Chapter 183

CHAPTER 109 The Ex–Demon Lord and the Ultimate Ordeal (Part I) The Bangle of Devouring was a requirement for defeating Mephisto, not one for a guaranteed victory. So we had no choice but to recover the item. That being said, using it wasn’t a simple matter. Since it was imbued with incredible powers, I’d placed conditions that needed to be met to activate it. Specifically, the seal had to be unlocked. Ordinarily, the Bangle of Devouring’s powers were locked, and the key was a collection of seven gemstones. Following the farewell game with Mephisto in the old days, I scattered the gemstones around the world after I sealed the bangle’s abilities. Most of them were in ultra-difficult dungeons. However, one was different from the others. To ensure the bangle never came into wicked hands, I concealed one gemstone in a place only I could access, another dimension. It was located in a space between worlds, the very same one that Mephisto and the other Evil Gods crossed to reach our world. Only a small handful of people knew about this liminal dimension. Of them, an even smaller number could create an entrance. Ultimately, there was only one person who stood a chance at returning from that realm alive—the Demon Lord, Varvatos. However, that information wouldn’t help me acquire the gemstone. Honestly, it was incredibly demoralizing. After all, I wasn’t Varvatos. I was Ard Meteor. Traveling to another dimension and making it back in one piece was impossible as a nobody. Still, defying rationality was the only way I’d get a chance at striking Mephisto. Thus, I took Elzard and Alvarto with me to the other dimension, well aware of the risks, and now we were on our way back. The gemstone in question was in my hand. All that remained was to return to the fissure between dimensions and jump through. Unfortunately… The path to the gemstone had been hell, and the way back promised to be even worse. Nervousness seized my heart. It was easily among the top five most stressful situations in my life. “We’re almost at the entrance!” I cried to my companions. “Jump like your lives depend on it!” This interdimensional space was a white void. The concepts of up and down didn’t exist, and neither did gravity or oxygen. We were floating in nothingness. This forced anyone here to cast oxygen and flight magic constantly. I couldn’t imagine a more deadly environment. To make things worse, that wasn’t even the greatest hurdle in trying to get back. Continuous spells were a piece of cake compared to the little friends following us. “Agh, damn it all! A king can only take so much humiliation!” Elzard cursed as she darted about fiercely I glanced behind me and spied a swarm of thick jet blackness that nearly blotted out the white void. They were dimensional parasites, mysterious entities who infested other dimensions. It felt strange to call them alive. While their bodies didn’t differ much from those of ordinary people, their forms were truly challenging to describe. At the very least, they weren’t especially pleasing to look at. Their mixture of human and insect qualities made them hideous. They were highly skilled fliers, but aside from that, they were powerless. And they boasted no great intelligence that might pose a threat. However… “Their numbers are stupid high! Where the hell are they coming from?!” Alvarto shouted angrily. He hit the nail on the head. Their true strength was in their numbers. A few million or billion wouldn’t have been an issue. Unfortunately, their ranks appeared to be infinite. The swarm doubled in size with each passing second. Their current numbers presumably totaled in the quadrillions. Even as we fled, they continued to multiply. “I’m not gonna let these damn bugs get the best of me!” I had lost count of how many times Elzard had said that. To someone with her ego, running from an enemy she could kill with the flick of a finger was too much. Yet if we took a stand against them, it wouldn’t matter that we were the King of Frenzied Dragons and the Demon Lord. Only eternal stagnation awaited us. The dimensional parasites respawned more swiftly than we could exterminate them. No matter how hard we tried, it was impossible to eradicate them. However, since they were so weak, they could never kill us, either. Really, the problem all boiled down to numbers. If we were engulfed in that humungous swarm, we’d be as good as imprisoned by walls we’d never break through. Magic couldn’t exterminate the parasites faster than they respawned. This made dimensional parasites the weakest and the strongest beings in existence. Anyone caught in their ranks wouldn’t be able to lift a finger or even kill themselves. They’d have to wait in stillness until they died. Even the full extent of my powers wouldn’t save us from that fate. Once the dimensional parasites spotted you, the only recourse was to flee. Fortunately, there was a ray of hope. We were at the rift between dimensions. Once we flew in, we’d be back in our own world. Unfortunately… “What’s the plan now, Ard Meteor? At this rate, we’re doomed.” “Yes, the situation is indeed bleak. We won’t last another few seconds…” The dimensional parasites were closing in on us slowly. They’d be on us before we could get out. “Two seconds. Just two seconds. If we could freeze them for that long…” I racked my brain desperately while my body grew damp from sweat. “Guess I’ll have to use my last resort,” Elzard said abruptly. The moment I heard her quiet words and realized what she meant, I shouted “Don’t—!” Before I could finish my sentence, Elzard was already on the move. There was only one way to stop our enemy—spending all our power to slaughter the entire swarm. However, that method came with a price. And Elzard was going to pay it. The Frenzied King of Dragons was not the sort of being to choose an honorable hero’s death, though. She was going to sacrifice the man flying beside her. Elzard hit Alvarto Egzex’s abdomen with her tail, stopping in midair. Alvarto’s eyes shot open. I’d never seen him so mortified. His shock was understandable. If the dimensional parasites swallowed an immortal like him, he’d be frozen within for eternity. The mere thought made me go stiff. Even Alvarto looked terrified. “You little shits!!!” After that explosive outburst, two things happened in quick succession. The first was a huge blast of ebony flames. The dark fire burst into the white void, filling it in a split second. It barreled toward the swarm of dimensional parasites like a giant wave, yet it still wasn’t enough to completely swallow them. And Alvarto recognized this. Which led him to scream… “KALMIAAAA!” …and to summon. The sentient sword materialized in Alvarto’s hand. Of the three Great Holy Swords, this one stood at the top of them all, the pinnacle of the very concept of blades. As a person, her name was Kalmia. As a weapon, it was Dilga Zervatis, the Holy Sword. “Exhaust all your magic if you must! We’re hitting them with everything we’ve got!!!” “Understood, Master.” As soon as Kalmia, the personality within the sword, answered him… “Vasq Helgeqia Vol Nagan—(Puny Creatures, Submit To Me Now! Otherwise—)” By chanting in the ancient language, Alvarto unleashed his great feat. “GALVA QUESARRR!!!!! (You Shall Return To The Void!)” The Holy Sword shot a burst of rainbow-colored light, imbued with destruction. It melted into the black flames pursuing the parasites, creating an even stronger Attack spell with an ultra-wide range. It swallowed the quadrillions of parasites, vanquishing them. I suppose I should’ve expected as much from the most powerful of the former Four Heavenly Kings. By unleashing the entirety of his powers onto the swarm, he’d done the impossible and bought us another two seconds. “Spectacularly done. Whoa, there.” Elzard dived for the dimensional rift without looking back. Meanwhile, I had slightly dropped my speed. “Alvarto!” I yanked hard on the magic rope secured to his waist. I’d predicted that move when Elzard’s tail snapped a few seconds before. I’d known she intended to sacrifice Alvarto, so the moment Elzard had taken action, I’d created a means of escape. Drained of his magic, Alvarto was immobilized…but by tugging on the rope attached to his waist, I pulled him from the grasp of the dimensional parasites. All three of us made it back to our world. “Ngh!” The moment we slipped through the rift, gravity yanked our bodies to the earth, covering all three of us in mud. “Ard Meteor…thank you for that.” “Don’t worry about it. I only did what was right.” As we spoke, the dimensional rift slowly closed behind us. Then suddenly, Dilga Zervatis, the Holy Sword in Alvarto’s hand, glowed…and took human form. She was a beautiful girl, clad in a jet-black gothic dress. Anger smoldered in Kalmia’s ivory-white face as she marched up to Elzard. She looked down at the dragon, who was unable to stand from fatigue, like Alvarto and me, and said, “Because of you…Al nearly suffered a fate worse than death.” Elzard snorted at Kalmia’s enraged face and said, “Two lives saved in exchange for one is a deed worth celebrating.” There wasn’t a hint of malice in the reply, but Kalmia shot a death glare at Elzard. “Don’t.” Alvarto’s command stopped Kalmia just short of her killing Elzard. As she turned to look at him, he spoke calmly and coldly. “That white lizard still has value. Don’t kill her until we’ve used her up.” Alvarto was telling Kalmia that it was okay to kill Elzard once they’d gotten their use out of her. Well, by the time that happens, we’ll have stopped this crisis. Ireena and I will talk them down. “Didn’t ya hear your master? How about ya get lost, bitch?” “…Steel yourself, Elzard. After we kill Mephisto, you’re next.” Kalmia vanished, letting her icy words of death hang in the air. We took a moment to catch our breath, and once we’d recovered a good amount of stamina and magic, I said, “That was truly a perilous fight, but we made it through.” “This gemstone makes seven,” Alvarto said. “Which means…” “We can break the seal on the devouring thingy. Isn’t that right, Ard Meteor?” I nodded at Elzard. “Next, we’re going to retrieve the bangle.” “It waits at the capital of the Federal States of Saphiria…right?” “Yes. It’s going to be another long trip, so… Elzard, if you please?” When she caught my gaze, the dragon glared menacingly and cursed under her breath. But she didn’t say no. We sailed off through the vast sky on the back of a dragon. “Why do you have to use me like a mount all the time?! You could just use flight magic!” Elzard, now a giant white dragon, grumbled. Alvarto sighed. Elzard had been like this for over an hour. “Flight magic wears on the senses. If Mephisto’s enhanced pawns attack us while we’re weakened, it’ll be hard to fight back. So riding on your back is our most logical course of action. This is my third time explaining it, right? Do you still not understand? Is your reptilian brain too small to comprehend?” Elzard said nothing back, but she shook her body. Alvarto and I were secured with magic, though, so we couldn’t fall. “It’s like I’m covered in pesky fleas…” “Um, Elzard, isn’t it unfair to include me?” I said. “Shaddup. In a way, you piss me off most of all, ya parasite.” What kind of logic is that? Once this is over, I’m telling Ireena everything. “Okay, stop joking around. It’s time we take this seriously,” Alvarto said from beside me. He left a pause for effect before getting to the matter at hand. “So we get the bangle… Then what?” Elzard seemed interested in that question. “If I’m being honest, I really wanna just brutally murder that Mephisto guy. He’s a menace. Even with that devouring thingy, we can’t stop him.” That was just how incredible Mephisto Yuu Phegor’s strength was. “You’re right…,” I agreed. “I don’t think the bangle alone is enough to stop him.” “So what’re you gonna do about it?” There was a faint glimmer of hope in Alvarto’s eyes. That meant he didn’t have a single plan of his own. And I couldn’t blame him. I couldn’t think of anything remotely effective, either. However… “I do have one suggestion…” Elzard and Alvarto would undoubtedly grimace the moment they heard my idea. Unless I was careful, our fellowship might fall apart on the spot. So I steeled myself and opened my mouth to tell them— “Ah! Elzard, watch out!” I sensed an ambush. And I wasn’t the only one. “Thanks, Mr. Obvious!” With a guttural growl, Elzard cast a Defensive spell, encasing her body with a giant shielding orb. Barely a moment later, a torrent of spears slammed into us. There was a ridiculous number of them—too many to count. The flock of spears pierced the sky and lanced toward us. They’d come from the capital city in the distance. “…Right at the border. I’m surprised we got this far,” Alvarto remarked. “Yes, it was about time he attacked us,” I agreed. The giant city where the spears were coming from was Velkratt, the capital of the Federal States of Saphiria. Mephisto had likely enhanced all of its inhabitants to the level of warriors from the old days. “This volley of spears in the air…makes me feel sentimental,” I said. “Yeah, it takes me back to the past.” The raging blades surging toward us were fierce, but not enough to faze us. “Are they mocking me? These sticks are nothing.” I could sympathize with Elzard for being offended. A barrage of spears looked impressive, but it had practically no effect on us. The magic shield quickly deflected them. They broke and fell to the ground. Our enemy likely knew their attack was meaningless. The action had to serve some other purpose. “Even the newt is powerful in her own right, and they know it. I doubt they’re mocking you.” “Yeah, but you’re mocking me, aren’t ya? You’re dead, pretty boy.” Alvarto sighed. “Regardless, it wouldn’t hurt to strengthen our defenses.” Alvarto and I added our own magic to Elzard’s shield while measuring where the enemy attacks landed. This amplified our defenses exponentially. The former Demon Lord, a former Heavenly King, and the Frenzied King of Dragons. Our shield comprised the power of the three mightiest names in the modern era. Not even enemies enhanced by Mephisto stood a chance at breaching— “No, wait a minute.” That’s when I suddenly remembered the existence of certain magic equipment. Alvarto was on the same page. “If I remember correctly, Velkratt has those things.” “Yes, but they’re—” I was about to tell him that those particular pieces of equipment existed for the sole use of their respective owners, and that nobody else could wield them. However, I then realized we’d underestimated Mephisto’s meddling. As if to mock us for thinking it was impossible, a crimson stream shot from Velkratt, a red spear. “You have to dodge it!” I cried. However, Elzard hadn’t picked up on the danger like we had, and she reacted too slowly. Even though her intent was to evade, her movements made it plain that she was over-relying on the barrier. “You stupid crocodile…” Alvarto sighed loudly. A moment later, the unbreakable shield was shattered by the red spear. “MRROWWW?!” Elzard howled in shock. That finally scared her into taking proper evasive action, but it was already too late. The red spear pierced through her three wings in one shot. “Mmf! What the hell is happening?!” She fell. For a dragon who ruled the heavens and earth, it was surely a first. She never would’ve imagined anyone could steal her powers of flight and knock her out of the sky. As we plummeted toward the ground, Alvarto and I exchanged glances. “I should have known this would happen.” “Yeah. Looks like this will be an even bigger hassle than I thought.” We shared a sigh and prepared for impact. The Ten Calamities—a set of warriors who served Olivia vel Vine in the past. One of the men, Ignis Wargerior, had been nicknamed Godspear. In the old days, he was a renowned spearman who carried the red Demon Spear Zol Tovalki, from which he got his moniker. Elzard’s pierced wings were the work of that man and his weapon. The notion that he was waiting for us at our destination raised some doubts, though. All ten of the Ten Calamities, Ignis included, had died. The great war between humans and the Outer Ones during the ancient times was a brutal conflict that took the lives of nameless soldiers and great heroes en masse. The esteemed Ten Calamities were no exception. Their astral bodies were long gone. I’d assumed that no matter how hard one tried, resurrecting them would be impossible… But we were dealing with Mephisto. It wasn’t hard to imagine him achieving impossible resurrections with the snap of a finger. Or perhaps he’d altered the magic equipment of the Ten Calamities so that anyone could use it. The capital city of Saphiria was a massive metropolis that was under Olivia’s rule since the ancient times…and it was also a sentimental place where she spent many long years with subordinates who were more precious than life itself. The Ten Calamities were like family to Olivia. So she surely wanted to feel their presence, even in death. Olivia kept their weapons close, refusing to let anyone else touch the weapons her Ten Calamities loved so much. In other words, Velkratt contained all the powerful weapons the Ten Calamities used. Either Mephisto resurrected them or made it so anybody could use their weapons. Regardless… “Our only choice is to move forward.” I stood with my comrades and glared at the entrance to Velkratt ahead. Saphiria was a multiracial nation with a therianthrope majority. Olivia was an object of worship, and the Black Wolf Order was the national religion. Because of that, the capital of Velkratt that Olivia founded was regarded as a holy city in modern times. No part of it had been altered in any way, making Velkratt unique for a modern city. It resembled a citadel. Behind the high walls and the massive gate, the capital was surely in the literal jaws of death. “Shall we?” I addressed my company. “I always repay my debts!” “I don’t wish to needlessly exert myself, but you don’t always get what you want.” None of us were afraid. We all charged through the gate together. “Looks like concealment magic works here,” I remarked. “I hate sneaking around. It makes me feel sick. We should just barge in and slaughter them all…,” Elzard groused. “Are you even dumber than Sylphy? We shouldn’t resort to violence unless absolutely necessary.” Alvarto’s opinion was so levelheaded that it was hard to believe he used to be known as a berserk pervert. “So about our route,” I said. “I’m thinking the shortest path possible won’t be a problem.” “I agree… Since we’re able to use concealment magic, that probably means our enemy doesn’t want us to fight by the city entrance or in the streets.” “So they’re welcoming us with open arms and telling us not to delay? I’ll make them eat that smug confidence.” Dragons were said to be the most vengeful when it came to their wings. And Elzard’s eyes had been alive with anger since we’d touched the ground. We continued boldly down the main road of Velkratt. “The streets look so lovely, I wish we could have visited during peaceful times,” I lamented. “This place is known as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Don’cha think this would be a great place for our school’s winter retreat?” “Make the suggestion, Alvarto. After all, you’re on the faculty now.” Even in the lion’s den, we weren’t bothered. I suppose it was because we were veteran warriors of the old times. Elzard didn’t mix well into our jovial conversation, though. “Come on…we’re in enemy territory, guys. Don’t get so cozy.” Her face was tense with the vigilance of a warrior. At least, I wish it were. She looked more like a sulking child excluded from a grown-up conversation. “Don’t worry, Elzard, we aren’t trying to exclude you.” “Huh?” “Once this is over, I’m going to request that the headmaster let you join the academy as a special transfer student. That way, you can go on the winter retreat and have fun with us.” “…………Don’t misunderstand. I don’t wanna go on your stupid trip.” “Oh? I guess you’re not interested in being in a group with Ireena, then.” “……………………’Course I ain’t interested. Dumbass.” That reaction made her true feelings painfully obvious. She looked away in a huff, blushing up to her ears. Casting her a glance, Alvarto said, “Damn…that Ireena Olhyde is quite a lady.” “You said it.” I nodded firmly. Without Ireena, I wouldn’t have these two allies walking with me. She’d saved both of them like she had Ard Meteor. Ireena was the force that connected us. And we were putting our lives on the line to save a world with her at the center. Our passions for her would surely bring us together, but they also might sow discord between us. I grew uneasy the moment we arrived at the plaza, perhaps because our destination was in sight. “The Bangle of Devouring is in the castle—that’s what you said, right?” Alvarto asked. I bobbed my head in the affirmative. Our destination was the castle standing in the middle of Velkratt. It had once been Olivia’s home. Now it was used to house the president and to conduct government affairs. “In the old days, after the first farewell game with Mephisto, I left the bangle to the one I trusted most and ordered it be hidden… And the person I trusted the most at the time was—” “I’d have to guess Olivia, by process of elimination.” Alvarto was right. After Lydia died, my surrogate big sister was the person I had the most faith in. He was right to think she was the only choice. My army had been full of traitors at the time. If I had given the bangle to anyone other than Olivia, we would’ve met a horrible end. “I imagine the castle is full of traps.” “Yeah. Knowing Mephisto’s personality, it has to be.” “None of his traps will work on us, I’m sure… We really need to worry about any guardians he might’ve placed.” We knew that we couldn’t simply outwit all his traps and make it through to the end. A final opponent would definitely be guarding the Bangle of Devouring. “I imagine it’ll be President Zelos,” I said. The man had a similar air and appearance to Olivia. I’d gotten acquainted with Zelos during the Five Powers Summit held in the Megatholium. He was a devout worshipper of Olivia and a master of the sword. However, that was Zelos before his corruption. There was no telling what qualities Zelos had now. Perhaps all the magic weapons kept by the giant statues of the Ten Calamities erected around the plaza had been corrupted so he could use them. In other words, I suspected he was the one who’d attacked Elzard. “I’d love to draw up some countermeasures…” Before I could set my mind to the task, a giant statue in the center of the plaza came into view. It was a carving of me and Olivia, brother and sister, standing side by side. The moment I saw it, a strange feeling took root deep in my chest. It had to be an omen. “Jump to the side!” Alvarto shouted. My reflexes kicked in before my brain did, and I jumped. All three of us leaped in different directions. Barely a moment later, a sword came crashing down where we’d stood. It cut deep into the statue and then caused it to rupture. The sword was small, but given its powers, a direct hit would prove lethal, even for us. That scorching white blade looked familiar to me. “Demon Blade Gur Vetania…!” It belonged to Cayell the Explosive, one of the Ten Calamities. The sword that usually hung on his belt had made an entrance. The guardian had attacked sooner than anticipated. Sensing the intruder’s presence, our focus turned to him at once. “Oh, good. You’re here.” For a moment, my mind went blank. There were two enemies…and one was Mephisto Yuu Phegor. It wasn’t his true body but a clone. The aura emanating from him felt weakened. There was only one reason for that, to make it clear that she was the star of this round. “I see…quite diabolical,” Alvarto mused, scowling. “…Looks like you’re not a wimpy bitch only skilled with a sword anymore.” Elzard narrowed her eyes in a glare at the woman who’d arrived with Mephisto. Sure enough, the one standing before us was… “Olivia…!” Emotion ripped my Ard Meteor facade in two, exposing Varvatos. “I feel like I just pulled off the prank of the century against my friend, honey dearest,” the devil Mephisto boasted eloquently as he grinned like a devious child. “You should have known this sort of thing would happen. You’re not stupid. Oh, is that expression not of shock but of flustered resentment because your worst fear has come to pass?” ……He was dead right. This wasn’t an entirely unexpected development. Aside from Elzard and Alvarto, all my friends were in Mephisto’s evil clutches. It wasn’t inconceivable that one of them had come to attack at the worst possible time. I’m not shocked, but I’m still nervous. After all, since Mephisto attacked the school, I— “You haven’t managed to save a single soul. You haven’t managed to bring anyone back to your side. My darling, those two chess pieces you hold now only fell into your hands by dumb luck.” I didn’t have the mental fortitude to dispute him. Elzard was here because he hadn’t thought of her. And Alvarto’s nature as a clone of Mephisto provided him with a unique immunity. Both of them skirted Mephisto’s corruption by chance… I hadn’t saved a single person. “You’re a sore loser, sweetie. You’ve always been a pathetic coward. Isn’t it about time you show me some heroics, darling?” He’s daring me to steal her back, to accomplish what I failed to back at school. Mephisto, eyes glittering with anticipation, spoke to Olivia beside him. “Oh, my sweet Big Sis, save meeee! They’re making fun of meeee!” He wiggled his hips and pouted. If Olivia were in her right mind, her sword would have come flying for Mephisto. However, she was under the corruption magic’s influence, thus… “All enemies of my little brother…shall die.” …she falsely believed that Mephisto was her sweet little brother. Loneliness, sorrow, and anger filled my heart. “Olivia…!” Unfortunately, my heartfelt cry wouldn’t reach her now. “Time to die.” No sooner did the words register in my mind than I saw her standing before me. She tightly gripped the Demon Blade, my gift to her long ago. “Die!!!” Olivia lunged for the kill. Mephisto had enhanced her. The dexterity of her attack far surpassed what she was capable of normally. However… “Nngh!” …I was able to dodge it. Despite her movements being impossible to follow with the naked eye, I leaped back and escaped the blade. Something about that struck me as odd, but before I pondered it deeply… “Lightning Blast!” …a spell shot from Elzard’s hand. The attack was perfect in every way. I thought that it would surely hit Olivia, if only to deal moderate damage. “Zeta Orchis, Come Hither!” It was a summoning. A pure white shield appeared beside Olivia, transforming the incoming lightning into light and absorbing it. “That’s…Solzein’s shield!” It was one of the Ten Calamities, Solzein the Damned.