episode_0159

There was no doubt that its appearance was that of a .

To be more precise, it felt like a fallen angel rather than a typical bat-winged demon.

The blonde woman, flapping her black feathered wings and looking down at me arrogantly, slowly descended from the sky.

‘Is it thanks to Levia’s luck effect? Or is it just my destiny as a hero to meet here?’

Either way, it probably doesn’t matter. If it’s thanks to Levia’s luck, then it’s worth bringing her along, and even if it’s not, Levia’s will be useful somewhere.

Now that I’ve met a fragment of the Demon King, only one thing remains.

Subjugate it. Perhaps sensing my fighting spirit, the ‘s lips slightly curved upward, and she opened her mouth.

“Are you going to fight me here and now?”

“Of course. Why else would I be here?”

“Hmph~, are you serious? Or are you just a fool who can’t even think simply?”

The spoke with a mocking voice.

I stared at her and readjusted my holy sword.

“Makina.”

[Yes!]

When dealing with the dwarves, I hid the blade in case I might kill them, but against a fragment of the Demon King, I sharpen the hidden blade.

“ ”

An intense aura resembling a brilliant golden dawn begins to swirl around the sharply gleaming sword.

I wield the aura-infused sword as if drawing a line for a painting.

“Mountain Split.”

A single line drawn across the world, following the tip of the sword.

The line swallowed the completely.

“Pathetic.”

However, the perfectly drawn line was shattered and disappeared far too easily by the .

“You didn’t think you could kill me with just that much power, did you?”

“Of course not.”

Having faced the Heavenly Demon who had obtained the body of the Sword Demon, I realized one thing: the combat power of the Demon King’s fragment and my combat power are equal.

In other words, if my pure power and the Demon King’s fragment collide, the result is something close to a draw.

So, what is the way to break this equilibrium?

What else could it be? Item buffs.

“Makina!”

A pure white holy sword.

Golden aura swirling around it.

And white holy aura coating it. The appearance of a monster that even the Heavenly Demon couldn’t handle.

“ Earth Split!!!”

KWAH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!!

The underground city felt as if it would collapse from the power.

But it won’t collapse. I controlled my power, remembering that I had changed the terrain of Mount Heaven with a single swing of this sword during the Heavenly Demon incident.

FWOOSH!!

A cloud of lingering destructive aftermath rises.

Lightly piercing through that aftermath, the held a magic spear with concentrated purple magic in her hand and threw it.

I lightly dodged the javelin flying at a decent speed and took a step toward the .

‘No scratches at all?’

Even though I controlled my power, I didn’t expect that there would be no damage at all.

But at this distance, I should be able to inflict enough damage.

“ ”

“A useless act….”

“Ocean Split”

Pierce.

The precise thrust swiftly pierces the ‘s body like a flash of light.

The moment the body comes into contact with the holy sword, which has two layers of aura swirling around it, the demon’s body tears apart and disappears as if a balloon has burst.

“….”

However, even though I pierced the opponent, there is no sensation at the tip of the sword.

A feeling of stirring through empty air. As if to confirm that my senses were not mistaken, the demon’s body, which had been torn to pieces, gradually gathered and reformed in front of me.

“Did you evade my attack earlier with that strange technique too?”

“A strange technique… It seems that way to you. This hero is quite strong, but he’s nothing special.”

“….”

It’s not just that she dodged the attack, or anything like that.

It’s as if she wasn’t there from the beginning, I didn’t feel anything.

But is the being in front of me a simple illusion or phantom? If I said that, it would be wrong.

She has a clear presence and even attacked me.

This phenomenon is like…

“…It feels like Lucy….”

Lucy is a hybrid of nightmare and vampire. Due to the characteristics of the nightmare, the succubus, her true form is asleep in the dream world, so attacking her in the real world is impossible. It’s as pointless as sticking a sword into the moon reflected in a lake.

Nevertheless, she can freely interfere with this world.

Perhaps in game terms, it’s a broken characteristic that allows you to apply at all times and attack unilaterally without any corresponding demerits.

Frankly, I have no idea how to defeat it.

If that characteristic is also applied to the in front of me…

“…Are you perhaps a succubus?”

“Hmph. You’re quite clever. But you’re wrong. Don’t compare me to such vulgar races.”

Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be a succubus.

But the fact remains that my attacks can’t reach her.

Should I unleash an attack with the intention of completely blowing away this entire area?

I had that thought, but the opponent, as if noticing my thoughts, raised the corners of her lips and said.

“I wonder if you can do that?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“It’s obvious. Aren’t you trying to use an attack with enough power to completely blow me away in order to defeat me? But I’m asking if you can do that.”

“You think I can’t?”

As I said, raising the corners of my lips in the same way, the shook her head and said.

“You would certainly be capable of an attack that could completely blow this place away. But… if this place collapses, will your companions in the passage be safe?”

“….”

“Are you confident that the aftermath won’t reach that passage?”

This bastard is using that as a hostage…

As I frowned and glared at her, the said with a smile.

“Ahahaha, don’t worry. A stage has already been prepared for a sacred duel with you.”

“A stage?”

“Yes. Come to the World Tree. That will be the stage for your sacred battle with me, and the stage for me to announce my return to this world.”

“The World Tree… So she was there after all?”

As expected, the was at the World Tree.

At the same time, her body gradually crumbled like dust and scattered.

* * *

After the left, I took the group in the passage and returned to the satellite city.

As soon as we entered the satellite city, the dwarf, Dain, stared wide-eyed at the half-collapsed city.

“H-huh?! H-how did the city become like this!!”

“… destroyed it.”

In fact, all the did was throw one magic spear at me, but there’s no need to say that I destroyed it.

Frankly, if I said I did it, they might attack me.

“This is… a trace of a slash?”

“…That’s right. used a sword.”

In fact, I don’t know what mainly uses. The opponent only received my attacks, and did not actively attack.

“Kuh-uh… bastard!! Our city!!!….”

“That’s right. So we have to kill , right?”

Good. The ‘ hostility toward the dwarves has increased. That’s a win.

In the meantime, Sullin and the group, who had been looking after the dwarves I had blown away, approached me.

“How are the dwarves?”

“Most of them have minor bruises, so they will all wake up after some time.”

“They’re all gathered and lying down now. It was a bit difficult because there were more people than I thought… but Miss Lucy helped me.”

“I didn’t do much.”

Very good.

I nodded and looked at Dain.

“Hey Dain.”

“W-what’s wrong?”

“We have to go to the World Tree as we are. Now that we have confirmed that the is at the World Tree, there is no more time to delay.”

“T-that’s right.”

“So, tell me the way to the dwarf city.”

At my words, he was silent for a moment.

Then, he seemed to close his eyes and think, and then nodded.

“I understand. Seeing this situation, I have no choice but to believe you. But please wait a moment.”

“?”

He said, packing his luggage.

“If you enter the dwarf city alone, there will be a big commotion. So I will go with you.”

“? Are you sure?”

“I’m a dwarf who used to be the captain of the reconnaissance unit. Please wait until I tell the people here about the situation.”

“…Okay, I understand.”

Somehow, a dwarf companion has been recruited, albeit temporarily.

Oh, right.

“Lucy.”

“Yes?”

“I had a brief engagement with the this time, and that person. She was similar to you.”

“…What did you say?”

Lucy’s eyes changed at my words.

Considering her animosity towards the succubus race, I thought she would react like that.

“Even if I attacked, I couldn’t inflict any damage, as if I was hitting a phantom. At the same time, she could attack me.”

“….”

“What should I do to attack an enemy in that state?”