BXBX NOVEL Volume 1 1.15
After Diablo finished his tasks in detail, he left the inn.
The reason he went outside was because his body was feeling hot and he wanted to bathe in the night winds. The poster girl warned him that it was dangerous at night but......
Honestly, he had a mood that felt like “who in this town could possibly injure him?”.
The town at night——
He didn’t have a place of destination.
He decided to go to the West Gate and then go back.
In the sky, the moon and stars were sparkling. A staggering amount of stars were twinkling. And the moon was huge. Maybe because of that, even with just the moonlight, it was bright.
All of the shops were closed. No, only the bars were cheerful, and the clamorous talking voices and laughter could be heard.
There wasn’t much pedestrian traffic.
The houses made of stone and ground were different from how they were in the daytime and looked cold.
From in front of him, there was a group wearing robes that he had seen before walking.
There were fifteen people in all.
Diablo was able to accurately grasp the number and location of the numerous people in the other party with just a glance. This wasn’t a skill that was implemented in the game, but was more of a player skill that he had trained.
Their robes were the same ones that Celes’ guards from earlier were wearing. In other words, they were probably magicians of the Magicians Society.
——To be walking in a group at this hour, I wonder what happened?
Although he was bothered by it, he didn’t have a reason to avoid them.
Diablo slowly walked and passed by that group.
「Oi, you Demon over there.」
A provocative voice called him to a halt. It included a sound of sneering.
「Mu?」
Come to think of it, going by the settings, demi-humans are discriminated against by humans, weren’t they. Demons should have been especially scorned.
Since there was absolutely no such conduct among the players, he didn’t mind it.
Since he didn’t want to get involved with them, he tried to ignore them and walk past, but he was approached by the other party.
「Oi!? A lowly Demon feels like ignoring me!? Even though someone like you is just a parasite that is kept alive by Celes-sama’s kindliness!」
——A parasite!?
The barrier that protects the town was due to Celes’ magical power, but there was no reason for him to say such awful things, was there!?
Diablo recognized the man that came with such abuse.
If he wasn’t mistaken, it was the wire man that was behind Celes and said nothing but complaints. He couldn’t remember his name.
Diablo decided to reply.
「What is it, little one?」
「Guh!? You really are a rude one, aren’t you! My name is Galark! Even though you’re a lowly Demon, for you to call me, one who serves as a guard for the head of the Magicians Society, “little one”, that’s just impudent! Right, everyone!?」
Voices of heckling going “That’s right, that’s right!” were raised.
They subtly reeked of liquor.
——Uheh. Even though he was bothersome at the best of times, now he’s drunk.
He became dejected.
「What do you want? I only remember being called to a halt by the little one.」
「H, hmph! Now is the only time you’ll be able to say such things. That’s right, I didn’t like you the moment I laid eyes on you! Your attitude towards Celes-sama! Your attitude towards Rem-sama! Just about everything was impudent!」
——It looks like the reason he picked a fight with me wasn’t just because of demi-human discrimination.
Rem was also a Pantherian and a demi-human, but the called her with a “-sama” attached.
Also, this is a minor detail but, he should have been calling Celes by her surname as “Lord Bordorel” in front of her. He also called Rem as “Rem Galeu-sama”.
He’s a guy that’s two-faced, isn’t he.
In any case, with something about Diablo seeming to have annoyed him, he was letting out that stress with the benefits of being a group and the influence of alcohol.
For this kind of person, it’s best to not engage him.
「If you’re going to make a racket, do it some place I’m not at. I don’t possess ears to squander over a little one’s bullshit.」
「You......You......I won’t forgive you for that! Kufu!」
The wire man smiled.
It was an unpleasant feeling smile.
Having a bad premonition, Diablo focused on his opponent.
「Won’t forgive me, you say?」
「Yeah, that’s right! You should regret speaking that way to me......No, to “us”.」
——So he’s relying on the advantage of numbers.
Once again, he counted the number of opponents.
It was still fifteen people.
Each and every one of them were competent enough, but to fight them all together, it was a bit of a bothersome number.
However, since Rem and Shera had expectations and were hoping he were a Demon King, he couldn’t possibly withdraw here.
「Well now, aren’t you people the ones going to be regretting things, and not me?」
「Fufun......After this, you’ll be begging for your life! Take a good look!」
Galark took out something from within his robe.
It was a crystal the size of a baseball.
Diablo recognized that crystal.
「A summoned beast, huh.」
「That’s right! Having a status that is close to the Magicians Society’s head, I am excellent as a summoner! I possess a summoned beast that crush the likes of you with a single twist! Now then, if you don’t want to meet with a painful end......kneel down! Why don’t I have you apologize for the numerous impudent occurrences you have committed!」
*Waa waa* (cheers), the followers were getting excited.
Diablo tilted his head.
「Numerous impudent occurrences? What are you speaking of?」
He wasn’t self-aware of it, but he wondered he did something. He probably did.
Because he was bad at communicating, this kind of trouble happened a lot, and was troubling. Even though he didn’t have any hostility or ill will, before he knew it, his enemies increased.
——I knew it, something like human relationships is too much of an impossible game.
For Diablo who had come to this other world and continued in this Demon King role play, he thought that he was somehow able to interact with others but......
For them to be aggressive towards him without telling him the reason like this, his craving to be a shut-in was welling up.
No, this man might just be special. Let’s not abandon any hopes.
Galark’s face turned red and he shouted.
He seemed to have gotten considerably mad.
「You damned Demon! I’ll pluck your limbs and roll you around on the ground! If I do that, I’m sure that Rem-sama will surely recognize who should be on the side of being served and who should really be the one being useful!」
「You’ll pluck my limbs, you say?」
「Fuhahahahaha! Come, 《Salamander》!!」
Galark threw the crystal to the ground.
Breaking into small pieces, what appeared was——a lizard wrapped in flickering flames.
It was big.
Even though it didn’t reach size of an elephant that is seen at the zoo, it was big enough that Diablo had to look up at it.
Clad in scales that were in the shape of flames, it raised its head, and flicked its tongue out. Its inhuman eyes that were peculiar to reptiles made those who looked at them feel fear.
Normally, one would probably stiffen up like a frog being glared at by a snake.
——Its appearance is still pretty strong looking though.
In the game, it was around the fourth possible fire attribute summoned beast that one could summon.
For its parameters, it’s approximately the same as that of a level 20 warrior.
Since the Summoner won’t get any damage if it is killed by a monster, that could probably be called an advantage but......
It’s special ability was a fire attribute range attack called 《Heat Breath》. It gave the bad status of 《Burn》.
However, Diablo had a mantle called 《The Curtain of Dark Clouds》 equipped. On this, there was a Bad Status Prevention attached.
In other words, as an opponent, it wasn’t a scary enemy. More importantly——
「......For there to be a summoned beast within the town.」
That was something possible, but for Diablo, it was surprising.
In the game’s case, attack type magic wasn’t usable within the town. Attack magic and summoned beasts could only be used outside of town. In the Warriors’ case, they couldn’t swing their swords.
If you think about it, that’s natural.
The only thing that separated the town and the outside was the barrier and that had no other function other than defending against demonic beings and demonic beasts.
The guards that would come running if one broke the rules only happened in the game. Because it was late at night right now, the figures of the guards weren’t around.
Galark seemed to have misunderstood Diablo’s surprise.
He took pride in his summoned beast and gloated.
「How is it! It’s the level 30 summoned beast, Salamander! Long breath that could melt iron! Scales that won’t let blades through! Destructive power hidden in it’s huge build! Forget trained warriors, it’s the strongest summoned beast that could even burn knights dressed in armor to death!」
Galark did a forced laugh.
Diablo was at a loss for words.
——So this world’s levels were that low, huh.
The area of the Frontier Town Faltra in the game was an area with a suitable level was 60.
To think that the adventurers of that town were only people at a level that they could easily handled by a Salamander that was only level 30.
He couldn’t understand the reasoning for this.
If it were like this, he should have fought with the monsters outside. Would level 60 enemies really appear in this area?
Maybe because he interpreted Diablo’s pondering as dismay, Galark became elated and made a command.
「Now, apologise! If you do it now, I’ll let you off with just a small burn!」
——What is this guy saying?
He picked a fight using a group on the street at night, set off a summoned beast that could “burn knights dressed in armor to death”, and repeatedly said “Apologise” without saying the reason.
This wasn’t speech and conduct that one could just let off as him being drunk. It was way too aggravating.
「Enough of this, little one. Do not make me angry.」
「Kuh......You bastard! You’re not thinking that this is just a threat, are you!?」
The surrounding company gave warnings to Galark’s threatening attitude.
「O, oi, isn’t battling within town dangerous?」「Let’s stop it with just this.」「It’ll be terrible if we get found, you know?」
However, Galark didn’t stop.
He smirked.
「Battle? What are you talking about. What we’re doing is punishment! He committed an impoliteness to our Celes-sama and unreasonably enslaved Rem-sama! In regards to this vulgar Demon, it’s punishment!」
Reacting to Galark’s spirit, the Salamander cried.
「Shaaaaaa———!!」
It had a snake-like voice, but it had a loud volume.
At the same time, it spit out 《Heat Breath》 from its mouth.
——It attacked!?
Diablo’s field of vision was completely submerged in red from the flames.
He was bathed in it squarely from the front.
Galark raised a voice of madness and delight.
「Fuhahahaha! How is it, did you learn your lesson, you damned Demon! Burn! Burn up!」
His comrades of the Magicians Society made pale faces.
However, since they only looked and didn’t stop it, they were of the same offense——is what could be thought, but what do you think?
The flames that enveloped Diablo vanished.
There wasn’t a single injury.
The stone paving that was at his feet had melted and was liquified.
Despite it being a temperature to that degree, not even his clothes had been burned.
Thought, since they weren’t normal clothes, that’s natural.
「I guess that’s about it.」
Diablo breathed a sigh.
——I knew it, the level difference is huge.
There was the old game-type saying of 『Raise your level and smack the laws of nature』.
Even for the MMORPG Cross Reverie, the thing called level difference was something tremendous. Comparing level 150 and level 30, the difference was like comparing a tank and a child.
From Diablo’s perspective, there not being damage was something natural.
No, it wasn’t natural. Since this was the first time he had squarely received an attack, he ascertained that his magic defense strength was as high as it was in the game, and it could be said that there was sufficient meaning in receiving it.
——Still, it did an attack that could kill if it were a normal person receiving it.
If Diablo didn’t possess the strength of a Demon King, he would have died.
This man made an attack that could kill just because he was someone that he didn’t like. He needs a bit of “punishment”.
Galark was shocked.
「Wh, what’s the meaning of this? Why are you alive?」
For him, it appeared that the Salamander was the strongest summoned beast that he could believe in from the bottom of his heart. It seems that it was a miracle that Diablo didn’t die from that attack.
To call a level 30 summoned beast the strongest, if it were in the game, it would have been thought of as some kind of gag or joke.
In other words, the level of the surroundings were low enough to cause such a sad misunderstanding. Though, Diablo wouldn’t pity them.
Galark shouted with a nervous voice.
「One more shot!」
Again, Heat Breath was fired.
Since Diablo’s magic defense strength undoubtedly exceeded it, it was clearly understood that he wasn’t receiving damage.
In games, there are times when no matter how big the level difference is, there is a fairly good chance that the smallest amount of damage will get in. But only in Cross Reverie was there a shutout effect displayed.
Galark shouted at the guys around him.
「O, oi, you guys too! Take out your summoned beasts!」
The surrounding people that didn’t feel as much hate or justification for Diablo as he did were indecisive.
「Uuu......!? B, but, if we do that in the town, won’t we get punished——?
「Just do it! I’ll take responsibility for it! Quickly, quickly! Hurry it up!」
He’s half-crazed.
Being effected by that enthusiasm, Galark’s comrades also threw their crystals to the ground. The sound of many crystals breaking resounded.
What appeared was sprites of several attributes.
《Sprite of Fire》《Sprite of Water》《Sprite of Earth》《Sprite of Wind》——
The sprites were summoned beasts that had the silhouette of a bird. Not having eyes or mouths, red if they were fire, blue if they were water, yellow if they were earth, green if they were wind. They were flat existences that looked like they were cut out in the shape of crows from paper of those colors.
Nevertheless, each and everyone of them had the size of a Steller’s sea eagle.
It had a size that, if it weren’t for the fact that it was a magic-like being that could give damage just by touching it, it looked like a person could ride on its back.
Its main attack was doing a body blow after some high speed aviation, but it could also tear off the magic power that summoned beast are constituted of and fire it.
Fourteen of those appeared.
The Salamander was also in good health.
Galark regained his smile.
「Fu fu fu......I don’t know the reason why, but it would seem you’re strong against the Salamander’s long breath. However, what can you do being surrounded by this many summoned beasts? Well, I guess the last time we had to spread out an encircling net like this was when a demonic beast from the Man-Eating Forest had appeared. It’s pretty much used in cases where situations that could already be considered “great disasters” occur. You should regret having opposed the Magicians Society!」
He was shocked.
It seems that before he knew it, Diablo had made an opponent of the Magicians Society, not Galark. Since it looked like Galark would eventually start saying something like 「I am the Magicians Society」, it was scary in a different meaning.
And then, judging by Galark’s speech and conduct, he seemed to consider these summoned beasts as a fairly good bit of war potential.
Diablo wasn’t fully satisfied. Something like the 《Sprite of ~》 was a summoned beast that was possible to summon at the beginning.
Since the demonic beasts that appear from the Man-Eating Forest should approximately be level 60, when going against them, the sprites couldn’t even become a shield.
It’s a mystery.
——Why is this world’s level so low when compared to the game?
There was a need to investigate this afterwards.
In any case, right now, these guys were the problem.
Galark’s group had set off summoned beast just due to a personal grudge.
He had thought that the Magicians Society was a bit more rational and neutral organization but......it seems that it wasn’t something that easy-going.
It was hard to believe that there was someone so self-centered in it.
「You people, are you being serious?」
The surrounding people were silent, but they didn’t look like they were going to pull back.
Galark laughed.
「Fu, fu, fufufu......Are you feeling timid? However! This situation, all of it is something that you invited, you know!? If you had known your place from the beginning, this could have ended without you dying!」
It was unfortunate, but he seemed to be serious.
If the opponent was coming to kill even after wiping the sparks that fell onto him, he wouldn’t show mercy.
If there was intent to kill, both Humans and monsters were equally dangerous beings, and he couldn’t do something as negligent as going easy on them.
「Don’t expect any mercy from me, got it?」
「Die, Demon! Now, do it, summoned beasts!」
In accordance with Galark’s command, the summoned beasts moved.
The Salamander’s Heat Breath and the attribute sprites’ long distance attacks drew near.
A stream of light of four colors.
However, Diablo didn’t feel the need to avoid it.
No matter what attack it was, it was certain that it was lower than his magic defense strength. Besides, when multiple attribute attacks were simultaneously commenced, there were conflicts that would occur. For example, there were cases where a water attack would negate a fire attack.
——Do these guys not do multiple attack practice?
He could kick them about with magic but......
It was a good opportunity. He decided to test out a couple of things.
First, he wanted to know this physical attack strength.
Being a Demon Magician, Diablo had low physical attack strength. However, since there were monsters that magic wouldn’t work against, there were also times when he required direct attacks.
——Just how far will the current me be able to go?
Diablo approached the Salamander.
The summoned beasts were still attacking, but it only had the effect of irritating his eyes.
He stood in front of the Salamander.
It was big enough that he had to look up.
He couldn’t help but pray.
——Please, don’t let it end in one hit.
He wanted it to at least be durable enough for him to test out his physical attack strength.
Diablo swung 《The Staff of Tenma》 horizontally. It struck the nape of the the Salamander’s neck.
For the resistance, it was as if he were brushing away fog.
And then, as if it were sliced with a sharp blade, the head of the huge summoned beast easily separated from the body.
While a red phosphorescence fluttered about, the Salamander was terminated.
Defeated summoned beasts would change into dark, muddied crystals and become unusable for a while. That was what tumbled on the ground.
Diablo breathed a sigh.
「It was way too weak.」
He wanted it to at least endure a single attack of a magic specialized Demon. Was it wrong of him to expect anything from something like a level 30 fire lizard?
Galark opened his eyes wide.
「Wha............? Ah, n, no! Don’t falter! J, just one of them has been done in! Wh, what are you doing, everyone! This is our chance! We, we need to defeat this guy! Kill him!」
「If you were going to run away, I wasn’t intending on chasing you but......I have no choice. I guess I should test out the attack magic’s attribute compensation next.」
The game’s way was that when the receiving side’s attribute is the same or advantageous against the attacking side’s attribute, the attack’s power is attenuated.
Fire is strong against wind, wind is strong against earth, earth is strong against water, water is strong against fire.
In other words, in the case where a water attribute summoned beast is attacked with a fire chemical elemental magic, the power should fall considerably. He would check that.
Diablo turned his staff towards a 《Sprite of Water》.
「Burst open, 《Explosion》!」
The explosion caused by magic landed on the Sprite of Water.
In conclusion——the opponent was too weak to confirm the attribute compensation.
The 《Explosion》 that Diablo fired enveloped not only the Sprite of Water that he targeted, but also the other surrounding summoned beasts.
In addition, the explosion’s after-effect gouged out the ground, smashed the stone paving and scattered it all about the area.
Not only did it damage the outer walls of the buildings facing the street, it also hit Galark and the other robe figures of the group.
There were fortunately no casualties but......
The summoned beasts were annihilated.
——I messed up. I should have tested it with a bit more weaker magic.
Galark’s knees gave way and he sank down.
「A......annihilated......In one attack, annihilated......?」
It wasn’t just him. The robe figured guys were in a state worthy of being called tragic. Those that burst into tears, those that emitted a strange voice, those that gave outbursts of anger to Galark, those that were dumbfounded......
It would seem that despite being the lowest grade summoned beasts, to them, they were a powerful strength to be proud of.
It was a level that you could pass if you had about a week in the game though.
He at least understood that it couldn’t be tested.
If he kicked them about this much, they would probably never pick a fight with him again. He thought positively about how one troublesome thing was solved.
When Diablo tried to leave, surprisingly, Galark sent out his voice.
「Y, you......just what are you!? Impossible......Something like this is......impossible......」
What was he?
He was summoned but he wasn’t a summoned beast nor was he a member of the races of this other world.
He had plans of becoming an adventurer, but, right now, he was wasn’t.
Diablo glared at them.
The wounded all over and stupefied underlings of the Magician’s Society. Fear travelled through the group of robed figures.
The smile of a devil was turned towards them.
「My name is 《Diablo》. I am a Demon King that came from another world.」