The final act of the Awakening Quest has arrived.
‘It’ll be over once I catch the Demon King.’
I lifted my head and looked at the Black Castle visible in the distance. It was a castle floating in the sky.
In that place, where an immense amount of Demonic Power flowed out, resided the Demon King who sought to rule this world and absorb the Goddess’s power.
Though he had yet to reveal himself, he made his presence felt strongly from within the castle.
The Demonic Power flowing from the Black Castle bestowed a powerful blessing upon the Demon King’s Army beneath its walls.
Demonic Power manifested and wavered from the bodies of the Demonkind, making the army resemble a massive wave of darkness.
“Kuaaaa!”
“Kill all the humans!”
The legion of darkness moved toward the Subjugation Force, radiating murderous intent.
“We have the Queen chosen by God! All forces, advance!”
“As of today, we will become the masters of this world once again! For the Queen, for God, and for our future! Charge!”
The Demon King Subjugation Team was composed of Humans and Demi-humans alike. The Old Heroes stood at the front, giving orders to the races they led and boosting their morale.
“Uwaaaaaa!”
“Let’s fight! Let’s win!”
“Wipe the Demonkind from this world!”
Tens of thousands from the Demon King Subjugation Team charged toward the hundreds of thousands in the Demon King’s Army.
The difference in power was so great it seemed they would be swept away by the black wave.
However, if the Demon King’s Army had the Demon King, the Subjugation Force had Artina.
“In the name of God.”
Pure white light poured down through the dark clouds, bestowing a powerful blessing upon the Subjugation Force.
A brilliant white light shone from their bodies. Amidst the dark waves, the Subjugation Force swung their weapons at the Demonkind, accompanied by that noble light.
The war had begun in earnest.
Boom!
Crash!
Every time the Holy Knights and high-ranking Demonkind fought, the aftermath spread in all directions. The ground shook and the sky rumbled. Demonic Power and Divine Power — opposing forces — clashed and caused violent explosions.
Even more intense than that was the battle between the Subordinates of the Demon King and the Former Hero Party. The leaders of each race, including Master Ropenheim, took charge of the Subordinates of the Demon King, fighting them one by one.
‘…They certainly fight well.’
They were those who had already saved the world once, heroes who had ended the Demon King’s life. Perhaps that was why the depth of their combat was on another level.
Although their strength had weakened as they aged and time passed, they filled that gap with the experience that years provided.
[Through the Talent of the Martial God (EX)…]
[Through the Talent of the Martial God (EX)…]
[Through the Talent of the Martial God (EX)…]
I accumulated Enlightenment while watching their battle.
“I don’t know how long it’s been since I fought like this.”
“How are you, a Human, the most energetic one? Did you eat some divine elixir behind my back? If you have something like that, you should’ve shared it with me.”
“Does that look like a Human to you? That’s just a monster.”
Even his former comrades marveled at Master Ropenheim’s martial prowess. Despite the difference in numbers, a change occurred in the tightly contested battle.
Kaaaa-boom!
A Subordinate of the Demon King fell to Master Ropenheim’s sword. The subordinate, split in half, disintegrated and vanished from the world.
“Master Ropenheim defeated a subordinate!”
“Uwaaaaaa!”
As the Subjugation Force burned with fighting spirit and began to strike down the Demonkind before them, the front line started to shift little by little.
The Subjugation Force advanced steadily.
The Demon King’s Army tried their best to stop the advance, but they were barely holding on against the relentless assault.
Bang!
Boom!
As Master Ropenheim joined the battles against the subordinates the other heroes were facing, the enemies were quickly eliminated.
The darkness began to crumble piece by piece.
The pure white light swallowed the darkness and rushed toward the Black Castle.
‘…Is it finally starting?’
The closer the white streaks of light got to the Black Castle, the stronger the Demonic Power flowing from it became. It was a sticky, highly concentrated aura. The Demonkind who had retreated beneath the castle accepted the Demonic Power bestowed by the Black Castle and pushed their abilities to the limit.
“Wooooooo!”
“The Demon King has granted us power!”
“Stop the humans!”
Having become more than two levels stronger, the Demonkind began to hunt the humans in reverse, pushing back the front line.
“Don’t get pushed back! Stop them!”
“Kugh! It’s no use! The enemies are too strong!”
Even with Artina’s Divine Power providing support, the Demonkind’s resistance was fierce.
Although the Old Heroes tried to hunt the strengthened enemies, whenever one fell, a new, stronger foe appeared to face them.
The battlefield surged with white and black light. Artina threw herself into the fray, striking down a subordinate the Old Heroes were struggling with.
The appearance of a new hero. Just as the Flow of Battle was about to shift again—
Rumble!
Crack!
The sky split open and was stained black. Something descended from the darkness. The object fell rapidly and landed on the Black Castle.
Rumble!
A power on a completely different level was felt from the object embedded in the Black Castle. It was a power that felt somewhat familiar.
Crackle!
Black sparks flew around the fortress. I realized its identity from that energy.
‘…An Apostle?’
I used the Golden Dragon Eye to turn my doubt into certainty.
[Apostle of the Black Dragon God (???)]
– Information cannot be confirmed.
As I expected, it was a being radiating the power of an Apostle. Shortly after, the Apostle revealed itself.
Its overall appearance was close to a Human, but its face and skin were more like a crocodile’s. Its long, slit eyes scanned the surroundings.
“How did things end up like this?”
The Apostle’s gaze, wandering about, fixed on me.
Seeing as it found me despite being some distance from the battlefield, it seemed he had sensed a foreign energy just like I had.
“Successor of the Lord? Why are you here…?”
“Should I say I’m glad to see you?”
To think an Apostle who gives Arena and Tavern Usage Tickets would appear like this. I smiled at the unexpected Reward. There was no one but me who could handle that guy anyway.
“I was getting bored anyway. This is great.”
I used Teleport to move instantly to where the Apostle was. I extended my leg and kicked him in the head.
Thud!
The attack was blocked by something.
Then, a translucent membrane spread out and pushed my body back.
Naturally, distance was created between me and the Apostle of the Black Dragon God. The Apostle only stayed on guard and didn’t attack.
“…Is there no choice?”
He made a reluctant expression, then curled the corners of his mouth as he looked at me.
“Fine. Catching you would be more profitable. This kind of loss is worth enduring.”
“What?”
When the Apostle of the Black Dragon God snapped his fingers, the Black Castle split in half.
Creeeeeak!
Inside the rapidly collapsing Black Castle, a black egg appeared. The entire castle had been a shell protecting it.
“The castle is collapsing!”
“Everyone, fall back!”
Watching the Subjugation Force evacuate, I used Teleportation Magic. I moved everyone outside and looked at the black egg.
Crack!
The black egg cracked, and a horn appeared.
Crrrack!
A hand with sharp claws came out and smashed the egg.
The being inside fully revealed its form. It had red skin and black horns, black wings on its back, and a tail symbolizing a Demon.
It was similar in size to a Human, but the aura it exuded was that of a powerhouse that felt unfathomable.
‘He’s stronger than Turkan.’
That guy was likely the Demon King.
[Using the Golden Dragon Eye.]
[Demon King Barphe (SSS-)]
– The King who rules the Demon Realm of all dimensions.
– No emotions are felt.
– Total Stats: SSS-
– Potential: EX
– Items Owned: None
– Skills Owned: King’s Qualification (SSS), Tyrant (SSS)… God Slayer (SSS), Half-Demon Half-God (SSS), Ruler of the Demon Realm (SSS).
The first SSS-rank Guardian I’ve met.
‘This is no joke.’
From his stats to his skills, his specs were on a completely different level compared to an SS-class Guardian.
[An Intermediate Apostle declares a Guardian Battle.]
The Apostle of the Black Dragon God floating in the sky gave a thin smile.
“It’s a shame I couldn’t create a Demon God. But if I can just kill you and obtain that power… I could become a High Apostle too.”
“You got me there.”
I had judged that I would have the upper hand if a Guardian Battle broke out. Though I couldn’t summon other Guardians with several restrictions remaining, I thought the synergy between Master Ropenheim and Artina would be enough to chew up an Intermediate Apostle.
But that guy summoned a being called the Demon King.
‘…Is it actually a good thing?’
Anyway, I had to defeat the Demon King to awaken Master Ropenheim and save this world. If we had just fought normally, there would have been a large number of casualties. But because a battlefield for a Guardian Battle was created, mass casualties were prevented.
Thanks to that, an environment was created where Master Ropenheim and Artina could focus solely on the Demon King.
“Master Ropenheim. Artina. You two must do this.”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
Master Ropenheim and Artina nodded lightly and lifted their swords. Their current rank was SS+. They had reached the wall for ascending to SSS-rank.
If they crossed that wall against the Demon King, they would become SSS-rank Guardians; if they failed, they would die. A lot was riding on this battle.
“…Hmm, are you the ones who hindered my growth?”
The Demon King glared at them with a chilly gaze.
The murderous intent he exuded was on a different level.
Even though he was only looking at those two, it affected the Subjugation Force outside the battlefield.
“Hugh!”
“…Kgh!”
Most of the Subjugation Force collapsed on the spot. Only the Holy Knights and the Old Heroes remained standing.
“…Can those two win?”
“It won’t be easy.”
“He seems incomparably stronger than the Demon King we fought before. What kind of monster is he?”
Even their former comrades weren’t sure of their side’s chances of victory.
“If we lose, it’s over anyway. Artina, we have to do this.”
“Yes.”
“I suppose my words don’t reach you?”
The Demon King frowned and snapped his fingers, creating a black ray of light that shot toward them.
Zzzzzzt!
Artina stepped forward and unleashed the Goddess’s Cloud.
A brilliant light flowed out and blocked the Demon King’s ray. Master Ropenheim moved through the Demonic Power that scattered in all directions.
“Haah!”
Artina used Divine Power to create armor for Master Ropenheim.
Protected from the Demonic Power by his armor, he cut through the ray and rushed toward the Demon King.
He brought his sword down heavily.
Slash!
Master Ropenheim’s sword split the ray in half and continued toward the Demon King.
“Fat chance.”
The Demon King caught the Aura Blade with his bare hand and crushed it.
Then, he used Demonic Power to create hands from the ground.
They reached out and grabbed Master Ropenheim. It seemed he was trapped, but thin lines appeared on the fist, and the hero broke free as the construct shattered into pieces.
The Demon King wasn’t just watching. He spread both hands and used various types of Black Magic to target Master Ropenheim.
Boom!
Crash!
The condensed Demonic Power surging from all directions fixated on Master Ropenheim with persistent focus. He redirected what he could and deflected the rest. While Master Ropenheim fought by a hair’s breadth, Artina used Divine Power to prepare a finishing spell.
A giant spear appeared in the sky. It was made of pure Divine Power and fell toward the Demon King’s head. However, the Demon King tore the spear apart with great ease.
“Is this all? How dull.”
Tens of thousands of divided rays shot from the Demon King’s outstretched hand, attacking them both.
Kaa-boom!
Cr-cr-crash!
Artina struggled to block the assault.
“Kugh!”
“Queen! Hang in there! You can do it!”
“Don’t give up!”
The Subjugation Force, having come to their senses, watched her and sent their cheers. The gaze of Artina, who had been continuously blocking attacks, changed in an instant.
And then, a change occurred within Artina.