--A silver knife was ripping through the air, piercing even the sound.

　It was thrown away with great force. The silver knives tore through the air to clearly pierce the skull of the witch Drigman. One, no, two. The second knife, hidden in the shadow of the first, was aimed at his neck.

　Drigman's eyes move wide.

　It was a clever little trick. Drigman sighed honestly. There are few demons who can do such tricks. It's partly because there aren't many who can use weapons, but even if they could, they wouldn't be able to do it this well.

　After all, there is no need for it. Only the have-nots would use such a poorly crafted weapon.

　Drigman grabbed the two knives with his fingertips as they came close to biting his skin. Then he grasped them with all his might.

　Immediately, there is a sound of steel shattering and the pieces hit the floorboards. It was as if he were handling a toy. The trapped humans gasped and screamed. Not a single wound was left on the mage.

　It was only natural. The iron armor made by a mere mortal could not wound a demon. That's what a demon is. That's what we call those who cannot be defeated by humans. Even in the ancient times, Drigman cannot remember a single piece of iron being able to wound him.

"Lord Controller!

　The horse's lower body neighed, and the Verg barked. The sound of hooves pounding the floor and the wooden boards creaking. The stern look on his face made it all the more commanding. His voice was colored by agitation and frustration. He was an emotional demon.

　But there's nothing I can do about that. Not like this.

　Kuro. A mist that could only be described as such erupted from the surrounding area, covering the vision of Drigman and the Vague. I heard the demons around me scream. They sounded as if they were being strangled.

　--A surprise attack. The size of the enemy... Sorcery. Kindred. Something not a jewel.

　A few words passed through Drigman's thoughts, but he quickly wiped them away. What is needed now is not what is required of you now.

　As a controller, there is only one thing to do.

"All hands--

　The low tone of Drigman's voice, as if licking the earth, echoed and covered the surroundings. The confused demons had regained some of their sanity. His palms opened and he aimed at two places.

　A knife was thrown at the window, and a girl with white hair.

　This deliberate maneuver. The girl in white is definitely in league with the people outside. And if it was a diversion, then her reckless behavior was understandable. It really makes sense.

　There is no such thing as an existence that would throw away its life to save others.

　But then, the power of the jewel is now in the hands of humans. That's too bad. Then we'll have to do what we have to do.

　And so, just as if everything was at hand, Drigman reaped and grasped the space in front of him with his palm. From a distance, it was as if he had just reamed the sky.

"Follow me. Definitely kill him.

　These are the only two words he says.

　Simultaneously, a roar of overlapping screams. Every window, brick, and exterior wall of the barracks bursts open and destroys itself. Everything in the space where Drigman had cleaved and grasped was crushing as if it could not withstand the force poured into it.

　Even the black fog of witchcraft evaded the contrary existence and dissipated. It was as if I were having a bad dream. But the fact was, the collapse was here.

　Drigman's vision cleared slightly. The feeling of having killed a man was not in his hand. Then they must still be there.

　Yes, they were.

　A trail of purple light reflected in Drigman's large eyes. Too bad it was already in time. A blade could pierce his heart, a hand could snap his neck.

　It's all been arranged. A human hand, I think. I saw the human eye open.

　An unmistakable will to kill. The will to kill. A strong ego. All of them rippling in the eye as one. Drigman had seen this once before. And he'd felt this atmosphere before.



　Reflexively, Drigman readied his arm. There was no boiling humiliation or burning rage at the thought of a human being pointing a blade at him, only something else.

　--Well, Althea, it's you.

　I've missed you so much. I'm not sure what to say, but I'll try.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　For a moment. There was a time there that condensed eternity. A blink of an eye where everything is decided by that one thing. The black mist could only keep the demons at bay for a short time.

　The treasured sword roared and flashed purple light to bite the heads of the demons. The tip of the sword drew a wild semicircle and cut off the sky. Faster, just faster. That's all I can do.

　At the same time, I could see the demon's palm in front of me. Its large white eyes looked at me as if they were cold and frozen.

　Just by that, the feeling of death covered my whole body. Something that could not be called sweat or tears crawled out of my pores. After all, in the past, I have never been directly met by this gaze.

　A place of death. No, definite death is before me now. Dense blood and a feeling of disconnection.

　I felt it. People talk about death as if it's something special, but not this guy. Death lies naturally in front of him, and he accepts it. That's the nature of it.

　If you don't avoid it, you will die naturally. I had that intuition.

　I twisted my body reflexively at the palm approaching in front of me. I pulled back my left leg and half-turned, changing the aim of the sword from his neck to his arm and swinging it out. I could already see the trajectory for this. His breathing was still, as if he were dead.

　A flash cleaves the air. The ankle was driven to the waist, and from the waist to the shoulders and arms, a blow of all his strength. There was no doubt that it had caught the fiend's left arm.

　--Blood flowed out and his left arm was torn to pieces. The demon's skin, which had been unharmed by the knife, was now allowing the sword to take hold of it.

　In that position, you return the tip of the blade that struck the floor and draw a line in your vision from his left side to his right shoulder. My spine snapped as I spun so hard my back ached. Then, I swung my sword at the sky.

　The feeling of flesh and bone being gutted again. It continued to spread in his hand. The red of blood stained the glow of the purple light and the half of the demon's body went limp.

　Without exhaling or inhaling, he raised his treasured sword at what seemed to be a lump of flesh again.

　At the same time, the lump of flesh said.

I see. The sword, the treasure, you're of Althea. It's been a long time coming.

　It's something I've missed." The words that came out of the kidnapped lips were released with the same calmness as in normal times. The mass of flesh turned black and blackened, and then...

　Something loomed in front of me.

　The next moment, the heavens and the earth reversed. My body itself creaks and slams into the ground as if it's lost its power of attraction to the earth.

　I heard the sound of bones and flesh being crushed and mixed together.

I want it back. My treasure, it's happiness, for me and for you.

　The torn arm merges into a mass of flesh, and so the form of the demon reappears. Flesh and blood formed a new shape around him.

　You monster. Such words almost escape my mouth. This is so much bullshit. I felt a deep-seated resentment. No matter what kind of demon you are, you're bound to die if your body is torn apart.

　But this ending itself was half expected. As long as he is on the earth, he will never be defeated. The earth blesses him and all its bounties are in his hands.

　Yeah, that's why he was killed in the sky twice back in the day.

　The ceiling, black and scarlet, cleaves. A roar rang out, a hard blow that seemed to blow the roof itself off.

　As he fell from the sky, he swung his long sword with a majesty that reminded me of a giant. A slight voice was heard.

　--Writhe madly.

　Silver hair bounced, and the witch held up her palm.