Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

"Wow..." The lower-ranking Desire Demons had completely forgotten their own purpose and position, becoming utterly absorbed in the Hero's stage(?). It was an entirely unavoidable matter, and no one could blame them for it. In fact, even the high-ranking Desire Demon who had stormed to the scene to scold them had naturally blended in among them before anyone knew it. "Jallak!!! Are you alright!?!" —Of course!!! I, Jallak the Sacred Sword of Advancement, will prove right here and now why I am your one and only sword!!! "What!!!? What did you say!!!?" -I mean, the first sword!!! Sob...!!! The Hero's display of strength encompassing three Magic Swords simultaneously— No, the attempt to control the Magic Swords originated from one particular thought. —Three Magic Swords, one sword sheath... Come to think of it, these Magic Swords. They were originally fragments split from one main body. If so, originally the three swords were one... Risir thought. If he wanted to truly make the three Magic Swords his own, he should be able to handle all three simultaneously. Because if those worst of all monstrosities ever escaped his control, something uncontrollable would happen. Conveniently, the Magic Swords were also in a state of confusion due to the destruction of their main body. Risir judged that now was the right time to attempt it. And so, arriving at this moment— "Jallak, if you're ready— let's try again!!!" Risir was attempting complete control of the Magic Swords, even receiving help from the Sacred Sword. Currently... Risir was taking the form of a black knight. He planned to gradually raise the threshold, starting with the most familiar beast aura. In his left hand was the Sacred Sword. In his right hand were three Magic Swords roughly crammed together. "...!!!" Risir added strength to both hands and let out a battle cry. Changes occurred in the black armor. As if dye had been released, purple hues were added to the armor. Following the beast, came the curse. Risir accepted the auras of two Magic Swords simultaneously. There was no hesitation. No wavering either. "!!!!!!!!" Another battle cry. On the black canvas, following purple, red dye was released. The Magic Swordsman accepted the auras of all the Magic Swords. Those various ominous auras mixed violently within the armor. Like a stirring. It seemed as if a cursed being was being born within the Magic Swordsman's armor. The Desire Demons and all those present were overwhelmed by that ominous sight and unconsciously had such thoughts. —Why am I standing still in place instead of running away? The overwhelming presence of the magic armor devoured the entire surrounding area. The world of those standing there also seemed to be gradually dyed with ominous colors. It would be natural for reason to be corrupted into madness and fear. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been strange if people had already started screaming and running away in droves. "Wow..." However, they were simply sweating with excitement, finding it all thoroughly fascinating. The Sacred Sword. That one brilliant flash of light was steadfastly holding the center within the ominous whirlwind. "!!!!!" Then. The Magic Swordsman let out another battle cry. That most violent battle cry yet was like a strike with all his might. It brought about changes in the magic armor. "L-look there...!!!" The crowd pointed in unison at the Magic Swordsman's chest. A straight-line flash like a sword strike was carved into the breastplate. Thus a new color was released into the magic armor. The color of 'light'. It ruthlessly pushed away the discordant colors that had been tangled together and scattered brilliant light. "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Probably the final battle cry. The Hero raised the Sacred Sword with all his might. A single flash gained momentum and transformed into a pillar of light. The pillar of light drove away not only the aura of the Magic Swords surrounding it, but even the darkness of night. The faces of those watching the Magic Swordsman brightened. The light that bloomed from the location overflowed in all directions. The entire campsite became as bright as morning. At the center stood the Magic Swordsman. No. The mere term "Magic Swordsman" no longer suited him. (E/N: Though I've doubted it for a long time, I think a more accurate would have been Evil Swordsman instead of just Magic Swordsman, so now it is referring it no longer felt merely evil) The surface of the magic armor that had seemed to absorb even darkness. That matte surface was now instead scattering radiance. They recalled the knights of the Religious Order they had once seen. Those who wore pristine white armor and claimed to be the swords of the Lord God. Paladins. They recalled that title and thought it was a shame. Because it was a title that suited the being before their eyes perfectly. Therefore, they had to come up with a new title. There was no hesitation. Because that intense appearance provided unmistakably clear inspiration. "Knight of Light..." Someone muttered in a daze. Was it just their imagination? The three Magic Swords that should have been gripped in his right hand were not visible. What entered their vision was simply the pillar of light standing tall and noble. Only the Sacred Sword and the armor of light. The brilliance showed no signs of fading. Instead, it grew ever clearer, threatening to dye the entire night sky. But the end came suddenly. Thump! A single massive vibration spread throughout the entire area, announcing the end. They found themselves under an ordinary night sky once again. "Huff...!" And at the center was the Hero, breathing heavily. Everyone except him had forgotten to even breathe. Perfect silence descended upon the place. "..." Akirin and the other Desire Demons were bewildered. A kind of wonder they had never experienced in their lives. They couldn't even grasp how they should react to it. It was then. Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap. A noisy, almost chatty sound of applause completely shattered the silence of the place. "Wowwww!!! Risir, you're so cool!!!" The elf who possessed the sharp atmosphere of an Observer cheered with worldly excitement. The Desire Demons were dumbfounded. Applause? "You're so cool," she said. Was that really the proper reaction to witnessing such a wonder? "Wowwww!!!" "Sir Hero!!!!!" However, the Desire Demons' contemplations were forgotten in the ensuing commotion. The crowd began joining Ratsil's excited fuss one by one. The Desire Demons had no way of knowing. That within this expedition, such was the normal reaction. That the surreal wonder they had just witnessed was nothing more than part of daily life here. "...Wow~" The Desire Demons floundered about before finally being swept up in that current. They awkwardly clapped and cheered. *** "Really? Are you certain?" "I'm telling you! That person told me! The sword in his left hand was a Sacred Sword, and the swords in his right hand were Magic Swords!" The priestess shouted with great excitement. "T-then what did we see!? A c-collision between Sacred Sword and Magic Swords?" "Wasn't it somehow different from a collision?" "Exactly! A collision is more like, bang! A feeling of crashing together, right?" "But what we saw was more like... absorption? Harmony...?" "Yes! That's it! Harmony!" The sound of clapping that threatened to break her own palms. The nearby priestesses startled and covered their ears. "Oh my, what a surprise! Why suddenly clap—" "Sorry! I got excited without realizing it—" "Harmony between Sacred Sword and Magic Swords... That such a thing is possible... Is being a Hero really that amazing?" Eh. One priestess snorted dismissively. "If all Heroes could do such things— would we still be alive?" "Oh my, look at what she's saying!?" Giggle giggle. The cheerful laughter of the priestesses echoed throughout their campsite area. Thus. After the magnificent performance had ended— The priestesses had gathered at their campsite, reliving the excitement of that performance. "..." According to the original plan— It should have been time to gather after each securing one slave and draining their life force. "Huh? Wait." Just then. One priestess seemed to sense something amiss and fell into thought, directing her gaze to the upper right. "Hm? Why, what's wrong?" The bright, sparkling eyes of the priestesses focused on her. They hoped that perhaps another interesting story related to the Hero might emerge. After all— After the stage ended, a priestess who had briefly met with a 'slave' and heard stories about the Hero was being treated as the big sister in the group. "...Don't we seem to have forgotten something?" Forgotten? What? The priestesses blinked innocently and asked back. "Interesting." Then, a cold voice interjected as if standing apart from the group. It was poured like cold water over the bustling atmosphere. "What might you have forgotten? Go on, tell me." The priestess— No, the Desire Demons finally remembered what they had forgotten. They slowly turned their heads toward where the voice had come from. The leader of the Desire Demons. The high-ranking Desire Demon Akirin was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at them. Her smiling expression, contrary to her voice, made the Desire Demons' hearts grow cold. "Kyaak!? Lady Akirin!?" "W-when did you arrive!?" The group of Desire Demons who had been excitedly talking about the Hero. They were startled by the appearance of their group's leader, the high-ranking Desire Demon. "What..." Putting it into words, one might wonder if such a thing could really exist. Akirin was confused about how to interpret the current situation for a moment— "I said go on and tell me? Just what exactly you forgot—" She interrogated her subordinates with that characteristic smile. "..." The Desire Demons' expressions were instantly dyed with fear. Akirin nodded inwardly with satisfaction. "Fortunately, it seems you haven't forgotten. The fact that the being before you may be kind, but is not a soft existence." Akirin put away her forced smile and became serious. "So, try making an excuse? What kind of shame, what kind of confidence is this? I gave you power and sent you out, yet with what thoughts did you— return empty-handed so boldly?" """...""" The Desire Demons hung their heads in silence, holding their breath. Even if they had ten mouths, they had nothing to say. However, should it be called fortunate? Their number happened to exceed ten by a little. One Desire Demon courageously opened her mouth. "Lady Akirin..." "Yes?" "No, isn't Lady Akirin the same as us...?" """Huhhhhh!!!""" The Desire Demons simultaneously covered their mouths. Yoanna. A Desire Demon who was not just bold but sometimes oblivious, known as a person of concern within the group. She had finally caused trouble. To challenge Lady Akirin in this situation!? "..." The high-ranking Desire Demon's forced smile wavered. The nails on her crossed arms were slowly growing longer. "That I'm the same as you, what kind of talk is that?" "H-honestly, I was a little expectant... wondering what kind of slave Lady Akirin would bring this time... but-" The Desire Demon's timid yet bold gaze turned toward the leader. More precisely, to her side! "Lady Akirin, you also returned empty-handed, just like us...!" """Huhhhhh!!!""" The Desire Demons simultaneously covered their mouths. Yoanna... A Desire Demon who lacked awareness but never said anything wrong, known as a kind of mascot within the group. She had struck right at the core. Akirin. That high-ranking Desire Demon had also returned empty-handed without any spoils. Therefore, she was no different from the lower-ranking Desire Demons either. No. Rather, her case was more serious than the lower-ranking Desire Demons. And for good reason— Because she was a high-ranking Desire Demon. A superior being who reigned like a queen within the group. She possessed great power that the lower-ranking Desire Demons did not have. Remarkably dense aura and even demonic charm like a kind of blessing! If the lower-ranking Desire Demons going hunting was like wielding clubs— She was like going hunting with a sword. Thus. There was a huge difference between a lower-ranking Desire Demon returning empty-handed and a high-ranking Desire Demon returning empty-handed. However, Akirin was confident. "There was interference." She said confidently. "He interfered with me." "If you mean 'he,' surely not the lord Hero!?" Tsk. Akirin scolded the Desire Demons who were getting excited and delighted. Lord Hero? Lord??? "...The Hero?" The Desire Demons eventually corrected themselves timidly. Though dejected, they still looked at the high-ranking Desire Demon with expectant eyes. Akirin told them about what she had experienced. "Like that— he had almost completely fallen for it, but the Hero intervened with some unknown power and everything fell through." Akirin truly believed it so. That the Hero's unknown ability had intervened to liberate that elite of the sword sheath from her demonic charm. For the high-ranking Desire Demon's pride, it absolutely had to be so. "...It's the same for us though?" "Hm?" The Desire Demons blinked and objected. "We also had them almost completely fallen for it, but suddenly their companions came looking—" "..." Akirin was flustered. Because the statements of the lower-ranking Desire Demons were converging to suggest one conclusion. Perhaps. The elite of the sword sheath escaping from her demonic charm might not have been due to the Hero's interference. In other words, it wasn't the direct force of blessings or magic that had worked. To begin with, the demonic charm of a high-ranking Desire Demon was not something that could be repelled by such things. Therefore, there was only one possibility. "..." The Hero. The expedition's feelings toward him were stronger than any feeling they had toward the high-ranking Desire Demon. "There's no way—" Akirin was engulfed in violent shock and humiliation. Even faithful high priests of the Religious Order. Even masters of magic towers obsessed with magic. Before Akirin's demonic charm, they would simply put everything aside and yearn for her. Yet— Feelings for a mere human could overcome her demonic charm? "Such a thing is impossi—..." Akirin's words stopped midway. Something suddenly came to mind. The content of the performance she had watched before coming here. Even more, her own appearance at that time. At that time, she had been completely captivated by the Hero, forgetting even her original purpose and position. Needless to say, the lower-ranking Desire Demons who should serve and follow only her were in the same state. "..." Akirin was suddenly engulfed in vague anxiety. If things continued like this— Her subordinates might become completely captivated by the Hero's charm and abandon even her. Perhaps already— "..." In the end, Akirin decided to choose the lesser humiliation instead of the worst humiliation. "Everyone prepare. When night falls completely, we'll quietly slip away from the expedition." Thus. The high-ranking Desire Demon who never let go of slaves once chosen decided to flee. "..." "..." "...?" But the lower-ranking Desire Demons showed no intention of moving at all. Finally, Akirin's patience reached its limit. "These worthless things. There's no end when I'm lenient with you. Fine. Let's test the limits of my patience." The high-ranking Desire Demon's nails grew long and curved like scythes. When she casually moved her hand, the tent pole in its path was smoothly cut through. Akirin intended to execute one Desire Demon on the spot as an example. Just as her hand was about to strike a lower-ranking Desire Demon without hesitation— "Lady Akirin, please!!! Just a few more days- no, just give us one more day...!!!" "..." That desperate appearance made Akirin's heart waver. The sight of them stubbornly showing pride despite being Desire Demons seemed endearing to her. Asking for more time must surely be— The pride of Desire Demons trying to somehow reclaim the prey they had lost. "We don't know if the Hero will do that again tomorrow~" "From what we saw, he seemed unsatisfied, so he'll definitely rest and try again tomorrow!?" "Aren't you curious too, Lady Akirin!?! The Hero completely mastering the Magic Swords and being reborn as a new being...!!!" """Lady Akirin~~~""" "..." Akirin squeezed her eyes shut. Snap. It was the sound of the high-ranking Desire Demon's patience snapping. "...Just one day only." The Hero's Magic Sword show. Akirin couldn't resist. *** [The target's influence is too strong!] *** "Sir Risir!!! Just three more days and we'll be in Bondaless!!!" "Finally-... Huh? By the way, Ms. Akirin-" "Yes?" "This is sudden, but where did you say your original destination was? When you joined four days ago, I don't think you mentioned your destination—" "..." Akirin. She was distributing soup to the expedition members when she came to her senses and looked around. "Huh?" *** [Target has joined the expedition] [Target: Akirin's priests] [The expedition level has greatly increased!] ***