01x09 - I Want to Quit Heroing

[bunniefuu]

"Black Knight Onyx.

As of today,

I hereby bring your
probationary period to an end

and appoint you
as the fifth Demon Army General.

Demon Queen Echidna."

He may be a newcomer,

but he is a truly reliable man.

And if there truly can be a bridge
between demons and humans,

surely he is the one.

At this rate, getting the Wisdom Stone is
no longer an impossible dream.

It's a little strange for the
"Four Generals" to have a fifth member.

I'll discuss that with the others.

He is the right person for this.

Bad news!
The Great Spirit Crack is closing!

What?

What is the reason?

We have no idea.

The rare stones that act as catalysts
have suddenly begun depleting.

I'll help out.

I can't believe this.

Just when the future
seemed within our grasp.

We have an emergency.

Though Steina and I managed

to stabilize things in the meantime
with Onyx's help...

It won't last more than seven days.

Lily, save the cookies for later.

Eating an apple is no different.

Echidna, what happens if the crack closes?

We'll be unable
to return to the demon world.

-What?
-Once it closes,

we don't know when another crack
big enough for an entire army will open.

It might take a hundred years...
No, a few thousand years.

In the meantime, the situation
in the demon world will get worse.

We have to decide on a course
of action over these seven days.

Steina, what do you think?

There are only two options.

The first is to return to the demon
world before the crack closes.

You mean retreat?

Most of our current soldiers

are individuals from the human world.

We can't take them with us
to the demon world.

The army will have to disband for now.

Does that mean we also
go our separate ways?

I don't want that!

Not when we've finally become friends!

The first option is to retreat.
What about the other option?

The second option is to invade
Renaie with our full force

and take the Wisdom Stone.

-Impossible, right?
-It's out of the question.

It's not worth considering.

Our forces have grown much weaker.

It would definitely
be a devastating battle.

Besides, the humans
have him on their side.

Leo Demonheart.

If not for him...

Onyx, have you fought the hero Leo before?

No, but I've heard rumors.

I faced Leo in a one-on-one battle.

I lost, despite giving it my all.

Therefore, I know.

He is truly a monster.

This time, he would destroy
our entire army for sure.

We have more to worry about
than the Wisdom Stone.

I don't mind if I die.

I made up my mind
before leaving the demon world.

But I can't drag others into this.

I've decided.

I will disband the army
and return to the demon world.

I am the Demon World's Queen
and Steina is my right-hand.

We have to go back.

Though, if we go back empty handed,
it's only a matter of time

before others will try to seek the throne.

Everyone has gone silent.

I understand how they feel.

You know, Echidna.

Leo is actually right here...

Why don't you just tell her?

No, we...

Enough. I know how you feel.

You don't have to say anything, Steina.

We are 300 years apart in age,

but we've known
each other for a long time.

She knows better than anyone
How much I wanted to obtain

the Wisdom Stone

and my expectations for this journey.

Lily, now is not the time.

It's natural for her to be upset.

No, it's nothing.

Everyone, thank you
for following me this far.

As the ruler of the Demon World...

No, as Echidna, I thank you
from the bottom of my heart.

This won't do. I can't let my subjects

see me this vulnerable.

I have to hold my head high until the end.

We will have to think of another way

to save the demon world.

You mean the plan about
making your home a better place.

The one you told me about
when we shared drinks?

That's right. Order will never emerge
from a barren world.

We need the Wisdom Stone

to give birth to a warm sun,

green grass, and clean air and water,
just like the human world.

Since I was a child, I have learned
and trained for that purpose.

After becoming ruler
of the Demon World, I came here.

Full of hope, I strove to get my hands
on the Wisdom Stone.

However...

All my efforts have been in vain.

Allow me to clarify one thing.

The Wisdom Stone is not
an item that fulfills every wish.

It is super-machinery
from the ancient industrial age

that uses micro blackholes to provide
a semi-permanent supply of magic.

I don't know if it can achieve
what you seek.

I see.

If we were to search,

there is likely a detailed manual
buried somewhere in the human world.

Humans have been trying to find it too,

but to no avail,
as it is from a different era.

It sounds like we'd be better off
focusing on reconciliation with humans.

If we could work with them
and search for the manual together...

No, that won't work.

We would still have to take
the Wisdom Stone from humankind.

Conflict is inevitable.

In any case, it's too late now.

Don't worry.

To my knowledge, there are two
Wisdom Stones in the human world.

Two of them?

Yes.

You only need to bring one of them home.

-One for humans and one for demons.
-There are two of them?

-Don't you think it's a perfect way
-Is that true?

to reconcile the future?

And for god's sake, would you
turn and look at me, already!

Where's Onyx?

Echidna, look beside you!

This is an emergency,
so I won't hide my true identity anymore.

Listen, Echidna.

I apologize for lying to you.

I had no choice.

I joined the demon army
for only one reason.

I wanted to know if you are the right
person to have the Wisdom Stone.

If I determined otherwise,
I intended to leave at once.

But after our drinks
together, I was convinced.

Drinks?

The only person I've shared my thoughts
with over drinks lately is Onyx.

Where is he? Where's Onyx?

You will bring order to the demon world.

If you create a peaceful homeland

and demons thus stop
intruding on the human world,

then you are worthy of receiving
the Wisdom Stone.

Wait, you mean
Leo is Onyx and Onyx is Leo?

So that's it! That's the truth, huh?

You pulled a fast one on me.

Echidna, I'm sorry to say this
in a moment of distress,

but there is no time.

Don't aim for the stone in Renaie.

I would like to guide you
to the location of the other stone.

Die!

Looking back, I now realize

our relationship was still
that of a hero and a demon queen.

It's freezing.

You are being absolutely, 100 percent
truthful about the other stone?

It is absolutely, 100 percent true.

You aren't luring us
into a trap or anything?

You are such a cynic!

Don't you know how hard I've worked
to increase the army's efficiency?

I know very well what you did!

You blasted turd!

I explained everything
to you nicely, didn't I? You nitwit!

Look Echidna. You're far too stubborn.

Isn't this just like the job interview?

Shut up and die.

What was I supposed to do?
I had no choice.

Hiding my identity
and joining the demon army in secret

was the only way to meet you
and prove my worth.

You would never acknowledge me otherwise!

Never in a million years
would I let you join!

If you get the message, go eat
some poisonous mushrooms,

suffer in pain for three days, and die!

Why didn't I catch on sooner?

I had many chances
to expose your identity.

Damn it. I was too careless!

This is my biggest ever disgrace
as demon queen!

S-Sorry about that.

Worse, the fact that I hit you with
inferno and you're still here unharmed

with that stupid grin on your face
pisses me off even more!

Echidna!

Leo has done much for the demon army.

Please allow Lord Leo to join our side.

I owe him a great deal.

Um, um...

Thanks to Leo's advice,

my logistics tasks became a lot easier!

-Also...
-Because of his help,

my overtime has decreased
a significant amount.

Echidna, I think
the cafeteria pays too little.

My daughter, Julietta, is truly grateful
towards Lord Leo as well.

He's amazing!

When everyone works together,
we finish our work really early!

Please forgive him this once!

He does get on my nerves sometimes
but it should be fine.

All right!

I get it! Just shut up, already!

Fine. I will let you off
for disguising yourself as Onyx.

Thank you.

The important thing is the Wisdom Stone.

You said there's another stone.
Is that true?

Yes.

The other one is in the Seshat mountains.

The Seshat mountains?

Isn't that just nearby?

Yes, a powerful guardian watches over it,
but that shouldn't be a problem.

What sort of guardian could it be
for someone of his strength

to call it powerful?

Is this too good to be true?

If we all work together,
everything will be fine.

We'll go with you, of course.

Very well.

I wouldn't want to be alone
with him, anyway.

All right. We will depart
for the Seshat mountains!

-Yes, Your Majesty!
-Yes, Your Majesty!

It's so cold! I'm freezing!

-Lily is from the south, after all.
-I can't stop shivering!

Aren't you from the south as well?

I'm fine.

My scales keep me warm.

So where exactly is the Wisdom Stone?

Just a little farther.

It's on top of that mountain.

-It's so cold...
-Heat, warm.

Oh, that's so warm!

Thank you, Steina.

You're welcome. It's about time
you studied magic too, Lily.

You, wretch.

You teleported us only halfway

and now we have to walk?

This is a waste of stamina.

I wanted time to talk with you.

Talk with me?

What's there to talk about?

Handing over my duties and tasks.

You're about to take over a very important
project: the Wisdom Stone.

Shouldn't you take the time
to listen to your predecessor's advice?

Oh?

And what important advice
will the great predecessor give?

I told you.

The stone is not a magic tool
that grants every wish.

Do you understand that?

Of course.

Planting it in the demon world soil

and expecting a flowerbed the next day.

Or turning water into wine.

You're saying that it's
not going to be that easy.

That's right.

If we manage to get the Wisdom Stone,

you should reconcile with humans
and search for the manual together.

The "Akashic Engine Function Manual"
should be hidden somewhere in this world.

You can't use the stone
without the manual.

"Reconcile with humans."

Can you do it?

To be honest,

until just recently,
I had thought it was impossible.

Don't you agree?

"I'm here to steal your treasure,
but put that aside and let's be friends."

There's no way they will accept that.

But since I met Onyx...

Um, since talking with you,
I've changed my mind.

It may be a mere fairy tale.

But, even so...

It's a true story.

It's a true story, so don't worry.

Humans and demons
can achieve understanding.

But truly achieving a reconciliation
between the human and demon worlds

will be one tough task.

Listen, Hero! Don't look down on me.

I am the powerful ruler
of the Demon World,

the Demon Queen Echidna.

It may be tough,
but if that's what it takes,

I'll easily reconcile with them
one, two or even three times over!

Is that so? Glad to hear it. I'm relieved.

What was that?

He looks terribly lonely.

Go out there and defeat whatever
opponents stand in your way.

Though you already lost to me once.

Don't push your luck!

That's cold!

Echidna, why you...!

Be grateful that I went easy on you.

It must have been my imagination.

Right back at you!

Oh yeah?

Hey! That was a cheap shot!

I was worried for a moment there,

but it looks like they're getting along.

We will be the Elite Five!

If we work together,
we can even be the Elite Hundred!

I can only hope things go that well.

Say, Leo.

Yes?

I've been thinking.

How do you know so much
about the industrial age?

That's the civilization
that was flourishing

when Belial invaded the human
world 3,000 years ago, right?

Were you a scholar before becoming a hero?

No.

I just happened to be born
during the industrial age.

I see.

You were born in the industrial
age... wait, what?

What did you say?

If he was born in the industrial age,

that means he's over 3,000 years old.

Can you extend your life that long

with anti-ageing spells?

No.

Is he even human?

I'm a biological weapon,
created at the time of Belial's invasion.

The Demonheart series.

Unit No. 5, that's me.

The concept for my development
was super growth.

Super growth?

I can imitate all the abilities
of every opponent I face

and grow without limit.

3,000 years of experience
are compressed inside me.

The DH series has no lifespan

and will stay alive for a near eternity.

Which means I'll continue to grow.

You don't look surprised.

So that's it.

It's as if you have the power
of tens or even hundreds

of thousands of soldiers within you.

Right. I guess you could put it that way.

If I had known the Hero Leo
was someone like you,

I would have used a different method
to retrieve the Wisdom Stone.

But we still crossed paths in the end.

When you look at it that way,
it's not so bad, right?

True... fate is unpredictable.

Who knew the hero that I've
sought revenge against

would join the demon army

and lead me to another Wisdom Stone.

Besides me, all other units
in the DH series were destroyed.

I'm the only one that survived.

It's as if all your siblings have died.

I sympathize.

Gee, thanks.

Our core

is programmed to obey the absolute
command of protecting humanity.

Protecting humanity
is at the heart of my identity.

I've been fighting for peace
for the past 3,000 years

and whenever peace was achieved,

I sometimes found myself hoping
that another crisis would occur.

You fool. Talk about putting
the cart before the horse.

Can't you feel joy at the peace you won?

Indeed. You're right.

Because of the growth function,

my role as a weapon and my humanity

have become intertwined.

It's made me a strange person.

From a human perspective,

everything I've done
might be seen as mere meddling.

Mankind is now capable
of getting by without heroes and yet,

I continue forcing them
to acknowledge me as a hero

for my own satisfaction.

That can't be true.

Without you, I'm certain that humans
would be ruled by demons now.

That might be true this time.

But next time, who knows.

Humans might defeat the demon ruler
by themselves one day.

I may lose all semblance of belonging.

In all likelihood I'd be done for.

When that happens, I may just
plunge the world into chaos

so that I can preserve my reason to live.

I'll invite danger to the world

so that I can save it myself.

A machine that thinks nothing of humans

and only strives
to forever be their savior.

That's worse than any demon ruler.

Before I turn into something like that,

shouldn't something be done, Echidna?

Leo, what are you trying to...

We made it!

Perhaps this beautiful view
is an omen of our bright future.

You're right.

Where is the guardian?

Now that you mention it,
I don't see anyone.

There is no guardian.

I hold the Wisdom Stone myself.

The heart of the Demonheart series

the infinite energy machine inside me
that is the Akashic engine

it is none other
than the Wisdom Stone itself.

Wait. You're saying...

k*ll me.

If you want the Wisdom Stone,

then k*ll me and gouge out my heart.

I'm the former hero, Leo Demonheart!

I'm excellent at swordsmanship,
black magic, holy magic

and many other skills.

My experience includes defeating
Demon Queen Echidna one-on-one!

I can immediately be of use to your army!

Though I am still
in my probationary period,

I regret to inform you that as of today,

I am quitting the demon army to pursue
my true goal of destroying humanity!

Let me warn you.

There's no way for you to escape.

If you flee,

I will go to the human world
and wipe out mankind at once.

I will also burn all literature
on the Wisdom Stone.

What are you saying?

You said you want to save
the demon world, Echidna.

That you will easily reconcile with humans
one, two or even three times over!

That you will overcome all hurdles
to get the Wisdom Stone.

The hurdle you must overcome

stands before you now!

If you want the Wisdom Stone,

if you want to protect the world,

try and stop me,

heroes!