Chapter 211: Demon King (1)
Ka-ang!
Sparks flew.
The axe wielded by Toric, who had rushed out in the lead, clashed against the sword of a Royal Guard.
“Uryaaah──!”
Crackle!
The electric current that flowed out from the axe as if bursting covered the Royal Guard and blew the bastard far away.
In that moment, Miki ran past Toric’s side.
The shield he threw with all his might flew quickly, hitting two Royal Guards and the side wall in succession, before returning to Miki’s hand.
“Haaap!”
Bam bam bam!
One of the Royal Guards, staggering after being hit by that shield, was sent flying by the 「Triple Strike」 that immediately flew in and its shockwave.
Crack!
Including the guy who was sent flying, the lightning streaks of the 「Chain Lightning」 that connected like chains fried several Royal Guards in an instant.
At that moment, a Royal Guard who didn't care at all that his comrades were being taken down cast 「Wind Step」 and appeared in front of Rine.
The bastard raised his sword high immediately, but in the end, that sword never struck down toward Rine.
“…!”
Because he had stopped dead in his tracks with his sword raised.
The bastard, completely ‘Charmed’ upon seeing Lily’s appearance, froze in place as if he had turned into stone.
Smack!
Eventually, the bastard was helplessly struck by Lily’s thorn whip that was mercilessly wielded──the 「Succubus’s Whip」 which deals massive damage to a ‘Charmed’ target and puts them in a ‘Bleeding’ state, and this was enough time for Rine to cast 「Wind Step」 and widen the distance again.
“Hey.”
At the same time, for Evie, who had appeared before anyone noticed, to strike down on the part where ‘Bleeding’ had occurred with her 「Salt Dagger」.
『Grant us strength!』
“Let’s go, Miki!”
“Yes!”
Kwagwagwang──!
Following that, Toric and Miki, whose ‘Strength’ was temporarily buffed by Lily’s prayer, slammed down their axe and shield together, 「Crush」ing the floor in front.
Like that, all the Royal Guards rushing toward us fell into a ‘Fallen’ state at once, and.
“Hat!”
Evie, who ran out stepping on the debris of the soaring floor, danced the 「Dance of Death」 with her two black and white daggers, cutting down the Royal Guards who were trying to get back up one by one.
Crimson streams of blood scattered here and there.
『You bastards can’t even protect a single castle with just six of you, what kind of Royal Guards are you?』
And although they were cut down by the daggers and collapsed, the bastards tried to get up again persistently as expected of the strongest ‘normal enemies’, but I finished them off by lightly throwing a 「Vicious Mockery」 while walking on the path—which had become quite bumpy—that my comrades had cleared.
However, we had only dealt with merely ‘one wave’ so far.
And as expected of the final Dungeon.
“It’s over there!”
“Stop them so they can’t go to the Demon King!”
Breaking the basic rule of dungeons that is ‘One Stage, One Treasure Chest’, the next ‘wave’ continued immediately.
That wasn’t the only existing rule of dungeons that this 「Demon King’s Castle」 broke.
As mentioned before, a ‘Rest Area’ did not exist here.
Because of that, for the sake of that ‘Rest’, we raided the castle’s storage room immediately after eliminating Stras.
It was to obtain the 「Rest Elixir」, the only thing here that provides the exact same effect as a ‘Rest’, in other words, filling up HP and MP to full.
The Demon King was absolutely not an easy opponent.
Based on the current point in time, he is the strongest existence in this world, so it was inevitable.
So no matter how much we had become stronger, he was an opponent we could absolutely not win against if we didn’t fight in a 100% state, and because of that, we had to get our hands on the 「Rest Elixir」 no matter what.
So, we got it.
Right now, we were in the middle of paying the price for quickly charging into the center of the castle in that process.
Especially since the fact that there were intruders had spread throughout the entire castle while we were dealing with Stras, now all the Royal Guards present here were chasing us.
“The intruders are in front of the storage room!”
In the midst of that, since our exact location had been discovered, they literally started to swarm in endlessly.
“At this rate, there will be no end to it…!”
When Toric, who quickly grasped this war situation, muttered, Evie’s gaze naturally turned toward me, who had led us to this place upon hearing that.
It was a look asking if there was any way.
“I have a plan.”
Of course, I had one.
“First, we need to move to a place that is as wide and open as possible.”
“What!?”
But when I suggested that method, Evie asked back as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Wh, what kind of crazy talk is that?!”
It was understandable, given that the reason the six of us could deal with the ‘wave’ of those Royal Guards right now was definitely because of the advantage of the terrain.
Because we were dealing with only ‘one wave’ in a straight corridor like now, with our backs to the storage room where no new troops would be replenished (since we already cleared it), it looked like a breakthrough was possible without problems.
But suddenly changing the battlefield to a wide, open place?
Naturally, we would end up surrounded.
We would have to deal with not just one wave, but multiple waves simultaneously.
So she had no choice but to ask if I was sane.
“Trust me.”
But at my confident single remark that followed,
“Understood!”
Miki, who nodded without a shred of hesitation, ran out to pave the way again.
And the other comrades likewise accepted it immediately without expressing any doubts about my decision and continued the combat.
“Ay, sh*t…!”
Only Evie spat out a curse, but that was all.
“If it’s not a proper plan, know that I’ll really kill you…!”
“Don’t worry.”
Like a Bard, I let out a smirk to infuse energy into such an Evie and spoke while feigning more composure.
“If it’s not proper, we’ll die before that anyway.”
“Can you make such a joke in this situation, you psycho bastard!?”
As a result, I got hit once, but I still infused energy, so it’s a success, right?
Like that, we started ‘herding’.
“Drive the bastards in!”
Actually, on the surface, it would look like we were the ones being herded.
Breaking through the corridor filled with Royal Guards blocking us, we headed not to the Audience Room where the Demon King was, but to the Banquet Hall.
Because that was the widest and most open space in this castle.
“It’s the Banquet Hall side!”
Perhaps because of that, I felt the offensive of the Royal Guards, who were desperately blocking us at first, weaken somewhat.
The bastards also started to intentionally guide us there.
And when we finally entered the Banquet Hall.
“F*ck, really…!”
I don’t know if I should say eventually or as expected, but we ended up completely surrounded.
Once the situation became one where they perfectly cornered and surrounded us like that, the Royal Guards rather slowed down their offensive and started to narrow the distance as carefully as possible.
As we were pushed back little by little like that, we were soon driven to the wall.
It meant there was nowhere left to move unless we broke through that encirclement.
“W, what do we do now…?”
It was literally a situation of a rat in a trap.
“Hurry up and show us that plan or whatever…!”
And a cornered rat bites the cat.
“Stay behind me for a moment.”
Since they trusted me, now was the time to respond to that trust.
“What──”
Passing by my comrades who revealed their bewilderment, I took a large stride forward.
It just so happened that the location was the Banquet Hall.
From here on, it was the Bard’s stage.
“Royal Guards of the Demon King!”
The current me had two Legendary artifacts.
--
「Witch’s Eyes」 (Legendary)
Effect - When equipped, the 「Kingdom-Toppling Beauty」 trait no longer makes the opponent ‘Charmed’.
Upon unstacking (unequipping), the next Charisma (CHA) stat-based attack becomes an unconditional critical hit.
Or, a Charisma (CHA) stat-based spell succeeds ‘unconditionally’.
(Once per rest)
--
The 「Witch’s Eyes」, and.
--
「Witch’s Voice」 (Legendary)
Effect - Become able to cast a Charisma (CHA) stat-based skill simultaneously on all ‘Charmed’ entities looking at oneself within range (20m).
(Once a day, duration 10 turns)
--
The 「Witch’s Voice」.
In other words.
“Applaud!”
The moment I, who was receiving their gazes all over my body inside this Banquet Hall right now, took off the 「Witch’s Eyes」.
“……!”
The Royal Guards who were ‘Charmed’ by my beauty absolutely could not go against my command, the 「Word of Power」.
“Applaud for my outstanding beauty──!”
On top of that, just a moment ago, precisely the moment we stepped into the Banquet Hall, a notification popped up saying our party’s level had increased.
Having finished the battle with Stras, and gaining the experience points of many Royal Guards on top of that, I finally reached Level 19.
That meant the final stage of 「Word of Power」 was now unlocked.
Previously, when I first became able to use 「Word of Power」, it was said that ‘commands that go against the survival instincts possessed by all living beings are bound to face strong resistance from the unconsciousness’.
That’s right.
Not anymore.
“As the Champion of the Malevolent Star and the primordial Demon King, I command.”
Therefore, toward the Royal Guards who were looking at me completely entranced, as if waiting only for me to open my mouth.
“Those who follow the false pretender.”
I finally gave the order.
『──Kill yourselves.』
At that moment.
“…!”
The Royal Guards who heard my 「Word of Power」 simultaneously aimed the weapons they were pointing at us until just a moment ago at their own necks.
And, the Banquet Hall was dyed red.
“…….”
Looking around the red-dyed Banquet Hall, everyone looked like they couldn’t contain their shock.
“I have experienced many battlefields until now, but this is……”
Even that veteran Toric couldn’t speak easily.
“Something like this… is a first.”
Evie, who definitely would have thrown a joke if it were like usual.
“Crazy……”
Was only muttering a curse as if that was the only word she could think of right now.
However, to just stand there staring blankly, we still had work left to do.
At that, we quietly left the Banquet Hall and moved our steps immediately.
This time, truly, toward the Audience Room where the Demon King was.
Since it was no exaggeration to say that almost most of the Royal Guards guarding this castle had flocked to the Banquet Hall, we were able to reach the front of the Audience Room without being hindered anymore.
Eventually, we truly had the ‘Final Battle’ literally before our eyes.
We first drank the 「Rest Elixirs」 we had brought.
Now, truly, it is the last battle.
Such thoughts crossed my mind and various emotions flooded in for an instant, but I composed myself immediately.
Now was not the time to be immersed in useless sentimentality.
The real ‘End’ only comes when we win the fight that will unfold after opening this door.
The existence waiting for us beyond this door right now was an opponent who did not tolerate even a little bit of disarray.
Looking back at my comrades one by one, perhaps they were thinking the same thing as me, as they all looked like they were maintaining their calm while sparing their words.
“──Shall we go?”
At my question, they quietly nodded with expressions where firm resolution could be felt.
Confirming that will, I also checked my own will once more for the last time, then placed my hand on the door.
Then, together with my comrades who placed their hands following me, I pushed that giant door with all my might and opened it.
***
──And the scene that unfolded before our eyes was something we absolutely could not believe.
“──?”
I couldn’t understand at all what on earth had happened, or what I was seeing.
In the Audience Room, the Demon King was there.
He was sitting, on the throne.
“Wha──”
With the center of his chest, pierced by a spear.
Vomiting blood.
The blood flowing down from the Demon King like that was dyeing not only the throne but also the stairs below it.
In other words.
“What is this, this……?”
The Demon King, was dying.
And in front of such a Demon King.
“You are……”
Clearly, an existence I had ‘never seen’ before until now was standing there.
“Who is it……?”