The battle between heroes and demon lords is a common trope in games, anime, and manga, with predictable plot developments.
However, witnessing the actual scene firsthand shatters such simple impressions.
“I’m amazed I can still laugh,” I muttered under my breath. My own voice sounded alien, as if it belonged to someone else. The spectacle before me was that far removed from reality.
The clash of light and darkness brought nothing but sheer destruction, filling the battlefield with only the sounds of explosions and concussive blasts. The sheer force of these explosions vibrated the very air and shook the buildings. The clash of light and darkness, the source of such impacts, easily shattered the barrier meant to protect the spectators, turning it to what looked like spun sugar. The aftermath threatened to sweep away the audience, but at the last moment, a being intervened.
“Is this what they mean by “as expected of the president”?! Is everyone alright?!”
The president, always sporting a smile, directly confronted the shockwave, deflecting the destructive violence. Not only was he dealing with the impact he himself generated, but he was also nullifying the damage inflicted by his opponent while fighting them. A truly incredible display of capability.
“Yes, I’m alright.”
“I’m fine too.”
“What in the world was that… I’m safe.”
“Ugh, I hit my head, but I’m fine.”
“Gulp, I’m alright too.”
“What about Katsu and Amelia?!”
“I’m okay! But Amelia’s been acting strange for a while.”
“! Ugh, my head hurts.”
However, the impact couldn’t be entirely nullified. Even the reduced shockwave delivered a considerable blow. Himik erected a barrier and reinforced the room, making our current situation likely easier to assess than our surroundings. From within our room, which hadn’t moved an inch, we could see the president intercepting Carter. The president stood on a platform that was no longer recognizable, his right hand a blur, moving at an impossibly high speed, parrying Carter’s attacks. With his left hand, he was re-erecting a barrier to defend against the light waves Carter generated.
It was a display that made one wonder how many things he was processing simultaneously. However, that barrier was easily shattered by the light of the Holy Sword Himik mentioned. The subsequent shockwave shook the spectator seats, and the light waves returned, only to be blocked by another newly erected barrier in a futile cycle. Amidst this, I called out to take roll, and confirmed everyone’s condition. Apart from Amelia, everyone was unharmed.
“Can you move?”
“Yeah, I… I think I can manage.”
Amelia, perhaps from hitting her head during the initial shock or affected by the recent flash of light, clutched her forehead with her left hand, her expression conveying pain.
“Don’t push yourself, Kitamiya, Katsu, support Amelia.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
Her appearance was clearly painful. Realizing it was unwise for her to move alone, I placed the close friends Kitamiya and the healing-capable Katsu by her side.
“Anything else, Minami, gather information. And keep an eye on our surroundings.”
“What kind of information should I gather in this situation… I suppose I have to, but Yura, it’s your turn now… no. I’m too scared of the magic to summon you.”
“Kaido, what about the guards at the entrance?”
“They’re down, sensei. Looks like they took the full impact of the first blow and are out cold.”
The sudden attack on the president, or rather, the Demon Lord. I doubted that man would act so recklessly without reason, so I had Minami watch for enemies from the perimeter while simultaneously gathering information. He grumbled and muttered, attempting to deploy detection magic and summon spirits, but the battle raging outside made the spirits too frightened to appear. The guards we relied on had been knocked unconscious by the residual effects of Carter’s indiscriminate strike. They were supposed to be capable guards, prepared by the supervisor, but light-based attacks from demons were likely fatal. Was it fortunate they were merely unconscious?
“I suppose asking ‘who is that guy’ is the standard procedure, but Himik, who is he?”
And so, the conversation turned to who exactly was launching such an attack. With such combat happening in close proximity, cautious action was impossible. What was needed now was information.
“He’s the Hero! Only those with the affinity to draw out the power of the Holy Sword can wield it!”
I interrupted Himik, who was busy maintaining the barrier to mitigate the battle’s aftershocks, borrowing his senses and knowledge to gather information. The answer I received was precisely what I had anticipated.
“So that’s it… Otherwise, he couldn’t unleash such divine light. Damn it, wasn’t he a vampire?”
“The possibility of a disguise is low. I definitely felt the presence of his own kind.”
Witnessing the impossible scene of a vampire wielding the Holy Sword, I voiced my confusion, but Memoria, a fellow vampire, confirmed that Carter was indeed a vampire.
“That makes it even more confusing… And the more I think about why a Hero would be with the Demon Lord’s Army, or why we didn’t notice, the deeper I’ll fall into a pit. So, for now, we’ll put aside his true identity. We’ll do what we can. Himik, with the Hero fighting and having to protect civilians, even the president might be at a disadvantage, right?”
“Yes, no matter how powerful the Demon Lord is, the Hero is a comparable being. If we remain on the defensive, cracks will eventually appear.”
“So, it’s not something that can be resolved immediately, but we should assume we have little time… In that case, our course of action becomes clear. Alright! Safety first, life is the most important thing! No matter the situation, it’s beyond our control! We’re getting out of here before we get involved in this cataclysmic conflict!!”
Hearing Himik’s words, as he desperately blocked attacks that clearly possessed immense power, I made an instant decision to retreat, shielding Suella in my arms while sweat dripped from my forehead. Who would willingly step into a battlefield like a kaiju battle? I had defeated a monster-like creature once, but comparing that to the scene before me now, it was on a completely different level. It was a battlefield even an instructor would find difficult to enter. I didn’t want to be a fool who would charge in for some childish notion of justice. The fact that the ripple effects of the attacks alone seemed to rival my full power was a mockery.
“I agree! This kind of battle is beyond impossible, it’s just plain impossible! Besides, with all this chaos, I can’t gather any useful information, so I think we should act quickly!”
“Is it alright to not assist to the president? We might get told off later… but then again, it’s obvious we’re the ones who need rescuing, right?”
“Idiot! What are you stating the obvious for? This isn’t a level where we can do anything! In fact, maybe the president can’t go all out because we’re here. Fleeing is a form of support!”
“For now, I agree with Minami. Let’s evacuate quickly. Amelia looks unwell too, is she alright?”
“Ugh, my head’s been hurting since earlier. Mike isn’t responding either. Why?”
It was good that Himik, our strongest asset, was unharmed. But injured, I was finding it difficult to walk, Suella was pregnant, and Amelia was experiencing physical distress. While it might not be wise to move recklessly, staying in the epicenter of a potential direct hit from the Hero’s attack was a greater risk. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have been so stubborn in my fight with Kizan, I lamented.
“Suella, what’s the closest safe place from here?”
“…If we can return to the company, we might be able to escape into another dungeon. This is an emergency. Even the company building isn’t guaranteed to be safe, so if we could escape into the dungeon of Lord Oni or Lord Undead, we could secure immediate safety. However…”
Even if we decided to move, we needed a plan of action. To avoid acting blindly, I asked Suella about possible safe zones within reach.
“The problem is that the person in charge of both is currently at that epicenter, isn’t it?”
Unfortunately, that plan also seemed unfeasible. Even from a distance, I could see beings moving with incredible agility behind the Demon Lord. There was an Oni carrying important figures from the VIP section, rescuing them from the shockwaves, and an Undead creating a barrier behind the Demon Lord to evacuate civilians. Other generals were also moving, each to avoid obstructing the Demon Lord’s fight. They seemed to understand their roles, and their actions were swift. It wasn’t a scene of utter chaos and screams only because beings of immense power were supporting the Demon Lord. However, this meant one less potential safe zone. This arena was a modification of the supervisor’s dungeon. The arena and the company building were directly connected, so even leaving this area wouldn’t guarantee complete safety within the company.
“In the worst case, I’ll have Kaido and the others escape outside the company.”
“Then what about you, Senpai?!”
“We’ll manage.”
Outside the company, where there was no magic, they should be able to shake off any pursuers. So, besides me, the other Testers could escape that way. The problem was Suella and the others, who required magic. Kaido, who clearly had no intention of abandoning Suella and the others, understood that I would remain inside the company to evacuate with them, and came to confirm our future plans. The dungeons they had considered were connected through dimensions. If they could evacuate to another dungeon, which had only one entrance, the impact of this battle would be minimized. And in the worst case, even if other enemies appeared, they wouldn’t have to worry about being targeted. That was Suella’s suggestion. However, the problem was that the person in charge of those dungeons, Instructor Kio and Instructor Fushio, were active on the front lines. It would be a struggle just to get into the dungeon’s entrance and receive protection, let alone flee to its deepest parts.
“Do you have an alternative?”
“…It’s a little dangerous, but there are other ways.”
As Suella was about to propose another plan, the battle situation changed first. Perhaps seizing a slight opening, the Demon Lord slammed Carter into the ground with magic. In an instant, a fraction of a second, he unleashed many parallel spells, using a high-volume tactic that seemed to crush rather than simply strike, gaining the upper hand. Carter appeared to be defending and enduring at the center of the magical vortex, but with a flash of the Holy Sword, he dispersed all the magic.
The roar and vibration of before suddenly ceased, replaced by silence filling the arena. This brief moment of peace allowed the spectators to rush towards the exits.
“Bad timing. The passages must be a mess.”
Minami, who had been on alert, likely checking the passage situation, reported first, like a traffic report, that the passages were congested with spectators.
“The ushers are useless. Spectators are flooding even the dedicated passages. If we go out now, we’ll definitely get caught in the chaos.”
We had missed our chance to escape. We hadn’t expected the battle to conclude so quickly, even for a moment, and we were indirectly trapped in the VIP room. Outside the room, which had been quiet moments ago, the sound of approaching noise could be heard. If we were to forcefully escape through brute force, it would undoubtedly lead to a riot. Knowing this, I had Kaido pull in the demon guards so they wouldn’t be trampled and my mind briefly considered the possibility of holding out.
“Teleportation Magic… it won’t work, will it?”
“No. This place is like being inside the supervisor’s body. Except for a few exceptions, Teleportation Magic is disabled.”
“So we’re cornered, Himik? Can you hold out a bit longer?”
“Yes, I can hold out for hours.”
Himik’s reliable response gave me some peace of mind. So, to at least be able to respond, I glanced towards the center of the problem. From a distance, they appeared to be conversing, but at this range, their voices were inaudible. However, their expressions were visible. They were smiling, as if chatting with close friends. One looked down from the platform, while the other looked up from the center of the arena. Although some spectators remained, the generals began to move to surround them. Carter, however, did not panic, continuing his dialogue with the Demon Lord. I silently prayed that nothing would happen, wondering what his confidence was, what he was plotting, and could only watch that scene.
Finally, the generals took their positions. Seven generals and the Demon Lord. Eight against one. Even experienced warriors like them would be in trouble with such a numerical disadvantage, I thought, but Carter showed no sign of panic. In fact, he even looked disappointed. As if saying, “I can’t do any more than this,” he shook his head. Facing the generals, whose murderous intent was palpable and ready to attack, and the Demon Lord, who seemed to ask, “Do you think you can escape?” Carter…
“!?”
“He disappeared?”
With a *swish*, he raised the Holy Sword towards the sky and unleashed a light, and then his figure vanished from the spot. What remained was the arena, bearing the marks of destruction, the generals looking around cautiously, and the president staring at the ceiling. Inside the room, everyone was bewildered, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The sudden battle, and its equally sudden conclusion. The storm-like violence had vanished as abruptly as a mirage.
“Is it over?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he teleported somewhere else.”
“Hmm, but my headache seems to have subsided… I think.”
The tensed thread snapped, and as someone sighed in relief, the atmosphere in the room lightened. Damage had been done, but it was over. The tumultuous competition had caused a major problem at the very end, but it had concluded.
However…
“Himik?”
“Master, it may not be over yet.”
Himik, who alone was staring at the ceiling like the president, believed this turmoil was not yet over. In fact, shortly after, an emergency order was issued within the company.
“A dungeon has been confirmed in the Karisetora Border Territory. Angels have been confirmed appearing from it. The Karisetora Border Territory has been judged as an enemy force. Effective immediately, the Demon Lord’s Army will enter a state of war.”
An event that would have a significant impact on us Testers. The Demon Lord’s Army was going to war.
Today’s word: “Seriously?!” is what I truly want to say, but I must face reality.
That’s all for this installment. If you found it interesting, please consider leaving reviews, ratings, and bookmarks.
*The first volume of the book has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The electronic book version is scheduled for release on October 31 of the same year. The content includes revisions and additions to the material posted on Novelizer ni Narou, with the inclusion of an unpublished interlude. We hope you will enjoy that as well.*
