Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Ricardo Subjugation Battle (1)
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Noah encountered a named monster.
The opponent was the "Fire-Devouring" Minotaur.
A beast boasting tankiness surpassing most tanks, thanks to its tough hide and overwhelming strength.
'Can he handle it...?'
I'd hastily summoned this named monster in place of the demons, and it turned out stronger than expected.
'Gotta hold back a bit.'
As I quietly gathered aura in my hand while watching Noah break into a cold sweat, a familiar face suddenly leaped out from behind him.
"Ah, looks like it'll be fine."
I naturally dispersed my aura upon spotting my little sister stepping forward to shield him.
"Didn't expect Ji-eun to be here with him."
Was she assigned as Noah's overseer or something?
'Well, she's more than capable of filling in for an instructor...'
Still, what was this nagging feeling?
My instincts, honed through years of training, prickled at the edge of my mind.
As if I'd forgotten something important...
"Hold on."
Come to think of it, my little sister was the student council president at Slaine Academy, right?
And Noah was a freshman there?
...Huh?
'Isn't the student council president at the protagonist's school usually a heroine?'
Even if not a full heroine, at least a key supporting character, as far as I recalled.
The student council president role was inherently appealing, after all.
It had become almost a cliché across most media.
'And in those stories, the student council president is perfectly positioned to be romanced.'
Especially if she's forming a party with the protagonist?
'This screams heroine...'
"No, no, no."
No way.
Of all people, Ji-eun?
Yeon Ji-eun, whom I'd practically raised on my back since she was little?
The sister who'd trailed after me obsessively, showing zero interest in guys up to now?
"...!!"
'That's a cliché too...!'
The heroine, ignorant of love, awakens to emotions upon meeting the protagonist!
A classic, comforting trope—stale yet irresistibly charming!
"Noah...!"
Daring to go after my sister...!
──!!
The moment my uncontrolled killing intent reached Noah, he flinched and reflexively glanced around.
Snapping out of my lapse at his reaction, I forcibly calmed myself.
"Hoo."
Right, think positively.
This could even be a golden opportunity.
Noah was this world's protagonist, so as long as she stayed by his side, she'd be safe from death.
Plus, as the protagonist, his character and skills were guaranteed, making him the ideal match for entrusting my sister.
'Logically speaking, Ji-eun falling for Noah is the best outcome for me.'
The hero who defeats the Demon King would gain wealth, fame, and everything else—no hardscrabble life for her.
And even on the front lines, with the protagonist around, she'd dodge any death flags somehow.
For me, who'd opposed my only sister's heroics, this was welcome news.
"Fine, I accept it."
I humbly acknowledged her decision.
I didn't know how much she'd opened up to Noah, but her expression as she grabbed the named monster and watched him screamed "smitten."
'The conquest's already done. My only choice left is to play matchmaker for Noah and her!'
Up until now, I'd been somewhat hands-off with potential heroines around him, but from here on, I'd actively push him and my sister together.
Future hero as my brother-in-law, huh...
I'd braced for her eventual departure someday.
But still...
"That's why they say raising a daughter is pointless."
Hoo...
With a light sigh, I gripped the sword I'd brought.
Shaking off stray thoughts in the process.
Sentimentality aside.
I still needed to nurture the protagonist.
"...!"
Time to hand over the final piece of the Three Divine Artifacts.
I reared back my arm and hurled it with full force.
Thud-quaaang─!
The sword streaked through the air, leaving a shockwave and afterimage in its wake.
The sound boomed belatedly.
Kwajik─ Kwajijik─! Kwak─!
Ripping through the demonic beasts blocking its path, the sword embedded itself right in front of Noah...
"Hiho."
{...Did you call me, ho?}
"Use that sword for the rest of the fight."
{It was you, President, ho! Don't break the sound barrier for something like this, ho! Do you know how startled Hiho was, ho!}
I ignored the chirping Hiho and watched Noah draw the sword.
"Hm."
Adelia's growth-type sword, specialized for EXP grinding.
Combined with his newbie gear and EXP coupons, it'd deliver efficiency worthy of the Three Divine Artifacts.
It might feel awkward at first since it's new to him, but he'd power through with grit.
He'd handle it just fine.
Performance-wise, it outclassed his current sword anyway.
Noah swung it a few times, nodded in satisfaction, and flashed a bright smile.
"Guess there's nothing to worry about now."
With that confirmed, I surveyed the entire city, gauging the battle's flow.
Each academy had formed defensive lines centered on their instructors, while active heroes I'd personally invited were clearing beasts in the research and commercial districts.
'Injuries, but no fatalities.'
Taking in the city's status, I quietly exhaled in relief.
The plan had been flawless on paper, but real combat was unpredictable.
Overpreparing had been the right call.
Look at it now.
The gate, initially projected to spawn just dozens of beasts, was still vomiting them out.
Good thing the instructors and active heroes were handling cleanup.
Without my invites, it could've turned into a real headache.
"...!"
In that instant, as I spread my senses wide, an alien mana signature prickled me.
"Hm."
This sticky, sinister aura.
Definitely a demon.
I'd tossed it aside roughly, but it'd already reached Academic District 2 somehow.
"Troublesome."
District 2 housed SKY's Yeoncheol and Geumseong academies.
Yeoncheol specialized in close combat, Geumseong in barriers and various shamanic arts—rivalry aside, they synergized perfectly.
They were academies that shone brighter in parties.
So in this real crisis...
"No way they wouldn't cooperate."
No matter their enmity, they weren't irresponsible enough to bicker with a swarm blotting the skies.
If anything, crises like this brought out their sense of duty as heroes.
Sure enough, I spotted Yeoncheol and Geumseong students fighting in tandem against the beasts.
At this rate, they'd handle them with minimal losses.
The demon too.
'If those two unite, they could easily take down one or two demons.'
Instructors aside, even upperclassmen could drop average demons.
Of course, this demon was an executive-grade one—but still just one.
With Yeoncheol and Geumseong instructors cooperating, they could probably subjugate it somehow.
"Dangerous."
After brief deliberation, I launched toward the demon.
───
"Damn! Damn! Damn!"
What a mess!
Why wasn't it going according to plan!
Ricardo had no answers.
Opening the gate and summoning the beasts had gone smoothly.
The idiots gawking at the sky had been too stunned to react.
Up to then, he'd been thrilled at the thought of drowning the city in terror.
But the twist came right after.
"That strike! If not for that one strike!"
Without that initial blow wiping the first wave, the city would've been mired in chaos and fear by now.
But the sudden attack erased the monumental opener, giving them time to prepare.
"Shit! Shit! Shiiiit!"
In frustration, Ricardo slammed the wall.
It crumbled with a thunderous roar.
He knew.
Who had resolved that first wave.
No—everyone in the city knew.
Only one person could erase that many beasts without warning.
"Yeon Je-seong...!"
Ricardo spat the student council president's name like venom.
Yes, without that bastard Yeon Je-seong, things wouldn't have deteriorated this badly!
'The raid didn't inflict damage as planned. This makes it hard for the Terror to strike the front lines!'
The original scheme was to draw eyes rearward by attacking the city.
With heroes pulled for recovery, the Four Heavenly Kings would exploit the gap!
The Terror Demon himself had placed "expectations" on him!
"To ruin it like this!"
Three whole years.
Grinding through those loathsome vermin for three years to finally attempt this.
And failing to spread even a shred of terror?
"Impossible!"
To top it off, they'd kicked him away like trash while he tried to salvage things late.
He'd taken heavy wounds before fully revealing himself.
"Grrrh... I'll repay this humiliation!"
In that moment, his gleaming red eyes locked onto an approaching female student.
"Professor! It's dangerous here... Kyak?!"
Ricardo seized the girl charging toward him and began emanating dark mana.
"P-Professor...?"
"No choice now. I'll spread the terror myself."
Having revealed his power, escaping unscathed would be tough.
Not at full strength, survival seemed unlikely.
'Then I'll burn this body as a symbol of terror!'
Steel-resolving, he hoisted the captured student skyward.
"I am Ricardo, executive of the Four Heavenly Kings! The one who shall bestow terror upon you!"
"Kyaaah...!"
To herald his arrival, he hurled her with full force, envisioning her splattering against a sturdy building, a manic grin spreading.
Kwaang─!
"Hahahahaha!"
As the girl slammed into the tall structure, a massive boom echoed, dust billowing thickly.
"Haha... Ha?"
But Ricardo's laughter didn't last.
"Troublesome."
"Y-You bastard...?!"
"Very troublesome."
From the direction the girl flew, a figure emerged.
A man catching her midair by the waist, staring this way with sharp eyes.
"If you're a demon, act like one and show up last."
"Yeon Je-seong!"
Ricardo glared at the student council president before him, venom dripping.
His body tensed, tracking every move.
'He came himself!?'
He panicked inwardly.
This man should be busy darting around, mitigating damage across the city.
Yet here he was.
'Can I win?'
Eying him roughly, Ricardo's eyes widened.
'I feel nothing?!'
Impossible.
A mana-sensitive demon sensing zilch.
That meant the opponent had no internal energy—like a civilian.
'Ridiculous!'
He dismissed the thought instantly.
This was Yeon Je-seong.
Academy City's pinnacle, the student council president.
A top-tier continental powerhouse at civilian level? Laughable.
Better to say he was too strong to sense.
'...!'
At that realization, Ricardo's brow twitched spasmodically.
'No way, really!'
He'd ignored it, but there was one other case where demons couldn't sense energy.
A massive gap in power, as he'd just thought.
But even Ricardo struggled to accept it.
After all...
'Don't make me laugh! Demon energy sense is the finest among all races! A non-combat demon, maybe—but me, an executive in the Demon King's army, unable to gauge the gap?!'
He could sense even his superior, the Terror Demon.
The War and Death Demons too—different strengths, but detectable.
Only two demons he'd never sensed: none other than...
'N-No. That bastard on par with "Darkness" and the "Demon King"──?!'
The mightiest of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon of Darkness.
And His Majesty the Demon King, chosen by the Demon God, lord of ten thousand fiends.
Strength equaling those who'd transcended demon limits?
Ricardo's pupils quaked as he watched Yeon Je-seong approach slowly.
And then.
Yeon Je-seong spoke lowly.
"It's not your turn yet."
"Uh, ah..."
"But leaving you be is annoying, so..."
With that, Yeon Je-seong vanished from sight.
Immediately after, a voice whispered in his ear.
──I'll play with you a bit.