Trisen Castle
Trisen Castle’s left wing, within the Dragon Rider Corps Headquarters, dragon roars echoed. The battle here, in a branch castle built atop a valley where dragons soared, was fought by Sabato’s party, led by Gaun. After breaking through the main gate with Gerard and Dan, Sabato and his companions had split off and advanced towards the Dragon Rider Corps Headquarters.
“An adult dragon went that way! Goma, incapacitate it without killing if possible!”
“I know! It seems the main Dragon Rider Corps force has become our allies!”
Goma dodged the adult dragon’s claw attack and the thrust from a dragon rider mounted on a dragon. The dragon rider, realizing his strike had been dodged, clicked his tongue, only to be sent flying by Goma’s flying kick aimed directly at his face. The adult dragon left behind briefly worried about its rider, but it didn’t last long. Flowing from the flying kick, Goma’s heel drop slammed into the dragon’s forehead with enough power to knock it unconscious.
“Amazing, Goma-sama!”
“Never mind me, Aggas, assist Guin. Even as remnants, there are adult dragons mixed with lesser dragons and young dragons. Guin alone…”
“Impossible! Master Aggas, help, help!”
“Show a little more manly spirit…”
Aggas sighed at Guin, who was fleeing in panic from the adult dragon, and went to his rescue. The Dragon Rider Corps had only a small number of remaining soldiers. However, as the saying goes, a cornered beast fights hardest, and these dragons were no different; they couldn’t let their guard down until the very end.
“Damn you demi-humans! Lying through your teeth!”
“Surround them! It’s time to show our true strength!”
“Seriously, no matter how much I explain, they won’t listen. This is troublesome. Well, it’s far better than the other side, though…”
Sabato looked towards the eastern sky, where he could see two colossal giants, as if grasping the heavens, battling two giant dragons. It was not a level of battle where Sabato and his companions could intervene. However, if he couldn’t contend with them, he would never be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with his great father, the Beast King. It was a path he had to take someday, yet it was a steep and distant one.
“Don’t get distracted during battle! And they wouldn’t just surrender so easily from a sudden loud shout like that. You’ve only made them more cautious.”
“Why?! I was just telling them Azgrad defected—Hey, don’t clench your fist! If you’re going to hit someone, hit the enemy, not me!”
“Sabato, you need to work on your directness, which seems more foolish than your actual skill.”
“I’m doing my best with this head! More importantly, something dangerous is coming.”
“Sigh, you’re right…”
Sabato pointed upwards, and there was a white dragon whose power was clearly different from the others. Not only the dragons but also the surrounding dragon riders seemed surprised. What this meant, whether it was an unforeseen situation for the enemy, was unclear at the moment. However, Sabato and Goma, both A-Rank adventurers, could tell at a glance. That it was a creature far stronger than themselves.
“Heh, opportunities come sooner than I thought. Goma! If we defeat that guy, S-Rank won’t be a dream for us, right!?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself… Huh?”
“What’s wrong? You’re unusually hesitant for you! If you’re not going, I’ll go first!”
Sabato, who was about to rush forward, was slammed against the castle wall by Goma’s backhand.
“Wha—You… doing that in the middle of a battle, that’s not fair…”
“Quiet. It seems the battle here is over.”
Sabato, bruised and battered, protested, but Goma showed no inclination to accept his complaints. On the contrary, she signaled with her eyes for him to get up quickly. Sabato, feeling a sense of injustice, stood up and shifted his gaze to the dragon in the sky, and after a moment, he understood its meaning.
“You lot, cease your battle with those Gaun members!”
“A-A-Army General Azgrad!?”
A cry came from the silver dragon, and the soldiers were in confusion at the sudden return and order from Azgrad, who had been missing on the battlefield.
“G-General, thank goodness you are unharmed!”
“However, these are invaders…”
“Shut up! I don’t have time to explain! Just follow me!”
(( (Wha—) ))
His explanation was even more overbearing than Sabato’s.
“I’ll accept your complaints later! Your answer!?”
“Y-Yes! Understood!”
“Alright!”
Azgrad forcefully rallied his subordinates through sheer will. The white dragon carrying him, Rozaria, had an indescribable expression.
“Azgrad, can’t you explain things a little more rationally?”
“That’s Shutra’s role. It doesn’t suit my style. I’ll do things my way.”
“Sigh, you haven’t changed since you were little… Now, let’s go to them.”
Rozaria made a sharp dive and landed where Sabato and the others were.
“Yo, you’re the adventurers Kelvin was talking about, right? Wait, aren’t you Sabato and Goma? …Sabato’s pretty beaten up.”
“I was attacked by this violent woman!”
“You may disregard that. Rather, please ignore it. More importantly, you were the reinforcement, Prince Azgrad. It’s strange to attack your own castle…”
“Ah, there are various circumstances on my end. Many of my subordinates are the type who can’t rest until they repay their debts. Well, I’m going along with it too.”
“You seem to be quite the battle enthusiast, as always.”
“Indeed. I’m grateful you didn’t kill my subordinates or my dragons. But, I’m afraid I don’t have time right now. We’ll argue later—”
Suddenly, a pale blue light spread across the sky. Azgrad, Rozaria, Goma, and a revived Sabato turned their eyes towards the top floor of Trisen Main Castle, the source of the light. Sabato and his party, who had witnessed Kelvin’s Ascension Ceremony, recognized this scene and immediately figured out the source of the light.
“Hey, isn’t that the Shrine Maiden’s barrier I saw during Pars’s Mock Battle?”
“It’s definitely Delamis’s Shrine Secret Art, but—”
“Yeah, and on top of that, what is that dark presence? Father, why do I feel such power from you…!”
Above the divine barrier Collet was casting, an evil force was swelling from the summit of the Main Castle.
～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
Trisen Castle – Summit
With Collet’s assistance, Kelvin and Rion, having shaken off Shutra, arrived at the circular rooftop at the very tip of the Main Castle’s top floor. Shutra had mentioned preparations for a ceremony, but there were no festive decorations. Instead, there was only a sterile floor and a solemn throne overlooking the cityscape. Seated there was the King of Trisen, Zel Trisen.
“Quite the intimidating presence, King.”
“… ‘Grim Reaper’?”
The throne was positioned facing away from the entrance to this floor. Naturally, Zel had his back to Kelvin, who was near the entrance, but he made no move to change his posture, with his arms resting on the throne’s armrests and his hand propping his cheek.
“I’ll ask just in case, but are you planning to surrender? The soldiers within the castle have been mostly subdued, and your proud army has lost its function. Only you, the King, remain.”
“Surrender? Kukuku, you say the funniest things. I enjoyed it to some extent, but I was never relying on the strength of my pawns. As long as I am here… No, that was different for Shutra. She must be useful as the mother for building a true lineage, inheriting my awakened power, kukuku.”
Zel stood up with a laugh and turned towards Kelvin and Rion. His eyes were dyed black, no longer human.
“Next, I will kill you and the people of Delamis, and my beloved Shutra will bear my new child. Now, Grim Reaper, from today, fear will rule the world. My army, imbued with demonic power, will destroy, trample, and lead to ruin!”
“Ah, I don’t particularly care for that sort of thing.”
—ZUSSS!
“Hm?”
A blue spear shot out from Zel’s chest. It was Melfina’s Sacred Spear Luminary, a spiraling lance.
“Banish evil, Luminary.”
Hiding the magic circle that appeared with Melfina’s summon, she launched a surprise attack from behind. The spear’s spiral began to rotate with a *kiiin* sound, and the released blue radiance eventually enveloped Zel. The Sacred Spear Luminary possessed the power to purify the target’s malice. While it lost its lethal power when unleashing this ability, it was a divine spear with influence that could transform a wicked person into a good one, in a sense, altering their personality drastically. It was extremely powerful, and for fear of the gods not imposing undue influence on the world, there were many restrictions on its use. —Or so it should have been, but Melfina unleashed it with full force.
“This magic power… Who are you!?”
“Oh, you seem to have awakened completely.”
As Melfina withdrew the spear and leaped back, the light surrounding Zel diminished.
‘My Lord, I apologize. It seems he is beyond saving. He has awakened as the Demon King.’
‘No, that will allow me to face General Dan. It is confirmed that he is the Demon King.’
‘Yes, as God, I declare him the Demon King Zel.’
Kelvin’s lips curved into a smile upon seeing the words “Tenma Hajun” inscribed on Zel’s Status.
