Great Demon Lord Kazaream
Kagali laughed.
She laughed evilly.
Everything was going as she had planned.
She got her chance to have her revenge on that hateful Leon.
And now, that'll be an easy thing to do.
The Silver Knight Alrose fought against Footman.
After he obtained the power of demon duke class, he received strength equaling the Black Knight Claude.
He became a half spiritual life-form with high grade immortality and regenerative power, he also obtained a stronger body.
Overwhelming magic power and energy enabled him to use high-ranking magic that he couldn't before.
He was even able to activate advanced level magic without any need for a long chant.
He felt his power overflowing and tasted the feeling that he had peered into the world's abyss.
And yet, Footman clearly showed that he was taking it easy against Alrose.
Footman comically moved his fat body and avoided Alrose's sword strikes with quick movements.
And merely by snapping his fingers, his evil power attacked Alrose.
Footman's ability is the Unique Skill『The Fat (Amplifier)[1]』.
The essence of this ability is amplification.
With a small energy wave, he's able to amplify a material at will.
Thus, the knights who failed to resist were burst open and died after Footman amplified their bodies.
Snap! So he snapped his fingers, he was able to turn the sound into a shock wave and send it out.
He possesses a fiendish ability which doesn't match his appearance.
The one who faced Tear were the two female knight leaders.
The Yellow Knight Kizna and the White Knight Meutel.
The two of them are very compatible.
Against Kizna with her prided iron wall defense and Meutel who has a godsend healing ability.
There could only be a few people who possess the offensive capability that is able to surpass their combination.
On top of that, since they obtained the power of the demon duke class, the two could brag and didn't think that they could be defeated.
Facing them, Tear laughed eerily.
She brandished the large sickle she held in her hand while laughing.
Tear the Teardrop. That's the name of the grim reaper who reaps life.
Her favorite food are tears of entreaty.
She loves more than anything to see the tears of someone who is asking for mercy[2].
Tear possesses the Unique Skill『The Ignorant (Optimist)[3]』.
Her ideal is just doing what she is told to do without thinking about anything else.
Just like her personality, her ability has a condition to activate, that is, all of her abilities will increase only when she receives an order.
But for her, that's not a problem.
Because Tear is strong, even without relying on her ability, as she had an unyielding mind which never worried and a strong body from the very beginning.
Above all else, it is because there were always reliable comrades who gave her orders.
She doesn't worry about anything.
Therefore, she gives death to her enemy even more brutally.
And, fighting against the last person, Laplace, is the Red Knight Fran and the Black Knight Claude.
The Red Knight Fran is strong.
Because she has experienced death once already, her energy rose greatly.
And, it bloomed by fusing with a demon.
The ability she obtained is called Unique Skill『Unshaken One[4]』.
Her mind will not be affected by anything other than the feeling of excitement.
A rather mysterious ability that increases her strength if she feels unrest in her mind.
The ability that can even turn emotions like anger and fear into power.
And now, Fran felt fury towards Laplace, who was carrying the Blue Knight Oxishan, who is her brother, on his shoulder.
She changed her intense emotions into gushing power as she glared at Laplace.
As the way it was at that moment, her sword wouldn't be able to graze Laplace. She understood that, thus she turned her emotions into energy in order to keep a calm mind.
Since Laplace said that he was reading her actions from the waves of her emotions, then she just needed to make everything unperceivable.
While facing against Laplace, Fran pushed her ability to a higher level.
The Black Knight Claude is the strongest knight among Leon's subordinates.
However, he holds no arrogance in his heart.
He experienced what the strongest person is like, when he was with Yuuki.
The "Hero" Chloe O'Bell――She is special.
As well as the high-ranking people of the Mixed corps.
A lot of Otherworlders were a part of the corps and it could be said that they all own troublesome special abilities.
They didn't fight foolishly with just a sword, as they also learned the techniques to fight using all of their available abilities.
Fair and square, that is to say, a phrase that is only true when the opponent also stands in the same arena. However, in real combat, justice is only for the one who survives.
Understanding that, Claude even studied the way to fight people who are stronger than himself, and thus Claude changed.
He became greedier and wanted for more strength.
Fusing with the demon was merely an opportunity. In order to gain the power he desires.
And the ability that he acquired was Unique Skill『Challenger(Battler)』.
The exact power that Claude was hoping for, an ability which specializes in fighting.
Claude didn't neglect his training and made the ability blossom. Time was irrelevant, as the power had answered his wish.
And at this time, Claude was able to meet an enemy who he could test his ability on.
Claude challenged Laplace whilst making a ferocious smile.
And then there is Laplace.
He is the strongest member of the Moderate Clown Troupe.
He possesses fearsome power that could even be called at the level of an extraordinary Demon Lord.
The power to foresee, he can see the future several seconds ahead of time due to his Unique Skill『Seer (Future Vision)[5]』.
And, with his Unique Skill『Deceiver[6]』, he can unleash phantasmagoric attacks.
It is as if he brings something into existence from nothing, a knife flies out from an empty space, whilst actually being a bomb that he disguised as a knife, and it ends before the enemy can understand anything.
High physical strength and combat senses.
And with his highly versatile offensive ability and perfect future foresight, he can be considered invincible.
He introduced himself as the vice captain of the Moderate Clown Troupe, but if compared in fighting strength, Laplace surpasses Kazaream, who's the captain.
It can be said that his combat ability is beyond the former Demon Lord.
However, since he disliked the idea of being in a troublesome position, he didn't want to stand at the top.
Happily hanging out with his fellow clowns was what made him happy.
Kazaream, who had been his captain, severed the ties between the two of them after he rose to be one of the Demon Lords.
The reason was simple, because Laplace would overdo things.
Since a temporary agreement had been made, quarrels between Demon Lords were forbidden.
If Kazaream needed to ask Laplace to help him, the situation could easily go downhill.
In this way, Laplace was aware that he was not helpful.
In addition, it's in his nature that he will become unstoppable by seeing more blood.
His nature is the reason why he doesn't have any intention to stand at the top.
Therefore, Laplace was kept as the final trump card.
And he was able to carry out his goal. He had done it.
Bring chaos to the world!
It was his dream to raise up an uproar of agonized cries and transform the world to become more chaotic.
He is a genuine lunatic, he might become interested in Yuuki if he had the chance to talk with him.
He had gained that goal because of a sorrowful event.
Clayman, whom he had had a close relationship with, was murdered by Demon Lord Rimuru.
Laplace who hadn't had a goal, obtained the goal of his dead best friend.
He acts in order to scatter fear and chaos so to make the world a crazier place.
Kagali didn't have any regrets about involving her subordinates of the Moderate Clown Troupe.
She decided that she needed their power since this battle was the final and decisive one.
If she had sent Laplace at the time when she was still Demon Lord Kazaream, the result may have been different.
If she had requested Laplace's help, whose madness and ability were both authentic, she thought that she may have walked a different path by this time.
Clayman could still be alive as her right hand man, so Kagali thought.
However, all of those are no more than afterthoughts.
At that time, she was a conceited person and had completely underestimated Leon.
Even if she regrets it now, she should reflect and keep living, however...
The word 'reflect' does not exist in Kagali's dictionary.
Because Kagali didn't have any strong fellowship with the others, like Laplace, she didn't feel anything when the weak were eliminated.
She only had a small thought that perhaps there was a path like that too.
Since she involved her former colleagues in this war, she couldn't do things half-heartedly.
Even though her power increased greatly, she was anxious as she had few pawns.
Thus, she called her most trusted people and gave them power.
She introduced them to Velda and had each of them were given a large quantity of souls.
In the process they obtained Demon Lord Seeds and awakened.
Did Velda use some kind of technique? Since it gave them only the power they wished for, like magic.
Currently, each of them had been strengthened to that of awakened Demon Lords.
Leon's subordinates, the knights, seemed to have had their power increased greatly, but of course they were still no match for Kagali and Co.
It was funny when she thought about it, as the knights who showed their best resistance were pitiful in her sight.
At the same time, joy filled the innermost depths of her heart, she unconsciously broke into a smile.
(Foolish people. They won't be able to defeat us anyway.)
Thinking so, Kagali advanced towards Leon whilst basked in a feeling of absolute superiority.
Intense battles commenced, and the situation declined quickly.
The Moderate Clown Troupe were too strong.
If the knights hadn't fused with the demons, they would have been defeated almost instantly.
Leon's subordinates, the knights, were not able to compete at all against the overwhelming strength of the Moderate Clown Troupe members who were of the awakened Demon Lord class.
Rather Leon might praise them for the fact that they had not been defeated at this point.
The group Kagali brought was terrifying.
(The situation will only get worse if this continues.)
Leon analyzed the bad situation and ground his teeth.
And, more importantly――
「Ufufufufu. Leon, you will end here. Your subordinates don't seem reliable either.
And yet, you haven't become serious, even in this situation.
I have realized your weakness.
You are too soft.
When I watched your fight against Yuuki-sama, I thought of this.
'This guy, he's really a softie who can't get serious since he is always protecting his subordinates'.
You make me laugh.
Unlike us, who don't feel anything even if we sacrifice 200.000 angels, you intend to protect 1 million citizens.
Did you seriously think that you could win if the two of us fight?
No way, you didn't think something immature like 'The desire to protect something will become power!' right?
I investigated about how you created this city by gathering the oppressed people and orphans that you picked up.
Also, I analyzed your behavior so far.
Although you stand out with your villain-like speech and behavior, aren't you actually a nice guy?
Yes, I understand.
I know that you want to deny it too.
However, no matter how you deny it, the fact that you cannot fight all out won't change.
After all, your power is too strong, you would destroy this country if you fight seriously!」
――That's right, Kagali's words were true.
Leon's ability, Ultimate Skill『Purity Lord Metatron』is a wide ranged type ability suitable for large-scale annihilation.
If he went all out, this magical city state would be destroyed from the inside.
And Kagali who anticipated that the angels would be blockaded on the outside of the barrier, infiltrated with just her group.
Against Leon, who can't go all out, she prepared more than enough forces.
And now, the situation splendidly became just as how Kagali wished for it to be.
Kagali who was happy, attacked Leon whilst laughing.
Attacking as if to torment him, Kagali was having fun cutting off Leon's path of retreat.
In order to clear her long time grudge, Kagali, who had reached the moment of her revenge, felt the greatest delight.
Kagali who fused both the powers of an awakened Demon Lord and the power of a seraphim class angel, became a genuine monster.
Even so, it didn't affect her desire to see Leon cornered and play with him to the end.
And thus, she succeeded.
「Hey, how are you feeling now? I wonder what you feel at this point now that you've been cornered by the person whom you looked down upon.」
The God class one-handed sword that Kagali held cut into Leon's Gold Circle.
Although he was barely able to deal with all of her attacks, Leon was gradually being overwhelmed by the difference in strength.
Although he thrust out his Flame Pillar, Kagali warded off the attack perfectly.
「Shut your trap. There's no need for me to get serious against someone like you.」
Leon answered without getting agitated.
The odds were against him. Which was exactly why it was not the time to panic.
Leon is someone who had awakened as a Hero. He was certain that with just his basic fighting power he was capable of defeating Kagali without relying on his ability.
However, that was a story from long ago.
At this point Kagali had become a spiritual life-form. Which means, although her appearance was an elf, her essence was something completely different.
Kagali――Demon Lord Kazaream―― was originally a long range support type devil who excelled at rear support.
Manipulating his pawns, he would skillfully achieve his goal.
Hence, she knew well that she wasn't strong enough to fight at the front herself.
Besides, if it was with her original Demon Lord body, she could fight at an ordinary devil's level, but her physical elf body wasn't suitable for fighting, she realized that when she was defeated by Damrada.
That was why, she reconstructed her body.
She completely dominated her body with Ultimate Skill『Dominion Lord Melchizedek』.
The current Kagali has the physical ability to be able to fight against Leon equally, and supporting her is『Dominion Lord Melchizedek』which provides her with high battle senses.
Thus, Leon's attack didn't reach Kagali, instead Kagali grew each time they clashed as she absorbed Leon's fighting style.
For Leon, he was in a very bad situation.
Though Leon was speaking as if he still had composure to spare, but he immediately realized that the situation was indeed abnormal.
On the other hand, just like what Kagali had said, the situation did not permit him to go all out.
Impatience rose in Leon since he had underestimated his opponent too much.
At that moment, one of Kagali's sword strikes finally grazed Leon's flank lightly. Leon received a small cut due to the tip of Kagali's sword entering a gap of his armor.
Kagali who saw that, smiled complacently as she laughed evilly.
「Ufufufu. Oh my, my my.
Leon, even for someone like you, are you finally unable to handle my sword?
My movement will become even faster you know? I wonder if you will be alright with that?
If you cry and apologize to me whilst prostrating on the ground and swear your allegiance to me, I will spare your life, you know?」
「Fu. Shut up, I don't need to lower my head to the likes of you!」
「Oh dear, I thought that you would say that.
Well then――」
So, she stopped talking for a moment, and deepened her evil smile.
And then,
「I'll make your beautiful face soggy with tears and covered with remorse!!
I'll strip you bare, cut off your limbs, turning you into a Daruma doll, and then I'll attach a collar on your neck and parade you around in front of the citizens whom you protected!!
Gyaaahahahahahahaha!!
It will be fun to see the despair on their faces once they see your miserable and unsightly self.
Even if they cry and beg for mercy, I won't spare them.
I'll slaughter them one by one in front of you, and at the end, turn them into dog food!」
She declared those words and laughed loudly.
「Hohohohoho. Wonderful!! As expected from captain!!」(Footman)
「Yes, so fun. I also like it!」(Tear)
「Indeed, I didn't have that idea. I didn't even think of that, what a brutal act!」(Laplace)
Hearing Kagali's remark, all members of the Moderate Clown Troupe praised her highly in excitement.
Even Leon frowned when he imagined it.
He thought that even a low-life had a limit.
Kagali smiled and grinned,
「Ufufufufu. It's okay, Leon.
Even if you destroy this country because you hate the idea of exposing your unsightly figure.
If you get serious, I too, am willing to be fair and square and fight with you seriously, you know?」
She provoked Leon with a sneer which was like saying "you won't be able do it".
Even if Leon chose to do it, it was not a problem for Kagali either.
At that time, she would beat Leon from the front and show off her strength.
Now, Kagali didn't sense any threat from Leon since she felt she had become strong.
If she could break Leon's high pride, she didn't care what sort of means she needed to take.
Leon saw that it wasn't a bluff from Kagali's expression.
If that was the case, Kagali could actually be equal to him or perhaps even stronger than him.
In any case, it would be difficult to put an end to this without casualties from the citizens with the way the things were going now.
「Leon-sama, please don't mind us!!」
「Against fiends like them, you mustn't let them escape!」
Alrose and Claude advised Leon together.
They were in their own desperate situations, however they didn't remain silent when Leon was made a fool of.
That's right. If he was defeated, the people in his country wouldn't remain safe after all.
(Forgive me, I will certainly kill this fiend!)
Leon steeled himself.
Either way, as long as he didn't defeat these fiends, his citizens' safety couldn't be guaranteed.
Then he would do the only thing he could.
Thinking so, he was going to release his powerful power――
「Please wait, Leon-sama. You do not need to worry, I have isolated this castle from the city.」
A clear woman's voice made him regain his senses.
A Devil Lord named Mizari. Also, the woman who was working together with Leon now.
With Mizari's ability, the castle was completely separated from the outside world.
Observing the situation, Mizari prioritized to take the most optimum action depending on the situation.
Thanks to her, the situation would change once again.
Kagali unpleasantly knitted her brows due to Mizari's appearance.
「Ah? Aren't you Guy's follower?
You were able to act on your own will, heh.
I certainly thought that you could only move by Guy's order.」
「It's been a long time, Kazaream-sama.
I certainly thought that you had died on some plain, but that stubbornness of yours is the same as before.」
「Fu, fufufufufu. Nice speach, for a small fry who only hides in Guy's shadow!!」
「You want to try me? Well anyway, it's this side's victory to buy some time.
Because I had asked Demon Lord Rimuru's aid, the reinforcements will come soon.」
「Huh? Demon Lord Rimuru's aid you say? Ku, kukuku, ufu, uhahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!」
Kagali burst into laughter due to Mizari's words.
It became a very loud laughter as Kagali's subordinates also joined in.
「What is so funny?」
Mizari asked her as she felt that it was strange.
「Ufufufufu. Demon Lord Rimuru has died you fool!!
That annoying Demon Lord is already gone. About this time, Rimuru's subordinates must be in the midst of pandemonium!
Whether due to an unsightly internal discord? Or are they splitting and naming themselves as the new Demon Lord?
Either way, this matter won't be settled quickly.
Of course, they won't be able to be reinforcements. Do you understand?」
As one might expect, Leon and Mizari changed their expressions since Kagali said it triumphantly.
It was too unexpected.
For that absurd Demon Lord Rimuru to be the one who lost first, that wasn't a story that they could believe so easily.
But, They didn't feel Kagali was telling a lie going from her looks.
「Impossible!? That stubborn Demon Lord wouldn't die so easily!」
「Rimuru-sama who was recognized by Guy-sama, that is impossible...」
Kagali who was filled with a sense of superiority due to the two's reactions, answered them.
「Ufufufufu.
Oh well, it may be good to taste your despair.
This Great War, our victory is already set in stone.
If you want to know why――
It's because Demon Lord Milim is the one who destroyed Demon Lord Rimuru.
Do you understand what this means?
The strongest beings, that is Demon Lord Guy Crimson and Demon Lord Milim Nava.
As well as that annoying Demon Lord Rimuru.
Among those three. Demon Lord Milim Nava is under Velda-sama's control.
And, Demon Lord Rimuru is dead.
The remaining one that we need to be cautious of is Demon Lord Guy Crimson alone.
And even that Guy will face the strongest hero. And――
Ufufufufu. So, can you understand with this, right?
Mizari, you will die in this place without being able to see Guy in his last moments.」
It shocked Mizari.
And even Leon.
To those two,
「Well, let us begin then.
Leon can go all out if this place is separated from the outside world.
In that case I shall fight seriously as well.
And, the two of you shall know despair!
Saying so, Kagali―― No, Kazaream's body changed.
From the beautiful elf's body into her optimized original Demon Lord Kazaream's body.
And then, with his gushing tremendous power he gripped Mizari and threw her to the ground.
For Kazaream, it was a simple warm up.
Mizari, who reacted late, received the attack directly.
Due to the collision with the tremendous energy, it seems she received some damage.
The close combat ability obviously also increased, if he was careless it was clear that Leon would experience the same thing as Mizari.
But, Leon had a smile on his lips.
「Don't be conceited, Kagali. No, Kazaream!
I will bury you once again like before.」
Leon responded such.
If it's in an isolated space, Leon can also fight seriously.
Mizari also had enough spare power, as she calmly took a stance.
Thus, in the castle that was completely separated from the outside world, the battle between Kazaream and Leon+Mizari began.
Leon decided that after he finishes this battle, he would check the authenticity of the story about Demon Lord Rimuru's death and switched over his thoughts.
Mizari too, as she thought that it was disrespectful for someone of her standing to be worried about her master, Demon Lord Guy Crimson, she concentrated her focus on the enemy in front of her.
Either way, whether that story was the truth or a lie, Kazaream was the enemy they needed to kill.
...…
...
…
And so the two people, discarded their pride in front of the despairing difference of power.
The awakened Kazaream introduced himself as a Great Demon Lord.
And, he proved the power suitable to that title.
The two came at him together, yet they couldn't defeat Kazaream.
One of the Four Fiends of the Heaven Commanders, Kazaream, had mastered his ability and cornered Leon and Co.
Then――
As the fight became more intense, the second day of the Great war passed on.