Part 5
Inside of his head, a deep voice resounded.
『Small one! For you to attack me despite having so few magic spells you can use......You have resolved to abandon your short life, haven’t you!?』
It was the Large Black Dragon’s telepathy.
Diablo was surprised in his mind.
──Amazing! So telepathy is heard like this. It’s like the auditory hallucinations I heard when I stayed up for five nights for an event.
Putting that aside......
Although he had tried provoking it, his current condition was the worst.
First of all, he had no equipment. Both his armor and his weapons, they were close to nothing. Moreover, both his HP and his MP were drastically cut down.
Fighting against a level 140 monster like this, he was subtly at a disadvantage......
Diablo continued to glare at the Dragon.
──That is something that shouldn’t be said.
It was a miracle that Rem and the others were able to stay alive. When he heard the sounds of battle, he had a feeling that was close to despair.
The 《Large Black Dragon》 deployed on the twelfth underground floor, on top of being level 140, its personality setting was 《Super Aggressive》.
Whenever it discovered Adventurers, it would always kill them with all of its might.
It was a monster where coincidental events such as being lucky enough to come by when it was sleeping, or it just happening to not feel like fighting did not happen.
With the levels of Rem and the others, it was totally possible for them to have been annihilated with the Dragon’s first attack.
Since there was some pretty loud sounds of battle, could it be that there is someone else other than those three fighting against it? He didn’t know who it was, but since he was able to make it in time thanks to them, he needed to thank them.
From Diablo’s spot, he was unable to see the figure of the one that was collapsed at Lumachina’s side.
From the shadow of the door that was behind him, Horun peeked inside.
「Fue～, Da, Danna......It’s a Dragon -ssu! This, is my first time seeing a Dragon -ssu!」
「If you go into the depths of the Demon King territory, they aren’t all that rare. They just have a bit more skills than Demonic Beasts.」
「That is, awful -ssu!」
「Do not panic. If you think it is dangerous, then close the door. I shall call you once it is over. Its Acid Breath will have an effect even if you have taken cover. Just breathing in the air mixed with acid will burn your lungs.」
「Hii!?」
Just as he had instructed, Horun closed the door.
──Well, even I would be in danger if I got hit by it.
Diablo added that in his mind.
Chemical Elemental Magicians which specialized in firepower were weak against wide scope attacks. If it was magic, then he would be able to reflect it with the 《Demon King’s Ring》, but a breath was an attribute attack.
Against this sort of opponent, Diablo’s way of fighting was decided.
「Fu......I am in a bit of a hurry. I have no intention of letting you perform a sideshow......You underling of the Dragon Tribe.」
『Hou, so you insult me. In that case, just as you desire, I shall give you death.』
It was surprising that it responded to his provocation.
It was because all of the monsters deployed on the other floors acted as according to their settings. There were also cases where they were subtly different──Like getting excited by Shera’s singing.
Maybe because the Dragon Tribe can speak words, it was a reaction atypical of an AI.
Diablo turned the War Scythe towards it.
「O light, o light gather. Crawl out from the darkness to the one that goes against divine providence──」
『Learn of your own arrogance, small one!』
The Dragon flapped its wings, floated up a bit, and fast approached this way.
It came striking with its gigantic claws.
Since the current Diablo did not have the 《Staff of Tenma》’s Charge shortening, his firing of magic was slower than usual.
──Make it in time, make it in time, it should make it in time! Yosh!
「《Hercules Lance》!!」
A spear of light that was about five meters long was created in Diablo’s hand, and then he jumped.
He met with the Dragon that was plunging in at him.
With that large build, it was impossible to evade.
The enemy’s Magic Resistance value was high, but his own level was higher. It was possible to offset that with added magical power. He had already confirmed that damage went through with the attack from before.
The Light attribute, level 120 magic 《Hercules Lance》──It was a spear of light, but it pierced through the Large Black Dragon’s torso.
The air shook.
Diablo curved the ends of his lips.
「Fu......So your screams aren’t done through telepathy.」
『What incredible, magical power......To think that it would penetrate my scales so easily......!?』
「Certainly, I am strong. However, couldn’t it be that you are too weak? You should have been a bit stronger though?」
The monsters deployed in this dungeon were right at the level that Diablo set them at.
There wasn’t anything like them being weaker than they were in the game because they did not fight on a regular basis like in the other regions.
In that case, the Large Black Dragon should have been much stronger.
Threatening it with 《Hercules Lance》, it would create an opening where he would hit it with the real attack. That was the plan but......
With the current Diablo’s equipment, the fact that a large amount of damage got through to it was a miscalculation.
He arrived at a certain possibility.
──By some chance, have I risen up from level 150?
Even while he was thinking that, due to the habits that were dyed deeply into him from the game, there wasn’t even a small deviation in the timing of his taking his place and the activation of the magic.
While maintaining an angle where Rem and the others won’t get dragged in, he threw the Light attribute magic at it. Since Black Dragons were of the Darkness attribute, the damage was approximately five times more than normal.
Rem’s voice quivered from having so much deep emotion.
「......You are amazing, Diablo.」
Shera and Lumachina embraced each other.
「He did it! He really did it!」
「......Kami-sama......As I thought, you have come to protect us.」
Tears rose up in those eyes.
The Dragon’s scales broke, and dark brown blood scattered about.
『Impossible......Impossible......A dragon......being overwhelmed......by a small one, by a person of the Races......That......shouldn’t......If he had joined with conspirators, it would be better......but all alone......!?』
「Kukuku, do you still not understand? The one you are fighting, is not a person of the Races!」
『Wh, at......?』
「My name is Diablo! I am a Demon King that has come from another world!」
『Ugh!? Th, that name is......Diablo? You say? I know of it......I......In the past, by that person, certainly......』
「Hou?」
He was surprised.
By some chance, could it be that this Dragon possesses memories of being deployed by Diablo? Memories of the game?
「You......Do you have memory of having heard of these words before? "MMORPG Cross Reverie".」
『Gukuh!! I, I do not want......to die......』
「Mu」
When Diablo asked that, the 《Thunder Axe》 that he fired just before he asked took off one of the Dragon’s wings at almost the same time.
The opponent threw its head back, and it started to unsteadily step back.
『......Cannot die......I......must not......die, just yet.』
「Hmph......Not long ago, did you not say "even if it were to end now, it would be nothing more than a small difference" sounding all self-important?」
『One has yet, to be born......I have not......left behind......one......to succeed my memories......』
「You......」
Diablo lowered his War Scythe.
He did not pursue the Dragon that turned its back towards him and ran away.
He breathed a sigh.
──I see. You’re also, a virgin huh.
Since the Dragon Tribe are few in numbers, it doesn’t seem like it will meet with one──he ended up thinking something like that.
While soaking the ground with dark brown blood, the Dragon escaped further into the cave.
It could no longer fly after all.
Ahead of where it was headed, there stood a single young lady.
Diablo became flustered.
「Wha!? Crap......」
He didn’t know who she was, but he was late in noticing her.
The Large Black Dragon turned bloodshot eyes towards the young lady that was loitering there as if to stand in its way.
『Do not, hinder me! I......cannot die just yet! I cannot die!』
The young lady brushed up her purple hair.
That expression of hers, there wasn’t even a small trace of her feeling shaken.
「Who, gave you permission to run away? You are the guardian of the twelfth floor......To go against the Master’s command, that is worthy of certain death.」
Diablo opened his eyes wide. He recognized that figure.
──Could it be, that young lady is!?
The Dragon threatened her.
『Get out of the way! If you hinder me, I shall extinguish you!!』
Black mist leaked out from the holes that opened up in its throat and torso. Some of its power had been reduced, but its Acid Breath was fired towards the young lady.
The young lady brandished the tool that she held in her hands. It was a double-headed sword where there were blades on both ends of the handle. They were chainsaws that possessed blades of shining beams. It was a weapon whose outward appearance deviated from anything in this other world that had a world appearance of the European Middle Ages.
「I suppose, I shall start cleaning.」
Right before the Acid Breath could touch the young lady, it rapidly vanished. The mist of acid did not reach her.
The Dragon howled.
『You mere......You mere cleaning tool!』
「I see, so you call this Rose a "tool". Is that so......The reasons to dispose of you have increased. Even though the only allowed to treat me as a tool is the Master.」
The young lady that called herself Rose thrust her weapon into the ground.
The Dragon that had its breath defended against held its gigantic claws aloft.
『You should regret having opposed me at all! You doll!』
Rose, who hadn’t changed her facial expression at all, bit down on her back teeth.
「Do not......call me a doll!!」
In a space where nothing should have been there, a gigantic sword suddenly appeared. It was a double-headed sword that looked like an SF (science fiction) version of what the young lady held in her hands.
The hand that gripped the handle was made of metal. It was a hand that looked like armor, but hinges could be seen in the joints.
Pipes that looked like arteries ran through it, and characters and symbols that looked like the ones used in magic formations were engraved on them. Those characters and symbols radiated from the arm to the fingertips. It were as if energy was being sent in.
The mechanical hand moved. With the gigantic double-headed sword, it stopped the Dragon’s claws.
And just like that, it pushed it back.
『Oh, oh, oh......!?』
「Fufu......fufufu......Ahahaha! To challenge this Rose to a contest of strength, how foolish of a lizard are you!?」
The gigantic machine hand that floated behind her was a part of her.
Breaking the Dragon’s claws, it severed its forelimb that was covered in hard scales.
A large amount of blood soaked the ground.
Once again, a scream made the cavern shake.
『To be able......to inflict......an injury of this level, onto me......』
「Despite boasting about them, they are some unexpectedly soft scales. Even though Rose’s attack starts from here.」
『Wh, at......!?』
「Now then! Atone for the sin that you committed, with your death! 《Krios》[1]!!」
The gigantic hand that stretched out from behind her made a side swipe with a speed that one would not expect from its size. It was fast enough that it was even difficult to chase after the weapon’s tip with one’s eyes.
A wind sounded.
At the same time, scales broke, flesh was ripped apart, bones were severed, and blood scattered about.
The Large Black Dragon’s head and torso were divided into separate parts.
『Guoh』
「......Shut up.」
As a finisher, she stabbed the head that fell with her sword.
With that, the telepathy from the Dragon could no longer be heard.
Rose turned her gaze towards Rem and the others.
「You were still here? Guarding the twelfth underground floor is not my duty, but I need to clean this place up......」
Her emerald eyes gazed at Diablo.
As he thought, he recognized that figure of hers.
When he created the dungeon in the MMORPG Cross Reverie, Diablo stationed a certain piece of furniture in the lowest floor, the thirteenth floor 《The Demon King’s Room》.
Among the furniture that could be bought with in-game currency, there was the 《Magimatic Maid》[2]. Its outward appearance looked like that of a person, but it was an automata that moved by means of magic──that was the setting for it.
According to the setting, its fighting strength was high, and it had various options, but its implementation in the game did not progress.
Since it was only furniture that loitered around with a cleaner in hand, it was called a "roo○ba" on walkthrough sites. Recalling when that was introduced, Diablo found it to be nostalgic.
「Rose, do you, have memories of that time?」
「......Mas......ter?」
「My name is Diablo......No, I suppose for you, it would be better to say that it is @Diablo-13.」
「!!」
Rose was overcome with surprise and stood stock still.
Her double-headed sword fell from her hands. Dropping to the floor, a *koーn* sound resounded.
The gigantic machine hand that was at her back vanished. Was it an existence similar to the Summoned Beasts of this world?
Since it was not implemented in the game although it was in the setting, he didn’t really know. It was certain that its strength wasn’t normal though.
It was probably fine to think that she no longer had any fighting spirit.
Diablo approached her.
「I have now returned, Rose.」
Her shoulders quivered, and both of her eyes went wide open. Large transparent drops spilled out from those eyes, and fell down along her well-shaped cheeks.
Her voice faintly trembled.
「W......Welcome back......My Master.」
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Greek name for the constellation Aries.
[2] Kind of like automatic, but with magic.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l