Last Chance

『Haa!』

"Uiyyy!?"


Demon King activated 'Qi Impact', sending out a shockwave all around him.
This ability allows even ordinary Combat Job blow their opponents away with a strong impact. Used by Demon King and his sky high Attributes, most everything hit by it will get turned into a minced meat.

I got blown and crashed on the wall, stuck there due to the sheer impact.
Not good, I must, move my--


『【Evil Laser】』


A super thick black beam shot out of Demon King's finger... The heck is even a black beam, that's contradictory.
The floor it grazed immediately disintegrated. I would instantly die if that hit me.
It's sliding on surface like it's homing in on me. Half a second until direct hit.

I struck myself with my pile bunker, evasive action!!


"Goha! ...That was close!"


The wall I was stuck on disintegrated.
Seeing that finally made me aware how close I was to death.


『Dodged that, did you. You would have had it easier if you did not.』

"You go ahead and die then, easy right!"

『I am not making a sarcasm. Dying merely means being reborn anew. Even if you cannot inherit memory like I did. Knowing the existence of the afterlife alone must come as a relief, is it not?』

"Screw that to hell and back! You've only got one try in life! You're someone else when you're reborn with your old soul! Like hell I'm gonna give up living this life to head for the next like you (Souma Ryuta), dumbarse!!"


Even that Lava Dragon I fought in the dungeon enjoyed life with everything it had even for a few minutes, it never gave up. It never placed an expectation on the afterlife.
Those who think they have another chance next time are the type that immediately gives up in their next life.
...Ah, my bad, Neora-kun. You're an exception okay. Don't cry on me now. Seriously, sorry.

I gotta forget debating, and think about our situation instead.

Demon King will instantly heal himself with magic no matter how much I damage him.
He'd likely die before he could heal himself if we just aim for his weakness on his forehead, but he's got that perfectly locked down.
Attacks on any other body parts are meaningless. Attacks on his weak point get blocked without fail. The hell you're supposed to do.

I've used up half of my energy. Don't got a lot of potions on me.
Damaging Demon King with my base specs is pretty much impossible. I gotta keep buffing my Attributes to ten times their base.

In contrast, Demon King's HP, MP, SP are all full.
He can constantly go at full power without any limit.


My chance of victory is slim to none. But it's not completely nil.
Besides, I can't afford any other outcome, I have to win this.


I mobilized all my dim-witted brain cells toward coming up with a plan.
All while listening to the opinions of the other four inside me.


『Here, the next one. Try and overcome it.』

"Shut uuup!!"


I kept wracking my brain while cutting down and absorbing magic, farslashes et al with my katana, repelling them with mana control and crushing them with greathammer.
All of it went down in the span of ten seconds, yet it felt like forever.

I may be able to restore my life force and mana with Alma's sword but I can't do that to my energy, the one that matters.
It keeps decreasing by the second from warding off the assault.

There's no time to hesitate.
I'm gonna run out of energy if I don't act soon.


Only Alma was strongly against the plan I came up with because it's 'risky for me', but I can't think up of any other way to defeat Demon King.
I pushed down the opposition and executed the plan.


I discharged part of my mana and converted all of it into 'light energy'.
The entirety of the vast Demon King Chamber turned bright white as if the sun manifested here.

I exhaled all the air in my lungs and screamed as loud as I could.


"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

『Nu...!』


A blinding light and a deafening sound. It should only work for a brief moment against Demon King's eyes and ears, but it worked.
I rushed toward his head and swung down my great hammer.


『A petty trick. And, too light.』

"Kuuuuuh...!!"


Demon King easily stopped my greathammer while sounding disappointed.


『Judging from your feebleness. You must lack the strength to buff yourself further, no? ...Yield now.』

"Gahabaaa!!"


He swatted me like a fly with his palm.
That alone dealt a huge damage on me right now. My HP buffer went down to zero and my entire body felt like it was torn apart.

I crashed on the floor with my limbs bent in unnatural directions.
Blood seeped out of my mouth, I couldn't even lift a finger anymore.


『Now, die.』


He raised his leg in order to trample me down.
I could tell he was solely focusing on me, nothing else mattered.



Decoy plan went well.


『Ga, ha...!?』

"Uaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"


A blade of light poked out of Demon King's mouth.
The beauty, I mean Hero-kun in his fused form with me excluded stabbed Demon King from the back with a combo of Extended Mana Blade and Magic Sword.


I was to be a decoy while the other members in their fused form went for Demon King's weak point by using up all of our remaining energy in one single magic sword attack.
The plan carries a considerable high risk, but nothing else crossed my mind.


"Drop, deaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!"

『Gugiyiiiiiiiii!!』


Hero-kun further activated Mana Blade Gale in an attempt to cut Demon King in half.
In response, Demon King gritted his teeth while putting on the most desperate look he showed yet.


『Giiiiiiiiiiigaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!』

"Uaaaaaaaaaaa!!?"


Demon King activated Qi Impact as he shouted, blowing Hero-kun away.
He then shot out a volley of Mana Fist Farpunch at the blown Hero-kun.


『Die! Die, alreadyy!!』

"Agaa!! Ugugagagaaaaaa!"


After taking on nearly ten punches, Hero-kun fell down the ground listlessly.
A few seconds later, their Fusion came undone, leaving four bodies there.

W, we failed...!


『Haa, haa, haa...! Well, done...! Had the stabbing point ever so slightly veered, it would have been your victory...』


Demon King healed his wounds while breathing heavily.
We let our last chance slip by our hands.

We've used up all our energy, there's no closing the gap in our Attributes now.
We have no more options left to defeat Demon King.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

So, what.


『! You would still move.』

"I ain't, moving. I made, myself move."


I forcefully fixed my limbs and made them move with Mana Control.
I can't feel anything but pain. My motor functions have mostly died. I'm not sure if I can even breathe right without using Mana Control.


『...A willpower truly worth a commendation. However, you are now left with nothing.』

"..."

『It is over for you. The end of the road. You have no more means to fight.』


Shut up, be quiet.
I know all that. You bastard don't hafta point that out.


『However, I shall show you my utmost respect. You may go on to the afterlife with nary a suffering.』


Demon King cast an offensive spell.
A black big sphere shot out of his palm, coming toward me.


『You shall disappear the instant that touches you. Die in peace.』


Having no way to stop or dodge it, I could only blankly stare at the incoming sphere.
Nevertheless, I cannot give up. If I do, this world will... Alma, will.


"...Hika...Ru...."


I heard a frail voice in the direction of the four.
She's still alive. She can be saved still.

But she's, gonna die, at this rate.


Alma, dying. That's the one thing I will never compromise on...!!



"Kajikawa-san!!"

"Braat!! Chickeen!! We gonna stop that even if it killed uuus!!!"

『CLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!』


I heard familiar voices just before the sphere hit me.


"Wha...!?"


Reina, Hiyoko and Aizawa-kun are facing off against the sphere in front of me.
Did they come all the way here with Shadow Dive...!?


Aizawa-kun and Hiyoko use Master Skill while Reina has her dagger to stop and absorb the sphere's mana.
The sphere halted for a moment before moving again. It must contain too much energy for them to stop.


"【Attachment - Offensive Mode】 aaaa!!!"


Aizawa-kun shouted that with his sword at the ready.
The sphere is disappearing before my eyes.

Is that his sword's ability? I believe it boosts Master Skill's effect by altering his Attribute values.


"Oy, drink this! Don't you dare die on us!"

"Radia, kun...?"

"It's a recovery potion! You're injured all over! Quick, drink it or you're gonna die!"


Radia-kun who must have come with them pushed a potion vial in my mouth.
I managed to somehow ingest the liquid washing inside my mouth.

I controlled my restored HP to heal my wounds.
That afforded me to move on my own somehow.


『Your, allies are they... What a futile struggle.』

"I-i-it's not futile at all! D-doesn't matter how scary you turn yourself into, Kajikawa-san is still way scarier!"

『Cluuck! Cluuck!!』

"...Uh, don't you think that's a weird comparison to make...?"


Reina and Hiyoko spoke up against Demon King despite looking obviously scared. Don't bring me up in there.
Can't really complain after getting my arse saved though.


『It is futile. Your arrival will change nothing at all!』


Demon King punched the ground.


"Uwaaaaaa!!?"

『Cluuuuuuck!!』

"Ga,aaaaa!!?"


He produced this shockwave without the use of a single Skill, just a punch to the ground.
All of them got blown away before colliding into the walls.

None of them died, yet they all suffered grievous injuries.

No, that's not it.


I can, still, move.


『It is time, for you, to go.』


Demon King gave another ultimatum before walking up to me.
A few seconds, till, he kills me.


Please.


I won't ask for help.

Neither will I ask for a cheap power up conveniently awakening in the middle of a struggle.


I only wish for an advice to beat the crap out of Demon King and go back home with everyone...!!






≪.....・.....≫


!


A familiar blue screen blipped in front of my eyes for a very brief instant.


M, Menu, san?


<<...Demon King・...・...・・・...Subduing...Method..・....Searching.....>>


It's full of noise, but it is the Menu Screen alright.


<<・・..・・..Match found・...■・...・・...Subduing possible...・...・..・..>>


!!?
Subduing, possible!? You're telling me we still have a chance!?

What is that method!?

<<・・・・●・・・・../..・■・..・・・・..・>>


The noise worsened.
Is it getting forced into Hibernation again!?


Please! Do your best! Tell me, how!


Pssh, the screen vanished alongside that sound.
Menu has gone into Hibernation before it could tell me.

D, dammit, dammit! I know there's a way but what!
Just a bit more, just a little bit more...!!


『It appears you held a conversation with your Menu. To no avail as it turned out, I see.』


As I groaned while listening to Demon King


I noticed something has been left behind on the floor in front of me.


This, is...?

Previous Chapter