Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

258 – 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『I won.』.

What did I write back to him? I think it was something like『I see.』or『Congrats.』.

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『Move as one as best you can.』rule.

In more detail, the『Advance 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.

『Luci 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.

『Now, 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.

『My apologies, but I’m on duty.』

Astrea flattens the attacking snow wolf with an invisible force.

『Holidays are important too, you know?』

『I have rested enough.』

『I’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.

『Your 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.

『You’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.

『All 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?」

It was Wraith.

「Ah, I’ll be right there.」

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?」

「It was hard, but I managed. Of course, the stronger they are, the harder it is to find a weakness.」

「Ahaha. But y’know, you’re an expert in finding a person’s weakness that they didn’t even know they had.」

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.」

I say with a sarcastic smile, to which Wraith confidently says this…

「Isn’t it usually a compliment to be called heartless in battle?」

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.」

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.」

Said Wraith as we were walking down the stairs.

「Hm? Oh no, of course I get nervous.」

「Hmm? But not like Josh or Melania. They’re practically shaking in their boots.」

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.」

「Or…you gained the confidence enough to stand against the Demon King without wavering.」

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.」

「Ahaha, that’s good to know.」

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!」

The day of our match was fast approaching.

The Demon King party that we will fight is…