A vast horde of barbarians confirmed from the town of Dragontan. Just as Fonkavun had been able to confirm the staggering scale of the threat, so too on the barbarian side were there those licking their lips as they eyed their distant prey.
"Fremain. Have the Demon Lord's orders come down?"
Hill Giants, goblins, orcs. And a motley host of other monsters. Among the many creatures typically classified as barbarians, suddenly one mass of ice gave voice.
No—it was a living being.
The grotesque figure of that man, wrapped entirely in ice, was a colossus easily twice the size of an ordinary adult male, and upon his back he carried a war axe befitting his enormous frame. His form was too distorted to be called human—it would have been more apt to judge that the block of ice itself possessed a will.
Standing within the barbarian horde yet clearly set apart by the power he wielded, this man gazed toward the town of Dragontan as he directed his question to the one beside him.
"Kihihi! So it's you, Ice Rock. Same as always—no change. Da."
The man who answered was equally grotesque. Unlike the man of ice, he stood at a height no different from any common man or orc. But his sickly thin frame, and above all the flames that ceaselessly enwrapped his entire body, set his otherworldliness in sharp relief.
The man of ice was Ice Rock, the Ice General. The man of flames was Fremain, the Flame Demon. Both were beings known as the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord's Army—the key boss characters from the RPG game Takuto knew.
Characters that should have existed only in fiction had appeared. A phenomenon that should have been utterly impossible was nonetheless undeniably standing before them as reality.
Ice Rock, the Ice Heavenly King, creaked as he shifted his massive frame and opened what could hardly be called a mouth. "This land to which our Demon Lord's Army has been suddenly summoned—have you gathered any intelligence as to what sort of world it is?"
"Hmm? Ah, not much different from the last world! Kihhih. A world where monsters exist, magic is real, and humans swarm like vermin."
The Four Heavenly Kings of Scorching Heat, Fremain, responds with a cruel grin without looking at Ice Rock. Having already sent subordinates to investigate and scout, he knew this world better than anyone in their Demon Lord's army.
...Their consciousness had awakened only recently.
In their previous world, they were facing the final battle against the hero—an eternal nemesis they called the Hero. This hero possessed such overwhelming power that they could single-handedly fight the entire Demon Lord's army. The Demon Lord himself, once resurrected after being annihilated by the hero, had gathered them in the grand hall of their final stronghold—the Demon Lord's Castle—to make their stand.
The impending final clash. Relentless exchanges of swordplay and magic running rampant.
Roars, screams, battle cries.
Many comrades were cut down, overwhelmed by power beyond what any mortal should possess, and annihilated once more.
But as they watched their fellow monsters being trampled like scraps of paper, the sole survivor, who hadn't even wounded the enemy, let out a final scream—and in that instant—.
When they came to, they were standing on a barren plain.
Their lord, the Demon Lord, along with several elite monsters given special names.
And endless wasteland stretching to the horizon.
What remained for them was neither a glorious victory to lead the world into darkness, nor a humiliating defeat to the light.
Just that.
...That had been only a few days ago.
The bewildered monsters were immediately brought to order by the Demon Lord, and their subsequent actions were swift.
Investigation of this land. Summoning subordinates via magic. Construction of their base, the Demon Lord's Castle.
And the marshaling of their army.
Their objective remained unchanged. Regardless of how the world shifted, regardless of how the logic transformed.
All preparations were to be executed swiftly, assembled for the fulfillment of a single purpose.
And with speed that could only be described as abnormal, all the pieces were set into position—
Just as they had in the world before,
They now took action to trample this world underfoot.
………
……
…
"A beautiful world, in."
These words were murmured to no one in particular as Ice Rock, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, slowly lifted his gaze to the sky.
The clouds had parted, revealing birds swimming contentedly through the air.
The earth stretched out vast and endless, and even in its harsh places, the rich breath of life could be felt.
Ice Rock did not understand why he had found himself in this situation.
Nor did he know what he should be doing in this world.
They, the monstrous beings, were driven entirely by the commands bestowed upon them by the Demon Lord.
Like a turbid current, raging instinct surged within them, and until now, they had unleashed their full power according to it.
All was to be done according to the great Demon Lord’s will: to annihilate humanity and forge a world of darkness.
That was the only thought they were permitted, the very reason for their existence.
"Our mission is to conquer this world, in. To destroy humanity and build our paradise, in."
The Demon Lord’s order was: "Conquer."
As in the original world, so may it be in this world.
Ice Rock becomes the hunting dog of the Great Lord's will.
Just as he once annihilated towns and obliterated human livelihoods.
Even if the world changes, what he does remains the same.
Therefore, Ice Rock turns his gaze toward what would be the first prey in this world—a town—to fulfill his role completely.
"That... is the first offering? A human town to become the foundation of our conquest."
"Hihhi! It's typical of Fonkavun, isn't it? The beastkin scout we captured during reconnaissance was awfully forthcoming!"
"Hmph. Disgusting."
Unlike Fremain, his fellow Heavenly King and colleague, Ice Rock possessed a strong warrior's nature.
That nature loathed Fremain's evil deeds, and resentment naturally spilled from his lips.
The existence of a beastkin scout in what should be a human town.
Normally, beastkin are beings close to the demonic. While some races may not prefer conflict, they are fundamentally incompatible with humans.
Yet here they were, acting as scouts. How could this be?
Questions arose in Ice Rock's mind, but they quickly melted away.
He barely possessed the function of contemplation, acting solely on the Demon Lord's orders.
That was the very essence of a Heavenly King.
No—every monster under the Demon Lord's command was so.
But Ice Rock felt an inexplicable, creeping sense of wrongness.
However, there was no time to analyze or confirm it in detail.
The command given by the Demon Lord was "world conquest," and he had to take action above all else.
While experiencing an indescribable sense of impatience, Ice Rock shook his head slightly to cast off his concerns. Then, as if making up his mind, he made his inorganic, icy eyes gleam, and addressed Fremain as if recalling his own mission.
"...Well, fine. Did the Demon Lord say anything about capturing the city?"
"He told us to do as we please! Monsters, strategy, all of it! It's our freedom!"
"The big green goblins joining our Demon Lord's army is convenient. This will make world conquest even easier, won't it?"
There was a reason their forces had grown to such a scale. Initially, the military strength from his summoned subordinates had been uncertain, but unexpected fortune had descended upon them. It was the native monsters living in this area, who had offered their submission to the Demon Lord's army. Though not terribly powerful individually, this was certainly an event to be celebrated in terms of military strength. Of course, it seemed most of them had already been expended in a probing attack... But, in any case, if they could get information on the humans, it was a cheap price to pay. It was strength that hadn't existed before.
Having gathered a decent amount of information on the humans, Fremain was investigating the military strength of Fonkavun and judged the results to be excellent.
"Kyeh heh heh! It brings back memories! The battles we waged in our former world! The day we demonfolk invaded the humans' lands and annihilated a kingdom I can't even remember the name of overnight—that was the beginning!"
Fremain let out an unsettling voice of glee. Ice Rock, too, remembered those days. The day it all began. The fight for the world against the humans—and the Hero. Those days when he wielded his battle axe to dedicate everything to the Demon Lord. And then, the final battle with the Hero. As memories flashed by like a revolving lantern, an avalanche of information surged through Ice Rock.
"Fremain—forgive the abrupt question, but..."
"Wha—? What is it?"
"...Whatever happened to our ambitions, again?"
"Huh? Why are you asking about that..."
Ice Rock couldn't shake the nagging suspicion he thought he had erased and couldn't help but ask.
He remembered clearly the moment he joined the battle to decide the world's supreme ruler.
His ultimate technique, launched with every ounce of his being, was effortlessly deflected. The returning blade pierced straight through his heart.
He recalled collapsing there, his consciousness fading, watching the Demon Lord and the Hero stand face to face in his dimming vision.
But what came after was vague.
He thought perhaps he had perished right then and there, but pulling at his hazy memories, that answer didn't quite satisfy him.
Or was he summoned to this world before his clash with the Hero concluded?
...That also felt wrong.
Because, in the midst of his own destruction and vanishing consciousness, he had distinctly seen the Hero's sword stab into the Demon Lord's body.
Therefore, Ice Rock swallowed his pride and asked Fremain.
Even knowing Fremain was cunning, sly, and plotting to outmaneuver the other Four Heavenly Kings to become the Demon Lord's chief advisor, he chose to borrow that malicious wit.
Hoping to quell the impatience and doubt rising within his heart.
But...
"Tch! Who cares about that now! Preying on what's right in front of us takes priority, doesn't it!? That's right, Ice Rock!"
"...Indeed, it is."
Fremain's response was not what he had been hoping for.
No, Fremain had actually shown a brief moment of contemplation.
They were probably in the same situation as himself.
The area quickly grew noisy.
The killing intent and excitement of the monsters had reached a point where it could no longer be contained. Growls and shrieks that seemed devoid of any reason filled the air, and there was no longer any leisure for a calm conversation.
Without obtaining an answer to the questions welling up within him, Ice Rock sensed the time had come.
"To move the monsters. First, we shall destroy the city called Dragontan and offer the despair and suffering of those humans to the Demon Lord."
At his side, a monster attired in robes and holding a staff, who had been standing by as his adjutant, nodded solemnly.
That monster inscribed characters into the air with some form of magic.
It was at that same moment the monsters, who seemed almost devoid of intellect, began their slow advance.
"What about you, Fremain?"
"Hah, I'll sit this one out. You can have the vanguard. Be grateful, Ice Rock!!"
"Is that so. Thanks."
He drew a massive battle-axe from his back and gripped it with both hands.
That weapon, heavy with a tangible weight, was his pride and joy, one that had felled many an enemy alongside him.
No one who had faced him and this axe had survived. With the sole exception of that one hero.
Ice Rock took a single step forward.
The earth groaned under the weight, unable to bear the load that sank into the ground.
Feeling a gaze upon his back, he began his march toward the city of Dragontan.
He did not trust Fremain. He couldn't understand what the other was thinking, either.
But it was ultimately irrelevant.
In the end, as long as the world fell into the Demon Lord's hands, that was all that mattered.
And I possess the power to make it a reality.
All we must do is destroy everything besides ourselves.
With the arrogance and shortsightedness befitting one of the Demon Lord's Four Heavenly Generals, Ice Rock reached this conclusion.
………
……
…
As Ice Rock and the horde of monsters marched toward the town, raising clouds of dust, Fremain watched them go, spitting in contempt.
But his expression changed in an instant.
It happened the moment a bird-like monster wreathed in flames landed beside him and delivered a report.
A twisted smile of delight, Fremain turned his gaze northwest.
Disobeying orders, acting alone, cruel and inhumane.
If Ice Rock's character was that of a warrior, Fremain's could only be described as a venomous snake.
Fremain conveyed something to the monster that had delivered the report. The fire-wreathed bird took flight once more, faithfully executing its master's command.
The Heavenly General of Flame continued to stare fixedly at that one point, a thin smile playing on his lips.
It was a sadistic grin, that of one who never doubted his own absolute authority—a grin fitting for the destroyer about to trample upon the lives below.
"Hee hee hee! Then I suppose I'll go claim the other town for myself!"
His gaze was indeed fixed toward the direction of the Great Cursed Realm.