Chapter 46

46 – Rivals Meet

「Hah! Hahahah! Such heat! Such pressure! The heatwave can be felt even here! If these were flesh and blood bodies, we would have already fallen from not being able to breathe!」

「Apologies for the wait, Sir Marchosias. However, there appears to be one more person waiting. Madam Carmilla?」

「I obey the orders given by Lord Lemegeton. There have been none of having a one-on-one fight with you.」

「I see, understood. Then, surely now its-」

「Indeed, it is my turn!」

Marchosias charges at me headfirst.

He thrusts at me with sharpened fangs. I barely dodge it by turning my body sideways and lightly cut him on the arm.

The combustion will start from the wound, he is as good as de-

「Hahaa! A splendid dodge, Flame Hero!」

He wasn’t eliminated.

I quickly turn around and hold my sword at the ready.

We clashed.

I blocked his thrust with my blade but was blown back.

In my blurring vision, I was able to confirm the result of the previous clash in an instant.

I see.

He lunged at me with his right hand. And then it did in fact burn.

At the moment after I made the cut, Marchosias used his left hand to tear off his right arm.

Although it’s an Avatar, he showed no hesitation in harming his own body. So he threw it away.

Only the right arm that was torn off burnt, while his body remained.

That’s why he thrust with his left hand.

That same left hand touched my blade. Whether it was planned or not, he bit off his left arm at the elbow.

Magnificent.

Just before I crash into the pillar, I emit flames. The Fire Spirit gives me the ability to use flying magic with flames. Technically, I’m not flying in the air with fire but don’t bother with the minor details.

It’s easier to understand if you say that I can fly through the air but not as freely as those with the Wind Spirit.

Suppressing the impact, I soon gain propulsion.

My body accelerates rapidly.

「Well! As expected of someone who made a contract with the Four Great Spirits! That’s more like it!」

「Thanks to you, I have learned something today.」

「Indeed! Do not assume that your enemy is defeated after a simple cut!」

「I feel nothing but shame at my own immaturity. You have my thanks, Sir Marchosias」

「No need! I am merely here to defeat you!」

It seems he plans on defeating me with his remaining two feet.

I respect that strength of heart.

The distance between us shrinks at terrifying speed and then I slashed with terrifying speed.

「…Let us do battle again.」

I grasp the meaning put into those words.

He means that I will be defeated by Lem and then fight Marchosias again when I retry the Dungeon Clear.

He truly believes that Lem will defeat me.

I am glad that he considers him a close friend but as a Hero, I cannot agree.

「I am afraid you won’t get that chance.」

His body was split horizontally into two parts and at the same time, both upper and lower body parts burnt up.

As soon as I make my landing, The Black Knight Furcus leaps at me.

The spear of that androgynous knight is the only thing that can withstand my blade.

From the end it was severed, it drops the tip like a lizard’s tail and grows a new tip. Even the handle can extend back into its original length.

「The situation has changed.」

Fighting against Furcus with sword and spear will take too much time.

I swing my holy sword.

Flames run across the slash trajectory, expanding out like an explosion.

「…Sorry, Chief of Staff.」

I heard a small voice like that of a girl.

Furcus is defeated.

All that’s left are the werewolves, Marchosias’ followers, and the Hellhounds, Naberius’ followers.

I burn the looming hoard into cinders.

Soon.

Remaining are The Vampire Queen Carmilla and the Demi-Beasts.

「I wish to fight Sir Lemegeton. What will you do, miss?」

Ever since I defeated Glasha-Labolas, his figure was visible.

Sitting on the stairs, looking this way.

「Carmilla」

「Lord Lemegeton, your orders, please. I am…one of the Big Four」

The two of them locked eyes. I don’t know what kind of heartful exchange they had, but Lemegeton calmly stood up.

「…Eliminate the Flame Hero.」

「As you wish.」

It appears that the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff has a policy of respecting the wishes of his subordinates.

The bats and the swords flying towards me in order to surround me were burnt in an instant.

Nevertheless, she continues to send blood swords toward me.

…I see, a loyal retainer indeed.

She aims to deplete as much of my Magical Energy as possible.

I kick the ground to close in on her, deflecting every blade sent my way. Soon, I’m at slashing range.

「Last time, I was the one who defeated you. What do you have against Alba?」

She is known to be a cruel Monster but that is simply a role she plays. However, I could clearly feel rage in her behavior towards Alba.

With my holy sword piercing her abdomen, she lets out a chuckle.

「My wrath, is not for you.」

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In that state, she turns her head towards Lem.

「My deepest apologies, Lord Lemegeton.」

「All is forgiven.」

「I wish you good fortune.」

「Ah.」

Carmilla’s body turned red and soon scattered into Magical Energy particles.

「So with this, have I gained the privilege to fight you?」

He did tell me that he would entertain me if I managed to fight my way to him.

「…Indeed, how dare you annihilate all my subordinates.」

「I thought you were just watching quietly, though.」

「It was their desire.」

「So what is it that you desire?」

「You already know. The utter destruction of you and yours. In other words, your defeat.」

「You think you can beat me?」

「I must. It is my duty.」

He approached me slowly.

「In any case, what tremendous power you possess. Are you not stronger without your allies?」

It was a probing question.

「…In the past, I did worry about that.」

「Oh?」

「One of the Four Great Spirits is simply too prolific in rank, yes? There weren’t any allies that could stand on the same level as me and it would end up that it would benefit me better to fight alone. I was afraid of that.」

「And then?」

「I was scolded by my best friend.「It’ll be totally lame and boring if you fight by yourself」he yelled.」

「I see」

I imagined it for a second. Every time, a lone man goes into a Dungeon by himself. Reaching the deepest, darkest depths of the Dungeon without a struggle, burning every enemy he faces without a trace of interest on his face. It would be interesting at first…but the second time? The fourth? The hundredth? Who would want to watch a Dungeon Clear like that?

Dungeon Clears are entertainment. That is a simple premise that must never be forgotten.

Alba’s boldly offensive and flashy magic sword, Lily’s elegant movements and her Godspeed, Lark’s sense of stability and the occasional shield bash and sword slash, and Bella’s beautiful to look at freezing magic.

Once, Lem’s support allowed us to put on a perfectly unified performance.

That catches the viewer’s eyes and makes their heart pound.

And then there are the enemies.

Alba getting his magic sword snatched away, Lark getting pierced by a magic sword he thought he could guard against, Bella getting defeated by the enemies plan to deplete all her Magical Energy and force her into a one-on-one fight, Lily losing a bow match and getting defeated.

The people who will watch this broadcast will have their eyes wide in astonishment. There will surely be people who shout.

Allies, myself, and the enemies complete the Dungeon Clear experience.

Lem once said that I was a fool to worry about being too strong.

And he also said this.

Because you have allies, you can have more interesting Clears.

Once your allies falter, you can get serious.

The magic that you usually cannot use because it would affect your allies, you could now use to your heart’s content.

It’s different from a solo Clear.

Solely because your allies were defeated that this becomes a comeback story of a Hero who found himself in a predicament.

「A Hero who has lost all of his teammates. I cannot help but look forward to seeing your true strength.」

「A Majin who has lost all of his subordinates. I, too, look forward to seeing your true strength.」

I couldn’t help but think.

..Argh. damn these cameras.

The cameras and the mics, all a hindrance.

I destroy the mic fitted on my Avatar with the heat.

Then, I melt the cameras by enveloping the surrounding area with flames.

Realizing my intentions he says to me in his normal voice.

「…Hey, you idiot, you’re gonna have to pay reparations for that.」

「It’s so that I can fight you with all my power. You don’t want to film that, right?」

「Man, what kinda Hero are you…」

It’s too bad that people won’t get to see the climax, but I cannot let this chance go by.

I cannot accept not being able to fight him seriously after getting here just because he cannot show society his true strength.

This is an act unbecoming of a Hero. But I have decided that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

「How much time do we have, Lem?」

「Probably thirty seconds? Maybe a minute?」

Someone with a camera will run into this room.

They will somehow show the result of the battle. They have to show at least that much.

「I can’t say it’s enough, but I can’t say it’s excessive either.」

Lemegeton removed his mask.

He put the mask in his robe pocket.

Who appeared, was Lem.

「It’s about which one of us is better, right? Shall we find out, Lem?」

「You bet, Fenix.」

I ready my holy sword.

「The Flame Hero Fenix will defeat you.」

Lem’s self-introduction took a few seconds.

He probably thought that he shouldn’t introduce himself as The Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton. He is facing me as Lem, but Black Sorcerer is wrong. He wants to give himself a title.

Before long, he fixed his gaze on me.

「The One-Horned Black Mage Lem shall triumph over you.」

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He can’t tell anyone, but he inherited that from his beloved master.

「The one who wins in the end is the hero.」

「Yeah, that’s why I’m gonna win.」

The final battle of the tenth stratum has begun.