Chapter 95

"Emperor of Demons... Asmodeus?"

In front of me, I see the form of a demon created by the miasma, and I recall.

Emperor of Demons.

Come to think of it, the demon I encountered in the capital before was also a subordinate of the King of Worms... Emperor of Demons Beelzebub, wasn't it?

"Ah, I see. If this is the main demon... then..."

I look at Ms. Valka.

(...Is she just a human, being manipulated by a demon...?)

I keep my "steel pipe" at the ready.

...But, it seems that the metal pipe has become my main weapon... I...

Ms. Valka, who has taken off her glasses and let her hair down, glares back at me with sharp eyes.

"You, too, are a human who has been deceived by the voice of a demon, aren't you?"

"Voice? Ahaha, voice?"

In response to my words, Ms. Valka covers her mouth with her hand and laughs as if amused.

"Don't underestimate me. I'm not just some minor existence."

Then, she boasts proudly.

"I have made a contract with a demon. I have made a contract with this demon—Asmodeus—and received power from him."

She points to the demon in the form of a young boy that has taken shape from the miasma emanating from her body.

"Don't lump me together with some trash who was deceived by a voice."

‘Indeed, you shouldn’t be too lenient with her. ’

Asmodeus, following Ms. Valka, adds.

‘While there is a method to deceive and manipulate by letting someone hear a voice, it is also possible to make a contract with a human who is compatible and resonates with the demon. The magic power I possess can be further enhanced through a synergistic effect with a suitable host. The combination of my power and her potential has resulted in the ability to charm, brainwash, and enslave others. Her desires matched mine very well.’

Asmodeus speaks at length.

The ability to charm, brainwash, and enslave others.

If that's the case, everything starts to connect.

Most likely, the change in Lord Stinger was also due to her.

He became her slave and began to engage in evil deeds.

And if Ms. Lunato was also brainwashed by her...

"Desires... huh."

While holding my weapon, I search the surroundings.

A dark room like a storage area.

There are piles of goods in the back, but they are not clearly visible.

The entrance to the room is behind Ms. Valka.

The escape route is blocked.

"Did you have a natural talent... or perhaps a desire for control? Or maybe a strong attachment to money?"

"Ahaha, something like that."

To buy time for analysis, I continue the conversation.

"To be more precise, do you have a grudge?"

"Grudge?"

"...Money, money, money. Ever since I was young, I've been betrayed by money."

Suddenly, Ms. Valka starts talking, clenching her teeth.

The concentration of miasma emanating from her body seems to be increasing.

"Money is the ruler of this world. Money decides everything. Personal effort and thoughts are irrelevant... Yes, if I had money, I could have achieved a higher position."

The manifestation of the demon's power may be affecting her mind to some extent.

Ms. Valka's eyes are bloodshot.

"If I had money, if I had money, even as a child and as an adult, I was always made to think that way. Money has driven my life into chaos and continued to betray me."

Asmodeus, standing beside her, is also laughing.

This grudge may be her potential.

"If I had money, if I had money, that's why I will control money instead. Otherwise, my revenge won't be complete."

In an instant, the miasma emanating from her body swells up.

Black vapor forms into something like huge arms.

The fingertips have ten sharp claws.

"Don't interfere with my revenge!"

The arm stretches towards me.

Like a beast's attack, the sharp claws come at me.

"Huff"

I swing the "steel pipe" in my hand.

When the magical artifact "steel pipe" hits, it makes a sound like electricity crackling, and I manage to deflect the claws.

‘Oh? Are you using magic? ’

"She's an S-rank adventurer, as the information suggested. She looks like a normal woman, but she is."

Ms. Valka says to Asmodeus, who tilts his head.

"It's not a problem."

"Confident, huh? Did you prepare something—"

In an instant, I sense a presence behind me.

"Yes, I have everything ready."

Ms. Valka's twisted smile.

I immediately turn around.

It was Silas.

He might have been hiding in this storage area before we arrived.

Black miasma rises from his body, and his eyes are rolled back.

He must have been brainwashed by Ms. Valka.

(...Trouble...)

By the time I thought it, it was too late.

Silas is already touching my back.

In an instant, Silas's curse is imprinted, and a pain like lightning runs through my body.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

—Meanwhile, at the arena.

"Aaaaaah!"

"!"

The phenomenon happened suddenly.

Lunato, who had been unconscious and lying down, suddenly started to thrash and scream.

A sinister black mark on his face is oozing black miasma.

"What? What's happening!?"

"Hold him down!"

Gairei grabs Lunato's shoulders and forcefully pins him to the ground.

The Berserkers also rush to help.

"...Mako"

Something abnormal is happening.

Gairei looks up at the VIP room above the audience seats.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

—Inside the VIP room.

"Raaaaah!"

Suddenly, Stinger collapses to his knees.

But in the next moment, as if controlled by the rising miasma, he starts to thrash around.

Swinging his arms wildly, he attacks Ixas with erratic movements.

"What!?"

Instantly, a supervisor stands between Ixas and Stinger.

Then, he restrains Stinger.

"Prince Stinger, what's wrong with you?"

"Ah, ah, gaaaah"

Stinger, who has completely lost his mind, does not react to the supervisor's voice.

"...!"

At that moment, Ixas realizes.

The abnormality is not limited to Stinger.

The guards standing behind him and the arena staff are also starting to groan.

"Aah"

"Guuuu"

"Gahaa!"

The human staff members rush at the supervisor one after another.

The guards draw their weapons and aim them at Ixas.

Several blades are about to attack Ixas—

"...Damn!"

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

"Ugh...!"

Immediately, I swing the "steel pipe" and strike Silas.

The blow lands on the back of his head, and Silas's body crashes into the pile of goods in the back of the storage area, burying him in the debris.

By the time I get there, I can't help but kneel.

The pain from where Silas touched my back makes my body unable to move as I wish.

"Ahaha, serves you right."

Seizing the opportunity, Valka's miasma attacks me.

I deflect the sharp claw attack with the "steel pipe," but the impact is too strong, and I lose my grip.

The pipe rolls to the corner of the room.

"Ugh—"

Then, I am struck by the miasma arm and thrown against the wall.

Leaning against the wall, I try to regain my composure.

But before I can, the giant hand extends and presses the tips of its claws against my neck.

"It's over."

"..."

"You can control people even if they are unconscious, once they become your slaves."

Valka points to the back of the room, where Silas is buried under the goods.

"That man also became my slave easily."

"Did you control Lunato-san like that?"

"..."

Breathing heavily, I ask.

"There are two ways to create slaves. One is to make them slaves willingly, and the other is to force them to become slaves. The former is one of the powers I possess... by charming them, I can easily make them desire to become my slaves."

‘Well, it’s like seducing them with charm, you know. ’

Asmodeus chuckles from behind Valka.

‘I imprint a mark created by my magic power on the slaves. Once that happens, they become puppets that do as I wish. ’

"…Lunato-san… was probably the latter, right?"

"Yes, to control someone with strong resistance and self-discipline like that Lavinia, it requires a method similar to brainwashing. It uses more magic power and is more burdensome for the caster."

The S-rank adventurer who came to appeal the Berserkers' exile.

Valka must have brainwashed her unexpectedly and turned her into a pawn.

"However, that beast was so mentally strong that even that method could be undone by a slight stimulus. Therefore, I had to regularly inject magic power directly and avoid giving her too much information."

"..."

"When you tried to meet that Lavinia directly, I thought it was bad. External contact could be a stimulus to undo her brainwashing."

"...So, you went to re-brainwash her after we talked to Lunato-san?"

"Yes, you really caused me a lot of trouble. But it's fine. It's all over now."

At that moment, the tips of the claws pressing against my throat are pushed in even further.

"Now, I'll kill you."

"..."

"Do you realize? By now, my slaves are causing chaos in the arena and the VIP room. It's not just that. There are many more of my slaves hidden in this city."

Valka's lips curl into a sinister smile.

"I'll control all of them to kill you. Don't hold onto false hope. The difference in numbers is overwhelming. And after everything is over, I'll start the cover-up. Don't worry. I'll make sure to take care of your friends waiting outside as well."

She presses the claws deeper into my throat, ready to pierce it—

"...Didn't you notice?"

At that moment, I speak.

"...Why I didn't use magic in this situation?"

"You gave up on resistance?"

"To conserve... my MP..."

Valka frowns at my words.

"Before coming to this city... I used a lot of MP for the reconstruction of the second Abatos village and the 'preparation period' a few days ago... I thought I had to use it carefully."

"It seems that conservation was in vain."

"...Not really."

"...What?"

Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I smile.

"Thank you for the time. You were so excited that you boasted about everything without me asking, and thanks to that, I could concentrate even under the curse."

"...What are you—"

At that moment, a rumbling sound occurs.

The ground and air shake with a loud boom, and dust falls from the ceiling.

"...What? What was that sound?"

"What do you think?"

"...What did you do?"

Valka shouts, losing her composure.

"What did you do!"

"The sound of the wall collapsing."

"...What?"

"My skill—Alchemy Lv.3."

I say to the stunned Valka.

"Before entering this city, I refined a large number of 'cutting saws' and 'drills'... and had everyone outside secretly place them around the walls... and now, using my magic power as the driving force, I activated them all at once, causing chaos."

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

—In the central area of the tourist city Vizer, near the walls.

The area is now in chaos.

A large number of "rotary saws," "drill bits," "grinder blades," etc., attack the walls surrounding the gambling district.

The high-pitched sounds of the machines, placed near the structural supports of the walls as instructed, start to tear them apart, and the walls begin to collapse one after another.

The guards are in a panic.

The citizens of the city are also in a panic.

Amidst this chaos—

'The boss broke the wall!'

'The boss has taken drastic action! If it's as we discussed, it's a signal that they're in trouble!'

"Entia is back! The other animals are also moving!"

"They're here!"

"Men! Mako and the others are in trouble! Everyone, let's go in!"

"「「「「「Yeah!」」」」」"

"「「「「「Charge!」」」」」

Instantly, everyone moves quickly.

Entia, along with Kuro-chan, and even the boars and other animals living in the forest around the second Abatos village, start pulling carts.

On top of the carts are Beowulf, the Berserkers, and everyone else.

They head towards the shortest route to the city, through the forest.

They cross the bridge over the river and blow up the gate, which was temporarily repaired after Gairei destroyed it, with a bomb from Delphi.

The entire force of the Abatos village camp invades the tourist city Vizer.