Book 5: Chapter 31

「Bale Killer」 was the last resort for Ykslaas’s group, and was a secret technique that would release their suppressed true power.

Claude would turn into a black metal giant, the 「Metal Giant」, Olred would turn into a red metal dragon, the 「Red Metal Dragon」, Brutus would turn into a blue metal snake, the 「Metal Serpent」, and Shironos would turn into a white metal lion, the 「Metal Leo」.

And then, Claude ended up specializing in the power of Darkness, Olred in the power of Fire, Brutus in the power of Water, and Shironos in the power of Light. They would end up having more openings than their normal Majin form, but in exchange, the power that they could use would also become greater.

That power that could easily kick about the average Mazoku was more than enough as a final trump card.

And then, there was their master, Ykslaas.

The power that she released through Bale Killer, not even she herself knew how much it would be. It was because on top of having no chance to use it, she understood that it wasn’t something to be used so frivolously to begin with.

Ykslaas knew the amount of power that her Four Knights would obtain through Bale Killer from the start. Since she was a Demon King, she comprehended it as being born with that knowledge.

Within her group, the topic of what kind of power Bale Killer was had never come up.

That is why Ykslaas didn’t know.

That even though she had never used it before, she knew that her Four Knights would change in someway through their own respective Bale Killer.

That is why, she hadn’t noticed.

Why they, who should have been Mazoku to begin with, had a power that was called something like 「Bale Killer」.

「Eh……?」

What she noticed right before she activated her Bale Killer, was a sense of discomfort.

It was the sensation of the magical power that was enlarging within her flowing out.

And then, the sensation of the power that composed Ykslaas being completely taken away by someone.

Wrong. This was wrong.

Ykslaas hurriedly tried to shut them out, but that resistance was fruitless, and her power continued to flow out.

The Reinforcement Magic that was cast on Ykslaas, it was unable to be maintained and was cancelled out.

Even a faint amount of magical power that was at the level where she could use simple magic was completely taken away.

「Ah……ah……」

It was being stolen.

Having power stolen even from Ykslaas’s body, she lost the power to even stand, and she collapsed into a sit with a *petan*.

Even her steel will that should have stirred her to move had vanished.

Everything was stolen, by something that wasn’t her.

She herself, was vanishing.

「I don’t want this……to have this sort of ending, I don’t want it……」

She had long resolved herself for death. She even thought that she could die without accomplishing her objective.

But, this sort of thing was wrong.

This sort of method of dying, there was no way she could accept it.

「Why, why is it like this……」

She couldn’t understand even after thinking about it. No, it felt as if she was prohibited from even thinking.

All she could tell right now, was that everything about her was being stolen.

Ykslaas’s view was distorting.

She was crying──Ykslaas was already no longer able to notice that simple fact.

With herself as the materials, she felt that something that wasn’t her was being put together.

Would that, defeat Vermudol?

In that case, what was she──Just what was the Demon King Ykslaas?

She called to mind the Four Knights when she asked about herself.

Claude.

Olred.

Brutus.

Shironos.

She called to mind their figures, their smiling faces.

The knights that followed her believing in the world in harmony that was found beyond their mission.

Did they, predict this sort of conclusion?

Did they think that they would end up having such an incomprehensible thing being born, and then entrusting everything to it?

「……That’s wrong.」

They had followed Ykslaas.

No matter what kind of conclusion was reached, Ykslaas needed to be the one to settle everything.

She had thought that, however, a different thought was suddenly born within Ykslaas.

Was that truly the case? Did she truly need to be the one to settle everything?

If the thing that was going to be born now were to defeat Vermudol, wouldn’t that be fine? Instead, she should entrust everything to it.

That is what she should do. Even her Four Knights, they would agree with that.

「……」

With that, there was no mistake.

Ykslaas, was also fine with vanishing like this.

「……I don’t want to.」

When she tried to move her body that pretty much no longer move, Ykslaas resisted.

She didn’t want to. She wouldn’t accept this sort of conclusion.

For it to be fine to vanish like this, she wouldn’t accept such a thing.

But, she couldn’t move.

Even the power of her heart to try and resist was being stolen.

「Ah……AAAAAAaAAAAH!?」

Her thoughts eroding, something was shouting “you should vanish just like this” inside of Ykslaas.

She finally noticed.

Her own will was guided by something, and then was being adjusted.

Most likely, her Four Knights were also the same.

Just when did that start happening?

Was it recently, or was it much further back? Or……was it since the moment Ykslaas was born?

To being with, what was the harmony that Ykslaas should be establishing?

For what’s sake, for who’s sake was that harmony for?

She believed that it was her duty.

But, just who in the world had decided that duty?

「I……we……!」

It was vexing. Up until this moment, she was unable to notice it.

Someone somewhere was guiding Ykslaas’s group to be like this.

Who in the world was it?

The answer to that question didn’t exist within Ykslaas.

However, towards that someone, Ykslaas turned all of the hatred she had towards them.

How dare they.

How dare they use us. They toyed with us.

Unforgivable. I’ll kill you.

She couldn’t allow herself to die here, in this form.

Her swelling up anger and hatred.

However, even that was being stolen away.

Raising a voice that was similar to a scream, Ykslaas shouted.

「I don’t want this, I don’t want something like this……I……I……U, AAAAAH!」

Her blurring view.

Within Ykslaas’s eyes as she felt her strength to even shout was vanishing, something was reflected.

It gently carried Ykslaas in its arms, and ran.

The warmth of the arms that were carrying her was transmitted to Ykslaas’s body.

Who was this? Was it one of her Four Knights? If it was, did this pathetic figure of hers disillusion them?

Even so, Ykslaas felt a sense of security from the person that was carrying her.

As if she were underneath a large tree, it was a tranquil feeling.

Ykslaas felt her broken heart being healed.

After that someone broke through the maelstrom of magical power, they gently laid Ykslaas onto the ground.

Ykslaas used her remaining strength to grab the hem of that person who did that and tried to turn around and face that whirling magical power.

「……Wait……」

Ykslaas was already feeling that her consciousness was fading.

That is why, she had to at least ask this. Only this, in this moment that might be her last.

「Who……are you……?」

That someone went down to one knee, and gently caressed Ykslaas’s head.

Ykslaas felt tranquility from that ticklishness.

With her blurry vision, she couldn’t see their face, but she could somehow tell that they were smiling so as to give her a peace of mind.

And then, that someone opened their mouth.

「Sancreed. I am the Mazoku Hero, Sancreed.」

Sancreed.

Within her fading consciousness, Ykslaas ruminated over that name, and etched it into her heart.

The power to think no longer remained within Ykslaas, but even so, with all of her remaining strength, she opened her mouth to tell him.

「……Please……」

She didn’t know how she should tell him. How to get him to understand their mortification.

This selfish, and all too convenient wish. This feeling when it couldn’t be helped if she made a single smile and that would be the end of it.

However, Sancreed──the man who introduced himself as the Mazoku Hero, answered.

「Be at ease. I will do something about the rest.」

「……Thank, you.」

Saying that, Ykslaas parted with her consciousness.

Sancreed confirmed that she had not died yet, then turned his eyes towards the shrinking maelstrom of magical power.

He couldn’t lay a hand on that yet.

If he were to carelessly lay a hand on it at this stage, it would surely blow away everything in the vicinity of this region.

That’s right……That, was an egg.

He didn’t know what was trying to be born within it, but it didn’t matter what it was.

If that was the true mastermind behind this turmoil, he would have them receive their punishment.

That was simply all there was to it.