Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Northern lands, in front of Lucifer’s massive fortress.
The Hero Party members had successfully entered without incident.
And then,
"Fate… it is far more capricious than expected. It never flows exactly as planned. I thought it would be conservative. Absolutely not."
We faced the Demon King once more.
"..."
The interior of the fortress was still silent. Just like that day, about two months ago.
"Let me greet you again. Welcome, Opponent of Fate."
The Demon King’s gaze as he spoke to the Hero Party was directed solely at Bell.
It was as if he didn’t even want to glance at the others.
Bell muttered as he looked at the Demon King.
"Not exactly a warm welcome."
Bell reminded himself that he hadn’t encountered a single monster so far.
Even with Claire’s compass, entering had gone far too smoothly. There hadn’t been a single unavoidable battle.
Honestly, it felt strange. The enemy must have already known about the compass. If they wanted a fight, they could have forced one.
The fact that they didn’t meant they chose to lure us in rather than block us head-on.
It meant a change in strategy. During the first journey, most of the northern monsters had been captured, but there were likely still forces left. After all, one of the Demon King’s powers was creating and strengthening monsters.
The fact that even that power had been conserved meant something significant was being prepared.
Bell didn’t want to fight on the enemy’s terms, but some things couldn’t be avoided. If the Demon King lived, the monster attacks wouldn’t end.
They had to acknowledge their subordinate position.
At the innermost part of the fortress, atop a massive throne of black stone, the Demon King Satan rose from his seat.
Below the throne steps,
"Good to meet you again, Hero Party."
Lucifer, the Left Hand of Pride, stood there.
"..."
This was different from last time.
Previously, they had encountered Lucifer deep in the fortress—a near ambush. Now, he seemed to have been waiting at this very spot from the beginning, calm and composed.
Lucifer was tall. Silver-white hair fell below his back, and his eyes were an empty white. He wore not armor or battle attire, but a pure white robe reminiscent of a cleric’s ceremonial outfit, the hem dragging casually over the black floor.
Behind him, the Demon King rose slowly from the throne.
Bell whispered softly.
"They must be separated."
Aden drew his sword and immediately responded.
"Understood."
"Claire."
Bell’s call drew a response from Claire.
"I’ve checked the compass. Both Lucifer and the Demon King are showing reactions here."
Claire spoke quickly.
"They’re both real."
A brief silence followed.
Bell quietly organized the situation.
What we wanted was for them to be separated. Ideally, Bell would handle the Demon King while everyone else faced Lucifer—ensuring no one died.
Particularly, a combined attack from the Demon King and Lucifer would be the worst-case scenario for the Hero Party.
Then our task was clear.
"Proceed as planned."
At that moment, Ricardo asked Bell,
"..How’s the estimate?"
"Nothing major has changed. We can proceed as planned."
Ricardo asked again.
"..Really?"
Bell cut him short.
"Just worry about yourself. Don’t die."
"Everyone!! Follow the plan!!"
'KWAANG!'
Bell shouted and flew straight at the Demon King.
At that signal, the Hero Party moved into action.
Lucifer spoke first.
"Hero. You’ve grown stronger since last time."
Aden didn’t respond, only raising his sword forward.
"Still…"
Lucifer’s white eyes slowly scanned the entire Hero Party.
"It seems you still don’t know the meaning of pride."
Magic rippled from the tips of Lucifer’s fingers.
Ricardo raised his staff.
'WEEEEEEEE!'
Magic began condensing at the tip of the silver staff. Dispel. He would forgo attacking, focusing all magic on defense and nullification.
Lucifer’s gaze shifted slightly.
"Opponent of Fate."
"Yes. Hello, Lucifer."
Ricardo replied briefly, thrusting his staff forward.
"I’ll stop your magic."
"Interesting."
Lucifer smiled.
"Pride and confidence are not the same. Very well. Come at me with all you’ve got, my Opponent of Fate."
'KWAANG!'
The fortress ceiling shook violently. Magic from Lucifer’s hand spread like a wave, covering the Hero Party.
'BANG!'
Ricardo’s dispel collided head-on with the wave.
The moment magic struck magic, the fortress interior flashed white.
"..Ugh."
Ricardo’s feet slid back. One step. Two steps. He gritted his teeth and held his ground.
'Siiiiing.'
The wave dissipated. Ricardo had successfully nullified Lucifer’s magic.
He caught his breath.
"Not a big deal."
"Impressive."
Lucifer’s voice carried a hint of admiration, but his eyes were cold.
"Then."
Lucifer’s fingers rippled again.
"I wonder if you can stop this as well."
This time it was different. A magic far beyond the previous wave radiated from his entire body. The hem of his robe fluttered violently without wind. The black stone floor began cracking under the weight of his magic.
9-Star magic.
Ricardo’s expression hardened as he sensed the intensity.
"Everyone, back!!!!!!!!!"
"Malley! Shield!"
"Understood."
Malley raised his shield in front of Ricardo. The earth’s energy enveloped the entire shield, prepared to absorb what remained after Ricardo’s dispel.
Lucifer’s magic erupted.
'KWAANG!!'
The shockwave shook the entire fortress. Pieces of the ceiling collapsed. Black fragments rained down, covering the floor.
In the midst of it, Ricardo and Malley held firm.
Ricardo’s hand trembled on his golden staff. His eyes bloodshot, a side effect of calculations beyond his brain’s limits.
But it was familiar. Over the past month, he had used mana at these extreme levels as naturally as breathing.
'FWAAASH!'
Before the 9-star magic even hit the shield, Ricardo’s dispel nullified it completely.
Not partially, but entirely.
The smoke cleared.
Both stood unscathed.
"...Phew… unexpectedly easy, Lucifer?"
Of course, he had used more mana than planned. Originally, he intended to absorb 60% with the dispel and the rest with the shield.
Yet he nullified the 9-star magic entirely, determined to break Lucifer’s momentum.
Ricardo panted, muttering,
"9-star… can be blocked."
Lucifer’s gaze wavered for the first time.
"..."
It wasn’t admiration. He was silently observing Ricardo.
For a human to completely nullify a high-level ultimate magic that previous generations of the Demon King’s army couldn’t stop, even with Lucifer’s power, was remarkable.
Just as Lucifer prepared another spell,
'THAK!'
Three arrows flew in rapid succession from outside his sight.
It was Irina.
"..."
Lucifer raised his hand, easily deflecting the arrows. But just before doing so, one arrow broke one of Lucifer’s protective spells.
"A bow of Yggdrasil."
Lucifer’s gaze turned toward Irina.
Irina didn’t change her expression, drawing five more arrows without pause.
'FWIIING!'
Lucifer deployed a magical barrier. Aden seized the opportunity.
'CLANG CLANG CLANG!'
Aden’s golden sword struck the barrier repeatedly. One… two… three. Cracks began to form.
Lucifer’s eyes narrowed.
"Different from last time."
"Of course."
Lucia channeled holy power into Aden. The golden aura enveloped his sword.
'KWAANG!'
Aden’s sword pierced through Lucifer’s second barrier. Cracks spread.
Lucifer stepped back. For the first time, he retreated.
A brief silence filled the fortress.
Lucifer looked at the hem of his robe, scorched where Aden’s blade had grazed.
"..Interesting."
Lucifer smiled, but it was different from his previous ease. This time, it was sincere.
'WEEEEEEEE!'
Magic radiated from Lucifer’s body, denser than before. His robe sagged under the weight. The floor began splitting again.
Ricardo gritted his teeth.
"Hold the line."
The Hero Party took their positions.
As Lucifer’s magic fully unleashed, the fortress shuddered. Ceilings cracked, black fragments fell, stones shattered in layers. Magical energy flowed back through the walls.
The air felt heavy, each breath a resistance.
Ricardo gripped his staff. Magic concentrated explosively at the tip. Maintaining a dispel while withstanding this weight required focus beyond mere calculation.
'WEEEEEEEE!'
Ricardo’s magic clashed with Lucifer’s. Marks of their collision burned onto the stone floor.
Ricardo gritted his teeth.
He was pushed back. One step.
"..Ugh."
Two steps.
"Malley."
Malley was already in front, holding the shield firmly. Earth energy enveloped it.
'BANG.'
The push stopped. Then,
"..How dare!!"
Lucifer surged more magic.
'KWAANG!'
A second wave struck. Ricardo’s dispel fragmented the core. Malley absorbed the rest. The shock traveled through the floor beneath everyone’s feet.
The smoke cleared. Both stood.
Lucifer quietly observed.
"A mage who puts everything into defense."
His gaze fixed on Ricardo.
"Wise. However."
Lucifer raised his hand. This time, it wasn’t Ricardo.
"Focusing on defense means abandoning the rest."
Lucifer’s magic targeted Saint Lucia.
Fast, sharp—a concentrated beam. No time to raise a barrier.
'SIIING!'
At that moment, something intervened.
It was Irina.
From Yggdrasil’s bow, divine energy burst forth, colliding directly with Lucifer’s magic.
'BANG!'
Irina was pushed back.
"..Irina!"
Lucia immediately channeled holy power onto her. Golden light wrapped Irina’s body.
Irina braced herself on the ground and rose. Her expression remained blank, but her grip on the bow tightened.
"It’s okay."
She spoke briefly, drawing another arrow.
Lucifer’s gaze hardened for the first time.
"..Elf."
"What?"
Irina snapped back.
Lucifer glanced at her, then chuckled.
"So I see why Yggdrasil chose you."
'FWIIIIING!'
Lucifer’s magic surged again, this time omnidirectional.
Ricardo reacted immediately.
"Everyone, center!"
The Hero Party quickly gathered. Malley held the shield in front of Ricardo. Lucia’s holy light thinly wrapped everyone. Irina took her position. Claire read the situation with the compass in hand. Aden stepped forward.
'KWAANG!!'
Omnidirectional waves erupted. The fortress flashed white.
The shock passed.
Through the smoke, the Hero Party remained standing.
Ricardo panted. Mana was rapidly depleting. Maintaining the dispel while blocking omnidirectional attacks consumed more than expected.
Yet his expression remained steady.
"Ricardo."
Lucia quietly asked.
"How long can you hold?"
"Long enough."
Ricardo tightened his grip on the staff.
Aden stepped forward.
"I’ll cut it off."
Golden light rose from Aden’s sword, wrapping it with the hero’s holy power. Its intensity far greater than before. One sword embodied the month of training, pushing beyond limits.
Lucifer’s gaze turned to Aden.
"Hero."
"Yes."
Aden replied briefly, moving forward.
'SIIIIING!'
The sword sliced the air. Lucifer raised a magical barrier.
'CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!'
Continuous strikes hammered the barrier. Cracks appeared. Lucifer reinforced them with magic.
In that gap,
'FWIIING!'
Irina’s five arrows pierced the cracks.
Cracks widened again.
As Lucifer tried to reform the barrier,
Ricardo’s dispel struck it completely.
'BANG!'
The barrier shattered.
Lucifer stepped back. Two steps.
Aden seized the opening.
'KWAANG!'
His golden sword deeply slashed Lucifer’s shoulder.
The white robe turned blood-red.
Silence filled the fortress.
Lucifer looked at his shoulder and smirked.
"..I have a question."
He raised his head.
"What exactly has made you this strong?"
He continued quietly.
"Have you gained insight from the failures I handed you? You’re not arrogant, so it seems you learned something. But that alone can’t explain it."
"I’m curious about the source of that unbreakable will within you."
"Could it be the trials your gods have given each of you?"
Lucifer’s body gradually began to dissolve.
Ricardo, catching his breath, smiled faintly and muttered,
"Trials, my ass."
Aden continued Ricardo’s words.
"We’ve experienced hell, you see."
Irina, Malley, and Lucia affirmed.
"When life is truly at stake, you realize its value."
Claire shouted toward the slowly disintegrating Lucifer.
"Do you want to learn the value of life yourself, you glass body? You’re gonna disappear just from one sword hit?"
Lucifer chuckled at Ricardo’s words.
"A glass body, huh? Maybe so."
He quietly touched the wound on his shoulder.
"Really hurts. Feels like I’m going to die."
With that, Lucifer finally
'SHAAA'
turned to particles and vanished from the world.