Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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Chapter 270


『Hisago, most of the soldiers have been taken care of』

　Former castle of the Demon King.
　Nagi-san, who had cut down the demon soldiers with her sword in the castle sunk underground, now called the ruins, called out to Hisago-san.
　In front of his eyes, too, several demon soldiers and an individual that looked like the light-magic-absorbing golem we had fought were lying in pieces, but I could not see any injuries on Hisago-san's body.

『The Demon King is up ahead, isn't he.』
『Yeah, I guess so.』

　As he gave a short reply, he looked at the sword he was holding in his right hand.
　It is the hero's weapon, based on Falga-sama's wings, and is a different sword from the small one that was thrust into the heart of the evil dragon.
　As Hisago-san was staring at it without any emotion, Nagi-san spoke to him.

『Hey, Hisago.』
『...What up?』
『After this battle is over... after you defeat the Demon King, what are you going to do?』

　At her question, Hisago-san looks straight ahead with a blank expression on his face.

『After, huh?』
『Are you going back to the beastfolk village after all? It's a place you built, so everyone will be waiting for you to return』
『...Nagi, what about you?』

　He asked in a somewhat forced tone, and Nagi-san tilted her head and scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

『Me? I... haven't decided yet. Ah, it seems nee-san found a nice guy in the village, so I want to celebrate』
『You're sisters who got separated, after all』
『Yeah, well, it was all thanks to Hisago that we were able to meet again』

　When he hears Nagi's words, his expression turns grim, as if tormented by guilt.
　But even so, he unclenches his fist———and pulls out a ball of light from his palm.

『I don't have the right to live in the future』
『...Hisago?』
『...No, maybe it's more accurate to say I shouldn't be living in the first place』

　He laughed mockingly at himself, then continued speaking while staring at his own palm.

『My existence makes the lives and futures of many people miserable. Just like those people of Samarial...』

　He released a ball of light and pulled out of the void an intricately crafted sarcophagus.
　Nagi-san looked at it as if it had been there for a long time, and looked as if she had no idea what was going on.

『Hisago, what is that...』
『Nagi, I'm sorry.』
『What are you———』

　The next moment, Nagi-san's chest was pierced by a sword that Hisago-san had thrust out.

『———Eh?』

　It did not physically hurt her.
　The sword blade, surrounded by light, did not penetrate through her back, but sank into her chest.
　It was the light of the sealing of the system strengthening that I had seen many times.

『You, who possess the magic of foresight... please see for me the coming era and the people who will live in that era.』
『Hi, sa... go.』
『You can hate me.』

　Nagi-san's body is enveloped in light.
　At the same time, her eyes gradually closed.
　Hisago-san, holding Nagi-san's body as it hardens like a stone, places her in the sarcophagus.

『...Sorry.』

　After completely sealing the sarcophagus with a stone lid, he picks up a soldier's sword that has fallen at his feet.
　As he continues walking down the dark corridor, he remains completely alone.

"I haven't seen this memory, but I see, that's how it was."

　The Demon King sighed in admiration as he played with the magic.

"Well, I guess he is not wrong."

　The Demon King spoke these words to us, who were at a loss for words because we could not grasp the situation due to the sudden action of Hisago-san.

"Are you sure that he wasn't wrong?"
"Kannagi is a strong woman, but she cannot keep up with Hisago's full strength in battle. No doubt she would have been hindered in the fight with me———and above all, there was no way that Hisago could have lived a peaceful life after the battle."
"...Why?"
"On the contrary, do you think that an ambitious person would leave a person with such strength alone?"
"..."

　The image of the king of Samarial and the sorcerer, who were fascinated by the power of the hero, came to my mind.
　They became like that because they witnessed Hisago-san's overwhelming power as the hero.
　Hisago is in no way to blame, but there could be others like them.

"Power beyond understanding can make a person's mind go haywire. He must have understood that very well. In fact, I heard that after he sealed me away, he disappeared without ever appearing in public."

　...But why did Hisago-san seal Nagi-san away?
　The next time she wakes up will be a few hundred years from now ——— the time in which we live.
　When I try to ask about it, the view in front of me changes.
　It was a scene of the past Demon King facing Hisago-san.

『Finally, I've come this far.』
『This is the end of our feud.』

　Hisago glares sharply at the Demon King, who is sitting on his throne as he is now.
　The Demon King frowned in displeasure when he saw the sword in his hand.

『You don't have Falga's weapons? Are you underestimating me?』
『I don't need that anymore.』

　The Demon King looked puzzled at Hisago's assertion.

『The sword is only to assist my power. It's just a useful tool, and losing it won't hurt me. Or do you think that the power of the sword is the only thing that makes me strong?』
『———Ku, kuku, what a man of a glib tongue. I see, you have no need for the weapons of the divine dragon any more. You've become even more of a monster, human.』
『From my point of view, you are more of a monster.』

　The Demon King and the Hero exchange insults with each other.
　However, there was something about their exchange that suggested they were familiar with each other.
　Perhaps they had engaged in battles many times other than what I've seen in the memory.

『Can I ask you a few questions before we fight?』
『Huh? What are you saying now?』
『It's because it's now. Once the fighting begins, neither of us will have time to think about that.』
『...Haaa...』

　Hisago-san lets out a sigh of resignation and thrusts his sword at the ground.
　He crosses his arms and the Demon King starts talking to him.

"What are you thinking, trying to defeat me?"
"Hah?"
"You wouldn't say something so naive as to say you're fighting for the sake of humans at this point, would you? If you were to say something like that ——— the Heigar Kingdom would not have been destroyed."

　Upon hearing of the downfall of the Heigar Kingdom, the one that summoned him, he didn't even bat an eyebrow.

『I have no complaints regarding a conflict between us. My subordinates who departed for their deaths also enjoyed the struggle and died with satisfaction. However, even I find it a little creepy that the very purpose of your fight remains a mystery.』
『...』
『What are you fighting for? It's not for something so ignorant as your mission as a hero, is it?』

　Hisago-san was silent for a while after hearing the Demon King's question.
　After a moment of silence, he slowly began to speak.

『I believe in the potential of humans』
『...You're saying things like that at this point? I thought you'd already sick and tired of humans』
『I was already sick and tired of them a long time ago』

　The Demon King looks puzzled at Hisago-san's words.
　He believes in the potential of human beings, but he's already sick and tired of them?
　Even as I watched, I couldn't understand what he meant.

『Now is not the time to believe.』
『Hou?』
『These are troubled times. The war has corroded the hearts and minds of the people, just as it did the world in which I lived.』

　The world he used to live in.
　It was probably a time when war was a common occurrence.
　It must have been a fierce place, even compared to the times we lived in.

『One of the reasons why people's hearts become hardened is that a world of war. So if that war disappeared, wouldn't people's hearts change for the better? ———Wouldn't excessive power be unnecessary? That's what I thought."
『Ku, kuku...』

　The past Demon King covered his mouth as if to hold back a smile.
　As if mocking Hisago-san's resolve, he opened his mouth with his shoulders shaking.

『So, you fought bravely, sacrificing yourself for something as uncertain as the future? Do you understand? That's just a crazy ideal you're forcing into the world.』
『That's why I left the trial. I leave the rest to those who live after me.』

　...Could it be that he sealed only the soul of the evil dragon and did not destroy its body in order to test the people living in the future?
　To see if the people of that era could join hands and face the threat of the evil dragon...?
　No, is such a ridiculous thing even possible?

『If the future is ruined by the trials I have left for them, then so be it.』
『But what will you do after defeating me?』
『I don't know. I doubt you'll ever use magic again.』
『You truly live a meaningless life. Are you trying so hard to avoid conflict? You could just cut off humans altogether.』

　The Demon King seemed fed up.
　Then, as if he remembered something, he smiled maliciously and used magic to bring out something.

『Then, after the battle, do you need this?』

　As he said that, he took out something that looked like a shining golden piece of paper.
　From what I could see, it looked like a scroll, but what was it?

『What is that?"
『This is a scroll inscribed with the formula for your return to the world from which you came.』
『...Was that something that Heigar had?』

"Hah!?"

　A scroll to return to the original world!?
　Did the Kingdom of Heigar even prepare something like that?
　I instinctively looked at the Demon King, but he just looked at my reaction with amusement.

『With this, you can disappear from this world. Then there will be no one to look for you』

　Hisago-san turns hostile toward the Demon King, who flutters and flips the scroll.

『No need. I don't need that.』
『Really? Just so you know, this is the real deal, okay.』
『You're annoying.』

　The Demon King gleefully erases the scroll.
　A scroll to return to the original world, huh?

『If you were to accept this obediently, I was thinking of throwing you into the dimensional gap, but you certainly didn't disappoint me.』
『I thought that would be the case...』

"Demon King-sama, isn't your personality too evil...?"
"I'm the Demon King, you know?"

　Even his servant, Ciel-san, is taken aback by the Demon King.
　Or rather, the Demon King before he was sealed away seemed to be quite emotional in front of Hisago-san.
　The intimidating presence he exudes is also much stronger in the past, so it definitely feels like the current Demon King has become weaker.

『Either way, there is a future ahead to test. I'm here to drive the final wedge.』
『———I see. That's why you are here, facing me.』

　When Hisago-san picked up the sword he had stuck into the floor, the Demon King laughed happily and stood up from his throne.

『Very well! Let's see if we can put this broken plan into action!! Try it out right here, right now!』
『I'm going to do it even if you don't tell me』

　The battle begins.
　The greatest battle ever fought between the Demon King and the Hero.
　The Demon King deploys more than several hundred magic spells, and Hisago-san creates an equivalent sphere of light around himself.

『First move』

　Hisago-san, who has taken in the many balls of light floating around him, lightly swings the sword in his hand at the Demon King.
　It was just a simple movement, but the blow was so fast that even I could not follow it with my eyes, and it easily smashed through the ceiling and floor, becoming a slash that struck the Demon King.

『Looks like you have been underestimating me.』
『!』

　The Demon King, who had eliminated the slash with just a thrust of his palm forward, activated a spell.
　There's more than one.
　He activates several spells at the same time, turning them into torrents of light that rush towards Hisago-san all at once.
　The magic that is so massive that even his system strengthening, the sealing, does not make it in time, launches his body into the air, and he continues to strike more follow-up shots.

『———If you don't stop it, you'll be flying endlessly?』

　The attack was so severe that even the ceiling above their heads was breached, and we could not see Hisago-san at all.
　We, who were watching the attack, could do nothing but be stunned by the sheer power of the Demon King.
　———The power of the Demon King in his prime.
　As we were simply overwhelmed by his power, the magic that continued to be unleashed over his head disappeared without warning.

『———Ku, kuhahaha! Oi oi, you bast*rd, you were able to do that too!』

　The Demon King laughed as he looked up at the night sky that had broken through the ceiling.
　At the same time, the night sky above was once again completely covered by something.

『You can even bring down mountains, hero!!』
『Well done, you bast*rd...!』

　What appeared was a mountain mass of astonishing mass.
　Rocks fell as if the heavens and the earth had been turned upside down.
　The Demon King looked up at them and prepared to intercept them, manipulating numerous spells like a conductor.
　At the moment when their powers collided once again, light filled the surroundings.
　The battle between the Demon King and the Hero———it was something far beyond our expectations, something that was truly on another level.

"———It was a good entertainment, wasn't it?"

　Before we realized it, the scene in front of us had vanished, and all the illusions created by the Demon King with his magic had also vanished.
　We, who were sitting on chairs, were stunned for a while, not fully grasping the situation, but as soon as we came to our senses, we turned our attention to the Demon King.

"The foolishness of humans in the past, the path walked by the hero Hisago, and the hidden meaning behind his actions. I've summarized it quite briefly, but I'm sure you understand it well."
"...I can clearly see how far-fetched you are."
"You've already heard from Falga, right? I can't wield the same power I showed you in the past."

　But even so, it was clear that there was still a big gap between him and us.
　The Demon King before me was one who possessed extraordinary powers, just like Hisago-san.

"Although that was merely a sideshow, do you understand why we cannot trust the human race?"
"...Yeah"
"Then are you prepared to defeat me and destroy the demon tribe?"

　Hearing the Demon King's testing words, I closed my eyes for a moment and collected my thoughts.
　The way the humans treated Hisago-san was certainly cruel.
　The same goes for the treatment of beastfolk.
　With a history like that, it's not surprising that the demons would never trust humans.

"A choice, huh?"

　Don't limit your possibilities.
　That's what Rose said to me as I embarked on this journey.
　I'm not going to be so arrogant as to think that the demon tribe is on the brink of destruction or not because of my choices.
　However, after seeing Hisago-san's memory of earlier———the negative history of what humans have done and the battle with the Demon King's army in the past, something like a resolution came to my mind.

"Defeating you is not the same as destroying the demon tribe."
"...What do you mean?"
"For now, I'm going to beat you up for everything you've done so far."

　I can no longer stop the words that I have already spoken out.
　I took a light breath and spoke the words that would determine the future———,

"And then, I———"
"Yes! Baaaang!"

　The door on the side was suddenly opened with a tremendous force.
　The one who appeared, standing tall with the light on her back ——— was the girl I had been waiting for a while.

"Yai yai Demon King! Now that I, the Thunder Hero Suzune, has arrived, you've got to give up!"

　We couldn't help but hold our heads in our hands as Senpai pointed a finger at the Demon King, who rolled his eyes, and Amako, who held her head in her hands behind her as well.

——— seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Author's Notes:
Usato was troubled by the appearance of serious breaker Suzune.
Comedy elements will return from the next chapter.