How to Kill a Demon General
The guild was quieter than usual, and that alone was unsettling. Even during monster outbreaks or sudden quests, Axel's guild normally buzzed with noise, complaints, and reckless confidence.
Today, voices were lowered, laughter was forced, and every time the door opened, heads turned. News of the Demon General had spread fast, and no amount of pretending could erase the truth since Beldia was coming and for real this time.
Ruko sat at one of the long wooden tables with Kazuma's party gathered around him. A rough map of Axel lay between them, marked with chalk lines and notes scribbled by nervous adventurers earlier that morning.
Ruko leaned forward, forearms resting on the table, eyes scanning the layout of the town with sharp focus. This wasn't about bravery or heroics. This was about not dying.
"So," Kazuma began, rubbing the back of his neck, "we're officially planning to fight a Demon General. Again, just saying that out loud feels illegal." Aqua slammed her hands down. "Hey! If that headless idiot curses me again, I swear I'll—"
"You already got cursed," Kazuma cut in flatly. "That was bad luck!" "No, that was you opening your mouth." Ruko ignored the bickering and tapped the map. "Focus, Beldia isn't just strong. His curse is the real problem and if we don't deal with that first, the fight doesn't matter and it will be meaningless."
Megumin nodded, unusually serious. "His curse magic activates under specific conditions. Timing, exposure, and sometimes humiliation. Even though somehow, he enjoys watching it play out."
Darkness leaned closer, eyes gleaming. "So he toys with his enemies before killing them." "I dont give a damn, since he resemble as an dog poop that was across the street," Ruko said. "And in some way he's practically predictable to defeat."
Kazuma blinked. "That's… not how that usually works." "It is if you stop thinking of him as a boss monster and start thinking of him as an asshole with authority," Ruko replied. "Enemies like that always want a reaction to some certain point."
Aqua crossed her arms. "I don't like where this is going." Ruko finally looked up at her. "Good. That means you'll remember it. Aqua, you're the curse target. That's not changing."
"What!?" "You're divine, loud and also your most trait 'provocative'. He'll aim for you because it annoys him. So we plan around that." Kazuma sighed. "Of course we do."
Ruko continued calmly. "Megumin, your explosion is a finisher, not an opener so don't get too hazy ok." Yeah that's sound good." "If you fire it too early, you're done for the rest of the fight."
Megumin puffed her cheeks. "I know that!"
"Good. Then don't argue." Darkness straightened. "And me?" "You're the shield," Ruko said. "Not a distraction. You intercept and you hold him in place when he commits and lastly you don't chase pain since you love it so much it will get you kill in a second." Darkness froze, visibly struggling. "…That will be difficult."
"Deal with it." Kazuma stared. "You're really just ordering us around like where some puppies." "I'm explaining how not to die, since first of all it's not my fault you and Megumin go to his manor to just explode on how to feel good doning her mana," Ruko replied. "Big difference."
'Ok ok you got a point there." "Yeah sorry since it was my fault from the beginning." Megumin feel doubted. Ruko sighed. "Yeah sorry for blaming it out ..since its not cool of me to lose my temper for a second. So let's get back to the strategy!"
They went over it again and again, adjusting positions, timing, fallback routes. Ruko accounted for Kazuma's luck-based survivability, Aqua's purification magic if she still has some, Megumin's limited casting window, and Darkness's near-immortal durability, seems like a pervert.
No one role was heroic. Every role was necessary. At one point, a nearby adventurer scoffed. "You're talking like you've already beaten him." Ruko turned slowly, eyes cold. "No, I'm talking like I don't plan to lose."
The man muttered something under his breath. Ruko raised his hand and flipped him off with a middle finger without even looking. "If you have a better plan, use it. Otherwise, sit down." Silence followed.
Kazuma leaned closer and whispered, "You're making enemies." Ruko replied quietly, "Good. Enemies are honest ..like i dont give a shit." As the meeting wound down, the weight of what they were about to do settled in.
Outside, the sky had begun to darken earlier than it should have, clouds rolling in slow and heavy. Everyone could feel it now—the pressure, the warning before a storm.
Aqua broke the silence. "…So tomorrow, we fight him?" Ruko shook his head. "Tomorrow, we prepare to fight him." Megumin smirked. "And after that?" Ruko stood, pulling his coat straight. "Then we make him regret ever stepping near this town."
Kazuma exhaled sharply. "You know, when you say things like that, I almost believe you and sometimes im not." Ruko glanced back at him. "Don't believe me then. Just follow the plan."
As they left the table, Ruko felt it something familiar, that faint pulse that pressure beneath the surface of his abilities. Which is not awaken. He was ina darkness, which has nothing to offer than silence. "What the this again. Like when in the ruins so why do this place a appear now."
Ruko start seeing something from the distance which he can't see. "Hello is someone there," After walking close his instincts kick in screaming at him to back away then that person turn which.
A creature came his face with a scream. "BOMBOCLOOOT," Ruko wake up from the dark place while laying on the floor. The others start to look at him with confusion. "Ruko you good ...seems like you have a worst things that make you scare like that, and what with that word you just say?" Kazuma said to feel unmotivated what just happened.
"Uhh ..no no nothing to worry about so yeah later guys," Ruko left in a hurry. "Tomorrow would be about tools and teeth. And when the fight finally started, Beldia wouldn't be facing a panicking town. He'd be facing a prepared one."