Kyogoku's head was blown off and fresh blood danced there.

''Stop!''

Suddenly the knight by your side starts shouting.

Stop it........it's impossible.
I've already killed him.

At that moment, a magic circle appears at my feet.

I reflexively jump backwards to avoid it.
Immediately afterwards, a bunch of dancing chains appeared from that magic circle.

''I see, so it's a restraining spell.''

Get the man!

And the King of Dames Aldan, who orders his knights to bind me.

"Am I now expelled from school?

I'm over that phase already!

Oswald is furious.
For a moment, I almost laugh at his words.

I take a step away from him.

'I don't see the point of being caught?'

No need to explain. You know that better than anyone, don't you?　You fools who use the power you have been given only for your own greed!

Schneizel, King of Dames Aldan, looked down at me, and then there was a look of disdain in his eyes.

'Foolishness? You're the one who's being stupid. I agreed to Kyogoku's duel, and I only agreed to do it because Kyogoku wanted it. You have no right to bind his will or his life to me. Do you think the king can do whatever he wants?　You think it's okay to violate students' rights, don't you?　You human kings are the epitome of folly in this world.

You!　How dare you address your Majesty!

One of the knights blames me.

'What?'　What's next for disrespect? ........it's not even close to being stupid.

You've committed only one crime. Murder!

'I understand that this is Academy property,' he said, 'but that's not my problem. But that's not my problem. Does the school rules say you can't kill people on the grounds?　Hmm? 　And Kyogoku's life doesn't belong to you. Kyogoku's life belongs to Kyogoku alone. What you do with that life is up to you. And Kyogoku has declared that he is willing to put his life on the line for a fight with me. I also warned you, Oswald, not to stop me no matter what. That's the truth.

But Schneizel's expression didn't change and he replied nonchalantly.

'This is a very common sense conclusion. There is no need to discuss it. If you want to call it the truth, it is that in this tournament you killed with a clear will. This fact does not change. And that's enough to give us grounds to hold you. Just catch me quietly....

So ... war?

When I muttered that, Schneizel's eyes changed.
Of course, I was only joking, but if these guys are in the mood, it can't be helped.

I make a dungeon vortex appear beside me.

''Vel it's time to go.

Then a voice comes from behind the vortex.

'Aiyo ... master.'

I took out the staff, the Great Wand of Welfegor.

"Long time no see, isn't it?

I haven't summoned a Vel since I destroyed Greberg.

"...talking...wand?

Oswald is surprised by Vel.
I remember that the "talking wand" in this world is an "existence" that only exists in fairy tales.
There is even an expression in magic called 'wand-speaking wand-class'.
At any rate, to these guys, a talking wand is something that is not supposed to exist in this world.

I'm not sure. I've been wondering why, in a world where magic exists, a talking wand is considered a fairy tale.　Why is there a difference between us and your concept of the abyss?

What are you talking about?

Oswald raises a question mark.

'Convenience!　I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is, I just know that this abyss was so inconvenient for you guys. Didn't some of you once decide that?　That's why there are no abysses in this world, no talking wands. It was crafted by someone to prevent it from being easily touched. There is always someone's will in there.

....

Schneizel also raises a question mark without speaking back.

'Don't you see?　Or are you just in love with it?　Now I understand what Sabrina said. Why was it that you principals knew about the abyss and were told to keep an eye on it... the founders of this school were two of Adams' disciples, right?　Then the root of all evil is Adams.

The Spirit King, a relic of Adams, said the same thing as these guys.

''Abyssal Fools... that's how you guys were unknowingly controlled by Adams' thoughts. There is no such thing as an abyssal fool. And ... you humans always have been. Adams is one?　Selfish reasons bind things and people together. So does this situation.

Adamus, the mage of creation, was a wizard of the abyss.
And it's not an exaggeration to say that Adams is so "alive" in this world that there are no people who don't know his name.
What Sarah, the Spirit King, said.
The three taboos on the abyss that Adamus is said to have left behind.
I don't know what that means, but in this world, Adams is treated like a god, and all of his lore is rooted in the world.
They range from the superficial to the profound.

That's ridiculous. You're thinking too fast. You're a criminal. You will only be allowed to speak up during the Inquisition. Now you are not free to speak.

Schneizel gave him a sharp look.

''Enough of this bullshit, just get the hell out of there, okay?

But when I said that, the knight didn't move.

'What?　You're scared.　Right?　You understand. You don't know that you can't hold me.

'Catch me quietly, or you will be hunted by the whole world from now on. And the Empire. I can still do something with my power.

"Huh... the king's power. What do you want by taming me?　The Empire?　Is the Empire really that scary?　Why don't you guys just leave them alone?

You don't know the Emperor, Uranos. You don't know the Emperor Uranos. He was a genius who was accepted into the Victoria's College of the End when he was very young. His magic is immeasurable, and he has a talent for magic. I know him well. I know him well, and his schemes must be prevented.

The Academy of the End? ...I believe it was the pinnacle of the three major wizarding schools in the world.
It's said that only those who are admitted are allowed to enter.

Your crime of killing Kyogoku-dono should not be overlooked. But as a king, I'll still do what's best for you. For the sake of the world, your crime is easy. Nito please catch me quietly, please.

And then Schneizel does what any king would do.

It was then that I--

Hmm?



----.



---...a part of the auditorium suddenly exploded loudly.

''Nah!''

Schneizel is surprised.

For a little while now, I had a feeling that it was somehow noisy outside.
But it's no wonder that these guys didn't notice it.
"They" are probably wearing some kind of magic tool, hiding their magical power.


Furthermore, an explosion occurred in a part of the hall and the walls collapsed.

The hall is filled with smoke and screams.
Spectators flee in a panic.
People are being pushed down, some of them women and children.
The people who had been disgusted with me a moment ago are running away, kicking down everyone around them, just for their own safety.
A number of such scenes are spreading.

It's ugly...after all, this is what humans are like. But that doesn't mean it's bad. I don't feel anything for these guys anymore.

And when the smoke cleared, what I saw was a huge hole in the hall.
The outside and inside were open.

And one by one, herds rushed in from there.

'What is that! .....

Schneizel stared at him.

''Demons! .... right?

Puzzled, Oswald replies.

It's faster than I thought.
They must want the Toa quite badly.
That's why I should have killed them then.
But now there's nothing we can do about it.

One by one, a crowd of demons entered the hall.
There were all sorts of shapes and sizes there.
Some had horns, some didn't, but their skin was purple.
There are also those who look like humans, and those who have sharp claws that look like beasts.
Even though they are called demons, they vary in appearance.

But the difference is this powerful magical power.
It's as if the magic power has been colored.
It gives me a different impression from other races.

The Toa also has a special magic power wave, but I think it's different from these guys.
She's a princess, and I wonder if the Toa are more special?

As soon as the demon tribe entered the hall, they attacked the crowd who were fleeing at random.
I could see them screaming and dying with tears streaming down their faces.

There were pieces of flesh and blood splatters dancing around.

''It's like a splatter movie...''

He muttered to himself.

'Your Majesty!'

"Yes, I know!　We'll deal with Lord Nito later. I don't know what the situation is, but I'll take care of those men first!

Following Schneizel's orders, the knights who had surrounded me went to the auditorium to rescue me.


He wants me to help him somehow.

Just as I was getting late, I heard a siren and an announcement.

It seems that the hall is being surrounded by demons.

And then, after passing through the venue and the downtown area lined with towns and hotels, I'm on a grassy field.
There's a hill beyond that where you can look down on the town and the venue, but it seems that another herd has appeared there as well.
However, they said they didn't know the details of it.

Would you go to such lengths just to get Toa?
........I feel a strange feeling.
I feel like there's something I don't know about yet.
Otherwise, I don't know the meaning of going to this extent.
Maybe being the daughter of the Demon King means something so important.

By the way, who is this announcement informing?
Oswald?　Sabrina?　These are the organizers, right?

When I checked my surroundings, I found that the masses of power accumulated in the VIP section had also begun to evacuate.
They were fleeing from the civilians who were being killed.

''Your Majesty!　You need to get out of here first!　I'll hold them off in the meantime.

Oswald kicks away the demons that enter the field.

'Mm, I know. But still ... what does that mean?　Why are the demons so........

I don't know.

'This is clearly governed. No way!　Has the demon kingdom moved on?!

I don't know ... yet. We'll have to wait to find out the cause of the problem, but Your Majesty will have to go.

Schneizel was watching the situation with a grim expression as it suddenly hit the hall.
It seems that she can only catch the devastation with her eyes.
And it's not just ordinary people who are affected.

--The students of the magic school are being cut down too easily.

A battle of students versus demons had begun everywhere in the auditorium.

''After all, the study of magic is useless, isn't it?''

They're demons. It won't be easy.

Oswald glares at me with a grim expression.

Then I see Toa and the others running towards me.
Apparently they had jumped over the fence of the auditorium.

Of course, I was always on the lookout for them.
If the three of us were to be attacked, I would be able to run to them immediately.

''Nito........''

When he looks at me, Toa looks at me with an upset stare.

I know........I killed a student right in front of me.
And there, plus this situation........it seems like Toa doesn't know what to look like.
His emotions seemed to be unstable as well.
I hope he doesn't have another weird seizure....

Negative emotions could be felt from Toa.
But it wasn't just the Toa.
Of course, Sufilia has the same expression on her face as usual.
But Nem's behavior is strange.

''Master? ...Why did you kill him? .....

Those were Nem's first words.

''.....

I couldn't say the words right away.

Kyogoku was one of the heroes. So I killed him.
And he could be a threat.
That's why, if I said that now, they wouldn't be convinced.

'Nito-sama, I'm proud of you. That man wanted to die. Otherwise, he would never have challenged Nito-sama to a duel for his life.

Sufilia replied with her own fullness.

No one heard the conversation between me and Kyogoku.
Kyogoku was always very careful.
I don't want my identity to be exposed.

'No, he didn't want to die.

I deny it outright.
I'm sure Sufilia thought she followed through.
But I'll say what I think.
I can't lie.

'Then why!　Why did you kill him?!

Then Toa questioned me, as if to spit out what he had been holding back.

'You didn't have to kill him, did you?!

There were tears in Toa's eyes.
At the same time, Nem was crying next to him.

''........''

What's that?　No regrets...........?

When I saw the expression on their faces, I suddenly felt a pain in my chest.
But.........I knew that this was going to happen.
When I blew Kyogoku's head off, I was mindless.
I wasn't thinking about anything.
When I remembered, it was just a few minutes ago, but my memory was somehow fuzzy.

I always remember memories like images.
But the scene from just now doesn't come to mind.

.........

What is it?　I'm.....

"Master Nito?

Then, Sufilia was looking at my face with concern.

''........I have a reason. But.........I can't tell you right now.......

....

....

There was no response from the two of them.


At that time, a winged demon tribe appeared from the sky.

''Toatrica-sama!　We're coming up for you!

The purple demon tribe pointed its silvery sword tip at the two men next to the Toa.

''Your target is Toa. You're one of that demon tribe's friends, after all.

I moved from there to next to that guy falling from the sky in an instant and took a kick to the gut.

'Ggghhhh!'

The demon tribe's belly explodes, and its split upper and lower bodies fly into the audience.

Oswald, on the other hand, wiped out the demon tribe around him with a variety of magic and unleashed long-range magic on the demon tribe in the distance.
Small grains of magic power are released from the palms of his hands.
But it was not a latch.

''Nito........''

Then Oswald halted the attack.

"You may despise us," said Oswald, "but we have always done the best we could. You may despise us, but we have always done our best to protect everything we can.

Suddenly, Oswald speaks as if he is reformed.

It's true that most kings are fools who use their power only for their own personal gain. But we don't have the power to resist...

So you're not going to do anything...

A long time ago, I was a mage, and I prayed for peace in the world and did good deeds. I swore that I would use the power I had been given to save everyone without discrimination. This was for the sake of the world, and he thought it was the only thing I could do. Before long, I was called a Grand Mage, and when I came to, I was the headmaster of Ficianatica.

Oswald's emotions are palpable.
A deep sadness, a regret.

And then I was reminded of it. And I realized that darkness lurks in the shadows of the world and that this is what darkness is all about. The former headmaster, who entrusted me with this school, was weak as if his strength had been sucked out of him. He was not suffering from a disease. He could not endure the darkness. I can understand that now. His eyes had already lost their power and he was dead. But he told me to protect the school. He said it was the only way to stop the chaos and keep the peace in this world.

What's the point of talking to me about it?　Bottom line, you guys just want to keep an eye on the abyss, don't you?

'O Nito, you have power. It can go either way, depending on how you use it. You now face the darkness. It is a mighty darkness. Darkness is by nature unseen. It lurks in the shadows, unseen by most eyes. But a great darkness blocks the light, and sooner or later it will lead the world into chaos. When the darkness becomes public knowledge, this world will fall. You can't do everything as you wish. There is evil and justice, that's all. That's all that matters, and that's why peace will be maintained. As long as the world turns a blind eye to the darkness trapped in the shadows and rests on it, no more darkness will come. That is what peace is all about.

....

Think. Think about the meaning of power you are strong. But you are not strong enough. But you cannot rest on your laurels, now that you have the power. Be strong, Nito.... and think again about what only you can do.

After saying that, Oswald turned away from me and went to join in.

''.........''

Kyogoku's body lying at his feet.
The head has disappeared.

'Nito ... that person ... you know him, right?

Toa asks in interrupted words.
Why did you kill him even though you knew him?　That's what Toa would say.

Toa asked quietly, not raising his voice as he had done earlier.

'No I don't really know.

So... why?　Why did you kill him?

It's...

Because I felt like I was the only one who was alone...

Thrown unreasonably into a world I didn't know, I wandered.
Alone for a while....

All the while, these guys have been cuddling up to each other, and they've been fooling around with their loneliness.
They're already connected by something I don't know.


--A bond.


Is it because they went through the same thing?
Is it because we were always together in the midst of all that?

But.....

"I told you, Tor ... what about these guys?　You left me for dead, you know?　You're free to help or not, of course. But I still have that feeling of abandonment inside me. That won't go away any time soon.

An unspeakable sadness always racked my head.

'I felt like it was slowly easing as I spent my days with Sierra, Toa, Nem and Sufilia. But then........I remembered. Once you remember, you have to forget again from scratch. I'll have to start all over again from the beginning, to forget the resentment and sadness. Every time I do that, I....I'm the only one who suffers. Why do I have to go through this alone, I always wonder. Every time I remember........　I can't get over it. No matter how much time has passed, it hasn't gone away.　So.........I killed it.

--I had to kill him.

I had to kill it, to get rid of the darkness inside me.

"Nem I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being such a miserable man after all that you've done for me, for being such a miserable 'master'. I'm... I'm sorry.

Nemu deserves a more suitable host.
You needn't concern yourself with me.

'Toa I'll get you home, I promise. The journey ends there....

That's ... for the best.

....

Toa looks at me and spins his mouth.

'I'm going with Nito-sama.

"No, Sufilia, you will be taken to the Oracle. There you will end your journey with me. You're a princess, aren't you?　Then you shouldn't be with a bad guy like me.

Sufilia's eyes widened at those words.
And immediately, she got down to hide her face.

Well I'm here and that's why we're all going to die.
And maybe that's why I lost Toa in the future.
Then I should leave.

If I do, no one will die, not even Toa.

-- a scream that envelops the hall.

Toa had an expression of grief on his face as he watched the scene.

That's right........Toa is that kind of guy.

It's pure, isn't it?

'In the world I was in, right?　There was no such thing as elves or dwarves, beastmen or demons. It was fantasy and fiction.

The three of them had a depressed look on their faces but a question mark on their faces, probably because they spoke so abruptly.

'So come on ... to me, guys, it's a dream. You're taking me to another world.......a dream. That's why I don't want to kill them....that's why I want to save them. But.....


I'm not cut out to be a hero, after all.

Maybe that was a mistake to begin with. I was discriminated against deep down in my heart. It's really a simple thing........It doesn't matter if you're a beast, a demon, or a human. That's why........

So, let's just try to do one last good deed in front of the three of us.

Demon I'm going to kill you.

It was no longer a bloodbath there.
Perhaps it was even worse outside.
And the damage is even worse.

Because I was the one who missed the guy.
The Toa may not remember.

"What do you think, Toa?　Should I ... save everyone?

No matter how much it's for Toa and Nem, I don't have enough heart left to help humans anymore.
That's why I need a nudge.
The Toa's encouragement....

"If the Toa wish, I'll help them ... even if they're human ...

Then, for a moment, I felt like Vel was staring at me.

The demon tribe is the same race as the Toa.
If you want to help them, you have to kill the demon tribe.

''Nito........''

Hmm?

As soon as I looked into your eyes, my mind was made up.

"Help us, guys, help us--

Toa said clearly.

'....Okay.

And that's my answer.

'Just one more time I'll be a hero.