How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 5

by Yukiya Murasaki

  “My Fire Bees!” Gewalt cried out in shock.

  —Was that air magic? Could it be Diablo!?

  But Rem’s hopes were immediately dashed. The source of that gust of wind, powerful enough to knock a person into the air, descended from above, its massive body blotting out the sunlight streaming from above. With its back to the sky, the light had cast an impressive, ominous shadow over itself.

  “What...?” Shera, who had also looked up to the sky, whispered with her eyes wide open. “A...dragon?”

  The magnificent creature’s scales were pitch black. From the top of its horned head to the tip of its solid, heavy tail, the dragon was probably 30 meters in size.

  “A Large...Black Dragon...” Rem uttered through her trembling lips.

  Among the species known as Dragons, there were some that were considered magical beasts, and some that were not. Black Dragons weren’t categorized as magical beasts, and left corpses behind when defeated. Creatures that didn’t fall into that category were generally classified as beasts, or monsters.

  But there were many that fell under a third category, that was neither of the races nor the Fallen: Dragonkin. This was because they were capable of—

  “Foolish Dram Ones yond disturb Our land, We shalt give equal and fair death unto thee!”

  ...telepathy.

  This voice had echoed inside their heads. Dragons were incapable of speech, but could still communicate in one form. It was unknown how they learned it, but they were nonetheless able to employ human language.

  “Wh-Wh-What are we going to do, Rem!?” Shera was trembling in terror.

  As it turned out, the twelfth floor wasn’t the lair of a Death Dancer, but of a 《Large Black Dragon》.

  “...Ugh. It’s like the sign said: If we held our lives dear, we should have turned away at the entrance. But...”

  If they were to turn back now, they would never gain the treasure that could dispel the Death Knell disease.

  “So we have no choice but to fight!?”

  Gritting her teeth, Shera nocked her bow, and launched an arrow at the dragon. Her shot hit its mark, crashing against the dragon’s scales; but Petrification didn’t occur.

  “Why...!?” Shera asked, her eyes wide with shock.

  “Oooh... We feel the power of the Demon Lord from thy weapon, Dram One. Fascinating... But ’twill has’t nay effect ’gainst Us.”

  “...In all likelihood, the magic energy Klem put into the bow isn’t enough to break through the dragon’s magic resistance by itself,” Rem said, wiping cold sweat from her brow.

  A dragon’s strength is decided by its size, with a Large-class dragon likely serving as the Dragon King of these parts. The amount of magic Klem granted for the sake of self-defense simply wasn’t enough in this situation.

  The dragon landed from the sky, resting on the ground lightly.

  “If ’t be true thou art to intermit, Dram Ones, show Us the extent of thy power! Till despair overtakes all, and fain shall thee accept death!”

  “This can’t be real!” the Paladin bellowed from the center of the cave.

  Having called back Rose Prison, Gewalt scurried away, trying to flee the dragon, eventually finding refuge by cowering against the wall.

  “P-Please wait—don’t! I’ll leave right away! I never had any interest in this dungeon in the first place! I just wanted to get rid of those bitches over there!”

  The dragon’s massive eyes looked down on the Paladin.

  “If ’t be true thou shall not intermit... We shalt end thee swiftly with this!”

  Rem recalled the description from the books she’d read: “Black Dragons can make use of an Acid Breath attack to spray their opponents with acid. It is said to be powerful enough to melt sword, armor, and human flesh alike.”

  “Tch! Don’t think you’re better than me, you shitty lizard! I’ll turn you into Dragon steak with this! Come forth, 《Ifrit》!” The Paladin threw another crystal on the ground.

  Rem couldn’t hold back her shock. She’d heard of it through rumors, but it was the first time she had ever seen this high level Summon. While Gewalt was still as loathsome as ever, his strength was undoubtedly close to the limits of what the races could ever hope to achieve.

  The rainbow-colored crystal shattered and a pillar of flames burst forth, extending up to the heavens. Rem felt as if the heat wave was going to blow her away as a scarlet fiend of flames appeared; it was like lava had been given human shape.

  In terms of height, Ifrit stood head-to-toe with the dragon, the ground melting beneath its feet.

  “Agh... I can’t believe...he had this up his sleeve the whole time!” Rem covered her face with her hand, trying to shield herself from the heat.

  Had he summoned Ifrit from the beginning, Rem and the others would have been killed before they knew it. So why didn’t he use it?

  Why, for a very simple reason. Gewalt gripped his chest, wheezing heavily. Even for a skilled summoner like him, maintaining a summon of Ifrit’s strength took a massive toll on his MP.

  “Whoaaa... Who should we even cheer for here, Rem?” Shera looked at the two monsters, suspense and horror weighing down on her heart.

  “...The Large Black Dragon wants to kill us. If it defeats Ifrit, there’s no doubt we’re next.”

  “You’re right! So we should cheer for the Paladin-man now, right!?”

  “...But if Ifrit wins, it’ll go after us once it’s done with the dragon.”

  “Ehhh!?”

  “...Our only way out of this is if they end up killing each other. We should back up whoever seems to be losing.”

  Rem prepared a crystal in hand, waiting for a chance to present itself.

  Shera nodded. “L-Let’s do everything we can to get out of this!”

  Lumachina brought her hands together in prayer. “My Lord, please...protect us...”

  †

  Ifrit began its attack.

  As long as a Summon remained materialized, it continually consumed its Summoner’s MP, so Summons were ill-suited for drawn out battles. For this reason, Gewalt spent no time analyzing the situation and ordered the attack immediately.

  Dragonkin were not only powerful, but also knowledgeable and wise. According to one theory, Dragons inherited the memories of their parents.

  “Wield thy pow’r to its fullest extent, Dram One.”

  “Oooooo!!!”

  Ifrit moved in to strike; but it was a feint, as it took the chance to grab the dragon by its horns.

  “Shaaa!!!” the Summon roared, lava flowing from its abdomen and washing the opponent over with infernal heat.

  This was Ifrit’s special ability.

  The air shivered and shook. It took Rem a second to realize that was the dragon’s cry. Her grip on the crystal in her hand tightened.

  —So, the Summon is stronger after all...? In that case, now’s my chance to attack the Paladin while he’s occupied with keeping Ifrit manifested! But if I attack too fast, and the dragon ends up coming out on top, our lives would be forfeit... I have to gauge both of them carefully. How much damage did the Large Black Dragon receive from that last attack...?

  Its black scales were burning, and it appeared to have sustained significant damage.

  “Not yet! Keep attacking it, Ifrit!” Gewalt screamed hoarsely.

  Having changed most of is body to lava, the Summon once again assumed a humanoid form and began ramming its fists into the dragon. Ifrit’s burning body wasn’t its only weapon; even its normal attack power was extraordinary.

  The dragon’s 30-meter tall body stirred unsteadily, but the attacks wouldn’t cease. Pushing the dragon against the cave’s wall, the summon continued to beat it mercilessly.

  As the attack continued, time passed on mercilessly, and Ifrit unleashed its special ability a second time. Turning its body to lava once again, it faced the dragon, spewing the molten inferno all over.

  “Sha!” The Summon hissed as it attacked.

  —I-Is it ov
er!?

  Rem brandished the crystal over head.

  “No...” Shera’s breath was stuck in her throat.

  Hearing that whisper, Rem gave up on the idea of summoning anything since the meaning behind Shera’s reaction was—

  “Is yond all, Dram One? Has’t thy hadst thy fill of despair? If ’t be true so, may death claim thee!”

  The dragon, which was beaten helplessly till now, slashed forward with its front legs. Its claws mowed down Ifrit as the Summon attempted to revert to a humanoid form, crushing the upper half of Ifrit’s body.

  “It can’t be!” Rem shrieked.

  Ifrit was a Summon with an almost indeterminate form. Even if it lost its shape, it could restructure itself. It hadn’t gone back to being a crystal, which stood as proof it wasn’t defeated yet.

  Ifrit gradually assumed shape. Taking aim at the Summon, the dragon opened its gigantic jaws.

  Rem felt as a shiver run swiftly down her spine.

  —Acid Breath!? And...I think we’re just barely in the attack’s effective range!

  “We have to run, Lumachina!” Rem grabbed her by the hand.

  “Y-Yes!”

  “You too, Shera!”

  “Got it!”

  They got away from the entrance. Immediately after, the Large Black Dragon spewed a black fog from its mouth, hitting Ifrit point blank.

  The lava gradually liquified, in a manner different from its former, vigorous form. It melted and spilled over the floor before vanishing, leaving only a black crystal rolling on the ground in its wake.

  “Aaaaaahhh!” Gewalt squirmed in agony. “It can’t be! Impossible! M-My ace in the hole! It’s the strongest! How can the strongest Summon lose!?”

  “This is the limit of the races.”

  There was pity mixed in the dragon’s voice. After communicating telepathically, the dragon swung its tail. Having been softened by Ifrit’s heat and Acid Breath, the ground easily gave way, gouged by the tail.

  The tip of the tail grazed against Gewalt.

  “Gah!?”

  His sword was sent flying, along with his right hand, still gripping it. Blood moistened the ground beneath him.

  “D-Dying...” Gewalt crumpled to his feet.

  The Trap Worm appeared beneath him.

  Rem’s eyes flew open. She thought it was strange; from what she heard, Gewalt was beaten by one of Diablo’s spells, one powerful enough to destroy the whole area around them. So how was he alive?

  Apparently, he used the Trap Worm. It was a Summon that burrowed underground, and was capable of swallowing people whole. Usually, it was used to lure opponents into traps, but Gewalt had used it as a means to escape.

  —Such resourcefulness!

  He was, without a doubt, the most impressive Summoner Rem had ever met.

  But even he was no match for the Large Black Dragon. He may have damaged it, but that still left no opening that Rem could take advantage of.

  The dragon’s tail ripped across the ground yet again.

  “We shan’t allow thee escape!”

  The dragon’s tail struck the Trap Worm, sending it and Gewalt flying.

  “Gaaah!?”

  The worm slammed against the wall and crumpled to the ground, where it lay still, limply. It appeared to be a mortal blow.

  —I can’t believe the gap in strength between them was this large!

  Suddenly, Lumachina, who had been running next to Rem, turned on her heels and began running the other way, rushing to Gewalt’s side.

  “W-What are you doing!?” Rem called out, dumbfounded. She took after Lumachina in a hurry.

  Shera followed after Rem and Lumachina. “I-Isn’t this really bad!? The dragon’s looking at us—he’s looking straight at us!”

  But these acts of selflessness were what made Lumachina who she was. Adventurers like Rem could never understand her way of thinking.

  “Are you still alive!?” Lumachina knelt near Gewalt.

  “Ack... Uuu... Wha...? Lu...ma...china...?”

  “Please hang on! I’ll heal you!”

  “Heh, heh... It seems I’ve...made a bit of a blunder... Silly, old me...”

  With each word he spoke, blood spilled from his mouth. His internal organs were seemingly ruptured by the impact. His breaths came out in peculiar, unnatural wheezing sounds.

  “Our Lord in heaven, heed this voice seeking salvation,” Lumachina prayed. “Heal the grievous wounds that torment this man. Give clemency and forgiveness to his sins, and spare his life...”

  “I wanted to kill you...and earn all that money...wear pretty dresses...and play around with men...”

  “Grant your salvation unto him! Grant your forgiveness unto him!”

  “Are you that stupid? I...wanted to kill you, and that shitty lizard... Heh, I still do. If I had my hands...I’d strangle the life out of you...right now...”

  Both of Gewalt’s hands were gone, and his legs were bent in odd, unnatural directions. It was a miracle he was still alive and breathing. Maybe he owed that to his high level and well-made armor.

  “True, your hands are stained with grievous sins,” Lumachina said, continuing to pray, “which is precisely why you must reflect on your sins and atone. It is not yet time for you to return to the Lord’s side. Please, live on!”

  “Stop it... I will never, aton—ack!” Copious amounts of blood stained his azure platemail.

  “I beg of you, my Lord!”

  “Kuh... You’re wasting your breath... Even God would, abandon...a foul woman like me...”

  “Your forgiveness unto him! Grant your forgiveness unto him!”

  Lumachina joined her hands at her chest, clutching the holy sign with all her might. A white light shone from the holy sign, gradually enveloping Gewalt’s body.

  “Th-The pain...is going away!” he said through gritted teeth. “Stop it... Please...stop... Do you have any idea what I’ve done all this time!?”

  “Even still, God will surely forgive you!”

  “After all this time!?”

  Lumachina gripped Gewalt’s once severed hands, which had reappeared at some point.

  —Are the High Priest’s miracles truly this powerful!?

  Rem’s eyes were wide in shock. She’d heard Lumachina’s talent was rare even in the history of the Church, and had witnessed her miracles several times already...but was she truly this gifted?

  Rem was shocked beyond words.

  “Everything will be fine.” Lumachina smiled brightly. “Even when on the brink of their final moments, so long as people repent, God will forgive all sins.”

  Gewalt’s eyelids squeezed shut, a single transparent drop spilling from the corner of his tightly closed eyes.

  “That right...? God sounds like a...good man...”

  His breath gradually became calm and rhythmic. Despite the fact he was so deeply wounded, it was a miracle he was even alive. He was now sleeping soundly, as if he was nothing more than exhausted.

  The power of Lumachina’s miracles was astounding...

  And yet, the fact they were still in the worst possible scenario hadn’t changed in the slightest.

  Rem looked up at the dragon. “We have no desire to fight. Could you please let us go?”

  “Oooh... An elf with a bow enchant’d by a Demon Lord, and a human did bless with one of God’s wings. Truly fascinating... But thou... Art thou not the vessel?”

  “Huh...? Do you...know about me?”

  “The Demon Lord’s soul... I sense it.”

  “...It was within me, in the past. But I’ve already removed it.”

  “The Dram Ones at each moment fail to und’rstand coequal themselves. Howev’r faint, it still remains within thee.”

  “What!? But then...”

  The Demon Lord Krebskulm’s soul was sealed within Rem; the only way to release it was either through Rem’s death, or a certain ritual. She put her faith in Diablo and allowed for the ritual to take place so they could extract the Demon Lord from withi
n her and defeat it. But the Demon Lord Krebskulm had lost their memories, reduced to a biscuit-loving girl who didn’t wish to inflict harm upon the races.

  Rem placed a hand on her stomach.

  —Is the Demon Lord’s soul still inside me!?

  “We know of the w’rld. Of divine providence. Of heaven and Earth. As wouldst be natural, f’r within Us runs the blood of dragons. We art heir to knowledge dating back to the genesis of this w’rld, f’r it runs through our veins, unhind’r’d since ancient times. And we know coequal of how the w’rld shall end.”

  “...If your wisdom is so vast, could you not understand our situation? Please, spare us!”

  —The Demon Lord’s soul is still inside me! All the more reason I can’t afford to die here!

  “The lives of ye Dram Ones art but a transient moment in the annals of time.”

  “...From the perspective of Dragons, perhaps that’s how it seems.”

  “In yond case, shouldst thee kick the bucket anon by Our hand ’r some anon time matters not.”

  “What!?”

  “Thy existence is the same as a change in the currents of the winds... The same as coming across oddly color’d grass... Ere our eternal life, thy existence is as meaningless as a stone on the roadside...”

  “No!”

  The Large Black Dragon inhaled deeply, sucking in air with a shrill whistling sound.

  —Is it going to use its Acid Breath!?

  They no longer had any means of getting away from its effective range. Using a Summon to defend herself would probably be useless, for it could even beat a powerful Summon like Ifrit with one blow. The Summons Rem had contracted with wouldn’t buy her any time.

  A black fog burst from the Dragon’s massive mouth—

  A spear of light pierced the dragon’s jaw.

  Its head flung back, the acid breath spraying across the wall and melting rocks that littered the cave’s floor.

  “An injury...upon Us!? Who is’t art thou!?”

  Rem and the other two turned their gazes to where the spear of light was fired. The entrance door was opened, and there he stood. Even with a different weapon and outfit, there was no mistaking him.