Volume 3 - Chapter 12: Traps and a stupid challenger

Before the events where Souma explains everything...things were heating up in Mirao’s underground lair…

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Mirao was sitting on a makeshift throne chair while Matsu, his advisor was watching keenly at the three figures. The three figures were standing around and then the third figure spoke…

[Editor’s note: For namesake, I am going to label the third figure as 3rdF as in 3rd Figure and so forth for the other two. It will make it easier for me since they don't have names yet]

“Mirao...I have an idea but you know...first let me clear something up...Why the hell were you just sitting on your ass, reaping the effects of being the “Demon King” instead of conquering the entire Demon Realm...TELL ME WHY!?” 3rdF spoke while his eyes were glaring at Mirao. The gaze that 3rdF gave was ridiculous to the point that it made Mirao sweat furiously.

“Wha...Wha….But...I..took over the Maran Kingdom….I did the most that….I could...I didn’t...have enough forces...to fully conquer the entire….demon realm…” Mirao was slowly speaking in gasps as 3rdF was glaring at him the whole time.

1stF and 2ndF were clutching their hands as 3rdF was scolding Mirao but then…

3rdF immediately vanished and reappeared in front of Matsu’s face and clutched his entire face and was slowly crushing his skull…Matsu didn’t even have any time to react as 3rdF was too fast for him.

“You...I know that you’ve been selling out information...since your beloved king, Mirao is useless..I am going to make you deliver a message to those petty demon extremist. Yes...I know about your little group...now if you don’t want to die..deliver this message and make sure it spreads out…” 3rdF was slowly gripping Matsu’s face and Matsu was screaming for his life until he repeatedly agreed..

Matsu’s face was gradually becoming deformed and slowly blood began to erupt from his eye socket and out of his nose.

“YES!! YES! YES! I WILL!! PLEASE LET ME GO!! IT HURTS!! I WILL!!” Matsu was begging for his life as 3rdF was slowly crushing his face.

“Good...now I want you to tell them that I will destroy the entire Maran Kingdom unless they find that Demon King that destroyed Mirao’s palace AND I want you to spread out that I will send out an army to eradicate the entire Demon Realm...and make sure that you say that Garoth’s 8th apostle was the one who said this…” 3rdF was glaring at Matsu but all Matsu could see were two eyes that glared at his soul. It was as if Matsu were staring at the Grim Reaper himself.

3rdF immediately smacked Matsu and his entire body was flown into the door that lead to the stairs. Matsu was coughing up blood and you could tell that several bones were broken as Matsu’s body was nearly motionless. Matsu’s body was twitching slightly due to the impact and suddenly his body immediately flinched at Mirao’s next words...

“also...I will kill you if you don’t deliver this message in the next few minutes...oh loyal advisor…” 3rdF was really annoyed at Mirao’s poor performance on choosing proper advisors.

Matsu struggled hard to get out of the debris that caved on him and limped his way out of the lair.

3rdF vanished in a black smoke and reappeared directly in front of Mirao and stared at him…

“You know...you are really lucky...I don’t know what you did for Garoth but I would’ve killed you a long time ago...I don’t like failures like you and especially those that are in power...Mirao...I am warning you...you better complete the tasks that Garoth sent you here for...even if you were sent here to control the Demon Realm...that is not the only order he gave….I came here to “help” you but I don’t know if Garoth can protect you after he hears of your constant failures…” 3rdF was glaring at Mirao and suddenly clutched his shirt and pulled Mirao closer to him…

“If you continue to fail...I will murder you and everyone associated with you...you understand me, you insignificant cockroach...I can end you right now if you’d like?” 3rdF smile in a menacing way and his facial expressions weren’t joking. Mirao was scared stiff and he began to lubricate the chair with his pee.

3rdF unleashed his aura and immediately Mirao fainted and 1stF and 2ndF were cowering several feet away from 3rdF….

3rdF immediately let go of Mirao and turned around and looked at the two other figures…

“Now...you two..why don’t you make yourselves useful and find this so called Demon King...Prove yourself or I will kill you...I don’t care if you’re the apostle of Goddess Valkyren, your goddess was banished and now you work for Garoth...you are just scraps with a fraction of your original powers but you are lucky that my God took you in as pity for your goddess. NOW GO AND MAKE YOURSELVES USEFUL AND STOP BEING A BURDEN OR I WILL KILL YOU!?” 3rdF was irritated because of the recent failures of Matsu and Mirao so of course 1stF and 2ndF were receiving his wrath.

1stF was glaring at 3rdF and right before she was about speak, 2ndF immediately clutched her hands and her face was shivering in fear. 2ndF’s eyes were a bit teary and she didn’t want 1stF to suffer any repercussions for going against 3rdF. 1stF and 2ndF hesitated a bit and quickly disappeared before 3rdF could retaliate and kill the two…

“Fucking failures...EVERYONE IS STUPID...I have to fucking do this all by myself...now...let’s bring my army...I want to see what this “Demon King” is capable of...if he’s like the one from those ancient texts...I probably can have a little fun…” Mirao was glaring as he talked to himself. His aura was going out of control and his Kiai was reacting violently to the thought of Maou-sama.

[Editor’s note: Kiai is known in Japanese martial arts as “Fighting Spirit”(Not Toukon/Touki since Toukon is the combination of Fight and spirit but in Japanese Martial arts, Kiai is the proper word). Normally, it is usually described as a yell or shout but in actuality, it is the surfacing of internal strength/energy. There are a lot of words that closely mean “Fighting Spirit” but I chose Kiai since I am a practitioner of many Japanese martial art and some people even loosely describe Kiai as the energy that surfaces from the dantian.. Also, Kiai is different than Aiki, reason I say this is because many people think Aiki is Kiai but it is very different and many people think it is the same due to its Kanji deriviation…..Don’t ask what styles I practice but it is very similar to Souma...]

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Souma got Toru’s message and he was about to wake up but then he just realized his greatest mistake…

‘What if...they...get...pregnant...oh damn...AHHHHH I AM NOT READY TO BE A FATHER YET!!! WAIT!!! I HAVE MONEY I CAN HELP THEM BUT STILL I AM TOO YOUNG!!! CHICHIUE, HAHAUE!!! PLEASE FORGIVE THIS INSOLENT SON OF YOURS AHHHHHH!!!!!!’

Souma was screaming internally in his mind and his expressions grew dark..

Ojii-chan and Souma’s demon ego were talking amongst each other…

...

Ojii-chan: This brat...he is now realizing his mistakes...I must discipline him before I leave...I don’t think I can leave just yet...Souma is literally a bonafide idiot….

Souma EX: KAKAKA! Souma is a champ but I doubt he can escape this problem! He should be happy to be loved by so many...But seriously...Souma is stupid...WHY IS HE REGRETTING NOW!? HE’S A DEMON KING! HE HAS NO TIME TO REGRET!

Ojii-chan: Yare yare...what am I going to do...after this whole thing is done...I am going to make sure he straightens his act because this is such a disgrace…

Souma EX: KAKA! Oh great noble grandfather, I guess he is slowly becoming like Kami-sama...we should change something about that…

Ojii-chan: Indeed...but you are going to leave first...I will discipline him myself. You are a part of him and you need to straighten up your act too, Demon ego.

Souma EX: Fine fine, I won’t do anything, but grandfather, are you really going to leave after you teach him that lesson?

Ojii-chan: I will have to leave soon but not directly after I teach him ‘that’ important lesson. I will discipline him afterwards and finally my soul can depart from this world…

Souma EX: Really...Grandfather...what happens when your soul finally leaves...does it go to Heaven or something?

Ojii-chan: Actually no. It goes into another plane of existence and that is where every soul is at. Normally, no one is able to stay in this world but I left a fragment of my soul within my weapon and Kami-sama helped with that.

Souma EX: Hmmm...it sounds complicated…

Ojii-chan: It is..but I’ve already lived too long. I want to leave and meet my wife again. She is waiting for me.

Souma EX: Heh Gramps, was grandma really that beautiful like that picture that Souma saw?? How many times did you tap that?? Was she your first?? Was grandma perverted??

Ojii-chan: You know...I would beat the living hell out of you but you’re lucky that you are just a part of Souma and I am just a fragment of my soul. WHY WOULD YOU ASK ME THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY WIFE!?

Souma EX: Kakaka! I was just joking gramps. I know you love her really much.

Ojii-chan: Sheesh, both you and Souma are hard to handle...but she is still the woman that I love and I won’t ever let her go. I met her on Oryon and we both lived together and slept together. I even gave her a new name...she was so fascinated with my culture and she knew that I was from another world the instant she met me....If I could go back in time, I would relive every moment again and I would marry her every time...Of course she got mad since a lot of women would flock beside me but I would always choose her…

Souma EX: Ahhh, sweet love...as much as I am evil and the embodiment of everything chaotic...that is a good story…

Ojii-chan: I’m glad that you think it is good but seriously...what are you planning to do with Souma...I know you wouldn’t just sit around and let Souma roam around so easily without interfering…

Souma EX: Kakaka! I can’t seem to escape your eyes gramps. Yes, I am going to change Souma...once he continues to use my powers, we will be fusing together and he’ll gradually turn evil…

Ojii-chan: You..Why would you do that...You know...that is going to make him into the most evil person on this planet…

Souma EX: Kakaka! I know, that is why I am going to do it. He is the Demon King and I am basically him. He needs to learn to use my powers for chaos...that is the only way for him to grow into a proper demon king…

Ojii-chan: Really...you think that being evil is everything huh…

Souma EX: Indeed it is, that is why I exist.

Ojii-chan: I don’t know...remember the Demon God, Asmodan...You think he’s going to sit around and let you do this?

Souma EX: Hmpf! That fool of a god, I bet he’s reading manga like always…

Ojii-chan: Seems like you’ve met him before.

Souma EX: Of course I have! He created me first and created the rest of demon race...I ought to show him the extent of my abilities and he isn’t fit to be the Demon God!

Ojii-chan: Really now...you know evil isn’t everything..

Souma EX: IT IS EVERYTHING! EVIL IS EVERYTHING! WHY DO YOU THINK IT ISN’T!?

At this point, Souma EX’s voice is trembling and Ojii-chan could hear it…

Ojii-chan: If it was..then how did Souma get this far without being so evil...Evil is a concept that many people think. If a good/justice type person saw a criminal doing bad things, you would say that it is evil right, but what if it was reversed? In the eyes of a evil person, what they do is considered Justice and the opposite is evil. So there is no such thing as true evil…

Souma EX: BUT WHY!? EVIL IS EVERYTHING!? YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW THAT!? THEN WHY WAS I CREATED WITH THESE FEELINGS!? Everyday...I think of the most chaotic things that no one would ever think of...Why...Why was I created with such a mind that I would kill anyone..why was I created to torture anything...my mind is so tainted gramps...Even now...I thought about killing off Souma’s existence and becoming the actual Demon King...even when you told me about grandma...I thought that she was whore, a slut...why am I thinking like this gramps...WHY!?

Ojii-chan: I cannot say anything to change your thoughts but look...even now as you thought about those despicable things...you never actually did them...it’s because you know that chaos isn’t everything...you know that because...you are seeing it through Souma…

Souma EX: Gramps...why did Asmodan create me like this…

Ojii-chan: I don’t know but when you see him...make sure to give him a good punch for creating you like that...so don’t think about forcibly changing Souma...but when the time comes...when you meet Asmodan, you can knock him out because he deserves that...You don’t have to follow everything...you can choose your own path...Don’t concede to your thoughts but follow your heart…

Souma EX: Thanks gramps…

…

Souma was apologizing repeatedly to his mother and father but it was time to get to work...Souma opened his eyes and looked at the two girls that slept with him…

Lenia was slowly cuddling next to him and Serina was on the opposite side cuddling in the same manner. On Souma’s bare chest, the two girls locked their hands together as they both were happy that they were with Souma. Souma’s arms were a bit numb but he managed to move his arms from under Lenia’s and Serina’s heads. He placed a pillow as a replacement for his arms and he gently ruffled the two’s hair and gradually slipped out of their grasp using his demonic powers. His [Phase] ability allows him to alter his entire body and move through any object. He gently stood up without stirring the bed and quickly donned on his clothes and including his cloak.

Souma turned around and looked at the girls that slept peacefully. He gently smiled and in a few moments he teleported. Souma went to the other room and saw the three girls were sleeping but he noticed that they cried last night. Souma kissed all three of them on the forehead and suddenly they woke up. They immediately grabbed Souma and he was stunned…

“Whaa..WHAT!? You all were awake…” Souma flinched as he wasn’t prepared. Normally, he would be cautious around his enemies but he didn’t expect to be surprised attacked by his future wives…

“Hehe...we knew you were gonna come...but why are you fully dressed anata?” Yurika questioned his outfit as the three were holding firmly to his torso and legs. Souma tensed a bit as she said those words but he continued to talk.

[Editor’s Note: Anata means a lot. Depending on the context/usage the kanji for Anata can alter its meaning. In situations, Anata can mean “you” as if they were talking directly to you or it could mean “Over there/ over yonder or there” as a sense of direction, but the format I am using is described as “Honey/Darling/Baby” to describe a lover or even familiar cases]

“I am about to go...but I was about to write you three a letter...but since you are awake then it’ll be much easier…” Souma’s tone was a bit serious and the girls gradually loosened their grip on him.

“Okay..you are going to go, future husband?” Eriko spoke in a calm voice but Souma wasn’t used to it so he was a bit flustered and his face was getting a bit red.

“Err...ahh yes..I am going to leave but I have to tell you some things before I go and can you explain it to Lenia and Serina?” Souma was flustered but he continued to talk.

Erika sat up straight and looked at Souma while she was still on the bed…

“Danna-sama...It’s okay...just tell us what you want to say...we aren’t mad that you purposely left us out and had fun with the others...We definitely aren’t mad that we could hear Serina’s voice from all the way here...Ha...ha...ha…” Erika was gripping the blanket hard and her eyes were glaring at Souma and then the other two girls started to glare at Souma…

“Ha..ha...alright..I’ll make it up to you three later...but no more...I have to explain everything to the others...but first I have to tell you three this...I want you all including Lenia and Serina to go to the Northern Districts and stay with Miss Flora Landers. Just go directly north until you reach her manor…” Souma was giving them instructions on staying with Flora.

The reason being is that there might be consequences later and he wants them to be safe. Not many knew about Souma’s interaction with the girls but he couldn’t afford any mistakes so he’d rather leave protection of the girls in the hands of a capable person and that person was Flora since she is a succubus.

The girls were a bit confused but then Souma…

“I probably won’t be back in a few days but in the case that I do come back early...that means everything is done but now I am going to be busy...I can’t have you girls in danger...so I want you girls to immediately go there..explain everything to Lenia and she can help you since that is also her home. Also, please be careful...I don’t know but something just doesn’t feel right today...it seems that things are getting a bit hectic now and I don’t want you girls to be in any harm okay…” Souma had a serious tone as he spoke to the girls and they looked at him very seriously and said…

“No...you need to be careful...who knows what’s going to happen...I wouldn’t be able to move on if you died...Souma…” Yurika was tense as she spoke. She really didn’t want Souma to get hurt or anything. She wanted to tell him to stay but she couldn’t since she knew that Souma would still go…

Eriko looked at Souma and spoke next…

“Souma...I want you to be safe...even though we’ll be separated...all of us will be waiting for you...we all love you…” Eriko gently fell into Souma’s chest and hugged him.

Erika looked at Souma with her eyes nearly teary-eyed but she wiped her tears and spoke…

“Danna-sama...You better come back! I won’t ever forgive you if you disappear!” Erika was quite emotional in the morning and Souma gently patted her head and spoke…

“I promise to return...I won’t leave you girls behind...after all...why would I leave without my wives...I really love you all and even though I committed these “sins”, I’m pretty sure the others will like to see you also. I will be going now...remember tell Lenia and Serina everything and you all should be fine…” Souma spoke and gave all three of them a nice sweet kiss on the lips. It was very short but it had impact.

The girls were blushing and Souma stood up.

“Alright...I am going to leave now...take care…” Souma waved and his body instantly teleported.

The girls were astonished and they didn’t know that Souma could teleport. They were really shocked and then the girls immediately left and went to Rm. 10 to wake up Lenia and Serina that were still sleeping.

Lenia and Serina finally woke up and the girls explained everything. Lenia nodded in succession and the five of them immediately set off to Lenia’s house…

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Souma teleported to the area next to Deloria’s Inn. He remembered that Toru told him that Voruto’s Inn was located near Deloria’s Inn. Luckily, Voruto’s inn was directly in front of Deloria’s but Souma could only sigh as Deloria’s Inn was still destroyed and the debris was everywhere. The demons were gather around the debris of Deloria’s inn and a few words could be heard…

“I heard that two people did this...what monstrous strength...if I had my abilities back...I could do this…”

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“Wow...two people...this is ridiculous”

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“Luckily, no one died...well, us, demons have a lot of tenacity…”

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“Voruto’s Inn wasn’t destroyed luckily, so everyone switched to Voruto’s..good thing it wasn’t destroyed...or so many people would’ve been on the street or traveling far, looking for an inn.”

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The conversations continued and Souma sighed in relief. Souma immediately locked onto Toru’s energy source and teleported to him from the shadows of the debris from Deloria’s. Souma appeared directly behind Toru and normally, Toru would’ve greeted his brother but there was something wrong…

Toru was really serious and his face looked as if he was angry or irritated. Souma tapped him on the shoulder and Toru was startled by the sudden movement. He immediately turned around and saw Souma…

“....OH WHAT THE!?” Toru flinched as he was surprised and Souma was astonished…

“Why are you so uptight...did something happen, Toru?” Souma asked in response to Toru’s surprised flinch.

“Oh brother...things just got worse...when I contacted you this morning...I had information about Mirao...he’s still alive and three people came from Garoth...from the information...there were two females and one male..the information was quite serious this time...the male is basically Garoth’s 8th apostle...the information didn’t say much about the two females but it looked as if the two females were being forced to come along. Before, I would’ve said that we could lure those two females to our side and we can eventually take over Garoth’s apostle but then everything changed...before you came, I received more information from the demon extremists...They said that Garoth’s 8th apostle will destroy the entire Maran Kingdom and send an army to wipe out the entire Demon Realm...unless they find you…” Toru was speaking in a heavy tone and Souma’s expression was gradually getting worse. The moment Toru said that Garoth’s apostle will destroy the Demon Realm, Souma’s memories of the girls immediately surfaced and his expression went grim.

Souma was gripping his Katana blades and sweat appeared on his face…

“......”

“......”

Both Souma and Toru were silent for a while and then Souma spoke…

“So...he wants me to come out...I think I will.” Souma’s expression was fierce but it looked as if he was going to do anything at any cost…

“Brother...I know what you are feeling...but we can’t just recklessly charge in like that!” Toru was worried that his brother might do something stupid…

“No...I think it would be better for me to do this...but not yet...I want to practice first...I’ve gotten a bit rusty...an army eh??” Souma’s tone was gradually getting deeper and his eyes were shooting beams of rage yet a smile appeared on Souma’s face.

It wasn’t that tender smile that you’d see in a moment where the person was surrounded by his family, but it was a smile that sought to kill. Souma’s smile was that of a natural killer and his blood was boiling in rage and happiness. Maybe it was because of his Demon King form or his lineage but his body was shivering.

“Toru...we’re going to fight...this apostle clearly wants to fight...but at the same time...I don’t want to risk pointless lives...I want you to spread out information to that informant that I will take on him and his army in five days...during that five day period...I want us to train, Toru…” Souma was very serious and Toru was willing to fight for his brother…

“Brother...they probably don’t know this...but remember...I’ve regained my strength back...so this is a good time to practice for us...and I want to show you what I can do brother…” Toru immediately nodded in acceptance towards Souma as he spoke.

“But the one thing is...I need a new weapon...I can make one but I need the materials...I will go into the other districts and look for weapon materials…” Souma wanted a new weapon.

Not that his Katana blades weren’t useful, it’s just that they were too powerful. It would be too easy so Souma wanted to make a weapon for him to use. His Katana blades will stay in the void space as he fights without them hindering his movement. Before Souma was about to leave, Toru stopped him…

“Brother...just go to the Western District...they have a lot of weapon materials over there...also be careful...the two females are on the lookout and they probably can sense your demonic energy...so try and hide it as much as possible, brother. When you get back, I will already have delivered the information and we can get started on our training…” Toru told Souma about the weapon district and Souma nodded.

Souma thanked his brother and changed his appearance back to normal. He was now in his original appearance and Souma left Voruto’s inn.

Toru headed off to spread the information to the informant and went to Mito’s shop….He was going to retrieve his weapon..

Toru’s weapon was a long metallic spear that was customized by Mito. The spearhead was made of a mysterious metal as the spearhead was pure black. On the metallic body, there were several magic crystals infused on the body and various magical symbols were engraved along the sides. Of course, the spear looked normal but only those with a high enough magical presence could actually distinguish its actual appearance. Toru was quite the physical fighter and he was adept in magical and mental attacks too. He isn’t as strong as Souma in terms of magical strength, but his psychic abilities and raw strength make him a formidable foe. His attacking style would normally be to render his opponent through mental attacks and use that confusion to gain a physical advantage and overpower his enemies. Toru was quite the fighter yet he does not know any physical attacks. All he is able to do is various strike patterns but in terms of fighting ability, Souma has the advantage as Souma knew more techniques. Souma sensed that Toru was physically adept on attacking but he does not know the basics and his technique really sucked. Therefore, he suggested the training routine and Souma needed to train too since his body was getting a bit rusty from not doing his training regiment.

Toru was happy that his Demon Spear/Majin Yari was back in his hands. He told Mito to hold onto it before he was imprisoned by Mirao and luckily, his weapon was still safe. Toru immediately thanked Mito and told him to stay safe. Toru, then teleported back to the inn and began to formulate plans of attacking the enemy and such.

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…

Souma quickly passed the blood fountain and ran west to enter the Western District. He needed pure materials since he was an Affinity Enchanter and he wanted to add enchantments to his weapons...unfortunately, his Katana blades weren’t compatible for receiving and enchant since they’ve already been optimized and formed with their own abilities.

Souma quickly entered the Western District and saw many forges aligned with the main road. Also, there were many weapon shops and armor shops that continuously shouted sale prices to bring customers to their shop. Many demon warriors existed in the western district and at often times, fights would occur. Even daily, there have been killing sprees going around, but no one really thought much about people dying because they blamed it on their own incapability to fight back. There is a unspoken rule that the strongest prey on the weak, so not many people venture off into the western district unless they were proficient on defending themselves or they had sufficient backup.

Souma walked in the middle of the road and saw the many warriors talking and some even glared at Souma, who was obviously an outsider as his cloak was covering his entire body. Many of the warriors were eyeing his appearance but Souma didn’t mind much since he wasn’t paying attention to them but he was looking for a forge to buy raw materials. As he continued to look around while being gazed at, he felt someone with murderous intent and quickly spotted the demon warrior that was gunning for him. It was 2-meter giant minotaur that had a piercing glare. His body was massive with bulging muscles and wielded twin fire axes. The minotaur also had mysterious tattoos on his body but Souma didn’t mind the fellow and continued to ignore him. The crowd of warriors quickly dispersed in the main road and watched the two. Souma was obviously ignoring the minotaur who leaked his killing intent that stared at him. The people around the two murmured various words…

“...That man is going to die…”

…

“Probably a weakling...smells like a human too…”

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“Bastior the Minotaur is a fiendish demon...why is he going to kill now...this is going to be his 5th kill today..”

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“God...I don’t want to be caught up in this…”

…

Souma ignored the voices and continued to look for a forge that had raw materials. Of course, most forges would often keep their raw materials as not for sale because that is how they make money but Souma continued to look.

Bastior the minotaur flared his nostrils and leaned forward as if he were going to charge into Souma. While Bastior leaned forward, he was spinning his fire axes using a fire chain that was attached to his arm gauntlet. The flames on the fire axes continued to burn brightly even as they spun rapidly in Bastior’s circular movements. Bastior’s horns were aimed at Souma but Souma continued to ignore.

Bastior was getting irritated as Souma was continuing to ignore him. Souma even walked forward slightly as he was looking for the forge signs. Many people scorned Souma for being stupid and Bastior charged at him. Souma continued to look around and as Bastior came closer and closer, something happened…

Souma knew that Bastior was about to kill him, so as soon as Bastior came within his area, Souma quickly enveloped his right hand in a wind cloak and immediately stopped Bastior. As his hand came into contact, the wind pressure was released from Souma’s hand and was gradually forcing Bastior to stop. The crowd was astonished that a mere human was holding off a Demon Minotaur with a vast killing record. They wanted to say something as Bastior was struggling to move forward but in an instant, they were shocked once again. Souma quickly chopped upon Bastior’s head right in between the horns in one swift attack and Bastior was slammed into the ground. A massive body crater was formed due to Bastior’s contact on the floor but mostly it was from the force of Souma’s hand. The crowd was cheering for the little human and then things got more exciting.

Bastior groaned as his face came into contact with the ground but he wasn’t going to give up yet. His face was bleeding partially from the force but he began to release his magic into the fire axes and they burned brightly due to Bastior’s mana being absorbed. The Flames grew bigger and somehow the crowd was astonished because Bastior’s twin fire axes were something special. As the flames grew bigger, the axes were growing alongside the flames. Bastior, with one quickly thrust, he kicked himself forward, propelling his giant body into the air and in a quick movement, he launched his fire axes at Souma in quick succession.

The fire axes were huge as if they were half Bastior’s size and they were about to slice Souma into charred pieces but then something happened…

In an instant, Souma enveloped his two hands with a flame property/cloak and quickly grabbed the two fire axes that came at him from both sides. Souma’s flame easily passed through the flames that emitted from the fire axes and caught the two blades without even suffering a single damage. Bastior was shocked at this point and everyone was cheering for Souma but then Souma immediately gazed at Bastior.

Souma’s eyes were a bit fiendish and he began to release a small amount of his killing intent. Only certain people could feel his pressure and Bastior was one of them since it was targeted at him. Bastior was kneeling under Souma’s pressure and Souma walked forward.

Souma quickly tossed the two fire axes which the chain broke from his force and continued to walk towards Bastior. Bastior continued to glare at Souma but he was frozen in place. His body was tense and shivered a bit under the influence of Souma’s pressure. Souma walked forward and spoke…

“Umm...do you know where I can buy raw materials for a weapon…?” Souma’s voice was calm and the pressure dissipated quickly. Everyone was dumbfounded and Bastior wanted to smack the hell out of Souma but he couldn’t do anything about it.

“Ra...raw materials...I sell them…” A mysterious blacksmith spoke within the crowd as Souma asked the question.

Bastior was scared stiff but he couldn’t do anything at the moment. Souma turned towards the mysterious figure and spoke…

“Oh, thanks! I will come and buy some then...Bye everyone!” Souma was playing off a cool demeanor and everyone was stupefied at the little human’s strength and lack of understanding the situation.

Souma quickly left and the crowd resumed their normal activities. Bastior was still scared but then as soon as Souma left, Bastior quickly vanished away.

Souma continued to follow the mysterious man and came to an old forge but Souma could tell that this man wasn’t your normal average blacksmith. The blacksmith then spoke to Souma as soon as he entered the forge...

“You want to buy raw materials...I can give you raw materials for weapons...but do you want a special ore?” The blacksmith looked at Souma and his body was mysterious. The Blacksmith was eyeing Souma’s entire body as if he could see beneath the cloak and it looked as if he was gauging Souma’s potential…

“Alright...I want this special ore...but why are you giving me preference...wait..who are you…” Souma was overly cautious as the man was gauging him. Souma wasn’t that stupid to fall for petty tricks and the man laughed.

“Hahaha! Don’t be so afraid. I merely saw everything that happened. You weren’t even using your full strength yet you took down a killer with such ease...it reminded me of when I was young! I used to kill so many creatures, be it human, demon or beasts. It did not matter who it was, but rather if they were strong or not...as you can see...I am but an old man now...but when I saw you...it reminded me of my past...that is why I want to give you this ore...it does not have a name but it is one of a kind...come look at it...?” The man went on about his past and even ushered Souma to look at the ore.

The man guided Souma to the back and there was a huge chunk of black ore. It was very mysterious as if the ore was sucking the energy from around it. The ore was purely black yet it had a mysterious feeling to it. It was as if Souma was being drawn to it…

“Aha! The ore likes you...I knew you would be compatible...You’re lucky that I am giving this for free but before I hand it over to you...you should reveal who you really are...this old man isn’t that kind to hand out items to mere strangers…”

Souma was astonished that the black ore chose him but he was even more astonished at the strange old man…

“Well...if you are asking for my identity...shouldn’t you reveal yourself first since you asked…?” Souma replied in retort. It was a bit rude for the old man to ask fo Souma’s identity without revealing himself first…

“Oh..my bad. I lack manners...it’s been a while since I interacted with people that is probably why...well I am a former Demon King of the Maran Kingdom. I once ruled the Demon Realm and my name is Vyraus Maran. I am also related to Asmodan’s lineage...I also know that you are too...you cannot hide your energy from the royal bloodline...I already sensed it when you entered the Western District...now...it is your turn...I have never met you before...who are you…” Vyraus introduced himself and Souma was shocked. He wanted to ask questions about why Mirao was the Demon King but he has yet to introduce himself…

“I am Souma Kurogane...The descendant of Ryuu Kurogane who once nearly destroyed the Maran Kingdom by accident and I am also the Demon King...I am that Demon King that obliterated Mirao’s palace...I am the true Demon King...and it is very nice to see my predecessor still alive…” Souma immediately bowed in respect towards his elder and Vyraus was shocked because not only was Souma the true Demon King but he is in fact related to Ryuu Kurogane.

Vyraus immediately told Souma to straighten up and he laughed…

“Hahaha! To think that the person who is supposed to save us is actually related to the person that nearly killed us!! This is quite the discovery! But I have one thing to tell you, Souma...Things are stirring up as Mirao gathered forces from Garoth. “

“I don’t know how much strength you have...but you better make sure you don’t die...Garoth’s apostle will kill us all...I don’t have much strength but I would like to live the rest of my life in peace...as your predecessor...I am going to tell you a few things before I give you this special ore…”

”One, don’t be hesitant but be cautious...your future battles...your foes will take advantage and easily kill you...Two, don’t be stupid and charge head first without a plan...you will die easily...and three, please get rid of Mirao...I would if I could but my strength and ability have weakened greatly due to my age and Asmodan’s banishment…”

Souma was listening intently as Vyraus was giving him advice. He already knew everything but it felt good to be given advice by a former Demon King. Nonetheless, Souma really wanted to try and fight Vyraus but it wouldn’t work out since his strength was deteriorating due to age.

Vyraus smiled as he tapped Souma’s shoulders and turned over to the special ore…

“I found this ore in Asmodan’s former place after he was banished...the properties are astonishing and I don’t think anyone can identify this type of ore...why don’t you try it since you are the demon king” Vyraus wanted to at least identify the ore since he’s had that ore for quite a while.

“Alright...but Maran-sen...how come you could sense my demonic energy...how did you--”

Vyraus quickly interrupted and spoke…

“Don’t be so formal, just call me Vyraus...and the reason is because your demonic reiatsu(spiritual energy) is too powerful...and you are also part of the royal bloodline so I can easily see through your appearance...I was looking at you because it took quite a while...I will teach you a way to hide your demonic reiatsu but first...let’s see if we can identify this special ore”

[Editor’s Note: Reiatsu is spiritual energy/pressure. If many of you have either read/watched Bleach, you should be familiar with this term. Reason I used this is because Vyraus is quite the old man and refers “pressure” as Reiatsu. Of course, if it was in Japanese, it would be more understandable as I use 霊圧(which is also Reiatsu) which means Spiritual force/pressure. Also, this term is going to be often used by older people who refer pressure as Reiatsu in the future. I would’ve done the same to Ojii-chan but he refers pressure as just pressure but in JPN version, I use Ojii-chan’s terms of pressure/energy as Reiatsu too]

Souma walked towards the mysterious black ore and began to identify it.

‘Identify!’

Souma’s interface was mysterious as soon as he casted his identification skill but then an icon appeared above the special ore…

[God-class element]

[Tendo Hagane][Unbound]

A special ore that is found within a different plane of existence. Tendo Hagane exists only in the realm of gods. It is formed during the death of a star, prompting its strange material. This ore can only be forged using Heavenly flame/Tenrai no Kasai or with the use of an Ancient Talent

Due to the innate nature of Souma, this ore can only be forged using Kami-sama’s energy

Due to Tendo Hagane being a God-class element, no other person can identify the item unless they are above a Two-question mark category

Due to Tendo Hagane’s mysterious properties, any weapon created out of Tendo Hagane can innately absorb the surrounding energy aside from the user

Due to Tendo Hagane’s origin, the special ore can radiate heat that equals a burning star

Due to Tendo Hagane’s properties, the ore can be used as a substitute for Heavenly flame

Due to Tendo Hagane’s being a God-Class element, the special ore is bound to the user that specializes it first

[Editor’s note: There are too many preceding words in Kanji that could mean heavenly flame/fire so I just used a basic one(Tenrai no Kasai). Also, Tendo Hagane is also a basic form in kanji meaning Heavenly steel. I’d rather not get too caught up in using proper word usage since it gets a bit complicated when I translate over into english and Tendo Hagane sounds awesome :O or would you prefer “Hagane no Tensei” errr or Tengoku no Hagane(The last one is really weird since it could mean like Steel Heaven as if heaven was made out of steel O_o) Ehhh, you all choose since I can change the name of the ore but I leave it as Tendo Hagane for now]

“Wha….what the….where did you get this...was this from Asmodan’s room…?” Souma was pondering on where Vyraus really got the item…

“Yes..Before his banishment, I would often talk with Asmodan and Toru because we were good friends and Asmodan is really the progenitor of the demon race, he is like a father to me...even though Asmodan is really shy about being called a father, he is a father figure for all of the royal bloodline...After he was banished, I made sure to take everything from his quarters in order for no one to receive his items due to their rarity. Although, I didn’t find much except for a bunch of books that Asmodan called as “Manga” but this special ore was valuable due to its special characteristics...so I protected it and I’ve been waiting for you to arrive, ever since you first appeared in the Eastern District…” Vyraus was explaining everything in detail and Souma was nodding in acceptance…

“This ore is really special...you sure you don’t want to keep it?” Souma was really asking Vyraus since this special ore is very valuable. It has no monetary amount because it cannot exist on this plane of existence and no one can forge it under normal circumstances. Tendo Hagane was a valuable item and people would do anything just to create an item out of this special ore.

“No...I can’t even use it. I’m sure that you will have more uses for it rather than an old man like me...anyways..You must get going...people are looking for you since today’s message..the Demon realm is in danger...I hope you are going to be prepared later...do you need anything before you leave?” Vyraus wanted to at least be of some help because he knows the situation Souma is in now after discovering his identity.

Souma ponders a bit on what new weapon he is going to create...he continues to think about his own fighting style and his physical ability...Souma looks at his body and wonders what is a good weapon for close combat...something that promotes agility, nimble and quick movements...something that is short but powerful...a weapon that can utilize its small attire to strike at various areas such as vital points...he continues to think and he remembers something from his Shishou…

A small blade...his Shishou, Kentaro would often practice his quick, versatile killing techniques using the...Tanto…

He recalls his memories and saw the blade and how it appeared. The metallic design was custom and double-bladed. There was also a crest on the forefront, right above the hilt(tsuka) of the tanto. The blade was straight and defined and yet the blade was swift and easy to maneuver within attacking due to its small shape.

Souma saw that his Shishou would always place his Tanto weapon on a Koshirae to make the Daisho complete with his Katana. With his Tanto, the Daisho was finally complete and the saya(scabbard) was embroidered with a red imperial seal along with his Katana.

[Editor’s Note: Tanto/短刀/Short Blade is a Japanese weapon(nihonto) that is often used with the Samurai class. It literally is a short blade and often named as the Japanese Dagger. Daisho/大小/Daito+Shoto(Daito=Long Sword, Shoto=Short Sword basically means Long-Short/Big-little) is the combination of a Katana and a wakizashi. In ancient times, many used the Tanto before the wakizashi and later the tanto was replaced by the wakizashi blade. Koshirae is a Japanese fitting/way to hold for the Daisho. There are many types but I am describing is the Uchigatana style]

After he saw the Tanto, Souma immediately brightened up and spoke…

“Predecessor, can I inquire you about weapon sheaths and a hilt for a small blade...like a dagger and some samegawa” Souma was dead set on creating his Dagger/Tanto under the influence of his Shishou.

[Editor’s note: Okay...this is a lot of describing of Nihonto and Tosogu...good thing I left out a lot of details because it is really a lot of information about Japanese swords(Nihonto) since I have indeed created Katanas and I have a proper Uchigatana Koshirae and a Daisho set. In the JPN ver. I went a bit overboard and I literally gave a lesson about the parts of a Nihonto. Trust me...It is a lot….I literally went from the top(Kashira) then to the Mune and even down to the Boshi part of the blade...So, this was a bit hectic so I shortened the description by a whole lot]

[Editor’s Note 2: Samegawa is the wrapping of the tsuka/hilt. Usually ray or shark skin is used]

Even now, Souma was still learning from his Shishou and he really missed his family but first he had to finish this situation before anything else.

“I believe I have some...here you can take whatever you need” Vyraus quickly led Souma to the weapon equipments and Souma stared in awe.

He was amazed at the many parts of weaponry and quickly found himself a nice hilt and saya for his Tanto. Souma even found a decorative cord(sageo) to attach the tanto onto his belt in replacement of his Katana blades. Souma quickly thanked Vyraus as he gathered the materials and quickly sent them into the void. Of course, he did it very secretive to avoid suspicion. Souma carried the ore in his hand and thanked Vyraus once more. After he exited the forge, he quickly stored the special ore in the void instantly without personalizing it but then he was suddenly kidnapped…

As for how he was kidnapped, even Souma wasn’t prepared. He was focused entirely on how to make his new weapon when two figures easily ambushed him outside of the forge and chained him in Magical chains…

Souma was trapped but at the same time, he could easily break free but suddenly he thought of an idea….

‘If these are the people that Toru was talking about...maybe I can get some information...I’ll just go along for now...’

Thus, Souma was “kidnapped” and whisked away before anyone could say anything….

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