A Misunderstood Mentor

Never use your trump card. If you do, then have another trick up your sleeve.

I can no longer remember who spoke those words.
But because of them, I was able to get away this time.

Secret technique: Sob story.

“Now, deliver the final blow. It is my complete defeat”

Followed by crying loudly.

Please help me.
I’m now nothing more than a weak goblin.
My mana is empty.
I’ll never come to this mountain again.
I’m sorry, help me.1

Apologising with all the words that I know.

I was able to successfully get away.


The Goblin’s Forest. That was what this forest full of mana, where many spirits dwelled, was called.
In the centre of the forest was a large tree thousands of years old.
While sleeping below the trunk, my mana slowly recovered.

Top of the adventurer rankings. The strongest man in the universe, Takumi.
I could not see the depths of him.
I’ve met many humans who were called some kind of hero before, but he was unlike any of them.2

It’s likely that man doesn’t even see me as an enemy.
Nothing more than something like an insect that got too close.

I grind my teeth.

For now that’s fine.
Take it slowly.
Picking fights once again, running away once again.
I gained a lot from my fight with him.
Running for hundreds, no, thousands of years. Eventually I will catch up to him.

I swore beneath the large tree.
At that moment.
A gust of wind shook the Goblin’s Forest.
The faint smell of a human was mixed into that wind.

I got up in a panic.

“Found you”

A woman was standing right before my eyes.
Golden hair that was long enough to touch the ground.
Clear blue eyes that sparkled like gems.
Wearing silver armour and carrying a greatsword with ease.

Never before have I let someone get this close to me without noticing.
I swallow my spit and ask a question to the girl who was standing before me like a ghost.

“…..Lovely young lady, could you give me your name?”
“Alice”

The moment she named herself, the energy that she was suppressing inside exploded out.
A beasts energy like the monsters of myth spread throughout the forest causing all the birds and animals to flee simultaneously.

Like a frog being watched by a snake, I was unable to move.
I knew this gaze.
It’s the gaze I was constantly feeling when fighting Takumi.
I see, you also weren’t fooled by the dummy.

“Nice to meet you, Alice”

Timing is everything.
If my timing is off by even a split second, I will likely disappear from this world.

“My name is Goblin King Jus…..”
“Come”

Alice drew close before I even finished giving my name.
Her fist drew a straight line towards my face.

“Matryoshka(Shedding Style Marionette)!”3

My mana that had only restored slightly was unleashed all at once.

Alice’s punch pulverised the dummies face.
At the same time I exit the dummy and run as fast as I can.

This is doomed. Different from with Takumi. Sob story will definitely not work.
Everything will be over if I’m caught.

To think I would meet two people of unfathomable strength in one day.
One was a calm and composed person who paid no mind to small insects.
But the other would crush an insect with their full strength, a insane woman with the smell of tyrant.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh”

While screaming, I ran with all my strength.
I would say this is the fastest I’ve ever run.
In the blink of an eye, I had left The Goblin’s Forest and entered a desert.

Am I safe now? I think as I look behind me.

“Found you”

Running closely behind me without even breaking a sweat.
As if she could catch up to me if she wanted.
Her expression showed that she had that much leeway as she matched my speed.

“I- I’m sorry. Please spare me. I’ll do anything”
“…..Can’t do, you caused trouble for Takumi”

As expected, I was readily rejected.
Sure enough, the only way to survive is to run away.

Then I’ll run.
Don’t look down on Goblin King Jusrack.
If it’s running then I…..

Won’t lose to anyone.


I ran for three days and three nights straight.
With unsteady feet I finally arrive.
The forbidden land.
The Labyrinth of the Demon King.

I descend down the spiral staircase of stone.
The bottom of the stairs was covered in such a deep darkness that the ground couldn’t be seen.
With my body smaller than a speck, I desperately follow the stairs.
I can no longer make any dummies.
If I’m found here, I will be trampled and die.

Never use your trump card. If you do, then have another trick up your sleeve.

My true final trump card.
Since I’m using this, I am truly out of tricks.


I stand before the door at the deepest part of the labyrinth.
An iron double door with lavish ornaments.
I use the last of my mana, that seems like it could disappear at any moment, to open the door.
The door slowly opened alongside the sound of rusted metal.

The Demon Lord Progenitor.
It is said that the demon lord who single-handedly challenged all the gods and was wounded trapped themselves within this labyrinth in order to gather their strength.
It’s been thousands of years since then and all who came here, whether human, demon, or god, not a single person has returned.

But I will use that Demon Lord.
I’ll throw the Demon Lord at Alice who is chasing after me.

“Found you”

At the same time I open the door, Alice appears behind me.

I run into the room and Alice follows me.
The small insect like me or Alice who’s giving off a intense aura.

I know which one the Demon Lord will be vigilant of and attack.

“Now fight, and if both of you could drop dead that would be great”

As I scream that, I notice.
In the stone room, apart from the shredded chains scattered on the ground, there is nothing here.

The Demon Lord Progenitor. I can’t see it anywhere.

“Impossible, this place was surely. Why, why isn’t it here”

There should be no way my detection was mistaken.
The room is overflowing with impurities of unimaginable strength.
The Demon Lord, the Demon Lord should be here!

“It’s been a while since I’ve come here…..”

Alice was standing at the entrance.
The door closed automatically with a slam.
What does she mean…..
It can’t be!

“Not going to run anymore?”

Alice spoke while looking down on me.

“Now, deliver the final blow. It is my complete defeat”

Followed by crying loudly.

While prostrating myself before her and wailing, Alice crushed me underfoot.

Translators Notes:
1: This was written in english.
2: There are two words for hero used here, yuusha and eiyuu. Yuusha is more commonly used when ‘the hero’ itself is a title like in a fantasy story or game whereas eiyuu is typically used for heroic people in myths and history.
3: Literally ‘Shedding Style Piano Four Hands Doll’ which doesn’t exactly translate to marionette but it sounds better. Piano four hands is a form of duet where both players use the same piano.