Late that night, I visited the World Tree alone.
I stood before the crystal flower fields and the magnificent World Tree.
As I let the cool breeze wash over me, I simply lingered there, doing nothing in particular.
The banquet had ended a short while ago.
It had been a very enjoyable time, and I believe my subordinates were satisfied.
Most of them were probably passed out drunk and sleeping by now.
I'd leave them be for now.
Returning around midday would be fine.
It would be tasteless to wake those enjoying a good sleep.
There was no rush, anyway.
If anything happened, I would simply hasten there myself.
I gazed up at the World Tree.
It boasted a boundless majesty.
It made me acutely aware of my own insignificance.
(I can clearly understand why the elves continue to protect this place.)
The World Tree was an entity that must never be defiled.
For one driven by greed to touch it would be an act bordering on blasphemy.
The World Tree could even become an object of worship.
Currently, on paper, it belonged to me.
The World Tree's forest and the elves living within it had fallen into the hands of the Demon Lord.
Naturally, I had no intention of privately appropriating it.
I planned to continue leaving management to the elves.
However, defense against external enemies is my responsibility.
Many nations covet this land.
Previously, they couldn't interfere due to the Empire, but now it's a vassal territory of the Demon Lord's Domain.
Under the pretext of saving the world, invasion is now permissible.
Beyond strengthening and stabilizing the Demon Lord's Domain, I want to thoroughly protect this land as well.
While considering specific facilities and reinforcements, I sensed a suspicious presence.
I immediately focused my consciousness.
And was shocked.
"This... is..."
Someone was attempting to breach the barrier erected in the forest and intrude.
The constantly deployed defensive magic was also being systematically destroyed.
I hastily fortified the barrier and defensive magic.
However, both were nullified.
Unable to withstand the extreme strain, the barrier began to collapse.
If it were simple physical destruction, such efficient countermeasures would be impossible.
To penetrate my defenses instantly requires power far beyond common sense.
The opponent is likely using a specialized technique.
A disruption tactic like this was exceedingly troublesome.
Just when I thought I would be the one protecting him...
From the magic I sensed, I roughly identified the opponent's ability.
This appeared to be spatial magic.
The intruder seemed to intend to infiltrate the forest via teleportation.
I immediately cast a spell to inhibit teleportation.
I increased the output, aiming to disrupt the intruder's entry.
"...Tch."
After a moment of stalemate, I realized my counter-spell had failed.
There was a sensation as though the opponent had slipped through.
At this stage, even magical interference was no longer possible.
Following the sound of straining air, something fell into the bushes behind me.
Pushing through the foliage, a brown-skinned man emerged.
His upper body was bare, and his skin was densely inscribed with blue magical formulas.
His disheveled white hair swayed with his head movements.
Through the gaps in his long bangs, murky eyes looked this way.
The man brushed off the leaves and twigs clinging to his body.
Taking a single breath, he spoke in a calm voice.
"—I'm surprised. My coordinates were significantly offset. As expected of the Demon King."
"Who are you?"
In response to my question, the man ran a hand through his white hair.
His stance is unguarded, yet his eyes alone are coldly studying me.
An unfathomable gaze.
No strong emotion is visible, but something churns deep within his pupils.
The man speaks his answer in a detached tone.
"I'm hardly one worth introducing myself, but those around me call me a 'demi-god.' Apparently, it's a collective term for those who have reached the threshold of divinity. A title far beyond my worth, I'd say."
"A demi-god..."
I repeat the man's words.
I possess a fair amount of knowledge regarding the term.
Though it appears rarely, it has shown up in myths and heroic tales.
It refers to those who have reached godhood, or those who fell short of becoming gods.
The common thread is that demi-gods wield supernatural power.
In any tale, they demonstrate overwhelming ability.
However, in reality, no true demi-god exists.
The term is merely an expression coined to venerate and revere their incomparable strength.
Among scholars, that has been the prevailing interpretation—and I shared that belief.
But the man before me who calls himself a demi-god was operating on an entirely different level.
The ability with which he shattered my defenses and broke through was clearly beyond the bounds of human intellect.
If narrowed down to spatial magic alone, he surpassed even me, the Demon Lord.
(In terms of raw output, I was the stronger one.)
Yet he had overcome that gap through miraculous skill and aptitude.
Spatial magic users are exceedingly rare in the first place.
A practitioner of this caliber was something never before witnessed.
It was almost enough to make the title of "demi-god" seem fitting.
I pressed him further without relaxing my guard.
"Why would someone like you come here?"
"Obviously, to kill the Demon Lord... or that's what I'd like to say. But this place won't do. The collateral damage would be too great. I don't want to cause trouble for the World Tree Forest or the elves."
The man said this while glancing around.
It was an unexpectedly conscientious answer.
This was no lie or joke.
The man appeared completely serious about it.
Though I didn't know his true identity, he seemed to dislike destruction.
However, he certainly intended to kill me.
Which meant he was one of the heroes.
To think that besides the Valkyrie and the Steel Knight, others like this existed—it was an unforeseen development. The fact that my spies hadn't gathered any information suggested he had either just awakened or been born under extreme secrecy.
Either way, he was an existence I could not ignore.
As my thoughts churned, the man continued speaking in a relaxed manner.
"Today's purpose is solely to declare war. Sometime soon, I will formally propose a duel. I would like you to accept."
"And if I refuse?"
"I will begin indiscriminate attacks across the Demon Lord's domain. It pains my conscience to massacre innocent people, but there is no other way. This, too, is for a greater cause."
The man declared in an unchanged tone.
This was no mere threat.
This man possessed the resolve to actually carry out a massacre.
This was not the action of madness.
It was the bestowal of extraordinary mental fortitude.
He suppressed deep emotions and prioritized only his objective.
He was a type of human I had never seen before.
Even among heroes, he would be an aberration.
He was prepared to commit atrocities for a greater cause.
It was a principle that reminded me of my current self.
Feeling a dull ache in my chest, I asked the man.
"Do you intend to leave this place today?"
"Indeed. I wish to change the day and location."
The man answered calmly.
Immediately after, I unleashed countless spells.
Vines sprouted from the ground, coiling around his limbs.
A blade of wind generated in midair shattered into hundreds of pieces, surrounding him.
An amplified wave of gravity assaulted him, sinking him into the ground up to his ankles.
Throughout it all, the man did nothing.
He showed no particular panic, simply watching me.
I maintained a detached demeanor.
Keeping my magic active, I addressed the man.
"You think I would let you escape before my eyes?"
"Let me ask in return—is it acceptable for us to fight here? The damage would be considerable. This vassal territory could be reduced to wasteland. You should understand our capabilities."
"..."
I fell silent.
The man's point was valid.
A confrontation breaking out here was undesirable for me as well.
The opponent possessed extraordinary power.
I clearly wouldn't have the luxury of fighting while keeping watch over my surroundings.
Practitioners of spatial magic wield immense destructive force.
Their effective range is fundamentally broad.
For a sorcerer of his caliber, the World Tree forest would likely be annihilated before I could defeat him.
That was precisely why he was certain I would not attack.
"..."
Just as he had anticipated, I dispelled my magic.
As I checked the condition of my limbs, the man glanced my way.
"Rest assured. I have no intention of unnecessary slaughter. My sole objective is the dismantling of the Demonic Lord's Army."
"Dismantling?"
"That is what I believe to be just. And so I shall execute it."
The man spoke in the same flat tone.
For a moment, a fierce obsession glinted in his eyes.
It was the iron will to accomplish his purpose.
But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Turning his back, he pushed into the thicket without another word.
"When we meet again, one of us will die. Don't forget that. Now, if you'll excuse me."
Having declared this unilaterally, he pressed deeper into the rustling bushes.
I lunged after him, tearing through the foliage.
The man's form had vanished without a trace.