When Brains Fail, Brawn Prevails
“…Hey, Dane.”
“Yeah.”
“Do we really need to get involved in this?”
“…Probably not.”
Eri’s question made Dane shake his head. Both of them were overwhelmed by the scene unfolding before their eyes. Eri’s entire body trembled, while Dane, though he hid it well, was inwardly tense beyond measure.
The colossal white whale they had witnessed moments ago was awe-inspiring. In an instant it had reshaped the terrain and swallowed countless enemies whole. Its power defied all reason—there was simply no conventional explanation for it.
“That whale just now… it materialized and vanished in the blink of an eye. How is something like that even possible? Was that even magic… or sorcery at all?”
“It wasn’t magic.”
Dane had studied and trained extensively as a thief-class operative. Operating from the shadows, he had honed his senses to detect mana with precision. Yet he had felt no mana from the white whale. Had it been magic, the surge would have been unmistakable. The absence of that signature meant only one thing.
“It was alive. Truly alive.”
“…Are whales normally that huge?”
“They’re big, sure, but…”
Not like that. No whale the size of a mountain existed in nature. Now he understood why Nahen had pulled the army so far back. Anything closer would have risked friendly casualties on an unimaginable scale.
Dane narrowed his eyes for a moment, then drew the dagger at his waist.
“Eri.”
“Hm?”
“Let’s lend a hand.”
“What? We don’t really need to, do we?”
“We have to prove our worth. Even if they don’t need our help, we should offer it anyway.”
“……”
Dane was certain. Their decision to follow this man had not been a mistake. Serving under him might well have been…
‘The choice of a lifetime.’
To remain at Nahen’s side, they had to demonstrate their value. Even without orders, they needed to be useful of their own accord.
“Cover me.”
“Got it.”
As Dane leapt down the ridge, Eri immediately pulled a round orb from her rear pocket and slotted it into her staff. She began chanting.
“Grant him a sturdy shield.”
《 Protect Shield 》
Two mana-formed shields materialized beneath Dane’s feet and directly in front of him.
Thud! Clang-clang-clang!!!
Using the shields as footholds, Dane slid down the slope like a sled. The moment another figure began descending the same path, Kruah and Dahak refused to stay idle. They rallied the surviving soldiers, splitting their forces in half.
Dahak drew his blade and pointed it at the descending Dane.
“Don’t let him reach the bottom! Prepare bombardment spells!!”
The remaining mage-soldiers chanted in unison, converting vast amounts of mana into magic. Giant fireballs, howling winds, razor-sharp ice shards, and massive boulders rained down in a relentless barrage.
Dane saw the spells coming yet never slowed. If anything, the sight of magic hurtling toward him sharpened his focus. He trusted the only childhood friend he had left—the only other human still at his side.
Boom! Crash! Kaboom!!
The spells struck like artillery. Seeing Dane engulfed in the smoke and dust of the bombardment, Dahak prepared to issue the next command. But something burst upward from the haze at terrifying speed.
“He’s still alive…!?”
It was Dane. The shields had shattered, yet he had taken almost no damage. He kicked off the slope and launched himself forward.
“Huuu…”
He drew a deep breath. His heart pounded, blood surged through his veins, and his muscles contracted powerfully. Heat rose through his body, but his mind remained colder and calmer than anyone else’s on the battlefield.
“Haa…”
Teeth clenched, breath hissing between them, Dane’s eyes changed. He stepped onto a mana platform Eri had conjured in midair and used it as a springboard, launching himself like an arrow.
Swish──!
“……What.”
It happened in an instant. Dahak stared at his severed ear, felt the wave of agony, and screamed.
“Graaah!!”
“Dahak?!”
The sudden scream forced Kruah to wheel his mount around. What he saw was a man holding a bloodied dagger, having just landed on the ground.
“…A human?”
“Lord Nahen!!!”
“Good work drawing their attention.”
The distraction had lasted barely thirty seconds. By the time the enemy realized what was happening, the master of the white whale stood right before them.
“How… already…?”
“Don’t be too sad.”
Nahen held a sword—not particularly ornate, but of exceptionally high quality. It was one forged on the 70th Floor according to his own specifications.
“I’ll send Decarabia to join you soon enough.”
#
Eri let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Dane arrive safely. Then someone tapped her from behind.
“Human. Where is the teacher?”
“!”
Snow-white hair and gem-like blue eyes framed a beautiful girl—Seere von Devata. Startled by the question, Eri pointed downward with a trembling finger.
“D-down there.”
“Ah… So all of that was the teacher’s doing?”
The ravaged earth and ridge, the demons hurled skyward by the mana explosion, the corpses strewn across the ground—everything had been the work of a single person. Eri gave a small nod.
“…As expected.”
“Pardon?”
“The teacher is amazing…”
Eri was taken aback. Seere’s expression had gone beyond admiration into something close to rapture. She had never seen anyone look so utterly enchanted.
Seere clasped her hands together and murmured, “Someday… I’ll be able to do that too, right?”
“O-of course! Your Majesty is destined to become a great Demon King.”
“You’re quite good at saying the right things, aren’t you?”
When Seere chuckled, Eri felt some of her tension ease—enough that she asked a question she immediately regretted.
“Your Majesty… does Lord Nahen know you’ve come?”
“No, he doesn’t. I didn’t tell him, so how would he know?”
“Is that… all right?”
Seere glanced sideways at her. The look made Eri flinch and shrink back. The girl was younger and shorter than her, yet the pressure she radiated was no joke.
“What does that have to do with you?”
“I-I’m sorry! I spoke out of turn!”
“…You said something nice earlier, so I’ll let it slide this once.”
Seere’s expression softened into a gentle smile as she gazed down at the battlefield where the fighting was winding down.
“I came to greet him.”
“…Greet him?”
“He’s my teacher. Of course I should come meet him.”
Seere smiled with pure innocence. Yet Eri couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine.
‘…My teacher?’
What exactly did that imply? Eri’s eyes darted as she pondered the words.
Then Seere spoke again.
“You.”
“…Yes?”
“You haven’t developed any strange feelings toward the teacher, have you?”
Eri looked at Seere in confusion. Strange feelings—did she mean fear? If so, the answer was yes. Worried that Seere might be upset about her being afraid of Nahen, Eri quickly dropped to her knees and bowed her head.
“I-I’m sorry for being afraid of Lord Nahen!!!”
“…What?”
“W-was that not what you meant?”
Seere stared at her for a moment, then let out a helpless laugh.
“No, I was mistaken. Sorry.”
“…Pardon?”
“Ah, it looks like it’s over.”
As she spoke, the thunderous explosions on the battlefield faded, and the turbulent mana in the air settled. Eri followed Seere’s gaze downward. A man spotted them and waved.
“Dane! You’re safe!”
Dane was unharmed as well. Though covered in blood, almost none of it was his own. Standing before him was a man whose clothes remained spotless.
“Teacher~!”
Seere leapt down the ridge in a single bound. Eri gasped and tried to cast a spell to assist, but Seere simply slid down the slope without a care. Nahen narrowed his eyes at the approaching child.
“…Seere?”
“Teacher!”
“You… disobeyed me again.”
“I came to greet you! I wasn’t planning to fight against your orders.”
Seeing Seere’s bright, beaming smile, Nahen could tell she wasn’t lying. He chuckled and gently patted her head.
“I see. You even came all this way to meet your teacher. I’m glad.”
“Hehe…”
“Rin’s unit should be waiting behind us. Go fetch them for me, would you?”
“Okay~!”
Still smiling from the head pat, Seere bounded back up the slope with light, effortless steps. Despite the steep incline, she reached the top in just a few leaps.
“Human.”
“Yes?”
“You’re coming with me to see Commander Rin. The teacher wants you brought over.”
“Y-yes!?”
Seere gave the order and started walking. Eri, flustered by the fact that Nahen and Dane were still below, hurried after her.
Nahen surveyed the area and asked, “Dane, where did Eri go?”
“She was right there until just a moment ago—right before Her Majesty went up.”
“So Seere took her.”
Nahen raised his sword and beheaded both Kruah and Dahak. He did the same to Rubia’s corpse, the one he had personally slain. Then he handed the three heads to Dane.
“I’ve seen what you’re capable of.”
“Sir?”
“You’ve worked hard. Five years of steady effort.”
“…!”
Nahen was satisfied. The former companion of the Hero, who might have grown into a troublesome enemy, had instead become a capable subordinate under his guidance. Of course he would smile with satisfaction.
Eri hadn’t fought directly, but the fact that she had perfectly protected the low-defense thief with a single spell proved she had grown strong as well.
“Dane.”
“Yes.”
“You and Eri will head to the Human Realm and operate as spies from now on.”
“…Pardon?”
“I need someone who can keep me updated on the situation there in real time.”
Dane’s brow furrowed slightly. He feared Nahen and knew he had to obey, yet…
“Lord Nahen, if you send us to the Human Realm, what do you intend to do afterward?”
“What do you mean?”
“If we simply cut off contact, wouldn’t your plans fall apart?”
“…Well. Do you really think you’d cut off contact?”
“How… can you be so sure?”
“Because you haven’t forgotten Luke.”
Dane’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at Nahen, who had so accurately read his heart.
“If anything, you’d probably try to use my power for revenge. Cutting ties makes no sense.”
“…You understand us far too well.”
“Of course I do.”
Nahen let out a light laugh.
“Who do you think supported and watched over you while you grew this strong?”
“……”
Dane lowered his gaze. The tension in his expression had already melted away. He dropped to one knee before Nahen and bowed his head.
“Your orders.”
“Return to the Human Realm with Eri. Disguise yourselves as adventurers and secure a position among the S-rank adventurers.”
“…That shouldn’t be difficult.”
“Once you reach S-rank, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to observe the political climate and hear all sorts of information. All you need to do is pass it on to me.”
“Understood.”
Nahen nodded at Dane’s obedient demeanor and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, sir.”