The demon lord plays 5D chess...

The demon lord suddenly exploded into a poof of glitter and confetti.

"W-what?" Roland gasped. He twirled around anxiously. "W-where is he?"

The hero realized too late that he was surrounded by an odorless bluish mist. Only when his nostrils started tingling did he quickly cover his nose and mouth with his cloak. However it was too late and his vision quickly blurred.

"Oh no," Roland coughed, "It's poison gas. Be careful, everyone!"

Roland turned to look at his party members who stood nearby watching him. Oddly enough, they didn't seem to be affected by the blue mist.

Roland's vision darkened and he collapsed to the floor.

When Roland woke up, he found himself suspended in midair, tangled tightly in a mess of green vines. A strange, sweetly pleasant smell assaulted his nostrils. He looked up and discovered that he was facing a throne seemingly made up of twisted wood, roots, and vines. Beside a throne was a creature whose upper half body was a beautiful, nude, green haired woman. She seemed to have sprouted out of the middle of an enormous open flower which made up her lower body.

Seated on the gnarly throne right beside the plant-woman hybrid was a familiar stout person.

"J-Jasabera?" Roland mumbled as his vision focused on the dwarf-girl who was his party member.

"Oh, you're awake at last, Roland?" Jasabera said.

"W-what are you... Where are we?"

"Don't worry, we're still in the demon lord's domain," Jasabera said. "Unfortunately we've failed our mission. You've failed to slay the demon lord..."

"Wha? What are you doing with that demon?" asked Roland.

"Ah," Jasabera replied. "How rude of me. Allow me to introduce you. This is Alraune. She's one of my minions."

"Minions?"

"Come on. Haven't you figured it out yet?" Jasabera said with a sneer. "Are you dumber than I gave you credit for, or am I just that good?"

Before Roland's eyes, the dwarven girl on the throne seemingly started to melt into a blob of black ooze which then took on the form of a tall, strapping human male with dark blue hair and golden eyes.

"Now allow me to introduce myself again," the new being said with a smirk. "Kaiz Alexion. Demon king. At your service."

Roland's jaw dropped. "What have you done with Jasabera!?" he gasped.

"Huh? He's pretty dense, isn't he?" Kaiz said to Alraune. "There never was a Jasabera, dumbass. It was me all along!"

"B-b-buttt..." Roland said, "W-we totally kissed!"

Kaiz jolted upwards in his seat and glanced sideways at Alraune who raised an eyebrow at him. "T-that was a-all part of my ploy, idiottttt!"

"Y-you even confessed to me..." Roland said.

"Gyaaaahhh! It was all an act!" Kaiz exclaimed, "I was gaining your trust, you fool!"

"You despicable creature!" Roland said, "How dare you corrupt the sanctity of a love confession. As expected of the vile demon lord. Release me at once!"

"Oh okay, if you say so.... YEAH, RIGHT!!! You're in no position to make demands, hero! You lost!"

Roland set his jaw. "Justice never loses. You'll get your just desserts in the end. Gloat now while you can. When my comrades find me, it'll be the end of you."

Kaiz cocked his head back and howled with laughter. "You FOOOL!" he exclaimed with glee. "Why did you think I embedded myself in the hero party since the beginning? I've been slowly turning the entire party against you! You're on your own!"

Roland chuckled. "There's no way that is true. My party and I share an unbreakable bond. I trust them."

Kaiz licked his lips. "Oh I'm counting on that trust, hero. Come here, girls! Show this so-called hero where your true allegiance belongs."

To Roland's surprise, the rest of his party members duly marched up before the throne and turned to face him. "Amaya? Sirene? A-Allisa?"

The three young women glanced downwards, unable to meet Roland's eyes.

"Heh heh heh heh," Kaiz giggled wickedly on the throne. "My plan to capture you would never have succeeded without the full cooperation of these three beauties."

"You lie!" Roland shouted as he struggled against the vines that bound him. "Ladies! Quick! Cut me lose!"

The three girls remained impassive.

"G-girls?" Roland called out.

"Muahahahaha," Kaiz laughed. "Well done, girls. Would you like to receive your reward?"