〈Emperor of Violence〉Marisa’s ancestors were normal nobles of a remote region, the type you can find anywhere. They were such weak nobles that you could even call them fallen aristocrats but, even so, they didn’t have any large misfortunes that they had to shoulder and somehow or the other managed to live their lives with the few citizens in their territory.

All of that changed when a war took place near the territory of the Catastrov household.

They were dragged into it.

The Catastrov household at that time didn’t have any way to resist war and the citizens were in the in the same boat as well.

In the end, having been dragged into the battle, they were completely trampled over and the citizens along with the lord of the land lost their lives and ascended to the〈Heavenly Sea of Souls〉and the only ones left behind were the young first born child of the Catastrov household and a paltry ten or so citizens.

However, that first born child changed the history of the Catastrov household.

After being raised by those surviving citizens, that man, single handedly destroyed the country that killed his clansmen and citizens.

The country not being too large was also a reason but even so, destroying a country alone, not to mention when those two countries had been embroiled in war. That was definitely the deed of a monster.

Born with abnormal talents and could even be said to be chosen by god, although there are often cases of people changing history single handedly, he also had his names etched as one of them.

With that particular deed having been completed, he ended up with the title of the〈Violent God〉.

However, after he finished his revenge, that man did not raise his fist even once after that.

He distanced himself from battle as if he was completely satisfied.

As the source of such a large event, the violent god ended up being used as material for stories.

Although he had only fought once and in that long era, it could be considered as a single moment and the stories that had been circulated were distorted greatly. Even so, the ones who were exceptionally dedicated, managed to figure out that he was alive and tracked him down and asked him for the secret to his power.

However, he did not reveal his secret no matter who was asking. The words he used to scold the more obstinate people ended up being left behind in various literature.

『My power is for the sake of the weak. People like you, who already have sufficient power from the beginning don’t need it』

In the end, he only told his son about the secret to his power and died. It was also passed down that, while telling his son about the secret, he had made sure to tell him to use it when his clan or the citizens were being oppressed again.

Marisa was the descendent of that violent god. There were no longer any citizens left.

However, Marisa was a girl who was being tortured because of that violent god’s power. Mariza alone, knew the meaning of the words left behind by that violent god.

She was the only one who knew what the words, 『power for the sake of the weak』 meant.

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「You must not use it, Merea-sama. If someone as strong as you uses it then who would be able to stop it. You have only just opened up to the『demon gate』 right? You must definitely not open any further gates」

Marisa intently gazed at Merea as she spoke. With her eyes spread wide open, with an intense expression on her face, she grabbed onto both of Merea’s hands and seemed to be holding him back.

「That power is for the sake of the weak. If a person who doesn’t truly believe themselves to be weak were to use this power, then they would without fail lose their sanity. That is the kind of power this is」

The world had thought that the words of the violent god had been humility. However, it wasn’t humility.

The violent god was probably a man who was considerably weaker than even an average human being.

Due to that, the 『Spiritual technique』 that was created as a result of that would be like a poison to an ordinary human being.

Marisa was well aware of the suffering caused by that poison.

「Even I end up losing my sanity if I open the 『emperor’s gate』. That is why I seeked you out. A person who is considerably stronger than me. ――Thinking, that you would be able to stop me」

Merea quietly looked at Marisa who was appealing to him.

「That is why, you must not, Merea-sama. That is not a power that should be used by the strong」

「I’m weak you know. I’ve had the belief that I’m considerably weaker than the inhabitants of this world, especially at first」

Merea finally replied to her.

「That was why I was first taught this spiritual technique. Much before I gained any kind of power」

Although Marisa felt a little doubt when she heard him say, 『this world’s inhabitants』 but in that moment, she really couldn’t care less about that.

「Not to mention――」

Merea continued talking further.

「I don’t know how to open only the 『demon gate』 nor do I know how to open only the 『king’s gate』. The 『emperor’s gate』 is the same as well」

She felt a bad premonition.

She suddenly recalled the tendency that Merea had for all his techniques, what he had referred to 『not having an interim』. Recalling that, she couldn’t help but feel a bad premonition.

She then thought about his words, the 『that’s enough』 and when he said that he had a way to overturn his own weakness temporarily.

It didn’t seem like Merea had been going easy until now.

If that was the case, then the only way to overturn ones weakness would be to...exceed ones limit.

Marisa was well aware that such a method existed. That was the 『spiritual technique of violence』 that was passed down in her clan.

A technique that removes the restrictions of the body, a technique to breakthrough limits which requires self-destruction.

It forcefully draws out all the latent power from that being’s body and it further strengthens the spirit till the point that it might actually break down.

The four gates.

The same as the demon lord’s titles, the four gates that start with demon and end with god.

By opening those gates in order, the technique could be strengthened considerably.

The successive generations of the Catastrov family would have their title decided based on the gate till which they could open.

〈Violent King〉. Marisa’s mother could open up till the king’s gate. 〈Violent Demon〉. Marisa’s grandmother could open up till the demon’s gate.

Marisa on the other hand, had talent. 〈Violent Emperor〉. Marisa was able to open up till the emperor’s gate.

More precisely――

When a certain period comes along, 『it would open on its own』.

It’s what Marisa had mentioned to Salman way back, when she had brought up her 『Violent period』.

That was like the symbol of Marisa’s suffering.

In reality, after the founding〈Violent God〉, not a single descendent has ever managed to open the 『God’s gate』 but, even the moment when the emperor’s gate is opened, the power was already quite considerably terrifying.

「No way――」

After hearing Merea’s answer, Marisa opened her eyes even wider and felt the blood drain from her face.

「I open the gates all the way to the 『god’s gate』 in one go. That’s why, I’m not able to do something as skillful as only opening the 『demon’s gate』 like Marisa can」

Merea could intuitively tell just by looking at Marisa that she was using the〈Violent God’s〉spiritual technique.

「Wh, what about your sanity――」

Since she was a child, Marisa was aware that she would lose her sanity if she opened the emperor’s gate.

While having talent for the spiritual technique of the violent god, she herself was naturally talented.

That, on the other hand, ended up being torturous for her.

If they don’t have the 『belief that they are weak』 then when they breakthrough their limits, it is impossible to retain their sanity.

That was a saying that had been passed down in the Catastrov household from generation to generation. Although the saying itself was considerably clear but the vital portions of it were quite abstract.

It was lost with the times and because it was made by a single genius, the elucidation of the principle did not progress as expected.

Not to mention, within his descendents, a child like Marisa who could manifest the powers even without being taught was born.

It finally went out of control.

「It’s fine. It took time but I was personally taught by Curza」

Marisa felt slightly envious of Merea. If possible, even she wanted to meet the〈Violent God (Curza Catastrov)〉.

「I was requested 『that』 by Curza」

「Eh?」

Merea suddenly placed his hand on Marisa’s head and spoke gently. Although his hair was black and the air around him was different but that expression was without doubt Merea’s.

「Curza was regretting the fact that he had left behind the spiritual technique of violence. He probably realised later on that, his descendents might end up like how Marisa is right now nd felt apprehension and――got worried. Which is why he said this to me. 『If, you see that my children are suffering because of this technique, then save them』」

「The Violent God (Curza) did――」

However, it also meant that he would have to stop the people using the〈Spiritual Technique of Violence〉with power that was stronger than that. It would be impossible with half-hearted power.

「Which is why, I learnt that as well」

『I feel like we’re doing the same thing in the end but, you’re the last one』. Merea remembers being apologized to like that, over and over again.

「I wasn’t really against it you know. I was quite happy knowing that Cuza’s descendents were still alive and thinking that I could return some of the favor for raising me by saving those descendents, so I happily undertook it」

「You are...an idiot. Do you even know...what kind of power this…」

「I know. That is the one thing that I’m always aware of. However, it’s fine」

Marisa was looking down. Suddenly her eyes welled up with something warm and she couldn’t bear to raise her head anymore.

She felt like it was the first time that her suffering was understood by someone other than her family.

Knowing that her ancestor was properly watching her, although she felt like abusing him a little, she still felt a strange sense of happiness.

With all those emotions mixing up, she felt a little helpless and couldn’t help but have tears well up in her eyes.

As Merea gently stroked her head, she felt the warmth of his hand as the greatest salvation for the current her.

As she made up her mind, she finally raised her face. Behind Merea, who continued to look at her with a gentle expression, she felt like she could see the figure of her ancestor.

Even though she had never seen his face but, she felt like she saw his figure behind Merea, watching and protecting her.

◆◆◆

While gently wiping the tears spilling from Marisa’s eyes, Merea remembered Flander’s words.

「There can no longer be any universal heroes. ――In the first place, it might be that there never were any universal heroes. However, compared to the past, the heroes of this era have been considerably diversified and subdivided. The one who is a hero for one country would be a demon lord for any hostile countries. That is the kind of era we are currently in」

It was exactly as he had said. After having met Hasim and Serius, he finally realised what Flander had been talking about.

Although he thought that he understood it clearly in his mind, after coming in contact with the people of this world, the people who were struggling to stay alive in the middle of the torrential flow of the era, he finally felt like he clearly understood.

He also understood exactly how fierce the flow of the era was.

Flander most probably, pushed through with his own beliefs in the middle of this violent flow.

「――You were definitely amazing」

He was aware that he might not be able to see the world with the same gentle perspective that he does.

Flander, who tried to persuade his comrades even though they fed him poison was kind to the extreme. Although, once he became a heroic spirit, he ended up ridiculing that fact himself.

『Although I regret not being able to persuade them in the true sense and also the fact that I couldn’t notice the presence of the poison but, I don’t have an regrets in the way I lived my life』

He said that as well.

Would there really be another human who could say that even after having become a ghost?

「I might not be able to become that kind」

However,

「I want to decide my own way of life and be responsible for it」

I don’t plan on following Flander’s way of life.

I’m sure Flander himself would have wanted that and even if I don’t say anything, he would probably have thought the same.

That’s why――I’ve decided.

Merea turned his red eyes towards Serius in the distance.

「If that’s what a hero is to you then――」

◆◆◆

「I’ll become what you consider to be a 『demon lord』」

◆◆◆

However, the weight accumulated on that word was an obstacle.

Tyrant had pessimistically said, 「You’ll end up with a different name anyway」 but, if it could really be changed then he should go ahead and change it. If he managed to do that then the majority of grudges accumulated so far would probably decay.

Demon lord was a word that somehow or the other has been used for several hundred years.

He couldn’t possibly hope for the word itself to disappear.

In that case――

「I’ll, change it」

If you want to make fun of me, then go ahead and do it. If you want to deny me, then go ahead and do it.

If it were you who called Flander’s crazy life a failure, then you would definitely say that.

Even so, I have decided to follow that road.

◆◆◆

「I’ll change the very meaning of the word demon lord」

◆◆◆

I’ll dare to use that name from here on.

I’ll show you that I can change the meaning of that word with just the actions that I take while being called by that name.

I’ll show you that I can win head-first against the several hundred year long history.

「That is my 『dream for the battlefield』 as well as my 『dream outside the battlefield』」

The desire he had which were higher than those two frameworks. A large dream that would envelop everything.

That had now, become Merea Mea’s guiding principle.

At that point, he became a 『demon lord』 with the fame that accompanied it.