"Me? Someone who came to assist the hero, but what of it?"

Phew... Somehow made it in time.

Checking the map and defeating monsters along the shortest route, I descended to the fifth floor without paying any attention to the magic stones dropped by the monsters. Everything was going well until then, but I found myself pondering how to locate the heroes who were nowhere to be found on this floor.

Just then, despite not making any progress, enemies appeared within radar range, exhibiting unnatural movements. Perhaps the heroes were battling these enemies. Thinking so, I continued forward, keeping an eye on both the map and the radar. As I approached, the number of enemies increased beyond the wall, signaling something was amiss. Sensing danger, I affixed a detonator to the wall and blasted through to the present moment.

"Here to help, you say?"

"There are many things I'd like to ask you. Mind if I do?"

"Things you want to ask? You impertinent human! I have no obligation to answer you!"

The adversary continued to glare while speaking, but I continued undeterred.

"I wanted to know your true identity and the mastermind behind all this... but oh well. If you're not willing to talk, I'll have to force the answers out of you."

I inquired about the person standing before me, whether they were a hired assassin, a member of some organization, or simply a murderer. I also wondered about the nature of the enemy I was facing. But instead of answers, the person rose and approached me.

"Identity? Mastermind? Haha, hahaha!"

Laughing in such a dire situation?

"Warning! Danger detected at twelve o'clock, potential enemy!"

Furthermore, the openly hostile demeanor indicated they intended to do something.

"What's so funny?"

For some reason, they stopped at a certain distance, removed their hand from their mouth, and turned to face me.

"My apologies, I didn't realize there were unfamiliar individuals present. I am Dozum, servant of the demon lord over there. Oh, and just so you know, I've discarded my family name."

Dozum... Was there such a race?

"Dozum, you say! What are you doing here!?"

"Do you know him?"

"Ha!? ...Um, y-yes, I know him very well!"

The change in Peach's tone suggested Dozum might be quite famous.

"It's a story from thirty years ago. Dozum here used to be a butler serving the royal family of a small nation, but one day, he disappeared without a trace."

What!? So that means...

"Disappeared without a trace, you say?"

"Yes, that's right! Continuing the story, about a month after Dozum's disappearance, that country inexplicably perished in a single day. Without any warning whatsoever."

"A country perishing without warning...?"

Even for a small nation, perishing in a day seemed odd. Maybe...

"Could it be that he himself destroyed his own country?"

"What?! ...What are you saying? That's impossible!"

No, it's just speculation, but it's not entirely implausible.

"Hehehe! Ahahaha!"

Dozum burst into laughter suddenly, leaving everyone but me astonished.

"What's so funny?"

"My apologies for my rudeness. I've shown you an unsightly side of myself, heroes."

He apologized, bowing his head.

Bow and apologize... He seems quite gentlemanly.

"As she said, I destroyed my homeland with my own hands. I exterminated everyone living in that country."

I knew it.

"Why would you do such a thing!?"

"Why? Even I...!"

Dozum's eyes stared eerily at me, prompting me to brace myself for anything.

Is he...?

"I have no intention of talking!"

"Oh!?"

As Dozum raised his right arm, I reflexively jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the black needles shooting out from the ground.

That was close! If I hadn't moved, I would've been dead.

"You're quick to catch on."

"Well, thank you!"

In return, I aimed my ACE32 at Dozum, squeezing the trigger rhythmically, firing three shots, one of which hit his abdomen.

Damn it!? I panicked, causing two shots to miss. But in his current state, I can definitely finish him off!

"You pathetic and feeble excuse for a human being... Don't get cocky!"

"What's this? That figure's starting to envelop itself in shadows! What on earth is it planning to do?"

And as soon as those shadows took on the form of armor, they turned towards us.

"Let's go, you little girl!!"

What in the world is that shadow?

As he came charging at us, swinging his fist with force, I aimed my ACE32 and was about to squeeze the trigger after taking aim, but a male hero suddenly appeared in front of me, causing me to hastily withdraw my finger from the trigger.

"I'll take care of this!!"

As I watched him, sword poised towards Dosem, I couldn't help but widen my eyes in surprise.

"W-Wha..."

Is he stupid!? If he's going to step in front of me, how can I shoot him!?

While I was thinking that, Dosem landed a powerful punch on the hero's abdomen. The hero, after taking that punch, floated in the air for a moment. Then, the moment his feet touched the ground, he fell as if the strings of a puppet had been cut.

"Taiki!!"

"Ah... Aah!?"

"...This is getting in the way."

Dosem lifted the male hero and, with a motion reminiscent of discarding trash, threw him high into the air.

This is bad! He's unconscious, so he can't defend himself! And from where I am, I can't catch him in time!

While watching the hero floating in the air, I caught the falling hero, Peach-san.

"Whoa there! That was close!"

"Nice one, Peach-san!!"

"I'll take care of these kids, so go defeat Dosem, Raina-chan!"

"Got it! Leave the heroes to us!!"

Saying so to Peach-san, I aimed my ACE31 and unloaded bullets into Dosem's body on full auto, but as the bullets hit his body, all that resulted was a high-pitched metallic sound and sparks, and Dosem looked at me with a calm demeanor.

"What the!?"

Is this a joke? Even after firing all those rounds, he remains unfazed. Are the 7.62mm rounds not effective!?

As I was surprised, Dosem seemed to be about to punch me, so I dodged, but for some reason, I felt pain in my knee.

"Tsuh! ...Eh!?"

Shifting my gaze to where it hurt, I saw a black spear extending from Dosem's right knee, deeply pierced into his left knee.

Was that punch just a feint!

"Die, little girl!"

As Dosem said that, he retracted the spear from my knee and formed his right hand into a sword-like shape, readying it.

He's swinging horizontally! I can dodge it!!

Dodging the sword by squatting, I jumped back to create distance, took out my JERICHO941PSL and Karambit Knife, and checked the condition of my left knee.

The wound seems deep, but my knee can still move. Probably because of the functionality of the FPS game, even with such a wound, I can still move.

"Oh my, to be able to move with such a wound... What's the meaning of this?"

"...I'm just trained unlike ordinary people. That's all."

Don't expect me to answer honestly to every question you ask. But how do I attack him? How does anything work on him?

"I see. In that case!"

The sword that Dosem created in his right hand changed into a menacing form.

"I'll finish you off this time. Be prepared."

This time, he thrust the sword straight at me.

"Tch!?"

Clicking my tongue, I dramatically dodged the sword, only to see needles coming out from the sword as I dodged.

I anticipated that much!

While dodging the needles about to pierce my body, I slipped into Dosem's guard and attempted to stab him with the Karambit Knife into his right armpit, but felt no resistance.

Is he guarding with shadows up to his joints!? I need to retreat for now!

"You're naive, little girl!!"

As Dosem said that, he swung up the sword in his right hand, but I stopped his descending right hand by continuously pulling the trigger of my JERICHO941PSL aimed at his face.

Then, taking advantage of his moment of hesitation, I backed away from Dosem and reloaded the magazine of my JERICHO941PSL.

It seems being shot in the face with a gun really shocks him psychologically... but what should I really do? I'm at a loss.

"Tsuh!? Don't think you'll get away with this, little girl!!"

...Huh? Is he in pain this time?

This time, he transformed both his hands into swords, but it's clear that they are shorter than when he made them with his right hand.

Is he doing that because it's easier to handle them when they're shorter?

While holding both swords, Dosem comes running towards me.

"Haahh!!?"

As Dosem approached swinging both swords, I dodged his sword slashes, but he suddenly stopped.

What's happening now? Is he trembling with rage...?

"Dodging around won't help you~! Nghaaaaaaaahhhh!!!"

Dorzem's voice rumbled as he clenched his hands together, conjuring a massive sword from the shadows.

That ominous, thick-bladed sword looked deadly once it struck!

"Dieeeeeeee!!!"

"Watch out?!"

With a dull sound slicing through the air, he swung the greatsword downward. Reacting swiftly, I leaped sideways to evade, just as smoke billowed up from where I had stood moments ago. Instinctively, I thrust my left arm forward to shield my face from the blast.

"Ryna-chan!! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, managed to dodge somehow!"

Lowering my left arm, I surveyed the area where Dorzem stood from where I had just been. The ground was gouged out as if it had been hit by an explosion.

What kind of power is this?! If I took a hit like that, it'd be game over!

"Haa, haa... The girl managed to dodge... haa, haa..."

He seems quite fatigued. It's no wonder after using such a massive technique... Huh?

Watching Dorzem gasp for breath with his shoulders heaving, I noticed his armor undergo a slight transformation.

That shape of his armor, his fatigue, and the shadows... Maybe there's a chance.

"Ryna-chan! I've evacuated the heroes, so I'm here to assist!"

"Peach, stop! I can handle this on my own!"

As Peach approached, readying her greatsword, I held up a hand to stop her, wearing a stern expression.

"What foolishness are you saying?! You can't possibly defeat a demon lord alone!"

"I'll be fine. I'll show you I can win, so please just watch from a safe distance."

"...Alright. But if it gets dangerous, I'll step in."

She sheathed her sword and walked toward the wall. Upon reaching it, she glanced back at me with a serious look.

"Thank you, Peach."

I said, aiming my JERICHO941PSL at Dorzem.