Arifureta : King Of Demons

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Southern Heiligh Kingdom

In the vast continent located south of the Heiligh Kingdom, an army of over ten thousand Demonfolk had already deployed their units, poised to move as one at a single command. At their center, Aldias, mounted on a dragon, gazed at the Kingdom with a slightly exasperated expression.

"Even I didn't expect to approach this easily, you know?"

Departing from the Empire, Aldias led the Demonfolk army, cloaked by an expanded concealment barrier called "Void Resonance," which covered the entire force. They had reached the Kingdom unnoticed. However, he truly hadn't expected to arrive at the Kingdom without any problems whatsoever. It was common knowledge that the Demonfolk were a race superior in magic to humans. Therefore, they had been wary of magic traps around the Royal Capital (and had prepared countermeasures, of course), but they never detected any such presence as they approached.

"Unlike the Empire, their soldier patrols are full of holes... Do they not have the luxury of paying attention to the outside... or are they just that confident in their Grand Barrier?"

It seemed the Kingdom's citizens had already noticed the Demonfolk army, as the country's soldiers were visibly shifting into defensive positions. However, their expressions didn't show much panic. The Grand Barrier covering the Royal Capital consisted of three massive magical shields protecting the city from external threats. Court mages continuously poured magic into it, keeping it constantly deployed, and it had protected the capital for hundreds of years without ever being breached. This track record likely gave them their confidence. Unaware that it would prove fatal...

"Well, it's convenient for us."

With that murmur, Aldias slowly extended his index finger towards the barrier.

"Blaze of Calamity"

A small black flame appeared at Aldias's fingertip and slowly shot towards the Grand Barrier. The Kingdom's soldiers, seeing the incredibly tiny flame, chuckled in mockery. Did he think something like that could break the Grand Barrier? He must be just a showy, false king... Though no words were spoken, such sentiments were easily read from their expressions.

And then, the small black flame touched the first barrier...

With a soft "pop" and a flash of light, the first barrier burned away instantly.

" " " ........Huh? " " "

A foolish sound escaped the Kingdom's soldiers as they witnessed the scene before them. However, an even greater shock assailed them.

The black flame fireball, which had incinerated the first barrier in an instant, showed no sign of extinguishing. It reached the second barrier and similarly burned away the second shield. And the crucial black flame was still going strong. It was then that the Kingdom's soldiers finally realized the worst-case scenario was approaching and began to move frantically. The Court Mages, who had been calmly observing, hastily began to pour magic into the barrier, but adding their level of magic wouldn't change the outcome.

Aldias raised his hand above his head. In response, the Demonfolk sharpened their eyes, eagerly awaiting their King's command. Aldias's black flame touched the final, third barrier, and without any resistance, anticlimactically, the Grand Barrier that had protected the Royal Capital for hundreds of years vanished without a trace before the eyes of the city's citizens. Simultaneously, Aldias brought his hand down.

"---All forces, charge."

The roar of the Demonfolk echoed throughout the entire Heiligh Kingdom.

Holy Church Dungeon

The dungeon of the Holy Church. The prison where the Apostles of God were held was now enveloped in such silence that not even a whimper could be heard. They had continuously vented their frustration at kouki due to the fear of being killed, but the more they shouted, the more their physical and mental strength drained, leaving them with no energy even to speak.

Just then, they heard footsteps approaching their cell. From the sound, there were four people coming. Could it be that their execution was finally going to be carried out? As they trembled in fear of such a thought, they heard voices they knew well.

"Are you all safe!?"

"Shizuku-chan!? Everyone!?"

"...Aiko-sensei?"

"...Kaori?"

Sonobe and Shizuku looked up at the all-too-familiar voices, peering through the gaps in the bars. They had thought it would be a Temple Knight or one of the priests, but from around the corner appeared Aiko, the only adult who had been transported to this other world with them, and Kaori, who was supposed to have left the Royal Capital.

"Why are you here!? Aiko-sensei, weren't you captured too!?"

"Yes! But I was helped too!"

"Kaori!? Why are you here!?"

"Lilly told me! I wasn't going to let Shizuku-chan and the others be captured without coming to help! I'm so glad you're safe...!"

"Kaori... Hmm? If you're here, then maybe..."

As Shizuku felt a surge of emotion that her best friend had risked danger to come and help them, a certain man's presence suddenly came to mind.

"Yeah, I'm here too."

"Everyone, are you safe!?"

Hajime slowly appeared from behind Aiko and Kaori. Liliana could also be seen right behind him. As the students stood speechless at Hajime's arrival to save them, Hajime slowly touched the bars of the cell. Sizzle! A red magical light flashed, and the bars clattered, easily coming loose.

"For now, everyone, get out, quickly."

Hajime continued to destroy the other bars one after another. The students, still stunned, exited the cells, but as they gradually began to feel the reality of being saved, they let out cries of joy.

"...Honestly, I'm surprised. I didn't think you'd go out of your way to help us."

"I originally had business on God's Mountain. This is just a side trip, a side trip."

"Hehe, even so, thank you. You really saved us."

Shizuku, who had been embracing Kaori as if confirming each other's safety, expressed her gratitude to Hajime. Hajime, being thanked directly, looked slightly embarrassed and averted his gaze, then caught sight of something in his vision.

"...Hey, what's he doing?"

"...Well, you know..."

"...kouki-kun?"

In a corner of the cell, in the line of sight of Hajime, Shizuku, and Kaori, kouki was sitting on the bed, not moving a muscle. It seemed he hadn't noticed Hajime and the others arriving or the cell being opened.

"kouki! How long are you going to stay like that! Get out already!!"

"...Huh? Oh, Shizuku. Even if I leave, how would I... Nagumo?"

"Hey, we're in a hurry here. Get out, quickly."

"I see... Nagumo saved me... Thank you, you helped."

"...Hey, did he hit his head or something?"

"Well, I understand the feeling."

That kouki... the embodiment of self-righteousness and convenience, who never doubted his own sense of justice, actually offered a genuine word of thanks to Hajime, who had come to rescue him. Hajime had expected him to say something like, "It's your fault we were declared heretics!", but kouki's unprecedented honesty made him seriously consider, "Could he be a fake?", and for a moment he almost drew Donner, but Shizuku, sensing his intent, stopped him immediately. Shizuku understood Hajime's feelings perfectly, but the man in front of her was indeed her childhood friend, kouki Amanogawa himself.

"...Well, whatever. Anyway, let's get out of here—"

"Nagumo-kun!!"

"Get out." As Hajime was about to say that, Suzu cut him off and called out to him.

"What is it, Taniguchi?"

"Have you seen Eriri!? She's been missing!"

"...Eriri?"

"Eri. Nakamura Eri. Ishtar-san said all the Apostles of God in the Royal Capital were captured, but Eri and Hiyama are the only ones missing."

"Oh, yeah, you guys used to call her that. I haven't seen her... At least she's not around here."

"I-I see..."

Suzu had asked with hope, thinking Hajime might know, but her expression darkened at the continued unknown whereabouts of her best friend.

"What!? Nakamura-san and Hiyama-kun aren't here!? W-we have to search...!"

"Calm down, Sensei."

Aiko, too, learning that her students were missing, was agitated and frantically tried to search, but Hajime immediately stopped her.

"I told you, Sensei. We don't have time. We can't afford to dither. Besides, there's no reason to confine them in a separate location. If they're not here, they're probably not on God's Mountain itself."

"That's... true, but..."

"? Nagumo-kun, what do you mean we don't have time?"

"I don't have solid proof yet, but—"

Just as Hajime was about to answer Shizuku's question, he suddenly cut himself off, looking far away and concentrating.

"Nagumo-kun?"

"Tch, this is the worst. What terrible timing. So the princess's bad premonition came true, huh?"

"Bad premonition?"

Shizuku, seeing Hajime's visibly scowling face and hearing his unsettling words, instinctively tensed, judging that something bad had happened. In contrast to the confused classmates, Kaori and Liliana, who had infiltrated God's Mountain to rescue Hajime and his classmates, and Aiko, who had already been briefed, seemed to have sensed something from Hajime's words, and their faces progressively paled.

Shea and Tio had been kept on standby above ground just in case. If anything happened, Hajime would be immediately contacted.

"Nagumo-san, could it be!?"

"Yeah, it's a message from Shea and the others above ground. They're here. The Demonfolk are attacking."

" " " !? " " "

Everyone present was astonished by what Hajime said, and their expressions turned pale. The word "Demonfolk"—at that, the memories of that day vividly resurfaced in the classmates' minds. Cattleya, who had overwhelmed them. Aldias, who had shown strength that made even Hajime, who easily subdued Cattleya, seem insignificant. They were once again closing in on them.

"Understood. Everyone, please evacuate the Royal Capital immediately. The Royal Capital has a magical barrier that has protected it for hundreds of years. The Demonfolk shouldn't be able to flood into the city immediately. In the meantime—"

"No, it doesn't look like that's an option."

"Huh?"

"He, the Demon King, used magic to break the Grand Barrier. All three layers."

"!?—No way!?"

Liliana covered her mouth, speechless. Her face was so pale it looked as if blood had drained from it. They were well aware that the Demonfolk's power far exceeded their own. They had only managed to equalize the battle by utilizing their numerical advantage. However, it was a fact that the Grand Barrier protecting the Royal Capital had never been breached for hundreds of years. That's why they had been complacent. They believed that even that Demon King couldn't destroy the Grand Barrier head-on...

"...Anyway, there's no point staying here. Let's get out immediately."

"Come on, kouki, you too."

"Ah, okay."

While everyone was stunned by the despair closing in, they somehow began to move at Hajime's instruction. The enemy had just destroyed the Royal Capital's magical barrier. Combat would have already begun in the Royal Capital, but it should still take some time for them to reach God's Mountain. Though unspoken, everyone was thinking this. And Hajime was no exception. His goal was to acquire the ancient magic on God's Mountain. However, he didn't think there would be time to complete the trials with the Demonfolk approaching. He considered setting up a gate and coming back to conquer it later, but if God's Mountain were to be occupied by the Demonfolk, it would be difficult to slip past Aldias's eyes. He would undoubtedly be detected.

(Should I push through and do it today, after all? But I don't even know where the labyrinth entrance is, so I don't know if I'll make it in time. Besides, even if God's Mountain is occupied, he won't be there twenty-four/seven...)

As Hajime contemplated such things, he exited the dungeon, and at that moment, he heard a voice that shouldn't have been heard there.

"Long time no see, Hajime."

"What!?"

Hajime, his name called, turned his gaze to the speaker... and was speechless. The members who followed him out, one by one, also caught sight of the person in front of them and were rendered speechless.

"I felt a nostalgic magic and came to see, but I'm surprised to reunite here."

"Why, why are you here!? Demon King!!"

Hajime was bewildered by Aldias's presence, who shouldn't have been there. From Shea and the others' "telepathy," he had heard that the Grand Barrier had been broken by Aldias's magic. Not even five minutes had passed since that report. Why was the perpetrator here?

"I have excellent subordinates, you see. I left the Royal Capital to them and transferred here."

(Teleportation!? Damn it, am I an idiot! To not even realize something so simple...!)

Hajime wanted to punch himself for his own stupidity. He had come up with the idea of setting up a gate, but why hadn't he anticipated that the enemy would have the same means of teleportation? A simple mistake that he ordinarily wouldn't make. Whether it was due to chance or the anxiety of possibly facing a stronger opponent than himself, Hajime didn't know.

"Even so..."

"...W-what is it?"

Ignoring the bewildered Hajime, Aldias continued to stare at him, as if appraising him. Hajime instinctively recoiled, and Aldias opened his mouth, a slight frown on his brow.

"...It seems that battle has turned out badly for you."

"Huh? What are you trying to say..."

"Hajime, have you acquired the ancient magic on God's Mountain yet?"

"...No, not yet."

"I thought so. You probably haven't even located the entrance yet... I could tell you the labyrinth's entrance, you know?"

"...Huh?"

This time, Hajime was truly speechless at Aldias's words. He couldn't fathom Aldias's intention for doing such a thing. They were supposed to be enemies. When he questioned this, Aldias replied with a denial. Aldias had initially perceived Hajime as being part of the human faction, but the way Hajime behaved, as described by Cattleya, felt out of place for someone lending power to the Kingdom. Information from Ulfric then confirmed that Hajime was an independent force from humanity. If there was no reason for hostility, there was no point in needlessly increasing his enemies. If anything, he felt he could offer some assistance, given that Hajime had been dragged into this world's turmoil.

"However, I have no intention of forcing you. I have business with the Holy Church's priests. If you're interested, wait in the plaza where the lift descends God's Mountain. In any case, you'll have to send those behind you down, won't you?"

With that, Aldias turned his back on Hajime and his group and proceeded deeper into the church. As the students sighed in relief that a battle wouldn't break out immediately or simply slumped to the ground, Hajime didn't take his eyes off Aldias's back until he disappeared from sight.

Feeling the gaze piercing his back, Aldias sighed deeply. Not much time had passed since his first encounter with Hajime. However, he certainly felt an increase in Hajime's power since then. He had probably acquired new ancient magic. Even so, Aldias could definitively say that the current Hajime was undoubtedly weaker than when they had first clashed...

(Hajime... In your current state, acquiring the ancient magic here is impossible.)

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