Part 3
*Gachiri* Making the sound of metal armor, the Dwarf──Bultame stepped forward.
「Just what the hell are you spouting? Well, you’ll fall prey to this 《Breaker Axe》 anyway.」
He proudly held up the axe that shined in grey.
As might be expected of the Dwarf race that boasted proficiency in weapons making, it looked like it was top quality.
Diablo had no recollection of it. In other words, it was a weapon that was not implemented in the MMORPG Cross Reverie.
Sylvie shrugged her shoulders.
「Are you a bandit? We’re busy right now so I’ll overlook you. But, for you to target us......Wouldn’t it be better if you did your information gathering a bit more seriously? He’s panicking right now, but this Diablo-san is──」
「He’s the Magician that defeated the Great Demon King Modinalaam, right? And then, you are Faltra’s Adventurer’s Guildmaster.」
Sylvie narrowed her eyes at Bultame’s words.
「Heeh......So you knowingly challenged us?」
「Of course I did! If I defeat the hero, then I will be feared, and the other races would break down and surrender to me.」
「What a foolish thing to do......」
Sylvie said that sounding as if she were groaning.
「......」
Diablo’s head cooled down.
So on top of knowing who they were, he made proper preparations and challenged him. In other words, he was a challenger.
Although he was an enemy, he was a person of the Races.
So that he wouldn’t kill him, Diablo chose equipment that made it so that he could go easy on him.
He took the 《Trial-Made Great War Scythe》 out from his pouch.
「To think that there would be a fool that would challenge the true Demon King Diablo......Very well, I shall be your opponent. Amuse me with how you look as you fall!」
His mentality was shaken, but he recovered with his usual Demon King roleplay.
Receiving a challenge made his heart dance.
In particular, the uplift of a one-on-one match wasn’t done out of reason.
This tension of a personal battle was what Diablo liked.
Bultame came rushing in.
「Learn of my axe!!」
Fast!
──Was it 《Sword Smite III》!?
He received the opponent’s axe slash with his scythe.
Bultame sneered.
「You fell for it!」
──What!?
The moment they touched, the 《Breaker Axe》 emitted a brilliance.
The 《Trial-Made Great War Scythe》 that Diablo held in his hands broke down.
「Is this......Weapon Destruction!?」
It was only natural that the enemy’s weapon wasn’t implemented in the MMORPG Cross Reverie.
In the game, time would be taken to strengthen one’s own weapon. An effect that would destroy those weapons, there was no way Players would accept that.
Moreover, surprisingly, things didn’t just end with the weapon destruction.
From Bultame’s back, there was one more Dwarf that had the completely same appearance!
──A duo!?
That one held a grey spear and came sharply thrusting at him.
There was no weapon meant for fighting in Diablo’s hands. He had no choice but to dodge.
He just barely twisted his body out of the way.
It scraped his shoulder, but he avoided a fatal wound.
Even further behind, there was a third one!
Jumping up, they came attacking with a two-handed sword.
「Give me, the hero’s life!」
「Don’t get carried away, you small fry! 《Flare Burst》!!」
An explosion done through magic sprung forth.
Within those flames, the two-handed sword Dwarf laughed.
──The magic had no effect!?
Diablo unconsciously did a back step. If he didn’t, his body might have split in two.
There was a large cut on his chest.
Blood spilled on the floor.
「Guh......!?」
The three Dwarves quickly gathered, and once again stood in a way that looked like they were one person.
The trick was simple──It seemed that two companions stood behind the large built Bultame.
Going *Gufufu......*, the opponent laughed.
「Even the hero that annihilated the Great Demon King Modinalaam is just a Chemical Elemental Magician after all. You’re not worth fearing! We have this full-body armor 《Ward Erase》!」
So it was armor that specializes in anti-magic.
Even how the Dwarves, who should be falling behind in agility, showed surprising speed should be the effect of some kind of equipment.
Having the dexterity to make excellent arms was a trait of the Dwarves.
Sylvie shouted.
「Are you alright, Diablo-san!?」
「Tsk......」
──So it’s weapon destroying weapons, and magic voiding armor.
His compatibility was really bad.
Enemies that came using their heads were bothersome.
Bultame sent his gaze towards Sylvie.
「Gufufu......Just you wait. After we dispose of the man, we’ll have a thorough taste of you.」
「Wha!?」
Sylvie had a chill go down her spine.
Her expression became stern.
「What do you mean by that? Could it be that you guys......have been doing that sort of thing up until now?」
「I said it, didn’t I? Pulverizing happy couples, is what I desire! Men are killed, and women are turned into our amusement!」
Three people’s worth of vulgar laughter was raised.
Diablo felt sombered up from the uplift of personal battle.
──So they’re those kinds of guys.
Inside of his head, some kind of switch was pulled.
His fists trembled.
Even though he thought that it was a personal battle that he would have after such a long time......
「Making me feel disappointed like that.」
If he were to liken it to something, it would be a box attached with puzzles──one where it would open if the riddle was solved and was correctly put in. He liked solving the riddles.
However, he would sometimes be disillusioned.
He would want to shatter the box with a hammer.
Right now, that is how he felt.
Once more, Bultame came rushing in.
「This time, you’ll die for sure!」
Diablo stood upright as if he had become apathetic.
Bultame’s axe struck into his flank.
It cut in very deeply.
Sylvie raised a scream.
「Diablo-san!?」
「......Well, that’s pretty much it.」
There was pain.
However, his thoughts had gone cold as if he were overlooking a game.
──The current Diablo has surpassed level 100 even as a Warrior. Even if the opponent is a high level Warrior, it won’t be instant death with just a single blow. If it’s a weapon enchanted with a special effect like Weapon Destruction, then the power itself shouldn’t be all that high.
Bultame shouted.
「I’ll gouge out, your internal organs!」
──So slow.
Faster than his opponent could pull the axe, Diablo hit in a hand blade.
The Martial Art 《Finger Blade》, through SP, changes a bare hand to have the power of a dagger.
Also, the enemy’s armor specialized in anti-magic. In other words, its defenses against physical attacks were meagre.
With his hand blade, Diablo pierced Bultame’s flank.
──With this, the armor’s Void Magic is meaningless.
「《Matoi Izuna》!!」
「Gogaaaaaaaaaaaー!?」
Bultame screamed.
It was Wind and Light Magic. With whirlwind cuts and lightning, it tears the opponent to pieces from the inside.
In game terms, its an attack that continually gives slip damage for a fixed time while paralyzing the opponent, and at the end, it gives great damage.
It had the power to defeat large-type Summoned Beasts and high-ranking Demonic Beings. Even if it’s a high level Warrior, they wouldn’t get off safely from it.
Mysteriously enough, he didn’t have the worry of "it might kill him". Most likely, his human emotions were paralyzed.
Diablo’s thoughts were already turned towards the next one.
The second one’s spear came at him.
When Diablo took out Bultame’s axe, the 《Breaker Axe》, that was pierced in his own flank, he received the approaching spear with it.
The Dwarf opened his eyes wide.
「Whaaaattttt!?」
The opponent’s spear and the axe that received it both broke down.
If both of them had the 《Weapon Destruction》 effect, then both of them would be destroyed. That was only natural.
If they were both unarmed, the level would decide the outcome.
Faster than the second Dwarf could push out his fist, Diablo’s fist punched the opponent’s face.
He had already confirmed with Bultame that magic would work if he directly touched them.
「《Absolute Zero》!!」
Since the earlier fired 《Matoi Izuna》 was in the middle of its cool down, he chanted after erasing the gap with 《Omit》.
The Dwarf that had his face crushed, turned into a sculpture of ice and tumbled onto the floor.
──Next, the third one.
The enemy that was waiting for the right time had raised his two-handed sword high overhead.
《Alps Fall III》
It would increase his offensive ability several times over.
Furthermore, the two-handed sword Dwarf shouted.
「《Certain Hit》!!」
If it was invoked at a distance where the attack could reach, evasion was not allowed──it was that sort of Martial Art.
The two-handed sword slash fell down towards Diablo’s shoulder.
He received it.
His shoulder pad broke, and his clothes tore.
Diablo’s knees went *gaku* and gave out.
However, he didn’t take any damage.
──Martial Art 《Iron Wall》
Surpassing level 100 as a Warrior meant that he surpassed the category of Races.
Even if it was an attack that could bisect boulders, he could endure it with just SP.
The Dwarf ground his teeth.
「Gugu......In that case, I’ll give you one more!!」
「And I’ll, do seven.」
Diablo took the 《Tonnerre Empereur》 out from his pouch. He transformed it from a Magic Staff to a Magic Sword.
Against the Dwarf’s second attack, he swung his Magic Sword.
In exchange for MP, it turned into seven consecutive attacks.
The third one’s armor turned into very small pieces.
「Gugagagagagaga!?」
The opponent went down to his knees.
The fragments of the armor went *bara bara* as they fell to the floor.
Diablo raised his Magic Sword overhead.
「Kukuku......Will you be able to defend against my magic, with your armor in that state......Now then, why don’t we test it out.」
「Hii!?」
「Th, that’s far enoughー!!」
Sylvie raised her voice.
Part 4
The three injured Dwarves had their shoulders dropped, crestfallen.
「Uuu......So you weren’t......just a simple Magician......」
「So this is a hero......」
「......That is why, I said we should stop.」
They were dripping in grudges.
For them to be able to still stand even though he hit them with 《Matoi Izuna》 and 《Absolute Zero》 without holding back, they had quite the HP. No wonder he claimed to be a king of the Dwarf race.
Sylvie folded her arms and glared at them.
「This is Diablo-san’s victory, right?」
「Kuh......」
「Although you guys attacking us is a crime, it seems that you all have other crimes as well. I’ll listen to your stories in town.」
What a pain──is what Diablo thought as he scratched his head.
「Are we taking these guys back with us?」
「Just leave it to me.」
Sylvie took out a fist sized crystal.
Just now, was that from underneath her clothes?
She was wearing a string-like outfit that covered little surface. It was a mystery as to where she kept it.
Sylvie held the deep blue crystal in her hand, and asked a question to the Dwarves.
「Be sure to answer me carefully. There will be no mercy if you state a lie──What are your real names?」
The three of them said their names.
At that moment, amazingly, the Dwarves were sucked towards the crystal.
「「「AAaaaaaaaaaaaah～～～!?」」」
And into the crystal that Sylvie held in her hand.
Looking closely, the three of them were flustered inside of it.
Diablo opened his eyes wide.
「What in the world was that!?」
「It seems to be a crystal that imprisoned them in the 《Void》. Although I don’t know the exact details......In the past, I received it from a person that called herself a witch.」
「A witch......」
Something like an item that could imprison Players and characters didn’t exist in the MMORPG Cross Reverie.
Was the activation condition to have them reply what their name is? In his own case, would it activate if he answered with "Diablo"? Or could it be with his name from the original world?
Sylvie put the crystal away underneath her clothes.
「You don’t have to be on guard, I won’t use it on you, Diablo-san.」
「I wonder about that? I cannot drop my guard around you.」
「I’d like for you to trust me. Even though I look like this, I am grateful to you, you know? Even against those three just now, I wouldn’t have been able to win if I were alone.」
Certainly, just going by what he had seen in the battle up until now, Sylvie was a user of Support Magic.
Her affinity with the three that wore Void Magic armor was definitely bad.
「However, I have no idea what you are holding after all.」
「Ahaha......It isn’t that great of a trick you know?」
Sylvie took a small bag out from underneath her clothes. It was small enough to fit on her child-like palm.
He had a recollection of it.
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, it was the item bag that one possessed at the beginning. Quite a lot could be put inside of it.
When real world money was spent to expand it, it would become like the pouch that Diablo possessed, and could end up holding many times more items though.
「......It, it can’t be, are you also a Player!?」
Sylvie tilted her head.
「Pureiyaa? This was also something that I received from that witch. She told me that she was an existence that was disconnected from the logic of this world.」
If that’s the case, is that witch also a Player just like Diablo?
「The witch, where is she?」
「She died. It’s because this is a story from a really long time ago.」
Sylvie held out the small bag.
「Diablo-san, if you say that you can’t trust me, I’ll hand this over to you. If I do, then you can be at ease, right?」
Even the early personal belongings in the game were super ranking Magic Tools in this other world.
Moreover, there was no mistake that even the things inside were abnormal items.
Diablo shrugged his shoulders.
「There is no need to.」
「Really?」
「I will not trust anyone, nor will be frightened like some small timer. More importantly, we have been delayed due to an insignificant nuisance. Let’s hurry on ahead.」
Turning his back to her, he walked forward.
*Tetete* Sylvie caught up to him.
「Fufu......Thank you.」
Diablo’s group went to the deepest part of the 《Deep Green Cathedral》──arriving at the spot where the floorboards came off.
All that could be seen was mere dirt.
「This is......!?」
「Why don’t we try digging.」
When Sylvie moved some dirt out of the way, some grey came out.
Diablo also extended his hands out.
──To think that I would be digging out dirt with my bare hands.
A clump of metal that was like melted silver awaited within the dirt.
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