“Demons are going to show up soon.”
“That’s bad.”
“Yeah. So, I want you to escape.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not lying?”
“If I’m lying, I’ll be your girlfriend.”
“Then it’s really bad.”
“I want you to run, but the people at the venue are in danger too… You might be able to do something about it.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, you’re really strong, right?”
“Huh, you think so?”
“Yeah. Honestly, at first glance, you don’t seem strong. But Rubaza always said her grandson is a genius.”
“Wait, are you my Gramma’s acquaintance?”
“Hmm, more like a friend. We used to play together a lot back then…”
Pomun had a quiet, almost ethereal presence. Her pale skin made her seem like she might disappear at any moment. She looked much younger than Gramma.
“The demons are in the basement of this arena.”
“Oh?”
“I’ll guide you. It’d make me happy if you could defeat them.”
“Can I really do it?”
“You can. You seem confident, not flustered at all.”
Hmm, judging by the way things are going, maybe my true abilities have been exposed. What a hassle. After I retire as the leader, I’ve got a slow life planned out, so if my skills get exposed, it’s going to be a real pain.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
“Is that so?”
“In exchange, though, right? Do me a favor.”
“…Well, if it’s just a demon.”
“Thanks. You’re cool, Zero.”
“Being told that by someone with such emotionless eyes doesn’t really feel like a compliment.”
“Ah, sorry. I’m just a quiet person. Anyway, could you come with me for now?”
“Got it.”
“If this goes well, I’ll treat you to some juice.”
The woman who introduced herself as Pomun started walking somewhere. Normally, I wouldn’t bother with this kind of trouble, but if demons are involved, things change a bit. Grandma promised to make apple pie later.
I love apple pie and want to enjoy it properly. If I eat it after demons cause some damage, the taste will be halved.
“There’s a basement like this in the coliseum?”
“Yeah. Zero, this way.”
“Alright, alright.”
As we walked together, we came across two guards chatting in front of a door.
“After this tournament ends, they’re planning to release a demon. It’s a ritual to strengthen the blessing of the Earth God.”
“But she’s strangely strong. Will Mr cult be able to win?”
“Even if he doesn’t, the evil wrath will—”
Oh, so they’re really planning to attack the venue.
“This is a real crisis.”
“There’s some dangerous guy in this basement.”
“Yeah, that’s the Divine Source Order – or the cult .”
“…They’re talking about reviving a god.”
“Yeah. They’re just pure lunatics.”
“Believing in gods all the time is pretty dangerous.”
“You don’t believe in gods, huh?”
“I’ve never seen one. Anyway, hold on a second.”
Without hesitation, I moved swiftly and knocked out the two guards with an incredibly fast hand strike.
“Whoa, that was super fast.”
“If it wasn’t me, you wouldn’t have even seen it, right?”
“Hmm… I have no idea what you’re saying, but I can tell you’re amazing.”
As we continued walking, we encountered more guards, so I knocked them out as well.
“There sure are a lot of people who believe in gods.”
“Zero, do you not believe in gods?”
“Hmm… I usually only believe in things I can see for myself. And in all my life, I’ve never seen a god.”
“Hmm… now that you mention it, I haven’t seen one either. But a lot of people do believe.”
“Same here. It’s probably just superstition. Though, there is a maid who claims to be a god.”
“Oh? She calls herself a god?”
“Yeah, but she’s not actually one.”
“Who knows? Maybe she really is a god.”
“If someone calls themselves a god, they should be stronger and more powerful than humans. But she doesn’t seem stronger than me.”
“So, if you met someone stronger and more powerful than you, would you consider them a god?”
“Hmm… well said. I guess that might be true.”
“I see… They say the Earth God can create and drop meteors.”
“I can do that too. I can make seven at once and even juggle them.”
“…They also say the Earth God can cause earthquakes.”
“I caused one when I was only six months old.”
“…Um, there’s also the Sea King God. They say he split the sea in two.”
“Hmm… is that all it takes to be a god? When I was swimming, I split the sea into four parts just by doing the front crawl.”
“…Yeah, I think if I keep talking to you, this conversation will just go in circles, so I’ll stop here.”
“Yep. In the end, gods don’t exist. The difference between things that exist and things that don’t should be made clear. That’s what it means to be an adult.”
As we kept walking through the underground chamber, we discovered what looked like a prison filled with a massive number of demons. There were well over a hundred of them.
“Alright, let’s take care of them quickly.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Zero. You’re super cool.”
“Heh, well, of course.”
“Oh, and I just realized… you’re surprisingly easy to flatter.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
“Wait, what?! That woman made it to the finals?!”
“The finals were supposed to be a battle between those blessed by the Earth God. By making them fight, we were supposed to demonstrate the power of the Earth God on the grandest stage. But now, our entire plan is ruined.”
“That woman is unbelievably strong… Where did she even come from?”
“Her level of magic control is absurdly high. Even without using magic, she has that much combat ability… Could she be a [Divine Awakened]?”
“Is she from the Heavenly Realm?”
“But aren’t we supposed to have a non-aggression pact?”
“People like them don’t care about pacts. Still, even another Divine Awakened might not be able to defeat her.”
“If this whole tournament ends up being pointless…”
“We can’t let that woman take the championship! The people’s faith is already declining year by year. The only reason the Earth God’s power has remained stable is because of the growing population. If someone without the Earth God’s blessing wins, it will be a disaster!”
“Hmm… This tournament has been widely known throughout the nation. We’ve put a lot of effort into promoting the power of the Earth God.”
“──In that case, how about I step in?”
A voice interrupted their conversation. Before anyone noticed, a boy was sitting on the table where the six men had been discussing. His skin was pale, and a gemstone was embedded in his forehead.
“L-Lord Vassal…”
“Lord Acid of Wrath…!”
“Thank you for your continued faith, humans. Now, back to the topic—she’s a formidable fighter. I’ll step in. Before the finals, I’ll interrupt and defeat her. Then, another Divine Awakened will defeat me. Of course, when I lose, I’ll make sure it’s convincing. We’ll do all of this in the arena. How about that?”
“C-Can you really defeat her, Lord Acid?”
“Of course. I am… the vassal who receives the greatest blessings of the Earth God. Oh, and make sure you set up a magic barrier around the arena so no one can escape. Also, make sure to bet big money on this. Understood?”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Okay then. Let’s get this over with.”
Slipping past the six men, the demon boy walked alone toward the waiting room for the arena’s fighters. The finals were about to begin, and since the eliminated contestants had already left, the room was empty.
“…Useless trash. The Divine Awakened sure are weak these days. We need more. Right, Earth God?”
[…Re, revival… soon…]
“I know. ‘Faith is in the land,’ right?”
The demon boy smirked sinisterly as he continued walking toward the arena. Waiting there was Lotte, ready for the final match.
“Huh…? What’s this feeling? Someone with a decent amount of magic just showed up in front of me?”
“Yeah, something like that. Magic barrier, activate.”
“…Huh, that’s a little unexpected.”
“Surprised? Well, it doesn’t matter since I’m going to kill you anyway.”
Suddenly, a barrier covered the entire arena. The spectators were trapped inside, overwhelmed by fear.
“W-What is this?!”
“A magic barrier?!”
“I-It won’t break!!”
“Hey, are you kidding me?!”
“That’s a demon…!!”
“A demon that can speak like a human… it must be a high-ranking one!”
Panic spread through the crowd. People banged against the barrier, trying to escape, but no one could get out.
“Daddy, is that…?”
“Yeah… A demon. And a high-ranking one at that.”
“…Ugh.”
“Reina, are you okay? You’re shaking.”
“…N-No. I-I’m fine.”
“Really?”
(Reina… getting this flustered?!)
Ilza widened her eyes in shock. She never expected the usually playful maid to look so anxious.
Golza folded his arms and narrowed his eyes, while Zigza did the same.
“…How do you think this fight will go?”
“Hmm… Golza, I’d say that girl will win.”
“I have the same prediction.”
“Though, if you’re asking whether there will be zero casualties…”
“I would have to agree with you on that as well.”
“Should we step in?”
“…No, it should be fine. He will come.”
“Hmm… I suppose so. Golza, in your prime, could you have defeated those two?”
“…Yes, I could have beaten both. But I wouldn’t be unscathed. Especially against that girl.”
“She’s a monster. Where did she even come from? In my prime, I might have been able to defeat her, but… her magic control is astonishing. The way she manipulates magic is truly beautiful. Incredible.”
“Well, that’s a monster if I’ve ever seen one. Where the hell did she come from? Might’ve been able to take her down in my prime. But even then, the way she refines her magic is absurdly fast—and the flow of her mana is downright beautiful. Impressive.”
“Hard to judge by appearance since she’s an elf, but judging by her demeanor, she’s still young. A work in progress… I’d say.”
“Terrifying to think what she’ll become.”
Calm and objective, the two of them sat in the spectator seats without fleeing, continuing to watch.
“You! Zero’s not here!”
“That kid will be fine.”
“Then what about Zero’s bride?! Aren’t you going to help her?!”
“She hasn’t been officially chosen as Zero’s partner yet. Besides, the odds of that girl losing are slim.”
“Father! I object to an elf like that being my brother’s bride!”
“Oh, Ilza dear, she’s adorable and perfect for Zero!”
“Mother! I think it’s too soon for Brother to have a bride!”
The peanut gallery was in an uproar, but just as the battle between Lotte and the demon was about to begin—
“Ah, about what I said earlier… When I mentioned my prediction was a little off… I meant that I never expected him to show up personally.”
“What?”
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