The children glared at me with eyes full of hostility.
Pure hatred lived in those stares.
Something felt off to me.
Would they really harbor this much animosity toward a newly appointed teacher? Could there be some reason behind it?
Five children.
Mitsuzaki Kenna — male, age 8
Sekiguchi Ryota — male, age 8
I flipped through the documents I'd received from the faculty room and examined each of them in turn.
Children gathered from all over the world. They'd been called demons in each of their respective locations.
They were discovered through adventurer subjugation requests and the like, then taken into protective custody.
That's what the documents said, but something didn't add up.
Why were they all so close in age? And why had they conveniently been discovered in countries surrounding the Great Forest of Jura?
It also said these incidents had all occurred within the past three years. Something was going on here.
Apparently, these children had been attached to
Well, given how wild they were behaving, it was hard to believe they were even inside a classroom.
"Hey, hey, don't go causing trouble right off the bat, you little rascals!
I'm Rimuru, and from today on, I'm your instructor.
I'm not as kind as Shizu was, so keep that in mind!"
I was supposed to start with introductions, but…
"Shut up! We won't be fooled!"
"Yeah, yeah! Even if we do what you say, you're just going to kill us anyway!"
"What happened to Shizu!? Did you kill her too!?"
"That's right! You can't trust any adults!"
"Since we're failures, you're just going to throw us away, aren't you?"
Huh? Their reactions were a little strange.
This wasn't just a matter of classroom discipline breaking down. This wasn't mere bratty behavior — it was genuine murderous intent, laced with abhorrence.
And a deep, bottomless mistrust of adults.
Killing them? What happened to Shizu? How did they even jump to conclusions like that?
There had to be something behind this.
No useful lesson happened that day.
Forcing my will upon them without knowing their circumstances didn't sit right with me.
So I decided to just introduce myself and withdraw for the day.
"K-Kenna… Are you okay?"
"St-Stay away from me! That masked instructor is out of his mind!"
"Hey! Calm down, calm down already—!!!"
I could hear the commotion from beyond the door, but I decided not to worry about it.
I'd only had them introduce themselves, after all. I asked
He was probably substituting for me in gym class right now. A truly heartwarming thought.
For those who showed no willingness to work on the worksheets I'd printed and handed out, I told Ranga to let them play with him instead.
The day turned into a self-study session, but there was nothing to be done about that.
So I left everything in Ranga's hands, paid a visit to Yuuki, and departed the academy.
* * * In the commander's room at the Free Guild headquarters.
Yuuki and I sat facing each other on a sofa.
A pleasant aroma of tea drifted from the cups placed before us.
I cut straight to the chase.
"So, tell me about those children's situation."
I asked bluntly.
Yuuki gazed into my eyes, thought for a moment, then said: "Rimuru, there's something I'd like to ask you first…
How much do you know about Sakaguchi Hinata?"
What was that supposed to mean? Were Hinata and the children connected somehow?
"I don't know all that much. We're apparently from the same homeland.
Other than that, Shizu mentioned she was a remarkably quick learner…."
"Hmm." I gave a nod.
"Then, what about the difference between summoned people and otherworlders?"
He asked, and I thought about it, but my knowledge wasn't particularly detailed.
Summoned individuals always awakened a Unique Skill, and the success rate was extremely low.
Other than that, I only knew that a curse was carved into their souls through magic.
I relayed what I knew.
"That's correct. It matches what we've found in our research. You're quite well-informed…
In any case.
Summoning narrows down conditions to call a specific target, which is why they come to this world with powerful abilities.
An individual with a strong will, as the condition.
Now, what happens when you perform an incomplete summon?"
From there, what Yuuki explained to me was enough to make my stomach turn.
Over thirty mages performing a ritual over three days, with a success rate of less than 0.03 percent.
And that wasn't all — once a summoning spell was used, a long interval was required before the same person could use it again.
An interval of thirty-three years, or perhaps eighty-eight. The longer the interval, the more refined the targeting conditions could be.
So what happened when you performed a summoning without specifying any conditions?
In exchange, the restrictions were loosened, and repeated summonings became possible without any interval.
According to Yuuki's explanation, when a simplified summoning was performed without specifying conditions, the vast majority of those called were children.
Children with powerful souls and a massive quantity of Magicules would be summoned to this world — without possessing the ability to match the power residing in their souls.
Those summoned without a Unique Skill would have their bodies destroyed by the Magicules that took root within them.
The Magicules meant to fuel their abilities would burn them alive instead.
"Huh? Wait a minute. Then what about those kids?"
"…The longest confirmed record of survival is currently three years.
That is the survival rate for incomplete summonings.
And those children — they are exactly those who were incompletely summoned…
Failed Heroes, so to speak."
"Wh-What!? Heroes? For what purpose…"
Wait— "Sakaguchi Hinata is behind this?!"
Yuuki didn't answer.
But his silence spoke volumes.
"The Church is searching for new hope, a new rallying force.
It seeks the light, the yearning of the people — a 'Hero' who would be humanity's savior!
I investigated several facilities in secret and managed to rescue some of the children…"
"What the hell… is that…"
"No method has been found to prevent their deterioration.
Children summoned before the age of ten, with almost no exceptions, are unable to acquire a Unique Skill and perish…"
"Don't they care about the people being summoned at all? They don't feel anything when it fails?"
"Logically, summon as many as possible. If there's a way to do it, they won't hesitate. That seems to be their thinking…"
"You've got to be kidding me! Why leave the Church alone?!"
"The Western Holy Church's influence is vast.
Among the nations surrounding the Great Forest of Jura, every country except the Magic Dynasty Sarion has designated the Western Holy Church as its state religion.
Do you understand? Their power is something that even nations cannot stand against.
Some of our own guild members are believers.
If we were to oppose the Church, the guild itself would be split right down the middle and engulfed in conflict!"
Saying this, Yuuki slumped forward weakly.
I was speechless too. Those energetic, bratty little kids…
So that was the source of their hostility. And their hatred.
"Hey. Why did you have me meet those children? Why did you tell me all this?"
"…Why, you ask? I suppose I just felt a desire to reach out for help.
In this world, with no one left to turn to. Shizu is gone too.
If you hadn't noticed on your own, I never would have told you.
So, how did you notice?"
I didn't know.
If I hadn't noticed, I could've just laughed it off and gone about my day.
But now that I had noticed, laughter was out of the question. Those bastards.
"A school right next to the Church — wouldn't that be dangerous if it were discovered?"
"Heh. That's precisely what makes it safe. Hiding in plain sight, as they say.
So what will you do? Resign from your teaching position?"
I looked Yuuki straight in the eye and told him clearly: "I'm not resigning. From now on, I'm doing things my way. You got a problem with that?"
Yuuki nodded.
And then— "I'm placing my trust in you. If it's at all possible, please… save those children…"
He bowed his head to me.
Save them? I couldn't exactly promise that.
But this was unfinished work that Shizu had left behind. I'd pick up where she left off.
And perhaps it was Shizu's will that had arranged this encounter in the first place.
That's what I felt, somehow.
I left the Free Guild and headed back to the academy.
Now then. No use wearing a long face.
I'd do what I could do. As I always had, and as I always would.
If Shizu had entrusted this to me, and if Yuuki was asking it of me, then all I could do was answer that call.
* * * That day would become the worst in the history of the Beast Kingdom "Eurazania."
Demon Lord
From somewhere far in the distance, a mass of highly concentrated magic power was hurtling toward him.
Not even bothering to conceal it — an immense Demon Aura. It was Demon Lord Milim.
(Serious… she's actually serious…?)
She was clearly in combat readiness, and this kingdom appeared to be her target.
A fight against
Carrion didn't overestimate his own strength. He believed Milim was probably the stronger of the two.
But still— (At the end of the day, what makes fighting worth it is fighting someone stronger than you!)
His blood boiled, his heart raced.
Demon Lord Milim. The absolute power. A veteran Demon Lord who, despite her appearance, was feared by all.
He was about to fight that Demon Lord. Staying calm was simply not an option.
His parents had told him something when he was a child.
A fairy tale about the Princess of Dragons' tyranny.
Whether it was about Milim herself or just the inspiration for the legend, what his parents said back then was this: "If you touch the Dragon Princess's sacred scales, your kingdom will fall!"
"You must never, ever cross the Dragon Princess!"
Ridiculous.
The Beast Kingdom "Eurazania" wasn't the largest in terms of territory, but as befitted a nation of warriors, the majority of its citizens were fighters.
It was a formidable power, equal to any other nation.
And what's more, he had evolved into a Demon Lord himself. There was nothing left to fear!
He gazed up at the sacred mountain rising behind the castle, affirmed his own strength, and rose to meet Milim.
His demon and noble subordinates knelt before him, gazing up at Carrion.
"Listen! There is only one enemy — Demon Lord Milim Nava alone!
Against a Demon Lord, even all of you demons together wouldn't stand a chance. I'll handle this!
You, set up the barrier and protect the people! Believe in me — I will win!!!"
"OHHHHH!!!"
Cheers erupted, and he could feel everyone's excitement spreading like wildfire.
Today, he would prove himself the strongest!
(It's not like I disliked that personality of hers. Might've made good friends if things were different, but too bad!)
At this point, the cause of it all didn't matter to him anymore.
For Carrion, battle was everything. Though, had he been more cautious, the outcome probably wouldn't have changed…
Slowly, he rose into the air using Flight Magic.
Milim arrived, and without so much as a word, the battle began.
A probing strike first.
His full-power fist connected with Milim — but it was deflected by her multiple barriers, never reaching her body.
He summoned the White Tiger and Azure Dragon Halberd and took his stance. He could feel his own abilities amplifying.
He exhaled softly and refined his Demon Aura into pure battle spirit.
A multi-slash pierced toward Milim. From each strike, energy bullets erupted and surged toward her.
But…
Every last one of those energy blasts only managed to shatter a few of her barriers, never reaching her body.
And what's worse, the thrust of the White Tiger and Azure Dragon Halberd itself was caught by the demonic sword "Tenma" in Milim's hand.
A long, elegantly curved single-edged sword, ill-suited to a girl's slender frame.
Its blade was cloaked in a thin, pale-blue Demon Aura.
A legendary demonic sword that had claimed the lives of countless demons and Demon Lords.
Tch! He pulled back to regain distance.
He hadn't underestimated her, but she was more than he'd expected.
He hadn't been going all out himself either, but he couldn't gauge her limits at all.
She didn't seem like the kind of opponent where holding back would make a difference.
He decided to go all out. The one regret was that Milim's consciousness seemed vague — as though she were being controlled.
But that didn't matter.
(I wanted to fight you at full power, Milim — without any strings attached! But I can't afford to lose!)
He released his full ability.
He skipped past every stage of his transformation — from demon to Demon Lord.
True to his epithet, the Lion King, he was a beastman of the lion variety.
And then, further transformation. Into a beast-demon.
There, manifest in full, stood the Demon Lord — the "Lion King" Carrion.
Even through the coat of silvery-white fur, his swollen muscles were unmistakable.
A crimson Vermilion Bird crown gleamed atop his lion's head. Black Tortoise armor covered his body.
A close-combat specialist, excelling in hand-to-hand fighting. With eagle-like wings spreading from his back, he could dominate the skies as well.
When Milim laid eyes on that form, the faintest flicker of light sparked for just an instant in her eyes — and Carrion's vision caught it.
Or perhaps it had been his imagination.
"Well then, Milim. I hate to break it to you, but once I've shown you this form, you're going to have to take your leave!
Sorry, but this is goodbye!!!"
With that cry, he concentrated all of his refined battle spirit into the White Tiger and Azure Dragon Halberd.
Had this been on the ground, that battle spirit alone would have split the earth and shattered everything in the vicinity.
Residual battle energy scintillated in the air. Even the leftover fragments burned so hot they scorched the very atmosphere.
Beast Demon Particle Roar!!!
A particle cannon fired by magic power.
The tip of the White Tiger and Azure Dragon Halberd was reduced to magic particles, leaving not a trace behind.
Had it been fired on the ground, it would have obliterated everything in a straight line without a trace — the ultimate, decisive technique of "Lion King" Carrion.
Normally, its effective range was 100 meters with no loss in power, after which it gradually dispersed over a distance of up to two kilometers.
It was a long-range, wide-area killing technique — but right now, he'd condensed all of its power into a single, focused point aimed at one person.
This was the first time he'd used the Beast Demon Particle Roar against a single target. There was no one who could survive receiving it head-on.
He held nothing back.
He felt a sharp drop in his Magicules. Sustaining flight was becoming uncertain.
But paying that price was a bargain.
Normally, firing two or three shots of the Beast Demon Particle Roar wouldn't exhaust him this much. The problem was his opponent.
He'd pushed the power to its absolute limit while narrowing the area of effect.
"Phew—" He let out a sigh of relief and moved to descend to the ground when— Zzz…schlag!!!
He barely dodged in time.
Blood sprayed from his side, but he clenched his willpower to stop the bleeding.
He turned around.
He didn't need to confirm it, but he didn't want to believe it.
Floating there was exactly the person he'd expected.
Dragon wings spread wide, her beautiful silver hair whipping in the wind.
A pair of elegant crimson horns that hadn't been there before, now sprouting from her forehead.
The jet-black gothic dress had, at some point, transformed into jet-black armor.
(Ah… so this is her true combat form…?)
He was on the verge of running out of magic, and she was completely unscathed.
This was no joke. He wanted to beg off. He felt a strange impulse to laugh and cry at the same time.
"Not bad! That was fun!
As a reward, let me show you my trump card!"
For the first time, Milim actually spoke to him.
Her tone was as flat as if she were reading from a script.
But despite that deadpan delivery, a sense of danger flooded over Carrion.
Honestly, he didn't want to see it. That was his deepest, most sincere thought.
He sent a telepathic message to his subordinates.
Just one word. Run with everything you've got!!!
And then he turned to flee at full speed himself.
His instincts were screaming. If he stayed in that spot, he would die.
He spread his dragon eyes wide and unfurled his dragon wings.
Milim roared!
Dragon Star Explosive Blaze!!!!
It was a faintly beautiful radiance, reminiscent of the twinkle of a distant star.
That light rained down, and not only the castle — the sacred mountain behind it as well was silently erased from existence.
The sound tore past the range of human hearing entirely; its shockwave alone was enough to annihilate everything in the area.
Anything struck by the direct hit was permitted no resistance whatsoever. It simply ceased to exist.
The ultimate and strongest magic.
One of the reasons Milim had reigned supreme at the apex of battle for so many years.
No way…
Fortunately, it had been a directional attack — and that was what saved Carrion's life.
That was Milim.
The Demon Lord everyone said you must never cross. The one who bore the epithet "Destroyer Tyrant."
Now he could finally understand his parents' warning with a clear head.
That was something you just couldn't fight. They were on entirely different levels.
But still…
"But even so…"
"Even so…? Oh my? Whatever could you mean? Do tell me, won't you?"
He felt the touch of a thin blade against the nape of his neck.
The presence of a single woman, behind him.
The Demon Lord who held absolute dominion over the skies — the "Sky Queen,"
"Tch. Frey, you too?!"
"Oh my? Me too what, I wonder? I'd very much like to hear you explain."
And with that, Carrion's consciousness was swallowed by darkness…