Chapter 173

173 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 6 / Arrival

Dungeon Clearing.

A form of entertainment. However, I think it is different from just a simple form of entertainment.

Or perhaps I should say, it is most definitely not just a form of entertainment to me.

Fenix and I grew up in the remote countryside.

How remote? Very, very, very remote.

The mountains were our playground. The village is small enough that everyone who lives there knows everyone else.

Well to be exact, my master lived outside the village, so he’s an exception, but the village is small enough that it is very difficult to avoid someone who you don’t get along with.

It’s for this very reason that the kids who bullied Fenix at the time never left him alone, but no matter how hostile they were, there was one thing that we all came together to enjoy.

And that was Dungeon Clears.

Since there was only one TV in the whole village, everyone would gather in one house to watch.

Before the show began, there would be all kinds of arguments going around, but once it started, everyone would be absorbed by what’s on screen.

Whether they be young or old, men or women, they would all collectively forget their squabbles and alternate between happiness and sorrow as they worry over whether or not these Adventurers can Clear this Dungeon.

I loved those times.

A form of entertainment that brings people together, regardless of age.

Back when I was a kid who looked up to Heroes, he was already a top-notch Adventurer.

As I think that, I find it strange…

「Hey there.」

…that there would come a time where I would have to face off against that Hero I looked up to. A living legend.

「You have arrived.」

Raising a hand as if he were greeting a friend, the Storm Hero Aerial.

The final area where I await looks exactly like the time I welcomed the Fenix party.

A long, dark passageway with a set of stairs at the end. On top of those stairs is a stone throne, behind which resides the door that leads to the deepest part of the Dungeon. Technically, it leads to a Safe Room, but it’s because the setting states that you can fight with the Demon King after you defeat the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff.

「You were sitting in that very chair when you fought Fenix as well, right? So I take that to mean that this is the final area?」

「That it is. It is also the area where you shall meet your end.」

He grins. It was aggressive, yet also looked like a happy smile.

「That makes me happy. I don’t often hear lines like that lately.」

Well, of course. There are few who can capture the world’s 1st ranked and say to his face that they will defeat him.

But I am the Demon King Castle’s Chief of Staff. The Floor Boss of the tenth stratum. The protector of the door that leads to her Highness.

No matter who the enemy is, they shall not pass.

「Be that as it may, there are still yet more obstacles to overcome before I fight you.」

His gaze shifted to look to my sides.

There are two people who are close to me.

One of them is a Minotaur Black Sorcerer.

One of the three that work directly under the Chief of Staff, the Black Explorer Foras.

Equipped with a sword and shield, he looks like he has a knight-esque Job, but his specialty is actually Black Magic. A person who made great efforts to train himself to where he is now using the same methods I did.

The other is a beautiful Human woman, sitting on the chair’s armrest.

Silver-gray long hair, and fiercely confident eyes of the same color.

The 95th rank Undefeated Hero Ellie.

She just floated down from the sky using magic and sat there.

「My my, I suppose that’s why you’re 1st rank. I’m not surprised.」

「I am the one who is surprised, Miss Ellie. Things just got more enjoyable. This is very different from the Demon King Castle I knew. Truly fascinating. To even have a Hero party as allies…」

「We have merely formed an alliance. For now, anyway.」

「There is something I must ask. Why go to the Monster’s side?」

「The same reason you’re here, old man.」

I only put in place one condition during my recruitment drive.

You have to have the mettle to defeat Heroes.

Ellie saw this and applied.

What Aerial wishes for…is to fight someone strong who can stand toe-to-toe with him.

Both of them are seeking the same thing.

A satisfying fight.

「Is that so? That’s quite clear-cut.」

Wind started blowing around Aerial.

「Let me have some fun with him first, Len.」

「Sure.」

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As she moves down to meet him with her Wind Magic, four of her allies come out of their hiding places.

Her uncommonly configured party of two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerers.

And yet they are Adventurers that proved that they have true ability and are not just a novelty by getting to the top 100 parties among the many tens of thousands of other parties.

In the final area, the battle starts with the five-man Ellie party and then me and my three subordinates. Which makes a total of nine.

But that’s not all.

「We shall lend you a hand.」

A heavily armed Orc steps forward.

The Dungeon Boss of the Elementary Level –  Beginner’s Dungeon, the Magnanimous Sage Ronove.

To his side is the Centaur archer, the Horseless Archer Orobas, and around them were the Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs from the same Dungeon.

For just this Raid Battle, these Monsters are temporary employees.

They are doing the opposite of what Furcus and I did in the past.

Rather than being sent out as reinforcements from the Demon King Castle, they were sent to the Demon King Castle.

While their Dungeon may be called the Elementary Level –  Beginner’s Dungeon, they are now an All Level Dungeon.

They are strong enough to repel the Nicola party, which is on the same 99-ish rank as the Ellie party.

「Oh? …If I’m not mistaken, you all are…」

Aerial seems to recall Thor, who is now Ronove, and crew.

Considering how that matter with the Nicola party was constantly playing on TV, it isn’t odd.

「The enemy of Lord Lemegeton is our enemy! Do not falter because he is 1st ranked! This place is Lord Lemegeton’s battlefield! Therefore, victory is assured! Isn’t that right?!」

His subordinates roared in agreement at his speech.

Unlike Thor’s usually shy and timid attitude, he looks and sounds like a Dungeon Boss.

With a body strong enough to withstand trading blows with Nicola’s brother, the Diamond Hero Philip, he is a strong Dungeon Boss.

And then we have…

「Now don’t get excited just because he’s a handsome older man, OK~?」

The woman accompanied by countless Alraune is the One-Horned Poet Amduscias, inheritor of Unicorn blood.

A female Beast Master who is able to change forms between a Centaur and a Human. She has a single, spiraling horn and light purple hair that goes up to her shoulders. She seems to have an Aptitude for battle, so she is a Beast Master who is also skilled at fighting.

Forming a bond with these hard-to-handle plant Demi-Beasts, she is a Monster that boasts high mobility.

「You asked for it, O Storm Hero.」

Even as I speak, the battle proceeds.

Aerial uses his Holy Sword to stop another Holy Sword as Ellie slashes at him from the front.

「…This is…」

「Oh my, that was a slow reaction. Is something the matter?」

He was able to defend himself, but his movements were slightly slower.

The two from Ellie’s party, the Black Sorcerers from the Beginner’s Dungeon, Foras…

…and me.

All of us assault the Storm Hero with Black Magic.

He Resisted most of it, but there was more Black Magic than he expected, so some of it was able to go through.

I wouldn’t focus my Magical Energy and attention too much on that if I were him. He’d be neglecting the frontal assault.

By releasing Magical Energy and wrapping one’s body with it, Resist is a Technique that allows one to escape the influence of other people’s magic.

Since Magical Energy that is released outside of the body will disperse quickly, a large amount of Magical Energy is needed to maintain it.

Alas, Aerial has been continuously using up exorbitant amounts of Magical Energy up to now.

Normally, he would go about the Clear while skilfully adjusting his consumption rate, but this time, he ignored all that while trying to chase after me.

While that has caused me to suffer as well, his actions right now are far and away from the steady fighting style that he has a lot of experience in.

「How is it? Our Black Magic.」

My voice seemed to reach him clearly after the Wind Blades used to attack and defend against Ellie had died down.

「…It is truly splendid.」

He immediately adjusts what exactly to Resist.

Just like Fenix did previously. He prioritizes repelling the debuffs that would inhibit his ability to fight, while receiving the debuffs that don’t reduce his movement speed, like Defense Down, in order to lessen the burden.

It’s different for Fenix because his best friend is a Black Sorcerer, but this is not something that can be done normally.

It requires the ability to sort out Black Magic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone of Aerial’s caliber has it, no?

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「I’ll fight on hard so that I can see the powers of your horn next.」

The Storm Hero’s Magical Energy swelled up.

He is a threat even when he’s alone.

However, it appears that he isn’t alone.

Someone new has just arrived at the final area.