◆ Noibranz, Near the Royal Capital ◆
Before me stood a human wielding a Demon Sword. His appearance was surprisingly casual for someone about to engage in battle, lacking any armor aside from the sword itself. The group that had seemingly attacked us had already lost their fighting spirit, but this man was different. What kind of nerve did he have? Was he underestimating me? Did he not value his life? Was he seeking death? Or did he truly overestimate the power of his Demon Sword?
Demon Swords come in various origins and power levels. Some, like Disballade, were created by our Demon Race to fulfill a long-held ambition, while others might have been forged by a mere human and imbued with demonic energy for some reason. Yes, what resides within them is a deep-seated obsession. That obsession is what gives them their name. I had no way of knowing the origin of his Demon Sword, but I understood the name it bore from prior knowledge.
“That Demon Sword is ‘Domination,’ huh? Quite the impressive weapon,” I remarked.
“Old man, you know about it?” he replied, surprised.
“If you’re relying on that to bluff, you should reconsider. You can’t defeat me,” I warned.
“You probably said the same to Rua, right? Losing to me would be quite the embarrassment.”
It wasn’t shameful, but I wondered where he had learned that. He laughed, clearly enjoying himself. It had been hundreds of years since I felt so openly underestimated. Even the most foolish of opponents, lacking both skill and intellect, had shown me respect. I knew what he would do next. With the power of that Demon Sword, he would rally the defeated to rise again. It possessed that kind of power. While it was different from Divine Nature, it could be considered similar.
“Alright then, let’s recycle the useless ones and make them useful! Here we go!”
With an exaggerated swing, those who had appeared lifeless or were huddled on the ground began to rise. They weren’t being controlled, it seemed. He had dominated them to the point where they overcame their fear of me. They wouldn’t recognize their subjugation, but they would follow him. It was beyond reason; that was just how it was.
“That old man is clearly looking down on us, right? Shouldn’t we just kill him?” one of my allies suggested.
“We’ll all attack together,” another replied.
“Don’t forget to coordinate, Captain Argil,” came the reminder.
It was commendable that they didn’t rush in all at once. They utilized their individual combat styles to surround me from all directions. This was a different kind of human military power than what we, the Demon Race, had experienced in our time. I wanted to enjoy this, but given the number of lives already lost, they would have to face appropriate consequences.
As I watched their movements in slow motion, the first strike came. A sweet scent filled the air, likely some kind of poison dispersed into the atmosphere. It was unnecessary to confirm that it wouldn’t affect the others.
【Rohma, Lv:1357, Class: Perfumer, Rank: A, 40th, HP: 9500】
“Relax, relax. Your scent is so pungent it nearly pierces my nostrils… No girl would ever be attracted to you like this. Your muscles are loosening up with the tension, right…?”
“Not loosening at all.”
【Aboro’s attack! Rohma took 20512 damage! Rohma has fallen! HP 0/9500】
Perhaps feeling safe at a distance, the woman didn’t even realize what had happened before I pierced her torso. I thought that just a punch wouldn’t cause such devastation, but it seemed I had underestimated my own strength. That girl had likely been trying to hold back her power to avoid killing.
“R-Rohma?! No way! What happened? What the hell happened?! No wayyy!”
“If you have time to scream, think of your next move.”
【Aboro’s attack! Michelle took 18650 damage! Michelle has fallen! HP 0/11476】
To lose composure just because a comrade fell in battle—this was worse than the humans we had fought. No matter how dire their circumstances, they never lost their resolve. As long as they had something to protect and a belief to uphold, humans would never break. I had always believed that, but now I wondered.
【Donboss’s Drill Liner! Aboro’s attack is ineffective!】
“Huh…? Blocked?”
“You’re just not strong enough.”
【Aboro’s attack! Donboss took 36361 damage! Donboss has fallen! HP 0/20655】
The weapon of the man who had ambushed from underground shattered against my skin without penetrating it, and the man himself met the same fate. It was almost kind of me to crush his life with my kick before his pride could even shatter.
“Ugh! Donboss…!”
“Is this really the time to be down in the dumps?! Captain Baste! This guy is really something to carve up! Heeheeheehee!”
【Fenfuu’s Frenzied Slash!】
How dull. Utterly boring. If it weren’t for that girl, I would have eventually destroyed this world, sooner or later. It was understandable that they couldn’t overturn my foresight, but they were still lacking. Their reckless assaults were merely intoxicated by their own power. Striking at vital points was good, but it truly wasn’t enough.
【Fenfuu has fallen! HP 0/14101】
“Ugh…”
I responded in kind, striking at a vital point. I pierced her heart, ending her life, and the one called Baste had completely lost his fighting spirit. It was already tedious, and I had no intention of attacking those who wouldn’t come at me. They could remain crumbled for the rest of their lives.
【Gandou, Lv:1409, Class: Cannon Master, Rank: A, 71st, HP: 10054】
“Let’s see you fly!”
【Gandou unleashed Gandou’s ‘Star Avalanche’!】
Just as I thought it was over, someone attacked me from behind. From both sides, I see. I didn’t know if they intended to involve their allies, but it was a foolish move. I had deliberately sealed my foresight earlier, but it seemed even that was meaningless now—
“…?!”
“I see an opening!”
The ground suddenly collapsed beneath me. It was impossible for me to lose my balance. The man who had attacked from underground had created this situation with a desperate resolve. Though small in scale, the ground sank, momentarily disrupting my stance.
“If there’s a crack, we can do whatever we want! Everyone, keep going!”
“Leave it to me! Baste, if you’re not motivated, just step back! This ranking seat will be taken by me, Mirika!”
【Mirika cast Paralysis! Aboro is paralyzed! Mirika cast Venom! Aboro is poisoned!】
“This will end it for any creature!”
【Nokiri’s Tree Curse!】
I didn’t know whose skill it was, but it seemed to have disrupted my stance while lowering my resistance. This was a classic case of being overconfident; I was impressed. To make matters worse, my respiratory system was beginning to fail. They must have manipulated the components in the air. I see, I see.
【Argil’s Wind Death!】
【Enkal’s Invisible Hunt!】
“Retreat! Close in! Finish him off, One-Shot Wonder Donka!”
“You bastard! Hyper Flare Miracle Burst Special, and the rest is omitted!”
【Donka cast Burst Flare!】
The reckless assault, completely disregarding the surrounding impact, finally came to an end. This was certainly a glimpse of the former heroes. A desperate strike from those cornered. The hopes of those trying to grasp at hope. I had thought them lowly, but perhaps they deserved a second look.
“Did we do it…?!”
【No damage dealt to Aboro!】
Well, whether it had any effect was another story.
“B-Bullshit…”
“What the hell is this guy…?”
“I never heard there was someone like this…”
If they were true heroes, they would have at least managed to inflict a scratch. They were far from it. After all, they bore different burdens. The bonds they formed with the humans they met, the achievements and feelings they had accumulated. Even if they couldn’t land a decisive blow that surpassed their limits, they still charged forward. Even when their consciousness was nearly gone, they kept moving. Their awareness alone propelled their feet forward. They held onto their weapons and yet, they could not reach me before meeting their end.
“Level… over a thousand…?! Even the Flash Strike Girl barely surpassed two thousand… How could such a monster exist, even to that brat…?”
“It’s over, impossible, no way…”
It seemed they had no resolve to charge at me until the moment of death. In the past, I would have felt pity and delivered the final blow without hesitation, but this time, I would make an exception to teach them a lesson.
“…Without the obsession to achieve, this is all there is. The way you wield your power frivolously makes it seem like you feel inferior to something. No… perhaps you truly wanted to be acknowledged.”
“Acknowledged…? By me, Argil?! By whom! For what!”
“That’s something you should ask your own heart.”
“Of course, it’s my beloved Tiferia, right?”
The man with the Demon Sword, who had been silent until now, stuck out his tongue. I wanted to rip it out along with him, but considering the unfolding situation, it seemed better to keep quiet. As I resumed my foresight, I found this to be quite interesting.
“Well, it’s not just that. You’ve always wanted to be acknowledged, haven’t you? You wanted to mix in with the likes of us non-humans, starting with Lua, right?”
“You talk big, but what about you?!”
“Unlike you guys, I just want to kill. Those little brats who stood in the way of my glorious life. But you all are different, right? If you wanted to kill, you’d be challenging me.”
“You…!”
The two women huddled together likely fell under some form of control. They may say what they want, but that man is in the same boat. He thinks that by killing that little brat, he can finally solidify his own position. In other words, he can’t acknowledge himself. Unable to overcome his own weakness, he tries to mask it with revenge. It’s good to have something to aim for, but his goal is only skin-deep. Without a firm belief deep within his heart, it means nothing.
“If you want to turn against each other, go ahead. I won’t interfere.”
“No, it’s not the time for that. Look!”
I know what’s coming. Just at this moment, the Flash Strike Girl riding a Dragon is arriving, and I can only wonder what will happen next. However, he is overturning my foresight. If it’s not the future I saw, then so be it.
As the Demon Sword man pointed out, the arrival of the Flash Strike Girl is imminent. I’ve already taken down a few, but I won’t engage with him here.
“Aboro…”
“It’s been a while.”
The humans, aside from the Demon Sword man, brace themselves at the girl’s arrival. Their expressions don’t show surprise at her presence. It’s as if they see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Are they anticipating a future where they clash with me? Either way, it’s nothing short of ridiculous.
“The Special Operations Unit… many have died. Even my regeneration can’t heal them…”
“Did Aboro kill them?”
“That’s right.”
“I see.”
The Demon Sword man’s smirk remains frozen on his face. He probably imagined Lua would fly into a rage at my response, picturing a confrontation between us. Indeed, there’s a strange atmosphere. Instead of anger, she seems oddly composed, as if she has found something solid within herself.
“You’ve learned enough from Aboro by now, haven’t you? You know it’s better to retreat than to let more damage occur.”
“Lua-chan, your choice of words…”
“What? Is it bad?”
The humans’ posture confirms that my choice of words wasn’t appropriate. They’ve returned to their earlier bravado, clashing their weapons to intimidate. Perhaps it’s also due to the influence of the Demon Sword man’s control, but they won’t back down quietly. If this continues, I’ll have no choice but to behead someone. In the eyes of their leader, there was more than just anger; there was a fervent intensity.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Aboro may seem harmless, but it’s a miracle that only this much damage has occurred. In the past, I would have rampaged, and everything around here would have been blown away. Am I protecting the king, or am I afraid of the little girl’s wrath? If I’ve softened, then even Shin has a chance. I dreamt of standing against Aboro as the Flash Strike Girl’s ally.