How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 1

by Yukiya Murasaki

  They also reeked of alcohol.

  —Oh god. Not only is this guy a pain in the ass, now he’s drunk, too?

  Diablo was getting a bit dejected.

  “What do you want? I don’t recall being able to be stopped by small fry like you.”

  “H-Hmph! Say that while you still can. Ever since I first saw you, I never liked you! Not your attitude toward Lady Celes, and not your attitude toward Lady Rem, either! Everything you do lacks respect!”

  —Seems like discrimination wasn’t the only reason he came after me.

  Even though Rem was another race, a Pantherian, he would still call her “Lady.”

  Another small thing Diablo noticed was that he would call Celes by her last name, “Master Baudelaire,” when she was around, while he would call Rem “Lady Rem Galleu.”

  —Looks like this guy has another side to him.

  It seemed as if he had taken offense from something about Diablo, and was releasing his pent-up stress with the aid of alcohol and the advantage of being in a group.

  It was for the best if Diablo didn’t get caught up with someone the likes of him.

  “If you’re going to be noisy, go do it somewhere away from me. I will not lend an ear to the nonsense spouted from some small fry.”

  “You... Youuuuu... I won’t let you get away with this! Heh...heh!”

  The wiry man sneered an unpleasant smile.

  Staring at the man, Diablo had a bad feeling about this.

  “You won’t let me get away?”

  “Yeah, that’s right! You’ll regret what you said to me... No, what you’ve said to us!”

  —So he’s relying on numbers.

  He counted how many people they had total.

  Fifteen, just like he thought.

  It depended on how strong each of them were, but taking them all on at once might be a bit annoying.

  However, he wanted Shera and Rem to keep thinking of him like he was a Demon Lord, so there was no way he could back down here.

  “Now, won’t it be all of you who end up regretting this?”

  “Heh... After this, you’ll be begging me to spare your life! Behold!”

  Galluk took something out of his robes.

  It was a crystal, roughly the size of a baseball.

  Diablo remembered seeing the graphics for it somewhere before.

  “So, a Summon.”

  “That’s right! As someone who stands next to the leader of the Mage’s Association, I’m an accomplished Summoner as well! I possess Summons that can crush you in a snap! Now, if you don’t want to get hurt... Kneel! I’ll have you apologize for your rudeness toward me!”

  The crowd went wild around him.

  Diablo cocked his head to the side.

  “Rudeness? What are you talking about?”

  He wasn’t aware of doing anything like that...though he probably had.

  Because he was so bad at communicating with people, these kinds things would happen a lot. He wasn’t trying to be hostile, and he didn’t mean bad by it, but he would make enemies before he knew it.

  —Trying to get along with other people is just plain impossible.

  After coming to this world, he thought he would have managed to get by just talking with other people using his Diablo roleplay, but...

  When someone started attacking him without telling him their reason why, his desire to shut himself away in his room came bubbling back to the surface.

  —No, this guy may just be a special case. I won’t give up all hope just yet.

  Galluk’s face was bright red as he screamed. He looked like he was really pissed.

  “You damn Demon! I’m going to tear you limb from limb and scatter you across the ground! When I do, Lady Rem will see who is truly useful, and who should be by her side!”

  “Tear me limb from limb... You don’t say.”

  “Fuhahahaha! Come, 《Salamander》!!”

  Galluk smashed the crystal on the ground.

  Arising from the shattered pieces appeared a lizard, wreathed in flickering flames.

  —It’s huge.

  Maybe not as big as one of those cut-outs you would find at the zoo, but it was enough that Diablo had to look up to see it.

  It was covered in scales of flames, flicking its tongue in and out as it raised its head. Its cold, inhuman eyes so common in reptiles were meant to strike fear into those who saw them.

  Usually it would make you feel petrified, like a mouse that was being stared down by a snake.

  —It at least looks strong...

  In the game, this would be around the fourth Fire-type Summon you could use.

  Its stats were about the same as a Warrior at level 20.

  Using it could be said to be advantageous for you, since even if the Summon was killed you wouldn’t take any damage.

  Its special ability was 《Heat Breath》, a Fire-type AoE attack which was capable of inflicting the 《Burn》 status.

  However, Diablo was currently equipped with the cape, the Curtain of Dark Clouds, which came with a passive ability that prevented negative status effects.

  This meant that it was not an enemy that he had to fear. More than that—

  “A Summon, and in the middle of town...”

  Diablo was surprised something like that was even possible.

  Back in the game, you were unable to use any combat-related spells while in town. Summoning magic and offensive spells could only be used while outside of town, while Warriors were not even able to swing their swords.

  —If you think about it, I guess that’d be obvious.

  The only thing that separated the town from the outside world was the barrier, something that did not possess any abilities outside of repelling monsters and the Fallen.

  It was only in the game that the guards would come after you for breaking the rules. It was the middle of the night right now, and he saw no sign of them anywhere.

  It seemed that Galluk had mistaken why Diablo was surprised, as he began to brag about his Summon.

  “How do you like that! This is the level 30 Summon, Salamander! Breath hot enough to melt steel! Scales that can repel any blade! A massive body with destructive power hidden inside of it! Forget about trained fighters, this is the ultimate Summon, enough to burn a Warrior to death even if they are wearing armor!”

  Galluk laughed gloatingly.

  Diablo was speechless.

  —Is the level for this world really that low?

  The area around the Border City Faltra was about level 60 in-game.

  To think that all adventurers in this town could be easily handled with only a level 30 Salamander...

  He didn’t understand.

  If this was how things were, he would have fought some of the monsters outside of town.

  —I wonder if level 60 enemies even spawn around here.

  Galluk seemed to have mistaken Diablo’s thinking as a sign that he was terrified, and started acting high and mighty as he ordered him around.

  “Now, apologize! If you do it now, I’ll let you off with only a few burns!”

  —What the hell is this guy saying?

  The guard had picked a fight with his group while walking at night, sicced a Summon on Diablo that could ‘burn armored Warriors to death,’ and kept calling for Diablo to ‘apologize’ even though he wouldn’t say why.

  This wasn’t the kind of talk that could just be blamed on alcohol. Now Diablo was the one who was pissed.

  “Stop this nonsense, Small Fry. Do not anger me.”

  “Ngk... You asshole! You don’t think these are just threats, do you!?”

  In response to his menacing attitude, the rest of the group tried to warn him.

  “H-Hey, isn’t fighting out in the streets like this kinda bad?”

  “Let’s just end it here, ok?”

  “What happens if someone sees us?”

  However, Galluk would not be stopped.

  He gave a crooked grin.

  “A fight
? What are you saying... All we’re going to be doing is just doling out punishment! Not only did he bring insult to Lady Celes, he has unjustly made Lady Rem into his slave! This is all punishment for this coward of a Demon!”

  Reacting to Galluk’s feelings, Salamander let out a cry.

  “Hssssssss!”

  It sounded like a snake’s hiss, but raised to a deafening volume.

  At the same time, it unleashed its Heat Breath, which spewed forth from its mouth.

  —It’s attacking me!?

  Diablo’s vision turned red as he was engulfed in the flames.

  They had come from directly in front of him, hitting him dead on.

  Galluk’s voice was mixed with equal parts insanity and joy.

  “Fuhahahaha! How do you like that, Demon! Learned your lesson!? Burn! Burrrrn!!”

  His comrades from the Mage’s Association had turned pale.

  However, they were just as guilty as Galluk for having watched this and done nothing to stop it.

  —That’s what I think, anyways. Wouldn’t you?

  The flames that surrounded Diablo dissipated.

  There was not a scratch on him.

  The stones at his feet had been completely liquified.

  But despite this intense heat, not even his clothes had been burned in the attack.

  These weren’t just any ordinary clothes, so of course this would happen.

  “That was all, was it?”

  Diablo let out a sigh.

  —The level gap here is just way too big.

  There was an old gaming aphorism that went, “Just level up and punch ’em.”

  In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, level gaps were tremendous things. The difference between a level 150 and a level 30 was like the difference between a tank and a child.

  To someone like Diablo, it was just a matter of fact he did not take any damage.

  —Well, maybe it wasn’t a matter of fact.

  Since this was the first time he had actually been attacked, he was able to confirm that his magic defense was as high as it was back in the game. Thanks to that, you could say there was plenty of meaning to what just happened.

  —But that was an attack that would’ve killed a normal person.

  If Diablo didn’t hold the power of a Demon Lord, then he would have been dead for sure.

  This man had decided he hated Diablo so much that he would try to kill him... It seemed like a little “punishment” was in order.

  Galluk was shocked.

  “Wh-What is this? Why are you still alive?”

  It seemed that this man truly believed from the bottom of his heart that Salamander was the ultimate Summon, and it was strange Diablo was not dead.

  Back in the game, if you had tried saying that a level 30 Summon was the best, people would just think it was some kind of joke.

  That meant the reason he made this sad, sad mistake was because everyone else’s levels were so weak. He would say he pitied him, but he didn’t.

  “Once more!” Galluk screeched with a high-pitched yell.

  Again, the Heat Breath came rushing toward him.

  His magic defense was definitely superior, and understood that he had taken no damage.

  Usually in other games, no matter how big the level difference, you would at least be able to put in some scratch damage from attacks. In Cross Reverie, however, you would just see an effect that let you know no damage was being dealt.

  Galluk yelled at the rest of his group.

  “H-Hey! Send out your Summons!”

  The rest of them, who did not seem as angry at Diablo, were indecisive.

  “Ummm... But, won’t we get punished for summoning them in the middle of town—”

  “It’s fine! I’ll take responsibility for it, so hurry up! Hurry up and do it!”

  He was frantic.

  In response to his fervor, Galluk’s allies threw their own crystals on the ground, the sound of them shattering echoing out.

  What appeared were elemental spirits of various types.

  《Fire Spirit》, 《Water Spirit》, 《Earth Spirit》, 《Wind Spirit》—

  They were Summons shaped like the silhouettes of birds, and lacked eyes and mouths. The red ones were “Fire;” blue was “Water;” “Earth” was yellow; and green was “Wind.” They were flat, and looked as if they had been cut out from colored paper. Each one was about the size of a Steller’s sea eagle.

  If it weren’t for the fact they were magical beings that would hurt you just by touching them, they were probably big enough that people could ride on them.

  Their main way of attacking was to fly into enemies at high-speeds, but they were also able to split up the magic that composed them and launch that as an attack as well.

  In total, fourteen of these things had appeared.

  Salamander was still going strong, too.

  The smile returned to Galluk’s face.

  “Heh heh heh... I don’t know why, but it seems like you can resist Salamander’s breath attack... But I bet you’ve never been surrounded by this many Summons before! We haven’t had to trap anything like this since the time a monster from the Man-Eating Forest appeared. You could say that this only happens when there’s an incident that could be called a ‘disaster.’ You will regret having defied the Mage’s Association!”

  Now this was a shock.

  At some point, it seemed that he had gone from fighting with Galluk to making the whole Mage’s Association his opponent. The fact that this guy had basically said “I am the Mage’s Association” scared him for a whole different reason.

  Not only that, but judging from the way he spoke, it seemed Galluk thought these Summons to be quite powerful.

  He just didn’t feel satisfied knowing that. These Summons were the first ones you could get in the game.

  Since a monster from the Man-Eating Forest would be around level 60, these things wouldn’t even make a good shield, let alone be able to take on said monster.

  It was a mystery.

  —Why are the levels in this world so low compared to the game?

  Seemed like he would have to look into that later.

  Right now, he had to focus on the problem at hand.

  Galluk and the others had called their Summons purely to settle a personal grudge.

  He had thought of the Mage’s Association as a logical and neutral organization...but that was just naive thinking on his part.

  It was hard to think of it like that when there were people in it like these guys, who just did whatever they wanted.

  “Are you all being serious?”

  They remained silent, but showed no sign of backing down.

  Galluk laughed.

  “Heh... Heh... Heh heh heh! Lost your nerve? But you’re the one who made this happen, you know! If you had just known your place from the beginning, you wouldn’t have to die here!”

  Unfortunately, he seemed to be serious.

  If his opponents were coming after him with the intent to kill, even if it was to protect himself, he would not hold back.

  If they were going for the kill, humans were just as dangerous as any monster. He could not afford to let his guard down by holding back.

  “Do not expect any mercy from me.”

  “Die, Demon! Summons, get him!”

  The Summons moved on Galluk’s signal.

  He was assaulted by Salamander’s Heat Breath and long-range attacks from the elemental Spirits.

  It was a torrent of light made up of four different colors.

  However, Diablo felt no need to avoid it.

  No matter the attack, it was certain to be weaker than his magic defense. Not only that, but if you attacked with different types of elemental magic, some of them would conflict with each other. So, for example, a water and a fire elemental spell would cancel each other out.

  —Have these guys never practiced using multiple attacks at the same time?

  He could just scatter them all using his own magic. Or...<
br />
  —Now’s a good chance to try out a few things.

  First off, he wanted to know his own physical strength.

  A Demon Sorcerer like Diablo was supposed to have low attack power. There were monsters that resisted magic, however, so there may come a time where he would have to get up close and attack directly.

  —I wonder how much I can do right now?

  Diablo approached Salamander.

  The Summons kept up their attacks, but it was only enough to make him see spots of light in his eyes.

  He stopped in front of Salamander.

  It was big enough that he was looking up to see it.

  He couldn’t help but say a quick prayer.

  —Please don’t let this be over with just one hit.

  If he was going out of his way to test his strength, then he was hoping this thing would be sturdy enough to handle it.

  Diablo took up his “Tenma’s Staff” and swung it sideways, striking Salamander in the neck.

  It was as if he had waved some mist away.

  Then, like it had been cut with a sharp sword, the giant Summon’s head fell clean off of its body.

  As red lights danced around it, Salamander disappeared, leaving a black crystal on the ground.

  A defeated Summon would turn into a black crystal, meaning that it couldn’t be used for a certain period of time.

  Diablo sighed.

  “It was way too weak.”

  He was hoping it would have been able to take at least one hit from a Demon who specialized as a Sorcerer. It seems he had been wrong to expect anything from a level 30 lizard.

  Galluk’s eyes practically popped out of their sockets.

  “Wha......? Ah, n, no! Don’t falter now! H-He only got one of them, that’s all! Wh-What are you all doing!? This is our chance! We...we can beat him! Kill him!”

  “If you were going to run away, then I had no intention of following you... But there’s no way around it any longer. Let’s check the elemental affinities for offensive magic.”

  This was a system in the game where, depending on what type of magic you attack with, if your target was of the same elemental affinity or resisted that element, then the power of that spell would be reduced.

  Fire was strong against wind, wind was strong against earth, earth was strong against water, and water was strong against fire.