When hearing the term fantasy, many people likely imagine a royal road storyline where the hero defeats the demon king and saves the world. However, “Clevatess - Majuu no Ou to Akago to Shikabane no Yuusha” is a work that brilliantly overturns that common sense. The story begins with the heroes setting out to subjugate the Demon Beast King Clevatess, but far from succeeding, their challenge becomes the trigger that drives humanity itself to extinction. The structure where beings sent out as heroes bring about the world's greatest crisis, and the Demon Beast King with overwhelming power becomes the central figure of the story, is extremely novel, making it impossible to predict what will happen next from the moment you start reading.

In Edsea, where humans live, demon beasts inhabit unknown regions, and four Demon Beast Kings reign at their apex. Humanity attempts to expand its power, but the barrier in their way was the Demon Beast King Clevatess. Failing in their subjugation attempt causes Clevatess to judge humans as a threat, invade the kingdom, and solidify his resolve to destroy humanity. However, a single infant encountered inside the collapsed castle drastically changes the flow of the story. Receiving the request of a person who risked their life to protect the infant, Clevatess ends up raising that young life to learn the value of humanity. The premise where the Demon Beast King and the infant, who should originally be enemies, connect hope for the future is extremely impressive, creating a profound worldview that cannot be described by simple conflicts of good and evil.

The charm of the work lies not only in its grand setting. World affairs where multiple races and nations are intertwined, political maneuvering where various motives intersect, and the overwhelming presence of the mighty Demon Beast King bring tension to the entire story. Because one event leads to the next conflict and characters make choices while holding onto their respective beliefs, you are drawn deeper into the world itself the more you read. It is not a simple adventure tale, possessing a depth that naturally makes you reflect on themes such as what humanity is and what the meaning of living is, giving a high sense of completion as a satisfying high fantasy.

In the second season of the anime, Hero Alicia slaying General Drel brings an end to the war between Hyden and Borate, and the story moves forward to a new phase. However, peace does not arrive; the existence of the “secret room” left behind by Drel becomes a new spark, and the motives of various nations begin to intersect again. With the Three-Nation Conference and the Solsein Seminary as the stage, new characters join to expand the world even further, continuing a storyline where political drama and fantasy seamlessly blend. Each time one battle ends, new mysteries and conspiracies reveal themselves, so the reader's interest never fades.

The major charm of “Clevatess” lies not only in its powerful battle scenes and grand worldview, but also in how the changes in characters' values and relationships are meticulously depicted. The way the fearsome existence known as the Demon Beast King gradually changes through involvement with the infant is a unique highlight of this work, carrying a depth that does not end in simple poetic justice. Unpredictable storylines unfold one after another with new surprises waiting every time you turn a page, making it a work you become absorbed in once you start reading. I felt it is a manga that people who want to enjoy a profound story slightly different from classic fantasy should definitely pick up.