The Unfortunate Girl Wants an Easy Mode in Her Second Life – Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Angry Armie
ㅤ”Minato! Are you alright!?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Almi!”
ㅤ
ㅤI made my way through, defeating the demons, and soon reunited with Almi.
ㅤI had been briefed beforehand by Lewis about the estimated deployment of the demon forces, and more importantly, I have a minimap.
ㅤHaving visited this place before during the Imusoda incident, I had a general understanding of the geography.
ㅤ
ㅤFrom above ground, the distant sound of war cries could be heard.
ㅤFollowing us, the Knights had also begun their assault.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi and I continued deeper into the ruins, eliminating the demon soldiers that occasionally jumped out at us.
ㅤWhile we didn’t know Hamilton’s exact location, common sense dictated it would be the chamber with the water sphere where the Dream Weaver had been.
ㅤDuring the Imusoda incident, we were the ones defending that location, so we knew it was a highly defensible position.
ㅤ
ㅤ（He wouldn’t be in a shallow area as a surprise tactic, would he?）
ㅤ
ㅤAlthough not on par with us, Hamilton was a former member of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals.
ㅤIf he were to encounter the Knights, it could result in significant casualties on their side.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No traps so far.”
ㅤ
ㅤMy biggest concern was the possibility of traps being set within the ruins themselves.
ㅤConsidering the difference in strength, it would be a logical tactic to try and lure me and Almi into a trap and defeat us without a fight.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yeah. The defenses seem rather thin…”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi said suspiciously.
ㅤ
ㅤIndeed, aside from the sporadic demon soldiers launching attacks, there was no organized resistance.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It feels like a half-hearted guerrilla warfare.”
ㅤ
ㅤI thought it was a common tactic to lure a large army into an area with many obstacles, such as a city, and launch irregular attacks, but even so, it was too scattered to be effective.
ㅤHowever, considering the Knights behind us, it was a blessing that the enemy’s resistance was weak.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Even if I said I would risk my life for the people, if there are too many sacrifices, it will make things difficult for us.）
ㅤ
ㅤIt would also worsen Sherry-san’s position as the Captain.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Somehow, there seem to be fewer than I expected.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yeah, it seems like almost all of them were the ones we saw above.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Perhaps their numbers were depleted more than we thought during the village attack.”
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, that only deepened the mystery.
ㅤWhat was Hamilton trying to achieve by senselessly squandering his forces to the point where even the defense of his base was jeopardized?
ㅤ
ㅤThen, something flashed through my mind.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Could it be… that was the goal in itself?）
ㅤ
ㅤIt was just a hunch, but recalling some fragmented knowledge, I thought it might be a possibility.
ㅤ
ㅤ（But, I can’t tell Almi about this.）
ㅤ
ㅤAs I secretly pondered, we continued through the ruins.
ㅤThe demon soldiers hid in blind spots and behind objects, aiming for a suicidal attack.
ㅤMany of them attempted to self-destruct using magic, similar to a more powerful version of the Ether Bomb.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Glory to the Demon race!”
ㅤ”I dedicate my life to the Demon race’s long-cherished desire!”
ㅤ”Long live the True Demon King, His Majesty Hamilton!”
ㅤ”Curse the usurper Minato!”
ㅤ”We will not forgive the traitorous Demon King Almirash!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi and I had no choice but to crush the demons who attacked us with dangerous gleams in their eyes and crazed smiles.
ㅤ
ㅤWe progressed through the ruins, subjected to a real-life display of the gore typically found in Western hack-and-slash games.
ㅤ
ㅤIt was going smoothly.
ㅤToo smoothly.
ㅤ
ㅤ（As I thought, is this the case…?）
ㅤ
ㅤI gradually became more convinced of my hunch.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s up ahead.”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi said with a tense expression, standing before a large double door.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi wasn’t tense because she lacked confidence in winning the battle.
ㅤShe was unsure how to face the one who had betrayed her trust.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s alright. I’m here with you.”
ㅤ
ㅤI said, wiping the blood off Almi’s cheek with my finger.
ㅤ
ㅤ”…Yeah. Thank you, Minato.”
ㅤ
ㅤThen, a voice came from behind the door.
ㅤ
ㅤ”――It is open. Enter, Usurper Minato, Almirash.”
ㅤ
ㅤIt was Hamilton’s voice, of course.
ㅤ
ㅤWe exchanged glances, and I stepped forward to open the door.
ㅤ
ㅤThe space that once housed the Dream Weaver’s main body in the water sphere was now, naturally, empty.
ㅤA new platform had been added at the back of the water sphere chamber.
ㅤA makeshift wooden throne was erected, and Hamilton sat there imposingly.
ㅤIn front of the throne, demon soldiers were lined up in rows. There were likely more than twenty of them.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I never imagined you would run so rampant.”
ㅤ
ㅤHamilton said with displeasure.
ㅤThere was something amiss about the face of the large, middle-aged man clad in red armor.
ㅤIt was as if he was trying to force an expression he wasn’t used to making.
ㅤ
ㅤ”But, how careless of you, usurpers. To think you would dare to barge in here, just the two of you, unaware that the true elite of our Demon race awaits you.
ㅤAfter all, you are nothing but childish girls playing pretend, ignorant of reality.”
ㅤ
ㅤIgnoring Hamilton’s taunts, I was about to voice the conclusion I had reached.
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, someone moved before I could.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Hmph!”
ㅤ
ㅤHamilton drew his greatsword and intercepted Almi’s sword as she suddenly attacked.
ㅤ
ㅤAlthough demons were milling about between us and Hamilton, they were no obstacle to Almi when she was serious.
ㅤ
ㅤHamilton, who should have had the advantage in physique, was struggling just to block Almi’s single blow.
ㅤ
ㅤ”…Is that all you’ve got, Hamilton?”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi said in a low voice.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Hmph, you are only strong in brute force, which makes you a nuisance. Did you think I would willingly serve a brat like you? It was a struggle not to laugh at the childish fantasies of dreamy little girls.”
ㅤ
ㅤAt that moment, a demon attacked Almi from behind.
ㅤAlmi forcefully shoved Hamilton away, switched her sword grip to a reverse grip mid-air, and pierced the attacking demon without even looking back.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guh… f-for the Demon race’s long-cherished desire…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe demon self-destructed.
ㅤAlmi spun around and unleashed a slash, scattering the impact of the Ether blast she had received at close range with the resulting wind pressure.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No more words are needed. Eliminate the usurpers!”
ㅤ
ㅤAt Hamilton’s command, the demons swarmed Almi and me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Oh, come on!”
ㅤ
ㅤUnable to utter the words I had intended to say, I entered combat with the demons.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Gatling Turret!”
ㅤ
ㅤA barrage of Ether Shots reduced the demons charging towards me to pieces of flesh.
ㅤHowever, some demons managed to neutralize the Ether Shots or withstand them with Ether barriers, closing in on me.
ㅤ
ㅤ（They’re more skilled than the demon soldiers we’ve encountered so far.）
ㅤ
ㅤThere was no time to confront Hamilton.
ㅤI had already realized that even this was part of Hamilton’s calculations.
ㅤStill, there was no other option but to fight back.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Hamilton! I will be the one to defeat you!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Come, Usurper Almirash! You fool who has been swayed by human adventurers and forgotten the Demon race’s long-cherished desire!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi was completely enraged.
ㅤHamilton was barely managing to fend off Almi’s attacks, which were more monotonous than usual.
ㅤUnder normal circumstances, he would have been cut down within a few exchanges.
ㅤEven now, every time he blocked Almi’s forceful attacks, his greatsword buckled, and he was forced back, leaving gouges in the ground.
ㅤ
ㅤ（I still have questions for him!）
ㅤ
ㅤI frantically increased my extermination speed.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Glory to the Demon race!”
ㅤ
ㅤI dodged a demon soldier who charged at me with a suicidal scream.
ㅤI kicked him in the back, sending him crashing into a group of demons.
ㅤThe demon who self-destructed, taking his allies with him, looked at me with an expression of regret in his final moments.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You don’t understand the feelings of the Demon race!”
ㅤ
ㅤEnraged by my actions, a demon launched a fireball at me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Feelings, feelings… you’re always forcing your own feelings on others!”
ㅤ
ㅤI blocked the fireball with a magic barrier.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Then, what about the feelings of the people who died because of what you did!”
ㅤ
ㅤAn Ether Shot shattered the head of the fireball-casting demon.
ㅤI turned around and detonated the demon approaching from behind with my Trigger Blade.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You prioritize your own feelings and trample on the feelings of others! That’s no different from what the Grandmasters are doing!”
ㅤ
ㅤI blew away the demons blocking my path.
ㅤIn the end, I had eliminated all the demons who had attacked me.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi had cornered Hamilton.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Haaaah!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guh!”
ㅤ
ㅤHamilton blocked Almi’s sword.
ㅤHowever, due to his awkward posture, he left himself wide open.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Your Majesty!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe last surviving demon jumped between Almi and Hamilton.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Why would you go so far…?”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi cut down the demon.
ㅤ
ㅤIn the meantime, Hamilton regained his footing.
ㅤ
ㅤThen, Almi kicked the demon she had just slain.
ㅤHamilton instinctively caught the kicked demon.
ㅤ
ㅤ”If you care so much about those people… then embrace them and die together!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi attacked the immobilized Hamilton.
ㅤShe lunged forward, delivering a powerful overhead strike with her full weight behind it.
ㅤ
ㅤFaced with the inevitable blade approaching him, Hamilton smiled faintly――
ㅤ
ㅤ”――Wait, Almi!”
ㅤ
ㅤI jumped between Almi and Hamilton, intercepting her strike.
ㅤThe sheer force of the blow numbed my hand.
ㅤEven though I had cast a magic barrier, it shattered from the impact of the sword alone.
ㅤAlmi’s sword was embedded in the blade of my Trigger Blade, which I had used to block the attack.
ㅤHer sword had stopped just short of my nose.
ㅤ
ㅤ”M-Minato!?”
ㅤ
ㅤWhen Almi withdrew her sword, my Trigger Blade snapped in half.
ㅤThe explosive slashing mechanism that Elminarsh had painstakingly incorporated was destroyed.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wait. I still have questions for Hamilton.”