The president’s declaration was very encouraging, but upon calm reflection, we were about to fight a being who would be called the Demon Lord.
My cheeks involuntarily twitched, my heart began to pound, and I found myself in a state of extreme tension.
Though I maintained a composed facade, it was as clear as day that my current strength would be insufficient.
“Hahaha! Don’t be so nervous. I won’t do anything like take you and eat you. Relax, relax.”
Perhaps sensing my unease, the president offered me a smile and encouraging words, telling me to take a deep breath.
My armor was on, and my body was warmed up. The problem lay with my heart.
As the president instructed, I took several deep breaths, but my elevated state persisted, and my heart continued to pound uncontrollably. I was filled with anxiety about how far my strength would actually take me.
“Hmm, not very effective, was it?”
“Sorry.”
Perhaps my inner turmoil showed on my face, as the president offered a wry smile. I sincerely apologized, and he quickly turned his wry smile into a full one.
“Oh no, I felt the same way when I challenged stronger opponents like you in the past. Ah, nostalgia!”
I thought the Demon Lord must have fought such beings himself in the past, but seeing the president so fondly reminiscing, I suddenly realized what kind of hellish experiences he must have endured, which made his current composure understandable.
“Oh, but let’s set aside the memories of fighting alongside Raidou and the previous Demon Lord.”
The Demon Lord uttered a very curious phrase just then, but I decided it was best to ignore it, sensing that dwelling on it might prove problematic.
“While it’s enjoyable to continue chatting like this, I’m regrettably a busy person, and I’ve had to somehow carve out this time.”
As if unconcerned with my feelings, theSmiling, handsome president suddenly shifted the atmosphere.
“What!?”
A shiver ran down my spine. I almost doubted if the being standing before me was truly alive.
“I shall enjoy this to the fullest.”
He merely stood there, yet the oppressive aura was palpable. The air itself vibrated. At the mere sight of him, my resolve wavered, and the thought that victory was impossible flashed through my mind. I shook my head to banish it. He was a being who seemed to force such understanding upon you.
“Yes, to achieve this in just one year, it’s quite remarkable.”
Despite the overwhelming situation, the president merely smiled, looking pleased. He regarded me gently, as if watching something endearing, even showing a hint of encouragement before a battle.
“You can be confident. Being able to smile in my presence is more significant than you think.”
This was the stance of a true powerhouse, and more importantly, it was my own stance that pleased this powerful president. Perhaps affected by the president’s spirit, my body responded, naturally composing itself. Despite my pounding heart, my mind grew calm, and a fighting grin spread across my face. My body declared that I was ready to fight at any moment.
“Thank you.”
It was because he had brought me to this state that I could genuinely thank him for his words.
“It seems you’re ready. Can you grasp it?”
Nodding with satisfaction at my response, the president shifted his gaze and asked me, without specifying what. His line of sight was directed at my Ore Tree. It was no longer pure white, but had taken on a faint, snow-dusted hue. According to the report, it was rumored to have incorporated the bones of a dragon, an ancient one at that. The moment I grasped it in the dungeon, its roots had extended, drawing my blood, and it had been nourished with dragon’s blood. Just hearing about that process would likely sound terrifying. Suella, Memoria, Himik, and Evia-san were all looking at me with concern. I offered them a smile, not the battle-ready grin I had just worn, but my usual one.
“Of course.”
Without hesitation, I stepped towards the Ore Tree and grasped its hilt. I didn’t know what awaited me. Perhaps something even more intense than before would happen. Perhaps I might even die. The thought flashed through my mind for a moment. But this was my partner. What was the point of being afraid of my partner? Amidst the watchful eyes of the surrounding staff, I pulled it out. This time, there was no sudden extension of roots; the Ore Tree simply pulsed softly once. As if it had been waiting, it vibrated with a single, happy beat.
“President, I’m ready.”
I smiled at my partner, who was displaying its will more clearly than usual. I swung the Ore Tree a few times, producing a whistling sound, and became accustomed to its significantly lighter feel. Turning back to the president, I announced my readiness.
“Is that so? Yes, in a fight against you, your jacket would be a hindrance.”
The president, still in his suit, loosened his tie slightly and handed his jacket to Instructor Fushio, who was standing nearby, before walking towards the center. I followed suit. It wasn’t attire suited for battle. Yet, his back, his form. At first glance, his posture seemed full of openings. But I knew that even with such a demeanor, no attack could penetrate him. His walk, which seemed to negate any preconceived notion, made cold sweat trickle down my back. Even as I told myself not to lose mentally, I could only smile at the thought of a future where victory seemed impossible. Facing him directly made that future even more difficult to imagine. However, deep within my heart, I felt excitement for the battle that was about to begin. Surrendering from the outset was out of the question. Was I to fight intending to lose? No, absolutely not. To fight with such an intention would be absurd. It was no laughing matter. Such an opportunity would never come again. So, instead…
“Oh, you’ve changed your demeanor.”
“Yes, I want to win against the president, no, I *will* win.”
“Oh, that’s good. It reminds me of Raidou and the others back then. Seeing that fighting spirit alone makes this match worthwhile.”
My honest desire to win, conveyed with palpable spirit, was met with polite applause. It wasn’t mockery; I could tell from his words and expression that it was genuine praise.
“But I am, after all, the Demon Lord. I won’t make it easy for you.”
As if bestowing a reward for my praise, the president unleashed another level of his power. If the air before was trembling, what could I call this? It felt as though gravity was acting horizontally, crushing my body. This pressure was solely from his pure magic power. The source of this power, the president, maintained his smiling expression. I rejoiced at the fact that he would take me seriously, even though he wasn’t going all out.
“Now then, come forth and challenge me!”
With the president spreading his arms wide and declaring that he was ready anytime, the battle commenced. Now that the curtain had risen…
“Hah!”
It was time to attack!
“Ooh, bold move!”
All out from the start, I amplified my magic power, strengthened my body, and accelerated my thoughts. From here on, it was a battle of wits, and I was operating at full sensory capacity. Honestly, challenging the president, who was unlikely to be careless or complacent, head-on was an act of suicide. However, I doubted that any cunning tricks would work. I judged that a direct assault with brute force would be more effective than employing strategies and falling behind. Sprinting towards the delighted president, I left the scenery behind, tore through the wind, and ran through a world that seemed to have stopped time. My condition wasn’t just good; it was far better than good. My body felt light. I knew there was still more to achieve. Even as I exerted my full strength, I felt reserves.
“Hmph!”
Though surprised by this dragon’s power, I felt confident that even this strength wouldn’t be enough against the president, and I unhesitatingly swung the Ore Tree downwards from an upper stance. In terms of speed, power, and sharpness, it was the best attack I had ever executed. However…
“Oh, faster than I expected and it’s heavy.”
I had surpassed his expectations, but that was all. I had no time to rejoice in that fact. The slash that tore through the space was deflected horizontally with a sound like a light tap. The president’s expression showed surprise, but no alarm. My attack, which had merely surpassed his expectations, was still well within his capacity to handle. It was as easy for him as crushing a beetle. The fact that he accomplished this with a slender, white, elegant hand was almost comical. However, I hadn’t expected a straightforward attack to land in the first place. A Demon Lord was not a being that could be defeated so easily. Without being shocked by my deflected attack, I chose my next action from my high-speed thought process and acted with lightning reflexes. In less than a millisecond, perhaps even less, making it appear as if there were multiple slashes to the untrained eye, I entered the realm of swordplay. My attack was guided towards the ground, but I didn’t let it end there. The moment I perceived the deflection, I moved my feet, twisted my wrist, and flowed my force vector in a U-turn. This was my signature move, the Swallow Return. Its blade, unhesitatingly and with lethal intent, bore down on the president’s neck.
“I see, so that’s how it is.”
If I created distance, my offensive power would decrease. And was this distance safe? If asked, it was not. It was like being at the eye of a storm, directly beneath it. This was the place where I could exert my maximum power. Choosing to create distance would be tantamount to death.
“Taking risks to secure a win. Yes, that’s a good judgment. When abilities are comparable to yours and mine, playing defensively means zero chance of victory.”
Responding to the storm with a storm of my own, my attacks, accelerated by the dragon’s blood and amplified in power, cutting through all things, had almost evolved into a natural phenomenon of a tempest of swordplay. But was it merely a gentle breeze to the president? So far, he had been dealing with me using only his right hand.
“I’ve seen your courage to pursue a one-in-a-hundred chance. Now then, let’s see how you handle being on the offensive. Try not to get crushed.”
Even in the face of this reality, I couldn’t afford to let up my attack. If I did, it was obvious I would be consumed by his attack. However, this didn’t mean…
“!?!”
“Oh, could you avoid that? Remarkable.”
I wasn’t able to continue attacking indefinitely. It was like a whisper of a bug, an intuitive sensation that made me evade. It wasn’t a large movement, and it didn’t necessarily mean sacrificing my offensive rights to the extent of exposing a major opening, but I judged that this action was correct and created significant distance. In reality, that action was indeed correct. The magical blade forming in the president’s left hand, though crudely formed and appearing no more than of a short sword’s caliber, instantly chilled my warmed-up body to the bone with a single swing. However, I had not even a second to spare in stunned silence. In mere fractions of a second, I renewed my resolve, re-aligned my Ore Tree.
“Hmm, one year feels like a short time, but for someone like you, it seems long. I may have to reassess my evaluation of you slightly.”
The distance had increased. Approximately ten meters. This distance, with my current state, could be closed not in a single step, but literally in an instant. However, that mere ten meters felt farther than ten thousand. I had never felt this way even when fighting the instructor. It took so much effort to take just one step. This was the Demon Lord. The tension was so great that it felt like it would rip out all my nerves just by attacking once. Normally, such a full-powered attack would only result in a light sweat, but now, sweat was profusely dripping from my body. It was as if every drop of moisture in my body was about to be released. But I didn’t have the luxury of worrying about it. No, I had subconsciously realized that the time I could exert myself to the fullest was running out.
“Suuu.”
“Oh?”
I disrupted the president’s casual attempt to start walking. Infused with such spirit…
“KIEEYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
I unleashed the Monkey’s Roar. My scream, echoing in the training hall, showed a drastically improved performance thanks to the dragon’s blood. The monkey’s roar was comparable to a dragon’s roar. It vibrated the air, demonstrating physical interference capability. And…
“Good, I wanted to see more of you. All right, let’s continue for a while longer.”
Dispelling the cowardly fear, I mustered my courage, invigorated my trembling legs, and charged at the president once more. The president, watching me with apparent delight, swung his magical blade at the Ore Tree. *Clang!* Despite being a magical blade, the sound of metal against metal echoed as we swung and clashed with full force. He was likely matching my strength. While I swung desperately, he met it with a smile, using a smaller sword than mine. And…
“!?!”
“I wouldn’t recommend letting your guard down yet.”
With any lapse in my guard, the president’s unrestrained strike relentlessly chipped away at my nerves. But why was it…
“Kaha!”
My excitement was growing. He was strong. Impossibly strong. A fierce desire to win welled up from the bottom of my heart. How could I win? What should I do to win? My mind urged me to think, adrenaline flooding my brain, proposing and rejecting countless methods. I knew I couldn’t win by simply acting recklessly. Then, I had no choice but to steadily accumulate even a less than one-percent chance of victory.
“Ore Tree, connect!!”
That’s why, at this precipice, on the verge of being cornered, I made this choice. The Ore Tree extended its roots and wrapped around my arm. Finally, I saw a look of surprise on the president’s face. Now, here comes the second round!
Today’s Word: Give it your all. Such opportunities are rare.
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*The first volume of this novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
An e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year.
Volume two was released on December 19.
Volume three was released on February 20, 2019.
The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with the addition of unreleased interlude chapters.
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A manga adaptation is being serialized in Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
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