Volume 6 - CH 13

Volume 6, Chapter 13: Awakening, Part 2

“Bastard! Stop it, that’s enough! To raise a sword towards a girl.”

“…………”

As Onzada-kun cried out at the indecent state we were in, Yuuki-kun began to hold up his sword in preparation for another strike.

“Onzada-kun, I’m fi-”

“Don’t move, Yuzu!”

“………”

I got scolded…… But I guess it’s okay after all.

“Haaaaa!”

The next moment, Yuuki-kun had moved in the blink of an eye, sticking his sword though Onzada-kun.

He’d taken damage from my Radiant Spear, and his movements had slowed, but it seems that it’s still beyond the realm of normal humans.

“Ku-”

Onzada-kun groaned with pain…… But still, he’d managed to deflect the sword by hitting its side with a fistful of ‘Ki’, He was able to handle it despite being at that speed?

“Ha!”

Onzada-kun threw out his punch in that momentary gap. A large sword has an equally large backswing, and Yuuki-kun met the fist with one of his own, and in front of me, I saw their ‘Ki’ collide, sparking.

Without a doubt, Yuuki-kun’s physical prowess is not ordinary. With his body that had been trained with the [Hero’s Secret Arts], he was able to handle an enormous iron sword weighing a few dozen kilograms with a single hand. It was a perfect system for letting him take on Onzada-kun’s attack with one hand as well.

Yuuki-kun was clearly a few steps higher in both speed and power. Besides, he had his battle experience and skills as a [Hero] that he’d gained in his previous life that had been forged over ten years.

There was no chance at all for Onzada-kun – it was like comparing an adult and a child.

And yet……

“[Root of All Things…]”

“Too slow!”

As he began to chant in that moment, Onzada-kun kicked him as if he had anticipated it, and interrupted the casting.

“Hmm!”

Yuuki-kun instantly swept his sword sideways with one hand, but Onzada-kun was no longer there, instead kicking him in the back, but Yuuki-kun took it on the handle of his sword.

…… Was Onzada-kun predicting his attacks?

“Flash!”

Still, he’s a former hero. He swapped over to a magic with a short aria instantly.

A dizzying light……? It seems that it’d be over if he got blinded, but Onzada-kun seemed to have read even that.

Onzada-kun leapt in under cover of the light.

“Haa!”

“Kuh”

As he was kicked in the back, Yuuki-kun whirled around, taking out his enormous sword as a shield even as he lost himself for a moment.

…… Amazing, Onzada-kun, you can seriously fight! Only barely, though.

“I know how to fight you. Besides, I too can read the ‘signs’ that of the techniques that you taught. ”

“…………”

Onzada-kun had learned magic from Yuuki-kun, but he wasn’t able to use it because he didn’t have magical power.

It seems that he taught Onzada-kun something instead, was it the way to read the signs that someone was going to use a spell?

Maybe, because Onzada-kun takes even the feelings of ghosts into consideration, he was able to predict what actions his opponent was going to take according to their feelings…… seriously?

And once again, for Onzada-kun, battle began.

Predicting Yuuki-kun’s attack, he ducked and hid, waiting for a gap to appear for him to strike at.

But Onzada-kun wasn’t able to keep his composure. To begin with, there was a massive difference in their attack powers, and even if he had taken a small slash or a bit of magic, it would have been likely fatal.

There was only instant death if his concentration flagged. But before Onzada-kun’s concentration flagged, Yuuki-kun lost his nerve and got serious.

“…… Flame”

“Muu”

As Yuuki-kun crushed the little magic circle he made onto his sword, it burst into flame.

That looks bad…… Since it was a magical flame, it doesn’t transfer heat by radiation, but if he took Onzada-kun’s attack on the flaming blade, Onzada-kun’s body would burn.

But, just a little……

I could gradually feel my breath coming back to me, and the strength return to my legs.

“……”

When I forcibly stood up, Onzada-kun looked like he wanted to speak, but said nothing at all, even as Yuuki-kun turned his wary eyes to look at me.

Onzada-kun could use ‘Ki’, but he was an ordinary human, unlike us. And I knew the limits of a ‘human’ well.

Although it was quite a good match to watch, why I ended up joining the battle in the end is because Yuuki-kun had taken some damage from me previously, and it was different for us, who were of a class able to oppose an army alone.

Yuuki-kun was also human, but he’d taken a step into the realm of ‘monsters’,

Still…… I was unable to use a lot of magic power, but I think that if I just use ‘Light’, I could strengthen Onzada-kun.

Comparing magic, humans can’t compare with me, a Demon. Once Yuuki-kun ran out of magic power, or my bodily condition recovered…… we would win.

“…… Let’s go, Onzada-kun.”

“…… Don’t push it.”

“Of course. ……[Let there be light]…”

“Owaah!?”

My magic enveloped Onzada-kun’s body in light.

Maybe it would improve his physical strength and defense? I don’t know why I could use my Demonic power like this, but it’s convenient and I have no complaints.

…… Something about this “magic” stimulates my memories.

I wonder what it is…… It seems that I used it all the time. With this power of mine…… I was fighting?

…… Vampires…? Stupid humans…? Something…… a pitch black…… beast……

“Yuzu!”

As I was swept up in my own thoughts, Onzada-kun cried out to me.

But Yuuki-kun hadn’t moved. Then what…… I casually looked around. Nearby…… there was a small shadow that ran up to me from a few meters away.

“Yuzuuuuu! You should disappear!!!!”

“Matsuri!?”

Between the pressure from Yuuki-kun and my magic, how was Matsuri alright? How did I not notice her until she got this close?

I could feel that ‘presence’ from Matsuri quite strongly now.

I see…… is that ‘presence’, that thing which is so afraid of ‘me’? It went and gave an unreasonable and distorted [Power] to the human Matsuri.

But… why was it so afraid of me……?

Demons were the natural enemy of human beings, but ‘me’, do I have the kind of [Power] that a [Being] that is worshipped by human beings through shrine maidens needs to be afraid of me?

And the only way to fight against it…… power.

That’s right…… I fought against that ‘pitch-black beast’.

Matsuri was slowly approaching me. My thoughts were accelerated, so I could see her approaching as if in slow motion, but my body can only move at the same rate as a normal person.

I could see Onzada-kun trying to rush towards me, shouting something.

I wonder if that small knife in Matsuri’s hands could kill me……?

In that slow-moving world, I watched as the sharp edge buried itself into my stomach little by little, Matsuri’s smile filled with madness in front of me.

“…………”

However, I’m not looking at Matsuri.

Behind her, I saw that [Black Cat] appear.

Those silver eyes that stared at me…… I see…… that’s how it is.

That was… [Dark Beast]……

“…… Have I kept you waiting…… Rinne……”

*GIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGIGI…………!!!*

The air…… no, the world, squirmed and shook.

An enormous magic power, several times that of the total that I’d used up until now, was unleashed from my whole body.

The color drained from the world, cracking and collapsing around me, as it all fell off.

As the ‘presence’ was blown away, Yuuki-kun was left dumbstruck and dropped the sword out of his hand……

As I ran out, Onzada-kun’s crying face cracked away with the world……

**KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN…**

Along with the sound of a tuning fork, the colorless world disappeared and faded away, and I saw a clear blue sky.

I saw a woman’s hands, which were outstretched towards the sky, wrapped in a dress of black and silver lace that flowed with the breeze, her hair like golden thread waved in the wind.

Ah, that’s right…… it’s me.

“……… Yurushia ……”