◆ Demon Lord Castle, Top Floor, Demon Lord’s Magic Mark ◆
“Well then, shall we go hunt the Demon Lord?”
“The Demon Lord is an experiment of the Kingdom of Avangarde!”
“Huh?”
“So, that…”
“Aleid, could you please listen to me?”
I knew I wouldn’t be able to explain it well, and there was a chance I might complicate things further. So, I wanted to leave it to Kurinka. After stopping next to me, Kurinka took a step forward. Aleid was picking his nose with his pinky while flicking something he had taken out with his fingers. Disgusting, absolutely vile.
Kurinka explained everything carefully, but Aleid scratched his head and yawned, showing no signs of taking her seriously. If he didn’t stop messing around, I was going to get genuinely angry.
“…So, you want me to believe this ridiculous story? Do you have any proof?”
“W-well, that is…”
“Ha! So, you’ve completely bought into their tall tales, huh? That’s a big problem.”
Aleid wiped his finger, which had been in his nose, on his cloak and readied his sword. He made a slashing motion in the air before pointing it straight at us.
“The moment you fell for that nonsense, you became allies of the Demon Lord Army. That’s just not acceptable, is it?”
“If you want proof, it’s in Avangarde Castle. There should be a research facility somewhere in the castle.”
I felt like I had just heard something incredible. A research facility? What was that?
“I’m not talking to you, pretty boy. Just disappear.”
Aleid waved his hand dismissively at Eeks, as if shooing away a dog or cat. I was seriously not going to forgive him for this.
“Well, either way, I don’t care.”
“You idiot, this is relevant to you too!”
If that research facility really existed somewhere in the castle, would everything be revealed? Would everyone find out about the heinous experiments the Kingdom of Avangarde had been conducting?
I couldn’t overlook this. I couldn’t, but if I did, it felt like it would lead to something irreversible.
“The previous Hero… that is, your father was killed by the Kingdom of Avangarde.”
“What…?”
Eeks’s shocking statement seemed to surprise Bathram as well, who turned to look at Eeks without saying a word. Aleid, who had been smirking, finally showed a look of suspicion.
“After the Demon Lord was defeated, the Heroes who learned the truth I just mentioned were killed to keep them quiet. Officially, it was reported that the Heroes went missing during the Demon Lord’s defeat. They used you and then tossed you aside… Isn’t that terrible? I don’t have solid proof, but it’s true.”
“Pfft, ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
“W-what’s so funny?”
Aleid laughed loudly, as if he found it utterly hilarious, swaying his body back and forth exaggeratedly. Was he laughing at another made-up story? We had a rough idea about this from Lord Hast’s story.
But hearing it confirmed was shocking. That king, Belmund. Kirkton. They had all deceived us. I had some regrets about how things ended, but this was just too much.
Mugen and Kirkton had tried to kill us because we were the survivors of Ikana Village. To silence us, to hide everything that was inconvenient for them. It was dirty, far too dirty.
“Kurinka… I can’t forgive this…”
Kurinka stood silently beside me. I didn’t know if she couldn’t find the right words to say. But she never left my side.
“Hyah hah hah… Ah, that was funny.”
“Are you… really a Hero?”
“Look, I don’t care about parents I’ve never even met. Honestly, I’m glad the ones who dumped me on my adoptive parents disappeared.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Are you trying to preach to me about my biological parents? Ridiculous. What I think about that is my own business.”
Aleid spat something on the floor, looking quite unsavory. As Eeks said, it was a mistake to consider him a Hero. Just because he could wield a sword didn’t mean he was worthy of the title.
“Whatever the kingdom is, I don’t care. If I kill the Demon Lord as a Hero, they’ll praise me for it. Then they’ll give me all sorts of privileges. Maybe they’ll even say, ‘Gather as many women as you can to pass on the Hero’s genes!’ If I put it that way, they’d probably accept it. So, here’s my speech.”
No one said anything in response to Aleid’s behavior. It felt pointless to even try; I had never met someone who made me feel this way.
“The Demon Lord was terrifyingly strong… It’s a miracle I could defeat him alone. But for the sake of future peace, we need even more capable warriors! Why? Because there’s no guarantee that monsters equal to or greater than the Demon Lord won’t appear again! Someday, I’ll grow old and won’t be able to fight! What will happen then?! What about the good people left behind? I need to protect them! But if I’m not there, what will happen?! That’s why I want… to leave behind as many descendants as possible! Stronger! Nobler! The birth of a mighty Hero! I desire this more than anyone! For eternity, I want to protect everyone who nurtures this beautiful land…! In the distant future! Even if I’m gone, my will and spirit will be passed down through the generations!”
Aleid was completely lost in his own world, as if he were basking in applause. Eeks muttered a small, “O-oh,” while Bathram tilted his head in confusion. Shin had completely forgotten about Aleid’s appearance, focused solely on the Demon Lord.
“What do you think? If I add a little more flair to this… Hehe, I can’t stop imagining it. So, how about you all die here?”
“Aleid… I won’t let you kill the Demon Lord.”
That’s enough; it was pointless to keep talking. I had promised Shin that I wouldn’t kill the Demon Lord.
“Oh my, are you really going to side with the Demon Lord after believing such delusions? Lua-chan, it’s a miracle you’ve managed to stay a virgin this long!”
“W-what…?”
“Kuhaaaaaaaaaaa! This is great! So good!”
【Hero Aleid has appeared! HP 572000】
“Alright! I’ll teach you all sorts of things!”
Aleid gripped the Hero’s Sword and finally entered a combat stance. Suddenly, the blizzard that had been battering the top floor ceased. The silence was so profound that I could hear someone’s breathing, as if the entire place was under Aleid’s control. In fact, it might have been close to that.
“I won’t hold back at all for this first test.”
【Aleid’s Shining Sword!】
A dazzling flash of light. It was blinding, and under normal circumstances, one would be killed before even realizing what had happened. It was light itself, not just a blade of light. A mercy unique to a Hero, to kill swiftly without causing suffering. This skill possessed both kindness and destructive power.
【Lua takes 13450 damage! HP 28510/41960】
“You know, there are those who say they’re just testing the waters at the start… I don’t get that. Why not go all out from the beginning? Why play around in a fight where you could get killed? Are they stupid?”
A heat that felt like it was burning my flesh clung to my body. The light invaded me, eroding my skin and penetrating deep within, shutting down my biological functions. I instinctively realized that my defenses were utterly useless against this.
It was similar in nature to Mugen’s Catastrophe. There was nothing more terrifying for me. Once it reached this point, I had no choice but to evade completely.
“Hmm, so this is Aleid’s full power.”
When I deliberately made a foolish-sounding voice, Aleid’s temple twitched slightly. He was trying to act tough, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he snapped back at me with a scowl.
“Lua-chan! Now, Heal…”
“I don’t need it. I’ll fight alone.”
“But that was really dangerous!”
“Yeah, I’m glad I managed to avoid a direct hit.”
“If you had taken a direct hit, you would have died?! Stop being so carefree and rely on me more!”
“No, I’m fine.”
I wasn’t trying to act tough or anything. Sure, if I had taken a direct hit, it would have been dangerously close to death, but I wouldn’t have actually died. That would put me at a slight disadvantage.
If it had been like that, I could point out that I had already faced situations in the Abyss Cave where I should have lost. But I had kept winning, and that was all that mattered.
“Here we go, here we go!”
【Hero Aleid’s attack!】
【Hero Aleid’s attack!】
【Hero Aleid’s attack!】
【Hero Aleid’s attack!】
Faster than I expected. As I deftly parried Aleid’s sharp strikes, he showed no signs of weakness. It felt as if Disballade, clashing with the Hero’s Sword, was reveling in the battle. The metallic sounds ringing out with each clash of swords echoed like the cries of joy from Disballade, yet they also carried the fierce determination to defeat a sworn enemy.
Unlike the first time we met at the Avangarde Guild, there was no hesitation now. This Demon Sword was undoubtedly eager to slay the Hero’s Sword. The malevolent aura emanating from its blade seemed to thicken.
【Lua deftly dodged!】
【Lua deftly dodged!】
【Lua deftly dodged!】
【Lua deftly dodged!】
“Hahaha! I can totally do this! I might actually win!”
【Hero Aleid’s Shining Sword!】
Aleid unleashed his skill as if to say ‘stop’. The skill transformed into a pillar of light, cleaving through the Demon Lord Castle. The sight of the floor shattering and multiple layers below being sliced apart was nothing short of breathtaking.
“Ugh, what power…!”
Even Bathram was struggling to keep up with this battle. He could only watch in astonishment, fleeing to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
【Lua deftly dodged!】
“That was close, that was close…”
“I’d appreciate it if you could hit me soon!”
【Hero Aleid’s attack!】
This time, he desperately tried to take my back. From what I had observed, he was solely focused on catching me off guard. To exploit an opponent’s blind spot means you must also consider your own vulnerabilities. It was a constant back-and-forth, feinting and retreating, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
“You’ve been on the defensive this whole time!”
“Yeah, well, this is just a warm-up for Aleid.”
“Show some respect to your elders! Seriously, kids these days have such terrible education!”
I didn’t want to hear that from someone who had no interest in their own parents. My blood was boiling, and it felt like it was time to act.
【Lua’s attack! Lua dealt 128,174 damage to Aleid! HP 443,826/572,000】
“Zah! You bastard!”
“See? That grazed you. Just from this warm-up, I can already read your movements.”
I had figured out most of Aleid’s habits. They weren’t even that complex.
“I’m going to kill you, kill you, kill you! I’ll finish this in one go!”
【Aleid’s Shining Sword!】
Here it comes again. It’s an impressive skill, but it’s full of openings. The wind-up is too large, and the light that bursts forth just before the attack makes its initial movement painfully obvious. I should dodge, but if the Demon Lord Castle gets destroyed any further, I might lose my footing entirely.
“You’re putting on a brave face, but at this rate, if I land one or two more hits, I win, right?! Here I come!”
【Aleid cast Starlight Holy!】
“You’re casting a spell and using a skill at the same time?!”
Eeks barely managed to react to Aleid’s movements. As expected, Aleid was completely unconcerned about his surroundings. Meanwhile, I had too many things to protect. Especially that spell—if it fully activated, this entire area would be obliterated. One spell could wipe out an entire nation. This was the power of a Hero. The power of someone chosen.
“Hyahaa! Get blown away!”
【Lua unleashed Sonic Ripper!】
A white explosion erupted from Aleid’s left hand, and a blade of light surged from the Hero’s Sword. It was an incredible skill, but nothing I couldn’t handle. However, seeing it now, I was reminded of how formidable Vandalsia’s Catastrophe truly was. That was something I had never been able to cut through.
“Ge, geebuh?!”
【Lua dealt 3,721,912 damage to Aleid!】
The skills and magic painted in white were sliced apart by my strike. The slash dug into Aleid’s palm, blood spraying forth. The line continued diagonally across his torso.
“Gyahhhhhh!”
【Hero Aleid has been defeated! HP 0/572,000】
As Aleid spewed forth a tremendous amount of blood, he fell, arms spread wide, suspended in the air. To me, it all seemed to happen in slow motion as he was drawn down to the ground.
“Earlier, you asked why I didn’t go all out from the start. In battle, it’s essential to probe your opponent’s capabilities. You read each other and think about the best move against them. If you show everything from the beginning, then if you can’t decide the match, they’ll read you completely, you know? But I guess you can’t hear me too well anymore…”
Aleid twitched, barely clinging to life. Of course, after becoming that strong, he couldn’t just die from something like this. Besides, he wasn’t someone I could afford to hold back against. For some reason, he had grown immensely stronger compared to the first time we met. Despite his apparent lack of combat experience, he had learned incredible skills and magic, and I still didn’t quite understand how.
“Lua-chan! I’m so glad…”
“He was something else. I wonder what would happen if this Aleid seriously trained?”
“Th-this… bastard… He-heal…”
【Hero Aleid cast Heal! Hero Aleid recovered 6,423 HP! HP 6,423/572,000】
A healing spell? I hadn’t expected him to still have that much energy left. No, more importantly, I had underestimated his ability to use such magic. Thanks to that, he managed to stand up, albeit trembling, as if he still had the will to fight.
Holding his wounds, Aleid somehow managed to rise. Frustration filled his eyes, a fierce determination that seemed ready to pounce at any moment. Everyone makes that face when they’re frustrated about losing. I used to look like that too.
“Heh, heh… I really messed up.”
“Are you still going to fight?”
“Hehehe, uhuhuhuhuhuh!”
“W-what…?”
“How can I not laugh? This is exactly the kind of turn of events I was aiming for!”
Blood dripped from his wounds, but Aleid paid it no mind as his body floated in the air.
“I was defeated by the Flash Strike Girl Lua and Kurinka, who conspired with the Demon Lord… I’ll make sure to pass that on.”
Before I could even voice my realization, Aleid vanished into the sky. Had he been fighting seriously from the start? No, that wasn’t it. It was true he had tried to kill me. But he had also planned this for when he lost.
He had thought this far ahead to ensnare us. What did this mean for us?
“This is bad. If we’re not careful, we might have turned the entire nation against us.”
“B-but! Do you think they’ll believe that?”
“Either way, you guys will fall for it. Listen closely. That research facility I mentioned earlier… it definitely exists somewhere in Avangarde Castle. Even I don’t know the exact location. But here’s the important part.”
Eeks took a moment, drawing in a breath. A research facility? If such a thing existed, what was I supposed to do there? Should I destroy it?
“There’s a possibility that the residents of Ikana Village are being held captive there. Of course, that includes your parents.”
I couldn’t quite grasp what he was saying. My mind struggled to process it. Ikana Village had been destroyed, and my father and mother were no longer in this world. Yet Eeks was saying something I couldn’t understand.
“…I need a moment to calm down. Bathram, it might be difficult in this crumbling state, but is there somewhere we can settle down?”
“I’ll guide you. But in return, I ask that you bring the Demon Lord with you.”
“Understood.”
With a gentle demeanor, Bathram began to walk. As for me, I was just moving forward, unable to think of anything else. At this moment, that was all I could manage.