The Strongest Eriri in History

[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 7): Alright, let's get back on topic. Yue-chan, go ahead and start drawing the three participants for this task.]

[Arifureta (Level 5, Stage 5 / Group Leader): Got it.]

The other group members fell silent, waiting eagerly for the task participants to be announced.

Moments later, the results appeared in the group chat window.

[Ding! Task participants have been selected!]

[Participants for this mission: Arifureta (Level 5, Stage 5 / Group Leader), Jibril (Level 5, Stage 1), Yuuki Asuna (Level 5, Stage 2), and Arche (Level 5, Stage 4).]

[Jibril (Level 5, Stage 1): Oh my, I got selected. Master, I'll head over immediately.]

[Chika Fujiwara (Level 5, Stage 2): Congrats, congrats!]

[Ruri Gokou (Level 5, Stage 1): Congrats, congrats!]

[Milim (Level 6, Stage 9 ~ Level 7, Stage 1): What?! I didn't get picked?!]

[Yuuki Asuna (Level 5, Stage 2): Looks like I'm getting a free trip to the world of Arifureta.]

[Arche (Level 5, Stage 4): +1.]

[Elaina (Level 5, Stage 3): By the way, we still don't know what type of system this transmigrator has. Eriri, care to spill the beans?]

[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 7): Nothing to hide—it's an High-Level Intermediate System. Quite a valuable one.]

[Ruri Gokou (Level 5, Stage 1): !!!]

[Kaguya Shinomiya (Level 4, Stage 5): Incredible. Shocked.jpg.]

[Chika Fujiwara (Level 5, Stage 2): We're gonna strike it rich! Excited.jpg.]

[Fumino Furuhashi (Level 2, Stage 1): If a Mid-Level System is worth 10 million points, how much would an High-Level Intermediate one go for? Curious.jpg.]

[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 7): You'll see when the time comes.]

None of the group members cared much about being selected for the mission. Aside from Milim, who was in it for fun, everyone's focus was on the system.

Taking down a Level 2, Stage 9 transmigrator was a trivial task for these Level 5 and above powerhouses.

However, capturing the system would require Eriri's assistance. Without her, the High-Level Intermediate System might just escape.

Not long after, the selected participants—Jibril, Asuna, and Arche—appeared before Eriri and her group.

"Master!" Jibril, still locked in her petite form due to Eriri's whim, immediately ran to hug Eriri's leg.

Asuna and Arche, on the other hand, were captivated by the massive statue of Eriri that loomed behind her, their reactions mirroring Megumi Kato's from earlier.

"Ah, Asuna, Arche, long time no see! What brings you here?" Megumi greeted the pair with curiosity in her eyes.

"Long time no see." Asuna and Arche quickly returned the greeting, then exchanged pleasantries with Shea.

Unlike Eriri, who often interacted with the group, Megumi only saw the other members when they visited the Saekano world. The last time they met was during the launch of Sword Art Online, more than two weeks ago.

"There's a transmigrator in this world," Asuna explained with a smile. "We're here for a chat group mission."

"Ah, I see." Shea nodded in understanding. Having heard about previous chat group missions from Eriri, she wasn't unfamiliar with the concept. To her, these missions seemed like minor inconveniences for someone of Eriri's caliber.

Excitement gleamed in Shea's and Megumi's eyes. The chance to personally experience a group mission wasn't something they wanted to pass up.

"Eriri, let's do the mission first! I can visit my tribe after we're done." Shea eagerly grabbed Eriri's and Arifureta's arms.

"Well then, let's go. We'll arrive just in time for the show."

After pinpointing the transmigrator's location, Eriri led the group away from Fejaberugen, leaving behind a city full of kneeling beastfolk.

Their new location was none other than the royal palace of the Heiligh Kingdom.

At the same time, Eriri activated the group's live broadcast feature, allowing the other members to watch the drama unfolding within the palace hall.

Inside the opulent palace, all the summoned heroes—except for Hajime Nagumo and Kaori Shirasaki—were gathered.

In addition to the heroes, the hall was filled with Princess Liliana, members of the knight order, heavily armed soldiers, and court magicians. Standing at the center was a haughty golden-haired youth.

The scene was chaotic.

Led by Shizuku Yaegashi, the hero party stood in confrontation against the arrogant youth. Around them, armed soldiers encircled the group, weapons at the ready.

At the forefront, Shizuku's expression was grim. Across from her, the golden-haired youth looked at her with undisguised greed and satisfaction.

Behind him stood a group of powerful court magicians, their eyes locked on the hero party, ready to unleash spells at a moment's notice.

Among the heroes, Aiko Hatayama stood anxiously behind two female students who were shielding her. Princess Liliana stood beside Shizuku, glaring hatefully at the golden-haired youth.

This youth was none other than the group's mission target: a member of the Heiligh royal family and Liliana's cousin.

"Not long ago, he had emerged from the depths of the Orcus Labyrinth, brimming with newly acquired power."

Despite Eriri's earlier defeat of Ehit and exposure of the demons' schemes, the longstanding conflict between humans and demons hadn't entirely ceased.

The demons were weakened by the loss of their demon lord and elite forces, while the humans had lost the Empire, creating a fragile balance between the two sides.

Though large-scale wars were unlikely in the short term, the hero party remained committed to honing their skills. Having learned from Shizuku that there was a way to return to their original world, they had thrown themselves into rigorous training, aiming to conquer the great labyrinths.

Over the past two months, everything had been progressing smoothly. The hero party's strength had been steadily growing, and their confidence was building.

However, today, the Heiligh Kingdom experienced a seismic upheaval.

Just a few hours earlier, the hero party had been resting at an inn in the city of Horald near the Orcus Labyrinth after completing a segment of their dungeon exploration. Coincidentally, Liliana, who shared a close personal bond with Shizuku Yaegashi, had come to visit her in the same city.

Shortly after, they received a royal summons from the palace. As representatives of the Heiligh Kingdom, the hero party naturally could not refuse such a request.

Yet, Liliana found herself puzzled by this sudden development. Before she had left the palace, there had been no indication that her father, the king, wished to meet with the hero party.

Now, mere hours after her arrival in Horald, a summons had arrived. Unease began to creep into her heart as she followed the party back to the royal palace.

When they entered the grand hall, the familiar sight of the king and queen was conspicuously absent. Instead, a golden-haired youth, his demeanor brimming with arrogance, sat insolently upon the throne.

Liliana was immediately filled with outrage. Sitting on the throne without permission was an unforgivable insult to the king, punishable by death.

She wasted no time confronting the young man, who happened to be her older cousin, a member of the royal family known for his low profile.

But his response plunged her into despair. Her earlier unease transformed into a harrowing reality: her father, mother, and younger brother had all been killed by this same man whom she had once called "brother."

The rest of the group quickly realized that the kingdom had been usurped. The golden-haired youth now held total control over the palace's forces.

Among the hero party, the petite student Suzu Taniguchi clung to her friend Eri Nakamura's arm, her face pale with fear.

"Eri… what are we going to do?" Suzu's voice trembled as she clutched Eri's sleeve.

"Don't worry, Suzu . Everything will be fine." Eri gently patted Suzu's head in reassurance, though a strange glint flickered in her eyes.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but it vanished so quickly that no one—except Eriri, who was hidden nearby—noticed.

"Aiko-sensei, let me go! I can't just stand here and watch!"

Teacher Aiko Hatayama, with her childlike appearance, anxiously pleaded with two of her female students who were shielding her.

"Aiko-sensei, it's too dangerous. You can't go!"

The two girls—Yuka Sonobe and Taeko Sugawara—adamantly refused to let her put herself at risk.

Meanwhile, the golden-haired youth, standing just five meters away from Shizuku Yaegashi, wore a smug grin. His tone dripped with arrogance as he addressed her.

"Well? Have you made up your mind, Shizuku Yaegashi? If you agree to be mine, I promise I won't harm your classmates. Otherwise, I won't hold back."

Shizuku gritted her teeth, her face full of fury. She had already unsheathed her katana, but she refrained from attacking.

Earlier, the two strongest members of their party—Kouki Amanogawa and Ryutaro Sakagami—had launched an attack together. Yet, they had been effortlessly overpowered and now lay unconscious on the ground.

The overwhelming disparity in strength left her feeling utterly hopeless.

Beside her, Liliana finally snapped out of her grief and glared at the golden-haired youth with teary eyes.

"Why? Why would you do this? My father, my mother, and my little brother… they were your family! How could you kill them? Do you have no humanity left?"

Although mature for her age, Liliana was still a mere fourteen-year-old girl—a child who would have just entered middle school in the modern world.

The loss of her family dealt her a devastating blow, and she yearned to tear her once amicable cousin to pieces.

"Ah, my dear sister," the golden-haired youth sneered. "You just don't understand. They were obstacles in my path. I am destined to rule everything, and this kingdom is merely the first step toward my ultimate goal."

He raised his hands dramatically, his voice swelling with self-importance.

"You killed them for that? Then why didn't you kill me too?"

"You're too adorable for me to harm, dear sister. Be a good girl and join Shizuku in becoming mine. Hahaha!"

"You're insane!"

Liliana stared at him in disbelief. She could still vividly recall their conversations from a month ago when he had been nothing but kind and gentle. It was as if those memories had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

Shizuku, on the other hand, turned her gaze toward the knights encircling them.

"Captain Meld, why are you doing this? Aren't you the commander of the knights sworn to protect this kingdom?"

Before entering the palace, Captain Meld had been his usual self. But now, he and the knights had turned their blades against the hero party, becoming the tools of their enemy.

However, Meld stood silently, his face devoid of emotion, as if he were nothing more than a puppet.

Ignoring Liliana's despair, the golden-haired youth once again directed his attention toward Shizuku. Her tall, elegant figure and delicate features filled him with unrestrained lust.

"Give it up. The palace is completely under my control. If you refuse, none of your classmates will survive. Be grateful I've been so patient with you—I could have just taken you by force."

"You…" Shizuku's heart sank into despair. She knew his words rang true. With the difference in their strength, she had no chance of escaping.

Just then, a timid voice emerged from the group of students behind her. What the boy said left Shizuku frozen in place.

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