Arifureta : King Of Demons

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"Damn it, why isn't it working?!"

Heiligh Kingdom Royal Castle. It was late at night, and almost everyone except the guards was fast asleep, when a young girl irritably punched a wall. The man standing behind her hastily scolded her.

"H-Hey!? Quiet down! What if someone hears you, Nakamura!?"

"I've already confirmed there's no one around! Don't tell me what to do, Hiyama!!"

"Kh!?—Tch!"

One of the God's Apostles, Eri Nakamura, and Daisuke Hiyama, had often met secretly like this, escaping the eyes of others. It was all to obtain what they desired... However, their plan had already stalled in its initial stages. Initially, Eri had planned to leverage the demon race's power by selling her own abilities to them. She intended to use her power to turn the Kingdom's upper echelons into puppets and, by aiding the demon race, fulfill her own wishes. However, the moment she witnessed Aldias's power, all those plans collapsed with a crash.

(Are you kidding me!? No one told me he was that strong!? If he has that kind of power, my own isn't needed...! How on earth have they maintained a balance against someone like him!?)

Coincidentally, what Eri felt about Aldias was consistent with Hajime. More than anything...

(Utilize Aldias the Demon Lord? Don't be ridiculous. I'm not like the thoughtless classmates or the fools blindly devoted to God. If you try to use a monster like that, we'll definitely be swallowed whole...!)

Due to her upbringing, she was confident in her judgment of people. It was nothing for her to say the words people wanted to hear or to manipulate others as she pleased. But he was different. The sheer difference in caliber was too vast. No matter how much she thought or planned countermeasures, just as humans are powerless against a natural disaster, she could only pray that they wouldn't suffer damage while he passed by. He was that kind of being.

(But at this rate, humanity's defeat is inevitable. I need to come up with something...!)

"You seem to be in quite a predicament."

" " Kh!? " "

A man's voice, different from Hiyama's, calm and warm, spoke near Eri, who was deep in thought. Startled, they quickly turned towards the source of the voice, where an old man stood, clad in something resembling a priestly robe, black with gold embroidery, as if in opposition to the robes worn by priests of the Holy Church.

"...Hey, Hiyama. How long has this guy been here?"

"I-I don't know!? I just noticed him now...!"

"Tch!"

Annoyed at the useless Hiyama, Eri focused her attention on the old man before them. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, showing no caution towards the two who were on guard. At first glance, he might seem like an old man from the capital who had simply wandered in, but this was the Royal Castle. Given the patrolling guards, it was impossible for him to have easily trespassed. If so, he must be someone connected to the Royal Castle or the Church, but the person before them was unfamiliar, and his wandering around at this hour was unnatural.

(What do I do? Kill him? I could probably still bluff my way out... but if he's someone with influence, it'll be troublesome. I don't know if this old man will be useful, but making him a puppet would be faster.)

Eri gestured to Hiyama with her chin. Hiyama wavered for a moment but was met with a fierce glare and, cowering, positioned himself behind the old man.

"Grandpa, what are you doing out at this hour? It's dangerous for an elderly person to wander alone like this, you know?"

"Oh dear, how embarrassing. The moon is beautiful tonight, so I just... But a night stroll can be quite pleasant, can't it?"

"Well, I understand the feeling. But bad wolves come out at night, you know? Someone like you, Grandpa, might get gobbled up."

As she conversed with the old man, she subtly glanced at Hiyama behind him. He gave a small nod, and Hiyama sidled closer to the old man. Even if he were a strong soldier, killing a single old man with bare hands would be easy.

"How terrifying. However, then wouldn't you young ladies be in danger too? Oh, were you perhaps on a tryst? My apologies then. Have I interrupted you?"

"Hahaha, it's nothing like that. He and I aren't in that kind of relationship... Honestly, don't spout such ridiculous nonsense, you old geezer."

At those last words, Hiyama raised his fist.

"Die."

The moment the descending fist was about to strike the back of the old man's head—

" " Guh!? " "

An immense pressure assaulted Eri and Hiyama. They could barely breathe, as if their lungs were crushed, and instinctively dropped to their knees.

"W-What was that... just now!?"

"M-My body...!"

The pressure they felt had already dissipated, but the two clutched their chests, gasping for air in desperate attempts to get oxygen. In contrast to the two kneeling figures, the old man stood calmly as if nothing had happened.

"Children these days are quite hot-blooded, aren't they? No, perhaps 'full of vigor' would be a better way to put it?"

"You... just what...!?"

Lashing her trembling body, Eri lifted her face, and her eyes met the old man's. At that moment, she understood everything. The man before her was no mere old man. This pressure, this gaze. It awakened her memories and gave her a strong sense of déjà vu.

(He's the same... as that Demon Lord!!)

Pressure equal to, or even greater than, what she felt when she first encountered Aldias. No doubt about it. The man before her was the same as him, a being they could never hope to contend with... an illogical monster.

(Damn it, I let my anger get the better of me and got careless! I didn't know there were other monsters like this...! This is bad... Bad, bad, bad!!)

A monster on par with Aldias. She had just laid hands on such a being. From their brief conversation, he seemed rational, but there was no way he didn't realize they had tried to kill him. Eri's face paled, but the old man continued to speak in the same tone as before.

"You don't have to be so tense, it's quite alright. Eri Nakamura, Daisuke Hiyama."

"Kh!?"

"What!? Why do you know our names!?"

"What do you mean 'why'? I think there are fewer people living in the capital who don't know you, the God's Apostles, don't you? Well, I don't live in this country myself, though."

"...What do you want with us? And anyway, who are you?"

"I am God."

" " Huh? " "

"I am God. The God of this world."

" " ... " "

The two, whose expressions had just been stiff with tension, now felt their faces twitching for a different reason. Anyone would make such a face if a person claiming to be "God" appeared before them.

"Ah!? That look means you don't believe me, does it!? It's true! I'm very important, you know!!"

"Uh, well... yeah."

"..."

Hiyama gave an ambiguous reply with an unreadable expression, while Eri continued to stare fixedly at the old man's face. While slightly put off by the old man's "God" declaration, the pressure she had just felt was real.

(Who is this geezer?)

"Mmm, in the past, everyone welcomed me when I manifested... The passage of time is cruel, isn't it?"

(What is this old man, really?)

As the two exchanged glances, wondering what to do with the old man who had started to sulk, a third voice interrupted them.

"Hey! What are you doing here?!"

"Kh!?"

Perhaps he had heard the old man's voice earlier, but one of the patrolling guards appeared. The guard, who had been looking sharply, widened his eyes in surprise the moment he caught sight of Eri and Hiyama.

"Are you the God's Apostles? Why are you here?"

"Uh? Oh, no, not really, I'm..."

"Tch... I apologize. Actually, I saw a suspicious person inside the castle and followed them, and then this old man was here. Is he related to the Royal Castle?"

"...No, I've served in the Royal Castle for quite some time, but I don't know him."

Eri breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the man's eyes sharpen again as he looked at the old man behind the two of them. Apparently, he wasn't related to the castle. At least, it seemed they wouldn't be reported to those above them.

"Perhaps he simply wandered in from somewhere."

"Understood. Thank you for your cooperation. Please leave the rest to me."

Saying only that, he dismissed Eri and her companion, and stepped forward to face the old man.

"Old man. This is the Royal Castle of the glorious Heiligh Kingdom. Are you related to someone in the Royal Castle?"

"What shall I do? It was good that I came out so boldly, but I didn't expect to not be believed as God."

"...Are you listening, old man?"

"At this rate, when I meet Aldias-kun, won't he just brush me off?"

"Kh!?—Hey, you!! You just mentioned Aldias... the Demon Lord's name, didn't you!?"

"This is bad, very bad. What should I do..."

"Are you listening to me, you!? Are you perhaps an agent of the demon race! To aid the demon race while being human...! Surrender now!! Otherwise, right here, right now...!"

The man reached for the sword at his waist, ignored by the old man. Only then did the old man's eyes fall upon the man...

—Ah, I've found a good method.

In an instant, Eri and Hiyama's vision was filled with... a profusion of red flowers.

" " ...Huh? " "

The head of the guard standing before them vanished, and blood spurted out like a fountain. The crimson liquid, following gravity, rained down upon their heads, staining their entire bodies red.

"Hiegh!?"

"Uwaaaahhh!?"

At the sudden, gruesome death, not only Hiyama, but also a small scream escaped Eri's lips. The old man, who had brought about this situation, ignored the headless body that had fallen and was still twitching, and turned his gaze to the two, lowering his brows in a seemingly apologetic manner.

"My apologies. I wasn't considering the two of you. I've dirtied you, haven't I?"

Eri shuddered at the old man, who, despite having killed a person, made no mention of it whatsoever, and instead felt remorse for having stained Eri and her companion with blood. She herself was prepared to kill anyone for her own goals. But she knew full well that this idea was wrong on Earth, let alone in this world. She also knew that this idea would be rejected not only by her other classmates but even by the person she truly desired. Yet, she had decided to do it. She had decided to see it through, even if her methods qualified as "evil" by general standards. But the old man before her was different. There was no emotion whatsoever. No malice, no pleasure, no regret... Ignoring Eri, the old man slowly raised both hands and clapped his palms together. The two instinctively flinched, but nothing happened no matter how long they waited.

"W-What are...?"

However, she quickly noticed something odd. No, more accurately, she noticed the absence of something odd. The two, drenched in the man's blood from head to toe, had felt an immense discomfort, but it was completely gone. She frantically checked her own body, but there wasn't a single drop of blood, as if everything that had just happened had been an illusion.

"Huh? I'm..."

"Kh!?—No way..."

Then, a voice came from below her feet, and when she looked, the man whose head should have been gone was looking up at the sky in a daze, perfectly whole. The old man extended a hand to him.

"Are you alright?"

"...Huh? Oh, yes."

"You'll catch a cold if you sleep here."

"Y-Yeah, that's right... By the way, who are you...?"

"That doesn't really matter, does it? You simply carried out your duties as usual. Nothing particularly problematic happened. You didn't see anything... is that right?"

"...Ah, yes. Nothing happened... Nothing..."

"Good boy. Now, off you go."

Nothing happened, no problem. The man muttered to himself and disappeared into the building as if Eri and her companion weren't even in his line of sight.

"...He's alive... again...!"

Resurrection magic. It was a common magic in fantasy, but she had never heard of magic that could resurrect the dead in this world. Eri could make it seem like someone was alive, but that man had clearly died and then come back to life. The only one who could do something like that was...

"More accurately, I just made it as if his death never happened, so it's different from resurrection... Will you believe me now?"

"...That you're God?"

"Yes."

"No way, but... are you Ehit?"

"No. Well then, let's explain things one by one, shall we?"

What the old man recounted next was enough to astonish Eri and Hiyama. That the old man before them was the true God of this world. That Ehit was originally human. And the reason why he had called out to them.

"...So, you chose us to be soldiers to wage war against the Demon Lord?"

"Yes, that's right."

While Eri frowned at the old man's words, Hiyama began to smile.

"Hyahaha, as expected of God! You really get it, don't you!! Everyone else looked at me like I was just an accessory to Amanogawa and the others, but it seems there are still people who understand! That I'm better than those guys—"

"Silence, you fool."

"Kh! What did you say, you!?"

"As always, your head is empty... Say, old man. Why us? In terms of ability, there are stronger people than us. Like Kouki-kun, for example."

"...May I ask you something? Can you tell which of two ants is stronger?"

" " Kh!? " "

"That's how it is. There is such an absolute difference between me and you. From my perspective, it's like an error... Oh, please don't misunderstand; I don't think of you as insects, you know? It's merely an analogy."

"...So, you just chose us at random, then?"

"No, that's not it either. It's because you are the strongest, and you possess individuality."

"Individuality?"

Eri tilted her head at the old man's vague reply. Hiyama seemed equally puzzled.

"Actually, before coming here, I tried to add the dolls created by Ehit-kun to my forces. Oh, 'dolls' are like subordinates that Ehit-kun made... But they were rather bland, so I shared a little of my power with them. Then they all went insane..."

" " Huh? " "

"Power isn't something that can be contained simply by having a large vessel. The vessel is important, but what's most crucial is the lid... a strong mental fortitude to suppress the power. The dolls, being mere puppets who only followed orders, couldn't do that, and most of them became monsters who even lost their reason. Well, they're not completely unusable, but I wanted at least one soldier I could talk to, you see... And that's where you two come in."

Her body trembled. At the madness present in every word... at the old man who called himself God, yet showed not a trace of it...

"Your spirits are wonderful. The will to stick to your individuality, even if others don't understand it. It doesn't matter whether it's good or evil. The hero was quite good too, but his core isn't stable. In that regard, you two might be able to withstand it. What do you say? Do you intend to come with me?"

Saying that, the old man extended his hands to the two. Normally, it would be an offer to refuse without hesitation. However, even as a chill ran down their spines, and their brains screamed in rejection, their bodies unconsciously took a step forward as if drawn in.

"...If I cooperate with you, can I become stronger? Can I have Kouki-kun?"

"All I can do is draw out your power to its maximum. I can't guarantee you'll defeat Aldias-kun, of course, but I believe you could overwhelm all the God's Apostles. However, this power is a type of contract. Once you've accepted it, betrayal is not permitted."

"..."

She lowered her face at the old man's words and closed her eyes for a moment, but then quickly raised her head. There was no other way anyway. Then, whether it was a devil or a god, she would use anything and everything she could!

"Kouki-kun is mine. If you lay a hand on him, I'll kill you, even if you are God."

"The contract is established."

One with a frown, the other with a smile, they shook hands.

"M-Me too! Give me power too!!"

"Yes. I don't mind. Now... could both of you stand there? We can finish this easily right here."

Saying only that, he turned his palms towards the two... The change came quickly.

"Ugh, Aaaahhhhhh!?"

"Eh!? W-Nakamura!?"

With a tremendous scream, Eri thrashed on the ground, tearing at her chest. Hiyama watched the scene with a frightened expression.

"Please calm down. This is an expected symptom. Right now, my power, which has been injected into her body, is causing repeated destruction and regeneration of her cells. Through this, her vessel is being forcibly expanded, creating a domain to receive my power. If she can endure this, she will reach a higher stage."

"B-But I'm..."

"Yes. You don't seem to be having the same reaction as her. That means there's no need to expand your vessel."

"Then, then I'm!!"

No need to expand the vessel. That could only mean that, unlike that woman, his vessel for receiving power was already complete from the beginning.

(I knew it, I'm special. With the power I got from this old man, I can take Amanogawa... No, even Nagumo, who stole Kaori from me...!)

Hiyama grinned a nasty smile at the future that seemed full of hope.

"Yes, you are... disqualified."

—Pop!

"...Huh?"

A sound like a balloon bursting echoed in Hiyama's ears, who had been in ecstasy. He looked towards the strange sound that came from right beside him and realized that what should have been there was gone.

—Hiyama's left arm was gone.

"Huh? Ah... Aaaghhaaaaaaah!!"

After a moment of blankness, he understood. That sound was his own arm bursting. At that moment, a burning pain shot through the area where his left arm had been. Clasping the faintly remaining stump of his left arm with his right hand, Hiyama writhed.

"My arm!? My armmm!! Why!? I was chosen, wasn't I!?"

"Chosen? No, it's the opposite. Your vessel was simply too small, and your body reached its limit. It's a shame."

"Ah, ugh, p-please help... Help, me...!"

"? Why?"

"Huh? B-But... like before..."

"I only did that to prove that I am God... You mustn't, you know? Asking God for help right away. People shine brightest when they carve their own path without relying on foolish things like miracles."

"Ah, ah, AAAAAAAHHH!!"

He looked up at the God looking down on him, collapsed on the ground, and screamed, tears of despair flowing. It hurt. It was agonizing. Cold. Scary. Why, why was this happening to him?

(I'll kill! Kill kill kill!! Those who look down on me! Those who don't acknowledge me! Those who steal my woman! Me... Me... Me... M-E... MEEEEEE!!)

Pain, sorrow, anger, despair became a passionate torrent of resentment dwelling within Hiyama's chest. However, the resentment that dwelled within his body was, after all, a tiny thing.

—Pop!

Again, a dry popping sound echoed, and Hiyama's body shattered without a trace. The old man stared intently at the spot where Hiyama had been, but quickly lost interest, averting his gaze, and spoke to the girl who was still breathing heavily.

"Congratulations. You endured well. Are you conscious?"

"Haa... Haa... Haa... This is..."

Eri's appearance had changed slightly after receiving the power. Her hair was dyed pure white, and her eyes had changed to the same faint, twilight color as the old man's. After a while, Eri's breathing finally calmed down, and she looked at her own body, her eyes widening. There were no obvious visible changes. Yet, she could clearly feel the power dwelling within her.

"...Amazing."

"It seems your rationality remains. It was worth coming all this way."

"...Hiyama?"

"He's over there."

Eri looked around and, realizing her classmate was no longer there, asked the old man. The old man pointed to a spot where a small pool of blood had formed.

"Oh."

However, Eri felt nothing upon seeing it. She had only joined forces with him because he seemed useful, and whether he died or not was of no concern to her.

"Well then, shall we go? You have time to greet your friend, if you wish?"

"No, it's fine. I don't have any friends anyway."

"Is that so?"

Saying only that, he turned on his heel and began to walk. Eri followed behind the old man. Walking beside him, she asked something that had been bothering her.

"By the way, it's hard to keep calling you 'old man,' what's your name?"

"Ah, now that you mention it, I haven't introduced myself yet... My name is────"

"...I guess that's... a bit unexpected. I thought it would be a more dignified name. Did you choose it yourself?"

"No, I originally had no name. This name was given to me long ago by a young girl."

—It's sad that you don't have a name. Then I'll give you one.

In the old man's mind, a picture of a somehow cheerful, though expressionless, young girl came to mind.

"Really... 'Sad' was the first time anyone ever called me that."

"..."

Eri, looking at the old man's profile, widened her eyes in genuine surprise. For the first time, emotion appeared on the old man's face, which had always maintained a cheerful demeanor, never revealing his true intentions. It was an expression that was somehow happy, and at the same time, conveyed a deep melancholy.

The next morning, an unidentified pool of blood was discovered in the Royal Castle, causing a temporary uproar, but soon an even greater shock swept through the entire capital. It was the Holy Church's declaration that the group of God's Apostles had been branded as heretics.