I Got Reincarnated as the Villain and Saved the World, but After the Ending I Was Betrayed and Exiled. I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life in the Frontier, but for Some Reason My Former Companions Started Chasing Me with Yandere Eyes… - 48-49

Chapter 48: The Pursuers

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We met up at the Adventurers’ Guild and, in order to escape the pursuers set up by Ose, we immediately boarded a carriage and set off at full speed. If things had been normal, I would have wanted to ask about Elena or Henrietta, but we had no time for that.

“I am so sorry… Originally, it should have been us who diverted Ose’s attention, but instead we ended up troubling you like this…”

It was Stella who said that, her expression full of regret. Seeing her, who was usually so strong and composed, wearing such a face made my chest ache.

Incidentally, Solomon was receiving treatment from Ceres inside the carriage, with Tia assisting her. We had ended up reuniting with those who were meant to serve as decoys for two reasons: Elena had gone missing, and… One more reason.

“So then. That demon who injured Young Lady and you… Who the hell is he again?”

Amon gave off killing intent that wasn’t even directed at me, yet it still sent a chill down my spine and made cold sweat drip despite all the battles I had been through. Yes—that was the other reason. The truth was that after Elena went missing, they were being chased by an opponent so strong the two of them couldn’t handle it on their own.

“He claimed to be one of Ose’s Four Great Demons. But unlike Elios, whom we already defeated, he possessed overwhelming strength. Even if Elena had been with us, the result might not have been any different. What’s more, that demon—”

“Uoooooohhhh!!”

Before Stella could finish speaking, I sensed a surge of powerful magical energy. Leaning out of the carriage in an unstable posture, I deflected a black beam. Most likely, it was the work of the demon who had been chasing us all this time. It seemed she had decided to attack us already.

“Ceres, continue treating Solomon and Stella!! Tia, once you finish supporting, regroup with us at the original destination.”

“Understood. Phantom-sama, please take this.”

“Master… I’ll be waiting for you, no matter what!!”

Ceres tossed a rosary, and as if enchanted, it moved on its own in the air and fastened itself around my neck.

What the hell is this? Scary… This feels less like a holy blessing and more like a cursed item…

“So, Amon, what about you—”

“Of course I’m going with you!!”

Amon, brimming with rage, and I leapt from the carriage. Landing with swords drawn, we deflected the black beam aimed right at us. From the tremor that ran through my blade, I could tell that the magic power behind it exceeded even Amon’s.

This person… He’s far stronger than Baram.

Maybe Baram really had been the so-called weakest of the Four Great Demons. At the exact moment the hooded demon in the distance unleashed another deadly beam, I activated the power of the Evil Eyes.

“Devour magic… And make it my sustenance!!”

Even though the immense amount of magical energy nearly overwhelmed my capacity, I absorbed it. Feeling power surging through my entire body, I immediately used it to slash at the enemy.

“You devoured magic? That power…!”

“Hahaha! That’s what I’m talking about, Phantom!! Let’s kill this bastard together!!”

Amon, providing cover, fired a deadly beam from behind. I sensed it with my Evil Eyes, dodged, and aimed to strike when the enemy’s stance broke—

“Fuhahahaha! Excellent! Ose’s invitation was indeed worthwhile. To think I’d encounter another who wields the same power as I do, in a place like this!!”

But then, laughing madly, the demon before us absorbed the deadly beam into the eye hidden beneath his hood.

“Your magic is still as feeble as ever, Amon.”

“He absorbed it? Don’t tell me this bastard is… Ughhh!?”

The demon, having also devoured magic like I did, had his physical abilities raised and swung his claws, sending us flying with a tremendous impact.

“You okay, Phantom!? Damn, to think we’d run into him here of all places!!”

“…Do you know this demon?”

I asked Amon, a bad premonition gnawing at me. For once, he answered with cold sweat trickling down his face.

“Yeah… I’m certain of it now. That’s Glasya-Labolas… One of the strongest demons in the Demon Lord’s army.”

“I knew it.”

The worst possible suspicion of mine had just been confirmed, and I couldn’t help but want to clutch my head in frustration. The one before me was essentially the secret boss of the game.

『The Massacre King, Glasya-Labolas』Once, he had nearly destroyed the world, fueling enmity between humans, demons, and wielders of the Evil Eyes alike. And he was also the demon you could only encounter in the hidden dungeon of the Demon Realm, after defeating the Demon Lord.

If I hadn’t been exiled, the plan had been to defeat him together with everyone after the victory parade… But to run into him here, of all places…

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Chapter 49: VS Glasya-Labolas

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“Amon, have you ever fought that guy?”

“Yeah, of course. Ninety-nine matches, ninety-nine losses. His physical ability’s off the charts, and magic doesn’t work on him either… Come to think of it, he’s got the same eyes as you.”

“Haha, well, that’s because my eyes are connected to him.”

“Huh?”

Amon looked at me like,”What the hell are you talking about?,” but I didn’t have time to explain. I glared at Glasya-Labolas, who was slowly walking toward us. Fighting him was fine, but there was something I had to confirm first.

“Glasya-Labolas… Because your power is too overwhelming, you shouldn’t be able to leave the Demon Realm with just the magic the Demon Lord provides you. So why are you here?”

“Oh… You know your stuff. It’s simple, really. I granted a portion of my power to Ose for my own purpose. Thanks to that, I can enjoy the surface, albeit imperfectly.”

Glasya-Labolas answered my question as though he were enjoying himself. What was his purpose? I could feel his eyes scanning me from head to toe, as if appraising me.

Could it be… His goal had something to do with me?

“Who cares about that crap!! Glasya-Labolas! You deliberately cornered Young Lady and her friends, didn’t ya? Just what the hell are you thinking? You shouldn’t care about anything except fighting!!”

It was true. With those same Evil Eyes as mine, Solomon’s magic wouldn’t work on him, and his physical abilities far surpassed Stella’s. There was no way she could have escaped him just by riding in a carriage. And both of them had been in tatters. They must have been deliberately spared until they had no choice but to rely on me, even knowing it was a bad move.

When you can’t rest properly because you might be attacked at any moment, it wears you down.

“The answer is obvious. I want to fight the strong. I heard the warriors who defeated the Demon Lord Goetia were here, but when I opened the lid, it was nothing but an immature Demon Lord and a fragile woman. So, I had them summon a strong warrior for me.”

“And that warrior is me…”

Glasya-Labolas pulled back his hood, revealing his body clad in jet-black armor and a greatsword in his hands. His muffled voice carried a tone of amusement. Maybe he was laughing inside the armor.

His appearance screamed veteran warrior, and the pressure radiating from him was overwhelming, but I couldn’t run. Not after he had hurt them just to lure me here. There was no way I could forgive that.

“Then you’re in luck. I’m the hero who killed the Demon Lord!!”

“Ah, yes. Truly fortunate. Fate is fascinating indeed. The descendants of the human I granted my power to have grown strong!!”

“So it’s true… These Evil Eyes came from you. Then take my gratitude—up close!!”

I charged, body enhanced with magic, but he casually deflected my strike. His words hadn’t shocked me. The first lord of the Pail Domain was said to have returned from a divine disappearance with the strange skill called Evil Eyes.

That was why Phantom in the game had grown arrogant, believing himself a special man who inherited his ancestor’s power. Even back in my previous life, the people at the online forum had speculated that Glasya-Labolas and Phantom were connected because they had the same Evil Eyes.

“Don’t forget about me!! You’re the bastard who hurt the young lady! Die!!”

“No, I mean, even I wouldn’t do anything as disrespectful as killing the Demon Lord…”

“Guhhh!!”

Amon lunged when he saw an opening, but Glasya-Labolas dodged with ease and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying. He was stronger than I expected… But still, if Cain’s party of four maxed out their levels with the strongest gear, they could defeat him. He wasn’t unbeatable.

I swung my sword, but no opening appeared.

“Is that all? Here, let me make you stronger.”

“Tch!!”

I took in his killing intent with my Evil Eyes, but my body screamed in agony. I didn’t know the upper limit of the eyes’ absorption power, but as a mere human, my physical body had limits. Even the slightest movement sent waves of pain through me.

“Hmph… How disappointing. Even with my power, you’re still just human. In that case, perhaps I’ll slaughter the other so-called heroes. Fighting them all together might be more fun.”

The faces of Elena, Ceres, Henrietta, and Cain flashed in my mind, and anger took hold of my heart.

“Don’t screw with me… I won’t let you hurt my comrades any further!!”

“Oh? They say even goblins will punch dragons when cornered—so this is what they meant!!”

Ignoring the screams of my body, I struck. This time, my blade clashed against his. He couldn’t deflect it. I could do this!!

“Uoooooooohhh!!”

“Hahahahaha!! Well done! For the first time in three hundred years, I might actually fight seriously!!”

He laughed with joy, but I was already at my limit just swinging my sword. And he wasn’t just strong physically. He had honed his technique endlessly. His swordsmanship, his movements, everything was refined to perfection.

“Damn…”

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re finished already. Can’t you even entertain me…?”

I blocked his strike but felt something strange. Why could I still move when I was so battered?

My body staggered, but my wounds were mysteriously healing. I felt magic emanating from my chest. 

It was Ceres’s rosary. Her blessing was protecting me. The blessing spread to my sword, filling it with holy power. At the same time, the necklace Tia had given me boosted the power laid upon me.

Ah… That’s right. I told her to wait for me. Then I couldn’t die here.

I was being protected by two goddesses of victory. I had no right to lose.

“Amon!! Cast your magic at me!!”

“Are you insane, Phantom? You’ll—”

“Just do it!! You want payback on Solomon, right? And I’ll repay Stella’s debt!!”

“Fool… To end yourself by self-destruction…”

Amon’s killing intent struck me, blood vessels bursting as warmth trickled from my nose and eyes. I was probably bleeding badly. But at the same time, the rosary healed me.

“Sorry, but unlike you, I’m not alone!! Here’s something for you. Stella—the girl you mocked as weak—is far stronger than me. She’s not someone you have the right to laugh at!!”

“What!?”

I swung my sword. That was all. With the sensation of my right arm breaking, I cut off the arm holding Glasya-Labolas’s sword.

“Hahahaha!! Excellent!! For the first time in ages, I’ve shed my own blood!!”

“Good. You’ll be seeing a lot more of it!!”

Switching my sword to my left hand since my right was useless, I aimed for his heart. But I saw his remaining arm thrusting toward my chest.

No. If I parried, I wouldn’t be able to strike.

A flash of memories crossed my mind: life with Ange and Stella in the domain, adventures with Cain, Elena, and Ceres…The precious everyday life I had with Henrietta… The fun days I had with Tia and Aisha. Yes… I had lived in this world. And I had things I cherished.

“I gained this power to protect my precious people from the likes of you!! I will defeat you. No matter what!!”

My left-hand strike pierced Glasya-Labolas’s heart, blood spraying from his armor. At the same time, his arm aimed at my heart. I tried to twist away, but my weakened body wouldn’t move. My body had been drained of all its strength.

No… I can’t die here… But… I’ve fought back with all I had…

And then, a familiar invisible light repelled his arm. 

Is this… The exorcism’s power of Henrietta?!

As Glasya-Labolas fell, Ceres’s rosary shattered, having reached its limit. And in the distance, I thought I saw two familiar figures. Or maybe it was just my imagination?

“Hey, Phantom! Are you alright?!”

I heard Amon’s voice rushing toward me as my consciousness sank into darkness.

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T/N: Nooo! Rosario-kun!!