LV999 Villager Chapter 2.2

“Well then, we've almost arrived at Balman…Where should we go first, Alice-san?”

A great wall surrounded Balman's perimeter, and a gate became visible to Alice and Kagami as they approached from the wide forest. Alice immediately walked along the shadows of the trees to stay hidden.

“No, well…I'm a Demon. I'll be exposed because of the magic my horns release if I enter. That's why I'll wait here until Kagami-san buys the medicine.”

Alice said with a dry smile, as if she was slightly hesitant.

“Are you an idiot? Isn't that like you're declaring 'Please find me hiding in front of the town and kill me'? If this was going to be the case, I would have left you behind when I said that I would go buy the medicine.”

“But, there's no other way…”

“Don't make such a gloomy face. Besides, since I plan to return home and rest first, I can't leave you alone outside, can I?”

Kagami began to rummage around inside the bag that was hanging over his shoulders, searching for something.

After a while, he muttered “Ah, I've got it” and removed a white cloth that looked like a slender bandage. He moved over to Alice's hiding spot in a tree's shadow.

“Kagami-san…what is this?”

“Don't worry about it. Remove your hood and turn your head towards me.”

“Eh, eh? L-like this?”

Alice removed her hood with a dubious face. Kagami coiled the bandage around her horns, tying a tight ribbon around each one.

“Good! The horns' shape doesn't really stand out, since they decline downwards. Well, since it's going to be an ornament used to deceive people, I'll buy you a ribbon later.”

“It can't be helped, but wrapping them like that…The way the cloak has been torn still…Huh?”

Alice became aware of her discomfort as she was talking. She no longer felt the magic that normally emanated from her horns. She confirmed that the horns were still there by touching them with her hands.

“Kagami-san, what is the meaning of this?”

“Magic.”

“Geez, answer me seriously! If you have such an item, even the co-existence of Demons and humans…!”

“It's impossible. Although I think you've already noticed it, this isn't 『Magic Suppression』. It's a special cloth that 『changes magic into a different substance』. I made it.”

Kagami said, before starting to walk briskly towards Balman. The panicked Alice quickly followed him.

A Demon's horn was a part of their body that emitted magic. It existed in order to stop magic from overflowing within their bodies.

For example, after the Blue Devil's horn is placed in a container that can store it, the emitted magic temporarily stays in that spot…but magic power still builds up inside the Demon's body, which can cause abnormal status.

“That's why I said that it's useless. There simply isn't enough raw materials for it. It's a miracle that I even found them.”

When Alice heard this, she felt dejected.

“Then, at least tell me exactly what this is.”

“N-…? Monsters absorb magic and then release it, right? Then, do you know the origin of that existence? Those guys that are known as Spawn Blockers.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“About that, no matter how many times you locate and destroy those Blockers, the magic isn't completely destroyed when it's released inside the Dungeon…I found this material the moment they released their magic. When their magic gets absorbed, it becomes a strange material that won't release magic, no matter what the Monster is.”

“It doesn't lose its efficiency?”

Originally, Spawn Blockers who produced monsters lost this efficiency with their destruction and just turned into stone. However, since the Spawn Blockers released their magic when they got destroyed, humans had already given up on the possibility of destroying them.

“Yeah. Those are super S-rank materials no one knows about. I found them by accident.”

“So this was made by kneading them into a cloth material? Shouldn't you cherish it? It's the only one in the whole world.”

Alice was slightly worried about what to do. Meanwhile, Kagami, having seen the cloth taken out after such a long time, reminisced about the feelings of finding it for the first time.

It was a cherished feeling that Kagami found. It wasn't something he found great joy in, but it was a normal doubt for anyone who had thought…

【What…are Monsters?】

“Hey, Kagami-san. Why did you think to try to make this cloth? This is made to easily fit a Demon's horns, isn't it?”

“Hmm? Ah, it was just a long time ago.”

When Alice saw Kagami look slightly irritated and scratch his head, she unintentionally let out a laugh. This person might have also aimed for the same world that she did. No, she was confident that this person would surely try to do so. She smiled and continued to walk behind Kagami until they arrived at Balman.

“A…a…amazingggggg!”

When they arrived at Balman, Alice was astonished and cried out exuberantly with sparkling eyes.

Countless adventurers were often present inside the town and you could see people buying things from open vendors. Tavern workers and owners were out shopping in various places, as well as arranging the goods that they had made.

There were numerous houses covered in bricks or made from wood, wide passages paved in stone, and various Adventurers making speeches at the Square. All of this was new to Alice.

Alice might have been the first Demon to set foot inside of Balman.

“Cheappp! Just for today, we have Humuhumunukunukuāpuaa! 440 Bronze!”

“Cheap! Cheap cheap! Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! Welcome, welcome, it's cheap!”

“Sea Urchins and Salmon Roe here! 1 Silver!”

“You sure are cute! Won't you try one of my apples?”

Kagami ignored everything and walked swiftly. Alice looked about restlessly, observing each and every product that she saw as if everything was new to her.

“Hey, be careful!”

“Au, I'm sorry.”

Along the way, Alice collided with an Adventurer who was passing by. Although she seemed like she was pouting while apologizing, the Adventurer didn't say anything else and walked away.

Although, if he had realized that she was a demon, Alice would have been faced with extremely hostile behavior. That being said, Humans wouldn't attack you just because you were rumored to be a Demon. They had conversed like equals, which caused an indescribable feeling to run through her. By the time she noticed, Kagami had jumped in joy.

“Kagami-san, where do we go from here?”

“Hmm? I will go buy the medicine by myself later, so first we will secure an inn to sleep at today. I plan to go call a friend to come join us on this trip.”

Kagami answered without hesitation and made Alice anxious.

“Eh…it won't just be Kagami-san and me going?”

“Isn't it obvious? You don't understand. I'm fine by myself, but since you're here as well, I want someone to stand next to you if I have to fight.”

“B-but…it would be bad if I were to be found out, and isn't it useless for you to worry about me getting attacked by Monsters?”

“It's not necessarily just Monsters who will come and attack you.”

When Alice saw Kagami's sad expression, she couldn't say anything else.

“Look, don't make such a worried face. That guy isn't bad, I guarantee it.”

Alice followed the calm Kagami as they headed directly towards the inn. After securing a room, Kagami left Alice and went to go search for this person that he relied on.

“You're slow…Kagami-san.”

Alice waited inside the room for about two hours. The room was the length of roughly ten tatami mats, which contained two beds, a table, and chairs placed to allow a view of the whole town from the window.

Although she had considered going outside, that would definitely make Kagami worry, so she sat on the bed to fool around and kill some time while watching the town from the window.

Nevertheless, it was definitely boring to wait in the room for two hours without doing anything. After adapting to a lifestyle of sleeping out in the open during her journey from the Demon village to the Ancient Cave, it would undoubtedly be impossible to sleep in a bed. She would simply feel uncomfortable.

“Oi! Are you awake? Open the door for me!”

Just as she started to feel slightly uneasy, she heard the sound of the three knocks alongside Kagami's voice coming from the entrance.

Alice's expression lit up while she jumped out of the bed and went to the door.

“Welcome back, Kagami-san! I'll open it now!”

Alice turned the key above the door knob counterclockwise enthusiastically and opened the door vigorously.

Then she immediately shut the door and locked it.

The moment the door was opened, Alice became expressionless. She thought that she had seen Kagami standing in front of the door, but there had been someone else behind him. It was a large, muscular man who had hair woven in braids, with a height that was 1.2 times taller than Kagami, he wore a pink dougi and resembled a bear.

“O-i, Alice, it's me, Kagami. I said to open the door for me.”

The voice she heard was definitely Kagami. Since he had called his name, she decided to properly confirm his identity and once again began to slowly open the shut door.

“It's Araya…How cute!”

Alice froze in fear from the impact of the person behind Kagami.

The man's build appeared like a body that's been born to fight. He had a rugged face with a cleft chin, which was separated into two with applied makeup, and apparently applied a moisturizing agent like lip balm on his cod lips. When Alice saw this figure, she selected the command to flee in her head, but there was no path to escape.
(TN: Cod lips means the lips are very big. Stung-by-bee kind of big)

The pink dougi made one think that this man's appearance belonged to THAT group of people. He was just a completely dangerous fellow with that amount of hardened, ripped muscles.
(TN: The joke is he looks gay)

“Cho, Takako-chan. You're scaring her so go in first.”

When Alice looked past the large man, she finally saw Kagami and her heart immediately became calm.

“Geez…I'm not scary though~? Young lady, I'm friendly, alright~?”

Kagami felt his appearance lacked any credibility. Alice, who had nearly collapsed in fear, collected herself and closed the door after the large man wearing the pink dougi entered the room.

“Yoisho, look, I went and bought the medicine. I'll hold onto it so you don't lose it.”

Kagami muttered to Alice soon after he entered the room. He placed the large rucksack on his shoulders next to the window. He had probably been preparing for the journey.

He then took something that looked like a tea set from the rucksack and prepared a flask with a drink that smelled like black tea. The large man sat in a chair and began to drink elegantly.

“U…umm, Kagami-san? The friend you talked about, is that…this person?”

Alice, who had watched the actions of the two people with a stupefied look, timidly asked Kagami a question.

“Hmm? Yeah? This person is the most reliable Level 124 Monk, Takako-chan.”

Alice was still surprised when she heard that the person was level 124 since their appearance wasn't unique enough for others to expect such a number

Alice believed that he was a Monk, but it was unexpected for Kagami to say that he was the most reliable one.

“Are you listening, Alice-chan? Geez, you really are cute…Want to eat something?”

Alice quickly moved and hid behind Kagami's back without changing her expression.

“I said that you're scaring her. Takako is a good person who is willing to be our ally without any issues, even after knowing that you are a Demon.”

“Eh…! Even though you know I'm a Demon…you aren't scared?”

Alice softened her expression, surprised at Kagami's unexpected remark.

Oddly enough, she felt a sense of affinity with the monk, who wasn't hostile to her even though he knew that she was a Demon.

“I still haven't introduced myself. I'm Takako Vildar. As Kagami-chan said earlier, I'm a Monk. I won't ever attack you just because you're a Demon, so you don't need to worry.”

“W-Why? Aren't demons a hindrance?”

“Alice-chan is a cute-looking child, and that makes you safe~…Besides, neither Demons nor humans have any relations to me.”

“I too was able to slay Demons in the past, but one time, a long time ago, I exhausted all of my healing medicine and a Demon ended up saving my life…Ever since then, I've noticed that Demons and Humans aren't different.”

Alice widened her eyes and glanced at Kagami and Takako in turns.

“U-Um! I want you to cooperate with me! I want to build a friendly relationship with humans!”

“That's impossible~. It's something you cannot understand. After all, Demons won't stop harming humans. Therefore, I became tired of fighting and now manage Club Gachi Muchi, which lets retired Adventurers enjoy their lives in this town. I'm living a carefree life, no?”

It was during such circumstances when he met Kagami, who had unexpectedly come to play at her bar. He clicked with him and, together with other retired Adventurers, enjoyed quests searching for treasure together. Takako let out a deep sigh.

“I was glad when Kagami came, since he couldn't come to play recently…However, this unexpected business of wanting to escort a Demon was surprising! If it's a favor from Kagami, there's no way I could refuse it, you know.”

“But Takako-chan, you rarely manage the bar anymore.”

“Isn't it fine if you come to the Club? You can sell things that way.”

“No way. I never want to go to such a horrible place again.”

When she saw the exchange between the two, Alice's wariness towards Takako gradually faded away.

“Umm…I'm sorry. In the beginning, it was surprisingly strange.”

“Ara! Proper etiquette? It's fine? Such an appearance…is not overly surprising?”

“I'm in your care, Takako-san!”

Alice bowed to show her sincerity.

“It's fine? Ah that's right! Alice-chan has always slept out in the open, right? Don't you want to take a bath? Shall we go to this city's hot springs? It's a good place where there aren't that many people.”

Alice became excited. Since she had always lived outdoors, she never took any baths.

Although, no matter how many times one bathed, they couldn't forget the feeling of soaking in warm water.

“Y-Yeah! I want to go! Let Kagami-san go too!”

“If you want to go, then you two should go. Males and females are separated so there is no meaning in going together, right?”

“…Eh? Takako-san will be together with you, right?”

“What the hell are you saying? Takako-chan is a woman.”

At that moment, the vigorous Alice interrupted her thoughts, thinking “Amazing, Kagami-san, to use such magic to stop time!”

“Well…eh? That, like Kagami-san…Takako-san is also big?”

Certainly, she was wearing makeup and a pink dougi. However, no matter what Alice thought, her body was much larger than a normal woman's.

“But, I'm a woman.”

A chest that tightened with muscles, as if it were an iron plate.

She only had to stand for one to see that her muscles had been forged from training overwhelmingly. It was an appearance that would make one think that it wouldn't be strange even if she crushed a rock. She was more manly than anyone else.

But she was a woman.

She had arms and legs as thick as logs, along with the appearance of a ferocious bear, and was the Level 124 owner of the Club Gachi Muchi in Balman.

But she was a woman.

“W-w-w-wait a moment! Well, Takako-san has no chest!”

“Takako-chan's breasts changed into muscle by burning all of her fat.”

Kagami sorted his luggage as he responded, as if he were used to it.

“Geez! Kagami-chan! Don't you know how to properly choose your words?”

“Haha, stop being so serious Takako-chan. My health is decreasing, right?”

In response to the rude remark, Takako-chan aimed a Low Kick at the back of Kagami's neck with her log-like legs. A fierce sound rang out when she kicked, lightly shaking the ground.

Although it was impressive that Kagami was enduring it, Alice couldn't hide her surprise at Takako-san, who had unleashed such a Low Kick. She was…a woman? Alice doubted it expressionlessly.

“Umm, even though Kagami-san is Level 999, you still took damage from Takako-san?”

When she saw Kagami's complexion worsening, Alice suddenly wondered about that. Although Kagami was obviously strong, being at Level 999, she didn't know if there was enough of a gap compared to Takako, who had the talented Role of the Monk.

“Well, even if I am Level 999, since the Villager is the weakest amongst the Roles, the gap is about three times as much. Otherwise, I think it's around 1.5 times? If a Villager wants to win against Takako-chan's power, they need to be at least Level 372.”

Kagami, whose complexion had worsened from taking damage earlier, responded in a cool manner.

“But even so, Kagami's strength is still overwhelmingly powerful, right? Was being hurt a joke?”

“No. My HP steadily dropped. Look, when you become Level 100, don't you get an exclusive Race Skill? Takako-san's skill is especially dangerous.”

Alice was puzzled when she heard this. Demons, who were unlike Humans, weren't well acquainted with Levels, so Kagami began to explain the Level system step by step.

Upon reaching Level 100, an unknown, exclusive skill was assigned according to a person's Role, Personality, Character, and their Fundamentals. Since the Skills were apparently determined by a person's Role, people came to the conclusion that your Role was the primary factor for what was received.

The difference in ability between a Level 99 and a Level 100 Human is immense. When Rex was gathering his party, he had wanted them to be Level 100 because of this.

Furthermore, he knew an exclusive Race Skill was assigned every hundred levels gained. This is why the Level 253 Hero, who called himself 'The Accomplisher' is said to be a Legend.

The Demon King, who was stronger than Heroes, also had two exclusive Skills.

It's the skill 【Penetrating Shock of Destruction】and to put it simply, it allowed one to ignore an opponent's defense.

“Takako-chan releases an all-out attack, dealing her maximum amount of damage. It's an abnormal skill.”

Wasn't that a ghost-like attack, which ignored physical attributes? Kagami rose after he finished arranging the luggage.

“So what if it's an abnormal skill? Doesn't Kagami-chan have plenty of them?”

“Is that so? Kagami-san also has exclusive Skills…Huh? Isn't it nine, since you're level 999!?”

Alice was startled and opened her eyes widely as she thought about the amazing power of having nine Skills, having heard about Takako's abnormal Skill.

“No, it's at least ten Skills. When I became Level 999, it increased by one.”

“Eh? But didn't you say earlier that one is obtained every 100 Levels?”

“It's probably because there hasn't been anyone who reached Level 999 until now. The limit is Level 999, since the exp bar disappears so you can't get past it.”

Kagami muttered with an unhappy expression. Alice couldn't comprehend his thoughts behind his expression. Perhaps he still desired more power? It didn't appear to be that way. People who thought of finding more power after reaching Level 999 didn't exist.

If that was the case, Alice had to wonder “Why does this person show that expression occasionally?” A slight pain appeared in Alice's chest, since she couldn't completely understand what Kagami was feeling.

“Doesn't Alice think that having ten Skills is weird enough? Look, isn't he already fine, even though he was kicked like that earlier?”

“Umm, what kind of Skills does Kagami-san have?”

“It doesn't mean that I know everything about the skills that were given to me. One looks like an automatic recovery skill and is called 【Auto Revive】. See, even though I was kicked like that, I'm still alive and well.”

Alice and Takako glanced at Kagami, who looked towards the mirror as if he was set on it.

Even if he was Level 999, suitable hardships would normally be required to overlook the damage he had taken, and it would have been difficult. Kagami's Skill 【Auto Revive】, which healed any amount of damage his opponents dealt, was definitely abnormal, but that was because he had reached Level 999.

It was thanks to this Skill he had obtained at Level 100 that Kagami had managed to become Level 999 at a young age.

“Wouldn't these Skills make others jealous if they are revealed?”

“Isn't it fine? It can't be changed anyways. Please show me your Status Window occasionally. Why are you being stubborn and hiding it?”

“ 'Cause it's a secret rule.”

Kagami replied as he showed off his Status Window, which only displayed his Role and Level. Seeing this, Takako sighed.

“Whatever. Even though I'm concerned about it, since Kagami-chan is like that, perhaps there is something he doesn't want us to know about. Alice-chan, let's go to the bath.”

“Alright…”

Alice saw Kagami's displeased expression, as if he were slightly troubled, and stopped listening. When Kagami looked far off into the distance at times, he had a lonely look on his face, as if he were sad. What exactly did he know about going to that area? Alice left the room while worrying about it.

Even though Takako confirmed the bath selection before leaving the room, Alice didn't realize it until it was too late. She couldn't escape anymore.

Alice, who gave up halfway and prepared for the worst, splendidly passed through the streets of Balman under Takako's guidance and headed towards the hot springs. The cheerful Takako was strangely scary.

“Ara? Why such a pale face? Hmph, it's ok, 'cause I'm letting you follow me.”

“Ah…no, that…yes. Thank you very much.”

“Or, I wonder if it can't be helped but to feel sad at times, since Kagami-chan won't show you his Status Window?”

Alice changed her seemingly sad expression.

Although she thought that the primary reason for his coldness was a tragedy that had occurred in his past, she was still unfamiliar with Kagami.

It was troubling for her to be called by her given name for the first time, as well as seeing humans worry about her.

“Even though he is usually blissfully ignorant, Kagami-chan makes a distressed face when it comes to his Status.”

“Does it have something to do with Kagami-san's past?”

“Although his lifestyle of defeating Monsters and obtaining gold hasn't changed at all, he started having that distressed expression when he became Level 999. When I met that child, he was about Level 930 and he had shown me his Status Window back then.”

She added “Since I, too, was a normal Bar Owner at that time, I had never shown off such Skills,” as she shook her head and pouted.

“…How did Kagami-san reach Level 999, exactly? Nobody could even reach the area of Level 300, and to go beyond Level 999 is…”

If Kagami knew how, anyone would wonder about it, and Alice was the first one to ask this question. She hadn't been listening anyways, when Kagami was near.

Even if she tried to listen, Kagami definitely would not tell her. Rather than being strangely deceptive, he'd just wear a troubled expression. Since she intuitively knew this, she didn't dare ask.

“There aren't any monsters that are beyond Level 500 in the world.”

Alice stopped and muttered in a small voice.

No matter how much one struggled, Alice was certain that it was impossible to reach that Level. She knew the existence of the strongest monster because Demons coexisted with Monsters. It was not likely for one to return alive if they met it, and it was impossible to flee if they got lost in its territory.

“Surely, one cannot go beyond Level 500. Yet…Kagami reached Level 999.”

“But he knew from the beginning that the strongest monsters are Level 500. Also, it's fine to not worry about your father's life being targeted by another Level 999 person, since another person like Kagami is unlikely to appear.”

Takako said to Alice, who was genuinely worried about the method of reaching Level 999, with a gentle smile.

“It's probably impossible for anyone other than Kagami-chan.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because for him, every single life is important…I wonder if that makes him the most idiotic person alive?”

Takako began to laugh like a man and added “Hahaha, idiot.”

“Besides, isn't that something you will eventually come to know from now on? Since we just met, if you feel that you truly wish to get along with us, it would be better to keep your curiosity reigned in.”

Alice slightly reflected on it and lowered her face with a shunned look.

When Takako saw this, she impulsively wanted to hug Alice. She had hugged cute things impulsively in public before, and since it still hadn't caused a problem, she responded as such.

“Well, I'll teach you a special method to becoming Level 999! The exp value is still obtained, even if you are at a higher Level. Kagami-chan verified this already.”

“Higher Level?”

“Even if you're at a higher Level, if your opponent's abilities are greater than yours, you will get exp. This isn't normally the case, but since he has the weakest Role of Villager, he can gain exp.”

Alice couldn't help but feel even more skeptical when she heard this. Since Villagers were weak, she knew that even if he was fighting a Level 500 Monster at Level 900, he would barely win.

Learning about the existence of Skills convinced Alice even more. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't help but wonder about the existence that called himself Kagami.

“I, too, don't know about that. But it's fine. Whether it's the past or the present, Kagami-chan is a friendly person who doesn't change. That's why, shouldn't Alice-chan also be at ease?”

Alice, who had been gloomy about various things, brightened at Takako's words.

She couldn't ask too many questions, and even though they had just met, Kagami was friendly. Alice wanted to know more. It was fine if she started learning from now. There was no rush, and they would at least start traveling together.

“And since I'm here, Alice-chan should also feel more at ease.”

Alice began to overflow with various feelings when Takako said so.

“I…it's not like I didn't want to go to the hot springs anymore. I just began to think a little, that's all.”

“It's impossible for a girl to be so sweaty! Even if it's Kagami-chan, I won't forgive him!”

Takako's giant body closed in on Alice and pointed at her as she said so. Alice's heart paled in the face of such force, and she naturally laughed as if she had given up.

“Here we go!…To the hot springs!”

Takako forcibly grabbed Alice's hand and pointed towards the direction of the hot springs. Immediately after, a giant, violet object fell down in that direction, making a loud “~Dozun”.

“…Huh?”

This height, perhaps it was four times as tall as Takako?

Since it had, by chance, fallen in the largest area in Balman's town square when nobody was around, there wasn't anyone under it. Otherwise, it would have pinned anyone underneath it.

Alice was convinced of this when she saw the ground's paved stone that had been crushed from its fall and gasped.

“Guru…………Gururu……Guru……Gurufuu……”

The monster raised a spine-chilling growl and slowly began to move, emitting a yellow glint from its eyes. Its two front legs sank into the ground with a “~zun”. It then placed its two hind legs in the same manner and pulverized the ground, as if it was getting ready for a charge.

“You're in the way.”

“Guru…..Ruo!? Buruooooooo!?”

However, the Bloody Buffer, which had come flying from the sky, immediately received a roundhouse kick to it's body from Takako and was sent flying into the horizon at an amazing speed. It made a loud sound as it collided with the Square's wall of bricks and disappeared, changing into Gold.

“Come, Alice-chan! Let's go to the hot springs!”

“Oh, no, please wait a moment. Amazing, it's my first time being bewildered like this.”

Takako, who didn't appear to be sensitive to anything and immediately tried to go to the hot springs after slaying a Monster that fell from the sky with a sudden roundhouse kick, made Alice dizzy. When they surveyed their surroundings, they realized that there were more Bloody Buffers falling from the sky, one after another.

Why were they still calmly trying to go to the hot springs in such a situation? Alice was rather afraid of this.

“Ara. Quite a lot of them have fallen. Although it's fine even if they fall on my shop.”

“Takako-san, now is not the time to be calm!”

In fact, the situation had turned into an uproar and screams rang throughout Balman.

Why had Bloody Buffers fallen from the sky? When Alice and Takako raised their heads to look for the cause, about ten giant, black-winged monster birds descended on the town.

“Did those monster birds bring those Bloody Buffers? Why, exactly?”

“Calm down, Alice-chan. Even though everyone is making a racket, it's fine. This is an Adventurer's Town, after all.”

Takako said in a calm manner.

When they surveyed their chaotic surroundings, they saw that the confused Adventurers, who were crying and shouting at the same time, were slowly beginning to fight the Bloody Buffers.

It had certainly been surprising for monsters to suddenly fall from the sky, but everyone seemed to be dealing with it without any particular problems. It didn't look like it would take them very long to completely suppress this level of damage.

“Kukuku…fuhahaha! Not bad, humans! Even though you are at peace now…today is just a test! It's a declaration of war…the Demon King Army will control the humans!”

Immediately after, a voice resounded inside them, as if it were speaking directly into their minds.

Alice and Takako immediately looked towards the birds that were flocking in the sky. The birds all seemed to be looking down, and they could see a Demon with two horns standing at the front.

“Ara…Could he be your father?”

“No…Father isn't that young, and he doesn't have silver hair. But, why is he using the Demon King's name in such a place?”

When Takako checked, with a slightly troubled look, Alice hastily denied it.

However, Alice couldn't hide her look of confusion. It was possible that they were just using the Demon King's name, but they had unquestionably declared war against the humans.

“Fear us, humans…! Demon King-sama has finally begun to act in order to destroy Humanity. In both his name and in reality, you guys will be controlled…for all of eternity!”

***Kagami's POV***

“So…hungry. There's so much free time. Hurry up and come back.”

After Takako and Alice left, Kagami laid down on top of the bed, since he had nothing to do. Whether or not it was good to sleep early after eating, he deeply regretted not going to the bath together with them. However, since Balman was always crowded, regardless of the time of day, it seemed too troublesome to walk out right now, even if it was the middle of the night. It would be annoying if he passed by Takako and Alice, so Kagami was waiting on standby.

“As always, it seems like they are having fun. As expected of Balman, cows are even falling from the sky.”

Kagami laughed lightly as he looked outside of the window. Cows were rapidly coming down from the sky to wave at him. He couldn't help making a retort when such an event was happening.

“If you are showing me this, then today's dinner will be black beef…No, it will be something less expensive, since Alice is here…But she most likely hasn't tried it before, so black beef it is…”

Kagami immediately understood that the the Monsters that were falling were Bloody Buffers. He thought it was amusing because such low Level Monsters were falling into a town where Adventurers gathered.

He initially thought that Takako had thrown them around as they fell, since her class was Monk, but he immediately changed his mind.

“Gururu……ruooooo!”

“Eh? This is extremely annoying.”

A Bloody Buffer broke through the ceiling and fell into the room, landing right next to Kagami's bed.

“Eh-…I wonder what the repair cost will be.”

Kagami looked up at the sky, more concerned about the condition of the broken ceiling than the Bloody Buffer that had fallen in front of him, and noticed the black Monster birds which had dropped the Bloody Buffers. As they flew about and filled the sky, Kagami frowned.

“It doesn't look like Takako-chan threw them…Did those Monsters do this?”

Black monster birds were fluttering around in the sky. From what Kagami knew, they only appeared in groups. They were only Level 138 Monsters that flew around the Demon King's castle, the Hell Crows.

Why were they flying about in a flock at such a place? They were even cooperating with fellow Monsters who originally inhabited different areas. Although there were various other thoughts that Kagami initially had,

“It's a flying piggybank!”

Is what he quickly thought of them as.

Since Hell Crows were able to fly around in the sky, they rarely came down to the ground. He had to come up with a strategy to defeat them. They were monsters that Kagami did not encounter often.

However, Hell Crows liked to eat shiny gems as food, and since they were stored inside their body, you could earn a large amount of gold if you defeated them. They were Rare Monsters whose dropped Items were gems.

“I-I hate it! One, two, three, four, five, six…every single one of them is plump!”

Kagami's thoughts immediately switched to figuring out how to defeat the Hell Crows, who were flying in the sky. He didn't care about the ceiling's repair cost anymore because it would be fine if he paid with the gold from defeating the Hell Crows.

He actually started to feel grateful for the Hell Crows and Bloody Buffers that had come to attack in flocks.

“Kukuku…fuhahaha! Not bad, humans! Even though you are at peace now…today is just a test! It's a declaration of war…the Demon King Army will control the humans!”

A voice resounded inside Kagami's mind.

“Fear us, humans…! Demon King-sama has finally begun to act in order to destroy Humanity. In both his name and in reality, you guys will be controlled…for all of eternity!”

“What the hell is that guy saying.”

Kagami said hatefully in response to the voice he suddenly heard. He knew the existence that was called the Demon King. Incidentally, he also knew his daughter. It was precisely because of this that he knew that the owner of this voice…was probably just a Demon. He understood that the Demon was selfishly twisting the intentions of another, which angered him a little.

“Gururururuoooooo! Guruooooooo!”

When the Bloody Buffers let out a war cry, as if they were announcing their existence, Kagami looked at them.

“Just about right.”

“Guruo? Guru…!?”

Kagami grabbed one of the horns extending from the Bloody Buffer with one hand, lightly lifted it up while supporting its giant body, and flung it into the sky with full force.

Larger than a cannonball, the Bloody Buffer flew in a straight line towards the sky and collided with the flock of Hell Crows before changing into gold.

The Hell Crow that received a direct blow from the Bloody Buffer changed into a large amount of gold and gems, which scattered into the air.

“Shit! There's a possibility of other guys picking that up!”

After saying that, since there weren't any fleeing children in the vicinity, Kagami jumped out of the broken ceiling. After he found the Bloody Buffer he flung into the sky, he began to search for Takako.

“……Eh?”

The Demon who was standing on top of the Hell Crow in the sky could not understand what had happened to the Hell Crow that was killed and wore a puzzled expression, with snot running down his nose.

***Kagami POV End***

Chapter end