◆ Above the Kingdom of Avangarde ◆
“What a tremendous storm!”
The winds were fierce even on the ground, but up here, it was a whole different level. In this case, the rain was the only nuisance. It soaked me, and I would have to dry my clothes later. Lightning striking me wouldn’t hurt or itch; if it were to be a threat, I would prefer something on the level of Lord Daigami’s Divine Thunder to really shake us up. Compared to the rampage of the Dragon God, this storm felt like a gentle breeze. The Dragon God was a force of nature that could be called a natural calamity just by existing. Well, it actually possessed enough power to destroy the world.
“Kurinka, shouldn’t we move a bit further? This doesn’t feel like the storm’s origin.”
According to Shin, the enemy was the Element Master, Renedo. He was a mysterious figure who manipulated invisible beings known as spirits and could even control the weather. It seemed he had the power to devastate an entire continent, and this raging storm was proof of that. Among the Twelve Demon Generals, his range of attack was unmatched, and just his presence had thrown the Avangarde Royal Capital into chaos. To locate him, we had to rely on the intensity of the storm; the closer we got, the more turbulent the weather became, while it calmed down the further we moved away. But with this level of chaos, he had to be nearby.
“Are you really going to challenge Renedo? He’s not like the other Demon Generals; you won’t be able to defeat him, Lua!”
“Is he really that strong?”
“It’s not just about strength. Well, you’ll understand when you meet him. Hehehe.”
I wasn’t a child to get riled up by a kid boasting about something that didn’t even concern her. So, I just pretended to shake her off. I felt a bit sorry for the high-pitched scream that followed, and I regretted it afterward, thinking about how messy it would be if she wet herself again.
“Are you looking for me?”
Even with the sounds of wind and rain making it hard for Kurinka and me to hear each other, that voice rang clear. A single tornado stretched from the sky to the ground, twisting and maintaining an irregular shape. But at its center floated a humanoid figure, arms crossed, exuding an air of confidence. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a naked woman, her entire body a uniform shade of light blue. Her hair was long enough to be several times her height, swirling in tandem with the tornado’s rotation.
“Ah, I found you! Renedo!”
“How rude to speak to a first-time acquaintance. It’s clear you haven’t received a proper education.”
“Someone with a proper education wouldn’t create a storm like this!”
Just as I was at a loss for words, my blood boiling, Kurinka jumped in to retaliate. Whether she was aware of it or not, she had been quick to back me up whenever I was in trouble lately, and I was grateful for that. Renedo seemed to ignore Kurinka’s verbal assault, swaying within the tornado. After stretching as if to flaunt her beautiful naked form, Renedo finally turned her gaze toward us.
“I’ve heard the rumors about you, Flash Strike Girl Lua and the Dragon Princess.”
“Dragon Princess?!”
“Already, parts of the Kingdom of Kashiram are buzzing with that rumor. The Flash Strike Girl accompanied by the Dragon Princess… how delightful.”
“You went to the Kingdom of Kashiram?! No way…”
“Don’t worry, I haven’t laid a finger on it.”
Despite her polite words, she made no effort to hide her condescending attitude. When it came to female Demon Generals, I thought of Lafoule, but Renedo was the complete opposite. Judging by her appearance, even with this storm, she didn’t seem much stronger than Lafoule. Sure, her range of attack was on a different level, but Lafoule’s massive plant form was no slouch either.
“Anyway, if you don’t stop this storm, I’ll take you down.”
“Go ahead, feel free… Hehe.”
“You’re so confident. The other Twelve Demon Generals were no match for me.”
“To lump all Twelve Demon Generals together and assume they share the same level of power… it’s a wonder you’ve survived this long with such shallow thinking.”
“But lady, you’re about as strong as Lafoule, right?”
“Don’t compare me to that stinky little girl. I could easily wipe the floor with someone like her without even reaching my End.”
“Hmm…”
I tried to gauge if she had any traps prepared, but there was no sign of that. She simply seemed to be convinced she couldn’t lose. I wouldn’t give her a moment to breathe.
【Lua unleashed the Sonic Ripper!】
The vacuum slash tore through the tornado enveloping Renedo, splitting it in two. The scattered pieces of Renedo’s body vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
“It’s over. The storm should calm down now.”
“That was a powerful strike, but it was meaningless.”
【You cannot deal damage to Renedo!】
I thought I had obliterated her, but the scattered remnants of Renedo’s body began to gather, intertwining as they formed back into her original shape. As if nothing had happened, Renedo’s body bore not a single scratch. It was like when something drops into water; the ripples settle, and the surface returns to normal. Should I be surprised? Renedo was already basking in her victory, anticipating the despair on our faces. She spun around gleefully in sync with the tornado, a cold smile on her lips.
“Lua, Lua-chan… it didn’t work?!”
“It seems so. So she really has no physical form.”
“No physical form?”
“Yeah, sometimes there are monsters like that. Clouds, fire, things without a shape that have turned into monsters. No matter how much you slash at them with a sword, it’s pointless, Kurinka.”
“Whaaaat?! So even you can’t win against her, Lua?!”
“Magic might work, but I’m not good at that…”
“Hehehe, how charmingly arrogant for children who have become full of themselves from their past achievements. You didn’t expect your opponent to be stronger than you, did you? Hehehe, delightful, delightful. Ahh, ha ha ha ha!”
She had been speaking politely, but suddenly her language turned crude. After tossing her hair back, she placed her hands on her hips, striking a pose. Did she think I would give up after that?
“I have already reached my End! It would be foolish to hold back and observe! Now, what will you do? What will you do?!”
【The Incarnation of the Storm Renedo has appeared! HP 50,700】
Renedo, who had been right in front of me, suddenly multiplied and was everywhere. Not just one or two, but dozens. Some of them turned transparent, and just when I thought they had become invisible, they attacked me as blades of wind. Dark clouds formed a massive Renedo, and lightning crackled from her hands. She had become the storm itself. The rain, the dark clouds, the lightning, and the raging winds—all of it was Renedo. This was on a scale far greater than Zeech’s giant or Lafoule’s massive plant form. After all, she had no physical form and was immensely vast; in a sense, this entire space was Renedo.
“Well, well, well, how long can you hold out? You seem to be running away!”
【Renedo’s Kill You Storm!】
The rain turned sharp, lightning struck all at once, and the tornado surrounded us. The pointed raindrops and lightning combined with the storm unleashed a concentrated barrage upon us.
“In ancient times, when people faced disasters, they prayed fervently! They begged for forgiveness from the heavens and sometimes offered sacrifices! They feared disasters as the wrath of the gods! Therefore, resisting a disaster is the same as defying the gods! Now, now!”
【Lua and Kurinka do not take damage!】
“It stings a bit. This doesn’t feel pleasant.”
“Hehe, this is nothing. I’m a dragon, after all.”
Suddenly, the frantic chatter stopped. The thunderous roar echoed all the way to the castle town, and one might think a massive bolt of lightning had struck somewhere. In other words, it was more than enough to instill fear in everyone. But, as I’ve said before, if the lightning isn’t on the level of Lord Daigami’s Divine Thunder, it won’t affect me at all.
“To think you would compare me to that god of a backwater land, how insulting!”
【Renedo’s Tornado Away!】
Her aim was clear: to show the people of Avangarde Castle Town below us our struggle. My plan was to lure them in by running away, but with a storm this massive, that was unnecessary. The pointed raindrops spun within the tornado, and the attack, enhanced by lightning, engulfed us. There were many Renedos, but I chose to ignore them. If this vast sky and space were all Renedo, then I just had to deal with it all at once.
【Lua and Kurinka do not take damage!】
“Renedo, you think your lack of a physical form means my attacks won’t work. Wrong! It just takes a little trick, but I can cut you!”
“How foolish to say such nonsense! This is why I dislike children!”
I had never understood why magic could deal damage. I still didn’t fully grasp it, but I knew one thing: I could cut her.
Lua unleashed the Sonic Ripper!
The size of the Sonic Ripper in Disballade was nothing short of extraordinary. The crescent-shaped slash was as impressive as the massive dark clouds above. It sliced through the air, tearing apart the ominous clouds.
“Gah… Aah?!”
The movements of Renedo, who had been surrounding us, finally came to a halt. One by one, they dissipated into the air like droplets of water, vanishing without a trace. The raging storm calmed to a gentle breeze, and then to complete stillness.
“N-No way, this… this is my fault?!”
Lua dealt 5,294,543 damage to the Incarnation of the Storm, Renedo!
The dark clouds split in two, revealing a glimpse of the blue sky. Sunlight poured in, as if hope had finally arrived in this dark world.
Renedo has been defeated! HP 0/50,700
“Wow, it finally cleared up!”
The raging winds, torrential rain, thunder, and dark clouds vanished, leaving behind the familiar light of everyday life. The sun shone down warmly, and the breeze that followed was gentle enough to be unmistakably different from Renedo’s.
Avangarde Castle Town – Central Street
“They actually did it! Those guys!”
Gantetsu and a soldier named Ritta had gone through the trouble of ensuring our safety just to show us this. A girl was riding a dragon, slicing through the dark clouds and restoring the weather. Many people present witnessed this spectacle. Thanks to Ritta’s earlier shout that the Flash Strike Girl was fighting over there, everyone knew that it was Lua.
“Is it true that the storm has stopped… because of that girl?”
“Yes! That’s Lua! Lua isn’t the one bringing disaster!”
Even if I said that, it wouldn’t hold much weight. Worst case, I could have been beaten up in the chaos. But if it was that girl soldier who had gathered some trust, it was a different story. People in the West and East Streets were looking up at the same sight.
Gantetsu had always been trusted by the townsfolk, so it made sense that this would be easier for him. If Gantetsu said so, they would believe it. I wished someone would say something like that to me at least once.
“That’s amazing! Ord, did you really raise someone like that?!”
“To slice through clouds with a single swing… what kind of skill is that?”
Well, I guess I can be satisfied for now since I have these guys around. But even if they looked my way, I had no explanation to give. In fact, I wanted to ask them.
“It’s sunny now! It’s finally sunny!”
Finally, everyone began to recognize reality, and with someone’s shout, cheers erupted from all around the town. Were they really that happy to embrace each other? Even though they were drenched and uncomfortable, they didn’t seem to care as they celebrated.
“The Flash Strike Girl can even change the weather!”
“She kills instantly… I see, that’s why she has that nickname. Hah, interesting… it makes my blood boil.”
This isn’t amusing at all, what an idiot. How can anyone think about fighting after witnessing that?
Amidst the adventurers who seemed to have realized something obvious while exuding an odd aura of greatness, I felt like they were missing the point, but I guess that was all part of the plan.
“Everyone! Lua will be returning soon, but please do not throw any stones at her! Anyone who does will be thrown into jail!”
“My analysis suggests that could be considered an abuse of power, Captain Ritta.”
“Captain Ritta loves Lua-chan, doesn’t she?”
“N-No, that’s not it!”
The lighthearted chatter of the female soldiers was the most exuberant. They called her captain, but seriously? I didn’t want to believe that someone like her was earning more than me. And the fact that she was a bit cute made it even more frustrating. She might actually be my type.
“That’s the Hero… I knew it from the start! I’ve lived in this castle town for fifty years, so I can say this with certainty! You all should worship her! Kneel and place both hands and knees on the ground! Show your gratitude with your whole being!”
“What’s with this old man…”
“He’s a famous old man; apparently, he’s a handful, and even the neighbors are having trouble with him…”
I didn’t want to get involved with the old man who was hitting adventurers with his staff, so I quietly slipped away from the scene.
“Wait, I thought she would come down, but she’s heading toward the gate? And what’s with that dragon?!”
Now they noticed? I had been curious too, but everyone was too caught up in the joy of the clear sky to think about anything else. Has she really tamed a dragon? With that kind of strength, it’s no wonder even a dragon would want to submit.
“Renedo… Renedo has been defeated? To think someone could take down a being without a physical form… this is absurd… Ugh, ugh…”
As soon as the sky cleared, the fortune teller, who had been curled up in a corner to avoid attention, muttered something ominous. Her words seemed to confirm that it was related to the storm. No one looked at her with envy anymore. She was a fraud at best, a monster at worst.
And in this case, she might have hit the mark on the bad side. The fortune teller’s red eyes turned crimson, and fangs sprouted from her open mouth.
“You tricked us well. You’re prepared for the consequences, aren’t you?”
“Should we retreat… for now? Report to our Demon Lord about what has transpired… No, given that Renedo made a grand show in front of Eerlich, who knows how he’ll be dealt with… Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!”
The fortune teller’s robe burst open, revealing her entire body. Scales spread from the back of her head down her body, and her ears were pointed sharply, as if they could pierce through anything. Anyone who saw this would surely scream monster. I almost did.
“A-A monster!”
“Yikes!”
“Everyone, stay calm! Irene and Shuri, secure the escape routes for the residents!”
“I should have done this from the start! I could take down this weak little country all by myself! Then our long-cherished wish would finally be fulfilled…!”
The two who I thought were her guards or disciples quickly revealed their true forms. They were not half-hearted monsters like the fortune teller. They had multiple horns sprouting grotesquely from their heads. Their arms bulged with muscles that looked like clay, and drool dripped from their mouths filled with fangs. Anyone could see they were monsters, or rather, demons.
“Demons raised by a demon! You shall perish along with this country! I, the Devil Master, Ganoas, shall carve your sins into your very being!”
Ganoas has appeared! HP 8,500
Demon Guardians x2 have appeared! HP 4,820
This was beyond tough. Lua, where are you? Hurry up and come!
Shin Report
I… I’m feeling sick.
Ugh, I’m going to throw up.
If I throw up here, I’ll be… erased.
I’ve already thrown up a lot of things,
But this isn’t the time for jokes…
To provoke even those without a physical form,
It’s something I can’t do.
I don’t even understand the principles behind it; it’s terrifying.
Ah, wait, if I suddenly drop down… ugh.