We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Hero’s Return
“Oraaaa!!”
I swung down my thick greatsword with all my might.
However, the Death Spirit Knight easily blocked my attack with the longsword in its right hand.
The moment the Death Spirit Knight’s attention turned to me, Listea swung her Flame Holy Sword from the other side.
But this too was blocked by the shield the Death Spirit Knight held to its left.
The Holy Sword’s flames licked at the Death Spirit Knight’s shield and armor, but they didn’t seem to be having much effect.
“As usual, its damned defensive power is infuriating.”
Even though it’s just cursed armor possessed by spirits, it boasts a defensive power comparable to mine.
“Slattone, leave this to me!”
Listea continued to swing her Holy Sword, drawing the Death Spirit Knight’s attention.
“You’re weak, but you sure have a lot of defensive power and stamina, you damn demon race!”
I tried to attack by exploiting the opening while Listea was fighting it head-on, but it reacted quickly and dodged. With that, I gave up on attacking it and retreated for now.
I have no choice but to leave the Death Spirit Knight to Listea. I can’t afford to be caught up with troublesome opponents right now.
I looked around again and clicked my tongue.
“Did I not make it in time…?”
Black smoke was now rising from various places in the Armēdo Kingdom’s Royal Capital.
The alarm bells were ringing. Unpleasant sounds of screams, shouts, and explosions reached me from afar.
I knew the Royal Capital was in danger. But I never imagined the demons would move this quickly!
No, that’s not it. This is the result of our own negligence. The crisis in the Royal Capital was something vague and with an unknown deadline.
We didn’t know when or at what time the demons would attack. All we knew was that they would definitely appear.
We obtained crucial information in the ancient ruins of the Yorttenitos Kingdom in the east. And as we carefully examined the gathered intelligence, we realized the possibility of demons appearing in the Armēdo Kingdom as well.
But who could have predicted that not just a few demons, but an entire army would attack!
It’s not that we were complacent knowing there was a demon threat.
We believed we had returned as quickly as we could.
But in hindsight, it was our negligence that led to this being too late.
If only we had felt a greater sense of urgency. If only we had recognized it as a pressing issue.
There was a way to return at maximum speed. If we had borrowed the help of the Wyvern Knight Order, we could have returned in just a few days.
However, I was the one who refused that option. Was this the result of my own selfishness?
I grit my teeth and stared at the tragic scene in the Royal Capital.
Id, the Dragon Race individual who accompanied us, has already gone ahead into the Royal Capital.
It’s frustrating, but his combat prowess is on another level. He has the ability to ravage the demons on his own.
Now that a demon attack is confirmed, it’s more efficient for him to act individually rather than stay with us.
Id was also enthusiastic about defeating the demons and sped off.
Right now, we need as many fighters as possible.
Unfortunately, the Human Race’s army is unreliable.
Ordinary humans struggle even against low-level demons.
How many people in this Royal Capital can resist the demons?
Can the Adventurer’s Guild, the Battle Priestesses, priest-warriors, and Kingdom Knight Order, with just a few elite individuals, counter the entire Royal Capital, let alone the overflowing demons?
Under the cloudy sky, I gazed at the Royal Capital, which was being dyed in an ominous color.
“Slattone…”
Creacio looked up at me with a troubled expression.
“We didn’t make it in time. But there are still things we can do. Think about what we should accomplish!”
Listea shouted while facing the Death Spirit Knight.
That’s right. It’s not too late for regret after everything is over. We just have to do what only we can do with all our might now!
I let out a war cry and refocused my spirit.
“Alright! Slattone, you’ve got your energy back! This is just the beginning, you know.”
Naimi imitated me and let out an enthusiastic war cry.
“Leave the Death Spirit Knight to me for now!”
Listea’s Holy Sword roared.
Against the impenetrable Death Spirit Knight, it would take time to defeat it no matter how many people attacked. But conversely, it’s a defense-specialized unit, and its attacks aren’t that fearsome.
It’s probably about the strength of a Royal Knight.
In that case, it would be better for us to split up and have Listea, who can attack with fire even if her blade is blocked, handle it, while we take on other tasks.
“Naimi, Kiiri, Inea, head to the Great Shrine! Many people should be taking refuge there due to this disturbance.”
“The Great Consecration will likely begin soon.”
“Then, Kiiri and the others will help with that. Naimi, escort them to the Shrine.”
“Leave it to me!”
“For the Great Consecration, the more priestesses, the better.”
Following Cerise’s instructions, Naimi and the others moved around.
“What about Cerise?”
Cerise replied to Creacio’s question, “I will assist Listea.”
Normally, Naimi and the others would puff out their cheeks and cause a fuss here, but now is not the time for leisurely enjoyment.
Naimi and the others had already taken off running swiftly.
As the three of them departed, Creacio looked up at me again.
“I’m going to check on the ruins.”
“Hey!”
I told Listea, who was parrying the Death Spirit Knight’s attacks while glaring at me, that it was alright.
“I won’t overdo it. It’s just reconnaissance. I just need to confirm if these demons are really emerging from the ruins.”
“Is that true?”
“Hey, hey. Even I understand that I can’t fight against an army of demons, right? Besides, I have a trump card.”
“…You mean that? But you haven’t fully controlled it yet, have you?”
Cerise looked at me skeptically about my trump card, and I grinned.
“The reason we were late in the first place was because I requested time to control it. Don’t worry, in a pinch, I can even let it go berserk. It shouldn’t be a problem for demons.”
“Slattone!”
Creacio screamed beside me.
Letting that go berserk also means my own life is in danger.
“Don’t worry. I told you, it’s just reconnaissance for now. I won’t use my trump card unless I’m surrounded by demons.”
A trump card is only effective when saved for the very end.
I still haven’t found the demon’s boss. If possible, I want to use my trump card on the boss.
“So, I’m going to take a quick look at the ruins. Therefore, Creacio, you stay here and assist Listea and Cerise.”
“I refuse!”
She refused with a strong tone.
She’s really stubborn.
“You’re just going for reconnaissance, right? Then I’ll go with you. You can’t see inside the ruins just by looking from the outside, can you? I’ll use my curse magic to probe inside.”
“Tsk. I can’t help it.”
She’s stubborn, but she’s also cute. She doesn’t want to be away from me even for a moment.
I nodded to Creacio and left them to their “lovebird” moment, then took off running.
My destination is the ancient ruins in the southeastern part of the Royal Capital.
We are currently near the eastern triumphal arch, so we just need to head south.
I ran through the Royal Capital, matching Creacio’s stride.
I shouted instructions to the residents who had been left behind, telling them to evacuate to the Shrine.
Then, as undead soldiers and skeleton soldiers began to appear in droves, Creacio and I hid behind buildings.
Skeleton soldiers are nothing but cannon fodder. They can be easily defeated. However, at this moment, we have more important things to prioritize than annihilating demons.
We moved from shadow to shadow, searching for the presence of demons.
As we headed south, the number of demons gradually increased.
A large number of demons had already infiltrated the Royal Capital. It wouldn’t be just a hundred or two hundred. The abnormal situation of so many demons appearing from the south sent a shiver down my spine.
Why did the demons attack?
What is their objective?
Weren’t they blocked by Dragon Peak in the west, and unable to come this way!?
Thinking about it without any clues is pointless.
I took Creacio’s hand and we arrived at the ancient ruins in the southeastern part of the Royal Capital.
We hid in the bushes and surveyed the entrance to the ruins.
I had visited these ruins so many times last year that I was sick of it.
Not only for school excursions but also for investigations when demons and magic sword users appeared, I had visited them to the point of sighing.
So, not only the inside of the ruins but also the surrounding terrain were all vividly etched in my mind.
Where to hide to avoid being seen. Which position is best for reconnaissance.
Taking up a suitable position, I held my breath and observed the ruins.
The Yorttenitos Kingdom also had ancient ruins with a similar structure. In the deepest part of those ruins, a high-ranking demon was summoning low-level demons.
We defeated the demon who was also the mastermind behind the priestess disappearance incident. And then we realized something.
Two ruins with similar structures. If so, would demons be summoned from this ruin as well?
It was this fear that made us return…
I never imagined that an uncountable number of demons would swarm out!
Even Listea and I could never have predicted something like this.
“Hey, Slattone.”
As I was stealthily observing the entrance to the ruins, Creacio, who was quietly performing curse magic beside me, tugged at my clothes.
Her cute gesture almost made me want to push her down.
We were in the bushes. No one was watching.
“Slattone, I’m going to hit you?”
“Oh, oh, what is it?”
She’s terrifying. It seems she can see right through my thoughts.
I don’t want to get hit, so I listened to Creacio.
“Perhaps all the demons have been summoned?”
“Oh?”
Now that she mentions it, the demons emerging from the ruins were indeed becoming sparse.
“I investigated the inside of the ruins, but there aren’t many demons left inside.”
“The summoning point is, as expected, that room?”
I brought up the map of the ruins in my mind and found a space similar to the deepest part of the Yorttenitos Kingdom’s ancient ruins.
“Probably that room. Thinking back on it, only that room had a strange light on, didn’t it?”
“Yeah. I never would have thought that room was equipped for summoning demons.”
Creacio nodded.
After observing for a while, I stood up.
For now, there was no sign of demons around the ruins. All the demons that appeared had headed towards the Royal Capital.
I was concerned about the state of the Royal Capital, where the demon army had gone…
“Alright, I’m going into the ruins.”
“Eh!?”
Creacio exclaimed in surprise and tugged strongly at my clothes.
“What are you thinking? Reconnaissance is over, isn’t it? We should go and help Listea and the others.”
“Ah, I would like to, but it’s still unclear whether all the demons have been summoned. However, if we destroy the equipment in that room now, we won’t have to worry about it anymore, right?”
“Wait a minute. Even if they have been summoned, there are still a few demons left inside the ruins.”
“I’ll kick them aside, that’s all.”
“It’s dangerous!”
I placed my hand on Creacio’s shoulder as she raised her voice.
“I told you. I won’t overdo it. If it’s impossible, I’ll just turn back. You go back to Listea and the others first.”
“Absolutely not!”
She refused with a fierce look. I felt a little flustered.
It’s rare for Creacio to speak so strongly.
“If you’re going, I’m going too.”
“No, but…”
“You won’t overdo it, right?”
“You bet!”
“Then, protecting me should be easy for you, right?”
“…That’s true.”
Is it love? It’s definitely love!
Creacio is so infatuated with me that she absolutely doesn’t want to be apart.
Helplessly, I entered the ruins with Creacio.
I raised my thick greatsword and gathered my ki.
The light blue jewel embedded in the blade glowed faintly, enveloping the entire greatsword.
Infusing my entire body with ki, I kicked off the floor inside the ruins.
In the first large room inside the ruins, I was immediately confronted by three skeleton soldiers. However, they were instantly annihilated by my brilliant swordsmanship.
“Don’t be reckless!”
I responded to Creacio’s words from behind by swinging my greatsword and ran towards our destination.
“Creacio, you stay back!”
“I refuse! I won’t leave you alone!”
“Damn it!”
“You’re almost there to destroy the room, aren’t you?”
“That’s true, but…”
Creacio knelt behind me, chanting curse magic. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead from using too much curse power earlier.
I continued to fend off the demons while protecting Creacio.
Damn it, damn it!
Again.
My wrong judgment has worsened the battle situation once again.
There was a possibility that all the demons had been summoned. Therefore, I decided to destroy the equipment immediately. With an easy judgment, I put Creacio’s life in danger.
We reached our destination, avoiding the remaining demons inside the ruins. I tried to destroy the room, which appeared to be for rituals, using the technique of my newly acquired, powerful Curse Power Sword. However, perhaps due to some powerful enchantment, my blow, which could shatter rocks, was not very effective.
No matter how many times I slashed at the walls and ceiling, only deep sword marks remained. Still, each time I struck, cracks began to spread from the damaged areas.
But just as I thought I could break it.
The demons began to swarm out again.
Although not in large numbers, we made a misjudgment when demons began to appear at irregular intervals.
Just a little more. I can almost destroy the room. Even while dealing with the demons, I can accomplish this.
That judgment was too lenient.
The room, which seemed like it would collapse but wouldn’t.
Overwhelmed by the gradually increasing number of demons, Creacio’s curse power was also approaching its limit.
My repeated misjudgments have put Creacio’s life in danger.
I struck the demons before me with the anger welling up within myself.
A headless knight was cut in half and collapsed.
“You weaklings, you’re an eyesore!”
My thick greatsword glowed blue. The light enveloping the blade expanded, transforming into a blade of light several times larger than the sword itself.
With the giant curse power blade, I swept away several approaching demons at once. The blade also hit the room’s wall, leaving a deep gash.
“Creacio, don’t push yourself anymore!”
“You idiot! Your curse power sword can’t exert its full power without my assistance!”
“Damn this room! Break already!”
I swung the even larger blade.
Debris began to fall from the ceiling.
However, the demons, which continued to appear, pressed in, forcing us into a defensive battle.
The blade of light, made of curse power, disappeared, and instead, I thrust the blade, which emitted a blue light originating from my ki, into a Death Spirit that was rapidly descending from overhead. It then dissipated like mist and the Death Spirit vanished.
I swept away skeletons and rotting corpses, and crushed Death Spirit Knights along with their armor.
Behind me, Creacio was breathing heavily, more so than before.
She’s at her limit. If she consumes any more curse power, it will be life-threatening!
I will absolutely not let Creacio die!
For that purpose…
I cast my gaze down at the shadow at my feet.
Normally, I couldn’t use it in such a confined space.
But…
This is a time of judgment, concerning our future, which I have faced countless times.
I cannot afford to make another mistake.
If I misjudge again, it will take not only my life but also Creacio’s.
What should I do?
At that moment, new information appeared for my decision.
The appearance of demons ceased.
I don’t know why, but demons don’t appear continuously. They sometimes pause like this.
Fortunately, due to fighting desperately for a long time, there were no demons around.
Now, I might be able to escape with Creacio in my arms.
I couldn’t destroy the ruins’ equipment, but my top priority is Creacio’s life and safety.
If that’s the case, I can just retreat for now and bring Listea or someone else later.
This time, I won’t misjudge!
I decided to retreat and turned my heel.
However…
“Nice, nice.”
An ominous chill that made my entire body shudder ran through me, and I looked back at the innermost room where demons had been spawning.
It was someone different from before.
Not a weak demon like undead soldiers, skeleton soldiers, or Death Spirit Knights.
Someone who had appeared without me noticing. A young man with an appearance that, in the ordinary scenery of a peaceful city, would be mistaken for a nobleman, suddenly appeared.
And with ecstatic eyes, he stared at me and grinned creepily.
A high-ranking demon!!
Human beings cannot discern species. However, my instincts sounded the alarm for full alert.
An unusual presence. Although he didn’t exude miasma, he radiated a killing intent so sharp it felt like it could cut me.
The young man, who appeared to be a high-ranking demon, drew the magic sword at his waist as the young man and I stiffened with a shiver. And then he lunged at me!
Fast!
He attacked with a speed that was mistaken for teleportation. The speed and sharp slashes were so intense that I was forced to take a step back.
I, retreat?
I have absolute confidence in my defense. That I, even unintentionally, would step back from a sword strike.
“Damn it!”
In retaliation, I struck down with my greatsword, but the demon dodly blocked it with his skillful swordsmanship.
“I could tell at a glance. You’re a human with excellent sword spirit. I can’t hold myself back anymore.”
The demon, who gazed at me with an unsettling, enraptured look, unleashed a sharp slash towards me.
“Slattone!”
Creacio screamed from behind.
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