This clown of a man was screaming about plans and whatnot.
It hit me — *ping!* This guy was the culprit. No doubt about it.
Confessing without even being questioned… maybe he really was an idiot.
There was a petty, small-time stench wafting off him. Those clown getup wasn't just for show.
He might actually be a real clown, I thought.
Based on the situation, I could piece it together— He was the one who set the Orc Disaster loose.
Clown
Moreover, he seemed to be in a total panic, not even sure what he was screaming about himself.
Maybe he was calcium-deficient. I had no idea whether demons needed it or not.
The clown spoke.
"Useless blockhead!
If you had just hurried up and devoured the Lizardmen and the Goblins to evolve into a Demon Lord, this wouldn't have been necessary!
That's why I, the High-Ranking Demon Gelmud, personally had to come all the way here!!!"
What a terrible thing to say.
At those words from Gelmud,
"Th-this is Lord Gelmud! You came all this way to save me!"
Huh? This guy… had he been unconscious and hadn't heard a word?
"You… were just told you'd be food for the lizard, too, you know."
"What? Oh, Gabiru, is it? You should've just died quickly and been done with it!
Well, no matter. Since I've gone to the trouble of coming here, I'll kill you with my own hands.
Consider it an honor to die in service to me!!"
With that, Gelmud thrust his palm toward Gabiru.
And, saying "Die!", he fired a magic bullet.
"Watch out, Lord Gabiru!"
"This is dangerous!"
The Lizardmen shouted in unison, shielding Gabiru.
The single magic blast sent roughly five of them flying.
Whether it was luck from the force being dispersed among multiple targets, or the fact that they were surprisingly tough, no one died.
They were seriously wounded, but alive.
"Y-you… L-lord Gelmud, what is the meaning of this?!?!"
Gabiru, bewildered, turned to Gelmud.
*Read the room, dude. You were just being used. But now wasn't the time to say that.* Gabiru's face twisted in despair as he realized he'd been betrayed by someone he trusted.
"L-Lord Gabiru, it's dangerous… Please get away quickly…!"
Even while injured, his subordinates worried about their leader. He really did have good followers.
A commander beloved by his troops, huh.
"Inferior creatures!
If you want to die so badly, I'll kill you all at once!
Now become fodder for the Orc Disaster!!!"
With those words, he began concentrating Demon Aura above his head, preparing to unleash a truly massive magic bullet.
Was this not magic? He wasn't chanting. He was simply concentrating, condensing all his magic power to a single point.
Hmm.
I stepped forward.
In front of the Lizardmen.
In front of Gabiru, who was floundering in a panic, unable to figure out what to do.
Behind this mask, my expression probably couldn't be seen.
What did I look like to Gabiru, I wondered idly.
Why had I stepped in front of him?
I liked Gabiru. So I wanted to save him. That was the only reason.
A reason like that was more than enough. I never hesitated to live life on my own terms.
I'd live exactly as I pleased!
Gabiru stared up at me blankly.
He probably couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. The situation had exceeded the processing capacity of his brain.
But whatever. It wasn't like I wanted anything in return.
I was just ticked off at that clown, that was all.
Without sparing a glance at me stepping forward in front of the Lizardmen, Gelmud unleashed his massive magic bullet.
"Hahahaha! I'll teach you the power of a High-Ranking Demon!
Die!
March of the Dead Dance!!!"
The enormous magic bullet split apart in midair like juggled balls, curving around to assault me in a sweeping arc.
Unfortunately, it wouldn't work on me.
Looking like a child, I simply extended a small hand forward.
That was all it took — every incoming magic bullet was sucked into my right hand.
The analysis results came instantly. A simple form of sorcery or magic.
The energy cost was low; he could have pumped in even more Magicules. Though only within the range he could control.
If this was the strongest he could put out, he was no match for me.
Should I give it a try?
"Hey, with a lame trick like that, you're telling me to die? Here — let me show you how you're gonna die as an example!"
As I spoke, I loaded magic power into a magic bullet and fired it back.
I could've replicated the splitting technique too, but that seemed like a hassle, so I didn't bother. I packed more Magicules into a single shot, fist-sized.
Simple logic — his magic bullet had been head-sized, so a more concentrated one should hit proportionally harder.
Using this magic circuit, it seemed I could also boost the power of "Fireball" even further.
This was getting fun.
Besides, this clown looked pretty durable. He'd make a good practice target.
And once I got bored with you, I'd eat you too.
My magic bullet accelerated and made contact with the clown's body, simultaneously releasing its contained magic power.
Gelmud went flying.
He tried to dodge, but the unexpected speed was too much.
He rolled across the ground, desperately trying to recover from the damage.
Oh? He had regeneration too? Not bad. He looked like a clown, but the "flavor" seemed promising.
Let's enjoy a taste of this so-called Demon.
So long as she didn't come at me later demanding stress relief or whatever, it was fine.
I walked casually over to where Gelmud was rolling around.
"Get up already. Weren't you going to teach me about the power of a High-Ranking Demon?"
I kicked the rolling Gelmud.
It hit harder than I expected — he went bouncing away.
Fragile little thing.
"Y-you! How dare a—this High-Ranking Demon's—"
He kicked off the ground and stood. I closed the distance in an instant, slipping inside his guard.
I drove my fist into his solar plexus — after reinforcing it with Body Armor.
My fist didn't hurt at all. Gelmud, however, took the impact straight through his body, his face contorting in agony.
I pressed on, throwing punches in a fluid succession.
Then I fired another magic bullet into him.
It seemed he could adjust the power, but an unconscious magic bullet ended up at roughly five times the force of a punch.
If I wrapped Demon Aura around my fist, that'd be a different story — the fist itself would become a weapon, and the power would increase dramatically.
Still, a normal magic bullet didn't consume that many Magicules, which was a nice deal.
I could probably dual-wield and rapid-fire like some battle-hungry warrior tribe. Not that I would.
But this guy's Magicule count was A-Rank or above, yet he felt weaker compared to Benimaru and the others.
Why was that?
《Analysis complete. Based on the ranking system defined by humans, the classification appears to be calculated using Magicule count.
However, even with the same Magicule count, one possessing Skills with higher efficiency holds the advantage.
Additionally, since there is no calculation basis for Skill level, significant disparities may arise.》 I see.
I couldn't exactly measure my own level. This wasn't a game — there were aspects you could only understand by fighting.
Maybe that was why Hakuro, who had already been high-level to begin with, had transformed so dramatically upon gaining a powerful Physical Body.
Even if you possessed enormous energy, it meant nothing if you couldn't wield it properly.
After all, I didn't feel like I'd lose to Gelmud or the Orc Disaster.
"Hey, got anything interesting to show me?
You're dressed like a clown, but is that all you've got — just the look?"
What kind of techniques did this guy have?
I felt zero sense of danger. I asked casually, like I was asking to see merchandise.
"What… what are you… You— you—!!! How can someone like you do this to a High-Ranking Demon like me—"
I punched him.
Couldn't even answer a question, huh.
"Stop, stop! Wait! I have the backing of a Demon Lord! How dare you do this to me!!!"
He started spouting something.
What a pain. How exactly did he plan to cry to his backer?
Besides, if that Demon Lord was the one called Leon, he was my target anyway.
"So? How exactly do you plan to cry to your backer? You're not thinking you'll be let go alive, are you?"
At my question, Gelmud's face went rigid, and he began trembling violently.
The sight was oddly comical. A true clown through and through.
Gelmud began chanting some sort of incantation and rose into the air. He was trying to fly away.
But all I could think was — that magic? Looks delicious!
I had wings and could fly too, but I couldn't break the sound barrier. This guy's flight speed was quite impressive. I definitely wanted that.
Of course, I had no intention of letting him escape.
I shot Gelmud down with a "Fireball."
Well, even if I missed, I'd already wrapped Sticky Thread around his ankles.
Gelmud plummeted and crashed into the ground. He was in too much of a panic to even take the fall properly.
I liked those who were loved by their subordinates. The opposite, though, I despised.
Especially those who treated others as disposable — no need for mercy. He seemed to have all sorts of abilities, so I'd just gobble him up quickly.
As I approached: "Keeaaahhh!!! Stay away from me! You're finished! The Demon Lord won't let you get away with this!!!"
He babbled something like that, trying to crawl away.
A Demon Lord, huh. He seemed to know quite a few things, and I'd like to have a chat — but letting him slip away in a moment of carelessness was a problem.
I had to think about how to interrogate him without that happening.
Even if I ate him, I couldn't obtain his knowledge. Magic was the only thing I could sometimes pick up. That part seemed pretty random.
Skills, on the other hand, I could reliably acquire — this was one of the few drawbacks. Not that you could really call it one.
I approached in silence.
Gelmud panicked and began firing magic bullets at me in rapid succession. Pointless.
My barrier deflected every single one.
He didn't have enough power to break my barrier. That had been confirmed by my earlier analysis.
He finally realized this, got to his feet, and tried to run.
But ahead of him lay the Orc Disaster. Was he going to beg it for help?
Well, whatever. Let him do as he pleased.
I'd been planning to finish off the Orc Disaster anyway. If they came at me together, or if he called for reinforcements — fine.
I could probably handle them alone, but fighting them all deliberately would be a pain.
The Orc Disaster had possibly been manipulated, and bore me no grudge.
I might as well put it out of its misery easily.
My only concern was whether the Orc soldiers might go berserk.
As I closed the distance, turning those thoughts over in my mind: "You incompetent fool! Stop gawking and help me!
Hyah-ha-ha! I don't know who you are, but know the full extent of this one's power!
Go, Orc Disaster! Make this one regret standing against me—"
*Thwack!* Gelmud's head was severed.
The head tumbled.
*Crrrk, rrrrip…* Gelmud's body was torn apart.
*Squelch, crunch, rip, squelch, crack…* Ugh… It was eating him.
Gelmud, who had fled to the Orc Disaster's feet while threatening me, had his head cleaved off by the Orc Disaster's meat cleaver.
And then he was dismantled and devoured.
You could say it was a truly fitting end for such a small-time character.
Or wait — was this pig targeting me too, not just Gelmud? Or was it pure instinct?
Either way, this was trouble.
A light returned to those yellowed, cloudy eyes. The gleam of intelligence was unmistakable.
The Orc Disaster, which until now had been moving on pure instinct alone, had just acquired self-awareness.
The Demon Aura radiating from it was incomparable to what it had been moments ago.
《Confirmation received.
The Orc Disaster's Magicule count has increased.
Demon Lord Seed evolution initiated… Evolution complete.
Subject: Orc Disaster has evolved into— Orc Demon Lord.》 I didn't ask for that! You really didn't have to go and do that!
Seriously, I was begging for mercy here…
Regardless of my feelings: "Fuuuaahhh! I am the Orc Demon Lord! The one who shall devour all in this world!
My name is 'Demon Lord' Gelmud! I shall grant you the honor of being my first prey!!!"
There we go.
This was what happened when you let something get cocky. That's why I'd been thinking — *just finish it off already.* …A little late now, I guess.
In some manga, there was always some M-shaped bald alien who kept getting cocky and screwing up. He'd let the opponent power up way too easily, and then lose. It was practically tradition.
I used to make fun of that when reading, but turns out it wasn't just fiction.
Kill it when you can. That was the iron rule. A lesson for the future.
Setting that aside…
What was I going to do with this thing? The thought of it made me a little depressed, which was only natural.
————— The Demon Lords sat in silence, watching the scene unfold.
"How interesting!"
A young girl murmured.
Gelmud hadn't realized it, but his visual perception had already been seized by the girl.
In that brief instant his attention had shifted to the desk.
After Gelmud left, she had levitated the crystal ball and linked it to his field of vision, projecting the scene— Sure enough, Gelmud had broken the rules and intervened.
The moment he did, his death had been a foregone conclusion — but to think he'd be killed by someone even the Demon Lords didn't know.
That person had the appearance of a child and wore a beautiful mask.
Furthermore, the beings reflected in Gelmud's vision could not be ignored.
Gelmud, too flustered to think clearly, hadn't noticed — but there were several individuals of the High-Ranking Demon class.
Those were of the Ogre race. Once every few centuries, an aging Greater Ogre would sometimes evolve into a High-Ranking Demon.
Their abilities were said to be extraordinary — capable of splitting the sky and shattering the earth. And there were three of them.
Even if Gelmud had noticed, he lacked the fighting power to do anything about it.
And there was also the Fang Wolf tribe member who appeared to have undergone an aberrant evolution. Since this was based on the image alone, she couldn't be certain — but it was almost certainly at A-Rank.
Four monsters of A-Rank or above. And a child who appeared to command them?
A child wearing a beautiful mask. There was no way this was an ordinary human. The correct assumption was that a monster was using Mimicry to take human form.
If that were not the case, then a new "Hero" had been born.
"Summoned Ones" and "Otherworlders" did indeed tend to possess remarkable abilities — but a child couldn't possibly wield them properly.
Without a mature spirit, one couldn't harness such power.
Through process of elimination, the Demon Lords arrived at a near-certain conclusion about the child's true identity: A monster using Mimicry!
A monster capable of overwhelming an A-Ranking High-Ranking Demon single-handedly.
Commanding at least four High-Ranking Demon-class entities.
A force that could not be ignored.
"Not bad, Gelmud. To prepare such an entertaining spectacle!"
The girl whispered with delight.
"Indeed. Shall we crush that monster now? Or wait until it's grown nice and powerful?"
"No cutting in line, please. At the very least, attempting to negotiate and recruit it as a subordinate would count as cutting in line!"
The Demon Lords thought: If they could add that one to their ranks, it would give them an edge over the other Demon Lords.
However, they also had to consider the possibility that it could become a threat.
"Say, shall we keep this among us four? It would be such a waste to ruin such a delightful source of entertainment!"
In truth, her real thinking was that it might serve as a trump card against the absent Demon Lords. That was the extent of her assessment.
If that monster took to calling itself a "Demon Lord" on its own, they would immediately lose interest and deal with it accordingly.
But the time had not yet come for that.
The four nodded to one another and forged a new agreement.
Had the Demon Lords acted at this moment, Rimuru's fate would have taken a very different turn.
But the Demon Lords did not act.
That decision sealed fate.
And at that very moment, the story began to move in a single, inevitable direction.