If you don't have teeth, you chew with your gums. If they refuse to give me a foothold to the bitter end, then I'll just make one myself.

With that mindset, I checked my mana reserves. Then, I tried forming mana spirals solely on my legs.

Surprisingly, it was possible. Taking significantly less mana than wrapping my entire body in it—even if it still consumed more than my recovery rate—was also quite a merit.

Of course, wrapping it around both legs, meaning two separate areas, was an incredibly headache-inducing task, but... what other choice did I have?

The reality was that I had to save mana here to land even one more hit, or to fight just a bit longer.

In the end, I set off, feeling like I was solving mental multiplication and division problems while sprinting at full speed.

I slightly missed the support of the Mages, but considering they'd just get smashed by that lava and retire in a single second even if they were here, the longing quickly vanished.

SCREEEECH!

Though maybe it was because I had storms of black mana attached to my legs. Every time I took a step, it sounded like a circular saw blade was cutting through the earth.

["Hah, yeah. That's how it should be!"]

Still, the effect was great, so now I didn't take damage even when I stepped on lava. The swirling mana repelled the lava in all directions.

CRASH!

Then there was no reason to hesitate anymore. I dodged the volcanic bombs and ran wildly. The lava giant was the same. I jumped to dodge its outstretched arm, then landed on that broad arm and ran up it.

Since the giant was made of highly viscous lava, my feet didn't sink into it.

["It was almost boring, Wrath!"]

Around then, the demon, realizing that I could pierce through the lava and approach it, also began to move.

The number of flying volcanic bombs increased, and the giant's body began to turn yellow and white. It looked like a bomb right before detonation.

THUD!

Ah, I had planned to climb up to the giant's shoulder and then dive toward that building.

Swallowing my disappointment, I did a backflip. My body, pulling away to the side, spun once in the air and began to fall.

CLANG!

At that moment, the lava giant proved my decision wise. Its magma skin shifted wildly, effectively changing its race into a hedgehog.

The wildly sprouting spikes on its skin were bizarre, but more importantly, I almost got extra holes punched in my body. Good thing I jumped off.

BOOM, BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

However, I couldn't praise my judgment for long. Because the demon's attacks continued even as I fell.

Those damn volcanic bombs in particular flew at me continuously and viciously, putting me in a tight spot.

I could dodge some by twisting my body, but others I couldn't, forcing me to use my hands.

TAP!

But a crisis is just an opportunity.

At first, I handled them by slashing with my sword, but I soon decided to use them as footholds. With them flying in from all directions at once, I figured there'd be no end to it if I tried to cut them all.

Well, it was partly possible because the volcanic bombs had cooled on the outside, becoming more like rocks. If they were water balls, I definitely wouldn't have thought to step on them.

["Where do you think you're going!?"]

But right beneath the empty air where I had jumped, the earth surged up like fire and soon erupted with magma.

FWOOSH!

As it surged up like water, I instinctively unleashed my mana. It was similar to when I shook off the plants that had entangled my entire body.

Emitted densely without a single gap, the line-shaped mana sliced, cut, and pushed the lava away.

CRASH!

On top of that, the spikes shooting up the moment I touched the ground! I moved to dodge the spikes without even a chance to catch my breath.

The spikes were completely blocking the path to the building, so I couldn't even head in that direction. Because of the cunning spike placement, I was pushed slightly further away from the building.

It was the same when I tried again. Whenever I tried to approach the building, the demon not only poured down more attacks but also formed various obstacles.

The obstacles were at a level where I couldn't even dare to push through, feeling like I wouldn't make it even if I risked taking damage.

["While I am right here!"]

It even moved personally.

The demon that was tailing me spun its body, and a tail as large as its main body swung around, stretching out long.

SWOOSH! It was a massive tail whip.

The problem wasn't its power. The problem was that the attack was a damn knockback type, knocking me further away from the building, and the area I was pushed into just had to be the lava giant's strike zone!

CRASH!

I narrowly dodged the giant's fist and gritted my teeth.

Ritual altar or not, there's no answer unless I kill that damn demon first. This highly infuriating conclusion was a bonus.

CRRAAASH!

Just then, rock spears, with magma visible through their cracked crevices, began erupting from the lava.

It was a ranged attack following the volcanic bombs.

Even small lava figures made of rock began rising one by one. I guess having at least one mob-summoning skill is a trait of strong demons.

They really have no business ethics.

Was this really designed as a solo raid?

Grinding my teeth, I smashed the approaching rock spears and slashed apart the volcanic bombs.

'I'll kill it.'

"I'll kill you."

SCREECH. The sound of scraping metal rang out.

* * *

"The water level is steadily rising, Lord!"

"... How is the evacuation going?!"

"A report came from the Adventurer's Guild! They've started the evacuation from the south and west, opened the city gates, and are guiding the people out! The destination is Zverk Hill!"

The Lord of Bemurhen clenched his jaw as he received consecutive reports on the battle and the city's situation.

Thanks to the presence of the Hero, the castle walls were suffering half the usual damage, but the approaching 'island' was the problem now, and inside the city, absolutely everything was a problem.

"Tell them to get them out fast, as fast as possible! Make sure no one dies getting swept up in the battle!"

"Yes, sir!"

"W-We're doomed... A demon in the city too..."

The most critical issue, of course, was that damn giant.

"... Who is the one speaking such weak words! Who is it!"

"...!"

"Do not fear! We have already taken action against the demon that appeared in the city! It will be eliminated soon, meaning it won't even be able to leave its corpse on this land!"

He gritted his teeth as he glanced toward the northern part of the city.

The sky where even the moon and stars were hidden by dark clouds, the giant of fire shining vividly beneath it, and the surrounding area that had begun to burn.

He couldn't help but feel anxious about whether the adventurer he reluctantly sent alone was doing well. That held true even seeing the giant flailing in one spot instead of destroying the city.

It was probably doing that because the adventurer had pinned it down so it couldn't go anywhere else, but...

He wondered if it was even right for a single human to face such a massive monster in the first place.

He agonized over whether his choice to trust the adventurer's confidence and divert the support of the Adventurer's Guild and the Magic Tower elsewhere had truly been right.

As the adventurer had said, it was certainly more efficient to use personnel with a high probability of dying a dog's death to evacuate the people instead... but was this really, truly right?

"The evacuation order is nothing more than a precaution just in case! So steel your hearts and fight! Fight with faith instead of doubting the city! The only way we can protect this city is to trust each other, hold our positions, and block those damn fish!"

But he also had a lot on his plate. After barely soothing the murmuring soldiers with his booming shout, he gestured to a messenger.

It was to send word to the commanding officers scattered about to make every effort so that the soldiers' morale wouldn't drop.

"Also, deliver this message. If it looks like the castle walls will be breached, we might abandon them and retreat, so tell them to be prepared."

"Yes, sir!"

"Of course, we will fire a signal flare if a retreat is decided, so they must not flee early out of fear. Make sure to convey that clearly. And don't forget to keep it from the ears of the soldiers."

At that, the man—a former elite soldier who could even read and write, but had changed his profession to a messenger after injuring his shoulder—bowed loyally. The other messengers did the same.

Those who received their orders ran off first.

"... And you said the water level is rising?"

"Yes."

The Lord also brought up the issue he had postponed while soothing the soldiers, conversing with the floodgate manager.

Because of the time spent soothing them, the water level had reached a rather dangerous height even in the Lord's eyes. He had a gut feeling that they would have to abandon the first castle wall before long.

"For now, open floodgates 5 through 9. And move the soldiers to the inner wall!"

Thus, he rapidly issued orders.

If the city's waterways filled up, the residents' evacuation would slow down a bit, but there was no other way since the sea level had risen too high.

If they didn't drain the water like this, the Mermen would be able to leap onto the walls straight from the water's surface.

"Open floodgate 5!"

"Open floodgate 6!"

"Number 7..."

Still, acting with a minimum of conscience, they didn't open floodgates 1 through 4. In other words, they only opened the small floodgates that the Mermen couldn't pass through.

The waterways would fill with water, but they wouldn't be attacked by Mermen during the evacuation. In the first place, with only floodgates 5 through 9 open, it would take quite a while for the city's waterways to fill up anyway.

SSSSSS!

"Motherfucking bastards."

Then, a brief moment. Right around the time the soldiers were gradually retreating to the second wall, the person who had come for maintenance and ended up fighting alongside them sent off another Merman with a curse.

The Merman's skin, whose slime often caused even blades to slip off, was currently melting away entirely.

It was the work of an item barely the size of an adult's fist, which the Meister had named the 'Alkaline Bomb'.

"Hah, if you had something that good, you should have made it sooner."

"If that were possible, wouldn't someone like you, Lord, be able to become a Great Master Craftsman too?"

"You really never lose an argument, do you."

Marveling at its power and lamenting its limited quantity, the Lord still stopped reprimanding them too harshly.

Because the alkaline bomb was something they had researched of their own free will without even being asked—claiming to have caught a clue while researching a certain coat.

Since having the prototype inspected by him, the number they had produced after taking his request and starting work was a whopping one hundred—even though everything from the casing to the contents was handmade.

Considering they were made in just six days, that was by no means a small amount.

"Enough, go inside now. You should have sufficiently verified its effectiveness by now."

"I don't want to."

"You're a talent with no replacement. Distinguish between public and private matters."

He didn't want to see the Meister's grandfather, Werner, disappointed either, but the importance of the Meister as a person couldn't be ignored.

Given their young age, it would be an exaggeration to say the Meister's touch was everywhere... but at the very least, there was too much the Meister was responsible for when it came to combat weaponry.

The Lord pointed that out.

"I'm going to see what that island is first."

"... Sometimes I resent the fact that you're a Mage."

"Don't you think I'd be like this even if I weren't a Mage?"

"The fact that I can't even refute that makes it worse."

The Lord sighed as he looked at the damn researcher who valued curiosity more than their own life.

Then he lightly tapped the Meister's shoulder. The one who found it acceptable to hit others but completely unacceptable for others to touch them unprompted sharply raised their eyebrows.

"If you're going to stay, go be near the Hero. It's safer there."

"... Fine."

The Lord thrust his spear into the mouth of a Merman that had finally climbed up, and then hoisted it straight up. The weapon, possessing a blade longer than a normal spear, smashed through the Merman's skull and came out the top.

"Move with courage! God is with us!"

"Uwaaaah!"

The battle was still incredibly fierce.

"... Lord."

But...

"I think I roughly know what that is."

"...?"

The next moment, the Lord equipped an item he always carried on his eyes and let out a groan instead of hope.

"However... no matter how I look at it, it looks like a turtle to me. Is that right?"

Beyond the vision that illuminated even the night, the identity of the 'island' slowly became visible.

"... It looks that way to me too. Though in all my life, this is my first time seeing a turtle that size."

The 'island' they dimly made out was a massive turtle.

With long legs and a long neck, and a shell covered in rocks—a turtle that had been slumbering in the deep sea, only now coming out to the shallow waters to see the sunlight.

"I wonder if the legendary Yukkwi looks exactly like that."

He really couldn't tell whether the passed-down records were helpful or not. A dragon hadn't appeared like in the records, but the weapon they'd made to prepare for a dragon seemed like it would be useful.

The Lord swallowed a groan and lowered the item. Then he looked for the Meister. Even though, half a beat later, he remembered that he had sent them to be near the Hero.

"Tsk."

He was about to gesture to send a messenger, but changed his mind. He would have to go himself.

"I will go check on the other areas. I'm counting on you!"

"Yes, sir!"

He patted the shoulder of that sector's commander, then led his escort knights and ran along the top of the castle wall.

"Do not be afraid! We have the envoy of God!"

"We have fought the sea all this time! We can win this time too!"

"Do not give yourselves over to fear! The fear that you might lose your life will erase even the possibility of living!"

"Focus on the enemy right in front of you! I will carve out a path for your survival, absolutely!"

Encouraging the soldiers throughout his movement was a bonus. His legs almost reached the section of the wall wrapped in a golden barrier.

"Lord, we've received contact from the Magic Tower!"

Just then, a messenger who had climbed up the wall caught up to him and shouted. The Lord's eyebrows shot up.

"What is it."

"They said most of the Mages will help evacuate the citizens and seek refuge with them, but they will send whatever combat-capable personnel they have to this side. However, there was a message saying you shouldn't expect any support from Great Sage Surging Blue Coral as he has suffered heavy injuries..."

"What?!"

The Lord reflexively raised his voice, then realized the sounds of the fierce battlefield barely drowned it out. His contorted face silenced his voice.

"... How is the Great Sage's condition?"

"That wasn't in the message... U-Um, instead, they mentioned something more important. That demon that appeared in the back... a ritual to descend something—"

"The demon who summoned that giant, it seems to be trying to bring down a Demonic Domain."

FLAP! It was then that the sound of fluttering clothes tickled his ears.

A massive Slender covered in wounds flew up dozens of meters and stepped onto the battlement. As if she had just been in a fire, being covered in ash, dust, and burn marks was a given.

PRRRR. From behind, the faint sound of a horse snorting could be heard.

CRACK!

"More accurately, it seemed to be performing a ritual to summon a space existing elsewhere to this location. I called it a Demonic Domain because it was so filled with dense demonic energy that it gave me that impression."

Despite not being a soldier, she swung a spear issued to the soldiers. With an accurate strike, a Merman warrior chief that was just about to climb onto the wall died instantly.

Seeing how it looked like she couldn't use one arm and one leg, it was a truly astonishing display of skill. At this point, taking and using a spear as she pleased could be forgiven.

"Bringing down a Demonic Domain, such a thing..."

"Who knows. Still, the fact that the bastard introduced himself as Pandemonium, the Seat of Greed, is something well worth considering."

The color of tree sap hardened over a long time blinked between faded eyelashes.

The faint wrinkles made it even harder to gauge her age.

"A Great Demon...!"

"The Demon Knight is strong, but the opponent seems to have fully prepared. It would be a wise move to quickly clear this place up and go help him."

The Lord squeezed his eyes shut at her words. "It's a good thing we evacuated the people early." The only thought that crossed his mind in that moment was just that.

An unidentifiable massive beast in the front, and a Great Demon in the back. There was no answer.

"More importantly, shouldn't you... no, shouldn't you go to the infirmary? Can you even walk?"

"Don't worry, I'm used to walking on one leg. Furthermore, if you were wanting to ask who I am, I'm the Demon Knight's companion and part of the Hero's party. And the facts I just mentioned are what I learned from fighting it."

"You fought it?"

"Surging Blue Coral, was it... That Mage was fighting a demon contractor with just a single guard, and no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like they were going to lose, so I intervened a bit. You can ask him later."

Surging Blue Coral. The Lord, about to let out a gasp of shock, barely covered his mouth. Then he managed to listen closely to the other party's words.

Now wasn't the time to worry about someone who wasn't here.

"Even though I was beaten so badly that I had no choice but to leave it to the Demon Knight... I don't think the Demon Knight has a good matchup against that demon either. It would be most fitting for the Hero to go."

The person who had been talking about contractors this and a demon appearing when trying to kill the contractor that, finished her speech by saying she had left it to him due to a bad matchup.

Even if the details weren't completely airtight, it didn't sound like nonsense. Especially given the injuries that looked as if she had just sustained them.

Crucially, if she was part of the Hero's party, the Hero would recognize her.

Thus, he nodded in understanding, then called out to the Hero, who was within shouting distance.

Since the Hero was also treating people at the same time, it served a dual purpose. Her injuries were severe enough to worry him quite a bit, even as a complete stranger.

"Meister! Hero!"

"What is it."

"Lord? Ah, Berserker! Your body...!"

"... I'm not Berserker."

"Ah, you were the Weapon Master! More importantly, your body... I will heal you at once!"

"Eh, Weapon Master Boss has arrived?"

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, the platinum blonde warrior really was the Hero's companion. That meant everything she said must be true, which naturally meant Surging Blue Coral was also...

"Meister! No matter how I think about it, whether that turtle is a demon or not, it doesn't seem like it'll be friendly to us. Do you think it might be possible to deal a blow to it with the 'Failure'?"

The Lord reigned in his thoughts that were about to drift elsewhere. He also revealed the reason he had come here, as if replacing those thoughts.

SMACK! Even in this moment, their hands continued the fight.

"A turtle?"

"See for yourself!"

He threw the observation item to the Meister. The person who took off their glasses threw an alkaline bomb with one hand and brought the observation item to their eyes.

"... I can't give a definite answer for now. I don't know how hard that turtle's shell is, and the 'Failure' has only had its power verified to a minimal degree."

"Can you not even gauge whether it'll work or not?"

"... It has a record of piercing steel, so if it's around that level, it should be able to deal damage."

Good, that was enough.

The Lord gave an order to the Meister.

"Get it ready. So that you can fire it the moment a judgment is made."

"Assign some personnel to me."

"Take whoever you want."

"And I need some installation space cleared out. It takes time to set up, so I have to consider that too..."

"I'll provide everything, so you just proceed!"

"Okay."

The Great Master Craftsman shrugged and scurried down. "You follow along too. Protect them as if they were me!" The Lord hurriedly attached his own escort to the person who looked like a dandelion spore.

"Um, Lord..."

At that point, the Hero, who had been quiet, showed a reaction. The Inquisitor, who was healing the injured and pushing back the climbing Mermen, gave him a gentle glance.

It was a good thing. To assist the Meister, the Hero's cooperation was needed.

The Lord's mouth opened quickly.

"Hero, for us to attack such a massive beast—"

CRASH!

Just then, his vision seemed to brighten for a moment, followed by the sound of thunder striking his ears.

Seeing how there was almost no gap between the lightning and the thunder, it seemed a thunderbolt had struck quite close by.

"...?"

"That's..."

However, the place where the lightning struck just had to be the land where the fire giant was.

For a lightning bolt to strike the very place where the Demon Knight was fighting, the space where the demon was opposing him... could it really be a coincidence?

"Demon Knight..."

RUMBLE!

"...!"

Lightning struck once again. It was in almost the exact same spot as before. It was far too bizarre a phenomenon to call it a coincidence.

Thus, those on top of the castle wall instinctively felt a chill in their hearts.

It was an anxiety that could not be washed away until they witnessed the truth with their own two eyes, yet because the situation didn't allow them to go and see, harboring faith was all they could do.

The Inquisitor's face turned pale.