Chapter 25: Demon Lord's Castle
{Part 1}
Demon Continent, Glaslow region.
It's one of the most severe areas of the Demon Continent.
The monsters living on the Demon Continent, when compared to the other continents, are extremely strong and numerous.
However, even on the Demon Continent there are distributions.
Like how the Biegoya region has many Acid Wolves and Pack Coyotes, this region is overflowing with monsters that are much stronger than the other regions.
Able to release a petrifying breath, the Basilisk.
Flying freely through the sky and attacking with its powerful jaws and poisonous claws, the Black Drake.
Imitating a pond, the enormous Lake Slime.
Extremely nimble and covered in hard scales that resist magic, the White-fanged Serpent.
Besides that there are areas that are covered in poison gas and deep valleys, so this region is called the worst part of the Demon Continent.
There are few towns or villages, and the ones that exist are transforming into secure fortresses.
Even Adventurers rarely come here...
However, it is said that those on journeys to sharpen their combat skills have this region as their final goal.
After all, this region has the fortress once built by the immortal [Five Elements Demon King] Necross Lacross, the strongest fortress on the Demon Continent.
The one ruling here is Demon King Atoferatofe Ryback.
The [Immortal Demon King] of the Glaslow region.
400 years ago she was a powerful warrior for Laplace, who clashed countless times with the party of the Armored Dragon King Perugius.
Among martial artists, there is a legend about her that is thought by many to be true.
[You who desire power, travel forth...
You who desire power, set your gaze on the Demon Continent...
Journey through the Demon Continent, reach Fort Necross...
Journey through the Demon Continent, gain audience with the Immortal Demon King Atoferatofe.
Display your power to the Demon King, and thirst for a greater power.
You shall gain a overwhelming power that you have never seen the likes of before.]
And the ones who follow the legend and set out on a journey are never heard from again.
Nobody knows the truth…
-*-*-*-
{Part 2}
Two children in their early teens marched across the Region filled with monsters crawling everywhere and about.
Reinhard and Sylphy
For them, this place is much safer compared to the dungeon.
Normally this region would even make S-ranked Adventurers broke into goosebumps. The instinctive fear would take over them.
And then after quite some time they arrived on a certain fortress.
The overall color is black.
It's probably made from the same materials as Kishirika's castle.
It's not too large.
It seems to be just a castle and town protected by thick ramparts.
It's not a rare sight in this world.
What classifies it as a fortress is probably its structure.
It is separated into five blocks by the ramparts, and goes up like a staircase.
The three bottom ones are a normal castle town.
The second from the top contains buildings that don't look inhabited and something that looks like a sports ground. They're military installations.
At the top, a black castle-like building towers imposingly.
The 5 Imperial Guards looked at them.
They broke into cold sweat as they experienced the pressure they made.
They could even rival the Demon Lord that they served, who was known as the most feared Demon Lord.
One of the Imperial Guards gulped a mouthful of saliva because of their nervousness. But he had no choice but to do his job as an Imperial Guard of a Demon Lord.
"O heroes! Congratulations on reaching Fort Necross!"
It's the Demon God Language.
The Imperial Guards didn't know that they were humans.
After all there exist several tribe of Demons that looked young despite their age. The guards thought they're one of those tribes.
What completely terrified them though is the sight of an Emerald Green haired girl beside the strong looking boy.
"What admirable spirit, crossing the demon mountain!"
"Is what you seek the honor of being a Hero? Or perhaps it is the Demon King's power!?"
"Whichever it is makes no difference to us!"
"If you want to pass here!"
"You will first have to defeat us, Immortal Demon Lord Atofe's Elite Guards!"
They said like Freeza's Ginyu force.
The Imperial Guards wore an armor that was colored as dark as the night sky.
Jet black armor, and full faced helmet.
No matter what pressure they exuded. The Imperial Guards have to keep up appearances.
They can't afford to become a laughingstock and smear the name of the Immortal Demon Lord's Imperial Guards.
The strongest armor of the Demon Continent, the best training of the Demon Continent, and the most famed Imperial Guards of the Demon Continent.
If they succumb to the pressure now, they won't be qualified to call themselves Elite Guards of Immortal Demon King Atofe.
Reinhard understood the language. He didn't have any memory of studying foreign languages, but surprisingly he was able to understand them like it's his own native tongue.
"Sylphy, do it."
"Understand Reinhard-sama."
On Reinhard's command, Sylphy whips out her wand and created a compressed ball.
She launched it towards the Imperial Guards as a huge blast of explosion occured.
The Imperial Guards quickly defended themselves with Touki.
Together with their sturdy jet black armor, it looked like they negated the damage from that attack.
Reinhard's body moved.
He disappeared from his initial position creating afterimages and swings his sword.
One, two, three, four...
At in an instant four simultaneous sword attacks incapacitated the Imperial Guards.
The 5th one was blocked by the one who looked like the leader.
Still the weight and shock coming from such a fast attack numbed the Guard's body.
"Impressive! You're truly worthy of challenging Atofe-sama!"
"Tch!"
Reinhard clicked his tongue after the last guard blocked his 5th attack.
It didn't go the way he wanted to.
If he can't destroy them the first time, then he just need to do it the second time.
Soon the last guard collapsed under his knees after receiving the follow-up attack.
He decimated the group of Imperial Guards at the most optimal way.
Even Sylphy had no time to react and support him with magic, as it all happened too fast.
"I am Reinhard Greyrat of the Human Race! I declare a challenge against the Immortal Demon King, Atoferatofe Ryback! Show yourselves and fight!"
He screamed while amplifying the sound with Mana.
-*-*-*-
{Part 3}
They arrived in Fort Necross's audience chamber.
It doesn't have a ceiling. It's an open-air room.
There's a long staircase sandwiched between thick pillars carved with devil-like images.
At the top of the stairs is a large, spacious room.
The room is surrounded by candles burning with violet flames, and in front of each candle is a soldier clad in black armor standing at attention.
The room is completely open, with no walls or handrails. If you approach the edge, you could probably look down on the castle town.
In the center is an ominously decorated throne.
No, this probably isn't an audience chamber.
This is probably that.
The place where in dire times, a giant magic circle is engraved to call out an ancient devil.
Then, the hero's party will fight the demon king to prevent it.
This is that kind of place.
It's not an audience chamber.
It's a battleground.
It's a place where the final battle of every heroic saga ends as the heroes and his comrades vanquished the wicked Demon King.
"O heroes, well done in coming this far!"
Now then, sitting on the throne is a woman.
She's wearing the same black armor as the others around–the Imperial Guards.
Her height is taller than average.
Out of all that I have seen so far, that woman is the most demon-like of all.
Blue skin, white hair. Crimson eyes, bat wings.
And then, from her forehead, a pair of great horns.
Her body is clad with black armor like the soldiers.
No, her armor looks well worn, far more than the soldiers'.
Covered in scars, all the decorations peeled off. It has seen its share of battles in living for thousands of years.
It was said the the only one who was able to beat her in a duel is her husband North God Kalmann 1st.
Hanging off her waist, a great sword too big to imagine for her slender wrists.
With a gleeful face, she spread her mantle.
The evening sun descending over the mountain cast a profound shadow upon her.
It appears to be a very impressive and fantastic scene.
"How admirable, coming this far with the body of a human!"
"O brave ones who overcame countless trials! I ask you thus!"
"Is what you desire the prestige of being a champion? Or is it the title of hero! Or perhaps... the Demon King's power?"
Compared to Reinhard and Sylphy's appearance, they wouldn't even be considered as a decent civilized human being.
They wore nothing like the tales of heros wearing shining armor and gleaming holy sword.
They wore rags that made them look like those beggars in the streets.
And with a certain bloodthirsty smile in Reinhard's face, he said full of greed.
"I want it all."
He smiled.
"I am the Immortal Demon Lord Atoferatofe Raibaku! Wife of the original North God Kalman Raibaku! I shall show you the true North God Style! Defeat me and people shall call you a hero! Lose to me, you shall become my puppet, follow my every command until you die!"
A grim smile.
An overwhelming murderous intent.
Atofe raises her great sword ready.
"I am Reinhard Greyrat. Son of Paul Greyrat and Zenith Greyrat. For the sake of my ambition, I'll defeat you in battle right here!"
The mood in the room turned tense.
Anyone would say that a battle that will shook the world's structure is about to commence.
Weekly Power Status
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