We'll Let You Live
A massive hole tore open in the middle of the sea. Flames erupted from it ceaselessly, like a volcano in full explosion.
- Putting on quite the show.
- But that hero... he's no ordinary one.
"His Majesty will handle it."
Ernan Hildean trusted the Demon King. Her gaze turned skyward.
"I'll do what I have to."
Water streams rising from the sea wrapped around the buoyancy ship.
- She's holding her own pretty well.
It was more than just "pretty well."
The buoyancy ship, crafted by the dwarves, was truly a masterpiece. Even bound by the sturdy Spirit King's restraints, it refused to yield easily and seemed on the verge of breaking free.
As her mana consumption mounted, Ernan realized this approach wouldn't work.
"Looks like I'll have to go myself."
- What do you plan to do?
"Knock out all the pilots, then sink the buoyancy ship intact right next to the tower."
- Sounds entertaining.
Ernan took to the air.
"Massive barrage hitting the barrier!"
"Barrier damage at 31%! 33%! Rising fast!"
"The ship's been bound!"
"Crank the engines to break free!"
"Engine output at 77%! Over 80% doubles mana consumption!"
Red alarms blared deafeningly. The buoyancy ship's groans echoed from every corner.
The ship's captain ground his teeth.
"Those damn traitors...!"
Since the battle began, the ship had traded fire with the tower. In the process, one thing became clear.
Those mana cannons had definitely been made by dwarves. Only the finest from Berft Kingdom were mounted on buoyancy ships like this. Nothing else could match their firepower.
Only the artisans from the royal workshop that built the buoyancy ship's own mana cannons.
'The situation's the worst...!'
Bound by the power of the Four Heavenly King's Dark Spirit Summoner, the ship struggled desperately to escape, but it was no easy feat. Meanwhile, the tower's mana cannons pummeled it relentlessly.
The barrier vanished in real time.
In contrast, the tower they'd hit showed no damage. Whatever it was made of, it explained why humans never tried smashing it from the outside.
'Damn it, I want to tear it apart and see what it's made of.'
Suppressing his racial instincts, the captain issued orders.
"Pour every mana stone we've got! Redirect the cannons from the tower to those water chains. Full barrage—once they're weakened, max out the engines and break free!"
"Yes, sir!"
"One shot at this—stay sharp!"
That was when a massive impact shook the hull.
"C-Captain!"
"What?!"
"A giant water titan approaching! Its water streams slamming the barrier!"
"What?!"
"Four Heavenly King! The Dark Spirit Summoner—she's closing in!"
"Dark Spirit Summoner...!"
The captain gnashed his teeth. Turned into a stationary punching bag, burning fuel at max output and risking engine overload—all because of her, when you got right down to it.
"Fine. Let's see what you've got."
How much did they have to underestimate dwarves and their buoyancy ships to dare this?
"Redirect all cannons! Target: Dark Spirit Summoner! Blast her to hell!"
"But the escape..."
"She's the one who did this to us! Don't you know spirits get forcibly dismissed if you kill the summoner?!"
"O-Orders received!"
The cannons shifted targets. The massive water titan charging the ship and the Dark Spirit Summoner were now in their sights.
The dwarves' masterpieces roared to life. Some merged, others split, tracing long arcs.
────!
They collided with the water titan. Explosions bloomed. Piercing and crushing, they annihilated it.
"Got her!"
"The Dark Spirit Summoner?"
"She's fine!"
Using the titan as a shield, the Dark Spirit Summoner drew even closer.
"Distance: about 30 meters!"
Too close for mana cannons—the backlash would hit the ship itself.
But the buoyancy ship's arsenal wasn't limited to mana cannons.
"Lightning Chain Discharge!"
"Discharge!"
The artifact engraved with lightning magic absorbed mana.
Pajijijik—
Hundreds of forked lightning whips lashed out at the Dark Spirit Summoner.
But surging walls of water blocked them.
"Failed!"
"10 meters!"
"Water should conduct electricity! What the hell is this?!"
"Captain! This isn't the time to complain..."
"I know! Activate backlash magic!"
"Backlash magic activated!"
The engines spun furiously, spewing hot exhaust as the magic engravings across the entire ship triggered.
───!
A repulsive force that pushed everything away. The Dark Spirit Summoner was flung back dozens of meters in an instant.
"Mana cannons, fire!"
"Full barrage!"
The mana cannons lit up once more.
No titan or shield this time. A massive explosion swallowed the area.
Gulp.
The dwarves swallowed dryly.
"Did we get her?"
That was the moment.
"Captain! Massive mana surge 50 meters above the ship...!"
"What? Bring up the screens now!"
Recording orbs embedded throughout the ship projected the outside view.
"My god."
The captain let out a gasp.
It was a spear of water. Incredibly massive, compressed with terrifying mana.
Dangerous.
Every dwarf recoiled in horror.
"No escaping that, damn it."
The water chains still held the ship fast. The chills running down their spines made them question if one person could really produce this.
'Not a Four Heavenly King—a Four Demon King?'
"Incoming!"
"Shield magic up!"
A translucent barrier, distinct from the auto-defense array, rose like an umbrella over the ship.
"Impact!"
──!
The barrier shattered instantly. At least it slowed the descent and blunted the force—should they be grateful for that?
"Flame vents!"
"Flame vents!"
Separate from the mana cannons, the flame projectors spewed fire in unison.
Aiming to evaporate the spear's water and weaken it, even a little.
The intent worked. Steam billowed, and the spear weakened. But it still plummeted unchanged.
───!
The ship rocked violently.
"Impact!"
"Barrier damage 45%! 51%! Rising fast!"
Creeeak—
Cracks spiderwebbed across the barrier—or so it sounded. The captain's face paled.
"Focus mana above to reinforce!"
"The sides will weaken!"
"If the top breaks through, you think we'll care about sides?!"
"Orders received!"
The upper barrier thickened. The spear, blocked by the shield and weakened by flames, couldn't pierce it.
"Spear dispersed!"
"Damage at 66%! Side barrages intensifying!"
"Start repairs now and find the Dark Spirit Summoner! It ain't over till she's dead!"
The captain ground his teeth at the monstrous power. Hundreds of mana cannon hits wouldn't have damaged it this badly. The barrier was the ship's pride, designed with utmost care.
'What the hell is that woman?'
How could a mere Demon King's subordinate wield such power?
"No need to look. I'm right here."
"What nonsense!"
"I'm already by your side."
"How could the Dark Spirit Summoner be right next to me...? Huh?"
"Huh?"
"C-Captain?"
The captain's head turned with a creak, like a broken golem.
There stood a masked woman smiling.
The very one who'd been charging the ship from outside moments ago.
"H-How?"
"Your barrier's incredibly tough. So I went for a pinpoint breach."
Shattering the whole thing was impossible right now, but creating a tiny crack with the spear? That she could do. Then slip through.
The ship's barrier system wasn't a single solid form—it constantly regenerated, making it possible.
"...K-Kil...!"
The captain slumped lifelessly.
"C-Captain!"
"You monster!"
A few dwarves charged with weapons, only to collapse against water droplets.
"Now, you have two choices."
The Dark Spirit Summoner held up two fingers.
"One: Obediently sink into the sea as I say."
One finger folded.
"Or two: Resist, pass out, and get dragged down by force."
One dwarf raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"A-Any other options?"
"Sure."
"Really... guk!"
"Passing out from asking dumb questions and getting dragged down by force."
"......"
"......"
The dwarves' faces drained of color.
"W-We surrender meekly." "Me too."
And so.
The dwarves' ultimate weapon plunged into the sea of its own accord.
"Impressive."
Reina Sordain was the linchpin of this battle. With the tower outside—and in the sea—they had no choice but to face the heroes there.
Demons and monsters were as unaccustomed to the sea as the heroes, so she had to keep freezing it solid to maintain footing.
And she was the only commander who could smoothly direct demons and monsters alike.
Thus, from one corner of the battlefield, she oversaw everything and issued commands.
And confirmed the Four Heavenly Kings' prowess.
"The Stars have all fallen."
Stars. Reina knew well the weight that name carried for humans.
Especially when two or three banded together—they could slay a Demon King. Countless had died that way, most recently Drakson and Ugar.
They weren't weak. The Four Heavenly Kings were simply stronger.
Should she praise the princesses' talent, or Berge's for binding them as his subordinates? She couldn't decide.
One thing was clear: they'd seized the advantage.
'If it had been me alone...?'
Defeat. Undeniable, utter loss.
Balaf Disrod, Rozel Charnt, Waton Colro, Pablo Barkat, Aina Diaphrin, Ralph Shmitz.
Six Stars, no less. The terrifying mana and magic surges from the deep sea proclaimed Balaf Disrod stronger than her.
High demons swept away by the Stars.
Her head severed by that hero-like monster Balaf Disrod.
Over a century in Alein, yet no conquest—just mockery and wasted time. She'd nearly become the foolish Demon King who led her loyal subordinates to death by trusting her.
That was when.
Kururur—
A earth-shaking roar drew Reina's gaze upward.
One human and Berft Kingdom's final bastion clashed fiercely.
'Ernan Hildean.'
Crown princess of Hildean Kingdom and Berge's subordinate. All Four Heavenly Kings excelled, but paled next to her.
'Contractor of a Spirit King.'
Spirit Kings ruled the higher dimension of the spirit realm.
Unlike nominal Demon Kings, they were true kings. Though individually weaker than the Mahwang, lord of ten thousand demons, they couldn't be underestimated.
Her musings didn't last.
Kururur—
The skyward surge vanished. Water chains snapped, and the buoyancy ship dove into the sea.
Reina realized Ernan had won.
"B-Buoyancy ship?"
"Why's it diving?!"
"We need barrage support!"
With the barrages gone, the monsters' assaults intensified, drawing screams from the heroes.
At the same time.
─!
Scorching heat pierced the sky from the deep sea. All magic vanished with it.
The battle was decided.
'If the victor wasn't...'
If not Berge.
Reina calmly gathered her magic.
Berge still lived—she sensed it as his subordinate. But if he was barely clinging to life, captured by that monster Balaf Disrod...
'Ambush when he lets his guard down ascending and rescue Berge.'
That was her best play.
But fortunately, no need.
"Berge!"
Berge ascended. Balaf Disrod's limp form looked more corpse than man, mangled beyond belief.
"G-Guild Master!"
"Balaf—no, the Guild Master's defeated!"
"My god! The Stars and now the Guild Master?!"
The Stars' defeats, the buoyancy ship's fall, capped by the Guild Master's loss—it nailed the coffin shut.
The heroes' morale plummeted past rock bottom into the abyss.
"W-We gotta run!"
"Run where? The ship's down!"
Panic gripped them. That instant.
- Nice to meet you all. This is the Dark Spirit Summoner.
The falling buoyancy ship halted just before submersion.
A clear voice emanated from the ship's voice amplifiers.
- The battle's over.
- You've lost your buoyancy ship—your escape's gone.
"The ship wasn't crashing—it was taken?!"
"Stupid dwarf bastards, calling it their treasure and can't even defend it!"
- Here's my offer.
- Surrender.
- Or...
Kwarurur—
A roar thundered.
"Th-That's...!"
"A wave!"
"Tsunami!"
The heroes stared at the 10-meter tsunami charging them.
"Gaaaaah!"
"Save us!"
Panic seized the heroes, but there was nowhere to flee.
Through it all, the Dark Spirit Summoner's calm voice permeated.
- You'll all die.
Fortunately, the tsunami halted at their doorstep. But the heroes couldn't relax.
- So. Surrender.
They despaired at her power to summon and halt it.
- We'll let you live.
All the heroes lost the will to fight.
< 203. We'll Let You Live > End