Yura’s physical appearance remained largely unchanged.
However, the magic and spirit power she exuded were beyond all measure. The sheer density of her presence was something that would have been utterly impossible for her usual self.
(Is this the Great Spirit?)
I understood the situation instantly. The Great Spirit who had created Yura was now possessing her. It was the only logical explanation for the aura she projected. The presence I felt was identical to the one I had encountered before.
Beside me, Diera narrowed her eyes in amusement. She flashed a defiant smile as she addressed the Great Spirit.
"Oho, speak of the devil and she appears. Eavesdropping is a rather tasteless hobby, don't you think?"
"Speaking ill of others behind their backs is hardly commendable," the Great Spirit replied. "Hubris will be your undoing."
"It is a mere statement of fact. Surely even you can tell that I am not the same woman I was before?"
At Diera’s challenge, the Great Spirit fell silent. Her gaze was fixed intently on the former Demon King. After a long moment, she spoke in a tone that sounded almost impressed.
"Your power is indeed staggering. You have exceeded your conceptual limits."
"Indeed I have, indeed I have! You are more than welcome to heap further praise upon me."
Diera puffed out her chest, clearly in high spirits. Judging by their exchange, they had been acquainted for a long time. It seemed Diera had encountered the Great Spirit during her own reign as the Demon King.
The Great Spirit spared Diera a brief glance before adding with a hint of surprise, "Even so, your resurrection was entirely unforeseen. To think you actually overcame the Fate of Ruin."
"Kuhaha! I am immortal. I shall return as many times as it takes."
Diera spoke with absolute confidence. Her resurrection had been the result of a miraculous convergence of coincidences, yet she acted as if it were a point of personal pride. I considered pointing that out, but decided it would be tactless and held my tongue. Interjecting would likely do nothing but sour her mood.
Having finished her business with Diera, the Great Spirit turned her attention toward me. Her demeanor softened ever so slightly as she spoke.
"It has been a while. It seems you are as committed to world peace as ever."
"Have you been monitoring me through Yura?" I asked.
"Yes. I have been checking on your progress periodically. I never imagined you would reconcile with your predecessor, but I am relieved to see that your presence is generally not a cause for alarm."
The link between the Great Spirit and Yura was supposed to have been severed. In reality, it seemed she had maintained a secret connection to keep watch over me. I wasn't surprised that she was capable of such a feat; in fact, I had already considered the possibility. Ever since the incident with the Secret Stone, the Great Spirit had shown a distinct interest in my actions. Meeting her again like this was well within the realm of my expectations.
The Great Spirit looked at both of us and offered a shallow bow.
"I have synchronized with the memories of my avatar—Yura—to confirm her status. It appears she is blessed with a wonderful environment. Thank you."
"No, the gratitude is mine," I replied. "Yura has been an invaluable asset."
Yura was an avatar gifted to us by the Great Spirit. By now, she had achieved a great deal within the Demon King's Army. During the recent Magical Beast Incident, she had saved countless lives. We relied on her strength constantly, and the rest of my subordinates looked upon her with a parental sort of affection. She had become an indispensable part of our forces.
Reflecting on her contributions, I asked, "What is your business with us today?"
"I wished to speak with the previous Demon King."
At that, Diera pointed a finger at herself, tilting her head in confusion. "Me?"
"Yes. Your power has grown to a point where it could exert a massive influence on the world. I judged it necessary to warn you once again."
Her reasoning made sense. The Great Spirit serves as a Defense Mechanism—a being whose purpose is to ensure the world does not perish. To her, a resurrected Diera was an anomaly that could not be ignored. Even during her original reign, Diera possessed immense power; now, she had attained even greater heights. Should she ever choose to act in earnest, the world would face an immediate existential crisis. Naturally, she was a primary target for the Defense Mechanism's surveillance.
Having returned to life through a convoluted series of events, Diera now wielded the abilities of both the Hero and the Saint. With no clear weaknesses to speak of, she had become a truly formidable entity. Her existence was already known to the neighboring nations, and because she was recognized as my subordinate, their wariness of us had intensified significantly.
Of course, Diera herself seemed entirely oblivious to the gravity of her own existence.
"Rest easy. I am no longer the Demon King," she said dismissively. "I am merely a retiree enjoying my golden years. Besides, should the worst happen, this fellow here will stop me. Isn't that right, Dwight?"
Diera looked at me as she spoke, her voice calm. I felt a strange sense of trust in her gaze. Though I wondered exactly what she was thinking, I gave her a firm nod.
"…That's right. I would stop you even if I had to kill you."
Should anyone disrupt the peace of the world, I would eliminate them regardless of who they were. That was my mission, and my resolve had not wavered since the day I died.
Hearing our exchange, the Great Spirit spoke in a quiet, steady voice.
"Other Defense Mechanisms besides myself are also monitoring your movements. I urge you to exercise extreme caution."
That was news to me, though not particularly shocking. I was the Demon King. I was currently engaged in an active war against humanity. It was only natural that the world's automated defenses would take notice. Depending on my next move, they would likely strike without mercy. Their threat would be incomparable to that of any human army. Since such a confrontation would yield no benefit for me, I resolved to be careful not to draw their ire.
As I sat in silent self-reflection, the Great Spirit began to stare at me. After a long pause, she spoke again.
"The Fate of Ruin is vigilantly watching for its chance to strike you. Do not let your guard down."
"Just what do you mean by—"
Before I could finish my question, light began to scatter from her body. The overwhelming magic and spirit power vanished instantly, leaving only the usual Yura standing before us. She blinked, looking around with a slightly dazed expression before reporting to me.
"Short-term cognitive suspension confirmed. My apologies, Master. My consciousness was interrupted."
"…You must be exhausted," I said. "Go and get some rest."
"Affirming Master’s assessment. Returning to quarters for rest."
Yura nodded obediently and took flight, heading back toward the capital. She clearly had no memory of the preceding conversation. Her consciousness must have been suppressed the moment the Great Spirit took control.
Diera watched her go, a wry smile on her face. "She left us with some rather cryptic parting words. She could have been a bit more specific, I think."
"She has her own circumstances to consider," I replied. "She likely occupies a position that prevents her from showing too much favoritism."
The Defense Mechanisms were fundamentally neutral entities. If anything, they were a World's Ally—which, as the Great Spirit had once told me, was not necessarily the same thing as an ally of humanity. She herself had no inherent interest in human survival; that indifference extended to a Demon King like me as well. The Defense Mechanisms did not take sides in the conflicts of mortals. Even a brief conversation like the one we just had was surely an exceptional measure.
"She left us with a rather ominous warning," Diera noted. "Are you worried?"
"Not particularly. It’s business as usual."
I shook my head. Having my life targeted was a daily occurrence. Back when I was a human, the demons sent assassins after me. Since becoming an undead, I have fought the entirety of the human race. Even the Will of the World itself had intervened to try and destroy me. I was well past the point of being rattled by such things.
At this late stage, being told I was facing a "Fate of Ruin" didn't carry much weight. That said, I had no intention of being careless. This was a warning from the Great Spirit herself. Somewhere in the world, the wheels were likely turning to bring about my end. I couldn't afford to be anything less than vigilant.
"Hmph. You certainly are philosophical about it. You really do have it rough, don't you?"
Diera spoke as if it were someone else's problem entirely. Her complete lack of regal dignity was almost concerning, but she clearly didn't care about such things. Having shed the title of Demon King, she seemed content to live a carefree life.
A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I turned to her. "Do you have any advice on how to live as a Demon King? I'd like to hear the perspective of my predecessor."
"Hmm, let me see..."
Diera furrowed her brows, looking uncharacteristically serious. Despite her current attitude, she was a woman who had once reigned as the Demon King. She had tormented humanity for ages and forged an era of darkness; her competence was a matter of historical record. Her tenure as a ruler was far longer than mine, so she was bound to have discovered some fundamental truth of leadership.
"…………"
Diera remained silent for a long moment, lost in deep thought. Finally, she looked up and thrust her arm into the air with a confident grin.
"If you run into trouble, just punch your way through it! Violence is justice, after all!"
"I see..."
I gave her a perfunctory nod. It seemed I would have to find my own answers after all.