The Betrayer's Reckoning
"Aaron Raiders! That damn traitor who deserves to be beaten to death!!"
Andromalius was seething with rage. Aaron Raiders' forces had risen in open rebellion, plunging the entire 70th floor into chaos and engulfing it in flames. As a result, the troops he had planned to send against Sitri were far fewer than expected. Aaron's betrayal had tied down both the defecting soldiers and the forces needed to suppress them right here.
The fire had already reached Andromalius's throne room.
'This was never how the war was supposed to go…!'
Though Aaron's faction was powerful, Andromalius's forces were still stronger. The plan had been simple: crush the rebels quickly, then turn on Sitri's army. But even that had failed.
BOOM!!
Mana erupted, killing dozens of Andromalius's soldiers. In the wake of the explosion, silver sword strikes followed, cleaving through the ranks. The one displaying overwhelming martial prowess was a woman with striking cat ears.
"So it was you who brought in the 72nd floor!!"
It was Rin El Laza, renowned as one of Seir's Four Swords. Aaron observed Rin's strength with his own eyes and sneered at Andromalius with confidence.
"You shouldn't have insulted me."
"You bastard!!"
THUD! Andromalius stomped the floor with his massive foot and rose from his throne. The ruler of the 70th floor, Demon King Andromalius, had entered the battle himself. Gripping a colossal mace in one hand, he roared.
"Aaron Raiders, I'll tear you apart with my own hands!"
Even as a lower-ranked Demon King, he was still a Demon King—an existence fundamentally different from ordinary demons. Aaron flinched for a moment under that overwhelming presence, but Rin swung her sword without the slightest change in expression. The soldiers charging at her were split in two.
Witnessing this, Andromalius decided she had to be dealt with first.
"Rin El Laza!! I'll test your skills myself!"
"If Your Majesty will face me personally, I have no reason to refuse."
Rin adjusted her grip on her sword and charged at Andromalius. The Demon King swung his massive mace with tremendous force.
CRASH!!
It was a powerful blow, but his mace only shattered the innocent floor. Rin moved with lightning speed, closing in on Andromalius.
"You slippery little weasel!!"
Again the great mace slammed down, yet it failed to touch even a single strand of Rin's fur. Each of Andromalius's attacks carried overwhelming power, but if they missed, they meant nothing.
"Don't think you can keep running forever!"
Andromalius's mana spread outward. In an instant, magic activated.
"Devour them!"
『Hydra』
Nine serpent heads emerged and lunged at Rin. It was the great magic synonymous with Andromalius—Hydra. Any who were bitten would be injected with lethal venom and lose their lives. No matter how strong the opponent, a single bite meant death. This was Andromalius's trump card. The speed was considerable, and few could evade it.
But Rin intended to dodge every single one. No matter how powerful the Demon King's great magic, it could not catch her.
CHOMP! A serpent head bit into an empty wall. Rin, who had been there moments ago, had already moved.
'One.'
CRUNCH!
'Two.'
CRACK! CHOMP!
'Three and four.'
Rin swiftly evaded the fourth head. Watching her dodge the nine heads one by one, Andromalius swung his mace, intending to cut off her escape route. Yet as if she had predicted his move, Rin chose an entirely different path instead of the blocked route and evaded the fifth head.
"You dodge quite well!"
Aaron, observing the battle, expressed his honest admiration.
"To fight a Demon King on equal terms with a demon's body…"
This was the true skill of Rin, once called one of Seir's Four Swords. Thanks to her holding Andromalius at bay, Aaron's forces maintained the upper hand against the remaining enemy troops.
'I'm glad I joined hands with her.'
If he hadn't, it might have been his own neck being cut by that swordswoman.
Just then—
"Hm!?"
Aaron spotted something. Eugene Vermilion was stealthily approaching Rin, whose attention was fixed on Andromalius.
"This is bad… Commander El Laza! Dodge!"
At Aaron's shout, Rin turned. Eugene had already closed the distance to striking range. His sword thrust forward with terrifying speed.
"Die!"
"Kuh!?"
Andromalius had been drawing Rin's focus from the very beginning. She twisted her waist backward in a hurry, barely evading Eugene's blade. But the real danger came next.
"I've got you now, Rin El Laza!! I'll personally eliminate the last of Seir's Four Swords!"
The final head of Hydra lunged at Rin. Never having expected the arrogant Demon King to employ such a coordinated ambush, Rin bit her lip hard.
'…A mistake.'
Was it carelessness from experiencing real combat after so long, or had she grown too excited after enjoying battle for the first time in ages? Either way, it was her error. Resigning herself to her fate, Rin tightly shut her eyes.
'…Won't it hurt?'
Yet nothing happened. No pain, no venom coursing through her veins. Instead, the ground shook violently with a deafening roar.
BOOOOOOM―――!!!
Startled by the sudden noise, Rin opened her eyes slightly.
"Wh-what…!"
She was stunned by the sight before her. Eugene lay unconscious on the ground, and Andromalius had collapsed—pinned beneath a man's foot. It was no wonder she was shocked.
'Lord Nahen!?'
The one crushing the massive Demon King was Nahen. Having instantly overwhelmed the giant ruler, Nahen looked down at Andromalius with cold eyes.
"Y-you…!"
Andromalius could not even lift his head. The Demon King, strong enough to swing his colossal mace with ease, trembled violently, unable to move an inch.
"Demon King Andromalius."
Golden eyes bared their fangs at the prey called a Demon King. For a moment, Andromalius felt fear.
'Wh-what is this…?'
Behind Nahen loomed an enormous whale. Even Andromalius, whose size was considerable, was dwarfed by the colossal white whale whose end could not be seen, its jaws open wide.
It was pure domination. Andromalius was being crushed by this man.
"I advise you to surrender."
#
Rin, Aaron, their soldiers, Andromalius's troops, and even Baruna—who had just arrived—were all struck speechless. The sight of a Demon King being subdued in the blink of an eye and pinned to the floor was enough to shock anyone. Especially since Andromalius showed no sign of rising.
Nahen pressed down on the Demon King with overwhelming force and demanded his surrender.
"If you surrender, I'll spare your subordinates."
"So it was you…"
Andromalius understood at once. This was the Demon King's master who had entered the 72nd floor. Just as Eugene had said, he was no ordinary man. Andromalius, whose personal strength surpassed his faction's scale, could not resist at all.
"Why would someone like you… join such a worthless faction?"
He could no longer escape on his own. To break this situation, he had no choice but to bring Nahen under his command. Andromalius barely managed to raise his hand and made an offer.
"Come to me. I'll give you wealth… honor, anything you desire…!"
"Anything?"
The unexpected response made Andromalius's eyes widen with desperate hope as he began to appeal earnestly.
"Th-that's right! What do you want?"
"The highest position."
"…What?"
"You can't do it?"
A chill ran down Andromalius's spine. He realized that the golden eyes before him were set on a realm beyond his imagination.
"You were aiming for the top…?"
"It's impossible at your level, Andromalius."
He could not deny it. The 1st-ranked Demon King, the perfect Demon King also known as Belzebute von Deus—Andromalius had faced him once. If he had to describe the feeling, it was simply "death." The moment Belzebute moved a single finger, Andromalius had known he would die.
Only now did he understand why this man had chosen Seere von Devata. She was the only blood relative of Seir von Devata, the Demon King closest to Belzebute.
"I see… So that's why you…"
Andromalius clearly understood he could not survive. He knew better than anyone that he could never challenge that position. Therefore, he could not fulfill this man's ambition. His hand fell limply to the ground. Quietly, he accepted his fate.
"…Be satisfied with my head."
"Very well."
Nahen drew the sword at his waist and executed a clean, effortless slash, decapitating Andromalius in one stroke. Lifting the severed head high, he shouted to the soldiers still fighting outside.
"The war is over! Soldiers of Andromalius, drop your weapons!! Your ruler has already fallen! Surrender now and your lives will be spared, but those who continue to resist will receive no mercy!"
The mana-amplified voice echoed across the entire 70th floor. Andromalius's soldiers, locked in battle with Sitri's army, dropped their swords in shock.
"L-Lord Andromalius…?"
"This can't be. His Majesty…"
Sitri and even the sage Baphomet were stunned. How long had it been since Nahen departed, and the situation was already resolved? Fear crept into their hearts.
'I must never make an enemy of that man.'
While everyone reacted with shock and fear, Seere, listening to Nahen's voice from within Sitri's embrace, smiled brightly.
"It's Teacher!"