Chapter 141: Time for the Decisive Battle, Deogandai!

Time for the Decisive Battle, Deogandai!

* * *

Hiiiiiiiin……

Over the overcast fortress city of Liheid.

The northern plains at the foot of the Ranrananga demon realm mountains are enveloped in a purple light accompanied by a shrill sound.

A large-scale teleportation magic.

Left standing on the plains as the light faded were the Demon Lord’s Army’s middle-ranked commander Deogandai and 100 massive dark magic wolves.

“……Kukuku……Kukakaka……Kukakakakakaka!!”

Trembling with excitement while being caressed by the southerly wind, Deogandai checked his watch – it was 7 AM.

Soon, the preparations he had made should be triggering.

By now, the adventurers infected by the parasitic mushroom spores should have transformed into monsters, and the mad tadpoles should be bursting from the waterways to assault the residents.

Liheid’s interior must have already devolved into hell!

“Well then, this is a battle with a predetermined victor……allow me to fire the opening salvo first. Kukaka!”

Saying that, Deogandai took out a cylindrical magical tool, placed it on the ground, and lit the fuse.

Paan! Pan, Paaaan!

The sound of signal flares resounded around the fortress city of Liheid.

……The signal to commence operations!

The soldiers keeping watch on the town’s outer walls could be seen panicking.

“Kukakakaka! Listen well, humans! I am the Puppeteer Deogandai, middle-ranked commander of the Demon Lord’s Army! …’Lightning, become my spear! Pierce through all! 【Thunder Spear】!'”

While declaring that speech, Deogandai began unleashing magic attacks against the outer walls!

Thunder spears struck the stone ramparts with a zuun sound.

The town of Liheid trembled.

“By the Demon Lord’s command! This town shall be destroyed! Resistance is futile, but pleading for your lives is equally futile! People of Liheid, young and old, men and women, nobles and commoners alike, all shall offer your heads to me! ……’Lightning, become my spear! Pierce through all! 【Thunder Spear】!'”

Zuuun!

Deogandai’s magic shook the town of Liheid once more.

These spells he was unleashing were merely a diversion.

The main objective was having the huge red boar breach the eastern gate.

He needed to lure as many soldiers as possible to this northern side, depleting the defensive forces at the eastern gate.

Incidentally, Deogandai was using a voice amplification magical tool, so his voice clearly carried to the soldiers gathering on the northern walls.

Also, to avoid revealing his incantations and looking undignified, he would switch off the tool during chants each time.

Such meticulous attention to detail enhanced his aura of malice and terror.

(Kukuku! Tremble more, humans! Weaklings!)

As he continued his declarations, Deogandai was growing rather pleased with himself.

He ended up firing a few more diversion spells than originally planned.

As a middle-ranked commander, Deogandai only had decent ability stats.

He didn’t possess infinite magic power to keep firing large-scale destructive spells endlessly, so he needed to use it conservatively according to plan.

However, Deogandai was confident in his strategy.

By now, the town’s interior should be under ravage by the parasitic mushrooms and mad tadpoles, and the eastern gate would soon be breached.

Liheid would fall without Deogandai needing to directly fight.

A bit of wasted magic power was just showing off, he figured.

That’s how Deogandai was thinking, utterly composed and unruffled.

At least, until this very moment.

“You there, demon! Stop attacking the town!!”

The tide shifted the instant that youthful yet resolute voice rang across the plains.

The voice’s owner leapt down from the outer walls that should have been quite high and dashed alone toward Deogandai with sword drawn!

“……Who might you be?”

Feigning calmness with an air of arrogance, Deogandai questioned the voice’s owner.

……However!

Deogandai had already realized it!

The true identity of……the red-haired boy pointing his sword at him!

That appearance matched reports he had seen!

(Oh, oh wait, wait! Red hair and red eyes!? Could it be, is that actually……!?)

“I am the hero! The hero Torch Fenoben! The one who will put a stop to your vile demons’ schemes!”

(Ahhhhhhhhhh!! He really is the hero—!?)n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Cold sweat gushed like a fountain down Deogandai’s back, drenching him!

(Why!? Why why why!? Why is the hero here–!?)

The hero was a formidable foe who even defeated the special combat officer Ice Blade Caro!

As a mere middle-ranked commander, Deogandai stood little chance in a direct confrontation!

“Grurlll……”

“!!”

However, upon hearing the dark magic wolves behind him growling, Deogandai regained his composure.

(Thank you, dark magic wolf-chans! ……That’s right, calm down Deogandai. What was your objective? Not to defeat the hero, but to destroy Liheid! And that will be achieved by the monsters soon without me fighting! The hero’s presence here was unexpected, but it doesn’t change what I must do! ……For now, I just need to stall for time!!)

Recalling his original role as a diversion, Deogandai resolved to fulfill it.

“The hero, is it……Hmph, I’ve heard of you. You’ve been quite the repeated hindrance to us. Perfect timing, I’ve been wanting to have a chat with you!”

“What was that!? I have nothing to discuss with the likes of you!”

Conversation!

Deogandai would converse!

Converse to stall for time!

He would lose if they fought!

“Now now, don’t say that. Kukuku, I’m rather fond of chatting, you see……!”

“What was that!? You like chatting!?”

(No, what kind of response was that!?)

Deogandai inwardly critiqued himself!

While the hero Torch was a powerful warrior blessed by the 【Holy Goddess’s Protection】, his psyche was still immature and childish.

Hence, he would tense up before battles and blurt out nonsensical retorts!

It couldn’t be helped, really!

“Y, yes. I like chatting, you see……! So……umm, well……”

“…………”

“…………”

“Well, if you like chatting so much, then chat already!!”

This time it was the silent Deogandai being prodded by the hero!

(Dammit—!! Why am I being the straight man while you play the fool!? Your inane comments made me forget what I was about to say!!)

Inwardly fuming, Deogandai realized this was actually a good flow!

A conversation had arisen, successfully stalling for time!

……However!

“Shishi! Torch, didn’t I always tell you not to charge in alone!?”

“Please rely on us comrades more!”

It seemed Deogandai wasn’t the only one successfully stalling for time.

The scout Zydeo and priestess healer Chiron who had rushed out from the town stood beside the hero Torch!

“E, everyone……sorry!”

Despite his apology, Torch’s face beamed!

(Ahhhhhhhhh!! His comrades increased—!!)

Deogandai screamed internally!!

However, his nightmare was far from over!

“We won’t let the hero-kun hog the spotlight!! We’ll show the might of the margrave’s army to the Demon Lord’s forces—!!”

“Ooooooooooohhh!!”

Raising a war cry, a massive force of the margrave’s soldiers led by Margrave Manju himself began advancing onto the plains!

“Can’t rely on just the soldiers, can we!?”

“Liheid is our town! We’ll defend it ourselves!”

“Don’t underestimate the Liheid spirit—!!”

Then nonchalantly shouting as they ran over were adventurers operating from Liheid – a force rivaling the soldiers in number!

“W, wait! Wait wait wait wait—!!”

Suddenly faced with swarming masses of humans alongside the 100 dark magic wolves, Deogandai frantically let out a panicked shout!!

“No, this doesn’t make sense! These numbers don’t make sense! You guys, you’re just leaving the town’s interior!? The mushroom monsters and tadpole monsters are ravaging it, aren’t they!? Why would you all abandon that and come here!?”

“……………………”

Silence dominated the scene.

“……What is he blathering about……”

Someone among the humans muttered that.

“Mushrooms? Tadpoles?”

“What is he talking about?”

“Just an attempt to sow confusion among us.”

“Ha! Who would fall for such empty bluffs!”

Hearing their muttered responses, Deogandai realized.

He realized it.

That all his preparations had failed to trigger.

For reasons unknown.

The parasitic mushrooms and.

The mad tadpoles.

Had failed to inflict even a single scratch upon the fortress city of Liheid!!

(This is bad!! Bad bad bad—!!!)

The word “defeat” flashed through Deogandai’s mind!

His blood ran cold!!

Cold sweat gushed even more!!

His trembling wouldn’t stop!!

(Is, is there no recourse……!?)

Deogandai’s thoughts spun at an unprecedented speed, surpassing anything he had experienced in his life until now!

(Ah! That’s it! The eastern gate! With this many people gathered in the north, the eastern defenses must be stretched thin!!)

If the planned 400 dark magic wolves and huge red boar attacked there, it would deal a massive blow to Liheid!

While not enough to destroy it outright, that would be sufficient given how things have turned out!

He could exploit the ensuing human disarray from that assault to escape from this place!

Yes, that’s acceptable!

The conquest of the fortress city Liheid would just need to be reattempted!

He’d launch another invasion on a later date!

For that, stalling for time was crucial!

Until the eastern gate attack commenced, he had to keep this massive human force pinned here!

“Ahhhhh! Ahem! Listen, humans!!”

Suppressing the urge to cry, Deogandai shouted loudly!!

“On this fine day, the circumstances are most favorable……!!”

“No, not really though……”

“What is he blathering about?”

“What is there for him to say here?”

Deogandai’s abruptly incoherent speech only confused the humans!

However, in this situation, Deogandai himself was the most confused of all!!

(Dammit! Dammit dammit dammit!! Why hasn’t the eastern gate attack started yet!? What are the dark magic wolf-chans and huge red boar-chan I left in the eastern forest doing–!?)

Deogandai inwardly screamed, he didn’t know how many times that day!

……It was at that moment!!

Dodododododo……

The rumbling of something rapidly approaching from the distance could be heard.

The sound of a massive force charging this way at tremendous speed.

“!?”

“What’s that!?”

Startled, the humans turned to look, their eyes going wide at the astonishing sight.

An uncountable horde of dark magic wolves……the colossal, mountain-like huge red boar too!!

They were rapidly closing in at full speed toward this location!!

“Wh, what is that monster horde!?”

“Reinforcements! For that demon!”

“The bastard, was he just stalling for time while waiting for this!?”

(No—— !! No no no!! This wasn’t part of the plan!! Why are they all coming this way–!!)

Deogandai was on the verge of panic, but he couldn’t lose his composure!

The 100 dark magic wolves waiting behind as diversion forces were growling uneasily.

He had to avoid the crisis of his agitation spreading to render them useless as combat forces.

The reason why the eastern gate invasion force ignored their orders to come here was unclear, but given the circumstances, he had no choice but to go with the flow!

He would clash head-on with the entire human army!

There was no strategy left, and with the hero present, victory was unlikely!

However, straightforward directions were easy to follow!

Even if a sudden change of plans, it was simple to understand!

The monsters wouldn’t be confused and could follow orders!

He could still inflict considerable damage on the humans!

This was his only recourse!!

“Kukakakakaaaaaah!! Well arrived, my forces——!!”

Deogandai let out a bellowing laugh befitting the dimwitted Four Archdemons he inwardly mocked, raising his right arm forcefully while his robe billowed!

“Go forth! Trample them! Tear them apart! The humans! Lay utter waste——!!”

Declaring that, he swung his right arm down, pointing his blade at the human army!

The humans’ tension heightened!

……However!!

“Kyain!!”

“Kyain kyain!!”

“Fugoooo!! Fugogaaah!!”

The monsters’ behavior was strange.

As if cowering in terror, they madly rushed past, reaching all the way behind Deogandai.

But instead of reinforcing him there, still rumbling as they ran, they fled off in another direction entirely.

“Hah? Eh?”

Deogandai was momentarily stupefied by their inexplicable actions.

“Kyain!?”

“Kyain!? Kyain!?”

Moreover, even the 100 dark magic wolves waiting behind for the diversion seemed to sense something, letting out uneasy howls before fleeing to join the retreating horde!

“No, eh!? W, wait, eh!? Why!? Wait wait!?”

Deogandai let out a pitiful cry.

How did this happen!?

That single question dominated his mind.

However, the answer would soon become clear.

Trailing slightly behind the dark magic wolves, Deogandai and the opposing humans all.

Sensed the ferocious presence rapidly approaching, pursuing the fleeing monsters!!

Both Deogandai and the humans instinctively turned toward that presence.

There was a girl.

Donning tattered rags, raven black hair rippling in the wind, murderous intent blazing in her black eyes.

Completely contrary to the chilling, ferocious aura she exuded.

Even from a distance, for some reason, the only comprehension was that she was “beautiful.”

Such an abnormal girl racing to pursue the monsters at an extraordinary speed was coming this way.

Deogandai thought it!!

The humans thought it too!!

(Who……!!)

Without slowing her momentum at all, the girl kicked up a whirlwind yet somehow made not a sound as she passed like the wind itself, showing no interest in the confrontation between Deogandai and the humans as she gave chase.

All that remained was billowing dust.

Even that was swept away by the southerly wind, leaving nothing behind.

“……………………”

Now alone, Deogandai and the massive human army stared at each other in silence.

Any chance of victory was gone.

This was impossible.

Deogandai’s heart was overcome with the feeling of defeat.

Undoubtedly a failure.

No matter how he struggled, the operation was a failure.

He was.

A loser.

Incompetent.

Useless.

As despair threatened to consume him, a memory resurfaced in Deogandai’s mind.

The emaciated face of the special combat officer Ice Blade Caro, who accumulated failure after failure until being demoted.

It was utterly wretched.

Deogandai never wanted to end up like that.

He never wanted to die like that.

It terrified him.

Because achieving great accomplishments and earning the acknowledgment of all demons.

That alone was Deogandai’s purpose in life.

He could flee from here.

But he could not.

Flee from here!

Within Deogandai’s despairing, chilled heart, the flame of dignity ignited!!

From an outside perspective, it may seem a foolish choice.

However, for him, there was no other path left!!

“Uooooooohhhh!!!”

Letting out the kind of blustering shout he had inwardly mocked from the dimwitted Four Archdemons, Deogandai steeled himself!!

Tossing aside his robe, he drew the sword at his hip despite not being particularly skilled with it, pointing the blade at the human army!!

“I am Deogandai!! A middle-ranked commander of the Demon Lord’s Army!! People of the fortress city of Liheid!! And the so-called hero defying the Demon Lord!! All of you, all of you……diiiiiieeeeeee!!”

Screaming that, Deogandai charged at the hero!

The battle of predetermined defeat had begun!!