CH 41

41 – A Speech Right Before Entering the Tenth Stratum

Link Rooms, which are rooms dedicated to transferring one’s soul to their Avatars, have two main differences depending on whether they are meant for Monster-use or Adventurer-use.

Adventurer parties have a limit of five, so there are only five pairs of cocoons set up in the room.

Monsters have no restriction though, meaning many cocoons are needed.

And since the original body needs to remain in one of the cocoons in each pair, you can’t have multiple people using the cocoons in succession.

Right now we were just about done transferring ourselves to our Avatars and have been transferred to the tenth stratum.

The place was similar to a large passageway in something like a palace. Actually, since it was only a straight line, I guess it would be more like a hallway…? Calling it a hallway kinda takes away from the grand feeling it was supposed to have, but yes, it was pretty much a hallway.

On each side of the pitch-black floor were tall pillars of the same color. The ceiling was also tall and black.

There were two doors in the long, long hallway.

One was the door where the Adventurers would be coming in from.

The other was the door we’d be protecting.

There was a tall stone chair hiding that door, with stairs that led downwards behind it.

It was something like a throne.

Her Majesty is merely a Dungeon Master, but the setting was supposed to make her look like a legitimate king.

I stood up from the chair I had been sitting on.

Below my eyes were my subordinates who had been summoned specifically for this occasion.

「Fenix’s party will be arriving shortly.」

They all listened to what I had to say silently.

「I’m sure all of you are well familiar with them. After all, they were the ones who defeated you.」

My comrades are the Dungeon’s Monsters.

They were all people who were defeated by Fenix’s party as they made their way this far.

They were well aware of their strength.

Does that mean they’re just weaklings fated to lose against them?

No.

「Despite that, you all are still standing here. Why is that? The Flame Hero is someone who could be considered the strongest member of humanity. A rematch against him would surely result in failure.」

I purposely spoke provocatively.

「Are you standing here right now simply to lose again?」

「No! We have risen up once again in order to claim victory under the guidance of the Chief of Staff!」

The one who responded instantly was the Chief of the Werewolves, Marchosias.

「That’s right. These three heads of ours will rip out their windpipes this time for sure.」

Following, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius and the Invisible Executioner Glasya-Labolas roared out.

「I would love to add that Frost Hero to my collection. That could very well become a possibility under your direction.」

「I’ll rot that elf who knocked down all my arrows for sure this time…」

The Spirit Ruler General Kimaris and his aide, the dark elf known as the Black Wound Hunter Leraje, responded as well.

There weren’t any Dream Demons, aquatic monsters, or birdmen called in this time around.

Only those who wished for a rematch against Fenix’s party were gathered.

There was one odd exception though, and that would be the Black Knight of the Big Four, the Reaper Knight Furcas.

She, it turned out she was actually a girl, by the way, was someone who worked on a contract of one meal per one instance of assistance.

Meaning that she wouldn’t be summoned here unless I specifically asked her to.

However, after she got defeated by Fenix, she appeared before me and repeatedly spoke the word「food.」

After a while, I interpreted what she was saying to be a request to participate in the rematch. It seemed that I was correct, seeing as she is here now.

「Excellent. After experiencing so many defeats, I know your souls will not allow true defeat to come upon you. Today we will drive them back. There is only one thing I ask of you all.」

I scanned my eyes across everyone and spoke out.

「Follow me. I shall grant you victory.」

Lemegeton is the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff.

Since that kind of person would need some level of refined dignity, her Highness herself trained me to alter my speech habits.

It was a bit embarrassing at first, but I grew used to it eventually.

In fact, I’ve been able to say things I would normally have trouble saying, so maybe that way of talking was a good fit for a Chief of Staff.

「Yeaaah! We’ll follow your every order! Give us victory!」

Marchosias and the werewolves he brought with him roared out.

Among the Monsters, a single vampire stepped forward.

It was the Vampire Queen Carmilla.

「We will follow you. I swear we will bring you victory.」

She got on one knee, displaying her loyalty.

「Return to your positions.」

Everyone stepped back from me.

Only I sat down.

And then Fenix’s party showed up.

There was a significant distance between us.

Just in case of the off chance that they’d actually recognize me, I had a voice changer installed in my mask.

Also, I was able to have it so my voice would transmit to this floor’s speakers with a press of a button.

I pressed the small button on the side of my mask.

「So you’ve come, Adventurers.」

By the way, this floor was similar to the fifth stratum.

In other words, the Floor Boss would be encountered right after entering it.

On other strata, I’d usually just have my Black Magic spread everywhere to help the Monsters defeat the opponents.

But I’d be doing things differently this time around.

I wanted to completely wipe out Fenix’s party alongside my comrades who shared my desire for victory.

I was just being selfish here. But everyone agreed to follow me.

That’s why I had an obligation as Lemegeton to bring victory to everyone.

「Welcome to the tenth stratum, the true domain of the demons.」

They stopped for a second, but soon continued forward.

「I am the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff, the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.」

Just calling myself a Black Sorcerer sounded a bit weak, so we went with Dark Sorcerer.

It was definitely the kind of name her Highness would’ve thought up of.

The「One-horned」part was something that I insisted on adding.

My Avatar had one horn as well, so the viewers wouldn’t find it odd or anything.

But there was one person who would notice.

After all…

「I am the Flame Hero Fenix! I will defeat you and swing this sword of mine upon the Demon King himself!」

Fenix shouted to carry his voice towards me.

「That won’t happen. After all, we will be eliminating you all right here and now.」

My Black Magic could reach anywhere as long as I could see where my target was.

I unleashed my Black Magic on the five of them at the entrance.

Their expressions changed instantly.

Four of them made pained faces.

Only one of them was different.

My friend, Fenix, made a smile.

「…! Haha… Hahahaha!」

He burst out in laughter, something that was unlike him.

「I see… I see now!」

He put his hand to his mouth as he failed to control his laughter.

The very next moment, he took out his holy sword.

Its blade shone a brilliant red. It was crimson as if it was scorching hot.

「Go all out. We’ll only fall further behind the longer we take.」

The Flame Hero must have realized.

Realized that Lemegeton was his best friend.

That would make sense. He’d realize even if I didn’t say anything.

That’s why you’d come at me full force.

I knew.

「Let’s see just how far you’ll get, Flame Hero.」