In his office, he and Lord Ragdoll prepare for the emergency.
　A black cube has suddenly appeared in the area where the Purple Demon King is staying, and its walls have even turned out to be a collection of many demons.
　Naturally, the object cannot be left unattended, and the knights are advising the neighbors to evacuate.
　Fortunately, the nearby areas have already been evacuated beforehand, so we can avoid any immediate damage in case something happens.
　However, the fact that all of the demons that have been occupying the mountains leading to the Kuro Wolf Tribe's village have appeared in this country is not a matter to be taken lightly.
　There is a possibility that these demons will attack the people depending on how things turn out.
　From the standpoint of the person who incited him, he understands the significance of the current situation. He's probably playing against the Purple Demon Lord right now.
　The fact that he is doing it so late at night suggests that he is planning to settle the matter at once.
　It must be an act that puts the country in danger. But he's doing what he thinks is best.
　Then we must wait and trust him as friends.

"It appears that the Mejis have sensed the situation and have joined the siege.
It seems they've left some men at home. It seems that they have left some men in the country, though not all of them, since the search parties have already left the country.
It's frustrating to just wait and see.
We've lost contact with the group, they're probably joining him. We've got the best men we can send. We've got some help, so we'll just have to let it go. We'll just do what we can to prepare for what comes after.

　The knights' reports also confirmed Sir Ratzel's absence.
　Sir Ratzel, who had made contact with him, would not hesitate to help him, as would Priestess Lakra and the Golden Demon King.
　Speaking of Lord Ratzel, her recent movements come to mind.

"Lord Raggedy, what is Lord Ratzel's level of training?
"To answer your question bluntly, I have taught him how to use his skills.

　I am well aware of the severity of Lord Raggedy's training.
　If he trained you well, you would be no match for any opponent.

"Is it too much to hope for in less than a month?
"......, you know a girl under him named Wolfe.
Yeah, the one with all the talent, right?

　Of course you don't know her, she's a black wolf, but she's white and different.
　The scale of her magic power is not that of an ordinary person.
　She had trained with the knights of Ragdoll, and had grown at a very different pace.
　She is now under the tutelage of Gladna, the Fist Saint, who was on par with Lord Ragdoll.

"Yes, if the girl is a bundle of talent, Lord Ratzel is a bundle of training. I didn't make my mark until I was over 30. Through hard work and a lot of experience, I've perfected my mind, body, and spirit. Sir Ratzel has been improving himself since he was a child. His body alone has surpassed my prime years ago.
"With such a formidable warrior, I'm sure he knows that.

　There have been many knights with better minds and skills than Sir Ratzel.
　But in a previous sword fighting tournament, Sir Ratzel overwhelmed the others.
　He even twisted his opponent with his bare hands after his sword was knocked down.
　This was no laughing matter, he had the ability to subdue an opponent with force that no technique could match.
　After being reprimanded by Lord Raggedy, Lord Ratzel began to fight with less force and more skill.

Now Lord Ratzel has learned to wield his power to the fullest.
That's terrifying.
Yes, even more than her father.

　Lord Ratzel, her father's predecessor, was not a stranger to her.
　A man who rose to the rank of second-in-command of Raggedy-doo at a young age.
　He lost his life in a demon attack, but it was said that his abilities might have surpassed even Lord Ragdor if he were still alive today.
　Lord Ratzel inherited his talent and blossomed through his extraordinary training.

So two of the mind and body have been formed?
No, the mind is what he trained me for.
Oh, yes, indeed.

　A full-fledged knight must excel in all aspects of mind, body and spirit.
　As a young knight, Sir Ratzel lacked both mind and skill.
　But he still had the ability to rival the other knights.
　That is why he could not avoid conflict with the other knights.
　But the presence of a friend brought about a great change in Sir Ratzel.
　No longer would he be a half-breed chasing after the shadow of his father.

She is undoubtedly a knight of Taze, having inherited the skills of her predecessors.

------------------------------------

　I'm not sure what to make of this.
　The physical advantages of the singular parts of this pair of great demons were very good.
　The destructive power of Zaspenfosse's right leg created an impact that reverberated far into the distance.
　The left leg of Tenesus Spaligne was said to trample and drive even sound.
　But both of them never showed their full potential.
　No, Tenesasparigun had chosen to use his left leg to evade the initial attack.
　But he couldn't avoid it.
　The huge torrent of magic from the sword wielded by the female knight in front of me, Ilias-Ratzel, instantly swallowed me and Tenesasparigun in front of her.
　By the time I realized it was an attack, it was already too late, and Tenesasparigun took the direct hit with a half-hearted evasive maneuver.
　As soon as I realized that it was inevitable, I put on barriers and concentrated on defense, but most of the multiple barriers melted.
　Of course, Tenesasparigun, who took the direct hit, was scattered into pieces of flesh far behind.

It's surprisingly hard, but it has to be.

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea for me to go to the gym, but I'm sure it's a good idea for you.

I've been looking into some of the information, but it seems to be quite different from what I was told.
It would be easier if you threw away all the information I've given you so far.

　With that, he sinks deeper and takes a step forward.
　It's fast, a rush as fast as the subhuman's earlier movement.
　He deploys a barrier and fights back - or rather, evades.


　My instincts kicked in and I flew sideways and all the barriers were cut down at the same time.
　He hadn't lost any of his sword speed, how was that possible?
　Even when Balaguerin destroyed Rakhra-Sarv's wards, there was a slight delay.
　I'm sure that each of the barriers we have in place is less strong than the last, but the cumulative strength of each barrier is greater than the last.

What the hell is the mechanism?
There is no mechanism, it's pure magic enhancement.

　I'm not sure if he's preparing for our counterattack after evading, but he quickly moves away. I'm not sure what to make of it.

I'm not sure what to make of that.
Yes, all of Taze's knights specialize in magic enhancement. I thought I was following their example, but it wasn't until I received proper instruction that I realized I was failing. I thought I could just put magic into it and harden it, but that was not the case.

　He then kneaded magic power all over his body to strengthen his magic power.
　I've been doing this for a while now.

I've been doing this for a while now, but this is just the beginning. Only after this will you enter the strengthening stage. I hadn't even wondered about it because I and the others had been well strengthened in this state until now. I never imagined that my neglect of socializing would have an impact on my training.

　The magic in his entire body suddenly disappeared, or was it completely hidden inside his body?
　It has completely permeated the skin, flesh and bones of his entire body.
　I've never seen such a dense reinforcement of magic.

I thought this was the limit of my power when I lost to Gillista. According to Lord Ragdoll, I had been training too hard and was not making the most of my power.
Are you really a person?
You're rude. You're definitely a knight!

　He's slashing at us at the same time. There's no point in defending with barriers.
　His current attack power can reach my neck, but so what?
　I didn't originally intend to use this power against a human, but this is not a situation where I can be spared.
　I will wield it all for my lord.
　He evades the sword with unseen speed.
　At the same time, he readies his left arm and thrusts.

"!

　He swiftly catches the left arm with his sword, but is unable to kill the impact and is blown far back.
　He quickly adjusts his stance, but his expression is slightly clouded.
　A chase - no, this isn't the right place.
　At the same time as he flies backwards, the boundary of the ward is created where he had been, and the ward is set up at the same time.
　It's Rakhra-Sarv, who was behind us.

You can see it, the line of wards.
You can see the warding lines," he said, "and as you have targeted Tenesasparigun, who is easier to kill first, I shall imitate you.

　I stepped in with my left leg and dove in front of Rakhra-Sarv with one foot.
　He barely reacts and is out of range, but I'm not going to let him get away.
　He barely reacts, but he's not going to let you get away from him. You add a bone to your right arm and shoot it out.
　I thrust it into his shadow to block his movement.

"This is-
I don't need to understand, I'm done.

　Swing your right leg over his head.
　He senses you're trying to ward him, but it doesn't matter, he'll shatter.
　But Rakhra-Sarv suddenly moves backwards, and instead, Ilias-Lazzell leaps forward and swings his sword, colliding with my right leg.
　The impact roared through the space, and the power was even, no, I was superior.
　The impact that occurred blew away the two people in front of me.
　I'm sure I connected with my right arm, but I must have shattered the bone with my step when I jumped.

"Thank you, Mr. Iliad.
Yeah, but that was...
Yes, it was the power of another great demon I'd heard so much about.
That's right, the Mask of the Pawn is not just a tool to receive the Lord's magical power. It is possible to inherit the peculiarities of dead demons through the mask. You've slaughtered all the great demons except me, so now I have all their power.

　It was not only to receive the Lord's magical power that I wore the Mask of the Pawn, which was also a shackle to those who could not and would not swear allegiance.
　Through this power, the Lord forged me, the most loyal, to a higher level, as a trump card against the other Demon Lords.
　Gugge Gugderestuf, the Piercing Left Arm.
　Folkdrekra, the blind back.
　"The right arm that binds," "Hashalukdekht.
　Faybus Hasu, the lost belly.
　The burning horn, Pfirmläckschow.
　Zerkanlitessa, the tail that shaves.
　The roaring right leg, Zaspenfosse.
　"Running Left Leg," Tenesusparigun.
　Ramugresca, the sniffing nose.
　Baragwelyn, the "wise ear.
　As a result, I inherited these ten peculiarities.
　"My Lord, I have here perfected the power befitting a member of the Purple Demon King's entourage.

"Of course, I don't want you to forget about my own power as well. ...... [Crush]

　The two people in front of you receive a shock as if they were affected by gravity magic at the same time as the words.
　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.
　It is a far degraded power compared to the power of my master's cage, but it is the proudest symbol I have to remind me of it.
　They'll be back soon.
　Yes, this power has no absolute binding power.
　It can restrain an opponent for a long time if he is completely unconcerned, but it can only momentarily inhibit an opponent who is preparing himself and increasing his inherent magical power.
　There are many other restrictions, such as the fact that it can only be used when the opponent can accurately hear my words.
　However, as long as I can block their actions even for a moment, that is enough.
　I will grow my horns and unleash a thunderbolt spell all around me.



No use!

　A single swing of Ilias-Lazzell's sword dissipates the lightning magic.
　His sword seems to have an enchanted stone in it, but that doesn't make the horn any less valuable.
　Even though it is neutralized, the light created remains, a light that momentarily blocks action and takes away vision.
　If both of us lose sight of the other, I, with my specialized nose and ears, can respond more quickly.
　I sprouted the tail of the Zerkanlitessa and launched a cleave attack.
　Ilias-Lazzell was the first to collide with it, and even though he was blinded, he was able to react in time.
　However, as he caught the high-speed tail with his sword, both of his arms were blocked.
　The bones of his right arm fly out and connect with the shadows.
　At the same time, he punctures the left arm with his vise.
　You'll be able to defend yourself in time, but you won't be able to hold your ground as well as before and you'll take a direct hit.
　He succeeded in slamming it into the wall without touching the ground.
　However, with such a strong magic power, it would be far from fatal.
　Then, in this instant, I'll finish off the remaining Lakra Sarf in front of me.
　At the moment I put my strength into my left leg, my nose senses the danger.
　He thrusts the tip of his tail into the ground and uses it as an axis to send his body flying into the air.
　At the same time, the foothold is broken up into a large number of blocks.
　Was it trying to penetrate the ground with its magic power and cut the ground at the moment we stepped on it to make us lose our stance?
　While my companions were being attacked, they were nonchalantly preparing to counterattack, and this is not an opponent we can let our guard down.
　But if you are vulnerable, with no excessive magic enhancement, subtle physical abilities, and reliance on wards for defense, the game will be decided in an instant.
　You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.
　While you lost sight of me in the lightning strike, I put all my strength into my tail and headed for the ground at high speed.
　But on the way, his tail was cut off.
　Its nose sensed the danger ahead of its trajectory, as if it had realized how we were moving and came to interfere.
　It seems that he had already set up a ward and prepared a death zone, but it is pointless.
　He put all his strength into his left leg and bounced in the air to correct his trajectory.
　He plunges into the ground, regenerating his severed tail and using it as a spring to absorb the impact.
　Combining his accumulated momentum with his left leg, he accelerates and launches a double charge.
　His ears detected a disturbing sound, and he swung his right leg in the direction his nose had alerted him to.
　His right leg collides with Ilias-Lazzell's sword, which has just jumped into the air.
　He was on the side of the wall before he landed on the ground, but he was no match for our speed.
　However, even with the momentum from the jump, my right leg could easily kick a human away.
　This time I slammed into the ceiling instead of the wall, but I was caught, and I'm sure I'll be back even faster than before.
　In the meantime, there was a hint of a ward around you, and you stepped back to get some distance.
　Sure enough, Ilias-Ratzel immediately jumps back in.
　If I had pushed forward, the warding would have targeted my legs and I would have received a blow.
　The wards are easy to break, but you can't prevent them from being sharp when they occur.
　It's a very difficult formation to attack.

"Mr. Iliad, you've been blowing up too many times!
"That's true, but if I'm attacked like that in a position where I can't stand on my feet, it's only natural that I'll be blown away by my own weight. Can you handle it with Lakra?
"Even if my style is better, Ilias-san is heavier because of his muscles.
No, that makes me want to put it in black and white.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It's hard to fight while protecting Lakra.

　Yes, Rakhra Sarv's fighting skills are tricky, but he is not a good fighter.
　Even if his wards are defended, I can take him out with a single blow.
　The man seemed to be trying to create a two-on-one situation to gain an advantage in the fight, but in fact he was hindering Ilias-Lazzell's movement.

"What? I don't need it.
No, but I just saw a shadow.
I could have dealt with it. I didn't do anything because I knew Mr. Ilias would jump in.
Are you sure you want to go to ......?
Yes, please do your best and don't look over your shoulder. I'm more of a backup.

　You're abandoning your defenses, that's good.

Then know that your pride will be your downfall!

　He leaps in with his left leg and simultaneously uses his horn to dazzle with lightning magic.
　His nose alerted Ilias-Ratzel, but it didn't matter, and he used his tail as a shield to charge towards Rakhra-Sarv.
　You can feel your tail being severed, but it's not a problem.
　The bones of his right arm fly out from under his tail, again blocking his movement.
　He readies his left arm and points it in the direction of Rakhra-Sarv.
　His nose detects the presence of a ward ahead, but it is not a problem.
　Continue to extend your left arm and pierce.

"What?

　You can't feel your left arm, and the distance you've extended it suggests that you should have already pierced it.
　If he was evading you, or if you consider his physical ability, he was evading you before you pierced him.
　In other words, he knew we were aiming for him when he cast the thunderbolt spell.
　It seems that he hasn't lost his concentration at all after such a dull conversation.
　No, wait, my nose is still on high alert.

You've finally attacked me once and for all.

　The pain in my left arm, right after I pierced it, is not enough to shrink it in time.
　His warding had severed my left arm.
　So, all the wards he had put up for defense were for counterattack.

"So he abandoned the warding defense from the start?

　I regenerated my left arm, but if the part is completely cut off, a lot of magic power will be wasted in repairing it.
　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

I've given up on defending myself from the start, since the one before me was so easily defeated.
It's a brave thing to take a blow to a piece of meat.
I have good eyes. Hmmm...but it does seem sterile when it plays out like that so quickly. If Mr. Iliad doesn't follow up, we'll never get anywhere.


"Don't be so reckless as to follow up with a counterattack in response to my attack on Lacla.
"Then I'll initiate the counterattack. Can Ilias please follow up?
"Don't be so coy, but I'll leave it to you.

　It's quite audacious of you to be planning a strategy in front of the enemy.
　But I don't sense any sign of pretense from him.
　I'm not going to let my guard down. I'm going to focus on the nose.
　The precision of Ramugresca's nose is a marvelous peculiarity.
　It is capable of reacting beyond the limits of its own perception.
　As long as he is not defeated in physical ability, he cannot be defeated as long as he is superior in reaction speed.
　The nose senses danger, there are wards around him, but he's trying to do something else.
　I've also got nerves in my left leg and tail to be ready to react at a moment's notice.
　Now, how about--?

"What?

　Your instincts tell you that you are in danger. But neither your nose nor any of your other senses can detect anything.
　Only your instincts tell you that this is not a good position to be in, that you will die.
　He quickly crouches down, evacuating his head at top speed - at the same time his legs and right arm are severed.
　The tail that was lowered too late was also cut off, this is a warded attack - no, but the nose is not detecting it!
　As I turn my head, I see that Ilias-Lazzell is already slashing at me.
　Rather, my eyes are glued to Lakra Sarv, who is just ahead of me.
　How is that possible? What's the principle?

"The Blind Eye of Beguragud?

　Before I could catch up, Ilias-Ratzel struck a blow with all his might.