A/N: I do not own these characters or the story's world. This fan fiction is based off of the original work of the series creator Mamare Touno

Yuusha's footsteps resonate through the shadow filled corridor as the flames of the torches flicker that line the walls distort the size of his shadow against the immaculately constructed stone walls and floor. His heart hammers inside of his chest and his breathing intensifies while drawing closer to the two giant doors at the end of the darkened path. The noise in the hall decreases as his advances forward halt in front of the stone doors. He slaps his hands against the hardened material and applies his strength to the objects. Each door grinds against its surroundings unhurriedly revealing a large square room with two stone pillars on both sides of a set of stairs directly in front of him. Atop of the staircase a long figure sits on a throne, looking down at Yuusha from behind its demonic helmet.

"Your end is here Maou," Yuusha says drawing his sword from the sheath.

The light emitted from the shimmering of his blade seemed like a visual from the midnight light show while the end result is the tip of his sword points towards the figure he had come prepared to slay. His legs move on their own as his body charges forward towards the being and his fate. Maou hoists itself from its sitting position using its hands and places them on demon helmet that adorned its head. Fiery, red hair falls from under it into view as the helmet belonging to the evil ruler is removed. Maou shakes its head throwing around its scarlet locks before placing its head piece on the arm of the seat.

"Hello Mr. Yuusha," a female's voice fills the room causing Yuusha to stop his advance only a few steps away from his target.

The sound of metal banging against the stone steps echoes throughout the room as Yuusha lowers his weapon with these turn of events. The once fiery spirit for justice he once had seemed to have left his body as he gazes upon the large breasts, flowing, red hair, pink lips, and radiant red eyes of the Maou.

'Surely this woman is not the Maou I'm here to kill', he thinks to himself.

"I am the forty third Maou of this world," she says giving the young man warm smile. "Though I think queen would be more appropriate. You can call me Maou or Ruby Eyes if you'd like," she states while the sight of Yuusha raising his sword to her face and griping the hilt with both hands occurs in as well. "It's nice to finally get to meet you," she says curtseying to the male.

'Something isn't right,' the young man tells himself as he looks at the glowing face of the evil lord before him lost in thought. He couldn't help but fight off the nagging feeling the back of his mind. 'I won't be deceived by her beautiful appearance.'

"I will end your life here you filthy, evil being," he spits before his uncertain feeling drives him back into battle with himself.

The redheaded demon's eyes stares at the young man's loosening stance as his though he seemed to be in a constant struggle with himself. Her feet traverse down the stairs as she extends her hand while calmly speaking to the destined Yuusha.

"Who was it that deemed me to be evil." she asks now standing face to face with the young man. "I bare you no ill intent. As you can see I stand before you with no weapon or soldiers ready to defend me," she speaks as her fingertips slowly graze the side of Yuusha's face. "I just want to talk."

His mind snaps back into reality as cool touch of the woman's fingers caresses his face. His arm jerks forward and slowly comes to a halt mid extension. An audible grunt escapes the young woman's mouth as his weapon tears past her cloth wardrobe and slices into her white skin. The sharp shooting pain bounces off the pain receptor in her body as the sting of blade penetrates her abdomen even deeper. Yuusha could see her deer like eyes stares at him as her body tenses up almost instantly.

'What have I done?' Yuusha asks himself, slowly looking down at the weapon in his hand only to find part of it inserted into the Maou's body.

He quickly pulls his arm back slicing at the woman's body again. As the steel exits the Maou's body she could feel herself involuntarily jump and moves back a couple of steps as a response. Yuusha's gaze stays fixed on his sword as he grimaces over the red, blood stained steel. The searing injury, which spews her vital fluid, is swiftly covered by the victims trembling hand. Almost immediately aggressive blood flow dyes her hand a dark red, before she drops to one knee on the steps. Her pearly teeth grit each other while her nails claw at the marble ground as the burning sensation within her increases. Maou's head turns slightly to get a look at the young man she's waited so many years to meet.

"I guess... this is the e-end of my... story." she manages to inch out before collapsing upon the ground.

Maou's still trembling, pale body lies before the young Yuusha with her blood gradually inching its way down the stone step below her body as the her life slips away by the second.

'I've defeated Maou,' he thinks to himself causing his mind to rejoice, but his heart feels as though someone had just placed a substantial amount of weight on his organ. 'I defeated the Maou. This is what I came all the way out here to do!' He inwardly shouts to himself as his heart seems to gain even more weight on it. His eyes follow the flow of blood on the steps. "Why didn't she try to fight back?" he ponders throwing his sword down before kneeling down at his defeated opponent's body.

Yuusha rolls her onto her back using the step and his lap as support. The sluggish rise and fall of her chest relieves the young man's mind, but the trembling, freezing hand of the beautiful demon crushes his heart even more. After placing his warm hand on top of her pale, blood soaked appendage, his eyes close as he begins concentrate. A ball of light illuminate the fatal wound causing tears to stream from Maou's red eyes, as her muscles and skin merge back together. The light from Yuusha's hand fades as he opens his eyes and is met with a gaze from the half opened Ruby Eyes.

W-Why… did you save a…demon's life?"

"I don't know..." he answers looking glaring at the woman's pale skin and semi-conscious, crimson eyes in shame. "You're an evil monster, but my actions didn't feel just. They were completely accidental."

Yuusha clutches his hands together before assaulting the structure behind him.

"I didn't feel like a hero at all, only a common assassin."

The Maou's fingers move about like the legs of a centipede as she begins to regain speck of energy that had previously left her.

"I've… taken no l-lives or ordered… violence upon anyone, yet I'm evil. I don't understand… the logic you humans use." she says cracking a miniature, halfhearted smile on her face.

Yuusha's heart only shed more tears after hearing the injured woman's words. His fists clench even tighter as the weight on his heart threatens to pull him into an abyss of regret.

"I am terribly sorry." Yuusha says, bowing his head to the victim of his attack. His head shoots up as she he can feel the chilling touch of her hand caress the side of his face once again. Though his sworn enemy's warmth differed from his own, her touch felt as though it sought his heart to burn away his troubles. Maou's hand roams Yuusha's cheeks, face, and even head. With each area her hand explored her hand got heavier and more sluggish. Yuusha focuses on the woman's face again only to notice that her eyes are barely open now, but a smile is on her face.

"I know y-you… are." she says as her eye lids finally hide her scarlet eyes. "If you don't mind…. could you get me some… w-water when I... wake..."

"I will do that." Yuusha answers placing his arms around Demon Queen and closing his eyes again.

A radiant blue light emits from Yuusha's body, before it creates a small ripples resulting with the Demon Queen and Yuusha disappearing from within the dark halls of the Maou's lair.

TO BE CONTINUED…