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Chapter 294 – All-Heaven Festival Contest Final Stage “Demon King Castle Bloody Field” (16) / Like Armor

294 – All-Heaven Festival Contest Final Stage “Demon King Castle Bloody Field” (16) / Like Armor

　This is a memory.

A conversation with Master that I recalled during the battle with Fenix as well.

◇

『Lem, I officially recognize you as my disciple.』

『…! O-okay…! 』

『But Lem. I understand your intentions, but the truth is that you also want the power to fight.』

『Huh?』

『Do you not want power?』

Master’s voice sounded very serious, so I stopped thinking and instead spat out my true feelings.

『I do. If I can obtain the power to defeat any enemy head-on, I would like to have it.』

『Even if you have to suffer more than you are now in order to obtain it?』

『If I just do my best, I can do anything』

『Good answer. But there is a problem with this power.』

『…A problem?』

『The moment you use this power, the connection between you and me will become clear to anyone.』

『That’s… indeed a problem.』

As long as Master is around, there must also be a way for me to become stronger.

But he just doesn’t want to expose himself and his powers to the world.

『Therefore, we’ll set a condition. The only time you can use that power is when you’re fighting against an opponent you absolutely have to win.』

『Huh…?』

I was confused by this.

That’s because that would go against the promise I made to Master.

『You must respect the promise you made to me. I already know that. But if someday, the possibility of a victory that takes precedence over our promise does appear before you… Then do as you will.』

This is what Master said.

If there’s ever a victory I absolutely have to obtain, then he’ll be okay with me using that power despite himself being exposed as a result.

◇

And this is what the ruler of the Northern Demon King Castle, the “Six-Horned Demon King” Asmodeus said about this technique:

–『Even among “Demon Kings”, individuals who can do this are extremely rare. Occasionally, something happens in the body of a person who possesses high-performance horns but still produces insufficient Magical Energy. In order to store more Magical Energy, your body itself works as a horn.』

— 『This is a technique that exteriorizes the power of the horns that reside in the body. Its name is…』

「Horn Armor…」

Every member of the former Demon King’s army was equally shocked.

During the fight with Fenix, the fight with Nicola, and the raid battle…

Whenever I unleashed the power of the horn, I had to make sure that it would still remain hidden from the world.

Someone, or even myself, would arrange such a situation.

But I won’t hide it anymore.

You yourself appeared on the stage that I’m sure you hate so much.

What would you do if I kept on trying to use it secretly any longer?

If there’s anything worth breaking my promise to you, there’s nothing better than defeating you.

I let everything go wild.

Only Fenix, who knew about the first form, would notice this, but my appearance after deploying my Horn Armor was different from the previous one.

Or should I say that it has evolved?

On the opposite side of the fake right horn created by my Avatar…

A slightly curved horn grows upward from the left side of my head. It is black in color and slightly glossy.

But through it runs something like a crack that wasn’t there before. It made this horn look like a volcano on the verge of erupting, as if it was trying to stop something from overflowing.

Also, the hard membrane that covers my body has spread from just my right arm to my entire body. It is like a suit of armor that has been fully integrated into my body.

The horns that grow from my elbows are in the same state as the horns on my head and spread out to the left and right.

They also had two, no, four wing bones each, and were even covered in black feathers.

「This Magical Energy… There’s no mistaking it.」

「Then, the one who inherited my king’s horn is…」

The predecessors Furcus and Valac muttered those words, completely dumbfounded.

「Who the hell are you…?! Why you?! What the hell is going on between you and my king?!」

The vampire Bifrons, who had maintained a calm and collected attitude so far, had lost his composure.

Dantalion was the one to try to calm him down.

「Take it easy, Biffy. Besides, this is something to be expected of our king. I had thought no one qualified would ever show up, but look! A Horn Armor that covers the entire body. It suits him completely. This is… the “Perfect Horn Armor”」

Judging from her way of speaking, “Perfect Horn Armor” seems to refer to the state where the entire body is covered.

And this state already has a name… Meaning that someone else has also reached it in the past.

Without a doubt, that someone has to be Master.

「Is that your Horn Armor? It truly is splendid, isn’t it, Lemegeton?」

Then our Demon King unfolds her own Horn Armor.

At that moment, a Magical Energy that could very well burns the world down surges out from her.

Cracks similar to mine run through her dark horns, and a deep crimson hue peeks out of them.

Like hot magma fresh out of a volcano, a torrent of Magical Energy pours down on our Demon King, enveloping her.

It wriggles as if it had a will of its own, coloring her.

It makes me think of a deep red dress.

The burning red mass that’s covering her seems to be getting hardened, yet at the same time, it gives the impression of being very soft.

It’s the one and only costume in the world that looks as if it was made by processing a volcano’s activity.

Her crimson Horn Armor goes around her back several times as if she had multiple layers of magic circles on her back.

「I see, so this is what they call a “Perfect Horn Armor”?」

Our Demon King nodded as if it had been her first time hearing those words.

「To reach that realm at that age…」

「It now makes sense that our king summoned us.」

「Until now, there were only two such people in this world… but now I see that there are two more.」

「Hahaha! As expected of our princess! Not only did she master the “Perfect Horn Armor”, but she also sought out the one who inherited his grandfather’s horns and placed him under her command. That’s what makes her worthy of inheriting the “Impregnable Demon King Castle”!」

Our Demon King received such a reaction – such admiration – from the former Demon King’s army with a cold expression on her face.

「Nonsense.」

「Huh?」

「I said, it’s nonsense. It’s always “king this” and “king that” with you all. You worship a retired old man. We are not the “grandchildren of the king”, we are not “the receptacles of the king’s horn.” No, we’re Lucifa and Lemegeton!”」

Certainly, they see us only through Master’s lens.

They instantly became interested in Lemegeton as soon as his appearance caused Master to open his eyes.

They pay the minimum amount of courtesy to our Demon King, only because she’s Master’s granddaughter.

They are very, very strong people.

But their world is closed.

They’re still trying to live in the world of “the former Demon King Castle”.

Does that mean that the brilliance of the “Strongest Demon King” was so strong?

Once captured by that brilliance, in the end, they can’t see anything else.

「Why are you angry? There is no greater honor than inheriting the king’s blood and horn, is it?」

Dantalion continues to smile as she says that.

I see, it’s no wonder that this upsets our Demon King.

It is true that Master’s horn are important to me as well.

But my own worth isn’t determined just by my having Master’s horn.

But in this battle, it will be difficult to get them to understand that.

「I’m sorry, Lord Lemegeton.」

Carmilla, who was fighting Bifrons, apologized to me.

Perhaps it was for not being able to open a way for me as she had declared she would.

Carmilla, Sitri, and the current Furcus and Valac are all strong monsters, but I knew it was still too soon for them.

The current Demon King’s Castle, which saw the emergence of many strong monsters during Master’s generation as well as Fellow’s generation…

The reason why there are so many young monsters in the current Demon King’s Castle, including me, is because our Demon King desperately gathered as many capable people as she could.

Even though it was Carmilla’s recommendation, even if our Demon King sniffed out a bit of Master’s horn in me, the Demon King Castle was in such a shortage of human resources that she immediately appointed the Black Sorcerer who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere as its Chief of Staff.

No matter where we get our strength from, we must protect the “Impregnable Demon King Castle”.

However, if I dare say so myself, ours is a generation that is still in development.

Youths of incomplete strength.

On the other hand, we’re fighting against seasoned veterans, who could be said to have each reached their “final form”.

Experience never betrays you.

In the same way, the experience accumulated by the enemy will not betray them.

It is rare for a clear difference in ability to suddenly become less evident.

Carmilla manipulated a huge amount of blood by making full use of her Magic Tool’s ability to store blood, which allowed her to create a stalemate for a while, but she was starting to be gradually pushed backward.

Sitri’s ability to transform was truly frightening due to its freedom and versatility, but Dantalion’s own ability was superior to hers.

The current Furcus hasn’t been able to break through the defenses of her predecessor.

The current Valac has used her most powerful attacks, but her predecessor still wasn’t giving her an inch.

However, this battle is not just about differences in ability.

First of all, between the time I set my sights on Panacea and the time she was finally taken out, none of these four have been taken out of this stage.

Our strategy to put pressure on the enemy’s awareness might have influenced this to some extent, but they possess the ability to withstand the attacks of the elite opponents on the side of the former Demon King’s army.

Second, I was able to experience a battle with a strong person who has a power of similar nature to mine and stands at the very peak of such power.

That experience will undoubtedly be a great asset for the future.

Up to this point, I have already gained so much from this battle.

And they still have their role to play.

I can’t afford to lose here.

Therefore….

「No, you did well. The time you earned us will lead us to victory」

I put each of the four of the former Demon King’s army in my field of vision.

「Lemegeton, I’m on my way.」

Slowly, our Demon King begins to walk.

I smile. This was the greatest sign of trust from our Demon King to Lemegeton.

She was saying that she can now safely reach Master.

She was saying that the former Demon King’s army wouldn’t be able to block her path.

I wave my wand and say my last words to them.

「Make way, old-timers. A new king is coming.」

Master’s horn. The Magical Energy of the Original Dungeon. The Magical Energy absorbed from the core of the “Impregnable Demon King Castle”.

And my own Magical Energy, which is produced by the Magical Energy organ I’ve been training since I was ten years old.

I have no intention of insisting that this is all my own power.

But without a doubt, each of these powers has been willingly entrusted to me.

My teacher had given me his horn, that unreasonable Spirit gave me the Magical Energy of the Original Dungeon, and the Demon King gave me the Magical Energy of the Demon King Castle.

Using all that power to fuel my own, I do what is required of me.

— I activate my Black Sorcery.

Our Demon King is walking.

And I shall walk with her.

Neither the predecessor Furcus nor the predecessor Valac can stop this.

The ultimate manifestation of “Speed Down” is a weakening effect that “makes its target unable to move at all, as if their body was made of stone”.

「…Next time, I’ll defeat you with just this spear.」

「Dammit, what a shame! But it was I who couldn’t settle the matter before Lord Lemegeton did his thing. A pro has to be able to finish their enemies within a time limit, so I accept my failure. But next time, I’ll kill you properly. Ok, dad?」

Having been rendered completely unable to move, the two predecessors were completely defenseless to the attacks of their two successors and were crushed easily.

Our Demon King is walking.

And I shall walk with her.

Not even Dantalion can stop this.

She has currently lost her human form and is stuck in a Slime state. She squirms and wriggles as if she’s boiling, and repeatedly tries to form something, but every time she fails, reverting into her base liquid form.

The ultimate manifestation of “Confusion” and “Blank” is a weakening effect that “renders its target unable to escape from the prison of thought”.

Not only does it make it so that its target cannot organize their thoughts at all, it also strips them of the time to think at all sometimes. No one can think straight when their mind is forced to repeat a constant cycle of chaos and nothingness.

If she can’t think straight, her ability to transform will simply stop working.

「Sitri likes cute things. And she’ll become stronger while remaining true to herself」

Not missing the moment when Dantalion’s core was exposed, Sitri sliced it open with her Wind Magic.

Our Demon King is walking.

And I shall walk with her.

Not even Bifrons can stop this.

The peak manifestation of all weakening effects is one that “causes the energy to live to decline”.

In other words, “A spell that leads to death”.

It is said that in the olden days the “Demon King”, who used Black Magic, would spread disease to enemy countries.

This is what that “disease” really is.

The power to weaken life itself.

If the opponent is a creature that lives in eternity, it will strip it from that eternity, and if it’s an undead, it will try to weaken that which makes it unable to die.

Bifrons’ blood manipulation ability is dispelled, causing his blood to rain down on earth like a sudden torrential downpour. Actually, the blood itself turns to magic particles on the way down, turning what would have been a rain of blood into a rain of light.

As this happens, Bifrons himself also starts coughing up blood that also quickly turns into magic particles, and his body begins to age at a tremendous speed.

「Wh-what the hell… is this…?」

「That is the moment when life ends. You have reached a moment in your life that eternity has always denied you, so thank Lord Lemegeton for his mercy, and for the miracle he has brought upon you.」

After that, Carmilla cut Bifrons in half with her bloody sword, and his body didn’t regenerate anymore.

Our Demon King is walking.

And not just me, all our remaining allies shall walk with her.

The strongest Demon King slowly stands up.

His eyes are clearly looking at us.

I remember what he said before this battle began:

–『If there is someone among them who actually manages to get this far, then I shall deal with them.』

「We’ve reached you at last, “Demon King” Lucifer」

Even after all of his subordinates, who fought to protect him, exited the stage, he doesn’t seem to be shaken in the slightest.

Far from saying a word, he hasn’t even moved an eyebrow.

He is not admired for his kindness.

Rather, people are drawn to him because he is the strongest in the world.

But he ignores them.

He abandoned the Demon King Castle, cut off his relationship with his son and granddaughter, and went on to live quietly in the remote countryside where no one would know about him.

And for some reason, he took a child with no talent who had just awakened as a “Black Sorcerer” as his apprentice.

Without changing his expression – that is, with his usual stern face – but with his Magical Energy raging greatly, he said this:

「You’re worth facing in battle.」