16 – Chief of Staff, Second Contract Formed / Werewolf Marchosias
「I look forward to working with you.」
I answered without falter.
Even while feeling regret at his loss at the hands of me and my previous party, he appreciates my true strengths and on top of that, throws honest praises towards me. He has a truly rare disposition.
Plus, he's strong.
Fundamentally, Heroes should be considered outside the norm. Honestly, a little too outside the norm.
Among them are those legendary beings favored by the Four Great Spirits, Flame Hero, Storm Hero, Water Hero, and Gaia Hero.
At present we have Fenix as the Flame Hero, and the leader of the No.1 ranked party in the world calls himself the Storm Hero. The individual fighting power of these two is the highest.
Of course, among humans.
Perhaps I am a little biased as a disciple, but I can't imagine my master losing to anyone. Even if that weren't true, someone in the Demon King Job position should be able to compete with Heroes.
Anyway, Fenix is an amazing guy.
You could say he is the world's strongest.
…And that's why Alba could never accept us being only the fourth-ranked party.
「Yeah! I was just speaking my mind, but you so willingly agreed to it! Are you sure you're not being too reckless adding me into your 72 slots?」
The ring has a limit of up to 72. In other words, there can only be 72 Contracts. It depends on how people look at it.
Considering that I already formed a contract with Milla, the limit is actually 71. I've never really thought about this seriously. I hope to gather all kinds of allies. That way, I can inspire hope to the various Demi-human races.
「I know that Marchosias is a strong individual as seen from our previous battle and your subordinates were highly skilled.」
「Even though I was defeated by the Flame Hero with one strike?」
「That is because you did exactly what Fenix wanted you to do. In the end, he wanted a one on one face-off between you and him. Your subordinates were hindrances and you alone did not move. In order to reach you, we had to set a trap.」
Marchosias' smile disappears.
It was not replaced with an angry face. More like a serious face that just figured something out.
「…I knew it」
He mutters.
「I knew it was on purpose. Mr. Black Sorcerer, at the moment that the Flame Hero and I faced each other, you lifted the Black Magic that you put on me, didn't you?」
「Yes.」
「Why?」
「I could ask you the same. Why did you wait? On that day, I used up a considerable amount of Magical Energy because it was very difficult to keep up the effects of my Black Magic on your group's highly skilled movements and quick-wits. Because you chose to ignore Fenix and look in my direction, Fenix was able to defeat you.」
「Why indeed. I am not that naive, but let's say that I was. Apart from your other three allies, I did not see you as the lowest priority. From the start, you could produce enough Magical Energy to cast multiple Black Magics on me and my brothers and sisters, and keep them up for a long time. How could a human possibly do that?」
「That's…」
All living things have an organ that allows them to produce Magical Energy and just like the muscles or the lungs, you can strengthen it with a training regiment. The method is simple.
Just keep using it continuously.
As for the effect and range of the magic, they can be strengthened and magnified through trial and error, in addition to continuously using it.
How did I train to the level that I am now? The answer to that is fairly simple.
I tempered my magic continuously for 24 hours.
I used my magic continuously for 24 hours.
My master's training started with building the body. My physical fitness, muscle strength, and spiritual strength were somehow tempered with cruel and unusual training. There was, of course, basic training, I was left alone in a beast-filled mountain and tossed off a cliff after being perplexingly told that I won't die because there is a river below. Furthermore, I was told to climb back up that same cliff without the help of tools. I earnestly challenged my master and was beat up for it.
On top of that, I was told not to sleep if I still had Magical Energy left. He told me to produce as much as possible and to alter my previously created spells. If you do that, your body will decide that「There isn't enough Magical Energy, danger!」and somehow produce enough. At those times, your Magical Energy organ will strengthen little by little. If a small mistake is made during this process, your life would be in danger but that never happened to me. My master was with me the whole time until I was able to do it safely.
My sparring partner for casting Black Magic was sometimes my master, but most of the time…it was me. My master would first show me an example of the spell. I'd cast Speed Down and become as slow as a turtle, Poison made me writhe on the ground vomiting, Confusion made me run around the forest in the nude with my thoughts caught between blank spaces and ending up staring stupidly at nothing for tens of minutes, and Darkness would give me debilitating fear and blindness along with shivering. Also, Attack Down would make me so weak that I couldn't even break a twig and Defense Down would make getting hit by a small pebble hurt so much I thought I was going to die.
My view of Black Magic was overturned fundamentally and I came to know something.
Magic has no limit. Practitioners are only limited by their imagination and technique.
I got excited.
Just as I promised Fenix, in three years, I had attained Magical Energy and technique surpassing that of the average Black Sorcerer.
At the same time, it was possible for me to passively generate Magical Energy and develop my magic even without my master's supervision.
I am always casting debuffs on myself. Physical and magic debuffs along with Attack and Defense Down, health and mental debuffs along with Speed Down, Confusion and Darkness statuses too
Even when carrying out Dungeon Clears with Avatars, it's no problem. I don't lift the debuffs on my physical body.
Even while I'm sleeping, I temper myself with my master's grueling training.
If I ever stopped my magic energy generation and magic development, I would be awoken with a smack.
Incidentally, Fenix and I would lie about going to the Adventurer Training Institution to leave the village and ask my master for help.
This is how I got this strong despite becoming the inherently unlucky Job, Black Sorcerer.
Other people would only spend a few hours training during a long day, but I would be training for 24 hours.
When people say they've trained for 10 years, they didn't actually spend all of their time training.
However, for me, even when I was eating, sleeping, bathing or having fun, I was fully using that time to train.
When I say I trained for 10 years, I mean it. I have been training non-stop for 10 years.
This type of training is only possible because this Job isn't a combat class.
It's because I became a Black Sorcerer that I could reach this point in my life.
Honestly, I never would have gotten this far if it weren't for my master. And it's for that very reason that I will never betray his trust.
It's only natural that you have to work hard to achieve your dreams. Whether or not you are blessed with people who are able to teach you the exact essential hard work required is pure luck.
I was blessed with such people.
A close friend who suggested that we aim to be number one, and a master who made me his disciple and looked after me until I came of age.
And then now, Milla, who put me on the path to becoming the Hero of the Monster side, Luci, who hired me, my newfound friend, Blitz, and of course, my lovely secretary whose existence is a constant source of comfort, Cashew.
No matter how harsh it got, I somehow managed to be blessed with such people.
「Is something the matter, Mr. Black Sorcerer?」
「Ah, no it's…it's a long story.」
「Hm…is that so? Then we shall leave that for another time. However, there was another question that I asked before.」
Why did I lift the Black Magic on Marchosias during his one-on-one fight with Fenix, huh.
「Fenix challenged you to a one-on-one fight, and you obliged.」
「Yes.」
「Then, it simply would have been rude of me to interfere with my Black Magic.」
「…While that was extremely honorable of you, Adventurers only strive for victory. If by some small chance your decision led to the defeat of the Flame Hero, what would you have done?」
….ah, so that's what this is about.
「That man won't lose to a one-on-one match. So the choices weren't about winning or losing, but simply about whether or not I should respect your response to Fenix's challenge.」
For a moment, not only Marchosias, but Milla and Cashew as well were stunned silent, mouth agape.
Shortly after, a laugh that reverberated around the entire playing field is heard.
「FUHAHAHAHAHA! That's great! You were assured in your ally's victory and chose to show consideration towards your enemy's pride, huh? To be able to admit it so easily, I can't even be angry! It was an utter defeat!」
He laughed for so long, he returned to his human form.
Before me now is a tall male with silver hair and red eyes with sharp facial features. His body is smaller than his wolf form but still big.

He extended his right hand towards me to shake hands.
「However, Mr. Black Sorcerer, you plan to repel that Flame Hero, yes?」
「Yes. Together, we shall attain victory.」
「That's the spirit!」
We shake hands.
Together, we pour Magical Energy into the ring.
「I, the werewolf Marchosias, hereby swear to answer your summons and destroy the enemy.」
There doesn't seem to be a set phrase in order to make a vow. It's enough to show your will to answer the call in how strongly you say it.
「Alri~ght! You and I are brothers now! GaHaHa!」
I guess he refers to all his allies as his siblings. It's an unfamiliar feeling, but if you take it as it is, it's not a bad feeling.
「Now, brother, please tell me. Why did you bring along a little girl who is clearly less than 10 years old to the Demon Castle?」
Asked Marchosias while looking at Cashew.