'I've told them not to move for now, but…'
The reason I told them not to move all of a sudden was exactly because of Levi.
Since Levi is a demon who lost his sight, he cannot see ahead.
Instead, he senses everything that moves with his highly developed, sharp senses.
So, for now, I stopped the kids from moving.
'The fortunate thing is, for some reason, the Nunus have no hostility.'
The Nunus, for whatever reason, stopped moving the moment I appeared, and were instead slowly backing away.
"Useless things."
Levi clicked his tongue!
Simultaneously, the spikes growing on his back moved in perfect order, cutting down every living thing that moved.
Regardless of whether they were Nunus or summoned monsters, he struck only the things that moved.
Levi's signature skill, Dance of a Hundred Bones.
A hundred bones stirred through the battlefield like swords.
The students, who were even holding their breath at my warning, were fortunately unharmed.
Thank goodness.
'This is why I told you not to move. See? If you guys had moved, it would have been a disaster.'
But the atmosphere wasn't right for gloating.
No matter how many Nunus there were, they weren't even worth the dirt under Levi's toenails.
The real crisis starts now.
'Is it at least fortunate that it's become a 1 against 11 situation?'
Thanks to Levi clearing out the trash mobs(?), the numbers became favorable.
Of course, the situation hadn't actually become favorable.
Just because the head count decreased didn't mean Levi had become any weaker.
"...Are you the rumored 'Hero of the Eastern Front'?"
"That's what people call me."
"To think you settled the Eastern Front just by appearing, you are indeed excellent."
...Based on what?
"However, if I had been on the Eastern Front, even that measly mask of yours would have been stripped off."
"I wonder."
Even without you, it would have been stripped off.
I want to add that, but the words don't come out easily.
"Such great confidence! I like it. Yes, a strong person should have that much grit."
He seems to be making a huge misunderstanding.
I have no intention of correcting him.
I'm so scared right now that just standing here is a struggle.
"How did you get in here? This place should be impossible to interfere with from the outside."
"Ah, yeah. That. It was quite a hassle. Because that guy suddenly made a request."
"That guy?"
"Yeah, you should know him well? That fellow who snuck into Glasco."
"Don't tell me... Rit?"
"Nonsense! Not that half-breed."
Goosebumps broke out all over me.
Was Rit not the only demon who snuck into Glasco?
Was there someone else hiding their identity and waiting for the right time?
And a demon in a position high enough to make a 'request' to Levi.
"Anyway, it was worth the effort of carving away my own flesh to come find you. Now, satisfy me more!"
He grabbed one of his own bones and began to wield it as if showcasing swordsmanship.
I'm telling you, you're feeling that worth for nothing.
As the guy raised his energy, my legs were shaking to the point of collapse.
'...Wait. 'Carving away my own flesh'?'
One sentence among his words particularly bothers me.
Carving away his own flesh.
Come to think of it, the state of the Nunus was strangely messed up.
The fact that the students fought back surprisingly well was also a factor.
'...Could it be.'
I need to prove the thought that suddenly came to mind.
"Your rank must have been downgraded for crossing the dimensional wall."
"Hmm? Ah, that doesn't matter. Even so, this body is strong."
...The hypothesis was correct.
Right, he wouldn't have been summoned without any price.
He was summoned here while accepting the downgrade of his existence.
In other words, Levi, a high-ranking demon, is currently in a state downgraded to a strength somewhere between a low-rank and a mid-rank demon.
Maybe it's worth a shot.
"How arrogant."
Suddenly, confidence began to sprout.
Levi's current rank is lowered, and he is letting his guard down.
If I exploit that carelessness, there might be a chance of winning.
Let's cut him down at a speed that escapes his perception.
Coincidentally, isn't there a skill that fits that perfectly?
'Deyan's Durandal.'
The name of Deyan's sword stored beyond the dimension, and a name that has become a skill in itself.
That is the only way to cut down the overconfident Levi.
"Teaching and Learning Grow Together. Deyan – Durandal."
You're dead meat now.
[The target exists in another dimension, so the skill cannot be summoned.]
What the fuck?
***
"An error in the
It was less than 10 minutes since contact was made with Dust Industries.
They didn't believe it at first, but they only moved after confirming Ailon's name and the live broadcast video.
And they even used a Mass Teleport Scroll.
'Mass Teleport. To use such an expensive thing without any hesitation...'
Even a regular Teleport Scroll is expensive, but that financial power to use a Mass Teleport Scroll to move that many people at once without hesitation.
Once again, the wealth of the Dust family, the world's richest, was being realized.
"Say something!"
But now is not the time to be impressed by such things.
"Look over there."
"T-That is!"
Ronald pointed to the shared screen.
Monsters were overflowing, and Nunus covered in scales were roaring.
And then, an even greater despair appeared.
"W-What on earth is that..."
"Those things were summoned because of an error in Kailon Hall. We can't get them out from here, and they can't come out on their own. How is it, can you fix it?"
"...It's impossible."
Steven Dust, the head of Dust Industries, muttered blankly.
"I understand you're out of your mind because your son is in danger. But now is not the time for that. Can you restore the system or not!"
At Ronald's urging, he barely pulled himself together and opened his mouth.
"...It's too much. I brought our company's top engineers, but I can't guarantee anything."
"No, didn't the developer of Kailon Hall come? That person should..."
"Over there."
"Eh?"
"My son, Ailon, who is over there, is the developer of this
"T-This is nonsense..."
Despair flashed across both their faces.
"Then can't we do something for Professor Lucas at least? By the look of it, Professor Lucas is also trapped and can't come out..."
"Look over there!"
At someone's shout, all eyes shifted to the screen.
There, Professor Lucas was revealing his presence brilliantly while confronting the demon.
"I-It worked! Since Professor Lucas is free, he will buy us time. Please start the restoration immediately!"
"Understood. We will do so."
Hope slightly peeked its head out.
However.
"Aaaaah!"
As Levi's
"Professor Lucas is fine!"
"The students too!"
Fortunately, even in that terrifying situation, Lucas and the students were safe.
"Professor Lucas..."
Now, they had no choice but to place their hope in Lucas, who stood firmly before Levi.
Every single one of his movements drew their gaze.
***
"Did you just do something?"
Levi swung his bone sword grandly as if it were laughable.
Whoosh!
Boom!
With a huge roar, Lucas was sent flying far away.
'N-No way!'
The spark of hope was dying out.
They thought Lucas would be equal to or overwhelm that demon, but in reality, he wasn't.
Seeing him sent flying that much by a single sword strike.
Despair settled on Ruina's face.
And yet, her gaze continued to chase Lucas.
'Huh?'
But something was held in his hand as he stood up.
'My locket!'
The locket that was her mother's keepsake.
That locket, more precious than her own life, was held in Lucas's hand.
'Professor, don't tell me...'
Lucas hadn't failed to respond to the demon's attack.
He had thrown his body to protect her locket.
'How...'
Having fully stood up, he held the locket and sent a gaze toward Ruina.
As if telling her not to worry.
As if saying he had retrieved what she cherished.
Ruina felt an inexplicable sense of relief from those chilly eyes.
***
Levi's bone sword is swung.
There is a way to respond... there is.
"Teaching and Learning Grow Together. Baron Wilhelm – Iron Wall."
Clang!
'I'm glad Baron is still here.'
A guy with the potential to become the best tanker in the world.
A terrifying monster who mastered the defense-specialized skill 'Iron Wall' just because I changed his recommended equipment to a shield.
Thanks to him, I survived.
'Hmm? What is this?'
I feel something bothersome in my hand.
A golden-colored locket necklace.
Why is this in my hand?
My wandering gaze lingers in the air.
Then I lock eyes with Ruina, who is holding her breath over there.
What are you looking at.
"Ho, you endured that? Indeed, you didn't earn the fame of 'Hero of the Eastern Front' for nothing?"
I did earn it for nothing, though.
Levi senses my presence and slowly approaches.
'Now I can't use Iron Wall, and among the skills of the remaining kids, something to face that guy...'
There is none.
Was there?
No, there was never one.
Most of the people here are those who haven't properly blossomed their talents yet.
So it's natural that there are no usable skills.
'Ha, shit, I struggled so damn hard.'
It seems that is also at an end.
"Won't you attack more?"
Would you want to attack if you were me?
Now I don't even have the motivation to be scared.
Since it's come to this, should I just talk big and mess with his blood pressure before I go?
"Shall I teach you one thing?"
"What is it?"
"You, you'll live feeling all high and mighty until you get stabbed in the back and die."
"What are you talking about right now."
"Right now you're acting all big because you're a high-ranking demon, but among the mid-ranking demons under you, there's one named Aldo, right? He's the one who finishes you."
Ah, is that a spoiler?
It's not just high-ranking demons who think poorly of Levi, who came from low-rank origins.
The ones who find him most disagreeable are the low-rank and mid-rank demons.
And his end is to be killed by a mid-ranking demon under his command.
"What does that mean?"
"What do you mean, I'm just giving you advice for the rest of your life."
"Ridiculous. But, you. It seems your atmosphere has suddenly changed."
"Maybe it's time for me to die."
Since it's come to this, I'm going all out.
I'll die after making a final struggle.
It's somehow unfair to be killed by a character I created.
I want to show him at least the dignity of the creator.
The only struggle I can make is 'Teaching and Learning Grow Together'.
Something to make this guy go 'ouch!' at least...
'Huh?'
...There is.
[Mark – Disciple]
.
.
.
-Levi
.
.
.
'Why is Levi's name here?'
I don't know the reason, but Levi's name is clearly recorded in the [Mark].
"Are you mad? You said things that made no sense and now you're laughing?"
"Ah, because something good happened."
He still has a look on his face like he has no idea what's going on.
...And he will never know.
"Teaching and Learning Grow Together. Levi – Dance of a Hundred Bones."
Crunch!
Whoosh!
The bones growing on Levi's back danced wildly.
The target, unfortunately, was Levi himself.
"W-Why..."
Stab!
With a face full of questions, he was pierced by his own bones and thus ended his life.
"Die without ever knowing."
My whole body is trembling uncontrollably.
Fatigue permeates my whole body... I want to rest.
[A new notification has arrived.]
[User SpeedLife has sponsored 10,000G.]
[User Chasseur has sponsored 1,000G.]
[User Dragonian has sponsored 1,000G.]
[User Durin has sponsored 10,000G.]
[User Habaek has sponsored 300G.]
[User PandaDoll has sponsored 500G.]
[User k2929 has sponsored 100G.]
[User k2929 has sponsored 100G.]
However, notifications that make that fatigue vanish cleanly popped up explosively.
I feel dizzy.
What?
10,000 Gold?
Despite my
But no matter how many times I checked, it was the same.
A 10,000 gold sponsorship.
And two of them at that.
The alarms didn't end there.
[Rit's affinity increases significantly! +50]
[Rit's affinity has exceeded 50. Rit's hostility now disappears.]
[Rit's affinity has exceeded 80. Now Rit interprets your words more favorably.]
[Favorite Work Change Notification]
[981 -> 1,023]
[The Favorite Work count has exceeded 1,000 for the first time.]
[A 'Special Coupon' has been issued as a celebration.]
===
[Special Coupon]
A coupon that allows you to purchase one of the Tier 1-2 items in the Gold Shop regardless of price. However, it is used as a priority in all purchasing actions, and all currently held gold is consumed upon use. After acquisition, gold cannot be converted into points until the coupon is used.
A lot of things popped up.
So, since I worked my ass off, it seems they're throwing a lot of rewards at me...
'Should I be happy about this or not?'
It's sad that I can't just be relieved because of the track record of this crappy game.