Black Iron Magician

Chapter 441 Waaaah!

Several months later, we left the continent of Dai, where we had grown accustomed to and almost died many times, and set out for another continent. The purpose was to challenge the Great Eight Demons.

Each country basically forbids making contact with the Great Eight Demons. However, because of national prestige and other issues, it is not explicitly written. Well, it’s what you call a tacit understanding.

With the exception of the Elderado Great Empire, which is intentionally waging a war with the nation governed by Vakala, most nations would feign ignorance toward the actions of the Great Eight Demons, unless they are hostile like Hund-kun at that time. That’s a matter of course. After all, the power of the Great Eight Demons is so overwhelming, and there’s no need to oppose them meaninglessly.

However, adventurers are those who love freedom. It’s a daredevil group that will chase after their dreams and is not bound by the country―― well, it may be an exaggeration, but when it comes to the top rankers of such fools, most of them won’t care about the big name of the Great Eight Demons and won’t hesitate to aim for their necks. It’s the ultimate goal of those reckless people who choose this occupation, so it’s natural. Well, most of them couldn’t come back alive, but it’s the adventurers’ policy not to worry about that. I mean, they exchange blows with more monsters than soldiers or knights that serve the country, and take the initiative to go into dungeons where it’s unknown what will happen. So, with such reckless ambition and for such a simple and obvious reason, we were working to defeat the Great Eight Demons. No, in reality, I was against it, you know?

「There are no other monsters that look challenging, so why not give it a try?」

「If we succeeded, we would be rich, right? I’ll use the money to turn the village into a resort!」

「You guys, you’re being too carefree even though we’re going to challenge the Great Eight Demons. Some great man once said that it’s the most dangerous when you are getting carried away.」

「Deris, do you think it’s impossible for us?」

「…… Well, considering our strength, I think we can defeat the lower ranks.」

「Okay, let’s attack them!」

「I’m going to be a billionaire!」

「Eh…」

But unfortunately, even at their age, their behavioral principle was very simple. I hoped they understand my feelings as someone who had to think of concrete strategies. I also hoped they hear the band news that the guys who challenged the Great Eight Demons are all dead!

…… That said, I also understand why Nell and Alezel were so eager. In this continent of Dai, where the world’s most powerful adventurers gather, we have grown to the point where we can compete for the top of adventurers, while keeping a low profile (thanks to me risking my life to stop Nell and Alezel’s wrongdoings). In other words, we had become one of the strongest human beings. I didn’t have a great mentor like Haru, and I didn’t live a concentrated life of mental exhaustion like her every day, but I had gone through a lot of battlefields and gained a fair amount of experience.

In this world, even the most cunning experts are level 5, and even the most honorable heroes of any country are level 6 at best. At level 8, it’s as strong as the lower ranks of the Great Eight Demons. If so, those who could rival us were only a handful. It was not a self-conceit or a misunderstanding, but it was a sign of confidence and competence.

「…… Fine. I will think about the strategies. In return, you’ll follow my instructions if something goes wrong. That’s the condition――」

「Okay! For starters, I want to go to Damaya! I have to get a proper job and think about what happened after defeating the Great Eight Demons! I can’t be a thief forever after all!」

「Let’s beat them, starting with the first rank! Once we get the boss, everything will be easy!」

「Hey, are you guys listening to me? Are your ears working properly?」

「「Only when it’s convenient!」」

「………」

I lost my memory due to the effect of the transference, and when I found myself in the world’s worst danger zone, I fell into despair. From the very beginning, I went through a lot of terrible things. However, it led to the encounter with Alezel, which in turn led to my encounter with Nell through youthful indiscretion. At that time, I was in the so-called Chinatsu position, and I was troubled by my allies who were always giving me a hard time. But on the other hand, I relied on them as much as they relied on me. I was able to survive and reached this point exactly because I was relying on them. No matter what I said, I didn’t want anyone to die. Even I was seriously thinking of the strategy to win once it was decided. In the end, I had to force myself to tell them.

「Do you really understand? It’s really a tightrope operation, so follow the instructions properly, okay?」

「I know. I’m dissatisfied that the opponent is not the first rank, but it’s a bold strategy for Deris. So, I act flashy!」

「Eeh, do I have to fight too? Can I leave it to Deris? I want to raid the treasure room in the meantime~」

「…… Is it really going to be okay?」

「Jeez, Deris, you’re being worried more than usual. Don’t worry! At worst, I will beat them all!」

「That’s right, I won’t miss even a single gold coin!」

「………」

…… I did my best to tell them patiently.

Anyway, we came to a bottomless canyon called the 『Dark Eater’s Canyon』 in the southwestern part of the Zen continent (after making various detours such as Damaya). To be honest, it’s not bottomless at all, just very deep. The people probably just couldn’t investigate it that much since this place was the territory of the 『Lord Parricide』 Darka Krusei, the seventh rank of the Great Eight Demons at that time. Darka had built a spider’s web-like castle between the cliffs.

According to the information I investigated, there was a meeting of all the Great Eight Demons on the continent of Judah just the other day. Leaving aside the old days, the only ones who were belligerent toward humans among the Great Eight Demons at that time were the sixth rank 『Pandemonium Mother』 Aralkar, the eighth rank 『Black Thread Armor』 Seto, and the lord of this castle, Darka. Apparently, they had a disagreement with the other Demon Kings at the previous meeting.

I succeeded in obtaining information that the three problematic children of the Great Eight Demons were going to gather at Darka’s castle for some kind of suspicious discussion. Only the lower ranks of the Great Eight Demons would gather, so it was a rare opportunity to catch them off guard and get the best of them.

「Deris has a worrier’s disposition the most among us, but the strategy he thinks is the boldest thing~」

「As expected of Deris! Despite everything he said, he came up with a strategy I like!」

「Well, it’s the best I could think of. More importantly, we should act stealthily until we sneak into Darka’s castle. Be careful not to fall when we’re going down, okay?」

「That’s my line. I’m a super elf who excels at covert action, so there’s no way I will miss my footing so easily――WAAAaaaahh….!」

「Oh, Alezel fell. Ah, on the contrary, it’s faster to jump in, right? I see, she thought it well…!」

Nell was trying to jump, so I did my best to stop her.