A never-ending exchange of blows

A never-ending clash of blades

A never-ending collision of magic and spells

[A fight that hasn’t been stopped in for 28 hours continues without a rest]

“Why won’t you die!?” she said, as she slammed me down with a double-ax hand.

“Ugh… Says the girl who has been fighting for 28 hours without a sweat.“ I responded.

But then she shouted, “Shut up! you abomination.”

“Gah!!! I’ve told you 100 times already, that my name is Kazuma. Stop calling me with unpleasant titles.” I said to her with a slight annoyance visible on my face.

As I continue, “I keep telling you that all I want is to leave this shitty place. I’m just a human who lost its way, not an abomination.”

Isabelle angrily shouts, “SHUT UP!”

(How is she so strong I’ve cast consume 40 times now, yet she’s still so strong. I guess she really meant it when she said she’s 21,000 years old. But damn man I don’t understand why she chose to lock herself like this, when she could’ve enslaved the entire world with her power.)

So I said to her, “You know for a girl who’s so elegant and beautiful you’re quite angry, it’s bad for your skin you’ll get wrinkles.”

For some reason, she didn’t react back this time, so I continued asking while attacking her.

“So, my lady, why have you been locked up in this place for 21,000 years? Surely you didn’t just do it for training, after all, you’re still inside the palace which now looks like a dungeon.”

“SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!!!”

(The short-tempered queen became so enraged as if I hit a nerve).

But I still pushed it a bit far and said, “So, let me guess, you killed off the king because you wanted to play queen?”

And then she finally snapped,

“I SAID SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

(A punch came right at my gut flying me off once again)

“DON’T TALK ABOUT THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND!”

(And once again I found myself in a situation where she sat on top of me and began her barrage of punches)

“You’re just a petty thief who thinks he has equal strength as me just by stealing it, all that strength but unrefined techniques. What power do you think you have? Do you know how it feels to watch every person you cared about kill off right in front of you, knowing that you don’t have the power to save them? You insignificant creature.”

Flashes of her memory came through… and so I replied,

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do know how it is, it feels much worse, in fact it feels like you’re the actual cause of it, you hate yourself more than any perpetrator and feel beyond useless. You see your whole world shatter before you as if life is nothing but a lie, reality doesn’t exist, emotions don’t matter, and you become nothing but a master of your own demise.”

Frustratingly she said, “Don’t tell me how I feel, you don’t understand, the things I went through.”

“What do you know about sacrifice, what do you know of family!?” Punches

“My father was a noble man, who united the demon and human realm and every race under one rule.”

“He was the true monarch, who only desired peace.” The speed of punches decreased

“But he sacrificed himself to protect me when the other demons executed a plan to rebel against him.” Punches stopped

So you are the princess…

Tears begin to flow from her eyes, as she says, “If only I were strong, if only I had the power to change everything, if only I weren’t a burden, he wouldn’t have sacrificed himself for me.”

“I’m nothing but worthless.”

“I lost everything, my family, my friends, my kingdom, my people.”

“They all left me until I was here all alone locked up.”

“You’re right, you have purpose in your life don’t you mortal? Perhaps it’s fate’s way of telling me that nothing matters anymore, that I have lost every purpose. Maybe what I truly was doing was avoiding the reality that is why I locked up myself for 21,000+ years doing nothing but training just to redeem myself.”

“The time outside must have changed now. You wanted to leave right?”

“Kill me mortal and leave this place, I have no more purpose in life.”

(Hearing her words made me realize that she was just like me, in every aspect. She yearned for the same things as me, she hated herself for the same reasons as me, lost her loved ones the way I did, and hid herself to avoid reality just like me.)

(My heart truly wants to help her but what can I do…?)

”Sheesh, why won’t you ever call me by my name… it’s Kazuma, Kah-zoo-maa…”

”I don’t know things I was killing outside of this place, but nobody ever left you.”

She said to me, “How would you know!?”

As I continued, “To them, you were still the queen of your kingdom which is why they never left you. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself.”

[Alert: You Have Summoned All The Conjured Souls.]

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

As soon as I summoned all the souls, the souls willingly chose to bow to the Queen of Demons.

And then they spoke,

“Our Queen we are your loyal servant, Awoken by Kazuma-sama. Forgive us for our shadowed dark forms we have always protected you in this kingdom even after our death we never abandoned our will and faith to serve you.”

She was shocked to hear the familiar faces and voices of those she once knew. Actually, I was too because not even once they spoke to me…

“Your majesty not for once have we ever thought of abandoning this place even after the war. We had lost all the authority after the war, and many tried to destroy the palace. But we were not just some demons but loyal soldiers and followers of the King, who once united a demon king and gave us the purpose to walk a different and brighter path.”

“From the bottom of our hearts, we considered you our queen and swore to live and die to protect this place.”

“When we lost against the attack from external forces, Zach’rin (Undead Sage) studied and tapped into the power of forbidden magic, and we gave him our consent to turn into undead to protect this place. Then afterward, the doors of the palace and throne room were sealed,” said Nuzma’h as both Garh’uzin and Uza’hk stood together with him, while the Knights of Shadow Legion stood behind them.

Even the Dolls Of Death spoke, “Dear queen, we’re Claire, Lisanna, and Fiona, who were once assigned as your private guards by the King. We used to hang out in Botanical Gardens and you would often invite us to tea parties. We have always remained loyal and close by your side to protect you and this kingdom.”

And there was Zach’rin (Undead Sage) who stood there quietly, who once was the royal advisor to the king and renowned mage who mastered the secrets of true arcane magic and Isabelle’s teacher.

(It was a good thing I read about all the bosses and locations in “Encyclopedia” along the way.)

So, tell me, Miss Demon Queen, did you live those 21,000 under a misunderstanding or under ignorance?

Quite unfitting of a demon queen, wouldn’t you agree Kaiser? Kaiser cutely nods yes

Then all of a sudden, a huge surge of pain came inside of me as something started glowing on my ring finger.

It was the ring I wore when I fought the Midnight Shadow Wolf, the Ring of Will!

(How’s that ring back, didn’t Athena absorb it inside of her?)

Then Isabelle spoke, “Wait that ring!? Why’d you have that ring? How were you able to wear it?”

Umm, this ring? Show’s the ring to her

“Exactly! Where'd you find it?” she asked.

“Umm I’m not sure but when I came here, I already had it in my position…” I answered.

Then Isabelle in awe with a confused face responded, “What!? My father’s ring has chosen him!? Someone with no ties to war or demons.”

(Wait what? I have her father’s ring?)

So I asked her, “Hey! What do you mean by your father’s ring? What exactly is this ring, is it any special?

She answered, “You don’t even know the thing you’re wearing when you have it in your possession?

(Well it didn’t show any description, and was taken by Athena inside the system.)

She continues, “This is the “Ring of Will” a ring bestowed upon my father by gods after he united the realms. It was a ring that was said to have the power to bring out any desire, but the ring can only choose a worthy person.”

“At that time many people thought they were worthy, so my father created a tradition for future king candidates, that the next monarch would be chosen through this ring. But demons are greedy by nature. When the war happened they sought to obtain this ring to reign upon the world but Father gave it to me before he was killed, he saw that demon kind cannot be trusted.”

“Even so after the whole kingdom crumbled, the ring did not choose me neither i was able to wear it. Yet the remaining so-called loyal nobles insisted on making me the next demon queen but it was nothing but a ploy to take the ring and kill me. I was useless I had no strength to bring the balance that my father once brought. So the peace between mortals and demons came to a null, as the demon invaded into human world.”

“I who was once a symbol of unity born of my demon father and human mother was labeled by many harsh words, so when they came after me, I sealed this palace.”

“If only I wasn’t useless, if only I wasn’t worthless nothing would’ve happened.”

Then I spoke, “So what will you do now? It’s not my place to console you and say, ‘It’s not your fault.’ To me, you’re nothing but a pawn of fate, just like me but that doesn’t take away the ability to restart again, my parents had abandoned me when I was young so there wasn’t anyone to show me, parental love, I had no friends either, but there were still people who cared about me and showed me kindness, but it was too late for me to understand that realization and give them the same kindness they once provided me.”

“I had lost everything, including my life. I didn't feel like walking but I was given a chance once again and I got what I wanted the most because I respected their wishes and walked forward. Not many have the ability to admit their own flaws, yet you were able to describe everything about yourself.”

“Even then, if you still want me to kill you, then I’ll kill you.”

“But to me, you would be an utter fool, a woman who chose to give up when she had a chance after trying her best for so long. You might think I’m weak but I could’ve knocked you down in one hit regardless of my unrefined techniques.”

“But despite that, I didn’t do it even though you kept beating me around because I felt you were pulling your punches, I could feel it, you were enjoying the time fighting with me, weren’t you?”

She had become flustered and for a moment I caught a glimpse of her true self.

She said, “Huh!” Blushes “No I wasn’t… you got it wrong.”

I asked, “Then why is your face so red?”

“Stop… Stop it, you dumb mortal.”

So, hey I’ll ask you one more time, “Do you want to leave this place? Together with me?”

She responded, “But what will I do outside? I don’t have any purpose at all…”

Flicks her head

“Who said you need a purpose to enjoy your life, you just need moments where you can forget all of it, take it easy, and smile. If you still want a purpose, a friend, a companion, someone who will take your burden away, stay by your side till the end, and make your wish dreams come true, then by all means.”

“Be my wife.”

“Huh…?”

Once again, as flustered as she was, she responds, “Wait hold up!...Mortal Your wife? No it can’t be… d…does that mean marriage?” blushing…

Again with the mortal, the name is Kazuma, and Isabelle that’s exactly what it means.

Blushing…

B… bu… but…

Athena Interrupts, ( ( “Alert, sorry to disturb your moment but in order to leave this place you’ll need to find the King’s throne and sit there. The throne carries the power of God Eye’s to see the world outside, from there I can find a suitable destination for us to arrive at.” ) ) - [Currently on floor 97]

So Isabelle, what are you waiting for? Let’s go.

“Go where?” She asked.

To the top! At your father’s seat, don’t you know? It has the power to see the world outside.

“What? Is that true? How’d you know that?” she confusingly asked.

I responded, “What you didn’t know that? Let’s go up and see for yourself.”

Arriving at long last on the 100th floor, to the King’s throne.

Isabelle asked me as I walked towards the throne, “Wait mor… Kazuma… Are you sure about what you said? I’ve sat there many times but not even once I was able to see the world outside.”

I answered, “I’m not sure either but something will happen I believe.”

As I sat on the throne, the ring reacted as it gave me a strange sensation of pain.

“I saw things and places flashing so fast at such an unimaginable speed I couldn’t understand, I felt like throwing up.”

Then I immediately stood up sweating and before Isabelle could ask what happened, the ring started to glow and shoot a light which opened a portal.

…

( ( “Alert the Portal will close in 30 seconds.” ) )

Couldn’t get a grasp of how suddenly a portal appeared Isabelle said, “This is so all sudden.”

“Isabelle, let’s go!” Gives her a hand

“There isn’t much time.”

“But… but…” Before she could say anything, I interrupted her saying.

“Trust Me.”

… Takes his hand

Fwhoooooooooooooosh! Zapping through the portal holding hands together.

…

[Alert: Isabelle Has Joined Your Party]

[Alert: You Have Completed the Dungeon (Ancient Demon King’s Palace)]

Final Stats:

[Level: 578]

Health: 1,254,420 (∞)

Mana: 1,322,828 (∞)

Stamina: 1,081,060 (∞)

-STATS-

ATK: (437,601)

DEF: (311,133)

MDEF: (329,003)

VIT: (340,293)

END: (429,249)

DEX: (624,278)

INT: (444,176)

AGI: (469,153)

LCK: (∞)

AWR: (558,153)