Zoga, the Demon Lord.
Considered a variant of the man-eating giant Ogre.
A master of the greatsword, capable of cutting even dragons in half with a single blow.
Ranked as a Master, fifth in the hierarchy.
He led the Demon Lord's army in the battle known as the "Battle of Arianne" but suffered a devastating defeat.
As a result, he fled in retreat and sought refuge in the Katarov Dungeon.
This was the information about the Demon Lord that Hero Eligion shared.
And now, the Hero and the Demon Lord had just come face to face.
Hero and Demon Lord.
This conflict between the two has unfolded many times throughout history.
Of course, the presence of these two entities changes with each era.
In my time, a hundred years from now, the conflict between the Hero and the Demon Lord is known as the "Fourth Hero-Demon War."
Yes, the war between the Hero and the Demon Lord is always referred to as the Hero-Demon War, and this is the fourth occurrence.
"All right, here we go."
Hero Eligion said so as he unsheathed his sword.
This was no ordinary sword.
The sword held by the Hero was a legendary sword said to be usable only by the Hero.
Clang! The sound of sword clashing with sword echoed.
When I looked, the Demon Lord and the Hero were clashing swords.
"Huh?"
I was perplexed. Just moments ago, there was a considerable distance between the two of them. Could it be that in an instant, they had closed the gap within the sword's reach?
"It's impossible to keep up with them."
From there, the Hero and the Demon Lord continued clashing swords.
However, their movements were so fast that it was difficult to track with the eyes.
I, who had thought about trying to assist the Hero just a little while ago, felt foolish. It was impossible for me to intervene in the battle between these two.
"Well, it seems the injuries from our previous battle have healed. I feel relieved. I was worried about what would happen if I couldn't defeat the Demon Lord when he's not in perfect condition."
"You're quite the little brat, aren't you? My defeat in the previous battle was because I didn't go all out."
"I see. Well then, I guess the warm-up can end soon. From now on, I'll give it my all, so keep up with me, okay?"
"I know that without you telling me! Damn it!"
Huh? So, they weren't even going all out before? I couldn't help but be surprised by their conversation.
"Oh, Kiska, you shouldn't be standing there. If you don't want to die, you should keep your distance."
"Y-Yes."
As advised, I quickly moved further away.
In the next moment, I was blown away by the shockwave.
The source of the shockwave was the clash between the Hero and the Demon Lord's swords. Just from the impact of their swords clashing, why did a shockwave form?
The fierce battle between the Hero and the Demon Lord continued from there.
◆
Hero Eligion.
The first prince of the Rastarna Kingdom.
Naturally gifted in both the arts and combat, he had overwhelmed those around him since birth.
Five years ago, Eligion obtained the skill "Hero," which bestowed upon him the title of a true hero.
For the past five years, he had been fighting in the "Fourth Hero-Demon War."
And now, he was battling the Demon Lord to settle the score.
Both the Hero and the Demon Lord held the rank of "Master."
However, in terms of rank, the Demon Lord was ranked 5th, while the Hero was ranked 7th.
Even though he was ranked lower, it didn't change the fact that the Hero's side had the advantage. That was because the Hero was an existence capable of absolutely defeating the Demon Lord.
"Take this!"
He shouted while wielding the "Holy Sword Hagentia."
Hero Eligion possessed the skill "Swordsmanship," which improved his sword skills, the skill "Might" that allowed him to wield a greatsword with one hand, and a skill called "Forceful Swordsmanship (Greatsword)," which was an evolution of the two previous skills. Additionally, the Hero possessed the ultimate skill known as "Doubled Physical Abilities," which temporarily doubled his physical capabilities.
The strike unleashed by Hero Eligion, combining all these skills, was devastating.
"Too slow!"
The Demon Lord Zoga effortlessly parried the full-force blow with his large sword.
Nevertheless, it was hardly surprising. For a Demon Lord, this level of attack wasn't enough to provide a challenge.
"How about this one then?"
For his next strike, the Hero sharpened his focus.
"Holy Sword Style Swordsmanship, Cross Thrust!"
Saying this, Hero Eligion unleashed a sword technique.
Weapons with their own special techniques were known as "skill-bearing" weapons. By forming a contract with such a weapon, one could learn the unique techniques associated with it. The "Holy Sword Hagentia" wielded by Hero Eligion was one of these skill-bearing weapons.
From the Hero Eligion, who had unleashed his skill, radiated a cross-shaped aura of awe. It was a cruel light that would annihilate any life caught within it.
This was truly an extraordinary skill.
However, Demon Lord Zoga, his opponent, was also an exceptional existence.
"Unholy Sword Style Swordsmanship, Taboo."
With a technique released from the Demon Lord Zoga's massive sword, the "Sinful Sword Needsheck," Hero Eligion skill was deflected. The technique emanating from the Demon Lord Zoga was a deep abyss of darkness that swallowed even the light.
The relentless onslaught from Demon Lord Zoga continued.
"Heroaa!! Take this!!"
Evading Hero Eligion's attack, Demon Lord Zoga prepared to unleash his finishing move.
"Unholy Sword Style Swordsmanship, Ghostly Slash."
The "Sinful Sword Needsheck" held by Demon Lord Zoga was enveloped in dark shadows, transforming into a colossal sword. As it swung toward Hero Eligion, it incorporated even the dungeon walls into its strike, intending to deliver the final blow.
On the other hand, Hero Eligion, likely due to the recoil from his previous skill, was reacting too slowly.
At this rate, the Hero would be vanquished by the Demon Lord.
At least, that's what Kiska, who had been watching their battle from afar, believed.
"Save."
Suddenly, Hero Eligion muttered these words.
His voice was incredibly faint, and the Demon Lord, at least, couldn't hear it. However, as Kiska watched the movement of the Hero's lips, though not with absolute certainty, he suspected that Hero Eligion had said "Save."
In the next instant, an unbelievable event occurred.
"Huh…?"
Kiska was left dumbfounded by this inexplicable phenomenon.
To succinctly describe this phenomenon, one might say that Hero Eligion had split into multiple individuals. However, it was evident to Kiska that the situation was far from simple.
"The repetition of time…"
That was Kiska's conclusion.
He reached this conclusion because he possessed the skill "Save & Reset," which he received from Agetha, the self-proclaimed hero. It was reasonable to assume that Hero Eligion, also being a hero, had the same skill.
Hero Eligion had been repeating time multiple times in an attempt to defeat the Demon Lord. As a result, Kiska perceived multiple instances of Hero Eligion, which appeared as if he had split. The reason it seemed as though he had split was that the echoes of Hero Eligion from other timelines were likely lingering.
It was likely that the Demon Lord Zoga was unaware that time had been repeating itself. Kiska had the awareness to recognize this because he too possessed the "Save & Reset" skill.
Hero Eligion continued to repeat time until he finally succeeded. After hundreds of repetitions, Hero Eligion ultimately plunged his greatsword deep into the Demon Lord Zoga's chest.
"Idiot…"
Those were the Demon Lord's final words.
It was apparent to anyone witnessing that the Demon Lord had been slain by the hand of the Hero.