I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

The other fight isn't going that well. Eri looks at Ramma with disbelief, as he's under her [Slow]-spell and still moving too fast for Katsu-kun to aim properly. He has another bow out, but every time he pulls the string halfway, he lets it fall back again. “What's wrong!?”

“...too much movement, need to realign my aim every time, the distance is too close.”

“What?”

“...just do something that keeps him in place for a while.”

“I can't, it's stone here!” [Earth Grasp] and [Earth Bind] have a problem: It doesn't work with stone, it has to be earth. It may harden after they grasp the targets, but before that, it needs to be moldable. Same problem with [Dirt Sling]. While [Stonemeld] can shape stone, it stops the moment she uses another skill.

Her offensive wind-spells are too dangerous in closed rooms and incapable of holding the target. “[Wind Pillow]!” The only thing she can do is put up something between Dai-kun and the demon lord when the latter attacks. “[Gust]!” The second spell will only distract him, as Ramma claps its hands to redirect her wind stream.

Daichi-kun! Just go away! No, stick close! If Eri uses a potent spell, Ramma might decide to take her out for good, she considers herself lucky that she has only a hurt shoulder.

She can't do anything here!

“Eri!” Masa calls her: “Daichi needs healing!”

...ah, that's right. Usually, she sticks to [Wizard] during battles, but she can also use [Exorcist], her classed-up [Priest] in battle. “[Heal]!” She restores some of Daichi-kun's health. Wait a minute, doesn't she have that [Exorcise]-spell as well? The base premise to become an [Exorcist]?

Problem is the range. No, she should leave it to the boys to keep that guy busy. This enemy is way above her, she should stick to what she's good at.

Well, there is another spell she can use, one she asked to learn while being trained as an [Exorcist]: “[Protect]! [Protect]!” She saw that spell when Kyou-chan cast it, it seemed to be useful. Now Masa and Daichi-kun are surrounded by a small, protective barrier.

Katsu-kun's hands start to tremble, maybe he's already exhausted. He drinks another potion. Nonetheless, his face is still pale.

Neither Masa nor Daichi-kun can land a decent hit, Ramma isn't even trying that hard. He's mostly moving around and clapping his hands to create fire and wind. At least he doesn't use lightning as well, yet it's still enough to foil the strategies the two boys come up with.

Eri changes to [Wizard] again, her MP are already at their final third, but she still has some potions for emergencies. She has to do something for Masa. There is her [Lightning Bolt]-spell, which might be enough, but it takes some time to cast, cost most of her remaining MP, and there are some issues with this spell, especially with Masa and Daichi-kun so close to her target.

She looks at her last resort, the [Class-up] she almost has. She spent a day in a hole, in a dark, scary hole--alone! It was scary, she lost her sense of time, she started to have hallucinations! Ophwizz called it being 'one with the stone', but the only thing that had a connection to it was her skin with its dirt!

Masa had his moment of revelation, right in this battle, why does she have no idea what to do now!? Sometimes she envies Masa for his simple-mindedness. It's not that he's stupid, he's just direct and doesn't overcomplicate things.

Now he's hurled through the cave, as Ramma grabbed and threw him. Yet he stands up, most likely thinking something like 'I just need to keep going.' Well, again to [Exorcist]: “[Heal]!” Masa's scratches close and Eri comes closer to her childhood friend: “Fess it up!”

“Huh!?” He's visibly puzzled.

“What won't you tell me? What kind of secret are you keeping? Most likely for me, but I need to know. Now!”

“Erm...” Masahiko points to Daichi-kun, who is under Ramma's lion middle-legs, while his eagle fore-legs are clawing at him.

“Then be quick!” She insists. Daichi-kun has [Toughness], for the moment his skin is as hard as iron.

Shrugging his shoulders, Masa charges at the demon lord again: “[Quicksword]! [Steel Slicer]!” Again with two-[Sword]-skills combo. “It's just-” Masa starts to explain in a loud voice: “-that dari-” He aims at Ramma's legs, causing him to leave Daichi-kun alone: “-can sense and control metal.”

...how is this supposed to help!?

Katsuo-kun draws his bow once more, then Daichi-kun throws Ramma from his body as if the three-meter demon lord was just a pillow, a [Wrestling]-skill most likely. Seeing how his aim was again prevented, this time by his own teammate, Katsuo-kun exhales irritated. After a deep breath, he returns to his usual calm demeanor.

“Sorry, Katsuo-kun,” Daichi-kun apologizes: “Couldn't hold it longer.” Massive amounts of sweat drip from Daichi-kun's body. “Masa, need to recharge.”

“Got it!”

“[Heal]!” As Daichi-kun drinks an SP-potion, Eri gives him some of his health back as well.

Still, why exactly is it essential that dari can feel and control metal... Wait, is this the reason why Daichi and Katsuo had so much trouble with the guards before? She thought they were just that tough, but what if there is more to it.

To feel one with the earth... does this fit in? But what has earth to do with metal? She feels like there is a bell, that wants to be rung, something about chemistry. Something about salts and ions, she thinks. Yes, metals are part of salts. Minerals include metals as well.

However, this line of thinking doesn't fit with magic at all, as magic is, well, magic. Scrap that thought. Let's assume that Ophwizz wanted to teach Eri how to feel metal and stone by putting her into that hole, and that part of her hallucinations was actually something that awakened inside her. Yes, that sounds good.

She tries to remember the feeling; the connection she had with the earth at that time, while she thought she was just going crazy. Yes, a dark hole. She resisted it before, thinking it was something terrible, but actually, it might be something good after all...

Nothing. Why is nothing coming to her right now? “Mou! [Wind Pillow]!” Is she damned to be just support here!?

“Eri-san,” Katsuo speaks up, “Cast [Gust]-spell!”

“Why? He will just clap his hands and redirect it again.”

“This is what I'm aiming for.”

―○●○―

Masahiko is attacking Ramma with simple sword-attacks as he is running low on SP. Yet it’s a calculated risk. Daichi is trying his best to keep Ramma immobile, so Masahiko wants to support it. The real problem is whenever Ramma claps his hands, stuff happens. His forehands create wind, his backhands create fire. Maybe something else will happen if he claps his left and his right hands.

There are still questions lingering in Masahiko's mind: “What exactly-” one strike from above, one from the left: “-was your plan anyways!” Ramma catches both of them with ease, Masahiko kicks him in the face, which is comfortably situated in the middle of his torso. “It doesn't make any sense right now!” Pushing his foot between Ramma's eyes, he breaks his swords free again.

Having an army at the border, infiltrating the dari to make them attack said army with significant forces, is there a trap? Or is that just a distraction while they do something else? Masahiko doesn't know, he doesn't know whether this is clever or a stupid plan.

““Why should I tell you?”” A valid point, actually. Whatever the plan is, there is no reason to tell the enemy, it's just what Masahiko hope him to do, like in his favorite stories..

“...aren't you confident about it?” That's usually the motivation behind having a villain monologuing.

“Trash, I'm here to play, not to talk.” Calling this fight a game, this shows that he really doesn't need to assure his confidence.

Is it time for that? No, not now. He can still fight Ramma without it, but up to now, Masahiko has only dealt minor injuries and a bit of shock to the demon lord. To use it properly, they first need a way to win. Otherwise, he will grow too dependent.

Daichi is finally at Ramma's back, clenching him again. Ramma claps his hind-arms to create fire, but Daichi's [Toughness]-skill has cooled down.

“Now!” Katsuo calls out.

“[Gust]!” Eri hurls a strong wind stream, but Ramma's claps his fore-hands and redirects it with his own wind.

However: “[Powershot]!” At the moment Ramma isn't’ moving and all four of his arms are busy, a single arrow flies at him "piercing through his body with ease, the arrow continues its flight and bores into the cavern walls.

Amazing! This is an amazing shot! This power is enough to kill a human instantly!

Yet Ramma still stands, so Masahiko follows up: “[Double Flurry]!” He aims every attack at the hole in Ramma's body.

Ramma opens his hands, now his left hands clap. A shockwave pushes Daichi and Masahiko away, Masahiko feels how his inner organs are aching, the same seems to be true for Daichi.

Pain is no reason to stay down! Masahiko and Daichi stand up, ready for the next assault. They now have a way to win this. It has been Katsuo all along!

“Looking all manly here?” Teruko joins them, dragging a badly wounded Iekasa by her cat-tail. “Well, let me join, too. This one has had enough.” She throws the unconscious demon into the corner.

Five against one, a way to win, everything is in place. “[Exquip]!” Masahiko switches his weapon set, his magic sword lies now in his right hand.

““Oh,”” Ramma sounds... excited? For some reason, both of his mouths start speaking separately, they speak fast without any break: “I-want-to-see,-what-he-got.” “There-is-no-reason-to-stay-here-anymore.” “We-still-have-some-time,-before-someone-else-arrives.” “We-can't-kill-all-of-them-in-time.“ “What-about-the-fun?” “What-about-everything-else?”

Masahiko raises his magic sword: “{Heed my call!}” His voice vibrates through the cavern, while he points at Ramma with his weapon: “{This is our enemy! Don't falter, fight to the best of your abilities. We will take him down together!}” A soft light surrounds the blade, and like candles, first Masahiko is set alight, following by Daichi, Eri, Katsuo, and Teruko. “{United we stand!}”

Daichi charges forward: “[Turbo Tackle]!” Ramma tries to catch him by the shoulders but is pushed back, as Daichi musters more strength than the demon lord expected.

“[Speedthrust]!” The last bit of resistance against the tackle is broken by a spear, that at least got the blade all the way into Ramma's body. However, it's stuck, so Teruko just pushes alongside Daichi, trying to press Ramma to the wall.

The still free hind-hands are about to clap: “[Gust]!” The spell extinguishes the flames the moment before they come, it's like Eri knew that Ramma wanted to use that move in advance.

“[Powershot]!” This one hits and pierces the left hind-elbow the demon lord, the arm goes limp.

The magic sword is calling to all of them, it's the epitome of Masahiko's beliefs: True power is friendship. They all act as one, the moment Daichi felt how Ramma's body was about to move, his experience in judo gave him an idea of what he's about to do. This thought transferred to Eri, who exactly knew how to counter it, while Katsuo was able to seize the moment, as he knew where Ramma's arms would be.

Ramma is at the wall, time for Masahiko to make his move: “[Steel Slicer]!” He jumps at the demon lord, whose front hands are now held by Daichi, while the same and Teruko pins him down, so the only hand Ramma still has left is his hind-right. However, he doesn't raise it in time, Masahiko's blade strikes right in the middle of the headless body from above, the magic sword cuts up into his upper mouth.

“Ouch!” “Said-so!” Ramma's free hand punches the still airborne Masahiko in the face, it feels like a hammer. These are the attacks Daichi had to endure all this time! While Masahiko moves with the punch to soften it, it's still enough to push him back. Ramma uses this opportunity to wrestle a tiny bit of his right palm free, clapping it with his right hind-hand.

Both hind-hands create fire. Both front-hands create wind. Both left hands create a shockwave. What does both right hands create? Earth and stone! A wave of debris begins to fill the cavern, swallowing Ramma, Daichi, and Teruko. “DAICHI! TERUKO!” Masahiko runs to them, but the wall of earth is pressing towards him, always collapsing here and there, threatening to swallow Masahiko as well.

With his sword's power he can feel where both are, they're trying their best to dig themselves free, but then he feels the terror of Eri, as she has seen Ramma where he's not supposed to be. So Masahiko takes a look.

Yes, the demon lord stands right next to the unconscious Iekasa, lifting her up: “Well, got to go.” Only the lower mouth speaks: “I still win.” Then he swallows Iekasa in one gulp, even though it should have been impossible considering their respective sizes. Ramma might be big, but he's only about three meters tall; Iekasa is half his size.

What concerns Masahiko more though is that look. Then he realizes, that there is one more person in the room, someone who stayed still the whole time, just like the furniture: Nikaws. Masahiko steps between Ramma and her: “You won't take or kill her.” Given what happened with Teruko, this girl is also just a victim.

“Whatever,” the demon king shrugs all four shoulders. “Just for your information...” Then he claps on his side with his right hands, and a rocket-like stone bullet shoots out of his intact mouth.

“[Dirt Sling]!” Another missile, one from Eri, who was doing her best to rescue Teruko and Daichi from their earth prison. However, with the magic from Masahiko’s sword, she instantly knew about the bullet and tries to slow it down.

“Thank you! [Deflect]!” Using his sword to lead the bullet's course, he turns around once and steers it back to its owner.

The bullet hits, but Ramma doesn't seem too impressed, he also catches a [Powershot] from Katsuo with a hand, as this time he has them free. “Bummer.” He holds his left-hind wrist with his right hind-hand and uses his left hand to make a clap, the shockwave. However, he directs it downwards, using it as a drill. He goes through his tunnel, and the hole is filled with new earth behind him.

Masahiko stays on alert, same as Katsuo, while Eri continues her rescue efforts. Her earth affinity is handy here. About a minute later, the two are free and Masahiko concludes that Ramma indeed retreated.

In the end, Masahiko learned nothing, not about the plan, not about their goal, nothing at all, so he's not even sure if he foiled anything after all. This whole fight seems pointless retrospectively. Ramma also earned nothing but a beating by sticking around here.

Yet Masahiko decided to wait until the Borhro-clan's guards show up. They'll explain themselves, and maybe the dari will see how things turned bad in a way. How Iekasa used their greed to make them dance by her tune.

He's feeling confident that the dari will listen.

―○●○―

“Hey lordie!” The demon lord #8 is greeted by Wistlewhew, one of his commanders. “You look hurt! Did you fight? Man, I wish I could have fought.”

“Wait a moment,” Demon Lord #8 asks. He concentrates on the essence that's Iekasa and spits her out. “Yes, I fought. Everything according to plan?”

“Almost. We got a group in unnoticed, we fought, we still got our asses kicked. Broke in a few of the slackers. What about that one?” Wistlewhew points at the still unconscious Iekasa.

“Was detected by the trash.”

“You should stop calling all non-demons trash, lordie. They are toys, after all.”

“You can also play with trash and have fun with it. It's not like they were made to make us have fun.”

“Yes, yes. What about your arm?”

“Might take a while. Still not back at full strength, though I was able to fine-tune it a bit.”

“Ah, my poor lordie. Should I rip it off and eat it?”

“No. Also, quit the lordie, call me Ramma.”

“Oh! Lord Ramma, what a nice sound.”

“Annerammarannae is gone, after all. We'll continue to observe the battle against the dari trash.”

“Ah, I knew you would say that.” Wistlewhew's disappointment resonates in his voice.

Demons are different from other species. They love to destroy, they love to kill, these are their most basic instincts. Demons who rule over others have to become stronger than others, but a strong demon who wants to survive in their society also need cunning.

While Lord Ramma is weakened by his confrontation with the demon king, he has preserved his cunning. He has obtained two of five possible objectives of this operation, while two of them were unlikely to begin with. Not a bad cut, it just cost him a suit of skin and recovery time.

Just one thing is left... what to do about Iekasa. Her nature as a demon is more subtle, the ones that like to manipulate others, an indirect destroyer and murderer. He expected more from her, but the demon heroes need more time to accustom themselves to this world than he expected.

He wants to kill her, he wants to break her, he wants to devour her. Even the demon king won't notice, as she was just behind enemy lines just now, Lord Ramma could say that she was killed by the trash.

Yet he has to remember why he saved her in the first place and he doesn't want to take any risks that might deny him the ultimate pleasure that's called genocide. “Hey, Wistlewhew. I need to kill someone, are you free?”

―○●○―

Without their equipment and backpacks, Masahiko and his friends are waiting in the guest quarters of the king inside the government building. “Yes, a two!” While the situation would usually call them to be all tensed up, they decided to ask for a board game instead. “Safe!” Masahiko is in one of the situations, where there are only a few safe spaces between harmful ones.

“Lucky as ever. My turn... a seven? One, two, three-” Eri makes a discontent sound: “Event-space. 'Your delivery service is striking, you can either spend one upkeep to raise their wages or spend 10 capital and gain two discontent to change the service.' I'd really like to pay them more, but I need to think about the future. Here.” She puts her capital tokens inside the bank box while taking two discontent token from their packet.

Many games of the dari are about trying to build up a business, this one is for their juveniles, so it's rules are advanced. Currently, Masahiko and Eri are leading. Masahiko's mercenary business he called 'Adventurer's Guild' is always fluctuating, but he was able to keep it in the black somehow, while Eri's clothes business, which she calls 'Fashion Line' is netting stable profits, even as discontent raises.

Daichi's blacksmiths are always almost crashing, while Katsuo's coaster makes net profits, but only small ones. Teruko's brewery is in the red currently, Masahiko sure hopes that her investments will pay off in the long run.

It actually feels a bit like 'Game of Life', just more economics-oriented.

Someone is knocking on the door: “Yes?” Masahiko answers for the rest, priests are here. “The king asks for you.”

“Right. Can you keep the board like it is? We'll continue later.” Masahiko has no doubt that everything will work out. They may have trespassed Borhro-territory, but they also revealed the demons' plot, though they don't know what their exact objectives were.

However, this day, Masahiko feels like the hero he's supposed to be, and he's sure that nothing will spoil his good mood right now.

This time, they're invited to the throne room. Masahiko feels like someone is watching him, this feeling, it has to be Kragg. Maybe this is a sign of respect, maybe it's caution. It doesn't matter though, as twenty guards are accompanying the five heroes, this feels like a procession.

The moment the big doors to the throne room are opened, they're welcomed by applause. Masahiko feels how pride fills his chest and makes him walk more energized. King Urgrohr stands aside several of the chiefs. “Y've done well, Heroes.” He pokes everyone in the arm, which is a bit like a handshake for dari, “y've my thanks and the thanks of all Kraggwas.”

It was a hard journey. It was a muddy swamp of emotions to deal with, a vast realm of grayness and insecurities. But in the end, everything is clear again, everything is right. The praise of King Urgrohr and the others make this journey worth it.

Like iron, they have been stressed and hammered. Now they're steel.

Masahiko feels it, and he knows that his friends also feel it. They have taken the next step, now they need to see the rest of their class-ups through and return to Feuerberg. Then Masahiko will ask the king to let them look for Kyou.

However, today is a day of celebration. He hopes that Kyou is well, they will rest hard, recharge their batteries, then they will bring her back!

A new starting line has been established.