------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
Chapter 277: War (1)
“Urgh…”
A groan of pain escaped from the lips of a man in a dark room, shrouded in darkness.
Fwoosh, fwoooosh!
Intertwined with the groan, black flames flickered dangerously around the man’s body.
“Yikes, you look like a rag doll. Does that happen every time one of your clones dies?”
A mocking voice echoed through the room.
A young man wearing a white mask approached him slowly, his steps light, as if he were just out for a stroll.
He asked in a playful tone:
“Want me to ‘regenerate’ you?”
“…No need.”
The man engulfed in black flames—Amon, master of ‘Destruction’ and the one most deeply connected to the demon among the demonic—shook his head coldly, his expression icy despite the flames licking at his body.
“Really? That’s a shame. I could heal wounds like that in the blink of an eye.”
“Get to the point. Why are you here?”
“Why would a hero come to see a demon? Obviously, to judge an evil demon in the name of justice.”
“…You spout nonsense so easily.”
“Hmm, but is it really nonsense?”
The young man in the white mask leisurely crossed his arms and shrugged.
Amon, his eyes dark and sunken, glared at the young man before him—known as the Leader of Order of Eternity.
“So, how was it? Meeting him?”
“…”
He didn’t say a name, but it wasn’t hard to figure out who the Leader of Order of Eternity was talking about.
“…Surprising.”
“Right? I mean, it might sound like I’m bragging, but the more you see him, the more amazing he seems.”
“…?”
Bragging?
What kind of relationship do they have for him to say something like that?
“Oh? Wondering what kind of relationship we have? Hmm… Let’s just say, we’re… something that’s been blooming for a very long time. Does that make sense?”
“Not at all.”
“Tsk tsk. Demons really have no sense of emotion, do they?”
“….”
Sigh.
Amon let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
“That gray-haired trainee… Dale, was it?”
“Yep, that’s right.”
“He was surprisingly strong. And yes, I see the potential for him to become ‘Destruction.’”
However—
“He’s still just a child. As long as I exist, he’ll never be the master of Destruction.”
“Haha, yeah. I know.”
As long as you exist, huh.
The Leader of Order of Eternity smiled and continued.
“Actually, that’s why I have a proposition.”
“A proposition?”
“Yeah. I’ll grant you the one thing you want the most.”
“…Hah.”
‘You’ll grant me what I want most?’
“What could you possibly know about what I want…?”
“Specifically—this.”
Cutting Amon off, the Leader of Order of Eternity beamed.
“I’ll help you reach the deepest part of the Abyss.”
“…!”
Amon’s eyes widened in shock.
To reach the deepest part of the Abyss—
It was the one wish he’d held since the moment he engraved the demon’s stigma upon his chest.
A sacred mission he had to fulfill no matter what.
Because only by reaching that place—
“Only by reaching the deepest part of the Abyss can the Demon God’s seal be broken, right?”
“…”
“No, wait—I misspoke. It’s not really ‘breaking the seal.’”
Because—
“The Demon God—died 500 years ago.”
“……!!!!!!”
Boom!
Amon stomped the ground fiercely and charged toward the Leader of Order of Eternity.
Fwoooosh!
A towering inferno erupted, engulfing the Leader of Order of Eternity.
Snap.
With a flick of his fingers, the Leader of Order of Eternity unleashed a thick green energy from his stigma that collided with the black flames.
Rrrumble!
The ground screamed and twisted violently.
From just a single clash, the terrain within several hundred meters was turned into a wasteland.
And then—
Fwaaah.
On the barren land, pure white flowers began to bloom.
In an instant, the wasteland transformed into a blooming garden.
Standing gracefully amidst it was the Leader of Order of Eternity, staring at Amon.
“You bastard…!”
Grit.
Amon ground his teeth and glared.
The Demon God wasn’t sealed but completely obliterated 500 years ago—A truth only he, the one who inherited the Demon God’s power more than anyone else, should know.
“How… How do you know that…?!”
Amon shouted, nearly hysterical.
“How do I know? Haha. Think about it. How could I possibly know that?”
The Leader of Order of Eternity smiled, fresh and serene like the blooming flowers.
“Because I’m the one who killed him.”
“…What?”
“I was the one who killed the Demon God 500 years ago—so of course I’d know.”
“Wh-What…”
Amon staggered back, his face pale.
The one who killed the Demon God 500 years ago… was the Leader of Order of Eternity?
Then—
His true identity is—
“So. Will you accept my offer?”
“…”
Amon fell silent, his lips sealed tightly.
His thoughts were in complete disarray.
“Think carefully. This could be your chance to become the Demon God.”
Only the sweet voice lingered in the air.
So sweet it was almost unspeakable.
* * *
In Professor Elisha’s office.
Breaking the awkward silence that had settled:
“…I’m sorry. The treatment process caused extreme psychological trauma.”
“…What kind of treatment could do something like that?”
“That’s… ugh!”
No…!
Don’t think about it!
“Uh… hmm. Well, at least you look fine, so that’s a relief.”
Professor Elisha let out a deliberate cough and turned her head away.
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
“Sigh. Anyway, how are the demons behaving?”
“Still completely in the dark.”
“Hm…”
After causing that much chaos, they’re staying still?
No—maybe they’re lying low because they caused such chaos.
“In any case, there’s a meeting about this incident in the Principal’s office. Cadet Dale, would you like to come?”
“Am I allowed to attend?”
“If not you, then who else?”
Professor Elisha shrugged.
‘Well, I did attend the summit before.’
There was no reason to refuse now.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Follow me.”
I headed to the Principal’s office with Professor Elisha.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
Inside the office, Principal Lionel was seated alone.
No, calling him “alone” was only half-right.
He was the only one physically sitting at the table—
—but hovering above the table were holograms showing the faces of Pope Marianne and Empress Camellia.
[Ah, you’re here.]
[I’ve been waiting… Hm? You’re here too.]
[They said your condition wasn’t good… Are you feeling better now?]
Maybe it was because it had been a while since we spoke, with her back in the Empire after the break.
Empress Camellia asked with a rather cheerful expression.
“Yes, I’m fully recovered.”
[Good. I’m glad to hear that. If there’s anything you need, you can just—]
“…Now’s hardly the time to worry about such personal matters.”
Principal Lionel rubbed his forehead, looking troubled.
[Silence, you insolent man. How dare you interrupt when I’m speaking?]
What came back was a sharp rebuke filled with fury.
Camellia had a reputation for being gentler recently, but that was clearly only in certain contexts.
Yeah.
Specifically—
“You’re right, Principal. Now’s not the time to focus on me—we should be discussing the demons.”
[If you say so, I suppose I have no choice.]
Except when it came to me, she hadn’t changed a bit.
“…Haa.”
With a deep sigh, Principal Lionel looked between me and the Empress.
Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, he spoke.
“So, Professor Elisha. No changes in the demons’ movements?”
“No. They remain inactive.”
“Hm…”
[What could the demons be scheming?]
Pope Marianne furrowed her brow.
Principal Lionel and Empress Camellia both fell silent with grave expressions.
“It’s just a personal theory.”
Professor Elisha’s eyes sharpened as she began to speak.
“But I believe a large-scale invasion by the demons is imminent.”
“…”
A large-scale invasion by the demons.
In other words—
War with the demons was drawing near.
“Do you have a reason to think so?”
“There were no casualties.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m referring to the recent incident in the Demon Realm. There wasn’t a single injury, let alone a death.”
“That’s because the cadets and Professor Lucas responded quickly, isn’t it?”
“That certainly helped, but it doesn’t explain why not one person was harmed.”
“…”
In other words, what Professor Elisha meant was—
“So the demons didn’t actively try to attack the cadets in the first place?”
“Exactly.”
She nodded lightly and continued.
“Cadets Yuren and Maurice, as well as Professor Lucas, who responded quickly at the time, all had similar opinions.”
“They believe the demons didn’t go on the offensive?”
“Yes.”
“So… what you’re saying is, the demons’ objective was to abduct the cadets in the first place?”
“That’s correct.”
The abduction of cadets.
It had been one of the possible motives.
“But if that was their goal, and it failed, wouldn’t that lower the chance of war?”
“The important thing isn’t that the demons tried to abduct the cadets.”
“Then what is?”
“The fact that demons—who are constantly tormented by destructive urges—were able to carry out an abduction plan without a single casualty shows that their coordination has improved significantly.”
“…”
Improved coordination among the demons, huh?
“Right now, the demons are rallying under the Archbishop of Destruction and displaying more organized behavior than ever before. And the Archbishop of Destruction is more actively seeking to break the seal on the Dark God imprisoned in the Abyss than any of the other Archbishops.”
Which meant they wouldn’t hesitate to choose the path of war.
“Indeed, that’s a compelling point… but even so, it’s hard to conclude that all the demons have rallied under the Archbishop of Destruction based on that alone.”
Principal Lionel slowly shook his head as he continued.
“There are multiple factions among the demons. The Archbishop of Corruption has few followers, and the Archbishop of Beasts’ faction was wiped out during last year’s beast uprising, yes…”
There were still plenty of Archbishops left.
“Even if their activities have suddenly waned, the Archbishops of Illusions, Desire, and Madness are still alive and well. It’s unlikely that all the demons would unite under the Archbishop of Destruction.”
“…”
Professor Elisha was suddenly at a loss for words.
She glanced subtly toward Dale, biting her lip.
How could she say it?
That of the six Archbishops Principal Lionel had just named—Astaroth of Illusions, Lactasia of Desire, Seto of Madness, and even Jackal of Beasts—
All four had met their end at the hands of a single cadet.
“Why’ve you gone quiet?”
“Ah, it’s, uh…”
Cold sweat trickled down Professor Elisha’s back.
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
