The Destruction King manifests in the land of Renea, which should have been the divine realm.
Even the Holy Maiden, the witch Erakino, and Atou felt a shudder at the true darkness—so repulsive it made one queasy—that no imitation could compare to.
Takuto Ira had glimpsed that form once during the assault operation.
Atou had even served directly under him.
Yet the presence before them emanated an extraordinary pressure, making one believe that this was the true visage of the Destruction King.
Was Takuto Ira, who had clearly directed that dark will toward them, such a terrifying existence?
Everyone couldn't hide the natural tremor that welled up within them.
"Alright... it's about time, isn't it?"
Takuto murmured in a voice that was chilling and utterly inhuman.
As if responding to his words, multiple footsteps approached the remains of the church, which no longer resembled its original form.
"Soarina!"
"Fjord Commander!"
It was the Holy Knight Commander Fjord, who had been resurrected by the GM back when his powers were still intact and sent to call for reinforcements.
He had likely already explained the situation to some extent.
The peerless Holy Knights were fully armed, and from every one of them, one could see a shining light of strong will and a resolve to face death.
"I have gathered as many Holy Knights as possible. I have also ordered soldiers to evacuate nearby residents. We Holy Knights have designated this location as our death ground and stand to confront the world's crisis."
"Fjord..."
No one feared death.
Of course, this was not because they were relying on the GM's resurrection ability.
Most members did not even know about that power, and even if they did, they understood perfectly well that something far more important existed right here.
That is to say, about the King of Ruin who was the perpetrator that killed many of their companions, and all the lives that were currently in peril because of his existence. They, who were undoubtedly warriors of light, intended to destroy Takuto Ira here by any means necessary. The pity was... the evil contained within the existence known as Takuto Ira was so immense that such determination was of no consequence.
"Then, kill that witch over there, Holy Knight Fjord."
When they came to, an order had been issued from Soarina on the podium.
"Tch! Same as always!"
Was that tongue-click from Erakino, or perhaps Atou? Once again, Takuto Ira disguised as Soarina began to toy with the Holy Knights as if playing a game.
"The Holy Maiden of Grand Funerals..."
"What... what is the meaning of this?"
"There are two Holy Maidens!?"
"Could one of them be an imposter!?"
"But I can't tell them apart!"
"Like this..."
As was to be expected, confused voices rose from the knights. Some members who could grasp the situation to some extent seemed to exist, but they were extremely few. Most could not comprehend this mysterious phenomenon and were simply bewildered by the fact that both of the two Soarinas standing before them appeared to be the real one. Of course, in a situation where even the Game Master's authority was sealed, they could not immediately share information with them. But a single voice rose up, cutting through that confusion and chaos.
"It is futile, King of Ruin. If you imitate someone to blend in among the originals, all that needs to happen is for the imitated person themselves to attack you. Even if that costs you your life, as long as it leads to what comes next, that is enough."
Soarina.
The one half of Soarina that appeared identical to all Holy Knights was the one who uttered words tantamount to sacrificing her own life.
Was it recklessness, or perhaps an act of holy will?
But as she said, that strategy was indeed the most certain method available in this situation.
"But then Soarina—chan will—!"
Erakino cried out in anguish.
No one remained calm when a friend declared they would throw away their life.
Especially when it was the first friend one had ever made…
But unlike the panicked Erakino, who frantically searched for a way to stop her resolute friend, Atou perceived a certain strength within that determination.
"No, that’s not right, Erakino. Have you forgotten? If your Master were to exert his true power, he could even revive those who have perished. —In other words, as long as we defeat the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira, and nullify the forced declaration of cessation imposed upon us, we will be victorious!"
No matter how many sacrifices might be born along the way.
At Atou’s definitive words, Erakino’s expression sharpened with realization. Atou… intended to destroy Takuto Ira along with Soarina herself.
There was still lingering affection for the lord she once revered so deeply. And, of course, lingering attachments as well.
This was not the end she had hoped for. If possible, she had dreamed of a future where she could peacefully return to her original Mynoghra faction.
But that was now an impossible dream.
Her return became unattainable the moment Atou was fully absorbed by the TRPG faction, and no method existed to overturn that fact.
In this instant, her former reverence for her lord and the heartfelt wish for her companions’ safety and victory finally reached a conclusion within Atou.
"“O gods! Grant me the holy flame in my hand to annihilate the evil!!”"
………
……
The exchange of flames unleashed by the Holy Maiden left no opening for anyone present to intervene.
The hellfire had already consumed the church and was spreading to the surrounding buildings.
Holy Knights and others unable to keep pace with this battle hurried to nearby structures, attempting to contain the blaze with their sacred swordsmanship while watching the situation unfold.
Takuto Ira showed no sign of transforming. No… he was being pressed back by Soarina’s resolve, the kind that came from staking one’s very life.
He had no composure left; all he could do was desperately parry her attacks, which were driven by a fierce will.
If there was any difference between the two Soarinas, it was the sheer strength of the will she poured into battle.
That alone was the decisive factor, and precisely because it was the only factor, Takuto Ira could not defeat the one-on-one Soarina.
This was precisely the weakness in Takuto Ira’s ability—the one who imitated and mocked all.
… Eventually, like the burning of something long past.
Takuto Ira’s abdomen was pierced by the holy staff Soarina wielded, and then scorched away by a swirling inferno that seemed infinite.
"I did it! I, defeated Takuto Ira—the King of Ruin!"
Victory belonged to Soarina.
The genuine article, of course. There was no deception there, nor any resolve to overturn it.
Because it was ultimately an imitation, a clear difference emerged in performance at the extreme limit.
Takuto Ira would once more be annihilated by the hellfire.
"No one can survive before the flames of the Solemn Funeral! Not even I! This is truly the end, King of Ruin!"
Seeing that scene, Atou… thought it was all over.
He had somewhat understood his master’s defeat was inevitable.
The moment she fell prey to the Devouring, Takuto had suffered a complete and utter defeat in terms of strategy.
Her and her master's second life, unfortunately, had reached its end here.
Ideally, she would have ended everything with her own hands.
Not as Ira Takuto, the Nameless Evil God, but as Ira Takuto, a single individual.
That was no longer possible. So Atou... apologized countless times in her heart, and shed tears.
...If the filth Atou had a weakness, it was this:
When it came to Takuto, she sometimes lost her ability to judge clearly.
Her devotion was too strong, causing her to misjudge at critical moments.
Even though Ira Takuto had already revived from this situation once before.
"Heheh."
A world-weary laugh escaped from the figure being consumed by hellfire...
"Hyahah! Hyahah! Hyahahahaha!"
The surging flames swirled together, reversing direction.
Just like watching a video in reverse, they roared as they converged into a single point, transforming into a mass with a will and life of its own.
What emerged was a man.
There stood a grotesque man.
"Mmm. Refreshing. It feels like it's been an eternity since I've been out in the mortal world!"
"That is... Fremain!?"
Only Atou, the one who knew, cried out.
She had never faced him directly, but she had heard of his appearance and could therefore identify him.
A gaunt frame with skin that seemed barely human. Tackily revealing garments covering his upper body. His eyes gleamed with an unsettling light, and flames erupted from various parts of his body. It was... the very demon from Brave Questus who had once made Mynoghra swallow bitter defeat—the being known as the Fire Demon Fremain.
"Oh, right, there were some annoying pests hanging around. I was the one who lured them here, but... guess I should thin them out a bit. There."
Fremain, who had been stretching broadly, noticed the Holy Knights’ eyes fixed upon him, scowled slightly, and gave a light wave of his hand. Countless fireballs materialized. Launched with a peculiar, almost whimsical sound, they nonetheless carried a lethal destructive power that fell upon the Holy Knight order, contrary to expectations.
No one present recognized that this was Fremain’s specialty—group fire magic. The only thing clearly established was the fact that not a few Holy Knights had suffered damage, their lives extinguished, by the attack.
"Atou! What is that imitating!?"
"One of the Four Heavenly Kings of Brave Questus! The demon who commands fire! Damn! So that thing survived!?"
How had Takuto recovered from the attack at Dragontan? This was the answer. Fremain was a demon of fire. In Brave Questus, he possessed the trait of absorbing all fire-element attacks to recover HP. In that instant, Takuto had transformed into Fremain, and healed the damage that should have been fatal with the flames that swathed him in abundance.
Surprised gazes converged upon Fremain. He made a truly disgusted face at those stares, and Fremain—Ira Takuto—clicked his tongue.
"Don't stare at me all ganged up like that, it's creepy. I'll kill you—Tch!? ...Hmm? So, my power changes even my personality, huh? What a pain."
For a moment, Ira Takuto seemed to clutch his head. But in the next instant, a cruel smile filled with resignation, loathing, and craving spread across his face, and he opened his arms wide as he began to speak.
"Well now, you empty-headed bunch of idiot women who haven't got a clue about my strategy! I’ve got a question for you lot with your dumb faces!"
It was a challenge—from Fremain, or rather, from Takuto Ira.
"What do you think I'm going to do now~? Hint: it's a special ability the Brave Questus Demon Lord Army can use!"
Atou's mind raced at high speed.
Events... were inadmissible in this context. With combat already underway, there were likely few events that could be employed. Furthermore, events were always configured to be resolvable. Simultaneously, they were predetermined to end with the Demon Lord Army's defeat. Therefore, there was practically no point in Takuto Ira using an event here.
In the past, the real Fremain had used events purely for harassment and to drag others down with him.
In the end, he died, and the meaning of that act became clear the moment a new witch, bearing both the Hero and Brave's abilities, was born.
Events... were not it.
"Come on~ You don't get it, do you? Your heads are empty, aren't they? You're so focused on what's right in front of you, you've forgotten how to see the big picture."
Was there some other means?
A means to turn this situation around, to shatter this number of Holy Witches, Witches... and Holy Knights.
"If you'd watched those stubborn Forced Events closely enough, you might have figured it out. Well, you can hope for the next life. Whether that even exists, I wouldn't know."
Only Atou moved.
The experience she had cultivated over years as a warrior of darkness, the instinct that told her not to let Takuto Ira seize the initiative—it propelled her into an attack.
And that action succeeded.
One step, she was faster.
After all, Fremain is a mage-type character.
In terms of speed, there was no way she could outmatch a pure combat-type character, and if these two moved simultaneously, no matter how many times it was repeated, victory would always go to Atou.
Furthermore, to put it bluntly, Atou's current combat ability and skills far exceeded what Fremain possessed. The match should have been decided in an instant.
"So then――"
But... just as her tentacles moved to shatter the face of the Fremain that Takuto Ira had mimicked, the gaunt man's silhouette blurred, transforming into a grotesque figure with skin of rough, jagged ice.
"――time's up."
=Message===
Ice Rock has intervened!
Ice Rock has called allies!
―――
"Wha―― no!!"
With that ability, she summoned the annihilating army that would proclaim Renea's destruction.
=Message===
Leg-long insects have appeared
Brain Eaters have appeared
Dark Elf gunners have appeared
Assassin Gear has appeared
Cursed Sage Mortar has appeared
―――
"The Sisters of the Witch of Regret" have appeared
―――
In the city of Renea, submerged in hellfire.
The mad revelry of the minions of the Holy God and the Evil God was about to begin.