DOOOOOMMM!!
The bone giant’s slammed-down arm gouged and blew away the earth. I, who dodged it with Real Breaker, circled behind it and slashed with the Phantom Pain Blade.
—Gkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!
The bones forming the giant let out a creak like a scream. It’s working. But, it’s not effective in a fundamental way.
The phantom blade that inflicts mental attacks on demons, which are spiritual life forms, is effective. However, precisely because they are spiritual life forms, they know that the act of ‘being cut by a blade’ is not fatal.
The fundamental understanding that living beings die when cut doesn’t exist for them.
Gkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!
“Tch!”
Even so, did it feel “pain”? The demon attacked by swinging its arm as if ignoring defense.
“—Levitate—!”
I momentarily floated my body and kicked off the bone giant’s arm to gain distance. When using Iron Rose, single-shot magic consumes a lot of mana, but sustained types like Levitate are compatible with Real Breaker.
Even so, I had no leeway to use other magic, dodging the giant’s arm with an illusion and slashing with the Phantom Pain Blade. The bone giant was also taking pain, but it wasn’t becoming fundamental damage, and it struck back as if converting that pain into hatred.
It looks like a back-and-forth battle, but with my time limit, I’m at an overwhelming disadvantage. My attacks were blocked by bones and didn’t reach the demon, and the demon’s attacks also didn’t hit me, as the battle between me and the demon gradually expanded its range.
This is bad… At this rate, I’ll end up back where people are.
I dodged the bone giant’s attack, kicked off a large tree looming behind me, and leaped over the bone giant. At that moment, the demon fired a large number of bone fragments overhead.
I dodged it with Real Breaker, but as I intercepted the barrage of bones fired without gaps with my knife, the bone giant, aiming for that opening, threw a punch.
Without dodging it, I put my spirit into it, swung the black dagger in my right hand far back, and intercepted with an all-out strike.
“Haaaah!”
The light of Real Breaker enveloping my body swirled into a concentrated blade, tearing through the bone giant’s fist as if to pulverize it.
GkiiiiGaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!!
“—!”
At that moment, all the bones… all the buried skulls screamed as if creaking, and for an instant, I saw a “shadow” like the ‘White Woman’.
“—Darkness—”
I switched the “Light” of Real Breaker to “Darkness” and retreated to the top of the tallest building.
Was that the dream-showing demon that hadn’t shown itself until now? Or was it an illusion shown by the demon? But when I jumped back and my gaze shifted for a moment, the shadow was gone, and a white, mist-like Miasma spread throughout the town.
Rumble—!!
A sound echoed from the town. …No, it wasn’t “something.” It was the sound of a “horde” overflowing from the town and surging forward…
Were they pushing their muscles to the limit? Regardless of flesh being crushed or bones breaking, the corpses of over several hundred residents pressed towards me, even ignoring obstacles, their voices of “resentment” and the sound of flesh and bone shattering combining into a gruesome, unnatural noise.
‘Help me’ ‘Why me?!’ ‘It hurts, it’s painful!’ ‘I hate you!’ ‘Don’t abandon me!’ ‘I hate those who are alive!’ ‘Help me!’ ‘It hurts’ ‘Die!’ ‘No no no’ ‘Why!?’ ‘It’s painful!’ ‘Don’t go!’ ‘I hate you!’ ‘It hurts’ ‘Help me!’ ‘I don’t want to die!’ ‘Hate hate HATE!’ ‘I just wanted to be happy—’
—We won’t allow the living residents to abandon us and find happiness—
“…………”
Is that the fate of humans whose jealousy was exploited by demons…
I’m not saying all people are like that. That emotion is something everyone has. But weak humans don’t have the means to suppress it, and in this isolated town, they never had the chance to realize that emotion was negative.
Gkigkigkigkigkigki—
At this sight, the Bone Devil laughs mockingly at the foolish humans. Humans’ negative emotions killing humans… that must be the greatest pleasure for you demons…
While raising cries of jealousy and resentment, the residents’ corpses climbed up to the building I was on like a tsunami, trampling over each other.
‘You die too—’
Slash!!
I cut off the head of the young woman who first approached with my black knife.
“Keep laughing, you demons.”
I narrowed my eyes, pointed the black dagger at the laughing demon, and the approaching undead stopped moving due to the Intimidation I emitted.
When I crushed the second pill I took from my breast pocket in my mouth, dark magic power seeped out due to my emotions.
This mana recovery potion, which Master Serejyura created using dragon’s blood during her journey and had Nero carry, can extend the duration of Real Breaker a little, but a potent medicine like dragon’s blood can become a poison if taken in excess.
But if it’s to kill you all, I don’t care what happens afterward.
I was mistaken. I thought that because the Miasma tinged with negative emotions stagnated darkly, the counter to it was light magic.
But that’s not it… “Darkness” governs not only “emotions” but also “tranquility.”
The love people have for others is also a strong emotion. It’s not evil, nor is it justice; it’s a pure feeling.
When my parents said, ‘There are no bad people,’ it was because people have their own justice based on their feelings, and that’s why they become hostile.
That’s why I’ve never fought with hatred. But… you all are different. Demons, just to satisfy their own pleasure, take joy in using, deceiving, and tormenting people’s feelings.
My anger becomes “Darkness,” combines with light, turns “gray,” and then changes to “silver.”
It’s not the power of light that defeats spiritual life forms.
What defeats you demons is the pure “wish” to “kill” you.
This hatred isn’t a negative emotion.
It’s pure “anger” to defeat you!
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Along with my kiai, silver light burst forth like wings, and the approaching undead crumbled away.
I leaped out, shattering the roof as I kicked off. Turning all the corpses in my direct path to dust, I slashed at the bone giant with my black knife, which had transformed into a greatsword enveloped in silver light.
【Aria (Alicia)】【Race：Human ♀】【Rank 5】
【MP：75/400】20Up【HP：118/290】
【STR：11（24）】【DUR：10（22）】【AGI：18（38）】【DEX：9（10）】
【Total Combat Power：2448（Special Physical Enhancement in progress：5020）】123Up
【Battle Art：Iron Rose /Limit 75 Seconds】
【Illusion Magic：Real Breaker――《Silver》】
Gkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!
The bone arm was pulverized, and the Bone Devil, crumbling from the cut, took a slight step back.
You’re scared… of “me.”
Gkikiiiiiiiiii!
Regenerating the arm I first destroyed with my Battle Art, the bone giant fired countless bone fragments. I slipped through them with Real Breaker and speed, and blew off the giant’s face.
My body creaked from the excessive speed. Light and dark magic power threatened to run rampant, and blood spilled from my mouth.
So what if it does! I will definitely kill you here…!
GkiiiiGaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
The Bone Devil shed the crumbling giant’s body and gathered only the remaining skulls to form a sphere about two meters in size.
【Skull Devil】【Race：Greater Demon】【Difficulty Rank――】
【MP：3080/4715】
【Total Combat Power：5051/5186】
All the skulls opened their jaws, generating a mass of darkness. If it unleashed that much magic power, the demon’s power would drastically decrease. But the Bone Devil tried to do it regardless of the consequences.
But your act isn’t resolve. I have no intention of losing to a demon that prioritizes pleasure over its own existence.
I gathered my remaining magic power into my two weapons and, enveloped in silver light, leaped straight at it.
“—Dancing Reaper—!!”
The barrage of attacks unleashed from both left and right intercepted the bullets of darkness. By layering Battle Arts upon my Battle Art, Iron Rose, my arms screamed in protest. But—
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
I pushed forward even further, and the eight-fold Blade I unleashed slashed through all the skulls, and the Bone Devils within them.
Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!
“—Hk!”
The Bone Devil shrieked, and blood spurted from my arms as 【Iron Rose】 was forcibly deactivated. However, the tattered and crumbling Bone Devil wore a twisted smile, gathering all the Miasma from its body into its open mouth.
At this timing, I couldn’t dodge. But just then, the sound of something cutting through the wind reached my ears.
“It’s your loss, demon.”
ZUGAN!!
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
In that instant, Nero’s 【Claw Strike】, as he leaped in, blew away the demon’s jaw.
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
My magic nearly depleted, I readied my dagger with an arm from which blood spurted from ruptured capillaries, and as I stumbled and fell to the ground, I plunged the Blade into the demon’s face.
“Perish”—hk!
Gishi—!
Cracks appeared on the Bone Devil that had received my “spirit,” and from there, it crumbled like burnt bone and vanished.
Simultaneously, the writhing corpses of the townspeople also dried up and crumbled away. As if signaling the end, the dark clouds cleared, and the gentle light of the moon shone down on us.
＊＊＊
The Bone Devil was vanquished. By entrusting the watch to Nero and taking a short nap, I managed to recover to some extent, though a full-blown battle would still be impossible.
The faces of the townspeople were also grim. It was only natural, given the circumstances. There was no one left alive in the lord’s manor, and this once-secluded town would likely be filled with “outsiders” from now on. Whether or not “jealousy” would arise again among the townspeople because of that, I couldn’t say.
“…”
I caught sight of the girl who had glared at me earlier. Even if they were undead that had attacked them, there must be people who resented me for “killing” them.
And yet, that girl, upon seeing me, averted her gaze slightly, bowed her head a little, and ran to a man who seemed to be her father.
“…Humans aren’t that weak, huh?”
As I stepped outside the town, Nero, who was already out, came up beside me.
“Thank you. If you hadn’t been there, I would have lost.”
When I lightly hugged Nero’s neck with my still-aching arm, Nero’s antennae gently brushed my cheek.
“…Any sign of the “demon”?”
—None—
As far as Nero could tell, there was no longer any sign of a demon in the vicinity. I had thought the one who showed me the Dream was separate from the Bone Devil, but was that also one of the Bone Devil’s abilities? Or did it give up and flee…?
First, for the sake of this town’s reconstruction, I need to return and report to Elena-sama. I hopped onto Nero’s back, and as I turned my gaze to the town one last time, I remembered something I had forgotten.
“…Where is Collette?”
＊＊＊
The chapel of the Holy Church in the Royal Capital. Last year, a certain incident caused the temple to burn down, and currently, a new temple is being built with donations from devout followers and the royal family.
However, to fill the void left by the lost temple and personnel, many of the administrators, including the Temple Chief, were staying overnight at the church, despite having mansions in the Royal Capital.
“…I am…”
In the residential area behind the chapel. In his assigned room, Nasanitar, who had awakened in the middle of the night, couldn’t comprehend his situation for a moment and listlessly entrusted himself to a soft warmth.
Nasanitar, the grandson of the Temple Chief, had also been granted the rank of priest, but being a noble, he had been given a spacious room in a separate building, different from the other priests. Naturally, the interior was also of higher quality than the other rooms, but he opened his eyes again to a “warmth” different from what his head usually rested on.
“………Licia?”
“Have you woken up, Nasanitar?”
On the bed, Nasanitar was having his head cradled in the lap of the girl he called Licia.
He remembered her visiting him last night, accompanied by a single maid. However, recently, Nasanitar had been constantly feeling lethargic and fatigued, and his current appearance was as if he had been “drained of his life force,” looking gaunt.
“…I had a scary Dream. That Pink Hair girl… plunged a Blade into my face…”
Perhaps remembering the contents of that “Dream,” the girl gently caressed Nasanitar’s cheek as he showed a frightened face.
“It’s alright… there’s no one scary here. Sleep a little longer… You have an important “role” to play, after all.”
“Mm… Licia.”
Reassured by the girl’s smile, Nasanitar fell asleep again, seeming to grow weaker each time he slept. As she caressed his cheek, the expression on the girl’s face was not one of concern, but a delighted smile.
“…Do your best for me, until the very end.”
Behind the girl who whispered this into Nasanitar’s ear, Collette, with pure white hair and dressed in a maid outfit, wore a demonic smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.
(Finally) the Bone Devil battle has concluded.
The Incubus was subtly trying to break Aria’s spirit or guide her, but the depiction might have been a bit nuanced.
The silver power Aria used is a special technique that Alicia, the original heroine, also used, though in a considerably different form. Otherwise, the original heroine wouldn’t be able to fight Karla (lol).
Next time, the threat of the Doppelganger will strike Karla.
The Royal Capital is unsettled.