Chapter 62 - The Astonishing Misunderstanding
As the second-in-command who had long reigned over the Demon King's army as its number two, Drimirkan now faced an unprecedented challenge from Frey, a figure of equal rank and descendant of the hero's lineage.
"How do you all see this fight turning out?"
Amid the shock and excitement gripping everyone present for this historic event, one of the Demon King's combat executives murmured quietly to his colleagues nearby.
"Who knows... I haven't a clue."
The man with a snake's head sitting to his left replied in a low voice.
"He hasn't shown anything yet... How could we possibly know?"
As the man flicked out his tongue, the woman beside him with ram's horns let out a sigh.
"Idiot. Obviously, that human boy wins."
"Hmm? What makes you so sure?"
Then, a woman with cute eyes drooled as she chimed in.
"He's handsome, so maybe he's stronger?"
"Yeah... A frail pretty boy hiding his power is such a classic trope... He must be..."
Even the bunny-eared woman across from them blushed and joined in, prompting the snake-headed man to sigh and mutter.
"...Airheads."
As their silly chatter continued, the man at the end of the table finally spoke up quietly.
"If I fought that boy, it'd be over in under a minute."
The executives, who had been chattering away, all turned to him at once.
"Boss... You serious?"
"Really? For real? Boss wins?"
"What... So he's not that strong after all..."
"Still cute, though. If he loses, maybe I'll adopt him?"
"I'll eat him."
Realizing the voice belonged to their combat executive leader—their superior—they began whispering and glaring at Frey... but then,
"I'd lose."
The scarred man added curtly, leaving everyone stunned.
"...Should I ask him to let me adopt him?"
"...I'll get eaten."
The cute-eyed woman and the bunny-eared woman broke the silence with mutters.
"Uh... Boss, didn't you once challenge Drimirkan yourself?"
"Yeah."
Meanwhile, the orc who had surrendered to Frey earlier and slunk back to his seat ventured a cautious question.
"Then... against Drimirkan..."
The orc leaned in curiously, but the muttering women cut him off with icy tones.
"You trying to get yourself killed? Not even bones left?"
"Newbie's got no fear, huh? Guts are good, but know your place."
"S-Sorry...!"
The orc bowed his head under their bug-eyed stares and apologized frantically. That's when their leader spoke again.
"Lost in under a second."
Everyone gaped at him.
"H-How? Boss is so strong..."
"Did you let your guard down? Bad condition? Or..."
"It ended in one clash."
The leader cut off the wide-eyed women's questions, eyeing Frey—who had drawn his sword—and murmured lowly.
"...Let's see how long that boy lasts."
......
"I never imagined it. To think you'd challenge me."
"Me neither. Never thought I'd become the Demon King's top executive."
I'm now in the center of the dueling arena, glaring at Drimirkan, the Demon King's second-in-command.
"Well, as you said, Frey, having two number twos is problematic. Conflicting orders, differing values... All sorts of issues."
Even as I radiate full power, he stretches casually with a relaxed expression.
"That said... I've barely fought lately, too busy with army maintenance."
"What're you getting at?"
I tilt my head at his cryptic words, and his eyes turn cold.
"So sorry, but I might not hold back perfectly."
The moment he finishes, space warps around us, expanding the room vastly.
"...One-clash duel?"
"Yes."
Guessing his intent from the sight, I murmur, and Drimirkan nods with a smile.
"Fine by me. That's what I wanted."
"We understand each other well."
I smile back at him, then activate my Information Search skill on the impassive Drimirkan.
'As expected, his stats are heavily skewed toward mana.'
Drimirkan's physical strength is nothing special. A 7 is upper-tier, sure, but the Demon King's army is crawling with stronger foes.
His status as second-in-command and real power broker stems from his overwhelming magic prowess.
His space magic—rated not as manipulation but outright domination—has butchered countless heroes. Top-tier stuff.
Even the Magic Tower Lord, who boasted immense power in past loops, fell to it.
"Shall we begin preparations?"
"Already am."
Drimirkan gathers power before me, priming his space magic ultimate.
'His style hasn't changed a bit.'
From the prophecy book and past loops, his patterns match perfectly.
Usually composed and steady, he flips 180 degrees in combat.
Proof: his ultimate, Torrent of Space, twists every surrounding space to shred the foe.
- Crackle! Zap!!
Space around us warps, flowing toward Drimirkan's back.
He'll pour everything into this one clash. He hates drawn-out fights, always going all-out for an instant win.
Same for me.
Star Mana specializes in supernova-like bursts.
Prolonged fights disadvantage me, but this one-shot duel? I'm confident.
"I'm ready. How long will you take, Frey?"
As I gather mana throughout my body, Drimirkan smiles and prods.
"What, gonna wait for me?"
"Of course. Attack when ready. No need to warn me."
I smile back with a jab, and he retorts proudly.
'Figures. Suits him.'
A normal person's bluff? I'd laugh. But Drimirkan? He's undefeated in one-clash fights.
Secret: his Space Domination Magic rules space itself. Most attacks vanish against it.
Only past-loop Irina and the Tower Lord ever breached it slightly.
Soon, me too.
"Ready."
"Quite confident, I see."
"Gotta be. If I die without reacting, it's a huge loss for the army."
I smile; his eyebrow twitches briefly.
Polite facade can't hide his evil core.
"Then... begin."
"Yeah."
We lock eyes, breathe deep, then unleash simultaneously.
"...Hup!"
Drimirkan thrusts his arm forward.
- Crackle!
Warped space coalesces; cracks spiderweb everywhere.
- KABOOOOOM!!!
Compressed to tearing, it explodes massively.
'Firing space itself.'
Like sword slashes parting air or magic missiles compressing elements—space compressed endlessly, then unleashed.
His ultimate revealed.
"Hnnngh...!"
I grip my sword tight, inhale deeply, awakening Star Mana everywhere.
Eyes wide, I surge it into my blade instantly.
"RAAAAAGH!!!"
At the limit, as space strikes, I roar and swing harder than ever.
One Flash.
Next instant, my ferocious slash—laden with Star Mana—clashes with his space.
- CRUUUUNCH!!!
Eardrum-shattering roar fills the expanded chamber.
"...Ha."
Drimirkan gasps.
His space devours my slash.
"Pity, Frey. Seems like a draw."
But mine devours his too.
Mutual annihilation.
'Clever bastard.'
Now I see his game.
He wants me as co-second to avoid demotion or sole burden.
Lazy but loyal to the Demon King beyond all.
Plan: mutual destruction forces a draw, rules make me co-second.
He keeps close Demon King ties, no interference, dumps work on me.
Fitting for the cunning second-in-command.
'But I won't let you.'
- Ping...!
"What?"
I smirk; a clear chime rings from the clash.
- PIIIING!!
"Perfect."
Brilliant light floods the room with the chime. I grin triumphantly at Drimirkan.
"........."
He just gapes.
I get it—even I'm amazed; him more so.
- BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!!
As slash and space fully cancel, radiant beams from the clash site lance toward Drimirkan.
"Ugh."
He warps space desperately, but blocks only some.
He'd warped and compressed most space for the first shot—no reserves left.
'Knew it'd work.'
Exploiting his one-shot obsession and space magic flaw.
From prophecy and memories, I timed it—delayed my prep, let space warp fully.
Overloaded, he couldn't react to the surprise.
"...Gah!"
Beams pierce him everywhere; he crumples to his knees.
Chilly silence descends.
"Cough... Hack... Q-question."
Drimirkan, blood drooling, stares blankly and breaks it.
"How... did your slash mutual-kill my space?"
Pale, he asks. I reply calmly.
"Swung hard."
Executives murmur behind.
'Not wrong.'
Hero ancestor's Hero's Power lets it cleave space via life-force burn.
I'm dying inside—poured near-all life-force. Coughed blood dozens of times, swallowed it; enduring unhealed agony via mental strength.
Worth it for space-slicing strike.
"Fine... Then what were those beams?"
Swallowing more blood, he asks shakily.
"Magic on the slash."
Short, lest blood reflux. Executives hush.
"Impossible..."
Drimirkan's face twists in shock.
'Yeah, shocking.'
Fortune from duke's forest nearby: Star Magic.
Amazin' alone, but sword-plus-magic? Continental upheaval.
No one's unified sword mana and magic mana.
I'm the world's only Magic Swordsman.
Plus: ancestor's Hero's Power swordsmanship; mother's supreme Star Magic.
In his terms: total cheater.
"From now, I'm second-in-command. Any complaints, step up."
Stifling coughs, I coldly address executives as stability returns.
'Please don't...'
I'm half-dead; any could win easy.
That orc? Could flatten me, claim the spot.
"..........."
Thankfully, they avert eyes, silent.
"Good. Then..."
Relieved inwardly, I head to the head seat casually... but,
"One... one more question."
"What?"
Drimirkan rasps amid ragged breaths; I frown.
"Are you... Are you..."
His fading voice continues.
Looks like zero combat experience means frail defense...
"...the Demon King?"
"What?"
Bombshell drops; gasps erupt behind.
"Uh... well..."
I fumble, caught off-guard.
"...Who knows?"
Silence reigns long in the chamber.
......
"Uh... Kania. Frey's fine, ri..."
"Young master will be fine. No need to worry."
"No... I was trying to comfort you... Sigh, whatever."
Irina, trying to soothe Kania—who's been gnawing nails and flicking her fountain pen cap anxiously—gives up as Kania trembles and repeats Frey's safety. She gazes out the window.
"Kania..."
"As I said repeatedly, young master has no issues. So..."
"...We're at the duke's mansion."
"Ah."
Realizing they've arrived, Irina tells half-dazed Kania, disembarks, and asks.
"Uh... Remember what Frey asked beforehand?"
"Young master is safe. So please..."
"No! Do you remember what Frey requested? You Frey-obsessed butler freak!"
Irina snaps; Kania snaps to, switches to butler mode, exits, and says.
"...Perfectly remembered."
Heading to Starlight mansion's main gate, Kania gathers the hesitant commoner students and enters.
"All servants, assemble before me."
Addressing the lined-up staff awaiting Frey, Kania says coldly.
"You're all fired as of today."
Stunned faces; she scans them and adds lowly.
"...Until break ends."
Confused servants; commoners match their puzzlement, noticing Kania's gaze.
"You all are Starlight family servants from today."
Commoners doubt their ears.
"Women, don maid outfits. Men, butler, chef, gardener attire."
Reiterating reality calmly, Kania adds.
"Young master's solemn command."