Chapter 177

177 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 10 / The Summoning

「Lord Lemegeton.」

The Minotaur Black Sorcerer, who is a subordinate directly under the Demon King Army, the Black Explorer Foras raised his voice.

「Yes.」

I already knew what he was going to tell me.

Other invaders besides the Storm Hero Aerial have appeared. At almost the same time.

The Gale Hero Ewan, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor, the Thunder Hero Scathach, the Water Hero Wraith, and the Destroyer Fran.

All the Heroes who partook in this Raid Battle have reached here.

I stand up and look down at them.

「I am sure the lot of you must be thinking this:『Next is the Demon King.』『We shall defeat the Demon King.』. It would seem that I must teach you just how foolish those thoughts are.」

The 1st rank, 3rd rank, 5th rank, and a Four Great Spirits Contractor with Destroyer tag-team.

These members are almost the strongest line-up that mankind can muster.

And they have actually invaded the final area of the tenth stratum.

If there is anything I regretted about the Fenix party battle…

While I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the fight against my best friend itself, from a defense standpoint, the fact that it got that far is a failure, I believe.

There are many viewers who had the opinion that it was a close fight.

Many of them are under the impression that they could have cleared the Demon King Castle if they had just done a little more.

Even if I were to stop their Clear here, they would say the same thing again.

The victory that I am leading Monsters towards is a series of strategies.

Different from the overwhelming violent capabilities that these high-ranking Heroes possess.

「Oho, I’m looking forward to that.」

Aerial was laughing.

While he easily fends off the Undefeated Hero Ellie’s mirage surprise attacks with his Holy Sword.

My retreat so far was originally supposed to be where I would summon subordinates to oppose their Clear and then calmly return to the final area.

That plan went down the drain due to Aerial’s pursuit of me.

Right here, right now, it isn’t enough to just annihilate them all after a fierce battle.

I need to make a strong impression on them and the viewers.

That no matter what happens, the Demon King Castle will never fall.

That no matter who it is, they will not kill the ruler of the Demon King Castle.

And what is required for that…is a certain someone.

There is no one else I can call other than her.

A black material covers my right arm. A hard material where something cone-shaped grows out of my elbow.

「…So that’s your horn, huh?」

As expected of top-notch fearless fighters, none of them flinched at my Magical Energy.

Even so, they probably realize it purely because they are powerful people.

Realized that the Magical Energy in my horn isn’t running dry at all.

I used it all during the Fenix fight? Yeah, I did. There was nothing left.

Was what I showed in the fight with Nicola my full strength? Not at all, I didn’t have enough Magical Energy at the time.

And now…

I learned it…the new skill that absorbs Magical Energy from the Dungeon Core.

The very air trembles.

「Ahaha. That’s the spirit, Lemegeton!」

Wraith uses Wind Magic to float and flies towards me.

Scathach and Ewan ready their Holy swords and Herv pulls out her Cursed Sword.

Fran runs after her childhood friend.

I move to the side of the chair, the opposite end of where Foras is, and we both kneel down.

Then, I let Magical Energy flow into the ring.

Every ounce of purified and condensed Magical Energy in the horn is lost.

「…This way, my liege.」

The world seemed to scream as this being moved through space.

It was different from the usual summoning.

For this being is rarely the one that is summoned. The task of opening the way for her is such a tremendous thing.

Suddenly, the space in front of the throne cracks.

「So you have called me, my Chief of Staff.」

A small hand reaches out of the crack. The cracked space peels off much like that of an eggshell, and then, she appears.

Crimson hair longer than her body, a blazing pair of eyes, and a set of black horns.

Whosoever looks down on her diminutive, child-like stature shall never be forgiven.

But of course, I doubt there is anyone who could spit out such drivel after bathing in the overwhelming Magical Energy her Highness is releasing.

「Do you wish me to slaughter them?」

「Not at all, my liege. I merely wish you to show them your imperial majesty.」

I do not intend to have her Highness do the same thing that my master did during his time.

Eliminating them all by himself. Certainly, it would live up to the name of Impregnable.

However, we shall win by ourselves. I have no intention of destroying the premise of entertainment that everyone has labored to create.

But in contrast with how the Adventurers enter the Dungeon from the start with a Hero of the highest combat ability, the Demon King greets the enemy who has reached the deepest stratum.

It is a well-known fact that my master is no longer in the Demon King Castle.

This is why it was necessary to inform them once.

It is true that the Demon King Lucifer has retired.

But the Demon King Castle hasn’t changed. There still exists the strongest being that will force the Adventurers to fight for all eternity.

「Oho…」

Luci…no, I should call her by her Dungeon Name.

The Demon King Lady Lucifa curves her lips cheerfully.

「You truly are my loyal subject. Very well, if my beloved children so desire it. I shall show them the disparity in rank as you count to five with your fingers.」

Her Highness then disappeared.

At that moment, the Adventurers’ shouts echoed out.

Aerial, Scathach, and Ewan all say the same words.

「Hear me, O Spirit…!」

I suppose they felt it instinctively. That they would immediately require the aid of the Spirit.

However…

「How noisy.」　

One by one, Herv’s Cursed Sword, and Scathach and Ewan’s Holy Sword were destroyed.

It was all too fast for my eyes to follow.

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Only a crimson afterimage could let me know that her Highness was running around the field.

「Hm? Well, you’re as tough as I thought.」

Only Aerial’s Holy Sword kept its shape as a sword.

Yet it was cracked all over.

Even so, when he turned to face and fight the Demon King, it broke and shattered anyway.

It only lasted that long because of the divine protection of the main Wind Spirit.

She said count to five…she destroyed all the Adventurer’s weapons before even reaching five.

「I shall return to my quarters. I am fairly certain I will not see all your faces again.」

Her Highness is proclaiming that we will win. So they won’t be able to see her Highness’s face again.

「Wait.」

Lighting flashed.

A lightning-wreathed Scathach swings his right leg in an arc at the spot where her Highness was just a moment ago.

His lightning-fast kick missed.

Our Lady now stood behind Scathach without making so much as a sound.

「Did you not hear me? Your opponent shall be my children-」

「Thunder Domain – Guiding Needle.」

「Mm.」

Just as I thought Scathach disappeared, lightning flashed with alarming frequency around her Highness.

Thunder Domain is an indiscriminate AoE Attack of which Scathach has complete control.

What he is doing right now is an advanced version where he can focus on a single target, causing lightning to strike her from all directions.

Her Highness became a blur…It seems that she handled all the lightning strikes with her two hands.

Just as how I defended myself against Fenix’s Flames of the Gods, she is able to defend herself using high-density Magical Energy.

Her Highness must be wearing it like armor.

「Hey, hey, Scathach! Let me get in on the action too!」

Herv is running in. I summon her in her path.

「To me…Berith.」

Herv stops when she sees the female Insect-Human who appeared and immediately looked delighted.

「…Hmm, I know you…Ah, you were with Lem in the Tag Tournament.」

「It is an honor to be known by a 3rd rank Hero.」

It was alright for her to use a Monster Avatar during the Tag Tournament thanks to the special rules, but this time, it’s a Dungeon Clear. To compensate, she has on Insect-Human reminiscent decorations and a loose-fitting costume.

The Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith. The person underneath is the Silver Hero Nicola.

My friend, my dear fan, and my partner in the Tag Tournament.

「You workin’ here now?」

「For now. I heard that I might be able to fight you.」

「Yer makin’ me blush. Unfortunately, my Cursed Sword’s all busted. But I think I can still play with you… Do you know about my Spirit Magic?」

「…Of course. The Spirit does not like the curse of the Cursed Sword. While you’re equipped with the Cursed Sword, the Spirit doesn’t lend you its strength out of anger, right?」

「Huh? You sure know your stuff. That about sums it up. I don’t get a lotta chances to use it, but it’s Earth Elemental, just like you.」

Herv spreads her arms and rocks cover them.

「You love brawls, right? Let’s do this.」

The Cursed Sword-less Hero of the Cursed Sword smiles belligerently as she slams her fists together.

「I would like nothing more than to be your opponent.」

Berith’s arms were covered in silver.

「I guess the Demon King ignoring me means that you’re gonna be my opponent?」

Wraith approaches me through the skies.

Right now, I am his enemy. I shall tell him what I think as the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff.

「You are out of the question. You aren’t even worthy of being a Hero.」

「…What?」

「To me, Bennu.」[1. TL Note: Another demon from the Goetia…NOT! Bennu is an ancient Egyptian Deity linked with the Sun, creation, and rebirth. Its depiction resembles a heron and may be the origin of the Phoenix legend in Greek Mythology. Guessed who it is yet?]

Those flames burned blue.

It was a Majin. Two horns grew towards the back from the sides of his head.

His hair was the deepest of blue and extremely long.

He has on a metallic mask that covers his entire face.

The Immortal Demon Bennu.

The Flame Hero Fenix’s Majin Avatar.

「He’s a brat who doesn’t realize his own folly. Give him a little roasting.」

「Understood.」

Emitting flames, Bennu dashes to the sky.

「…Who the hell are you? My fight is with Lemegeton.」

「Those who are unworthy shall not pass.」

「I’m a Hero, dammit. I defeat Monsters and lead my allies to victory.」

「How loud you boast about things you have yet to do.」

「…I don’t get what either of you have been saying. Screw it, bring it on.」

Storm winds swirl as blue flames flare-up.

Most people won’t realize it, but a battle between Four Great Spirits Contractors is about to begin.

「Hmm, things are getting lively.」

The second Aerial struck his open palm with his fist, the laws of the world were warped.

「Ewan, fire Wind Blades in all directions.」

「Y-yes.」

In the end, a Holy Sword is just a sword that received divine protection.

Spirit Magic can be used unaffected.

The Wind Blades that Ewan fired in all directions ripped apart each Monster from the Elementary Level – Beginner’s Dungeon from their front.

「Fran, go on a rampage as you like to do.」

Fran kicked empty space and her foot, and only her foot, appeared in front of the Orc Dungeon Master, the Magnanimous Sage Ronove, delivering an explosive blow to his chest.

Ronove withstands the blow while getting sent back quite a bit.

The arrows fired by the Horseless Archer Orobas would disappear mid-flight and, for some reason or other, appear to attack her from behind.

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The surrounding Orcs immediately held up their shields to repel the arrows, but they were unsettled by the strange occurrences.

But they should soon realize what is happening. It was confirmed in the video of the ninth stratum.

Complete control over space. One of the Esoteric Spirit Magics, Sky Garden.

「Now then, Sir Lemegeton, how exactly will you defeat me?」

In answer to his question, I…