“Ariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
That woman, sprouting from the left arm of the demon (Colette), unleashed a Miasma Bullet while screaming strangely. I dodged it on the rooftop with a flip, and the Royal Capital’s building behind me crumbled as if rotting away.
“Tch!”
I’m worried about the damage to the Royal Capital, but I can’t afford to take that Miasma Bullet. Have the residents been evacuated? The fire that spread from the noble district and the Holy Church is gradually expanding, but I can only pray that it will encourage them to evacuate.
“Ariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Colette lunged forward, with that woman screaming strangely again. Behind that woman’s madness, Colette wore a full smile on her demonic face.
Doooooooom!
I gave up trying to follow with my eyes due to the sheer speed, and dodged purely on instinct. The three-story building that was struck by the left arm bearing that woman was obliterated in one blow.
That woman followed me with her eyes as I brushed away the scattering fragments with the hem of my skirt, and the moment Colette tried to jump out—
“Gigaah!?”
The Pendulum shattered that woman’s head.
The ball-shaped Pendulum, sent spinning as a parting gift, attacked Colette, who used that woman as a shield without hesitation. But even that damage was instantly regenerated as the Worms fused together.
“Kyakakakakakakakakakakaka!”
“Ah, Contract Holder-dono… how pitiful.”
Colette gazed lovingly at the upper half of that woman, who was making a bizarre laughing sound, and hugged her carefully.
“…………”
I don’t know if she was a demon from the start, or if she was made into a demon’s vessel after that, but Colette was using that woman, the Contract Holder, as a weapon, hurting her as a shield, and yet hugging her as if feeling sorry for her. I understood that the original Colette no longer existed.
I’ll properly kill you too. But there was a realistic difference in power.
The Greater Demon (Colette)’s Overall Combat Strength is about 5000. A single simple blow is comparable to an Earth Dragon. Dolton in full Mithril plate armor might be able to withstand it, but if I took it, my body would be crushed.
I could endure it using the Iron Rose and Real Breaker. But the reason I’m hesitating to use even my trump cards is partly to conserve my remaining strength, but also because of the uncertain element of “that woman” who was a Contract Holder but was absorbed.
It’s just a hunch. But I’ve survived this far on that hunch. Besides…
“Carla…”
From her condition, there must be something Carla needs to settle over there. I should have stopped her. But I felt like I shouldn’t stop her.
What kind of answer will Carla get there?
But… it’s fine. I’ll take on the demon until then.
Colette grinned, her smile almost tearing her ears, as she saw me narrowing my eyes and holding a Knife on the high rooftop, and that woman opened her mouth with a distorted face.
“—!!”
Colette, having amplified her Mana, fired Miasma Bullets like rain.
I also purified the Mana Particles in my body to the limit I could endure, and guided that attack while dodging as if bouncing around.
I’ll use your attack too. The guided Miasma Bullets struck the area that was about to be engulfed in flames.
Colette narrowed her eyes slightly, noticing my intention. But was it me or Colette who guided them? Before I knew it, I had moved to the top of the Temple, and Colette smiled. The next moment, several figures jumped out from the burning Temple.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Those who had their minds invaded by Worms and nightmares attacked with an abnormal speed that surpassed the limits of their physical bodies, like that woman.
I dodged them instinctively, and used the ball-shaped Pendulum to fend them off. But that was the last guidance.
“—!!”
Dozens of people, hiding in the rubble of the Temple using the burning flames as a decoy, rushed in like a tsunami while being burned to the point where they couldn’t even make a sound.
Probably the Holy Church’s believers who had a lot of contact with the demon and Licia. Among them were figures like old men and children, and I thought I even heard a sound of silent grief.
Colette sneered at the sight. Manipulating innocent people and making them kill other people while leaving their consciousness intact. That was truly the work of a demon.
I took a Combat Art stance, holding the Black Knife and Black Dagger. There’s still a little Mana heat left in my arms… Colette, I’ll cut off that smug face of yours.
The moment I pointed my Knife at the approaching victims—
“—Don’t push yourself.”
At that moment, I heard that familiar voice, and the Combat Art released from the jet-black Greatsword blew away dozens of people who were approaching me from the Temple roof in an instant.
I closed my eyes for a moment as if in silent prayer, and couldn’t help but raise my voice to him as he turned his gaze full of anger towards Colette.
“Feld!”
On the opposite side of the Holy Church’s Temple, Nero was engaged in a fierce battle with the Giant Worm, which had Amor’s Magic Stone as its core.
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“Ugooooooooooooooooooooooh!”
Nero swung his claws, and the Giant Worm thrashed around, trying to crush Nero with its huge body.
“—!”
The Giant Worm (Amor) bared its mortar-shaped fangs and fired the surrounding buildings it had devoured as flaming rubble bullets. Nero evaded them by hiding in his own “Shadow,” but the Giant Worm’s Flame Bullets, which had incorporated and evolved into a Flame Giant, easily crushed the buildings and spread the fire wantonly.
Nero thought. Not only did he fail to capture the enemy entrusted to him by the girl, but the finishing blow was taken by the black-haired girl with whom he had a connection. When that enemy revived and appeared before him, Nero volunteered to fight that opponent for the sake of his own pride.
In terms of Overall Combat Strength, the Giant Worm was slightly superior, but Nero had the advantage in battle experience. However, even while fighting on equal terms, Nero lacked the “decisive factor” to defeat the Giant Worm (Amor).
Dogooooooom!!
The two giant bodies with immense power collided, echoing a roar like striking steel.
“Ugoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The Giant Worm devoured the rubble it had destroyed with its huge body and fired Flame Bullets.
“Gaaaah!”
Nero also fired a Dark Breath, and the two exploding powers engulfed the surroundings in a sea of flames.
Nero, who had crossed over the “Shadow” there, slashed the Giant Worm’s back with his claws, but countless Worms were trying to fill that wound, which looked like a deep one, in an instant.
“Gooooaaaaaaaah!”
Nero fired a Dark Breath from point-blank range. The Giant Worm thrashed about from the breath with the [Corrosion] effect, and Nero jumped off the Giant Worm’s back, preparing to pursue. Cracks appeared on the Giant Worm’s entire body in front of Nero.
“Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii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The giant Worm, having absorbed humans and increased its power, spat out a massive barrage of fireballs.
“Gaaaaah!”
Nero immediately countered with a Dark Breath, repelling the incoming fireballs head-on, but some stray shots rained down around him.
While a Kuaal could withstand flames that would incinerate a human, the giant Worm pressed its attack, and the all-consuming fire left no room for Nero to evade using Shadow.
“Grrr…”
Deciding to retaliate if he was going to take damage anyway, Nero braced himself, and that’s when “it” happened.
GoooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOSH!!
A tornado suddenly appeared, as if with a will of its own, and swept up the flames not only around Nero but also from the surrounding area, spiraling them into the sky.
The moment Nero’s eyes caught the figure of a Spirit grimacing within the wind, a “rock”-like mass, blown by the wind, crashed into his vision.
“—【Quake】—!!”
A mountain dwarf, a giant of a man resembling a rock, impervious to the flames, unleashed a level 5 Combat Art with his warhammer. The shattered earth and shockwave combined with the power of the wind Spirit, slamming the tornado of fire back into the giant Worm.
“GwoooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOO!”
Whether in agony or shock, the giant Worm screamed as it was engulfed in flames. Then, orb-like objects were hurled at it, further enveloping it in explosions.
“That’s five gold large coins each, what a waste!”
“There’s no choice, old man! Just throw them already!”
A human man shouted desperately from atop a building, and the mountain dwarf’s daughter yelled back as she hurled orbs containing sealed Magic, unleashing Lightning to burn the giant Worm from the inside.
Nero’s eyes widened slightly at the sight.
Aria’s companions… The Forest Elf woman, a Spirit User, must be here too, though he couldn’t see her. They had fought together once before against the Dark Dragon, but it was only through Aria, and Nero had no further interest in them.
Among the human races—Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Beastkin, and others—Aria was the only one Nero considered an equal. Yet, Aria’s companions were supporting him. They had appeared in this dangerous place, seeking to fight alongside him again.
Even Nero, who understood that their power was that of fragile humans, sensed a strong “something” from them.
What was that difference? What was the difference between Nero and these human companions of Aria?
—Bonds—
It was something Nero had sought until he met Aria. Their bond with Aria, Nero’s bond with Aria, had called them here and saved Nero.
—Nero—
The moment something vague within Nero took shape, the figure of the girl who sought connection more strongly than anyone else came to mind, and a “voice” echoed in Nero’s mind.
The voice of the girl calling his name brought together the scattered fragments, and Nero unleashed the power that swelled within him, seeking an outlet, with a roar.
“GaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaah!!”
【Nero】【Race: Kuaal】【Mystic Beast Rank 6】1 Up
【Mana Capacity: 215/360】30 Up【HP: 342/580】50 Up
【Overall Combat Strength: 3829 (Body Enhancement in progress: 4747)】1288 Up
Nero’s level 6 Claw Strike Combat Art blew the flame-engulfed giant Worm all the way to the Temple behind it.
Nero has finally reached Rank 6.
Though newly achieved, his combat strength is approaching that of a demon, and he will soon stand shoulder to shoulder with Aria.
Next time, the conclusion of the Demon battle.
It has been a year since I became a book author!
This work will continue to have books released, and the Demon Princess will also be coming out, so please continue to support me!