“No way! Haine-san has?!”

I -Kourin Karen- was doubting the report that was told to me.

Haine-san was swallowed by the Black Hole he himself created?

“Is that true? Is it true that Haine-san has disappeared, Yorishiro-sama?!” (Karen)

“Sadly, it is the truth.” (Yorishiro)

The one who revealed this to me was our Founder, Yorishiro-sama.

In the time we were in an hectic state with helping Rudras Metropolis after the damage they received, and with the preparations of the Light capital’s defense, she was apparently using light divine power to confirm the battlefield.

“The Light Demon Lord Lucifer that Ates-san—no, the Goddess Inflation created was a worse monster than we ever imagined.” (Yorishiro)

From what Yorishiro said, Lucifer absorbed the Demon Lords and is now able to use all four base elements.

“With the power of the Wind Demon Lord that died, Lucifer utilized the advantage of affinities to defeat one Demon Lord after another, and stole away their powers. Right now Lucifer not only has light, but can also freely control all base elements.” (Yorishiro)

“A single monster…controlling all elements?!”

“Isn’t that invincible? The guy itself doesn’t have a weak point, and yet, it can hit its opponent’s weaknesses as much as it wants, right?”

The ones who groaned in such way were Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan.

Not only them.

There’s also Sasae-chan and Hyue-chan here.

They heard about the emergency Apollon City was in and had all come to help.

“In this time when we finally managed to have Uriel-dono promise to become the new deity-dasu!” (Sasae)

“Did things end up like this because I defeated Raphael?!” (Hyue)

Right now, Sasae-chan has already separated from Mother Earth and has returned to her little girl form.

Hyue-chan has also recovered from the wounds she suffered in the battle with Raphael, but her regrets are heavy.

We five heroes have reunited after a good while, and yet, the atmosphere was heavier than ever before.

“…But no matter how strong the enemy was, that Haine was able to defeat them without any problem!” (Mirack)

“That’s right! Isn’t Haine-chi the kind of guy that had crazy power making you go ‘seriously?’ or ‘no way’?! Even the Demon Lords were scared of his dark power and made them run away and hide. If it were Haine-chi, he would be able to go against all elements!” (Celestis)

Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan’s protests were simply futile.

“It may be Haine-san, but it is not as if he is completely invincible. The darkness power that’s supposed to erase everything has one opponent it doesn’t work on.” (Yorishiro)

““““?!””””

“That’s the light element. Darkness cannot defeat light.” (Yorishiro)

This was a reality that all heroes aside from me didn’t know.

Only earth, water, fire, and wind element monsters existed until now, and there was no light element monster.

On top of that, the first ones that Haine-san affiliated to after coming to society were us, the Light Church.

That’s why there were no moments where Haine-san had to fight light, so the weakness of the darkness didn’t get exposed until now.

That’s why it looked like it was invincible.

“But now, the ultimate light has appeared in the form of Lucifer. For Haine-san, the Light Demon Lord is truly his natural enemy. There’s truly limited methods he can take against that.” (Yorishiro)

“…Do you mean the Black Hole?” (Karen)

The ultimate darkness attack that erased Grandma Wood in Ishtar Blaze.

“By utilizing the second property of the dark matter to its very limit, the gravity that occurs from it can even bend light. That heavy gravity cannot be broken through by light and would be erased by the compressed dark matter that serves as the core of the Black Hole.” (Yorishiro)

“Then isn’t Haine-chi like seriously invincible?!” (Celestis)

The retort of Celestis-chan was also ineffective right now.

“But in order to erase Lucifer, there would be the need for a Black Hole that’s several times more powerful than the time with Grandma Wood. If he were to release something like that, this world itself wouldn’t get away safely.” (Yorishiro)

“Eh?!”

“Wouldn’t get away safely?!”

“At the very least, it would be enough to destroy humanity.” (Yorishiro)

Humanity will perish with the aftereffects?!

“The Black Hole is originally a technique to destroy the world. In order to avoid that, Haine-san released a Black Hole at its minimum force.” (Yorishiro)

And that is the current situation.

We are currently in the meeting room of the Light Church’s headquarters. At that table, several photos were thrown on top of it.

It is from the scouting unit of the Aurora Knights that had taken photos of the battle between Haine-san’s group and Lucifer.

There was a black sphere floating and it was a sight as if out of this world.

“We ourselves have seen the Black Hole in Ishtar Blaze as well, but…!” (Karen)

“This is strange…!” (Celestis)

It wasn’t just a simple Black Hole.

From the sphere that’s supposed to swallow everything, the tail of a snake was jutting out.

“It is the tail of Lucifer.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro-sama began to explain.

“Lucifer is basically a giant snake monster. A small Black Hole on a level that can’t injure the world wouldn’t be able to swallow the whole body and its tail has ended up poking out.” (Yorishiro)

It resembled the situation of when a wild snake has swallowed a mouse from the head and wasn’t able to swallow it whole and its tail is peeping out.

“It is a Black Hole only on this level after all. It would be no surprise if Lucifer were to slip out in due time. Even without that, we are talking about the Demon Lord that holds the light that has the absolute advantage against darkness. With enough time, it could even destroy the Black Hole itself.” (Yorishiro)

“Time… How long would it be?!” (Karen)

“It wouldn’t take a month. At worst, a few days.” (Yorishiro)

Only a few days?!

The method that Haine-san gave his very body to utilize will return to nothing in just a few days?!

“Karen-san, don’t misunderstand.” (Yorishiro)

As if seeing through my heart, Yorishiro-sama reprimands me.

“Haine-san accepted to be swallowed by the Black Hole himself in order to obtain those few days. Believing that you guys would definitely overcome this crisis.” (Yorishiro)

• 389: By the hands of humans

“We…?” “Overcome…?” “This crisis…?” “-Dasu?”

The other heroes aside from me were also confused at the words of Yorishiro.

Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan, Sasae-chan, Hyue-chan, and I -Karen.

We obtained the title of hero, and we are people that have obtained the qualifications and awareness that we should protect others, but just in this one, my heart is simply not standing up.

“Even if you say that…is that an opponent we can do something about?” (Celestis)

The first one to voice out her doubts was the most intellectual one in the group, Celestis-chan.

“An opponent that not even that Haine-chi could go against… No, not only Haine-chi, even the Demon Lords were unable to do anything against Lucifer and lost, right?” (Celestis)

In the past when we met the Demon Lords, we were wondering how to defeat such a big opponent like them and despair had filled us.

After that, with the miracle called God Hero, we somehow managed to overcome the battle against the Demon Lords, but…a threat that easily surpasses those Demon Lords arrived, Lucifer.

“Absorbing the Demon Lords means that, at the very least, it has the power of four Demon Lords at once, on top of that, it also has the Light element that stands atop of those. That’s the Great Demon Lord Lucifer, right?” (Mirack)

The voice of Mirack-chan was also weaker than usual.

“Even if we were to turn into God Heroes and face them, it would deftly hit our weaknesses and make us crumble in an instant. An enemy that holds all elements is just…!” (Hyue)

“Something we haven’t fought before-dasu!” (Sasae)

Everyone was dejected.

The reason is obvious.

Haine-san fought and couldn’t defeat it.

That reality was shocking us more than expected.

Haine-san is incredibly strong.

Using a special power that is darkness, he has managed to defeat all enemies easily.

Even though he has that much strength, he didn’t step in more than necessary in consideration of us heroes, but we all felt peace of mind somewhere in our heart knowing that he had our backs.

—No matter how dangerous it gets, Haine-san will do something about it in the end.

I thought something like that unconsciously.

And yet, that Haine-san used his all just to seal an opponent together with him for a few days.

That is the Great Demon Lord Lucifer.

The reality that we have to fight an opponent like that was agitating us.

“Why are you all acting like spoiled children?”

“?!”

The sudden strict words made me reflexively quiver.

“Y-Yorishiro-sama?!” (Karen)

To think she would reprimand us in such a direct way…

“Karen-san, what are you?” (Yorishiro)

“Eh?!” (Karen)

“Answer.” (Yorishiro)

Even if you ask me to answer…

What am I? Even if you suddenly ask me…

…Ah.

“U-Uhm…!!” (Karen)

“…”

“……The l-light hero.” (Karen)

That’s right.

Chosen by the Light Church, shouldering the power of the Light Goddess Inflation, and protecting the people; that light hero!!

“What about you, Mirack-san?” (Yorishiro)

It wasn’t only me.

Yorishiro-sama made the same question to every one of us here.

“No need to ask. I am the fire hero chosen by the Fire Church!” (Mirack)

“Celestis-san?” (Yorishiro)

“Of course, the water hero. Isn’t that obvious!” (Celestis)

“Sasae-chan?” (Yorishiro)

“Incompetent Sasae! The earth hero-dasu!!” (Sasae)

“Hyue-san.” (Yorishiro)

“After fighting with Raphael, I can finally say it with pride. I, Hyue, am the wind hero-de gozaru!!” (Hyue)

We all are the heroes chosen by their respective churches.

Our responsibility is not only to protect the people, but to also stand proud and be an image to others. In order to provide them strength, and at the same time, strengthen humanity itself as a whole.

“Why are you of all people afraid of the enemy? Fighting the enemy that threatens the people and defeating them is the duty of heroes, isn’t that right?” (Yorishiro)

“Y-Yes!” (Karen)

“The reason why Haine-san was sealed together with Lucifer was because he believed that you all could do something as long as there’s time. Until now, many threats have attacked you all!” (Yorishiro)

The Fire Cow Phalaris in the Radona mountain range; the Hydra Serpent in Hydra Ville; Grandma Wood’s rebellion in the earth capital; the sequential battles against Beelzebub and the Wind Demon Lord Raphael; the heroes match; and then the clash against the Demon Lords…

Just remembering them all makes me feel as if I am losing weight at how many things have happened.

“But you have overcome all of them. Was the reason why you overcame them all solely thanks to Haine-san?” (Yorishiro)

“No, that’s not…” (Karen)

“You are all strong. And you also have a strong sense of duty that turns into your own strength when facing danger. That strength of heart, Haine-san believes in it. This is the time for you all to answer that trust once again!!” (Yorishiro)

?!

Right, Haine-san has always trusted us.

He believed that we would all definitely overcome those difficulties.

“Answering that trust is what a hero does, right?” (Yorishiro)

It is not only Haine-san, all the people in this world, no matter the threat, they believe that the heroes will be able to defeat it.

That’s what a hero is.

“Looks like we weren’t acting like ourselves.” (Mirack)

“Now that I think about it, this is the chance to make Haine-chi owe us. Let’s save him as a change!” (Celestis)

“Haine-dono be the saviour of Ishtar Blaze-dasu! Imma also save Uriel-dono and have a festival-dasu!!” (Sasae)

“Looks like this is the time to show the true form of the wind hero, Hyue!” (Hyue)

Everyone regained their energy.

Everyone here is used to crisis, so a good push on the back was plenty enough to make us stand up.

“Understood, Yorishiro-sama! You are telling us to use the best of the time Haine-san bought for us to face Lucifer, right?!” (Karen)

“We will also properly save the Demon Lords! I still have a lot of lectures piled up to teach Gabriel about culture after all!” (Celestis)

The mood was completely turned around.

“…What we have to think about is in what to use that time. Training? Should we research for combinations we can use when we turn into God Heroes?” (Mirack)

“We will also have to investigate the enemy plenty-de gozaru. With the scientific power of our Wind Church, we will research Lucifer thoroughly. We might find a new weakness.” (Hyue)

“Cut-dasu! We gonna cut it completely-dasu yo!!” (Sasae)

Vigorous opinions fly around.

But the one who stopped that flow was Yorishiro-sama.

“…No, I want you all to use this time to go somewhere.” (Yorishiro)

“?”

She wants us to go somewhere?

“If you go there, you will definitely find a plan against Lucifer. I will have you five heroes head there immediately.” (Yorishiro)

“A-And that place is…?” (Mirack)

“Is that really okay?” (Karen)

Is what I ask nervously, but Yorishiro-sama said the name of the place I didn’t even expect would come out.

“The Underworld Country.” (Yorishiro)