The Demon King's Country I-4

A sea monster has appeared.

This time, it's shark-shaped.

Sea monsters are usually large, capable of sinking even the most sturdy ships. They're a troublesome presence.

Most monsters lack enough food to sustain their massive bodies, and eventually perish.

Many charge onto land without reason and die there, but occasionally, a sea monster appears that seeks to destroy ships.

Normally, we'd observe the situation and decide whether to leave it alone or destroy it, but if we do nothing, the imperial ships won't be able to set sail.

The empire seems to have realized that too.

The soldiers quickly begin deploying, but they're at a loss about what to do with the monster, far out of reach.

"William. This country's greatest strength lies in its abundance of skilled mages. Even if we're outmatched in swordplay, we should show them that our most powerful magic can't be beaten."

Yes, I'm off now.

Intense magical energy bursts forth from William.

In terms of flame magic, they possess a skill level comparable to mine.

Rising swiftly into the sky, it moves toward the sea side.

William raised his right hand, and a massive geometric pattern appeared.

The fireball, contrary to its pattern, is extremely small.

It's literally the size of a palm.

Yet it shone with astonishing brilliance. White light spilled forth.

In just one second, the concentration of mana ended, and in the next instant, the fireball reached the monster.

Moving at unimaginable speed, the fireball struck the monster without giving it time to dodge.

A hemisphere of intense light spread out, followed by a deep, rumbling sound emanating from far below the creature's belly.

The hemisphere of light quickly vanished, revealing the monster with more than half its body blown away.

Everyone in the empire was stunned by its appearance.

"Taro-san, you did it! With all your might."

"You... who told me to go all out? I should've just made it look impressive."

"Really? Is that so!"

"Anyway, what now? That explosion's creating a massive wave heading this way."

"Aah, what should we do... what should we do..."

"Ah... well, I guess there's no choice."

I focus on the ground beneath me.

I feel a connection to the city.

I extend that sensation all the way to the sea.

I imagine the rough waves gradually flattening out and spreading around the island.

The waves generated by the explosion spread out unnaturally fast, naturally low, and dispersing across the surroundings.

It was as if the waves themselves had willpower, deliberately crouching down.

Many imperial soldiers sighed in relief upon seeing this.

Yet some of them were filled with even greater dread.

Not a single trace of magic essence could be felt from the sea. Yet an unbelievable phenomenon had just unfolded before their eyes.

There was no need to ponder who had caused it.

The Demon King.

Had his magic reached the very realm of nature itself!?

The imperial ships sailed out of the harbor, proceeding smoothly.

"That was incredible. That technique just now..."

"Are you referring to the explosion? Or the fact that the wave didn’t come? Either way, is it appropriate for you to say such things?"

The knight captain spoke with amusement.

"Of course not. But do you truly believe you can win?"

"Not at all... well, except for that. I thought you might be pondering how to win."

"That’s incorrect. We do not think with our minds merely to win or to fight."

The Empress gazes at her. Truly, she has grown beautifully.

A sense of pride washes over her, seeing her daughter flourish.

"We exist to protect the Empire. You are the Empire. To protect you is to protect the Empire."

"Then, if we must fight that nation, how would you wage war?"

"We won't engage in direct confrontation. Instead, we'll slowly infiltrate from within, interfere with their economy, and gradually dismantle them from the inside. Warfare is ultimately just another tool in negotiation."

"If we're to begin, we must start soon. I'll rely on you then."

The journey back to the Empire was a very comfortable voyage.

The Demon King's Country.

At night, a type of establishment known as a pub opens—something unique compared to other nations.

This is a rare cultural trait in this world.

"Are you sure about coming to a place like this?"

"No problem. It's like my own place, the owner knows me well."

"I understand."

Alex and I order the same thing.

"Yesterday, another shark monster appeared. That makes three total. The frequency of their appearances is getting shorter."

"That's a lot."

"What about that investigation?"

Let me cut to the chase. It's highly likely. A dungeon generated on the ocean floor.

"Huh... the predictions I didn't want to come true always seem to hit the mark."

There were just too many sea-based monsters. Where were they coming from?

That led to the idea that there might be a dungeon beneath the seabed.

And now it's been found.

But when you think about it, it's actually quite natural.

The dungeon's formation is a natural phenomenon.

It wouldn't be strange no matter where it formed.

The real issue is how to deal with it.

"What should we do?"

"I don't know... When it's at the bottom of the sea, there's nothing we can do about it."

"It's rare, isn't it? Can't we just destroy it like we did last time?"

"Look, not everything can just be destroyed. Besides, breaking it would be a waste."

"So how do we retrieve the magic stone from the ocean floor?"

...

"Well, we can only deal with the monsters that emerge and block the entrance... "

Arriving at the inevitable conclusion once again, the usual drinking gathering began.

A year later, as the Empress had predicted, a summons to the World Conference arrived.