Shizuku and the other students return to the royal capital. Their brush with death, and the dramatic reencounter with Hajime Nagumo, has had different effects on each student's mind. Hajime, now joined by Kaori, arrives at the Gruen Desert.

Hajime completes the grueling trial at the end of the Grand Gruen Volcano labyrinth, but at that exact moment, Freid, a demon commander, launches a surprise attack. Hajime is heavily injured, and a desperate battle begins.