As I fell down the pit, I was informed that each of my attribute resistance had increased along with the message telling me that I leveled up . I’ll put the thoughts aside for now .
Previously I used Water Magic to stop our falling momentum when we fell into the pit during our dungeon conquest but this time, I wanted to conserve my magical power as much as possible so the two of us kicked the wall while falling to reduce our speed .
Thankfully, the bottom of the pitfall was not a spike hell but an ordinary floor .
“Malina, clench your teeth!”
“Miri-sama, please be careful of the shock . ”
Haru and I warned them as we kicked the last wall and landed such that we slid diagonally .
There was almost no damage to my feet .
Haru seemed fine too .
“This is the 13th floor? Are the three of you okay?”
“I’m okay . ”
“I’m all right too . ”
“It’s not a big deal if I think of how I was held by Haru and flew through the Dakyat forest . ”
Marina seemed to be a little stronger now but the three of them seemed safe .
This dungeon extended to the 15th floor so we had two more floors to go .
By the time we reach there, we will meet the Hero, Kanon and Talwi .
The monsters on the 13th floor didn’t seem to be affected by Carol and Quince-san’s Moon Captivating Fragrance . Unlike the monsters that headed straight for Quince-san without batting an eyelid at us, these monsters attacked us like normal .
Marina drew her bow but,
“Save your magical power!”
I said and drew White Wolf Fang, opening a path .
I left the drop items alone this time and made use of the time usually spent picking them up .
“Master, Miri-sama, Marina-san, I smell Kanon!”
“Kanon!? Haru, where is Kanon!?”
“This way!”
Haru replied and started leading the way .
We followed after her . Along the way, I knocked down the monsters with Swordsman and Samurai skills such as Slash, Tornado Slash, and Flash .
The stairs leading to the 14th floor was full of monsters but,
“Petite Stone!”
Only the spell name was petite as a 1 meter wide stone collided with the monsters and rolled down the stairs while gathering all the other monsters .
That amount of magical power consumption could be recovered in less than a minute .
“Master, this way!”
We stepped on the fallen monsters under the stairs and proceeded further .
Finally, we found the stairs leading to the 15th floor, the lowest floor .
If we went down the stairs – –
“Eh? Haru, isn’t this the way?”
“Yes, it seems that the Hero is below but Kanon-san appears to be on this floor . ”
Wasn’t Kanon and the Hero working together?
“Also, there is one more person with Kanon-san – -”
Haru announced their name .
Kanon was in a wide hidden room similar to the mountain bandit hideout behind an illusionary wall where Norn was held captive .
“Ara, Suke-kun and Kaguya-chan . So this place has been revealed . ”
She was with Demon God Minerva-sama .
“Don’t pretend . Since you knew Haru was with us, not planning against her sense of smell is the same as telling us to find you . ”
Miri commented and looked at Kanon at the same time .
Her eyes were vacant and she didn’t seem normal .
“I don’t care if you are a Goddess or whatnot, what have you done to my sworn friend Kanon!”
“What? I am a former Goddess of Medicine . Of course, I used medicine . ”
She said as she stuck out her tongue and took out a test tube with black liquid in it .
“I’m just adjusting her to be a Demon God’s vessel . ”
Miri seemed to recognize the medicine as she glared at Minerva after seeing it .
“Yes, this is the failed product that Kaguya-chan researched to purify miasma . It was supposed to be research to extract miasma from monsters but you ended up with a drug that will familiarize the body with miasma after it enters the body . Thanks to this, I can help her awaken as a Demon God – -”
A wind arrow flew toward her before Minerva-sama finished speaking .
It was a surprise attack but Minerva-sama easily avoided the arrow .
“Ara, Malina-chan . I did not finish my sentence . ”
“It’s Marina . You’ve spoken enough . You are the reason for Kanon’s condition . ”
“Ara? You put it as though I am the evil person here but this is Kanon-chan’s will . ”
“ … What?”
Marina stopped her hand that was pulling her arrow .
“Kanon-chan volunteered to become a Demon God . ”
Minerva-sama said with a smile .
“Devil Race are destined to hide to survive from the time they are born . Although part of the race under Kaguya-chan’s leadership when she was the Demon Lord were not that discriminated against . Before she entered the Demon Lord Army, her mother, father, brother, and sister were tipped off by the neighbors that received them with a smile, and their true identities were revealed, leading to their capture and execution . She was coincidentally in a forest so she survived and was able to enter the Demon Lord Army . However, the discrimination against the Devil Race in the Demon Lord Army still occurred away from Kaguya-chan’s eyes . This Kanon-chan has been treated badly by her superior, the vampire Valf, for some time . ”
I looked over my shoulder at Miri .
She was gnashing her teeth regretfully .
“Of course, it is not Kaguya-chan’s fault . For a huge organization, there will always be some rifts . ”
“In other words, Kanon hated this world and succumbed to evil?”
“That’s rude . We’re saving this world, you know?”
Minerva replied with a smile .
I could not feel any resemblance to her previous insistence to die .
Was this her true nature?
“After all, once the world ends, whether it’s a Goddess or a Demon God, they would die after they fulfill their roles . It is finally time to discard everything and die . Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Then feel free to die on your own! Dark Sword . ”
Miri replied and released a sword of darkness .
But Minerva-sama – – no, Minerva caught it with her fingers .
The next instant, Miri’s spell shattered and dispersed .
“Onii!”
“All right – -”
Now was the time to use the Demon Lord’s power – – just as I had that thought .
Kanon suddenly moved and rapidly approached me .
(Hand-to-hand combat!?)
I caught the sharp kick from Kanon with my arm .
I was unhurt but the surface of my skin was hot due to the friction .
Kanon followed up with a kick .
“Onii, avoid!”
I followed Miri’s instruction and flew backward with my arm that was about to receive the blow out in front .
At the same time, a dagger appeared out of the toes of the shoes Kanon was wearing and brushed past my face .
I let my guard down .
“Ah, Miri-sama is a tough opponent after all . ”
“Kanon, you still retain your sanity?”
I didn’t expect Kanon to still be sane .
When I looked at where Minerva stood, she had already disappeared .
“Yes, that is right . I thought she had her guard down . ”
Deceiving was her specialty so to speak .
“Kanon, it’s an order . Stand down . ”
Miri commanded Kanon .
But she did not back down .
“Unfortunately, your Demon Lord Authority does not affect me anymore . ”
Kanon replied with a bold smile .
Demon Lord Authority – – it was a skill that forcibly converts a submissive target into your kin and rob a part of their experience points . I used it to raise my Demon Lord level but the original usage was to force the target to obey like a slave collar .
So Kanon was once Miri’s kin?
“Kanon, why! Why lend your hand to the Demon God! Do you hate this world that much!”
Marina asked with a look of grief .
“ … I don’t need to tell you that . ”
Damn, in this case, we’ll have to stop Kanon by force .
“Kusunoki, can you leave this to me?”
“Marina, what are you saying?”
“It might be my fate to settle it with my friend . Thankfully it seems that monsters can’t enter this room . ”
“But – -”
“Kusunoki, there is not enough time . Carol and Quince-dono are waiting . ”
But I couldn’t leave Marina there alone .
“Ah, that’s true . Don’t worry . I won’t kill Marina . I’ll hurt her a little and let her watch through my transformation into a Demon God before sending her back to the surface unharmed . Since further ahead should be the current Demon Lord-sama who is managing the Demon Lord Army on behalf of Miri-chan . ”
Kanon said .
“Master, let’s trust Marina-san and Kanon-san here . There should be a reason they fight for that only the two of them know . ”
“It is a fact that we do not have time . I’m worried about the reason why Minerva was here too so we should quickly find the Hero . ”
“ … All right . Don’t push yourself … Malina . ”
“I said I am Marina … no, you’re right . ”
Marina replied with a smile .
“I don’t plan to push myself . Don’t worry and leave this to me . ”
There was no way I wouldn’t worry .
Nevertheless, although I didn’t trust Marina or Kanon, I trusted in the bond between the two of them .