Chapter 289: Tough Guys (11)

"Sir Priest!"

AA's sword sliced through the air in response to the situation that unfolded in an instant. The strike aimed at the female mage who ambushed them from behind sliced through empty space, making the sound of the wind. Cutlass watched the sight and laughed loudly.

"Hahahahahaha!"

"What did you do to Sir Priest?"

"Sir Priest? Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Sir Priest? Hahahahahaha! Our Demon King put on an absolutely incredible performance! Hahahahahaha! Right! Sir Priest! Sir Priest, you stupid Hero! Hahahaha! Are you still believing in an illusion?"

"What?"

Cutlass, who had been laughing freely, suddenly stopped laughing and stared at AA. At the abrupt change in atmosphere, AA readjusted her grip on her sword and corrected her stance. Cutlass pulled out dual swords from his waist and spoke.

"For the past thousands of years. The Demon King repeated his seal and descent. Every time, the descent ended in failure because of the Hero. How many times had this been repeated? I. I fell into deep thought. Why? For what reason? Why did we want the Demon King to descend directly in his own physical body? For what reason! Did we create land filled with demonic energy, allowing humans to prepare for it? That was when Evangeline appeared and gave us the solution! That he only needed to resurrect by residing within a human body!"

"What are you talking about? Are you saying Sir Priest is the Demon King?"

AA's sword tip wavered. She was shaken. It was because she couldn't believe it. Lusius, who fought for the weak. Lusius, who was kind to his wives. Lusius, who navigated through crises together as a comrade. Lusius, who always rescued her whenever she was in danger. That Lusius was the Demon King? AA could not believe it. Cutlass grinned widely at AA's question.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!"

"It's a lie! I clearly saw the Demon King being sealed! I slashed and killed the Demon King with my own two hands......!"

AA screamed while shaking her head. Cutlass shouted in an even louder voice.

"What you faced was merely the Demon King's avatar! Did you think the Demon King's power was only at that level? You are not only stupid but also arrogant, Hero! This was a plan that had been set in motion a very, very long time ago...... That stupid Peta Sirius! He was completely fooled just because a demon shed a few tears, and he ended up making a child! Aah, how ecstatic it must have felt as a demon to directly give birth to the Demon King's physical body! Aah! Demon King! Demon Kiiiing! Faiiiiiiith!"

"Shut up! Sir Priest is not the Demon King!"

AA's blade rushed in roughly. Cutlass laughed and parried the strike. With a heavy cracking sound, Cutlass frowned and slid far back.

"Uurgh!"

"Die!"

At the large opening she saw, AA swung her sword once again. Cutlass placed a hand on the floor and screamed.

"Uwoooooooh!"

The magic circle drawn on the floor glowed red, creating a thick barrier that bounced AA away. The sword that struck the barrier trembled bizarrely and rebounded.

Clang!

"Ugh!"

Sent flying into the air, AA rolled across the floor. Getting back up, Cutlass snickered and stared at the ceiling. AA urgently swung her sword, but she couldn't pierce the barrier. She took a step back to correct her stance again and gasped for breath. Cutlass pointed his dual swords at the ceiling and smirked as he spoke.

"Hahahaha......! Evangeline......! Evangeline......! We created the physical body! And Evangeline placed the Demon King's soul into Lusius. You think that's Peta Lusius? No! Lusius is an illusion! The one residing inside is undeniably the Demon King! He is the Demon King! Hahahahahaha! Faiiiiiiith!"

"No!"

AA was wavering. She gritted her teeth and stepped forward. Letting her sword drop toward the floor, she dragged her feet and lunged forward. She twisted her waist, swinging the sword tip that was barely grazing the floor in a massive upward slash. Startled by the blue energy forming on the sword blade, Cutlass backed away in shock.

A solid blue line was drawn across the barrier. The barrier, beginning to crack, shattered in an instant, and the magic circle lost its power. Cutlass looked at the sight and laughed in admiration.

"Haha...! Hahahahahaha! Amazing! Hero! Offer that power to the Demon King's Army! It seems the Demon King has taken a liking to you, after all!"

"......Sir Priest is not the Demon King."

AA resolutely shook her head and caught her breath. As if she had consumed a lot of energy in that one hit just now, her body was trembling slightly. However, there wasn't a single hint of doubt in her eyes. Her face was filled with determination. Cutlass clicked his tongue as he looked at her.

"You stupid bitch! He's not the Demon King? Think about it for a second! What kind of human goes around copulating regardless of species? How many humans have you seen mating with a mermaid in your entire life? Along with a mermaid, how many humans have you seen mating with beastfolk? Love that transcends race! Hatred toward humans! The sight of him striving for the liberation of other species! The extreme violence unfitting of a priest! This is something no one but the Demon King could display!"

AA's eyes wavered. That illogical sexual desire was definitely suspicious for a human. But soon, AA erased the doubts blooming in her mind. She was Lusius's comrade. A comrade shouldn't doubt a comrade. She argued back.

"Sir Priest was also the one who killed the Lamia Queen on the western coast!"

Cutlass's face turned gloomy. He was shedding genuine tears. He wiped the tears flowing down his cheeks and spoke.

"Aah...... Slothful Lua. Slothful Lua......! Hearing you bring that up reminds me of Lua's tragic sacrifice again! If only I had tipped her off, Lua wouldn't have died so meaninglessly! This is all my fault! Because I couldn't reach her in time! I ended up killing my comrades! Lua! Lubian! Falkios! Aaaaaah!"

Cutlass let out a scream. As AA swung her sword, Cutlass narrowly dodged the blade and thrust out a strike of his own. Deflecting Cutlass's sword strike, AA began to corner him fiercely. Stepping backward a few paces while clashing swords, Cutlass swung his sword widely to push AA away. He sniffled again and spoke.

"The Demon King must have had no choice either! In order to hide his true identity! The Demon King had no choice but to act! I know it......! Only I, the Demon King's confidant! Only I can understand the Demon King's deep intentions! I can see it...... I see it! I can see the Demon King swallowing his tears as he killed Lua......! Aah! Just how much sorrow the Demon King must have felt! Aaaaaah!"

AA aimed her sword at Cutlass once again. Cutlass took a stance with his dual swords and spoke.

"Hero! Become a confidant of the Demon King's Army! With your skills, you could easily claim the position of the Demon King's right arm! We will grant everything you desire! Do you want power? Do you want even greater strength than you have now! I am willing to concede the position of the right arm to you and give you everything! Hero!"

"I don't need it."

AA spoke resolutely and lunged at him again. Cutlass yelled out urgently.

"We can even make you a m-man!"

At those words, AA's body stumbled for a moment. Cutlass didn't miss that opening and delivered a kick to AA.

"Gah!"

AA flew through the air and rolled on the floor. Cutlass readjusted his grip on his dual swords and looked down at AA. He spoke proudly.

"Hero. My proposal is not a lie. With the power of the demon race, we can reconstruct your body however we please. I heard you've been quite upset since the Demon King took your wives away? If you join our Demon King's Army, we will give you a massive penis capable of satisfying your wives, as well as beautiful women from among the demon race."

AA stood up while clutching her stomach. She faced Cutlass's face, which was gleaming with lust. Looking at his beaming face, AA corrected her grip on the sword again and spoke.

"I don't need it. Something like that."

She was a Hero before she was a man. Even if she had panicked for a brief moment, this fact did not change. Whether they offered to make her a man or any other being in the world, abandoning her duty as a Hero was unimaginable for her. Cutlass smirked and spoke.

"How fitting for a Hero. Then it's a shame, but you'll have to die here by the Demon King's hands."

Red light twinkled brilliantly from the wall. AA carefully took a step back, wary of the lights. Amidst the radiant red lights, a back door that hadn't been visible before could be seen. At the rear of where Cutlass was standing. There was a single door between the framed portraits of the Four Heavenly Kings. Ignoring AA, Cutlass knelt in front of the door and screamed.

"Aaaaaah! Demon King! Finally! Finally! The Demon King is!"

The door began to open. Shaken by the words 'Demon King', AA couldn't move properly. Her eyes were trembling as well. It was because the silhouette visible beyond the door was far too familiar. A sense of betrayal, shock, and all sorts of other complex emotions shook her mind.

Lusius was there. Adorned in black armor and a red cape, there was Lusius, slowly walking forward with a solemn expression. Cutlass knelt before Lusius and cried streaming tears as he cried out.

"Demon King! Finally! Finally! You have finally returned like this! Aaaaaah! Demon King! Demon Kiiiing!"

Lusius's hand shot up. A mace was held in his hand. With an expression full of betrayal, AA looked at Lusius and spoke.

"W-Why......"

Cutlass reached his arms out toward the Demon King and shouted.

"Demon Kiiiing!"

Lusius stared at Cutlass. Quietly facing the face covered in snot and tears, Lusius raised his mace even higher. Strength gathered in his arm hoisted over his shoulder. Cutlass spoke with a face soaked in emotion.

"Demon King! Now! That pathetic Hero over there......"

"What nonsense, you fucking bastard."

Clang!

Lusius's mace crushed Cutlass's skull. Grabbing his head that had caved in in a bizarre shape, Cutlass screamed.

"Uwoooooooh! W-Whyyyyyy! Demon Kiiiiiing!"

"Who are you calling the Demon King, you fucking bastard. Your mother must be the Demon King of the Bed."

Lusius's mace slammed down onto Cutlass's head once more. With his face completely caved in, Cutlass rolled across the floor and screamed.

"Uwaaaaaagh! Demon King! Why must you give me such an insult......!"

"S-Sir Priest?"

Lusius looked at AA, smirked, and spoke.

"What. Did you doubt me?"

"Ah, well......"

The Hero could not tell a lie.