"Kkkrrrrrooooooaaaaaarrrrrggggg!!" The deafening scream of the demon dominates throughout the whole fortress.

It was not a scream of rage nor a scream of victory.

It screamed because of the immense pain from its right shoulder. Violet colored fluids splattered to the ground from its supposedly right arm. But now theres nothing left on it, nothing but a well cut wound. The 13-meter demon steps back continuously with a very uncomfortable look on its face.

It was as if the demon was escaping from something that is far stronger than itself. It just continued to step back but in just a short time its back already meets the great wall of Aldebaran. And even before it let the fear consumes its mind, the demon opened it mouth very wide and from inside of it, a red beam of disintegration came out. The ray flew straight to where the demon came from and hitting something in that area directly.

"Bbboooooommmm"

The impact of the beam created a huge explosion in the area. And once again the demon repeated the procedure and shoot the red beam to ensure that its target will permanently be disintegrated.

Moments pass by, as the sun gives its morning light was also the moment when the smokes and fire from the explosion starts to vanish.

Still catching its breath, the demon does its best to focus its eyes on the area where it shoot the death ray. In just a split seconds, its eyes became both shot opened when it scanned something, something that is producing white lights. There's no doubt about it, it was its target.

Everything was destroyed in the area on where the beam was shot, everything but the part on where the single human figure was standing.

The figure was a male human, about 170 cm tall, he has red hair and had his right arm raised across the horizon pointing the direction of the demon.

When the smokes revealed the truth, everything was clear to the demon now. That adventurer standing in front of him was no ordinary human. He was known to the evil forces as the grim reaper of the demons—the Hero.

"That was it?" the adventurer said in a noticeably low-pitched voice as he scratches off the tiny bits of debris on his shoulder.

~~~

I looked straight on the eyes of the demon to meet its gaze.

I'm sure just by seeing his trump card being blocked by just my bare hand, really sends chills to its spine. It was me and this pathetic demon that are the only ones left in this huge fortress right now.

[But how did it end up like this?]

[How?...]

The grip between my left hand and the blood soaked rapier tightened as I slowly recalled the tragic events.

[Oh, thats right. I am not doing this for fun, I am avenging my lover.]

I started to walk on the roads of Aldebaran or at least what's left to it after the impact towards the demon. And as my heavy footsteps became the death clock of the demon I started to recall everything that has happened moments ago.

~~~

~~**Flashback**~~

"So what's our plan?" Lily said while she's looking happily at me.

It took nearly an hour before we successfully defended the southern gate of the fortress.

Right now, I am in the middle of these five girls that is calling themselves as my battle party. From my left it was the silver ranked brown haired cutie in the name of Liliana Windsor, next to her was one of the four girls we save from the Orcish Canyon, she was a steel-ranked crusader and has violet hair in ponytail as well as violet colored eyes in the name of Karen Spade.

Next to the crusader was a female druid bronze-ranked swordsman, her hair was mainly consist of green vines, like the ones found in the forests and she has yellow-green eyes under the name of Guinezia Maurer. I don't have much knowledge about other race other than humans and elves so I keep that aside for now. On her side was another human steel-ranked fighter, she bears a blue hair in twin tail style and green eyes, her name was Mayuri Kousuki.

They introduce themselves to me long ago, right after that abandoned mine incident. [Good thing I still remember them.]

Lastly, on the side of Mayuri was the little elf girl, she is a zircon ranked sorcerer and has shoulder lenght blue hair and green eyes, her name was Chiyo Nil Alfein.

I remembered leaving her with Ichiro and Christina on the east gate earlier, but here she is. [It doesn't matter right now. I'll ask Lily about that later.]

I cleared my throat before speaking. The plan Lily was asking about was our plan to take down that huge demon with least casualties and injuries as possible.

I started to gather up my spirits and then began with my low pitched voice.

"The road on east route was narrow, that huge demon won't fit on it unless it force to create its way. But, I recalled that there was a single road there that I think the demon would choose to go. Karen, I need you to lure it to the central fountain through that road, Can you do that?"

"Are you kidding me? Luring a stupid demon is my job. Of course I can" Karen said while her chin was high up and both hands on her waist.

"Nice. I hope you do. Next, I need Mayuri and Guinezia to stand by and hide in the alleyways of east road, you both need to ensure that the demon won't change its course. Can I trust you with that?"

"Of course Sir!" replied Mayuri.

"I will obey your command, leader." Guinezia said while looking straight at me. She cast a smile when our gaze met and immediately change hers.

"Now. As for the final part of our plan, Liliana will shoot arrows with ropes attached on it to slowly immobilize the demon. And when it stopped moving Chiyo will boost me with her wind magic towards the chest of that demon, I will impale this rapier to his heart equipped with holy property. And that will end the life of that demon as well as the end of our plan"

""""..."""" they were all silently looking at me with surprised expression.

"What? Did I said something wrong?" I gently scratched my cheeks while maintaining my gaze to the four girls.

"Well. Thats our leader's plan so we need to execute our moves carefully. Right, Yuji?" Lily then suddenly speaked from beside me trying to boost up the mood.

"Oh yes. Thanks for the support Lily."

"No, we are not silent because that plan is not what we want. Its because, in simpler words you're taking the most dangerous part? Did i get it right?" Karen said while throwing sharp glare at me.

"Dont worry. We can do this, as long as we done everything according to Ryuji's plan." Mayuri said while looking at each one of the girls.

"Okay! No time to lose everyone!"

"Indeed. I know a shortcut towards the east, whose with me?"

The one who answered Lily was Karen. She also bring up a proposal.

"Let's go!"

"Yep. Fill me in"

Mayuri and Guinezia both agreed to Karen.

"Alright! That settles it! Me and Chiyo will go with Ryuji to the central fountain! Our plan will began at the moment Karen reached that demon, I pray for everyone's safety!"

"""Thanks Lily"""

"Now let's go!"

The three girls nodded in response before going on a different direction from us. [On my perspective, it was Lily who should be our leader and yet why did she chose me?] I mean she has better way of taking care of things.

Lily walks towards me while smiling and she immediately grabs my hand.

"Today will be our first successful quest as a party! Right Yuji?"

"Ain't we finished a quest together before?"

"Yep. But now it is your own party!"

I squeezed her hand in reply with a soft grin in my lips.

"Hey. I'm still here at least don't act so lovely dovey in front of me."

Chiyo muttered while her eyes narrowly pointed to both of us. Lily's cheeks became bright red upon hearing Chiyo's words and quickly released my hand.

"Alright! Enough with that. Yuji, where can we find a rope?"

"Oh right, about that. Since we are going in that area, There was a blacksmith near the central plaza, remember?"

"Ohh, the one from before?" Lily smashed her left palm with her right fist upon remembering the place.

"Yes. I recalled that she has a stockpile of ropes in there."

"Wow. So your plan was all according to your time scale. You're not an ordinary zircon adventurer Ryuji."

"Thanks Chiyo! Can I take that as a compliment?"

"Yes! Now let's proceed there!"

It took nearly five minutes for us to reach the central plaza. Compared to the fuss earlier there was only one to three people remaining in the plaza and that made me quite happy. That means the evacuation plan is taking effect.

I climb up the dried water fountain and look carefully at the roofs of the buildings around it.

"Chiyo. See that tower?"

"Hmm. That one beside the house with blue roof?"

"Yeah. We'll climb there. Our vantage point is there."

"I see. I'll go first now."

"You sure?"

"Yep. Go find Lily a rope."

"Alright."

Chiyo starts to walk into the direction to where the said tower was.

"Hey." I said with my usual low-pitched voice while looking at Lily.

"Hm?"

I jumped from the top of the fountain onto the surface. And when I landed I approached Lily until we are finally facing each other.

"When this fuss is over, wanna go in Rigel town with me?"

"Rigel? For what?"

"Oh, uh I heard they sell iced stuffs in there."

[I just heared it from a rumor when I was at the guild hall. But I think the iced stuffs they were saying was like ice creams from earth.]

"Are you asking me out?"

"Oh. You don't have to come, if you already have plans."

"Yes. I have plan"

"I see." I slightly looked down upon hearing her response.

"And my plan, is to go with you hehehe"

"You nearly made me regret saying that."

"Haha. You're cute when you're making that expression Yuji."

"Lily..."

"Oh the rope!"

"Yes!"

With me leading the way, we run to the blacksmith.

As expected the blacksmith has left a stockpile of rope in the workshop. After we take the ropes from the blacksmith in the central plaza, I instructed Lily to go to her position inside the building near the east route where she has an excellent view of the target. While I follow Chiyo on the top of the tower.

I climb up the tower with on its top Chiyo carefully watching the huge demon from it.

"Hey! You're just in time, it is beginning" Chiyo said to me but her eyes never left the demon.

"Huh? Already?"

"Yep. They are only 400 meters more or less from us. Karen is doing her job smoothly."

"Oh crap. I hope Liliana is aware of this."

"Don't worry she'll be fine, what you need to worry about is yourself."

"Chiyo."

"Yes? What?" Chiyo finally looked at me in the eye.

I casted a smile and pulls out Renia's rapier out of its sheath.

"I am the Summoned Hero. I don't have to worry about getting die."

Chiyo was very surprised, her mouth was slightly opened while her eyes was both widespread.

"What did you just said?"

"Maximize Magic! Full body Enchantment, Holy Property!"

In an instance, my body suddenly burst out divine lights.

~~~

"Follow me big guy" the female crusader said while running straight towards the central plaza.

"Kkrrroooaaaaagggggrrrrrggggg!!!"

The demon's ferocity burns up, every footsteps it made was heard all over the places of eastern side of Aldebaran. Karen does her best to lure the monster while Mayuri and Guinezia slays all the evil forces in the way without getting noticed by the demon. She just continues to run until she reached the part where she can hide from the demon's sight.

When the huge demon reached the mouth of the central plaza a fully charged arrow came flying from out of nowhere to its right foot. Upon hitting the right foot of the demon, the arrow almost produce an impact sound. The rope that is attached to it immobilized the demon making it lean on the nearby building.

"Kroaaarrhggggg" it screams as it felt the sudden jolt of pain from its foot.

It tried to cut the rope with its sharp claws but another arrow came flying directly hitting its left hand. Now it is its left hand and right foot that are immobilized. The last arrow was fired and it is aimed for its right hand. The projectile hit the right hand of the demon.

It was too late before it realize that it already fell in the trap of the adventurers. Both hands sealed and right foot immobilized the demon started to shout continuously.

A strong gust of wind suddenly blows with all its might from the west direction onto the huge monster. Because of its pressure it made the unfortunate creature temporarily lost its sight. But when it tried to open its eyes again a white glowing figure appeared in front of it.

The adventurer came flying with the wind assisting his full speed flight, he thrust the white rapier into the chest of the demon. It was like the rapier was a needle and the demon's chest was a fabric at that time because it impaled to its chest without any problem. The impact of the adventurer on the demon's chest made the body of the monster pushed, forcibly removing the arrow heads on both of its hand. In just a split seconds, the adventurer that impaled its heart vanish along with the rapier leaving a huge wound in it where the eternal white flame starts to burn up.

The pain on its chest made the demon really angry, it tried to cover its wound by sealing it with its bare hand but the fire spread from the wound onto its hand. It stopped the fall of its body by using its free arm. Its eyes scanned every area on where the adventurer came from, but its vision suddenly became fuzzy. The wound on its chest supposedly healed by now, but it was surprised to know why does it still continues to bleed. When it realized the white glow on the adventurer was actually a property most effective against them, it screamed once again, this time it was more powerful that any of its scream, the nearby glasses of houses breaks as its scream rampages in the corners of the city.

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"KRRRROOOOOOOAAAAAAGGGGGGHHGGGG"

The demon opened its mouth and followed by a red beam shooting from the inside. The beam hits every building in the area. Some get cut into pieces, others loose its support and fall into the ground. Everytime the beam made contact to a building and other structures it produces a huge explosion. The fires from the explosion devours everything on its path.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice shouts from the top of the tower.

"Lilllyyyyy!!!" It was a voice of the little elf sorcerer .

The red-haired boy that was hiding in the alleyways of the east route also heard the shout of the elf sorcerer.

~~~

[Did I just misheard her? Or did she really shout...]

The elf sorcerer pays no attention on getting the demons interest and just continued to shout.

"Lillllyyy!! Please someone help her! She was in that destroyed building!"

[Huh?]

Upon hearing her shouts, it was like my body move on its own. I run at full speed into the direction where Lily supposedly was, still equipped with Holy Property it was like everything began to slow down. I came out of my hiding spot completely not paying any attention to the huge monster before me.

When I finally had the chance to see the building where I assigned the ranger, my body suddenly halted moving. The building was destroyed in pieces, not to mention the fire that is all over it.

[Supposedly, there was a raging demon nearby, but why cant I hear its scream? My hearing was fine up until now, but why does it sound so weak right now?] I started to stride towards the fire. [The sound of the fire burning every woods supposed to give sounds too. But why can't I hear it?]

I started to remove the burning piles of logs and concretes in the destroyed building with just my bare hand. [It is supposed to be hot, but why can't I feel any pain? It is supposed to be heavy and yet why does it feels like I am lifting papers. ]

As questions conquered my mind, I finally spotted the one that I've been searching for.

It was her.

She was lying on the ground. Her trusted bow was broken beside her.

She is not conscious and some kind of a scrap metal stab her through her right part of stomach.

"Lily." I silently muttered her name.

I picked her up and carry her slowly without doing anything at the scrap metal impaled on her. I sat on the nearby piece of rock with the ranger lying on my lap.

"Lily..."

This time when I called her name, she regained her consciousness and tried her best to look on me in the face. She slowly opened her warm brown eyes.

Even though bloods were dripping out of her mouth, she still cast a smile to me.

"...yu..."

"Stop speaking. Rest for now..."

"I'm...glad...I met you..." she raised her hand and directly touched my cheek. Her hand feels so warm and soft that time. It made me lost my words. I am still doing best to prevent myself to produce any tears.

"..."

"I...I dont understand it well...since...Since I only read it from my brother's book..." I hold her hand that was touching my face to support it.

"Lily. Stop speaking..."

"But...It had to happen...right, Ryuji?" Tears started to build up in her warm brown eyes.

"...Lily, please just save your energy"

"Someone...needs to sacrifice...in order to awaken the...the Hero's true powers, right?" The tears started to flow on her cheeks.

"Huh?"

"Please...save...save everyone from that demon..."

"Since when did you know that I am the Hero?"

"Since...I, I met you...No. Since I fell for you..."

"..." no matter how hard I tried to keep it, my tears flow out of my eyes. I can feel its warmth flowing on my cheeks. [When was the last time I ever cried?]

"Don't cry, Heroes aren't supposed to cry..."

"..."

"I'm... I'm sure... we'll meet again in our next life, and finally we...we can be happy together and...eat ice stuffs together...Ryuji, Ryuji, I will... always love you" her hand that was touching my cheek fall on the ground. She inhale then exhale deeply once more. Before her eyes suddenly lost its warmth while her lips still maintained the sweet smile on them.

"Lily!

"Lily!!"

[What just happened? Is Lily is dead?]

[Why does it feels like something was forcibly ripped off my chest. I can't say a single word. I want to shout her name, shout it until there was nothing left in my voice. But I can't. I want to stop my tears from flowing out of my eyes. But I can't .]

"Oh god"

"Lily!"

"Ms.ranger!"

It was Karen who speaked followed by Mayuri and Guinezia. The druid covered her mouth. Karen assisted me in holding the ranger.

[I can still spout useless words to show the how lonely I was, like what those main characters in a story do.]

[But that'll achieve nothing.]

[It is better if I move immediately and tell that demons myself on how do I feel right now.]

So once again, my body became filled with despair, fury, vengeance and urge to eradicate the whole forces of evil.

"Mayuri. Guinezia, can I request you both on something?" I said while rubbing off the tears in my eyes.

"What is it?"

"..." Guinezia can't speak and still covering her mouth.

"Abandon this city. Inform the other peoples on your way"

"What? Are you serious? That demon is still out there" Mayuri said.

"I'll give you all half an hour. After that the city will be wiped out."

"What? You're joking right?" I looked at Mayuri with sharp looks on my eyes.

She lost her words and keep a surprised expression in her face.

"Karen. Please take her as far as possible in the north."

"Yes, I will"

"Thank you everyone " I said while making an eye contact with each one of them.

"But. But what will you do?" Karen said with her unsteady voice.

"I'll end this, once and for all."

"All by yourself?"

"Yes."

"You're just in zircon tier right?"

I looked at my left arm and see that the armlet was still there.

"Right. The magic limiter" I grabbed the zircon armlet with my free hand and forcefully crush it with ease. Right at the moment when I crushed the zircon armlet, a very strong gust of wind comes from it taking out all the nearby flames. It also harassed all the nearby trees making them bend a little.

"That huge behemoth is not real form."

"Huh?" It was Mayuri who asked.

"Any normal demon would die if stabbed in heart with holy property. While the demon that comes from a magic doesn't."

"You mean that demon is just summoned?"

"Yes.And I am sure that sorcerer who controls it must be nearby."

"Sorcerer? You're telling that our enemy was not part of the evil forces all along?"

"I'm not sure if it was not part of the evil forces. But I think that sorcerer was also the one who lured the evil forces here to avoid the army."

"Can you kill a human?" Karen said when she successfully carried Liliana on her arms.

I glance at the ranger and said. "I will. Even the gods that created all of this."

"""...""" the three of them remained silent upon hearing my absolute resolution.

"I repeat, thirty minutes."

~~~

"Please! Help Lily!!"

The elf sorcerer shouted while still crying after witnessing the events that ended up the ranger's life, she's not bothered when the huge demon grabbed her out of the tower. Some of the remains of the arrow was still impaled to its right arm and still letting out violet liquids from where the arrowhead struck.

The demons lifted up the elf sorcerer high up over its head. It opened its mouth wide in attempt to devour the sorcerer.

On this world magic was not known to demons, they are not capable of reading in the first place. But as evolution came to them, they managed to find a way to acquire a magic and successfully use them. It was whenever they devoured a sorcerer from any of the intelligent races, they immediately acquired the knowledge on it as well as on how to use it perfectly.

But even before it can release the grip of its claw and the garments of the elf sorcerer, it felt something off-beam.

It was because its arm holding the unfortunate little elf suddenly became lighter. Also it can no longer feel it from its shoulder to its hand.

The violet colored fluids burst out of the demon's right shoulder.

"KKKRRRROOOAAAARRGGGG"

Its right arm fell on the ground like a meat smashed on a butcher's chopping board. Followed by an immense pain from its well cut wound on its right shoulder. The demon tried to look for the elf on the ground, but it only seen its right arm and not a single sign of an elf.

It scanned the whole area to look for the culprit who cuts its hand. This time it didn't failed on searching the person. A human adventurer producing white lights all over his body was right behind the demon carrying the elf on his arm.

Out of ferocity the demon doesn't hesitate and clenched its remaining left hand in attempt to smash the adventurers. It raised its left hand higher than before and with its full strength it smash the adventurers. The impact yet again created another blast in the area.

On the other side, the adventurer holding the elf didn't even move from his place yet the demon failed to crush them. It was because the adventurer producing white lights on his body was blocking the huge hand of the demon by only his right arm. It was battle of strength, humans are not known to par the enormous amount of strength the demons has and that matter made the demon think.

The adventurer tilted his head slightly to meet the gaze of the demon above them. He opened his mouth and said.

"My turn"

The adventurer grabs the fist of the demon using his right hand. But compared to the demon's fist his hand was small so he only manage to grab a part of it. And when he finally took a hold of it, the adventurer sets his right foot on his front. And miraculously, he threw the 13-meter demon across the fortress using only his bare hand. The demon's impact crushed countless houses.

"Ryu... Ryuji?!" The elf sorcerer's voice was still fuzzy at that time.

"..."

"How's Lily?"

"..."

"She's fine right?"

"..."

"Ryuji! Please speak to me! Tell me she's fine!"

"..."

"If you're not gonna speak, then please put me down. Thank you for saving me this time but I need to go and see Liliana!"

The adventurer do as the elf sorcerer said. But instead of letting the elf go, when the adventurer put her down, he immediately embraced the little elf.

"Huh?" The elf silently muttered.

Without the pain of losing someone leaving his face Ryuji began to whisper something to Chiyo's pointed ears.

Upon hearing the silent voice, she began crying once again. This time she cried and cried with all her might. The elf tried to get off the arm of the adventurer but she knew she can't. She is well aware that those arms holding her was far more powerful than that of the demon. In the end, after minutes of crying she calmed herself down. When Ryuji noticed that he slowly lets go of the elf sorcerer, he looked right at the eyes of the little elf and with his hand he swipe the tears flowing from it.

When he finished rubbing off the tears on Chiyo's face, he forced a soft smile on his face. "Karen and the team was waiting for you near the northern gate. Go there and when you meet them, head straight to the capital. You're all safe in there."

"How... How about you?"

"I have a dire quest to finish. So I think I'll catch up to you"

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"No. Thats not enough, promise me that you will not die and you're going to kill that monster."

"After all you've seen, you think that stupid creature can kill me?"

"No. But still promise me." Chiyo lean on the breastplate of the red-haired adventurer.

"Yes. I promise."

"Please be safe... or... or else Lily will torment me."

"I will."

In place of her final farewell Chiyo embraced Ryuji with all of her might. The red-haired boy responded to her and embraced her in return. After a moment, the elf sorcerer casted a smile before setting off.

Chiyo then run away from the adventurer and head straight towards where the adventurer instructed her to go.

Ryuji just stared at the back of the elf until the elf was no longer on his vision. He holds the handle of the violet-blood soaked rapier struck on the ground and pulls it upward. He then looked at the direction to where he threw the demon.

~~**End of flashback**~~

~~**Back to present**~~

As the morning light strikes my skin, the distance between me and the demon reduces. I noticed some figure near the demon on the wall's walkways. It was a figure covered in black garment.

[Oh, the summoner finally shows up.]

The figure removed the hood covering its head and revealed a girl with red glowing horns on her head. She has white colored hair and violet colored eyes.

I can say that she has quite the looks of a japanese idol even having those horns. The summoner raised both of her arms and started to speak.

"Greetings adventurer! I am honored to find someone as powerful as you, you who can corner one of my top tier demons!"

"..."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, I am sorry for my rude behavior. I am Bel Zeria, one of the thirteen commanders of our beloved darklord. And the mighty adventurer before me is?"

"..."

"Oh. Please don't be harsh to me, at least let me know your name before I slay you"

"... My name?"

"Oh yes. I'll add your precious name to my collection."

"... I am Ryuji... Ryuji Shinozaki— the demon summoner narrowed her eyes when the adventurer that is stating his name suddenly vanished—"and I am...—sudden chills runs down all over the demon summoner's body when she felt someone holds her in her shoulder—"the seventeenth summoned hero of this world."

She looked at her back to where she heared the low-pitched voice of the adventurer and see the face of the red-haired hero with a smile of carnage on it.