𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝟏
“Uh, ugh. . . . . .”
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I was hungry.
In this hell where one must fight, win, and consume the fallen opponent to eat, that child was born with only feeble strength.
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Growing up might make one capable of fighting decently, but growth has no meaning here.
If you can’t fight now, you’ll starve to death.
No, before starving to death, something else will eat and kill you.
Being protected by parents is not an option.
That child’s parents were the type to ostracize and expel an unconventional child from the pack.
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“Haa. . . . . . Haa. . . . . . Auh.”
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Tripped and fell into a depression in the ground.
I don’t even have the strength to get up anymore.
My stamina is completely depleted due to hunger.
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I was certain that I would die here.
My instincts screamed that I didn’t want to die.
Due to the knowledge implanted in me, my mind, already formed in just a few days after birth, wailed and cried out.
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But whether I cry or shout, no help is coming.
This is that kind of place.
This is that kind of hell.
. . . . . . Or so it was supposed to be.
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“Hey, are you alright?”
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However, defying the norms of this hell,
That person extended a hand of salvation.
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◆◆◆
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“HAAAAAAAAA!!”
“Huh?!”
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Stella attempts to parry the Demon King’s successive swings of his dark sword with her Holy Sword, but she’s unable to fully deflect them and is sent flying.
Recalling Allan’s technique 『Rapid Current』 that converts impact into movement speed, she immediately regains her posture, but
In the next moment, the Demon King’s flying dark slash is right in front of Stella’s eyes.
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“『Hell Sword・Fang Slash』!”
“『Holy Sword』! Ugh?!”
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Although she counters the dark slash with her sword of light magic, she’s overpowered and sent flying again.
However, she never intended to fully neutralize it in the first place.
Her aim is not to meet the attack head-on, but to deflect the trajectory of the dark slash from the side.
Though she’s sent flying just by the aftershock, her objective has been achieved.
But. . . . . .
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“What’s the matter, hero? Just defending!”
“Ugh. . . . . . !”
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The Demon King is right.
Throughout the battle, Stella has been purely on the defensive.
Despite having a Holy Sword that inhibits healing, she hasn’t even scratched the Demon King.
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On the other hand, Stella has sustained significant damage.
The strongest metal armor sent by the God of War just before the battle is mostly shattered, and she’s covered in wounds everywhere.
Although she’s healing the accumulating injuries with Healing Magic, new wounds are inflicted almost immediately.
If she mistimes the use of her Healing Magic, she could be taken advantage of and finished off while her focus is on activating the spell.
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“Huh?!”
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Once again, Stella is sent flying. This time, the Demon King doesn’t opt for a quick attack; instead, he twists his body and takes a big swing with his sword of darkness.
His stance reminds one of a bow pulled taut to its limit.
The attack that he’s about to unleash is, naturally, a powerful technique worthy of such a stance.
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“『Hell Sword・Spiral』!”
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A stream of darkness, swirling in a spiral, closes in on Stella.
It’s similar to a technique used by a formidable opponent, 『Sword Saint』 Shizuka, whom Allan once challenged, but the Demon King’s version is on a different scale.
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A maximum storm of death that will destroy everything in its path.
If unleashed outside this specially reinforced room coated with dark magic over many years, it would reshape kilometers of terrain and wipe out armies in a single blow.
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Even that alone makes it more incredible than any attack from any demon Stella has ever seen.
Even the Blue Flame Dragon-form of Dragburn or Asgard, who wears an entire labyrinth, cannot compare.
This is the pinnacle of demons.
The power of the strongest demon, the 『Demon King』.
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But the hero is humanity’s hope, the only one who can stand equally against such a Demon King.
The true power of the Holy Sword, which only the hero can wield without risk, is also so extraordinary that it can’t be used in any battle other than against the Demon King due to divine constraints.
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“『True・Moonlight Blade』!!”
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Regaining her posture, she unleashes an attack to counter the dark spiral.
A crescent-shaped blade of light emitted from the Holy Sword.
Despite being an instantaneous, chantless attack, it’s far stronger than the blow that decapitated Dragburn after a long incantation.
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Light collides with darkness.
Wide-area destruction of darkness and focused light.
Still, what prevailed was the darkness.
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“Huh?!”
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The blade of light managed to partially cut through the spiral of darkness, but ultimately was overpowered, and Stella was swallowed by the darkness.
Thanks to the light of the Holy Sword enveloping and protecting her, she hasn’t suffered any fatal injuries, but the damage is far from minor.
Even the armor made of the strongest metal has completely shattered at this point.
That said, in breaking, the armor had further mitigated the damage, so it had served its purpose admirably.
Without the armor, Stella might already be incapacitated by now.
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“『Advance Healin. . . . . .”
“You won’t!”
“Guh?!”
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As Stella attempted to heal her wounds with Healing Magic, the Demon King lunged at her, forcing her to interrupt the spell and counterattack with all her might.
She parried the Demon King’s sword strikes and spells with her own.
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(It hurts. . . . . . !)
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Each time their swords clashed, her arms screamed.
Each time they exchanged spells, she was overpowered and struck.
Be it physical prowess, magical firepower, or technique, Stella was outmatched by the Demon King.
Even when greatly enhanced by the true power of the Holy Sword, she couldn’t catch up.
Typically, the power of a hero who has unlocked the Holy Sword is nearly equal to that of the Demon King.
Past heroes managed to repel the Demon King every time, aided by numerous Holy Warriors.
Even the previous Demon King, who had dealt the most damage to humanity and had fought evenly with the previous hero, had avoided a direct confrontation and fled.
That is how much of a threat heroes should be to the Demon King.
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Yet, Stella couldn’t even imagine defeating the Demon King.
She didn’t even think she could wound him to the extent it would affect future battles, much like her former self in the previous world.
(This is the worst Demon King in history. . . . . . !)
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Stella was astonished by the Demon King’s overwhelming power in her mind.
This is the power of the great Demon King who had once nearly conquered the world, killing seventy percent of humanity.
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The main difference, perhaps, is experience.
Stella, although she’s been honing her sword skills alongside Allan since childhood, is still just a 15-year-old girl.
While she meets the criteria to be a hero, she can’t yet claim to have realized her full potential.
The Demon King, on the other hand, has been refining his skills for decades.
No wonder Allan had said she could never win, even at the cost of her life.
There’s no room for argument; it’s simply true.
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Stella cannot defeat the Demon King on her own.
Nor can she deal enough damage to weaken him.
That was made painfully clear.
Forced to realize it.
But that’s precisely why. . . . . .
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“Yaaaaaaahhh!!”
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Stella swung her sword with all her might.
To deflect, dodge, and block; a sword purely for defense.
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“You hesitated, hero!”
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It would be understandable for the Demon King to think that.
Fighting like this won’t even scratch the Demon King.
If she doesn’t go on the offensive and remains defensive, she’ll simply be whittled down until it’s over.
A desperate struggle just to extend her life, however briefly.
That’s what Stella is doing right now.
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(But this is fine!)
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Stella will protect.
Deflecting sword strikes, dodging magic, guarding against powerful moves, solely focused on surviving.
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If things go on like this, Stella’s fight against the Demon King will end in pointless death, unable to inflict even a scratch.
If the hero dies without accomplishing anything, humanity is truly doomed.
Considering her duty as a hero, she should at least chip away at the Demon King here.
That way, perhaps Ruberto and Blade could defeat the Demon King by wielding the Holy Sword at the cost of their lives after Stella’s death.
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(But I promised Allan! I swore to cling to life and win alongside Allan and the others!)
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To live and win.
For that reason, she can’t recklessly charge in, prepared to die.
There’s no choice but to trust and wait for her comrades.
She can’t win this alone; she has to believe that her comrades will break through the Demon King’s Castle’s defenses and come to her aid.
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Such are Stella’s thoughts.
The courage to choose a fight where she endures by trusting her comrades.
━━It was rewarded.
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“『Divine Shield Barrier』!”
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Suddenly, the door to the chamber of final battle burst open, and a glowing magical barrier appeared between Stella and the Demon King.
Even the Demon King’s power couldn’t break it in one strike, halting his offense momentarily.
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“『Sword of Judgment』!!”
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Following the barrier, a massive slash imbued with multi-colored magical power engulfed the Demon King.
In that opening, someone with gray hair swiftly collected Stella and applied Healing Magic that couldn’t be fully utilized while fighting, gradually restoring the accumulated damage.
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Stella looks at her comrades who provided covering fire and smiles.
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“Rin, Ernesta-san, Blade! And also, Garm-san!”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Stella-san!”
“Well done! You held out really well all by yourself!”
“We’re joining the fight from here on!”
“. . . . . .I may be the odd one out here, not being a party member, but I will still give it my all!”
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The four Holy Warriors who joined the battle readied their respective weapons, each uttering reassuring lines.
Though Garm is different, having comrades from the Hero’s Party is a big deal.
They can coordinate with Stella much better than any other Holy Warrior who might come to help.
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“『Hell Sword━━.”
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However,
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“『Fang Slash』!”
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There was no time to revel in the emotional reunion. The Demon King, who had effortlessly recovered even after being hit by Blade and Ernesta’s combined secret technique, unleashed a massive dark slash.
Stella, not fully healed, grits her teeth and steps forward to intercept.
The role of Holy Warriors in the battle between the hero and the Demon King is to support the hero.
Obviously, they can’t confront the Demon King with the power of a mere Holy Warrior.
That’s why Stella needs to be at the very front of the battle, but. . . . . .
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“Ultimate Killing Sword.”
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Stopping in her tracks, Stella looks at the person who leapt in front of her, the most beloved and dependable person in the world.
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“Fifth Strike━━『Calamity Return』!”
“What?!”
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The dark slash is deflected back at the Demon King.
The Demon King is strong.
Strong to an excessive degree.
That’s why, when his own powerful strike is deflected back, the damage he suffers is greater than anyone else’s.
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Unable to completely negate the deflected dark slash in an instant, the Demon King bleeds for the first time.
He’s sent flying, blood spilling.
This is the first damage the Demon King has taken since the battle began.
The one who accomplished this wasn’t a hero or even a Holy Warrior; it was a talentless swordsman without even divine protection.
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“Allan!”
“Sorry to keep you waiting. It’s all right now.”
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With those words, Stella felt an overwhelming sense of calm.
It was an incredibly reassuring voice.
Was it the suspension bridge effect or something else? His back appeared twice as reliable as usual.
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“We’re here too!”
“Mama, I mean, Mother, and Hero-sama, we’ve come to assist.”
“This is way out of our league. Even if we go backstage, how useful can we be. . . . . .”
“Imina-san, Eltrait-san, Doug-san!”
“Ah! Good that you came!”
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Following Allan, more reinforcements appeared.
『Hammer Saint』 Imina, 『Sage』 Eltrait, 『Hero of the Sword』 Doug.
Now, six Holy Warriors and one Sword Demon, equal or greater in power, were in the area.
Plus, there was one more hero.
Even though they haven’t trained in coordination, just in numbers, they match the average Hero’s Party of the past.
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Stella felt joy and relief spreading in her heart at the arrival of their friends who came running.
But Stella pushed down the relaxation that started creeping into her heart and moved next to Allan, who had somewhat recovered.
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“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine! You look pretty battered, though. You could rest until you’re fully recovered.”
“It’s an honorable wound I got while challenging the last of the Four Heavenly Kings with Ruberto-san. No problem.”
“What do you mean, no problem?”
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Honorable or not, a wound is a wound, Stella thought to herself.
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“Blade.”
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Then, without taking his eyes off the Demon King who had crashed into the castle wall and was hidden behind the dust, Allan called out to Blade.
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“I have a message from Ruberto-san. He said, 『I leave the rest to you』. Those were his last words to you.”
“””??!”””
“I, Is that. . . . . .”
“Allan.”
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Before Stella and the others could say anything, Blade’s voice cut them off.
It was a very quiet, composed voice, as if he had already made up his mind.
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“Tell me one thing. Was my gramps cool?”
“Yeah, incredibly so. Defeating the last of the Four Heavenly Kings was thanks to Ruberto-san.”
“I see.”
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Upon hearing this, Blade. . . . . .smiled genuinely.
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“Then I have to properly inherit it, don’t I? Otherwise, gramps will haunt me!”
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It wasn’t forced enthusiasm.
Those who have been watching Blade fake his enthusiasm since losing to Dragburn instantly realized this.
They also thought that he had truly become strong.
Blade, even knowing of his grandfather’s death, did not break and successfully inherited Ruberto’s will.
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Yes, Blade didn’t waver even after hearing Allan’s words.
The one who was disturbed by this story was another man.
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“You’ve defeated the last of the Four Heavenly Kings?”
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The one who muttered that in a soft voice was the Demon King, who had been cautiously observing the situation after Allan had repelled his attack.
The next moment, an overwhelming aura of killing intent emanated from the Demon King.
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“””Huh?!”””
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Nearly everyone’s body trembled upon being subjected to it.
Even Allan, with his strong mental fortitude, broke out into a cold sweat, and Doug was on the verge of collapsing, foaming at the mouth.
Such was the intensity of the Demon King’s current killing intent, which was laced with overwhelmingly strong emotions.
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“Fezard is defeated? Unbelievable. But, the fact that so many of you have made it this far must mean it’s true. . . . . .”
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Tears overflowed from the eyes of the Demon King.
No one could take advantage of that opening to attack.
It wasn’t driven by emotion.
The Demon King, shrouded in sadness,
The current Demon King, whose inner turmoil raged like a storm,
It was purely because they were too dangerous.
No one would foolishly leap into a stormy sea.
In the same way, one cannot recklessly meddle with the current Demon King.
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“Ah, AAAAAAAAAAH!!”
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The Demon King let out a scream as if to expel the violent emotions within him.
However, those emotions quickly transformed.
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“Fezard. . . . . .Thank you for all your hard work until now.
Leave the rest to me.
Your feelings, your loyalty, your devotion—I will not let them go to waste.”
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The color of the Demon King’s eyes changed.
From eyes that seemed to curse the entire world, they shifted to eyes filled with a sense of duty to carry on the will of someone precious.
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His gaze focused on Stella and the others.
Eyes wet with tears, yet harboring a strong resolve, were trained on them.
An overwhelming pressure descended upon them.
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“Heroes, I will avenge my most beloved subordinate.
We were the ones who started this.
I understand the foolishness of harboring such feelings and directing them at you.
Nevertheless. . . . . .nevertheless, I can’t seem to hold back.”
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The Demon King raised his sword of darkness once more.
Now imbued with genuine combat intent as well as lethal intent, the sword of the Demon King was swung.
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“I will kill you.
I will build a world for demons upon your deaths, as an offering to Fezard for her death, no, for the deaths of all who have died so far.
Consider it an homage to Fezard.”
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And thus, the final battle commenced.
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