Chapter 6: Holding a Wedding
For the first time since he arrived in this world, Diablo had spent the whole night wide awake in bed...
The next day—
Before the morning mist had a chance to clear, the music of flutes and harps could be heard. The Elves were probably preparing for the wedding ceremony.
Diablo sat up, turning his gaze to the door. Rose, the Magimatic Maid, was standing against the wall, bowing at him politely.
“Good morning, Master. Are there any problems with Master’s physical condition?”
So long as Diablo was awake and within a certain distance from her, Rose was capable of charging her magical energy. She likely knew he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.
“I haven’t used any magic since we arrived in this forest. So much so that my body almost feels dull for it. What problems could I possibly have?”
“Pardon Rose, Master...”
Rem, who was in the same bed as him, was still fast asleep. It was still early morning, so Diablo decided to let her sleep a while longer.
Climbing out of bed quietly, he headed to the room’s door.
“Rose, just in case, stay by Rem’s side.”
“...As Master wishes.”
Showing her discontent at being away from Diablo with only a short pause, Rose nodded obediently.
He went out to the common room, immediately realizing the front door was slightly open. Other dwellings in this country didn’t have walls, let alone doors, as the Elves made tree branches their homes, so he couldn’t quite call it a lack of caution.
—Did someone come in?
The common room had doors to the two private rooms, with one being the room Diablo just came out of. The other was the room Rafflesia was using, her door also half-open. Come to think of it, the dwellings in the Dark Elves’ village didn’t have doors either. She probably wasn’t used to closing doors behind her.
“...Did she go out for a walk?”
Perhaps Diablo wasn’t the only one who couldn’t fall asleep tonight. If a new king would be crowned during today’s wedding, Rafflesia would be one step closer to her goal. But whether the new king would agree to giving away territory was a question no one knew the answer to yet. The life of Shera, the new queen, was on the line, so it was doubtful the king would refuse, but...
But still, the world of politics could be quite unreasonable at times, and the sort of people that would take all they could to not honor a promise despite that were a dime a dozen.
“I can see why she’d feel anxious...”
Diablo stepped outside. If he recalled Shera’s words correctly, the wedding should be held at a plaza near the forest’s largest tree. He thought the Elves would be in a great hustle, but was surprised to find that wasn’t the case. As always, some of them were lying down on branches, strumming some stringed instrument or other, and others were eating fruit.
Then it came into his field of vision.
“Ooh...” He said despite himself. The tree was simply that large and magnificent. It was tall enough to make Diablo think it would pierce the heavens, and was thicker than a sorcerer’s tower. It made all the other large trees around look like saplings in comparison.
An altar was set before the large tree, though it wasn’t fully decorated yet. The flower beds surrounding the plaza were only half done, and the Elves were still carrying in chairs. One of the Elves seemed to be in charge, giving everyone else instructions.
“Good, good, that chair can go over there. Hurry up, we need to have the bottom half done by eight o’clock. Now what about the decorations for the top there? Tell them to hurry it up too.”
“Sir Drango, we brought another bench.”
“Oh, good. Huh...its design is a bit different... All right, put that one in the back.”
Diablo’s eyes widened in shock.
—That’s Drango!?
He still had a distinctly un-Elven pig face, but everyone seemed to respect him. The oddest part of all was that he wasn’t talking in that odd, greasy tone from before.
“How are preparations for the food going...? There isn’t enough meat... No way around it, send five people out to hunt. We need it done in two hours.”
“Sir Drango, half of the decorations for the top were delivered just now!”
“Terrific! Hmmhmm, wonderful, they’re looking good. Now let’s get to placing them. Work in teams of two, one putting up the decorations, one carrying them for the decorator to take up. It should be faster than one of you having to climb down each time to take more decorations.”
“Right! Let’s get to it, fellas!”
The young Elves divided into groups of two, as per Drango’s instructions.
“Hmph...” Diablo had walked up to him. “Impressive leadership skills. As one may expect from the future king, I suppose.”
“Ah!? Oh my, hello there. You’re up early!”
“You, what’s with that odd way of speaking...”
“Duhuhu... Is something wrong with the way I talk?”
It was like he was forcing himself to act, but why? It certainly wasn’t going to make him seem more appealing to women. The queen was the one who nominated Drango to be king, but she never did compliment his appearance or gestures. Diablo, with the Demon Lord role play, knew very well that keeping up a façade wasn’t something one could do half-heartedly. There had to have been a reason he went to such lengths. But asking wouldn’t be enough to get him to reveal his motives.
“You’re a suspicious one.”
“My, what am I to do. My wedding with Princess Shera will begin at one in the afternoon. Feel free to help yourself to some rich fruit until then. We’ve prepared some truly delectable ones, so feel free to sit back at your leisure.”
“I’ve eaten enough. But forget that. There was something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Hohoh, whatever could it be?”
“Shera wishes to continue adventuring. She’ll most likely say she wants to leave the kingdom again after the wedding.”
“Duhuhu... It sounds like our future queen will be a troublesome one.”
“So you’d think.”
Drango placed a hand over his mouth, his gaze turning into a sharp glare.
“...You’ve seen it, haven’t you, Sir Diablo?”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve had scouts keep an eye on Princess Shera. I’ve been informed she took you to the royal family’s burial mound, and that you all left with pale expressions on your faces.”
“Then you know what’s in there?”
“I was aide to the king once.”
“That simplifies things then.”
“I will have to ask you to keep silent on that matter, and not say a word to the other Elves.”
As he thought, the Demon Lord Kardia’s incarceration was a royal secret. Drango only knew about it because he used to be the king’s right hand.
“Even if I take the throne, we would need to produce heirs. Otherwise, should anything happen to Princess Shera during her travels, the royal bloodline would die out.”
“Hmph.”
Being an Adventurer meant frequently brushing against death, so Drango’s concerns were understandable.
“It would only really be a problem if she left Greenwood before giving birth to at least three children. That’s my view on the matter.”
Diablo sighed. They were treating her like a cow that needed to give birth to a quota of children. The reason he decided on three was probably because the former queen gave birth to three children, and only one of them—Shera—survived. Diablo now realized why even a vile person like Prince Keera was cherished by the kingdom.
“But do not make that matter known, at any cost,” Drango emphasized.
“Were it no longer a secret, even the governor of Faltra wouldn’t cut off your prince’s head.”
“Perish the thought! If that matter were to be exposed, the royal family would be hunted down as Demon Lord worshipers!”
“Hmph... I understand what you’re trying to say.”
Diablo still didn’t know why Drango kept up the acting and his silly manner of speaking though. But if he knew about the seal, it was probably only natural he’d come to that decision.
†
The time was one in the afternoon, in the plaza before the large tree. Colorful decorative strings dangled from the treetops, glittering and sparkling as glass beads were tied to their ends. Flowers blossomed around the plaza, as if embracing it. They weren’t in pots, but rather grew from the ground like flowerbeds. But this ceremony had been organized on such a short notice, so they were probably placed there since there was no way to time their blossoming properly to match the wedding.
Benches were lined up, with smooth fabrics spread over them. Those of high standing in Elven society participated while sitting on them. Everyone else watched the proceeding while standing up around the plaza.
A large audience of Elves, more than one would believe actually inhabited this forest, were gathered around. The vast majority of the Kingdom of Greenwood was here. The king’s enthronement was tied to the forest’s survival, so interest was high. Of course, the people wanted to attend just for the festivities as well.
A carpet weaved with golden threads was spread out, leading up to the ceremonial hall. Its design was made to appear luxurious while still appearing harmonious with nature.
All in all, it was a beautiful sight.
As a national guest, Rem was sitting at the end of the first row. Rose sat near her, leaving a single seat’s gap. It was a bit nerve-wracking.
“...Isn’t Diablo coming?”
“Rose’s sensors do not detect Master either. Perhaps it is because there are too many people around... Tch.” The Magimatic Maid seemed to be rather irritable whenever Diablo wasn’t around.
The ceremony was just about to begin, but there was no sign of Diablo or Rafflesia.
“...So the two of them went out separately?”
“Affirmative. The Dark Elf left before dawn.”
“...Did something happen to Lady Rafflesia? She told the queen she would participate in the wedding... I find it hard to believe the side that wants to see a promise kept would break a promise of their own.”
“Insufficient data. It is impossible to form conjecture.”
“...What if she was attacked by a wild beast?”
“While Rose cannot say with certainty, Rose does not detect any animals capable of harming the races in the vicinity.”
“...The Elves do have scouts deployed around here, I suppose.”
“Yes.”
“...It looked like Diablo had something in mind.” Rem sighed. “He could have told me what it was though...”
“Perhaps Master does not trust you.”
Rem glared at her with a miffed expression. Rose, meanwhile, stood as expressionless as ever, facing forward like a statue.
The reason Rem made her displeasure so visible was because she felt Rose’s words were on the point. The fact Rose may have hit the nail on the head annoyed her to no end. Had Rose simply pointed out something that felt wrong, Rem would have been amazed, or laughed it off even.
“...That may be true.” Rem’s shoulders drooped. “Should we split up and go looking for them?”
“Rose refuses to do such a thing. Master ordered Rose to ‘stay by Rem’s side.’”
“...Oh, so that’s what happened.”
If it weren’t for her, Diablo would have had Rose at his service for whatever he was doing right now. Was Rem just in his way?
“I’m so pathetic...” Rem whispered to herself.
Ding!
Stringed instruments rang out, and the orchestra began their performance. Instruments gradually joined in, turning that soft sound, as gentle as a bird’s chirping, into a magnificent song. Perhaps owing to them playing year round, the Elves’ skill with music was impressive. Even Rem, who wasn’t knowledgeable when it came to this subject, could tell how good they were.
The music died down, then the host announced the opening of the ceremony.
“Oh God who is in the heavens, His Majesty, Her Majesty, all those in attendance, and all the citizens of Greenwood! Let us bless this wonderful day!”
He spoke in a sonorous tone as he began reading a passage from the holy scriptures. After that, Drango, the coming King, rose to take the stage.
It was said anyone could look good with the right clothes, but seeing a pig-faced man in a white outfit was all sorts of dissonant...
“...It really is odd.”
“Rose feels the same way.”
“...It’s not often we agree.”
“No it is not.”
Drango stood in front of the altar, thanking the priest, then lowered his head to the queen in the front row.
The host raised his voice once again in a flowing fashion.
Enter the bride!
Rem turned around. The other end of the golden thread carpet was covered in a veil, and crossing through it—was Shera.
A princess clad in a white dress.
Rem was enchanted, just as everyone else.
For a moment, the orchestra stopped playing, the wind ceased from blowing, and the chirping of the birds died down, culminating in a silence so total it was somehow audible.
A moment later, the audience began to stir.
Rem had thought Shera was beautiful at times, though her bumbling stupidity made such impressions come about much less often than was probably deserved. But now there could be no doubt.
—She’s gorgeous...
It may have been odd to see someone of the same gender in such a light, but it wasn’t in the sense of sexual attraction. Rather, it was the sort of admiration one may feel toward a beautiful view or a lovely painting.
The dress also accentuated and beautified Shera’s un-Elf-like curvature. It exposed the nape of her neck, probably because of the Enslavement Collar. It was only hidden by concealment magic, which meant it still existed and she couldn’t wear clothes over it.
She was so beautiful, the only thing Rem could do was sigh.
However, Shera’s expression was dark. Her heart was elsewhere, but she still chose to fulfill her duties as a princess.
Rem knew this. She was the one who encouraged Shera to walk this path.
“...Shera...”
“You should pick a husband everyone will respect. That’s what I think.”
She still thought that was the right choice to make. But seeing an expression of utter despair on Shera’s face for the first time, a tinge of pain ran through Rem’s heart.
—I may have made a terrible mistake... Did I forget what it was that I should be protecting?
Her hands shook.
Shera walked down the golden thread carpet slowly. Once this ceremony ended, Drango will have made Shera his and become king of the Elves. While he should be rather smug with victory right now...his brow was, oddly enough, furrowed. He was biting his lower lip with frustration. Or maybe it was pity in his expression?
“...You went on a perilous adventure to shatter the shackles of the past, and eventually succeeded in removing a Demon Lord from your body.”
“Eh? Y-Yes...”
“...So you intend on having a Demon Lord bind the Elf next.”
“Ah!” Rem rose to her feet. Rose, by comparison, didn’t budge an inch.
“What’s the matter? Was this not the right thing to do?”
“...I... I’ve made a mistake!”
The orchestra’s music blared, drowning out Rem’s sorrowful cry. The instruments’ sounds jolted the air, as if to forbid anyone from interrupting the ritual.
An Elven soldier, with a longsword on his waist, rushed to Rem, who’d stood up so suddenly.
“Are you feeling unwell, my lady?”
“No...”
“Come with me, my lady. We are in the middle of a ritual right now. Either vacate your seat and leave if you are unwell, or please sit down.”
The fate of the Kingdom of Greenwood rested on the success of this wedding, so of course there were guards entrusted with protecting it.
Rem sat back down. Leaving the ritual now would only be tantamount to running away.
The Elven guard went back to his station, still keeping a vigilant gaze on her.
—I’m so...foolish, and powerless...
The only thing Rem could do right now was sit quietly and watch everything unfold.
Completing their slow advance down the aisle, Shera’s legs stopped before the altar.
“Do you, Drango,” the priest began, “take the princess to be your lifelong partner, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in days of abundance and days of famine, to love, to respect, to console and protect, to devote yourself to her for as long as you draw breath?”
“I do.”
“And do you, Shera L. Greenwood...take this man to be your lifelong partner?”
Shera opened her mouth, but remained silent. The attendants all looked puzzled, and began whispering. The queen, who sat in the front row, jerked her chin. The priest gave a small nod.
“Dear bride, know that silence will be taken as consent, now answer: Do you take this man to be your lifelong partner?”
“...Nn.”
“Very good! We have ascertained both of your feelings. Now seal your vow with a kiss, here in the presence of God!”
Drango nodded and took a step toward his bride. Shera stepped back in retreat, but he quickly grabbed her by the arm.
“Prepare yourself.”
“...Nng.”
Shera looked to be on the verge of tears. But despite her companion making such an expression a mere ten steps away, Rem could only sit and watch.
That truly was all she could do.
“...Kuh... I’ve, made a mistake...”
“Did you now?”
“...Who cares about this country? Who cares about the Demon Lord!? Wasn’t I the one who resolved to shatter all these chains!?”
“Rose believes your opinion was a correct one.”
“...Yes! I was right, and that’s what makes me wrong here!”
Rose, who’d kept gazing forward unflinchingly, turned her head to Rem, her lips upturned in a smile.
“Of course. And Master has realized that as well.”
“H-Huh...?”
Something sparkled above them, blasting the tree’s leaves away.
—An explosion!?
The shock waves had scattered the orchestra’s music.
†
Several bullets of light rained down from the sky, the result of a single spell: Lightning Arrow. Just shooting one took considerable skill with magic, and Rem only knew one sorcerer capable of firing several at once.
The spell smashed away the decorations, bore into the flowerbeds, and cut into the tree trunks. The guests all screamed in terror, some of them running away out of fear. The host shouted hysterically, trying to calm everyone down, while the priest was the first to flee the altar.
Drango hurriedly hid Shera behind his back, trying to protect her, when a bullet of light crashed against his shoulders.
“Gah!?”
He took to the air like a pebble that had been kicked. But the Queen’s faith in his capabilities wasn’t misplaced, as he maintained his posture and landed safely.
Then the wind coiled about as someone descended from above. His black cloak fluttered wide like a pair of wings. He held a staff in hand and had a pair of demonic horns on his head. Proof of the Fallen blood running through his veins—of him being a Demon—was tattooed across his face.
“Heheh...” He laughed maliciously, standing at Shera’s side. “Even if God acknowledges this wedding, know that I do not, you puny piece of waste. She belongs to me! I won’t let you do as you please!”
“Diablooo!”
Throwing away the bouquet in her hands, Shera clung to him with all her strength.
—Whoa there...
Diablo leaned over, caught by surprise.
“Hmph, I will not allow you to marry without my permission! You belong to me. The Demon Lord Diablo orders you, stay devoted to me for as long as you draw breath!”
The guests broke into a panic the moment he spoke the words “Demon Lord.”
Drango pulled a longsword from a nearby guard’s scabbard. His expression was the exact opposite of his dark expression from just a moment ago. He was even grinning.
“Nonsense. A Demon Lord? Did you truly just claim to be a Demon Lord?”
“Heheheh... I am Diablo, a Demon Lord from another world!”
“How dreadful. A Demon Lord, you say... I will take back Princess Shera, no matter what!”
“Hmm... Do not misunderstand, pig. She is already mine. It is I who will take her back.”
“You speak lies and weave fabrications!”
“If I recall, the Kingdom of Greenwood needed a king, did it not? Then I, the Demon Lord Diablo, will become king of the Elves! Ahahahaha!”
“Nonsense... No one would ever acknowledge you!”
“Then you will allow the Demon Lord sealed in these lands to awaken?”
“Silence!”
What guests hadn’t run away managed to maintain their cool, listening attentively to the conversation.
“Hear me, you common rabble!” Diablo shouted loudly. “God has sealed the Demon Lord of the Heart, Kardia, within these very lands! The presence of a king merely serves as the wedge that holds its seal in place! Should the country postpone the crowning of a new king, the seal will be undone!”
Drango braced his longsword and shrunk the distance between them by a single step. “You cretin... What good does revealing that to them do!?”
Hugging Shera by the waist with his left hand, Diablo used his right to aim his staff in Drango’s direction.
“If you do not acknowledge me as king, the Demon Lord will surely awaken!”
“So you were an agent of the Fallen after all... Have you come here to awaken the Demon Lord!?”
“I care not either way.”
“Wh-What!?”
“Acknowledge me as Greenwood’s king, else Kardia will be revived. Don’t, and perish. Your choice matters not to me.”
“Hogwash. If that Demon Lord awakens, the races will be destroyed!”
“Hmph... I won’t let that happen.”
“What nonsense are you spewing!?”
With confidence, Diablo declared:
“There is only one true Demon Lord! I will pulverize any pretenders to my title!”
“...P-Pulverize!?” Drango’s eyes opened wide. “You intend...to defeat that Demon Lord...!?”
The other attendees looked astonished as well.
By contrast, Shera smiled the happiest grin Diablo had ever seen her smile, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Whoooaaa! Diablo! Diablo, Diablo, Diablo! Diablooo!”
“H-Hey, cut it out...” Diablo pushed Shera, who had clung to him, away.
Rem stood stock still, feeling a warmth build up in her eyes as tears trailed down her cheeks.
“...I was a fool.”
“None can understand the Master’s wisdom and foresight. But if you’ve come to realize what the right thing to do here is, Rose acknowledges that, if nothing else, you are qualified to serve as Master’s subordinate.”
“...How pathetic of me.” Rem wiped her eyes. “But I won’t make this mistake again. Because I am Diablo and Shera’s companion!”
“To call Master a ‘companion’... How shameless.”
“Come on, let’s go, Rose!”
Rem ran ahead, and the Magimatic Maid followed her, half a step behind.
“Rose does not need you to tell Rose that.”
†
With Diablo’s declaration, Shera had clung to him shouting out his name in a chant-like nature. She was dressed in bridal attire and was three times prettier than usual. Her dress bore her cleavage, which was currently rubbing against Diablo...
It was extremely embarrassing.
If he were to blush now, his Demon-Lord-like presence would be gone.
“H-Hey...” He pushed her away. “Cut that out...”
—Stooop, don’t cling to me with that booby dress of yours, I can’t take it!
As that happened, Rem and Rose ran up to them.
“...Diablo!”
“Rose is awaiting orders, Master. Should Rose dispose of Master’s enemies?”
“Enemies, huh...”
Elven soldiers, carrying swords and bows, gathered behind Drango. Apparently the Sojourn of Darkness’ effect wasn’t enough to neutralize their fighting spirit.
They were desperate, too. The Elves were willing to fight if it meant getting Shera back.
“Heheheh...” Diablo smirked. “So be it. I’ll show you just how weak you are.”
The Elves’ weapon of choice was the bow, but Diablo had Shera by his side. They wouldn’t shoot out of fear of accidentally hitting her. Their only choice was to use swords, but they’d have to be at least as fast as Faltra’s governor, Galford, to even hope of landing their blades on Diablo. With that much speed, they’d be able to cut through a Lightning Arrow easily.
—Sorry, but I can’t afford to hold back now... I’ll have to make this as one-sided as possible.
“You dare oppose me? Know your place, fools! I will destroy you all!”
Diablo swung his staff.
Freezia?.
A level 80 water element spell.
The Elves screamed as they were suddenly chilled to the bone and brought to the brink of defeat quickly.
“Gyaaaaaah!!” “M-My fingers!? My fingeeers!” “F-F-Freezing... I’m freezing...!?”
Drango’s strength of will was impressive as he successfully triggered his magic resistance.
“Grrrrrr! All of you, get back! Spread out!”
The Elves who were still combat ready dragged their injured comrades into the forest.
“Hmph... Aren’t they too unskilled?”
“Such powerful magic... It’s like you really are a Demon Lord...”
“I see you can’t exhibit your own strength without a bow in hand, Drango.”
“Ugh...”
Drango stepped back. His level as an archer may have been high, but a man with sword in hand wouldn’t normally step away from a sorcerer. Did he have some sort of plan in mind?
The guards escorted the attendees away, who fled from the altar in a panic. Perhaps owing to their pastoral lifestyle, they were awfully timid and weak when time did come to do battle.
Only the queen stayed behind, ignoring the guards’ pleas.
“Shera! What are you thinking!?”
“Mother...”
“This is unforgivable!”
“I’m! I’m picking Diablo to be king!”
“This is no laughing matter! This person just proclaimed to be a Demon Lord! We can’t even count him as a member of the races!”
“But I still think Diablo is worthy of being Greenwood’s king!”
“Nonsense! Why are you always like this!? Explain yourself! What is your reasoning!?”
“I just... I just think so, that’s why!”
—Intuition, huh... Shera’s never been very articulate, so I didn’t expect her to talk anyone into this, but this is worse than I thought...
The queen, naturally, wasn’t convinced.
“Well, what will you do about producing children? If you don’t give birth to an heir, the Greenwood royal bloodline will die out!”
“Aaah...” Shera turned as red as a lobster. “Everyone keeps talking about kids this, kids that... You’re all pervs!”
“It’s a very important matter!”
“Well, I did too think this through! I even got...th-this, from Diablo!”
Shear held out her right hand, presenting a silver ring.
“I-Is that...?” The queen’s eyes widened. “An engagement ring!?”
Rem and Rose stiffened, their breaths stuck in their throats.
Shera nodded, while Diablo tilted his head in contemplation.
—Huh...? Did I ever give her something like that? Wait... Does she mean what happened in my dungeon’s treasure vault!?
Shera’s gaze suddenly fell on an item sitting on one of the pedestals: a silver-colored ring.
“You gave Rem a ring, right? I want a ring too. Can I have this one?”
“Do as you wish.”
There shouldn’t have been any cursed items in the vault, and there was plenty of useless collector’s items in here. That was why Diablo didn’t bother to check what she took.
“With this ring, I can have kids with someone from another race!” Shera shouted.
—This ring does what!?
Diablo was just about to scream himself.
In Cross Reverie, the engagement ring was just a useless item that took up an inventory slot. Some players complained you could only obtain this item through an event that could only be accessed by a couple, and it was said players who had this ring equipped were highly likely to be actual couples, and therefore normies. Diablo, being a dedicated item collector, even obtained this disgusting item for his collection.
So, who did he participate in that couple-only event with, you may ask?
That was a piece of history Diablo dreaded touching on...
—I just made a duplicate account and married myseeelf!!!
He never imagined this engagement ring, which carried nothing but shameful memories, would enable you to produce children with any other race. He also didn’t realize that he technically gifted it to Shera.
—But wait, wasn’t there a ban on transferring that thing between accounts!? And I just transferred it to Shera like it was nothing! Is it because this is reality and not a game? Goddamnit, other world! Try for a little less immersion next time!
Diablo broke into a cold sweat.
—I can’t even hold a proper conversation with a stranger, much less have any romantic experiences. And now I’ve proposed to a princess? Me, marriage? Are you telling a pill bug to fly? Just leave me out of this... It’s nice under my rock. Don’t drag me out under the sun!
Diablo’s thoughts were spinning in his head in an incomprehensible swirl.
“Ha, hahaha...” A peculiar laughter was the only thing that escaped his throat.
“...It seems to me Diablo didn’t know what that engagement ring was capable of.” Rem sighed.
“There is no match for it in Rose’s database either.”
“...Probably because it’s not a weapon.”
“Rose wonders if equipping that ring would permit Rose to bestow Master with a child as well...”
“...Didn’t you claim to be a doll before? That’s not considered ‘another race.’”
“Tch!”
As that exchange came to a close, Diablo’s thoughts finally settled after their crazy trip. They were in the middle of battle right now after all. If he allowed himself to be distracted by unrelated thoughts, he may get attacked off guard.
—Focus!
He shelved the matter of his interpersonal relationships by focusing on reality and the battle before him, in what amounted to an impressive show of convoluted escapism.
“That’s...impossible...” the queen said, bewildered.
Her daughter had received an engagement ring from a Demon claiming to be a Demon Lord. She was probably beyond shocked as a mother.
But one man stood calm even in the midst of this chaos. Bracing his sword, Drango stood before the queen.
“Get back, Your Majesty! There’s no point in speaking to him any more!”
“But...”
“What are you doing, guards!? Take the queen away!”
Having been ordered, the Elven guards finally went into action. Several of them picked the queen up, carrying her away, leaving only combatants in the plaza. The spectators watched from further away, anxiously gulping.
Diablo faced Drango. “It’s time I defeat you then. Surrender now, if you value your life.”
“Hmph... You’re a peculiar one.”
“What?”
“You speak so viciously, but won’t lay a hand on fleeing soldiers or spectators.”
“That’s...”
He tried to speak, but Shera cut into his words.
“That’s because Diablo’s really kind!”
“Th-Th-That’s not true! They’re just too insignificant for me to even regard them! Now back down, fool!”
“Kyaa!?” He pushed Shera back. Catching on quickly, Rem caught her and clasped a hand over the blabbering Elf’s mouth.
“...Are you an idiot? Diablo’s probably trying to show off his power and use that terror to buy the Elves’ obedience.”
“Mmphmmph.”
Having it explained like that didn’t help set the atmosphere much either.
Diablo directed his Tonnerre Empereur at Drango.
“Enough squabble... Come at me!”
“Very well, to battle!”
Then, the ground shook.
—Huh?
The trees moaned restlessly, birds flying away as the nearby beasts began howling.
Fireballs rained from the sky.
They didn’t target just on the plaza, but the nearby Elves as well, blowing up upon impact.
“What’s going on!?” Diablo cried out.
“How cowardly of you!”
“Fool! This isn’t my magic!”
“Master, Rose detects a high density of magical energy, due north-northwest!”
Diablo could feel it even without Rose alerting him. The magical energy poured over the area, blowing like a gale. Looking in that direction, a sense of dread crept over Diablo.
“...Grr... The burial mound...”
“It can’t be! It’s too soon!” Having come to the same realization, Drango spoke in a panic.
“Tch... The seal must have been weaker than we anticipated. Or perhaps its magical energy was strong enough to tear the seal open by itself...”
“No, the seal shouldn’t have broken this quickly! It never has before!”
A black mass, as large as a castle taking to the skies, rose between the trees. It had the shape of a distorted strawberry and pulsated offbeat in sickening thumps.
The Demon Lord of the Heart, Kardia.
The black sphere floated slowly through the sky, countless tentacles extending from it that squired like a swarm of enraged serpents.
A person stood atop the Demon Lord’s ominous form, no doubt the instigator of this unexpected awakening. They held a red shining crystal, their bright silver hair wavering in the wind. Their eyes were black, their skin a tanned shade of brown, and their ears were long.
It was none other than Rafflesia S. Orangewood.
†
With the heart itself levitating in the air, Rafflesia was carried along by several thin tentacles. They descended on the plaza, Rafflesia’s black eyes gleaming with a crimson glow.
“A PRESENCE—I SENSED—ABOVE ME—WITH MAGICAL ENERGY—MERELY THE RACES—”
Her appearance and voice were Rafflesia’s, but her pronunciations were entirely different. The tentacles extended upward from her, connecting her to Kardia like a marionette’s strings. Diablo was nearly overwhelmed by the grotesquerie of it all.
But faltering here would spell defeat. Diablo took a deep breath, trying to maintain his cool.
“You... Are you Kardia?”
“CORRECT—RACES CHILD—”
“I am Diablo, a Demon Lord from another world. Do not treat me as one of the races, fool.”
“DI—ABLO—UN—FAMILIAR—”
“Heheh... Of course a mere fragment of a Demon Lord that lost to God wouldn’t know. I am the true Demon Lord; commit my name to memory!”
Drango, on the other hand, was shocked. “Is that really Kardia...!? Why was he resurrected...!?”
Rafflesia grabbed her own hand with a simple, crude gesture, the lack of any expressions on her face making it all the more unnerving.
“DARK ELF—DYED—HATRED—GRUDGE—REVENGE—LUST TO KILL—ELVES—HUMANS—SLAUGHTER—”
Rafflesia’s fingers dug into her forehead, blood trailing down her face.
“Are you saying you’re controlling her?” Drango moaned in fear. “A Demon Lord, manipulating that Dark Elven priestess...”
“SET FREE—DESIRES—TRUE WISHES—VEN—GEANCE—VEN—GEANCE—VENGEANCE—”
Diablo and the others lost the ability to speak in the face of Rafflesia’s unnerving atmosphere and words. But Shera alone brushed the terror aside, calling out in defiance.
“You’re wrong! Rafflesia said it herself, that the Elves and Dark Elves should get along! She really said that!”
Rafflesia’s eyes, shining red, widened suddenly.
“G-GAAAHH—ELF—TRAITORS—I WON’T—FORGIVE—GIVE—HIM BACK—”
As she screamed, Rafflesia held out the red orb. Kardia’s tentacles then extended in Shera’s direction like whips.
“Princess!”
Drango covered her, guarding her with his body, but Diablo aimed his staff faster than Drango’s motions.
“?Flare Burst?!”
The air exploded, immolating the approaching tentacles.
—Good, magic works on it!
It would have been a problematic opponent if it had magic reflection or nullification, but the damage didn’t even seem to be reduced. Diablo had been cautious since it was an unimplemented enemy he knew nothing about, but it was surprisingly weak.
“This is strange...” Rem ran up to Diablo. “The orb Lady Rafflesia is holding was supposed to seal the Demon Lord... But if it’s awakened, there’s no point in holding onto it.”
“Hmm. And she’s holding it like it’s something precious...”
“Maybe the seal is still in place!?” Rem asked, her voice brightening with hope.
“Hmph...” Diablo furrowed his brow. “Another ‘incomplete Demon Lord.’ This world really does seem to be holding back on me. Standing before me in such a state... You dare mock me!?”
Diablo changed his staff into a sword of light, the ?Tonnerre Empereur Libre?, aiming it not at Rafflesia who stood in front of him, but at the black, heart-shaped mass floating above.
“Be reduced to nothing in the face of my magic! Have a taste of bombardment by lightning—?Enercannon?!”
A magically-generated magnetic field was formed, a cannonball beside it. In the blink of an eye, the ball was launched, accelerating beyond the speed of sound and leaving a trail of flames from its friction after making contact with the air.
“Kyaaa?” Rem covered her cat ears at the sudden rumbling sound.
Thanks to his weapon’s effect, the spell was cast seven times over, but the MP consumption was considerable, as one may expect.
“If you don’t want to get caught up in this, then get away!” Diablo shouted.
“...Y-Yes!”
The cannonballs hit Kardia dead center, blowing away some of its tentacles.
—But what about the main body’s magic resistance?
“Impossible!” Rem’s eyes widened. “It’s unharmed!”
“Hmph... It’s only natural. It wouldn’t be a Demon Lord if a spell or two were all it took to take it down.”
Diablo’s words were confident, but his mind was in a state of panic. If it had complete magic resistance, forget a spell or two—Diablo could fire hundreds and it wouldn’t matter! It really was difficult without any pertinent information on hand.
—Well, I guess that’s par for the course for the guys writing the strategy guides...
Diablo used an MP recovery potion and a magic boosting potion he took out of his pouch.
“Tremble in fear, you deficient excuse of a Demon Lord! My barrage won’t end until your defeat! Freeze, ?Ice Age?!”
“GYAAAHHH—” Rafflesia screamed, as if trying to push the spell back.
Kardia’s tentacles shot out again, bending and warping. Ten were launched...and another ten behind them, avoiding the chilling wave of sub-zero temperatures.
“Aaargh!?”
An impact smacked against Diablo’s body, sending him into the air. There was quite a bit of force behind the blow, and Diablo’s back smashed into the large tree.
“Gaaah!”
All the air in his lungs escaped at once, and he could almost feel his lunch coming back up his throat. Rem and Shera screamed at the sight unfolding before them.
—I can’t stay down like this!
Bending on one knee, Diablo stood up swiftly. His body felt heavy, like there was a ball made of lead in the pit of his stomach. He’d taken considerable damage.
—That was some impressive strength...
It had an incredibly high range, and could launch so many attacks at once that it was hard to believe it was only one enemy. Even keeping up with the tentacles’ movements was challenging. Its abilities were, all in all, unbalanced and utterly broken.
“Ahahaha... Good... That’s what I’d expect of a final boss—of a Demon Lord!” Diablo hadn’t taken his beating sitting down either.
His Ice Age spell did freeze most of Kardia’s precious tentacles in place, but it still didn’t seem like Kardia’s main body had taken any damage.
Even as he stood confidently, Diablo kept calculating and thinking. In the game, there were also times when, despite hitting an enemy, their HP gauge didn’t budge. Maybe there was some sort of trick at play here? Or maybe its HP pool was so large, Diablo’s attacks hadn’t managed to visibly deplete it yet.
Rafflesia grit her teeth audibly.
“Oh, what’s the matter. You can’t possibly be relying on your tentacles alone. I’ve still got plenty of vicious spells I want to try on you!”
“KILL—EVERY—ONE—STOLE HIM—FROM ME—NEVER—FOR—GIVE—A-AAAHHH—”
She wasn’t even looking at Diablo. It was like fighting a berserker.
Diablo grit his own teeth in response.
“This again... If you claim lordship over others, at least have the dignity to keep your dignity intact! Fighting isn’t forgiving enough for one to win with the intelligence of a mere beast!”
“A-AAAHHH—”
Another attack by the tentacles was coming his way.
“Stop boring me, Kardia! ?Lightning Storm?!”
The high level wind and light spell trapped the tentacles in a maelstrom of wind as they were zapped by lightning. As fast as the tentacles’ attack speed may have been, they still weren’t faster than lightning. Diablo fired the spell faster than the tentacles could carry out their attack, effectively halting them.
The tentacles were reduced to ash. If Diablo kept this up, he wouldn’t be pushed back at the very least. He just had to figure out why the main body didn’t take any damage. Was it really a trick, or was it simply that bulky?
Magic energy began spilling out from the glittering orb, flowing into Rafflesia.
“A-ACK—” She coughed, blood spewing out.
“Diablo!” Shera cried out. “The Demon Lord’s magical energy is coming out of that sphere!”
“Mm...”
—So the magical energy is flowing out of the sphere and into Rafflesia...then to Kardia floating above us? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
He’d thought the mass floating above them was the main body, and it used the orb as a means to turn Rafflesia into its medium for communicating with them...
But he once again considered what Rem had said earlier.
“Heheheh... I’ve figured you out, Kardia. Forget being incomplete... You’re still sealed, aren’t you!?”
“SHUT—UP—”
“You’re just controlling Rafflesia from inside that orb and having her fight for you. That big lump floating there is just an illusion.”
That explained why Diablo’s spells, no matter how powerful they were or what element he employed, didn’t visibly damage it.
Diablo shifted his staff, aiming not at the heart floating above them, but at Rafflesia holding the orb.
“Lightning Arrow!”
A bullet of light was fired at the orb in her hands, traveling at a blinding speed and lethal precision. Rafflesia remained still.
The bullet of light...
...veered away before hitting the orb.
Diablo intentionally missed. Rafflesia was being manipulated, so her expression never changed. But Diablo had noticed the Demon Lord’s emotions from the fluctuations in the magical energy emanating from the orb. It had flickered for a moment. Was it from confusion? Surprise? Perhaps disappointment?
“Judging from Rem’s case, if that orb is destroyed or has magical energy poured into it, you’ll be resurrected, correct?”
Or if a ritual magic to unbind the seal was performed... Rafflesia should have known how to perform it, but didn’t. Kardia used her hatred to manipulate her like a puppet, but she probably hadn’t completely submitted to Kardia.
“Whatever the case, did you hope to get someone else to break the orb for you? Pathetic... Utterly pathetic! Do not think me to be a fool who attacks so indiscriminately.”
—A true gamer knows that the second before you snatch the win is when you have to be the most cautious!
Rafflesia’s shoulders trembled. “UUU—U-UUU—”
“Hmph... Did your confidence boost because you were able to wiggle your fingers outside the confines of your seal? Well, you’ve made quite the error in judgment, fool. And that was to challenge me when you were still sealed!”
“G-GAAAHHH—DAMN—YOU—DAMN YOU—”
The Kardia floating above them disappeared, as it really was nothing more than an illusion. But now it had been unmasked. All that remained was Rafflesia, standing with a vacant expression. Countless black tendrils began growing out of the orb in her hands.
“Did you think none among the races were capable of recognizing the flow of magic?” Diablo smirked. “It’s no wonder God beat you when you’re this foolish.”
In place of a scream, magical energy began flowing out of the orb. The tendrils made the air tremble, and a fireball, glowing with a light that was nearly white, appeared in the air. It was as if a small sun had appeared close to Earth. Even from a distance, Diablo could feel the heat waves, the ground gradually burning underneath his feet. Rafflesia, who stood directly beneath it, wouldn’t get away unscathed. He’d never seen this attack before.
—Is this magic? Or some sort of special attack?
Reaching out toward the small sun, Kardia bellowed using Rafflesia’s lips.
“DISAPPEAR—?FALLING SKIES?—”
“An incantation spell!”
Diablo stuck out his left hand and brandished the Demon Lord’s Ring wrapped around his finger. It was capable of deflecting all manner of magic, including a spell fired by a Demon Lord.
A shrill, high-pitched sound rang out, and the air around them undulated. The fireball, which had begun descending on them, was blown back into the sky. Kardia looked on with shock through Rafflesia’s eyes as it happened, momentarily forgetting how to form words.
“Heheh... Oh, did you try to do something just now?” Diablo said, in the most overbearing fashion he’d ever spoken. Inwardly, though, he was sweating bullets.
—I’m so happy I have magic reflection right now!!!
Honestly speaking, since it was an attack Diablo had never encountered before, he was incredibly nervous. It looked like the type of attack that would spell doom for him had it hit.
Kardia was never implemented in the Cross Reverie Diablo knew. It was probably set to appear later on, and was a monster beyond level 150. That meant the spell it had just used was probably of a level that was higher than 150 as well. Diablo trembled, having felt that his life had been threatened for the first time in a long while.
The orb rolled down to the floor with a gentle sound, slipping out of Rafflesia’s grasp. Her expression as vacant as it was before, she mouthed words of hatred.
“DEMON LORD—BEATEN—LOWLY RACES—IMPOS—SIBLE—”
“Is that really your defeat line? Awfully unsophisticated.”
“USE—LESS VESSEL—HUMILIATION—YOUR DOING—”
“What!?” Diablo suddenly had a bad feeling.
Tentacles had spread out languidly from the orb lying on the ground near where Rafflesia was standing, having lost their strength. But a single tentacle had hardened and sharpened itself like a sword and extended toward Rafflesia, piercing her abdomen and coming out of her back.
“Gyaaah!?” Rafflesia screamed, this time with her own voice, as if the pain had brought her back to consciousness.
Kardia’s tentacles dissipated and the malevolent magical energy ceased flowing from the orb. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.
Rem and the others all shrieked in surprise, and Drango bit his lip bitterly. A terrifying amount of blood had sprayed out as Rafflesia crumbled to her feet.
“Aaah...!? Aaaaaah!”
“Don’t make a fool of me!”
—Know when to call it quits, you third-rate jerk! You used her to make your own ends meet, and now you’re trying to take her down with you!?
Diablo broke into a run. Kicking away the orb, he knelt down next to Rafflesia, who was lying in a pool of her own blood.
“Don’t you die on me!”
“Aaah... Guh... I’m...sorry...”
“Lady Rafflesia!” Rem had run up to her as well, with Shera in tow.
“Rafflesia!”
“It’s no good...” Drango said, vexed. “There’s no saving her when she’s this badly wounded...”
“Sorr... P-Please...rgive...me...”
“It’s all that Demon Lord’s fault!” Shera clasped Rafflesia’s outstretched hand with her own. “There’s nothing to forgive. This isn’t your fault, Rafflesia!”
“For...ive my...eakness... The Dark Elves...the forest...”
“I’ll keep our promise!”
Rafflesia’s bloodstained lips curled into a smile. “I’m...glad...you were...th...princ...”
All strength abandoned her hand.
Diablo quickly used an ?Elixir?.
Rafflesia’s wounds instantaneously closed, and her HP was fully recovered. It also replenished all her MP and cured any bad status effects.
“...Eh... Wh...at...?” It was all so sudden, Rafflesia could only blink in puzzlement.
“I told you not to die on me, did I not, Rafflesia?” Diablo spoke confidently, but was relieved he’d made it in time.
“Wha!? You revived her!?” Drango, who had given up hope, stared at them in amazement.
Even the elixir, the strongest healing potion Diablo had, wasn’t capable of resurrecting the dead. He’d managed to treat her in the nick of time, and that was all there was to it.
“Yaaay!” Shera hugged Rafflesia close.
“Phew...” Rem sighed in relief. “As amazing as ever, Diablo. I’ve lost count of how many people you’ve saved by now.”
“Hmph... The thought of Kardia getting its way irked me, so I merely undid its efforts.”
“I’m...not dead...?” Rafflesia stared at her own hand in amazement.
“You’ve caused us a great deal of trouble. Once you calm down, tell me everything that happened. Though I already have a pretty good idea.”
Rafflesia stood up, albeit somewhat unsteadily, then fell to her knees, lowering her head.
“Sir Diablo, I nearly robbed many innocents of their lives. Not only did you stop the Demon Lord Kardia’s revival, you even saved me... Please, let me thank you somehow. I offer my life to you.”
“I merely thwarted the plots of the fool that dared call itself a Demon Lord in my presence. Saving you was a bonus.”
“And yet I will never forget this debt for as long as I live!”
“Do as you wish.”
Just when everything seemed to have finally settled down, Rose, who had stood in the back the entire time, called out.
“Master, Rose detects a high-density magical energy approaching!”
†
Diablo turned around to find two figures descending from the sky.
One was a slender, well-proportioned girl. She wore what looked like a cheongsam, with a diamond shaped opening around the chest. Her black hair was tied into a side tail on the right, and a Chinese broadsword dangled from her waist.
She was a gorgeous young girl—but she wasn’t of the races. A scaly, dragon-like tail extended from the slit of her China dress, and there was a pair of wings on her back.
—A Fallen!?
The other one was a huge Fallen, presumably a man, twice the average size of the races. He wore a suit of armor, and there was a single eye on his face.
This was a ?Cyclops?-type of Fallen.
He held a Bishop’s staff in one hand that was slightly taller than him, making it roughly five meters in length.
The cyclops opened his fanged mouth to speak, and his words came out surprisingly fluently.
“I thought I’d sensed Kardia’s magical energy in this direction...”
Despite being Fallen, Diablo got the feeling they weren’t Kardia’s underlings.
“Well, he ain’t here.” The cheongsam girl pouted with displeasure.
“My apologies. But is that not the ?Sealing Crystal? we’ve been ordered to find?”
The orb Diablo had kicked away just a moment ago—or rather, the Divinity Crystal Kardia was sealed in—rolled on the ground next to their feet.
“No!” Drango shouted. “We can’t let the Fallen get their hands on that!”
“One mess after another, when will this end!?”
Diablo brandished his weapon, only to be met with Rose stepping forward.
“Rose will keep them in check!”
Rose’s judgment was sound. If Diablo would have to use magic powerful enough to stop the Fallen, he ran the risk of damaging the orb as well. Holding them at bay through melee combat would be the optimal solution.
Rose kicked off the ground, charging at the Fallen as a massive mechanical hand materialized behind her.
The Magimatic Sol.
“?Crius?!”
She unleashed her strongest attacks right off the bat, the mechanical arm swinging its blade horizontally in a mowing slash.
But the Cyclops blocked the blow with his staff. Judging from what Diablo had seen of Rose so far, he assumed she would have cut the Fallen in half right about now, but...
A deafening metallic sound rang out as the weapons clashed, and the next moment the Cyclops immediately changed his stance to a thrust. He moved so swiftly, it almost looked like he’d skipped through most of the motions required to make such a movement.
“Gaaah!?” Rose was blown back at a speed surpassing even that of the thrust that had just hit her. She then crashed against the ground, a cloud of dust blowing around her.
“Rose!?” Diablo shouted despite himself.
“Aaah... Ugh...” Propping herself with her left hand, Rose lifted her body up.
—Good, she’s still alive...
But her right hand, which should have held up her weapon, was gone. From the shoulder down, Rose’s right arm was missing from its socket. It was lying on the ground a distance away, still gripping its weapon.
The Magimatic Sol disappeared, as if tracing the fate of her real arm. Diablo wasn’t sure if it vanished because Rose did so of her own will, or if it was because she took too much damage...
“Oh, so you can still move, doll,” the Cyclops said, seemingly impressed.
“I’ll be taking this back.” The dragon-tailed, China-dress Fallen picked up Kardia’s orb. “You stay back here and sweep these specks of dust up, all right?”
“Roger.”
“W-Wait!” Drango stepped forward. “Where are you taking that!? Do you intend to awaken Kardia!?”
Awakening the Demon Lords should be the Fallen’s objective, but all they would have to do to achieve that was destroy the orb. What was the point of them taking it away?
“Heheheh... You’ve got it wrong, porky,” the girl sneered. “We’re not gonna awaken Kardia. Our great master, the Demon Overlord Modinaram, will absorb this crystal!”
“Demon Overlord!? Are they the one who awakened in the Demon Lord’s Domain to the west!?”
“I don’t know or care about what the races call him.”
“And you’re saying he’s going to...absorb Kardia?”
“Master Modinaram says that if he were to fight the races while incomplete, he may eventually get pushed back. The races may be puny and weak at times of peace, but the longer the war lasts the stronger they become. So that’s why he wishes to become a complete being A-S-A-P.”
“We weren’t supposed to talk about that,” the Cyclops whispered.
“Mmm? Ah... Well, whatevs. Just slaughter ’em all. Me saying anything won’t matter so long as they’re all dead.”
“Roger.”
“Heheheheheheh... I’m sure the Overlord will praise me for bringing him this prize. Maybe he’ll even make me stronger for this!”
“Wait!” Drango tried stopping her. “We can’t let her go!”
“Concentrate on the foe in front of you, fool!” Diablo shouted.
The Fallen girl held Kardia’s orb close, like it was terribly precious to her. If Diablo were to fire a powerful spell, he’d only end up destroying it, and letting a Demon Lord awaken in this situation was the worst thing that could happen right now.
—At worst, we’ll have to handle two Fallen on top of a Demon Lord! Any one of them is a complicated enemy to beat...
Rose’s Magimatic Sol was able to fell a Large Black Dragon with one hit, and cut smaller Fallen into pieces with no effort at all. But this Cyclops had downed her with one blow. He was a challenging foe, no doubt about it.
Judging from the dragon girl’s attitude, she must have been even stronger than him.
—These guys definitely aren’t mooks...
They were on the same level as Varakness, the Demon Lord’s army general who attacked Zircon Tower, if not stronger.
The Fallen girl spread out her draconic wings, orb in hand, and began ascending into the air .
“Smell ya later then. Take care of things here.”
“Roger.”
The girl flew away, but Diablo kept his gaze fixed on the Cyclops.
“Rem, Shera, keep Rafflesia safe!”
“...Y-Yes! Leave her to us.”
“Yeah! Watch yourself, Diablo!”
Having the two of them by Diablo’s side while he fought a powerful foe was dangerous. He’d just be worrying about them keeping a safe distance from his attacks.
“Hmph...” Diablo aimed his staff at the Cyclops. “I see your strength in melee combat is impressive. But let’s see how good you are when it comes to a battle of magic.”
“Ridiculous.”
“What?”
“When one stomps out an ant, they do not concern themselves with what skills or talents it may have had. The races are all powerless and weak.”
“Heheheh... So you dare treat me as an insect, do you? Let’s see if you have the skills to stand up to your bravado then!”
Diablo poured magic into the Tonnerre Empereur: Libre just as the Cyclops stepped forward. Despite his massive frame, his speed was inconceivable, and he closed the distance between him and Diablo rapidly.
“Zaaargh!”
He stabbed the bishop’s staff forward, but Diablo unleashed his spell even faster than that.
“?Darkness Cannon?!”
It was a high level darkness element spell that fired a pitch black cannon ball at the opponent. Thanks to his weapon’s effect, it became a bombardment of seven shots.
“Gaaaaaah!?” The Fallen’s silver armor crumbled away as he dramatically leaned back.
However, Diablo’s eyesight was dyed in red as well.
“...Guh!?”
Even though he picked a powerful spell that was quick to take effect, all he managed to do was hit his opponent just as his opponent struck him. And even though the attack didn’t seem particularly powerful, Diablo still took considerable damage.
“A weakling of the races has damaged me...!?” The Cyclops seemed surprised at them mutually hitting each other. He raised his voice in surprise, but Diablo smirked confidently.
“Good... I felt that one. You’re more formidable than Kardia was. Even though you’re nothing but a stupid underling!”
“I’ll crush you!”
Using his superior height, the Cyclops brought down the staff down on Diablo. The moment Diablo perceived it, it had already smashed against the earth. It really was much too fast.
“But your movements are nothing short of predictable!”
And if Diablo could predict how he’d attack, Diablo could also evade his attacks easily enough.
This ability to foresee the flow of battle along with his reaction speed were what enabled Diablo to prosper in close quarters combat, despite being a Sorcerer.
He brandished Tonnerre Empereur: Libre, which was in the shape of a broadsword now.
A Sorcerer’s low Strength stat meant that even with a powerful weapon, he couldn’t expect to deal much physical damage. That was why Diablo depended on spells that required being in close proximity with the target.
“Be reduced to dust—?Matoi Izuna?!”
A sphere of electricity jumped out of the tip of his blade, sinking into the Cyclops’s massive frame.
“Gahahagah!?” the Cyclops screamed, his body twitching as sparks of electricity ran out of it. His massive eyeball seemed to be seething in its socket.
Matoi Izuna was a spell that mixed the wind and light elements, which then continually depleted the enemy’s HP over a fixed period of time while also stunning them in place, resulting in massive overall damage.
An explosion enveloped the Cyclops and a pillar of light burst out, extending to the heavens.
When the Fallen are defeated, they turn into particles of light. However, the Cyclops still stood before Diablo, even with his flesh charred and burned.
“Kill!”
“Sturdy bugger, aren’t you...”
“Ooooooh!”
As he screamed, the Fallen swung his staff around blindly. He began fighting haphazardly, in a way Diablo wouldn’t be able to predict. Even when driven to this situation, the Cyclops’s judgment remained sound.
With his choices whittling down, Diablo had to retreat, but the Cyclops was faster when it came to closing the distance.
“Die!” The Cyclops brandished his staff.
“Your attacks are precise, I’ll give you that. But you’re not looking around you.”
“Ah...!?” The Cyclops’s head went flying.
Standing behind him was Rose, with the Magimatic Sol manifested. She was missing her right arm, but her left was swung horizontally, and the massive hand extending out of thin air slashed in a clear line, tracing the movements of her real hand with the gigantic two-bladed sword in its grip.
“Haa, haa... Do not lay...a hand...on Master!”
“Well done, Rose. Leave the rest to me.”
“...Y-Yes.” Her lips shivered.
Rose was a Magimatic Maid; a machine. Her expressions and gestures were all handled by an AI. But still, her emotions were painfully obvious to Diablo. She had her pride, and she couldn’t take this defeat lying down.
Diablo had enticed the Fallen to come after him in a straight line, so Rose would be able to attack him. But even with a severed head, the Cyclops didn’t disappear. Devoid of eyesight or thought, the Cyclops’s fighting spirit hadn’t diminished in the slightest, and the body continued swinging the staff. The Cyclops’s flurry of attacks remained as fervent as ever.
Diablo brandished his longsword. “Persistent fool. It looks like once wasn’t enough to teach you the lesson! Matoi Izuna!”
The Fallen’s massive body crumbled away, finally dissolving into particles of light.
Rose nodded in satisfaction, while Rem and Shera cheered as Rafflesia sighed in relief.
Drango stood stupefied, having borne witness to battle of a scale and dimension he never knew possible.
The Elves ran toward them all from the forest, raising their voices. Diablo put himself on guard, preparing for the worst, but the Elves simply called out to him, their words praising his victory.
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