五月丁香五月丁香激情

Said one Demon Lord after receiving the report from the Lilith, a high-ranking female demon, by his side.

This Demon Lord was the ringleader of the ones aiming for the [Beast] Demon Lord’s downfall. He held a glass of wine in one hand as he spoke so in a seemingly surprised tone.

After all, to this Demon Lord’s eyes, it turned out that [Creation] was just another boring Demon Lord that gave in to his impulses. Much like that idiot [Flame], he thought.

"Well then, what’s the situation?"

"Yes, the [Creation] Demon Lord has attacked and has annihilated the forces guarding the entrance using black dragons. He then broke through the lines of the intercepting force without much resistance from the latter and is proceeding to go further in."

He smiled.

He thought that for a Demon Lord less than a year old to be able to do this much, it was astonishing.

An ordinary or even a genius Demon Lord would have failed without even being able to enter the [Beast] Demon Lord’s dungeon. And so, such a feat was commendable. [Creation] was a genius born once every few century.

However, [Creation] could only rejoice for the meantime while the Demon Lords attacking Marchosias’s dungeon were not yet fully serious.

Those Demon Lords were pouring most of their fighting force into defeating [Beast] Demon Lord Marchosias and had left their defense to their secondary troops.

Despite being regarded as secondary troops, they were still powerful monsters and defeating them would surely trigger the old Demon Lords’ pride to not allow some new Demon Lord do as he pleased.

Moreover...

"Tell me about the ones left to guard [Creation] Demon Lord’s dungeon."

"Yes, about that, the [Creation] Demon Lord has taken almost all of his fighting force to help in the [Beast] Demon Lord’s dungeon. Attacking forces have already been formed and sent to his dungeon."

"Hmp, what a stupid fellow. That guy just started a fight with us old Demon Lords and yet left his dungeon defenseless. It almost seems like he desperately wants to die."

Old Demon Lords were forbidden from attacking the newly born Demon Lords but that was under the condition that the new Demon Lords didn’t attack first. Given that [Creation] had fought the combined troops of six Demon Lords, those six Demon Lords were then made perfectly eligible to attack [Creation] in return.

In other words...

"It’s only a matter of time before [Creation]’s dungeon falls."

"The first group sent, composed of quick moving monsters, are expected to arrive soon at his dungeon. It most probably won’t take long for them to take down an almost empty dungeon of a young Demon Lord."

What a stupid fellow, the ringleader thought.

All of [Creation]’s actions were being monitored at all times so the ringleader knew that [Creation] went to [Dragon] and [Time] to ask for help. In the end though, [Creation] went to attack by himself.

There was no way [Dragon] and [Time] would come to help [Beast] considering that the gap between the three strongest Demon Lords will never be closed. They might have achieved balance when there were four of them, the fourth being [Flame], but once that friendship failed, it was irreparable.

If [Creation] just gave up on the outrageous notion of helping the [Beast] Demon Lord after his requests for cooperation were rejected, he might still have remained safe. All alone, he was utterly helpless and was essentially headed for the place of his death.

"Fufu, soon [Beast]’s monsters will reach the peak of their fatigue. Their physical strength and magic powers will both soon be spent, with only their willpower to allow them to go on. Their stocks of recovery items are probably gone already. Considering this, the main forces of the six Demon Lords attacking her dungeon will be freed up but where shall I designate them: to deal the final blow on her or to crush that impertinent [Creation]? Oh, it’s so hard to decide."

The [Beast] Demon Lord truly lived up to being one of the strongest Demon Lords alive: she was able to endure the fierce attacks of six Demon Lords by herself. However, no matter how powerful her monsters were, they still had limits to their endurance, both physically and magically. There were also wounds to consider.

Moreover, unlike the six Demon Lord who had secured the entrance to her dungeon, she had no way of procuring supplies of materials from outside her dungeon.

She didn’t have any time to rest.

Her esteemed army was tired and wounded.

Many named monsters were confirmed to have not yet returned to the battlefront after being heavily wounded and forced to retreat. Considering that, the remaining monsters were pressed even harder.

No matter how it was put, her defeat was imminent.

Actually, her monsters were blatantly beginning to conserve their magic power and physical strength.

"About that, I have a worrying report."

The demon Lilith spoke so in an apologetic manner. Hearing that, the ringleader scowled.

"What!? Her monsters have become so bold that it seems like their fatigue have completely vanished? And they’re continuously using magic that consumes high amounts of magic power too!? Moreover, named monsters that have been made ineligible for battle are now returning to the battlefield!?"

After hearing the impossible report, the ringleader’s face became distorted.

If what the report said was true, it was quite displeasing. After all, the six Demon Lords attacking the [Beast] Demon Lord were losing fighting forces themselves. So if Marchosias’s monsters truly did make a recovery, the ones in a disadvantage would be...

"There are no mistakes about it. There have been indications of it since yesterday but it has become more pronounced today. No matter how I think about it, the [Beast] Demon Lord’s army are somehow receiving supplies. Furthermore, those large quantities of items are in the same league as legendary class recovery items made from a World Tree."

"Impossible. There are only a handful of Demon Lords that could make such legendary class recovery items. Are you suggesting they’re lending [Beast] a hand!? And we have not noticed it too!?"

The ringleader didn’t know that [Creation] Demon Lord Procell’s subordinate, the avatar of the planet Ancient Elf, had grown the [First Tree], which was a sacred tree comparable to the original World Trees, and had made legendary class potions out of the golden apples borne by the said First Tree.

The ringleader also didn’t know that Procell had dispatched his intelligence corps ahead of his main force and they had already delivered as much of the potions made from the apples as they could. Those potions were primarily for Marcho’s named monsters so that their forces could be reorganized.

The ringleader also didn’t know that as soon as Procell annihilated the monsters in the first dungeon room, he made the Succubus, a monster of Marcho, use Transfer and deliver the rest of the potions.

Since the Succubus was Marcho’s monster, it was able to move anywhere within Marcho’s dungeon even without Transfer arrays set up at both ends beforehand.

If Procell wanted to, he could have rejoined with Marcho this way.

However, in order for the recovery of Marcho’s forces and the existence of the Succubus to remain a secret, a letter was first sent to Marcho, notifying her of the potions and of Procell’s plans.

Overall, it was done to ensnare the ringleader who was doing as he pleased.

"......what the, what the hell is going on? Regardless, even if she got hold of some provisions, it would only last for a moment. We only have to continue attacking her as we have been doing. But damn, now that those six Demon Lords’ main forces are busy once again on taking care of [Beast]’s monsters, they can’t be used to deal with [Creation]. Oh well, it’s of no matter since as long as we break his undefended crystal, his monsters will all vanish."

It was a disappointment for the ringleader that he couldn’t trample on [Creation] and his monsters but he didn’t have much choice. Fighting a recovered [Beast] army while being assaulted from the rear wasn’t amusing.

And so, crushing [Creation]’s crystal quickly became even more vital.

The ringleader knew that if he waited for just a tiny bit more, good news was sure to come.

"A report. The first group that went toward [Creation] Demon Lord’s dungeon..."

See, here it is, the ringleader thought. With this, that stupid brat is done for.

"They’re all annihilated. As of the moment, the second and third groups are on their way there."

The Lilith trembled as she read out loud the reports sent to her.

"What? Wasn’t [Creation]’s dungeon supposed to be empty!?"

"There is no mistake that the [Creation] took with him all of his fighting force but the ones that defeated the first group weren’t his monsters. It was the monsters of the [Time] Demon Lord’s army."

Upon hearing those words, the ringleader finally realized that the [Creation] Demon Lord didn’t ask [Dragon] and [Time] to fight alongside him but instead asked each of them for a different task. But if [Time] was entrusted to defend [Creation]’s dungeon, then what was [Dragon]’s part in all this, the ringleader asked. What the hell could it be!?

"Continuing with the report. Demon Lords belonging to the [Dragon] Demon Lord’s faction are launching attacks against the dungeons of the ones attacking the [Beast] Demon Lord. With their main forces out of their dungeon, they are overwhelmingly outnumbered by the [Dragon] Demon Lord’s faction. Another report says some Demon Lords are hastily calling back their forces."

"That, that bastard! So this is what he’s aiming for."

The ringleader was furious.

The ringleader was aiming to take advantage of [Creation] and his main force’s absence from his dungeon. Unfortunately, however, the same trick was used against the ringleader’s side.

After all, the Demon Lords belonging to [Dragon]’s faction couldn’t help but jump at the tasty treats dangled before them. Those treats being the chance to easily obtain a new original medal as well as the opportunity to take out a rival.

Given that, the Demon Lords attacking [Beast] were understandably forced to recall their forces in order to defend their dungeons.

"What is [Dragon] himself doing!?"

The [Dragon] Demon Lord was known to always lead the charge.

Since his faction was now involved, it was inconceivable that the person himself was not. Moreover, he was also known to be cunning and brave; he undoubtedly was aiming for a vital spot.

In other words, he was bound to strike at the least desirable place for the ringleader and that place was...

"A report! The [Dragon] Demon Lord has appeared. He has brought twenty gigantic dragons and they’re going toward the Holy City’s Cultivation area where the still-not-yet ready imitation heroes are."

"Damn it!! That lizard bastard! Is he insane!? If he attacks the Holy City, he’ll make himself an enemy of the world!"

Shit.

The ringleader had completely neglected the defense of his dungeon, thinking that it was absolutely safe just by being a Holy City. After all, anyone that would attack the Holy City was essentially declaring themselves the enemy of mankind. The [Dragon] Demon Lord must have known so and yet here he was.

Are they mocking me? [Dragon] and [Time], who both have such high pride and won’t listen to anything I say, are following that stupid brat [Creation]!? They’re acting completely like with [Flame].

"Come out. There’s no way I’m going to lose that place. That place isn’t made just to increase my war potential."

While containing his rage, the ringleader summoned forth his monsters.

In that moment, the Lilith spoke.

"Ahm, we’ve received a letter from the [Dragon] Demon Lord. It was delivered by a fast-flying dragon monster."

"Read it."

The Lilith read out loud the message she received with a pale face.

"You, a coward pretending to be a tactician, must be feeling ecstatic after setting up shrewd traps against a real Demon Lord. Your outrageous ambitions shall be your downfall. And I am here just to teach you that."

The ringleader struck the face of the Lilith with the back of his hand.

That hand then trembled with anger.

Bring it, you relic of the past, he thought. All of you don’t belong in this age anymore and I am going to make you realize that.

And so, the ringleader, who had always been acting from the shadows like a bystander, had entered the stage.