Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

182 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 15 / Strong Arm

The brawl between me and Hervor continued on relentlessly.

Almost as if talking to herself, she said…

「…Fufu, heh, haha. Haagenti and Carmilla were great too, I’ve been meeting nothing but badass chicks in the Demon King Castle.」

She boasts astounding regenerative abilities, but she isn’t immortal. She can’t heal particularly large wounds or losses, and can even be defeated. She isn’t invincible.

But you could say that she’s pretty darn close.

「…Does the sex of the enemy interest you?」

I was sure that she paid no attention to that kind of thing.

「Huh? Not really. It’s more like…what was it? Kindred sprints? …That doesn’t sound right.」

Usually, this is when the Thousand Form Summoner Margret would come in and correct her, but she isn’t here right now.

「…Kindred spirits?」

「Yeah, I think that’s it. No matter what the enemy is, I’ll beat them up, yeah? But when I meet a fellow fighter who trained themselves up and not get beat up easily, I can’t help but smile.」

Someone like Hervor, no, especially someone famous like her, must have had a lot of remarks thrown at her. No one can live on praise alone.

I’m sure that she, more than anyone else, knows the hardships of surviving as a woman in a fighting profession.

I understand the feeling of elation when you meet someone who has accumulated strength and victories through training.

「I am honored that you think of me so.」

As we exchange both words and blows, our battle is slowly reaching its conclusion.

In terms of damage, I think I’ve dealt quite a lot of it.

Because rather than simply using my fists, I am also weaving in the Silver Arms, chains, nets, and prison Techniques that I’m used to and also new never-before-seen techniques to toy with her.

She is the type that jumps straight into it even knowing that it’s a trap, but the plan will work. The traps all get torn apart as a result but it still takes effect.

「Comin’ at ya!」

Her giant rock-like fist closes in. I meet it with my silver-covered right arm, which I have dubbed the Snow Covered Strong Arm.

I have lost count of how many times we have clashed like this. Fearsome energy ripples through the silver covering my arm. It’s so powerful that I’m sure I would be defeated in one blow if I ever took that hit directly.

Gradually, the frequency in which we clash starts increasing. She starts breaking through my plans faster and faster, and it soon became a simple fistfight.

I managed to create a new fighting style after meeting Lem.

A form where I don’t just use beautiful and delicate magic as the Silver Prince, but also respond with the head-to-head confrontations I so desire.

A way to embody the style that I admire alongside the skills that I have honed.

However, it doesn’t seem to be enough up against the battle-worn, 3rd rank, descendant of dragon slayers Hero of the Cursed Sword.

「Guh…」

My arm was knocked aside by Hervor’s fist and I was hit in my torso.

The silver armor that I deployed in my chest area was smashed and Berith’s Avatar flew backward.

Both arms were Snow Covered Strong Arms, so I put them behind me and scrape the ground as I kill my momentum.

cough

Magical Energy particles fly out of my mouth. If this was a real body, that would probably be blood. The damage is deep.

「You can keep going, right, Berith?」

「…Of course.」

Every moment of this has been an incredible experience.

My stubborn brother gave me permission to participate in the Raid Battle because the chance to fight with an industry-leading Hero like Hervor alone is valuable. But not as a coach. We are going to kill each other as enemies.

A battle that can both return the favor to those I am indebted to as well as elevate me to new heights.

I wouldn’t dream of not taking part in this Raid Battle which kills two birds with one stone.

I know why the Sky Garden was canceled just now.

Lem…Lord Lemegeton did it.

Soon after, an incomprehensible amount of Magical Energy was released, but we continued fighting on.

「Your magic really is somethin’!」

Hervor can’t be trifled with cheap tricks. Her Clears are simple, she has the strength to run through them.

As I did in the Tag Tournament, I am able to fight her by changing my arm into a giant Snow Covered Strong Arm by disassembling and absorbing each of the Silver Arms that I deployed around the field.

However, even if I increased my power with a larger fist, I am pushed back.

As expected of the world’s 3rd rank. A Hero that attracts viewers with her strength.

「Lem sure found himself an interesting partner. If possible, I would have wanted to fight you and him together, but that would probably be askin’ too much.」

Her trash talk soon became reality.

「Berith.」

A voice called me in my Monster form. He spoke in a tone as if he didn’t know me personally, it was Lem.

I did not ask why he came here.

If he is here, then I am sure that he thinks that it is required to achieve victory.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye to confirm that he is readying his right arm.

Guessing his intention, I deploy my magic.

◇

『You faithfully keep the promise that you made with me, yes? That, too, I know. But, if ever there come a time where victory takes priority over your oath to me…do what you will with the power!』

The debt of gratitude I have towards my master is very important to me.

He made a Human kid who turned out to be a Black Sorcerer stronger. He looked over me and trained me until I was able to be an Adventurer. In addition, he transplanted his horn, which should be given to his own descendants, to me.

He should have wanted to live a quiet life, but he accepted the risk of getting into trouble and left it up to me.

I owe him so much that I don’t even know what I can do to repay him, or even if there is a way to do so, I don’t know how much time I can spend on it.

My promise? Or victory?

That time with Fenix, he took it into consideration. That’s why I could go all out.

In the Tag Tournament, I appeared as Lem.

Right now, I’m a Majin, so it isn’t strange for me to have a horn. In fact, although it is somewhat peculiar, the way it releases and changes my right arm isn’t a problem.

Is…this the time?

No, this is the only time.

The world’s 1st ranked Hero has set his sights on me and will kill me with his strongest Spirit Magic.

I cannot lose this match.

In that case…

「Don’t forget about us, O Storm Hero…!」

「That’s right!」「We all endured Master Furcus’s training, don’t think we’ll kick the bucket that easily!」「Suffer the Black Magic that was polished and trained by Lord Lemegeton’s direct training!」「Don’t underestimate Elementary-Level Monsters, we won’t back down even if you’re the world’s number 1!」

It was each and every Monster from the Elementary Level – Beginner’s Dungeon lead by the Magnanimous Sage Ronove.

「Well said, my master. I, Orobas, shall accompany you in this Hero subjugation.」

Even the Horseless Archer Orobas responded. They all stood in Aerial’s path.

「This is for Ammy-」「Protect Chief of Staff-」「I’ll string you up and hang you from the ceiling-」

Even the Alraunes.

Aerial smiled happily.

「…Incredible. The fact alone that the fire of battle still burns bright within you after seeing my magic is proof that all of your hearts are strong. Very well, let us fight.」

My body floats up. I didn’t fight back against this because this was the magic of an ally.

On the opposite end of Aerial, waiting for me is the Undefeated Hero Ellie.

「Half-way through my battle a while ago, I had to fight a kid, so I’m frustrated. My turn with him still isn’t over yet, right Len?」

「…What happened to that boy?」

「Once the Garden was broken, he immediately flew away. Then I came here.」

Judging by her appearance, she hasn’t suffered any noticeable damage.

I already knew this, but she really is an excellent Hero. Even if he was young, Ewan has already mastered magic to a high degree, so you could say that she would be fighting him on more than even ground.

「Right now, you should be doing things that you need to.」

I don’t have any Techniques to escape from Aerial when he’s in that state.

In that case…right.

「I leave it to you, my ally.」

「Fufu, I love a fast talker.」

I quickly look.

Due to Aerial’s fearsome pressure so far, I couldn’t afford to look around.

Thanks to my allies, I am able to calm down and regain my composure.

Ewan is petrified. By Botis’s Evil Eye.

…In a situation where he is fighting a losing battle with Ellie, he caught sight of Wraith, who had never lost his cool until now, in trouble and he used Wind Magic to fly towards him as soon as the Garden was canceled. He received some damage from Ellie chasing him, but he became Wraith’s shield until his dying breath.

Rather than worry about the outcome of the battle in front of him or his pride, he made a move thinking about who should be the one to remain in this field.

I don’t need to worry about Bennu.

「Now then, my little doggies. It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for.」

Ellie steps forward majestically and the four people who couldn’t support her due to the Sky Garden all lined up behind her.

The twin Black Sorcerers Lyner and Ryan. The White Sorcerers Kent, and Jean.

「Regenerate your Magical Energy and start chanting. Make my dance all the more beautiful.」

「Ma’am! For Lady Ellie’s victory!」

All four of them shout.

「Who is the most beautiful?」「Lady Ellie!」「Who is the strongest?」「Lady Ellie!」「And who will win this battle?」「Lady Ellie!」

「Such fools we are.」

「Ma’am!」

They’re a…unique party, but their ability is the real deal.

All that’s left is…the battle between Herv and Berith.

Berith is a great fighter, but there are few who can take on Herv alone.

The combination of Herv’s strength and regeneration ability alone makes her powerful. In place of her lost Cursed Sword, she has taken up Earth Magic again and has powered up her punching power.

If Berith falls like this, then I’ll be caught between two Heroes, Aerial and Herv.

Now that my allies are facing Aerial, what I should do now is…

「Berith.」

She was able to quickly surmise my intent.

「Oh?」

Herv noticed me.

I touch a nearby Silver Arm and it covers my right arm.

I repeat this several times until I complete my own Snow Covered Strong Arm.

Normally, I wouldn’t be able to even move such weight, but I am currently unleashing the horn.

The inside of my arm is supplemented by the horn’s release.

High-density Magical Energy is spraying out of my elbow. Just like that time with Fenix, I am able to propel it by emitting highly purified and pressurized Magical Energy.

At the same time, I hit her with Speed Down, Defense Down, and Blank Space.

「Now.」

We aim for the moment that the Hero of the Cursed Sword wavered, we crashed our Snow Covered Strong Arms into her.

She was blown all the way to the wall, and I used Magical Energy jet propulsion to follow up the attack. I wasn’t alone, Berith used her Magical Energy to move in the same direction.

「I guess this is how effective superior Black Magic is, huh? It’s a hell of a thing.」

Herv immediately covered herself in Magical Energy, Resisting Blank Space. She made it so that she can at least continue thinking.

「Hurry, let’s finish this, Berith.」

「Yes.」

「Don’t say that. Things are just gettin’ good, right?」