The Glow built up in her body. Emperor Gelmed drew closer, the old man’s face at the end of the Shadow’s elongated torso bellowing out, “Ooooooh! There can be no mistaking it! The Girl of the Vessel! Accept me! Conceive me, give birth to me, grant me new life! If you do, I shall make you into the holy mother!”
“Disgusting!” Rem rejected his words with all her vehemence.
“Ngaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” the Shadow howled, opening its mouth wide enough to swallow a person whole.
Rem held her right fist at her waist, then thrust it forward.
“《Shimmering Wave》!”
This was a finishing technique used by Rem’s aunt, Solami. The wave of energy blew the old man’s face away.
“You did it!” Shera pumped her fist in joy.
But Rem clenched her teeth bitterly. The Shadow once again resumed its form.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaah! The Girl of the Vessel! I shan’t let anyone else have you! Become my mother!”
“I refuse!” Rem said sharply as she took a step back.
Diablo’s magic, Shera’s demonic bow, and even Rem’s trump card did nothing to affect the Shadow.
How do we defeat this thing?!
But just as Diablo asked himself that, Sylvie slapped her hands on the balcony’s handrail.
“I made it!”
She stuck out her right hand and twirled her wrist. A shining magic circle spread out on part of the rail — Circle-type Sorcery.
“Hey, Emperor Gelmed! Being old isn’t all that bad, you know! Though I guess that wouldn’t sound too convincing coming from a Grasswalker!”
“You?!”
For the first time, the Shadow’s attention turned away from Rem. As the magic circle spread, Sylvie drew a shining line with a finger, and then slapped her hands together.
“Three Black, White Two! Surround us and close, 《Unlimited Bowl》!”
A shining sphere spread out around her, and then covered Rem’s body.
“What?!” Rem asked, her eyes wide in surprise.
“Just hang tight for a while!”
“What is this?! Isn’t this spell for capturing enemies?!” Diablo asked, shocked.
“My expertise is support magic,” Sylvie shrugged. “And if the enemy’s too high level, they can resist it. But I can use powerful magic on my willing allies!”
“...And that’s why you trapped me inside here?” Rem asked.
“You can rest easy, Rem, no one can touch you in there!” Sylvie said reassuringly.
The Shadow closed in on Rem, but it was indeed deflected away by the sphere. Sparks flew as it was sent flying back before reforming.
“Someone dares oppose me?! Oppose the Emperor of the Gelmed Empire?!”
“Of course!” Sylvie said smugly.
“I am the Emperor of the Gelmed Empire! A living god who reigns over all in existence! Insolent fool!”
“Err...” Sylvie seemed to wince at his indignation. “I’m just buying time with my magic! So, Diablo, you handle the rest!”
Diablo nodded back. He used flight magic to hover near the balcony and spoke to the Shadow, putting forth his most imposing Demon Lord performance.
“You say you rule over all of existence? That’s quite the cheeky thing to say in the face of a Demon Lord! And for how self-important you are, all you do is chase around one poor girl... Know some shame!”
The Shadow did not respond, however. It didn’t even regard Diablo, and kept bellowing.
“By the rules of this world, all must obey me, all must heed me, and all must gladly die in my name! All shall thank me for being permitted to live by my benevolence! Worship me! Praise me! Extol me!”
Diablo had been utterly ignored. This was the first time Diablo had been completely ignored by someone since coming to this world.
It’s probably because my magic didn’t work... He’s ignoring me because I’m weak!
Anger swirled in the pit of Diablo’s stomach, but his heart soon turned cold. It’d been so long since he’d last been ignored, but he was used to this. He was so familiar with this feeling that it almost felt nostalgic. And as pathetic and absurd as it was... Being ignored made him remember the past, cooling his thoughts.
Before he even realized it, laughter spilled from his lips.
“Heheh... Heheheh... Of course. This is only natural...”
What the hell have I been doing? Firing powerful spells blindly is completely lacking in elegance. When did I become such a predictable, one-trick-pony?
Was it because all his opponents recently were ones that required him to push through them with sheer firepower? Because they were all opponents he’d faced in the game before? Where the slightest bit of sophistication was all it took to beat them?
True, he couldn’t recall fighting a battle where his magic was so ineffective, but in the past, Diablo would say this to his foes:
“You’re weak because you don’t fight like you’re hanging by the skin of your teeth.”
How many powerful opponents had he faced since coming to this world, really? There were times when he struggled, true, but it was so much less often than back when he was a socially crippled gamer.
This is pathetic... I’ve grown dull.
“Heheh...” Diablo chuckled, feeling like he was finally awake. “I’ve kept you bored, haven’t I, Emperor Gelmed...? As my apology, I shall show you a Demon Lord’s true power!”
But again, the Emperor showed no response to Diablo.
Then let’s make you acknowledge me!
“《Ice Age》!”
A level 130 water element spell that inhibited the target’s movements for a brief moment. But the Shadow’s face seemed disinterested, as if to say, ‘So what?’ The tip of Diablo’s shadow touched the frozen Shadow — the spell had hit its mark, and using omission, Diablo swiftly performed his next spell.
“《Naraku》!”
“Ng?!”
And for the first time, Emperor Gelmed turned to look at him. The effects of Ice Age wore off, and the frost melted off Emperor Gelmed’s face.
“You...!”
“Hmph... If you can regenerate from any powerful spell, then I shall expunge you from this world altogether. Drift in the void for all eternity!”
Diablo didn’t actually know if this spell threw its victims into a void, that was just the lore behind the spell. A small hole formed and began drawing in the Shadow. Apparently, he couldn’t resist this spell.
“Aagh...!” Emperor Gelmed let out a peculiar screech. “You fool...! You cretin! I am the Emperor of Gelmed! This is blasphemy! Impiety! Ggghah, aaaaah...!”
And screaming still, he sunk into the hole. Once the spell triggered, its effects happened all too quickly.
Did I beat him...?