Published: March 21, 2026
"Well then, are you prepared to disappear from this world?"
The magic circle that had appeared beneath our feet shifted the color from Akira's face; she grabbed Lattice Nail, the demon king's daughter, and Sato beside me and threw them back. In an instant the situation changed wildly.
While we were distracted, reinforcements for Lattice Nail — and Crow — had slipped into the audience chamber without us noticing. There's no room for negotiation anymore. Now it's a question of how to get back to the ship. If possible, I'd like to take down the demon king and Mahiro right here and now.
Akira was probably thinking the same. While Akira and Crow were drawing attention, Mahiro clicked his fingers and cast a barrier over the throne, preventing anyone from interfering with the demon king, and Mahiro himself was being engaged by Akira and Crow. So my job was to prevent the remaining demons from going to reinforce them.
With that in mind, I drew the other blade paired to Akira's "Night Blade God" — the "White Dragon" — and pointed it at the demon called Noren.
According to the demon king, this blade was also created by the first generation hero, that is, the Akira from a parallel world, but I'm skeptical about that story. Do heroes normally carry two long swords? I could understand if one was a short wakizashi, but I'd heard that the "Night Blade God"—which has now become two short blades—was originally the size of a long sword.
It's strange how if one thing from a person seems doubtful, everything they say starts to sound like a lie. I found myself unable to believe any of the demon king's earlier words. Oh well; I'm not one for solving mysteries, and it's unnecessary anyway.
"You intend to go against the demon king."
"Yeah."
We left the demon king surrounded by the barrier to Sato.
The demon king claimed the first generation hero created the fate where the demon king is killed by the hero, but I don't think that's right. The first generation hero was only the trigger; if fate was created, it would have been by the heroes who followed. Still, from the information gathered in this world, there does seem to be a genuine causal link where heroes defeat demon kings.
The "Holy Sword," allowed only to the hero, and the 'Holy Sword Technique' that draws out its power are said to be like a strong poison to the demon king. On top of that, many past heroes who mastered it also used light-element magic, which demonic beasts and demons are particularly weak against.
Given that people with such means to defeat monsters, demons, and demon kings are born periodically, it's natural the human race here recognizes that heroes are the ones who defeat demon kings. That said, why the four heroes summoned from other worlds so far attempted to kill the demon king remains unknown.
"It's been a while, Noren Tio. If your main job is carrier pigeon, the rank of Tenth is weeping, isn't it?"
"How do you do, traitor Karon Kronel. You, who as the once-seventh weakest fled to the lowest layer, Morte, and sneak around like a human race, well done. Mimosa, the current seventh, lamented. The rank of seven has been defiled."
Beside me stood No.7 Master and the soldiers his master had brought.
Apparently Master and Noren knew each other; they were trading barbs. Even I could tell — they're not on good terms.
"Keep lamenting as you please. Young people these days are so fastidious, it's fine by me."
Master shrugged his shoulders, pulled the cigarette he'd been holding even now from his mouth, and drew a deep inhalation. An abnormal amount of smoke drifted around, separating us from Akira, Sato, and the others.
"I'm surprised. You truly intend to rebel against the demon king."
Noren glanced around and widened his eyes.
On closer look, time itself seems disconnected outside the smoke. Outside the smoke, Akira appeared in slow motion as she attacked Mahiro. Right now I could probably follow Akira's blade strokes.
"You were given the honor of seventh rank by Demon King Nalsa Hermes despite having little magical power. Why rebel?"