Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

184 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 17 / Wreathed in Fire and Wind

Berith was defeated and her silver disappeared.

I look over at the Storm Hero Aerial.

The total number of people remaining, friend or foe, has been reduced to three.

「Even she got taken out, huh…」

◇

Regarding those who boldly challenged Aerial.

I confirmed what happened later by watching the video.

「Make Madam Ellie as fast as the wind! Quick!」
「Make Madam Ellie as fast as a thunderbolt! Quick!」

Kent and Jean’s White Magic further improved Ellie’s speed.

「Let him feel like he is lost in the seas without a compass! Blank!」
「Let him feel like he lost the light to guide him through dusk! Blank!」

Lyner and Ryan fire off Black Magic to try to shove a blank space in Aerial’s mind.

「Follow the Adventurer Black Sorcerers’ lead! Shave off his Magical Energy as much as possible, even if it’s just a little bit!」

Obeying the orders of the Magnanimous Sage Ronove, the Black Sorcerers from the Elementary Level – Beginner’s Dungeon respond.

「Goblins! Distract him and cast Black Magic! Kobolds! Back them up! Orcs! Lord Lemegeton will surely come up with a plan to defeat the Storm Hero! We shall slow him down, even if it’s just by one step!」

「Uoooooooooh!!!」went the Monsters repeatedly.

「What marvelous spirit. However, I won’t back down either.」

Aerial made one rotation. While making a fist, he rotated it on the spot. No, there was a large sound. An uncontrollable wind blew, lifting the Kobolds in the rear and tearing them up.

The Orcs with their shields up were able to withstand somehow, but their shields would be broken and then suffer countless lacerations on their body.

The Alraune were able to coil around Aerial, but they flew around, unable to defy the wind, going「Wa-」and「Uu-」.

「Orobas!」

「Yes, right away.」

Ronove got on the Horseless Archer Orobas’s back. An Orc cavalryman on Centaur-back.

Orobas readied a shield while Ronove pulled a spear that Orobas came equipped with.

She dashed with fearsome speed.

「Ah, Miss Orobas. You did well in the Tag Tournament.」

Aerial smiled cheerfully as he swung his Storm Wrap at them.

A gust of wind blows in the direction of his fist, and the shield-wielding Orcs were blown through the air as easily as flower petals.

Orobas quickly dodged this, but Aerial was already preparing his second attack and launches it.

「Master.」

「Yeah…!」

Just before the attack hits, Ronove jumps off of Orobas. He rolled and quickly stood up and closed in on Aerial.

Behind him, Orobas is swallowed up by the wind. He runs down the road made possible by her sacrifice.

「Sacrificing an ally to move so. You are excellent not just as a Dungeon Master, but as a warrior.」

「HM…!!」

Ronove threw the spear with all his might as he himself closes in on Aerial.

Aerial doesn’t intercept it with Storm Wrap on his right arm, and instead just dodges the half-length spear.

「That was good teamwork, I’ll commend you on that.」

The spear that went past Aerial turned around and now the tip was aiming for his back.

This was done with Ellie’s Wind Magic.

「Hmm.」

Aerial catches the spear that was flying towards him again with his left hand and punches the approaching Ronove with his Storm Wrap.

「Gu…oh…」

Can Ronove endure it? But no matter how high his stamina may be, the amount of Magical Energy charged in Storm Wrap is far beyond the norm. Resisting it purely with physical strength is difficult, and his body was smashed up.

The Storm Hero took the spear in his hand and swung it like he was hitting a baseball.

That just happened to be where Ellie was flying in from.

Her small frame…was not hit by the spear.

Just as what she showed me in our fight, it’s her mirage caused by Spirit Magic. By manipulating the atmospheric density and adjusting light refraction, she can use this magic to shift where she appears to be as compared to the real thing.

Demanding delicate senses and Magical Energy control, it would be difficult to do even after hearing how it’s done.

「Oho.」

Aerial sounded impressed. Floating behind him is the real Ellie, and she wrapped her beautiful leg with a blade of wind and swung it downwards like a sword.

Had there been no interferences, it would have split Aerial clean in two. But there was interference.

By a Wind Blade fired by Aerial.

He’s the world’s 1st ranked, so even if he was late in responding, he is still able to make it in time.

「Kuh…」

As if she was knocked back, Ellie’s posture in the air falters and Aerial tries to drive his Storm Wrap into her.

「Good reflexes.」

Ellie immediately deployed several layers of Air Shield and flew backward, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

But even so, Ellie was unable to go against the wind pressure and was blown through the air like a leaf dancing in the wind. This was done with just the residual winds of the attack.

Aerial was about to move to pursue her but then stops for some reason.

「…I see, so this is what cut Ewan all over.」

Aerial moved forward, creating a sound like something made of glass shattering.

She placed minuscule Wind Blades in the air to create a trap made of invisible bladed objects?

Aerial got through it unharmed because he clad himself in Wind Armor, but if he had dashed through it without realizing it was there, he would have been cut all over his body. A trap inlaid with Wind Blades.

「You are able to Clear Dungeons in such a flashy way because you understand how to very delicately manipulate Magical Energy. You are a good Hero.」

「Why, thank you. Although, I don’t like the way you say it as if you’re looking down at me.」

「My apologies.」

Aerial approached Ellie.

「Like your head is too high up…teehee.」

Immediately after, Aerial fell to the floor on one knee.

「…This is…I see.」

If I may say, it was rather simple magic. A gigantic Air Box.

Starting from a state where it stuck tightly to the ceiling, it gradually grows larger. Instead of putting something in it, it’s to flatten whatever is outside of it.

Right now, Ellie rapidly increased its size and it crashes into the tallest person that currently remains.

With the combination of a space filled with Magical Energy, a large amount of Magical Energy drifting around, and the person in question being able to control the Magical Energy, it flew under Aerial’s perception.

At the same time, Ellie clads herself in wind again and attacks.

「I’m glad to have fought you, truly.」

Ellie’s whole body was suddenly thrust into the Storm Wrap and ripped apart like a cloth being cut by a sharp object. He immediately followed up and attacked her.

After being pierced by the fist-sized storm, there was nothing left. Only her Magical Energy particles.

「She will only get stronger from here on. You four happened upon a wonderful leader.」

All of Ellie’s Techniques hit their mark. Yet she was immediately ripped apart.

The four in the Ellie party supported the remaining Goblins but before long, they too fell victim to the storm.

Slicing excellent Monsters like they were nothing, and not even a Hero in the top 100 was able to deal a solid blow even when all her Techniques worked.

If he wasn’t this strong, he wouldn’t be able to reign as the world’s 1st ranked for so long.

From here on is where my memory begins.

「Even she got taken out, huh…」

◇

「Honestly, I didn’t expect this. That I would lose all my allies like this. However… Ah, this might not sound nice to say, but I am very much enjoying this turn of events. Say, Sir Lemegeton. Would you kindly please show me whatever it is you used that time to defeat Fenix?」

The complete unleash of the horn. The amount in the horn has increased to more than what I had when I fought Fenix, so it will probably be even more sinister.

Even so, I don’t know if I can beat him. That’s right, this isn’t an opponent that I can afford to be stingy with.

Above all else, it would be an insult to my allies who went all-out and were defeated.

I prepare myself, and then-

「Lord Chief of Staff.」

Bennu came to my side.

「His Storm Wrap Spirit Magic is extremely troublesome and dangerous.」

「Do you have a plan?」

「Yes.」

「Fine, do it.」

There was no need for further discussion. If Bennu thinks he can be of use, then better to let him do it.

In a moment, Bennu’s body turned into blue flames.

Then, for some reason, it approached me. No, more like… Wrapped around me?

…I see, so this is his plan.

My garment mixed with the blue flames.

Currently, Lemegeton’s body was engulfed in blue flames. The raiment of a blue phoenix.

Fenix acquired the Esoteric Spirit Magic to Assimilate with fire.

He is now both man and flame. Man, yet Spirit Magic. You could say that he is Spirit Magic with a will of its own.

I can fly faster in a straight line with this, more so than with my wings. I’m thankful I am able to use Bennu’s maneuverability when fighting Aerial. This form is more suitable than operating things remotely.

In addition, I am able to attack from mid-range with fire elemental Spirit Magic.

Also, this may be the biggest reason that Fenix chose to take the form of armor…So the complete unleashing of the horn will not be revealed.

I have a somewhat distorted-looking horn currently, but the flames are enough to hide it. So even if I were to grow a wing, he can grow a blue one to hide it.

I can go all out without breaking my promise to my master.

With such consideration, I can’t even crack a joke about how it’s weird to now be wearing my best friend who turned into fire.

There’s no need to destroy the cameras. The whole of the fight can be delivered to the audience.

There is no room for any distractions like feelings of guilt over breaking my promise to my master. Because I can end this without anyone finding out.

Although…Aerial most likely already knows who I am, but I think he’ll be cool with it.

「You truly are a fount of new experiences.」

Said Aerial happily but…this is the only one that isn’t my idea.

「That magic…what is it called?」

Asked Aerial.

I can hear Bennu whispering. Is he trying to tell me?

「Immortal – Flame Wrap」

…Okay, he definitely took that idea when he heard Aerial’s Storm Wrap.

Eh, whatever. It’s thanks to his consideration that I can now go all out without any worry, after all.

I am honestly indebted to him, for I can now…unleash the horn.

Blackness seeps out from my whole body. As I thought, the amount has increased. Horns protruded from both elbows. A pair of wings grew. Appearing more sinister than before, my arms and so on became like armor. A horn grew on the opposite end of the fake horn, where there was nothing before. This is the only part that feels like a normal outcome of unleashing a horn.

Magical Energy that was absorbed from the Dungeon Core, refined and condensed.

I pour all of it into defeating the Storm Hero.

An opponent who I am unsure I could beat even if I did so.

But I am not worried. I would never say this to him but…

As long as Fenix and I are fighting together, we are unbeatable.

「Let us begin, Storm Hero.」

「I am tired of waiting. I have waited a long time for a day like this.」

That is how the final battle in the final area began.