- Iori -

Okay, I'm in control.

I'm still in control.

Or I would be if everything wouldn't more and more spiral into chaos!

Right now, I can utilize my powers as usual.

The main issue is that my growth is heavily countered by my opponent.

They are basically cancelling each other out at the border.

And somewhere behind there is Chiaki.

So the point of this game is quite clear, just as last time.

As neither of us can move our territorial growth over the set borders, something my opponent isn't even really trying, we need to rely on units.

Those have the advantage that they don't require as much direct input, which greatly reduces how much processing I need to do.

Which is desperately needed, as even I have my limits on how much I can do while still focusing on finding Chiaki.

Yet there's but one problem.

"Mao-Sama! We await your orders!" (succubus?)

Yep, for some reason there's this lady here with me.

She's almost stereotypical standing next to the throne, and the black and purple coloring coupled with those medium-sized sheep horns on her head, as well as that pointy tail, make it quite difficult to assume her to be anything else but a certain indecent kind of demon.

However, I'm wholly at a loss as to how this succubus in my throne hall came to be.

"Mao-Sama?" (succubus?)

"Sooooo.... Who are you?" (I)

"Of course, I am Erynia. Your trusted advisor, master." (succubus!)

"Okay, first of all, I'm now pretty sure that with this name, someone I know would have every right to sue you. But more importantly, I'm very sure that you weren't directly created by me, which means 'someone' placed you here, which leads to the question of what is your business with me." (I)

"Oh, I am your trusted advisor, master." (E)

"I demand a real answer! Even if I have to activate admin privileges!" (I)

It seems like my dark side is involving itself as well here.

However, I'm not really sure if giving in to these urges to torture her would be very successful.

At best it's on the level of a robot.

Don't know how it's for you, but hitting my computer after it shut down didn't work all that well.

"My words stay true, Mao-Sama. I am your advisor. Your personalized, directory, unit, designed to guide you in this game." (E)

Game.

Again this word.

At first, I feel this undeniable feeling that I should take her apart, so she won't screw me later on.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

But then my rational mind returns and finds that having this girl around might actually help.

If she can provide input to how we should act in a certain situation, this might be useful when deciding on the best course of action.

"Right. Then would you mind telling me what your boss is on about?" (I)

"My 'boss' is you, Mao-Sama." (E)

"Yeah, we both know this isn't true, as you're right now not acting in my sense, but have taken over the narrative of the guy I'm up against." (I)

"Would you like me to choose another narrative, Mao-Sama?" (E)

This isn't leading anywhere!

So maybe I should swap my angle and try making use of its thinking.

This thought is helpful enough that I decide not to question the source, which might be wise because it's coming from my smart side.

However, it seems "someone" is making the not-questioning quite difficult for me.

"Okay... Erynia. What would you 'advise' should be my next step?" (I)

"As your goal should be utter domination, according to the rules of the engagement, it would be wise to send out your army before the enemy can fortify their position and prevent your ambitions within their territory. This must be done in order to secure any secondary goals Mao-Sama may have as well." (E)

"So you mean, in order to find Chiaki, I'll have to play along and start an all-out attack against the enemy?" (I)

"If you deem this necessary, Mao-Sama." (E)

"Could you please just drop this 'Mao'? I'm Iori!" (I)

"If it pleases you, Demon King Iori-Sama." (E)

Yeah, not the slightest bit cumbersome.

I should probably refocus because this discussion with a mere NPC isn't leading anywhere while Chiaki's soul could currently get untangled!

Seems like my dark side is in quite a hurry.

But isn't NPC a bit demeaning for a being made of flesh and blood, even though that's just what it is!

A creature without real consciousness, made to act in accordance to its programming.

If my slow-ass self would now finally get started, we have a friend to save!

Before I verbally abuse myself any further, I decide to follow this request.

At this point, there's but one course of action.

I need to send out an army of monsters.

While I could try to find Chiaki myself, this might take forever, as this plane could be literally endless.

No, the more efficient method is to scan this whole place.

Yet as my influence over the substance of this place is still limited, my dark self helpfully provided the blueprint for some kind of living converter of dimensional substance.

To make it short, this thing can spread my influence, which in turn will allow me to scan more.

The downside is that these things are hella squishy.

So I have no other choice but to summon more demons and move at their front to the closest connection point my opponent shares with me.

However, once I'm getting started, I realize something troublesome.

"Mao-Sama, I await your command!" (demon)

"We stand ready, Mao-Sama!" (demons)

"What is your wish, Mao-Sama?" (another demon)

Yeah, that.

Apparently, all the creatures I'm currently capable of producing have this weird habit.

As I am connected to them on a very intimate level, I can confidently tell that they're not going to rebel or spread some sort of virus within my system.

It's more like the material this plane of existence provides has this hidden property and causes this odd behavior.

As I have otherwise full control, it's more akin to a single data file within the whole array that makes up my constructs.

Unfortunately, weeding this glitch out of every single one of them would drastically decrease my processing ability.

Also, I, or maybe even more my dark self, might be a bit influenced by my experiences in the nightmare realm, which causes my created creatures to look somewhat demonic.

An all-time classic are of course those crimson-red demon brutes that couldn't look any more cliché.

Yet I'll admit that also the hounds and winged screechers don't really help me get out of that demon image.

That something tweaks my designs to make them look even more like gargoyles doesn't make it any better.

Not to forget the maw monsters, which now look a bit like stubby orcs.

Nonetheless, I can't get around mass-producing them if I want to work on getting Chiaki back.

So it comes that I'm eventually leading a small army out of this cliche demon castle, set in a just as stereotypical evil land of ruin and death.

Soon a huge wall comes into view, where the enemy army is already assembled.

Seems like this is where we'll have to fight it out.

Drawing closer, I gain sight of what they have in store for me.

W-wait a moment.

Why does the enemy army consist of humans?!