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Chapter 180. Life-Draining Battle

“—Your ultimate technique really feels like an ultimate technique.”

While looking at the forest littered with stumps, I said, genuinely impressed.

“Heh, right?”

Leaning against the large sword he had stabbed into the ground, the man grinned, despite struggling to catch his breath.

Sword Saint Hessel.

We had gone to a nearby forest to chop down a massive amount of logs needed for the construction of a forward base, and the sight of trees being felled all at once was something to behold, as if an unseen giant’s sword was being swung.

“I’m not great with fine movements, but I’ll never lose in terms of a single heavy strike. ‘Heavy Strike’ Hessel, that’s me…!”

I was sent to the northern front as reinforcements from the Holy Church, where I quickly became friendly with Hessel. We both had our homes burned down and were utterly alone in this world. I was a hero while Hessel was a Sword Saint, but as top-tier combatants taking part in the fight against the demon race, we hit it off.

When it comes to our desire for revenge against the demon race, we will never lose to anyone! To whittle away at the Demon Lord’s army and protect the peace of the people, we vowed to continue fighting on the front lines.

Nonetheless… ‘Heavy Strike’ Hessel, huh.

“Don’t you think your nickname could use some different expression?”

I had been thinking this for a while, so I decided to voice it.

“There’s no way this is just a single heavy strike.”

I pointed towards the pristine section of the forest.

“Hmm, well, back when I first became a Sword Saint, it wasn’t at this level. I could at most split a big rock in half.”

“That’s still quite something though…”

So, after mastering the principles of things and gaining experience, he had refined his ultimate technique. ‘Heavy Strike’ just feels too lacking to describe the current Hessel. It should be something more flashy; a technique that utterly flattens the enemy’s forces—

—flatten them.

“—How about ‘Frontline Leveler’?”

“Huh?”

“Frontline Leveler, how does that sound? It fits you perfectly right now!”

A Sword Saint who constantly battles on the front lines, striking devastating blows into enemy ranks.

When he swings that great sword,

What spreads before him is only the perfectly leveled land—

“Frontline Leveler… I like that!”

Hessel’s eyes sparkled.

“It suits me perfectly, I like it! From today onwards, I am Hessel the ‘Frontline Leveler!'”

I bumped fists with the cheery Hessel.

“—Thanks, Alex!”

A distant memory—

†††

“—DIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!”

The moment I spotted the Sword Saint with his great sword raised, I immediately dropped to the ground. As my body reflexively moved, memories from the past came flooding back.

Hessel. Is he still alive—

A powerful gust. A deafening sound.

Death swept right over me.

With a rumble, the nearby houses were torn apart. The Kuvirtar subordinates surrounding me collapsed with a wet thud.

Almost all of them—instant deaths. Their upper bodies cut in half along with their armor. Only one subordinate, who apparently acted as a makeshift shield for someone else, was flailing about, his torn arms swinging wildly, blood gushing from his chest—I doubt he would last long.

Naturally—

The three idiots in front of us met the same fate.

As I glanced over, I locked eyes with a Seire Knight that had become a mere bust. His shoulders and head cleanly severed. With a blank expression, he lay dead. Beside him, the spear given by Platy lay split in two. Oke Knight and Albar Aoril were both in a pool of blood—

Just one swing caused this level of devastation.

Has Hessel’s skill even sharpened further—

“Damn…you!!”

Amidst this chaos, there was only one other intact person.

Kuvirtar. Realizing an imminent danger, he had quickly made a footing with his Earth Manipulation and retreated to higher ground. Turning back to check on my safety, he appeared somewhat relieved, although he was seething at the sight of his fallen subordinates.

“You lowly creatures!!”

He leapt from the tilted platform, placing a hand on a stone pillar. Unleashing a never-before-seen raw magical power, Kuvirtar was furious.

“[Stone Penetration!!]”

The stone pillar compressed violently, sharpening into a piercing point, as it exploded forth trailing a storm of magical energy.

Slicing through the air, the stone spear surged towards Hessel at a blinding speed—he was nearly immobile after his ‘Frontline Leveling’!

“[Great Protection!]”

A shield of light appeared in front of Hessel, conjured by a hero’s magic.

But—

The spear, filled with terrifying killing intent, erupted into sound and shattered the light shield.

Relentlessly, it pierced Hessel’s chest.

With a crash, the stone spear slammed into the house behind him, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

“Guuh—”

I could hear the sound of his coughing up blood echoing—blood splattering everywhere—

“Ugh—GAAAAHH!!!”

Yet, as blood gushed from his mouth and the wound in his chest, every muscle in his body bulged. Raising the great sword he swung sideways, he prepared to strike once more—

“—Aaaah!!”

He brought it down.

A thunderous sound.

A rift split the earth before Hessel.

An unseen, lethal strike, far too heavy.

“Nah—”

Kuvirtar let out a strange voice—

A blue streak disappeared from the top of his head down to his groin, and with a sickening sound, he fell apart in two.

In shock, the half of his face that remained gazed at me—

“…Heh…how’s that…?”

After witnessing this, Hessel crumbled too.

What…what pride from a Sword Saint…!! Amazing, you’re amazing…!!

—A thud resounded as a foot struck the ground.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was reminded I wasn’t just a spectator.

“[No Thrusting!]”

I stood up and swung my spear. Clanging with a bright spark, I deflected Barbara’s rapier, which lost all potency.

“Ugh—!”

At close range, Barbara grimaced in annoyance and swiftly retreated with her horse-like speed.

““[Let there be light!!]””

As if to assist her, heroes and priests unleashed a barrage of light arrows. But the magic barrier surrounding me, [Cyndikaios], gleamed, deflecting all of them—

“Priest! Defensive spell!!”

“[May the words of the foul curses avoid us! Pure winds, protect us!!]”

A melodious incantation echoed, with pure magical energy filling the surrounding area like a great forest.

An elf mage! And a priest at that!? Seriously, even one of those shows up…!

“Alex, behind you!”

Antendeixis’s warning. —Ah, I know!

Barbara’s retreat was a feint! Something dangerous is coming! As I deflected the light arrows, I turned, the golden mane illuminated against the darkness—

The fierce gaze of a beastman locked onto me.

“[—Forbidden Combat!]”

I can’t afford to hold back anymore; there’s no luxury for that—

“Guh—!”

An instant. The beastman brawler’s punch stiffened, but the mage’s protective magic instantly negated the forbidden spell on him.

However, that brief delay saved my life.

“Hah!”

The strike from his claws came howling through. But I had won my bet. I had predicted he’d come for my throat, so I had positioned my spear in the expected path of his claws.

The ancient blade caught his claw, the impact slamming me. Damn, that hurts. But I’m alive. I backpedaled while releasing dark magical power at the brawler trying to retaliate.

“Ugh—!”

It was just a lump of magical energy—not even a curse—but the brawler wouldn’t know that. Even with the mage’s blessing, he hesitated, taking a step back; I seized the moment to take a breath—

“Wooooo—!”

—There was simply no time to catch a breath as despite the Holy Sword heroes attacking me, Barbara vanished, trying to circle around to hit my blind spot—

““[Chains of Restraint!]””

The priests simultaneously chanted. Gleaming chains wrapped around me, hindering my movement. I unleashed dark magic to shake them off, but it was endless. I still had to deal with the heroes; I entrusted the Antendeixis sword—

“[Forbidden Sword Techniques!]”

With a heavy pulse of cursed magic, the heroes’ movements slowed. I thrust my spear like an unadulterated lance. But naturally, they easily deflected it with their shields! These guys have been trained in collective combat like soldiers—

“[The accursed words of the foul curses avoid us!]”

Moreover, Antendeixis’s foul curses were dispelled. The heroes’ movements became lighter.

“[Spirits of Wind, grant us protection! Spirits of Earth, cleanse the foul energy!]”

The elf priest kept reciting those warding spells, sounding almost foolishly unwavering. Having deemed their attacks sufficient, they concentrated entirely on obstructing my magic—!!

—Ah.

How beautiful they are.

A splendid coordination. No complaints.

The deadly gazes of those trying to fell the Demon Lord’s prince feel so comforting.

… Maybe it’d be okay to die at their hands. I might have no regrets. That’s how I felt.

Still gripping my great sword, Hessel lay collapsed with a defiant grin. He had most likely passed away. He slew numerous mid-level demons and traded blows with an upper-level one, leaving this world likely satiated—

I too—

Might it be okay if I felt satisfied…

With the approaching heroes wielding their holy swords, forest elves’ arrows, light magic, chains of restraint, beastman brawler’s claws, and the sharp sound of a rapier slicing through the air from behind—

“…What the heck are you all thinking?!”

Antendeixis screamed out in shock.

Haha.

I know.

Just a thought. Just a thought…

They are splendid. Worthy of admiration. Their resolve, teamwork, and strength are all top-tier.

But still,

I can’t envision them taking down the Demon Lord.

So,

I can’t allow it.

—Antendeixis, give me back the half you entrusted to me.

“Hmph, I was thinking about giving you all of it.”

Antendeixis snorted in annoyance.

And then, an overwhelming amount of magic.

Like a volcanic eruption.

Flowed into me.

“—?!”

I saw the elf priest’s eyes widen in disbelief.

Ah, this sensation again.

No, it’s more than ever before. This is the first time for such a sensation. It feels like I’ve drunk an entire bottle of exquisite liquor; I’m intoxicated by strength, yet my senses sharpen, as if everything else in the world becomes insubstantial, all existence quaking in fear before my will, bowing down—

Laws of the world.

Twist and bend for my convenience.

“———–”

I unleashed my magic. No chanting. A protective spell.

With a resounding crash, all threats approaching me from all directions—were stopped.

“What—”

The holy sword of the hero imbued with holy attributes.

“Wait…”

The arrows from the forest elves, the arrows of light from the priests.

“Impossible…”

Even the brawler’s hardest strike was—

“A lie…”

Even Barbara’s signature thrust—

Everything was stopped. Quite literally, halted before a mere protective spell.

The chains that had held me back earlier felt no more resistance than wet paper.

“—Impressive. To the allied forces.”

I spoke quietly.

“Your teamwork is commendable. …But unfortunately, it’s not enough to kill me.”

Truly, a pity—

“[My name is Zilbagias Reiju.]”

The warriors surrounding me instinctively took a step back.

“[I am the Seventh Prince of the Demon Kingdom—and the one who will become the next Demon Lord.]”

Raging, magical energy.

Ah, yes. I—

Seek to become the strongest in the Demon Kingdom.

“Your efforts in battle are truly admirable. I will engage you as a mere demon warrior.”

So, I’m sorry.

“—May you become my sustenance.”

Channeling the overflowing magic into my spear—

I wildly struck down towards the nearest hero.

In an instant, he raised his shield—the sacred attributes and protective blessings layered on it—

Adamas’s blade smoothly pierced through, taking his arm along with it.

 

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