Chapter 111: The Demon King is Pursued
ㅤ”The Four Heavenly Demon Generals!? But, if that’s the case, then wouldn’t she be Almirash-san’s subordinate…”
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ㅤ”The hierarchy of the Demon Tribe is based on power. Certainly, it’s said that my latent potential far surpasses that of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, but the fact remains that I currently can’t use my power. Previously, Imsoda-san was the one who kept the young demons eager for revenge in check in my place, but…”
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ㅤ”Imsoda is gone and there’s no one to hold them back, huh?
ㅤWhat about that Grunblin fellow?”
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ㅤ”Among the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, even among the entire Demon Tribe, she is an exceptional pro-war advocate. She declared that a Demon King who cannot fight, a Demon King who desires peace with the enemy, is not her master, and parted ways with the other executives and disappeared.”
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ㅤ”So, Grunblin’s aim is—”
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ㅤJust as I was about to speak, Grunblin laughed from the bow of the ship.
ㅤI guess this is what they call a ferocious smile.
ㅤBaring her teeth, she narrowed her eyes and glared at Almirash-san.
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ㅤThe next moment, Grunblin disappeared from the ship.
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ㅤA moment later, the bow of the ship sank deeply, the ship shook violently, and—ah, Jit-san fell into the sea.
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ㅤLeaving only that much reaction behind, Grunblin leaped high into the air.
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ㅤAfter a somersault, she “landed” on the water’s surface and began running as if it were solid ground.
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ㅤHer target, of course, was Almirash-san.
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ㅤ”—Gatling Turret!”
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ㅤI created multiple Ether Shot turrets in the air and fired ether bullets like a sudden downpour.
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ㅤAt the same time, I scooped up the bewildered Almirash-san and fled into the forest behind us.
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ㅤLooking back for a moment, the blonde beauty had dispersed the rain of Ether Shots with the spear in her hand and had reached the sandy beach without difficulty.
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ㅤ”Ahaha… Can we escape!?”
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ㅤThat bloodlust.
ㅤIt’s certain that the Four Heavenly Demon General Grunblin is targeting Almirash-san.
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ㅤI tried toppling nearby trees with Ether Shot, creating pitfalls with magic, setting the forest on fire and fanning it with wind, but Grunblin pulverized the fallen trees with her spear, stepped on the air to run over the holes, and extinguished the flames and wind with a single sweep of her spear.
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ㅤ（Can I fight her head-on? No, absolutely impossible!）
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ㅤI was able to defeat Imsoda because he had transferred his consciousness into Lewis’s body. At that time, Imsoda still had much of his power in the Netherworld, and the power he could wield in the physical world was limited. That’s why we were able to defeat him so easily.
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ㅤBut the Four Heavenly Demon General chasing us now is different.
ㅤIt seems she has already obtained a host body and brought a considerable amount of power into the physical world.
ㅤThe presence I felt when I saw Imsoda’s main body in the Netherworld is densely emanating from Grunblin’s body.
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ㅤ”Ahaha! On such a small island, even if we escape, she’ll find us!”
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ㅤMy tension has surpassed its limit for the first time in a while, and my laughter is in top form.
ㅤIf anyone else saw me, they’d tell me to stop because it’s creepy.
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ㅤ”M-Minato-san! Please leave me and escape! Her target is only me!”
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ㅤAlmirash-san, who was being held in a princess carry by me, said.
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ㅤ（Come to think of it, that’s an option too.）
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ㅤI hadn’t thought of that at all.
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ㅤ”Could it be that she can track Almirash-san’s presence!?”
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ㅤ”That’s right! I am an existence that activates those with demonic lineage just by existing… It’s easy for a high-ranking demon like her to track that presence!”
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ㅤ”Demonic lineage…”
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ㅤHearing that, I remembered.
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ㅤYesterday, when we were choosing a campsite, I felt the presence of a large group of monsters dwelling in a place quite far away.
ㅤIf they’re not scattered throughout the island, but staying in one place—
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ㅤ”I might be able to lose her there.”
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ㅤI continued running while keeping an eye on my surroundings and creating distractions.
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ㅤEven with the Gramasu Kago, sprinting at full speed while carrying Almirash-san is quite difficult.
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ㅤHowever, the Four Heavenly Demon General chasing us also seems to be losing her pace due to fatigue, as she has a physical body. Judging by the way she started out too fast and is now slowing down, she’s not used to a physical body in this world, just like Almirash-san.
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ㅤThanks to that, the chase continued in a barely balanced state—
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ㅤ”There it is!”
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ㅤI discovered the flow of ether I was looking for in a mountain basin.
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ㅤRocks were exposed in the basin, and from the cracks within, a dense ether and the presence of monsters were leaking out.
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ㅤ”But… the entrance is half-buried!”
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ㅤI fired Ether Shot repeatedly, pulverizing the large rocks blocking the entrance.
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ㅤ”—Wait! That Demon King is my prey! If you interfere, I won’t show mercy, human!”
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ㅤGrunblin finally caught up.
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ㅤI grabbed as many Goblin Smoke Balls as I could from the Abyss Worm’s Infinite Stomach and slammed them all onto the ground.
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ㅤ”Guh, cough, hack!”
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ㅤWhile Grunblin was choking on the smoke, the Goblin Smoke Balls erased my and Almirash-san’s figures and presence.
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ㅤ”W-Wait!”
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ㅤIgnoring the flustered Grunblin, I jumped into the dungeon.