“I won’t let you...”
The assassins felt a chill run up their spines as they watched his anger grow, but they quickly regained their composure.
I’ll witness the death of another loved one... The girl I love will die before my eyes... because of how powerless I am...
“Haha, don’t worry. Your princess will be right behind you, so just calm down... and die!” Almost as if he could read Al’s thoughts, Bajil aimed the knife at him and swung down.
Time slowed for Al. He could see Luna shouting and the blade slowly making its way toward him. It filled him with bloodlust.
“Do you desire power?” a voice whispered from deep within his mind.
I need power. I need to be unbeatable... I need power!
The moment he thought so, a mysterious presence filled his body. That something was not simply creepy or gross; it went far beyond that. He couldn’t even scream in the face of such unknown horror.
“Hm. You shall prove useful in a couple years... Very well. I shall bestow you with indomitable power!” He sensed the presence bow its head and smile sadistically, though at that point, Al didn’t make anything of it. He simply wanted enough power to defeat their assassins, enough power to save Luna.
I don’t know who or what you are, but lend me your strength!
An incredible power began welling up inside his body. His mind could only focus on one thing. Power. POWER!
“Ahaha... Ahahahahahaha!” He cackled loudly against his own volition, filling the whole garden with his voice.
“What now? Did this brat go mad with fear?” Al’s crazed cackling caused Bajil to waver and stop his knife in front of Al’s eyes. He wasn’t completely wrong, but the fear was theirs, not Al’s.
“Insolent whelp! Shut up and drop dead!” Bajil struck down once again, but Al caught his arm, and...
Crunch!
“Aughhhhh!” Bajil’s hand was now facing ninety degrees to the side.
“Ahaha! Big talk for someone who snaps like a twig, human!”
Is this my voice? A voice as deep as the ocean resounded in his ears.
“Are you... Al?” Even Luna doubted it was him, but Al answered without a delay.
“Don’t... worry... Luna! I’ll... protect... you!”
“Gahhh! My... My hand!”
Al shut the writhing man up with a kick to his stomach. He flew through the air for a couple of yards before tumbling down to the ground. Seeing that, Al smiled.
“Al... Ah! Behind you, Al!”
In the meantime, Rukke had silently circled around Al and skilfully stabbed him in the back. Or so he thought.
“Huh!?”
Al couldn’t see his face, but he knew that it must’ve been warped in agony due to the immense pain coming from his side. Rukke panicked and tapped his side, but there wasn’t anything there to tap. It had been blasted clean off by a pitch-black spell. Dadan watched his partner collapse on the ground.
“Tch, I’ll complete our mission—” Out of desperation, he was about to finish off the girl trapped in his arms, but...
“Looking for this?” Al appeared in front of him out of thin air. Dadan’s eyes flew open in terror at the sight of him—more accurately, at the sight of what he was carrying. He was holding Dadan’s entire left arm, hand still tightly gripped around the knife. Dadan didn’t feel any pain, and there was no blood dripping from it. It was almost like an illusion, but unfortunately for him, it was real.
“Ah, I don’t actually need this. Here, catch!” Al casually threw his arm on the ground. Seeing that, Dadan was overcome by sheer terror.
“My... Eek! Y-You monster!”
His experience as an assassin had nothing to do with his decision; his primal instinct itself was screaming for him to run. Based on that, he lobbed Luna forward in hopes of buying some time for himself. In theory, it should’ve worked perfectly, but he was in for a rude awakening.
“Gahhh! M-My legs...” His trusty legs, which should’ve propelled his escape, were no more. Instead, they were dangling from Al’s hands.
“Ahaha. You didn’t think you could escape so easily, did you?”
Al’s sinister laugh filled the moonlit garden as he watched Dadan pathetically wriggle in his own muddy blood on the crimson lawn. He put Luna down and walked up to Dadan.
“Now then, how should you atone for terrorizing Luna?”
“Eeeeep!”
Dadan couldn’t do anything except scream for his life. But then...
“Kyaaaaah! Intruders! Guards, there are intruders in the castle!” Lilicia shouted from somewhere nearby.
She must’ve felt the Demon King’s power and rushed over. Back then, however, Al had no idea about the significance of her presence; he was just relieved that someone had finally come to his aid.
Realizing that help was on its way, Al’s body gave in, and he collapsed while still wearing that sinister grin.
Ah! Is Luna okay? He immediately scanned the area for Luna, spotting her as she frantically ran away from danger. She seems to be fine... Thank... goodness...
After his first time experiencing the Demon King’s power, Al lost consciousness. He woke up three days later, after Luna had returned home. Naturally, Distania’s king learned of what had transpired, but Alnoa’s father managed to convince him to keep it a secret in exchange for a large sum of money. The engagement was called off, and Al spent the following days locked up in his room, unable to see anyone.
Even after he recovered, just hearing someone mention that country would trigger his dream, though it wouldn’t happen often as of late. Maybe that was thanks to the new friends he made...