Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

178 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 11 / Investigating the Garden Part 1

「…I thought I said that I would take my leave.」

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…」

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 – 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.」

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-」

「There will not be a next time.」

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.

◇

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.」

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.」

「Same to you. It doesn’t seem like you have only Magical Energy. You a Floor Boss or somethin’?」

「Hmph.」

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…!」

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.」

「Bring it on! Let’s keep hitting each other until one of us can’t stand anymore!」

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…」

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?」

It was the Goblin Black Sorcerers who trained hard in the Elementary Level – 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.」

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?」

Much like me, he changes his tone when he’s in his Monster Avatar.

「Fine.」

「…Pardon?」

Almost robotically, she turns her head towards Ronove and company.

「I’ll destroy you all…then go to Wraith.」

「You’re really looking down on us.」

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.」

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!」

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.」

「…If I’m not mistaken, aren’t you a Hero?」

Ellie smiles broadly.

「What if I am?」

Ewan grimaced at the Undefeated Hero Ellie’s attack.

「I-I don’t understand. Why would an Adventurer be on the Monster side?」

「Does it matter?」

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.」

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.」

「…I am the Gale Hero Ewan…and I’ll win.」