Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The Demon King's Smile
As soon as I laid eyes on the Demon King's castle, I felt bile instantly rise in my throat.
Upon the grotesque architecture formed by giant hands thrusting from the earth,
- Huh, hahaha, hahahaha…!!
- Praise be to Lord Ergothum, awe and reverence….
People shedding bloody tears, laughing and crying, were seen offering prayers towards a single direction.
The sight was twisted to a degree that couldn't be considered normal, sending a chill down my spine.
“Even for the Demon Realm, I think this is a bit much….”
I forced down the slight tremor in my fingertips and moved forward.
While the Demon Realm, originally inhabited by demons and monsters, was known for such bizarre and horrific sights,
cases where it felt this repulsive were rare.
“These people… they aren't alive…. How is something like this even possible? It's like they're repeating the same phrases like statues or decorations….”
Noticing the same thing, Victoria remarked as she looked at the praying people.
People who didn't change at all even when she used healing miracles or holy magic as the Saint were definitely off.
“Perhaps the Demon King just has poor taste. Otherwise, the Four Heavenly Kings wouldn't have stayed idle until they all died.”
Yes, there was a lingering question that had been bothering me.
Just what goal did the Demon King have, to wait quietly in his castle while all his loyal subordinates, the Four Heavenly Kings, were being slain?
Furthermore, possessing enough military might to annihilate all other parallel universes, he halts his advance the moment the Hero's party arrives in the Demon Realm.
“…What the Demon King Ergothum truly wants… we'll only know by meeting him in person.”
The Grand Route mentioned by the First Saint.
The origin of the name 'Arian' that Memoria spoke with her dying breath.
And finally, based on the fact I discovered—that different worldlines influence each other—it was certain that something immense lay ahead.
p>Therefore, we had no choice but to move forward.
We had to move forward, seal the Demon King, and bring peace to this world. There was no other way.
“Astal, is it okay even if we haven't perfected the Idea completely…?”
At the moment the end of the long journey came into view, even my comrades were showing unusual anxiety.
“Ah, we haven't contained the Spirit Arts within the Idea yet. What if that lack prevents us from sealing the Demon King….”
“…….”
Right.
As Anima said, her hands trembling slightly, it was too much to contain the Spirit Kings, the primordial source that constitutes nature, within my Idea.
To perfectly complete the Idea, one needed to be able to handle even the power of spirits. That anxiety also existed within my heart.
“…We have no choice but to do it, even if it's lacking. If we retreat now, there's no guarantee Demon King Ergothum will let us leave alive.”
But we didn't have enough time to prepare perfectly either.
As if sensing our arrival, the giant hand-shaped architectural structures were moving, trying to block the path leading to the Demon King's castle.
If not now, there would be no opportunity.
“Come to think of it, our journey began without perfect preparation from the very start.”
Kyle nodded at my words, following me as I leapt up between the structures.
“Even if our preparation is lacking, if we run away here, we might never be able to kill the Demon King.”
“Kyle….”
“All the Four Heavenly Kings have been defeated, and even the forces to invade the continent are gone. If the Demon King hides his tracks, we'll have no means left.”
“…He's said to be an immortal being, after all. He could wait a few hundred years and invade the continent again.”
Kyle's words weren't wrong.
p>The Demon King was now in a situation where his retreat was completely blocked. Among all the Hero parties throughout history, we were the only ones to achieve this level of success.
Conversely, if he just waited a few hundred years, rebuilt his forces, and waited for us to die, he could seize victory again.
“If there's even a slight chance of winning, we have to take it. Haven't we always done that?”
Hearing Kyle's words, the other comrades also nodded and began to follow me.
“…We must hurry. We're already being hindered from climbing up to the Demon King's castle using these hands.”
Taryon, creating gusts to open a path for us to pass through as much as possible.
“Right, we were just disposable pawns sent to the Demon Realm from the start so good people wouldn't be caught up in war. We have to struggle as much as we can!”
Anima, summoning Spirit Kings to check for any potential traps or schemes.
“Lord Astal, if we win this fight and return to the continent….”
Victoria, offering prayers and holy magic to protect her comrades as much as possible.
“…I know. Don't say things like that now and make people anxious for no reason.”
And finally, me, hiding a highly compressed Idea in the gaps between my fingers.
The Hero party gathered to defeat Demon King Ergothum climbed ever higher to adorn its final chapter.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Passing by the giant hand-shaped statues, breaking through the tightly shut castle gates, we arrived at a place where a white-haired man stood.
“Ah, you have finally reached this place. Hero party of this generation.”
This guy was the Demon King.
I could tell just by hearing his voice.
Even though his appearance—white hair, shedding bloody tears, with several extra arms sprouting from his back—was closer to a god than the name 'Demon King'.
“Demon King, Ergothum….”
“Yes, I am the Demon King you so desperately wish to kill.”
My special eyes, capable of seeing mana, were sending a dangerous signal unlike anything I'd ever seen before.
Just what is his true nature?
A demon? Or is he truly a god?
A flood of countless fragments of information rushed in instantly, dizziness as if my brain were burning washed over me, and I felt a warm sensation on the bridge of my nose.
“Ah, Lord Astal…!”
Staggering.
Seeing me lose my balance and bleed from the nose, Victoria jumped in surprise and supported me.
“My, my. It seems my form is still too much for you. Even though I've deployed a mental barrier.”
“…You bastard, did you hope I'd go mad and kill my comrades like the First Hero?”
I deliberately hurled insults at him. It was sheer defiance to shake off the fear.
“No, what I desire is something else. This form… is merely a transformation to achieve that purpose.”
“What?”
“Zigfried, was it? I also regret what happened to him. It was my mistake to assume a Hero wouldn't go mad just from seeing me.”
I didn't understand.
I thought, like all the Four Heavenly Kings we'd met who tried to kill us, the Demon King would also just have twisted ideologies or values and be hostile.
“…You, then what on earth do you want that you've done all this? Burning half the continent, raising the Four Heavenly Kings?”
The Demon King wore a gentle smile, engaging in light conversation as if he'd been waiting for us.
He was rational.
It was all too rational. Unknowingly, a shiver ran down my entire body.
Was this what it felt like to be an ant looking at a human?
“I'm sorry, Astal, but I have no obligation to tell you the truth in your current state.”
Unfazed by my provocation, Ergothum wore an expression that didn't waver at all, even raising both arms as if reluctant to fight.
“Why? I've somewhat deduced your objective.”
“Truth inherently requires sacrifice. Just as you don't know the details behind your parents' deaths.”
“That was orchestrated by you, you bastard!”
Grinding my teeth.
I shouted at the Demon King, who showed not even a hint of remorse.
“If you hadn't believed in that damn revelation, if you hadn't invaded my homeland…!! I wouldn't have had to come here!”
If he hadn't believed in the prophecy that foretold the Demon King's death in the future, this causality wouldn't have occurred.
“Yes, precisely because of that. Astal.”
“…!!!”
“Why do you think I let you live, even though Dullahan didn't kill you? Even though I received a revelation akin to foreseeing the future?”
The truth of that day, finally coming to light.
This bastard had invaded my homeland first from the start, to plant a seed of vengeance within me.
Was the prophecy of killing the Demon King in the future merely to provide a pretext?
Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent Dullahan specifically out of the four Four Heavenly Kings.
“…So, you just wanted to fight a strong opponent in the end? Or did you just want to watch people struggle in agony?”
My hands clenched tightly into fists.
Blood boiled throughout my body, my temperature rose, and the thought of killing the opponent before my eyes surged.
“Well, if you want to know, try killing me at least once. Wasn't that why your party members gathered in the first place?”
“…….”
A mocking laugh followed.
I tried to maintain maximum composure even against the Demon King Ergothum's smiling face, signaling my comrades around me with a glance.
We only had one chance.
This would be the only moment our opponent would underestimate us and let his guard down.
“Fine. If your wish is to die so badly, I'll grant it.”
I raised my palm and manifested the Idea, attempting to seal him with magic formed by pooling my comrades' power.
But at that moment,
*Crack—!*
“…An Idea. A pity, but magic of this level cannot seal me.”
With a single gesture from Demon King Ergothum, the spherical magic circle, coiled like a thread, split in half and lost its efficacy.
“If you simply cut the focal point, the pole where magic concentrates, it becomes useless like this.”
“……!!!”
The Idea, which I believed to be our trump card, had been neutralized.
It was shattered so absurdly, so easily, that even my comrades wore stunned expressions.
“Is this all your potential is? Having killed all the Four Heavenly Kings I chose… I had rather high expectations.”
Demon King Ergothum sighed deeply as if disappointed in us, and the moment he moved his arm again,
“I'm afraid if you can't even withstand an attack of this level, I can't find hope in you.”
Hero Kyle's body was sliced in half.
Without even a scream or death rattle, the precious comrade I'd spent all this time with turned into a cold corpse.