A short time earlier near the explorers guild in Tsutrail.
"Hey, come on! Try harder to entertain me!"
In a place stained dark red with blood, the Battle Ogre Dimon was turning the central army soldiers gathered there into corpses one after another.
"Use the strategic-class magical weapons! Do not think of him as human! The evacuation of the surrounding residents is complete! Strike with the intent of leaving not even a scrap of flesh!"
The commander of the central army stationed in Tsutrail raised his voice.
Upon hearing the order, the central army soldiers produced small staves fitted with magic stones.
Magic circles rose near the tips of the staves, and identical magic circles then covered Dimon.
"Heh."
Dimon let out an impressed sound as he looked at the magic circles that had appeared around him.
His expression still showed plenty of composure.
"Blast the monster to pieces!"
At the commander's order, the soldiers activated the magical weapons, the small staves.
Immediately afterward, a massive number of explosions with power far exceeding the special-grade spell Super Explosion struck Dimon.
The aftershock blew away the remaining buildings and rubble in the area.
The soldiers, protected by the space created by the staves, were unharmed, but the area where the explorers guild had stood was gouged out like a crater, and part of the ground had melted from the extreme heat.
"This should do it!"
The commander felt a clear sense of success when
"Hahaha! Ahahahaha!"
Dimon's laughter rose from the center of the still-rising smoke.
"No way."
The commander let out a voice of despair upon hearing that laughter.
"Too bad! No matter what you guys try, it is impossible to even scratch me!"
With a sadistic smile, Dimon emerged from the smoke.
Surviving the bombardment itself was impossible.
Even if he had survived, the area right after the explosion was a space of scorching heat.
Exposing skin would cause severe burns, and breathing alone would burn the lungs.
The soldiers were protected by the space created by the staves, but Dimon had no such protection.
Yet he looked exactly the same as before the bombardment.
"What is this? There is no way we can win against a monster like this."
Seeing Dimon, one soldier who had lost the will to fight muttered.
That thought spread to all the soldiers, and the central army lost its function.
"Hey, hey, you guys are the ones who risk your lives to protect the city and its people, right!? Then come at me with your lives on the line! Entertain me more!"
"I do not want to. I do not want to die such a pointless death!"
Hearing the soldier's tearful words, the expression vanished from Dimon's face.
"Sigh. Boring. All of you, just die."
In a thoroughly bored voice, Dimon muttered.
Then the soldiers who had lost the will to fight burst like water balloons, scattering the blood inside their bodies everywhere, and all of them died instantly.
"I am bored now. Since the Sword Princess has not shown up, shall I go kill the Rakshasa? That guy should at least satisfy my hunger a little."
Without even glancing at the dead soldiers, Dimon decided on his next action and began to move.
The next instant, a magic circle appeared above his head.
"Huh?"
As Dimon looked up at the magic circle, an enormous lightning bolt poured down from it.
However, even this lightning caused him no damage.
Paying no mind to the lightning, Dimon turned his face toward the caster who had activated Heavenly Thunder Hammer Mjolnir.
As if timing it perfectly, Willkus of the Night Sky Silver Rabbit appeared behind Dimon.
He swung the double-bladed sword in his hands at Dimon.
It was a perfect surprise attack from a blind spot.
Nevertheless, Dimon casually used his large sword like a shield to block the double-bladed sword.
With a bitter expression, Willkus put distance between himself and Dimon.
"Lucre, do not let up on the attacks!"
"I know!"
Lucrecia responded to Willkus's voice while pouring magic power into the constructed spell and activating Thunder Javelin.
Three lightning spears shot toward Dimon.
Dimon easily cut down all of them with the large sword in his hand.
The moment Dimon focused on the lightning spears, Willkus swung the double-bladed sword again.
Against that attack, Dimon countered with his large sword.
Willkus did not clash head-on with the large sword. Instead, he changed the angle to receive it, letting the large sword slide across the blade of the double-bladed sword.
Dimon's posture broke slightly.
"Oh?"
A surprised voice escaped from Dimon.
Willkus's left fist struck the area around Dimon's chest.
"Fly away!"
Willkus shouted as he swung his left fist through.
A ring-type magical weapon was fitted on his left middle finger.
Just as Willkus had said, Dimon was blown backward.
"Super Explosion!"
Lucrecia followed up on the staggering Dimon with an attack spell.
"That hurt."
Dimon emerged from the smoke and casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"No way."
"Seriously? He did not go down after that attack. He is too much of a monster."
Seeing Dimon who had taken almost no damage, Willkus and Lucrecia broke out in cold sweat.
The ring-type magical weapon supplied to him was similar to internal destruction through the application of ki, which Hart of Red Copper Evening Glow excelled at.
It was a vicious weapon that would leave a human on the verge of death after receiving it once.
On top of that, he had taken direct hits from special-grade magic twice.
Yet the fact that Dimon was still standing left the two of them in shock.
"Hahaha! Not bad, you two. You have not lost the will to fight even while surrounded by those idiotic soldiers. In that case, keep me company as a way to kill time until the Sword Princess shows up!"
As Dimon raised his voice, his body blurred.
The next instant, Dimon, who had moved right in front of Willkus, swung his large sword down.
"!?"
Willkus almost reflexively handled the double-bladed sword and deflected Dimon's large sword.
"I already saw that move. Here is a return gift!"
Dimon's left fist slammed into Willkus.
He was sent flying backward.
"Gah!"
"Will!? You...!"
While casting a recovery spell on Willkus and an attack spell to hinder Dimon at the same time, Lucrecia cried out.
Dimon, who had been about to follow up, switched to evasion upon seeing Lucrecia's attack spell.
"Lucre, thanks."
"That is my role, so do not worry about it! More importantly, Will, do not lose the will to fight. That phenomenon where the soldiers burst apart is definitely caused by his unique ability!"
"Heh. You figured that much out after seeing it only once. Do you have some kind of unique ability that lets you see magic power?"
"There is no way I would answer such a question! You turned our city into this mess. I will never forgive you!"
Lucrecia shouted at Dimon with anger in her voice.
"Hahaha! You have spirit. I do not dislike humans like that. Your blood looks delicious."
"Do not say such disgusting things!"
Willkus, who had recovered from Lucrecia's magic, raised his voice in anger and closed the distance with Dimon.
"It is unpleasant to be told that by a mere human like you!"
With an unpleasant expression directed at Willkus, Dimon swung his large sword.
Willkus easily deflected it.
Dimon did not lose his balance and immediately followed with a second strike.
Willkus tried to create distance, but Dimon would not allow it, and a fierce exchange of sword strikes began.
Willkus deflected Dimon's attacks, and Dimon blocked Willkus's attacks.
While Willkus was fighting with all his strength, Dimon maintained a cool expression.
Numerous shallow cuts appeared on Willkus's body, but each time a wound formed, Lucrecia's recovery magic healed it, allowing him to somehow keep the situation balanced.
(Damn! At this close range, I cannot use attack magic! But Will should definitely create an opening! I will not miss it!)
Unable to intervene with anything other than recovery magic while the two clashed blades at close range, Lucrecia gritted her teeth and waited for the right timing while preserving some power for recovery magic on Willkus.
"Come on, come on, try harder! Otherwise you will die!"
"Damn...!"
Gradually, the number of times Willkus was forced into defense increased.
With a look of enjoyment, Dimon pressed Willkus even harder.
Finally, when Willkus deflected Dimon's large sword, his posture broke significantly.
In that desperate situation, Dimon's deadly blade was about to pierce Willkus.
"I will not let you!"
To stop Dimon from thrusting the large sword into Willkus's back, Lucrecia gripped the long sword-type magical weapon supplied by the central army and rushed toward Dimon.
"Stop."
"!?"
When Dimon said that, Lucrecia suddenly stopped in her tracks.
The surprised expression on her face made it clear that this action was against her will.
"What is this? What is going on!?"
Faced with the continuous stream of incomprehensible events, Lucrecia raised her voice with anger and frustration.
"You stay there and watch your comrade die."
With a sadistic smile, Dimon gave another order to Lucrecia.
He then raised the large sword high to thrust it with force.
"Lucre, run..."
"No. Please. Stop..."
Unable to move her body or use magic, Lucrecia could only plead through tears.
Her voice did not reach Dimon, who wore a sadistic smile.
"It is time to say goodbye!"
The large sword pierced Willkus's body.
"Nooooooo!"
Lucrecia's expression twisted in despair as she watched the entire scene.
And her will to fight Dimon was completely lost.