Volume 6 Chapter 3 (2/2)

She was that strong.

The ultimate one-man army.

”Yeah, I was surprised too. I'm stronger now than when I was a Demon Lord. But Procell, let's not be overconfident, okay? For one thing, my greatest strength, the Goddess of the Moon, can't be used inside dungeons.”

The weak point of the skill Goddess of the Moon was that it could not be activated in places where there were no moonlight.

But then again, there was her moonlight barrier. This barrier made an area be connected to the moon regardless of time or distance, thus making it possible to forcibly acquire the power of the moon.

The magic power consumption was severe though so the Goddess of the Moon could probably be used like this for only about two minutes.

Not that there is any monster that can last for two minutes against Marcho right now.

”Yeah but still, you're so strong, I can't do anything but laugh. There should be a rank higher than S rank that's all for you.”

S rank was the highest rank.

If a monster's power exceeded a certain amount, it was deemed an S rank. Considering this, there were definitely going to be disparities between the strength of S rank monsters. She, as a Wise Wolf Monarch Managarm, was certainly on the high end of S rank. So much so that I felt she exceeded it.

At any rate, there was something I couldn't ignore.

”I don't mean to nag but don't rely on me too much, okay? After all, there's also that obvious trap.”

”…The Creator's Mockery is quite worrying, isn't it?”

The price for power outside the norm.

It was just a guess but that skill was most probably the unknown skill in Wight's status when he was reborn into a Black Dragon of Death Siegwurm.

”Yeah. But you know what bothers me about it? It's that this isn't quite like the Creator.”

”I think it's an ability that's quite like the Creator though.”

The Creator was a rascal who enjoyed torturing us Demon Lords.

”Letting us know only half of the information, which is the harm that it will cause, truly is like the Creator but things can't be this simple. This seems to me just a decoy to hide its true purpose.”

Now that she mentions it, a trap that gets revealed by unlocking the skill through leveling up is too generous.

”I see what you mean. Another scary thing is that all that's stated is under certain conditions. What if those conditions are something unavoidable like eating? If so, that person's really got such an awful character, doesn't he?”

The anxiety of needing to be cautious of whatever I do was immeasurable but if that was the price for saving Marcho, it was something I would gladly bear.

”I think you can rest easy on that. While I agree that that person's horrible, the trigger shouldn't be something mundane like thinking—and just thinking—of something horrible. I believe it will be something that you will truly and deeply regret doing despite avoiding the consequences. But, so long as you stay as you are, I think you'll be just fine.”

”As long as I stay as I am? Okay, I'll take care to do that. And I guess I'll hold off on relying on you until we have full information on this.”

I vowed to myself to never lose sight of who I was.

”Yeah, that's a good attitude to take. After all, if you rely on me, you and your monsters wouldn't be able to grow. ……speaking of growth, let's do some special training right now.”

Marcho said so, grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, and then dragged me away from Avalon.

To the Mythological Foxes, she just waved her hand at them and told them to return to their duties.

”Wait, what do you mean special training???”

This is bad. She's too strong; I can't resist.

I could have issued out a command and, through my power as her Demon Lord, she would have been forced to obey but then, that would be in violation of my own set of principles.

”You've used [Awakening], right? That power is more frightening than you think so I was thinking that I, as your predecessor, should teach you how to use it.”

”I'm very grateful but can't we do it some other day? Like the day after the feast, for example.”

Yeah, I do need to learn how to use it but it doesn't have to be today.

”Nope. This is best done sooner rather than later. Do you know why I came here before my dungeon has been fully reorganized? Well, let me tell you. It's because my eyes here in Avalon told me that they sensed your [Awakening] being used.”

”It was on the request of a subordinate monster of mine so I had to use it.”

Thanks to that, I was able to make Fel immensely pleased. And seeing the results, I didn't think using [Awakening] again for Fel's sake was such a bad thing.

”I was surprised, you know. I was like, does he want to die? I think this the first I've heard of Demon Lord who used [Awakening] for such nonsense. Or is your intention to make me a widow right after you've extended my life?”

Her tone was soft but it also had unyielding force.

Also, for some reason, she was puffing her cheeks in an intense manner.

”What are you getting so angry for?”

”I'll say this just in case it pops into your head but this has nothing to do with jealousy; I am not worried at all about being upstaged by such a little girl. I am just genuinely worried about you.”

”Then explain what you are worried about so that I can understand.”

”Okay, simply put, as things are, you will cease to exist. I was convinced when I heard it from Kuina and the others but, Procell, it seems you're fundamentally mistaken about [Awakening]: it doesn't create another personality within you or anything like that.”

”It doesn't?”

When I used [Awakening], I felt a dark me raging within, swallowing my own consciousness.

I had thought that to be another personality.

”Nope, it doesn't. [Awakening], you see, only brings out to the surface your base self which doesn't listen to reason and which desires for things. Well, it's also the part of you that wants to have fun but nonetheless, it is undeniably all been a part of you from the start.”

”…you've got to be kidding”

That's impossible. There's no way that I'm like my dark self who lust for blood or Kuina and Fel.

”I'm not. Those are what you desire from the bottom of your heart. Well, everyone has a dark side and I can understand the feeling of not wanting to recognize that as a part of yourself.”

”I don't want to believe you.”

I did not think of myself as a saint but I was certainly not that awful either.

”But please do. The problem, see, is in not recognizing that part of yourself. That's not me, that's different person, you might think. While one might argue that that is a good technique to return to your normal self, in truth, that's nothing more than denying who you are. Because of that, you'll end up denying that part of yourself over and over again, until eventually, you do have two distinct personalities within you. And when that happens, those two personalities will clash until only one is left to fully control the body, even when Awakening is not in effect.”

I'm going to be erased by my dark self?? That's my fate? I can't deny that it feels likely though.

”The important thing here is that you recognize your dark side. Imagine it as a mask, if it helps. Upon recognizing that part of yourself, you will learn to control even those dark emotions. Anyone who can master this can be called a very capable Demon Lord. Well, at any rate, let's try it out. You don't have to worry; if you get out of hand, I can simply knock you out.”

I didn't want to believe it but to become strong, I had no choice but to accept my predecessor's words.

”Alright, I'll believe you. I'm going to confront my own emotions and master them.”

Ok, I'll do it, I thought to resolve myself.

For maximum safety, I had the option of simply not using [Awakening] ever again. However, that wasn't a real solution; it was only running away from the problem. To be on the path of growing stronger, I had to face the risks. Otherwise, I could never become the strongest Demon Lord.

Now, to activate [Awakening]. Marcho said she'll watch over me so there should be nothing to worry about.

My goal this time wasn't only to master [Awakening], but also to test out [Necrosis], an ability that I recently obtained from killing the [Bow] Demon Lord Leraje.

This was an ability that the [Bow] Demon Lord used to make the wounds caused by each of his force's arrows to rot and be harder to heal.

And now, I too could use such an ability. If I applied it to all the bullets that my monsters would fire and thus cause the wounds they would inflict to rot, their offensive capabilities they could cause would surely rise.

Each bullet would turn into an certain death bullet.

”[Awakening]”

I recited the words of power and made my dark self manifest before Marcho.

Now, come. I'll conquer even my dark side to be a stronger Demon Lord.

TL: I changed [King] to [Monarch]. Aside from gender neutrality, it just sounds better to me.