I was in a room in the castle with Stella.

There's no one around, is there, Stella?

''Yes, I've probed the area with my clairvoyant eyes, but I didn't see anyone suspicious. Rest assured, my Demon Lord.

　Stella nodded.

　What I'm going to discuss with her now is about the defense plan for the demon world.
　It's going to be a conversation that includes my knowledge as a hero, so it's not good for the other demon race to hear about it.

　I can't breathe with these on.

'Yes. But if anyone comes in, you must put it on immediately.

Okay.

　Nodding to Stella, I took off my mask.

　Although I was resurrected as a demon king──even though I was resurrected as a demon race, my appearance is the same as when I was human.
　I'm not going to have fangs and claws, or horns and wings.....

　The reflection in Stella's eyes is of a forty-two-year-old middle-aged man.

　Stubble, I need to shave it off..........................

"Demon Lord?

No, it's nothing. Let's get started.

　I said to Stella, who looked doubtful.

'Let's go over the situation again.'

　The first thing that happened was that a few days ago, a hundred brave men chosen to attack the demon world.

　Among those hundred were me and Lyle.
　We made five holes in the ward that separated the human world from the demon world, and from there we split into five squads and invaded the demon world.

I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do, but I'm going to be able to tell you what to do. It was a direct route to the Demon King's Castle.

　That Lyle, too, is now unaccounted for.
　I wonder what happened to him after the battle with the Demon King Yurisha.

　But now I have to think about the current situation rather than Lyle.

''What's going on with the other four squads?''

We sent our men to intercept them, but it seems three demon chiefs have already been killed.

　The chief of the Demon Army - these are the Demon King's direct entourage.

　There were seven of them, including Stella.
　In other words, there are a total of four aides who are currently alive.

''As for the other three, the Beast Emperor (Gigantroa) Zeggert and the Immortal King (Lord Undead) Regal are in the middle of an invasion of the human world. The remaining Dream Demon Princess (Dead Charm) Feria went to intercept the heroes, but she was defeated and is missing.

　And Stella.

'I too was wounded in the last battle and have not yet regained my magical powers.

　Come to think of it, you said something like that before yesterday's battle.

　So, you're saying that there isn't a single Demon Army Chief who can fight at the moment.

''Should I go out and dispatch them one by one?

　It couldn't even be called a strategy, it was a simple policy.

　However, considering the Demon King's overwhelming status, it's the quickest way for me to control the four battlefields in order.
　More than anything else - it would avoid causing unnecessary deaths.

　And on the demon side.
　...and on the human side as well.

　It's fine to use the "homing ray" before this, but with that, it's going to kill for sure.
　To begin with, unlike the autonomous Miracle Armor, which only possesses simple willpower, whether the Homing Ray will work against a hero is unknown.

　I think we should go to the scene of the crime.

"You're going to go directly to the Demon King?

　Stella seemed surprised.

'If we send our soldiers towards them, they might slaughter us unilaterally.

　Yes, just like yesterday's battle.

But it's dangerous.

'You know what level I'm on, right?　If it's possible, we'll send the humans back to their world without hurting them. And then... no, we'll have to go to the field to do the rest.

Then at least take me with you.

　Stella stood up.

'I haven't regained my fighting ability, but I can at least be your shield if it comes down to it.

'No. I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself.

　I said firmly.

''All demonkind are like tools to the Demon King. There's no need to be considerate of their tools.

　Stella shook her head sadly.

'You're not tools,'

　I said, with all my strength.

'So I will not allow you to lay down your life for me.

My Demon Lord.

　Stella gasps with a huff.

'That's an order,'

Okay.

　Stella nodded, gloating.

''But the demon world is an uninviting place for you. Please allow me to accompany you as a leader.

　Stella looks at me.
　As expected, she seems to say that this is non-negotiable.

　In fact, even if I went alone, I might get lost.

　.........Even the inside of the Demon King's Castle was lost.

I understand. Then come with me.

Yes, sir.

　There was a faint smile on Stella's mouth.

'Let's get going. To fight with the brave men.

　But to kill them all...
　I can't think of any good guys from yesterday, but there are some really great guys out there.

...or not so much.

　I thought back to my heroic life so far and gave a small shrug.

　A brave man is a special being chosen by the armor of God.
　He is privileged in every way and celebrated by many as the one who saves the world.

　Those who turn their nose up at it and think they are great.
　Someone who uses his position and oppresses the weak.
　And those who use their immense power to taunt and kill demons.

　But that doesn't mean that there aren't honorable and brave men too.

Anyway, I'll think about it after I get there...

　I sighed and stood up and put on my mask.

　After all, it's not a fun feeling to have an enemy as a brave man.



　I rode the demon dragon with Stella and advanced through the air.

　Originally, I heard that there is a chosen demon dragon that is a rider for the demon king, but it escaped due to the chaos of the previous battle.
　That's why the one I'm riding now is a spare demon dragon.

　Even so, it flew through the sky at quite a speed and arrived at the battlefield in about an hour.

　The demon world, the western direction.

　The wilderness was spread out all over, with red-black cracks running through the hollow.
　There was a hole in the warding protecting the demon world.

　Below me, the demon soldiers and a few brave men are fighting.

''Blow it away, demon tribe!

　The bravest of them all, a big man, the biggest of them all, swings down a huge axe.

''Crush, 'Behemoth!'''

　A huge crack appeared in the ground where the axe was struck.
　It was a huge crack, more than ten meters deep.

　The power was tremendous.

''Ugh, wow...!

　A dozen demon soldiers screamed and fell into the cracks in the ground.

''Energy Hand!''

　I cast a spell while riding the dragon.

　An arm made of magical energy extended from the void.
　I pinched the falling demons with its fingers and pulled them up.

'We're coming down, Stella.'

Yes, sir.

　Stella controls the dragon and we descend.
　As we landed on the ground, the demon soldiers we saved earlier looked at me and Stella with surprised faces.

''Ah, you are........''

The Witch King will deal with the heroes personally. You will stay back.

　Stella, who was standing by my side, said to the soldiers.

''Well, Demon King-sama...?

I'll make them go away.

　I said and stepped forward.

　I look at the big man's bravery and do a 'status display'.



　Name Jade.
　Rank Warrior Warrior hero
　Overall LV 121
　H P 860
　M P 000
　Attack 672
　Protection 540
　Evasion 215
　Hit 573

　Equipment Miracle Behemoth

　Skill: Earth Splitting Strike, LV 13
　　　　　　Grand Slamming Level 11
　　　　　　Strength, level 15



　The warrior-type heroes are the types that do not have any special abilities, but instead have excellent white army abilities such as power and speed.

So it's just like it looks, a power fighter.

It does sound like you've got some serious magical powers, though!　How about a close call!

　The brave Jake carries a huge axe and rushes in with tremendous speed.

　It's fast....

"Shatter away, demon king!

　The axe swung down with spirit, and I caught it with one hand.

　It was indeed a heavy and powerful blow.
　When I was human, I wouldn't have been able to catch it or brush it off.

　But now.

"Ugh, it's not moving...?

　Jake growls, his face turning red.
　A bundle of muscles rises in both of my thick arms, but the axe I've caught doesn't move even slightly.

'Unfortunately, you and I are on a different level itself.

　I told him coldly.

　To begin with, the fact that their levels are on a different order of magnitude means that their power and speed are all on a different order of magnitude.
　It wasn't a matter of me as a demon king, the type that excelled in magical abilities or anything like that.

''Jade!''

Let my people go!

　Other brave men and women rushed in with swords and spears in their hands.
　The attacks they unleashed, but the magic barrier I deployed easily blew them away.

''Hurricane!''

　The wind magic that I activated on the counter blasted the brave men together.
　Even if they are the elite of the heroes, they are powerless in front of me, the Demon King.

"My, my Demon King...!

"Evil incarnate, I will avenge you.

　The brave men who stand up weakly.
　The dialogues are admirable, but these guys' true intentions must be elsewhere.

''So, you want to get the title of Demon King Killer and achieve glory and glory?

　I can kind of get a feel for it.
　I've seen this kind of thing many times in my human life.

What the...?

　The brave men's faces go stiff.
　I knew I'd hit the nail on the head.

"Greedy fools. What do you call yourselves?

　What did I look like under the mask?

　Was it anger or sadness?
　I don't know myself.

'Leave.'

　I held out my hand towards the ground.
　The magical energy that emanated from that point split the ground.

"This, this...

I can't see the bottom of the hole... what a blow...!

　The brave men flinched.
　It's a crack so deep it can't be compared to Jade's attack earlier.

''Otherwise, we will obliterate every last one of you.

Ggh...!

Oh, you'll remember!

''The most powerful Four Heavenly Sacred Swords (Sacred Edge) are still waiting over here!　They will surely come to kill you...!

　The Four Heavenly Holy Swords (Sacred Edge).

　The four strongest heroes who control the miracle armor of the seraph class.

　I've heard of them too.
　I've only met one of them in person in my long career as a hero.

　When I was a human, I was one of the highest-ranked heroes, but they had a completely different fighting ability.

　For some reason, I wasn't chosen for the 'Hundred Brave Men' this time──.

"Whoever comes to me is dust before my power.

　Say it with arrogance.
　Be as dignified as possible.

"I will not allow anyone to invade the demon world and harm my people. I won't allow anyone to invade the demon world or hurt my people, even if they are brave and strong, even if they are a god.

Demon King.

"Godless traitor!

　Looking at the cowering heroes through my mask, I activated my "energy hand" again.
　I pick up all of them together with my magic hand and throw them out of the hole in the warding.

"Banishment to the human world. Don't come back.

It's an impressive feat, Your Majesty.

　Stella leaned closer to me.

'Moreover, he's refined his demon king-sama-ness. It has an evil vibe that makes it hard to believe he's a very former human.''

That's a compliment, isn't it?

Of course.

　Stella smiles at her clever beauty and nods.

　Well, okay.........

''Well then, the only thing left to do is to repair the wards.