"AAaahhhhh.! You!"

A voice, not so soft and not so gentle but can still be consider as a voice of a woman echoes in the top of the huge wall of the great fortress.

It was from a girl with hair as white as snow, two small red horns lies her head that is clearly telling that she was part of the demon army. She was the demon summoner, the one who leads the army of monsters that attacked the great fortress of Aldebaran and also the one who summoned the behemoth that attacked the city. Her whole body was covered in a black colored thin cloth with some uncommon writings on it that act as design or perhaps it was really made for sorcery. And an odd pentagon brand was embroidered at the back of the garment.

The reason of her loud scream was because of the red haired boy behind her who addressed himself as the summoned hero. The demon summoner's eyes can't helped but to produce the tears of pain, she looked at her left shoulder only to see her left arm bended in a funny way. She knew that it was not the normal way her left arm should bend.

The summoner tried to lock eyes with the hero doing her best to ignore the burning pain on her left shoulder and trying not to lose her cool. But no matter what, she can't meet the gaze of the red haired hero because the eyes of the boy was covered by his hair and his face only displayed a smile. Smile that is too much to be called smile of joy, it was a smile that is showing his tremendous bloodthirst.

"..." The hero shows no response even after hearing the scream of the demon summoner.

But the demon summoner used her rigth arm that is still holding her staff to forcefully swing the staff to the area on where the hero was standing.

Physical attack was not her forte, even any other sorcerer, but even she knew that, she still tried to attack her enemy. At very least it was to keep her enemy at the bay.

Ryuji took a couple of step back to avoid the staff of the demon summoner.

She was aware that if she don't act right at that moment, the red haired adventurer will just make her his plaything or so. And with all her might or whatever remaining to her strength, she lifted the staff and slam its end on the stone walkway of the great wall. The impact of the staff made a crushing sound and immediately right after the contact of the wooden staff to the ground she muttered something. "Summon middle tier! Ripper Predator "

At the tip of the staff that meets the ground, appeared a voilet magic circle. When the she removed her staff on the circle it glows brighter emitting violet colored lights. Followed by the appearance of the demon she called out. It was like the demon was crawling from beneath the stone wall via the violet circle onto the walkway. The demon summoner didn't waste time and proceed immediately to her next move."I command you! Kill that foolish human!"

When the summoned demon completely crawled at the walkway of the wall it immediately directed its glowing green eyes at the adventurer standing before its master. The demon looks like a hideous beast covered with violet fur, it has a scythe-like arms and on its back lies a folded wings that seems to be too small to use for flying, its feet resembles to that of a goat.

It was the one who initiated the battle. It leaps from the location where it was summoned using its legs and its small wings acts as a support to reach the red-haired hero in just a blink of an eye.

On the ripper's point of view, Ryuji doesn't seemed to noticed the quick attack because he keep his gaze towards to the demon summoner paying no attention to the incoming threat.

The ripper continued to dash in the air and when it was just about 2 meters away from the boy it raised its arms and with all of its might it made a powerful slash from above aiming for the neck of the hero.

Ryuji slightly lifted the rapier that he was holding in his left hand in order to parry the demon's blade.

The collision of the two sharp edged weapon created a spark. A spark that looks like some kind of light magic casted at the top of the walkway.

Followed by the spark was Ryuji's usual low pitched voice. "...Counter Offensive..."

His voice was succeeded by a very strong force that threw the ripper flying in the air back to where it came from and pass through the summoner.

Bel was very surprised to the fact that the boy easily parried the demon in that immense velocity and throw it back pass through to her.

But she knew that the battle was still ongoing so she saved the surprises for later and commanded the ripper again. "Kill that dumb huma—her words was interrupted when she turned her gaze into the demon that she summoned. Only to see that it was cut cleanly in two—"H-how?... no. When?" Bel gritted her teeth and attempt to cast another spell. "Summon—"

And yet again she was interrupted."Silence" it was the hero who said those word.

It was not just a simple word that means exactly what it is. It was a magic for interrupting spell caster and neutralizing them from using any other skills as long as the one who use it has magic left.

A magic user that can't chant spells is worse than a novice adventurer.

It was a long dead air, no one dares to break the silence or rather Bel just can't break it. The two just keep staring at each other. This time Bel can clearly see the cyan-colored eyes of the hero and unlike earlier his smile that is showing blood thirst was gone.

"...How?" She silently muttered in her mind. Because the silence skill that was activated made her voice become null.

She did her best to rethink where part she made a mistake, where part she let the hero humiliate her, where part she lost the battle.

"..." As her mind continues to recall, Ryuji's heavy footsteps on the walkway acts as a countdown.

In her mind, she recalled everything from start to finish and after a while she found the answer. The spell Counter Offensive. It was not just a spell used for blocking an attack but was also a spell used for sealing the next move of the hostile. It uses Silence for magic users, Weaken for physical damage dealers that also comes with a paralysis as an add-on effect. The spell was great at offense and defense specially when the battle is on its heat. Of course Bel knows that spell but why did she failed to avoid it.

"Uh—Arrgghh" her thoughts was halted by a sudden pain.

A pain that comes from Ryuji's silver rapier that is stabbed through her gut. She screamed once again when the hero twisted the blade forcefully to deliver more and more pain.

"Just kill me already!!—Bel cough blood out of her mouth. She grit her teeth once more and return Ryuji's gaze—"but let me tell you this, you hasn't defeated me just yet hero!."

It was a short pause before Ryuji replied with."...hasn't? You can't even move. Or cast a spell."

"Fool! That little brain of yours will never notice it! I set that huge demon to explode in a couple of minutes starting now and you know what? You along with the foolish humans living in this city will die!" She said while pointing her staff at the huge behemoth that was leaning on the wall.

Another short silence before the low pitched voice replied."...Too bad for you. You're just digging you own grave."

"WHAT?" Bel's voice was not clear at that time but Ryuji understand it well.

"Even before our battle began I instructed everyone to move away as far as possible. Theres no other HUMAN in this fortress besides you and me."

As the paralysis slowly leaves her body the only thing that supported her body from falling to the ground was the rapier that is stabbed through her body. Upon hearing Ryuji's voice, a sudden burst of tears comes from Bel's eyes."How...how did you—"

"How did I know that you were a human? Well, I know it right from the beginning, because there was no demon that is capable of speaking. Those horns in your head were fake. And after seeing the gemstone in your back explains everything to me."

"..." Bel took a glance at the tip of the rapier on her back.

It was clear to her now, the reason why the hero twisted that blade was not just an actions of sadism. It was to destroy the garment on her back that was concealing the gem.

"Let me say this... As the demon general, you have done a good job in killing people, leading an army of demons, and avoid the imperial army to attack an unguarded city. But... as the enemy of hero, death is the only possible punishment for killing my party member."

Bel's face was now covered with tears and violet colored bloods. But she didn't pay attention to those dirts and replied in a much softer tone than her usual voice."I see. So you're just avenging your comrade."

"..."

"Good Job, huh... This is the first time anyone has praised me for doing my job... I only done it because I have no other choice. Hero... I... I am also seeking for salvation."

"..."

"Hey, Ryuji... the violet gemstone... It can stop the explosion of that demon or...you can use it as a catalyst to destroy the demon lord.

A short silence has passed before Ryuji replied."......Why are telling me that?"

"Because this... is the first time... I met a person in the name of Ryuji Shinozaki who appreciates my efforts more than my... comrades do... and whats more he is a hero. Even the darklord don't praise me."

"I see."

"Now is your only chance. Use the gem on my back and stop the explosion. Or use it to finish your main objective. The choice... is yours, the city? ...Or your power?"

"..." The red haired boy slowly pulls out the rapier out of Bel's gut.

As the only thing that support her body gone. The demon summoner slowly fell, but as she fell on the floor her body slowly become violet colored ashes. And before she was completely gone she managed to mutter her last words."I will cherish your name in the afterlife, O glorious one."

~~~

[Ryuji's POV]

When I pulled the rapier out the summoner's body suddenly disintegrated and its tiny particles flows along with soft morning breeze. A violet gem falls to the ground to where the summoner was standing, I bring Renia's sword back to its sheath on my hips and slowly approached the gem.

I pick it up and take it near the edge of the walkway, I seat in there with my feet hanging in the wall. With the gemstome on my hand, I closed my eyes and as expected my consciousness slowly fades in reaction to the magic of the gem.

The next time I opened my eyes appeared a great flower field before me. It has different flowers with different colors on it some are flowers that I recognize mostly are species that I do not know. After I scanned the whole flower field a familiar figure has caught my sight.

It was a girl. A little girl sitting and planting another flower with a smile on her face. She has brown colored hair that matches her beautiful eyes. She seemed to not noticed me yet. I decreased the distance between me and the little girl and try to sound as soft as I can with my low pitched voice.

"...Hey"

The little girl twitched a little showing her surprise. Then the girl turned to face to where I am standing. Upon seeing my face her two eyes was shot wide open as if she had seen a ghost. And slowly words came out of her mouth in a soft and gentle way."What...what are you doing here?..."

I smiled and sit beside her."I came to pick you up. Let's go back. Together."

The little girl looked down as if she was disappointed."I... I can't... I died, didn't I?"

[Oh, so she still remembered those events.]

"Yes. You died."

"..." Lily doesn't replied and just keep looking at the grasses keeping her head down.

"I don't care."

"Huh?" She looked again at me surprised to hear my answer.

I forced a smile and said."Let's go back together."

"But... how? The god of death will definitely won't allow me to go back."

"Then that means I'll just have to kill him."

"Huh?"

After a short pause I declared my resolution."... I'll do anything to get you back. So please come with me."

"But... what will happen to me once I go back?" Lily's eyes began to shed tears.

"There will be some changes, but it doesnt matter. Yes, you died once and I will not...no—I will never gonna let that happen again."

" ...Why?"

"Because I am the hero."

"...Thats it?"

"No... it is because... I've already made up my decision, and that is bring an end to this eternal comedy, so please don't make this hard for me. Let's go ba—." I looked at her beside me and when I'd seen her pouting, it made me lost my words.

"..."

I inhaled deeply then exhale. And then I hold her small hands and said while casting a smile on my lips." Liliana Windsor... do you mind if I invite you to go on adventure with me?..."

It was the word she was waiting for. Or at very least it is what made her embraced me, embraced me hard and shout while tears continuously flows out of her eyes."Yes! Yes I will!... So... please...please don't leave me again!"

I returned her hug and whisper to her ears gently."I promise...We will never be separated again..."

~~~

The next time I opened my eyes. A man in an Imperial Army attire with a golden dogtag on his neck is pointing his sword on me.

"You are the demon that is leading this army!" He shouted at me.

I looked at my hand to where I was holding the gemstone earlier. The gem was gone but there was a ring on my hand with a violet diamond-like on its top.