episode_0024

“It’s so obvious how you’ll come out.”

I had learned all of Jax’s behavior patterns in the game.

I memorized Jax’s patterns completely to somehow bring a happy future to Ronan.

And in the end, I defeated him. I remembered accomplishing something that was definitely not easy.

“I knew you’d use that skill if I acted like I was in trouble.”

To someone like me, winning against Jax now would be too simple.

That Fatal Blow, was it? I thought for sure he would use that skill, and my prediction was correct.

Unaware that it was a trap, I perfectly countered Jax as he cast his skill.

“Cough…”

I pulled out the dark sword that pierced Jax’s abdomen.

The dark sword, covered in blood, seemed to cause Jax considerable pain.

“Is he really a hero?”

Well, if he were an ordinary person, he might have died instantly.

Still, seeing that he was somewhat composed, I couldn’t help but think he was also a hero.

“Farewell.”

But then what?

A hero isn’t invincible. All it takes is cutting his throat.

To finish this battle, I aimed the dark sword at Jax’s neck. And in that moment of striking down…

“What’s this?”

A golden light began to emanate from the hero’s armor that Jax was wearing.

And that golden light enveloped Jax, deflecting my dark sword’s attack.

“What… is this?”

As I was taken aback by this situation I had never seen before.

Flash.

Light emerged from the hero’s armor.

“Whoa. Unbelievable.”

And Jax vanished into thin air.

After witnessing this spectacle, I could only stand there dumbfounded.

“What kind of equipment is this?”

It seems I greatly underestimated the capabilities contained within the hero’s armor.

No, how can mere armor have an emergency escape function?

“Even if it’s a scam item, still. Does it make sense to have such a feature?”

Should I say I feel like I’ve been hit on the head with a hammer? Something unimaginable had just happened.

I couldn’t help but be furious about letting Jax slip away, but…

“But still, it’s not a perfect escape device, right?”

Fortunately, Jax seems likely to die for sure this time.

An emergency escape spell triggered hastily like this cannot transmit to designated coordinates.

I may not know much about magic, but I do understand that a spell to transport oneself to a desired location cannot be implemented in this manner.

He must have been sent to some deserted place where no one else was around.

“I can’t chase after him.”

Even if I can’t chase after him.

Jax’s allies would probably be in the same situation.

“He’s already been stabbed in the abdomen. If he doesn’t get a top-grade potion immediately, it’s certain death.”

Given the significant injury Jax sustained, if he doesn’t meet his allies, he will undoubtedly die.

No matter how exceptional a hero’s physical abilities and mental strength are, they can’t survive with their abdomen pierced, especially by a dark sword.

“Since he’s a dead man anyway, there’s no need to worry.”

Perhaps Jax himself thinks he will definitely die.

No matter how you look at it, there was no chance of survival.

If he’s really lucky, there might be a top-grade potion nearby at the transmission location or a cleric with recovery abilities equivalent to that. However, unless it was planned from the beginning, that would be absolutely absurd.

“We probably won’t meet again.”

I believe this is the end of the ill-fated relationship with Jax.

It’s regrettable that I couldn’t retrieve the hero’s armor, but since it’s not equipment I, now a demon, can use, I shouldn’t harbor any regrets.

I truly felt that the battle had ended.

“Wow. Master did it. Yahoo.”

As the battle concluded, Lili rushed towards me as if she had been waiting and enthusiastically congratulated me on the victory.

“Back off.”

I forcibly separated that Liri.

It’s already so hot, why do you keep hugging me?

“…”

“Gartos?”

While I was struggling with Liri for a while, Gartos approached me with the sound of clanking armor.

When I looked at Gartos standing in front of me.

“…”

Is this a gesture for a handshake?

Gartos reached out his hand to me.

As a mute Dullahan, communication wasn’t possible, but perhaps it meant gratitude for saving him?

“I just did what had to be done.”

Well, if things had gone as planned, Gartos would undoubtedly have died.

But from the perspective of becoming a demon, weakening the Demon Lord’s forces is something I didn’t desire, so I just did what was necessary.

Moreover, by saving Gartos, I also achieved merit, so I cynically shook hands with him.

“…”

Having received the handshake like that, Gartos bowed slightly and left.

Watching Gartos leave, I felt that my initial plan had been successfully executed.

‘I have definitely achieved significant results.’

Saving Gartos’ life and killing the hero Jax – this achievement could not be ignored.

No, in fact, I might have made the most outstanding contribution in this war.

‘Now, no one can say anything to me.’

I felt like I could confidently visit the Demon Realm and the Demon King’s castle.

It was a war where I gained a lot in various ways, and I obtained a very satisfactory outcome.

“Master.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Are you going to give me a reward later? I worked really hard!!!”

Oh right… I did make that promise, didn’t I?

While I was congratulating myself, Liri smiled brightly beside me and brought up the topic.

Come to think of it, I did promise to reward Liri because I needed her help.

She was quite helpful, but now that she’s asking, I feel a bit flustered.

Liri was originally a sadistic succubus who collected peanuts according to the original work.

So I did consider breaking the promise.

“Surely you won’t go back on your word, right? If that happens, Liri… will surely cry her eyes out and die.”

It was quite ambiguous.

She seemed to see through my feelings, almost as if tears were about to burst out any moment.

How could I refuse someone making such a face…

‘… Well, maybe it’s okay to change a little now.’

Yes.

It should be fine to change a bit now.

I think Liri has changed a lot from the original work.

At least she doesn’t seem to have that strange hobby of collecting peanuts anymore.

“… Call me later.”

Of course, I can’t let my guard down, but I think it’s not bad to be a bit accommodating.

In the end, I promised to give her a reward later.

“Yahoo!!!”

Seeing Liri extremely happy, I returned to the Demon King’s castle for now.

# # #

Meanwhile, at that moment.

“Cough… Cough…”

Jax, whose abdomen had been pierced by Ronan’s dark sword, was lying on the ground, breathing heavily.

The wound was severe enough that it wouldn’t be strange if he died instantly, but still, he was a hero.

He somehow managed to regain his senses, moving his arms and dragging himself across the ground.

“Damn it. Damn it!!!”

However, even if one could survive a pierced abdomen, there was no one who could survive it.

If this condition continued, Jax would surely die.

He had to find a way to heal himself, which is why he desperately struggled on the ground.

“I need to drink a potion… or find a cleric.”

He needed a top-tier potion or a cleric like Treicella from the Hero Party.

With those, he could definitely survive.

If only he could, next time, he would surely… deal with that son of a bitch Ronan.

Jax desperately searched for hope while kneeling on the ground.

“Ugh… I can’t take it anymore…”

However.

No matter how much one hopes and wishes, the possibility of finding such things in this desolate and deserted land seems unlikely.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to even maintain sanity.

Should I really give up now?

A moment that felt like I would lose my mind at any moment.

“…”

“Sigh. This is… the end… after all. God won’t just let me die.”

Finally, he was able to meet the savior of hope.

In Jax’s eyes, he saw someone’s shoes. Squeezing out his remaining strength, he looked up to see Amy, a member of the Hero Party, standing there.

She was also holding a top-grade healing potion.

“Welcome. Amy. Please hand me the potion you’re holding over here.”

He had a premonition that God had not abandoned him.

Jax asked Amy for the potion right away.

He finally felt hopeful that he could survive.

But…

“…”

“What… what are you doing? I told you to give it to me right now?”

However, what was happening?

Amy just stared at Jax without taking any action.

“…”

“Please… I feel like I’m going to die… quickly… hand it over…”

Jax’s body had truly reached its limit now.

If he delayed any longer, he would surely die. Jax desperately asked Amy for the potion.

He begged her to save him.

“…”

However, even with Jax’s desperate pleas, Amy did not hand over the potion.

She simply stood there silently watching over Jax.

“Why… why aren’t you giving it to me? Why…?”

It was only then that Jax sensed something was going wrong with the situation, but…

It was too late.

“Ugh…”

Everything was already too late.