Teres was damaged by the arrow rain—but it wasn’t a decisive blow yet.

“Don’t get carried away…!”

As he shouted while taking arrows, the jet-black Wolf howled. All of his demon soldiers were gone. Furthermore, he was surrounded. How would he deal with this situation?

Eventually, the Kobolds’ volley ended. Teres’s feet also moved, as if the “Shadow Bind” effect had worn off. From his perspective, he’d probably want to defeat the “Shadow Dominator” now, but it had hidden itself, and there was no sign of it.

And Richard’s strategy didn’t seem to be over yet—Teres charged straight at him. He lunged in, as if to bite Richard’s neck. The remaining Ogres blocked him.

“It’s useless!”

With those words, the Demon Race blew away the Ogres. It forcefully knocked them aside with body blows and claws, clearing the path to Richard.

The Kobolds prepared to fire more arrows, but the Demon Race would reach Richard faster, and at such close range, firing arrows would put Richard in the attack range… They probably couldn’t fire arrows under these circumstances.

A complete one-on-one battle. I thought I should provide support—just then.

The ground in front of him suddenly rose.

“What!?”

Even Teres was surprised. A new monster.

What emerged from the earth were two Lizardmen, each holding a large shield and a spear. Teres was initially surprised to see them, but then,

“With just monsters of that caliber—!”

As he roared, he tried to blow them away just like the Ogres. However,

“These ones are special.”

Immediately after Richard spoke, the shield-wielding Lizardman and the jet-black Wolf clashed. I imagined the Lizardmen being blown away… but they held their ground.

“This is…!”

“You must have imagined that I myself am weak.”

Richard said, swinging his arm.

“But I have a strategy to defeat you.”

An Ogre charged at Teres from the side. The opponent managed to drive it away—but then its movement stopped again. “Shadow Bind” activated once more.

“Damn it—”

As if to press the attack, the Kobolds launched a simultaneous assault. A rain of arrows enveloped the Demon Race… it was an even greater volume of attacks than before.

“Ugh…!”

Teres cried out, struggling against the “Shadow Bind” and forcing his legs to move. He dug his claws into the ground while taking arrows. He probably attacked the “Shadow Dominator.” As a result, he defeated it, and his body could move again—immediately after, he disappeared from sight due to the flames and lightning strikes emitted from the arrows.

“Maintain your vigilance.”

Richard told the monsters, as if giving instructions. He must have wanted it to end here… but while he was thinking, the arrows’ effects wore off and Teres reappeared. His appearance was mostly unchanged, but the magic power surrounding him had significantly decreased.

“You’re quite good.”

“……I would have preferred if you had fallen by now.”

Richard replied with a sneer, placing the Lizardman in front of him in a defensive stance.

Teres’ tone hadn’t changed, but she was definitely weakening, perhaps just one more push. However, Richard kept using strategies, and it felt like he might be running out of ideas soon.

Richard’s Ogre made the first move. But Teres scattered it and moved to attack the Lizardman.

“Indeed, that ability seems to be a threat. But, unfortunately–“

Teres announces with clear murderous intent.

“You can’t reach my life.”

Charge. The Lizardmen Richard created were blown away by the merciless attack.

It’s not that Richard’s Monsters are weak, but that the Demonic Power was superior–Richard’s face also showed impatience.

The moment I saw that expression, I realized it was an act.

“–Not yet.”

Simultaneously with the declaration, Richard swung his arm further–and the ground rose even more.

What appeared was another Ogre… but it was a size larger than the others.

“Is this your Trump Card?”

Teres says with a hint of mockery. But Richard doesn’t flinch, charging the Ogre with the Lizardmen.

At that moment, I felt uneasy. Richard seemed to be preparing to launch an offensive and settle the matter quickly–

“…Garuku.”

I spoke in a low voice.

“The battle will probably be decided soon. I’ll make my move too.”

“Alright.”

Garuku obeyed my words–and in an instant, control of the Presence Concealment Magic shifted to Garuku. My presence remained hidden. Thus, I began the Incantation for “Durandal.”

The Ogres attacked. Teres should have had enough余裕 to deal with them head-on, but… Teres retreated against the approaching Ogres.

Richard saw that and swung his arm to press further. Naturally, there would be no Monsters around Richard. The Kobolds were also poised to attack with their bows, so it’s safe to say there were no Monsters protecting him.

Presumably, that was the Demon Race’s aim.

The Demon Race’s expression changed. That twisted face was probably smiling.

“–It’s over, isn’t it?”

This time, the Demon Race declared. At the same time, its body leaped sideways.

A momentary movement. The Ogres and Lizardmen couldn’t react, and Teres slipped past the Monsters. Concentrating Magic Power in his legs, he broke through in one go.

Richard must have thought he’d failed. Then–I made my move.

The Magic activates in an instant. And its power is at a level where my Magic Power doesn’t leak out… but it should be enough to tip the scales of the battle.

I attack Teres from the side. Richard shows a defensive stance, but he doesn’t summon Monsters as he did before. The larger Ogre must have been the last.

Richard maximized his Barrier–and despite his bitter expression, he glared at the Demon Race. The Lizardmen and Ogres who had attacked the Demon Race immediately turned around, preparing to attack from behind.

But they won’t make it–Richard probably intends to take the attack and then defeat the Demon Race with Monsters from behind. On the other hand, the Demon Race seems determined to finish him with this one blow… That’s where I intervene.

I got behind the Demon Race and activated “Durandal” to slash as I passed through, in the manner of a “Clear Stream Flash”–The Magic is instantaneous, at a level that doesn’t emit Magic Power. But that was enough.

Magic activated. Along with it, I mowed down the Demon Race–

“Gah!?”

The Demon Race groaned loudly at the sudden attack. Although my “Durandal,” with its power reduced to the limit, couldn’t finish it in one blow, Teres’s movement was stopped by the slash.

“Wha… what…!?”

Teres was astonished. At that moment, the Ogres and Lizardmen began their attack.

Teres took a direct hit from the spears and Ogre’s clubs from behind. The one whose movement was completely stopped by my Magic finally fell under the fierce assault.

“Why… you…”

The Demon Race groaned. But even Richard didn’t seem to understand, turning a bewildered gaze towards the Demon Race.

Eventually–Teres’s body disappeared. Richard, meanwhile, watched the Demon Race turn to dust, half-dazed… and then canceled the attack command for his Monsters. The battle was over.

“…The last one was…”

Richard mutters. Hmm, I guess it’s okay to come out now?

I took over the maintenance of the Presence Concealment Magic from Garuku again, and then loosened it a bit. As a result, the Monsters were the first to notice. However, since Richard hadn’t given a command, they didn’t move.

Eventually, Richard noticed and spoke.

“…Is anyone there?”

“—Yes.”

I spoke. Richard flinched slightly, then looked in the direction of my voice—where I was standing—and asked,

“I saw a flash of light at the end… it seems like I was supported, but—”

At this point, I completely dispelled my magic and revealed myself. Richard’s eyes widened when he saw me.

“…You’re…”

“You were watching me through the familiar in town, weren’t you? And you also dispatched a similar familiar to the underground, didn’t you?”

I confirmed it first. He swallowed once… and then he spoke.

“It seems you also have your reasons.”

“Yeah.”

“…I thank you for saving me. But after explaining the situation… I don’t know how much you’ll believe.”

Richard shrugged. I then gave a wry smile and said,

“Well, there’s a reason we were able to encounter you like this… Let’s have a discussion, including that aspect, shall we?”

I proposed… and we entered the Fortress.