The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing.

Chapter 579 Diverging paths
Abandoning your comrades may be unsettling, but it's necessary, just like the main characters in some shonen manga, who firmly believe that their comrades will defeat the enemy and then catch up with them.

This can be considered a standard procedure.

It was precisely because of this that Yujian Xiangye did not loudly condemn Zun Zun's actions, and it was thanks to this that Zun Zun did not have to waste his breath explaining to him what the romance of the Crimson Demon Clan was.

...No, maybe he guessed that the Crimson Demon Clan were all a bunch of mentally unstable people, which is why he didn't speak.

all in all.

Let's compose ourselves and move on.

"Speaking of which, where are we now?" Kazuma Sato asked, as if suddenly remembering something. "Do you have a map of the Demon King's castle? Which room is the Demon King in?"

"Well..."

Everyone looked at each other.

None of those present knew, since the decision to subdue the Demon King was practically made on a whim. Besides, no one had dared to enter the Demon King's castle for a long time, so it was impossible for them to know the Demon King's location.

"Tsk, I should have asked Serena."

"But even if we get the information, we wouldn't dare to believe it easily. Maybe they'll deliberately give us false information. And then... when we confidently step into the room, we're met with hordes of demon kings, all wearing smug smiles, doing this and that to us... How awesome!"

"Hey, Darkness? Darkness...hey, snap out of it!"

After pushing her a few times without any improvement, Kazuma Sato couldn't help but slap the delusional female cross knight to bring her back to her senses.

“But, according to the usual pattern, they should be waiting for us on the top floor of the Demon King’s castle, right?” Clemia (the spearman of the Mikami Squad) said. “I remember reading in a fairy tale that the Demon King has his final duel with the hero on the top floor.”

"But fairy tales are fairy tales after all. You know, some demon kings are particularly insidious. On the surface, they are their clones, while the real one likes to hide in dark corners and secretly watch us, only to jump out and slap us in the face when we are about to win."

"...Kazuma, I always feel that your thoughts are really wicked."

"In short, if it were me, I would definitely do the same."

"That was just you, wasn't it?"

Mikami Hibiki couldn't help but complain.

But he had no way to refute it.

Having been exposed to modern RPG games, he couldn't help but wonder if, as Kazuma Sato said, the real demon king was lurking in the corner, waiting for them to lower their guard before delivering a fatal blow.

especially--

"There's a staircase now."

Is this a standard procedure, or is it what I expected?

"It feels very unsettling."

After parting ways with the gatekeeper and advancing a short distance, they came to a staircase before them, one leading upwards and the other downwards. The staircase leading upwards was brightly lit by direct sunlight through its windows, while the staircase leading downwards remained dark and deep despite being illuminated by lamps.

"Then let's part ways here."

"I agree."

As soon as Kazuma Sato spoke, Kyoya Mitsurugi agreed, leaving Kazuma feeling a bit uncomfortable, as he wanted to persuade him. Was it because he was provoked by Megumin? He had thought she would be the type who disagreed with breaking up.

"The adventurer party split up inside the Demon King's castle, then was picked off one by one by the defending Demon King's army, captured, and thoroughly humiliated... Ha... Ha... How awesome!"

Except for that one excited, perverted female knight.

"So……"

Mikage Hibiki gave Sato Kazuma and Zun Zun a serious look before heading up the stairs.

Then the cloak was seized.

"Wait a minute... Brother Demon Sword."

"It's sword control. You haven't forgotten my name, so you're calling me by my title, at least call me Demon Sword Hero."

"How could that be? It's just been so long, shouldn't we get a little closer?"

"Then you should call me by my name."

The eerie silence was very unsettling. Kazuma Sato didn't seem to care what Hibiki Mitsurugi's name was at all; he was just like Aqua.

Mikage Hibiki was aware of this as well, and therefore he was not angry.

He sighed and asked, "So, what's the matter?... Just to clarify, it was Sato Kazuma who said the Demon King might be on the lowest level."

"Just call me Kazuma," Kazuma Sato said with a grin. "Don't say that. Let's decide how to allocate our forces."

Miken Hibiki didn't say anything, but just watched him perform quietly.

"Although the Demon King is likely on the top floor, I still insist he's hiding on the bottom floor. So I called you over for your own good. You see, if we accidentally defeat the Demon King, you won't get any credit, right? All that will be said is that a powerful demon swordsman went sightseeing in the Demon King's castle. But if you defeat the Demon King, it's a different story. You'll be the biggest contributor, and you'll be celebrated as a hero! You'll be remembered as a hero!"

Kazuma Sato said it twice.

Although he kept saying this, as if he were considering Mikami Hibiki's feelings, to others it sounded completely like—

"You...you're not scared, are you?"

"Who, who, who's scared? I'm doing this for your own good, don't you even understand my good intentions? Besides, I have a strong feeling that the Demon King is definitely on the lowest level!" A ridiculously weak excuse.

Mikage Hibiki was too lazy to argue with him, and looked at the stupid goddess beside her: "Lady Aqua, what do you think?"

"Well..."

Aqua looked at the dark staircase leading down with a troubled expression.

This happened when Zun Zun wasn't around. I heard that she and Kazuma Sato went to Gil's dungeon and were abandoned there. Since then, Aqua has suffered from claustrophobia.

“Is that so? I understand. Then, Kazuma Sato, I’ll listen to you this time and go this way. Lady Aqua, please don’t worry, I’ll catch up soon.”

That's what Mikami Hibiki said.

Anyone with eyes could see that he wasn't listening to Kazuma Sato, but rather looking out for Aqua.

I don't know whether to call him a simp or someone who's understanding.

Clémia and Fio—his two companions—are of no use. It would be better if the white moonlight goddess of Mikami Hibiki didn't come along, or even say something foolish like the three of them should be the ones to defeat the Demon King.

Thinking about it carefully, Mikami Hibiki is not weak either. With the support of the Demon Sword, he should be able to defeat the Demon King smoothly.

...Could he be the hidden protagonist?

"Stewardship."

"Huh?...What is this?"

Yu Jianxiangye subconsciously took a backpack that Zun Zun threw to her. After opening it, she found several bottles of potions, each labeled with its own use—detoxification, healing, stamina, etc.

"Your team doesn't have a priest, so use this if danger arises."

"Thank you, I will accept it with gratitude."

He casually handed the potion to his companion, since he was the main force in the upcoming battle and it wouldn't be good if it got damaged in the process.

Mikage Hiyori walked down the stairs, and as he turned his back to the others, he spoke:

"Sato Kazuma, now that we've come this far, don't back down. The Demon King, the enemy of humanity, is right before us, and most of his army is currently tied down by the knights and adventurers of the capital. This opportunity won't come again. Let's put an end to the battle between humanity and the Demon King's army."

"Yes, I can!"

"And... protect Lady Aqua."

After saying that, he led his two companions down the stairs and walked away until they disappeared around the corner.

Kazuma Sato looked slightly speechless, probably thinking that this guy was too good at showing off.

After that, everyone went in the opposite direction to the upper level.

Kazuma Sato stretched and looked relaxed, which caught Darkness's attention.

"Hey Kazuma, why do you look so relaxed? We're going to defeat the Demon King, you know? And I didn't expect you to choose this side, especially since you've always seemed so unmotivated. Or... is it actually... for me...?"

"No, you idiot!"

He rolled his eyes at the effeminate, perverted female knight with annoyance.

"My intuition tells me that the Demon King is at the very bottom of the Demon King's Castle, so I chose the simpler path."

"Hey!"

"Oh, it doesn't really matter, does it? Aqua's goal is to defeat the Demon King and return to Heaven, but who defeats him doesn't really matter. And since Zun Zun wants to become the next Demon King, it doesn't matter who ousts the current Demon King, right? In that case, wouldn't it be better to choose the easier path?"

Kazuma Sato continues his escapist style, choosing to pass the problems on to others to solve, completely lacking the dignity and ideals of an adventurer.

"Restraint and ideals? What are those? Can you eat them? It doesn't matter how you act about those things, as long as you achieve your goal. Right, Aqua? Or are you also planning to go through all sorts of hardships to defeat the Demon King?"

"Well... if there's an easier way, then this is the obvious choice."

Oh, I forgot, Aqua is a cripple too.

Darkness looked at Zun Zun, as if yearning for something, and said, "Then, Zun Zun, don't you want to defeat the Demon King...?"

"I don't really care. In fact, I think Kazuma has a point." While Darkness was questioning his existence, Zun Zun continued, "But Kazuma, have you ever thought about this..."

His words made Kazuma Sato feel vaguely uneasy.

"What if the Demon King is on the upper levels?"

"No, no, no, that's impossible. My intuition is usually very accurate...?"

"But the old angel guarding the gate said that what he most wanted to witness was the story of the orthodox Demon King and the hero. So, according to the development of typical adventurer stories, the Demon King should be waiting for the hero to arrive in the upper level, right?"

Zun Zun looked at him with amusement as he said that.

Upon hearing this, Kazuma Sato turned green with shock, and he shakily raised his hand.

"—Everyone, can we switch it back now?"

(End of this chapter)