Saitama Dungeon - Chapter 1

Episode 1: Bloody Battle at the Demon King’s Castle!

[Preface]

Our usual modern fantasy. Thank you for your continued support.

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Ichiro, who was summoned as a hero, continued his journey of battle for over ten years with his four companions, the sage Oswald, the saint Mariana, the shield warrior Barrel, and the archer Isabella Hayman.

In recent years, they had been cooperating with the human alliance forces, intervening in the battles between the army and the demon army, influencing the outcome of the battles.

And now, in the rural area stretching in front of the demon capital High Throne, where the demon king Saraban’s main castle is located, 20,000 troops of the human alliance army faced off against the last army of the demon army, numbering 5,000.

Leading the demon army was Yolter, one of Saraban’s trusted four great demons. Under his command, the demon army was turning the tide of battle in their favor despite being at a disadvantage.

Ichiro and his companions bypassed the battlefield and launched a surprise attack on the main camp of the demon army led by Yolter. They gradually defeated the demon soldiers guarding the camp, and ultimately, Ichiro emerged victorious in a one-on-one battle against Yolter. After Yolter was defeated, the demon army collapsed, and most of the demon soldiers were slain on the battlefield by the human alliance army.

After trampling over the demon soldiers, the human forces rushed towards the High Throne, which lacked defensive outer walls.

Fires broke out from various places within High Throne, and those who resisted against the human soldiers were mercilessly killed.

Ichiro and his four companions aimed for Gilberto Haynes Castle, the residence of the Demon Lord Saraban, located at the heart of High Throne, amidst the familiar sight seen in towns and villages of defeated people.

On their way to the castle, they encountered wounded demons among the rubble. While Ichiro and his group ignored them, these demons were dispatched by the human soldiers whenever found.

Ichiro thought absentmindedly as he walked, wondering if this was a kind of mercy.

The main street leading to the castle.

Probably a sign from some shop was discarded on the street, and soldiers of the human race, running past me, trampled over the sign, written in unreadable characters for me.

As they approached the castle, they saw what seemed to be the remnants of a grand temple. The entrance was blocked, and smoke rose from the burnt-out building.

After walking through the devastated city for about an hour, Ichiro and his group arrived at the Gilberto Haynes Castle, the residence of Demon King Saraban.

Although Castle was enormous, it was barely deserving of the name “castle.” The walls seemed to be under construction, and they were not even three meters high, appearing hastily built during the battles with the human forces.

The castle gate was naturally closed, but there was no one on the incomplete castle walls.

Aiming at the gate, the sage Oswald unleashed a massive fireball. A thunderous explosion ensued.

Once the billowing smoke subsided, what appeared was the intact gate and the adjoining castle wall, despite the ground in front of the gate being gouged out.

“It seems even this level of magic won’t break it. Shall we try something more advanced?”

Oswald muttered for a while, and finally, the words “…Let my magic infiltrate and destroy,” I heard the words” Osmotic Destruction”.

Simultaneously, the castle gate melted away like candy.

“It’s not hot, so it’s safe to pass through.”

Oswald said as he took the lead, stepping over the remnants of the gate. Ichiro then took the lead, and the five of them entered the castle.

Demons lurked everywhere inside the castle, but none dared to attack Ichiro and his companions. They wandered through the castle, ignoring the demons, while searching for the Demon King.

Finally, they reached a pair of magnificent double doors adorned with reliefs.

There, Ichiro sheathed the demonic sword Negzar that he had been carrying in his scabbard on his back and drew the holy sword Enolagrat from another scabbard on his back.

The blade of the holy sword Enolagrat shone with a pale blue light, which nullified all kinds of magic indiscriminately.

The pale blue radiance of the holy sword Enolagrat that Ichiro held in his hand intensified.

“The light of Enolagrat has intensified. There’s no doubt the Demon King lies ahead. Let’s open the door. We’ll settle this once and for all.”

“”Yes!””

“Prayer of Blessing.”

Saint Mariana, one of the members, began her sacred prayer.

The light emitted from the drawn holy sword Enolagrat nullified all magic, but Mariana’s prayer remained unaffected by Enolagrat’s influence. In other words, that was the power of a saint.

Under Mariana’s blessed prayer, the bodies of all five members, including Mariana herself, began to faintly glow with a golden light.

Barrel, the shield warrior, stepped forward to protect Mariana and Oswald, while Isabella, the archer, took a step aside to secure her shooting line.

Ichiro held the holy sword Enolagrat in his right hand and placed his left hand on one of the doors.

“Let’s open the door!”

All four nodded, and Ichiro pushed the door open.

At that moment, a purple lightning bolt struck Ichiro and his companions, but the lightning dispersed just before reaching them.

Beyond the door was a large hall adorned with countless luxurious furnishings, and standing in the center of the room was a woman dressed in red leather armor, who appeared to be a demon.

At the front of the room, slightly elevated from the rest, sat a man on a throne-like chair.

That man was none other than the Demon King Saraban.

The woman stepped forward towards Ichiro and his group and uttered a single phrase.

“The King’s Sword, Blade Dancer, Serjina. I shall advance!”

Serjina, the female demon, brandished daggers in both hands and charged towards them.

In response, Ichiro raised the holy sword Enolagrat in an upper stance and charged towards Serjina.

An arrow fired by Isabella struck Serjina’s left shoulder, piercing through her red leather armor deeply.

Nevertheless, Serjina didn’t falter and engaged in swordplay with Ichiro.

Their movements were so fast that they were almost imperceptible to the eye.

Sounds of clashing swords and sparks filled the air.

After several exchanges, Enolagrat clashed with Serjina’s daggers.

At that moment, Serjina’s dagger in her right hand snapped off from the hilt.

“Divine sword●●without the light! Your Majesty, I apologize!”

With those words, Ichiro swiftly swung Enolagrat towards Serjina’s neck.

Enolagrat was swung, and Serjina’s head rolled onto the floor.

There was no gushing of blood from Serjina’s body, and soon both her corpse and her severed head crumbled away like sand. This was proof of her being a demon.

With Serjina defeated, the Demon King who had been sitting on the throne rose.

He seemed to be a head taller than Ichiro.

The Demon King was clad in pitch-black full-body armor, with red veins resembling blood vessels protruding from the armor.

Around him swirled a red aura-like substance.

As long as this aura was present, any attack against the Demon King Saraban would be nullified.

Although his face under the pitch-black full-face helmet couldn’t be seen, Ichiro and his companions could feel the sharp gaze emanating from beneath the visor.

Ichiro rushed towards the Demon King Saraban, who wielded a pitch-black greatsword, and a fierce battle ensued.

Ichiro and Demon King Saraban fought fiercely without either giving ground, seeming evenly matched.

Realizing that Barrel, the shield warrior, couldn’t afford to deal with the three behind, he rushed to Ichiro’s side and joined the battle against the Demon King.

In Barrel’s right hand was the black steel mace, said to crush countless monsters and demons. Although it had no inscription, it was said to be indestructible.

In his left hand was the silver-shining round shield Elsaia.

Barrel occasionally struck the Demon King with Elsaia.

Elsaia never touched Demon King Saraban, but each time, it seemed that a small portion of the red aura surrounding the Demon King was absorbed by Elsaia.

Gradually, the Demon King was pushed back by the two, and eventually, the red aura disappeared.

The battle continued, and finally, the Demon King’s movements ceased altogether.

His right hand was already severed from the wrist, and the greatsword’s blade was broken.

The red vein-like patterns on his pitch-black armor also lost their color.

Saraban himself seemed to have lost consciousness, not moving an inch.

During the battle, the walls around them collapsed, and most of the furnishings were destroyed.

“This is the end!”

Ichiro, the Hero Hasegawa Ichiro, knelt by the nearly defeated Demon King Saraban and raised the pale blue shining holy sword Enolagrat over his head.

At that moment, Ichiro and Saraban were enveloped in a dazzling white light.

After the light subsided, Ichiro and Saraban were no longer there.

What remained was only a magic circle emitting a white light that was left where the two had stood.

Even that light gradually faded and disappeared.

“Ichiro!”

“What in the world just happened?”

There was no one to answer the voices of the remaining four.