Chapter 170

170 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 3

Calm down.

Honestly, I was surprised. I’ll admit that.

Until now, Aerial has always thought about the overall balance.

So that Ewan could gain some experience, or to treat the other parties with respect.

Without the support from Aerial and Wraith, there would have been more scenes of Adventurers being defeated.

They acted as a group in order to achieve victory rather than for their own individual achievements.

However, his actions aren’t beyond that of the 1st ranked Aerial.

Adventurer fanatics and long-time fans would know.

That time that he fought against the Charmed Samurai Masamune most likely reminded many people as well.

That the Adventurer Aerial is a man who challenges Dungeons looking for strong opponents.

In the grand scheme of things, his actions aren’t against the rules.

It’s a different matter if it was like the seventh stratum where you couldn’t proceed until you solved the riddles, but the doors between the areas in the tenth stratum aren’t locked with a condition.

It would be fine if you can Clear the Dungeon quickly by sheer brute force, but if you don’t do it well, you’ll be in trouble later.

For example, in the mine-like areas of the fourth stratum – the realm of werewolves. You can most certainly push forward while ignoring all the chasing enemies, but if you run into a dead-end, you’re a sitting duck. The price of temporarily avoiding battles has to be paid once you reach a place with no escape.

It’s the same with this tenth stratum. Since it is treated as the same stratum, breaking into the second area by force will cause the Monsters from the first area to chase you.

What he’s done isn’t against the rules, but it is a disadvantageous choice for the Adventurer.

I interpreted his declaration about paying me a visit after annihilating everyone as a countermeasure to that.

No, maybe he himself meant it that way.

It’s a possibility.

「UoooOOOOOOOOOH!!!」

Someone caught the Wind Blade that Aerial fired.

By crossing his claws, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias catches the Wind Blade that was meant to tear me apart.

He responds instantly to sudden events. He risks his body to protect me.

Being able to do that despite being just summoned is proof that he is a Demon King Castle Floor Boss and all-around tough guy.

He has a giant body that is three times the size of a regular person, yet he is slowly being pushed back. Being pushed back by the Wind Blade’s might, Marchosias’s toenails carve a line into the floor.

I knew it.

Aerial is testing me.

「Well done, Marchosias.」

「You did well too, Lord Chief of Staff, by summoning me!」

I look at the Storm Hero.　

「Are you sure about leaving the previous area to them, Storm Hero?」

「Yes, there are other combatants there that are more suitable to that battlefield.」

…He must be talking about Ewan and Suuri.

Ewan wants to destroy his own Zombie as well as that of Bella’s.

There’s no way Stolas will let Suuri pass her.

「And there are other battlefields that suit you better?」

For a moment, his expression was forlorn.

「That is what I have been searching for, for so long. You have been as well, haven’t you, Sir Lemegeton?」

He would not have acted this way if he did not have something to relieve him of the responsibility of being the first.

He decided that he could entrust them.

Trust that they can still annihilate all the Monsters in the tenth stratum and meet with the Demon King, even though he went on ahead by himself, towards the battle he desires.

He wants to know if I’m the enemy he’s been searching for.

How will I get out of an invasion that surpasses my expectation? Whether I can pass this first test of his.

I’ll do it.

I am not the Black Sorcerer Lem right now.

I am the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff, the One Horned Dark Sorcerer, Lemegeton.

A being that is not to be tested by the likes of a Human, even if he is mankind’s strongest.

There is nothing that surpasses me save for her Highness.

At the very least, they will have to be willing to do so.

「I will not allow anyone to fight with the Demon King. That is why I am here.」

「I will surely reach you.」

I touch the teleportation Recording Stone and teleport to the third area.

「…Dammit…my Magical Energy…」

I mutter.

Aerial’s plan to make me suffer a little is a success.

The ring that can summon allies. Magical Energy is needed to create the Avatar of the summoned allies and depending on the distance between me and the summoned ally, the Magical Energy consumed will increase.

The latter is nothing much to worry about since they are summoned within the castle, but the Magical Energy consumed by the former is tremendous.

All of my compatriots are excellent fighters. The Magical Energy needed to create their Avatars is huge.

「Heh…」

I let out a laugh. What is this?

Excitement?

Mankind’s strongest, an extremely far-off existence.

The Storm Hero Aerial.

Looked up to by all Adventurers. The pinnacle.

The immovable 1st rank.

He is looking forward to doing battle with Lemegeton solo. Eyes gleaming with child-like glee.

Changing the way he fights at the top of the industry to how he fought when he was young.

I feel honored. Yeah, there’s definitely that feeling. He is the man that I looked up to, after all.

He is also the man who took the trouble to look for me after I left the Fenix party and invited me to join his party.

But right now, the fire burning in my chest is…

In the past, my goal was to surpass you in rank together with Fenix.

But now, I’m in the Demon King Army. In that case, there is a way to surpass you.

By stopping you from Clearing this Dungeon.

I regenerate my Magical Energy.

◇

Uncle Ai-…Aerial’s fighting style changed at the time that he became 1st ranked.

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As long as he was rising to the top, he was a challenger. Now that he stands at the top, he is a representative. The attitude change was unavoidable. Because his position has changed.

But the one who surpassed my dad, the one who surpassed the Unyielding Hero was the challenger Aerial.

I have always wanted to surpass that Aerial.

However, I knew that I probably would never get a chance to do that, so I gave up halfway. It doesn’t matter how hard I try. Because he is already at 1st rank and there’s nothing higher to climb for, he cannot return to his challenger days.

That’s why, if I become 1st rank, he’ll go back to being a challenger. That’s what I think.

But in this Raid Battle.

In this Dungeon, a heart-pounding threat has appeared.

Aerial has thrown away his conduct as a 1st rank.

Which is why…

If I do better than Aerial in this situation, I can surpass him. It’s possible to make the viewers acknowledge me as the better hero.

I can prove it by doing actions worthy of being called the strongest even without any love for Spirits.

There’s no reason not to do this now.

It’s for that very reason that I’m here.

When I reached the second area, Uncle Air already left.

Only the dancing Magical Energy particles of a defeated Vampire, Werewolf, or Dream Demon were left.

Damn, he’s fast as usual.

It’s not surprising that there were three races of Monsters here.

If Monsters from all nine strata are to be redistributed into several areas, there will be an area with an extra race, assuming that they placed two races per area.

It’s also possible that there are four races in the next area. Actually, there’s also the possibility that there’s an area with only one race.

The combination of races depends on them, but it isn’t worth being surprised at how many races are thrown at us.

It looks like the Demon of Love Sitri has already been defeated.

I sensed the Magical Energy of a Floor Boss level Monster disappear just before I reached the area.

Did you get in the way like Naberius did and got taken out? She temporarily manipulated Masa and, while not technically for revenge, I have a reason to fight her. Oh well.

Either way, pretty sure Sitri was quite the troublesome opponent.

He must be pretty excited, ’cause he didn’t hold back at all, huh?

The second area was the realm of Vampires, Werewolves, and Dream Demons.

Considering the usual individuals, the Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias was here too.

All that remains is…

「I’m guessing Aerial has…already left.」

Said the Thunder Hero Mr. Scathach, who caught up with me, with a mixture of amazement and surprise in his voice.

「Looks like it. All that’s left is that. Probably left behind for her.」

「Haagenti! Carmilla! You alive?!」

There she is.

The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. Herv is here.

「We meet again, Hero of the Cursed Sword.」

「Yeah! I’m so glad I get…to…? Hey Carmilla…what the heck are you sitting on?」

Yeah, that’s a good question.

The Vampire Queen Carmilla is sitting down. What she’s sitting on is none other than the Impaling Daughter Haagenti.

「Last time, this thing took your arm, yes?」

She was referring to her chair, Haagenti, which is basking in ecstasy and panting.

「Y-yeah, it was…fun.」

Herv is a woman who can enjoy a fight where she gets to go all out, but it seems she is utterly confused in the face of this.

「Because of that, I am giving her a reward.」

「…? ……?? O-oh, I see! Sure, sure! So, how long are ya gonna be giving her this reward?」

Herv has abandoned trying to understand it.

「I wouldn’t mind if it was for forev-kyan! My apologies, Lady Carmilla.」

While standing up, Carmilla smacks Haagenti in the ass and she lets out a happy moan.

Seeing her immediately stand up must mean that playtime is over.

…Well, I guess not showing any weak spots even while she pulls a stupid face is to be expected from a Rare Monster.

「I understand the situation. I shall punish you all for the crime of disrupting Lord Lemegeton’s plan to send you all into the abyss.」

「I don’t really get what’s going on, but I’m down if it means we get to fight. You winning would do fine as a punishment for me, right?」

「…I suppose so.」

Herv has been looking forward to fighting the Vampires.

While picking up on the conversation in the corner of my senses, I head towards the door.

「Did you think you could just pass by this area without stopping, young Hero?」

Marchosias stands in my path.

…Even though I’m moving with Wind Magic acceleration. What amazing reaction and speed.

「You bet I am.」

I will never stop. I fly to barely pass by his sides.

「Not so fast!」

His claws are fast. More than enough power to rip me to shreds. The speed is nothing to laugh at either.

But there’s just one thing…

「Don’t get in…Wraith’s way.」

There’s someone who used her arm as a shield to block the claw.

None other than my childhood friend. The Destroyer Fran.

「Oho…well met!」

「…Go, Wraith.」

「I’ll be waiting ahead.」

「Mm.」

Marchosias…doesn’t chase me.

「…To become a shield for your friend. You are quite manly!」

「…I’m a woman.」

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「Gahaha, this has nothing to do with gender!」

「…I don’t…understand.」

They don’t seem like a match, personality-wise, but the same can’t be said about their combat ability. Both of them excel at hand-to-hand combat.

Later, I think Mr. Scathach will follow me. He hasn’t moved yet, though.

Anyway, I have to catch up with the old man.