Hey, you are of the same blood as the Ciarat, aren't you?

　The Khalifa group passed through the city center of Sigmaduceus.
　And then they pushed through the crowds of people who were getting busier and busier and proceeded to the tower located in the center of the country - the castle of the king.

　At first, the Khalifa were hiding behind the buildings as they made their way through the back alleys, but the disturbance of the Masamune's disturbance may have had an effect on the noise that could be heard in the city, and the people who were passing by began to be confused.
　As a precaution, I hurriedly passed by the edge of the public road.

Well, that's about it for now," said Ignotus.
'Now?　What do you mean. I was just wondering, what is Nito doing in this organization?　And it doesn't look like the organization is just for Zephyr.
You know, the protection of the species?　...I don't know anything about that. Ask him about that kind of thing.
'I mean, I haven't even been told what Zephyr is, Polon. On the contrary, I'd like to ask you, Polon, what is this intrusion for, Polon.
What, what, of course, is that of course...

　Khalifa realizes that Masamune isn't talking to them.
　Then perhaps there must be some reason for it.

'From the looks of it, you guys don't seem to be human, but that doesn't mean you're beastmen either.
I don't know what this is, demon tribe! And Felsen.
I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this," he said.

　I'm sure you'll find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.
　It's not as strong as the current Adolf, but it's far stronger than Ignotus.
　It's not as strong as the current Adolf, but it's much stronger than Ignotus.

It's a good thing that you're a member of this organization, but what is this organization? It's completely different from what Viciousas told me. I'm not sure that a monster like her still wants to join...
Because I didn't see it in the magickal newsletter, Pollon.
That's quite right, brother. Even a girl like this can't sense magic.

　The three of them stared at the Khalifa.

'....What, me?
Who else is here? What's your magic?　It's not like he doesn't have magical powers, is it? So you're with him?
Yeah, well, of course I have magic.
Yeah. And you're human?
I'm not human. I'm a meta-human.

　The three of them rolled their eyes at the same time.

''What......... Another ancient species?''
I'm surprised there are any survivors, Polon.
'For the record, the chief of this country is also a superhuman. If Nito's story is true.
''You're a joke,'' Ignotus laughed in disgust. 'So how come your skills don't work on you?
Skills?

　Ignotus had been exercising the 《Magic Eye of Truth》 from earlier.
　But it didn't work on Khalifa.

''I can't see the status,''
Oh, I see. You can use the Devil's Eye of Truth, can't you? But that kind of skill won't work on me, I'm insulated.
Isolated?　What's that?
By the way, you must be a high-ranking demon to be able to use the True Magic Eye, right?
Yeah, I'm the Demon King.
Demon King? Khalifa couldn't organize the information anymore.
'd*mn, you're being too loud.
I'm sorry.
It doesn't matter. Are we in the center here?

　After a futile conversation, the four of them arrived at the tower's towering location.

'....Perhaps,' gasped Khalifa.
'Let's just get them and get back. I don't like being in a strange country for so long. We don't have anything to offer you.
I sense a disturbing spell, my brother.
Yeah, I know. It's from here.
'I remember Polon...'
Yeah. That's the family. Did Nito account for this?
Hey, I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. What are you talking about?
I thought he was talking to you, but he's not.
So what are you talking about?
Rickman is here.
Rickman?　It's the human race that I believe was destroyed one day, right?
Yeah, we destroyed it.
Eh....
I have a descendent inside that I failed to kill.
"What do you think, brother, Poron?　You probably won't stand a chance against Uranos, Polon.
No, it's okay. You've got this legendary Khalifa guy right here.

　Ignotus gives a hateful smile.

'Wait, Uranos is here?　So does that mean this is his magic?
Yeah. If you run into him, you're in charge. If you go in there, there's no way around it. He knows. And there are three other ones smaller than Uranos.
You're his son.
Yeah. You know, human fertility is a terrible thing.

　Ignotus was alarmed, to the point where his forehead was covered in sweat.
　But he was also half relieved. This is because the Khalifa is there.
　The Khalifa's magic was so tremendous that it made the three of them trust it.







　The battle between Masamune and Adolf continued.

'Apparently, there is indeed a fundamental difference between you and I.'
You're just finding out now?

　The two of them were inside the circular square as the white water dismissed the crowd of royalty that Masamune had summoned.
　In the process of retreating, they found themselves in a coliseum of sorts.

'But I'm still better at handling the abyss than you are.
Professor, please, sir.
'This is a difference in levels and perhaps in existence. Your existence seems enormous.
Unfortunately, I have a very special status.
There is no superiority of the abyss, for there is no superiority of the will. There is no superiority of the will. With a certain amount of will and desire, you become an abyss.
What's that?
'That's what Victoria taught me, Uranos told me.

　The enforcer's axe and straight sword meet violently.
　But it was Adolph who was wounded in the hand and his stamina was reduced.
　Masamune's (Xiaon) swordsmanship overwhelmed Adolf's skills.
　But Masamune had no intention of killing him, and Adolf found it baffling.

'What do you mean by that?'
...what?
"You're not going to kill me...
...and if so, what do you think that means?

　Masamune was proud of his victory.
　He was proud of himself.

'That's what I'm asking you.
'Read the emotions. If you're better at handling the abyss than I am, you'll understand.
....a diversion. ...disturbance. Some kind of plot...
'I've sent my people to the heart of the country. We know you possess the body of the Zephyr for some reason.
Okay, I see.

　Adolph looked gutted, but his voice was extremely calm.

'You were a Zephyr messenger in the first place, weren't you?
You'll give it to me.
................Khalifa!

　-- Adolph's expression lost its calm and he turned back to the center of the town -- the direction of the tower.

'You're right.'

　Masamune smiles wryly as he finally realizes.

'I'm not going to slaughter people as senselessly as you are. It would be painful to find out how many of each and every one of these people in this country are.'
'You're going to let the Khalifa collect it... no, I see. That's why you need a body. ...You're going to bring Zephyr back to life?

　Turning his gaze back to Masamune, Adolf asks.

'Now we can meet our friends.'
Object generation can take years. And he's not my best friend anymore. He's the traitor who took everything from me.

　Masamune's mind was currently thinking of a book of fairy tales.

''The ... nameless adventurer.
You're one of my readers.
Masamune furrows his eyebrows.
It was me who wrote that. Well, magic, if you will. It's a kind of magic. People knew Zephyr as a nameless adventurer, they knew what happens when you betray your friends and the folly of the act, and it's still ingrained in many of us. Even though it's been two hundred years, maybe three hundred or more, since we left our former beyoment, I can't get the faces of my father and mother who saw me off that day out of my mind. My time has not moved since then. I don't know, if you have the same abyss, you might understand a little bit.
....
It's useless.
........." questioning Masamune.
''You think I'm going to fall for the schemes of someone like you?''
....
I won't let you leave for free, I have my pieces in that tower. I don't know who else I've put in there besides Khalifa, but they're all going to die.

　Adolph could see through the thoughts of his childhood friend, Khalifa.
　It was that much more understandable that Khalifa was the reason why he couldn't kill himself.
　The margin faded from Masamune's expression and he moved to Adolf.

'That's my dungeon, so if anything happens, you can't help me.

　Adolf gave a mocking smile.



*



　Khalifa's group was wandering around the tower - the royal castle - or in other words, Adolf's dungeon.

''This place is...''

　But it took a while for the Khalifa to figure it out.

'This is a strange place, Poron, a very weird Poron. The magic of Uranos has been rolling around since a while ago, Poron.
What's going on... there are four Rickmans, and they're all in different positions. Just when I think I've got them, they move.
'Looks like this tower has been granted some strange magic!
'No, this is probably a dungeon. The atmosphere, or rather, it feels the same as it did then.

　The three of them were astonished by Khalifa's words.

What the...

　Ignotus was speechless.
　Even for the demon race, the dungeon is a realm that is considered foolish to even approach.
　The interior is said to be a den of high-ranking demons.

''Nito told me that Adolf is an abyssal user.

　Khalifa had an idea.
　To Khalifa, who had just recently regained her memory, the events of one hundred and fifty years ago seemed like yesterday, and she could clearly recall the words that Xiong had accidentally spoken to her sometime ago.

　It was a murmur, "Speaking of which, an adventurer who came here said that a dungeon had appeared just about three years ago" -- a murmur.
　Five years later, after the war with the Empire ended, the Khalifa and their parents had lost their homeland and their parents, they headed to the dungeon that appeared in the beginning, with the idea of rebuilding the beyoment and embarking on another adventure.
　But, according to Xiaon--.
　So, two years after they started rebuilding, the dungeon still appeared.

''No way........Adolf has already been there since then.

　Khalifa knows that the dungeon invites candidates for the king, but the timing of its occurrence is unknown.
　In Masamune's case, the dungeon appeared a few months after he was summoned to this world and became aware of the Abyss.

'Zephyr obtained the Abyss a few months before that dungeon appeared. That means that Adolf had already obtained the Abyss three years before that...''
Hey, you know what you've been babbling about? You're giving me the creeps. You're freaking me out.
I'm sorry...

　"To the extent that Khalifa-san became aware of him, it means that your party wasn't actually going well"--Masamune's words were repeated in Khalifa's head.

'The magic power has shifted again, this means that Kiri--'

　Felsen's dumbfounded voice was cut off.
　At that moment, the landscape the four of them were looking at had changed from a gloom that resembled a royal castle to a wide altar-like place.

''What in the world...'' Ignotus was puzzled.
'The magic is close Polon!

　Bishas is impatient.
　The Khalifa is alert and poised in the area, deploying a small, glowing red, sphere-shaped wave in her small, outstretched hands next to her waist.
　But when they see the four of them lined up at the altar, the confusion disappears from the Khalifa and the others' faces.

'You mean we're going to do it here, thanks for coming out that way. Saves us the trouble of looking for them.'

　Ignotus was high on the list. Except for one person.

　One with a jet-black plate armor adorned with a gold rim and a headless black dragon painted on his back.
　--Uranos Dharmskail.
　Also known as Uranos Rickman.

"You. Are you a demon race...?

　Turning his low voice into a cold stare, Uranos asked.

'Uranos....'
Who the hell do you think you are?
'I am Ignotus, the Demon King of Lagparos. I'm sure I've asked you to meet with me many times.
''Hmm.......I see. I never thought I'd be able to confront a clan murderer in a place like this. I didn't expect to have a Demon King in my bloodline.
'Father, what do you mean?' said Reinhardt.

　Each of Uranos' three sons wore a black coat with a gold border.
　On their backs was a symbol of a headless black dragon as well.

Reinhardt, that's him. That's the fool who once killed all of our fathers and mothers and their countrymen in a night raid.

　Reinhardt's eyes settled.
　But soon, his eyes narrowed as he regained his composure.

"How could Nito's organization have a Demon King...
Coincidence, I suppose, but that's an opportunity. I'll avenge my family's sorrow here. Killing you may not bring you back.

　Reinhardt drew his sword straight from its sheath at his waist.

'I will deal with the woman. "I will deal with the woman, she is a pain in the ass, she does not feel any magic. I'll take care of the rest.
Demon King....

　Reinhardt took a step forward.

'Do you know why I keep using this name? Huh, no one will notice anyway. But to me, Rickman is absolute.
Son of Uranos. Sorry, Uranos, but this is the last time I see you as a son. Don't tell me you're going to be a filial son later.

　Uranos ignored him and alerted the Khalifa.

'Hey, I know you can hear me!　You Rickman may be good at ignoring them, but you're not even close to me. I don't know what makes you the strongest of the human race, but I don't care if they're the ones who stopped the demons from attacking us or not. --

　Ignotus's voice was abruptly cut off.
　Then Bishas and Felsen's breathing stopped.

''Eh.........brother?''
My brother, my brother...

　They both turn to Ignotus at the same time.

''I'm sorry.... ...

　--Ignotus' head flew up and blood spurted out.

'You are not qualified to speak of Rickman. You have neither strength nor dignity. You are a demon race and you're mistaken.

　In front of Felsen and Bishas, both of them, Reinhardt shook off the blood on his blade.