3 bar menu

Volume 10 Chapter 305

Hero and Sage

「If you don’t give up on living, you can be resurrected with my darling’s power. Is your loyalty to such a person so shallow?」
「F-Forgive me」
Sensing that Orga was about to be erased, Citri appeared by teleporting to the dungeon.
「Even you, lady… … Are you also a monster?」
「No. That’s not it」
Citri, who forcibly teleported Orga to another floor, turned to face Akari.
「I am Citri. The Demon Lord」
「Eh!?」
The woman who gave her bread couldn’t hide her shock at learning she was the Demon Lord.
「Well, even if I say Demon Lord, that power has been erased by a certain someone……」
「So, you’re not the Demon Lord now?」
「That’s right. Like when we met at the Magic Academy, I usually live in human form」
「You haven’t done anything bad, have you?」
「……I’m a daemon, so I used to consume human souls」
Citri had never directly harmed humans. Since it didn’t make much sense for demons to directly kill humans. However, there were many instances where humans who had made contracts with her and gained power from her had killed other humans.
「So… …You’re an enemy of humans, then?」
「That’s correct. Will you defeat me?」
「I just once—」
「Yes?」
「I’ll let you go just this once. It’s a thank you for giving me bread」
As a hero’s instinct, Akari recognized Citri as an enemy to be defeated.
「W-Well… …Hahaha. Did you hear my story earlier? I’m a daemon and a former Demon Lord, you know? And you want to let me go?」
「Yes, just this time. The next time we meet, I’ll have to defeat you」
Akari looked straight into Citri’s eyes and declared. Her words were filled with determination.
「You seem serious. But whether you can defeat me or not is another matter」
Citri released a vast amount of magic power, enveloping herself.
「……You won’t run away, will you?」
Akari also understood that Citri intended to fight.
「Yeah, I won’t run away. I can’t. I am the final boss of this dungeon」
Akari realized that Citri possessed power greater than Orga’s. Even with that, she didn’t think she could defeat Akari.
As the former Demon Lord, she had become even stronger after receiving power from her master. It was inconceivable that she would be inferior to mere humans.
「Lady is the final boss, huh. Then, I have to defeat you. I want to clear this dungeon」
「That’s a good goal. Show me the power that overwhelmed Orga—- and cleared this far in the dungeon. As a former Demon Lord, I’ll give you my all」
「……. Alright」
Akari’s expression changed.
「I’m going to defeat the Demon Lord」
Responding to her will, her equipment changed.
From legendary to mythic.
Her black sword was infused with Akari’s magic power, faintly glowing.
Akari’s suppressed power began to gradually release.
「Huh…… I-Is this—」
Although Citri had shown composure, she was increasingly overwhelmed by Akari’s swelling magic power.
When Akari fought Orga, she hadn’t used even a tenth of her power.
However, a Demon Lord to be defeated was now before her.
Certainly, Citri possessed a power greater than any monster she had seen in this world.
In truth, Akari didn’t want to hurt Citri, who had been kind to her.
However, it seems there was no need to let her go.
Fight with all your might—
She seemed confident.
That’s what Akari thought.
She wouldn’t hold back.
She would give her all from the start.
She felt hesitant to kill Citri, who had been kind to her, but more than that, Akari was focused on what would happen after defeating her.
After she defeated Citri, all she had to do was find a way to meet her brother in this world.
The Demon Lord, one of the obstacles to finding her brother, was right in front of her.
And she’ll take care of her swiftly.
With Akari’s determination solidified, her skills began to automatically move to defeat the Demon Lord.
Through , Akari knew what her skills were doing automatically.
And she realized she just had to rely on her skills.
By doing so, the guilt of harming acquaintances would decrease.
The moment Akari decided to defeat Citri, the victory was already decided.
stopped time.
Even though she was the Demon Lord, she couldn’t move.
Stopping time was only for a few seconds, but for Akari with , those few seconds felt incredibly long.
In an instant, she closed the distance with Citri and took a stance to draw her sword. A scabbard appeared around her waist, and the black sword she had been holding disappeared into it.
「Goodbye, lady」
The black sword, infused with Akari’s magic power to the limit, had become a weapon of genesis-class.
Akari, who became the world’s greatest swordsman by mastering the skills and techniques of Orga and wielding the black sword that became the strongest weapon.
The black sword, drawn from its sheath, surpasses the speed of sound and heads towards Citri’s unprotected neck—
But it didn’t hit.
「Eh!?」
Akari’s eyes widened in disbelief.
But it wasn’t because she saw the black sword break in half..
「That was close. I’m glad I made it in time」
A man suddenly appeared in front of her, and Akari felt a sense of familiarity with him as he broke the black sword with his hand.