Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

171 – The Tenth Stratum – 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.」

「If there is a need for it, I will.」

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.」

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.」

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.」

I land on the water column that she created.

「Yeah.」

「So what is the situation?」

「Forneus’s summoning is incomplete. I have not yet summoned Caim.」

「Ufufu, understood. On my honor as the Ruler of the Waters Vepar, I will buy you some time.」

「I’ll leave it to you.」

At that moment, the Water Hero Wraith joins the fray.

「Whoa, ocean. And Uncle Air is…still here, good.」

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.」

「Indeed we do, Mermaid lady. I’m happy to see you again, too bad I’m gonna have to defeat you again, too.」

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.」

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.」

「You guys did well holding out against Aerial’s attack.」

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.」

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?」

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.」

「Caim.」

「What is it, sir?」

「Over there.」

Caim saw where I pointed and immediately started moving.

「Fish men! Evasive maneuvers!」

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.」

I say to Caim.

「Let me down here.」

「As you wish.」

Caim descended to sea level and then let me down.

Right on a sand pathway that is barely there.

「…Hm.」

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.」

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.」

「Nothing.」

「Nothing?」

「If you insist… How about I show you darkness?」

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.