Episode 138: Utter Defeat
“–Got it!”
The Black Monster’s arm was raised, leaving it unable to defend. This strike was sure to hit.
Rui’s katana glowed red, blazing fiercely.
The flame slash struck the Lord’s shoulder. The katana shone even brighter, completing its swing with undiminished force.
The Flame Heat Katana’s Magic Gem shattered into pieces.
Rui felt a definite impact. The blade had surely struck from the enemy’s shoulder to its side.
Even if it couldn’t be physically cut, the heat of the flames should have passed through.
The Magic Gem’s [Release] could draw out the Magic Gem’s power up to three times the normal Mana Index. The Magical Power of the current attack should have exceeded 5000… There was no way anyone could withstand that–
Rui, covered in sweat, glanced at the katana he had swung.
“Eh?”
The blade was gone. Like the Magic Gem, the katana’s body had shattered into pieces.
An unpleasant chill ran through his entire body. As Rui slowly raised his gaze, he saw the Black Monster standing there as if nothing had happened.
–It didn’t… work…?
It should have taken the attacks from Tennoji, Ishikawa, and Taizen as well. Yet, it was without a single scratch.
At that moment, Rui felt something stir within him.
It was a sensation he could only recognize by approaching the Black Monster. A terrifying feeling, as if his heart was being gripped, as if he was being glared at by an overwhelmingly powerful being.
Rui realized. The dark, ominous pressure emanating from the Black Lord was an extraordinary Magical Power, incomparable to his own.
The hand holding the katana began to tremble.
He had used up all his Magical Power, and the backlash from giving it his all left him unable to move for a while.
–I’m going to be killed.
If he was attacked in this defenseless state, there was no way to defend. Rui resigned himself to death. Everyone had “Released” their Magic Gems and fought with all their might.
If they still couldn’t defeat it, there was nothing more they could do.
The Black Monster began to move. Rui closed his eyes. The moment he resigned himself to death, something unexpected happened.
The Lord ignored Rui and passed by him.
As if uninterested in Rui’s existence, it headed towards the Red Duke.
“Why…?”
At that moment, Rui suddenly realized.
Ah, I see… I’m not even worth its attention.
My all-out attack… everyone’s desperate attacks…
Like a flying insect buzzing in the air.
Like a pebble rolling on the ground.
An event not worth caring about. An existence not worth acknowledging.
He was never even in its field of vision from the start.
Rui could only watch the Monster walk away, unable to do anything.
Frustrated, terrified, he could only stare at the shattered katana.
It was the first time in his life that Rui had felt such… utter defeat.
◇◇◇
“Ah~~~ That was surprising… Why did they suddenly attack me? And even Rui came at me with his Katana.”
Yuma, heading towards the Red Oni, was confused. He thought he was helping Tennoji and Rui, but they attacked him like crazy.
“Well, it’s fine since I didn’t take any damage.”
The Oni, who had been knocked down in front of him, slowly got up. The wound on its face bubbled and regenerated.
However, the regeneration speed was clearly slowing down.
“As expected, my Magical Power is running low. It looks like I can finish it off with one more push!”
As Yuma took a stance with both fists, the Oni charged at him with a scream. It raised its right fist, covered it in scorching flames, and struck.
Yuma matched it, throwing a straight right.
He barely dodged the opponent’s fist, and a clean counter exploded on the Oni’s face. The fist sank deeply into its face.
“Gubaah…”
The Oni spewed blood from its crushed face and staggered backward.
Yuma quickly closed the distance and slammed a wide uppercut into the Oni’s stomach.
“Ogaah!!”
The Oni doubled over in agony. It opened its mouth and eyes wide, twitching.
The red bloodline flowing through Yuma’s body shone even brighter. –I’ll finish it with this!
“Uoooooooooooooo!!”
Hundreds of fiery, rapid-fire punches mercilessly pierced the Oni’s body.
◇◇◇
Central Management Center – Headquarters.
“Tennoji! Are you alright!?”
Honda watched the monitor and opened a direct line to Tennoji.
“…I’m sorry. Honda-san… I failed.”
“No, it’s fine. You did well enough. We’ll manage from here.”
Tennoji and the others who had attacked the Black Lord had exhausted their power and were kneeling, unable to move. As far as she could see on the screen, it would be impossible to make them fight any further.
Honda immediately gave instructions to the operators around her.
“What about the Seekers from Farmel and Kagurazaka Pharmaceuticals?”
“Yes, they are currently engaged with Hell Garm, but some of the Seekers have defeated their Monsters and are heading to other combat zones.”
“Send those guys to the Lord’s location. Request support from the Self-Defense Forces as well. Normal rifles won’t work. Have them prepare anti-tank rifles!”
“Yes!”
The staff immediately responded to the orders.
Honda looked at the monitor with a stern expression. They had to stop this enemy here, no matter what.
Even if it meant many sacrifices, they had to…
Honda stared ahead, where the Black Devil was overwhelming the Duke with its overwhelming power.
◇◇◇
“Ora!!”
With its wrist still in his grasp, Yuma threw the Oni with all his might. The Oni slammed into the ground, groaning from the impact.
Yuma didn’t loosen his grip. He swung the hand he was still holding and slammed the Oni into the ground again.
“Agaah!!”
The Oni writhed in agony, spewing a large amount of blood. After that, he repeatedly slammed it into the ground until the concrete shattered into pieces, and finally crushed its wrist.
He kicked it up with his left foot, and the Oni’s arm was torn off and flew more than ten meters away.
Yuma nonchalantly threw away the Monster’s arm that remained in his hand and walked towards the Oni collapsed on the ground.
“Gah… Ah, ah…”
The Red Oni slowly stood up, staggering. Its right arm was gone, and it was tattered all over, with no sign of regeneration anymore.
If the opponent’s Magical Power was exhausted, the outcome was as good as decided.
Yuma concentrated his consciousness on his right hand. He still couldn’t fully master the Deca Slime’s ability to convert “Mana” into mass.
However, Yuma was beginning to grasp the sensation of absorbing the surrounding Mana, just a little.
“I’ll end it with this.”
Liquid Metal flowed into his right hand. As the shape gradually changed, it became a huge hammer with a handle.
–I tried to create it by imagining the Pickel I lost, but it’s become quite awkward… Well, this is fine too.
Yuma held the hammer he had created in his right hand in a low stance and ran towards the Oni.
The Oni showed no sign of running away. It probably didn’t have the strength to run away anymore. He raised the hammer and held it above the head of the staggering Monster.
“Nuaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
The iron hammer, swung down with all his might, caught the Oni’s head and crushed it.
A Crushing Impact that shook the atmosphere, a short Monster’s scream.
When the hammer reached the ground, only a large amount of sand was scattered there.