On the way to the Dralon region, Tokito's army had to pass through the enchanted forest. Nanagi, leading on horseback, rode ahead of the troops. The soldiers were so exhausted they could barely hold their swords.
Nanagi: "Commander, how is the army holding up?"
Soldier: "My lady, when I checked the rear units, they looked extremely fatigued. This road should be safe. As long as we aren't attacked, we're secure."
Something in me whispers that an attack is coming. Should I stay by my lord's side and protect him? This path is long… But once we pass the forest, we'll be in Dralon.
Nanagi: "Take the lead. I'm falling back to our lord's position."
Soldier: "As you wish, my lady."
I have to head back now. There's not much time left. I need to hurry. My instincts don't lie.
Riding back toward the center of the army, Nanagi's face was clouded with concern. Just what was she sensing? Despite pushing her horse forward in desperation, the rear guard seemed too far.
Meanwhile, inside Tokito's carriage, he sat unaware of the situation. Kortus was preparing tea for him, smiling, while Tokito looked out the window with a bored expression. The carriage jolted suddenly, making Tokito panic and glance at the door. Kortus remained calm, knowing who was outside.
Nanagi: "It's me, Nanagi. I've come to warn you, my lord."
Do you have to shake the carriage like that, woman?! I nearly had a heart attack!
Tokito: "Next time, knock or something, alright? I could have vaporized you out of reflex."
Nanagi: "My apologies. As for the warning… I believe we're being watched by our enemies."
Tokito: "Is there really a demon dumb enough to make me their enemy?"
I've thought the same… This whole journey felt strange from the start. The soldiers are getting tired too fast—it's unnatural. It might be a trap.
Nanagi: "It's known that you've begun acting as the new Demon King. The army is more exhausted than usual... There might be a curse."
Tokito: "So, what's your plan to get us out of this?"
I actually have a plan, but if I speak of it, they probably won't accept it. It's best to follow their lead... for now.
Nanagi: "As always, we will protect you. We live to die for our lord."
Tokito: "Don't mock me! If you sacrifice yourself, you're throwing away that trash body of yours for nothing!"
Nanagi: "You are completely right, but please... don't leave the carriage. We'll handle this, and then—"
"Enemy detected."
"New mission assigned by system."
"Eliminate enemies and survive. Targets to kill: (1442/1442)."
This must be a joke. How am I supposed to fight 1,442 enemies? Damn it!
Nanagi: "Why did the carriage stop? My lord, please, don't get out. If you do, this battle will be for nothing."
How... How didn't I sense this earlier? If I'd known, I could've rested the army and prepared for battle with full strength...
As Nanagi leapt out of the carriage, she saw a flood of demons attacking her troops—armed, high-level enemies. The exhausted army raised their weapons, and the great battle began.
Nanagi drew her sword and rushed to the battlefield, protecting the carriage with her very body. With each enemy that came, she slashed and moved to the next. Then, a demon that looked like a commander, wearing a hat, leapt toward her.
???: "Why are you here, Nanagi? If you surrender quietly, I might just spare your life."
Nanagi: "How do you know my name?"
???: "You don't need to know. After all, if you don't surrender, you'll die."
Nanagi: "Not over my dead body! You won't touch a single hair on my lord's head!"
???: "Well then... let's send you off. Explosive spell—Detonating Orbs!"
The enemy fired small explosive orbs, trying to kill her from a distance.
Nanagi tried cutting them all down, but she couldn't match their speed. She began to take repeated damage and couldn't get close.
Her mana started to run out. Forced into swordplay, Nanagi still fought fiercely, but fatigue was taking over.
Tired or not, she was still formidable. But the enemy, growing impatient, slashed a deep wound across her back with his sword.
Nanagi tried to rise, but each time she stood, she was kicked back down.
???: "How does that feel? I told you to surrender, Nanagi."
Nanagi (coughing blood): "Even if I die... I won'tsurrender! My lo—!"
I... I can't speak... Even the system thinks I've lost. My army… I can't let them die here. What a pathetic commander I am...
???: "Can't even talk now? Come on, get up. Let's keep going."
Using her sword for support, Nanagi struggled to her feet. Her leg bones were broken; she couldn't walk anymore. Her army was being slaughtered, and the end was near.
Back in the carriage, Tokito listened to the chaos outside. He wanted to go out, but Kortus blocked him. Tokito pushed at him in frustration, but he was just a child—he couldn't overpower him.
Tokito: "Let me out, Kortus!"
Kortus: "I can't allow that, my lord. The time to escape hasn't come yet."
What are you talking about? I don't want to run—I want to fight! I'm not leaving Nanagi to die!
Tokito: "Run? Are we supposed to run just because the enemy is strong?"
Kortus: "Please, don't make this harder, my lord. You're essential to the kingdom. A minor commander and a small unit don't matter."
Tokito: "You don't get it, Kortus. If we don't help now, we'll be surrounded!"
Kortus: "What do you mean, my lord?"
Tokito: "Wait, is this scree—"
"User used a restricted word. Mute penalty applied."
What? Can't anyone else see the enemy count on the screen? Why am I the only one who can see it? Someone, please… help me...
Nanagi could barely stand, but the enemy commander slashed again. She tried to fight back, but it was too late. Her sword was knocked away, and the enemy stabbed his broad blade into her stomach.
Shattering the window, Tokito jumped out of the carriage. Seeing Nanagi impaled made him freeze.
N-N-Nanagi!? Right in front of me—w-why is there a sword in your stomach? Please… someone tell me this is a nightmare...
"Do you want power? Do you want to save them?"
Yes, I want to save them all.
"The time hasn't come. All you can do is run until your time."
Even you're abandoning me, screen? You all want my loved ones to die? I can't take this anymore!
I shoved Kortus aside and stormed out the door. In front of me stood a man crushing Nanagi beneath his boot.
???: "Hey, you must be that brat trying to become the Demon King, huh?"
Tokito: "That's what they say… but I am the Demon King. Now get your damn legs off Nanagi!"
Kortus: "My lord, why did you come out?! All my efforts... He's going to kill you now! Please, run! The army still stands!"
???: "And what'll you do if I don't? You little runt?"
Tokito: "Try me and find out."
I trust you, Kortus. Please… end this bastard!
The masked man twisted the blade in Nanagi's stomach, making her groan in pain. I was too weak to help. I just stood there crying—so helpless in this small, powerless body.
When he pulled the blade out, Nanagi coughed up blood. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her, choking her midair.
Kortus, realizing what I intended, summoned his war fan from behind. I knew he had a heart. I knew he will die from there.
???: "So what now? Gonna save your dear slave? Aw, how sweet. But you can't do anything."
Tokito: "Don't talk about her like she's a slave, you insect! Burn in hellfire!"
???: "A brat like you? What are you gonna do? Ha, how—"
Kortus: "Don't talk badly about my lord, you idiot!"
The idiot's voice stopped mid-sentence. My cheeks felt hot and wet when I touched them, it was blood. Kortus had done it. He killed him.
Terrified, I rushed to Nanagi's side, trying to shake her with my small hands.
Please don't leave me, Nanagi! We'll win this war, okay? The enemy commander is dead. There's nothing to worry about anymore...
"Eliminate enemies and survive. Targets to kill: (1236/1442)."
So... it's still possible. I just hope Kortus is strong enough.
Nanagi: "M-My lord..."
Tokito: "Just rest now, Nanagi. I'll protect you."
Kortus: "My lord, we've saved Nanagi. Now we must retreat."
Tokito: "You need to get us out of here, Kortus. Please, do something..."
Kortus: "There's nothing else to be done. I'll protect you, my lord. First, we need to rally the army."
I trust you, Kortus. Please, end this stupid war quickly...
Kortus drew her second fan and began infiltrating deep into the enemy army.
She advanced by killing them one by one like a serial killer.
Also she started pulling all the idle soldiers back to the final defense line.
The enemy, following the retreating soldiers, was now moving toward my position.
"Good. At this rate, I can lure them all to the place where their commander died. If their commander dies, they'll retreat."
"Soldiers, listen to me! All of you, fall back to the center immediately! We must protect our lord!"
With Kortus shouting, the soldiers were forming a shield wall around me even faster.
The army under Kortus's command looked fully equipped and disciplined.
I felt like I was in an all-out war between nations.
"Don't die, my soldiers! You are essential to our kingdom! The enemy commander is dead!"
I had to boost morale.
The soldiers were so exhausted they could barely swing their weapons.
Kortus needed to bring back the ones left behind.
"Kill the enemies and survive. Enemies remaining: (1074 / 1442)"
They were slowly dwindling in number.
Suddenly, there was a big drop.
I guess Kortus took care of a lot of them.
If she is not with us, we would've lost this war.
"My lord, please get in the carriage with the commander. Otherwise, it'll be hard to protect you."
"Be careful, you pile of trash. A dead body is useless to me—your intact body is what I need."
Tokito pulled Nanagi by the hand toward the carriage while grabbing a sword from the ground and slashing around him.
The soldiers covered for him, shielding him.
Thanks to that, Tokito managed to get Nanagi into the carriage, laid her down on the seat, and rested her head on his lap.
"Why did you fight alone, Nanagi? Couldn't you imagine what would happen to me if you died? Look at these wounds... It's a miracle you're still alive."
Kortus was still trying to return to the carriage, but since he was holding Nanagi, he couldn't move freely.
While running with her army, Kortus was slaying every demon that attacked her one by one.
"We're slowly making our way back. I hope my lord is safe. If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive myself."
When Kortus approached the carriage, there was only blood on the ground and Nanagi and Tokito was not there
Furious, Kortus ripped through the enemies and pressed forward.
She questioned the soldiers fighting in front of the gate after killing their enemies.
"Where is our lord?! Where is the Demon King?!"
"He entered the carriage. I sent him there because it was the safest place, sir!"
"Oh… they're not dead. That makes me very happy. Now give me a status update on the battle."
"We're struggling badly. Even though the enemy commander is dead, our exhausted army can't keep fighting."
"Then I'll kill as many enemies as I can. I didn't want to use this magic, but... Melody Magic: Song of the Killer."
Kortus began to dance with her fans, slashing enemy heads in rhythm.
She advanced through the battlefield, slaughtering the enemies one by one.
She was trying to reduce their numbers and tip the balance in favor of her army.
"If I keep going like this, I can massacre them all. I'll do anything for my lord!"
The screams of dying soldiers outside worried Tokito.
He tried to look out the window, but he was too short to reach it.
The screen refreshed again.
"Kill the enemies and survive. Enemies remaining: (886 / 1442)"
"Kill the enemies and survive. Enemies remaining: (792 / 1442)"
Their numbers were steadily dropping.
Is this Kortus's true nature?
She was slicing through the demon army like it was nothing.
"Kill the enemies and survive. Enemies remaining: (634 / 1442)"
"Kill the enemies and survive. Enemies remaining: (634 / 1442)"
When the counter stopped updating, Tokito became worried.
He turned his gaze to the door when he heard a noise.
Kortus opened the door and entered.
Upon seeing her lord, she immediately embraced him.
Her lord hugged her back while crying.
Both Tokito and Kortus were exhausted, and even though the battle was over, the damage was severe.
"I'm so glad you're alive, my lord."
"Forget about me—take care of her, Kortus!"
Kortus tore Nanagi's clothes to examine her wounds.
While Kortus showed no emotion, Tokito was in complete mental collapse.
The events had deeply shaken his spirit.
The first sign was that his emotions began to be suppressed.
Kortus: "My lord, this girl's done for. Her organs are severely damaged and torn apart. On top of that, she has fractures all over. I think she'll die very soon."
"No, no, no… this can't be real, right? She can't die…"
"Can't we regenerate her?"
Kortus: "Unfortunately, my lord, even though we demons have faster regeneration than humans, damage this severe is beyond recovery."
Tokito: "There has to be a way… Don't we have a healer?"
Kortus: "Only an A-rank healing spell can fix this level of organ damage."
"Enemies eliminated. Bonus experience points acquired. Would you like to use them?"
I'll use all of them on dark healing magic.
That should allow me to level up.
I hope it works.
"Dark Healing Magic reached Level B. Dark Healing Magic reached Level A."
I think this might work.
I hope I can save her.
This is the only skill I have left, and I'm betting everything on it.
Tokito activated his Dark Healing Magic and placed his hand over Nanagi's organs.
The spell slowly began to mend the organs, but it couldn't heal the fractures.
When her abdomen was fully closed, Tokito ran out of mana and passed out.
He fainted before learning that Nanagi had survived.
When he wakes up, he'll find himself in a completely different place.
His journey is still far from over.