blush just by looking at her.


    She is a person who doesn¡¯t hide her face, which is a rare thing among Monsters, and she has garnered many fans who want to be pierced by her icy stare.


    She wore a dress-like outfit that looks like it was stained red with blood. She is one of the Southern Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, the Fire Manipulator Aym.


    She has star-shaped earrings hanging from both her ears and a staff in hand.


    The staff had a snake coiling around it as its design, where the tip of the snake¡¯s head is constantly on fire.


    What her true Job is is a mystery, but if I¡¯m not mistaken, she has the Aptitude of a Wizard and a Beast Master.


    At her feet was a giant snake and on her shoulder was a cat. With ears and a tail that¡¯s on fire, that¡¯s not your average cat.


    ¡¸No matter how long you sit there, no one¡¯s gonna bring you tea.¡¹


    Wraith called out.


    ¡¸Indeed, boy. But that¡¯s perfectly fine. For it isn¡¯t tea that I am waiting for, but my enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸Not gonna look for them yourself? You must think you¡¯re tough stuff.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, but I am. Perhaps you aren¡¯t aware of who I am?¡¹


    Her party members, including the Flame Spearman Amii, appeared around her.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m aware. You¡¯re the person who¡¯s about to lose to us.¡¹


    For a moment, Aym¡¯s eyes narrowed.

 CH 235.2

    235 ¨C My Love is My Enemy (Part 2)


    It was a stare that could make a child wet himself.


    ¡¸You¡¯re strong as well.¡¹


    ¡¸I am. If you don¡¯t know about me, maybe I¡¯ll give you a lesson.¡¹


    ¡¸What a cute boy. I¡¯m looking forward to it¡­ which is what I wish to say, but first, I wish to ask about something that caught my interest.¡¹


    Her gaze turned from Wraith¡­to me.


    The intensity of her stare was nothing like it was just now.


    ¡¸¡­You are the Black Sorcerer Lem, correct? Why is it¡­that I can smell the scent of that man coming from you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I can only think of one man when she said that.


    This is something only those who are familiar with her background would know.


    Back when she was young and hadn¡¯t yet made a name for herself, she worked for the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    That¡¯s right, she knows him.


    She interacted directly with my master.


    A while ago, the 1st ranked Storm Hero Aerial did say¡­


    That when he first met me, he felt the presence of the Demon King Lucifer.


    I thought that if it was someone as powerful as him, he¡¯d be able to sense the horn, that belonged to my master that he once fought, inside of me.


    However, excluding that exception, even the best of the best would not be able to tell the difference.


    I think my master did various things to make the horn take root within me.


    ¡ºAah, you¡¯re talking about the horn in your body, right? A lot of nostalgic techniques and rituals were used, and it was cleverly disguised. He must really love you.¡»


    The black chick Dark appeared and said.


    ¡ºThe people who do notice it are the exception. It¡¯s kind of like a¡­sixth sense? His technique was immaculate, so nothing short of pure intuition could sense it. Take her for example. I have no idea what she means by scent.¡»


    The Spirit has no interest in my everyday life, so it doesn¡¯t make an appearance there, but the Spirit did appear during the preliminaries when there was a good fight to watch. From the timing of its appearance, the Spirit must have been watching the whole time.


    Going so far as to use ancient techniques, he forced a Human to inherit his horn.


    Can she sense a piece of my master through such things?


    In Aerial¡¯s case, he held on to his regret of being defeated by him in the Raid Battle to this very day.


    If Aym is a former subordinate to my master, then the feelings that she holds close to her chest could be¡­fear or respect.


    ¡¸Could it be¡­that you and he¡­¡¹


    She stopped there and shook her head.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯ll leave it at that. As they say, actions speak louder than words.¡¹


    Fortunately for me, she did not elaborate further.


    Instead, I can feel her strong battle spirit rising.


    ¡¸Let us fight. In the end, we will gently bury you in a sea of red flames.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s fight. In the end, we will¡­will¡­er, I couldn¡¯t think of anything as cool as that to say. Whatever, we¡¯ll defeat you!¡¹


    Both our leaders¡¯ words acted as a signal, and both sides made their first move.


    ¡ó


    In front of me is a man who is about to be sucked dry.


    With both of his arms cut off, my vampire bats suck all the Magical Energy out of him.


    ¡¸You¡­damn¡­Vam¡­pire¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed I am, Normal. And what of it?¡¹


    Dressed in my dress-like attire, I glance at the enemy, who resembled a dry, dead tree, scatter into Magical Energy particles, and I check the status of my pig¡­subordinates.


    No, bad Milla, I can¡¯t keep calling them that. One of them was entrusted to me by him, so I should refrain from calling them pigs altogether.


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla, we have cleaned them up as you ordered.¡¹


    The Evil Eye Assassin Botis, a Lamia with her eyes covered in bandages.


    Scales and long hair of the purest white. Even her skin is white.


    She works under Lemegeton as his subordinate, but this time, I was given permission to add her to my party.


    ¡¸Yes, well done.¡¹


    She splendidly snuck up behind the enemy and pierced through their hearts with her knife.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    Usually, she doesn¡¯t seem to be very good at talking to others, but in her Avatar state, she has no problems communicating, albeit with only a few words.


    ¡¸Gr¡­I had a late start¡­! My queen! I, Haagenti, the servant of your love have just defeated the enemy¡­!¡¹


    It¡¯s the Impaling Daughter Haagenti.


    Different from how she usually talks, she is somewhat more polite in Avatar form.


    But either way, her personality is the same.


    An exemplary pig.


    ¡¸I saw. So? Do you want me to praise you?¡¹


    I know that it is more effective to tease her first, so I do just that.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­! N-no, ma¡¯am! I don¡¯t believe that it is at all appropriate for someone like me, who is content with being in second place, to receive praise!¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. If you wish for a reward, then make a contribution to our final victory.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    My other subordinates came back a little later.


    It¡¯s not so easy to reach the 130th rank.


    Taking full advantage of a Vampire¡¯s physical ability, I created five one-on-one situations, aiming for each of them to be crushed individually.


    While that did succeed, my subordinates, other than the three of us, have suffered some damage.


    A Vampire¡¯s regenerative abilities make them look like they have received no damage whatsoever, but it has its limits.


    However, this is still within expectations and it poses no hindrance to the party¡¯s movements.


    ¡¸There are three parties remaining. The Wraith party and the Aym party have clashed, what shall we do?¡¹


    Said Haagenti.


    If we intervene now, I know that I will desire to help that man.


    However, I will not do that.


    Right now, he is not the Chief of Staff, nor am I a Big Four.


    He once told me.


    That I am one of his rivals.


    And right now, we are enemies.


    Two people who desire to win.


    In that case¡­


    ¡¸We shall first hunt down the left-out party. After that, if they are still fighting, we shall make a daring interjection.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. As you say, my queen.¡¹


    All of my subordinates bowed their heads.


    ¡¸By the way, my queen, who do you think will win?¡¹


    I ignore Haagenti¡¯s questions.


    This caused her to shiver in pleasure.


    What an absurd question.


    But¡­if I must answer¡­


    ¡¸¡­Today will be the second time I fight him.¡¹


    I mumble in a small voice that only I could hear.


    The first time was when he was still with the Fenix party.


    I, as the Floor Boss of the third stratum, felt the full terrifying force of his Black Magic with my own body.


    I take pride in the fact that I am the one who values him the most in the world.


    ¡­For some reason, many names come to mind, such as the Flame Hero, or Silver Hero, or her Highness¡¯s grandfather who I haven¡¯t met, but I forcibly shut them out.


    Yes, I am the person who values him the most in the world¡­!


    Even so-no, purely because of that, I will fight seriously and aim for victory.


    We are mutually aiming for the final battle, but only one party can move forward.


    I will see just how much he wishes to fight his master because I will soon see him up close.


    Nevertheless, I cannot do something as foolish as stay my hand.


    That would be an insult to him, and we both desire a fight where we give our all.


    He is my benefactor, companion, sleep buddy,¡­and my rival.


    And only for today¡­my enemy.


    In that case, I, the Vampire Queen Carmilla, have no choice but to fight with every fiber of my being.

 CH 236

    236 ¨C The Flying, Fire-Cutting Black Sorcerer


    The Demon King Lucifer.


    Now, I call myself the Fire Manipulator Aym, and have worked my way up to one of the Southern Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four.


    I have never once exchanged words with that man.


    Far from it, it is most likely that I have never even entered his field of vision.


    A Dungeon is not so different from today¡¯s modern companies.


    A tale of the president of the company never even speaking to a single rank-and-file worker is nothing to be surprised by.


    However, he cared not for such things as a hierarchy.


    The reason I never entered his field of vision is simply that I was not worth his consideration.


    He did not perceive me as a threat.


    It does not matter if you are an ally or an enemy.


    One needs to make him think¡ºThis one is strong.¡», shaking him to his core.


    That is the least we have to do in order for him to notice us.


    Currently, in the All-Heaven Festival Contest, the Former Demon King Army is awaiting at the final battle.


    Although I hesitate to call that number of people an army.


    When I heard the reason for such a small number, I couldn¡¯t help but be convinced.


    He only summoned the subordinates whose names he remembered.


    Even in such a way, all those who were summoned heeded the call.


    And the faith of those who were not summoned towards that man did not waver in the slightest.


    There exist beings such as him to be forgiven for things like that.


    That man is strong. Extremely¡­extremely strong. It is laughable to imagine anyone who could come close.


    And that was enough.


    Among the common folk, there are those who vehemently proclaim that pursuing something such as strength in this era is absolute foolishness.


    There are also those who mock, saying that this is a time of peace and that one should do something more productive instead.


    You are absolutely right. You may live like that if you so wish.


    Because we are fools, we cannot help but be drawn to the strong.


    Because we are fools and lucky, we cannot help but revere the strongest living being in this era.


    Because we are hopelessly foolish, we cannot stop trying our damnedest to inch closer to that state of being, if even just a little.


    The moment I laid eyes on the Black Sorcerer Lem, both suspicion and doubt flared in my mind.


    I can smell the scent of that man coming from him.


    It is ever so faint, but it is identical to the presence I felt that time I once passed by that man.


    But why?


    Adventurers and viewers have their own evaluation basis and sense of values. Even if a Black Sorcerer who has reached the 4th rank is treated coldly and practically forced by his party to withdraw, not much is thought of it in contrast.


    However, it is a different story if I can sense that man¡¯s presence coming from this Normal.


    Unless my intuition has grown fatally dull, this could only mean¡­inheritance.


    The most shocking thing about the strongest Demon King taking center stage once again was¡­that he only had one horn.


    Even now, the world is constantly exchanging opinions on who inherited it.


    Could it be¡­him?


    I don¡¯t know.


    Even if he were the strongest, most excellent Black Sorcerer in the world, I hesitate to think that that is reason enough for him to directly inherit the horn.


    What could possibly be the reason for that man, the Demon King Lucifer who is only interested in the strong, Demon King Lucifer who suddenly abandoned his own castle, to choose a sole Normal to inherit his horn?


    I know not when they met, or when he inherited it.


    But at the very least¡­the Black Sorcerer Lem has entered that man¡¯s field of vision.


    The horn that he didn¡¯t even hand over to his own son or granddaughter, he handed over to a Normal, through some special means.


    If that man has deemed him worthy, then who am I to doubt his judgment?


    However¡­I cannot abandon my desire to know.


    I¡¯m glad.


    I¡¯m so glad that I was born as a foolish creature with no other way to know a person more deeply than by exchanging blows with them.


    I am truly lucky to have the chance to fight him like this.


    ¡¸Now then, Black Sorcerer Lem, show me your powe-¡¹


    ¡¸T-take this¡­¡¹


    An¡­adorable voice accompanied a signboard flying towards us.


    Even if that fell normally, a signboard of that size would seriously injure a regular person.


    The one-eyed half-giant. The Miner Melania. She tore off the signboard of a shop and threw it at us.


    ¡¸Pfft, what a way to ruin the moment.¡¹


    The Flame Spearman Amii was flame incarnate.


    Taking the form of a Human male, fire spewed forth from his back resembling the wings of a Fairy.


    In his hand was a pike made of fire.


    He calls himself a flame sprite, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be a Spirit or a Fairy.


    Rather than having control over fire, he is a fire itself given consciousness.


    I found him by chance and have been working him hard ever since.


    He constantly makes fun of me, his superior, but his strength is without doubt.


    ¡¸Sweep it aside.¡¹


    Despite his impertinence, he is obedient.


    ¡¸A Fire-user abusing the flame itself, huh?¡¹


    Complains Amii while wielding his spear.


    He extends his fire spear, piercing the signboard, and its trajectory changes as he swings his spear to the side.


    Engulfed in flame, what was once a signboard turned to ash by the time it fell to the ground.


    However, I did not ascertain that with my own eyes.


    Amii laughed.


    ¡¸Hah, he¡¯s the kind of guy who jumps straight into the fire, huh?¡¹


    Indeed.


    He jumped. More accurately, he must have been thrown.


    Most likely by the Destroyer Fran¡¯s arm.


    The Black Sorcerer Lem hid behind the shadow of the signboard in order to fly closer to us.


    I was surprised, but a response is possible.


    ¡¸This is going to be a little hot, enough to burn your body whole, at least.¡¹


    The Magic Tool in my hand, the Self-Restricting Staff, is special.


    It does not simply give me strength.


    So long as I keep the vow I made to the staff, my magical firepower will be raised to levels that can be difficult to keep in check.


    The vow I made to it was ¡°I will not use any magic other than Fire Magic.¡±


    If one is not a Spirit Contractor, those with the Aptitude to be a Wizard basically dabble in several elements.


    Of course, while not to the level of the 2nd ranked Wizard of Foresight Merlin, there are very few who only use one element, even if they are proficient in it.


    I have kept this vow for¡­more than twenty years.


    Speaking purely of firepower, it is on par with the 1st ranked Crimson Wizard Michelle.


    While his outlandish plan to suddenly approach us using the signboard as camouflage and having his ally throw him while using his ability to hide his Magical Energy has worked, that is as far as it goes.


    As he is, I will burn his body to nothingness with the Fireball that I let loose.


    Now then, how will you handle this?


    My other subordinates started to move the moment my words were interrupted.


    Can the White Sorcerer Josh raise his Magic Defense enough to withstand the Fireball?


    Or will the Water Hero Wraith use some form of water elemental Magic to support him?


    It is impossible for the Miner Melania or the Destroyer Fran to cover him because they are too far and too slow.


    So then¡­


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, it¡¯s a little hot.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­So that¡­ is what you¡¯ll do.¡¹


    He cut it.


    He swung his Holy Sword downwards, splitting the Fireball in two, the halves passing by his sides and finally, they disappear.


    This is different from how the 1st ranked Samurai Masamune cuts magic.


    Most likely, just after the match started, he flowed Magical Energy into his Holy Sword, and then, in an instant, released the saved-up, hyper-condensed, and highly pure Magical Energy.


    If he has first-class Magical Energy output and Magical Energy manipulation ability, and the Holy Sword has that function, that is technically possible.


    The fearsome thing about that is that I only felt that enormous amount of Magical Energy at the moment just before.


    I see now why so many people do not realize his true abilities.


    There are not many people who can hide their Magical Energy this well.


    It intrigues me just how a twenty-something young man was able to learn such a technique.


    His flight isn¡¯t stopping.


    A foothold was formed under his feet as he fell, almost as if he had aimed for it.


    It was a slope made of ice. The Water Hero Wraith¡¯s doing.


    As one would expect, the Black Sorcerer Lem slides down the slope, approaching me with great speed.


    ¡¸But it¡¯s nothing compared to the heat from that guy.¡¹


    That guy?


    Ah, right. He is the childhood friend of the Flame Hero.


    I know that much from the information brought in by the TV.


    It seems that they didn¡¯t cut ties with each other after his withdrawal from the party.


    Far from it. The Flame Hero ran down cheering for him in the Tag Tournament, and so forth. They are as close as can be.


    ¡¸Well then, I do apologize for that.¡¹


    I meet his blade with my staff. Magic Tools are no mere magic or tools. They cannot be destroyed so easily.


    Our eyes met over our clashing specialized weapons.


    ¡¸However, I do think it is hot enough to burn my enemies.¡¹


    ¡¸I wonder about that.¡¹


    Well now, he has the face of quite the warrior right now.


    I¡¯m certain that I, also, have the same expression on my face.

 CH 237

    237 ¨C Burning Red


    If you only thought about victory, there probably are other battle plans.


    Actually, a plan where the Black Sorcerer, primarily a support role, goes out first can¡¯t really be called a clever one.


    But even so, there are reasons why I challenged the Fire Manipulator Aym to a duel.


    No, not challenged, responded.


    It is due to gratitude and stubbornness.


    That woman somehow noticed it. My master¡¯s power dwelling inside me.


    She didn¡¯t mention that and chose to remain silent even if she has her doubts.


    Even if that was more out of gratitude and respect towards my master rather than for my consideration, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she saved me a lot of hassle.


    And as she said.


    Actions speak louder than words.


    What will my actions confirm? There¡¯s no need to ask.


    My actions will confirm whether or not I am a Normal who is worthy of the strongest Demon King¡¯s attention.


    I know all too well. I have always wondered the same thing since a long time ago, but I have wondered even more ever since I found out that my master was the ruler of the Demon King Castle from two generations ago.


    Why¡­did my master give his horn to some random, talentless kid in the countryside.


    The more I think about it, the stranger it gets. I was glad that he made me his disciple, and that he accepted me but¡­


    What did he ever stand to gain from that?


    Still, I¡¯m that man¡¯s apprentice, so I won¡¯t let anyone say otherwise.


    I won¡¯t let anyone say that it was a mistake to have his disciple inherit his horn or even that my master was wrong in his decision.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t fly here thinking there was no chance of success.


    My Holy Sword collides with Aym¡¯s staff.


    The beautiful female Majin had a ferocious smile on her face as if she couldn¡¯t help but look forward to this clash.


    In the reflections in her eyes, I can see the corners of my mouth raise involuntarily.


    I slide the blade across the staff.


    A staff doesn¡¯t have a crossguard as a sword does, so sliding the sword like this would cut Aym¡¯s fingers off.


    She immediately pushes with her staff to repel the Holy Sword, pushing me back a little.


    At the same time, the giant snake and flaming cat that serve her¡­did not assault me.


    ¡¸Black Magic¡­!¡¹


    Aym noticed a moment too late as her expression twisted.


    That¡¯s right, the two of them quickly and nimbly turn around, and attacked their own master.


    Resist is a Technique where a person releases Magical Energy from all over their body in order to prevent another person¡¯s Magical Energy from interfering.


    Like in the Tag Tournament preliminaries I was in with the Silver Hero Nicola, if my Black Magic is underestimated, even a Hero¡¯s Resist can be broken through.


    Aside from the contestants who know me personally, Aym didn¡¯t think that I would cast my Magical Energy onto the two beasts serving her.


    In fact, the Black Magic was a success.


    Confusing friend for foe, the giant serpent and cat attack their master with fang and flame.


    Aym, who retreated thinking that her two pets would support her, is yet to regain her posture, I have to take advantage of this-


    ¡¸Hey.¡¹


    A spear of fire.


    It pierced the two Demi-Beasts, their bodies turning into particles and scattering.


    It wasn¡¯t Aym.


    It was the Flame Spearman Amii.


    ¡¸No biting your owner.¡¹


    The flame taking the form of man, Amii, isn¡¯t even looking this way.


    He himself was in the middle of a battle with the Destroyer Fran.


    Does he have time to assist during his fight with her? Or maybe he couldn¡¯t help but intervene even if he couldn¡¯t afford to. Considering that Fran¡¯s fist pierced through him soon after, I assume it¡¯s the latter.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Didn¡¯t feel any resistance, did ya? That¡¯s ¡¯cause I am fire, girly.¡¹


    ¡¸If you¡¯re alive, you can break.¡¹


    ¡¸What a scary little girl.¡¹


    The plan may have been derailed, but what I have to do remains the same.


    I, myself, have to close in on her again.


    The basics of fighting against a Wizard is to somehow close the distance.


    If they manage to keep their distance, they can let loose their spells.


    If you can somehow get close to them, you can interrupt their process of gathering Magical Energy, constructing the spell and firing it, and then take advantage of their lack of direct combat prowess, defeating them.


    ¡¸I know what you¡¯re planning. Unfortunately for you-¡¹


    There are, however, exceptions.


    Heroes who have both the Aptitudes of a Wizard and a Warrior, and Majins who are naturally born with high physical ability and Magical Energy.


    For example, even though her Job is Wizard, Aym¡¯s physical prowess is not as inferior as mine, a Black Sorcerer, is.


    My sideways slash was blocked by her staff.


    But this doesn¡¯t mean my attack failed.


    Aym is also a very famous Monster, so I know all about her.


    Her firepower at maximum output is quite something, even within the industry.


    Limited to just the fire element, I bet she¡¯d be up there in the top 10.


    However, she doesn¡¯t have a Divine Blessing.


    The Esoteric of the main Fire Spirit that Fenix formed a contract with, the Flames of the Gods, burns all of creation into ash, save for one Spirit Contractor.


    That guy¡¯s own flames won¡¯t burn him.


    That is because of the Spirit¡¯s Divine Blessing.


    People without this will be completely affected by their own magic.


    In other words, if she uses a spell to damage me at this close distance, she will receive damage herself.


    Maintaining a point-blank distance serves to seal her power.


    Also, while fighting at such a distance, she is already consuming a large amount of Magical Energy due to Resist.


    Because there is no other way for her to defend herself against my Black Magic.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t shake him off¡­ I see, it would appear that close-quarters combat is the only option.¡¹


    For a while now, Aym has been trying to distance herself from me, but that hasn¡¯t been going very well.


    I didn¡¯t only have one master.


    I also had a master of the blade, the Reaper Knight Furcus.


    With the techniques she taught me and my powers of observation that she commended me on, I can maintain the desired distance with my enemy even as someone whose main Job isn¡¯t a Warrior.


    I don¡¯t need to overwhelm her or anything.


    Of course, due to my lack of talent in the ways of the blade, all this is possible because I also completely analyzed my enemy by researching how Aim fights in filmed Clear videos.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re the studious type, I see. I like boys like that.¡¹


    She also seems to be aware that her movements are being read.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    If she doesn¡¯t like this stalemate, she might work towards forcibly pushing through.


    Amii and her other subordinates are excellent fighters, but we have the Water Hero.


    An overpoweringly strong Hero who will not forgive anyone who treats him like a kid.


    The other three also have far more stamina than I do.


    Just spending a long time dealing with me is a disadvantage to her other party member¡¯s battles.


    She¡¯ll definitely make a move.


    If I can just deal with that-


    ¡ºAhaha.¡»


    The black chick Dark, who had been watching quietly thus far, laughed joyfully.


    Because Aym released a massive fire spell knowing full well that she¡¯ll get hit by it too.


    My vision was dyed red.


    ¡¸Lem¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸There you go being all flashy again.¡¹


    I think I heard both Wraith¡¯s worried voice and Amii¡¯s bored voice.


    ¡­All within expectations.


    Her Demi-Beasts are already defeated and her subordinates have been instructed to do battle with the enemy.


    If she adjusts her power, her self-destruct should only affect the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    And on top of her being a Majin, she can choose when to do it.


    Not to mention her enemy is a Normal.


    Meaning she has a high chance of surviving this.


    ¡ºA pretty interesting development, but I guess this isn¡¯t enough to surpass my partner¡¯s expectations, huh?¡»


    It has been proven in the battle against Fenix that high-density and high-purity Magical Energy can cancel out magic.


    I used the Magical Energy from the horn at that time, but I have a Holy Sword this time.


    If I time it right, I can defend myself by cutting it.


    The paved road was being upturned, the nearby caf¨¦ was destroyed and smoke enveloped the area.


    I¡¯m sure this isn¡¯t her maximum output either.


    It¡¯s like she suppressed it to a level that wouldn¡¯t get her allies caught up in the blast.


    Still, if that blast hit me directly, my body would be dust instantly.


    Someone¡¯s figure can be seen through the smoke.


    It¡¯s Aym.


    Her dress is burnt and her body suffered burns from her own magic.


    Yet still, she grips onto her staff, knowing full that I am still alive due to my Magical Energy signature, and immediately begins conjuring another spell.


    ¡¸Even considering it is going through the Holy Sword, your Magical Energy is tremendous. Even more formidable is your control over Magical Energy and ability to read it.¡¹


    She¡¯s right. It isn¡¯t good to just have Magical Energy.


    Just as Resist is a technique that constantly releases Magical Energy, it is very difficult to keep Magical Energy that has left your body in its Magical Energy state.


    If you don¡¯t change it from Magical Energy into a magic spell, then it will quickly melt and disappear into the surroundings.


    Even for high-density and high-purity Magical Energy, this basic concept doesn¡¯t really change.


    The act of defending against that spell with Magical Energy is due to the Holy Sword being covered in Magical Energy, much like how Resist works.


    Thinking in terms of Magical Energy consumption and speed, it really does things like discharge it.


    Activating it just before the enemy¡¯s attack hits you or activating it for a few seconds too long beforehand will quickly dry up your Magical Energy.


    The technique required to pull it off is very demanding, and the timing is strict.


    ¡¸Which is exactly why¡­it is not something you can do more than once¡­!¡¹


    She¡¯s right.


    The Magical Energy that I generate and flow into the Holy Sword.


    It¡¯s not inexhaustible, as I¡¯m abusing my own Magical Energy organ.


    But¡­


    She points her staff towards me, releasing a massive fireball.


    Considering the distance between Aym and me, the speed and size of the fireball, I won¡¯t be able to dodge it in time.


    Nor can I defend against it.


    For her to be able to fire another attack like this so soon after the last one proves that she belongs in her position as one of the Southern Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four.


    Ah, but¡­


    ¡ºYou¡¯re one step ahead, partner.¡»


    I sprint towards her.


    Her fireball passes by my side.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    She, herself, is probably the most surprised.


    Because there is no way the Fire Manipulator Aym could have missed in this situation.


    But the fact that she did, means that the fault lies with someone else.


    Someone else like, for example, a Black Sorcerer and his Black Magic.


    I send her staff flying. With her scorched arm, she can¡¯t defend against me as she did before.


    With a subsequent thrust, my Holy Sword pierces through her chest.


    ¡¸What in the¡­when did¡­¡¹


    ¡ºAbout that¡­¡»


    ¡¸About the time when you self-destructed.¡¹


    Her eyes opened wide in astonishment.


    ¡¸No¡­¡¹


    Just before Aym self-destructed, she cut off her Resist.


    Employing another spell while also releasing a massive amount of Magical Energy at the same time is an impossible task.


    It¡¯s like trying to write the alphabet with two pens in one hand.


    So I guessed that there was a high chance her Resist was off at that time.


    I sent out my spell to pierce through that exact moment, and I hit the mark.


    Her spatial awareness was warped by Confusion, so she aimed thinking that I was to the right of where I actually am.


    Her spell flew in the wrongly aimed direction.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s only natural that she couldn¡¯t predict it. What she didn¡¯t do, my partner did. While she released Magical Energy at the optimal timing, at the same time, he invoked his spell at the optimal timing. Surprising, right?¡»


    Normally, I should show you how well I can handle the power that my master gave me.


    But at least for now, I can¡¯t and won¡¯t do that.


    This is why, at the very least, I¡¯ll show it to her in my own way.


    I learned a lot from that person¡­as a Black Sorcerer.


    The horn isn¡¯t the only thing I gained from my master.


    Just before she was defeated, Aym muttered this.


    ¡¸¡­4th rank might have been too low for you¡­¡¹


    Those appear to be words of approval.


    At the very least, she hasn¡¯t deemed me unfit to be that man¡¯s disciple.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much.¡¹


    Her body turns into Magical Energy particles.


    ¡ºWinning without letting your opponent use their full strength. That¡¯s very much a Black Sorcerer way to win.¡»


    Indeed. Of course, both parties fighting with all their might is a wonderful thing, but fights aren¡¯t all about that.


    Because in a real fight, using your opponent¡¯s disadvantage to your own advantage is also important.


    That is the essence of Black Magic in the first place.


    A Black Sorcerer imposes disadvantages on the enemy, allowing their allies to fight with advantages.


    From the moment she allowed me to get in close, most of Aym¡¯s specialized magic was sealed off.


    I can use Black Magic no matter the distance.


    She must have had such thoughts about me being the Demon King Lucifer¡¯s successor.


    I managed to win this time, but this wasn¡¯t all she had to offer.


    When I look back at my allies, it looks like their battles were reaching their conclusion as well.

 CH 238

    238 ¨C Party of Five


    The battle with the Aym party has ended with our victory.


    Even the Destroyer Fran with her high offensive ability finds it tough to pierce through the Flame Spearman Amii, whose body is made of fire, but in terms of the difficulties she experienced in her fight, that was pretty much it.


    The enemy are Monsters that specialize in the fire element, but we have the Water Hero on our side.


    Using the elemental difference to his advantage, our fearless leader would defeat one person in the blink of an eye and immediately move on to supporting an ally.


    Even Amii was frozen in the end and then Fran crushed it with her massive arm.


    ¡¸Melania, I¡¯ll treat your burns.¡¹


    ¡¸Th-¡­thank you. J-Josh.¡¹


    The half-cyclops Miner Melania crouches down so that Josh can heal her burns with White Magic.


    ¡¸Next, you go get healed, too. I¡¯ll keep on the lookout for enemies.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Mm.¡¹


    Fran gave a small nod to Wraith¡¯s words.


    Her massive right arm is sturdy on top of being destructive, but it isn¡¯t as if it¡¯s a stranger to being damaged.


    Our leader, speaking in a voice filled with concern for his childhood friend, then turns his attention to the reckless Black Sorcerer.


    In other words, me.


    ¡¸Jumping in to defeat a high-ranking Majin on your own is¡­so you.¡¹


    I expected him to give me a complaint or two, but for some reason, Wraith seemed happy.


    ¡¸It was a battle of the parties, including me going at her alone.¡¹


    If her allies weren¡¯t there, Aym could have probably let loose a much stronger spell, and it would have been harder to approach her in the first place. I could go on and on.


    At first glance, it may look like a one-on-one battle, but it¡¯s still a party battle as everyone is working with the whole team in mind.


    Well, I suppose Wraith would know at least that much.


    ¡¸How humble of you. A Black Sorcerer that can take on a Majin is more than just valuable, though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thanks. This¡­was due to my own reasons. I¡¯ll try to be more careful.¡¹


    As a disciple, I wanted to respond to the opinions of a person who knows my master.


    However, this is my own personal circumstance.


    Or so I thought.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think that¡¯s accurate. If it¡¯s your own circumstances, then it¡¯s the party¡¯s circumstance. It¡¯s a different story if it involves a desire to lose, but if you seriously plan to win, then helping someone being reckless is what allies are for. At least, that¡¯s what I think.¡¹


    True. Without much discussion, Fran helped send me flying in the air and Wraith helped me glide through the air by putting down an ice slope.


    To begin with, Wraith gathered allies without question save for whether or not you have the desire to win.


    To put it another way, so long as you work towards winning, you aren¡¯t considered unnecessary as an ally.


    He was already a strong kid, but I feel like he¡¯s grown to become a much more dependable hero since the Raid Battle.


    ¡¸Thanks, leader. I¡¯ll do all I can to win this.¡¹


    ¡¸I know.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m healed.¡¹


    Fran straightforwardly appeared, as if wedging herself in between us.


    ¡¸I see. Show me.¡¹


    ¡¸Mm.¡¹


    Wraith checks his childhood friend¡¯s arm and nods.


    ¡¸Are you alright, Lem? That was a pretty big explosion.¡¹


    Josh came towards me.


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    ¡ºAnd it¡¯s a~ll thanks to my partner¡¯s dependable Holy Sword. Guess he has no choice but to be grateful to Dark, who gave the Divine Blessing.¡»


    The black chick was flapping its wings on my head, showing off.


    You¡¯re right, I¡¯m grateful.


    The fact is that thanks to the Holy Sword, my battle options have become more extensive.


    Up to now, being able to do grand things with the horn is great.


    And this is a Holy Sword with only the minimum of functionality within it, which makes a Spirit¡¯s Divine Blessing fearsome.


    ¡ºIn that case, shouldn¡¯t you be more lovey-dovey with your dependable partner?¡»


    Lovey-what¡­?


    I don¡¯t really understand that, but I don¡¯t recall acknowledging you as my partner.


    Dark was still saying something, but Josh was speaking so I returned my attention to him.


    ¡¸¡­Whenever I see you, you always surprise me, Lem.¡¹


    Melania, who is right behind Josh, nods her head quickly at Josh¡¯s words, apparently in full agreement.


    ¡¸Like, even if they had a Holy Sword in hand, a normal Black Sorcerer wouldn¡¯t be able to make full use of it. They¡¯d just have trouble handling a special weapon that they¡¯re not used to. But you¡­since you¡¯ve been training your skills with the sword since before you got it, you were already on a level to use it in a real battle the moment you gained the Holy Sword.¡¹


    When Josh said that, it hit me.


    Because of how my master trained my body, the guidance I got from Furcus, and my experience fighting with a sword in the Tag Tournament¡­


    Even when I suddenly attained a Holy Sword, I was able to use it to some degree.


    I can¡¯t say something cool like It wasn¡¯t all for nothing, but¡­


    All of my hard work has come back and helped me in some way or another.


    No matter how useless it felt, I¡¯m glad I never gave up.


    ¡¸Hey Lem, you aren¡¯t really used to being praised, huh? It¡¯s fine. When a great guy is praised, he just says¡ºRight?¡»in response.¡¹


    Ten years¡¯ worth of being treated as a Black Sorcerer won¡¯t go away so easily.


    Even now, being praised by someone feels special, so I think the day where I respond to such compliments as how Wraith said, as if it were a matter of course, is far into the future.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll try to improve on that. But, more importantly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. It¡¯d be better if we could fight Vampires indoors, though.¡¹


    Vampires wouldn¡¯t be able to make full use of their enhanced physical ability, ability to grow wings, or even their ability to manipulate blood in tight spaces.


    The walls, ceilings, and objects in a room would hinder them.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m too big¡­¡¹


    Says Melania, hugging herself.


    We certainly can¡¯t enter buildings made for Normals with her¡­


    ¡¸You have nothing to apologize for. Everyone counts on you, Melania.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    Melania¡¯s face turned bright red.


    ¡¸Besides, that suggestion only works on normal Vampires.¡¹


    The Vampire Queen is a different story altogether.


    Because she already lies in wait for Adventurers inside a room in the Demon King Castle¡¯s third stratum.


    Just how many ways could she obstruct you in a narrow space?


    ¡¸Plus that assassin lady is with them, too.¡¹


    Wraith says with a bitter smile.


    Come to think about it, the Evil Eye Assassin Botis, who is currently part of Carmilla¡¯s party, met Wraith face-to-face in the Raid Battle.


    Just before he was turned to stone by her Petrifying Evil Eye, the Gale Hero Ewan stepped in front of him.


    After that, just before he was given the finishing stab, Wraith reached out to the Water Spirit and defeated her in the nick of time.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s hard to take advantage of the location, should we attack from here?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine, but let¡¯s move and lie in wait. There¡¯s something I want you to do, Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh. Sure, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    We didn¡¯t know beforehand what the stage was gonna be, but we still had countless strategy meetings within the party.


    Since we know our opponents, we are forming countermeasures.


    ¡¸U-uhm¡­Lem?¡¹


    While walking, Josh seemed to have difficulty saying something.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­In this venue, five parties in total were gathered, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    I understand what Josh is trying to say.


    ¡¸A little while ago, the Vampires and that party clashed.¡¹


    Said Wraith.


    He and I both have the ability to sense Magical Energy signatures, so we knew.


    The other three probably couldn¡¯t perceive them due to the distance.


    But that isn¡¯t what Josh wants to know. It goes further from that.


    The question is whether or not it¡¯s okay that there are only two parties left, which means that we have to fight the Vampires.


    ¡¸Of course, I wish them well, personally.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I thought so¡­¡¹


    I continued.


    ¡¸But¡­We¡¯re going to have to fight the Carmilla party.¡¹


    ¡ó


    A while ago, Lem told me a tale.


    A tale of his hardships finding reemployment, before meeting me again.


    He said that he found such a party at that time.


    The Adventurer Matching Service can be used at the Adventurer Union.


    Finding allies is fairly difficult in this vast continent.


    So you enter your ideal conditions and search for a match.


    Parties looking for a Black Sorcerer are a minority amongst minorities.


    He found a result to his search.


    It was¡­a Black Sorcerer party made for Black Sorcerers by a Black Sorcerer.


    In the current rules, an Adventurer party cannot be formed without a Hero.


    So, the party Lem found was not a formal party at the time of Lem¡¯s search.


    In this All-Heaven Festival Contest, a party can be formed regardless of race or Job.


    This is why those that couldn¡¯t be active because they couldn¡¯t find a Hero leader can now participate in this Festival.


    All five of them are Black Sorcerers, yet they are able to take part in the preliminaries.


    Though they aren¡¯t necessarily the same party that Lem found at that time.


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla.¡¹


    Botis appears at my side out of nowhere and whispers.


    A female with the upper body of a Human and the lower body of a snake. Everything from the scales on her lower half, her Human skin, and even her long hair are white. Her eyes are covered in bandages, her Evil Eye only exposed when the enemy is within her grasp.


    ¡¸The party formed of only Black Sorcerers is hiding in order to attack a party by surprise. On your orders, I can take care of them myself.¡¹


    She specializes in moving around while completely hiding her presence. Taking advantage of that strong point, I had her serve as an advance scout.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I don¡¯t believe Botis is underestimating the enemy.


    Quite the opposite.


    She has Lord Lemegeton as her superior, as well as the Black Explorer Foras as her fellow ally, so she understands Black Sorcerers vastly more than your average Monster.


    She has deemed it possible to assassinate all five Black Sorcerers by herself.


    Purely thinking about winning or losing, I can leave it to Botis but¡­


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m listening. Indeed, let us proceed like this.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    Despite the Festival being a place where the strong compete, it is still another form of entertainment.


    Four Vampires delegating all the work to a single Assassin to take out the Black Sorcerer party seems anti-climactic.


    And to me, personally, they are a party that I am fond of.


    Being Black Sorcerers, they never gave up and continued to search for a way to fight.


    If the success of the often coldly treated Black Sorcerers spread across the world, they could bring hope to the people with the same Job.


    That said, I don¡¯t have the slightest intention to lose to them.


    As a sign of respect, I shall trample them head-on.


    ¡¸How naive of you, Botis. Big sis-¡­My queen is essentially saying this. There is no need to assassinate them in the dark, we simply force them to surrender head-on!¡¹


    Said the Impaling Daughter Haagenti, affectionately called Lady Haag by my subordinates.


    Her complete understanding of what I¡¯m thinking is unnerving but her abilities are tried and true.


    ¡¸Bold of you to guess my thoughts. But she is right, Botis. You are more than capable, but we cannot simply rely solely on you.¡¹


    Without hesitation, we proceed down the road where the enemy is lying in wait.


    Come to think of it, this might be the first time I fight a Black Sorcerer other than him.


    The party we¡¯re about to do battle with used the preliminary rules to their advantage and passed.


    However, this is the first stage of the main event. The same tricks in the preliminaries won¡¯t work here.


    Their true worth will be tested.


    And from now on, we will confront them with reality.

 CH 239

    239 ¨C Vampires Hate Water?


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla, please, stand behind us. Please make use of us as your shields.¡¹


    Said one of the Vampires.


    I let them do as they please.


    After affirming that I did not give a reply, my subordinate Vampire¡¯s body shivered with pleasure.


    They are happy regardless of whether I reply or ignore them, so in a way, this makes them easy to deal with.


    Now then.


    There is something commonly known as a Second Job.


    A Job is identified by God based on their Aptitudes, so God doesn¡¯t identify a second one.


    However, this doesn¡¯t mean that everyone only has one talent.


    There are people who are good at both cooking and physical training.


    A Job is the most suitable occupation for oneself.


    Using the previous example, there can be a person who awakened to be a Chef but also specializes in physical training.


    At such a time, ¡°I¡¯m a Chef, but my Second Job is as a Martial Artist.¡± can be said.


    It is often said that because it doesn¡¯t have assurance from God, that person can claim whatever Second Job they feel like. Of course, this can¡¯t be used for Adventurer registrations, etc.


    But it still has its uses.


    Even I, as my Job is Blood Manipulator, also have Aptitudes for a Beast Master which allows me to employ Vampire Bats to my needs.


    Since there is no divine revelation, we have to look for it in our own lives, but there are those who do find it and make use of it.


    It is also extremely unfortunate that there exists people such as Lem who tried all sorts of things but found no such luck with a Second Job.


    On the other hand, he is what he is now as a result of continuous efforts after realizing that he wasn¡¯t blessed with any other talents outside of Black Magic.


    That¡¯s as far as I thought before I felt a presence.


    With a sound like the sky being ripped asunder, Haagenti stuck a hand out and in it¡­she caught an arrow.


    Applying just a little of her strength, she breaks the arrow.


    ¡¸Firing an arrow at our queen from the shadows¡­ It¡¯s almost funny how these Humans fancy themselves as Hunters.¡¹


    She stopped the arrow aimed at me by simply watching it travel.


    This may seem like a god-like technique to Normals, but to us Vampires, it really isn¡¯t that hard to do.


    ¡¸Let us show them just who is the hunter and who is the hunted.¡¹


    After saying that, Haagenti cast a quick glance my way.


    ¡¸Indeed. However, trample them in one-on-one fights.¡¹


    Aside from Botis whose figure already disappeared at the start, the three Vampires vanished.


    This is how the party of five Black Sorcerers got through the preliminaries.


    They simply intervened in other parties¡¯ battles and accumulated support points.


    If they stood out too much, they would have been confronted head-on and crushed.


    Therefore, when they quietly and discreetly spot someone who is about to be defeated, they take the opportunity to cast Black Magic on them.


    That way, each person would get five points without directly defeating the enemy.


    This doesn¡¯t go against the rules whatsoever, and if they truly wished to win, this is a legitimate tactic.


    However, the preliminary isn¡¯t so easy that they can win by simply doing this.


    The reason they raked in support points and gained enough points in general to pass the preliminaries is¡­


    ¡¸Guh, aarrgh¡­!¡¹


    A wall of a building breaks as a sole Black Sorcerer is blown through it.


    That man held a large shield and a sword at his waist.


    While no match for a Heavy Warrior or a Paladin, he probably has the Aptitude to use a shield like that.


    However, the shield he wielded was smashed to bits by a Vampire¡¯s fist and his head was chopped off by the flat of the Vampire¡¯s hand before he could pull out his sword.


    ¡¸M-my arm¡­!¡¹


    The female Black Sorcerer who fired an arrow at me at the start was rolling on the roof screaming as she stares at her arm.


    I believe she has an Aptitude for shooting close to a Hunter.


    Her aim was true. I¡¯m sure she trained hard.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough to kill a Vampire.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m sorry, did you say something about your arm?¡¹


    I can¡¯t see it from here, but I¡¯m certain that Haagenti has a sadistic smile on her face.


    ¡¸¡­Impressive Magical Energy.¡¹


    I say without turning around to the man behind me.


    To the Black Sorcerer who skilfully hid his presence and Magical Energy. He most likely has an Aptitude to be an Assassin.


    ¡¸Guh¡­! She Resisted¡­! But-¡¹


    ¡¸But? But what? Please tell me more.¡¹


    The answer to my question will not come.


    For his heart has already been pierced through from behind. By the Lamia whose main Job is Assassin.


    ¡¸N-no..!¡¹


    As if to escape, a young Black Sorcerer wielding a sword in one hand runs out of a building.


    I guess he has an Aptitude for being a Warrior.


    But a single swing of a sword will not suffice.


    For his opponent is a Blood Manipulator. One who can freely manipulate their own blood.


    Six swords grew out from my subordinate¡¯s back like the legs of a spider.


    The young man was sliced to ribbons in a matter of moments.


    How did they survive the preliminaries?


    In addition to taking support points where they could, they had also learned to fight to some extent on their own.


    Their individual talent as a Black Sorcerer is also high, if all five of them cast Black Magic onto a single target, it will most likely affect them, provided the target isn¡¯t above average.


    If their opponent is rendered unable to move or have their thoughts completely stopped, they can be easily defeated by a bow or sword wielded by anyone, regardless of their Job.


    ¡¸I suppose you are the leader. Just a lone, pure Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    He most likely has the highest ability as a Black Sorcerer.


    It¡¯s not always good to dabble in other things.


    Even Lem, back when he was in the Fenix party, has to appear like he¡¯s just standing there, doing nothing, in exchange for allowing his allies to win with ease.


    In order for him to continue using advanced Black Magic, he couldn¡¯t make any grand movements.


    Even if he were to find a Second Job he had an Aptitude for, polished his skills, and learned techniques to be able to endure a real battle¡­


    Dividing his attention like that would naturally result in a portion of his Black Magic being neglected.


    This leader is most likely here to offset the neglected Black Magic in his party.


    A man in his late twenties.


    ¡¸Come.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The man stands in front of me, filled with resolve, and flows his Magical Energy into his staff.


    And then, he releases Black Magic with all his might.


    It eroded my Resist a fair amount, but not enough to go through.


    With a sword made of my own blood, I cut him down.


    Magical Energy spews forth from his chest as he falls to his knees.


    The man looks up at me, our eyes meet and he simply asks¡­


    ¡ºWhy?¡»


    Why the one-on-one fights? That¡¯s what he was asking.


    Without answering that, I say this instead¡­


    ¡¸How, pray tell, did you intend on seizing the seat of the strongest?¡¹


    I do not disapprove of their methods.


    Considering their skills, they must have been training by casting Black Magic on each other on a regular basis.


    Despite being treated coldly by the Adventurer industry, they didn¡¯t give up, polished their skills, found their Second Jobs, trained, and dreamed of the day they could succeed together as a party.


    It¡¯s truly remarkable.


    In fact, they were able to pass the preliminaries.


    However¡­


    If there is¡­just one thing that I have a problem with about them¡­


    ¡¸The All-Heaven Festival Contest is an event to decide who is the absolute strongest, you know?¡¹


    It isn¡¯t good enough to just be strong enough to pass the preliminaries.


    At the very end, you must overthrow the strongest Demon King and the former 1st ranked Adventurers.


    This party shed blood, sweat, and tears to find the perfect fit, but they weren¡¯t formed with the vision of being the strongest.


    The man¡¯s eyes opened wide and then¡­he was defeated.


    Already, my subordinate has returned to my side.


    ¡¸Lo¡­the Wraith party seems to be waiting for us. The location is¡­the square where a fountain is built¡­¡¹


    I suppose she wanted to say Lord Lemegeton.


    Haagenti responded to Botis¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Hmph. Those two little ones and that Black Sorcerer have broken through our third stratum once before. This is an opportunity to restore our honor.¡¹


    The All-Heaven Festival Contest is an event to decide who is the absolute strongest.


    I ponder over the words I just said.


    Of course, I have every intention to win.


    That is to say, even if I ran into her Highness, whom I love and respect, my allies, or even Lem, I will win.


    ¡¸¡­This is the Black Sorcerer Lem we¡¯re dealing with. He almost certainly has plans upon plans set up in order to sap us of our strength¡¹


    There isn¡¯t a soul among us who does not know the power of Lord Lemegeton.


    Even Haagenti, who holds a personal grudge against him, knows his power enough to form a Contract with him.


    It probably isn¡¯t right to respond to him with a mind-wracking scheme of our own.


    To him, the easiest of opponents are those that underestimate him.


    But the next time around, there will be someone who will be wary of him and come up with a plan.


    This can be seen in the Tag Tournament as well as normal Defenses.


    What poses a threat to him is¡­absolute power that bulldozes through cheap tricks.


    Like that of the Flame Hero Fenix or the Storm Hero Aerial.


    No matter how much I strive for the seat of the strong, I do not think myself to be on equal footing as a single Four Great Spirits contractor.


    However, it isn¡¯t as if I am out of options.


    He will fight with all seriousness.


    So, we shall respond in kind.


    ¡¸Be that as it may, we are the ones who shall win.¡¹


    ¡ó


    There they are.


    Four Vampires, excluding Botis.


    At the front is the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    My benefactor, my friend, my ally¡­ my sleep buddy.


    I suppose for today, the most appropriate moniker for her is¡­rival.


    ¡¸A very good day to you all, oh members of the Wraith party.¡¹


    Carmilla greets us elegantly.


    ¡¸Did you catch the weather forecast this morning?¡¹


    Our leader moves to the beat of his own drum and no one can throw him off.


    ¡¸¡­I did not. Did you?¡¹


    ¡¸Not really. But you better watch out, ¡¯cause I think we¡¯re expecting heavy rainfall.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    In an instant, rain poured down relentlessly in the surrounding area.


    Wraith recreated rain using his Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸I see, is this the Black Sorcerer Lem¡¯s idea?¡¹


    ¡¸And what if it is?¡¹


    Her eyes were covered in a black veil, but I could clearly see her smile warp.


    ¡¸Indeed. Well then, let us do battle in the pouring rain.¡¹


    For the time being, we were able to use the place we had chosen as our battlefield.


    It should be effective.


    That¡¯s because¡­

 CH 240

    240 ¨C Dancing Amidst the Sudden Rain of Blood


    The various races that were once called monsters or abominations have so-called weaknesses.


    However, I believe these weaknesses can roughly be split into two.


    The first being a true weakness.


    If a person who is fighting an invincible Dragon daringly jumps into its gaping maw, they are able to hurt the Dragon from within, defeating it. It appears that their interiors are not nearly as tough as their exterior.


    The second being an imaginary weakness.


    Superstitious countermeasures thought up by people who feared that an undeniable threat lurked in their daily lives if they encountered it.


    Things that were mainly for a person¡¯s peace of mind¡­thinking that they are safe, they won¡¯t be assaulted, so long as they have these countermeasures.


    There is a particular abundance of these sorts of countermeasures for Vampires.


    They look just like Humans, can manipulate blood, have the ability to shapeshift, possess tremendous physical strength, and suck out the lifeblood of man.


    Some people in the past trembled at the thought of not knowing whether or not the person walking next to them was a Vampire.


    One such imaginary weakness that came about was the notion that Vampires hated water.


    However, the rain that Wraith created was effective.


    ¡¸Fufu. Today seems to be rife with troublesome Black Sorcerers.¡¹


    The Vampire Queen Carmilla smiles as her sensational yet elegant feeling dress gets soaked in the rain.


    Only moments ago, they clashed with a party of five Black Sorcerers and crushed them.


    ¡¸¡­Were they strong?¡¹


    ¡¸Quite.¡¹


    ¡¸Thought as much.¡¹


    There¡¯s no way they would have been weak.


    I checked them out, even if it was just public information from TV or the Net.


    They aren¡¯t your average Black Sorcerers.


    Since they can¡¯t register as a party of Adventurers without a hero, they would usually look for another form of occupation, right?


    While doing so, they gathered like-minded allies, trained each other by casting Black Magic on one another all the while polishing each of their own Second Jobs.


    If a Black Sorcerer wanted to learn the ways of the blade, there is rarely anyone who would offer to teach them. If they went to somewhere like a dojo, most would refuse them at the gate.


    So I¡¯m sure that they¡¯re self-taught.


    In that sense, I was blessed.


    I had a master. I had Fenix. I was alienated, yet I had allies. I was even fortunate to happen across a sword master.


    Not everyone can have such an environment where enthusiasm can be turned into strength.


    Just how much pain and hardship did they suffer through? They finally got their chance to fight, and they splendidly passed the preliminaries.


    They are strong.


    But I only ever foresaw the Carmilla party and I fighting.


    That is¡­no, I should focus on the enemy before me.


    ¡¸We shall be victorious this time as well.¡¹


    I return a smile to Carmilla¡¯s words.


    ¡¸I wonder about that.¡¹


    I¡¯ll compare the composition of both parties once again.


    The Wraith party has the Water Hero Wraith, the Destroyer Fran, the Miner Melania, the White Sorcerer Josh and the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    A party composition that ignores the common sense of modern Adventurers by including two support types and even not caring about what race is included.


    Wraith, a leader who excels in a variety of magical offensive and defensive maneuvers, Fran, who boasts overwhelming offensive power, Melania, a Half-Cyclops whose individual attacks boast the same level of devastating power, and she is also in charge of protecting her allies, and then there¡¯s Josh, the Ogre who supports his allies with his White Magic while confident of his own stamina.


    In addition to all of them is me, the Black Sorcerer who wields a Holy Sword.


    I think the team balance is pretty good. The plainness of White and Black Magic can¡¯t be helped, but the grand actions of the other three will more than make up for it.


    The usefulness of supports was proven in the preliminaries, and more importantly, I am happy to have allies who accept me and need me.


    Many of them are young and still growing but they are a strong enough party.


    And as for the Carmilla party-


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla, please, leave this to me.¡¹


    Said a short-haired man.


    The opposing side has three Monsters with titles. The Vampire Queen Carmilla, the Impaling Daughter Haagenti, and the Evil Eye Assassin Botis.


    And then the two male Vampires.


    All of Carmilla¡¯s Vampire underlings, not just these two, introduce themselves as pigs with no name.


    Her adjutant Haagenti is the only exception.


    However, being called a pig by someone other than Carmilla causes them to be quietly furious.


    This time, for convenience¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll call the one who is a good Blood Manipulator Long Hair and I¡¯ll call the Semi-Immortal one, who excels in regeneration, Short Hair.


    By the way, Carmilla and Haagenti are both Blood Manipulators.


    This time, they don¡¯t have a Shapeshifter who excels at body transfiguration.


    ¡¸If a Semi-Immortal such as I go, I can finish them with minimal effect from the rain the Humans created.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you saying that you can stop this rainfall?¡¹


    Carmilla throws words at her underling¡¯s proposal coldly.


    With just that, Short Hair goes down on one knee upon the cold, wet floor and apologized.


    ¡¸¡­No. I was merely too eager to be of use to you, my queen¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸So it seems. I¡¯m glad because if you were squealing, saying that you could do it all on your own, I would have had no choice but to dispose of you first.¡¹


    A Semi-Immortal would certainly be less affected by this rain.


    But if he were to launch a suicide attack, it would not be enough of a burden to force Wraith to stop the rain.


    Vampires are fiendishly sturdy creatures, but in this very place, there is a Hero, a Destroyer, a Half-Cyclops, and an Ogre.


    If there is a trap set in plain sight, the first course of action is to be vigilant.


    Only a small portion of exceptionally strong people could afford to ignore it and rush ahead.


    ¡¸Well done, Black Sorcerer Lem. You as well, Water Hero Wraith.¡¹


    Carmilla spreads her arms like a performer on a stage.


    No matter what happens, she expresses herself in a refined way, as if giving exposition to the audience.


    ¡¸Normally, a narrow space would be chosen as a counteroffensive to Vampires. In such an open space, we would be able to freely showcase our high mobility, after all. it would be quite the ordeal for Normals. However, things are different due to this Magical Energy-thick rainfall you¡¯ve caused.¡¹


    That¡¯s right, water isn¡¯t the weakness of a Vampire.


    Yet this rain is effective. What¡¯s different? It¡¯s because it is thick with Magical Energy, created by magic.


    Magical Energy isn¡¯t only generated from within people¡¯s bodies, it exists out in the world.


    Even natural rain has an infinitesimally small amount of it within.


    So, this is the key point.


    ¡¸The manipulation of blood that we Vampires excel at involves the interference with our own blood using Magical Energy. Even if we were to use blood outside the body as a weapon, commands to the blood must be given constantly.¡¹


    If the Magical Energy or magic of others mixes in with that, the orders to the blood cannot be given and the manipulation is disrupted.


    ¡¸This rain, unfortunately, hinders those commands. Being in contact with this rain, thick with Magical Energy, makes it difficult for us to manipulate our blood. Oh, what a cruel state of affairs.¡¹


    It¡¯s like being splashed with water while you¡¯re hard at work on a painting, causing the ink to bleed and the paper to blister.


    This rain destroys the ideal form that the Vampires envisioned.


    In the case of a sudden collision with magic, it is possible to deal with it by circulating more Magical Energy each time.


    But in a situation like this where rain continuously falls around the surroundings, that won¡¯t work.


    In addition to guarding against a Black Sorcerer like me with Resist, spending a lot of Magical Energy on manipulating blood would dry out their Magical Energy reserves, no matter what kind of Vampire they are.


    The magic of Josh and I will also be affected, but all that was taken into consideration.


    At any rate¡­ With the two chess pieces, the Water Hero Wraith and the Black Sorcerer Lem, just by gathering in a wide-open area with nothing to block the rain, we have completed our creation of an area that stops the group of Vampires, who transcend Humanity, in their tracks and causes them to hesitate.


    ¡¸Tis nothing short of brilliant. It has now become an incredibly difficult battle.¡¹


    She doesn¡¯t just want to praise us.


    In fact, she continued speaking.


    ¡¸If¡­your enemy was anyone other than us, the Demon King Army, that is.¡¹


    It came gushing out.


    It came out both slowly and quickly.


    Blood.


    Copious amounts of it gushed out of a box.


    ¡¸Wh-what the¡­?!¡¹


    Josh, who knows her true identity, exclaims in a surprised voice.


    It¡¯s a jet-black box.


    Although its shape has changed, it is one of the Magic Tools previously discovered in the Original Dungeon Clear.


    It¡¯s the Bottomless Canteen.


    Any amount of liquid can be poured inside it, and its contents do not deteriorate.


    After Milla finished negotiating, she bought it.


    ¡ºHuh, it doesn¡¯t look like a canteen anymore, more like a box. She really prettified it, huh? Or maybe more like remodeled it?¡»


    Dark was saying something.


    The image of the Vampire Queen carrying around a canteen was¡­too adorable. It would ruin her image. So it was necessary to retain her image, even if it means a drop in its portability.


    Carmilla didn¡¯t carry around the not-canteen-now-box. Instead, she took it from her underling moments ago, who presented it to her as an offering.


    ¡º¡­That¡¯s a lot of blood. Considering when she got it and now, it¡¯s a lot. It¡¯s¡­kinda scary if you think about Miss Overbearing Fanatic cutting herself every night to put some blood into the canteen.¡»


    ¡­Could you please keep quiet? I¡¯m in the middle of a serious battle.


    When I told it that, Dark let out an adorably chick-like¡ºchirp?¡»in surprise.


    I decided to ignore it and focus on the fight.


    It certainly is a lot. An incredible amount. It¡¯s almost like a flood of blo-¡­now hold on a minute, this amount is insane!


    ¡¸How rare. Hard to believe that I managed to surprise one such as you. I showed you something good, then.¡¹


    The plaza was almost flooded by the sea of blood.


    Even if she steadily accumulated blood every day, to gather this much by herself is¡­ That¡¯s it¡­!


    ¡ºIf¡­your enemy was anyone other than us, the Demon King Army, that is.¡»


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s the blood of the Monsters of the Demon King Army.¡¹


    Employing the Vampire bats who have sucked her blood for many years, she is able to manipulate the blood that the bats themselves suck.


    Using them to suck the blood from the flesh and blood bodies of the Monsters of the Demon King Army, she collected that blood as well, huh?


    So as not to expose this to me or the other Big Four, who would become her opponents later, she did it all in secret.


    Until now, she had an issue with the preservation of her accumulated blood, but with this canteen, her problems are solved.


    This is an extraordinary feat that can only be done by her as she is now.


    ¡¸Correct.¡¹


    A red, red, red tide was approaching, threatening to bury our field of vision.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­! If the rain obstructs minute manipulations, then just unleash an attack where a rough command will suffice, huh?! Not bad, you¡¯re pretty interesting, lady.¡¹


    It¡¯s just as Wraith says.


    This rain disrupts the delicate manipulation of blood to an alarming degree.


    A detailed painting would become blurry if splashed with water, but if the goal was to draw a single long black line, for example, the line can still be recognized as a line even if it¡¯s somewhat blurred.


    Still, if it¡¯s just a simplification of the imagined picture, then it will be easy to deal with.


    But it¡¯s a different story when that simplification comes with overwhelmingly oppressive power.


    Aside from Melania, this amount is enough to drown the other four of us to death.


    Even if it was just water.


    Given that this is under the control of the Vampire Queen, the threat level jumps up leaps and bounds.


    I have to focus all my nerves. Don¡¯t look away for even a moment.


    The enemy¡¯s leader is the Vampire who fought and won against the world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.


    ¡¸Wraith.¡¹


    ¡¸I gotcha, Mr. Brain¡­!¡¹


    Melania put Josh and me on her shoulders.


    Fran moved to be together with Wraith.


    Josh is preserving his White Magic. He¡¯s focusing on regenerating his Magical Energy.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter how much of it there is, if it¡¯s a liquid¡­it can freeze.¡¹


    Wraith brandished his short sword-shaped Holy Sword and an intensely cold wave of air surged out.


    The red torrent that was about to engulf us turned to a red mass of ice, and then¡­


    ¡¸¡­I see. Well played, Vampire Queen.¡¹


    Cracks formed on the mass of ice and then¡­the encroaching flood immediately resumed its march.


    The flood of blood that is permeated with Carmilla¡¯s Magical Energy only had its front part frozen by Wraith¡¯s sudden freezing.


    She would immediately abandon the front portion and send commands to the blood in the inner portion.


    ¡¸Lacking in the cold department, are you, boy?¡¹


    ¡¸Now you¡¯ve said it.¡¹


    A cone of blood shoots out of the frozen mass. Wraith cuts it off with his Holy Sword.


    But from within the cut part, even more blood changed shape into a bloody thorn and assaulted Wraith.


    If someone of Carmilla¡¯s caliber puts in a large amount of Magical Energy, even the interference from the rain would soon prove ineffective.


    ¡¸You got a thing for stringing up pretty boys like me with thorns, huh?¡¹


    Wraith immediately encases it in a ball of water. Being cut off from Carmilla¡¯s commands, the thorns melt into the water ball like ink.


    ¡¸My apologies, but little boys do not excite me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, it¡¯s Lem you¡¯re after, right? Well, that ain¡¯t happening.¡¹


    ¡¸I do not need your permission.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh yeah you do, he¡¯s my ally after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, he¡¯s my target.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re a tyrannical queen, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸And you are a lively Hero.¡¹


    That war of words reached a stalemate and quickly returned to a battle of magic.


    ¡¸¡­Undine!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    The Spirit¡¯s Magical Energy that Wraith tried to preserve even during the battle against the Scales of Justice Astrea, he used here without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    In an instant, an intense winter appeared in the plaza.


    krck The sound of something bouncing and cracking on the ground could be heard.


    Wraith¡¯s rain was frozen by the influence of the Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸Millennium Frost. During this match, queenie¡¯s blood is just one big block of ice.¡¹


    Even this inordinate amount of blood was stopped in a matter of moments in the face of Wraith¡¯s Spirit Magic.


    However, Carmilla¡¯s composure is still intact.


    ¡¸Indeed. By the way, did I ever mention that this was all I had?¡¹


    From within the black box, a seemingly inexhaustible amount of blood came spewing out.


    Seeing that, Wraith¡¯s lips curled into a smile.

 CH 241.1

    241 ¨C Dancing Amidst the Sudden Rain of Blood 2 (Part 1)


    ¡¸If it¡¯s come down to this, guess I have no choice but to freeze you too.¡¹


    ¡¸I see you have a dangerous hobby of encasing lively adult women in ice.¡¹


    That line was like Carmilla¡¯s revenge for Wraith¡¯s snarky comment from earlier.


    For a brief moment, I thought I felt an aura of killing intent emanating from the usually expressionless Fran.


    ¡¸Sorry lady, but I don¡¯t go for older women.¡¹


    The killing intent I felt just now seems to have disappeared after Wraith¡¯s comeback.


    Carmilla ended the back and forth with a single smile and returned her focus to the battle.


    ¡¸Haagenti. Rejoice, for I am entrusting you with the duty of protecting me.¡¹


    ¡¸This is the greatest pleasure I could possibly ask for¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸As for you two, crumble their tower.¡¹


    ¡¸Ma¡¯am¡­!¡¹¡¸At the cost of my own life, if necessary!¡¹


    The Impaling Daughter Haagenti is put in charge of protecting Carmilla while Short Hair and Long Hair go after Melania.


    The reason support units such as Josh and I are free to do as we please is largely due to Melania¡¯s durability and height. Her existence covers up the weakness of a regular party where the support units would have been targeted first.


    Carmilla knows this too. So she comes up with a strategy to crumble Melania, who she regards as a tower.


    Just now, Wraith momentarily used the Magical Energy of the Spirit, but considering all the battles we¡¯ll be facing from the second stage onwards, I¡¯d like him to avoid using it continuously. Even if this is an actual battle, this is still only the first stage.


    ¡¸Fran! Protect those three!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    At the words of her childhood friend, Fran silently retreats. She switches course to hold back the two Vampires.


    ¡¸By the order of big si-¡­my queen, you won¡¯t leave so much as a scratch on her.¡¹


    Haagenti stands in front of Wraith.


    ¡¸I get what¡¯s got you so riled up.¡¹


    The two male Vampires are dashing across the frozen sea of blood.


    The fact that the figure of the Evil Eye Assassin Botis has still not been seen adds even more to the list of threats.


    Haagenti then proceeds to dig her nails into her back and manipulate the fresh blood that spurts out.


    Two long and large whips grow out of her back. With a vast amount of Magical Energy, she is able to ward off the interference caused by the Magical Energy in the rain.


    ¡¸This rain is useless, you know?¡¹


    She¡¯s provoking him. Actually, the Vampires have to expend an extra amount of Magical Energy in order to counteract the rain.


    Wraith beamed with a roguish smile.


    ¡¸We¡¯ll see.¡¹


    The Semi-Immortal Short Hair is directly facing off against Fran.


    The Blood Manipulator Long Hair is taking a long detour around her in order to stab Melania from behind.


    Acknowledging Fran as a large threat, Short Hair, who specializes in regeneration, is facing her, prepared to take damage, probably as a form of tactics.


    The remaining three members of the Wraith party are two supports and a Half-Cyclops who isn¡¯t used to direct combat.


    I suppose it was decided that a single Vampire from the Demon King Castle was enough to handle all three.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have a fetish for being whipped, so I¡¯ll do this.¡¹


    Pillars of water rise around Wraith. Wriggling like snakes, he swings them like whips.


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t enough to¡­!¡¹


    Haagenti barely dodges the whip that came from above.


    But Wraith wasn¡¯t only trying to grab her with the whip.


    The whips that hit the ground are flicked, splashing water everywhere, making the environment wet.


    ¡¸¡­This is-¡¹


    The water that splashed onto Haagenti¡¯s right arm and the whip was immediately frozen. It doesn¡¯t end there, if it freezes all the way to the core, its effectiveness is greatly-


    ¡¸Piss off¡­!¡¹


    The frozen blood peels off the whip as if peeling off scales. Only the portion of the whip that was rendered useless is immediately cut off.


    Furthermore, Haagenti created a blade of blood and used it to cut off her right arm without so much as a second thought.


    She isn¡¯t a Semi-Immortal, but she can still regrow her arm via regeneration.


    ¡¸I expected no less from a Vampire.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You cheeky little¡­¡¹


    The corner of Haagenti¡¯s lips raises up defiantly.


    ¡¸Enough, Haagenti.¡¹


    A crimson Hydra appeared.


    Of course, to be precise, it¡¯s not literally a Hydra. It is a nine-headed water dragon recreated using an enormous amount of blood.


    It¡¯s one of the Imitations that appeared in the Original Dungeon that Milla and I, including Josh, challenged.


    ¡¸Haha, it¡¯s always something new and interesting whenever I fight any one of you guys from the Demon King Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸You are the first to have seen this, be honored.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, believe me, I am. But I¡¯m not really the one you wanted to show that to, right?¡¹


    Carmilla replied by having all nine heads of the dragon attack him.


    While the Hero battles against the water dragon, our battle continues.


    As expected of the members that were handpicked by Carmilla. Even if they don¡¯t have titles or aliases, they are the best of the best from the third stratum.


    The Semi-Immortal Short Hair is keeping Fran at bay, and while that¡¯s happening, the Blood Manipulator Long Hair is aiming for our backs.


    ¡¸Are you wondering why you can¡¯t blow me away as you did to so many of my brethren during the Raid Battle?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No.¡¹


    Fran swung her fist like a scythe mowing grass, but Short Hair dodges it by ducking.


    Fran immediately follows up with a kick, which her opponent guards against by crossing his arms in front of him.


    Accompanied by the cracking sound of bones breaking, the broken shards break through the skin where blood, or the Magical Energy blood replacement, leaks out.


    ¡¸During that time, we attacked relentlessly so that you all wouldn¡¯t even have the slightest chance of noticing the blood-sucking leeches that were attached to all of you. There was also the aim to tire everyone out with fierce battle after fierce battle. But now it¡¯s different.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not listening.¡¹


    At the same time that Short Hair was kicked, he stepped back to reduce the impact. Even still, what power.


    However, due to being a Semi-Immortal, even before Fran could close the distance between them once again, he had already fully regenerated.


    ¡¸You wield fearsome destructive power, but so long as a Semi-Immortal avoids attacks that would otherwise kill me instantly, I can regenerate. As long as I maintain a neutral distance between you to some extent, someone else will hunt down your allies before long.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You talk too much.¡¹


    The way to seal a Vampire¡¯s regenerative capabilities is to crush their Magical Energy organ or destroy their brain.


    Both sides know this basic fundamental.


    Short Hair limits the damage he receives to just barely able to regenerate.


    Destroyers are strong. They are strong without learning any martial arts. They are strong without any training. They are just strong. They pulverize the enemy and wrench victory from their dead hands.


    As for a way to seal the Destroyer¡¯s power¡­yes, there is one.


    Don¡¯t fight.


    Rather than prioritizing his own battle, he chooses to devote himself to buying time, for the sake of the overall victory.


    ¡­Amazing.


    Vampires are inherently proud creatures. Or perhaps I should say that they have confidence in themselves.


    They are similar in appearance to the abundant Normals, but within them is a strength that proves that they are a different living thing.


    Right now, however, Short Hair has clearly placed Fran on a higher rank than average and is acting accordingly.


    Even if this is under Carmilla¡¯s orders, even when he saw with his own eyes what Fran can do in the Raid Battle, this Demon King Castle Vampire probably has no issue at all with using this method against a little girl who is barely older than ten.


    Even still, he does it.


    Because he wants to win.


    Because if there is any pride that must be protected, it is that one.


    ¡¸Out of the way.¡¹


    ¡¸Want me to move? Then go ahead, try to destroy me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Fran knows it too. That Short Hair isn¡¯t some naive enemy that would let her turn around and protect us.


    Besides she still has to be on the lookout for Botis¡¯s Evil Eye.

 CH 241.2

    241 ¨C Dancing Amidst the Sudden Rain of Blood 2 (Part 2)


    A power that can turn even the Gale Hero Ewan to stone. A considerable amount of Magical Energy would be required to Resist it.


    Wraith and I are the only ones who can guard against it in this party.


    Right now, Fran is fighting Short Hair while avoiding places that Botis is likely to hide in.


    No matter how good Botis is at hiding, it isn¡¯t as if she can truly disappear without a trace.


    Fighting in an open space, it is possible to defend against her surprise attacks by keeping in mind the effective range of her Evil Eye.


    Fran¡¯s Job is Destroyer, but she is also Wraith¡¯s childhood friend. She specializes in a bold way of fighting, but that isn¡¯t to say that fighting strategically is a weak point of hers.


    Fran looked at me for a brief moment.


    I quickly nodded back.


    It¡¯s alright. Leave it to me.


    Fran quickly turned away from me and displayed a far more intense offensive than before.


    ¡¸Josh, it¡¯s your time to shine.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­!¡¹


    We are currently riding atop Melania¡¯s shoulder.


    I brush aside her fluffy hair and approach her ear.


    ¡¸Melania.¡¹


    ¡¸Hyaa¡­! Wh-what is it?¡¹


    Looks like that tickled her. I apologized and then told her the battle plan.


    ¡¸Can I count on you?¡¹


    The mild-mannered girl gave an uncharacteristically strong-willed nod in response.


    ¡¸Lady Carmilla¡¯s orders. The tower must fall.¡¹


    That was the voice of the Blood Manipulator Long Hair who came up behind us.


    ¡¸I-I won¡¯t lose~¡­!¡¹


    Melania forcefully swings her club downwards.


    He¡­does not avoid it.


    A Vampire¡¯s response time should be fast enough to dodge it. Even considering how strong they are, it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to stop this attack with his hand-¡­ Of course!


    I notice his motive a moment too late.


    ¡¸Thanks for the help, milady. Thanks to your club, I am sheltered from the rain.¡¹


    Ignoring the sounds of muscle and bones breaking coming from his arm, there is a fearless smile on his face.


    ¡¸Melania! Retreat-¡¹


    Receiving a blow from her downward-swung club means that it is now in a position in between him and the sky.


    In other words, a space where rain doesn¡¯t fall was created.


    With no interruptions from the rain, the superior Blood Manipulator from the third stratum assaults Melania.


    It looked like a belt. A red belt-shaped sword big enough to be a bandage for Giants. Two of them grew out of his back.


    He runs along the underside of the club and slices up Melania¡¯s right wrist.


    Blood replacement Magical Energy particles scattered about.


    Losing strength in her arm, Melania dropped her club.


    Long Hair caught it without a moment¡¯s delay and forcibly wielded a club meant for a Cyclops, albeit only a Half-Cyclops.


    His muscles bulged. No, it wasn¡¯t just that. Blood too? He manipulated the blood that was wrapped around him to acquire the power needed to wield it.


    A thunderous noise rang from Melania¡¯s right knee, causing her posture to break.


    It was a tremendous impact.


    Josh and I were thrown into the air, each flying in a different direction.


    I somehow managed to perform Ukemi as I landed, but I wasn¡¯t able to completely kill the momentum. [1. TL Note: Ukemi is an art of falling or breaking one¡¯s fall safely. It¡¯s used in many martial arts as well as MMA.]


    I bounced and rolled several times on the wet plaza floor until I finally came to a stop.


    The timing is just right when my allies are downed by an unexpected attack and I have to regain my posture.


    That¡¯s right¡­ I was aiming for this.


    ¡¸¡­Wha-?!¡¹


    Botis, who removed the bandages on her eyes and pointed her Evil Eye in my direction, was clearly shocked.


    At a time that couldn¡¯t be any more perfect than this, her Evil Eye was Resisted.


    Her timing couldn¡¯t have been better.


    She brilliantly took advantage of the moment when a person¡¯s guard is down after trying to regain their composure.


    Resist is a technique that constantly drains your Magical Energy, and it cannot be released to defend against Botis¡¯s Evil Eye unless you focus a large amount of Magical Energy in order to do so.


    Even against an opponent with an abundance of Magical Energy, they can be turned to stone during moments that they aren¡¯t releasing Magical Energy.


    Wraith, Fran, me. I figured that it would be one of us that she would aim for.


    To me, they are precious allies, but from the enemy party¡¯s point of view, they are threats to be considered.


    Fran is always vigilant, and Wraith would find a way to make it work even if he was targeted.


    The target would have to be me. The Black Sorcerer with a Holy Sword whose Black Magic would become a problem if left alone.


    ¡¸You¡­ Our plan¡­¡¹


    Even if it is unclear when, where, and how it would happen¡­


    As long as it was clear who the target was, I just had to be constantly vigilant for when the time comes.


    ¡¸Thanks for being cautious of me.¡¹


    The Carmilla party decided that Melania and Josh can be defeated without using the Evil Eye.


    If they fought one-on-one with the Vampires, that probably would have been true.


    But together as a party, I don¡¯t believe we are weaker than them.


    ¡¸¡­Well played.¡¹


    Precisely because she has to pour everything she has into activating her Evil Eye, and because she made her presence disappear until the very last minute, Botis didn¡¯t cover herself in Magical Energy.


    In front of a Black Sorcerer, that is fatal.


    With Speed Down cast on her, she wasn¡¯t able to intercept my slash and I cut her down.


    As the Evil Eye Assassin Botis turns into Magical Energy particles, another battle was about to reach its conclusion.


    The long-haired Vampire cut up Melania¡¯s right wrist with his belt-shaped sword.


    And then he used the club that she dropped to smash her knee.


    Right now, that guy is¡­fluttering in the air.


    In exchange for dropping her club, she wrapped the belt-shaped sword around her arm.


    This is as dangerous as grabbing a hold of a blade with your bare hands, but her hands were wrapped in Magical Energy before the confrontation even began¡­ We have a White Sorcerer.


    By the time that Long Hair, who was so focused on pressing the attack, noticed that the blood belt sword was entangled around her arm, his whole body was pulled up into the air.


    The Blood Manipulator was slightly late in tearing off the belt from his back and throwing it away, but he was a step too slow.


    ¡¸Gr¡­the rain¡­!¡¹


    He could manipulate his blood if he put in a vast amount of Magical Energy, but doing that just moments after losing a large amount of blood is impossible.


    Even the option of growing wings or shapeshifting into another animal is sealed.


    ¡¸I said so earlier¡­¡¹


    With the Giant¡¯s shield on her left hand, she charges at the Vampire while pushing aside all the surrounding air.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t lose¡­!¡¹


    A dull sound echoed and soon after, he flew through several buildings one after another, leaving a man-shaped hole in each one.


    Melania¡¯s one attack made him go through the walls of a total of four buildings.


    As expected, I couldn¡¯t see the Magical Energy particles from here, but there¡¯s no way he could have avoided being defeated by that.


    ¡¸Alright¡­!¡¹


    Both Josh and I yelled.


    I want to celebrate Melania¡¯s hard-fought victory, but the battle still rages on.


    I tried to confirm the progress of Wraith and Fran¡¯s battle¡­ Then I saw it.


    ¡¸Eh? What¡­?¡¹


    A whip made of blood pierces through Josh¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡¸Oh my, how sturdy. I suppose it is to be expected from an Ogre.¡¹


    The Impaling Daughter Haagenti.


    No. It was¡­


    ¡¸¡­Carmilla.¡¹


    That slipped out of my mouth, and instead of it being drowned out by the sound of falling rain, it seemed to reach her ears.


    ¡¸Indeed. Tis I, Carmilla. Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹

 CH 242

    242 ¨C Dancing Amidst the Sudden Rain of Blood 3


    ¡¸I have come to you.¡¹


    That playful, charming voice belonged to¡­the Vampire Queen Carmilla.


    But¡­she¡¯s fighting Wraith right now- ¡­no, this really is her.


    Carmilla and Milla look similar. Or rather, Haagenti is acutely aware of how Carmilla dresses. Two fellow female Vampires have their similarities, but their physique differs.


    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t mistake them.


    But it¡¯s currently pouring rain. In addition to that, the surrounding is permeated with Wraith¡¯s Magical Energy due to the rain.


    This situation makes it difficult to distinguish an individual¡¯s Magical Energy signature.


    I suppose she didn¡¯t send the crimson Hydra to assault Wraith to defeat him, but rather to use that as an opportunity to swap places with it.


    ¡¸Me¡­lania¡­¡¹


    Knowing that he has been defeated, Josh adjusts to Heal Melania completely.


    In this rain, that will consume more Magical Energy than usual, but he has been saving up Magical Energy since before the battle started.


    ¡¸Such devotion. A good White Sorcerer.¡¹


    She pulls out the blood whip from his chest as a large amount of Magical Energy particles spray out.


    I met eyes with Josh. I could see the belief in his eyes that his allies will win.


    ¡¸This rain is truly quite depressing. In order to display our powers as usual, more than usual Magical Energy is required. In addition, Magical Energy is required to Resist a troublesome Black Sorcerer. There is nothing more annoying. Then, let us at least use it to our advantage and get rid of one of the more troublesome members.¡¹


    In all honesty, this plan exceeded my expectations.


    Even so, it is also incredible.


    If Botis was able to get rid of me, good. If not, even if she were defeated, all of my focus must be on Botis at that moment. It was precisely because I sharpened my senses that I was able to defeat her while Resisting her Evil Eye.


    In time with me dedicating all of my attention to warding off Botis, she slipped through the cracks of the two vanguards, Wraith and Fran.


    This isn¡¯t as easy as it sounds, yet Carmilla did it.


    On top of that, she was able to defeat Josh by striking unexpectedly at the optimal opportunity.


    She¡¯s thought about how this party would work in a Dungeon.


    If you are too wary of the Water Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran, the support units, the White Sorcerer Josh and the Black Sorcerer Lem are free to wield their powers. That said, if you try to attack those two, the Miner Melania will block you.


    If you try to go after the Black Sorcerer Lem first, the other members will pull the rug from under you if left alone.


    Seeing how we did battle with the Scales of Justice Astrea, she would know not to underestimate anyone in the Wraith party.


    So what should she do? Who should be defeated first?


    Every party has their own ideas, but Carmilla decided to crush Josh.


    Doing so, our wounds cannot be healed. Our strength, speed, and defense will not be made stronger than it is.


    So then, next is¡­


    ¡¸Josh¡­!¡¹


    The moment Wraith turned his attention towards us, Haagenti didn¡¯t give him an inch.


    But Wraith then blocked it with a shield made of ice.


    ¡¸Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡¹


    ¡¸Not telling.¡¹


    Wraith hasn¡¯t used the power of the Spirit since the first time he used it.


    There¡¯s no telling what manner of strong foe we¡¯ll face in the future. He probably doesn¡¯t want to put too much of a burden on the Spirit.


    His own Magical Energy ability is strong, but the Magical Energy organ can only be trained slowly and steadily.


    Wraith is still only ten years old, and even though he¡¯s been training since he was an infant, he has his limits.


    Currently, Carmilla is manipulating a seemingly endless amount of blood. In order to neutralize this, Wraith has been using a considerable amount of Magical Energy.


    Still, if he fought her one-on-one, as an ally, I¡¯d trust my leader to win.


    Or perhaps Carmilla thinks the same as well.


    But what if she were to add Haagenti into the mix along with Carmilla¡¯s ability to manipulate large amounts of blood that she showcased in the Raid Battle?


    In other words, does she believe that they can hunt down the Water Hero Wraith together after eliminating all of his allies?


    It¡¯s also possible that there is no such plan¡­


    And she merely wishes to defeat me.


    The box is still in Carmilla¡¯s hand.


    The large amount of blood pouring out of it changed its shape to that of a massive sword.


    ¡¸I shall pierce your heart.¡¹


    The massive sword sent to pierce me through traveled faster than I could blink.


    Magical Energy particles scattered in the air.


    But¡­it wasn¡¯t mine.


    ¡¸I¡­I won¡¯t let you hurt Lem¡­!¡¹


    Melania immediately thrust out her hand to be my shield.


    She probably decided that there wasn¡¯t enough time to use the shield she originally came equipped with, so she blocked it with her bare hand.


    With her newly healed right arm, she grabbed onto the massive sword that was piercing her left hand.


    ¡¸Commendable. Truly. But I will not let you get in my way.¡¹


    I could hear the sounds of a sword carving through meat.


    Melania stood with her back facing me, and after several attacks, a massive sword erupted from her back.


    No matter how sturdy the bloodline of a Giant may be, one cannot escape being defeated by a stab through the heart.


    ¡¸Urgh¡­ah¡­¡¹


    On the verge of disappearing, Melania turns her head to look back at me to give a clumsy smile.


    I, too, smiled back. I give the most reassuring smile I can.


    ¡¸Thank you for protecting me, Melania.¡¹


    As her large frame disappears, she turns into a huge amount of Magical Energy particles that then melt in the rain.


    And then, Carmilla once again enters my field of vision.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just the two of us.¡¹


    That¡¯s a line that would have made my heart skip a beat if Milla said it, but because she¡¯s saying it as Carmilla, I feel a chill run down my spine.


    ¡¸Not sure how I feel about the Vampire Queen aiming for my heart¡­¡¹


    To the rest of the world, we have only met once during the time I was in the Fenix party in the Demon King Castle¡¯s third stratum.


    ¡¸Fufu. You are the only one who I haven¡¯t had my revenge against, you know? Isn¡¯t that more than reason enough?¡¹


    ¡­I suppose so.


    The Fenix party was repelled in the tenth stratum of the Demon King Castle, but Lem was no longer a part of that party.


    It can also be said that by becoming the Demon King Castle¡¯s Chief of Staff, each and every Monster from the first to the fourth stratum had lost their chance to have their revenge against me.


    She had all the public-facing reasons she needed to be fixated on me.


    ¡¸So you remember me. I¡¯m honored.¡¹


    I say, smiling, while I ready my sword.


    How Carmilla moves is already in my head, but how much good is that reference when the amount of blood has changed this much from usual?


    ¡¸Although, you seemed to have forgotten one little thing. Right now, I am part of the Wraith party.¡¹


    ¡¸I am well aware.¡¹


    Carmilla smiled just as Fran swung her giant arm at her.


    In addition, I also fired off my Black Magic, which Carmilla Resisted at the same time.


    The giant sword tilted to block Fran¡¯s right fist that was rapidly approaching her from behind. The sword didn¡¯t shatter because it liquefied at the time of impact. And that¡¯s not all. The liquefied giant sword coils around her right arm.


    ¡¸Do you know why I didn¡¯t bring along my bats this time?¡¹


    The Vampire Bats that she employs are unique animals that have been tamed by having them suck her own blood.


    Within these Vampire Bats is Carmilla¡¯s Magical Energy, which is precisely why blood that is sucked by these bats becomes hers to manipulate. Meddling with the blood becomes possible by the mixture of Carmilla¡¯s Magical Energy and the sucked blood.


    She didn¡¯t bring those bats along this time.


    Why is that?


    It¡¯s possible that she abandoned them considering the mental burden of manipulating this vast amount of blood. In fact, this is probably part of the reason. Manipulating the Vampire bats at the same time as manipulating the blood isn¡¯t that difficult.


    If there¡¯s something else, it¡¯s¡­


    ¡­If¡­she¡¯s able to reproduce the advantages of the bats using her current equipment¡­


    ¡¸Fran¡­!¡¹


    Perhaps instinctively sensing danger, Fran vigorously swung her arm to try and get the blood off of her.


    With Wraith¡¯s rain as well, the blood on her arm fell off to a certain extent, but the effect was already clear.


    Large drops of Magical Energy particles could be seen leaking out of her giant arm.


    She¡¯s able to suck blood out using the manipulated blood?!


    No, only the blood sucked from a Vampire¡¯s own fangs can be treated as theirs. Even the vampire bats and leeches were made to suck blood according to her own will, making it hers.


    ¡¸Does it have to belong to me?¡¹


    What a simple answer¡­


    Even if the sucked blood cannot be made hers, getting one¡¯s blood sucked out works efficiently as an attack.


    Humans are unable to rapidly replenish their blood, and there isn¡¯t a White Sorcerer to patch up the wounds.


    ¡¸If they can destroy anything, then give them a formless enemy. If they are especially sturdy, suck out their blood. Put the enemy at a disadvantage while battling on with an advantage. Are these not the basics of battle?¡¹


    Aside from Fenix or my family, she is most definitely the person in the whole world who knows the most about me.


    She knows everything about me. How I fight, what I¡¯m good at.


    I know how important knowledge is to a battle.


    There is no one who is as cautious of me as she is.


    She knows that I rely on my allies, she knows that I go into battle with information about the enemy drilled into my head, and she knows about my own power.


    ¡ºWhat if you slash her?¡»


    Said Dark, half-heartedly. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s trying to rile me up or make fun of me.


    I can¡¯t win with that.


    She might not give off such an impression, but Carmilla isn¡¯t unskilled at close-range combat.


    She may not hold a candle to those like the Reaper Knight Furcus who specializes in it, but her skill with the blade stands.


    Considering the addition of her powers as a Blood Manipulator, it won¡¯t be enough, even with a Holy Sword.


    Think. No, I had plenty of time to think before the battle.


    All I can do in a moment¡¯s time¡­is confirm it.


    ¡¸Which?¡¹


    Fran looked to me for a brief instruction.


    ¡¸To our leader.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Mm.¡¹


    Dodging the follow-up attack by Carmilla¡¯s giant sword, Fran raced to Wraith¡¯s aid.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Depending on how you look at it, this course of action seems like I¡¯m giving up.


    Tossing aside myself as a pawn, allowing Wraith and Fran to take down Haagenti while I¡¯m defeated.


    In the end, it will become a two versus one, which will end in our victory.


    However, that alternative is the very first one the woman in front of me eliminates.


    Is it due to her expectation of me? Or perhaps her understanding of me.


    ¡¸Once again, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡¹


    As I say that, a blood sword fit in her right hand.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s just as well. I cannot guess your intentions, but this time, I shall pierce your heart.¡¹

 CH 243

    243 ¨C Dancing Amidst the Sudden Rain of Blood 4


    Holding the box in her left hand, and a blood sword in her right.


    The giant blood sword liquefied and returned to the inside of the box.


    Rather than cutting me from afar, she plans to engage in close quarters, huh?


    The rain runs along my hair and gets into my eyes.


    By the time I blink to drive out the drop of water, her sword was already approaching.


    Fast¡­! But¡­!


    Not as fast as the Reaper Knight Furcus!


    The results of getting relentlessly beaten up by her during training are clearly showing.


    Her peerless spear techniques worked me to the bone until my eyes got used to it.


    I met Carmilla¡¯s blade with my Holy Sword. Rather than the swords clashing in a test of strength, the blade of my sword smoothly cut across her blade.


    Her thin blade of blood cannot defend against a Holy Sword.


    She should know that too. Yet, she attacked with such an easy-to-understand slash¡­


    I immediately jumped back.


    Soon after, a cone made of blood popped out of the ground at the spot where I was just standing.


    I see¡­ She gave me the perfect opportunity to attack in order to take me out instead.


    If I had gone after her neck at that moment, I would have been skewered.


    ¡¸Resist.¡¹


    Carmilla probably said that on purpose.


    Is she doing that to sell it to the audience or me?


    Vampires manipulate blood with the use of Magical Energy.


    Those with the Blood Manipulator Job that specializes in that possess a Magical Energy organ equivalent to a Wizard.


    Above all else, she is a capable person who is assigned as one of the Impregnable Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four.


    It isn¡¯t strange for her to be able to Resist normal Black Magic.


    But the Black Magic she just defended against was a special kind that tries to slip through the Resist like a thread threading through a gap.


    It¡¯s a Technique that I am proud of that can get through to strong opponents, let alone ordinary ones, but if it¡¯s against a skilled individual like Aerial or a person who has full knowledge of me like Carmilla, they can deal with it.


    Even so, her timing was impeccable, and not a drop of Magical Energy was wasted at that moment.


    This may be the first time my Black Magic has been Resisted so magnificently.


    ¡¸To be able to cast such Black Magic in the heat of battle¡­ I¡¯m impressed. My Magical Energy is decreasing greatly by the second.¡¹


    Her tone of voice sounds relaxed, but in truth, she probably isn¡¯t.


    I¡¯m sure she used up Magical Energy to Resist the Black Magic from the Black Sorcerer-only party.


    Soaking the blood in the box with her Magical Energy before the Festival began. Today, no one but her could make full use of it all with her spirit alone.


    I can¡¯t confirm it now, but the Hydra¡¯s heads must still be moving. Because if they weren¡¯t, Wraith would have joined up with me a long time ago.


    After driving Fran away, her blatantly reducing the amount of manipulated blood wasn¡¯t because she was underestimating me.


    It¡¯s because she¡¯s reaching her limit.


    So she plans to cut me down with a minimal amount of blood and focus on Resist.


    ¡¸Why do you not use the Magical Energy stored in your Holy Sword?¡¹


    If I can hit her while releasing this Magical Energy at the same time as I slash, I can defeat her.


    Carmilla knows this as well, so she is cautious of it.


    Previously, when I jumped into the fight, I was basically invited to release the Magical Energy in the Holy Sword.


    Because I didn¡¯t jump at the chance, she has no choice but to prepare another strategy.


    ¡¸¡­Hm. Alright, then how about this?¡¹


    Here it comes.


    Perhaps due to the mental strain, her mouth twisted into a grimace as if it hurt a little as she formed a massive blood sword once again.


    She then made it fly towards me.


    Similar to the attack that Melania had to quickly protect me from.


    However, it¡¯s an attack I have already seen several times. Even if I can¡¯t dodge this, I can cut through it.


    The iron sword my father gave me. I grabbed tightly onto the hilt of the sword I yearned for as a child.


    It is unaffordable to common people, but it wasn¡¯t hammered by a master blacksmith, nor does it have any sort of legend surrounding it.


    Still, it is more special than any sword in the world. I swing what can be said to be the only Holy Sword for me.


    The Magical Energy that was flowed into it is compressed and purified, and if it was changed into magic, its increase in effectiveness can be expected.


    Only that kind of Magical Energy can have an effect on the world in that state.


    I can¡¯t afford to blink. There is a large blood sword right in front of my eyes.


    In order to stop it, I ready both my hands on the grip of my Holy Sword.


    I release the Magical Energy. A sharp, deafening sound rings out, and my body slowly moves backward.


    ¡¸Gr¡­!¡¹


    It only lasted a moment.


    The giant sword broke.


    No. It split. Centered on the spot where it touched my Holy Sword, it was split cleanly in two as the momentum causes the halves to zoom past me.


    We were both predicting each other¡¯s actions.


    Carmilla believed that I would deal with the giant sword and approached by secretly hiding behind it.


    I thought that this attack wouldn¡¯t be Carmilla¡¯s only attack, so I cast Black Magic at a location where she would most likely be hiding.


    ¡¸Resist.¡¹


    On top of that, Carmilla predicted as far as me casting Black Magic, so she Resisted it.


    She had a blood sword in her hand.


    ¡¸!¡¹


    I understand her surprise.


    I held onto the Holy Sword with my other hand and assumed a thrusting stance.


    ¡¸Splendid.¡¹


    Carmilla¡¯s mouth was agape with delight.


    We keep predicting each other¡¯s strategies and continued to deal with them through our own strategies.


    I can only see one thing in our near future. The one moment when all the plans from both sides have been thwarted.


    A battle that can only be settled by the weapon in your hand. That kind of battle.


    Both sides are aiming for the other¡¯s heart.


    There is no time other than this moment when a one-to-one fight can be arranged.


    At the very least, this is the first and last time we can have a match like this.


    Both our swords plunge forward, tearing through the enemy¡¯s skin and penetrating the flesh.


    There is a large difference in durability between her, a Vampire, and me, a Human.


    Even if we received the same wounds, Carmilla can withstand them and regenerate.


    So, Carmilla wins.


    The Black Sorcerer Lem has no other way to accomplish it. If he wanted to use the power of his horn, there were other times he could have.


    ¡­That¡¯s what I was able to make her think.


    She only felt a sense of unease soon after piercing my heart.


    She realized that her sword pierced the abdomen of the Black Sorcerer Lem, but not his heart.


    ¡¸H-how¡­?¡¹


    Mixed with the scent of rain and blood, I could almost smell her scent.


    ¡¸You didn¡¯t hold up an umbrella, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No¡­¡¹


    She unintentionally blurted that.


    The reason she misjudged her aim was due to my Black Magic, Confusion.


    The fact that she wasn¡¯t that far off the mark shows that it affected her barely on time and wasn¡¯t even that effective.


    However, Carmilla was always wary of the Black Sorcerer Lem.


    If I were to release Magical Energy again, she would immediately Resist it.


    So I hit her with Black Magic I prepared beforehand, which was outside of her expectations.


    ¡¸Compound magic¡­¡¹


    Compound magic. In the Adventurer business, that indicates a type of magic that was jointly created by two or more different people.


    The one by the Storm Hero Aerial and the Crimson Wizard Michelle is particularly famous.


    Big Blast, compound magic created with Wind and Fire Magic, is a massively powerful attack that blows away any obstacle before it.


    Black or White Magic can also be combined with other elemental spells. I haven¡¯t seen anyone do it in practice, though.


    I mean, of course. There¡¯s the drawback that they are visually bland, but they also specialize in support spells on top of being invisible.


    With how difficult it is to go to all that trouble to make it visible, there is no advantage.


    This is why Carmilla didn¡¯t see this coming either.


    ¡¸There is no way that you improvised this. It must have been since¡­the beginning¡­¡¹


    If I hadn¡¯t practiced it together with Wraith beforehand, this compound magic would not have succeeded.


    The Vampires immediately saw through the purpose of the rain. Having done that, they didn¡¯t think any further about it.


    They just flatly accepted that the rain is only there to disrupt their ability to manipulate blood.


    Also, Carmilla had already gotten used to the surroundings being filled with Wraith¡¯s Magical Energy.


    On top of that, I had just released the Magical Energy from my Holy Sword.


    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t notice it.


    She didn¡¯t notice the little bits of Black Sorcerer Magical Energy mixed in with the wet Hero¡¯s rain.


    The raindrops with my magic in them drench her, and Confusion worked as the raindrops reach her skin.


    Black Magic that was just enough, even slightly, to cause her attack to miss.


    ¡¸Even¡­so-!¡¹


    She twists the blade and tries to pull it outward.


    But she failed.


    Due to Wraith¡¯s rain causing problems with blood manipulation, the blade crumbles.


    She was already no longer in a state that could transfer the Magical Energy, enough for repelling the effects of the rain, to the sword.


    I put my left arm around her waist to stop her from pulling away from my Holy Sword.


    While Magical Energy particles scattered about, we clumsily set foot onto the plaza ground.


    I hold on to her, making sure to not let Carmilla escape.


    Amidst the rain, we probably looked like two beginners trying earnestly to dance.


    Eventually, the dance came to an end.


    It felt like it lasted a long time, but it was actually extremely short. Probably just a few seconds.


    Nevertheless, the Holy Sword was stuck in her heart the whole time.


    Carmilla was unable to regenerate that wound.


    In such a situation, even the Vampire Queen would not be able to remain calm.


    ¡¸Once¡­again¡­¡¹


    That voice¡­was not the voice of the Monster known as Carmilla, but of a woman whom I know very well.


    ¡¸Once again, I am the only one to have my heart pierced.¡¹


    She whispered in a voice that only I could hear.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The Black Sorcerer Lem is able to think and act quickly in the heat of battle, but not able to give a witty comeback at a time like this.


    Without waiting for my reply, she looked down at her own crumbling Avatar and muttered¡­


    ¡¸While frustrating, my revenge shall have to wait till the next opportunity.¡¹


    Her body unravels, becomes particles of light, and melts into the rain.


    The beautiful Vampire Queen¡­is defeated.


    She knows me extremely well.


    So in order to outsmart her, I had to prepare a version of me that she doesn¡¯t know.


    Doing something that I never did during my time in the Fenix party, of course, nor even when I became the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    Black Magic combined with the magic of another element.


    Without it, she probably would have won.


    Or I would have had to use the horns.


    The face of my master suddenly comes to mind.


    Until I finally reach him, I cannot lose to even one person.


    Not to my best friend, or even my benefactor.


    ¡¸There you go stealing the show again.¡¹


    Applying pressure to my wound, I heard the seemingly frustrated voice of my leader.


    When I turned to look, I saw the Water Hero sitting atop a giant ice sculpture, which was the Hydra that he had frozen completely.


    On the ground was the Destroyer who had lost her massive right arm.


    It seems that they defeated Haagenti around the time I concluded my fight.


    From their injuries and traces of battle, I could tell that it was quite a fierce battle.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all thanks to everyone.¡¹


    Because of this party, I was able to win.


    Other than Wraith or Fran, we still don¡¯t have the strength to defeat a Vampire by ourselves.


    Still, we thought, worked together, and attained victory in the end.


    While Josh was being defeated, he healed Melania, then Melania immediately protected me, then Fran came running, and finally, the compound magic with Wraith made it in time.


    That is how much of a threat Carmilla¡¯s assault was.


    Wraith laughed heartily, perhaps predicting my answer.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s celebrate this victory with everyone.¡¹


    The sound signaling the end of the match rang out, also signaling that we have broken through the first stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest.

 CH 244

    244 ¨C Surely, It Won¡¯t End With a Mistake


    I return from my Avatar to my real body.


    The device capable of transferring consciousness, the Cocoon, opens and I sit upright.


    I¡¯m in a¡­I suppose you could call it a private room.


    A vast space surrounded by pure white walls.


    Since there are many participants of a race with a larger size as compared with Normals, like in our party, rooms like this are made to accommodate giant members.


    It¡¯s a waiting room unique to Magical Energy spaces.


    In fact, it¡¯s so tall that Melania would have no problems standing upright.


    Her Cocoon is quite large. It seems she is using one meant for Giants since there isn¡¯t one specifically for Half-Giants.


    As I met my allies face to face in the waiting room, we praised each other as we celebrated our victory.


    Josh looked embarrassed, Melania¡¯s face was bright red, yet they still gave the impression that they were proud of themselves and happy.


    It¡¯s hard to be confident in yourself without anything to gauge yourself by.


    This is why, to many people, results are important.


    The first time you see the fruits of your labor, you can safely think that you weren¡¯t wrong in your decisions.


    The first time you get recognition, you feel rewarded.


    Right now, that¡¯s what the Wraith party is feeling.


    While we were basking in the victory¡­a portion of the pure white wall slowly slides open.


    ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹


    Glancing at the people coming in, Wraith said with barely any interest.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the interview crew. They told us about this, dude. Don¡¯t you remember?¡¹


    It¡¯s new to me, but Josh doesn¡¯t speak formally when he talks to Wraith. He¡¯s formal when speaking with Fran, so I wonder if it has nothing to do with age?


    Either way, Josh is being natural, so nothing feels off.


    ¡¸Ah, right, right.¡¹


    ¡¸Man¡­ Exposing ourselves to the world is, like, an important part of being an Adventurer.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right, this comes with this job. Well, then let¡¯s have our victory celebration after the interview.¡¹


    During the time we were talking, the preparations for the interview were proceeding.


    The cameras, the interviewers, and, of course, the board they put behind people during interviews are set up.


    It¡¯s the same sort of partition screen they put up for the post-game interviews with sports athletes.


    This time, it was lined up with the logos of all the companies that financed the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    The interviewers were a female Normal and a male Giant. As expected by something that labels itself as a fight to decide the strongest regardless of race, appropriate staff were recruited to tackle winners of any race.


    Although he is actively trying to end Dungeon Clears, I thought this was a very civil way to go about this. As expected of Fellow, who wishes to abolish injustice and discrimination towards Jobs and races.


    Wraith was his usual chatty self, Fran was her usual silent self, Josh was slightly nervous, and Melania seemed to be in a panic and kept getting tongue-tied.


    I think I was able to reply pretty fluently.


    This is partway through the interview.


    ¡¸However, it became very clear from your score in the preliminaries that contestant Lem had contributed a frightening amount. Is it true that you have undergone special training?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s special but¡­yes. I don¡¯t neglect a single day of training.¡¹


    It¡¯s clearly different from the norm, but if I explain it, the topic would shift to the person who taught me this training method, in other words, my master, so I avoid explaining further.


    ¡¸I see! It¡¯s all about perseverance! Amazing. Oh, speaking of which, a party made up of only Black Sorcerers made an appearance in the same venue, what do you think about them, contestant Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What¡­do I think?¡¹


    Promptly picking up on the stiffness in my voice, the female interviewer glossed over it by continuing in a cheerful voice.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s just that they are a group of just support types, yet they passed the preliminaries, which garnered them some attention! And now contestant Lem, a Black Sorcerer, is garnering the most attention currently, I just wanted to know what your thoughts were about them¡­!¡¹


    I sensed no ill will from her words. It¡¯s possible that she is genuinely curious.


    They have a tale of their own. I also feel that I shouldn¡¯t talk about things that I know.


    But at the same time, it¡¯s the truth that I am very grateful for the people like Milla and Aerial who thought highly of me when the rest of the world didn¡¯t after I left the Fenix party.


    ¡¸This is an assumption, but they are all excellent Black Sorcerers.¡¹


    I then mentioned the current state of the Black Sorcerers, the difficulties of continuing to train while working without a party, and praised their efforts in overcoming these difficulties to get to that point.


    ¡¸I-I see. ¡­So, if you were to face them, who would win?¡¹


    That question has no malice behind it, but I do think it is a little mean.


    ¡¸We would.¡¹


    I declare. After a short pause, I continue.


    ¡¸At that time, we were lying in wait while setting up the rain spell. Because we believed that the Carmilla party would be our final opponent. But that isn¡¯t because we believed that party to be weak. They are very strong people, but they also made a mistake.¡¹


    ¡¸Mistake¡­? May I ask what it was?¡¹


    It was something very, very obvious.


    ¡¸A Black Sorcerer is a support role.¡¹


    Although, that didn¡¯t seem to be enough to properly convey what I meant.


    ¡¸R-right. That¡¯s¡­uh, certainly not wrong. However, they accompanied that with what is known as a Second Job that they polished and passed the preliminaries¡­¡¹


    ¡¸On an individual basis, there is nothing wrong with that method. In fact, even I am polishing my sword skills. However¡­uhm, I don¡¯t mean to use myself as an example, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, please go on.¡¹


    She said, genuinely curious.


    ¡¸I started fighting with a sword during a certain Tag Tournament-¡¹


    ¡¸Where you participated alongside the Silver Sands Strong Arm Miss Berith, yes? She appeared later on in the Demon King Castle Raid Battle.¡¹


    This isn¡¯t so much a confirmation as it is more of an explanation for the sake of those watching this. I give a small nod and continue talking.


    ¡¸There is one thing that has stuck with me since that time. During the investigation of the Original Dungeon and this All-Heaven Festival Contest as well.¡¹


    ¡¸And that is?¡¹


    ¡¸To not misunderstand.¡¹


    ¡¸Misunderstand¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That we Black Sorcerers are a support Job. Our main role is the support our allies, and to have the adequate ability in service of that. Working hard to hone abilities besides that is not wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be able to broaden your options and I think it¡¯s a wonderful direction to strive in. But¡­those in combat Jobs are also working hard.¡¹


    The interviewer doesn¡¯t seem to have really gotten it yet.


    Wraith was smiling happily.


    ¡¸When we train with the sword, first-class combat Job Adventurers are also continuing their training. As for combat technique, we will surely never be able to catch up in neither Aptitude or amount of effort they put in in our lifetime.¡¹


    We also have our Black Magic to train. It¡¯s absolutely impossible to train our martial arts as much as the combat types do.


    ¡¸I¡­I see¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸So if we want to be Adventurers, we have to find allies who will fight for us. Even if they are a Black Sorcerer who can use a sword or a Black Sorcerer who can handle a bow, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we are a support role. Only when we have main attackers to support does our true worth shine.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    I could see the interviewer¡¯s body shaking.


    ¡¸There may be many scenes of me, a Black Sorcerer, confronting foes alone. But I believe that I can only effectively do so because I have strong allies.¡¹


    Impatient enemies who try to finish me off first but then my allies come running in.


    Cautious enemies who are wary of being on the receiving end of my Black Magic in addition to the powerful party members.


    Even if I get locked into a temporary one-on-one battle, my foe has the mindset of either one of the two enemies stated previously.


    And if they don¡¯t, I have allies who will come to my aid.


    I can fight because I have such strong allies.


    My skill with the blade is far from top-notch, but it becomes effective.


    ¡¸I think I know just how difficult it is in an Adventurer industry where Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers are treated coldly. If we could easily find allies, we wouldn¡¯t struggle. They must have put together this party as a result of their worries. I did say that this formation is mistaken, but I do not think that this attempt was meaningless.¡¹


    ¡¸Because the usefulness of Black Sorcerers was proven by this battle or the points acquired in the preliminaries, yes?¡¹


    The interviewer exclaimed happily as if she had just solved a difficult puzzle.


    I also naturally smile back.


    There wasn¡¯t the slightest color of doubt in her eyes anymore.


    Failure is inevitable in life. There isn¡¯t anyone who is free from mistakes.


    But making a mistake isn¡¯t the end of the world.


    What do you do or what can you do after making a mistake?


    Can our attempt be turned into something meaningful?


    That¡¯s where it matters.


    ¡¸Seeing their success would surely make Adventurers think. They can start imagining. What if we were to add a Black Sorcerer that could fight? They might think the following if they saw our Josh in action. How would our party change if we had a White Sorcerer who could fight?¡¹


    Everyone¡¯s opinions won¡¯t suddenly change.


    But it¡¯s all fine if it changes little by little.


    The Aerial party that got to 1st rank with a White Sorcerer, the Fenix party that got to 4th rank while employing a Black Sorcerer, and the Ellie party that has two White Sorcerers and two Black Sorcerers that is within the top 100 parties.


    There are those who continue to this day not being bound by common sense. There are even those that are affected by them.


    Just like that, there will be an ever-so-slight increase in people who hold a different perception.


    I¡¯m sure their struggle has contributed enough to that.


    ¡¸This time, we didn¡¯t run into them. Still, the results of their daily hard work have shown today just how big a role support Jobs plays. That¡­is what I think of them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I see! I see!! In that case, you just might be the same, contestant Lem! A shining ray of hope for all Black Sorcerers!¡¹


    For a moment, I was dumbfounded.


    I looked to my allies and they were nodding, smiling, and laughing in agreement with the interviewer.


    I think back to what I said.


    I suddenly get really embarrassed, scratch my cheek and give a lame smile.


    ¡¸Ah¡­well¡­if¡­if that is what you think, then I¡­I am extremely happy.¡¹


    After that, the interview finished without a hitch.


    The deeply inspired interviewer asked for a handshake, then we started packing our things to head home.


    Visitors arrived as soon as the interview crew left.


    ¡¸Black Sorcerer Lem, just now, you-¡¹


    ¡¸Lord Lem¡­!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Ngyaaah¡­!!¡¹


    First of all, the Fire Manipulator Aym, who I crossed swords with earlier, tried to come in.


    It was then that¡­someone else suddenly tried to get in and collided with her and they both fell.


    That person was¡­

 CH 245

    245 ¨C Winners and Losers Alike, Walk Forward


    ¡¸Ah hah! That was so lame, Mistress!¡¹


    The person laughing at the fallen woman is the Flame Spearman Amii. He looks like a flame in Human form, but his expression can be read by the different colored flames arranged in his facial area.


    After laughing for some time, the expression disappears.


    ¡¸So¡­? What¡¯re you gonna do with the guy who bumped into you and didn¡¯t even apologize. Burn him?¡¹


    ¡¸Stop it, Amii.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fiiine.¡¹


    ¡¸For a joke about fire, it was as cold as ice.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what you have a problem with? And hey, that joke was super hot. I mean, you¡¯re right next to a living flame here.¡¹


    ¡¸It gave me chills.¡¹


    ¡¸Want me to hold you close?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll drench you in water.¡¹


    ¡¸So cold.¡¹


    First off, Aym seems to be perfectly fine.


    The person who bumped into her stopped right in front of me, but when she noticed that our eyes were on her, she turned around and slowly stood back up.


    The sight of her standing up and gently brushing the dust off of her gave the impression that she was calm.


    Different from the gorgeous dress she wore when in her Avatar, she gave off the air of the beautiful lady next door.


    But if you look closely, you can tell that she is the Fire Manipulator. Or you could guess from Amii next to her.


    ¡¸C-c-contestant Aym?! Did¡­did I just bump into you?! Please forgive me!¡¹


    The visitor kept bowing his head in apology. By the way, he is a man.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, now can we please stop bringing up the fact that I fell down?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, watch it. The extremely lame image of my mistress going ¡°Ngyaaah¡­!!¡± while tumbling is forever burned into my mind and will never leave, so please, stop bringing it up over and over. It just makes it more and more pathetic. ¡­Heh.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll forget about it! I¡¯ve already forgotten it!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. Amii, I¡¯ll punish you later.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?! Why me?!¡¹


    ¡¸Because you laughed at your mistress.¡¹


    They seem to get along well.


    ¡¸Hey, far be it for me to spoil all the fun, but what do you want with our Lem? We kinda have plans to get to.¡¹


    After Wraith said that, all three of their gazes return to me.


    ¡¸¡­This won¡¯t take long. I wished to talk with the Black Sorcerer Lem, but it isn¡¯t something that must be discussed at this very moment. For today, I shall just give him this and excuse ourselves.¡¹


    She gave me a piece of paper with her e-mail address on it. She probably prepared it before she came here.


    It would be rude to refuse, so I accepted it.


    ¡­No, I accepted because I could see through what her business with me might be.


    ¡¸Just Lem again? Man, it really is your time to be popular with the ladies.¡¹


    He¡¯s probably talking about the time with the Scales of Justice Astrea and the Dragon King Valac a while ago.


    ¡¸Oh, you were splendid as well Water Hero Wraith. But besides, that isn¡¯t what this is about, so don¡¯t be mistaken.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right, kid. My mistress is as dry as a-¡¹


    As Amii said that, Aym released a murderous aura.


    ¡¸Amii.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right. Shutting up.¡¹


    ¡¸Clever, but too little, too late. Consider your punishment doubled.¡¹


    It seemed like Amii¡¯s heat dimmed and he became a little smaller¡­


    What an odd master and servant pair. Amii constantly teases Aym, but he never disrespects her. Even if his jokes go too far, I can see that there is respect for her deep within.


    Trying to break the tension in the air, Aym clears her throat once.


    ¡¸Well then, I suppose I shall take my leave today. Black Sorcerer Lem, till we meet again.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes. I¡¯ll¡­uh¡­keep in touch.¡¹


    ¡¸Same to the short stuff with the big arm. I won¡¯t be the one who gets burned next time, alright?¡¹


    Amii waved a hand at Fran while smiling.


    ¡¸We¡¯re leaving, you lolicon.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, hey, I only have eyes for you, mistress.¡¹


    ¡¸Your punishment is now threefold.¡¹


    ¡¸Why?!¡¹


    Those two got along even until they left.


    ¡¸So? How bout you? What did you come here for?¡¹


    Wraith calls out to the man.


    ¡¸You¡¯re Mauri, right?¡¹


    The man was a little shocked when I said that, then he nodded happily.


    He is the leader of the party of only Black Sorcerers.


    That party was registered as the Mauri party in this tournament.


    ¡¸I actually came in hopes of having a conversation with Sir Lem, but I happened to hear what you said in the interview moments ago and I was deeply moved¡­!¡¹


    He suddenly closed the distance between us.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I said some pretty self-indulgent things, but if you didn¡¯t mind, then I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    ¡¸On the contrary, your words blew away all the doubts we held in our hearts. Actually, just before I was defeated, the Vampire Queen asked me ¡°How did you intend on seizing the seat of the strongest?¡±¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    Even Carmilla foresaw the problems in his party.


    ¡¸It just hit me. The idea was to see how far we could go on this new path we had found. But the Carmilla party was aiming for victory. She gathered allies in order to defeat all sorts of strong opponents and trained herself.¡¹


    Since there are a lot of participants, it is difficult for all of them to share the same passion and purpose.


    It isn¡¯t as if participating just to make it a momentous occasion is a bad thing.


    However, the higher you go, the more parties you¡¯ll run into who wish to prove that they are the strongest. When that time comes, how do you win? Does your party have what it takes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?


    If you can¡¯t answer that, then only hardships lie before you.


    ¡¸We had become severely stubborn. We even resented this industry that has treated us with disdain. We tried to prove that we could win on our own. However, we had overlooked something so basic that even a child could see it.¡¹


    That a Black Sorcerer is ultimately a support Job.


    ¡¸¡­But that gave rise to an outcome that showcased the possibilities of a Black Sorcerer, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly!¡¹


    Mauri¡¯s face was too close.


    In videos, he gave off the impression of being someone who was calm and collected, but he seems quite passionate. Or perhaps he¡¯s just really excited? Maybe even both.


    ¡¸After tasting defeat, the mood of my party was grave. We weren¡¯t able to reach the top. We were obsessed with that result. I could only see the words from the Vampire Queen as her pointing out our mistakes. In fact, that¡­that is what I wished to come and talk to Sir Lem about if I could.¡¹


    I guess he thought to ask me, a former 4th-ranked, for my opinion on what he should have done.


    ¡¸And so, listening to your interview just now, Sir Lem, I was deeply moved¡­! Do not despise the road you tread upon and continue looking forward above all else! That way of thinking is related to your rapid advancements since withdrawing from the Fenix party, right?!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I wonder. I¡­suppose so. In my case, I feel as if I have been blessed with people around me, though.¡¹


    ¡¸These people came to you because they had seen what you had done, hadn¡¯t they?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The road to reuniting with Milla began with my rescuing her in the first place.


    Even Aerial was interested in me during the time I was part of the Fenix party.


    Nicola was a fan of mine long before I met her.


    Fenix asked me to form a party with him.


    He¡¯s right. He¡¯s¡­probably right.


    ¡¸If so, I¡¯m glad.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure it is so¡­! And we shall be even more diligent to become just like that!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m certain you all will. The Black Magic you all displayed in the preliminaries was superb.¡¹


    It greatly exceeded that of the average Black Sorcerer. It is a realm that can only be reached after long periods of training.


    If I consider the state of Black Sorcerers, I know how difficult it is to awaken to this Job and to continue working hard without becoming discouraged.


    Aiming for great heights while your surroundings deny your very reason for existing is very taxing on one¡¯s mental state.


    That¡¯s why people like the Mauri party are very precious.


    Mauri was moved to tears by my words.


    ¡¸Thank you so much, Sir Lem. ¡­If¡­if you don¡¯t mind, I very much would like another chance to talk sometime. I would like to introduce you to the others who aren¡¯t here.¡¹


    ¡¸I would be delighted.¡¹


    We firmly shook hands.


    Then, Mauri headed back to his allies while repeatedly looking back at me.


    ¡¸Sorry, guys. I kept you waiting.¡¹


    I say to everyone, then Wraith looked at me as if he had something to say.


    ¡¸What do you think, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s good being an Adventurer too, right?¡¹


    ¡­Come to think of it, this wasn¡¯t the only time that Wraith wanted to make me a party member.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Working hard to claim victory as a party of five. Yeah, it¡¯s fun.¡¹


    ¡¸It is, but that¡¯s not what I meant. That guy, Mauri, was it? He got a deep impression from the Black Sorcerer Lem. The interview said this too. The Black Sorcerer Lem is the shining ray of hope to Black Sorcerers. With us, won¡¯t you be able to become the hero you¡¯re aiming for by staying as you are?¡¹


    As¡­I am.


    Not with my identity hidden as the Monster Lemegeton.


    But aiming for the hero I want to be as the Human Lem.


    That was a very, very attractive proposition.


    ¡¸Thanks, Wraith. But-¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, you don¡¯t have to say it. I already know you¡¯re going to say no. But y¡¯know, Lem? I¡¯m persistent.¡¹


    Wraith gave me a mischievous smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m the successor of my father¡¯s title of Unyielding, after all.¡¹


    The Unyielding Hero Altreed.


    The former World¡¯s 1st Ranked Hero. My inspiration. The sole Hero who got to 1st Rank without a Spirit.


    A legendary person who is waiting alongside my master for their challenger at the end of this tournament.


    Also, Wraith¡¯s father.


    Now, honest respect for his father has returned to Wraith.


    Through the Raid Battle, he became even stronger. Particularly his heart.


    It certainly wouldn¡¯t be easy to make him give up on me now.


    It¡¯s a luxurious problem to have, as I give a wry smile.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I suddenly noticed something.


    Fran has been tugging on Wraith¡¯s sleeves.


    ¡¸What is it, Fran?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nothing.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to pout. I¡¯m counting on you too.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not pouting.¡¹


    ¡¸Then what? Are you hungry?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Yes. I¡¯m hungry. That¡¯s all.¡¹


    ¡¸Rea~lly?¡¹


    Seeing them like this, they look like two children who are great friends.


    No, they are children. Children who are also strong Adventurers.


    ¡¸Now that you mention it, I¡¯m hungry too.¡¹


    ¡¸Actually, same here.¡¹


    When I said that, Josh voiced out in agreement as well.


    And then, Melania¡¯s stomach made a large grumbling noise.


    When we looked up at her, her face turned red and tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡¸No-this is¡­it-it¡¯s not like that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s only natural to get hungry. Let¡¯s eat plenty while celebrating our victory. We¡¯re gonna need our nutrition to win our next one.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re right. Shall we?¡¹


    The Wraith party has passed the first stage of the main event of the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    Four parties have been eliminated, and we advance.

 CH 246

    246 ¨C Congratulations and Support 1


    I, a Black Sorcerer, was welcomed into the Wraith party.


    Together, we participated in the All-Heaven Festival Contest and passed the first stage following the preliminaries.


    If we¡¯re able to pass the second stage after this, which will take on a tournament-style format, we will be able to fight my master and the Unyielding Hero Altreed in the third and final stage.


    I¡¯d say we¡¯ve been doing pretty well.


    But right now, there is a whirlwind of emotions swirling in my chest.


    ¡¸You really did gr~eat¡­!¡¹


    In the town where the Demon King Castle is. In a certain tavern. The crowd was great, and there were four TVs in the center of the tavern, facing in all directions.


    No matter where you sit, you¡¯re able to see a TV screen.


    Blitz and I were sitting across from each other at a table.


    He¡¯s the owner of the fruit stall where Cashew used to work at and also my friend. Due to his large frame, bald head and sharp eyes, he instantly gives the impression of a scary person, but he¡¯s actually really kind-hearted.


    Recently, I have been out of town quite often, so the frequency of me showing my face at his stall has decreased, but we¡¯re still good friends.


    I¡¯ve come here today because he wanted to celebrate my passing on the first stage.


    He seems to have already gotten a little drink before I arrived, and has congratulated me for the umpteenth time.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    When being congratulated by a friend, it always feels good no matter how many times it¡¯s said.


    ¡¸I¡¯mmm really glad¡­! You used to be sstrugglin¡¯ to find a job, but now yer the center of attention! That¡¯z really¡­amazinggg¡­!¡¹


    Blitz was in tears.


    Seeing him so happy as if it were happening to himself, I was fraught with emotion.


    ¡¸I was blessed with allies.¡¹


    ¡¸You idiot! Now¡¯s the time when it¡¯s OK to just say something like ¡°I¡¯m awesome!¡±, y¡¯know?¡¹


    Wraith said something really similar to that as well.


    It¡¯s not my intention to always put myself down, but¡­old habits die hard, I guess.


    ¡¸You¡¯re¡­right. I did my best and produced some good results.¡¹


    ¡¸Geez¡­ Well, that¡¯s very like you, though.¡¹


    He says with a wry smile, then Blitz grabs a hold of his wooden beer mug.


    He asks a nearby waiter for a refill and asks me this question while waiting.


    ¡¸So? What happened to Miss Milla?¡¹


    This, too, feels like the second time I¡¯ve heard this question.


    It isn¡¯t uncommon for the same topic to come up when you¡¯re drunk, but this one is a little¡­


    ¡¸She wasn¡¯t able to make it today.¡¹


    ¡¸Ya liar. Like there¡¯s anything more important to her than you. Trouble in paradise?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing like that, no, but¡­¡¹


    Seeing how evasive I was being, Blitz¡¯s expression turned slightly serious.


    ¡¸¡­Well, it was a serious match, so I suppose all sorts of things can happen after winning or losing. But that girl still scouted you out even after she was defeated all that time ago, so I figured she¡¯d be the type to celebrate your victory after the match.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s¡­you¡¯re right. It is exactly as you say, Blitz¡­¡¹


    Even if I had lost, I would have praised her and her party for their victory.


    ¡¸Hm?¡¹


    After making a puzzled face, there was a glint in his eye and he started smiling.


    ¡¸If that isn¡¯t the case, is there a reason that makes it hard to meet face to face?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! I-it¡¯s not that either, it¡¯s just¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hah ha. Bingo. It¡¯s always something about romance that makes you lose your cool. Maybe you haven¡¯t built a resistance to it ¡¯cause you¡¯ve been busy training all your life.¡¹


    I wonder if he didn¡¯t straight up say that I lack experience in that area out of consideration or kindness.


    Blitz¡¯s face was red but he leaned in and whispered.


    ¡¸Did ya mess up during your first time?¡¹


    I almost dropped the wooden beer mug that I brought to my lips in order to hide my expression.


    ¡¸Bwuh¡­! N-no! In the first place, we aren¡¯t even like that¡­¡¹


    This time, he pulled a face that seemed to doubt my sanity.


    ¡¸You still sayin¡¯ that? No, no, they say that everyone moves at their own pace.¡¹


    I recall the final moments of my fight with Carmilla.


    The heart that she mentioned as her last words had a different meaning, I think.


    Actually, I¡¯ve felt uneasy ever since. Even when we meet face to face, Milla feels somewhat distant.


    When our eyes meet, she would look away quickly.


    ¡¸You guys seem like the perfect match to me, but¡­is there some sorta deal-breaker?¡¹


    ¡¸No, there¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with her. The problem is more to do with me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hm¡­ Ah¡­is it to do with that? Y¡¯know, the idea that romance with an Adventurer doesn¡¯t last long?¡¹


    An Adventurer is a profession that travels all over the world.


    Since they don¡¯t stay in one place for long, it isn¡¯t possible to stay together with one person for long.


    Of course, there are tales of lovers finally getting married at the end of a long-distance relationship¡­but that¡¯s as rare as they come.


    The men of the Fenix party, apart from me, are popular with the ladies, but I¡¯m sure none of them have had a long-term lover.


    But well, I suppose that¡¯s the kind of Adventurers they are.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been busy lately, but I¡¯m not sure that applies to me right now.¡¹


    ¡¸S¡¯pose so¡­you guys work in the same place too.¡¹


    There was a bit of silence after that.


    After much deliberation, I open my mouth.


    ¡¸I¡¯m¡­well, I¡¯m no genius. I¡¯m very aware of that.¡¹


    Blitz listened to me silently.


    ¡¸But, I had a dream. A dream that I, before I realized how ordinary I am, cannot throw away. To make it happen, even all the efforts I can think of may not be enough. I might not be able to achieve it even with the best of allies. Yet I still want to make it happen, so I think about what else can be done day after day. That is¡­honestly, all I¡¯ve ever thought about.¡¹


    Not realizing that my folks back home are always worried about me, but support me either way.


    I was not interested in the sweet and sour, bittersweet taste of romance that normal people experienced normally.


    Focusing all my allies¡¯ discontent within me and thought that everything would work out if we could just climb up the ranks.


    That way of living wasn¡¯t healthy.


    I think the Frost Hero Bella said that I wasn¡¯t the only one at fault. That if my allies had noticed that I was hiding my true strength, we could have talked about it there and then.


    But it still starts with me.


    ¡¸When I was depressed, meeting Cashew cheered me up. Reuniting with Milla, she showed me a new form that my dream could take. I¡¯m also glad I become friends with you, Blitz. I¡¯ve honestly met a lot of people, and I count myself lucky. But I¡¯m sure I¡¯m still new to all this. I¡¯m still not used to personal relationships especially.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey man, everyone¡¯s like that.¡¹


    Without touching the refill of beer that was brought to the table, Blitz purposefully said that in a way like it was nothing special.


    ¡¸Really?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, even someone who knows all about the sweet and the sour can fall in love like a fifteen-year-old kid. It ain¡¯t weird for the best Black Sorcerer to not be able to do something a five-year-old could do.¡¹


    ¡¸Urgh¡­¡¹


    Indeed, if the problem was simplified as ¡°Say you like what you like and you don¡¯t like what you don¡¯t like.¡±, I guess my worry is something that even a five-year-old could do without difficulty.


    Saying what I feel as I think them. It seems easy but becomes more and more difficult.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all about having courage.¡¹


    ¡¸Courage¡­¡¹


    I wonder if that is what I¡¯m lacking.


    At that time, I could feel the customers of the tavern getting excited.


    ¡¸Oh, looks like it¡¯s about to start. What¡¯re you gonna do?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s continue this conversation afterward.¡¹


    Watching this was one of the reasons to come here today.


    There were a lot of customers who left their seats to get close to the TV.


    We watched it while sitting down.


    ¡ºRight now, what is the event that the whole world is watching? That¡¯s right! The All-Heaven Festival Contest!¡»


    ¡ºAnd today, like every other day, we will keep you up to date with the latest info! Today, we will introduce the parties that have moved on to the second stage as well as who they would wish to fight against the most!¡»


    It¡¯s a special program where the hosts are a woman with bunny ears and a Normal man.


    The two of them continue to talk for a bit and then move on to the main subject.


    ¡ºThe world¡¯s 1st ranked Aerial party has passed the first stage without losing so much as a single member! They battled against the Loop party, the 24th-ranked party that has been climbing the ranks steadily this year, and a party of strong Monsters from the Advanced Level ¨C Deep Sea Dungeon, but they won, as expected of the world¡¯s 1st rank. The newcomer Gale Hero Ewan seems to have grown accustomed to the team and displayed some adept wind Spirit Magic.¡»


    The 2nd ranked Ex party, 3rd ranked Hervor party, 4th ranked Fenix party, and the 5th ranked Scathach party has also moved on. Every party within the world¡¯s top 10 has moved on to the second stage.


    So has the 95th-ranked Ellie party and the 99th-ranked Nicola party.


    Five hundred parties have been reduced down to one hundred.


    The fact that so many of my acquaintances have passed just shows how strong they all are.


    But of course, not all of them can pass.


    ¡ºA party that has been talked about non-stop since their debut, the Water Hero contestant Wraith¡¯s party has won a splendid victory! In this match, they clashed with the party led by the Fire Manipulator contestant Aym of the Big Four from the Southern Demon King Castle, and the party led by the Vampire Queen contestant Carmilla of the Big Four from the Impregnable Demon King Castle, and came out victorious! Also in the same match, a unique party consisting of only Black Sorcerers made their appearance, and their formation has become quite the hot topic. The Black Sorcerer contestant Lem of the Wraith party had this to say about them during an interview-¡»


    It wasn¡¯t only the Aym and Carmilla party.


    In a battle full of strong contenders, they will further be divided into winners and losers.


    The Demon King from the east, Beelzebub, and party were victorious, while the party led by the Demon of Love Sitri was defeated.


    The Demon King of the West, Astaroth, and party were victorious, while the Magnanimous Sage Ronove party from the Elementary Level ¨C Beginner¡¯s Dungeon were defeated.


    The Demon King of the South, Paimon, and party were victorious, while the world¡¯s 11th-ranked Ash Hero Garo party was defeated.


    Other powerful Monsters and high-ranked Adventurers met their match in this first stage.


    It¡¯s hard to believe. Because I know just how strong these people are.


    But at the same time, I understand that it can happen.


    No one can go undefeated in their entire career.


    As far as I know, there isn¡¯t a single person, aside from the strongest Demon King, like that in existence.


    ¡ºGoodness me, this first stage was full of spectacular matches.¡»


    ¡ºHere, a special website made by the joint collaboration of the Adventurer Union and the Luci Company will be open to the public at a later date! Those who couldn¡¯t catch the matches or those who wish to watch it all from start to finish can look forward to it!¡»


    The Luci Company refers to the company owned by Fellow, her Highness¡¯s father.


    Naming his company after his daughter seems very much like him. Her Highness really, really hates this, though.


    ¡ºThe next stage will be in a tournament-style! One hundred parties will be split into four groups and only the parties that come out on top of each group will advance to the third and final stage¡­!¡»


    In the end, there will be four parties, totaling twenty people. That may sound like a lot of people, but considering the legendary beings waiting at the final stage, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a thing as too many people.


    The only thing the participants can do is to win the tournament so that they can be one of the challengers.


    ¡ºNow then, let¡¯s move on to the next segment!¡»


    ¡ºWe asked those who had passed the first stage who they wish to battle against in the tournament! Have a look!¡»


    The video feed changed from the studio to a similar interview setting to ours earlier.


    A truly large amount was shown on the screen.


    And some of them shook me to my core.

 CH 247

    247 ¨C Congratulations and Support 2


    Take the Storm Hero Aerial party for example¡­


    The world¡¯s 1st ranked party.


    Their leader, Aerial, has eyes of emerald green and hair as green as a raging storm.


    His well-trained body, and his back that¡¯s as straight and true as an arrow doesn¡¯t give off any impression of deterioration despite being past his forties. He seems almost majestic, like a sacred tree that has grown tall and thick.


    And yet, he has a usually smile on his face that makes him easy to get along with. Even though you know he¡¯s strong, he strikes a perfect balance of not giving off an intimidating aura.


    Having a mic pointed at him, Aerial thought for a moment, stroking his chin.


    ¡ºHmm, indeed¡­ I do wish to strike back at the members of the Demon King Castle, as well as against my fellow rivals that have been in this industry with me for many years. They may be young, but I wish to do battle with the Fenix party as well. And then there¡¯s¡­yes, the Wraith party that has yet to enter the rankings. He is in that party after all.¡»


    ¡ºHe?¡»


    Aerial continued while smiling like a kid who just remembered a practical joke he pulled.


    ¡ºContestant Lem. This is the party that he chose after rejecting my own invitation, after all, so I wish to fight the and see for myself.¡»


    I did indeed reject his invitation once.


    The excellent and famous White Sorcerer Panacea had left the party, so he was in search of a new party member.


    Currently, that slot is filled by the Gale Hero Ewan. A young, earnest, and outstanding Hero.


    ¡ºI am greatly looking forward to the matching announcements, truly.¡»


    Another was the Jet-Black Hero Ex party¡­


    The world¡¯s 2nd ranked Hero. A man in his late thirties with black hair and black eyes.


    Such a gentle smile suits him.


    ¡ºWell, of course, I want to fight the Aerial party. They¡¯re still ahead of us in the rankings, but I do not think of me and my allies as inferior to them.¡»


    There wasn¡¯t a hint of the gloom that covered his face during the time we challenged the Original Dungeon.


    ¡ºOther than Aerial, it¡¯s gotta be him, right? Our benefactor, the Greatest Black Sorcerer.¡»


    The title that the Wizard of Foresight Merlin said as a joke.


    The interviewer tilted his head.


    ¡ºGreatest¡­? Is a Black Sorcerer with such a title truly a¡­Black Sorcerer?¡»


    Ex smiled gently.


    ¡ºI have no doubts about the man who came to mind just now. That is just what we call him. Lem, bring on your best tactical choices. We¡¯ll overcome all of them. If I¡¯m with these guys, I won¡¯t lose.¡»


    And then there¡¯s the Nicola party.


    ¡ºThere are two Adventurers that I admire. The first is¡­I¡¯m sure people have noticed who it is based on the Techniques I¡¯ve been using recently, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. She¡¯s so cool, and I¡¯ve admired her for a long time.¡»


    ¡ºI see¡­! So the Snow Covered Strong Arm where your arm is covered in silver was created as an homage to contestant Hervor! Well then, that¡¯s one, who is the other Adventurer that you admire?¡»


    Nicola briefly looked at her brother Philip. He gave a nod in return.


    ¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem. I learned from him how cool a person who continues to work hard without ever giving up on his dream can be. While I admire these two, I don¡¯t want it to just end there. I also wish to fight them.¡¹


    The Silver Hero, who combines the appeal of both elegance and roughness, says that with a fire burning in her eyes.


    Then the Ellie party.


    ¡ºHah, a foolish question. The ones who yet remain above us, and those who have yet to surrender to us. But I suppose¡­ If I had to say, I would desire a battle with Aerial, the immovable peak of the industry, and¡­you, Len.¡»


    The only person who calls me that is Ellie.


    Refusing to call me neither Lem nor Lemegeton, she gave me that nickname.


    The Undefeated Hero, who leads a party of two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerer, that I battled alongside as my ally in the Raid Battle, and also a friend I had a match against one time.


    ¡ºSir L-Len, you say? Uhm¡­¡»


    ¡ºDon¡¯t bother looking him up, you wouldn¡¯t get it. But, he will come. He isn¡¯t one to pass up such an interesting event¡­isn¡¯t that right, Len?¡»


    Then the Furcus party.


    ¡ºI¡¯m hungry¡­¡»


    Furcus¡¯s stomach grumbled.


    ¡ºUh, Sooo¡­ about moving on to the second stage-¡»


    ¡ºHamburger.¡»


    ¡ºHuh? What did you s-¡­ Did¡­ Wha-? Did you just say hamburger¡­?!¡»


    Furcus used the Magic Tool she acquired from the Original Dungeon.


    A cloche that creates food out of Magical Energy.


    She quickly ate ten portions of hamburgers and then Furcus looked at the camera once again.


    ¡ºI will defeat everyone. That is all.¡»


    After saying that, she got up to leave the green room, but at the last second, she turned back to the camera that was hastily pointing at her.


    ¡º¡­Berith, Lem. Payback time.¡»


    She¡¯s referring to the victory Berith and I had over the duo of Furcus and Orobas in the Tag Tournament.


    Something she hasn¡¯t forgotten about as a woman of war.


    Even if we¡¯re both colleagues in the Demon King Castle, even if I am her disciple of the sword, none of that matters before a match.


    Moving on to the Astrea party.


    ¡ºRegardless of who they are, all that stand before us as enemies shall be thwarted. That is what it means to be the Knights Order. With those reasons, I suppose it would have to be the Fenix and Wraith party. Our battle with them changed our perception of this occupation known as Adventurer. With that said, we shall be victorious next time. It is my duty as not only a Hero but as a part of the Knights Order.¡»


    Even if a Four Great Spirits contractor were to become an enemy of Mankind while still keeping their connection with the Spirit, they must be suppressed.


    Without the power to do so, world peace cannot be maintained.


    The pinnacle of knights, who will not allow herself to be defeated for the sake of peace, is also looking for a resolution to that battle that ended with neither a clear winner nor loser.


    Finally, the Fenix party.


    The world¡¯s 4th ranked. The Flame Hero. My childhood friend from the same hometown. One of the candidates to become Mankind¡¯s strongest.


    My best friend.


    ¡ºWe are focusing on the battles ahead, aiming to grab hold of victory together. That is all that we are thinking about.¡»


    ¡ºIs there no party that you would especially like to battle against?¡»


    ¡ºAs you stated in the question, this is about the second stage, and there isn¡¯t anyone I particularly wish to fight in the second stage. There is no need to limit it to this tournament.¡»


    ¡º¡­T-that is to say¡­?¡»


    ¡ºEven if we do not have the chance to fight each other this time, we will surely run into each other eventually so long as we are both aiming for the peak. There will be many opportunities in the future. That¡¯s all I need to know. Either way¡­¡»


    At that moment, I felt like my eyes were locked with Fenix¡¯s through the TV screen.


    ¡ºI won¡¯t lose a second time.¡»


    The time they took to show the responses of each and every party didn¡¯t take a long time.


    Only the famous ones took a little longer. Lots of clips of party responses flowed after another. Most of them saying how they wish to fight a high-ranked Adventurer or mentioned the name of a strong Monster.


    If you were to look at all of them as a whole, those who wished to fight me were few. I get it.


    But that doesn¡¯t matter.


    I was burning.


    I couldn¡¯t help the burning sensation from within my chest.


    Even though I¡¯m just a Black Sorcerer who couldn¡¯t become a Hero¡­


    We met, fought, and then¡­they wish to have a rematch.


    Am I feeling honored? Happy? Thankful? It might be all three at once, but I think this is the closest to what this feeling is.


    ¡­Bring it on. My allies and I will win the next one as well.


    ¡¸¡­Even if you can¡¯t make a promise, sometimes it¡¯s enough to just say what you¡¯re thinking at that time, y¡¯know?¡¹


    Sensing something from the expression I was making, Blitz said that, like giving me a slight push from behind.


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    That¡¯s it. Blitz is exactly right.


    It isn¡¯t a promise or anything, but a declaration. Just to show that this is what I¡¯m feeling.


    It isn¡¯t as if we have a fixed relationship as rivals or sworn enemies It¡¯s not like we have an answer.


    But¡­isn¡¯t that enough?


    ¡¸Uhm¡­! Blitz!¡¹


    I stood up forcefully from my chair and he waved his hand as if to shoo me away at the same time.


    ¡¸Yeah, go on, get outta here. When it comes to things like this, you gotta run so fast that your legs and lungs almost give out.¡¹


    I was already dashing out of the tavern while he was talking.


    The scenery flew by me.


    I sprinted with all my might to my dorm room.


    I open the door and go directly to the living room.


    ¡¸¡­! L-Lem¡­?!¡¹


    Milla, who was sitting on the couch and lazily watching the TV, looked at me as I bounded into the room.


    ¡¸Milla¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes¡­?!¡¹


    I stare straight into her ruby red eyes, which looked nervous.


    ¡¸A-about the last thing you said in our fight.¡¹


    Instantly, her face turned bright red.


    Her gaze darted here and there, avoiding eye contact.


    My heart skips a beat whenever our eyes meet, but seeing her avert her eyes feels somewhat lonely.


    ¡¸Uh¡­p-please forget all about that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I¡¯m not very good at that sorta thing. And I¡¯m not the kind of guy that can do things like that smoothly.¡¹


    Even though I¡¯ve had time to think about what to say, it just doesn¡¯t come out the way I want it to.


    ¡¸L-Lem¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I kept thinking about all sorts of things, like how it would be rude to wait until I had a more crystal clear answer or something like that. In fact I¡­I¡¯m still thinking about it now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s alright.¡¹


    Milla gives me a considerate smile, perhaps noticing my odd behavior.


    ¡¸Even after I became a part of the Demon King Castle, a lot of things happened, and I didn¡¯t have proper time to really think about it¡­no, this is just another excuse.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fufu. You were suddenly sent off on a business trip to another Dungeon, then there was the Raid Battle, and then you went to investigate the Original Dungeon. You really have been busy, Chief of Staff.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yeah. But I¡­I¡¯ve been thinking how unfair it is that only you¡¯ve been saying it.¡¹


    ¡¸That is simply because I say it of my accord.¡¹


    At that moment, in the face of her lonely smile, my thoughts were blown away.


    ¡¸H-heart.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the same, but whenever I¡¯m with you, my heart starts to pound. It feels like it¡¯s about to burst, or I get so nervous that it feels like it¡¯s gonna jump out of my mouth. All of this has happened.¡¹


    I could feel the heat on my face like it was on fire.


    ¡¸¡­Did you rush back home just to say that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­T-thing¡¯s felt awkward ever since that fight¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Did you think I was upset when you didn¡¯t say anything in response?¡¹


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t go that far, but¡­how should I put this¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t even think about it when I was running back, but now I noticed the drops of sweat dripping from me.


    Why can¡¯t I properly say what I want to in front of her?


    ¡¸¡­A man like you is¡­¡¹


    Huh?


    That¡¯s funny.


    I was standing in front of Milla, who was sitting down on the chair.


    How come it¡¯s the reverse now?


    I¡¯m the one sitting down, and Milla¡¯s the one standing in front of me.


    ¡­S-she switched our positions in an instant?!


    Furthermore, her knee is on the seating area between my thighs as if to prevent me from getting up, and both of her hands were on my shoulders.


    We were so close that I could hear the sound of her golden locks flowing down.


    I could never get used to this dizzying scent of hers.


    Her red gemstone-like eyes were moist, her beautiful skin was flushed, her glossy lips parted, letting out almost white puffs of bated breath and her sharp Vampire fangs peeked through.


    I¡¯m¡­getting a sense of deja vu.


    This feels very similar to the first time she sucked my blood.


    Apparently, Milla is under the attack of a very strong blood-sucking impulse right now.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know whether you¡¯re a late bloomer or an audacious individual¡­no, perhaps both. You are humble, yet self-confident, hates losing despite being modest, tries to be kind despite knowing the harshness of reality, and unwittingly steals the hearts of others. You are truly¡­hopeless.¡¹


    Milla¡¯s lips move closer to mine and¡­just before they touch, she goes past it and moves close to my ear.


    ¡¸And that is why nobody can keep their eyes off of you.¡¹


    It felt like she had given my heart a form and was caressing it directly.


    A sweet, numbing feeling that is hard to describe.


    She pulled her face away from mine and returned to the usual Milla with a gentle smile on her face.


    ¡¸Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-yes.¡¹


    ¡¸I thank you for your concern. However, I am not, by any means, fed up with you, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    She puts a hand to her cheek, gazing downwards out of embarrassment.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just that¡­well¡­ saying such a poetic thing just before I perished¡­and whenever I recall it, I can¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. Whenever I look at you, that moment just pops into my head and I cannot bring myself to look you in the eye.¡¹


    ¡¸O-oh, is¡­is that why? ¡­I see, so that was it¡­¡¹


    This means I¡¯m just¡­


    ¡­just a guy who made a misunderstanding and hurriedly blurted out¡¸My heart pounds for you.¡¹, etc.


    At that very moment, I understood what Milla was talking about.


    This truly is embarrassing and I can¡¯t bring myself to look her in the eye.


    ¡¸But, I was happy.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡­! Uhm¡­that is¡­I¡¯ll go take a bath.¡¹


    I stood up, trying to escape.


    ¡¸Fufufu. You¡¯re right since you smell of booze and a little of sweat.¡¹


    She knows that much only because she was so close to me. My shame increased.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll¡­hm, yes¡­shall I slip into something comfortable and wait for you in the bedroom?¡¹


    I could see the mischievous, teasing smile on her face.


    ¡¸¡­Please don¡¯t tease me.¡¹


    While saying that, I am somewhat happy that she¡¯s back to the Milla I know.


    Feeling relieved while your heart is still pounding is a strange feeling.


    A few days later, the tournament matching was announced.

 CH 248

    248 ¨C Respective Fanservice 1


    ¡¸They said it¡¯s gonna be done through a lottery.¡¹


    ¡¸Lottery?¡¹


    I tilt my head at Wraith¡¯s statement.


    We are in the courtyard of the inn that Wraith and co. are staying at.


    It¡¯s an inn that handles all sorts of races, consisting of four buildings. Although the buildings are sectioned off depending on the customer¡¯s physique or lifestyle, they are able to meet up in the courtyard.


    All of the party members, except for Melania, sat around a table. Both the table and the chairs were made of wood.


    The Half-Cyclops Melania was crouching nearby.


    It was midday. Melania¡¯s shadow provided shade for our table. This made it feel pretty nice and cool.


    ¡¸Right, right. I came to talk about how the matching for the second stage is gonna be decided via a lottery.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I see. So it¡¯s going to be a lottery.¡¹


    As I nod, Josh was reminded of something and said¡­


    ¡¸You do sorta see this sorta in sports games and stuff, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    I don¡¯t really know much about anything that isn¡¯t related to Adventuring, so I didn¡¯t know.


    Even Melania went¡¸Hwoah¡­¡¹in admiration.


    Fran was absentmindedly staring at a tree that was planted in the courtyard. In time with the swaying of the leaves, the sunlight streaming through the leaves changed shape along with the rustling sound of the leave, as if the light were changing shape.


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s just as Josh said, and just like those sports ones, it looks like this is gonna broadcast online as well.¡¹


    I see, this is probably in order to draw attention to the event starting from the matching phase.


    ¡¸Also, at least the leader of the party has to participate, but the whole party going along should be fine too.¡¹


    ¡¸It would certainly be complicated if a hundred parties gathered in one place just to draw a lottery.¡¹


    ¡¸By the way, the place they¡¯re holding the lottery is in this town.¡¹


    A hundred parties will be split into four groups by drawing a lottery.


    Each group will hold a tournament, and only the party that rises to the top of each group will move on to the third and final stage.


    In other words, only four parties, totaling twenty people, will be able to do battle with the legends.


    We are currently in the town where the Impregnable Demon King Castle resides.


    Then after the lottery, each group will head to the towns where the north, east, south, west Demon King Castles reside.


    That¡¯s right, the tournaments will happen in the stages set up within each Demon King Castle.


    Of course, the final stage will happen in the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    Her Highness and Fellow may be at odds ideologically, but she cannot refuse to turn it into the place to welcome back my master.


    ¡¸Just so you know, I¡¯ll take a long time to get there if no one comes with me.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ll get lost. Definitely.¡¹


    Fran switched her gaze from the sunlight streaming through the leaves to Wraith and declared that.


    ¡¸I always get there in the end.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go with you. To make sure you don¡¯t get lost.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah. I figured you¡¯d say that.¡¹


    Wraith and Fran, currently it feels like I shouldn¡¯t get in the way of these two.


    If this were them making plans to go out, I can read the room and be silent, but this is a precious opportunity that I cannot miss to see the fierce combatants that will be moving on to the second stage.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go too.¡¹


    Following that, Josh and Melania also said that they¡¯ll go along.


    In the end, it turned out that the entire Wraith party will be going to the lottery.


    Then, on the day itself.


    The venue was at a Dungeon different from the Demon King Castle.


    There are two Dungeons in this town.


    The first is, of course, the Impregnable Demon King Castle. The hardest Dungeon to Clear in the industry.


    The second is the Intermediate Level ¨C Dungeon of Departure.


    There are barely any Clear videos on the internet for this Dungeon.


    In collaboration with Schools, this is a Dungeon especially for the use of the training and tests of its students.


    There are very few Dungeons that can do mock Dungeon Clears, so Adventurer trainees from Schools all over the country come here.


    Those who conquer this Dungeon leave this town and travel across the world, and eventually aiming to end up back in this town again.


    To take on the hardest Dungeon that towers over their town of departure.


    ¡­Or so they say. I didn¡¯t go to School, so I don¡¯t really know much about it.


    Fenix and Alba seemed to have because they mentioned how nostalgic it was to be back in that town when we first attempted to clear the Demon King Castle.


    That aside¡­


    We are at the Intermediate Level ¨C Dungeon of Departure.


    Its entrance is a hole on a giant boulder enshrined in the middle of the town. After walking to the center of the boulder, you continue down the basement using a spiral staircase.


    Once you surpass this unexpected sensation, you reach a door, and just past it is the reception desk.


    ¡­This is, of course, if you were a normal visitor.


    But what we use this time is something else.


    Since one hundred parties will be gathering here, just using the staff-only back door is not good enough. If all the parties gather at the same time, it¡¯ll get crowded, and the parties who got here first will be waiting quite a while for it all to be sorted out.


    So, they turned to using a Teleportation Recording Stone.


    In the facilities that are lent out to the Festival management committee, Teleportation Recording Stones connected to the Dungeon Core are set in place.


    With this, you are able to teleport from various facilities to the lottery venue within the Dungeon.


    There are five facilities designated as meeting spots, including the back door.


    The staff concluded that a maximum of twenty parties per spot is acceptable, and this is assuming that each party comes as a whole party, which not all will.


    On the day, as we continued on the route laid out for us by Fellow, we understood his intention.


    ¡¸Ah, so that¡¯s it. Seems like something that old guy would do.¡¹


    Said Wraith, smiling. While smiling, he waves.


    ¡¸Wrai~th!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh my gosh, is that the Water Hero? He¡¯s smaller than in the videos~. So cu~te.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, he¡¯s smiling. No way¡­ I can tell he¡¯s a genius from the shape of his face¡­ His smile could kill¡­¡¹


    Shrill voices rang out.


    Not waiting to go out, but waiting to come in.


    After following the route as instructed to some extent, they appeared.


    A barricade was put in place to stop the citizens from getting in the athletes¡¯ way.


    And, of course, the general public gathered in a row to see those who have advanced to the second stage.


    ¡­I see. Did info accidentally leak out from somewhere that fans might be able to meet the parties advancing to the second stage?


    Or rather, was it intentionally leaked out? This will hype up the All-Heaven Festival Contest even more.


    This truly is very much like Fellow.


    ¡¸Aha. Thanks for your support, ladies.¡¹


    Wraith was throwing around glittering smiles at them.


    Their screams got even higher and even louder.


    At the same time, I could¡­hear the sound of Fran¡¯s giant fist gripping tightly.


    ¡¸Oh my gosh, it¡¯s Fran. Wraith¡¯s childhood friend.¡¹


    ¡¸S-so cute¡­ She¡¯s like a moving doll.¡¹


    Fran was unresponsive to all these voices.


    ¡¸Told ya, Fran. There are people who get you.¡¹


    Wraith said so happily, to which Fran¡¯s shoulders jolted.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t care¡­¡¹


    Her expressions are very hard to read, but her anger seemed to dissipate.


    From a different area, this voice could be heard.


    ¡¸That white-haired person¡­ He¡¯s so handsome¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s the White Sorcerer Josh. She¡¯s so pretty.¡¹


    ¡¸What? Is she a woman?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not sure.¡¹


    Perhaps able to hear them, Josh had a bitter smile on his face.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a guy¡­ Do I really look that much like a woman?¡¹


    During the Original Dungeon investigation, even I could barely tell when I first saw him, so I didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the giant girl¡­ She¡¯s¡­smaller than I thought she¡¯d be.¡¹


    ¡¸No, she¡¯s still big, though¡­ But I guess it¡¯s ¡¯cause she¡¯s a Half Cyclops?¡¹


    ¡¸Even her eye is huge¡­ I¡¯m so jealous.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s ¡¯cause she¡¯s a Cyclops¡­but I totally get you¡­¡¹


    Indeed, I don¡¯t dare bring it up myself, but all the members of the Wraith party, excluding one, have exceedingly impressive appearances.


    The excluded one is, of course, me.


    ¡¸How about that guy in black?¡¹


    ¡¸Hm? Mm, he¡¯s that Black Sorcerer, right? I think they were saying how great he was on TV.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, right. That Aerial guy said he wanted to fight him or something, right? Was that after the preliminaries? But that¡¯s still pretty amazing, right?¡¹


    News about me started colliding with each other.


    ¡¸Wasn¡¯t her formerly of the Fenix party? He¡¯s super good.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? ¡­Ah, I remember hearing this. That Alba chased him out. If he¡¯s so good, why would Alba do that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡­¡¯cause¡­he¡¯s too plain? I heard that Black Sorcerers aren¡¯t really needed.¡¹


    ¡¸I guess there are few parties that have them. Then¡­why did Wraith choose to add him in?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I said he¡¯s super good.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, so it¡¯s based on his ability? Cool.¡¹


    The number of criticisms that were usually hurled at me when I was in the Fenix party has decreased somewhat.


    Of course, society¡¯s outlook on Black Sorcerers won¡¯t be changed in a day, and there are still probably a lot of people who doubt my true abilities.


    But something has definitely changed.


    While it¡¯s sad that they don¡¯t remember my name, there are a plethora of Adventurers so I can¡¯t blame them.


    I¡¯ll just try my best to be one that they can remember.


    Proceeding a little further forward, I could hear clamoring voices coming from somewhat further ahead.


    Carried by the wind, something else came by along with the cheers of the crowd.


    ¡¸¡­Snow.¡¹


    Muttered Fran.


    Even though this isn¡¯t the right season, snowflakes danced about the air.


    The answer to this puzzling sight is simple, magic.


    ¡¸It¡¯s Aunt Snow.¡¹


    Said Wraith.


    To call the world¡¯s 6th ranked Snow-White Hero that way¡­no, in his case, he might actually be acquainted with her.


    For someone like Wraith, whose father is the Unyielding Hero Altreed, he even calls Aerial Uncle Air. If she¡¯s an acquaintance of his father¡¯s, then it isn¡¯t strange that he calls her that.


    ¡¸You know the Snow-White Hero?¡¹


    Wraith nodded at Josh¡¯s question.


    ¡¸Yeah, she¡¯s dropped by the house a few times. We even have a signed copy of her book at home.¡¹


    ¡¸You have a signed copy of the author Snow¡¯s book?!¡¹


    Josh raised his voice in surprise.


    ¡¸Huh? Yeah. What? You a fan?¡¹


    ¡¸No-not really¡­well¡­I did read her book a lot when I was a kid.¡¹


    Josh confirms with a slightly red face and clearing his throat.


    ¡¸That so? Well, when this is all over, I¡¯ll ask her to sign your book.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?!¡¹


    ¡¸Author¡­Snow¡­?¡¹


    Melania¡¯s voice could be heard coming from a little above our heads.


    ¡¸Yeah, the Snow-White Hero Snow is a famous picture book author. Her Snow Kid from Winterland series is especially famous. The bookstore in my countryside hometown didn¡¯t carry it, but there were two books in Fenix¡¯s house, so I read it when I was young.¡¹


    Once upon a time, in a land with nothing but snow, a young little snowman was born. The little snowman cried tears out of loneliness, but then he heard a voice from the heavens. In this country, much like you, life dwells in things that are shaped by snow.


    So then, the boy set about to make a friend out of snow with all his might.


    He made a fellow snowman, a four-legged snow creature of his own imagination, and a creature that can fly in the sky.


    The boy obtained a joyous life bursting with friends, but among them, there was one with hate in their heart¡­


    Or so the story goes.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Melania nodded along, fully invested.


    Snow¡¯s age is in the latter half of thirty, but she still looks like a beautiful woman with youthful features still remaining on her face.


    A woman with an ephemeral atmosphere, as if she were a teenage girl who grew up without being exposed to the impurities of the world.


    Even the way she talks, like a character from a fairytale, doesn¡¯t sound odd coming from her.


    She has beautiful long hair like scattering snowflakes and striking, crystal clear blue eyes.


    She seems cold but is always warm.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the Snow Kid!¡¹¡¸Snow Pup¡¯s there too!¡¹¡¸Huh? Why the Snow Thief?! I thought he¡¯s the bad guy?!¡¹


    I wonder which came first? The Adventurer or the author? The publication of the book probably came after she was an Adventurer.


    She formed a contract with a Lesser Spirit of water. She gained the power to control ice. Thus, she can make various living creatures out of ice, and use them to battle Monsters.


    In a Dungeon Clear, which is a form of entertainment, her visually fun way of doing battle greatly amused young children.


    Adding her picture books onto all that, the Hero Snow has caught the attention of countless children and parents alike.


    Right now, she is walking along with her characters from her story brought to life.


    To anyone who has read her books at least once, there is no reason not to get excited.


    At that moment, Snow turned around and caught sight of Wraith. She smiled gently and gave him a little wave.


    Wraith waved back while whispering to us.


    ¡¸Ya think we should do something like that too? I could make a water dragon or something.¡¹


    ¡¸No. While there are parties who give a treat to fans like that, I don¡¯t think this is something we need to be competitive about.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    As I said that, Wraith turns to the female fans calling out his name, and winked.


    Those girls clutched their chest, trembled with delight, and fell to their knees.


    ¡¸Bet the Snow Kid can¡¯t do that to his fans, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha.¡¹


    What a fearsome boy, and I mean that in more ways than one.

 CH 249

    249 ¨C Respective Fanservice 2 (Part 1)


    On the way to the lottery event, we noticed that a large crowd has gathered in the designated route via purposefully leaked information and a clear path set up for us.


    The outstanding appearances of my allies, apart from me, seemed to immediately be popular.


    In front of us is the world¡¯s 6th ranked party.


    ¡ºLook out, partner.¡»


    It was the voice of the Spirit Dark, who was nowhere to be seen lately.


    In an instant, I felt a terrible chill and turned around at once.


    Then, I felt something bouncy and soft hit my face.


    ¡¸Oho, I expected no less from the man who I see so much promise in. To not neglect a single day of training, I¡¯m more than impressed.¡¹


    It was Black Magic.


    And in the end, I Resisted it.


    For the sake of training my Black Magic, I am constantly casting myself with my own magic. In other words, I was already wrapped in my own Magical Energy.


    What actually happened is a little complicated, but to put it simply, I was already in that state.


    Even if someone else¡¯s Black Magic were to come at me, it would interfere with my Magical Energy before affecting me. As a result, it offset my Magical Energy before the Black Magic could have any effect on me.


    Unless you do that, it¡¯s hard to nullify Black Magic in everyday life.


    This is exactly why I was so surprised at how Milla reunited with me or how Aerial found me.


    Although in their case, they had Resist on assuming my Black Magic would be cast, so it¡¯s a different thing altogether.


    In any case, when a high-ranking Black Sorcerer uses Black Magic every day, it is difficult for other people to guard against it.


    Even the other members of the Wraith party didn¡¯t notice her sneaking up on me, let alone the public.


    At the very least, if she released hostile or murderous intent, Wraith or Fran would have noticed, but there was none of that.


    Well, of course.


    That¡¯s because I know her.


    ¡¸¡­I¡­can¡¯t breathe.¡¹


    ¡¸Hu~h? I thought a man would be more than happy to have his face buried in an ample bosom. At least, that¡¯s what I remember.¡¹


    Rather than separating from me after bumping into me, she embraced me. It¡¯s soft, warm, and a dizzying scent fills my nostrils, but I¡¯m not sure if all of that equals pleasure.


    At the very least, I am extremely embarrassed right now. Also, I¡¯m having trouble breathing.


    ¡¸Honestly, you¡¯re as mild-mannered as ever.¡¡Just when I thought you finally gained the resolve to reveal you¡¯re true abilities to the world¡­oh well.¡¹


    She gently releases me while saying that.


    ¡¸Lem, everything alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yeah. It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    I return a smile to Wraith, who was looking at me curiously and resumed walking while keeping a little distance from the other party members.


    The woman happily walked side-by-side with me.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been such a long time, Black Sorcerer Lem. I¡¯ve wanted to see you, much much more than you think.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Long time no see, Asmodeus.¡¹


    Her wavy, purple hair swayed alluringly in the wind, the top half of her face covered by a mask. She licked her lips with a long tongue reminiscent of a snake. At that moment, I noticed that she had a mole by her lips.


    While her skin isn¡¯t directly exposed, her outfit accentuated every curve of her body, making it very suggestive.


    The ruler of the Northern Demon King Castle, its other name being Extreme Level ¨C North Pole Dungeon.


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus.


    The most eye-catching thing about her whole appearance is her six horns, as her title implies.


    Of the five Demon King Castles, the domain that she presides over is the only one that the Fenix party traversed.


    That is to say, we never challenged the South, East, or West Demon King Castles.


    To challenge the Impregnable Demon King Castle, Adventurers must have, at the very least, the necessary strength to conquer any of the North, South, East, or West Demon King Castles¡­ At least, that¡¯s the common understanding in the industry.


    While there are many who have ignored that and went straight for the Impregnable Demon King Castle, the Fenix party followed in the footsteps of their predecessors and challenged another Demon King Castle before attempting the Last Dungeon.


    So yes, we beat her once.


    However¡­


    As a basic premise, Dungeon Clears are a form of entertainment.


    In addition, the Magical Energy in a horn is finite. You can¡¯t use it all against challengers every time.


    I don¡¯t believe this is holding back against your foe, but it¡¯s different from going all out and using everything you have.


    It¡¯s similar to how Four Great Spirits contractors don¡¯t use their Esoteric Spirit Magic all the time.


    ¡¸Hm. Mmmhm. You really are a good man after all. You see, there are many Adventurers who are pumped up and raring to go, right? While that isn¡¯t bad, the problem is that far too many of them are blindly devoted to the almighty ranking. The type that thinks that just winning once makes them better than the loser. An adorable arrogance that seems to think that the result will stay the same no matter how many times they fight. You display none of that.¡¹


    There certainly are people like that.


    To put it simply, it isn¡¯t unusual for people to change their attitude depending on their world ranking.


    Although the higher you climb in the rankings, the fewer of those sorts of people there are.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. However, if we were to fight, I plan to win with my current allies, you know?¡¹


    Most of the time, you don¡¯t know what the outcome of a match will be until you fight.


    That said, I¡¯ll work hard to win.


    ¡¸Ah, goodness me¡­ Fufufu, just look at you¡­ You give me such a pleasant feeling like I have an extra spring in my step. Of course, if we were to meet in battle, we must fight to win. I look forward to when that time comes. But, that isn¡¯t why I¡¯m here.¡¹


    I thought as much. If it was, she could have waited till after the lottery event.


    ¡¸Then what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I have been fascinated with you ever since that time. After hearing the news of your departure from the party, I sent out people to search for you. Well, I wasn¡¯t able to find you in the end¡­ Pitiful, no?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    I pause for a little bit before continuing.


    ¡¸¡­Were you searching for me in order to invite me to work at the Demon King Castle perhaps?¡¹


    ¡¸Is there another reason? No, perhaps there is. Maybe to console your broken heart and gain your affection?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, no¡­I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, just a joke. You¡¯re right, I wanted to invite you to work for me. Though it seems I¡¯ve been beaten to the punch?¡¹


    I suppose this was a possibility.


    The Impregnable Demon King Castle was the same.


    When I was part of the Fenix party, those in the first to fourth strata faced me as an enemy and it is precisely because of that, and precisely because they have felt the effects of my Black Magic themselves that they did not doubt my abilities.


    In other words, they knew.


    Those who fought me when I was in the Fenix party know of my strengths.


    The stronger the opponent, the more I had to increase the potency of my own magic, which is perhaps even more impressive.


    This is why, to a Demon King, a troublesome Black Sorcerer is unforgettable.


    I left an impression in her mind enough to desire me as a subordinate.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m¡­with the Wraith party right now.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh stop it, you know you can¡¯t fool me, right?¡¹


    If she truly is someone who valued me that much, it isn¡¯t strange to think that she linked Lemegeton as Lem the moment she saw him.


    Then, of course, she¡¯d know that was employed by the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸So, how about now? I am prepared to give you whatever you want.¡¹


    I am honored. Truly.


    Just as when Aerial invited me, when someone pays attention to me, and when people accept me, I am happy.


    But¡­


    ¡¸Everything I want is in my current place of work.¡¹


    Asmodeus opened her mouth wide in surprise in response to my answer¡­ and it quickly turned into a smile.


    ¡¸Incredible. I hope to create a workplace where my employees think the same.¡¹


    And then, she deliberately takes my arm in hers.


    ¡¸But how sad. To so decisively reject a beautiful woman¡¯s invitation¡­ You could have at least pretended to contemplate it a little, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh? Oh, uhm¡­my apologies. Also, uhm¡­c-could you please let go?¡¹


    My arm is in contact with¡­various places.

 CH 250.1

    250 ¨C A Gathering of Monsters (Part 1)


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, shall we?¡¹


    The transfer recording stone was placed in the plaza.


    It must have been quite difficult to supply the magical energy for transfer from outside the Dungeon, but it seemed that Fellow somehow managed to do it.


    ¡­Well, he is someone who held the Tag Tournament using Avatars outside the Dungeon.


    Wraith received a registration card as the representative and we touched each other.


    Because if we touch the person who has the registration card, we can transfer together with him.


    Wraith touched Fran¡¯s right hand and I touched Fran¡¯s left hand.


    When Wraith extended his hand to me, Fran intercepted it and suddenly pushed out her hands in front of us.


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What.¡¹


    These two are on good terms today as well.


    Subsequently, Josh touched my hand, then Josh held out his hand to Melania.


    Melania blushed and touched his finger after hesitating.


    ¡¸Wraith, go for it!¡¹


    As if for the last time, loud words of support were said to him.


    Wraith gave a perfect smile.


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ll do my best. See you later.¡¹


    Our field of view changed completely.


    Where we transferred to was a much larger space than the plaza we were just at.


    Try to imagine an outdoor concert hall, the scale should be close to that.


    The ground was white, there was a very high ceiling, and there was a huge sphere on the stage instead of performers and musical instruments.


    ¡¸What is that¡­¡¹


    Josh muttered in wonder.


    ¡¸Maybe it¡¯s a lottery? Since that guy likes exaggerated stuff.¡¹


    As Wraith said, it seemed to be a way to decide the combination of the tournament.


    The sphere is transparent and hollow with another huge capsule inside it.


    Inside that capsule, there must be a card or a paper with a number written on it.


    I think the size of the sphere was not because of Fellow¡¯s preference, but rather a consideration for the fact that there were Giants among the participants.


    Rather than that.


    What should I say about a place like this?


    Ahh, for Adventurer nerds, perhaps paradise is the most appropriate word.


    The Snow Party that had transferred here before we did is led by the Snow-White Hero, who is a picture book author and ranked 6th in the world.


    The Demeter Party is led by the First Silk Hero, who has made a Contract with a high-ranked Lesser Earth Spirit and was granted with¡ºthe ability to manipulate trees¡», she is also ranked 7th in the world.


    The Jack Party is led by the Hero of the Ten Bows, who has a heretical past of refusing to make a Contract despite being favored by the Spirits and is also ranked 8th in the world.


    The Vale Party is led by the Earth Hero, whose abilities has reached the pinnacle of earth-attribute Magic and is said to be the closest existence to the Gaia Hero that is one of the Contractors of the Four Great Spirits.


    The Bloom Party is led by the Hero of the Surging Sea, who was known as the strongest among the pure water-attribute magic users until Wraith appeared and is ranked 10th in the world.


    It¡¯s not just them.


    The Demon Kings from the north, south, east, and west, and their Monster subordinates. Also, the Demon King Luci and her Monster subordinates from the Impregnable Demon King Castle that Lemegeton belongs to.


    In addition, the strongest knights of the Knights Order, including the Scales of Justice Astrea Party, and the other strong people who were not noticed until the All-Heaven Festival Contest was held.


    These are the spirited and talented people who have defeated opponents with superior rank and fame to reach this point.


    And of course, they are here as well.


    ¡¸Hey hey, Wraith-chan. It¡¯s been a long time, Lem-chan¡«.¡¹


    It was the Far Reaching Swordsman Hamill. He waved his hand with a smiling expression on his face.


    He is a member of the Scathach Party that is led by the Thunderclap Hero, who is ranked 5th in the world.


    He is a person who constantly has the atmosphere of a cheerful older brother, but his strength is the real deal.


    If we only consider his skill with the sword, he would definitely be included in the world¡¯s top 5.


    ¡¸It¡¯s Hamill. I haven¡¯t seen you since the raid.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeahh. Oh, I heard you¡¯ve completed your Party. To the lady over there, I¡¯m Hamil. Pleased to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Byai¡­¡¹


    Melania became nervous after she was called out to.


    ¡¸Ahaha, just know that I¡¯ll freeze you if you make my friends cry.¡¹


    Wraith said in a lighthearted tone, but he¡¯s probably serious about that.


    At that time, there was a person who pulled Hamill¡¯s ear.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re embarrassing yourself in front of your juniors, Hamill.¡¹


    ¡¸Oww. It hurts, Caleena-chan. Well, it¡¯s cute to see you being jealous though.¡¹


    The Magic Bullet Archer Caleena.


    She got sent off the field without being able to show great results in the raid battle, but she is an excellent Hunter.


    ¡¸It has never happened in the past and the present nor will it happen in the future.¡¹


    ¡¸The future as well!? Even though you never know what will happen in the future!?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re sighing deeply again today. You¡¯ll end up making happiness run away from you by doing that, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s all Hamill¡¯s fault if I end up becoming unhappy.¡¹


    ¡¸I will take responsibility at that time.¡¹


    ¡¸Please compensate by giving me money, okay.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I¡¯ll compensate you with love.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, Wraith and his friends aren¡¯t here anymore.¡¹


    ¡¸Ehh!?¡¹


    ¡¸Everyone seems to know how to handle Hamill.¡¹


    Wraith walked around and waved his hand to Scathach, whom he locked eyes with for a moment.


    Scathach gave a response by nodding.


    ¡¸Are you looking for someone?¡¹


    When I asked him that, Wraith shook his head and laughed.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like that. Since I have no idea who I¡¯ll have to fight against, I just thought I¡¯d take a look at as many people as I could.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahh, that¡¯s a good idea.¡¹


    Personally looking at the opponents you possibly have to fight against.


    This is by no means a meaningless action.


    It¡¯s not only for the sake of preparation, but also because you cannot underestimate the amount of information that can be obtained by actually facing them.


    And all the people here understand that.


    The large number of gazes paying attention to Wraith proved their vigilance and interest to him.


    And thankfully ¨C there were a lot of gazes on me as well.


    ¨D Not long ago, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to imagine that this would actually happen to me.


    When I participated in the Tag Tournament with Nicola ¨D Berith ¨D there were many participants who looked down on me, and I utilized their carelessness to seize victory.


    However, from here on out, that kind of fighting style would no longer work.


    I noticed that the atmosphere in the hall had changed a little.


    The gazes dispersed.


    Some of the people who had been looking at Wraith and me turned to look at them.


    He is the first person in 130 years to become the Contractor of one of the Four Great Spirits that rules over¡ºFire¡», a candidate of humanity¡¯s strongest person, and my childhood friend from the same village.


    The Fenix Party is led by the Flame Hero, who is ranked 4th in the world.


    Because they have just transferred to this hall.


    My gaze met with Fenix¡¯s. He smiled happily and tried to approach us.


    But he was interrupted by the Thunderclap Hero Scathach, who called out to him as he was heading here.


    Just like that time with the Ash Hero Garo, he is often involved with his seniors.


    I don¡¯t really need to meet with him anyway, so let¡¯s just leave him alone.


    I casually raised my hand to show that I¡¯ve noticed him, then looked away.


    I saw the Hunter Lily, who is an Elf, approach the Archer of the Scathach Party.


    She didn¡¯t approach Caleena, but her teacher, the Faceless Archer Suuri.


    Not only are Lily and Suuri from the same village, they are also fellow apprentices.


    Lily was angry at her senior apprentice who hid his identity as an Elf and became an Adventurer.


    It was also the reason why she fought as the Deep Forest Archer Stolas in the raid battle.


    Perhaps she had something to say to him. After the raid battle, Suuri took down the hood that had been concealing his ears for a long time.


    ¡¸¡­It looks like you have changed your mind.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸How is life when you don¡¯t have to hide your ears?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not as bad as I imagined.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Both of them had no expression, but at the end, their lips seemed to be distorted in the shape of a smile.

 CH 250.2

    250 ¨C A Gathering of Monsters (Part 2)


    On the other hand, there was another conversation happening.


    ¡¸Bella.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s been a long time, Hero Snow.¡¹


    She is the Frost Hero Bella that joined the Fenix Party as my replacement.


    The other person who is talking to her is the Snow-White Hero Snow.


    It seemed that the two of them knew each other.


    ¡¸Please stop talking to me as if I¡¯m a stranger. I feel very sad when you do that, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, even if you say that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Please say¡ºI like you so much, sister Snow¡»like you used to.¡¹


    Bella frowned.


    ¡¸Leaving aside how I used to call you, I don¡¯t remember ever saying that.¡¹


    ¡¸You were very young at that time, so your memory might be fuzzy.¡¹


    ¡¸Some of them are clear, but I still don¡¯t remember ever saying that.¡¹


    Snow looked away for a moment and then smiled.


    ¡¸Anyway, the details don¡¯t matter. The point is that I felt love from the past ¡®you¡¯.¡¹


    ¡¸Just as I guessed, I never said that, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmph, obstinate children will be disliked, you know? More importantly, quickly say it,¡ºSister, I like you so much¡». I¡¯m thirsty for love right now. Please give me the water that is made up of a sweet and warm whisper.¡¹


    ¡¸Sister, you said that obstinate people will be disliked, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, there¡¯s also people who say heartless things. Even though it¡¯s important to repeatedly express what you think.¡¹


    ¡¸Older sister, it seems that you have a problem with your memory ability.¡¹


    Considering the age difference, it¡¯s hard to imagine that they are sisters.


    But looking at the two of them facing each other, I also don¡¯t think that they are strangers.


    The answer soon became apparent.


    Because one of Snow¡¯s Party members pointed out,¡¸You¡¯ve grown up, Bella-chan. And Snow, why don¡¯t you stop letting your niece call you older sister?¡¹


    It turns out that Bella is actually Snow¡¯s niece.


    Maybe Bella didn¡¯t particularly want to spread the word, since there was no such story circulating around.


    I pretended that I hadn¡¯t heard it either and looked away.


    ¡¸Oh yeah, Bella. How about I bring out the snowboy? You loved it, right? Whenever I see your smile, I always feel happy as if I saw a rainbow after the rain.¡¹


    ¡¸Older sister, I¡¯m 13 already.¡¹


    ¡¸No matter how old you become, you¡¯ll always be my cute Bella.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not what I mean.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if in society your nickname is¡ºBella-tan¡», to me, you will always be my lovely, adorable niece.¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t ever say that word again.¡¹


    ¡¸Bella-tan?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll get mad.¡¹


    The relationship between the aunt and niece seemed to be good.


    While such harmonious scenes spread around the hall, there was also an area that gave off a dangerous atmosphere.


    It was the energy radiating from the forces of the North, South, East, West, and¡ºImpregnable¡»Demon King Castle


    They have never met each other, yet I could clearly see that they were conscious of each other.


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus, who I also mentioned earlier, waved his hand when he noticed me.


    When I responded with a nod and tried to look around again, I noticed this scene.


    ¡¸Hey! You¡¯ve come! Well, after all you are a Party leader, so you have to come. I haven¡¯t seen you in so long, have you been well! Just as you can see, I¡¯ve been doing well! ¡­Hey, heyy, why are you not answering. I know that you¡¯re inside the armor¡­Don¡¯t tell me¡­Could it be that you¡¯re sleeping!¡¹


    She is the Dragon King Valac who I fought against in the qualifying round.


    Valac¡¯s family predecessor was a Monster who have worked at the¡ºImpregnable Demon King Castle¡», because of that reason, she and the Reaper Knight Furcus are childhood friends.


    However, it seems that their relationship is not that good.


    Or perhaps I should say that Valac is interested in Furcus, but the other party is¡­as you can see.


    ¡¸Y, you! Your childhood friend is here to greet you¡­! Why are you just sleeping comfortably! You might as well show me your sleeping face!¡¹


    The Black Explorer Foras, who is a member of the Furcus Party this time, stopped Valac¡¯s actions as she tried to remove Furcus¡¯s armor.


    He is a Minotaurus Black Sorcerer and was originally the direct subordinate of Lemegeton.


    ¡¸Ah? Who the hell are you? D-d-don¡¯t tell me, you, are you Fuu¡¯s boy ¨D ¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s enough!¡¹


    Said the Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos. I¡¯m not sure what would have happened if he hadn¡¯t come along.


    Barbatos is a leader who manages the members, including Valac, and is also the one of the Big Four.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get in my way!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you understand that the relationship between the Demon King Castles is delicate and sensitive, this stupid champion.¡¹


    ¡¸Like hell I care about that. Do I need to get someone else¡¯s permission just to talk to my old friend!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m telling you to do it somewhere other than here.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up! I would¡¯ve already done that if I could!¡¹


    Valac¡¯s sorrowful cry echoed through the air.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, Valac has failed multiple times when she tried to meet Furcus.


    Lemegeton¡¯s leader, the Demon King Luci, slightly laughed from a place located a little further.


    Standing beside her is the Time Demon Agares, who is also restraining himself, and my eyes met his, but officially we are strangers. As we both understood that fact, we looked away from each other as if nothing had happened.


    For a moment, I thought I saw the Demon King of the West holding his forehead.


    It¡¯s hard being at the top position.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for interrupting you when you are observing the opponent candidates as if you are licking all over them? ¨D Mr. Greatest Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    The one who used Wind Magic to gently come down in front of me is ¨D the Wizard of Foresight Merlin.


    She is a member of the Ex Party that is led by the Jet-Black Hero, who is ranked 2nd in the world.


    She is also a friend who fought together alongside me when we captured the Original Dungeon.


    ¡¸Merlin.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahh, Lem. I¡¯m glad to see you having a Party again.¡¹


    It was only recently that I realized that there were more people who cared about me leaving the Fenix Party than I thought.


    ¡¸I¡¯m proud of my comrades.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you are. It¡¯s nice to see you again, young boy Josh.¡¹


    ¡¸Y, yes¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks to Lem, our foolish Hero is feeling much better. He said,¡ºThis time in reality¡».¡¹


    Ex and I fought inside a dream created by Dark.


    It was a one-on-one battle.


    But Adventurers are supposed to fight in Parties.


    I nodded with a smile.


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    After smiling cheerfully, Merlin turned her gaze toward Wraith.


    ¡¸But¡­ I didn¡¯t know there was actually another Hero that would gather such interesting members besides our fool.¡¹


    ¡¸They¡¯re not only interesting, but also strong.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I see. Then I guess we¡¯re the same.¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe. We¡¯ll find out who¡¯s stronger once we fight.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to that.¡¹


    The Knight Lord Arthur and the Transcendent Mordred are absent from the Ex Party.


    It¡¯s okay as long as the leader is present, so there are quite a lot of people absent in other Parties as well.


    I looked around again.


    The 99th ranked Silver Hero Nicola is talking with the 95th ranked Undefeated Hero Ellie, the 3rd ranked Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor is looking around to find people who seemed to be strong and is talking to them, and many of the strong people he had been involved with before were gathered here.


    ¡¸So, the leader that you said is doing well, what is he doing now?¡¹


    Wraith said.


    ¡¸There is only one reason for that guy to be so focused that he doesn¡¯t even notice Lem.¡¹


    Ex had a hard-to-approach atmosphere around him.


    It¡¯s to the point that it¡¯s hard to imagine that he¡¯s the same person as the usual mild-mannered him. He was staring at a single point with a serious expression.


    ¨D Ahh, I see.


    They appeared.


    Through the transfer recording stone, that Party came here after crossing space.


    I could see that the atmosphere in the hall had changed once again.


    The Flame Hero Fenix, the Water Hero Wraith. Like these two people, he has made a Contract with one of the Four Great Spirits.


    He is also the strongest man. He debuted before those two and continues to reign at the highest rank for a long time.


    Led by the Storm Hero that is ranked 1st in the world ¨D the Aerial Party.


    He looked around at the people gathered here and then ¨D laughed like a child.


    ¡¸Ahh¡­ this is really wonderful. It¡¯s filled with serious people, it¡¯s so breathtaking ¨D a truly excellent place.¡¹


    Maybe just at that moment.


    All of the people gathered in the hall turned their attention to Aerial.


    And I¡¯m sure they all agreed with his words.


    No matter which Party they have to go against, an intense battle is inevitable.


    What could be more delightful than that?

 CH 251.1

    251 ¨C Lottery for the Monsters 1


    All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    A contest that made strong people from all over the world gather there with the goal of claiming the title of¡¸strongest¡¹, and those people are made to fight repeatedly to carefully narrow down the number.


    The large-scale qualifying round is the first phase that produced many great matches, following that, the second phase is ¨D a tournament system.


    Those of us gathered here today will now draw lots to determine the order.


    With the appearance of the 1st ranked in the world, the Storm Hero Aerial, the atmosphere of the hall became tense.


    However, it didn¡¯t last long before the atmosphere relaxed.


    A loud sound resounded.


    Explosive sounds and bright lights.


    It seemed to have come out from a cylindrical device set up on the side of the stage.


    I guess it was a signal that the lottery was about to begin, as the representatives of the 100 Parties had gathered.


    The video of the lottery was going to be broadcasted, so it was understandable that there would be some flashy effects for the viewers.


    However, I really couldn¡¯t predict the people who came out subsequently.


    ¡ºHello!¡»


    From both sides of the stage, the girls jogged to the center of the stage.


    The way they ran must have been calculated so that they wouldn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry.


    That way, they would seem very energetic and lovable when they ran in this direction.


    ¡¸Sir Lem already knows this, but this year¡¯s world ranking in the 90s seems to be called as the¡ºNew Wave¡».¡¹


    That voice.


    Not many people call me Sir Lem.


    Brown, delicate, long hair. The side hairs on both sides are tied up and joined to the back.


    She has a soft smile that is both elegant and ephemeral ¨D Margret.


    Wait, I should call her Mar.


    She is the Summoner of the world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hervor party and the second daughter of a famous large company.


    She is an Adventurer who I fought against as an opponent in the raid battle and my comrade in the Original Dungeon.


    In other words, from Wraith¡¯s and Fran¡¯s point of view, she is their comrade during the raid battle.


    From Josh¡¯s point of view, she is also his comrade that he fought alongside with in the Original Dungeon.


    ¡¸It¡¯s Mar.¡¹


    ¡¸Hello, Sir Wraith. I¡¯m glad to see Lady Fran and Sir Josh again. That lovely lady over there is Melania, right?¡¹


    But Melania was absorbed in the stage when she was mentioned by Mar. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the girls.


    Without feeling offended, Mar glanced at Melania with a smile and then returned her gaze to me.


    Like Melania, I answered without taking my eyes off the stage.


    ¡¸The¡ºNew Wave¡»huh¡­ Well, after years of being in the Adventurer industry, I¡¯ve realized that once in a while there are years like this.¡¹


    There are years when users of particular attributes get included in the world rank at the same time, or there is a particular style that is popular at the time.


    Like this¡ºNew Wave¡», the up-and-coming people are ranked successively. This kind of thing happens occasionally.


    This was exactly the case with the 90s ranking this year.


    For example, ranked 99th in the world is the Silver Hero Nicola Party.


    It¡¯s rare for both brother and sister to be a Hero, and the same goes for their choice of including a Fairy and the Holy Paladin into the Party.


    They also act out a great Hero Show.


    Nicola¡¯s gentleman-like character that even made her called the¡ºSilver Prince¡».


    The relationship between the Thief Leila and Nicola has been well received to the point that they are referred to as a prince and a princess.


    In addition, she has recently shown a new way of fighting and the gap has greatly excited the fans.


    It¡¯s precisely because both Nicola and her brother Philip have experienced setbacks in their respective parties in the past, that caused them to seek for and finally succeed in creating a style that is accepted by society.


    Well, there were some conflicts about that, which also became the trigger for me and Nicola to participate in the Tag Tournament¡­¡­.


    ¡¸There was also a Party that sided with the Monsters during the raid.¡¹


    Wraith murmured as if he remembered something.


    I soon realized he was talking about the Undefeated Hero Ellie Party that is ranked 95th in the world.


    They have an extremely unbalanced Party composition as they have two White Sorcerers and two Black Sorcerers.


    It¡¯s amazing because that Party composition is not merely eccentric, it is also the charm of the Party.


    The four of them make Ellie shine brighter, and Ellie proves with her victories just how good their support is.


    It¡¯s not only these two groups. There are many interesting Parties gathered in the 90s ranking this year.


    I¡¯ve heard of a Party where all of the members are pretty boys ¨D it seems that they are sometimes called as male girls.


    Different from general Adventurers, there is also a Party that is extremely popular in the cyber net after releasing their videos.


    And some of the people that are currently on stage are members of one of those Parties.


    The Singing Hero Pacel Party that is ranked 98th in the world.


    They are lovely Adventurers who can sing and dance.


    They are a unique group of idols-cum-adventurers.


    As we were talking, they were performing one of their signature songs. It seemed to be the short version of it, not the full version, and the song and dance ended after a little over a minute.


    The Warrior Hamill and other members of the Scathach Party were in the front row, shouting out their love for their favorite member.


    The Hunter Caleena, who is also a member of the Scathach Party, saw this scene and covered her face while sighing.


    But for today, I think I¡¯m more on Hamill¡¯s side.


    Because they were there.


    My friends are on the stage.


    ¡ºWow¡«. Did you all see that? Sitri-chan¡¯s and the others¡¯ choreography was perfect and super cute, right¡«¡»


    Pacel is a girl with long, black, silky hair and blue eyes that can draw you in.


    She wears a variety of outfits and hairstyles from time to time, but today she is wearing a twin-tailed maid outfit.


    In addition, she is wearing matching outfits with the Floor Boss of the 5th Stratum?the Domain of the Dream Demons in the Impregnable Demon King Castle ¨D the Demon of Love Sitri.


    That¡¯s right, as Pacel just said, Sitri is on the stage.


    It¡¯s not only her, several other Dream Demons from the 5th Stratum have participated as well.


    ¡ºPacel and her friends also look great with the maid outfits. So cute.¡»


    Sitri and Pacel exchanged words with a smile on the stage.


    Ever since the Fenix Party cleared the 5th Stratum, Sitri and her friends have been attracting attention due to their lovely appearance.


    Pacel and her friends are so popular that all their members are ranked in the 90s even though they are still in their early teens.


    Both Parties were eliminated in the first phase of the competition, but their popularity must have led to them being entrusted to host this event.


    The video of the lottery will be broadcasted. So I guess he thought that the more elements that would be talked about, the better.


    It was truly typical of Fellow to do this.


    Ahh, but this time I have to be grateful to him.


    I know. Or maybe I¡¯m the only one who knows.


    At the deepest part of the Original Dungeon, we went through the trial of the Spirit Dark.


    We were thrown into our own ideal world and we had to escape from it on our own.


    It took me and Sitri a long time to get out of it.


    We had a hard time leaving the dream world.


    For me, it was a world where I became a Hero.


    For Sitri, it was a world where she was born as a real Dream Demon.


    In that world, there was no discrimination against Dream Demons and she could simply pursue the cuteness she seeks for. She could attempt to do whatever she wanted, such as being an idol or an actress.


    We escaped from that sweet and irresistible world.


    We chose this reality.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean that we didn¡¯t feel anything for that idealistic world.


    ¨C That¡¯s why I feel happy for her.


    I¡¯m very happy to see Sitri working cheerfully in a cute outfit, just like an idol.


    Our king seems to feel the same way and is cheerfully watching the activities of her subordinate.


    ¡ºAt any rate, I felt so nervous. There was a lot of famous people lined up in a row and I felt really thrilled as I sang.¡»


    ¡ºYeah yeah, the number of cute and strong girls has increased recently and it¡¯s fun just to look at them.¡»


    ¡ºAs expected of Sitri-chan, you don¡¯t get bewildered at all. But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s nice to see cute fighters. Do you have someone cute that you want to recommend?¡»


    She put her index finger on her lower lip and thought for a moment,¡¸Hmm¡¹, then she said


    ¡ºI guess it¡¯ll be Sitri?¡»


    After hearing that response, Pacel said,¡ºI totally understand!¡», and nodded a lot.


    ¡ºNo matter what other people think, you have to think you are the cutest! Or else it¡¯ll be like being rude to yourself. Of course, I also live my life thinking that I¡¯m very cute.¡»


    Pacel said as she put her hand on her chest.


    At the edge of my field of vision, the Thief Leila twined her arm around Nicola¡¯s and whispered,¡¸I think my prince is the most beautiful¡¹.


    Nicola, having the appearance of a prince, smiled bitterly and said,¡¸Thank you very much, though I¡¯m not your prince¡¹, as she tried to pull Leila away.


    Around the time when the atmosphere of the hall was sufficiently softened by the conversation between the girls, mainly led by Sitri and Pacel.


    The topic shifted to the lottery.


    ¡ºNow we¡¯re going to call out the names in order, so if you¡¯re the leader of the Party, please come forward.¡»


    ¡¸All you have to do is hit this record stone with the registration card you used when you came here.¡¹


    ¡ºAll you have to do is put the registration card you used to get here on this recording stone.¡»


    It¡¯s the huge device that I saw when we transferred to this space.


    ¡ºUmm, so once you do that a round thing will pop out of this device.


    ¡ºThen, the Giant brother will break it open and tell you the number written in the lottery inside.¡»


    Boom boom boom¡­ along with the sounds of his footsteps, the Giant in charge came over.


    Behind the stage, there was a huge screen that lit up.


    Once I looked at it, there were four tournament tables lined up.


    Now, instead of the participants, numbers were drawn on them.


    She explained that the numbers would be changed to Party names once the numbers were drawn.


    ¡ºWith this, all the tournament tables will be filled and established! Ahh, I¡¯m so disappointed. I wanted to participate in this as well.¡»


    The tone of her voice sounded like she was trying not to get too depressed.


    I could feel the frustration that Pacel was feeling inside.


    ¡ºYeah¡­. ¨D By the way, who will announce the names first?¡»


    The expression of Sitri, who agreed briefly with Pacel¡¯s words, became serious for a moment, but she returned to having a smiling expression in a blink of an eye.


    Even if there is something very frustrating, tomorrow will come as usual.


    These women have the strength to move forward while embracing those feelings.


    ¡ºAha. There is no choice but to decide that with rock-paper-scissors, which has been handed down to maids since ancient times.¡»


    Pacel won the mysterious rock-paper-scissors that seemed to have been handed down to maids since ancient times.


    ¡ºLet¡¯s go!¡»


    There are four tournaments.


    Only the four Parties that have won in their respective tournament will advance to the battle against the legendary strong people.


    If we don¡¯t win this, I won¡¯t be able to reach the future where I can fight against my master.


    Who are we going to fight against?


    That will be decided now.

 CH 251

    251 ¨C Lottery for the Monsters 1


    All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    A contest that made strong people from all over the world gather there with the goal of claiming the title of¡¸strongest¡¹, and those people are made to fight repeatedly to carefully narrow down the number.


    The large-scale qualifying round is the first phase that produced many great matches, following that, the second phase is ¨D a tournament system.


    Those of us gathered here today will now draw lots to determine the order.


    With the appearance of the 1st ranked in the world, the Storm Hero Aerial, the atmosphere of the hall became tense.


    However, it didn¡¯t last long before the atmosphere relaxed.


    A loud sound resounded.


    Explosive sounds and bright lights.


    It seemed to have come out from a cylindrical device set up on the side of the stage.


    I guess it was a signal that the lottery was about to begin, as the representatives of the 100 Parties had gathered.


    The video of the lottery was going to be broadcasted, so it was understandable that there would be some flashy effects for the viewers.


    However, I really couldn¡¯t predict the people who came out subsequently.


    ¡ºHello!¡»


    From both sides of the stage, the girls jogged to the center of the stage.


    The way they ran must have been calculated so that they wouldn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry.


    That way, they would seem very energetic and lovable when they ran in this direction.


    ¡¸Sir Lem already knows this, but this year¡¯s world ranking in the 90s seems to be called as the¡ºNew Wave¡».¡¹


    That voice.


    Not many people call me Sir Lem.


    Brown, delicate, long hair. The side hairs on both sides are tied up and joined to the back.


    She has a soft smile that is both elegant and ephemeral ¨D Margret.


    Wait, I should call her Mar.


    She is the Summoner of the world¡¯s 3rd ranked Hervor party and the second daughter of a famous large company.


    She is an Adventurer who I fought against as an opponent in the raid battle and my comrade in the Original Dungeon.


    In other words, from Wraith¡¯s and Fran¡¯s point of view, she is their comrade during the raid battle.


    From Josh¡¯s point of view, she is also his comrade that he fought alongside with in the Original Dungeon.


    ¡¸It¡¯s Mar.¡¹


    ¡¸Hello, Sir Wraith. I¡¯m glad to see Lady Fran and Sir Josh again. That lovely lady over there is Melania, right?¡¹


    But Melania was absorbed in the stage when she was mentioned by Mar. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the girls.


    Without feeling offended, Mar glanced at Melania with a smile and then returned her gaze to me.


    Like Melania, I answered without taking my eyes off the stage.


    ¡¸The¡ºNew Wave¡»huh¡­ Well, after years of being in the Adventurer industry, I¡¯ve realized that once in a while there are years like this.¡¹


    There are years when users of particular attributes get included in the world rank at the same time, or there is a particular style that is popular at the time.


    Like this¡ºNew Wave¡», the up-and-coming people are ranked successively. This kind of thing happens occasionally.


    This was exactly the case with the 90s ranking this year.


    For example, ranked 99th in the world is the Silver Hero Nicola Party.


    It¡¯s rare for both brother and sister to be a Hero, and the same goes for their choice of including a Fairy and the Holy Paladin into the Party.


    They also act out a great Hero Show.


    Nicola¡¯s gentleman-like character that even made her called the¡ºSilver Prince¡».


    The relationship between the Thief Leila and Nicola has been well received to the point that they are referred to as a prince and a princess.


    In addition, she has recently shown a new way of fighting and the gap has greatly excited the fans.


    It¡¯s precisely because both Nicola and her brother Philip have experienced setbacks in their respective parties in the past, that caused them to seek for and finally succeed in creating a style that is accepted by society.


    Well, there were some conflicts about that, which also became the trigger for me and Nicola to participate in the Tag Tournament¡­¡­.


    ¡¸There was also a Party that sided with the Monsters during the raid.¡¹


    Wraith murmured as if he remembered something.


    I soon realized he was talking about the Undefeated Hero Ellie Party that is ranked 95th in the world.


    They have an extremely unbalanced Party composition as they have two White Sorcerers and two Black Sorcerers.


    It¡¯s amazing because that Party composition is not merely eccentric, it is also the charm of the Party.


    The four of them make Ellie shine brighter, and Ellie proves with her victories just how good their support is.


    It¡¯s not only these two groups. There are many interesting Parties gathered in the 90s ranking this year.


    I¡¯ve heard of a Party where all of the members are pretty boys ¨D it seems that they are sometimes called as male girls.


    Different from general Adventurers, there is also a Party that is extremely popular in the cyber net after releasing their videos.


    And some of the people that are currently on stage are members of one of those Parties.


    The Singing Hero Pacel Party that is ranked 98th in the world.


    They are lovely Adventurers who can sing and dance.


    They are a unique group of idols-cum-adventurers.


    As we were talking, they were performing one of their signature songs. It seemed to be the short version of it, not the full version, and the song and dance ended after a little over a minute.


    The Warrior Hamill and other members of the Scathach Party were in the front row, shouting out their love for their favorite member.


    The Hunter Caleena, who is also a member of the Scathach Party, saw this scene and covered her face while sighing.


    But for today, I think I¡¯m more on Hamill¡¯s side.


    Because they were there.


    My friends are on the stage.


    ¡ºWow¡«. Did you all see that? Sitri-chan¡¯s and the others¡¯ choreography was perfect and super cute, right¡«¡»


    Pacel is a girl with long, black, silky hair and blue eyes that can draw you in.


    She wears a variety of outfits and hairstyles from time to time, but today she is wearing a twin-tailed maid outfit.


    In addition, she is wearing matching outfits with the Floor Boss of the 5th Stratum?the Domain of the Dream Demons in the Impregnable Demon King Castle ¨D the Demon of Love Sitri.


    That¡¯s right, as Pacel just said, Sitri is on the stage.


    It¡¯s not only her, several other Dream Demons from the 5th Stratum have participated as well.


    ¡ºPacel and her friends also look great with the maid outfits. So cute.¡»


    Sitri and Pacel exchanged words with a smile on the stage.


    Ever since the Fenix Party cleared the 5th Stratum, Sitri and her friends have been attracting attention due to their lovely appearance.


    Pacel and her friends are so popular that all their members are ranked in the 90s even though they are still in their early teens.


    Both Parties were eliminated in the first phase of the competition, but their popularity must have led to them being entrusted to host this event.


    The video of the lottery will be broadcasted. So I guess he thought that the more elements that would be talked about, the better.


    It was truly typical of Fellow to do this.


    Ahh, but this time I have to be grateful to him.


    I know. Or maybe I¡¯m the only one who knows.


    At the deepest part of the Original Dungeon, we went through the trial of the Spirit Dark.


    We were thrown into our own ideal world and we had to escape from it on our own.


    It took me and Sitri a long time to get out of it.


    We had a hard time leaving the dream world.


    For me, it was a world where I became a Hero.


    For Sitri, it was a world where she was born as a real Dream Demon.


    In that world, there was no discrimination against Dream Demons and she could simply pursue the cuteness she seeks for. She could attempt to do whatever she wanted, such as being an idol or an actress.


    We escaped from that sweet and irresistible world.


    We chose this reality.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean that we didn¡¯t feel anything for that idealistic world.


    ¨C That¡¯s why I feel happy for her.


    I¡¯m very happy to see Sitri working cheerfully in a cute outfit, just like an idol.


    Our king seems to feel the same way and is cheerfully watching the activities of her subordinate.


    ¡ºAt any rate, I felt so nervous. There was a lot of famous people lined up in a row and I felt really thrilled as I sang.¡»


    ¡ºYeah yeah, the number of cute and strong girls has increased recently and it¡¯s fun just to look at them.¡»


    ¡ºAs expected of Sitri-chan, you don¡¯t get bewildered at all. But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s nice to see cute fighters. Do you have someone cute that you want to recommend?¡»


    She put her index finger on her lower lip and thought for a moment,¡¸Hmm¡¹, then she said


    ¡ºI guess it¡¯ll be Sitri?¡»


    After hearing that response, Pacel said,¡ºI totally understand!¡», and nodded a lot.


    ¡ºNo matter what other people think, you have to think you are the cutest! Or else it¡¯ll be like being rude to yourself. Of course, I also live my life thinking that I¡¯m very cute.¡»


    Pacel said as she put her hand on her chest.


    At the edge of my field of vision, the Thief Leila twined her arm around Nicola¡¯s and whispered,¡¸I think my prince is the most beautiful¡¹.


    Nicola, having the appearance of a prince, smiled bitterly and said,¡¸Thank you very much, though I¡¯m not your prince¡¹, as she tried to pull Leila away.


    Around the time when the atmosphere of the hall was sufficiently softened by the conversation between the girls, mainly led by Sitri and Pacel.


    The topic shifted to the lottery.


    ¡ºNow we¡¯re going to call out the names in order, so if you¡¯re the leader of the Party, please come forward.¡»


    ¡¸All you have to do is hit this record stone with the registration card you used when you came here.¡¹


    ¡ºAll you have to do is put the registration card you used to get here on this recording stone.¡»


    It¡¯s the huge device that I saw when we transferred to this space.


    ¡ºUmm, so once you do that a round thing will pop out of this device.


    ¡ºThen, the Giant brother will break it open and tell you the number written in the lottery inside.¡»


    Boom boom boom¡­ along with the sounds of his footsteps, the Giant in charge came over.


    Behind the stage, there was a huge screen that lit up.


    Once I looked at it, there were four tournament tables lined up.


    Now, instead of the participants, numbers were drawn on them.


    She explained that the numbers would be changed to Party names once the numbers were drawn.


    ¡ºWith this, all the tournament tables will be filled and established! Ahh, I¡¯m so disappointed. I wanted to participate in this as well.¡»


    The tone of her voice sounded like she was trying not to get too depressed.


    I could feel the frustration that Pacel was feeling inside.


    ¡ºYeah¡­. ¨D By the way, who will announce the names first?¡»


    The expression of Sitri, who agreed briefly with Pacel¡¯s words, became serious for a moment, but she returned to having a smiling expression in a blink of an eye.


    Even if there is something very frustrating, tomorrow will come as usual.


    These women have the strength to move forward while embracing those feelings.


    ¡ºAha. There is no choice but to decide that with rock-paper-scissors, which has been handed down to maids since ancient times.¡»


    Pacel won the mysterious rock-paper-scissors that seemed to have been handed down to maids since ancient times.


    ¡ºLet¡¯s go!¡»


    There are four tournaments.


    Only the four Parties that have won in their respective tournament will advance to the battle against the legendary strong people.


    If we don¡¯t win this, I won¡¯t be able to reach the future where I can fight against my master.


    Who are we going to fight against?


    That will be decided now.

 CH 252

    252 ¨C Lottery for the Monsters 2


    ¡ºThe Furcus Party is¡­number 92!¡»


    Pacel¡¯s voice sounded energetic.


    Dressed as a black knight, Furcus nodded and went down.


    ¡ºFu-chan is cool and cute today as well. Ah,¡¸92¡¹is part of the red group.¡»


    Each of the four tournament tables was designated as red, blue, black, and white.


    The assigned numbers are also random, so¡º1¡»to¡º25¡»will not directly become part of the red group.


    Now, the red group is enlarged on the screen and the number¡º92¡»is changed to¡ºFurcus Party¡».


    The numbers for more than a dozen Parties have already been drawn.


    Viewers are particularly curious about what will happen to the high-ranking Adventurers and famous Monsters.


    5 Demon King Castles and 5 Demon Kings. No matter how they are divided, at least 2 of them will end up getting assigned to the same group.


    The Parties led by the 12 Commanders of the Knights Order that have passed the first phase may also have the opportunity to fight against each other.


    The 3 Contractors of the Four Great Spirits who are gathered in the present generation will also be the focus of attention.


    ¡ºThe Astrea Party is umm ¨D¡¸19¡¹.¡»


    The Scales of Justice Astrea Party that showed their strength in the qualifying round was part of the white group.


    Besides, their opponent was already assigned.


    ¡ºWow, for the first time, the match for the first round has been decided! The marvelous Commander of the Knights Order who continued to fight until they reached the time limit while being sandwiched between the Water Hero Wraith Party and the Flame Hero Fenix Party in the qualifying round! A Party led by Contestant Astrea! Who is their opponent in the first match¡«? Their opponent is actually the author of the¡¸Snow Boy¡¹series that everyone loves! The Party that is led by the Snow-White Hero Snow who is ranked 6th in the world!¡»


    Pacel approached Astrea and pointed the microphone at her.


    ¡ºDo you have anything you¡¯d like to say? I think we would be very happy to hear it.¡»


    Astrea has a crisp look today as well. Her monotonous voice spread throughout the hall.


    ¡ºThe Knights Order cannot be defeated. Because if the sword of justice breaks, we cannot protect the people.¡»


    ¡ºI see! That means that you will not lose against anyone right!¡»


    ¡ºYour golden hair is so beautiful.¡»


    ¡ºSitri-chan! I¡¯ve been thinking about it too! But I¡¯ve been holding back since it has nothing to do with what we¡¯re doing now!¡»


    ¡º¡­I don¡¯t really understand, but thank you. Can I be excused now?¡»


    Astrea left the stage.


    One after another, the numbers of the strong contestants are drawn and their group is confirmed.


    Among them, if I had to mention some of the matches that shook the hall¨D.


    ¡ó


    ¡ºNow then, Ellie-chan has touched her registration card! The number that makes us curious about it is ~ whoo! It¡¯s¡¸38¡¹. They are part of the red group. Hmm? Wait a minute, this is ¨D ¡»


    The opponent for the Ellie Party had already been filled.


    The hall became noisy.


    The Undefeated Hero Ellie Party that is ranked 95th in the world and also went on an adventure with us in the raid. Their opponent for the first round is.


    Led by the Flame Hero that is ranked 4th in the world ¨D .


    ¡º¡­The Fenix Party.¡»


    I did not miss the fact that when Sitri¡¯s voice announced her opponent, Ellie laughed ferociously.


    Pacel pointed her microphone to Ellie and she brushed her silver hair behind and said this.


    ¡ºI¡¯ll win.¡»


    Short and powerful words.


    There are other administrators in this space and they immediately pointed their microphones and cameras at Fenix.


    ¡ºAs I¡¯ve declared previously ¨D ¡»


    Fenix also stared back at Ellie with his fired up eyes.


    ¡ºWe will not be defeated again in our battles.¡»


    The two Heroes who fought together in the raid as Lemegeton¡¯s comrades.


    The opportunity for them to clash in public has been confirmed here.


    ¡ó


    Speaking of the shock that society received, there was a match that is even better than that.


    ¡ºNow then everyone! The strongest Adventurer will now draw the lottery! Will you be so unlucky as to be in the same group as the 1st ranked Hero in the world? Or will you be lucky? Who will be in the same group as him?¡»


    Ranked 1st in the world, the Storm Hero Aerial touched the device with his registration card.


    The Hero who searched for me after I left the Fenix Party and then invited me to join his Party.


    At the Tag Tournament, he knew how society regarded me, so he spoke highly of me in his commentary.


    In the raid, he invaded the depths of the Demon King Castle as a powerful enemy and gave me a battle experience that improved both of our limits.


    When people are asked to name the strongest human being, most of them would give his name.


    ¡ºTheir number is¡« ¡­ how odd is this! He actually got number¡¸1¡¹! So that means he is part of the white group. ¨DAh.¡»


    I could see that Pacel froze in the middle of her sentence.


    ¡º¡­I see. So it became like this, I¡¯m really looking forward to this.¡»


    The microphone faintly picked up Aerial¡¯s voice.


    ¡ºOur opponent is the Jet-Black Hero Ex Party that is ranked 2nd in the world, right?¡»


    I fought alongside Ex in the Original Dungeon.


    He is a very strong and compassionate person, but it¡¯s exactly because of those traits of his that he had some concerns.


    Because he felt strongly that he was blessed to have his comrades, he was distressed by the fact that he could not reach the 1st rank for so long.


    Dark¡¯s trial poked at his troubled heart and at one point he was almost trapped in his ideal world.


    But not anymore.


    Now that person is¨D


    ¡ºIt seems like I¡¯m pretty lucky today.¡»


    There was no longer any confusion on his face.


    ¡ºI feel the same, Ex.¡»


    The eyes of the first and second place intersect and smile at each other.


    The 1st and 2nd rank looked at each other and smiled.


    ¡ºWe are stronger than you. We¡¯ll prove that.¡»


    The current Ex has recovered his strong heart and conviction that he will definitely reach 1st rank.


    ¡ºI accept your challenge.¡»


    As expected of the 1st rank, he never stops improving and continues to aim for higher heights.


    In as early as the first match, the battle that decides the strongest Adventurer Party has been established.


    ¡ó


    It¡¯s not only the Adventurers who are attracting attention.


    ¡ºAlthough from the beginning this is a gathering of strong people, but I still feel it¡¯s the work of fate when this kind of development happens.¡»


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus said with a dubious tone.


    That was what she said on stage when she found out who her opponent for the first round was.


    ¡ºDon¡¯t you think so? ¨DPaimon.¡»


    The one standing on the end of her gaze is ¨D a tall and beautiful beauty that is dressed as a man.


    That sharp eyes and seamless appearance made it feel difficult to approach that person.


    After thinking like that, I shook my head.


    What am I thinking? That person is not a woman. I should have known that already. But the moment I saw him, I couldn¡¯t help but think like that.


    Him. Yes, that person is a man.


    The ruler of¡ºSouthern Demon King Castle¡», also known as¡ºUltra-High Level?Unique Dungeon¡».


    The All-Seeing Demon King Paimon.


    It was his Party that defeated the Ash Hero Garo Party that is ranked 11th in the world during the first phase.


    ¡ºDon¡¯t say something so disgusting. There¡¯s no end to it if you keep on thinking that every single coincidence is fate.¡»


    ¡ºAs long as my heart starts to throb, it¡¯s still fate no matter how many times it has happened.¡»


    ¡ºReally. If there is such a thing, then you¡¯re fated to disappear in the first round.¡»


    ¡ºOh, it seems that you and I have different feelings.¡»


    ¡ºSo it seems.¡»


    The Demon King Castle of the north, south, east, and west, and the Parties led by the Demon Kings will also clash in the first match.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go up now then.¡¹


    It was finally the Wraith Party¡¯s turn.


    After his name was called, Wraith went to the stage looking as unfazed as ever.


    The tournament divided 100 Parties into 4 groups.


    Since there are 25 Parties per group, there were some slots that received the so-called seed treatment.


    The number that Wraith drew was one of those slots.


    We will be fighting against either one of the Party that wins in the first round.


    Wraith smiled at Asmodeus.


    ¡ºIs this also fate?¡»


    Asmodeus looked at me for a moment, then smiled as she met Wraith¡¯s gaze.


    ¡ºAhh, I¡¯m so excited for this, boy.¡»


    The Demon King of the South or the Demon King of the North?


    Either one of their Party will become the opponent for our first match.


    ¡ó


    Then, all the tournament tables were settled.


    Starting with the Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus Party and the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon Party, there are a lot of Parties gathered in our group.


    All of the groups were inevitably going to have fierce battles.


    ¡¸Hey, Lem. Are you disappointed that you can¡¯t fight against Fenix?¡¹


    Wraith said something like that.


    The Fenix Party is in the red group and we are in the black group.


    We won¡¯t be competing against each other in the tournament, and even if we come out on top together, we¡¯ll be fighting together as comrades in the final phase.


    In other words, we won¡¯t be fighting against him as opponents in this All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    ¡¸I do feel a little bit disappointed.¡¹


    ¡¸Just a little bit?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m not that concerned about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Ohh?¡¹


    Wraith sounded as if he was surprised for a moment, but immediately he had a pondering expression and eventually nodded.


    ¡¸I see. You¡¯re right, not being able to fight against them this time is only a trivial concern when I think about it.¡¹


    He seemed to have realized it as well.


    This tournament is very special for me and Wraith.


    Because for Wraith, this could be an opportunity to fight against his father, and for me this could be an opportunity to fight against my master.


    But this is not the last time that Fenix and I will be together.


    As long as we aim to become the best Heroes, we will have many more opportunities to trade blows in the future.


    Even if it¡¯s not today, our paths will cross again someday.


    Then there is no need to be hasty and no reason to be disappointed.


    When I suddenly looked at him, he was also looking at me.


    For some reason I started to smile, so I frowned


    When I did that, Fenix held his mouth and smiled as if trying to hold back his laughter.


    I looked away from him.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go back. If possible, I¡¯d like to come up with a plan to deal with the Parties that are in the same group with us¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine with that, Brain. Doesn¡¯t it look fun?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Your lips are slackening, you know.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, it¡¯s not.¡¹


    ¡¸Ohh?¡¹


    We started walking as I received a doubtful look from the leader.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a Demon King, a Commander of the Knights Order, a Hero, or any other powerful people.


    We will win against them all.


    I think of my one-horned master. The strongest Demon King who gave me his horn.


    ¨DI have something I¡¯d like to tell him.


    And it was only possible on the battlefield.


    Then, I just have to get there.

 CH 253

    253 ¨C Riding On the Back of a Dragon


    The second phase of the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    The tournament will be held by dividing 100 Parties into 4 groups.


    Each of the red, blue, white, and black groups will go to the towns where the Demon King Castle of the north, south, east, and west are located and will battle there.


    The last 4 remaining Parties will gather in the town where the Impregnable Demon King Castle is located and challenge the legendary powerful people.


    The day of the first match for each group was approaching.


    We, the Wraith Party, are in the black group. We¡¯re heading to the town where the Northern Demon King Castle is located.


    We¡¯d be cutting it too close if we arrive on the day of the match, but there should be no problem if we reach the town the day before.


    But I wanted to personally see the matches as much as possible, so I suggested that we get there early.


    Fortunately, everyone agreed.


    Considering the schedule and the distance between each town, it would be difficult for me to personally see the matches held by the other groups.


    I guess I¡¯ll just have to put up with the broadcasted video.


    It was noon on the day of departure.


    I talked with Milla and Cashew in the morning.


    They were both supportive, so I guess it was just my illusion that they looked a little sad.


    They said they would come to see me off, but they also had work to do. So I gently declined.


    By the way, Cashew is now Milla¡¯s temporary secretary.


    I¡¯ve been out of town a lot, but the Demon King Castle is still employing Cashew. Cashew is a very hard worker and her salary is paid properly.


    When I went to the meeting place, the Ogre White Sorcerer Josh and the Half-Cyclops Miner Melania were already there.


    We have decided to meet in a corner of the open land that is right outside the entrance to the town.


    ¡¸Good morning, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸G-good morning¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, good morning.¡¹


    After exchanging greetings and talking for a while, the remaining 2 members also arrived.


    The Water Hero Wraith and the Destroyer Fran.


    Now all 5 members are present.


    ¡¸U-umm. Is it really okay, that¡­¡¹


    Melania said timidly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Wraith said while smiling.


    She¡¯s talking about the means of transportation.


    Although it is a society in which various races coexist, various things are made to suit the majority of people.


    Such as the roads, vehicles, and buildings. There are some things that have been given special consideration, but the number is still small.


    It is very difficult for us to ride and travel in the same carriage as Melania.


    She said she would walk on a special route used by the Giants, but our leader stopped her.


    He said it would be okay since he¡¯d make sure that we would all be able to travel together.


    ¡¸B-but, t-the money¡­¡¹


    Melania looked apologetic.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine.¡¹


    In the raid, there was the support of the Demon King¡¯s father, Fellow. He invited Wraith to the project, so the financial support would have been perfect.


    However, this time was different.


    Just like any other Party, we had to manage our own money as we continued our activities.


    I don¡¯t know how much the reward for the raid was, and I won¡¯t ask, but I can guess that the expenses this time would be painful.


    ¡¸As I said before, I¡¯ll pay too.¡¹


    Wraith had a subtle expression on his face, but when he saw that I was not going to give in, he nodded.


    ¡¸Hmm. Then, I guess I¡¯ll ask you to pay for one-fifth.¡¹


    Fran leaned forward.


    ¡¸¡­I will pay too.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to compete with Lem even for this.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll pay.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay, okay.¡¹


    After I and Fran said that, Josh and Melania continued to say that as well.


    Once again, I said.


    ¡¸I think we should all pay for the things that are indispensable for the activities of the Party.¡¹


    ¡¸Why?¡¹


    ¡¸Money is an important thing. If it¡¯s not handled properly, it can damage your relationship with the people important to you. Even if you meant well, we all have the same opinion that we don¡¯t want to let you bear the burden all by yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha. Then, let¡¯s divide it into five equal parts. Except for Lem, we¡¯re all still poor, so we¡¯ll all depend on you, the successful person, to pay.¡¹


    Around the time we came to an agreement, a special means of transportation arrived.


    The wind is blowing.


    The sound of wings flapping in the air.


    He or she is trying to land in a location distant from us, but I still felt the wind pressure that seemed as if it could blow my body away.


    ¡¸Are you Altreed¡¯s son?¡¹


    A low and calm voice. It seemed to be a¡ºhe¡».


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, nice to meet you.¡¹


    It¡¯s a Dragon.


    Fenix and Lily also rode a Dragon when they rushed to my village before, but this Dragon is much bigger than that one.


    How big is the Dragon? He is so big that Melania, who is Half-Giant, would have no problem riding it.


    The color of his scales are green. It¡¯s a little blackish, but it looks more greenish.


    There are probably only a few Dragons in the world that have interacted with humans that are this big.


    As an Adventurer, I can¡¯t help but wonder how am I supposed to fight against this huge Dragon, if one had appeared in a Dungeon.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s rare for an Adventurer to look at me and think about something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸!¡¹


    Did he read my mind? ¨DThat shouldn¡¯t be it.


    It¡¯s probably because I had an easy-to-understand expression.


    His jewel-like eyes moved and glanced at us.


    ¡¸Just like how humans constantly change in a short period of time, it seems that the common sense of Adventurers has also changed.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it probably hasn¡¯t changed that much.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, are you a particularly unusual Hero?¡¹


    Is he talking about the Party composition?


    As the comrades of a Hero, it is true that the 4 of us have unusual races or Jobs.


    ¡¸I wonder about that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ohh. That guy has an interesting child.¡¹


    ¡¸Say that to my father, not to me.¡¹


    ¡¸I will.¡¹


    The Dragon narrowed his eyes. He¡¯s laughing, isn¡¯t he?


    After that, we were finally ready to board.


    The space on top of his back seemed to be customized for the passengers.


    It seems that baskets and small structures are also okay, but we want to travel as a whole Party.


    A closed space only for humans would hinder that.


    So, we only have footholds made of wood.


    Melania, who was the last one to get on, and the rest of us are at different eye levels, but we¡¯re all together.


    ¡¸Are you ready?¡¹


    The Dragon asked.


    ¡¸We¡¯re ready.¡¹


    When Wraith answered, the Dragon emitted a tremendous amount of magical energy.


    It¡¯s Wind Magic.


    In conjunction with the movement of his wings, he gets a boost from the Wind Magic.


    Immediately after I realized that this huge body had floated, it rose steadily.


    In the blink of an eye, we were already at a height where I could see the clouds next to me.


    The reason why I don¡¯t feel the wind or the chill is because he¡¯s also using Wind Magic to protect the ¡®cargo¡¯.


    Melania, who was tense before the flight, let out a¡¸Wow¡¹at the view from the sky.


    Josh still looked nervous. Fran¡¯s face was expressionless as usual.


    The leader Wraith was smiling cheerfully.


    Even though our emotions when we departed were not the same, I think that sharing this moment together has a very important meaning.


    Especially since this Party has just been formed.


    It¡¯s okay even if we¡¯re not together all the time.


    The experience of sharing an important moment together will become the Party¡¯s source of encouragement.


    We spent the same time on the Dragon¡¯s back, looking at each other and smiling naturally.


    From this point on, the 5 members of the Wraith Party will embark on a journey together.

 CH 254

    254 ¨C Fenix Party VS Ellie Party


    There are many words used to describe me.


    If I had to say some of it, there are the descriptions of an Adventurer who is ranked 95th in the world, The Undefeated Hero, and the¡ºNew Wave¡».


    ¡¸Lady Ellie.¡¹


    In response to the call, I opened my eyes that were closed until just now.


    The White Sorcerer Kent was calling out while putting his hand on his chest.


    A man with chestnut-color hair and an impression of refreshing water.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸The person in charge has arrived and said that it¡¯s about time.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    The second phase of the All-Heaven Festival Contest. The tournament of the red group. The first round.


    The venue is a magical energy space set up inside the¡ºEastern Demon King Castle¡».


    There seem to be several types of waiting rooms and the place assigned to the 5 of us humans was an ordinary private room with nothing special in it.


    The person in charge told us that it was time to enter the field.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we go?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    All 4 of them responded clearly.


    Kent has a big fan and Jean who is also a White Sorcerer has a rolled-up red carpet.


    The Black Sorcerer twins Lyner and Ryan carried a gorgeous chair until outside the waiting room.


    Who has what varies from day to day.


    We continued to walk down the aisle for a while.


    A place where we can see a particularly large light that is different from the lighting.


    Beyond that is where the battle will take place.


    The name of our Party was called and I sat down on the chair.


    The twins lifted it up and Jean rolled out the carpet. Kent gracefully fanned the fan.


    In addition to the visual impact, this way of moving made it easy to tell who was the master and who was the servant.


    When we reached the center of the stage, I descended as if I was flying.


    Both the chair and the fan were blown out of the venue by Wind Magic.


    ¨D How many Adventurers are there in the world? How many Parties are there?


    Perhaps even less than the number of a handful of sand in the desert is recognized and sought after by society.


    So are all those who were not grabbed worthless?


    No, they are not.


    It¡¯s just that the world is so vast, time is so limited, and entertainment is so plentiful that it¡¯s hard for people to see all the talent and effort that goes into it.


    This is an industry where even valuable things can be buried and many geniuses and hard workers disappear after a failure.


    The only way to survive here is to adapt.


    If you have the talent, how can you make it appealing?


    If you have the ability, how can you leverage it?


    What can I do to include myself and my comrades in the handful?


    This is the answer I arrived at.


    But we are just halfway through.


    We can still go forward. We have to.


    ¡ºRanked 95th in the world, the Undefeated Hero Ellie Party is here!


    Their leader, Contestant Ellie, has a Contract with a Lesser Wind Spirit. With her delicate magical energy manipulation that could be called artistic, she can use a wide variety of Spirit Magic. She is truly formidable!


    In the¡¸Impregnable Demon King Castle¡¹raid battle, she appeared in the 10th Stratum and greatly tormented the industry¡¯s best Adventurers! The people who supports her are ¨D ¡»


    The introduction of the servants continued.


    Continued to win in Dungeons, fought against strong people in the raid, and advanced to the second phase of the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    After piling up all those achievements, the commentator finally emotionally introduced the White Sorcerers and Black Sorcerers that are supporting me.


    When we formed the Party and after we debuted, the people around us didn¡¯t understand this Party composition.


    They ridiculed and denied it.


    With each achievement, the ridicules and sneers became fewer and fewer, but it did not disappear.


    There is a way of thinking that only you should know what is important to you.


    There is a sense of strength in that kind of thinking. I won¡¯t deny that.


    But that¡¯s not how I am.


    I¡¯ll make them understand.


    I¡¯ll make them feel excited.


    Only the excitement of seeing an exciting adventure cannot be faked.


    We¡¯ll make those who made fun of us unintentionally cheer when they see us in action.


    When that happens, it¡¯ll be our victory.


    Hate us, ridicule us.


    We¡¯ll entertain them ¨D then turn them into our servant fans.


    The cheers coming from the audience seats suddenly increased several times.


    Because they entered the field.


    At this moment, they are Adventurers who are more recognized by society than we are.


    In the desert, they are not grains of sand, but jewels.


    ¡ºThey have entered¡­! Ranked 4th in the world!! The Flame Hero Fenix Partyyyy!¡»


    The cheers exploded.


    ¡ºTheir leader, Contestant Fenix, is the first person in 130 years to have a Contract with the main body of the Fire Spirit!


    Despite being a relatively young Party, only 7 years after its formation, they still managed to clear the¡¸Northern Demon King Castle¡¹!


    After that, he challenged the¡¸Impregnable Demon King Castle¡¹, where he cleared and showed the 4th to 10th Stratums, greatly helping the later attackers!


    Is it because of his overwhelming firepower that he is immensely popular among men and women of all ages!? Or is it because of his gallant appearance!? Or is it both!?¡»


    When it became an enchanting entertainment, appearance was added to the Adventurer¡¯s evaluation criteria.


    Nowadays, appearance is also a great weapon.


    In that sense, Fenix¡¯s appearance is no less of a strength than his Contract with one of the Four Great Spirits.


    ¡ºOne of the people fighting alongside him is the Warrior Alba!


    He and the leader have known each other since the Training Institution, so they show a breathtaking cooperation!


    He boasts an agility that is unimaginable from his well-trained body, and the trajectory of his Extensible Magic Sword is unpredictable!


    I¡¯m sure there are many people who were excited by the sight of him using a blade-shaped storm to slice through his enemies!¡»


    The Warrior Alba. Certainly, he has a good physique. In addition, he has a keen sense for combat.


    I¡¯ve seen a lot of situations where there is a surprise attack aiming for him that would normally send other people off the field immediately, but he somehow managed to avoid it with just his intuition.


    However, for that reason, he was also an Adventurer who relied on his intuition for his style of fighting.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s youth or naivety and it doesn¡¯t matter. That flaw of his disappeared after a certain point.


    After the failure to clear the¡ºImpregnable Demon King Castle¡».


    ¡ºThe next person to join the Party was an elf, a very rare race as Adventurers at the time ¨D The Hunter Lily!


    Because the leader of the Party was attracting a lot of attention, there was a lot of controversy over the addition of an Elf.


    However! Contestant Lily silenced the naysayers with her abilities and charmed the world with her archery skills!


    Her¡¸Godspeed¡¹that is unable to be seen with naked eyes is truly a superhuman feat!


    As the Party¡¯s world rank skyrocketed, the number of Elf Adventurers increased every year!


    It can be said that she is a distinguished contributor to the industry, showing the world that it is possible for races other than humans to become Adventurers!¡»


    The Hunter Lily. The power of her arrows is decent, but her aim is sharp. Even so, it can be changed to emphasize speed, and when she uses¡ºGodspeed¡», I can¡¯t even see her appearance when she shoots the arrows.


    Not so long ago, her fighting style looked as if she was showing her archery skills to someone.


    This was corrected after the failed attack on the Demon King Castle and was completely resolved after the raid battle.


    ¡ºIn a Party that emphasizes speed, it is because of him that his comrades can concentrate on the battle! ¨D The Paladin Lark!


    There are no openings in his offense and defense. He calmly defends against enemy attacks and goes on the offensive when the time is right.


    The reason why Contestant Alba and Contestant Lily are able to move freely is because of his defense!


    He is also famous for his cool job and sweet mask, which made him very popular with women!¡»


    The Paladin Lark. He is tall and has long arms. After he deflects the attacks using his large shield, he will attack by swinging downwards. Unless his opponent is from a tough race, that opponent will probably be crushed.


    His weakness was that his movements were too precise, but recently he¡¯s been showing different styles of movements, such as daring to show an opening to invite an attack, or to interweave feints to attack the enemy while he is being unguarded.


    Again, he changed after the Demon King Castle.


    ¡ºAnd last but not least is this person! The up-and-coming Adventurer who was welcomed into the Party immediately after graduating from the Training Institution! ¨D The Frost Hero Bella!


    After making a Contract with a high-ranking Lesser Water Spirit, she spent 3 years training to improve her¡¸Freeze¡¹Spirit Magic and joined the Party ranked 4th in the world!


    Immediately afterwards, she began to display Spirit Magic that was sometimes delicate and beautiful and other times her magic is bold and flashy!


    In a blink of an eye, she was accepted by the public and gained a lot of fans! She¡¯s already playing an active role as an important fighting force in the Fenix Party!¡»


    The Frost Hero Bella. In terms of near, middle and long distance, she is an Adventurer that is closer to a Wizard that can shine the most in middle to long distances.


    Conversely, there is a hole in her close quarters combat ability.


    I can¡¯t say for sure that this is because of her experience at the Demon King Castle, but I can see that she is trying to improve.


    What cannot be learned from experience is out of the question.


    Nevertheless, it was too dramatic. If it was a sports team, it¡¯s as if their objective has changed along with the coach.


    I think someone said something that compelled them to change their mindset.


    There are times when retired Adventurers mentor the current Adventurers.


    To the point that there are stories about how the former 1st ranked in the world, the Unyielding Hero Altreed, and other Adventurers are constantly visited by Adventurers who would like to receive their guidance.


    I¡¯ve never heard anything about such a person in the Fenix Party.


    Suddenly, the Floor Boss of the 10th Stratum in the Demon King Castle that is clad in black outfit popped inside my mind


    The Black Sorcerer that is courageous enough to form an alliance with another Hero Party in order to repel the Hero Party during the raid.


    ¡¸Today as well, I will wield my sword to get closer to becoming the best Hero. Everyone, will you lend me your strength?¡¹


    When Fenix said that, each of the members responded.


    Some people in the audience seats were already standing up and making noise.


    I was thrilled.


    The achievements that the Fenix Party has built up produced this expectation and support. Isn¡¯t it wonderful?


    I shouted.


    ¡¸My servants. Our battle stage is about to begin today! The audience is packed! Most of them are convinced that the other side will win! Isn¡¯t this so fun?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll ask you again today. Who¡¯s the most beautiful?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹¡¸Who¡¯s the strongest?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹¡¸Then, who will win this battle?¡¹¡¸Lady Ellie!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re so stupid, the answer should be us.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Good boys. Now, let¡¯s keep on proving it. That the battle of Heroes is the most beautiful, the most exciting, the most fun, and the most intense. Let¡¯s keep on proving it. That both black and white are the colors that make people stand out the most. Just a burden? No way! Those people with no sense are really troublesome, aren¡¯t they?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    The Fenix Party had a complex expression when they heard our conversation.


    Did they remember the past when they kicked out a Black Sorcerer?


    ¡¸We all understand that we have lost the best Black Sorcerer.¡¹


    Fenix said. At least it didn¡¯t seem like he said that lightheartedly to just keep up appearances.


    ¡¸Ohh?¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, we¡¯re the ones who will win.¡¹


    There is no one among those who has come this far that does not go into battle without that in mind.


    ¡¸Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s right. After all, this is a competitive world, and there is always a future where we are defeated. But we will win. Because ¨D ¡¹


    ¡¸Because the Hero always wins in the end.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give that a perfect mark. But what should I do? There are Heroes on both sides.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s a problem.¡¹


    He¡¯s already aware of it.


    In a clash between Heroes, some Heroes will be defeated.


    Nevertheless, we do our best to win.


    Until the very end, to finish the battle as a Hero.


    ¡¸Haha. That¡¯s good. That¡¯s very good. You¡¯re great, the Hero Fenix.¡¹


    The match begins.

 CH 255

    255 ¨C Fenix Party VS Ellie Party 2


    ¡ºThis is the first round of the Red Group of the second stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest!¡¡Fenix party vs Ellie party! Ready¡­FIGHT!¡»


    The distribution of roles in my party is plain and simple.


    The twin Black Sorcerers, Lyner and Ryan, are on a supporting role with their Black Magic.


    The White Sorcerers who hail from the same region, Kent and Jean, support me with their White Magic.


    And finally, I, the Undefeated Hero Ellie, shall make short work of our enemies.


    At the match start signal, both parties began to move.


    First, we go through our usual routine.


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as the wind! Quick!¡¹


    ¡¸Make Madam Ellie as fast as a thunderbolt! Quick!¡¹


    I receive boosts from White Magic.


    ¡¸Let my enemy experience their feet being stuck in mud, my magic! Quick Down!¡¹


    ¡¸Make my enemy move as if they were carrying a boulder, my magic! Quick Down!¡¹


    The target of the two Black Sorcerers is the one with the least magical resistance, the Warrior Alba.


    Accelerating myself with Wind Spirit Magic, I kick off the ground to dash forward.


    Heading straight for the Flame Hero Fenix.


    ¡º¡­! Aaand it¡¯s on~! Contestant Ellie has made a mad dash as soon as the match began! And who is she dashing towards? None other than contestant Fenix, the enemy leader! What a bold move!¡»


    Well, what now, Fenix party?


    Their movements were just as excellent as we had expected.


    ¡¸I knew you guys would aim for me!¡¹


    Alba did not move. He already concluded that he won¡¯t be able to take advantage of his lauded quick wit while under the effects of Speed Down.


    However, despite being a Warrior, he possesses a method of attack without having to move.


    His extensible Magic Sword.


    The same one he¡¯s shown in the tenth stratum of the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    Simply point the tip at the enemy and activate the Magic Sword.


    Black Magic cannot be cast onto weapons, so it will extend at its usual speed to stab the enemy.


    His target¡­are my loyal dogs.


    ¡¸If you truly belong in the 95th rank, you shall be dealt with accordingly.¡¹


    The Hunter Lily let loose a volley of arrows.


    They flew through the air, drawing a gentle arc. It was a curved, high-angle shot.


    If the arrows were shot past me, they would have been influenced by my Wind Magic and blown away.


    So when I try to divert the arrows¡¯ trajectory, a perfect space is created between me and the arrows that require an amount of Magical Energy.


    The Paladin Lark moved in front of Alba, whose movements have become slow.


    The area that Frost Hero Bella was in charge of was directly above.


    ¡¸Frozen Sword Rain.¡¹


    Sharp, pointed rods of ice were formed.


    As the name implies, she makes them fall like rain.


    Support Jobs have natural below-average durability, and they require concentration to activate and maintain their magic.


    This was a brilliant move that served both as an attack and as interference.


    Not just Bella, but all four of them did well. Wonderful enough to be detestable.


    ¡ºHoly smokes! It would appear that the Fenix party is employing a strategy that aims for enemy support members first! Has their perception towards supports Jobs been changed by the pain they suffered at the hands of the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton in the Impregnable Demon King Castle?¡»


    From the front, Alba. From the sides, Lily. From above, Bella.


    Each attacked aimed at my loyal dogs from various angles.


    They all see Black and White Sorcerers as enemies that must be dealt with immediately.


    It¡¯s a different story if they were hunting them as easy prey.


    No, they have formed a solid policy to deal with them immediately because they will become threats if left alone.


    People can say all sorts of laudable things with their mouths. But actions speak louder than words.


    The Fenix party has truly changed.


    If they looked down on support jobs, they wouldn¡¯t have responded this way.


    The corners of my mouth curve upward into a smile unintentionally.


    ¡¸How splendid.¡¹


    The Flame Hero Fenix unsheathes his Holy Sword and waits for me.


    Despite looking so calm, I could feel an intense pressure like a blazing inferno from him.


    I shall deal with Alba¡¯s Magic Sword first.


    I drive an Air Staple on top of the extending blade portion.


    Like two nails joined at the top by a pole, I drive it down on top of the bellowed connected part of the Magic Sword to fix it to the ground.


    This should interfere with its extension and contraction.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­!¡¹


    I could hear the sound of someone clicking his tongue in frustration. Probably Alba.


    ¡ºG-goodness!! Alba¡¯s Magic Sword has been pinned to the ground by something invisible! It would appear that it is unable to move!¡»


    ¡¸I¡¯m flying.¡¹


    With that short declaration from me, the four in the rear respond immediately.


    ¡¸Yes, ma¡¯am!¡¹


    I intentionally used my feet to dash in earlier in order to showcase to the audience the effects of White Magic.


    Seeing it live is more surprising than seeing it through a video.


    To the eyes of the average person, my speed seemed to increase to unbelievable levels after receiving the support of White Magic.


    The fact that I¡¯m a Hero and that I used Wind Magic to accelerate myself is another thing entirely.


    It is the truth that I became faster after White Magic was cast on me.


    So long as the audience can see that.


    I fly towards Fenix using Wind Magic.


    I don¡¯t forget to release some Wind Blades to keep the other four in check.


    I pulled out a slender, one-handed Holy Sword and slashed at Fenix.


    There were several slashes in the blink of an eye.


    The sound of metal colliding against metal rang out.


    Flames raged, winds howled.


    My diagonal downward sing was easily deflected, but even using the force of the deflection to make a sideways swing from a low stance wasn¡¯t enough to catch him as he lightly jumps back to avoid it.


    But this, too, was part of the plan.


    Aiming at just the right spot where he lands, I fire off two Wind Blades to sandwich him from both his left and right sides.


    There isn¡¯t enough time for him to duck. Even if there was, it would be difficult for him to dodge my own follow-up attack.


    For some reason, he holds his sword sideways, facing the belly of the blade towards me.


    No.


    From his point of view, the tip of his blade is facing the right Wind Blade while the pommel is facing the left Wind Blade.


    He isn¡¯t going to¡­


    He is!


    After a high-pitched sound, he stands unharmed.


    The invisible Wind Blades were stopped by the blade tip and pommel.


    If he was off even slightly, the Wind Blades would have sliced off his pretty little head.


    What courage. What Magical Energy detection. What accuracy.


    Furthermore, he obstructed my advance by emitting flames towards his front.


    ¡ºW-Wh-What a dazzling display of offense and defense! Flying with the aid of Wind Magic, contestant Ellie fires off a series of attacks that defy common sense! Contestant Fenix deals with it all as if he knew they were coming! And then he let loose a flame attack! Contestant Ellie dodged it magnificently! Just how much could happen in a single moment?! A fight between Heroes is truly something!¡»


    It¡¯s like he¡¯s a different man from the Fenix from a few months ago.


    Since he had his fearsome Fire Spirit Magic, his skill with the blade didn¡¯t stand out, but this Hero was adequate enough with sword techniques.


    He has reached an even higher level of proficiency now.


    I suppose this is the result of his training with the Adventurers who took part in the Raid Battle.


    Among those party members were the Samurai Masamune and the Warrior Hamill, two of the top five greatest swordsmen in the world.


    I wonder what he learned.


    I circumvent the wave of fire and move on to my next attack.


    While concentrating on the enemy in front of me, I take a bird¡¯s eye view of the entire battlefield.


    Alba¡¯s Magic Sword has been sealed.


    Lark is protecting him.


    My White and Black Sorcerers are being assaulted by a rain of ice swords and a volley of allows being shot in an arc.


    The White Magic on me has been dispelled.


    Unknown to the masses, I and my loyal dogs help each other mutually.


    They support me with their Black and White Magic while I support them with my Wind Magic.


    If I am able to predict an attack, I let them know using wind pressure.


    If there was an attack aimed at their forehead, I would cast Wind Magic to blow there.


    Even if it¡¯s an attack that an ordinary person wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge, it¡¯s possible with the perception of a Hero.


    So, of course, they can dodge at a speed many times faster than the average person.


    Naturally, even though I let them know that danger is approaching, they have to dodge it on their own.


    Therefore, the four people in my party have trained their bodies to heights unthinkable for support Jobs.


    Kent and Jean shout a combination of White Magic.


    ¡¸Quick!¡¹


    ¡¸Intelligence!¡¹


    The speed and thinking ability of all four of them are enhanced.


    They quickly evade the falling ice swords.


    Perhaps due to the height from which they fell, the ice swords pierce the ground and stick to it without bouncing.


    ¡ºThey move at speeds unlike that of support Jobs! The famous foursome of the Ellie party is famous for their well-trained bodies as well as their good looks- oh my! There they go! The suits! Are! Off!¡»


    By the way, the commentator happens to be a woman this time.


    As she said, the four of them have taken their suits off. But not to throw them away. They have just taken them off.


    They are more than mere suits, they are Adventurer equipment.


    ¡¸HMM!¡¹


    Wielding their suits like the red cape of a bullfighter, they move to sweep aside Lily¡¯s arrows the moment they touch the suits.


    They use it to kill the arrow¡¯s momentum, like winding a thread.


    ¡ºTh-there it is! Yes indeed, the suits worn by those four are blade-proof! They normally function as armor, but if the need arises, they can also use it as shields just as they are right now!¡»


    However, the timing is quite strict.


    This too, in addition to their White Magic enhancements, is possible with the help of my Wind Magic.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    Lily, whose lauded arrow skills are being guarded against, narrows her eyes.


    ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    That voice was Bella¡¯s.


    Those words weren¡¯t the only things she produced.


    There was Magical Energy as well.


    I immediately understood her intent.


    An ice wall. She¡¯s going to create an ice wall.


    One that will physically obstruct my view of the four of them in the rear.


    This is seldom seen in this modern Adventurer industry that doesn¡¯t perceive White and Black Magic as threats, but it is splendid as a countermeasure.


    Because White and Black Magic work the same way as offensive magic in that they all need to hit their target in order to work.


    It¡¯s invisible, but they work the same.


    So if there is an obstacle in the way of the spell, even an invisible spell would be circumvented.


    If you can¡¯t see the other side of the ice wall, it would become remarkably more difficult to hit the target.


    That isn¡¯t the only amazing thing that Bella will achieve.


    If the ice wall is completed, it would interfere with the support for my loyal manservants that come from me.


    My Wind Magic that warns them of danger would have to go around the ice wall.


    Well done, I¡¯m truly impressed.


    Which is exactly why I predicted it as well.


    Bella¡¯s petite lips begin to move.


    ¡¸Ice Wall.¡¹


    ¡¸By all means.¡¹


    I¡¯ll just attack you instead.

 CH 256

    256 ¨C Fenix Party VS Ellie Party 3


    A spell that splits the field in two. High-powered Spirit Magic like this can¡¯t be cast immediately.


    This becomes a weakness.


    I put Fenix to the back of my mind for now and assault Bella.


    What was unexpected was that Bella knew that I would choose to do this as well.


    Knowing what I¡¯ll do, did she predict that I would leave the four of them alone while I focused my assault on Bella?


    Well, aren¡¯t you a calm and collected child.


    ¡¸Ice Cold Barrier.¡¹


    Bella spreads her Magical Energy thinly.


    The moment I step foot onto the affected area¡­


    Magical Energy hums, gathers around me, and a cone of ice grows out of the ground.


    ¡¸Oh my.¡¹


    That¡¯s right. She¡¯s a talented student who graduated at the top of her class in School.


    During her time joining the Fenix party, she showed an exceptional talent for Magical Energy control, did she not?


    By spreading her Magical Energy beforehand, she sets up a Spirit Magic that automatically assaults anyone¡¯s Magical Energy signature other than her own.


    However, do not think that I¡¯m unable to dodge such an atta-¡­? !


    Magical Energy from directly above.


    Without deciding on a destination, I reflexively accelerate myself with Wind Magic.


    I could feel the ice cone that was aiming for my back scrape my right leg slightly.


    ¡¸So, you avoided it.¡¹


    I made a mistake.


    Casting a rain of ice blades, a wall of ice, and an automatic countering Spirit Art.


    All that alone is too much Magical Energy to be consumed in one go. Considering how much her Magical Energy organ could be developed around her age, this is a slightly unreasonable amount.


    However, she specializes in Magical Energy manipulation. So it is possible that she reduced the Magical Energy put into each one. It is inherently less powerful, but the target of the ice swords is the support Jobs.


    Their endurance isn¡¯t so high.


    Her ice wall too. If I were to force my way through it, it would break in an instant. If I look closer at it, the wall is hollow.


    She assumed that I would assault her rather than regroup and saved up her Magical Energy.


    Since it is a situation that requires a split-second decision, she deliberately neglected the areas that I wasn¡¯t paying express attention to.


    By doing so, the extra Magical Energy she saved can be used where it counts.


    Astonished by the automatic counterattack, even for just a brief moment, I took my mind off of it.


    Of the possibility that, apart from the Ice Cold Barrier, she might manually create ice cones.


    A shiver ran down my spine that cannot be said to be the feeling of fear or pleasure.


    This child will become much, much stronger from now on.


    But still, it is we who shall be victorious.


    I accelerated without control, causing my vision to whirl about. I corrected myself in midair and headed towards Bella.


    Our match lasted only a moment.


    I enter her barrier. I avoid or use Wind Blades to slice the ice cones that shoot up as a counterattack.


    Bella pulls out her rapier-type Holy Sword.


    The distance between us became nothing in an instant, then I flew past her, stopping at a distance further away.


    The Undefeated Hero and the Frost Hero crossed paths and ran past each other.


    ¡¸Black¡­Magic¡­¡¹


    There was a large gash wound on Bella¡¯s abdomen, bleeding a large amount of Magical Energy.


    ¡¸I thank you, Bella. For focusing your all on defeating me.¡¹


    Her thinking ability was hampered thanks to the Black Magic of Lyner and Ryan.


    There was no sign or call out. The wall of ice is obstructing only their view.


    But that matters not.


    My loyal dogs will do what is necessary for their master.


    She should have been able to Resist it had she not spent a truly large amount of Magical Energy up to this point.


    She could not immediately regenerate enough.


    And, she poured all of her remaining Magical Energy into her attack against me.


    Intelligence Down only made her magic activation slightly slower, but it is a fatal delay against me, who had become a deadly gust of wind.


    ¡¸I thank you too. For focusing your all on defeating me.¡¹


    Immediately following Bella¡¯s words, the commentator¡¯s voice rattled my eardrums.


    ¡ºContestant Bella¡¯s new magic rages against Contestant Ellie as they both cross each other in the blink of an eye! And the conclusion is¡­! Contestant Bella has suffered a fatal injury!!! ¡­And on the other end, we have another surprising development!¡»


    It certainly was surprising.


    The commentator continued on about what the Fenix party has achieved.


    ¡ºThe foursome elegantly dodged contestant Bella¡¯s Frozen Sword Rain, but their movements have been thrown into disarray! Who would have thought that contestant Lily¡¯s arrows would be hidden among the falling ice swords! Narrowly avoiding the swords, contestant Lyner¡¯s shoulder and contestant Ryan¡¯s right thigh were pierced by arrows! This debilitating injury is a devastating blow to contestant Ryan¡¯s mobility¡­!¡»


    I judge something as a threat based on its Magical Energy or matter, then I warn the four of them with Wind Magic.


    Was I unable to tell apart the falling ice swords and Lily¡¯s arrows?


    With my support, they know everything up to the moment the ice sword falls.


    If there is an arrow that follows up directly after that, it would be theoretically difficult to dodge.


    The question is when did were they fired. It must have been around the time that my focus was on Fenix or Bella.


    Even so, what incredible skill.


    To match Bella¡¯s magic so perfectly is a supernatural feat that is not inferior to Godspeed.


    ¡ºThe venue is roaring!! Contestant Alba¡¯s Magic Sword, which was fixed to the ground, has burrowed through the floor and appeared from under Jean¡¯s feet! The sword cuts a huge piece off of Jean¡¯s back! This injury is far more grave than the previous two and Jean¡¯s body has begun to crumble!¡»


    I can¡¯t believe it¡­is that what they want me to think?


    Alba¡¯s Magic Sword must be set to extend and contract before it is activated.


    It is not possible for him to issue a new command while it is already extending.


    That is exactly why I affixed it to the ground as it was en route towards my loyal dogs, in order to prevent it from ever reaching its target.


    Unless the clamp I created is destroyed, his Magic Sword will stay in that elongated state.


    However, there was no indication that the restraint was broken.


    Is it going underground because¡­it was fixed to the ground when it was never intended to go straight in the first place?


    If that¡¯s the case, when did he¡­ Since the start?


    Since the start, Alba knew that I would use my magic to interfere.


    So before he activated it, he had already set it to burrow underground.


    Whether I used Wind Blades to deflect it, form an Air Wall to stop it, or fix it to the ground with a clamp, its target was below the ground.


    Goodness, he¡¯s come a long way.


    When I sealed his sword, he clicked his tongue in frustration.


    In order to fool me, he pretended to react in a way that didn¡¯t seem unusual for him.


    I researched the Fenix party.


    If this was the old Alba, he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to look the fool, even for a moment.


    Even if the audience may see him as the idiot who got his pride and joy stuck to the ground, he had it all part of his battle plan.


    ¡¸Our Hero¡¯s got sumthin¡¯ to do at the peak. Ya think we¡¯re gonna get wasted here?¡¹


    If there¡¯s anything that would take precedence of Alba¡¯s own nature, it¡¯s that.


    Getting Fenix to the top of the rankings.


    He would go so far as to play the fool if it allows the Fire Spirit to save some Magical Energy.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve underestimated you, you half-naked punk.¡¹


    I was appalled by what I saw on the news of him driving out the Black Sorcerer Lem and talking about it so jovially, but his current actions can only come from him actually being wary of our strength.


    He seems to be a man capable of learning from his mistakes and striving to prevent the next one.


    ¡¸Hah?!¡¹


    Although his vulgarity will probably never change.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you five seconds.¡¹


    Bella will soon be defeated.


    Jean can¡¯t be saved. His wound is too deep. But I can still save Lyner and Ryan.


    Be that as it may, Lily¡¯s arrows are still raining down.


    They can¡¯t afford to switch to using healing White Magic.


    There are four enemies left.


    This situation is different from the time I fought with Len, my pet name for the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff, and his crew.


    At that time, the goal of the fight was to ascertain each other¡¯s abilities.


    It was also to determine who would be following whose orders.


    Upon understanding how we fought, his hastily put-together team was able to render my loyal dogs powerless, and I admitted defeat.


    However, this time is different.


    Just because I am lacking one of my allies, just because they are many times more important to me, that is no reason to give up the match.

 CH 257

    257 ¨C Fenix Party VS Ellie Party 4


    The first second.


    From Bella¡¯s spot, I rush to Alba.


    The scenery passes by me, but not like when you are riding on a horse carriage.


    It was faster. They looked like a speeding silhouette.


    In the way is the Paladin Lark.


    Valiantly protecting his ally. How wonderful.


    ¡­But annoying.


    With a Wind Blade, I cut him vertically along with his large shield.


    His large shield splits like chopping firewood or bamboo, the pieces falling to the left and right respectively.


    Behind the shield, Lark was¡­nowhere to be seen.


    Predicting the timing of my attack, he jumped out to the sides at the last moment.


    I understood immediately.


    From my point of view, he jumped to my left probably trying to slash at me while I¡¯m speeding.


    A sword swing from his tall stature and long arms presents a considerable threat.


    However, that attack never reaches me as it bounces off of the wall of wind I surrounded myself with.


    In return, I slice his dominant arm off with a blade of wind.


    Having lost both his shield and his dominant arm, there is no need to finish off the Paladin. Time is precious.


    The second second.


    Alba had his back turned to me.


    The opposite of Lark here who was fully wary of me. He most likely wants to clean up the rest of my loyal dogs before I reach him.


    Alba nimbly leaps over the Ice Wall. But because of my maneuverability in the air, I¡¯m faster.


    However, in the corner of my eye, I see Lily.


    I cannot leave Alba be, but I can¡¯t do the same to Lily either.


    Her skill with the bow is beyond troublesome.


    She doesn¡¯t even look my way as I make my approach, and simply continues shooting at my manservants.


    I fire off a Wind Blade.


    It, without a doubt, rips one of the Fenix party members clean in half¡­


    ¡­but it wasn¡¯t Lily.


    ¡¸My thanks, Lark.¡¹


    Even without his large shield or his dominant arm, so long as he has his body, he will fulfill his professional duties as a Paladin.


    Lark, who protected his ally, is defeated, and the form of Lily appeared behind his split body.


    She is throwing away her bow. In the time that Lark earned for her, she had fired every last one of her remaining arrows.


    What was at the other end of her Godspeed were my allies.


    Instead of using Magical Energy to warn my allies, I instantaneously create a protective wall of wind.


    In the blink of an eye, the cluster of arrows meant to pierce my allies all stuck to the wall of wind.


    The third second.


    Lily pulled out a sturdy broad-bladed knife, but she wasn¡¯t able to defend against my Wind Blades coming from all four directions.


    The beautiful Elf scatters into Magical Energy.


    Without even making sure, I speed up.


    Alba was bare-handed, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for him.


    Why? Because the ground was already littered with countless swords.


    Swords made of ice.


    He grabs hold of one and throws it.


    Right at Ryan, who suffered an arrow to the leg.


    ¡¸Hah!¡¹


    It was the White Sorcerer Kent.


    The only one who is unharmed and he deflects the flying sword with his suit.


    Without getting frustrated at that, Alba picks up another blade and turns towards me.


    His eyes had¡ºCome on!¡»written all over them.


    The fifth second.


    His smile triggers my intuition.


    Black Magic didn¡¯t work on him.


    Come to think of it, his reaction at the start was odd. While not unnatural, it is suspicious now that I think about it.


    No matter how good Lyner and Ryan may be, they don¡¯t hold a candle to the Demon King Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.


    Having fought alongside him, we know that all too well.


    Yet, he used his Magic Sword just like when he was under the effects of Len¡¯s Black Magic.


    He wasn¡¯t slowed down to the point that he couldn¡¯t move, but he purposefully chose not to move.


    Ryan¡¯s Black Magic was cut off, but Lyner¡¯s Black Magic is still on him.


    Yet still, Alba¡¯s movements were nimble.


    Built up a resistance, have you?


    To be more precise, he got used to it, rather than built up a resistance. Having experienced the effects of Speed Down countless times, perhaps he trained himself while in that state to acquire a way to continue fighting while under the effects of Speed Down.


    This current industry would laugh at those who put effort into unnecessary things, but the Fenix party experienced the tenth stratum of the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    He¡¯s probably preparing what is necessary for the eventual rematch.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll cut you in two.¡¹


    The Warrior smiles tauntingly. I do not falter.


    Alba¡¯s swing passed me by at a distance just in front of my nose.


    ¡¸Huh?!¡¹


    The man is surprised.


    Because while he moved his body under the assumption that he has to compensate for the Black Magic, the White Magic, Speed Up, was cast on him. And that¡¯s not all, Speed Down was canceled at the same time.


    Due to that, he swung his sword too fast and too early.


    ¡¸No, you.¡¹


    As I pass by while swinging my Holy Sword, his top half is separated from his bottom half.


    And that is five seconds.


    All that¡¯s left is the one-on-one fight.


    Because in an instant, cones of ice grew from the surroundings and pierced all of my allies.


    ¡ºW-what a rapid series of developments!! A-after just a few short seconds, the battle is already speeding towards its conclusion!¡»


    It was only five seconds. But it must have been five seconds too long after that fatal wound.


    I turned my gaze to Bella and bore witness to her growth as an Adventurer.


    She covered her torn belly by freezing it. Treatment to delay the leakage of Magical Energy even slightly.


    In her first official debut fight, she received a fatal blow from the Demon of Love Sitri and was defeated.


    her blunder at the time was forgetting that the strength of her spell drops as she widened its area of effect¡­but that¡¯s not all.


    Being careless can be fatal, of course, but her failure was not utilizing the time between receiving a fatal injury and actually being defeated to its full effect.


    Bella is no longer a fresh-faced newbie.


    She is now a firm combat asset to the Fenix party.


    ¡¸Well done, Bella. Leave the rest to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, leader.¡¹


    Perhaps reaching its limits, her Avatar breaks apart.


    Having received a fatal wound, my attention was turned towards the Godspeed and Alba.


    It¡¯s too much coordination in an instant.


    The mobility of my allies had been reduced, and Bella was able to skewer them so cleanly because I simply had to go and give them back up myself.


    If I hadn¡¯t done that¡­no, now is not the time to think about it.


    The Fenix party has so naturally grown to this level of coordination.


    Only Kent, who hadn¡¯t been injured until then, was still alive for a slight moment until he is lost.


    ¡¸Give Madam Ellie insight that transcends time, my magic¡­Intelligence.¡¹


    A short thinking power-up buff that goes away the moment he is defeated.


    But that is enough. And a brilliant choice.


    If he had chosen to heal my right leg instead, I would have reprimanded him.


    All choices must lead to victory, until the very end.


    Intelligence is a magic buff that allows you to think more at any given moment.


    Also, magic is created via thinking power.


    In other words, the more you can think at a given moment, the more detailed a magic that can be created.


    ¡¸Let us prepare for the second round.¡¹


    Short words. Words that do not give doubt to my victory.


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s.¡¹


    Now, how to view this predicament.


    For one, it could be viewed as such.


    As praise towards our efforts.


    Comparing only the result, both sides have lost four of each party member.


    The brilliant feat of carrying four unfortunate Jobs to a one-on-one fight with the world¡¯s 4th ranked.


    That is a possibility.


    But there is also another point of view.


    The exhausted condition of a Hero.


    I have already exhausted a considerable amount of Magical Energy. I worked my Magical Energy organ to the max, constantly used magic, flew around the field with my sharpened senses.


    Fenix, by contrast, has hardly moved.


    Why has he been doing nothing? Negligence? Nay.


    Letting his allies handle the situation, he preserves his Spirit¡¯s Magical Energy as well as regenerates his own.


    Now, a fearsome amount of Magical Energy has flowed into Fenix¡¯s Holy Sword, just waiting to be released.


    The Ellie party, whose leader supports her allies and is supported by them, lost four members.


    The Fenix party, whose leader believes in his allies and leaves it to them while he saves his strength, lost four members.


    We¡­are not the same.


    This is frustrating¡­absolutely frustrating, but¡­bringing us to this point is the plan for the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    It¡¯s just that there is still a long way to go, and we both chose to fight with that in mind.


    And Fenix has succeeded in his preservation, while I have failed.


    At the time that I formed an alliance with the Monsters in the Raid Battle, that was the first and final stage. Which is why I was able to give my all during it.


    In an event where you are given the chance to face off against legends after surpassing stage after stage, the way one fights will naturally change.


    Everyone is under the same conditions.


    And under those conditions, the Fenix party¡¯s method of fighting was superior.


    ¡¸O Spirit.¡¹


    This is proven by the fact that I am the only one borrowing Magical Energy from my Spirit.


    ¡ºOn one corner, the calm and composed Flame Hero! On the other, the Undefeated Hero who danced around the battlefield! A one-on-one opportunity that was the result of a blindingly fast series of battles! Who will win?!¡»


    For some reason, people are fascinated by speed.


    As children, the one who runs the fastest is praised extravagantly.


    The fastest horse is envied, and fast attacks excite the audience.


    Moves such as Godspeed, used by Lily, Suuri, and Caleena, and Scathach¡¯s Thunder Domain are all famous.


    So is mine.


    Fenix holds his sword overhead.


    I take a shallow breath.


    And then the match is decided.


    ¡¸Flash.¡¹


    I call out the name of my magic, not like how my loyal dogs or Bella did.


    Performing an attack that is too fast for the average person to perceive may be a foolish choice for entertainment purposes.


    But this is to win.


    I challenge Fenix from the front.


    Take the time needed to blink once and cut it up into even finer pieces. That is how extremely short this span of time was.


    I am right in front of Fenix.


    But there isn¡¯t just one of me.


    There is also a mirage of me projected behind him.


    This leaves no room for thought.


    your reflexes should react to both.


    The moment born from that slight deviation will prove fatal.


    A flash of Fenix¡¯s blade cuts me.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of hesitation or delay in his blade.


    The other side of his double-edged sword that was directed at me¡­ flames erupted from that side, accelerating his slash rapidly.


    Cutting through my wall of wind like a hot knife through butter, my Holy Sword could only deviate from its trajectory as he slashes and burns my right side.


    The Avatar immediately reaches its limit, turning into Magical Energy particles.


    He speaks, almost as if he could tell from the expression in my eyes that I was asking¡ºHow?¡».


    Maybe I was just hearing things¡­


    Because I didn¡¯t have the time to actually hear the words he formed.


    But still, I heard them.


    ¡¸Because you are a Hero.¡¹


    Ah, so that¡¯s it.


    because I am¡­a Hero.


    At the end of the day, attacking the enemy from behind is not something that a hero would do.


    So simple.


    This is the reason that Fenix has only been guarding against what was in front of him since the start.


    He was not misled by my flickering form that was directly behind him.


    He believed in the way of the hero and believed that I did too.


    My vision goes dark.


    I was defeated.

 CH 258

    258 ¨C Wraith Party VS


    In a single room of an inn that the Wraith party is using, I am currently sitting in front of a Terminal.


    I recall a message that I received from Fenix a few days ago.


    It simply read¡ºI won.¡».


    What did I write back to him? I think it was something like¡ºI see.¡»or¡ºCongrats.¡».


    The Ellie party is strong. A very strong and appealing party.


    Still, they can lose.


    The unique aspect of that party is how the support Jobs are indispensable to the Hero.


    If people were to think about what Ellie achieves, they should instantly think that.


    That this party works because of how Ellie takes care of those four.


    That¡¯s wrong.


    Ellie is a free spirit. Unbridled, which is a strength of hers.


    However, you could say that she¡¯s too free-spirited.


    It may be easier to understand if you recall the fundamentals of Dungeon Clearing.


    In other words, the¡ºMove as one as best you can.¡»rule.


    In more detail, the¡ºAdvance as fast as the slowest member of the party¡»rule.


    Splitting up or having someone who excels at searching for enemies goes to scout ahead are ultimately battle strategies, so the party normally advances the Clear as a group.


    Ellie¡¯s varied Spirit Magic and dazzling speed show their true worth when she freely flies around the field.


    She is the only vanguard. The attacks of Hunters or Wizards might limit her movements, and Heavy Warriors and Paladins are just too slow.


    She herself knows that all too well.


    Ellie sticks to her current way of doing things out of consideration of all of that.


    It may seem like the four of them worship Ellie, but that isn¡¯t a one-way relationship.


    If she were forced into a normal party configuration that conforms to common sense, it is doubtful that she would be as popular as she is now.


    At the very least, she would probably look constrained on the TV screen.


    The Ellie party is in the position it is now because of those four, the four that can create a stage for Ellie to play the leading role and exert her full strength while also gaining her support.


    Once they get over this defeat, they will become even stronger.


    That scares me, but I also look forward to it.


    Thinking that while researching my opponent, the screen darkens.


    It¡¯s an advert.


    A black background. There is a single television set.


    A girl about two heads tall pitter-patters her in from the edge of the screen.


    A little girl with long red hair and two matching horns growing from the sides of her head wearing a white pair of pajamas.


    The child picks up a remote control and the TV screen lights up.


    Static can be heard as the child jumps excitably up and down.


    The camera slowly zooms in on the TV screen where a title screen pops up.


    ¡ºLuci TV¡»it reads.


    That¡¯s right, this is sponsored by her Highness¡¯s father¡¯s, Fellow, company.


    This is an ad for the special website that allows you to view the All-Heaven Festival Contest videos, but not only is the company named after his daughter, she is also the character in the intro movie, which is something Fellow would do.


    By the way, Luci hates this.


    The video changes completely.


    To a clip of the first fight of the White group. The world¡¯s 6th ranked Snow-White Hero Snow party VS the party lead by the Knights Captain, the Scales of Justice Astrea.


    ¡ºNow, shall we play in the land of snow today?¡»


    Snow smiles as objects made of snow appeared like they came straight out of a picture book.


    ¡ºMy apologies, but I¡¯m on duty.¡»


    Astrea flattens the attacking snow wolf with an invisible force.


    ¡ºHolidays are important too, you know?¡»


    ¡ºI have rested enough.¡»


    ¡ºI¡¯m not talking about just your body, but your mind and spirit as well.¡»


    An enormous Snow Kid appeared and fell towards the Astrea party¡­and then the video cuts to another fight.


    The first fight of the Red Group. The world¡¯s 4th ranked Flame Hero Fenix party vs the world¡¯s 95th ranked Ellie party.


    It showed the offense and defense of Fenix and Ellie, but it was too fast even though the footage was slowed down.


    An ice wall was erected, Ellie moves to target Bella, but then the video cuts away at that point as well.


    Footage of the first fight of the Blue group displayed the figure of her Highness, then switched to the first fight of the Black group. Using footage of the battle between the ruler of the Southern Demon King Castle, the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon party, and the ruler of the Northern Demon King Castle, the Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus.


    ¡ºYour pretense of being an invigilator is even more unpleasant than before. Why did you attend this event? How do those who do not plan to crush their enemies become the strongest?¡»


    Paimon is a man who is so beautiful that he looks like a beautiful woman masquerading as a man.


    Among the five Demon King Castles, the Southern Demon King Castle stands at the top, so naturally, he is strong.


    That strength could be seen when he defeated the world¡¯s 11th ranked Ash Hero Garo party in the first stage.


    He has completely mastered the use of various elemental magic.


    His skill is tremendous, but the way he perceives his Magical Energy is on a different level.


    For example, a Fireball is a flame the size of an ordinary person¡¯s head, but when he uses it, its power and heat is enough to burn down a building instantly.


    Possessing an eye that sees the true form of the world and the correct way to use magic, nothing is lost in the use of magic.


    Asmodeus gives a happy, bewitching smile in response to his words.


    ¡ºYou¡¯re obsessed with me, aren¡¯t you? How adorable.¡»


    In an instant, a crack runs along the middle of the field, and the ground breaks.


    Their keen Magical Energy clashed, which tore the Field apart.


    It is possible for the world to be affected like this by just pure and compressed Magical Energy.


    In a battle between two Demon Kings, this can happen.


    The scene cuts once again.


    A narration plays while the background has countless other first battle videos playing.


    ¡ºAll matches! Uncut! Match videos added sequentially! If you wish to see the All-Heaven Festival Contest, watch it all on Luci TV!¡»


    When the ad ends, the video I was originally watching continues.


    By the time I finished watching that video, there was a knock on my door.


    ¡¸Lem?¡¹


    It was Wraith.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯ll be right there.¡¹


    I get up and walk to the front of the door. I don¡¯t forget to pick up my robes that I left on the bed before that.


    When I opened the door, not only was Wraith there but Fran too.


    I head downstairs with them.


    We had promised to hold a strategy meeting while we ate dinner with our allies.


    The inn that we rented was in the shape of a gigantic hollowed-out tree.


    My room is for Normals, but they also have rooms that the Half-Cyclops Melania can stay in.


    ¡¸Thanks for doin¡¯ all the research. Find out anything?¡¹


    ¡¸It was hard, but I managed. Of course, the stronger they are, the harder it is to find a weakness.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. But y¡¯know, you¡¯re an expert in finding a person¡¯s weakness that they didn¡¯t even know they had.¡¹


    He¡¯s probably talking about how I pointed out how Wraith didn¡¯t think of his Spirit as an ally during the raid.


    I saw Fran nod in agreement.


    ¡¸That¡­probably seemed pretty heartless of me.¡¹


    I say with a sarcastic smile, to which Wraith confidently says this¡­


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t it usually a compliment to be called heartless in battle?¡¹


    What the opponent doesn¡¯t like is often what works in our favor in a fight.


    ¡¸I suppose that¡¯s one way to look at it¡­ Alright, I guess I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡¹


    There are a lot of strong people out there, but they are not perfect beings.


    So, of course, they have to have weaknesses to exploit.


    The various problems come from whether or not we are able to find it or take advantage of it.


    ¡¸At any rate, I¡¯ve never seen you nervous in battle.¡¹


    Said Wraith as we were walking down the stairs.


    ¡¸Hm? Oh no, of course I get nervous.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? But not like Josh or Melania. They¡¯re practically shaking in their boots.¡¹


    The White Sorcerer Josh and the Miner Melania. Our fellow team members.


    For those two, I have a feeling they have the intuition of an average person.


    There they were, living their normal lives when one day, they are thrust into a Festival that the whole world watches.


    What¡¯s more, the party they¡¯re in advances smoothly and the next thing they have to do is fight against a party led by a Demon King.


    Yeah¡­it¡¯d be impossible to stay calm in this situation.


    Even so, when the chips are down, doing what they need to do properly is what they are good at.


    Knowing this as well, Wraith continues talking in a cheerful tone.


    ¡¸Maybe it¡¯s experience. I mean, I went all over the world with the Fenix party. Maybe I got used to it, or I learned how to calm down my nerves.¡¹


    ¡¸Or¡­you gained the confidence enough to stand against the Demon King without wavering.¡¹


    I could barely hear the words he whispered.


    We reached the bottom of the stairs and headed to the dining hall.


    ¡¸¡­If that was the case, I think it¡¯s because I have confidence in my allies.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s good to know.¡¹


    We enter the spacious dining hall with a tall ceiling and joined the remaining two members who were already there.


    Including me, the five of us make up the Wraith party.


    ¡¸Well then, together with the allies you¡¯re so proud of¡­let¡¯s beat the Demon King party!¡¹


    The day of our match was fast approaching.


    The Demon King party that we will fight is¡­

 CH 259

    259 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party


    I hear cheering.


    The sound of those who have been waiting for this battle.


    We are walking down the pathway leading to the stage.


    While waiting for our turn to enter, I could hear the opponent¡¯s introduction.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s the party that crushed a fellow Demon King-led party in the first round! Led by the ruler of the Extreme Level North Pole Dungeon, the Asmodeus party!¡»


    Yup. The Asmodeus party claimed victory over the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon party and became our opponent.


    I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s view of Asmodeus changed after seeing that fight.


    ¡ºTo the rest of the world, she has long been known as the Coordinator, but if there¡¯s anything she proved to the world in the previous battle it is this! That she is worthy of being called a Demon King! Of the five Demon King Castles, she rules the north! The Six-Horned Demon King¡­contestannnnt Asmodeusssss¡­!!!¡»


    With long wavy purple hair fluttering in the wind, she enters.


    The top half of her face is covered by a mask, the bottom half of her face is the only part where her skin is exposed.


    And yet, she is oddly beautiful.


    Her allies step onto the field one after another.


    ¡ºInheriting the bloodline of an Arachne and a Majin, this powerful contender once was in charge of a Dungeon! No one can escape from her threads and lightning! One of the Big Four of the Northern Demon King Castle, the Thundercloud Ruler contestant Bael!¡»[TL Note 1: Bael is another demon from the Lesser Key of Solomon described to simultaneously have the head of a cat, toad, and man on a spider¡¯s body.]


    A docile-looking woman with the bottom half of a spider and the upper body of a Majin.


    In addition to her racial characteristic magic allowing her to manipulate spider threads, she specializes in Lightning Magic utilizing the Magical Energy of a Majin.


    Once she catches you, it¡¯s over. You¡¯ll be fried by her lightning attack before you even have any time to resist.


    ¡ºThis woman, inheriting the bloodline of a Siren and a Majin, was scouted by contestant Asmodeus herself to work in the Northern Demon King Castle as a Monster. There is nothing that she cannot steal! A fellow Big Four, the Robber of Reason contestant Shax!¡»[TL Note 2: Two things: FIrst off, Siren here is referencing the Greek kind that are basically bird-women, not the fishy ones. Second, Shax is another Demon from the Goetia, it can steal sight, hearing and understanding.]


    Although she looks humanoid, her bottom half has the characteristics of a bird. Her upper half is that of a female Majin, and she has a pair of wings growing from her back. Most of her hair is white, save for the tips that are dyed black.


    She seems like a cheerful person.


    Her inherent magic spell Steal can steal even conceptual things like the enemy¡¯s five senses, understanding, attack power, etc.


    There are many inherent magic spells, like Spatial Mobility used by the Time Demon Agares of the Impregnable Demon King Castle, that are harder to use, the more powerful they are.


    ¡ºIt is said that this Half-Dragonkin has served the Northern Demon King Castle since before the head of the previous generation! Possessing strength and dignity unimaginable from his boyish appearance! All sorts of Water Magic is useless against him! The Floor Boss, the Devil of the Aquarium contestant Crocell!¡»[TL Note 3: Crocell is a demon that can warm bodies of water, create the illusion of the sound of rushing waters, and reveal the location of natural baths.]


    A boy that looks like he could be the same age as Wraith.


    Like the Dragon King Valac, he is mostly Human save for a few Dragonkin characteristics here and there.


    Branching horns, partially scaled, and a dragon tail.


    However, as the introduction said, he has worked for the Northern Demon King Castle for a long, long time.


    During all that time, his appearance has never changed.


    Also, it is said that his inherent magic is Rule over Water.


    That itself proved no threat when I was with the Fenix party, but I am not with the Wraith party.


    A party whose leader is a contractor of the main Water Spirit.


    ¡ºAnd last, but not least, is this man! A direct subordinate to the Demon King, this man has slaughtered countless Adventurers! His skill with the blade is unquestionable, and his beautiful eyes tell him the future! The Future Reading Knight contestant Eligor!¡»[TL Note 4: Eligor is a demon that knows the future of wars and how soldiers should meet.]


    He is a blond beautiful man. He has Majin horns and wears equipment reminiscent of a knight. Perhaps prioritizing agility, he has no helmet.


    He possesses an Evil Eye that sees into the future and uses it in battle.


    Each and every member of the Asmodeus party is a strong fighter.


    She seems to have gathered those that all have an inherent magic spell or skill.


    ¡¸Welp, we¡¯re up.¡¹


    Wraith walks forward, we follow suit.


    ¡ºIn the other corner, the party led by the person who became instantly famous because of the Impregnable Demon King Castle Raid Battle!¡»


    Loud, excited cheers shook my eardrums.


    ¡ºDespite being ten years old, I¡¯m sure the image of him standing side-by-side, toe-to-toe with the pro Adventurers is still fresh in everyone¡¯s mind! Since the Raid Battle, this contractor of the main Water Spirit has gathered his missing party members. Ever since the start of the All-Heaven Festival Contest, his achievements have been no less stellar than that of his fellow Four Great Spirits contractors! Iiiit¡¯s the Water Hero contestant Wraaaaaaaith¡­! !¡»


    Hair and eyes as deep blue as the sea. He has an easy-going attitude and is eager to please his fans.


    In addition to his contract with the main Water Spirit, he has all sorts of magic spells that are both grand and delicate.


    To his fellow Adventurers and enemies alike, he speaks in a belligerent tone.


    How could he not draw attention to himself?


    He is a natural-born Adventurer.


    ¡ºAnd we have another ten-year-old! Having grown up with contestant Wraith, this childhood friend boasts top-notch battle capabilities! Don¡¯t you underestimate this little girl! That fist of hers will crush any and all standing in her way! Iiiit¡¯s the Destroyer contestant Fran!¡»


    White that looks like it had the color drained out of them and red eyes. A girl who looks as beautiful as a sculpted doll.


    A small body covered by a cloak with a right arm too big for her attached to her.


    Our all-important attacker, a girl who simply strong who awakened to the Destroyer Job.


    ¡ºAs the Wraith party is known for its unusual composition as a Hero party, the next member is a Half Cyclops! She protects her allies with her large body and shield, absolutely mowing down her enemies with her club! It¡¯s the Miner contestant Melania!¡»


    Fluffy green hair, reminiscent of a verdant forest, that hides her one eye that is a trait of her race.


    A timid but kind-hearted girl.


    A dependable ally who protects her allies and does all she can for her allies to win.


    ¡ºIn the same party, there is also a support Job! He took part in the Original Dungeon investigation was a big help to his allies! A gentle smile with superhuman Ogre strength! The heretical White Sorcerer contestant Josh!¡»


    Josh is a young Ogre with pure white hair.


    In a race that is full of combat-oriented Jobs, instead of being dismayed that he was a support Job, he trained his skills.


    He is now a combat White Sorcerer.


    The more we fought together in the Original Dungeon, the better we worked together.


    ¡ºAnd the final member is this man! Formerly of the world¡¯s 4th ranked party, there was no news of him at all after his withdrawal!


    He made an appearance on center stage during a Tag Tournament that disregarded race that was held in a certain town.


    Appearing alongside the Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith, who later appears in the Demon King Castle raid, they defeated a Demon King Castle Big Four, strong members of the 99th party, and all sorts of strong fighters and claimed victory!


    When he participated in the investigation of the Original Dungeon, he succeeded in passing the Spirit¡¯s trial and obtained a Holy Sword possessed by a Spirit!


    In the All-Heaven Festival Contest, the power of his Black Magic, which was unclear during his time with his previous party, was made crystal clear how excellent it is thanks to the points system!


    The shining ray of hope of the Black Sorcerering world! Possessor of overwhelming ability acknowledged by countless influential people! The Black Sorcerer contestant Lem!¡»


    Wow, that was long¡­


    Why was only my introduction so detailed¡­?


    This feels like it was deliberate.


    Fellow¡¯s work, most likely.


    My master¡¯s son, her Highness¡¯s father.


    I know that he is trying to change the entire industry for the sake of my master.


    My master is my benefactor, but as a Demon King, that man has no interest in the weak.


    For my master to get on board with Fellow¡¯s plan now¡­


    I wonder what Fellow thinks of it.


    If my master believes that a strong person worth doing battle with has appeared, who could it be?


    Does Fellow, who knows about my relationship with my master, think that I am that person?


    By spreading my achievements to the world, he sets me up as an appropriate opponent for my master?


    So that when that time comes, that fight will become the greatest form of entertainment that sets the world ablaze?


    I¡¯m probably overthinking it.


    Whatever he may think, what I must do hasn¡¯t changed.


    Win the battle ahead with my allies.


    ¡¸I¡¯m so glad we get to meet again, Lem. The same goes for the rest of the Wraith party.¡¹


    Asmodeus smiles cheerfully.


    ¡¸Before we fight the strongest Demon King, we gotta beat the not so strong Demon King, right?¡¹


    As Wraith said that, four of Asmodeus¡¯s subordinates released a murderous aura.


    But the Demon King in question continues to smile.


    ¡¸If you all are truly worthy of fighting that man, then the results will speak for themselves.¡¹


    The battle is on.

 CH 260.1

    260 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 2 (Part 1)


    There is, of course, a reason as to why Asmodeus is called the Coordinator.


    There is an unspoken rule that you must have the strength to Clear any of the North, South, East, or West Demon King Castles to be able to challenge the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    Recently, Hero parties who ignore this rule have been on the rise, but there are also those who wish properly challenge them all in order to gauge just how strong they really are.


    So, the Northern Demon King Castle led by Asmodeus is the easiest Demon King Castle to Clear.


    Rather than simply whether or not they have the power to overcome her, it¡¯s more like she decides whether or not a Hero party has any worth if they are allowed to pass through.


    In other words, Asmodeus has rarely shown her true power, and she lets herself be defeated if you can satisfy her.


    This is probably why the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon said something about her keeping up a pretense as an invigilator.


    There are many who do not like her methods, but I am of a different mind.


    Indeed, a battle where both sides give it their absolute all is spectacular. I enjoy those as well.


    However, the rulers of each of the Demon King Castles are just too strong.


    There are surely very few who can utterly defeat them.


    It¡¯s very hard to learn from defeat when you were defeated by something you don¡¯t even understand.


    Asmodeus pushes the challengers to their very limit.


    With that, those that are able to grow from their experience in the Impregnable Demon King Castle are passed while those that have not reached that level yet will be defeated.


    She is a Demon King who brings out the best in Adventurers, who are supposed to be her enemies.


    This is exactly why the Fenix party chose to challenge the Northern Demon King Castle in the past.


    ¡¸To this day, I think about how far you could have gone if you had stayed within the Fenix party.¡¹


    Just before the match starts, Asmodeus said that.


    ¡¸I wonder¡­but, I like where I am now.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s nice. Would you please allow me to check for myself?¡¹


    ¡ºThis is the second round of the second stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest!¡¡Asmodeus party VS Wraith Party¡­FIGHT!¡»


    The match begins as soon as it starts.


    Wraith fires off a Water Blade.


    An ultrahigh-pressure stream of water becomes a blade that can cut enemies.


    But¡­


    ¡¸That¡¯s a good Spirit Magic, boy. But sorry, I¡¯m not in the mood for a bath, so I¡¯ll erase it.¡¹


    The Water Magic evaporated in an instant.


    Water vapor scattered about.


    It¡¯s the Devil of the Aquarium Crocell.


    He possesses the magic known as Rule over Water.


    ¡¸Thanks for the compliment, old man. The next one¡¯s gonna be stronger, so try not to drown.¡¹


    Wraith¡¯s fighting spirit has been set ablaze.


    ¡¸Hah hah hah, what a spirited young lad.¡¹


    A battle between he who is loved by the Water Spirit and he who rules over water has broken out.


    ¡¸Huh? I can¡¯t steal it¡­?¡¹


    A voice from the sky.


    It¡¯s the Robber of Reason Shax.


    She hovers in midair with her wings while cocking her head curiously.


    She kept opening and closing her arms, which are separate from her wings.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve never met a kid with a guard as strong as this. I¡¯m getting pumped.¡¹


    She looks down at me while her smile intensifies.


    Magic that can steal even concepts is fearsome indeed.


    However, it is still magic.


    Magic that interferes with the target activates by sending out your own Magical Energy to touch your opponent.


    Just like Black Magic and White Magic.


    Therefore, it can be Resisted.


    But the technique to Resist requires you to discharged Magical Energy in order to fend off someone else¡¯s Magical Energy.


    It is like deflecting an arrow by wearing armor.


    It¡¯s useful, but not all-powerful.


    There are gaps, and depending on the amount of Magical Energy incoming, it can just bulldoze through the armor.


    ¡¸Shax, it¡¯s better if you leave him well enough alone.¡¹


    Said Asmodeus.


    ¡¸Wha~? But¡­my main gimmick is that I can steal anything, if I give up now, I¡¯d be a disgrace to that titl-whoa!¡¹


    Shax had to perform emergency evasive action midair.


    That¡¯s because Melania jumped and swung her club at her.


    ¡¸Professionals are supposed to do their homework before taking on the real thing. I know how sturdy that vault of his is. So why don¡¯t we think about how to pull the treasure out of there first?¡¹


    ¡¸That sounds good, your Highness. I¡¯ll do just that¡­yoink.¡¹


    The club in Melania¡¯s hand disappeared.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t need it so you can have it back.¡¹


    It appeared right before Shax¡¯s eyes.


    It falls to the ground from the air.


    Shax was right above Melania¡¯s head.


    Which means, the club was heading straight for the top of Melania¡¯s head.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    Melania reacted.


    The stage shakes greatly as the club falls.


    Melania could be seen hesitating as to whether or not she should pick it up again.


    ¡¸Full Resist, huh, Lem? Truly splendid.¡¹


    Asmodeus seems to know what I did.


    If Resist is an armor formed by releasing Magical Energy, then Full Resist is a barrier created by circulating Magical Energy.


    Right now, there is a hemisphere of Magical Energy surrounding me.


    With this, I can deploy my Magical Energy without gaps, and defend against the enemy¡¯s Magical Energy.


    However, normally, thinking up a command to Magical Energy will turn it into Magic.


    Even if they share the same function as Resist, fighting while surrounding yourself with water or fire is not realistic.


    So then, how am I telling my Magical Energy to circulate around me?


    The theory is simple.


    Pre-activation Black Magic.


    Using the art of manipulating Magical Energy in order to hit the target.


    I am currently deploying Black Magic in circles around me.


    Since it cannot find its target, the Magical Energy just spins around me endlessly.


    As a result, that Magical Energy protects me.


    Concentration and Magical Energy are required to maintain it, but I can manage that.


    ¡¸You never cease to surprise me.¡¹


    Said the Demon King in admiration.


    If I didn¡¯t do things like this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win.


    ¡¸¡­Black Sorcerer¡­Lem¡­¡¹


    There came a voice calling out my name with disdain.


    The Future Reading Knight Eligor has unsheathed his sword and was heading right for me.


    But I¡¯ve already made preparations.


    I cast Intelligence Down Black Magic on him.


    His Evil Eye sees the future. It cannot sense Magical Energy.


    So it is incompatible against invisible attacks.


    Also, if his ability to think is hampered, it¡¯s possible to delay the flow of processing the information he received from his future-seeing eye and thus slow down his present movements.


    As a result¡­


    ¡¸Fine, I shall seal that Eye and simply cut your head off.¡¹


    Having said that, he closes his right eye.


    So that¡¯s his Evil Eye, huh? By voluntarily sealing his future sight, he is able to stem the flow of information and continue to attack under the effects of Intelligence Down.


    That is when the Destroyer Fran attacks him.


    ¡¸Such destructive power and body manipulation are unthinkable for one so young. Truly magnificent.¡¹


    Eligor skilfully evades Fran¡¯s attack and he cleanly cuts her monstrous arm.


    Magical Energy particles splatter.


    Not caring in the slightest, Fran continues her series of attacks.


    ¡¸However, fighting is not all about destroying.¡¹


    He dodges her continuous attacks for several seconds.


    Suddenly Eligor ignores her and starts dashing towards me again.


    ¡¸¡­? ¡­!¡¹


    Fran was unable to chase after him.


    ¡¸It feels ever so pitiful to tie up such a cute child. But it cannot be helped, for this is a serious battle after all¡­isn¡¯t that so?¡¹


    Before she realized it, Fran¡¯s body was entangled in spider threads.


    It¡¯s the Thundercloud Ruler Bael.


    In addition to her ability to create and manipulate threads.


    ¡¸¡­Gkgkgk?!¡¹


    She is a half-Majin, half-spider Demi-Human who specializes in Lightning Magic.


    Electricity travels along the threads, zapping Fran.


    ¡¸Josh¡­!¡¹


    Shouted Wraith.


    ¡¸I¡¯m on it!¡¹


    The White Sorcerer Josh heals Fran.

 CH 260.2

    260 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 2 (Part 2)


    And then, Melanie throws her shield.


    The shield winds the spiderweb that was stretched across the Field and crashes into the opposite wall.


    ¡¸Fran!¡¹


    Thanks to Melania, the majority of the webs were taken care of, giving Fran some much-needed leeway.


    She manages to pull most of herself forcefully out of the webs. She¡¯s still entangled, but it looks like she¡¯s able to move.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m¡­fine.¡¹


    At Fran¡¯s words, Melania breathed a sigh of relief.


    She hurriedly searched for Eligor, but he has already run under her legs.


    ¡¸I-I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Melania turned around and stretched out her arm but¡­she couldn¡¯t reach him.


    She was moving slower than usual.


    ¡¸Sorry, but I just stole your Agility. If you want it back, you¡¯re gonna have to catch me.¡¹


    Shax flies around the air, drawing attention to herself.


    She stole Melania¡¯s Agility and then flew away at terrifying speeds.


    ¡¸You think you should be so preoccupied with this old man, kiddo?¡¹


    The number of Water Blades increased, but they didn¡¯t reach Crocell.


    They literally vanished.


    ¡¸I think you¡¯re old age is making you worry too much.¡¹


    Wraith unsheathes his Holy Sword and runs towards Crocell.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nice to be so full of energy.¡¹


    The water vapor around him wriggled.


    They changed into Water Blades via Crocell¡¯s magic and attacked Wraith.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you near Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸Move aside, young Ogre.¡¹


    Josh stood in his way to cover me, but the Future Reading Knight Eligor kicked him aside.


    His initial slash cut Josh¡¯s staff in two, then immediately turned around and kicked him.


    Josh blocked the kick with his arms, but the force pushed him away.


    Taking that chance, Eligor closed the distance between me in one breath.


    ¡¸You are an excellent support Job. In that case, I shall eliminate you before you display your true ability.¡¹


    That alone makes them wary of me.


    I am thankful, and also¡­I knew they would.


    I think back to the strategy meeting I had with the party.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸I believe the enemy will aim to eliminate either me or Wraith first.¡¹


    In the dining hall of the inn we¡¯re staying in, we are holding a strategy meeting.


    ¡¸Most likely. Pretty much all the contestants already know that you¡¯re trouble, and I¡¯m¡­well, I¡¯m me.¡¹


    Wraith nodded like it was obvious.


    Fran nodded her head in agreement as well.


    ¡¸I agree too. In terms of members who would be troublesome if left alone, an all-rounder and powerful leader, and an excellent Black Magic user like Lem are surely the threats of the party.¡¹


    ¡¸Fran and Melania¡¯s attack power along with Josh¡¯s White Magic and endurance are threats as well, you know? But when it comes to which threat to take out first¡­yeah, it¡¯s definitely gonna be me and Wraith. Let¡¯s think about how things will unfold if they aim for me.¡¹


    ¡¸Crocell is definitely gonna mess with me. From their point of view, he¡¯s the perfect one to neutralize me.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. I want you to keep him busy. To the audience, it might look like you struggling, though.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine. Truly suffering but then overcoming adversity is totally something a Hero would do, right?¡¹


    The enemy probably won¡¯t interfere with the Wraith VS Crocell fight, either.


    ¡¸If it comes to that, then I think Shax will aim for me. I have something that might take care of that, but whether she will be obsessed with me or aim for someone else, I¡¯m not sure. Considering her personality, I think she¡¯ll keep trying until her Steal works¡­¡¹


    Though I also think Asmodeus will stop her.


    ¡¸It depends on whether or not she listens to her Demon King, huh? They¡¯re usually in different strata, so it is impossible to know until it happens. If she continues to aim for you, then good, but if not, who¡¯s in danger? Fran?¡¹


    ¡¸She might steal her Attack Power. Actually, she might steal that from Melania, too. She can¡¯t steal spells due to limitations on her magic, but she can steal any of your five senses, so please be careful, everyone.¡¹


    If you get your Thinking Power stolen, then magic will become useless.


    I, too, have to be careful.


    ¡¸Bael is primarily good at fights where she can spread her spider webs wait for her prey to fall into her trap. In the tournament, she will spread her threads as soon as the match begins. It is unlikely that she will suddenly aim at me and Josh in the rear. But just in case she has some sort of long-range attack, we must be on guard.¡¹


    ¡¸All that¡¯s left is the Demon King Asmodeus and the Future Seeing Knight Eligor.¡¹


    Said Josh.


    Melania isn¡¯t saying much, but she¡¯s listening to the meeting with a serious expression on her face.


    ¡¸Asmodeus will most likely not participate in the attack unless the situation changes.¡¹


    ¡¸A habit from her being the Coordinator?¡¹


    ¡¸She will see with her own eyes how we fight and how far we can go, then on the day itself, she will decide how to fight. This is assuming she fights as she does as the Northern Demon King.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, if she does go on the offensive, then I¡¯ll take the Demon King, and Fran will take Crocell.¡¹


    The childhood friend pair look at each other and nod in unison.


    ¡¸So, about Eligor. He¡­is extremely loyal to Asmodeus, right?¡¹


    With the Impregnable Demon King Castle as a comparison, he is similar to Agares who swears his allegiance to Luci.


    ¡¸Ah, well, that Demon King seems pretty fixated on me and Lem, particularly Lem. As a loyal retainer, that would sit well with them, right?¡¹


    On the way to the lottery event.


    Asmodeus used Black Magic to make it so that no one would notice her and spoke with me.


    From that point, she seems to have acknowledged me as a Black Sorcerer.


    If she told Eligor about that, he might think that she thinks about me more than anyone can imagine.


    ¡¸When the battle starts, I¡¯ll cast Intelligence Down on Eligor even though it might be a little unreasonable. If it doesn¡¯t work on him and he¡¯s coming at me like normal, I¡¯ll retreat, but if he decides to seal his Evil Eye and bulldoze his way to me¡­I¡¯d like to take him on.¡¹


    Everyone opened their eyes wide in surprise.


    ¡¸Knowing, you have some kinda strategy in mind, but honestly, in terms of sword skills, he¡¯s better than you.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll try my best to back you up, but fighting against a Majin in close-quarters is still dangerous.¡¹


    Said Wraith and Josh.


    I am grateful for allies that honestly tell me their opinions like this.


    I won¡¯t be overconfident with their trust.


    ¡¸That¡¯s exactly it. He¡¯ll be thinking the same thing. That even though I have Holy Sword, I¡¯m just a Black Sorcerer. Even with his Evil Eye sealed, he should be able to win.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. As long as everything unfolds in the way they think it will, no one will suspect that it¡¯s a trap.¡¹


    ¡¸H-hold on a minute. So¡­uhm, does that mean that you have some kinda plan to counter him, Lem?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. But I won¡¯t tell you guys, either. I want you to stand around thinking that I¡¯m in danger if Eligor gets past.¡¹


    ¡¸If we knew the plan, we might seem too relaxed when it happens, huh? Ahaha, interesting.¡¡A secret plan that not even your allies know. Things are never boring with you around, Lem.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­I understand. I¡¯m confident in my endurance, so if push comes to shove, I¡¯ll be your shield.¡¹


    ¡¸M-me too! I¡­I don¡¯t really get the complicated stuff, but I-I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks, everyone. If all goes well, it won¡¯t just turn into a five vs four fight. The enemy will be completely confused. They¡¯re first-class Monsters, so it will probably only last for a moment, but they will be totally confused.¡¹


    Our party is still developing.


    Even Wraith, who boasts top-notch strength, still has room to grow.


    In regards to the total power of a party, the enemy is stronger.


    But we¡¯ll still win. There are no battles where the outcome is clear from the start.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s win.¡¹


    Everyone gave a big nod in agreement.


    ¡ó


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    Stepping a foot into my Full Resist, Eligor grimaces.


    His movements slowed down.


    Even when wrapped in Resist, the Magical Energy circulating around me can enter through the gaps.


    The Black Magic will activate, activating Speed Down.


    I unsheathe my Holy Sword.


    Even with Intelligence Down and Speed Down, Eligor¡¯s movements were quickly reaching the limit.


    If he didn¡¯t have the capacity to do that in the first place, he probably wouldn¡¯t have tried to force his way through.


    Still, it¡¯s possible to stop his blade with mine.


    ¡ºWant me to hit him hard, partner?¡»


    A lively voice came from the black chick on my head.


    ¡ºI¡¯ll show you your new Divine Blessing.¡»


    While swinging my sword, I open my mouth.


    ¡¸O Spirit.¡¹


    Dark¡¯s Spirit Magic¡­activated.

 CH 261

    261 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 3 / O Black Spirit


    ¡¸Come, Dark!¡¹


    The existences known as Spirits lend their strength when called upon by those that they have taken an interest in.


    I am not a Spirit contractor, so Dark¡¯s power can only be used through the Holy Sword.


    The Knight Lord Arthur of the world¡¯s 2nd ranked party can only use light elemental through his Holy Sword.


    The Future Reading Knight Eligor¡¯s sword clashes with mine.


    Then, my Holy Sword emits black flames.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    Eligor squints his open left eye.


    That is to be expected.


    They most likely thought about the possibility of me using my Spirit Magic.


    They must have predicted it and planned countermeasures for it.


    However, this was definitely never even considered in their plans.


    And why would they?


    After all, to the rest of the world, this is magic that only a Demon King should be able to use.


    Theoretically, the magic that Demon Kings use should also have a Spirit that governs it.


    However, it¡¯s cruel of me to expect anyone to have predicted this.


    Because such a thing has never appeared in the annals of history.


    Originally, Spirits, other than the Lesser Spirits entrusted by the Four Great Spirits, don¡¯t want anything to do with Humans.


    The world¡¯s 2nd ranked Jet-Black Hero Ex¡¯s Shadow Spirit, and the Knight Lord Arthur¡¯s Light Spirit are exceptions.


    Dark is also an exception like them.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s all over once you catch the flames of the underworld.¡»


    Through the sword, the flame spread to Eligor¡¯s right arm.


    This is what her Highness used during the Raid Battle and in the preliminaries of the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    Just as it appears, this magic known as Ebony Flames burns brighter by feeding on a person¡¯s life force.


    Using the target¡¯s life force and Magical Energy as firewood, it is impossible to put out until those have been completely used up.


    This is popular magic used by Demon Kings, so you can imagine how out of the ordinary this is.


    ¡¸Impossible¡­!! For a mere Normal to use these flames is¡­!¡¹


    Impossible, yeah.


    ¡¸Yet I can.¡¹


    This is how I can catch an extremely competent Majin such as you off-guard.


    When fighting using an Avatar, even the equipment it wears is recreated with Magical Energy.


    His blade was already wreathed in black flames.


    He can no longer use it to cut his right arm off to stop the spread of the fire.


    Once you¡¯re caught by the Ebony Flames, there is no way to survive other than to cut off the part that caught fire.


    Although, there is a way to prolong one¡¯s life before it ends.


    Since the flame uses Magical Energy as its source, then why not reduce the intake?


    In other words, it¡¯s possible to weaken the intensity of the flame by drastically limiting your own Magical Energy.


    However, I am a Black Sorcerer.


    Suppressing one¡¯s Magical Energy is akin to abandoning Resist.


    This series of thoughts should have occurred in Eligor¡¯s mind, albeit a little slower.


    Even with Intelligence Down cast on him, a knight with so many battles under his belt would falter so easily.


    The problem is, no matter which action he chooses, they will both benefit me.


    So what he chooses to do is¡­


    ¡¸Before this flame consumes me, I shall have your head!!¡¹


    ¡­to use an even greater amount of Magical Energy.


    He focuses on Resist.


    He will perish faster, but he will avoid being weakened.


    Of all the choices he could have made, this is the one I didn¡¯t want the most.


    I expected no less from the Demon King¡¯s closest aide. Even when facing an incident that destroys all common sense, he immediately makes a move.


    He moves his burning body towards me.


    After the first clash, I immediately swung the Holy Sword that I had already drawn to intercept him.


    But he uses his right arm like a shield and lets the sword cut into the bone.


    He then skilfully swings his arm to divert my slash.


    The way he handled himself in the spur of the moment was truly the actions of a true Knight. He approaches me as my posture was broken.


    His outstretched arms, however, didn¡¯t reach me.


    The fire completely engulfing him, Eligor screams out with his burning throat.


    ¡¸YoOoOuuUuu¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I may be a young ogre, but I¡¯ll still protect my allies!¡¹


    Josh came from the side and pulled me away, out of reach of Eligor¡¯s strike.


    By Eligor¡¯s calculations, he was supposed to have just enough time to at least strike me down.


    I guess he didn¡¯t put Josh, who he kicked away earlier, to come back at such a time in his calculations.


    ¡¸Black Sorcerer Lemmmmm¡­!! White Sorcerer Jooshhhhh¡­!¡¹


    To his last breath, the Future Reading Knight Eligor disappears into particles of light before he can even show his true worth.


    ¡¸Thanks, Josh.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I think I overdid it.¡¹


    ¡¸Not at all.¡¹


    To be perfectly honest, I had already prepared an escape plan.


    But this strategy to defeat Eligor was kept a secret in the first place.


    There is absolutely no reason to blame an ally for coming to save you out of concern.


    ¡¸It¡¯s gonna get harder from here on out.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­!¡¹


    At the same time as I unleashed Ebony Flames onto Eligor, the sight of to caused waves among the enemy party.


    And then, without letting that chance escape, the defeat of the four subordinates, including Eligor, was completed.


    As someone who was in the furthest back, I could see all of that.


    First off, the battle between the Water Hero Wraith VS the Devil of the Aquarium Crocell.


    This match also ended in an instant.


    The moment when Crocell widened his eyes at the sight of my Ebony Flames, Wraith pulled out the strength of the Spirit for an extremely brief period of time.


    The Water Blade pierced Crocell¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸Wha-¡¹


    For Crocell, who possesses a powerful element-specific magic that interferes with water, he has never experienced defeat by the use of Water Magic until now.


    Astonishment was written all over his face.


    ¡¸No matter how strong it is, it¡¯s still magic, right?¡¡Even if it works against your average Spirit Magic, my partner is the main Water Spirit. When it comes to the power to interfere with water, there ain¡¯t anyone who can match this guy.¡¹


    The magic to interfere with water isn¡¯t strong enough to subdue the main Water Spirit, the origin of all water.


    In this era, only Wraith can call upon her power.


    ¡¸To be betrayed by water at this age¡­ It¡¯s a little too much for these old bones.¡¹


    With a frustrated yet curiously satisfied expression, as if he had discovered something new and fun, the Devil of the Aquarium¡­is defeated.


    And lastly, the battle of the Destroyer Fran and the Miner Melania VS the Robber of Reason Shax and the Thundercloud Ruler Bael.


    Melania stretched out her arm to try and stop Eligor from getting to me, but when she failed to do so, she turned back around without chasing after him.


    She glanced at Fran who had escaped the spider webs, then turned to face the Arachne Bael and dived.


    Bael, too, could not hide her momentary surprise at the appearance of my Ebony Flames.


    The Half-Cyclops Melania descended upon her.


    Even if her Agility was stolen, her weight itself will become a weapon.


    If she can¡¯t dodge it, she will take fatal damage.


    ¡¸¡­Yoink!¡¹


    But despite Melania¡¯s fall, the ground barely shook.


    ¡¸Stole your Weight! ¡­uh oh, whoa, whoa, crap.¡¹


    Shax stole it.


    However, as soon as she stole the weight of a Half-Cyclops, she struggled as she slowly dropped from the sky, getting closer to the ground. Her wings could not support her current body weight.


    But it was only until Bael, who was about to be squashed by Melania, could escape from under her.


    That thought process inched her closer to defeat.


    The Destroyer closed in on her.


    ¡¸Whaaaa?¡¹


    Shax let out a stupefied voice.


    In time with Melania¡¯s dive, Fran jumped and kicked off Melania¡¯s back to reach even higher and adjusting her angle. She sped towards her foe like she was shot out of a cannon.


    ¡¸¡­You gave me a fright.¡¹


    Shax holds her hand towards Fran.


    What did she steal?


    If it was from a Destroyer who was suddenly barreling toward you, I suppose it would be Attack power.


    Her ability to cope with being caught off guard is admirable, but¡­that isn¡¯t enough against Fran.


    As she is motioning to swing her fist, she opens it instead.


    ¡¸Huh?¡¹


    If Fran were to take a swing at her now, Shax probably wouldn¡¯t receive any damage.


    With her Attack Power stolen, it would feel like a gentle breeze on the cheek, no matter how monstrous her arm is.


    Although, Destroyer isn¡¯t simply a Job with high Attack Power.


    It¡¯s a Job shrouded in mysteries that is simply strong.


    So it is said that those who have the Aptitude for it grab victory from the claws of defeat.


    Perhaps through Fran¡¯s ingenuity or instinct.


    Rather than a sudden punch from the Destroyer¡¯s right arm, the enemy is grabbed by the collar, pulling herself closer.


    And then, Fran opened her tiny mouth as wide as it can go¡­and bit into Shax¡¯s throat.


    There was no scream. Because Shax¡¯s vocal cords were damaged.


    Only Magical Energy particles spewed out.


    No matter how strong a person is, their weaknesses as a living thing aren¡¯t so different from others.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the Robber of Reason to turn into particles of light.


    On the other side, Melania was also fighting frantically.


    Bael, who was pinned under Melania, was not crushed due to Shax stealing Melania¡¯s weight. When she crawled out from under her, Melania grabbed onto her with her hand.


    ¡¸Let me go this instant, young lady.¡¹


    There was a flash that made the audience involuntarily close their eyes.


    In addition to that, a powerful electric current was coursing through Melania.


    The smell of something burning was in the air as Melania lets out a pained scream.


    ¡¸I-I won¡¯t!¡¹


    ¡¸You are as sturdy as I expected. But with the next one¡­¡¹


    There was another flash.


    Even if she¡¯s a Half-Cyclops, receiving several lighting spells from Bael, who is called the Thundercloud Ruler, is no trivial matter.


    But still, she doesn¡¯t loosen her grip.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let go! I¡­I¡¯m still weak, but¡­! I¡­I want my friends¡­who trusted me¡­to win!¡¹


    Far from letting go, she brought in her other hand and proceeds to crush Bael.


    Bael continues to shoot lightning, but suddenly¡­it stops.


    ¡¸¡­You are wrong, young lady. You are not weak.¡¹


    Saying that, Bael¡¯s figure disappears as Melania is holding her.


    From the fact that she turned into Magical Energy particles, it is understood that she received fatal damage.


    Damage from just her gripping with all her might trying not to let her escape.


    Big, brave, and powerful.


    Bael was right.


    Our ally, Melania, is not weak.


    After that, the Six-Horned Demon King who had lost all four of her subordinates at almost the same time¡­was clapping.


    She was praising us.


    The sound of her clapping was surprisingly loud.


    Not only the audience, but even the commentators were unable to keep up with the situation and weren¡¯t making a sound.


    That¡¯s to be expected.


    There are five Dungeons that are called the Demon King Castle.


    Of them, four of the elites from the one called the Northern Demon King Castle were gathered.


    Yet they were defeated, by a new party who hasn¡¯t even entered the rankings yet, even if they have the Water Hero.


    Not only that, they were all defeated almost simultaneously and in a very short amount of time.


    And what triggered it all was the Ebony Flames emitted from the Holy Sword of the Black Sorcerer who was chased out of the world¡¯s 4th ranked party. Of course, they¡¯d be speechless.


    ¡¸Splendid. Truly splendid. To be honest, by the simple addition of combat power, we were overwhelmingly superior. There are two reasons as to how you overcame us.¡¹


    Asmodeus held out two fingers as she spoke.


    ¡¸The first reason is, needless to say, Lem¡¯s Ebony Flames. You got us a good with that one. Who wouldn¡¯t be surprised? It was just our luck that we were the first to be hit by it.¡¹


    This is true.


    The first time it¡¯s used is the first and only time the enemy would be completely caught off guard.


    To put it another way, the Asmodeus party is so strong that I couldn¡¯t afford to not use my trump card.


    In order to advance to the battle with my master, we have to fight and win four times against powerful foes.


    In the very first bout, I had to use Dark¡¯s Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸The second reason is your party working to perfection. The period of time since both our parties were formed may not be that different, but perhaps it¡¯s a matter of awareness. My party is a collection of powerful people. They are all amazing individually. However, you all came together hoping to become 1st ranked as one. Our coordination was a joke, while yours was simply stunning.¡¹


    The members of Asmodeus¡¯s party are usually active in different strata. Also, aside from Eligor, each of them is the leader of their respective strata.


    Just because you gathered a bunch of excellent leaders doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll create an excellent party.


    Even still, they are all completely top-notch Monsters. Coordination itself is possible, and normally they would have no gaps to exploit.


    The moment of turmoil created by the Ebony Flames derailed their ability to compensate with their excellent skills.


    However, for example, this probably wouldn¡¯t work on an Adventurer party that¡¯s worked together for many years.


    The five of them will win together. If it were five people who all had the will the win ingrained into each of them, they might not have crumbled even if they were thrown into chaos.


    The awareness of Adventurers is different to that of Monsters, who are not limited in numbers and normally lie in wait for them in each stratum.


    This isn¡¯t about who is right or wrong, but simply a fact.


    ¡¸There¡¯s one more reason we overcame you guys, right?¡¹


    The Northern Demon King tilted her head at Wraith¡¯s words.


    ¡¸Oh? Do tell.¡¹


    ¡¸There were four of them. Their all-important leader was just standing there at the back.¡¹


    ¡¸Harsh.¡¹


    Asmodeus smiles.


    ¡¸But you are right. I shall apologize to them after this.¡¹


    ¡¸After this meaning¡­after you¡¯re defeated?¡¹


    ¡¸That shall be decided from here on out, young man.¡¹


    In an instant, the very air screamed.


    It was one of Asmodeus¡¯s six horns.


    The release of Magical Energy from just one was enough to seemingly strain the world.


    ¡¸I think I shall confirm whether or not you lot are worth of facing that man. If you cannot win against me with one horn, then it would be pointless for you to move on.¡¹

 CH 262

    262 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 4 / One of the Demon King¡¯s Six Horns


    Asmodeus didn¡¯t attack us immediately.


    As if time had resumed flowing, the commentator¡¯s voice spoke up.


    ¡ºU-U-Unbelievable!! It is still hard to believe what just happened in front of our very eyes! The four warriors from the Northern Demon King were¡­were all defeated no more than a minute after the battle began!¡»


    The shock was spreading across the audience, albeit a little delayed.


    ¡ºWhat started it all was none other than the Spirit Magic that unmistakably came out of his Holy Sword! The Holy Sword of the Black Sorcerer Lem! Upon investigating the Original Dungeon, he was possessed by a Spirit! It would seem that the previously unknown Spirit is related to Underworld Magic, which is a category of magic that is still shrouded in mystery!¡»


    Because so many amazing things happened in a row, neither the live commentary nor the audience was able to keep up with the situation.


    Asmodeus was waiting for them all to settle down.


    ¡ºA famous Dark Magic used by Demon Kings, Ebony Flames! Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right! There should be a Spirit in this world that governs Underworld Magic! However, much like the four warriors under Asmodeus¡¯s command who were shaken, we have yet to witness such a Spirit, even though it should theoretically exist! To say that we aren¡¯t surprised would be an utter lie!¡»


    This battle is no different from a Dungeon Clear, it is for entertainment.


    Rather than buttering up to the audience, respect them.


    Think about how to make your desired fight something enjoyable for the viewers.


    This is also very important to Adventurers.


    That¡¯s why we don¡¯t attack yet either.


    But more importantly, it gives a moment to catch our breath.


    Melania suffered damage from several lightning attacks, and Fran got shocked once directly as well.


    For me and Josh, it was good enough that we had time to regenerate our Magical Energy.


    That goes the same for Asmodeus.


    ¡ºWho could predict that the Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus party, who was thought to be a shoo-in as the winner of the Black group tournament, would lose four of its members as soon as the battle started?! Who could predict that the Black Sorcerer, that was kicked out of the world¡¯s 4th ranked party because he wasn¡¯t needed, would take center stage and show us Ebony Flames?! Only in the All-Heaven Festival Contest! From the preliminaries till now! Incredible developments one after another!¡»


    ¡¸And the person who has been causing the biggest waves is¡­¡¹


    The black chick above my head completed Asmodeus¡¯s sentence.


    ¡º¡­you, partner.¡»


    An exaggeration.


    Although, it is true that the Wraith party and I have fought and beaten strong foe after strong foe since the preliminaries.


    In the preliminaries, there was the Dragon King Valac of the Western Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, the Beast-Controlling Thief Barbatos of the same party, the world¡¯s 11th ranked Ash Hero Garo party, the party led by the Knights captain the Scales of Justice Astrea, and the world¡¯s 4th ranked Flame Hero Fenix party. Among them all, we passed with the most points.


    In the first stage, there was the Fire Manipulator Aym party from the Southern Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four which included her adjutant, the Flame Spearman Amii, the Vampire Queen Carmilla from the Impregnable Demon King Castle¡¯s Big Four, and the Mauri party, a party composed of a group of Black Sorcerers who trained their Second Jobs. We broke through that group.


    And just recently, we defeated the four fearless fighters from the Northern Demon King Castle.


    If you were to say that the Wraith party is one of the triggers that caused a huge wave, then that may be true.


    ¡ºHaving defeated the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon party, who was everyone¡¯s best bet to win the Black group tournament, the Asmodeus party proceeded to the second round, but at this rate, they might be thwarted by the Wraith party before them! Or, will she release what is said to be the most Magical Energy a Demon King has ever had?!¡»


    ¡¸I think they¡¯ve settled down enough. How about you guys? Ready?¡¹


    I can sense Asmodeus¡¯s Magical Energy writhing.


    ¡¸Born ready.¡¹


    Answered Wraith.


    Josh used his White Magic to prioritize healing Melania and, while not completely recovered, she has recovered enough to be able to move.


    Asmodeus¡¯s true strength is unfathomable to me as well.


    I mean, she only unleashed one horn when she fought the Fenix party.


    By her logic, if we¡¯re able to beat her with just one horn, we are qualified to challenge the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    But this time, she isn¡¯t testing us to see if we¡¯re qualified to challenge the Impregnable Demon King Castle.


    She is testing to see if we are qualified to challenge the greatest Demon King, my master, Lucifer.


    It¡¯s better to think of her as a different person than the one I fought when I was with the Fenix party.


    ¡ºHeads up!¡»


    Dark¡¯s voice echoed so loudly that I thought my head was gonna explode.


    Reflexively, I raise my Holy Sword to guard my head and there was an impact.


    The force from the impact made the belly of my blade hit me in the forehead and my body was blown backward, hitting the wall of the stage violently.


    The air was knocked out of my reproduced Avatar lungs.


    This body made of Magical Energy is a mysterious thing. There is no pain, but there is feeling.


    The fact that it can¡¯t move means that it has suffered that much damage.


    I curse my panicking brain and quickly refocus to assess the situation.


    There was Magical Energy blood dripping from my forehead, but that is the extent of my Magical Energy leakage.


    My body feels numb, but nothing was broken.


    If that¡¯s the case, then I should be able to move soon.


    While thinking those thoughts, I scan the field.


    Then, I bit my lips hard.


    For I only saw¡­Wraith¡­and Asmodeus.


    From the traces of Magical Energy particles, I could see that the others were defeated.


    Melania, Josh, and Fran were defeated in an instant.


    Wraith was also near the wall, perhaps receiving the attack in the same way. However, he most likely deployed a water cushion immediately to soften the impact, because he¡¯s already dashing towards Asmodeus.


    Asmodeus was standing in a position that is on the opposite side of what I recall, on the edge of the stage.


    In just a single moment.


    In that time, she hit all five of us with a lethal attack and is now standing calmly on the other side of the stage.


    At first, the audience would doubt their eyes as well.


    Asking themselves what happened¡¡.


    They get it eventually.


    That the Demon King has the power to drive a Hero party, who has made it this far, to the brink of destruction in an instant.


    In one move, contestant Asmodeus has stolen the Wraith party¡¯s advantage with a strong, decisive counterattack.


    With this one move done by a single person, the entire venue¡­


    ¡­cannot control their excitement.


    What she did was move at high speed by emitting highly compressed Magical Energy.


    What I can do when I unleash my horn, a Demon King can too.


    ¡¸The Miner Melania. Not only does she have a large body, but her earnest efforts while being aware of her own weakness is remarkable. Be that as it may, her fighting technique is poor and she still lets her emotions dictate her battles. Emotions make a person strong or weak, but it is still inexperienced of her to be swayed by them. Adding in emotions can only work effectively if you have acquired a solid skillset.¡¹


    Emotion, feelings, will. They make people stronger. That¡¯s what I believe.


    But that strengthening effect isn¡¯t limitless.


    One¡¯s own feelings cannot overturn the hard work that someone else has laboriously done.


    This is why it is important to train your true self to win.


    Melania is a promising Adventurer, but she certainly lacks experience.


    But still, I feel frustrated as I grip the handle of my Holy Sword tighter.


    ¡¸The White Sorcerer Josh. It truly is interesting how the weak and frail body of a Normal support Job is overcome by the sturdy body that is characteristic of Ogres. With the physique of his race, he seems trained in general combat techniques and puts them to good use. However, at present, he is not that different from a White Sorcerer who has trained a Second Job.¡¹


    As an Ogre, Josh¡¯s Aptitude for combat is low. Low enough to awaken as a White Sorcerer.


    As a White Sorcerer, he is sturdy, nimble, and reliable.


    But I suppose she is saying that alone isn¡¯t enough of a decisive reason to include an Ogre White Sorcerer.


    It¡¯s true that if Josh can find that special something, it will become his strong point.


    However, I do not think of him as weak currently.


    ¡¸The Destroyer Fran. She is truly incredibly quick-witted. A terrifying warrior who has the instincts of a beast with the reasoning of man. To achieve so much at such a young age makes me truly look forward to her future. However, she is much too focused on destroying. She must learn to fight without only destroying.¡¹


    Fran is a dependable vanguard well beyond her years.


    Her destructive ability was clearly displayed in the Impregnable Demon King Castle raid.


    In the All-Heaven Festival Contest battle with the Carmilla party, however, she was held back by the Vampires.


    Even moments ago when she was trapped by Bael¡¯s spider webs, if Melania hadn¡¯t helped her, it would have been very difficult for her to escape from that situation.


    To some extent, Fran has the power to destroy what¡¯s before her and advance even when she¡¯s at a disadvantage.


    But there are powerful people out there with the brains and the ability to fight in such a way that her strengths are rendered useless.


    When that time comes, she has to react and counter in a more flexible manner than ever before.


    In order to make her destructive ability stand out, she requires more ways to fight besides that.


    What Asmodeus said is true.


    Even so, it is frustrating to see my allies defeated so. Unbearably frustrating.


    ¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem. One can only marvel at your command and fighting skills. Truly. Skill backed by a tremendous effort, and ingenuity to compensate for your lack in combat Aptitude. Above it all is your adaptability. The ability to take into account your battle location, allies, and enemies in order to draw a path towards victory. But¡­Lem. That alone will not get you to that man.¡¹


    Just how much does she know?


    Words that are neither advice nor provocation.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t rely on the whimsy of a Spirit every time, yes?¡¹


    She seems to know that I wasn¡¯t the one who reactively defended against her attack.


    ¡ºCalling it a whimsy is mean. I lean more towards a Spirit who¡¯s considerate of my partner.¡»


    Dark says that, but she has never interfered with my fights like this until now.


    In the end, she enjoys watching me. For that purpose, she has taken a stance where I can borrow her Spirit powers.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s not fun watching your body lose when your heart hasn¡¯t lost yet. The most interesting thing about you is your heart.¡»


    So it says.


    At any rate, it is a fact that it helped me. I thank her from the bottom of my heart.


    ¡ºThank me more.¡»


    And back to ignoring her.


    ¡¸So what about me?¡¹


    A cone of ice protrudes from below Asmodeus¡¯s.


    Rather than pierce her, it melted right in front of her.


    A protective film made from highly compressed, highly purified Magical Energy.


    The same one I used to cancel out Fenix¡¯s Flames of the Gods.


    ¡¸The Water Hero Wraith. You¡­hm, yes. I suppose I have nothing much to add about your current state.¡¹


    ¡¸Gee, thanks.¡¹


    ¡¸After all, your most fatal flaw had already been resolved in the Raid Battle, no?¡¹


    Wraith, who strove to be just like his father, had lost his way.


    He had failed to see the main Water Spirit, who gave him her divine blessing, as an ally.


    ¡¸¡­Lem.¡¹


    Without taking his eyes off of Asmodeus, my leader calls out to me.


    ¡¸Yeah?¡¹


    ¡¸Can you move?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, how do we win this?¡¹

 CH 263

    263 ¨C Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 5 / Raging Fiery Ice Storm


    A short and simple question.


    I give an equally short answer.


    ¡¸Give me a minute with her.¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t a full minute against a Demon King who unleashed her horn too much? You say that like it¡¯s easy.¡¹


    Wraith replied cheerfully.


    ¡¸It¡¯s for the sake of victory.¡¹


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ve got no choice.¡¹


    Spheres of water float around Wraith. There were several of them, and they were two times larger than a man¡¯s head.


    A Water Blade shot out of each of them simultaneously.


    So long as I leave it to him, Asmodeus¡¯s attacks won¡¯t be able to reach me for a minute starting from now.


    Ever since the start of the match, I have been working my Magical Energy organ non-stop, pumping Magical Energy into the Holy Sword.


    Although unable to preserve Magical Energy for long periods of time, Holy Swords and Wizard staffs are equipped with the function to compress and purify Magical Energy.


    For a Holy Sword, the amount of Magical Energy that can be poured into it at once is incomparable to that of a normal staff.


    Think.


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus. She is also called the Coordinator.


    A Demon King who chooses who will pass. Not just in her castle, but in this tournament as well.


    What¡¯s different is that she is deciding whether or not we are worthy to do battle with the strongest Demon King rather than proceeding to a different Dungeon.


    It goes without saying that the criteria has gotten a lot stricter.


    She didn¡¯t even allow the All-Seeing Demon King Paimon party to pass.


    Meaning to her, not even a fellow ruler of the five great Demon King Castles qualifies to do battle with my master.


    No, perhaps she judged herself more appropriate than him.


    Both Hero or Possessed and Majin horn alike preserve their Spirit Magical Energy.


    For they are finite.


    Wraith, Asmodeus, and I, we¡¯re the same.


    Even if I used up every last drop of Magical Energy to achieve victory like in the Fenix fight, it would be meaningless if I can¡¯t win the next fight.


    It is a strategy to win the All-Heaven Festival Contest.


    The six-horned Asmodeus is aware of this as well.


    She fought hard against a Paimon in a single fight.


    She used the power of her horn to counterattack the Wraith party too.


    To her, unleashing all six of her horns would be a last resort.


    She herself is here to challenge my master to a battle.


    Then, let¡¯s find out.


    Which side will win having mutually exhausted our finite Magical Energy, finishing in a state far from perfect?


    To her, that would be the worst outcome.


    So, if that¡¯s the case, the side that will win is¡­


    ¡ó


    And then, a minute had passed.


    At the same time, her eyes turned to me.


    As if to tell me that she is perfectly aware of the time while she is dealing with Wraith.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s time.¡» said Dark.


    In response, I start to move.


    Currently, the field is covered in Wraith¡¯s ice.


    The audience gasped at the scenery suddenly changing to that of a frozen wonderland.


    Or¡­they are afraid of the Demon King whose attack caused all this without taking a step or getting injured.


    Whichever it is, the venue was once again draped in silence.


    ¡¸You came.¡¹


    Said Wraith without looking at me.


    I, too, answer without looking at him.


    ¡¸I thought it was about time.¡¹


    ¡¸Roger that.¡¹


    The plan went a bit awry, but I had always intended on surpassing this battle.


    A strategy meeting now would be meaningless.


    ¡¸Without dispelling your Full Resist, you are completely guarded against my Black Magic. Abusing your inhuman Magical Energy organ, you have poured Magical Energy into your Holy Sword. Now then, what are your intentions?¡¹


    When she moved in to strike me, she stepped into the Full Resist field. But she wasn¡¯t affected by Black Magic. That¡¯s because the Magical Energy from her horn offset it.


    My weakness is that my body is ultimately that of a Normal.


    I have a horn, but I¡¯m not a Majin. I have a Holy Sword, but I¡¯m not a Hero. No matter how far I go, I am a Black Sorcerer.


    ¡­I know that all too well.


    I stand together with Wraith.


    He makes a lump of ice appear from the ground. It stretched rapidly towards Asmodeus.


    ¡¸Hmm.¡¹


    Trying to figure out our intentions, she looks at us while tilting her head.


    Just before the ice attack disappears, the blue ice burns black.


    The ice¡¯s Magical Energy was used as a path through Asmodeus¡¯s Magical Energy defense.


    ¡¸Oh. But this won¡¯t be enough to-¡¹


    She¡¯s right, this won¡¯t be enough to defeat her.


    My Ebony Flames is already a known magic spell. If it¡¯s known, it can be handled. She is veteran Demon King after all.


    Even now, she immediately cuts off one layer of her Magical Energy protective films The flames don¡¯t reach her.


    But that doesn¡¯t matter.


    The ice burned. The ice that grew from the ground and stretched under her burned.


    One, the Ebony Flames do not disappear until the target is burnt out.


    Two, the Ebony Flames feed on Magical Energy and life force.


    Lastly, all of our fights in the All-Heaven Festival Contest take place¡­in Magical Energy spaces.


    fwoosh


    The entire ground is wreathed in black flames.


    Asmodeus¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    ¡¸Lem¡­I see. So you were aiming at the Magical Energy space with your Ebony Flames! Hahaha! How bold! Truly something only you would do!¡¹


    Her smile was filled with joy.


    Among the magic that Demon Kings can use, the Ebony Flames is one of the basic ones.


    However, Demon Kings are beings who normally lie in wait for the Adventurers at the deepest stratum of their own Dungeon.


    They are also overwhelmingly powerful people.


    They don¡¯t need to burn down their own place of work to defeat Adventurers, and it makes no sense to.


    A rule that¡¯s different from the norm in the All-Heaven Festival Contest is that there is no penalty for destroying the Field.


    Since a Dungeon is also a place of work for the Monsters, it would be intolerable if it was needlessly destroyed. Thus, there is a rule that says that destroying a Field will incur a fine.


    But this time, this is a tournament where anything goes to achieve victory.


    Any and all expenses will be handled by the tournament managers.


    Even the Fury of the Flame God that Fenix used in the preliminaries to scorch the entire area is a move with high destructive power that he normally doesn¡¯t use.


    To put it simply, it is OK to incorporate battle plans that involve destroying the Field.


    A plan not chosen by Demon Kings who are overpowered, a plan that cannot be chosen in a Dungeon Clear.


    But a plan to use the Ebony Flames in such a way can be chosen right here, right now, precisely because I am a Normal, and because it is within this tournament.


    ¡¸Lem!¡¹


    Wraith reached a hand out to me.


    I feel a floating sensation as soon as I grab it.


    A pillar of ice forms from the ground, raising us up as high as the sky.


    Below, Asmodeus is surrounded by flames.


    The ice that Wraith covered the surroundings in under a minute all became kindling, and it has now turned into a cage of ice, trapping her.


    ¡ºGreat balls of fire!! Contestant Wraith¡¯s Ice Magic was all done in preparation for this plan!¡¡Contestant Lem¡¯s Ebony Flames has encircled contestant Asmodeus and she cannot escape!¡¡Oh, please rest assured, dear audience! The area adjoining the audience seats and the Field may seem connected, but they are actually separate, so the Ebony Flames will not harm you!¡»


    It is a unique creation of Magical Energy spaces. The match can be watched with a sense of realism, but no one from the audience seats can get out and run into the Field, for example. On the reverse, nothing from the Field can interact with the audience.


    In other words, it¡¯s like the audience is watching through a giant, powerful screen.


    This allows the fighters to battle with all their might.


    if the screen wasn¡¯t there, they would probably be afraid to use large-scale magic.


    ¡¸Well done, you two. I could fly away with Wind Magic, but¡­let¡¯s reveal the ace up my sleeve.¡¹


    In the next moment, what grew from Asmodeus¡¯s back were¡­wings.


    They were the same texture as her horns, like they were made from bone.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    I know that.


    With the horn transplanted into my body, a single horn would grow when I unleash it.


    But that¡¯s not all, the substance that makes up the horn can come out in various forms.


    Like wings made of bone, or a hard skin around my right arm.


    I was sure that it was a byproduct of my master using a process to affix the horn within me.


    But clearly, it was just another Technique?


    Her unleashed horn covered her right arm, giving her sharp claws.


    ¡¸Even among Demon Kings, those who can do this are extremely rare. It happens from time to time in the body of those with high-performance horns, but are unable to generate enough Magical Energy. In order to store more Magical Energy, their bodies will be gifted the function of a horn.¡¹


    Emitting Magical Energy from her bone wings, she soars high into the sky.


    She was looking right at us.


    Was my master inspired by this phenomenon to try and engrave the function of a horn into my body?


    And is that why it was a success?


    ¡¸This is a Technique that deploys the inherent power of the horn outwardly. It¡¯s called Horn Armor.¡¹


    At such a time, I couldn¡¯t help but think¡­


    Master, if you knew about this¡­why the heck didn¡¯t you teach me¡­

 CH 264

    264 ¡ó Wraith Party VS Asmodeus Party 6 / The Armor Horn


    ¡¸What are you going to do, Lem? The current ¡®me¡¯ is a little bit stronger than the previous ¡®me¡¯.¡¹


    In the battle when I was still in the Fenix Party, Asmodeus did not use the Armor Horn.


    ¡¸I¡¯m also different from the previous ¡®me¡¯. Besides, I¡¯m not alone.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a good point, Lem.¡¹


    Several pillars of ice grew from the ceiling, it extended as it curved.


    Wraith and I jumped to different pillars.


    The pillar extending from the ground was swallowed by an ebony flame immediately after it soared.


    ¡¸It¡¯s good to fly in the sky, but I don¡¯t want the audience to hurt their necks looking up at us. So I don¡¯t want to keep doing this for long.¡¹


    The target of¡ºEbony Flames¡»was kept on the ground, so the rest of the stage was safe.


    ¡ºContestant Lem has casted¡¸Ebony Flames¡¹with the stage as its target! As a result, a jet-black magical energy space became visible on the ground, but surprisingly, Asmodeus responded by growing wings! At least as far as I know, the Armor Horn technique has never been revealed before, but it is now revealed here!!¡»


    Asmodeus is coming.


    What Wraith immediately casted was the magic that causes the downpour of countless¡ºWater Blades¡»¨D¡ºThe Scene of Blade Rain¡».


    If it¡¯s actual rain, he¡¯ll only get wet, but if he touches even a single one of these, he¡¯ll immediately be injured.


    However, Asmodeus, who is accelerating with his wings, was able to avoid and cut through all of it.


    ¡ºHe avoided all of ¨D ¡»


    Even the commentary couldn¡¯t keep up with his speed.


    Wraith swung down his Holy Sword, but it was repelled far high into the sky by Asmodeus¡¯s nails.


    And her five nails formed by the Armor Horn deeply pierced Wraith¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡¸You and also the comrades that you have gathered were strong, the Water Hero Wraith.¡¹


    His body shattered.


    I jumped from the ice passage.


    I ran right after I jumped, and I just arrived at the planned point.


    Directly below me was Asmodeus.


    She immediately flipped over her body and swung her nails at me.


    More like, she tried to do that.


    She has a membrane of compressed magical energy that protects her from all attacks.


    ¡¸Dark¡­!!¡¹


    The Holy Sword is enveloped in ebony flames.


    ¡¸I¡¯m troubled. I have a bad affinity with that.¡¹


    The membrane of magical energy that was layered over and over again was burned by the¡ºEbony Flames¡»from the tip of the sword and disappeared.


    ¡¸What should I do? Yeah, I¡¯ll do this then.¡¹


    She opened her right hand and pointed it at me.


    Although it¡¯s not visible to the human eye, I could understand that the space around her palm was distorting.


    A tremendous amount of magical energy. Did she further develop the magical energy membrane?


    ¡¸I know, Lem. You¡¯re trying to cast Black Magic on me with the tremendous magical energy that you have poured into the Holy Sword. Your magic skills are excellent. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t take it. I have to properly defend against an excellent attack.¡¹


    She is being cautious. To the extent that my Black Magic is expressed as an¡ºattack¡».


    I am now located right above Asmodeus.


    She thrusted her sword on top of the membrane of magical energy that was extended in the shape of a half-sphere.


    ¡¸Are you sure? I don¡¯t know the limits of that Spirit, but aren¡¯t you overusing it?¡¹


    I can¡¯t use up all of Dark¡¯s magical energy here.


    I¡¯m aware of that.


    But if I stop here, all that¡¯s waiting for me is defeat.


    There is no time for hesitation.


    I held the sword with only my left hand and struck the membrane with my right fist.


    ¡ºPerhaps out of frustration that Contestant Wraith was pierced, Contestant Lem struck the invisible barrier with his right fist! The¡¸Ebony Flames¡¹are definitely working, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be enough to completely destroy Contestant Asmodeus¡¯s barrier!¡»


    That¡¯s it. That commentary is just fine.


    They don¡¯t have to guess the true meaning of this.


    ¡¸¡­Lem, you ¨C ¡¹


    Because I still don¡¯t want the world to know that I can use Armor Horn.


    Thanks to the robe and gloves, there is no apparent change in my appearance even if I deploy the horn on my skin surface.


    This is a situation where a Demon King is releasing the magical energy of her horns, and in the first place, the audience seats and this space are visible to each other but not physically connected.


    So, even if I released the magical energy of my horns, it wouldn¡¯t be detected.


    Except for the person in front of me.


    With each strike, a part of the membrane of magical energy is repelled.


    Burn it, destroy it, then burn it, and destroy it again.


    ¡¸You¡­ I see. It was you. You want to win and advance to the next round to fight against that person.¡¹


    It seemed that Asmodeus had an inkling about the relationship between me and my master.


    But that¡¯s okay for now.


    More importantly, I have to correct her misunderstanding.


    ¡¸I want to beat you! The formidable opponent that is right in front of me!¡¹


    Do I want to fight against my master? Of course.


    But still, all I can think about right now is winning this battle.


    That¡¯s what it means to use the horn I inherited from my master.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re right, Lem. I feel the same way. I want to beat you.¡¹


    ¡¸I want to win as well.¡¹


    ¡¸¨D¨D¨D¡¹


    We were both surprised..


    Even so, I immediately undo the¡ºEbony Flames¡».


    In an instant, he thrusted his Holy Sword right next to my Holy Sword.


    ¡ºWater Blades¡»are constantly coming out from the tip of his sword.


    The Water Hero Wraith.


    ¡ºW-What is going on here!! Contestant Wraith should have been sent off the field earlier, but he has now appeared to help Contestant Lem! I-Is this ¨D ¡»


    ¡¸It¡¯s Esoteric. Did he use¡ºAssimilation¡»?¡¹


    Asmodeus murmured. She had a composed tone, but her expression conveyed that she was surprised.


    In the raid,¡ºAssimilation¡»was invoked by mustering the last bits of power.


    Even now, I have yet to fully master it. Even Fenix had only recently mastered it.


    Even a talented person may not be able to handle¡ºEsoteric¡»easily.


    Even so, he seemed to have succeeded in extending the duration.


    He changed into water droplets that can be mistaken for the magical energy particles when someone gets sent off the field, then he moved around as water vapor.


    He retrieved the Holy Sword that had been blown right above him and reassembled his body. After that, he came to help me.


    ¡¸Well, yeah. More importantly, is it okay? This time I¡¯ll really pierce through you, you know?¡¹


    He shot a thin¡ºWater Blade¡»at a single point. Rather than cutting, the compressed water is released as if it were popped off from a spray.


    Even if the target is a membrane of magical energy, it is the same.


    A hole is rapidly drilled in a very small area by the high-powered Spirit Magic.


    ¡¸Wait a minute. What the ¨D Just how far have you planned this?¡¹


    There are many reasons as to why Asmodeus did not notice Wraith.


    First, the ice. Unless it is continuously manipulated, it will not disappear even if the caster dies.


    Still, since it was created by magic, the magical energy of the caster can be sensed from it.


    In addition to that, Asmodeus¡¯s own magical energy and my magical energy.


    The excessively dense magical energy filled the space and since it was all mixed together, she couldn¡¯t notice Wraith¡¯s existence even with her magical energy perception ability.


    ¡¸What do you think?¡¹


    It pierced.


    Asmodeus blocked the¡ºWater Blade¡»with her right hand, but the membrane of magical energy has disappeared.


    ¡¸Tsk.¡¹


    Through the hole that was created, I casted Black Magic.


    By reducing her thinking and cognition, I disturbed her precise control of magical energy.


    And then I noticed.


    Just how far did we plan this.


    I see, I ¨D.


    ¡¸Lem, you¡­ you casted Black Magic on yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    Wraith is my comrade.


    The normal ¡®me¡¯ would have thought that there¡¯s no way he would be sent off the field at that point. No, I would have been aware of it.


    However, if I move while assuming that that¡¯s true, Asmodeus will realize it.


    I had to move as if I had to single-handedly win against Asmodeus.


    And seriously, from the bottom of my heart.


    There is a way to make this happen.


    All I had to do was to cast¡ºConfusion¡»on myself.


    I usually train by casting Black Magic on myself. I¡¯m good at altering the magic.


    I tampered with my own perception so that I wouldn¡¯t know about Wraith¡¯s¡ºEsoteric¡».


    Which is why I was as surprised as Asmodeus that Wraith wasn¡¯t sent off the field.


    ¡¸Lem!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    Asmodeus¡¯s right hand is focused on Wraith.


    As I and my Holy Sword were falling down, I pierced her left hand and continued to pierce until it reached her chest.


    Asmodeus¡¯s eyes went wide open, then it relaxed as she smiled.


    ¡¸So you¡¯ve messed up my calculations.¡¹


    I activated Spirit Magic. The¡ºEbony Flames¡»released from the Holy Sword burned her body from the inside.


    ¡¸¨DWell done.¡¹


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus was wrapped in ebony flames, then ¨D scattered as magical energy particles.


    ¡¸You and the comrades you have gathered were also strong, the Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus. Just kidding.¡¹


    At the same time when Wraith said so, his body also turned into magical energy particles.


    At the very end, I was able to stop falling down by clinging to the ice pillar that he had extended from the ceiling.


    Getting acknowledged by her is ¨D not the way to win against Asmodeus.


    Although she is a Coordinator, she acted differently from the usual ¡®her¡¯.


    She decided not to let someone as strong as Paimon get ahead of her.


    Just by satisfying her when she¡¯s in a single-horn state doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that she will give us a¡ºpass¡».


    So I thought about it.


    As a Coordinator, she is good at adjusting her power while fighting.


    She might even use one of her freed horns to the fullest to make the fight more attractive to the audience.


    One after the other, as I focused on the chance to fight against my master, I calculated my magical energy. However, all the other contestants are also doing that.


    I was surprised by the Armor Horn, but the real problem lies in the fact that she might use her other horns.


    If she does that, all of us will immediately suffer.


    So, we made her believe it.


    We mislead her to believe that she can annihilate the Wraith Party with just one horn and Armor Horn.


    After that, we would reduce her strength while she is in her single-horn state and finally hit her with an unexpected attack.


    In this case, it was the¡ºWater Blades¡»created by Wraith, who she thought had already been sent off the field.


    It takes a little time to switch from the state of having a¡ºI can win with a single horn¡»mindset to a¡ºI have to release my second horn¡»mindset.


    And that process is further delayed by Black Magic.


    With the time we have earned, we delivered the finishing blow.


    Although I have a horn, I¡¯m not a Majin.


    Although I have a Holy Sword, I¡¯m not a Hero.


    I¡¯m a Black Sorcerer.


    All of those are weapons that I can use in battle.


    ¡ºA-after all of that surprises, the winner is finally determined. The second match in the Tournament of the black group?the second phase of the All-Heaven Festival Contest, the winner is ¨D the Wraith Party!¡»


    That¡¯s how we won.

 CH 265

    8-10 minutes


    265 ¨C Using Frustration as a Source of Encouragement


    ¡¸We¡¯ve won, haven¡¯t we?¡¹


    After I returned to my body from the Avatar and got out of the¡ºCocoon¡»in the Link Room, I heard Wraith¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸Yes, we¡¯ve won.¡¹


    I bumped the outstretched fist with my own.


    We have won the battle against the Party led by the Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus, the Demon King of one of the Five Great Demon King Castles.


    ¡¸As instructed, I went at the timing when I thought I could do it.¡¹


    ¡¸It was perfect.¡¹


    ¡¸Some people might say that we are nothing, but we have won this battle. It¡¯s not that the other Party conceded their victory, but rather because Lem read through them that we won.¡¹


    It¡¯s not because Asmodeus was convinced that her other horns didn¡¯t come out.


    Rather it¡¯s because when Asmodeus tried to release her second horn, her thought process was delayed, and using that time, we secured the win.


    ¡¸Thank you. I couldn¡¯t have done it without you guys.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a big premise.¡¹


    Wraith laughed cheerfully.


    ¡¸Ahaha, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸¨D So, Lem.¡¹


    In an instant, he had a serious expression.


    ¡¸Hmm?¡¹


    ¡¸About those comrades of yours¡­¡¹


    When I turned my gaze in the direction he pointed, I saw my comrades there.


    The Miner Melania was hugging her knees while feeling depressed.


    The White Sorcerer Josh was muttering while holding his fist to his mouth.


    The Destroyer Fran was lying face down on the floor without making any movements.


    ¡¸Ahh¡­¡¹


    When you are in a Party, the time will come when you have to face defeat.


    When I was still in the Fenix Party, we had faced it numerous times.


    The Fenxi Party was officially undefeated, but that was only referring to the winning percentage as a Party.


    While clearing a Dungeon, there are times when the members, other than the leader, were sent off the field.


    The sense of defeat, frustration, bitterness, and embarrassment that strikes your heart when you are defeated is beyond description.


    Crying and screaming, running away, drinking alcohol until the memory fades away, brooding.


    Depending on the person, various actions are taken to deal with the pain in their heart.


    This is really, very, very painful, and it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that whether or not they can stand up at this moment will determine whether or not they can make it as an Adventurer.


    To make a living by what you like means that you can¡¯t escape even if you suffer because of what you like.


    Even if things don¡¯t go well with what you like. Even if you are made fun of for what you like. Even if you see someone who is superior to you in what you like. Even if you experience setbacks and defeats in what you like.


    Even so, can you choose to challenge it again while having¡ºlike¡»as the driving force?


    In that sense, aptitude is more important than talent.


    The mind is such an important factor.


    Some people are emotionally crushed because of this. That is just how much of a big deal defeat is.


    But I wasn¡¯t worried.


    Everyone in the Wraith Party was chosen by the leader.


    The Party is made up of only those who are willing to work together to aim for victory.


    Rather, I was impressed.


    The Six-Horned Demon King Asmodeus. They were able to be depressed after witnessing her power, which boasts the highest level of combat ability in the world. They were able to embrace their feelings of frustrations.


    They could have thought that she is exceptional, that there was no way around it, that there was nothing they could do.


    But they chose to face the pain of defeat head-on.


    They are truly reliable comrades that I am proud of.


    When I saw them feeling depressed, I thought I should say something to them, but¡­


    Only at times like this, I could not think of the right words to say.


    It may be because I think that there is no such thing since I have also experienced defeat.


    ¡¸Lem!¡¹


    The first one to come back to life was Josh.


    ¡¸I¡¯m aware that it won¡¯t happen overnight. However, is there a way for me, an Ogre and a White Sorcerer, to become stronger than ever!?¡¹


    Continued by Melania.


    ¡¸M-me too! I want to become stronger¡­ so that I can be more helpful!¡¹


    Then, Fran.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll defeat them next time.¡¹


    Josh stared at us.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think it will be easy. But¡­I don¡¯t want my inexperienced-ness to make me have no way to retaliate¡­.! Lem, Wraith. If the two of you can see our shortcomings, please tell us about it.¡¹


    It seemed that I didn¡¯t need to worry.


    The three of them have the strength to stand up on their own.


    Well then, let¡¯s do what I can do as their comrade.


    ¡¸Okay. Let¡¯s talk about it.¡¹


    Josh is an excellent White Sorcerer.


    Diligent, intelligent, considerate to his comrades.


    Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t seem to have a high aptitude for the melee-specialized combat ability of the Ogre race.


    As for White Magic, he¡¯s pretty good at it considering his age.


    However, he¡¯s excellent only to the point that he exceeds the average White Sorcerer, different from the extraordinary talent of the White Sorcerer Panacea, the former member of the Party ranked 1st in the world.


    Wraith and I looked at each other and nodded.


    Everyone might have experienced this, but there are times when advice will be effective.


    It¡¯s just like when someone tells you something at a certain time, but you don¡¯t fully understand it until a long time later.


    Just telling them doesn¡¯t mean that everything can be improved.


    As for Josh, it¡¯s this moment.


    At this moment when he himself feels that the conventional way of doing things is not good enough.


    Josh is a good kid, so even if I had told him about this before, he might have practiced it, but he wouldn¡¯t have been as enthusiastic about it as he is right now.


    Above all, I don¡¯t want to impose it on him.


    I conveyed my thoughts to Josh.


    This also goes along with what Asmodeus said.


    It¡¯s not because he¡¯s a White Sorcerer or an Ogre. It is only because he is Josh that he can use this strategy.


    ¨D And then Wraith raised his voice.


    ¡¸Ahh, isn¡¯t it better to talk about this at the celebration party?¡¹


    The three of them seemed to want to talk about it right now, but they didn¡¯t oppose it.


    The Link Room was only for the contestants who were waiting for their match.


    Now that the match is over, it would be better for us to get out of here as soon as possible.


    So, we left the Link Room to go to the venue.


    We were walking down the hallway.


    ¡¸The Black Sorcerer Lem.¡¹


    There was a person at the entrance for authorized people only.


    A beautiful woman with almond eyes wearing a long coat. No, he is a male.


    The ruler of the Southern Demon King Castle ¨D The All-Seeing Demon King Paimon


    ¡¸It¡¯s this pattern again. I¡¯m getting used to this.¡¹


    Wraith jokingly said.


    This is probably because there have been a lot of people calling out to me after the match these days.


    Without reacting to it, Paimon walked up to me and held out his business card.


    ¡¸When you need it, contact me.¡¹


    I took it.


    While wondering if what he meant by¡¸when you need it¡¹was really the same as what I was thinking.


    That¡¯s all he said and he turned back without waiting for my response.


    But just as he passed through the exit, he stopped and laughed a little.


    ¡¸Wraith Party. Your victory was thrilling. If you ever want to challenge the center, come to us first.¡¹


    In order to challenge the¡ºImpregnable Demon King Castle¡», there is an unspoken agreement that you must first break through any of the Demon King Castle in the east, west, south, or north.


    Paimon is saying that¡­ at that time let¡¯s fight at the Southern Demon King Castle.


    ¡¸I like that. At that time, we¡¯ll be even stronger than we are now.¡¹


    Paimon shrugged his shoulders and left.


    ¡¸I have a feeling that Asmodeus will also look for Lem, so let¡¯s go to have a party right now.¡¹


    After that, we left the venue to celebrate our victory and talk about how to become stronger.


    ¡­During the party, the Asmodeus Party somehow found out about it and showed up, but that¡¯s another story.

 CH 266

    12-16 minutes


    266 ¨C Aerial Party VS Ex Party / An Audience With Them


    When you close your eyes, darkness will appear easily.


    Some people seem to be afraid of darkness, but for me it is an ally.


    The world knows that as well.


    After all, I¡¯m even called the Jet-Black Hero.


    ¡¸Ex, it¡¯s time.¡¹


    I heard my friend¡¯s voice.


    The second phase of the All-Heaven Festival Contest. The first round of the tournament of the white group.


    In the waiting room.


    When I opened my eyes, there was a blonde blue-eyed white knight who had already switched to an Avatar.


    This man with a sweet mask that causes squeals to rise from here and there as he walks around the town is my childhood friend.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    I nodded.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not scared, are you?¡¹


    The person teasing me was one of the two who decided not to participate in clearing the Original Dungeon.


    His dusky golden hair, which almost reached his feet, was messy as if he had just woken up.


    He is in his late twenties, but he looks as young as he did when I first met him.


    His rough demeanor and sharp eyes make him look like a wild child, but I know that he is actually considerate to his friends.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, Mordred. I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    I smiled naturally.


    ¡¸Tsk, that¡¯s okay then. It¡¯s not every day that we can get a chance like this, so let¡¯s kill them all and prove that we¡¯re the strongest.¡¹


    Mordred laughed belligerently as he bumped his fists together.


    ¡¸You¡¯re doing it again, that¡¯s so savage of you to say things like killing others¡­¡¹


    The one who gave his honest opinions was a gentle young man with gray hair.


    ¡¸What¡¯re you saying?! Even though we¡¯ll be using Avatars, it¡¯ll be a serious match. It¡¯ll be bad if you¡¯re not determined.¡¹


    ¡¸Your fighting spirit is great. It¡¯s just a matter of how you express it.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahhh, shut up. Smash them, knock them down, slash them! Are you satisfied now, Sir Guardian?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s become milder than before.¡¹


    ¡¸Told ya.¡¹


    Despite all this, the two of them are good friends.


    It seemed that they were training together when we went to the Original Dungeon.


    ¡¸That¡¯s enough chatting for now, okay? Don¡¯t you see that the staff kid seems to be feeling troubled.¡¹


    The only female member of our Party, a bewitching Wizard said in a dumbfounded manner.


    The contest staff who were waiting outside the waiting room for us to go out looked troubled.


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s go then.¡¹


    We left the waiting room.


    We walked down the hallway illuminated by the lights.


    Even though we weren¡¯t on stage yet, we could hear the intense cheers.


    ¡¸Since you¡¯re the Negative Hero. You aren¡¯t thinking something like¡ºProbably all of these cheers are for the Aerial Party¡»right?¡¹


    It seemed that our Party¡¯s Transcendent is still angry that I hid my worries.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not sure about that. About 60% of that might be cheers for them.¡¹


    ¡¸Tch.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m planning to snatch everyone¡¯s cheers in today¡¯s battle.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Haa. That¡¯s fine then.¡¹


    He seemed to be in a better mood.


    I could see that he was smiling, as well as the rest of the Party.


    We walked through the hallway and proceed onto the stage.


    ¡ºThe match that all Adventurer fans have been waiting for is about to begin!¡»


    The audience¡¯s voices echoed in response to the commentator¡¯s words.


    ¡ºAnd now! It¡¯s time for the contestants to enter the field!


    First up, the Party ranked 2nd in the world! Ex Party!!!


    Their leader, the Jet-Black Hero Ex, is famous as a unique hero who has received the blessing of a Spirit outside of the Four Major Attributes!


    The Spirit Magic of manipulating shadows is one of the most diverse! With his one-of-a-kind charm, he has won the hearts of many audiences so far!¡»


    I looked around at the audience and waved my hand.


    I could hear the cheers getting louder.


    That¡¯s right. There are many people who are rooting for us.


    ¡ºHere comes the knight who should also be referred to as his partner!


    The Knight Lord Arthur!


    Like Contestant Ex, when a Spirit outside of the Four Major Attributes saw him for the first time, he ended up becoming a Possessed!


    His appearance when he wields a Holy Sword that has received the blessing of a Light Spirit is truly like the knight among the knights!


    He is also one of the top five swordsmen in the world!¡»


    Wearing a pure white mantle and knight armor. This blonde, blue-eyed, handsome man is a close friend who has been with me since childhood.


    ¡ºNext is the person who is the aspiration of all Wizards!


    The Wizard of Foresight Merlin!


    The general Wizards and even Heroes are biased toward the attribute that they are good at, but Contestant Merlin can use all kinds of magic at a high-level!


    In terms of the Four Major Attributes, she¡¯s astonishing because her skills are comparable to the Contractors of the main Spirits!¡»


    She¡¯s wearing a sensational outfit that clings to her body, along with a witch hat and a wand.


    Her wand has a curved tip that holds a red jewel.


    A hard-working genius who longed for the spirits he saw when he was young and gained so much power in the process of hoping for a reunion.


    She is a hard-working genius who yearned for the Spirits she saw as a child. She gained this much power in the process of hoping to see them again.


    ¡ºOnly a scarce number of people have Rare Jobs, and among those people there are extremely few people who have Unique Jobs. And there are actually two of them in the Ex Party.¡»


    The rarity of a Job depends on the time period and region.


    It was said that there were many Destroyers during the Great War, but now it is designated as a Unique Job.


    Also, the Job of Samurai which is not rare in the Far East is a Rare Job in this country.


    ¡ºAnd then there¡¯s this person!


    He is an amazing human being who can freely reproduce the characteristics of all creatures and races with his body!


    ¨D The Transcendent Mordred!


    The wings of a Birdman! The claws and fangs of a Beastman! The strength of an Ogre! The strong legs of a Centaur! There¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t reproduce!


    The mysteries of this planet are contained within him and his battles are always unpredictable!¡»


    That¡¯s right. Mordred is a special human being.


    Because of that he was persecuted in his hometown.


    He was ostracized as if he¡¯s a monster.


    But guess what?


    When he shouts, the fans shout in response.


    He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could stay in a small village.


    The world accepted him and was thrilled by his battles.


    ¡ºFinally, this man!


    The counterpart to a Destroyer, the one who will always protect.


    ¨D The Guardian Galahad!


    In his previous Party, he was asked to move like a Paladin and couldn¡¯t properly show his true value, but after joining the Ex Party, his performance shook the industry!


    You can¡¯t find another tank like him in the whole world!¡»


    The people at Galahad¡¯s previous Party treated him as a Paladin. When they realized that it wouldn¡¯t work, they kicked him out.


    Indeed, even though we heard about the deeds of the Guardian through a legend, no details were given.


    There are stories of him single-handedly defending the gates of his country from being invaded by the enemy forces, but most people probably think that these stories are exaggerated.


    But when I found him, I felt that,¡ºHe shouldn¡¯t be like this¡».


    So I decided to let him move freely.


    Anyway, a Destroyer is strong.


    If that¡¯s the case, then shouldn¡¯t it be the same for a Guardian.


    Rather than trying to squeeze him into an existing framework, there must be a way for him to shine.


    And the result is his current reputation.


    Not inferior to the 1st ranked in the world. My comrades that I am proud of.


    The crowd exploded in cheers.


    It¡¯s because the opponent has come in.


    ¡ºThey are the 1st ranked Party who will be fighting against the 2nd ranked Party!!!


    Their leader, the Storm Hero Aerial, has a Contract with the¡¸Wind¡¹Origin Spirit of the Four Great Spirits!


    When talking about the strongest human, everyone will think of him!


    His bravery is unmatched! He has conquered many difficult Dungeons and has made the best clear videos! He is certainly the representative of Adventurers!¡»


    His green hair reminiscent of a storm and his gentle emerald eyes contain a burning fighting spirit inside.


    He has a look that defies age and a body of steel.


    While his Party was 1st rank, we have stayed in 2nd rank for a long, long time.


    This didn¡¯t change even when the Rankings were updated earlier this year.


    ¡ºThe sworn friend of Contestant Aerial who has fought alongside him in many battlefields.


    ¨D The Samurai Masamune!


    The¡¸Battoujutsu¡¹launched from his katana is famous as a deadly sword technique that cuts through everything that steps into range!


    He is also one of the top five swordmen in the world! Will the match between him and Contestant Arthur be realized here?!¡»


    He is a swordsman dressed in a Japanese outfit that is said to have been handed down in the east.


    Masamune would be better than anyone else in the world if he was simply given a single sword and engaged in a fight to compare swordsmanship.


    However, battles are not that simple.


    I can¡¯t imagine the sight of him losing in a fight against Arthur.


    ¡ºShe was called the¡¸The strongest fire-attribute user¡¹until the Flame Hero Fenix appeared.


    ¨D The Crimson Wizard Michel!


    Along with Contestant Aerial, she is also one of the world¡¯s top Wizards and is responsible for the Party¡¯s firepower!


    Will there be a battle between a lovely Wizard who specializes in fire-attribute and a bewitching Wizard who controls the Four Major Attributes!?¡»


    Michel is usually an innocent and lovely woman, but when it comes to battle, her personality changes a bit.


    That personality gap is also part of her charm, but what is really amazing is her nickname in the past.


    ¡ºThe strongest fire-attribute user¡». Although this was before the emergence of Fenix, this evaluation was given to her among all the fire-attribute users and Heroes.


    If there is a Wizard who can be Merlin¡¯s opponent, it is probably only Michelle among the Adventurers.


    ¡ºThis Job is not really rare, however it is rare for an Adventurer to have this Job.


    ¨D The Blade Alchemist Louie!


    He fights using the things in the Dungeon as weapons and shows different ways of fighting in different fields! What kind of alchemy will he do in today¡¯s field that has no special environment settings!?¡»


    Louie can generate weapons using materials that are filled with magical energy.


    If it¡¯s a fire-attribute field, then it¡¯ll be a burning sword, if it¡¯s a water-attribute field, then it¡¯ll be a water shield, and so on.


    The only thing that can be made from this field is something with earth-attribute, but there¡¯s no way that the members of the 1st ranked Party haven¡¯t thought about that.


    They probably have some sort of countermeasure.


    ¡ºFinally, this person! The energetic newcomer who joined the Party in place of the Great Saint Panacea.


    ¨D Gale Hero Ewan!


    Many Heroes form their own Parties, but immediately after Contestant Ewan graduated from the Training Institution, he joined the Aerial Party.


    Having made a Contract with a high-ranking Lesser Wind Spirit, his power is increasing day by day, and we can see from the raid battle, the qualifying round of the All-Heaven Festival Contest, and the first phase that he is steadily getting stronger.


    I can¡¯t wait to see how far his youthful growth potential will let him fare against the 2nd ranked Party in the world!¡»


    I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk to Ewan properly yet.


    From the clear videos and the battles he has fought so far, I got the impression that he is honest.


    He must be feeling a lot of pressure from joining the Party ranked 1st in the world, but the way he steadily fights makes it seem like he doesn¡¯t feel the pressure, and that is really admirable.


    The Aerial Party has picked up a very promising young boy.


    ¡ºI wonder if it¡¯s okay to have such a dream-like matchup in the first round!!!


    Right now, the battle for the summit of the Adventurer Parties!


    Is about to begin right before our very own eyes!!!¡»


    My eyes met with Aerial¡¯s.


    He smiled. A friendly, yet belligerent smile.


    I¡¯m sure I also had a similar expression.


    We are rivals, competitors, friends, but we have never fought directly before.


    It¡¯ll be decided here today.


    Which one of us is stronger in a battle.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve got a good look in your eye now, Ex. Or should I say, you¡¯ve regained it.


    Aerial said delightfully.


    Which meant that he completely saw through the fact that I previously felt fainthearted.


    ¡¸A certain Hero made me realize it. I can¡¯t stop anyway. So I¡¯m just going to keep running forward.¡¹


    I recalled the Hero who came into the dream world and made me come to my senses, the Hero that saved another Hero.


    He made me realize.


    I will always become an Adventurer, no matter how many times I repeat it.


    I will make the same choices over and over again, and aim for the top.


    Along with my amazing comrades.


    Then, I have no choice but to achieve it in this one-time chance.


    ¡¸My comrades are strong, Aerial.¡¹


    ¡¸I know that, Ex. And the same goes for my comrades.¡¹


    ¡¸We are the ones who will win today.¡¹


    ¡¸That is going to be decided starting from now though?¡¹


    Both of us put our hands on our Holy Swords.


    The battle has begun.