Volume 6 Chapter 19 (2/2)

”Before that, I would like to say just one thing… What the hell is with you!? I mean, we're both newly born Demon Lords, but why is it that there's such a large gap between us!? Don't you find that strange? This is unfair, you cheating bastard!”

He shouted so and then glared at me.

I really couldn't refute what he said. It was unfair. Both my unique skill and medal were highly excellent and versatile.

”Yeah, I really am blessed. Well, are you done screaming? If you are, let's return to the topic at hand. I don't have a lot of time to waste.”

I didn't have time to endure the nonsense of the defeated.

Even if you were dealt an inferior hand, it didn't mean you should just give up. There were still ways to win. In his case, in order to win against Stolas, he borrowed the power of another Demon Lord. A Demon Lord who would do such a thing was better than one who would fight a hopeless battle and accept death, honorable though it may be.

Upon hearing what I said, the [Blade] Demon Lord's face grew red before hanging it low.

”…haha, you really think so little of me. Very well, I'll talk. The one who proposed this was-”

Before he could finish what he was saying, his face rapidly became red and swelled.

No!

”Aura, can you stop it?”

”It's impossible. Strange magic power is swelling within him. To stop it from the outside's…”

The [Blade] Demon Lord was spouting blood from his mouth. His throat was already extremely damaged, rendering him unable to speak anymore.

If left as he was, he was going to die soon.

In such a state, he strangely smiled. Soon thereafter, he took his last breath.

Before I could get any information, he had died. Damn it, he's been silenced.

It was likely that the moment he tried to talk about the mastermind, this event would be triggered to end his life. Like this, he was gone without leaving so much as a clue.

”Forgive me, my lord. I was not able to predict something like this would happen.”

”There's nothing to forgive, Duke. Even if we could have somehow predicted it, it isn't the kind of thing we could have prevented. …That bastard”

Assuming that the [Black] Demon Lord was the one pulling the strings from the shadows, I could probe around during our meeting two days later.

To be honest, it was frustrating to not be able to confirm the mastermind.

No, wait…

”Is this his last act of tenacity? I still can't forgive him for the horrible things he said to Stolas, but I will recognize that he's a man of fortitude. May he rest in peace.”

I finally figured out the reason of his last smile. On the brink of death, he managed to scrawl the name of the mastermind using his own blood.

Through this desperate act, he was able to return a blow against the one that used him and even killed him just to ensure his silence. It seemed like his resentment toward this mastermind was so deep, he was willing to entrust his revenge to me, the one who interrupted his [War] with Stolas.

Very well, I will clear away your regrets.

Thinking so, I took a breath and then spoke.

”Come, let's go end this [War]”

The victory conditions for this [War] were for either Stolas or [Blade] break the other's crystal or have the other surrender. Unfortunately, death wasn't one.

Let's end this [War] right away and then press a blade against the mastermind's throat.