Kays Translations

Chapter 72: Great America Again!

“If you run off on your own, I’ll kill you.”

“Do you really not trust me that much?”

“Yeah.”

The Blue Witch nodded firmly, and Conrad gave a wry smile.

The setting: Denver, the capital of Colorado, in the southern Rocky Mountains of North America.
The time: Late June, 2030.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s Anti-Demon King Task Force had clashed with the advancing Demon King’s army on the outskirts of the capital, igniting an intense war. The main force, including the Blue Witch, was being held in reserve, observing the battle’s progression from temporary tents hastily set up in City Park.

Inside the tent, communication officers continuously relayed messages to and from the front lines through their familiar spirits—eyeball-shaped familiars. Commanders moved pegs across maps, issuing rapid-fire orders in English.

Even through the thick fabric of the tent, bursts of blinding light flared in the distance, while deafening roars sent chills down their spines. The ground trembled incessantly, and the air itself seemed to quake.

Conrad and three other exceptionally powerful witches and wizards were not participating in the preliminary battle, as they were reserving their strength for the fight against the Demon King himself.

Four steamships from the Provisional U.S. Government in exile in Cuba had circumnavigated the globe via the western route and returned to their home port two weeks prior.

America had stopped at ports worldwide, gathering forces for the fight against the Demon King. However, Conrad, as plenipotentiary ambassador, couldn’t resist sticking his nose into every local crisis he encountered.

In China, the vast majority of transcendent beings had been devoured by a Class A1 monster, known locally as “Taotie,” leaving the defenseless populace in dire straits.

Conrad spent seven days and seven nights reshaping mountains, digging, and stacking earth to construct a massive mountain city, impenetrable even to Class B monsters, saving thousands of innocent lives.

America received no resources or personnel from China in return. In fact, given the time spent, one could argue it was a net loss. However, the surviving people held deep gratitude for America and Conrad.

In India, the caste system was thrown into turmoil.

The lower castes, which made up the majority of the population, naturally produced more transcendent beings, while the upper castes, being fewer in number, had fewer transcendents. The emergence of powerful individuals from oppressed backgrounds led to societal upheaval.

Through a series of twists and turns, Conrad ended up crashing the wedding of two power players, helping the bride elope with the man she truly loved.

Half of India resented America for this, while the other half showered them with goodwill and support.

Whether in Egypt, Greece, or Britain, Conrad’s approach remained the same. It seemed less like a mission to bolster America’s military power and more like a humanitarian journey.

Tokyo was peaceful when he visited, so nothing happened there. But if he had arrived during a crisis, Conrad would have undoubtedly thrown himself into resolving it.

There were many in America who could have secured even greater military or technological support from the world.

However, when it came to choosing the right person for the diplomatic mission, no one else but Conrad would do. Even the Blue Witch had to begrudgingly admit that.

Or perhaps, she simply wanted to believe it.

After all, if the result of Conrad’s inefficient yet kindhearted journey—one that uplifted people and spread smiles across the world—was “We couldn’t defeat the Demon King because he wasted too much time,” it would be too cruel.

“Don’t worry, Blue Witch. We’ve made all the necessary preparations.”

Saint Lucia gently stroked the Blue Witch’s back, offering reassurance as they waited for the outcome of the preliminary battle. When the Blue Witch shifted her gaze to Lucia’s other side, Glen the Ratman gave a nod of encouragement.

But Glen was the type who could maintain a calm facade to inspire his comrades, no matter how dire the situation. That made him trustworthy—yet at the same time, untrustworthy.

Saint Lucia was a witch summoned from Vatican City—a “saint” in local terms.

Draped in flowing yellow robes, she wore a crucifix rosary around her neck. Her hair and eyes were a deep, boundless blue, like the endless sky.

The staff resting on her lap had been a gift from a priest at birth. For twenty years, it had served as both her pilgrimage staff and a finely tuned magic staff.

She was an exceptional healer, a master of the restorative magic the world so desperately needed. Additionally, she possessed a powerful self-regenerative trait, making her immortal in a sense. In terms of strength, she ranked below the Blue Witch but above Glen, fulfilling the role of the party’s healer in their upcoming battle against the Demon King.

Her personality overflowed with love for humanity, and she was easy to get along with. However, her frequent religious remarks irritated the Blue Witch.

“It’s true that the preliminary battle has gone surprisingly well—so far, no one has died. But we don’t know when things might collapse. If the Demon King’s forces had delayed their advance by just one more day, we would have been able to mount a perfect defense.”

The Demon King grew stronger by absorbing defeated witches, wizards, and magic stones. Sending weak magicians against him would only serve to feed him.

Thus, the plan was for the top of the top—the elite among magicians—to take him on directly: Conrad Williams, Glen Grayling, the Blue Witch, and Saint Lucia.

To ensure the four of them were in peak condition when facing the Demon King, 46 magicians were currently fighting off the Demon King’s army of Class A monsters.

Among them, 30 wielded magic staffs crafted by Japan’s finest artisans. The remaining 16 were equipped with emergency-produced scrolls, magic script, and American-made magic staffs. Together, they unleashed a relentless storm of magic, crushing the swarm of Class A monsters.

“Even if we waited until tomorrow, all that would happen is that our 99% preparedness would become 100%. We’re already effectively at full strength. Worry about the Demon King fight, not the preliminary battle.”

“You worry too much. There’s no need to. Everything will be fine—because I’m here. Even the President will make it in time.”

“Don’t worry. God never gives us trials we cannot overcome.”

Glen, Conrad, and Lucia all reassured her in unison.

The Blue Witch, an atheist, furrowed her brows at their overly confident words, but Lucia simply smiled playfully.

“If we do ever face an impossible ordeal, then it isn’t a test from God. It’s just a disaster. In that case, we run.”

Lucia playfully bumped her fist against Glen’s. The Blue Witch hesitated but eventually joined in.

Strangely, Conrad—who was usually the first to participate in such gestures—looked troubled, his fist lingering in midair.

“What’s wrong, Conrad? What’s—YOU!”

The Blue Witch suddenly realized something and hurled her cup at him.

The cup passed straight through Conrad’s illusionary projection and clattered to the tent floor.

The moment they saw that, Glen clicked his tongue and sprinted out of the tent.

A few heartbeats later, the Blue Witch followed.

“Sorry, Demon King Subjugation Squad, we’re heading out! Conrad went ahead on his own!”

Lucia quickly bowed to the startled commander and communication officers before dashing after the Blue Witch.

The three of them ran through the city at full speed, heading straight for the front lines.

The Blue Witch sighed in exasperation. Lucia chuckled wryly.

But Glen was absolutely furious.

“That bastard even used projection magic?! He agreed that casualties in the preliminary battle were acceptable!”

“No, Glen. He never actually nodded. He just stayed silent.”

“Enough talk! We need to catch that reckless idiot first! Pick up the pace!”

At the command of the Blue Witch, the three accelerated, becoming a gust of wind.

On their way, they struck down a few stray, ferocious six-legged monsterswith their fists, kicked a plummeting monstrous bird out of the sky, and covered 20 kilometers in just ten minutes, emerging at the front lines.

After Conrad had repeatedly gotten them entangled in troublesome affairs throughout their long journey, the trio’s coordination had been perfected. Even without enhancement magic, their raw physical abilities were more than enough to handle lower-ranked Class A monsters with ease.

However, things were different when facing the Demon King’s army, which included multiple Class A-1 threats.

Even the magicians holding the line and clearing the battlefield, armed to the teeth, would normally suffer heavy casualties. The fact that they hadn’t by this point should have been a clear sign of Conrad’s intervention.

As expected, Conrad, wielding his pure white magic sword, was dashing through the enemy ranks at supersonic speed. Upon noticing his party’s arrival, he rushed toward them, trailed by a shockwave.

Scratching his head awkwardly, Conrad was met with a cold remark from the Blue Witch, who spoke on behalf of the group.

“I told you I’d kill you if you ran off on your own, didn’t I?”

“Hey, I only used about 200K mana. I didn’t drain anything beyond what the amulet could replenish—”

Before he could finish making excuses, the Blue Witch slapped him.

Conrad didn’t go flying but staggered, holding his cheek with teary eyes.

Clicking her tongue, the Blue Witch immediately shifted to a more constructive discussion.

“Fine. I’ll let it go this time. But you did have a plan, right?”

“Glen worked it out for me.”

“…Haaah. I’ll scold you later, Conrad. For now, if you really haven’t drained your mana, then the situation isn’t bad. Keeping casualties at zero is a major achievement. At least you didn’t charge in blindly. How many A1-class threats remain?”

“Twenty are tightly guarding the Demon King. I’ve taken out twelve that moved to the front lines, but the biggest problem left is the Taotie. You know, the one from China? That thing.”

Conrad pointed to a mountain slope in the distance.

There, a massive, swirling black cloud loomed—a monster with a will of its own. The black mist constantly shifted form, splitting off into grotesque monsters that sought to consume the magicians.

While the black cloud left stone and earth untouched, any trees or animals caught within its grasp vanished without a trace.

The Class A-1 monster that had devastated China, the “Taotie,” was a fearsome, amorphous entity that ignored inorganic matter and devoured only living beings.

“Hmm. The terrain has changed drastically. And what’s that red glow in the distance?”

“That’s the Hell Witch. She dragged an A1-class monster into hell and is holding it there alone. Anything that enters that area—monster or mutant—dies instantly. Consider it a no-go zone.”

“I see. So that limits our possible routes… Given mana consumption…”

While Glen stroked his beard and pondered their strategy, Lucia had already charged into the front lines, throwing punches and kicks into the enemy ranks.

Even as she was bitten, slashed, and beaten down, she did not waver.

Letting her flesh be cut to break bones in return—Lucia could regenerate her wounds instantly.

Unconcerned for her own body, drenched in blood but never ceasing to smile, Lucia unsettled even her fellow magicians, despite saving their lives.

“Glen, hurry up with the plan. Lucia’s already diving in, and Conrad’s itching to go.”

“Damn it, you people… Fine, here’s what we’ll do. First, we take down the Taotie. That thing alone is keeping fifteen of our forces occupied. If we eliminate it, the front line will stabilize significantly. Conserve your mana—nobody uses more than 500K. Once the Taotie is down, pull back. Stick to harassing dangerous positions and avoid unnecessary losses. Got it? Now we just have to pray the President gets here soon.”

“Conrad, you’ll only use enhancement magic anyway, right? I’ll burn 800K to clear a path. You use 200K to reinforce yourself and charge in.”

“Got it. Glen, you good with this?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just go!”

At Glen’s signal, the Blue Witch pointed the tip of Kýanos toward the black cloud at the center of the monstrous horde.

The double-ringed core mechanism activated, slowly beginning to spin.

While Glen ran to relay the plan to Lucia—who was busy tearing off a monster’s head—she nodded and cast a sensory enhancement spell on Conrad.

“It’sリィオ over×× power×× ofッ allヌ overー theプト worldラエ. Fervor×××, my×× bloodデーニッ.”

Wrapped in three layers of reinforcement magic—each powerful enough to rupture an average magician—Conrad prepared to charge.

At the same time, the Blue Witch unleashed a freezing downdraft spell, sweeping it sideways to flash-freeze everything in its path and blast it away.

A pure white path suddenly appeared in the chaotic battlefield.

Conrad dashed through it at impossible speed.

In a single breath, he plunged into the Taotie’s core, his glowing sword slicing through its true form—an eldritch tiger with a humanoid face.

However, even as it was cut into eight pieces, the Taotie moved.

Its dismembered limbs wrapped around Conrad.

Fangs tore through his throat.

Claws ripped into his abdomen.

A tail crushed his skull.

The monster’s grotesque human-like face twisted into a cruel grin.

But a moment later, it realized something was wrong.

Even while being torn apart, Conrad showed no pain.

Still impassive, he swung his radiant sword again.

The blade, shining like the sun, reduced the Taotie to 1,024 pieces—then erased it entirely.

Behind him, Glen—who had absorbed Conrad’s injuries—collapsed, spewing blood and on the verge of death.

But Lucia immediately restored him with high-level healing magic.

Just as planned, the four of them had taken down a Class A-1 monster while keeping mana consumption minimal.

With their most troublesome enemy defeated, the team fell back as planned.

With the greatest threat gone, the 46 struggling magicians regained their momentum.

A storm of massive, multicolored spells erupted across the battlefield, wiping out a hundred monsters in an instant.

However, the total number of the Demon King’s army easily exceeded a thousand.

Any gaps that had momentarily opened in the battle lines were immediately filled by the monsters sent from the rear.

The Demon King’s army was like an unending tsunami of death.

No matter how much they fought, no matter how many they cut down, obliterated, or crushed, there was no end. More and more emerged, wave after wave.

Of course, even the massive horde of monsters filling their vision had its limits.

But for the vanguard forces holding the front lines, the odds were against them.

Even when Taotie fell, and it seemed like the lines had been pushed forward, the enemy gradually started to push back.

Despite reinforcing their attacks with magic staffs and using scrolls to maintain the stalemate, cracks began to form in their defenses. No matter how much they bolstered their firepower, the sheer difference in numbers was insurmountable.

—Damn it, this is tough. Conrad, we should start considering a retreat. If we run out of magic, even escaping will be impossible. If we’re going to pull back, now’s the time.

—No. We’ve already revealed our hand—our scrolls, our magic staffs, almost every type of spell we can use. If we retreat now, the Demon King will learn from this and prepare countermeasures. We have to finish this here. It’ll be fine. We just have to believe in the President.

—That man might be trustworthy, but I’m more worried about the mount.

—She’s not so bad, really. Just a little greedy.

The four of them exchanged words, watching the battle unfold with a burning sense of urgency.

If the four of them joined the fight in earnest, they could win the skirmish. The entire monster horde could be wiped out.

But if they did that, they would have to face the Demon King in an already exhausted state.

Even as the strongest of the magicians, the Demon King’s power was beyond reason. Even at full strength, the battle would be uncertain. In a weakened state, defeat was inevitable.

If they were to defeat the Demon King, the four of them had to be preserved.

They had already intervened slightly to maintain the front line, resulting in some magic expenditure. They could not afford to use any more.

As each of the four prayed to something different, an absurdly out-of-place sound suddenly echoed across the battlefield.

The national anthem of the United States of America, The Star-Spangled Banner.

The sudden blaring of the anthem—just a song. The massive image of the waving American flag, projected onto the clouds. It completely changed the atmosphere of the battlefield.

Glenn was momentarily dumbfounded, then burst into laughter.

Conrad, seeing the enormous flag projected onto the white clouds above, cheered and pumped his fist in the air.

“Deus autem omnipotēns benedīcat tibi!”

“Ha! Seriously! I really do love America for this kind of thing!”

Lucia waved her staff toward the sky, and even the Blue Witch laughed.

From beyond the vast sky, a rugged middle-aged man riding a dragon descended toward them.

With projection magic and amplification magic, the voice of the President of the United States boomed across the battlefield, accompanied by an over-the-top performance.

“People! Brave citizens of America! And our allied nations! You have fought well, and you have survived! All personnel— Ah, hey! Quit struggling, this is my big moment!”

“I haven’t gotten my answer yet! I pushed this to happen at top speed, so you better hand over the gold mine rights! If not, I’ll drop you right here!”

“Ah, my apologies! Dear dragon, I appreciate your service! The United States will never forget your sacrifice!”

“I keep telling you, I don’t understand English! Gold! GOLD! Is it okay or not!?”

“Ah, you mean the contract? Of course, it’s okay!”

“Okay? You just said okay. Alright then! All troops, retreat! Retreat! Make way for the world’s strongest weapon!”

“All personnel, retreat! Hahaha! Behold, monsters! Listen well! Witness the power of America!”

Upon hearing the retreat order, the magicians immediately began chanting teleportation spells, withdrawing from the battlefield.

Conrad saluted the presidential dragon flying high in the sky, then hurriedly urged his companions to fall back.

“Great!”

With the President’s first command, the dragon began to drop an enormous payload of bombs—gathered from all across America—out of its belly.

“America!!”

The higher-order monsters possessed intelligence.

And because they had intelligence, they sensed the unnatural shift in the battlefield’s atmosphere. They looked up at the objects raining down from the distant sky.

But they did not understand their threat.

The monsters had no concept of what these magicless objects could do.

They did not know.

They could not possibly know.

“Again!!!”

“Don’t underestimate humanity’s forbidden power!! I’m blowing you all away together!!!”

Then, over a thousand nuclear warheads detonated, bringing the power of the sun down to the earth.

A massive earthquake shook the land, and the blinding flash effortlessly wiped out hordes of monsters.

A colossal mushroom cloud pierced the sky.

Shockwaves roared through the air, sending skyscrapers flying like leaves in the wind.

Unfathomable heat scorched the ground, turning it red-hot and bubbling.

The four who had evacuated just in time from the blast zone stood against the searing winds, their clothes and hair billowing. Shielding their eyes with their hands, they gazed at the ground zero of destruction.

“…Did we get him?”

“Ah, Glen, I read in a comic recently that saying things like that is called ‘raising a flag.'”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Whether you say it or not, facts don’t change. Ah… alright. Every single one of his underlings is gone.”

“Let’s go. As I’ve been saying, we have to finish this within an hour. Any longer, and even healing magic won’t be able to undo the radiation exposure.”

“If physical attacks even work on the Demon King, that is. Well, from here on, it’s our job. Let’s clean this up and go home.”

From within the flames and smoke, the Demon King emerged—completely unscathed.

Clutching their staffs tightly, the four warriors faced the enemy of the world standing amidst the inferno.

And thus, an unprecedented battle began.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter