I’m the Main Villain but the Heroines Are Obsessed With Me

45 – 21. If I can say “Endure” (4)

Thud!

The sound of running, plowing through the snowdrifts, filled the mountain range.

Rolling her eyes all around, Celia ran like a madwoman. She couldn’t recall how far she had gone.

In a trance. To the extent that the words fit her; she was out of her mind.

“I hope I’m not too late.”

Breath almost at her throat. Legs screaming in protest. But she kept on running.

In her mind echoed the words of Hailey, who had come to support Eri Everheart.

“Launching a simultaneous attack to trigger an avalanche in that area? Surely, Ian knows it will also affect their side… Why such a reckless plan…”

“Ian, the commander, is aware of it. It might not be easy to understand. He asked for our trust.”

“There’s a plan, yes. Of course, there must be. No. For now, I’ll trust your words and see how it goes.”

Causing an avalanche to sweep through the enemy’s headquarters.

The plan seemed plausible. Natural disasters are not something mere mortals can prevent. Utilizing it could sweep through the entire area.

Avoiding direct conflict and wiping out the enemies might be possible. Yet, alternatively, Ian might also suffer harm being there.

“Persisting with such a plan. What in the world is Ian thinking?”

Anyone else might not know, but Celia couldn’t agree to that insane plan.

Is she not even able to offer Ian a sincere apology yet?

The prospect of losing him, even a bit, was something she couldn’t bear.

“This is madness. They’re all crazy! Even if the Dark Lord supports Ariel, what on earth is Everheart thinking!”

A woman with golden hair. Isn’t she one of Ian’s closest associates?

Being close enough to embrace in the training room implied an exceptional relationship, but pushing forward with plans that corner him, instead of opposing, was… baffling.

She had even gone to Ariel, thinking they couldn’t communicate, but sadly, it didn’t help.

“Oh? I see… Once again, you received help from my brother. I was only handling savages…”

Usually a dependable junior and comrade, she couldn’t fully concentrate on her words.

That was the reason.

Shiiik!

“I must hurry. Otherwise, Ian might get swept away.”

The reason she ran through the treacherous Sisyphus Mountains like a maniac.

Endlessly waiting was simply not in line with her nature, and she wouldn’t feel at ease unless she saw Ian safe with her own eyes.

Certainly, sneaking out meant it was impossible to bring a map, but that didn’t pose a problem.

“The path has already been memorized. It should be around here, right?”

Celia, who had a habit of not forgetting what she had seen once, and her practiced navigation skills came in handy. Thanks to that, she could reach the location where the enemies had summoned Ian within a few minutes of departure.

“Hah… Haa…”

Celia exhaled the breath she had been holding as if bursting it out.

“Ian must be below this cliff.”

Though she wanted to plead to go back, thinking it might be a trap set by the enemies.

Since Ian had his own thoughts, she had no intention of interfering with them.

“We can watch from here, and if Ian seems to be in danger, we can rescue him.”

Helping out when cornered by barbarians. It wouldn’t be a hindrance if it was just that much.

How much time had passed? The breath that had been pressed to the tip of her chin began to settle, and her vision became clearer.

With the device in hand, Celia counted the seconds silently.

“One… Two… Three, now!”

Kururung!

A deafening explosion echoed, as if the attack of allies had struck the mountain range.

It meant that Ian had sent a signal, and an avalanche had swept through that area.

Now, we need to get ready!

Celia, perched on a sturdy branch, manipulated mana and focused her attention on her eyes.

If Ian seems to be in danger while watching from here, I’ll jump down and rescue him!

Thinking so, she concentrated her gaze below the cliff. She could see.

“…What on earth is that?”

Kwaaang!

What appeared behind Ian was a monster with a hundred hands!

The monstrous creature, with an overwhelming presence that could make one dizzy just by watching, was tearing apart the enemies like crushing ants.

Only then did Celia understand the attitude Eri had shown.

“It’s because of that.”

The reason Ian told her to trust him. And…

“My help was unnecessary…”

Now, the opportunity to approach him had disappeared.

Perhaps because of that, Celia couldn’t help but stare blankly at Ian, who was demolishing the enemies.

“hahahaha… it’s the end… really.”

Feeling helpless, Celia clenched her lower lip in frustration.

***

The Demon of Laziness, Belphagor.

Ba’al Zebub’s evaluation of him was as follows:

“The Sleeping Dragon of the Demon Realm.”

Though he possessed the strongest power among the great seven demons, his position in the Demon Realm was insignificant.

Even compared to Mammon, it was the same.

“He’s someone who I can never understand. Despite being able to use his power to devour the Demon Realm and aim for countless authorities, he showed no interest.”

Despite his weak power, Belphagor had control over numerous subordinates in the Demon Realm, whereas Mammon’s influence was far greater.

However, not even the great demons of Hell or the ruler of the Demon Realm, the Marquis, could touch Belphagor.

Ba’al Zebub recalled the past. It was when Asmodeus had kidnapped his subordinates, claiming he would start a war.

“He was an unstoppable disaster.”

It was a memory he didn’t want to remember, it was that terrible.

With a flick of Belphagor’s hand, Celia’s subordinates were torn apart and turned into pools of blood. Even Asmodeus, who had reluctantly confronted him, couldn’t stop him.

“It was as if he was invincible.”

Though he hadn’t directly intervened in the incident, Ba’al Zebub remembered one thing.

“No matter what Asmodeus did, Belphagor casually defended against his attacks and crushed her… The Marquis had to intervene to stop the fight.”

Why was he suddenly thinking about this in the midst of fighting Ian?

The reason was simple.

“Why does he possess it?”

Ian Volkanov. Because he, a pathetic human, saw Belphagor’s true form.

Watching Ian as he manifested divine powers and gazed at himself, Ba’al Zebub trembled.

“How did he obtain that power?”

Having lived for thousands of years, Ba’al Zebub knew the history of this continent well.

Naturally, he knew the identity of the ancient deity who was assisting Ian.

“Neltalion. How did he acquire his power?”

The ancient deity Neltalion.

An existence that transcended both humans and demons, surpassing the laws of this world.

Humans bestowed upon him the title of the King of Divine Laws, but the Neltalion that Ba’al Zebub knew was not just some lowly name.

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“When it becomes a Holy Body… It becomes an uncontrollable being with immense power. It can destroy both the Intermediate Realm and the Demon Realm… Thankfully, I heard that it was lost and annihilated 300 years ago.”

That guy was definitely alive. Moreover, he had aligned himself with humans and was constantly pushing himself onto them.

I couldn’t understand.

Why would someone with power comparable to that of a Magi align themselves with humans?

Even though it felt like my sanity would leave me at any moment… Baalzephub decided to face reality for now.

“There are only about twenty barbarians left. And even they are in a state of disarray. This is the worst.”

One could argue that it wasn’t a bad thing for the barbarians to die. But it was definitely not something to be taken lightly.

“Mammon’s strength lies in corrupting humans with greed and enhancing them. But if there are no such humans…”

The reason why the relatively weak Mammon was called one of the great Seven Demons was simple.

Using his magic and the gold he possessed, he could greatly empower weak humans and demons.

But now, all the demons who could make use of his abilities had lost their lives.

The meaning of those words was simple.

“We can’t rely on Mammon’s help….”

In the end, Ian Volkanov had to be dealt with by himself.

Baalzephub, who took pride in his abilities, couldn’t be certain of victory this time.

Kwaaah!

“Damn it! Son of a b*tch!”

He was in a situation where he could only use his ability, “Gluttony,” to block the barrage of punches pouring down like rain.

Despite the fact that his punches were powerful, it felt like meteors were flying at him and crashing.

“Guh!”

Even though he succeeded in defending himself, the recoil caused him to cough up blood.

In the end, Baalzephub couldn’t help but send a telepathic message to Mammon.

“Mammon, I might have inadvertently messed with someone I shouldn’t have.”

“I agree… I never expected the author to possess Nathalion’s power.”

“Our plan has completely failed. The barbarians, whom you enhanced with your abilities, were easily taken care of. I could barely block his attacks myself.”

He didn’t want to say those words. But he had no choice.

“Let’s run away. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the Demon Realm and fully prepare before attempting again?”

“It’s a pity that we couldn’t kill Ian, but just the fact that the ancient god resurrected is enough of a success. The problem is escaping… Can we do it?”

If they escaped, it would be the cherry on top. But it didn’t seem like Ian would just let that happen.

“The author will chase after us until the end. Maybe the moment you release your abilities, we’ll be at their mercy.”

Even now, aren’t they still lurking menacingly? The image of escaping from them without getting hurt didn’t cross Mammon’s mind.

However, Baalzebub forced a smile.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it all figured out.”

“You’ve got it figured out? Well, then, tell me quickly. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do my best.”

“I plan to use Asmodeus’s power from now on. You know she often uses it, right? It’s like teleporting, using it as an extension of entering dreams.”

“Are you saying you’ve already absorbed it all?”

Baalzebub gently lowered their head at Mammon, who couldn’t hide their surprise.

“I haven’t finished absorbing it all yet. But I have enough control over the power.”

Mammon, possessing the ability to enter the dreams of others, their leader Asmodeus, could not only enter others’ dreams but also use that power for teleportation.

If they used that power, it would be possible to escape safely. However, Mammon couldn’t feel entirely at ease.

“Is it really possible?”

“It’s my first time, so I can’t give you complete assurance. But wouldn’t it be better to take a slim chance here rather than die?”

Baalzebub raised the corners of their mouth, looking at Mammon, who seemed deep in thought.

Always cautious and despising risky games like gambling, Mammon couldn’t consider staking their life on such a slim possibility. But sitting idle wouldn’t improve the situation.

“Keep in mind that we can’t hold out like this forever. Unless we’re in the Demon Realm, there’s a limit to how long we can maintain this power.”

Mammon nodded at Baalzebub’s persuasion.

Even though the chances of failure were high, there seemed to be no other option. Mammon’s eyes, now filled with determination, were different from before.

“All right, tell me. What do I need to do?”

“Five minutes. You’ll have to endure for that long to use teleportation. You know what you need to do, right?”

“You’ll use your power to defend against attacks and prepare for teleportation, while I’ll replenish enough magoi during that time. Got it.”

Baalzebub’s power, “Gluttony.”

Using magoi, it could manifest the mouth of an abyssal demon, which could be used to devour the enemy, but it could also be used to ward off attacks.

“It requires a significant amount of magoi to summon, so I’ll need a sufficient offering. Unfortunately, there are no suitable candidates right now…”

Mammon would have to provide the offering, thankfully not a difficult task for them.

“Using gold and magoi to support the other party is something I’ve done countless times.”

(Note: This translation aims to preserve the word choice, phrasing, and atmosphere of the original excerpt while making it understandable in English.)

Of course, he had confidence.

Kuo-oh!

As Ian frantically defended against Baalzephub’s attacks, magic began to ripple around him.

Ian raised an eyebrow at the strange phenomenon.

“Are you trying to do something…?”

At first, he wondered if he had gone mad from the relentless strikes. However, when Baalzephub cracked a wicked smile, Ian changed his mind.

He’s not insane. He’s definitely up to something strange.

As if to confirm Ian’s thoughts, Baalzephub erupted in laughter, as if provoking him.

“Indeed, you are quite different from ordinary mortals. I’ll admit that.”

“How many times do I have to beat you before you finally admit it? I’m sorry, but just saying that won’t make me go easy on you.”

“Your confidence pierces the heavens. You certainly possess the power of an ancient deity. But that alone won’t last. Once other demons find out about you, they won’t leave you in peace.”

They won’t leave me in peace… Clearly, it’s a threat, but why doesn’t Ian feel any fear?

“Other demons are targeting me. Well, then, shouldn’t they be defeated just like you?”

“Let’s see if you say the same thing when the Great Demons gather…”

A statement that seemed to anticipate the next opportunity. Ian no longer played along with Baalzephub’s banter.

“He must be planning some escape plan, although I’m not sure what it is.”

The mages circling Baalzephub, who had been bothering Ian from the beginning.

When Ian realized that they belonged to the demons, he thought they were preparing to counterattack against him.

But now he realized he was wrong.

“They don’t plan to counterattack… they’re trying to escape.”

As expected, they must have thought of a means to flee to the demon world and were stalling for time.

Supplementing the mages must be to maintain Baalzephub’s power as long as possible.

“I can’t afford to delay any longer… I have to end this right away.”

With his thoughts in order, Ian prepared himself again.

The situation was far from what he had planned, but Baalzephub didn’t seem flustered.

He had confidence in withstanding Ian’s attacks.

“Do you understand now? But it’s already too late!”

If the demon’s mouth couldn’t withstand the pressure, it might shatter. Ian had no way to stop it.

Only about four minutes remained. He had to break through the defense within that time.

“You can only watch us, can’t you? Blame your powerlessness!”

Everyone might think it’s impossible. After all, I have to break through the enemy’s defense in just four minutes.

But Ian didn’t act passionately. Instead, he calmly adjusted his posture.

“Impossible,”

With those words, Ian lifted the corners of his mouth and recalled his life before possession.

“It’s been a long time since I heard that.”

His past life had many difficult moments.

How can I overcome this? There were countless times when I wanted to give up, thinking it was something I couldn’t do.

“I cried a lot too. There were times when I decided to give up on everything.”

However, even in despair, he never gave up.

He persevered tenaciously. He lived a life where he managed to overcome every wall that seemed insurmountable.

“I’ve lived that kind of life.”

Breaking through just one defense barrier like this…

“It’s nothing.”

After finishing his thoughts, Ian opened his eyes. With eyes filled with determination, he glared at them and began to use all the mana in his body.

“You said four minutes, right? Then try to hold on…. If you can.”

While giving a bitter smile, Ian swung his fists.

Ku-gwah-gwah-gwah!

“Ugh!”

Kwa-gwah-gwah-gwah!

Once he attacked, the next fist followed. It didn’t matter how they reached, what was important was breaking through their defense.

He erased all other thoughts from his mind. He focused solely on swinging his fists.

Kwa-gwah-gwah-gwah!

“One minute.”

His fists flew like shooting stars in the night sky. Unpredictable fierce attacks. Although their defense hadn’t been completely destroyed yet, the expressions of Baalzebub and Mammon were contorted.

“Two minutes.”

Blood began to flow from every hole in Ian’s body. The blood streaming down covered his sight and caused excruciating pain as if his head was being shattered, but he didn’t care.

When facing still opponents, there was no need to look ahead even if it was inconvenient.

And finally, after three minutes passed and the last four minutes had elapsed.

The fists stopped moving.

“Kwajik! Kwaang!”

The formidable power that Ba’alzepub blindly believed in is brutally shattered. Having lost their protective shield, they couldn’t evade the attack.

As Ba’alzepub and Mamon dissipated and vanished, Ian casually wiped the blood that had dripped down.

“Everyone has seemingly solid plans.”

“Kkuuh…”

Watching them disappear with a groan, Ian sneered, “Until they get beaten, that is.”