The World's Strongest and Most Evil Noble Strives Humbly and Diligently ~ Using Knowledge of the Original Story and Unique Magic to Avoid a Destruction End ~ - Chapter 17: "Void"
Chapter 17: “Void”
※ Just a reminder in case anyone forgot.
The name “Void” in this episode is a fake name that Hollow came up with for himself.
In other words, Void = Hollow.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
The underworld, where malice and greed run rampant.
Recently, a name had been making rounds in that dark society—”Void.”
Apparently, it was an organization created by a mysterious man named “Void,” and it was expanding at an astonishing rate.
No one knew their true goal, but they operated under the cover of darkness, going around and taking down the branches of the Great Magic Order.
“—Everyone, ready?”
A young woman with medium-length blue hair and sharp, narrow eyes—Sugar, a combatant of Void—checked in with her team.
“Yes!”
Her thirty subordinates responded in unison.
Tonight’s target was the Eastern Branch of the Great Magic Order in the Klein Kingdom.
A relatively small hideout, carved out within a cave.
Their mission: to rescue a girl who had manifested the “Impure Crest.”
Void’s intelligence network had confirmed that she was being used for new magic experiments in a small room at the very back of the cave.
The time was midnight.
Under the cover of darkness, Sugar’s assault unit launched an attack on the Order’s hideout.
“What the—!?”
“Urgh—!”
“Gah…!”
They swiftly took down the guards and stormed in with overwhelming force.
“So you’re the rumored Void!?”
“You bastards think you can just waltz in here? You won’t get away with this!”
“I’ll make you regret messing with us!”
The members of the Great Magic Order quickly took a defensive stance, but…
Sugar and her team were special combatants—warriors born from the bl00d of heroes, infused with the Demon King’s essence, and trained through relentless hardship.
The Order’s low-ranking members didn’t stand a chance.
“Phew, that’s about it.”
After swiftly taking control of the hideout, Sugar’s team reached the lab at the very back of the cave, where they found their target—the girl.
“You’re safe now. You did well.”
“Hah… Hah… Who… are you?”
“Don’t worry, we’re on your side.”
“On my side…?”
“Yes, we bear the same ‘Impure Crest.’ …It must have been hard for you. But that pain ends now. Our ‘Great Lord’ will rescue you from this hell.”
Just as they secured their objective—something went wrong.
“Lady Sugar! More enemies outside the cave—Kyaa!?”
One of the combatants was suddenly sent flying.
“What!?”
Rushing out of the lab, Sugar came face-to-face with a towering beast of a man.
(Are you serious…?! That’s Gigin!?)
Gigin the Beastman.
A giant nearly five meters tall, with bulging muscles like steel, wielding a massive battle axe in his right hand.
A well-known warrior of the Klein Kingdom, and a battle-crazed man who found pleasure in combat.
“Oh-hoh, so you lot are the famous Void?”
“…That’s right.”
Sugar gave a small nod before voicing her blunt question.
“Gigin, why would someone of your caliber be out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“Some time ago, the Great Magic Order approached me. They said if I staked out this hideout, I’d eventually get to fight Void. So, I’ve been waiting.”
Gigin answered while glancing around.
“So, which one of you is Void? Fight me, fair and square!”
“Unfortunately, he’s not here.”
“Hmm… That so…? What a shame…”
Gigin visibly slumped his shoulders but then suddenly clapped his hands, as if he had an idea.
“—Alright, then let’s do this! I’ll slaughter all of you!”
“…Can I ask why?”
“If I kill your comrades, the boss will have to show up! A beastman would definitely do that! Humans should be the same!”
“Well, who knows… (…This is the worst possible situation.)”
Sugar quickly analyzed the situation.
(The only exit is at the front. The only thing blocking it is Gigin. If we charge him all at once, at least half of us—at worst, maybe thirty percent—should make it out.)
But if they tried that, they’d have to leave behind the girl they just rescued.
Getting past Gigin while carrying a human was simply impossible.
(…We have no choice, do we?)
Abandoning their comrades—abandoning those who bore the cursed “Impure Crest”—was not something Sugar and her team could do.
Because they all knew.
They knew the hell one faced after manifesting the Impure Crest.
They knew the overwhelming relief of being saved by their Great Lord.
And more than anything—leaving behind their comrades was something their proud hero’s bl00d would never allow.
“You all understand, right?”
At Sugar’s question, everyone gave a firm nod.
It seemed they were all thinking the same thing.
“Everyone, prepare for battle! Our opponent is Gigin! A monster who single-handedly destroyed a city! Don’t hold back—fight to the death!”
“GAH-HA-HA! I have nothing against you, but… become the ‘bait’ to lure out Void!”
As Sugar’s team and Gigin engaged in a brutal battle—
(Please, someone… anyone…!)
The only non-combatant in the unit, “communication officer” Toto, desperately tried to send a to one of Void’s bases, an abandoned church.
But there was no response.
Of course.
The distance between this cave and the abandoned church was enormous.
No matter how strong a magical signal Toto sent from here, by the time it reached the other side, it would have weakened almost completely.
Only someone with “godlike magical perception” could pick up such a faint transmission.
(Ugh, it’s no use…!)
She knew it was impossible.
But as someone without the power to fight, this was all Toto could do.
(Please, someone notice…! If this keeps up, Lady Sugar and the others will be killed…!)
Pouring all of her magic into one final —
A response echoed in her mind.
(What’s up? Something wrong?)
A carefree voice, completely out of place in this tense situation.
Judging by the magic signature, the call had connected to one of Void’s bases.
But… was there anyone in the intelligence network with a voice like this?
No, there was no time to think about that now.
Realizing this, Toto immediately relayed the situation.
(This is Toto, communication officer of Sugar’s squad! While on a mission in the Eastern District of Klein Kingdom, we were attacked by the beastman Gigin and have engaged in combat! Please connect me to Lady Daya…!)
(Ah—Daya’s out at the moment. I think she’ll be back soon, though.)
(Is that so…? In that case, please send reinforcements and a medical team immediately!)
(Is this, like, an emergency?)
(Yes! We need help right away!)
(Got it. Then, I’ll go…)
Before anyone could voice their doubts, the Communication Call was cut off.
(…”I’ll go”…?)
Thinking back, something felt strange.
Daya was Void’s First Seat, the No. 2 who managed the organization’s operations.
There was only one person in the world who could casually call her by name.
“That voice just now… could it be…?”
Just as Toto arrived at a certain possibility, a deafening sound of destruction rang out.
When she turned around, she saw that Sugar’s squad had been completely wiped out.
“Ga-ha-ha-ha! So weak! Is this all Void amounts to?!”
Still unscathed, Gigin laughed loudly as he casually lifted Sugar’s right leg.
“Ugh… Let… go…!”
Dangling in the air, she no longer had the strength to resist. All she could do was glare at him.
“Here you go!”
Severely wounded, Sugar was thrown into the air.
“Now, let’s make a grand fireworks display!”
Gigin swung his giant battle axe, aiming to strike her down.
(…It’s over…)
Her vision was filled with the massive hunk of iron.
If that thing hit her, she’d be nothing more than a silent lump of flesh.
As absolute and inevitable death approached, Sugar squeezed her eyes shut.
(…Master Void… I am so sorry…)
The next moment, Gigin’s… battle axe… passed… straight through Sugar’s… body…
“Wha—?!”
Gigin, having completely missed his target, stumbled forward.
“…Huh…?”
Sugar landed safely on the ground.
An axe passing through a human body—physically impossible.
However, there was only one exception.
If it was that unique magic, one that defied all laws…
(…Could that have been… Void Drift…?)
The next instant, a masked figure in a black robe emerged from the darkness.
“V-Void… Master…?”
The mask’s name was Void.
Like the Calamity Zeno, he wielded an Origin-Class unique magic—Void—a being that had stepped beyond human limits.
The founder and supreme ruler of Void, a mysterious man at its peak.
“Sugar, are you okay?”
“Y-Yes! No problems at all!”
“Wait just a moment. I’ll heal you now.”
“Y-You mustn’t! Using your sacred magic power on someone like me—”
“It’s already done.”
“…Huh?”
Before she knew it, all of Sugar’s wounds had vanished.
Fractures, bruises, scratches—gone, as if they had never existed.
(…I-Impossible…)
Using healing magic—especially when treating others—required intense concentration, vast amounts of magic, and significant time.
But Void was bound by no such rules.
Though he preached humility and diligence, he had worked tirelessly…
Now, the time it took for him to fully heal someone on the brink of death was less than 0.1 seconds.
His magical abilities had reached divine levels.
“Oh-ho! So you’re the Void I’ve heard so much about! I can smell it! That ‘insane stench’ is all over you!”
The beastman grinned viciously, raising his battle axe high as he proudly introduced himself.
“My name is Gigin Golangon! The strongest warrior of the Gogon Tribe, a man who seeks only the strong!”
As Gigin unleashed a wave of killing intent, Void remained calm, speaking to Sugar as if nothing had happened.
“What’s the situation right now?”
“Uh, um… Right after we successfully rescued the target, Gigin attacked us… and we lost.”
“I see. That must’ve been tough. It’s late, so let’s head back soon.”
As the two conversed, Gigin burst into laughter.
“Ga-ha-ha-ha! To ignore me, what a bold man! Good! Good! I like you! We’ll have a great battle to the death!”
Void slowly raised his gaze and muttered in curiosity.
“But… you’re quite the talkative ‘head,’ aren’t you?”
The next moment—
“…Huh…?”
Gigin’s vision slowly tilted to the side.
“Wha… What… is this…?!”
Had he been cut by a sword?
Had a slashing spell been used?
Or was it something else entirely?
No one present—not even Gigin himself—had been able to register Void’s attack.
“H-Hah… D-Damn… monster…!”
With those final words, the beastman collapsed to the ground.
“…No way…”
Rumors said that Void was strong.
But—
(…This is on another level…)
She never imagined this level of power.
A storm of admiration raged within Sugar’s heart.
(Ah… As expected of my great master… To serve someone this amazing—I’m the luckiest person in the world…)
Though momentarily overwhelmed, she quickly regained her usual composure and knelt down.
The remaining combatants, battered and bruised, forced themselves into a bowing position.
“Master Void… The blame for this failure lies entirely with me. Please administer strict punishment.”
“Failure? What do you mean?”
“Because of my incompetence, I allowed your precious comrades—your possessions—to be injured.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“…Huh?”
For a moment, she couldn’t understand his words.
She turned around—then froze in shock.
(…No… way…)
All the warriors who had been injured by Gigin were fully healed.
Even their torn clothing had been stitched back together.
(Did he just heal all thirty injured soldiers… simultaneously…? In less than the blink of an eye…?)
In the brief time she had spent near Void, everything she had ever known had been utterly shattered.
“From what I see, there’s no failure here. No punishment for you, Sugar.”
“…Thank you… so much…”
“Well, the scheduled report time is coming up, so I’ll head back to the abandoned church. Take care, everyone.”
With those words, Void disappeared into a black vortex.
“Master Void… How kind he is…”
Sugar’s words triggered an outpouring of admiration.
“S-So strong…! Master Void is insanely strong…!”
“That healing magic…! Even our ancestors and the Six Legendary Heroes couldn’t do something like that!”
“I love the way Master Void speaks… It just seeps into my heart…”
“Yeah, that kindness was amazing, but personally… I love his absolute kingly presence. Ahh, just remembering it makes my heart race…”
“That voice… I wish he’d whisper words of love into my ear all day long…”
For a while, the warriors of Void continued to sing praises of their great master.