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Her sword had been blessed by god, and she was able to kill many with just a single hit.

 

Her golden hair flowed in the wind as she unleashed her golden blade into the enemy. She looked like a holy archangel who was cutting down demons.

 

I expected nothing less from a saint. And her charge into the battlefield did much to change the situation.

Zagam’s men were already starting to back down, but many began to run when they saw Jeanne.

Their morale had plummeted, and they had lost the will to fight.

Demon King Zagam saw this and began to roar at his men.

 

“Fools! You need only stand your ground for a short while longer, and Jochi will arrive. We will be able to attack the enemy from both sides. One day! Just one day! Why can’t you stand firm!”

 

That was what he shouted as he swung his greatsword.

It was powerful enough to kill several of my soldiers with every hit.

He too was first-rate in battle.

However, he seemed almost ignorant when it came to tactics.

After all, he seemed to have no clue about the assassins that were closing in on him.

In the meantime, ‘he’ was disguised as one of Zagam’s messengers, and was currently moving towards Zagam while expertly riding a horse.

 

He had Zagam’s banner and was riding a horse that looked just like theirs, so even the others did not doubt who he was.

 

And so Zagam’s personal guards allowed the messenger to get close.

The messenger went around to his right side and spoke to him from his horse.

 

“Zagam. I have something to say to you.”

 

To address your master like that, and from atop a horse, no less, was enough to warrant execution. But Zagam didn’t have time for that now.

“What?”

 

He fired back. And the messenger demon laughed.

 

“There are two things that I want to report. The first is that Jochi and his army will arrive half a day earlier than planned.

 

Zagam shouted with joy when he heard this. 

Good, I’ll forgive you for your insolence.

He said magnanimously.

 

“And what else do you have to report?”

 

Zagam asked with a smile. But those ended up being his final words.

 

“The second is that you will die half a day earlier than planned. You will not reunite with Jochi in this life.”

 

As soon as Fuma Kotaro said this, he took off his disguise.

In a flash, he was dressed as a ninja. And he slashed his sword at Zagam.

 

Zagam’s head flew high into the air above the field.

 

There were four reasons that Zagam was killed with a single hit.

 

He believed until the last second that the messenger was his man.

He was tired from days of fighting.

And Fuma Kotaro was a first-rate assassin.

 

And last, Fuma had attacked him from the right, making use of the fact that Jochi had cut off Zagam’s right arm.

 

Such were the reasons.

And like that, the Demon King of the south met his end.

 

Fuma Kotaro caught Zagam’s head as it fell. Then he brought it back to the main camp and showed it to me.

 

“I have killed Demon King Zagam.”

 

He said cooly.

 

The reason that there was no joy in his voice, was because of his personality. But that wasn’t the only reason.

 

This was that Zagam’s army had not completely crumbled after his death.

If anything, it seemed as if they were venting their anger onto the Ashtaroth army.

It was Eve who pointed this out with suspicion in her voice.

 

“It is most strange. Usually, when the enemy head is killed, the army will collapse.”

 

It was no wonder that she questioned this. However, I replied calmly.

 

“Usually, yes. However, this is no normal army. In fact, it was no longer even Zagam’s army.”

 

“Then whose army is it?”

 

I pointed to the right.

The person standing there was the man who commanded the army of riders.

 

“That is the man who commands Zagam’s army.”

 

It was a man who was dressed in clothes that looked Mongolian.

He was the man who had cut off Zagam’s arm and now had his army under his control.

The ruler of the plains, Jochi, now looked down at us.

When he saw that Zagam was really dead, he nodded and said a silent prayer. Then he glared at me.

But there was no hatred.

If anything, there was respect.

Then he shouted.

 

“Demon King Astaroth, so you have killed my Master, Demon King Zagam. I congratulate you. You are a hero of the battlefield. An enemy I can fight with everything I have.”

 

I was thankful for the praise, but I couldn’t help but look hard at this ‘enemy.”

I had faced a number of Demon Kings, but this was the first time I would fight a Hero.

 

I was both worried and looking forward to what was to come. Perhaps it was unfitting of me, but I always felt excited when facing a powerful enemy.

 

‘You’re just like those other men.’ Eve said with a sigh.

I chuckled and told her that she was right. My other officers all smiled as well.

Yes, our Demon King was hopeless. Toshizou and Jeanne agreed.

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