Chapter 136
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: It's Not Over Until It's Over (5)
"The reason I came here is to help you all."
The woman named Rebecca opened her mouth to speak.
To help us, she said.
"What exactly do you plan to help us with?"
"What else? Taking down that Kraksus bastard, obviously."
She pronounced Kraksus's name with heavy emphasis, as if the very word disgusted her.
"And why would you help us?"
When some random woman we'd never met before suddenly jumps out and offers to help, you can't help but be on guard.
Having one more person who can fight on our side...
In our current situation, that was incredibly welcome.
But still, we needed to figure out her intentions first.
"My master wishes to aid you. Would that explanation suffice?"
Master, all of a sudden...
"Well, that's how it is, so I'll connect you. Talk to him directly."
She pulled out a communication crystal from her pocket as if bestowing a great favor.
"Didn't you just block our communications earlier?"
I recalled how she'd cut us off right as we were about to connect to report to His Majesty.
"Of course. The communication crystals you use can be traced."
"They can be traced?"
"Yeah. The others who came here got caught trying to communicate and ended up dead."
That explained how the imperial forces had found them—they must have tracked the mana from the communication crystals.
Come to think of it, we'd had our connection suddenly drop mid-communication...
This story checked out with a high degree of probability.
"What's different about your communication crystal?"
"It's one that only connects me and my master."
She shrugged, activated the crystal, and began speaking to someone.
"Yes, I've just met them. Kraksus doesn't seem to have noticed yet."
"(Well done.)"
"Would you like to speak with them?"
"(Hm.)"
The moment I heard that incredibly deep voice, a chill ran down my spine.
And this was without him even being here.
Just his voice alone exuded tremendous power.
"Here, take it."
"Why me...?"
"You're their leader, aren't you? They all listen to you."
No... I'm definitely not the leader.
Honestly, Jenny would fit that role much better.
Thinking that, I glanced at Jenny.
"Right? Our Kane big brother is the leader, after all!"
She gave an enthusiastic endorsement I hadn't even asked for.
No, that's not it...
I'd been looking at her to hand it to her...
"Indeed, aside from Saint Kane, there's no one else who could be called leader."
"Agreed."
"Of course!"
With the others chiming in like that...
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted as if I really was the leader.
"Here, take it."
In the end, I had no choice but to accept the communication crystal from Rebecca.
"(I've heard reports of your movements, so I know all about you. You're Kane, correct?)"
"Yes, that's right, but..."
"(No need to be so guarded. Didn't Rebecca tell you? We're on your side.)"
Instead of easing suspicions, his emphasis on being our ally only made things more dubious.
"So, who are you?"
Since he claimed to be on our side,
he surely wouldn't refuse to reveal his identity.
"(I'm Jerald, the Demon King of Weapons.)"
De... Demon King...?
No way. We're trying to take down a Demon King, and now another one shows up?
The others apparently thought the same, as they drew their weapons toward Rebecca.
"...I knew something was off. So you're a demon's subordinate."
Mersen was the most furious of all.
After trusting my word and giving her a chance,
the mention of a Demon King had enraged him.
"We trusted you at Saint Kane's request, and..."
"(Calm down. I'm a Demon King, sure, but I'm still on your side.)"
A Demon King on our side...
I pondered how to process this bizarre claim.
"(Don't you need all the help you can get? You can't handle Kraksus on your own.)"
He had a point.
That's why we'd been racking our brains for some clever strategy...
But Kraksus's demonic energy, faced head-on, had been far stronger than expected.
"(That's why I sent Rebecca. I hate Kraksus. I've always lived with the goal of killing him.)"
"Then why didn't you kill him back in the demon realm?"
According to Jerald, who called himself the Demon King of Weapons, he'd always wanted to kill Kraksus.
So why send a subordinate instead of facing him directly with his immense power in the demon realm?
"(I tried repeatedly, but... the bastard would hole up somewhere, build his strength, and bolt straight to the middle realm. By the time I found him, he'd already crossed over.)"
I heard the grinding of teeth from the crystal.
"(You know it takes massive sacrifices to enter the middle realm. That's why I can't go myself.)"
Whether he was telling the full truth or not, it seemed clear he had no intention of harming humans like Kraksus did.
"(So I sent Rebecca. If I could lend you my power, it might make things easier... but whether a human capable of wielding it even exists is another question.)"
Lend his power...
"Are you planning to turn someone into a half-demon?"
"Y-You filthy demon...! So you intend to create half-demons to invade our world...!"
Kraksus's followers had become half-demons by receiving demonic power.
Of course, it wasn't on a Demon King level, but still.
Receiving a Demon King's power...
We'd surely become strong enough to overwhelm them.
But in the end, we'd become half-demons like them.
"(What are you talking about? I'm just lending it temporarily. You think I'd give my power permanently? He's not even my successor.)"
Was he really different from Kraksus...?
"You filthy demon! I'll slay you myself...!"
"Jenny, I'm truly sorry, but could you please pull Sir Mersen away...?"
"Ah, sure. I'll do that, Kane big brother."
Mersen kept interrupting, making it impossible to focus.
Finally, I confirmed Jenny leading him a short distance away before continuing the conversation.
"Anyway, what do you mean a human might not be able to receive your power?"
"(Exactly what I said. My power isn't like some hack like Kraksus's. It requires knowledge to wield.)"
Knowledge...?
"What kind of knowledge?"
"(You're asking the obvious? I'm the Demon King of Weapons. Knowledge of weapons, of course. To fully utilize my power, one must master and handle knowledge of as many weapons as possible.)"
Master and wield knowledge of weapons...
"(Honestly, I know no human possesses that...)"
"Kane big brother could probably do it."
Scarlett, who'd been listening quietly, cut off the Demon King
and started saying something absurd.
"Kane big brother knows way more about any kind of knowledge than anyone else, right?"
"Ah, no... not to that extent..."
"Nonsense! With Kane, I'm sure he has mastered knowledge of every weapon in the world?!"
Even Rin jumped in to back her up enthusiastically.
Well, I do know a lot about various weapons, sure...
"(Hm...? A mere human? What nonsense.)"
Only Jerald, whom we'd just met, reacted normally.
"(Fine, let's hear it. How many can you use?)"
No, he's not normal either.
"...Theory alone is fine?"
"(If you've mastered the theory, you'll be able to wield them all the moment you gain the power. Go ahead.)"
Well, responding to this makes me not normal either.
From all the knowledge I'd studied and learned up to now,
I pulled out everything related to weapons.
"Longswords, daggers, greatswords, bows, crossbows..."
From basic weapons to specialized ones.
I slowly listed the names of those whose properties I knew inside out.
"(W-Wait. No, are you saying you've mastered knowledge of all those? You could use them all in actual combat?)"
Jerald let out the most flustered voice since the call began.
Hm? What's got him so worked up?
"I haven't even gotten through half yet."
"(What...? You mean you can use all of them?)"
"Yeah, well. If given the capability, it might be possible. I've never actually handled them all, so I can't say for sure."
A groan came through the crystal.
"(Impressive. Truly impressive... To think a human like this existed... Amazing...)"
After muttering to himself in sighs for a good while, Jerald resumed speaking.
"(Alright, if you can truly wield them all, how about taking my power and fighting?)"
"I can't be certain."
"(Still, it's worth trying.)"
"Nooo, Saintiiit...! Don't fall for the demon's triiiick... Mmph...!"
I thought I heard a desperate shout from afar, but...
It soon went quiet, as if Jenny had covered his mouth.
"Mmph... Mmmph..."
Probably taped it shut or something...
"...I'll think it over first."
Even without Mersen's frantic cries,
I had no intention of just accepting a Demon King's power lightly.
We had to be cautious.
After all, it was demonic power entering my body.
"(If you're worried about becoming a half-demon, don't be. Once I withdraw the power, you'll return to normal.)"
If I borrowed Jerald's power to fight, it would undoubtedly be a huge asset against Kraksus.
Though I wasn't sure how much of it I could draw out...
In any case, I'd already resolved to risk my life to protect those dear to me.
Having made that resolve,
what meaning was there in hesitating now...?