Published: September 10, 2025
Satou here. There are many stories about rising to power, but when the villain betrays their comrades to achieve a coup, it often seems that a tragic end awaits after their rise.
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Now then, how should I remove the influence of the demon king's orb from Boy Shin?
Just as I was pondering this, an idiot barged in.
“Your Highness, I’ve come to help with my followers!”
Breaking through the walls of the subspace, a Green Demon Race in the form of a green dragon, along with various mid- and lower-rank demons, swarmed in.
Judging by the mid-rank demon with drill arms leading the charge, it must have been the one with the ability to break barriers.
“T-Thank you for the rescue—”
Boy Shin was about to say something, but his voice was drowned out by the thunderous sound of my advanced light magic, Photon Laser, wiping out the demons.
As expected of high-level magic.
The demons burst apart in a satisfying display.
The noise is a bit loud and the surrounding air temperature skyrocketed, but with this power, it’s understandable.
Only one mid-rank demon with light resistance skill survived, but I obliterated it with a single, magic-overloaded Holy Bolt.
“Ughhhhhh!”
The one-sided battle seemed to affect Boy Shin’s mental state, and I panicked, turning back to check—
“Coup d’état! If you wield the power of demons, I too can become the Demon King!”
I caught a glimpse of the Green Demon Race possessing Boy Shin for a moment.
Boy Shin’s status had changed to "Possession." Despite being the Demon King, he was easily possessed—probably due to the level difference.
Still, infighting among allies… in a way, that’s so demon-like.
Oh no, if I stay complacent, it’ll be too late.
I have to do something.
If only I could use the forbidden spell of light magic, Divine Exorcism—it would be easy, but I haven’t registered it in my spell list yet.
—This is bad.
If I spend too long on a lengthy chant, the Green Demon Race will fuse with Boy Shin for good.
—Wait, that was in the treasure chest that just popped up.
Suddenly, Arisa’s voice echoed in my mind.
“That’s right! I have that.”
I muttered to myself and took out the Demon-Sealing Bell from storage, shaking it.
A clear, tinkling sound rippled, spreading through the dry air.
ZWAAAAMMMMAASWUUUUUU!
With a particularly loud scream, the Green Demon Race that had fused with Boy Shin peeled away.
I closed the distance with earth shrinking, grabbed the translucent spectral form of the Green Demon Race, tore it completely from Boy Shin, and threw it aside.
While it was still suspended in the air, I sliced it cleanly in two with the Holy Sword.
Before the Green Demon Race vanished, I traced the demonic essence line connecting its avatar and the demon’s true form.
Judging from its behavior, the Green Demon Race’s avatar wasn’t autonomous but remote-controlled.
Like spotting a fishing line sinking into the ocean, I expanded my demonic essence detection.
—Found it!
The next moment, I leapt to the Green Demon Race’s stronghold far away.
Even I don’t quite understand how I moved here.
Magic or skill—thinking about that can wait.
Sealing the demon’s true form with spatial magic’s Dimension Pile, preventing escape, I finished it off with the Holy Sword.
Wait, I can’t get careless now.
Demons like this don’t simply disappear so easily.
I used the full map exploration magic for the first time in a while to thoroughly inspect this area.
I thought it might show as an unmapped area, but it was called “Withered Labyrinth: Ruins.”
Apparently, this is one of the Withered Labyrinths.
I found a single red light point inside the area.
It seemed to be a fragment of the Green Demon Race’s avatar possessing a rat.
Seriously, these demons have endless tenacity.
Since it’s a Withered Labyrinth, no harm should come from it, so I used the Photon Laser again, shooting through the labyrinth wall to completely erase the last fragment of the Green Demon Race.
Now, I won’t be bothered by “Zamasu Zamasu” and the Green Demon Race anymore.