Without making a single noise we lined up near the entrance, and waited. The sole inhabitant of this place did not wake up.

‘I’ll go wake up the sleepyhead.’ I carefully sneaked towards the coffin.

Veronica sneaked after me, without saying a word.

The stone floor did not make any noises while we were sneaking, so that is a good thing already. When I decided to gesture for the rest to take good positions, I felt like somebody moved near the coffin.

Whatever was there, it disappeared immediately after it was heard.

With the road once again open, we proceeded with the preparations.

Veronica and Yuriko are going to be the main fighting force because of their powerful magic. Patricia, Yuri, and I are going to be a nuisance, getting in the way of the Demon king.

When we were almost done, the coffin moved a bit, making us all hold breath.

‘Grinding’

A heavy stone lid moved to the side, and a black hand appeared out of the coffin.

“WHO WAKES ME UP?!” The Demon king roared. We were yet to finish the preparations, and the magic skills were yet to be casted.

“Ah, whatever!”

BANG BANG BANG

I fired at the coffin with a slight hope of wounding the sleepy Demon king.

“YOU WORM!” Instead, I only irritated him.

A huge muscular humanoid stood up, and picked a battle axe lying near the coffin.

Veronica tried to stop him but before she could even approach, she was thrown into a wall.

“Could you be so kind to obediently die?!” Yuriko tried attacking from behind, and even managed to cut the demon. The drops of blood stopped midair, and flowed back into his body.

BANG BANG BANG

Even though my armor piercing shots were evaded, I successfully drew the Demon king’s attention to myself.

“UGH!” The next moment, I was kicked into a wall, like a ball.

“Take this!” Yuri and Patricia flanked the Demon king, and inflicted some minor wounds. The enraged monster couldn’t hit the nimble girls before he was attacked by Veronica.

‘Ping’

The rapier hit the battle axe, and slipped off, right towards the demon’s chest.

“YOU LITTLE…!!!” (DK)

“Don’t forget me, Sugar~.” I coughed blood when I heard Yuriko’s sweet voice. The woman's attacks won enough time for Veronica to prepare.

“ ‘Grandmaster’s prowess’, ‘Vermillion blade’, ‘Eternal radiance’.” Before the Demon king could do anything, he was pierced from all sides at once.

“KHA…! JU…ST… WH…AT… YOU… ARE…?!” The Demon king’s wounds were not healing. Facing the crazily overpowered girl, he had to break the contact, and take defensive stance.

“Now it is our turn. Give her time to recast!” Yuri rushed at the Demon king, and the rest of us followed.

I got close the first. With a wide slash I cut off a couple of the demon’s fingers. They grew back but they were still mangled.

Patricia and Yuriko were poking the Demon king from the sides, while I and Yuri were attacking from the front.

“DIE!” He tried to break out of our encirclement by rushing at Yuri.

The axe almost cut her, when the Demon king was thrown back by something.

“T-THIS CAN’T BE…!” He said in terror.

“ ‘Grandmaster’s prowess', ‘Vermillion blade’.” Veronica closed the distance with the Demon king in a flash. After she turned him into a sieve, they started exchanging blows at the speeds when neither of us could see anything but afterimages.

“Ha…!” It all ended when the girl was pushed a dozen meters back. Despite the fierce fight, neither of them took damage.

“She just needs to land another blow. He is weakened.” Yuri summarized.

“AS IF I WOULD LET YOU!” The Demon king rushed at us.

“UGH!” I took the blow in the others’ stead. The Divine steel katana successfully withstood the attack but I felt like my arms were broken.

“Kuronami!” Veronica tried drawing the Demon king’s attention away from me.

“Use my powers!” Yuri rushed to the fiery girl, and when she touched Veronica, Yuri disappeared.

“ ‘Grandmaster’s prowess’, ‘Vermillion blade’, ‘Eternal radiance’!” Veronica’s rapier glowed, and the girl disappeared in a flash. Before my brain could catch up with what happened, the Demon king spilled blood around himself.

His head was pierced, and blood was flowing out of a hole in his heart. It was clear that he is going to die for sure.

Instead of resignedly accepting such a fate, the mighty demon leaped at Veronica with his remaining strength and hit her with his axe.

Veronica fell down, like a puppet with cut strings, and Yuri was thrown out of her body, reappearing again.

The Demon king was no longer moving. Just in case, when I approached I cut off his head.

When it was finally safe, I started performing first aid to Veronica.

Veronica’s wound was deep. It would be a miracle if she survives.

“The hero played her part.” I stood up and glared at Yuri.

“How about you try helping her instead?!”

“I can at most cauterize her wounds. But there is a way…” (Y)

“Then what are we waiting for?!”

“Sorry for the inconve@#en!%…” Before she finished speaking, I started losing consciousness.

‘#@$e-s&*@...’