An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"Fried, let me ask you this instead: why are you so suspicious? To you, isn't Esid an irreconcilable enemy?"

Yes, they were supposed to be enemies. Esid was the god worshipped by the hostile human race.

In this case, it would be strange not to believe it when I heard that Esid was the culprit who plunged the world into chaos.

He should have shouted out loudly, "That's exactly what I want!" "The humans have been deceived!" "The demons are the righteous!" and impeached the god Esid.

"How shallow. All of this is for selection, why don't you understand? This is a great test given to choose the race that will be God's followers, why don't you understand?"

"Oh...I see."

Hajime muttered, as if he understood. Of course, he didn't understand what Freed was saying.

"In fact, the god Esid is a god that the demons should worship. Everything in the past was actually a test."

For Fried, it was only at this stage that he was given information that could overturn his lifelong values...

The god you originally believed in is actually related to the god worshipped by your sworn enemy...

As a general, he should know better than anyone how many of his own people had died in the war...

Even so, he still interpreted and understood the facts in this way.

“How pathetic.”

When had he strayed so far? Hajime didn't know the old Fried Bagua, so all this was just speculation. However, looking at the fanatical expression on his face, one that had given everything to his faith, an expression quite similar to that of the clergy of the Holy Church, Hajime felt that his speculation was probably correct.

Hajime's mumbling was a quiet soliloquy, like something held in his mouth. Normally, Fried couldn't have heard it. However, he seemed to sense a touch of mocking pity in Hajime's aura, directed at him. Being treated like that by a hated enemy was unbearable. And so, Fried felt his blood boiling.

But before his temper exploded──

"Alright, Freed. Stop rambling on about completely unimportant things and finish your errand quickly. I want to spend some quality time with Kouki-san."

"……!I know."

Although Eri's words and attitude, which came from the bottom of her heart and were full of impatience, made Fried tut a sound in displeasure, it also saved his sanity, which was almost lost.

Meanwhile, Suzu, who had been unable to interrupt due to her wavering mind, finally managed to speak after buying herself enough time. She shouted a trembling call to Eri.

"Eri, Eri! Suzuka... and Eri..."

"Hmm? Oh, so you're here."

“──!”

The implication was that she didn't take Ling seriously at all. Her eyes were extremely cold, as if she was looking at a stone by the roadside. She definitely didn't regard Ling as a friend from the past.

Although Ling already knew it, she still felt chilled and heartbroken as if a knife was cutting her heart.

Even so, Ling still encouraged herself and continued to face Huili, because she had already vowed not to look away again.

"Of course Suzu is here. She came here to see Eri."

"Hmph, I see you're here to complain to me. Whatever, you're not important anyway~"

"No, that's not the case. Suzu just wants to have a good talk with Eri again...!"

Ling had a lot to say to Huili. There was a lot to tell her, and a lot to ask her.

She was so excited that her emotions were about to burst out.

However, the reunion came so suddenly and the time available was too short that Ling had no time to organize her feelings into words.

Therefore, before Ling spoke again, Huili's eyes had already turned elsewhere.

Through her attitude, her thoughts on Ling were made clear - she had absolutely no interest in Ling. To Huili, Ling was no longer useful and had no value.

“Hey, Eri, you…!”

Ryuutarou, concerned about Ling's feelings, couldn't help but yell. But...

"Mitsuki-kun~~! What do you think of me? Am I more beautiful and charming than before?"

Huili spoke to Guanghui, her tone tangled like mud.

She seemed completely unaware of Ryutaro's presence, with a twisted and chilling smile on her face as she circled and danced in the air.

Ling gritted her teeth, clutching the edge of her clothes. Shizuku hugged Ling, as if to protect her and shield her from the chilling cold atmosphere. However, Guanghui had no time to care about these things. He still asked in a daze:

"Eri, Eri...how did you become like this?"

"The Demon King has made me very, very strong. I just wanted to live happily with Kouki-san, but so much trash got in the way, thwarting even my small wish. But now it's all over. I will eliminate all the trash that's bothering Kouki-san. The two of us will live together forever, forever!"

“Eri, Eri…”

Eri's laughter echoed in the air. She tossed her hair and wings, seemingly stained with dirt, in a tangled, self-absorbed world. Now, I didn't know what else to say to her. Compared to when she'd revealed her true nature in the palace, she'd become even more distorted. It was as if she'd lost something of her humanity, fallen to an irreversible level.

Shizuku couldn't help but murmur—

"How did it become like this..."

That's the only word that can describe her.

Eri scattered gray feathers in the air. As they landed, the ground and grass they touched vanished, creating a hole. It was the same inherent magic as Noin's, 'Decomposition'.

“Like me… No, not really. Eri’s body itself has deteriorated…”

Kaori stated her conclusion with a sad expression.

At this time, it was Fried's turn to become impatient.

"That concludes the Q&A. Everyone, it's time to accept this invitation. Anomaly, let me tell you first: you have no right to refuse."

The gray dragons roared simultaneously, as if threatening the group. The air vibrated with their roars, and the pressure released by the apostles seemed to grow even stronger.

However, even as the atmosphere grew more tense, Hajime—

"ridiculous."

He said this with disdain.

The inviter's intentions are unclear. There's no reason for us to be invited. Furthermore, there's no other way this could be anything but a trick or a scam.

There is absolutely no reason to accept the invitation.

Therefore, he decided to respond with murderous intent. Unknowingly, he had Donal and Hulak in his hands.

As if responding to the will of their masters, the two weapons' red flashes reached a critical point.

"Knowing it's a trap, who would be so foolish as to enter the enemy camp and seek death? In that case, there's only one answer. Let's end this here, Freed!"

After saying this, he raised the corner of his mouth. Facing the despairing combat power of five hundred apostles, his fighting spirit not only did not diminish in the slightest, but continued to rise.

In fact, Hajime truly felt that he could win this battle.

This could be a fight to the death, with no chance of escape.

However, the current situation is different from the battle with Noin.

Currently, Hajime possessed numerous divine artifacts explosively enhanced through sublimation magic; the "Ultimate Derivation of Limit Breaking: Domination" developed after his fatal battle with Noin; accumulated combat experience; and numerous mock battles against apostles. Furthermore, there was the presence of Yue and the others.

As long as they were by his side, Hajime didn't think he would lose at all.

more importantly……

I must go back. Now, I finally have the means to return. I must take everyone home with me, back to my hometown.

I absolutely cannot let my long-cherished wish be ruined in a place like this.

The companions also responded to Hajime's will.

"...Yeah. I'm tired of your company, too. Time to die."

"Hehe, now I'm an invincible rabbit. Watch me take down all of you!"

"I won't lose to a mere puppet!"

"Very well, very well, let me destroy God's plan once again."

Yue, Shia, Kaori, and Tio's fighting spirit transformed into magic power and continued to emerge.

Hajime glanced back over his shoulder.

Ling noticed his gaze and couldn't help but tremble. Because she understood what Hajime meant.

──Are you prepared?

Hajime was saying this to her.

What enlightenment? Of course. Ling is here to find Huili and her former best friend.

"Shizuku-chan, Ryuutarou-kun, Kouki-kun! Give Suzu a hand!"

Ling turned around, unfolded her two iron fans, and stared directly at Huili.

"Hey, sure. Let's have a blast!"

"Of course, Ling. Leave it to me."

Ryuutarou and Shizuku immediately responded. Although Kouki didn't reply, he too raised his holy sword in a silent response.

As a result, the murderous intent and the will to fight were stretched to the limit, ready to explode at any moment.

Just when conflict was about to break out──

"I told you not to be so impulsive, you monster!"

Seeing Hajime still unhesitatingly ready to engage in the fight despite such a disparity in power, Fried couldn't help but lash out at him. At the same time, a film of light intervened between the two.

This should be the spatial magic [Space Gate]. It is indeed effective as a shield.

However, this did not seem to be the purpose of Fried's magic.

"Huh? Indoors...? Is this a castle?"

What I saw before me was a floor as lustrous as marble, several thick pillars with majestic carvings, and many luxurious and artistically beautiful furnishings. The pillars were arranged in two rows, with a red carpet covering the ground between them.

It was a vast space. It looked like a portal opened from near the ceiling, overlooking the interior.

Then, the space door began to move, and the perspective changed, allowing one to see the part next to the throne in front of the red carpet.

Across space, the scene everyone saw was—

"But no one said you were the only VIPs invited."

"Ahahaha~ They're all covered in wounds. Who told them to be so foolish as to keep resisting?"

It was a massive cage. The bars were made of blackened metal, emitting a faint glow, as if cast with some kind of magic. Within the cage, many people lay collapsed. They were—

"Everyone! Teacher!"

"Even Lily is here!"

──My beloved son and his classmates, along with Princess Liliana, who were supposed to be staying in the kingdom's palace.

Kaori and Shizuku cried out in frantic alarm. Kouki, Ryuutarou, and Suzu, too, their calmed moods swirling once more into a state of panic.

This is not surprising, as the members of Yongshan's team and Xiaoai's guards are all covered in wounds, apparently having fought with the apostles during the attack called invitation.

The injuries of Nagayama Shigeo, Endo Kousuke, Sonobe Yuka, and Tamai Junshi were particularly severe. Their consciousness seemed hazy, and their bodies were motionless.

Aiko and Liliana's hands were stained with blood, and they seemed to be desperately trying to give them first aid.

The others who were relatively safe—the students who had lost their will to fight from the start, giving up and remaining in the palace—also had expressions twisted with anxiety and fear, huddling on the ground with their feet hugged.

Seeing this, Ryutaro almost exploded with anger. He roared loudly:

"You despicable villain! You're holding our companions hostage. What kind of invitation is that? Release them immediately!"

After sensing his friend's pure fury, Kouki finally seemed to regain consciousness and echoed Ryuutarou's anger. Having calmed down considerably since passing through the Ice Cave, he now glared at Eri.

"Eri! There's no benefit in doing this, let everyone go!"

"Aa ...

“Eri!!”

"Ahaha! You're calling me so passionately, my head is going crazy. Just wait, Kouki-san. I'll make you Kouki-san, who belongs to me alone, right away."

The conversation between the two seems valid, but in fact it is completely incomprehensible.

Now, Eri couldn't even listen to what Kouki said. The Kouki she loved the most was just "Kouki who met Eri Nakamura's needs."

The constant stream of disappointments made Kouki grit his teeth. He pointed the tip of his holy sword at Fried. Just as he was about to speak to Fried, his words followed the tip of the sword. Two massive explosions echoed.

“──!”

“Waaaa!?”