Chapter 199

CHAPTER 117 The Ex–Demon Lord and What His Self-Sacrifice Bought As one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Lizer Bellphoenix was the wisest general in my army. But our relationship was anything but compassionate. It was cold and calculating. We schemed to take advantage of each other. After all this time, I’m sure our relationship remained fundamentally unchanged. We weren’t friendly enough to be called friends, nor did we understand each other enough to be comrades. But we had trust. We trusted each other. And that’s what brought us to this moment, where my plan succeeded in the most perfect way, bringing us to the end. It began a little earlier. The moment Lizer ambushed us. It was a splendid attack. No one had the chance to react. I hadn’t been without options, though. I’d had ample opportunity to dodge it…but I didn’t. Why? Because I trusted him. I trusted Lizer Bellphoenix’s power and intellect. I trusted him with all my heart. That’s how I realized…that he lacked the ability to rob someone of their will and power over life and death twice. We’d fought against each other as enemies once. During the battle, Lizer had brought out Mephisto as his ace in the hole to defeat me…and had fallen right into his trap. Surely, he’d learned from that mistake. “You saw right through to my true intention. Well done, Ard Meteor.” When Lizer attacked me and I fell under his control because of his supernatural ability, I heard Lizer’s voice echo in my brain. He spoke even as he traded blows with my astonished friends. “As you know, my supernatural abilities are control and enhancement. And I can also link myself to another spirit. By connecting my spirit with the person I wish to control, I can communicate telepathically. Of course, nonverbal communication can be done through magic, however…” “This better avoids detection.” “Exactly. This is Mephisto Yuu Phegor we’re dealing with. You can never be too careful. Not even an Evil God will hear us if we communicate using my power.” Lizer teleported away to the Laville National Academy of Magic, taking me with him. I saw two people against the familiar backdrop of my school. One was Mephisto. And the other was— “Ard!” Ireena. I wanted to tell my bewildered best friend that I was okay, but I had to remain silent to deceive Mephisto into thinking Lizer’s supernatural ability bound me. My plan was already in motion. “I just thought we might have a conversation together.” Mephisto’s eyes commanded Lizer to leave and for me to sit. We both obeyed as we continued to communicate telepathically. “I will leave now, as he commanded. But we can still use my ability to communicate, no matter how far apart we are. We can exchange ideas on what our next move should be. Make sure you don’t draw suspicion.” As Ireena and Mephisto conversed, I decided to inquire where Lizer currently stood. “So, you’ve completely freed yourself from Mephisto’s control, is that correct? “Indeed. I foresaw earlier that this moment would come. So I made myself immune to his Corruption spell.” “You said you foresaw this? How?” “In the past, I made a clone of Mephisto as a secret weapon when I went to attack you. In doing so, I connected with Mephisto through his seal…and discovered something.” “Ah… You found evidence of a god meddling with him.” “Ultimately, yes, that’s what happened. Nevertheless, you and your party defeated me. And just as my fight with Alvarto was about to end, I sent my consciousness to Mephisto because I intuited that he would attack immediately.” Lizer explained that he was supposed to communicate his wariness to us so that we would know we needed to draw up a countermeasure. Unfortunately, Mephisto was just too fast, so there wasn’t any time to prepare. “The one silver lining was that Maria and I were able to escape. I thought that as long as you all were safe, there was a chance you’d turn the tables… In hindsight, it was a precarious turn of events.” “There’s no use in worrying over the past.” With a cynical laugh to myself, I moved the conversation forward. “Okay, I’ve grasped the situation. So…let’s make a plan.” First, I explained my plan to Lizer. After listening quietly, he answered, “Hmm. It’s exactly the same tactic I devised.” “So you went the same route, eh?” If you thought about it rationally, this was the only conceivable resolution. And I had no reservations about going through with it. “Are you…sure you’re all right with this?” Lizer questioned. “Gee, Lizer, that doesn’t sound like you at all. I never expected you to take my feelings into consideration.” “I, too, am confused by my reaction. Perhaps my altercation with you and your friends spurred a change in me.” Had a bond formed out of our clash? “To be honest, I didn’t think you were capable of that… Maybe that’s the cause of my loneliness—the tendency to pass judgment.” The change in Lizer was like a ray of hope for the future. However…I still couldn’t envision this man in my group of friends. But only because I wouldn’t be around for much longer. “Listen, Lizer—if you have even the slightest sense of comradery for me…then please, help everyone else.” My friends and the other me would need it. I was begging Lizer to take care of them. Lizer answered promptly. “I promise, I will honor your testament.” Since the conversation was telepathic, there was no chance of deceit. Our emotions flowed directly into each other’s minds. I was eternally grateful to Lizer. I knew he meant every word. “All right…let’s lock in this plan,” I said. “Indeed. In principle, this should work. However, there’s still one issue…” “Yeah, how are we going to overcome what unfolds in the aftermath?” “Exactly. When we either rescue your abducted friend or steal the bangle, your compatriots will surely unleash a fierce attack. How do we stop that?” “At the very least, we’ll need to incapacitate Mephisto for a few seconds.” “Indeed. And to achieve that…we shall enlist the help of Sylphy Marheaven.” “She’s regained her sanity, too?” “Correct. She heard Lydia’s voice.” “I see. Then we can definitely trust her.” Like Lizer, Sylphy had broken free of the Corruption spell only a short while ago. She’d furiously declared she would strike Mephisto first. “If I hadn’t successfully stopped her with my supernatural ability…we’d be doomed right now.” “That little terror…she just had to give us a hard time until the very end.” Inwardly, I smiled cynically, but felt relieved nonetheless. With Sylphy back, that meant everyone close to me had escaped Mephisto’s control. That was worth celebrating. “Sylphy’s rebellion will certainly catch Mephisto by surprise. I predict she may even land an attack on him,” Lizer said. “And you’ll seize upon that short opening to set our plan in motion.” “Correct. If I use my supernatural ability, I should be able to get us three seconds at least.” “Then I’ll give my friends another push.” “Indeed. That should give them plenty of time to escape.” Then Lizer followed up with a caveat. “Alvarto, Olivia, and Elzard—we can count on them to make the right decision in the moment. But what of the other you? One wrong move from him could prove fatal for our plan.” The moment Lizer asked me this question, Ireena shot a defiant reply at Mephisto: “I can say this with absolute conviction. I will stay with Ard. I understand him best… I’m his best friend.” The warmth from her feelings was my answer to Lizer. “That won’t be a problem. He will choose friendship over the hubris of self-sacrifice. Mark my words. He’ll put Ireena first.” “Then we can assume the other you will not do anything brash.” The desire to stay behind and fight by my side, to sacrifice himself to defeat Mephisto, would lose out to rationality and compassion for his friends. With that, all the details of our plan were set. At last, it was time for the climax. Everything had gone as I’d envisioned. All my friends escaped…and I faced my nemesis in battle alone. “As much as I believe outward appearances are meaningless, I like you best this way, in the form of my one true darling.” I had activated Brave Demon Full Body. As such, I took on the appearance of the Demon Lord Varvatos. This was my ultimate ace in the hole, but there was a caveat. My opponent was Mephisto Yuu Phegor. Not even my greatest powers combined matched his. Thankfully, I had a secret weapon. My powers had been enhanced by Lizer’s supernatural ability. “You’ve changed, my dear… In ancient times, you never resorted to such things, even when faced with the bitter end.” Mephisto was right. Accepting a power enhancement from Lizer’s supernatural ability meant becoming his slave in a way. That’s why I never chose that option. I trusted Lizer, but I could never shed the last remnants of my hypervigilance. But I’d changed. Now that we’d dueled in earnest and deepened our understanding for each other, I was able to make that choice without fear or hesitation. “When all of this started, you made it clear that you thought compassion for others was a waste of time, nothing more than a facade. These powers I’ve gained are the counterargument.” After I was reborn as a typical nobody, I left footprints on the path I walked. My heightened strength was evidence of everything I’d learned on the way. I stood somewhere the lonely Demon Lord could never have reached. “During the former final battle, I fought purely to dispel my hate. Any concern or animosity for those I fought alongside was irrelevant. I just wanted to make you suffer. That obsession consumed my mind. But this time…it’s the opposite.” I readied my black sword without a speck of negative emotion. All that lived inside me now was a bond of pure love for my friends, and it filled my heart to the brim. “Mephisto Yuu Phegor. I will kill you now, to save the future for my friends.” The devil favored my proclamation with a smile. “Now there’s an expression I’ve never seen on your face before, my love. And it is indeed beautiful…but truly nauseating.” There was no telling where the jealousy in his golden eyes came from. I didn’t care to ask. With a sharp exhale, I dashed for him. My outrageous strength split the ground, sending giant chunks of earth shooting into the sky. The waves of my steps broke the sound barrier and whipped up the devil’s black hair. “If you wanna roughhouse, I’m game.” Mephisto’s hand summoned a pure white sword and charged. Our whirling blades met in a tango punctuated with violent castanets. “Ha-ha! Good job, my sweet. Your skill exceeds expectations.” Not once had this devil’s confidence ever faltered in all our skirmishes. Until now. “You’re shaking, Mephisto.” It was only for an instant, but there was no mistaking it. He was beginning to fear me. I’ve got this. I pressed on, filled with conviction. The devil’s smile never wavered. However, he went from gripping his weapon with one hand to two. “Wow…you’re pretty strong, my love.” “That’s right. You aren’t a worthy opponent anymore.” I pushed even harder, shoving him away. Mephisto sailed through the air, breaking his stance. I gave chase and… “Hahhh!” …slashed his delicate torso in two. Naturally, Mephisto wouldn’t go down that easily. I had slashed all the way through his form, but he was still alive. “This makes one hundred and twenty-eight times you’ve cut me now…and this one hurts more than all the others, my sweet.” His severed body reassembled itself. He stretched, reached his hands toward me, and shot out jet-black flames similar to Alvarto’s. I quickly dodged them, letting my momentum carry me into delivering a kick to his abdomen. “Oof!” Mephisto went flying with an anguished grunt. I attacked the airborne Mephisto once again. At least, I tried to. Unfortunately, I hesitated at the last moment. A jet-black aura radiating from Mephisto’s entire body stopped me in my tracks. If I wasn’t careful, I’d die. I knew it. The pressure was almost suffocating. Upon landing, Mephisto said, “Okay, I admit it. You’ve gotten stronger. Changing from Varvatos to Ard gave you new strength. But it’s given you a new weakness, too.” Malice dripped into his beautiful smile. “I’ll admit that you’re powerful, but nothing more. I reject the sentiment behind it. I refuse to believe that your power comes from the bond with your friends. The idea is a fantasy…and now I’m going to show you I’m right, my darling.” My schoolmates manifested in a circle around me, starting with Elrado. “You monster…” “Die…” “Go to hell…” Hatred burned in their eyes. A lust to kill thrummed in their hearts. When this battle first began, seeing them like this had shaken me. I’d barely been able to stand. Now, however… “After everything I’ve been through…do you honestly think that’ll work?” My spirit didn’t flinch. “Such confidence! But how long will it last?” They were coming for me. My school friends were coming to kill me. And Elrado Spencer led their advance. He rushed toward me, his fists balled up with magic heat energy, and screamed, “Die, Snowflake!” I caught myself smiling as he hurled verbal and magic attacks at me. “Snowflake…that really takes me back, Elrado.” He’d called me the same thing the first time we’d fought, and that memory was surely etched in Elrado’s mind. That’s why he called me Snowflake. Even after Mephisto had corrupted his soul, Elrado’s perception of me survived. And with that knowledge as my shield, I took an offensive posture and said, “Let me show you what a real attack looks like.” I dodged my opponent with the slightest of movements, then struck. I pounded Elrado’s cheek hard, without hesitation. “Grahh!” Elrado cried as he flew into the air. The students behind him soon met the same fate. I pummeled them all with reckless abandon, tossing them into the air like twinkling stars. Stunned by the unexpected sight, Mephisto’s jaw dropped as he said, “Sweetie…what the hell are you playing at?” “Just using a little body language to communicate. Why?” “But they’re your friends… Don’t you care about them?” “What a stupid question. My friends are far more precious than my life. Everybody knows that.” “Um…but you just slugged those precious friends. What are you thinking?” As I gave the berserk students rushing toward me the gift of my fists, I answered, “Nothing.” “Wheh?!” “I’m not thinking anything.” “Uhh…” I snorted at the devil’s utterly perplexed expression and said, “You’ve seen everything leading to this moment, right? You should understand. You should know I’ve stopped letting myself get in my head.” Whack. Whack. Whack. I was deforming my classmates’ faces, but I didn’t care. I imbued my fists with love and punched them all without question. “This is what I should’ve done all along. I should have just trusted them. I should have trusted that I was etched into their souls. Their malice and bloodlust is only a mask, so I have no reason to doubt. I don’t even have a need to scream or beg them to return to normal.” I took a step closer to Mephisto, punching away every school friend who tried to stop me. “My darling…I don’t understand your reasoning. It’s just too illogical.” “Yeah, I guess it is. And you probably never will.” Whether their minds were corrupted or not, they were still my friends. On the surface, it looked like we were fighting…but our souls were connected. All I needed was to cherish that conviction. Everything else could be thrown away. My one task was to walk with my eyes facing forward. Honestly, I was doing my best to emulate my unrivaled best friend, Lydia. “I see… I’m fighting the Demon Lord and the hero…” All traces of confidence vanished from the devil’s face. And at that same moment… “Ar…d…” …I saw another miracle. Elrado, collapsed on the ground behind Mephisto, struggled to his feet. “Urrraaahhh!!!” He leaped at the devil with a roar, pinning his arms behind his back. “Do it! Kill him! Ard!” Elrado. Elrado Spencer. I lived in his heart. Memories of me. Of our friendship. That’s how he’d broken free of Mephisto’s curse…and given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Mmff?!” The devil’s beautiful face contorted in fear. Elrado had created the perfect chance. I could do this. This will work. The final move. I kicked off the ground with all my might and raced forward. “Sink into darkness, body and soul! Mephisto Yuu Phegor!” I killed him. In my heart, I knew it. He killed me. In Mephisto’s heart, he knew it. “This…can’t be happening.” Despair filled his golden eyes. In the next moment, everything would end. The devil and I would both disappear from this world. Yet just before we met our end, memories flashed before me like a kaleidoscope. So much had happened after my reincarnation. Looking back on my life, I saw that Ard Meteor was never really a typical nobody. I had no regrets, though. That turbulent life led me to meet so many wonderful people. May their futures be blessed. With that final thought, I beheld my nemesis with steeled resolve and— “Just kidding. ” His eyes, once filled with despair, filled with devilish delight. In that moment, I had an epiphany. Everything and everyone were in the palm of his hand, dancing like marionettes. Elrado had never returned to his former self. He relaxed his muscles, releasing my nemesis. And in that moment, my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity crumbled like a mirage… This was the worst possible outcome. “Not quite, sweetie.” The next thing I knew, I was lying facedown on the ground. I couldn’t lift a finger. No…I won’t let this be the end. My plan was perfect… At least I thought it was. The Bangle of Devouring. The combat buff from Lizer. My entire life. I’d used up everything. And now… “Just swinging your fists madly around won’t bring you a victory, my dear. After all, I haven’t even used a quarter of my power yet.” As Mephisto assaulted me with the truth, he knelt before me, hunched over, and tousled my hair. “The fate of the world…the future of your friends…throw all those trivial thoughts away. Only look at me, my darling. For when you do…” A smile lingered on Mephisto’s lips. But his eyes… His passionate golden eyes beseeched me. “…then victory will be yours. And at the same time, I will win this farewell game.”