Chapter 8: The Descent of the Demon King The branch I received from the World Tree was as large as a street tree in town. For the enormous World Tree, this might be just like cutting a fingernail, but with this, I can do various things. I can process it to make charcoal and ash for experiments, and with the remaining parts, I can make a staff. I wonder if I can make a magical weapon that aids in casting spells. "I wonder if I can make a staff with [Woodworking]? Oh, that's right, I can also make a bow. If I combine it with the tendons of the deer-type magical beasts in the Liebe Great Forest and make a string... I think I had some glue, didn't I?" "Glue can be made from those tendons and the waste materials when tanning leather." "Oh, Remy, it's been a while. Since I've subjugated the World Tree, if there's anything that seems like it can be made, would you mind trying to make it for me?" "Yes, I heard about it and came to offer my assistance." Remy, who had returned to the Queen's room, was murmuring to herself. She currently runs a shop that sells various items in the city of Airfaren, and today she was called to help make the Philosopher's Stone. "I feel like we don't have many wooden weapons, you know? Even if it's not the World Tree, there's plenty of wood that's suitable for woodworking. I wonder why we haven't made them?" "Probably because there was no need for them? If we're talking about weapons made of wood, it would be things like the staff and bow you mentioned, and spear shafts. But we don't need any of them." "Oh, that's right." The main weapon of the Ants is their poisonous stingers on their mandibles and abdomens. They don't even need armor. For the Adamant Series, they do equip low-rank weapons, but their attack power is higher when they strike directly. There was no need for wooden weapons. "Well, we'll be increasing the number of Skeleton troops, so a bow or something might be useful. The ones made of World Tree wood might be for Remy and the others, and the ones made of regular wood or from the remains of the Trent might be good for equipping the Adamant Mages." It seems like I can prepare as many branches as I received this time from the World Tree, but I want to avoid making it public. I need to actually make them and test their performance, but if overly powerful weapons were to circulate, it could lead to our downfall. "For now, let's make charcoal. It'll probably take about a week to make something proper, so I'll have you do that separately." "Yes, I'll take care of it." I hand over the World Tree wood that was cut for charcoal use to Remy. It was cut with the sword sword that was hanging on the wall. Lately, since we're often together, it seems to automatically move according to my will. "Let's try making a little ash with the remaining wood." However, I need to be careful when doing this here. The attack-type [Fire Magic] that Remy and the others have is too powerful, and if I try to adjust it, it could burn the entire interior of the Queen's room. Even single-use magic like [Flare Arrow] would likely shatter and burn if it were to hit directly. "Oh, I thought of a good idea. [Philosopher's Egg]." I use my skill to manifest a crystal egg. I then bring the wood chip close to it and let it drink it. "Alright, [Heat]." I then heat the entire crystal with the [Fire Magic]'s [Heat]. When I say "heat," it's a magic that came out of my high INT. The internal temperature As I watched the rare sight, the wood chips eventually caught fire and burst into flames. I decided to stop adding heat and just observe the scene. The crystal container was sealed shut, so no smoke or other fumes escaped. However, it seemed that oxygen and other necessary gases were being supplied from somewhere, as the fire showed no signs of dying out. Truly, it was a magical container. After a while, the fire finally died down, leaving behind a world tree that had been reduced to ashes. "Hmm, I thought I might be able to make charcoal with this, but it just burned up normally. The magical aspect is really something to consider," "It might be possible to use a substance like atanol, or something similar," "Ah, that's right. I'll have you conduct another experiment and report back to me," I "Yes, boss," Once the fire had completely died out, the crystal container shattered and disappeared on its own. "I knew it was going to break. I feel like I wasted a lot of MP, but there's nothing I can do about it now," I sighed. I picked up the ashes that had fallen to the floor and gazed at them intently. I hadn't been able to see it clearly while they were inside the crystal, but now that I looked at them closely, they seemed to be sparkling slightly. Considering the dimness of the room, it was possible that the ashes themselves were emitting light. "As expected of ashes from the world tree. Now then, let's see about the recipe," I said, and quickly checked the recipe for the great work. Sure enough, it was indeed "world tree ashes," and it seemed to be used as a material in a variety of recipes. With this, I was able to make a few new items. And, as I had initially suspected, one of them was the provisional sage's stone. It seemed that the final piece I needed was indeed the ashes of a magical tree. However, the recipe displayed "Trent's Ashes" instead of "World Tree's Ashes." I have no memory of turning Trent into ashes, so it must be recognized as either one. There are also other unlocked items with "World Tree's Ashes" as a material, so it is likely not a mistake. This might mean that when you see a higher-level material, the lower-level one is also unlocked. In that case, it doesn't matter if you use the higher-level material. In fact, it might be more interesting to use the best materials available. "I'll try using Trent's Ashes later. Alright, let's make this right away." I called the Heavy Infantry Ants and had her prepare the necessary materials from her inventory. Mercury. Sulfur. Iron. The heart of the bear-type magical creature, thought to be the strongest in the Liebe Great Forest. Gycolic acid from the experienced Worker Ants. And the World Tree's Ashes. I put these into the [Philosopher's Egg] and heated it with the [atanol]. As usual, a marble pattern appeared, which was fine, but this time it was already glowing in a rainbow of colors at this point. Normally, the marble pattern would be followed by the activation of [Great Work], and only then would it begin to glow. I had done this process countless times, so there was no mistaking it. "Is this a flag for a great success or something like that? In the old alchemy game I played, there were times when such a production would occur." Well, if it's glowing, that's a good sign. Alright, time to activate [Great Work]." As the rare skill was activated, the crystal began to shine brightly. It was as if the crystal egg itself was emitting light, rather than just the inside. It was so bright that I couldn't keep my eyes open. Eventually, the light faded, and I opened my eyes to find that the [Philosopher's Egg] was gone. Instead, a crystal egg the size of a regular chicken egg was floating in the air. "Did the crystal get smaller? Or did it become a container? Is this red liquid inside the Philosopher's Stone?" As soon as I held it, I somehow understood how to use it. It was like it came with a manual. "I see, it's the same as magic or skills. If you say the activation keyword, the crystal will automatically break and the liquid inside will be absorbed by the target. The effect is... I'm not sure, but I imagine it will raise the level of existence by two stages. It doesn't seem to have any negative effects, but..." The explanation was a bit vague. It might be exactly what one would imagine as the effect of a Philosopher's Stone, but I hesitated to use it on myself right away. "I wish I had a test subject. Before that, I should try to see if I can mass-produce it." "Presumptuously, I should also test to see if I can make the same thing when I do it." "That's true, the ability value and other skills might have an effect. Let's make a lot of them. If we run out of materials, we can always go and get more from the ranch or the forest over there." After that, the two of us mass-produced the Philosopher's Stones. "We've made quite a few. With this much, I can use it for something without feeling too guilty." The production of the Philosopher's Stones was the same whether it was made by me or Remy. However, if we used the Gycolic acid of the Worker Ants, who had not been given much experience, or the regular Trent's Ashes, there was a change. When we heated it in the [atanol], it did not glow. It did have a faint glow like the marble pattern, but that was the same as the normal reaction we had seen before. It was likely not a great success. The difference was clear when we lined up the finished products. The ones made with materials like the World Tree's Ashes had a vivid red color and a faint glow. "If you hold it, the convenient manual will tell you in one go. The dull-colored ones seem to have an effect of raising the level of existence by only one stage. In other words, the ones made with materials like the World Tree's Ashes have twice the effect." We also made ones with only the Gycolic acid or the ashes lowered in rank, but in both cases, the dull-colored ones were produced. It seems that you need to use high-ranking materials for both in order to produce the glowing Philosopher's Stones. "First, let's experiment with raising the level by only one stage. If I'm going to use it on myself eventually, I'd prefer something closer to me, not in terms of materials or items, but in terms of character. The candidates are..." "If that is the case, then I will be the test subject. We are undead. We have already died, so we do not grow older or stronger with time. If we have the chance to grow, it will be a great increase in our strength." "Ugh... I'd like to use the glowing ones on the executive-level children if possible... The manual seems to suggest that you can use it twice for the same effect... But if there are usage restrictions, that would be a problem..." "In that case, how about using one of the Skeleton Knights under my command? As you said, undead are suitable for experiments. And with the Skeleton Knights, you won't have to use the item on every single one of them. Even if it's a one-time-use item, it won't be a problem." "......that's right, if we succeed, we can use it as a boss-level creature. Let's give it a try. I wonder if you can bring one for me." ‹《Summon: Skeleton Knight》› A Skeleton Knight was summoned in the queen's chamber. Sieg explained the situation to the Skeleton Knights, and it nodded, just like a regular company's boss and subordinate. "Alright, then you, take this. You should understand how to use it once you have it. Use it on yourself whenever you're ready." Without hesitation, the Skeleton Knight raised the crystal egg. As the crystal shattered and turned into light, the red liquid inside became like red powder and poured down onto the Skeleton Knight. It seemed as if the powder was being drawn to the Skeleton Knight, rather than just falling due to gravity. The red powder that touched the Skeleton Knight's bones seeped into its body like melting snow. Eventually, as all the powder was absorbed into the Skeleton Knight, it began to shine with a light reminiscent of the World Tree. "It seems the reincarnation is about to begin. As I thought, 'leveling up a character' means reincarnating into a higher-level existence." After a while, the light subsided, and instead of the tattered armor it had been wearing, the Skeleton Knight was now clad in a magnificent suit of armor, like that of a regular knight. Its bony body had also become sturdier overall, and its height had increased. ‹《The Skeleton Knight has reincarnated into a Skeleton Leader. It is suggested that you consider this as a promotion from a soldier to a squad leader.》› "I see, so it's a rank-up. That's good." If there are few Skeleton Leaders at present, it may be a good idea to use this Philosopher's Stone to create a few more. Or, it could be used on a Skeleton Mage to reincarnate it into a higher-level magical creature, and improve the overall magical abilities of the Rare faction. Its usefulness is immeasurable. However, if too many reincarnations are performed, there may not be enough "suitably weak enemies" as originally planned, so caution is necessary. "Let's test the possibility of continuous use later. For now, let's see if it can be used again today." Rare offered another of the same item to the Skeleton Leader, who gazed at it for a while before returning it to Rare and shaking its head. ‹《It seems that it cannot be used again on the same day.》› "So the cooldown is one day. It's good that there are no restrictions on use. Does this mean that we can repeat the reincarnation process as long as we have the materials? That's probably not the case, but......" Infinite, repeatable strengthening processes are the most hated bugs by operators. They are likely to be given the highest priority for debugging, and the behavior of such actions is probably constantly monitored by the system AI's bug-fixing function. For now, when the cooldown is over, I'd like to have his cooperation again and see if we can reincarnate him into a Skeleton General or something. "Now, let's try using this shining Philosopher's Stone. Dias, would you like to give it a try?" ‹《Yes, by all means.》› Dias graciously accepted the shining crystal egg that Rare offered him. He had no such intention, but the atmosphere somehow became as if he had bestowed some important item to his subordinate. When he received the egg, Dias held it up with both hands above his head. His movements were stately, and he looked like a holy knight performing some sacred ritual, despite being a skeleton. The shining Philosopher's Stone also shattered and scattered like the previous one. The liquid inside turned into red, glowing powder and was slowly absorbed into Dias. 《《The conditions for reincarnation of the subordinate have been met.》》 《《"Reincarnation into a Death Knight" is allowed.》》 《《"Reincarnation into a Death Lord" is allowed by consuming 100 of your experience points.》》 "──I see. So being able to rank up twice means that you can choose one or the other." Dias probably received a message asking for Rare's permission for the reincarnation of his direct subordinate, from a Terr Knight to a Death Knight, and then to a Death Lord. "This is different from my High-Elf and such, it's more like a job than a race, but I guess that's just how this kind of monster ecology works." For now, I've allowed the "reincarnation into a Death Lord" by paying the experience points, since we've used the good-quality Philosopher's Stone. Dias was enveloped in light, and his form began to change. The armor, which had previously given off an unsettling aura, became more mature, but the armor itself became more luxurious in terms of weight and decoration. The body, which had been just bones, now seemed to have skin, or rather, it was more like a mummy than a skeleton. However, there were no eyeballs, and a red light flickered and blinked in the depths of the eye sockets. This might be the equivalent of blinking. ‹《Oh......what is this....... I can feel a power greater than when I was alive......》》 "You've become quite cool-looking. Although, a child might cry at the sight of you. Your skills have also increased...... This [Miasma] is the same one that Sieg has, isn't it? It's a wide-area buff/debuff skill tree. It buffs undead allies and debuffs enemy forces. I wonder how it distinguishes between them?"》 Overall, the experiment can be considered a success. With this momentum, I'd like to reincarnate all the high-ranking characters. However, there are cases where experience points are required for reincarnation, so it might not be possible to do it all at once. Furthermore, now that it's possible to acquire new skills, there may also be skills that can no longer be obtained. Rare has become a High Elf and gained new skills such as [Light Magic]. Rare'd like to acquire all the new skills before the next reincarnation, as they should be mostly forward-compatible with the higher-ranking species. However, it's best to be cautious, as there is still very little information about reincarnation. "For now, let's focus on earning experience points. There's no rush, after all." <> "Oh, I see... That's true. Alright, let's acquire the skills first..." Rare unlocked the new [Light Magic] skill she gained during her reincarnation into a High Elf and invested experience points into the [Ruler] skill tree. The [Ruler] tree is full of skills that have an effect on all subordinates, such as the [Subordinate Strengthening] skill group and the [Castling] skill, which allows you to swap places with a subordiant once a day. [Castling] is clearly designed with the assumption that there are subordinates. The fact that this was visible is why I judged that the High Elf was born with the [Employment] skill. [Subordinate Strengthening] has the same effect as [Family Strengthening], but its target is "all characters under your control," which is extremely broad in scope. It even applies to the subordinates of your subordinates. With this wording, it's possible that it may also apply to those who are temporarily under your control through skills like [Ruler] or [Undead]. The [Light Magic] tree had a similar structure to the other magic skills, but when I acquired it, [Plant Magic] was unlocked. It seems that [Light Magic] was not the only requirement for acquisition. The powerful skills are probably [Earth Magic] or [Water Magic], but I can't test them anymore. Furthermore, I'm not sure which one was the key, but [Holy Magic] was also added. I acquired this one as well. The skills that are unlocked each time you acquire them continue to increase, with no end in sight. However, now that I've come this far, I'd like to acquire them all. It would be regrettable if I had acquired them at the time, and it would be more constructive to worry about how to earn more points in the future. Furthermore, even if I acquire all the skills, they are no match for the 50,000 points I've invested in the World Tree. The experience points I gained from the mass production of the Philosopher's Stones by Rare and Remy are also included. The Philosopher's Stone is truly a top-notch, or near top-notch, item, and even Rare, who consumes a lot of experience points, was able to gain experience points by manufacturing it. "Well, that's about it. I've used quite a bit, but I should have enough left to pay for the experience points required for reincarnation." Rare held up the glowing Philosopher's Stone and declared that she would use it. I was wondering what to do about species that can't speak, but it seems that there are activation keys, such as voice, set for them, judging from the previous Diastes. "[Philosopher's Stone] Activate" As before, the crystal melted into light, and the red liquid turned into powder and dissolved into Rare. When all the red light was absorbed into Rare, a system message was heard. <<"Great Philosopher's Stone " has been used.>> <> <> <> <> <> "Hold on a sec, there's a lot of information...!" <> As usual, the task was suspended, and I began to check the information one by one. First, the name of the item. It seems that it was called "Philosopher's Stone Great." It was not a Philosopher's Stone, after all. Well, that's not important right now. The first option presented was "Spirit," which is likely to be the species above the High Elf. This is thought to be one rank above the High Elf. The next option is "Spirit King," which is one rank above that, and requires an additional 30,000 experience points to reach. This is a requirement on par with the World Tree. Then there's the "Dark Elf." From here, it says "special conditions have been met," so it's likely to be a special reincarnation route or something. It's unclear whether this is a combination of Rare's many skills or a completely different condition, but... Looking at the relationship between the latter "Magic Spirit" and "Demon King," it's likely that the Dark Elf is equivalent to the High Elf, the Magic Spirit is equivalent to the Spirit, and the Demon King is equivalent to the Spirit King. It's possible to think of it as a difference between the light and dark attributes. "What could it be...?" Simplifying it, ultimately, it's no more than a binary choice. In other words, become a spirit king or become a demon lord. Either way, there's a big problem. "...I'm lacking experience points." I never thought it would cost me four digits. Perhaps I should have postponed acquiring skills. No, considering there might have been skills that I could no longer meet the requirements for due to reincarnation, it was a necessary step. I doubt I could have acquired [Holy Magic] after reincarnating into the demon lord route. I wonder how long I can put this task on hold. But even if they don't wait for me, it's just a waste of one of the Shining Sage's Stones—the Great Stones. Even if the time runs out and it's considered used, it should be reusable after a day of waiting. For now, I'll wait patiently, and if it doesn't work out, I'll give up. "Sugal." 《Yes, Boss.》 "Turn all the forces in this forest besides us into experience points. I need as much experience as possible. Do it as efficiently and quickly as you can." 《Understood.》 "Ah, leave the livestock on the farm for breeding." 《Got it.》 Even now, there are many guests in the Riebe Grand Forest. Most of them are players who are quite engaged. If I sacrifice them, I should be able to earn a considerable amount of experience points. There are quite a few monsters on the farm too. It will take time to restore the neglected farm to its full capacity, but it can't be helped. I'll send the same instructions to the White Magic and the World Tree. There probably aren't any intruders in that forest, but there are many Trents that we don't control, so I'll have them take care of it. After giving the rough instructions, I stare at the number of experience points, wondering if a prompt will come from the system message. Perhaps because of the commotion in the cave, or rather, in the Grand Forest, Kelly, Riley, and the others have gathered in the queen's chamber. The counter showing the rare experience points I possess gradually increases, and after about two hours, it finally breaks through 3000. "Alright! I'll reincarnate as a [Demon Lord]!" The reason I chose the demon lord is not a big deal. First, there was a special condition. If there were players chasing after me, they would need to meet that special condition, which should make it somewhat difficult. Everyone wants to be unique in some way. Rare is no exception. And secondly, there were Diass and Sieg's words, "Create a country for the sake of the tormented monsters." If I were to become a king ruling over monsters, there's no choice but to be a demon lord. Just like when I was a High Elf, my rare body is enveloped in light. There was nothing particularly different when I was a High Elf, but this time, I feel a strange sensation in my head and waist. However, this discomfort soon disappears, and the light eventually fades away. I can feel an incredible power overflowing from every part of my rare body, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. It was something I felt when I reincarnated as a High Elf, but it's incomparable to that. Yes, it's a sense of omnipotence. Now, I can do anything. There's no one I can't beat. Such an unfamiliar sensation fills my entire body. However, it's not uncomfortable. 《Wow......!》 《Amazing......!》 "It's divine......!" My followers exclaim in admiration as they look at me. "―Is it over? I don't have a mirror or anything...... I didn't make one, and there's no way there is one, right? How did I turn out? Judging from your reactions, it seems like I've changed quite a bit." Not being able to see my own appearance is inconvenient at times like this. It's not an opportunity that comes up often, though. "Um, first, your ears have become shorter. They're about as pointed as a normal human's." "And, there are small horns growing on you. They're above your ears, facing outwards, and there are two of them, curved like a goat's horns." 《There are wings growing from above your waist. They're beautiful pure white wings. Thanks to them, you look very divine, Boss.》 Kelly, Riley, and Sugal answer me one by one. The other followers also tell me, but their answers are the same as the first three. I touch the mentioned parts in order to confirm. There is indeed a hard, rough feeling of horns on my head. The wings on my waist can bend forward enough that I can see them. It was a bit difficult to move the wings, which I hadn't had before, but I should get used to it soon. And the wings I saw were indeed white. Even in the dim cave, they seemed to shine with a pure white that had not a single cloud. Why is that? Was it because I wasn't a demon lord? Checking my status again, I confirm that my race is indeed "Demon Lord." I also have a few new traits. Racial Trait: Wings You have wings. If you wish, you will not be bound by gravity. Acquired Skill: [Flight] Racial Trait: Horns You have horns. It is unthinkable for you to bow to a lower race without horns. Resistance to [Mind Magic] [Master] [Enslavement] [Contract] from races without horns (Large bonus). Success rate of [Mind Magic] [Master] [Enslavement] [Contract] on races without horns (Large bonus). Racial Trait: Magic Eyes There is power in your eyes. No one can escape from your gaze. Unlocked Skill: [Magic Eyes] However, it seems that there are no missing traits. Your beautiful appearance remains the same, and your albinism, poor eyesight, and other traits are also... "Aah, I see. Could it be that the reason my wings are white is because of my albinism?" Rare mused. Rare's wings were probably supposed to be black, like a crow's, with an ominous aura, but they ended up being white crow wings because of her albinism. Her hair and skin also remained unchanged and white, but perhaps they were originally supposed to become darker as she reincarnated through a Dark Elf. In the end, she became a pure white, magnificent Demon Lord because of her innate traits. What's up with that? "I thought that albinism wouldn't be noticeable among elves, so I casually acquired it, but in the end, it's really noticeable... Well, I don't really plan on going out in front of people, so it's fine," Besides, she probably couldn't go out in front of people anymore. If a Demon Lord were to appear in the city, it would cause a great uproar. What should she do in case of a large-scale event? If she were to go out, she would wear the Yoroi-zaka the living armor, but what should she do about the horns and wings? Can holes be made in the Yoroi-zaka? Also, while checking her traits again, she noticed that her innate trait, "Beauty," remained unchanged. She had thought that it had been unconsciously integrated into her Super Beauty, but it seemed that innate traits did not disappear even with reincarnation and the like. Does this mean that the bonus bonus for the success rate of [Mind Magic]'s [Charm] overlaps with Beauty and Super Beauty? She couldn't confirm this because she hadn't had a chance to use [Charm] since then. "...Well, whatever. In any case, the reincarnation was a success," When she checked her experience points, she saw that they had increased a little since she used them up. "Sugal, if you haven't finished hunting yet, you can return to your usual routine. Be sure to report on the state of the ranch later," she instructed. "Understood," She would continue to earn experience points in the Liebe Forest and the World Tree's Demon Forest for the time being. Since there were no ranches in the World Tree's side yet, there would be no problems if she hunted all the hostile monsters. If possible, she would like to procure monsters from somewhere and manage a ranch under the control of the monsters, but that was a story for the future. 《A specific disaster creature, "Demon Lord," has been born. This message is being sent exceptionally to all player characters and non-player characters who possess a certain skill.》 "What the...?" Rare heard a system message with a different atmosphere than usual. System messages were usually only audible to players, and even then, they were usually only audible to the person in question, except for large-scale events for players. Since it was mentioning a Demon Lord, it was probably only audible to her because she was the person in question. However, from the other contents, it seemed that it was also audible to all characters who possessed a certain skill. The time difference between the Demon Lord's reincarnation and the message was probably due to this exceptional measure. However, what kind of skill was it that made it audible? Furthermore, what exactly was a specific disaster creature? Was it an alien species or something? No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't figure it out. She couldn't even send an inquiry email casually. If this were a normal specification within the game, and if the question she sent were to be made public on the official site, it would lead to the spread of unnecessary information that "there is a player who has been announced as a specific disaster creature by the game's management." For now, she had no choice but to leave it alone until she could obtain new information. "...There are still many things I want to confirm, and I want to acquire the skills that have been newly unlocked. I also want to complete your reincarnations. For the time being, let's focus on earning experience points," For the time being, she would have to continue earning experience points in the Liebe Forest and the World Tree's Demon Forest. As for Rare job, it would be good to create a periodic income algorithm in the Demon Forest, and earn experience points by creating high-ranking items with [Alchemy] and the like. "It can't be helped. Let's focus on strengthening our power for now. I have become a Demon Lord, after all, and I must also nurture our forces into a power that can rival the human races. Aah, and also, I need to check the basic abilities of a Demon Lord somewhere. Geez, I have so many things to do." *** 《---Message from the Boss. It seems that you can kill all the enemies in the forest.》 White Magic the wolf conveyed the message to Silver, and then to the little ones. According to the information brought by Sugal, not Rare, if the boss desires it, it might as well be considered an order. The details are unclear, but it seems that a large amount of something called experience points is needed. By repeatedly hunting prey and repelling external enemies, there are times when one can grow as desired. It seems that experience points are the power that makes this possible. Currently, all experience points are said to gather to the boss of the group, Rare, so White Demon the wolf can become stronger without having to hunt. It's truly a godlike power. Although, the White Demons do not know about gods, so this is just a secondhand explanation from Kelly and her group. Kelly and her group also seemed like nothing more than a group of mischievous kittens when I first met them, but now they are different. Perhaps because they resemble the boss a little, they have been entrusted with various tasks and have become considerably wiser. The young wolves have grown quite a bit as well. Although they are still fluffy and round, it's about time they start learning to hunt. They can start by playing at first. In that sense, this order might be a good opportunity. If it were just about hunting, there would be enough ants, but considering the need to gain more experience points, having the young ones practice their first hunt with the wolf pups might not be a bad idea. I immediately conveyed this to Sugal and it was decided that the White Demons would take over the Goblin farm in exchange for the Ants handling the large magical beast farm. However, I was warned not to kill the individuals reserved for breeding. In any case, having the White Demons and Silver Flowers face Goblins would only hinder their ability to gain experience points. For safety reasons, I plan to supervise them thoroughly, so that shouldn't be a problem. "Alright, young ones, it's time for hunting practice. Do you know what Goblins are? They're small, smelly creatures. They think highly of themselves and try to use weapons like humans, but they can't use them well. Although, all the weapons the Goblins in the forest have have been taken away." The young ones replied, "Understood, know it." The young ones can communicate with each other, but they cannot converse with other species. It seems to be related to the boss's ability to say "In-to," but the boss does not currently expect anything from the young ones, so he has not particularly encouraged their growth. He said, "Just raise them nonchalantly." White Demon led the young ones to the Goblin farm. Upon arrival, I left the minimum number of Goblins to be monitored by the Silver Flowers and had the young ones try hunting. "Their attacks probably won't hurt you much, but there are monsters in the world with poison in their claws and fangs. Try to avoid getting hit as much as possible for when you have to fight such creatures." As I released the young ones, they each ran eagerly and started playing by pouncing on the Goblins, biting into their heads, and gnawing on their limbs. Since I couldn't afford to lose any, if there were individuals trying to escape from the premises, I would tell the young ones and have them chase after them. After all, the Goblins might be mischievous, but they are no match for the speed of a wolf cub. Eventually, I would like them to watch over the whole area and not create any opportunities to escape, but for now, this is good enough. After repeating this for a while, I received a message from Sugal saying, "That's enough." It seems that the so-called experience points have reached the boss's goal. Apparently, the management of the farm will be taken over by the Ants from now on. Upon spotting the distant figure of an Ant, the White Demon called out to the young ones. The young ones, with their mouths and claws stained red, came running. Every single one of them had sparkling eyes, clearly showing they had enjoyed themselves. After all, they are hunting animals, even if they are children. With this, it might be a good idea to ask the boss to occasionally allow this kind of training purposes. Suddenly, I felt a strange, somewhat proud sensation. However, it was not an unpleasant feeling. Looking at the young ones and the Silver Flowers, they too seemed to be making inexplicably proud expressions. I instinctively understood. This is probably because the boss has grown significantly. The sense of security from having a powerful presence behind us and the superiority of being allowed to kneel before that presence filled the White Demon's chest. I must pay my respects to the boss as soon as possible and engrave his figure in my eyes. However, before that, I need to wash the young ones somewhere. *** In a luxuriously spacious room, opulent chairs were arranged in a circular circle, one after another. This was the conference room located on the first floor of the Hils Kingdom's castle. The church was usually opened for religious conferences and the like, for a fee, to church-related personnel, but today it was being used for an important conference where even national dignitaries were in attendance. The attendees included the Archbishop of the Hills Church, which had a base in the city, and other renowned bishops. " ──There has been a divine revelation. It seems that a new [enemy of humanity] has been born. " A murmur ran through the room at the Archbishop's words, and Thomas, who was standing by the wall as a guard, felt the tremor of the people in the room as if it were an actual vibration in his own body. This was a shocking revelation for the people in the room, and for Thomas, who was just a soldier, it was no different. Enemy of humanity. Six great disasters. Bringer of despair. The right to kill. There were many names to be avoided, but they all pointed to the same thing. The city of origin, said to be located in the Western continent. The ruler of the ill-fated city, the true ancestor, was said to be seated there. The Crystal Wall, a towering wall of ice in the northernmost part of the continent. It was said that a golden dragon that had appeared from a place higher than the sky in ancient times was sealed there. In the Great Forest of the southern continent, it was said that there was a gate to the demon world, and that a great demon ruled the land. In the far east, there was an island nation inhabited by non-humans, and the ruler was said to be the king of insects. The world's largest sea, the Great Aegir Sea, which separates the island nation of the Far East and this central continent, is said to be home to the king of all fish-people. And the Sky Castle, whose location and threat are unknown, but whose existence is known. The archangels who are shunned are said to rule the lower world from their throne. " ──What are you talking about...... Where is it? The new disaster is where...... " " ──This, continent. On the eastern edge of this Hills Kingdom, near the city of Aerfahren, in the Great Forest of Leeba, it was born, according to God. " " ──Oh, no way....... " " ──Such a thing....... such a thing...... " One of the attendees slumped, another looked up at the sky, and another fell from his chair. But the emotion that was common to all of them was despair. Thomas was no exception. The spear he was holding in his hand was so heavy that he felt like he was about to drop it. He never thought that the enemy of humanity would appear in this continent. Up until now, there had been no such existence that could be called the enemy of humanity in this central continent. It could be said that it had developed because of this. It was certain that there were people living in other continents and islands, but the civilization of this central continent was not as advanced as theirs. The reason for this was the harsh environment in which it was difficult to survive. The biggest reason for this was the six great disasters. Due to their existence, monsters and beasts were activated, and it was said that there were individuals with extraordinary strength in the continent that could not be compared to them. In such a situation, improving the living environment was nothing more than a dream within a dream. For the central continent, which did not have a home for the six great disasters, the long-standing enemy was the angels of the Sky Castle, who would appear and attack at will. The damage was certainly great, but it was always temporary and they did not live right next to them. Because of this, they were able to live in relative prosperity. However, that blessed environment was no longer the same. What was worse, the six great disasters had not moved, but had been newly born. The six great disasters had become the seven great disasters. In a simple sense, the danger level of the entire world had risen by one. Therefore, they could not expect help from others. " ──What's going on....... What about the damage from the disaster? Has the damage already been as great as that of the angels of the Sky Castle? " " ──Earlier, the Archbishop mentioned Aerfahren, didn't he? I remember there was a report that the grasslands around the city were burned down overnight....... Could that have been the work of the disaster? " " ──They only burned the grasslands, even though there was a city right next to them....... Could it be that the disaster doesn't yet have the power to turn humanity into its enemy......? " " ──......I see. There is no record of a disaster being defeated in the past. However, there is also no record of anyone challenging a newly born disaster. Now, if we were to...... " " ──Let's prepare a disaster-fighting team immediately! " As the conference room grew more and more heated, Thomas felt his spirits sinking. A disaster-fighting team, huh. Who exactly are they talking about? The attendees at the conference were mostly dignitaries from the kingdom and the church. The people who were speaking were not about to go there themselves. It was unthinkable that they would fight directly. Then, the ones who would go there and face the disaster in reality would be Thomas and the other soldiers. This was no joke. Just because a disaster had been born at the edge of the country, it didn't mean that they were going to die right away. Then who would want to go and be killed first? It would be a different story if it were the knightly orders of the ruling class, such as the nobility who were present in the room. They would not die as long as their lord, the nobleman, was not harmed. All he had to do was direct the knight order towards them. That way, they could attack without having to worry about casualties. However, Thomas was well aware that this was a wish that would never be granted. The knight order was the armor that protected the nobles. They would never abandon them, and it was unlikely that there were any nobles who would willingly march to their deaths. The term of service for a soldier was typically three years. Ideally, the knight order, as professional soldiers, would be the private army of the feudal lords. However, for the stability of the country's military power and the maintenance of law and order, a conscription system was necessary. Thomas himself had been a farmer in his local village until last year. He had lived a poor but peaceful life. In other words, he still had about two years left in his term of service. On this continent, as far as Thomas knew, there had never been a war, so being conscripted meant that his duties would be limited to things like guarding, suppressing riots, or standing guard at the entrance of the city. But now, this was happening. Upon hearing the report of the birth of the calamity, Thomas felt even more hopeless than before and cursed the outcome of the meeting. "──Well then, let's inform the king of this. We'll rely on you for the arrangements in each area, Minister." "I'll take care of it, Minister." "This is a crisis for all of humanity. We must do everything in our power while we still have a chance to win." The meeting proceeded without a hitch and concluded with remarkable speed. The cooperation of the officials, united towards a single goal, was excellent. That goal was to solve the problem by sacrificing the conscripted civilians. Normally, the consent of the person concerned or their family was required to assign them to an overly dangerous task. However, this was justified by the need to confront the world-scale crisis of the "Birth of the Seventh Calamity," and a new wartime special measures bill was drafted in this meeting and agreed to be passed in the next meeting without any objections. Furthermore, it seemed that laws that were a nightmare for civilians, such as the re-conscription of former soldiers who had completed their term of service and the lowering of the conscription age, would also be enacted. As the discussion came to an end, the nobles who were the officials of the country began to leave. Thomas silently opened the door, lowered his head, and watched them leave. Only the Pope and the Bishops of the Hilss Church remained in the conference room. "Pope... You seem troubled... Is there something...?" "......Yes. The enemy of humanity......" "Yes, the enemy of humanity...?" "The enemy of humanity is only recognized as such after it has come into being... In other words, what I'm trying to say is... If it's just born and still weak, there won't be a divine oracle that recognizes it as an enemy of humanity... By the time the divine oracle is given, it's already too late, and it's already fully established as an enemy of humanity... That's what I'm thinking..." The bishops fell silent. However, they could no longer overturn the conclusion of the previous meeting. The enemy of humanity was a being that would indiscriminately kill all humans in its vicinity, as evident from the angels of the sky castle. If they left it alone, the distance might not cause much damage, but the Seventh Calamity was within the country. Even if they underestimated it, it was clear that the Hilss Kingdom would disappear from the map of the continent. As he watched the troubled bishops, Thomas had given up on thinking and was just wondering if they could hurry up and leave.