“Kuh... So you summoned the Magimatic Sols?! How are they going to help you now?!”
Diablo once struggled against these things, but it was only because they were manned by members of the races. If they had no pilots, he could mercilessly destroy them. Now that he had a true Demon Lord’s power, it wouldn’t take him long to do it.
The Magimatic Sols flew about the battlefield before ramming themselves into Cross Reverie’s molten form. A gigantic magic circle formed in the air, the likes of which he’d never seen either in the MMORPG or in this world.
“This is...”
The gathered Magimatic Sols let out blinding glows as their forms changed. One unit became a giant arm, while another became a massive leg. Just then, a hole opened in the space between the limbs, and Viatonos of the White — the unit he had banished from this world using Gravity Abyss — appeared from within. Despite it having been crushed back then, it stood completely whole. Its large shield became a chestpiece, connecting to the rest and forming a gigantic robot. Normal Magimatic Sols stood three times the size of the races, but put together they were even bigger than a Large Dragon.
Diablo simply stared, aghast.
“Wh-What is this thing...?!”
At the core of this new unit was the Magimatic Garment Cross Reverie, which he’d melted into liquid just moments ago. It stood brand new, without a single scratch on it, in the center of this combined robot. Emperor Gelmed’s old, raspy voice echoed from within the gigantic machine, in stark contrast to the super robot’s imposing size.
“Do you see this?! Behold, for this is a miracle! God’s majesty, manifested upon the earth! The Magimatic Sol, Ultimaaaate, God, Crooooooooss!”
The old man stretched out the name, like a child watching a cartoon might have.
“Forgive me, Diablo...” Klem said bitterly. “Even if all the separated Demon Lords were to gather, we would stand... no chance against him.”
The Primordial Demon Lord of this world was shattered into pieces by God. Even the Demon Lord Krebskulm was only one part of the whole, and some time ago, they fought against the Demon Overlord Modinaram, who had absorbed many of the other Demon Lords. His body couldn’t contain their power, so he couldn’t fully capitalize on that strength, but he was strong enough to manifest a false Demon Lord’s Castle.
But Emperor Gelmed wasn’t overwhelmed. He wasn’t some amateur who, despite having a high level, didn’t know how to put his power to good use.
—Of course not. This man defeated God, after all.
He might have been inhuman now, but he was originally a mortal man who overcame God on his own. His combat prowess wasn’t to be trifled with.
The God Cross lifted its fist. The air itself screeched as the colossal mass moved rapidly.
“Return to ashes, ye sinner who dares oppose me!”
“Tch... Don’t think you’re better just because you’re bigger now! I’ll melt you again! World Halation!”
“《Karmic Retribution》.”
A mirror appeared in the air in front of God Cross’ left hand.
—Oh, crap!
By the time Diablo guessed at what was going to happen, he was already blown back.
“Ghaaaa...!” Diablo gasped.
“Diablo?!”
He went unconscious for a moment, but Klem’s voice woke him up just barely before he crashed into the ground.
“All is a product of divine retribution,” Emperor Gelmed chuckled.
—Save your religious mumbo jumbo for someone who cares.
Diablo cursed in his heart. Maybe it was a translation issue. While everyone around him was speaking this world’s language, Diablo could somehow understand them. However, that automatic translation wasn’t always entirely accurate and only worked so well.
For example, the concepts of “bank” or “welfare” didn’t exist in Lyferia, so even if someone were to say those words, no one would understand their meaning. In much the same way, it wasn’t guaranteed Diablo would understand what Emperor Gelmed was talking about. Of course, it’s not like he had time to be occupied with the specific meanings of words...
Diablo clenched his fists, and a sharp pain shot through his left arm. Thanks to the Shining Wing Armor, it wasn’t torn off, but the bones in his left arm were likely crushed to bits. The pain was making him break into a cold sweat.
—I messed up.
Was his spell reflected? And if so, was the reflected spell not reflected back thanks to the 《Demon Lord’s Ring》? Or maybe World Halation simply wasn’t an attack that could be reflected?
“Diablo, what do we do?!” Klem asked him. “We don’t have a chance!”
“Ngh... Klem... You said you’ve regained your memories as a Demon Lord, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did any of the people who challenged the Demon Lords ever have a chance to win?”
“...No, they didn’t.”
Diablo’s right hand tightened its grip on the Staff of Annihilation. It was still healthy. Diablo’s lips curled up into a smirk.
“Then it’s the same for us.”
—You can’t call yourself a gamer if you give up just because the odds aren’t in your favor!
†
God Cross thrust his right hand to the sky.
“《Thunderfall》!”
Countless bolts of lightning rained down from above. Even with the Magimatic Castle Viovix blocking out the sky, it was a ruthless attack.
“Tch... Does having God’s miracles mean that literally anything goes?!”
Diablo evaded the lightning as well as he could, but his crushed left arm creaked noisily as he moved. He had to hold back the urge to scream in pain.
“《Cremation Arrow》!” Diablo swung his staff through the air in front of him and sent thirteen arrows of demonic fire flying forward. This attack would normally burn its target to ashes, and if the target was set aflame, the fires wouldn’t extinguish until the target was completely destroyed. The arrows connected with God Cross, burning off some of its armor, but it all soon regenerated.
“You call yourself a Demon Lord with such meager strength? Laughable,” the Emperor mocked.
As Diablo moved to evade one of the lightning bolts pursuing him, it suddenly curved and changed direction.
“Ugh?!”
It hit him directly, and while it did deal damage, his armor prevented it from being fatal. Still, it kept Diablo pinned down.
—Good at everything, aren’t you, stupid Emperor?!
It seemed God Cross’ attacks weren’t classified as magic — Emperor Gelmed was only referring to his attacks as “miracles” — so the Demon Lord’s Ring’s magic reflection didn’t kick in. Diablo clicked his tongue. It wasn’t unusual for old equipment to become outdated or obsoleted by power creep as one advanced through a game’s stages, but things in this battle were developing way too quickly for him to keep up.
—Raid bosses always were training grounds for new abilities and features... Goddammit, this really is a “real world” in and of itself...because holy shit, this would be one badly balanced game!
“World Halation!” Diablo thrust his staff forward.
“Do you never learn, fool? Karmic Retrib— ngh?!”
While Diablo did shout the spell’s name, he didn’t actually cast it. Unlike the game, in this world, one had to concentrate on their magical energy to cast spells, which meant it was possible to chant a spell without actually doing anything.
“You fell for it!” Diablo said as he charged ahead. He had observed in his battle with God Cross that when it used an attack, it couldn’t simultaneously use another one. Thus, Diablo closed in on the mechanical giant and thrust his staff toward it.
However, in the last second, he realized that Karmic Retribution’s mirroring effect didn’t actually trigger either. He could almost feel the old man’s nasty leer through his armor.
“I don’t have to activate my own miracles just because I call them out either,” he said eerily.
“Ugh?!”
He was lured in.
“《Purification》.”
A flash of light spilled from God Cross’ mouth, and Diablo couldn’t avoid it in time.
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?!”
A loud voice filled his ears. The high-pitched tolling of a bell boomed in his head. It felt like something had yanked his ribs straight out of his body. Blood gushed from his flanks, and he felt as if he would soon lose consciousness.
“Gaaah!”
“Nha?! Diablo, are you all right?!”
Once again, Klem’s shouting kept him from slipping away. If he were to close his eyes now, he’d likely never wake up.
Even with his mind fogged over with agony, Diablo acted unflinchingly. Reflexively, he reached into the pouch on his waist and took out a potion, smashing the tube in his hands and letting the fluid spray over him.
Complete recovery. The potion healed him to full health, despite him being on the brink of death. Both his crushed left arm and his destroyed flanks had fully recovered. Still, that didn’t change the fact he was at a disadvantage.
“I can’t believe I fell for that...” Diablo whispered.
Losing in a gamble like that...
“The wisdom of man is powerless in the presence of God,” Emperor Gelmed said gravely.
“Kuh...”
God Cross folded its arms, its mechanical joints creaking. “So, you have the means to heal yourself. Then divine punishment that only injures you has no meaning. I will simply have to wipe you out in a single swing.”
“Heheh... Impatient, aren’t you?” Diablo said, sweating profusely behind his facade. “What, are you getting tired, geezer? Can’t fight long in your old age?”
“I haven’t the time for you,” Emperor Gelmed replied. “I must quickly seize the Girl of the Vessel. Once I destroy you, I will enter the city.”
And if that happened, there probably wouldn’t be anyone left to stop him. The intimidating air spilling from the Emperor increased in volume. It seemed that, true to his words, he intended to finish Diablo off quickly.
That only served to harden Diablo’s resolve.
“I’ll protect them.”
He took two rings out of his pouch: item drops he obtained when he defeated the Demon Overlord Modinaram. One was the 《Ring of Madness》, which greatly increased his offensive power, but reduced his defenses to nothing. The Shining Wing Armor obeyed his will as if it were an extension of his body, so he was able to remove the gauntlet and put on the ring. He then equipped another ring on his middle finger — a different Demon Lord’s ring. This one had an ability that was entirely unlike the powers of the Demon Lord of the Mind Enkvaros or the Demon Lord of Madness Modinaram.
Its effect was that it would allow whomever wore it to cast a certain spell, but in return, it didn’t allow the usage of any other spells.
—It’s a pretty significant drawback, but I have to make this gamble.
Diablo held up his staff.
“You will come to regret fighting this Demon Lord!” Diablo declared, role playing more earnestly than ever before. “I shall make a prophecy here and now: this grand magic will destroy you!”
In response, God Cross raised its right hand upwards.
“Come forth, Goldinus.”
“What?!”
—This thing can get even stronger?! Diablo thought to himself in panic.
Looking up, he saw a golden spark shoot skyward from the peak of Viovix. The final Magimatic Sol was flying toward them.
Goldinus of the Gold.