Maou – Chapter 26-27: A glimpse of the Demon Lord

The Holy Capital is divided in four big districts.

The first one is, of course, the Holy Castle.

This castle, that has several divine barriers set up and is full of history, doesn’t allow a single Devil to come close. Even a demon with quite the high power would find it difficult to enter.

Then there’s the high class district where the Holy Knight Order’s headquarters and the residences of the nobles are located; and the commoners district where the Church’s headquarters and the residences of the common populace are located.

Lastly, there’s the commercial district where many companies and stores are located. By the way, in this district there’s the guild that adventurers use, and the street of pleasures.

The Satanists began an attack on all those districts aside from the Holy Castle. Digging underground persistently, they managed to slip right below the Holy Capital.

Big holes were opened in each district, and Satanists wearing the same black clothes poured out from them.

The three big holes that were opened widely in the Holy Capital…were unnerving to the point it somewhat resembled Hell.

■■□□■■□□

“I see, a simultaneous attack, huh. Quite well done.”

I leave the store and immediately jump onto the roof, looking around the whole Holy Capital.

The district I am currently in also has screams and shouts reverberating, and when I look further, I could see that there were two places more where smoke is rising.

They must be trying to separate the people that will be dealing with it.

A terrorist attack in several places at the same time. It is a basic method, but an effective one.

I return to the restaurant and give instructions to Yuu right after. There’s no real need to hurry, but I would like to get as much SP as—I mean, I don’t want to let the enemies escape.

“Yuu, protect the people here. I will be ending this ruckus.” (Maou)

“Understood, Chief.” (Yuu)

“W-Wait a moment! Don’t go deciding that on your own! I will be going too!” (Luna)

“Luna, there’s the possibility that this incident is being caused with you as the target. If you were to be running around here and there, even if we wanted to protect you, we wouldn’t be able to.” (Maou)

“P-Protect, you say… I-I don’t really need you to protect me though…” (Luna)

Luna’s face grows red and she falls silent.

This girl…is seriously easy. Is she really okay? Lacking this much resistance to it makes even me worry.

In the first place, if Luna were to defeat the enemies with her magic, I wouldn’t be able to get SP.

“Aku, if you have Yuu by your side, there won’t be any need to worry. Enjoy your meal at ease.” (Maou)

“Y-Yes! …B-But will Maou-sama be ok?” (Aku)

Aku looks at me with worry and holds my hand.

I am beginning to feel like a father that’s making his children worry about him… I am not at that age yet. I am a bachelor, you know?

“I said this is a side-show, didn’t I? It is like some light exercise after a meal.” (Maou)

In reality, the only thing in my head right now is getting SP.

If the enemy seems like it would be trouble, I just have to run away. I have many methods to run away from a battle.

“Madam as well, please continue your meal.” (Maou)

“You really are a confident one. No, using your own words: ‘Making everything into reality’, right?” (Butterfly)

“That’s right. Their misfortune was that I am here.” (Maou)

Saying that, I leave the restaurant.

Even though I am completely on the intention of running away if the enemy is dangerous, I am surprised I can say so much without batting an eye. I feel like my own heart is growing hair. <Not having a clean heart.>

At any rate, gotta warn Yuu before I leave. If I leave her on her own, I don’t know what she would do. It is possible that, by the time I return, she has dissected all the attackers.

<<Yuu, in order for us to learn, we have to be in a standing where we can move easily.>> (Maou)

<<You are saying we should refrain from cruel behaviour and get a good reputation, right?>> (Yuu)

<<I am glad that you are as fast at catching on as always. I will be counting on you, Yuu.>> (Maou)

<<Y-Yesh…!>> (Yuu)

Hm?

Did she stutter at the end? No, there’s no way Yuu would…

“Now then, where should I go first.” (Maou)

I look at the street and I see people running away.

That’s a sight I would normally see from the other side of the TV screen.

A peaceful city suddenly being under a terrorist attack, and people covered in blood being brought into ambulances; I would watch that sight as if it were someone else’s business.

No, it actually was someone else’s business.

It would be another thing if it had happened in my neighborhood, but no matter how many terrorists attacks occur in faraway countries across the ocean, it simply didn’t hit me.

(But this one I can’t just call it someone else’s business…) (Maou)

Luna at least has the ability to protect herself, but in terms of Aku, if even a small piece of rubble were to fly her way and hit her, it might end up in her being heavily injured.

Even though we cured her leg, if she were to end up getting injured in a ruckus like this, I don’t know what we would have come here for.

(You guys again…) (Maou)

What I could see from afar were the familiar black clothes. They were holding weapons in their hands, and there were some who were holding staffs.

That group is the main culprit for why I am in this world.

I unconsciously tightened my fist.

“Appearing every single time I go somewhere. If you want to meet the Demon Lord so much, I will let you meet him.” (Maou)

I avoid the path where people were running confused and causing a commotion…

Jumping from roof to roof, I began acting.

■■□□■■□□

—Commercial district

The leader of this district group, Merge, couldn’t hide his irritation.

At first they managed to attack by surprise, but many people from the adventurer guild had come out to intercept them.

Of course, for Merge, that was already within plans, but two of those in that group were especially problematic, and it was causing their plan to distort.

“Haaaaaah! [Strong Blow]!”

The brown skinned female warrior swung down the her long sword so high you would have to look up, and sent three Satanists flying.

Exhaustion was showing heavily in her face and would make one think that she will be losing strength anytime now, but the damage that she would bring about if they were to just wait for that moment wouldn’t be something to scoff at.

“Ain’t over yet! [Strong Swipe]!”

The female warrior made a full turn with her long sword, and a strong shockwave ran around her circumference.

The bodies of the black clothed people were cut apart like paper, and the manpower in the side of the Satanists was being scraped off little by little. Finally, Merge couldn’t endure it any longer and decided on heading to the frontlines himself.

Expending energy here was outside expectations for him, but he couldn’t silently watch anymore.

“Greedy adventurers…! [Ice Slash]!” (Merge)

What Merge fired is a blade that’s a superior version of water, Ice.

If it is water magic, he can use all the way to 3rd tier magic. He is quite the skilled one. If it is the superior element that is ice, his limit is 2nd tier, but even with that, he is still far above normal people.

“Thou become frozen orange <Mikan>, [Snow Kiss].”

However, as if protecting the female warrior, the light skinned mage chants defense magic.

She is using the same ice element as him, and on top of that, 4th tier magic. The Snow Kiss buffed the female warrior, and the Ice Slash broke to pieces.

“You saved me there, Yukikaze!” (Mikan)

“…V for Victory. The lover of the mouth.” (Yukikaze) <Her lewd talk is too advanced for me.>

The mage was saying words that didn’t make sense, but the female warrior ignored it and jumped further into enemy lines.

The girl called Yukikaze begins chanting to cast more magic.

Normally, once you fire magic once, it takes quite a lot of time to fire the next one, but she must be quite skilled.

—Consecutive Chant.

“…Catch me at the shore, [Ice Hand].” (Yukikaze)

“Your place there is hard and stiff…[Ice Splash].” (Yukikaze)

With the first spell of Yukikaze, several hands grew from the ground and grabbed the ankles of the Satanists. And with their movements sealed, a rain of ice spears was released.

This consecutive chant that could even be called merciless was making blood of the Satanists spray around as they fall one after the other.

He has a cute face, but what he does is incredibly cruel.

“Don’t falter! We have an overwhelming advantage in numbers. Continue attacking until their stamina runs out!” (Merge)

The voice of Merge pushes the Satanists that were at his back.

From there on, it became a complete melee.

Adventurers and Satanists were clashing, and the casualties from both sides was jumping up rapidly.

The momentum of the Satanist side was big due to the surprise attack, and from there on, the adventurers were being pushed back.

For the adventurers, it is basically a situation where the enemy suddenly rained down, so they simply acted in self-defense, but compared to that, the Satanists are kamikazes.

They have resolved themselves that, today, in this place, they will be dying.

In comparison, there’s absolutely no sense of duty in dying to protect the Holy Capital from the adventurers. That’s the duty of the Holy Knight Order and the Holy Church.

Some of the adventurers have already ran away, and there were also some who were looking around for an opening to escape.

“This looks bad… What should we do, Yukikaze?” (Mikan)

“I don’t want to die without popping my cherry.” (Yukikaze)

“I am amazed at how you are still able to spout that at a situation like this… In the first place, you are a man.” (Mikan)

“Mikan, how ignorant. A wo-man can—” (Yukikaze)

Before those words finished, one of the Satanists swings down a sword to the face of Yukikaze.

But before that was swung down, a strange sound reverberated.

It was a sound like that of air being cut. After that, an out-of-place sound like that of a dry branch breaking resounded in the place.

Even though they were inside a space where screams and shouts were prominent, that sound strangely stayed in the ears of everyone there to the point that it felt scary.

The arm that he was trying to swing down must have broken by some sort of impact.

His arm made a turn at high speed all the way to his back, and even his body began to rotate like a spinning top at terrifying speed.

The sudden ‘human spinning top’ that began in front of their very eyes made everyone stop moving and their eyes were opened wide.

The moment he stopped spinning, he collapsed to the ground with his eyes rolled all the way to the back.

“A nice performance fitting of a buffoon.”

Looking up, there’s the ‘Demon Lord’ on top of a roof with a black coat.

In his hand he is holding several pebbles, and he is playing with them by throwing them up and down. That performance just now must have been made possible from him throwing that pebble.

Just from hitting someone with a pebble, he managed to make their body spin like a spinning top.

It was simply too unbelievable.

This person itself could be considered a ‘social disparity’.

“Oji-sama…we meet again. You are way too lovely.” (Yukikaze)

“Maou…! Why are you in the Holy Capital?!” (Mikan)

Maou didn’t answer at all to the two and jumped down the roof as if natural. Maou began his next action without any hesitation.

There’s around 500 Satanists in total attacking this district, but in front of Maou, they were way too defenseless.

“Who do you think you are standing in front of? Kneel, [Conqueror].” (Maou)

A red aura comes out from the whole body of Maou, and at the same time as his right hand was swung, an non-elemental storm blew violently.

That’s one of the Battle Skills of the game, Conqueror. It deals ⅓ of the user’s attack stat as damage.

That area of effect attack made the body of the Satanists draw blood.

But the attack of Maou wasn’t over.

The battles in the game were, in foundation, gathering skills, matching them in your taste, and creating ‘combos’ from them.

The Consecutive Attack that can be used once your reach a certain mastery level in Normal Attack; from there on, there’s elemental skills, non-elemental skills, agro skills, special skills. By mixing them together, you can cause astronomical damage, and there’s even some who say that, with enough mastery, you could even kill a god.

“Go back to your rightful appearance, [Enlightenment].” (Maou)

This time his left hand was swung horizontally and a blue aura spread to the battlefield, and it pierced the bodies of the Satanists.

Contrary to Conqueror, this one deals ⅓ of the user’s defense stat as damage.

Satanists were falling to their knees one after the other and were vomiting massive amounts of blood.

“Return to your lowly form, [Pulverize].” (Maou)

A golden light raged from the body of Maou, and this changed into a giant hammer. The moment this was swung down from overhead, an impact that blanks the vision ran through the body of around 500 Satanists.

This is a Battle Skill that deals 1/10 of the current health of the opponent, and there’s a set chance for it to inflict the Negative Status Effect [Fracture]. The Satanists that were inflicted Fracture had places like their waist or legs broken, and the blood that was rushing to their heads made them rub their heads to the ground.

“That’s the correct form. Engrave it nicely in your mind so that you don’t ever forget again.” (Maou)

With three types of non-elemental attacks violently raging, the Satanists as far as the eye can see were rolling on the ground tragically. The bones in their body must be broken here and there.

Within those, there’s some that were crushed like a frog, and there were many who had their arms and legs bend in strange directions.

“I see. Is the health of you guys at most around 60 to 80?” (Maou)

Maou muttered this, but there’s no one here who would understand the meaning of those words.

What they can understand is that the rumor of this man that ‘calls himself the Demon Lord’ is not true…he is without doubt the real Demon Lord.

“I have rightful reasons to be angry at you people.” (Maou)

That mutter was a low one that wouldn’t enter anyone’s ears, but it had heavy feelings in it.

“I now have slight gratitude towards you guys, though…” (Maou)

The moment Maou muttered this, the bloodstained Merge held his upside-down cross and chanted a strange curse. It is a bloodbathed spell used by Satanists.

Not only do they sacrifice themselves, but also many other lives; a forbidden ritual.

• Chapter 27: Devil vs Demon Lord

“Let there be despair…in this accursed land…” (Merge)

The moment Merge muttered this, the upside-down cross grows closely packed thorns.

These thorns pierce through the palm of Merge and blood sprays.

“Father…I am sorry…” (Merge)

Merge thinks of his father at his homeland.

He was a skilled cobbler, but because of the recession, the orders made a radical drop and was finally cornered into closing business.

From there on, his father drowned in alcohol, rampaged in the house, and would hit Merge constantly.

Merge, who was still young at that time, couldn’t endure that kind of lifestyle anymore, and finally, he stabbed his father to death and ran away from the village.

Within this life of his that was like a freefall, the ones who picked up Merge were the Satanists.

This is a story you could find just about anywhere in this era.

Dark red smoke rose up from the upside-down cross, and covers the body of Merge.

This is a ritual that uses himself as an offering to call a Devil. The dark red smoke not only covered Merge, but also covered the 500 Satanists that were crouched at his back.

A small offering like that of mere humans would, at most, call a Low Devil.

However, the upside-down cross that Utopia had given to them would call a monster one rank above. Moreover, in the strong side of the Mid rank Devils.

“[Summon Devil]!”

The blood smoke became one and the Mid Devil, Carnival, was summoned.

Seeing this, the adventurers raised screams. Something like this shouldn’t be possible.

A monster like this is appearing inside a human city, and on top of that, it is in the Holy Capital that repels Devils!

“Oh my… To think I would be summoned by mere humans. Just what is going on?” (Carnival)

The two horns at his head, the black hair, the burned skin color, the face that’s as if it was made to gather even more ugliness. He was like an existence that scraped off energy just from looking at it.

And yet, only his clothes were so flashy it was out of place, and those golden colored clothes had many glittery stones sewed onto it here and there.

At his back he even carried a strange musical instrument.

“Oh well. There’s many delicious looking ones anyways. [Beautiful Prison Land].” (Carnival)

Carnival used a characteristic skill of Devils and created a magic wall in the area.

Devils like to cut escape routes and then play with their prey.

Whether it be in killing, eating, dismembering and playing with them, they don’t like it too much when they manage to escape. Especially ones like Carnival who plays his instrument with the screams of people as accompaniment. It would be like not having a singer.

The adventurers saw Carnival and hurriedly tried to escape, but it was too late. The Devil had already created a special space, and breaking through that wall would require more than your average strength.

Not only adventurers, a section of the commercial district with thousands of people in it were now trapped inside the space that Carnival created.

“No way! Why is Carnival here?!”

“W-Wait, please… We are plain adventurers!”

“T-That’s right! We are not people from the church!”

“Noooo… I don’t want to be eaten by a Devil!”

Carnival made an ecstatic expression at the tune that the adventurers were playing, his eyes narrowing.

For him, this could be called his time of joy.

The people of the commercial district hid in their houses trembling. Having a ‘gallery’ of people was incredibly ideal for a stage in the eyes of Carnival.

“I am hwappy that I am being welcomed~. Now then, which kitten shall sing for m—gyaaaaaahh!!” (Carnival)

The joy-filled words were cut off in the middle.

A pebble flew out from who-knows-where and had broken a horn of Carnival.

The pain was so much that the Devil held his head and screamed. The horn that represents things like the Devil’s pride and standing…was broken by a pebble.

“W-WHO DID THIS?! You insects!!” (Carnival)

Carnival threw away the tone he had been using until now and shouts with a barebone voice.

That voice made the adventurers shrink back, but the voice of the culprit that threw the pebble was incredibly nonchalant, as if he were talking about the tomorrow’s weather.

“That tone fits you better than the transvestite one you had.” (Maou)

■■□□ ■■□□

“So it was you! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!” (Carnival)

“…What a vulgar creature you are. Your face is hideous, your voice is indecent, your clothes are horrendous. There’s no redeeming places one can look at, but if we see it as you being a comedian, it might actually fit you.” (Maou)

The voice of Maou made Carnival’s expression warp further.

‘I won’t be giving this insect the luxury of singing’, is what Carnival thought as he stepped forward, deciding to immediately crush his head into pieces

But his leg stops.

It is exactly because he is a strong Devil that he might have had an instinctual feeling.

Maou slowly opens his mouth.

The words that were weaved from it were for a skill activation…and it was one that would make any Devil run away at the hear of it.

“This is actually my second time meeting a Devil, you see.” (Maou)

<<Survival Skill: [Fighting Spirit] activated.
10% increase in the user’s attack and defense.>>

“That thing from last time died too quickly though.” (Maou)

<<Battle Skill: [Exhaustion] activated.
Reduce 10% of the enemy’s attack.>>

“How about you?” (Maou)

<<Battle Skill: [Pressure] activated.
Reduce 10% of the enemy’s defense.>>

“For research purposes, I will be going with my original style.” (Maou)

<<Battle Skill: [Peerless] activated.
User’s attack and defense increase by 30%.>>

“You said your name was Carnival, right? …Are you ready?” (Maou)

The person himself probably hasn’t noticed.

There’s a strange aura coming out from his body, and it even gave the illusion as if Carnival’s body was getting smaller.

On the other hand, the body of the person himself felt as if it were overflowing with something dangerous that would make you explode the moment you touch it, and his already formidable status was increased further at an explosive rate with the buffs of the skills.

He was truly in a state where he could ‘kill a god’ with a normal attack.

“W-Wait…Wait! Lovely monsieur! I…I was in the wrong…!” (Carnival)

“Oh, I forgot to mention something important.” (Maou)

Those words of Maou made a pint of hope appear in Carnival.

A nightmarish situation like this normally doesn’t happen. A strong and long-living Devil like Carnival being overwhelmed by a ‘mere human’.

“I-I will help you out in that important thing of yours! No matter what it is, I will do it!” (Carnival)

“Basic Stance, change; [Battle Stance].” (Maou)

“Challenge Mode, change; [Retaliation Mode].” (Maou)

The words of Carnival probably didn’t enter the ears of Maou, he was changing his stance.

With this stance, it is more difficult to find enemy players, but it increases all status points. In the times when you are sure that an enemy player is in the area or when you have cornered your opponent and you want to make sure they don’t escape, this stance shows its effectiveness.

He also changed his Challenge Response and was now completely in retaliation mode.

This one also increases the attack and defense, but what’s most characteristic about it is that it makes it extremely easier to encounter enemy players.

Creating a one-shot stance, he defeats the enemies waiting in ambush with one attack. That’s the original battle style of Maou.

However, Carnival wasn’t moving.

There’s no way he could move.

Just who in the world would be able to attack an enemy like this?

“No…being killed by something like a human is just…!” (Carnival)

“You killed plenty yourself, didn’t you? Experience death yourself at least once.” (Maou)

Maou approached Carnival without a single care and grabs his head. After that, he threw him high into the sky as if he were baseball ball.

A giant Devil was launched into the sky at high speed. It was a sight that was hard to believe was real.

The people of the commercial district were looking at this with bated breath, but an even more shocking sight happened before their very eyes.

A white flash appears in the hand of Maou. The moment the Sodom’s Fire was shot and pierced Carnival, a big air trembling shockwave happened, and a hellish explosion dyed the sky red and spread far above the Holy Capital.

Pieces of meat and scraps that were most likely Carnival were raining in the area.

No one could move at all for a while at such a sight, not even speak.

“As expected, what a foul firework that was.” (Maou)

The moment Maou laughed lightly, the adventurers who finally felt the relief of being freed from the fiendish Devil exploded in joy.

As if being pulled by them, the people in the commercial district that were shut in their houses were coming out one after the other, hugged each other, and were celebrating their safety.

The people that were sure they were going to die were now in tears and were fist bumping each other.

“Maou-sama, hurrah!”

“You are seriously unbelievable man!”

“Dealt with that Carnival as if he were nothing. I now have a great story to bring back to my homeland!”

“Boss, allow me to treat you plenty!”

Due to the cheers of the surroundings, Maou looked around with a rare expression of confusion.

He probably didn’t even think this would happen. But after being freed from the overwhelming fear of death, this kind of reaction is natural.

“W-Well…something of this extent is nothing for me.” (Maou)

Maou was fidgeting as he lighted up a tobacco and looked up at the sky.

Now that he looks back at it, he was quite into the fight and was now embarrassed by it. But that’s not how the people around saw it.

Taking those words of his seriously, the cheers increased further to a level that already surpassed cheers.

“N-Now then…I will be going. It looks like there’s an uproar in the other places as well after all.” (Maou)

Maou tried to escape at once, but before he could do that, a single mage stood in his way. The pure white mage, Yukikaze.

“If I remember correctly, you are…” (Maou)

“…This is the second time Oji-sama has saved my life. I want to return this debt.” (Yukikaze)

“There’s no need. For me, it (gaining SP) was something important.” (Maou)

“…Oji-sama.” (Yukikaze)

Those words made Yukikaze blush and she fidgets.

It felt like some important words were omitted there, but Maou wanted to leave this place quickly.

However, the maiden gauge of Yukikaze was one-sidedly rising -he is a man though.

“…Because of me, Oji-sama had to face danger twice.” (Yukikaze)

“That’s no reason to be in debt with me. That’s just how important it (SP) was for me.” (Maou)

The words he repeated finished Yukikaze completely.

Her white transparent-like face was now slightly cherry colored, and had now turned into that of a beautiful girl with no faults —he is a man though.

“…Oji-sama, please tell me your name.” (Yukikaze)

“Oji <Old man>… M-My name is Kunai Hakuto.” (Maou)

Being repeated over and over the word ‘Oji-sama’, this time Maou was the one who went down.

He muttered lowly: ‘the me inside is still young, you know…’, but because the voices of the surrounding were explosively high, his voice wasn’t heard.

(But well, to a girl like this, 30 years old would already be an old man, huh…) (Maou)

While thinking such a sad thought, he looks up at the moon.

His expression that had a tint of grief made the heart of Yukikaze throb.

Maou may have an intimidating face, but it is by no means an ugly one. It is the charm that a first-class bad guy can show.

“Kunai! Kunai! Kunai! Kunai! Kunai! Kunai! Kunai!”

The adventurers around were now chanting the name of Maou.

Maybe this is what’s called the suspension bridge effect, or it is simply because they are in high mood right now, the happiness that came after the danger of death disappeared, and adding alcohol to that factor, further escalated it.

The barkeepers around the street were distributing drinks to celebrate.

(What’s this?! Don’t joke around…!) (Maou)

He wanted to erase his bad reputation, but this degree was outside his expectations. Or rather, this situation was close to a punishment.

Maou jumped onto a roof as if running away, and jumped off somewhere else.

“That was the Demon Lord, huh…” (Mikan)

Mikan weakly says this and sits on the floor right there.

Bringing close to 500 Satanists to submission in an instant, and exploded a Mid rank Devil while humming.

This is already not on the level a mortal can do something about.

“…Oji-sama and I are tied by the red string of fate.” (Yukikaze)

“W-Wait! Yukikaze…you are being deceived, no doubt about it!” (Mikan)

“…Mikan, jealous?” (Yukikaze)

“Who would be jealous?! What I like are justice loving people like that rumored Silver Dragonewt!” (Mikan)

“…So lewd. To think your taste are people that love sexual techniques.” (Yukikaze) <Justice (正義) and sexual techniques <性技> are both pronounced as Seigi.>

“I feel like the word you are using doesn’t have the same meaning as mine!!” (Mikan)

And in this way, the threat in the commercial district has been dispelled, but the trouble in the other districts still continued.

On top of that, a single buffoon was approaching Artemis —without knowing that there’s a ‘scary witch’ there who has vowed her loyalty to the Demon Lord.

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