“Just as it is big, the speed isn’t much to consider huh!”
Dodging the fist that the magic power body punched out, Sofia jumps to close range.
She came at me with several attacks using her red light cladded sword.
But, it didn’t reach me.
“Well, I am not a master in martial arts after all. At any rate, those are quite the strong attacks. It doesn’t even compare to last time” (Makoto)
“… That’s obvious! This is—” (Sofia)
“The power of dragons huh. Taking into account the aria, did you borrow the power of another superior dragon?” (Makoto)
“How about this?!” (Sofia)
Not even an answer.
The figure of Sofia disappears.
It must be her prided teleportation.
Just that, it is slightly different from before.
At that time, she was exchanging her position with swords, but it looked like she is currently using a different method to teleport.
Is it the power of a shadow dragon or something?
Diagonally to my front, at mid-air, I feel her presence.
As if shouldering her back, she prepares her sword and around her chest there’s a red sphere.
A long distance attack?
Sofia swings her sword diagonally and leaves a trail.
At that moment, the red sphere turns into something similar to a laser and heads towards me.
I reflexively use the magic power body’s hand to stop it.
Crush it and erase it.
“Hmph~ it was like a laser. Is that the power of the fire dragon that you mentioned in your aria? When talking about a fire superior dragon, it would be the crimson fire dragon “Crimson Light Akari” huh” (Makoto)
“… This didn’t work either. Crimson Light is the one that holds the strongest attack power among the dragon race though” (Sofia)
The Dragon Slayer that landed glares at me with intense eyes.
“I don’t remember being hated by a dragon though” (Makoto)
Actually, I am being liked way too much by a dragon that has both sexes and it’s even troubling me.
“Ara, don’t worry. It is not like Raidou is being hated!” (Sofia)
Without learning, she charges at me again.
While repelling, I also launch my own attack.
“!!!”
The fist is evaded once again and, from the surface of that fist, a magic formation expands. From there, a laser type of attack like the one Sofia used, was shot.
But… Tch.
It was a surprise attack, and yet, she was able to block it with her sword.
As always, she has crazy intuition and an unbelievable sword.
But there’s no need to care about that.
This magic power body also serves the purpose of strengthening my spells.
Actually, that’s its main purpose.
I contain the magic power that has come out from my body in my surrounding.
Set [Sakai] at perception.
Because if it’s her attack power, there’s no need to use strengthening even if her power increases by double after all.
“How about, this?” (Makoto)
I look at where Sofia has taken distance, and make a short aria.
Several ripples appear from the front part of the magic power body.
Balls the size of fingers detach from the human shape and float.
“Is that, a defense mechanism?” (Sofia)
Maybe she understood what I intended to do, Sofia mutters as if groaning.
“It is not only that right, Sofia?” (Makoto)
Immediately after the balls trembled slightly…
An attack similar to the laser from before was shot in several small lines towards Sofia.
Bundles of light that were no fewer than hundred were heading at Sofia, but she uses her usual teleportation to evade it.
But that’s futile.
Her teleportation isn’t the type that lets her escape into a different space.
She is just moving to a different location.
On top of that, from what I have seen, there’s quite the limitation in distance.
Yeah.
There she is.
With [Sakai], I find Sofia hiding under cover.
To all the lights that were heading against a wall because they lost their target… I tell them her location.
“They curved?!” (Sofia)
All of the lights changed their direction and lunged towards the mountain of rubble that Sofia was hiding in.
Curving a laser type attack.
It is one of the dreams of men. Natto missile is also good.
The voice of Rona that I heard from the back was dyed in surprise.
Homing trait isn’t that unusual of a thing though.
What I did just now wasn’t homing but something close to adding a new input. It doesn’t look that different though.
An explosion.
I can’t tell the location of Sofia.
There must have been some damage there.
I turn to my back.
Io and Rona were looking at me.
“Io, you should release that dangerous stance. If you are going to get in the way, I will be taking proper steps” (Makoto)
“I think that our fight is still in progress though” (Io)
“I see. I did warn you, okay?” (Makoto)
“Raidou, that thing there, is it all your magic power?” (Rona)
“Rona, I don’t have any intentions to answer that. But I will give you an advice. Quickly pull back your personnel from Stella. It looks like I will be finishing this soon” (Makoto)
Io was facing me and showing a stance.
He is the same type as Sofia, so doing a joint front is difficult.
And yet, he is still trying to join into my fight with Sofia.
“Ah, right. You did have such an attack right, Raidou?” (Sofia)
Oya?
From inside the smoke, Sofia was standing.
I thought that she wasn’t unscathed though.
“You are practically like Io. Did you learn regeneration? How about calling Lancer?” (Makoto)
“I am calling him. It doesn’t seem like he is listening though. Looks like your servant is not letting him go, you know?” (Sofia)
“Ah~, I see. Then let’s finish this already, Sofia” (Makoto)
“… 4 superior dragons” (Sofia)
“Hah?” (Makoto)
“It is not only Mitsurugi and Waterfall like last time. I was elated by that time with the lake, so I also ate Darkness Clad and Crimson Light” (Sofia)
Ate?
She didn’t obtain the cooperation of the superior dragons?
“…”
“I noticed, the ability to eat the power of the dragons and assimilate it. I can brag about being the strongest among adventurers, but adding to that, I have also obtained the power of 4 superior dragons. I have enough power to destroy even a country” (Sofia)
A country?
With only this level?
“Next would be the Sand Wave Sazanami and the Invincible. If I kill those two, I would be able to reach the stage where I can devour Myriad Colors as well” (Sofia)
From the superior dragons I know of, those are all of them huh.
Among the 7 superior dragons, 4 are already within herself, and yet, she isn’t able to touch me. It must be quite the shock for her.
Also… Root.
Looks like her objective has something to do with Root, but… do I have to carry his destiny as well?
I will complain to him about this later.
“How exaggerated. You are able to destroy a country with only this level of power?” (Makoto)
“Plenty enough. That Io over there as well. He is able to destroy a small country. An army is just a power that weaklings flock to. For you and me, those kind of things just serve as targets. The power of individuals, that itself is national power” (Sofia)
“…”
Is that, how it works?
No well, I thought that individuals would be powerless against a flock like an army though.
Certainly.
When looking at this town’s situation and the progress of the battle, I did think: ‘Is this all they have?’.
Even if it’s a surprise attack, I wondered if this is the extent of armies and knight corps.
This world might be a lot ‘weaker’ than I originally thought.
“Seriously. Having scales coming from my skin is just unsightly. How dare you” (Sofia)
Sofia’s power increased a step higher.
The 4 colored powers that were residing in her body as well as her own power, it looked like they were merging and turning into some sort of marble pattern.
The color of her skin darkens slightly.
Just like how she said, I could faintly see scale-looking things.
Her nails lengthened and her eyes changed like the ones of Tomoe which were close to the vestiges of a dragon.
Instead of a Dragon Slayer, she looks more like a Dragon Kin now.
“A transformation? I don’t know about Graunt, but I don’t think you would be able to defeat Shen and Root” (Makoto)
“?! Shen and Root. It seems like the things I will have Raidou open his mouth for have increased” (Sofia)
“For you, that will be impossible” (Makoto)
“Leaving aside the Invincible Shen, the name of the Myriad Color superior dragon is known by practically no one. I will have you tell me a lot of things. Before you die, that is!” (Sofia)
“I see. Lately, I have been eating quite a lot with him though” (Makoto)
“Just how long can you keep that condescending tone?!” (Sofia)
Sofia touches the magic power body.
Just how many times will you do the same thing?
No.
She touched the human shape without holding a sword.
At the same time that I was thinking what she was intending to do, from Sofia’s hand, a pitch black mud-like darkness was spouted out.
I could tell that the darkness that was sticking to the magic power body was declining its strength at those portions.
The sword of Sofia that shone remarkably stronger, accurately makes a flash at the black marking.
“Heh~”
While raising my voice, I include an attack against Sofia.
Making several magic compositions, I fire it off from the human shape.
Spear spheres.
Firing off several attacks, they also did hit the target, but…
She didn’t stop.
Maybe she activated an instantaneous healing magic, she is cutting and cutting and cutting at me without caring.
While covering only her vitals and her right hand, she recovers everything that injures her.
It seems like she has judged that this is the moment to decide the battle.
Oh.
At this moment Io is coming too huh.
I can tell that Io is charging at me from behind.
I have [Sakai] expanded with perception, so I can stop surprise attacks.
It seems like Rona is trying to stop him though.
Like Sofia, Io must have thought that this was the chance.
“Raidou, don’t think bad of m—” (Io)
“Io, why don’t you return? I will kill you, you know? Last time was advice, this time, it is a warning” (Makoto)
I firmly look at Io and tell him this.
The binded Io.
He is being grabbed by the hand of the human shape.
A third arm.
“Wa?!”
“Just because it is hyuman shaped, that doesn’t mean it will only be restricted to 2 arms. Even you have 4 arms after all” (Makoto)
Straightforward.
Facing the starry sky, I lift him up.
After an advance notice that I will kill him if he returns.
Well, he will most likely not return though.
“Rocket Punch, just kidding” (Makoto)
“Uoooo?!!!” (Io)
I cut off the arm and shoot it out at high speed.
The grabbed Io was unable to shake it off and while still struggling, he disappeared into the starry sky.
He was slightly valuable to kill, so well, no matter where he falls, he will most likely be able to repatriate.
I did release him towards Stella so there should be no problems.
“Don’t look away!!” (Sofia)
Along with Sofia’s words, she makes a swipe with all her might.
Ah, this one will be hard to maintain.
It has black markings placed here and there after all.
Kii—n!!!
An ear-piercing sound.
The human shape broke.
“With this-!!” (Sofia)
Well.
Gagih—!!
“!!!!”
I never said that I can’t reconstruct it though.
The reality that what she destroyed had appeared in an instant again and blocked her sword; without letting escape that moment of disturbance by the reconstruction, I grab Sofia with the hand of the human shape.
“I wonder, just how good is your defensive power in that form?” (Makoto)
The fist that grasped her tightly, releases heat along with light, and explodes.
“Aaaaah!!”
A serious scream of pain.
This is the first time I have heard the voice of Sofia sounding like this.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Looking at the fight occurring right in front of me, I felt fear.
An emotion close to pure terror.
Io who saw as if Raidou was being pushed back, decided to join the battle as well.
But, he was dealt with in an instant.
The strongest general from our prided army was.
It was something that happened not too long ago.
The hyuman shaped magic power of Raidou grew a third arm from around the armpit and grabbed Io, and just like that, it separated from the body and flew to the sky.
Io is unable to use teleportation.
I see. From a realistic standpoint, he has been shut out of this fight.
If Raidou uses a hand like that, Io has no way of doing anything against it.
If I go look for him, it might be possible to rejoin the battle, but it is a reality that 2 demon generals are unable to compare in any way.
It is simply a bad situation.
Just one thing, what I am hoping is that, Raidou’s trump card is that magic power body.
It is certainly true that that thing is troublesome.
It’s a mass of magic power that can even put spells to use. With a simple aria, it can activate the spells in an instant.
Moreover, as long as he has magic power, it seems like it can even regenerate.
Just by being able to construct such a magic power body, it is proof that he possesses an amount of magic power that rivals the scale of a country.
It doesn’t seem like it is a pure object, so I don’t know about the conversion performance, it might even be slightly better than the one I know of. But the truth is that, this is a literal threat.
“From the demon race experiments, a normal magician would have to use all its magic power just to make a single grain of sand. He is able to make such a mass and materialize it strongly enough to defend against attacks of a Dragon Slayer. In that case…” (Rona)
There’s no doubt that it is an amount of magic power that she doesn’t even feel like calculating.
But in the end, it is magic power.
If it is with my trump card, it is quite good against it.
Even if it’s Raidou, there should be a way to fight it.
If it’s now, I can also expect the support of Sofia.
That is exactly the reason why I am still here.
For the demon race, the Dragon Slayer and that boy will become a threat the moment they turn into enemies.
That’s why, if I can eliminate at least one…
That’s how it is.
It is originally a special attack of mine that needs the permission of my Lord before using, but as expected, right now I have no leeway to fill the forms.
Silently…
I begin my preparations.
I connect my aria and without the two noticing me…
“Rona, I don’t know what you intend to do but, if you continue forming your spell… I will crush you” (Makoto)
“?!!”
Raidou!
That guy, at this distance…
Without even turning this way, he warned me.
Now that I remember, when we were confronting each other for fun at the academy, he was strangely able to predict my attacks.
Different from the other students, my habits shouldn’t have been read, and yet…
I feel a cold sweat running down my spine.
Just a few days ago, the last time we talked and I thought he was as naive as always, in just that small amount of time, did something happen to Raidou?
I don’t understand.
But, the reality that he made such a change is important.
At the very least, he is not someone that can be rolled in the palm of my hand at the battlefield anymore.
I send saliva to my dried throat.
It’s completely dry.
I can feel the fear that I hadn’t felt for so long swelling up inside me.
It wasn’t the time to be concerned about this.
As if hiding the fact that I have yielded to fear, I began to line up several reasons to negate the antagonism towards him.
With thought transmission, I am able to grasp the general location of Io.
He has quite the distance, but it isn’t at the level where I can’t go look for him.
…
It is the time to step back.
If what Sofia says is true, she has the power of 4 superior dragons and has released the power to the point that her hyuman shape has begun to change.
Blade Dragon’s sword, Fire Dragon’s flame, Water Dragon’s healing and support, Shadow Dragon’s special ability.
It is certainly true that it is power that could bring down a country.
But with a fresh face and with literally no sweat, Raidou was confronting her.
He is also…
No, he is way too much of an unknown number.
At the very least, I have been underestimating him way too much.
“It was a joke, Raidou” (Rona)
“Ah, I see” (Makoto)
“… Your conditions were to give up on the hero and Stella Fortress, right? Okay. I don’t know about Sofia, but Io and I will accept those conditions. We will withdraw” (Rona)
“And the condition is?” (Makoto)
Raidou looks at me.
While confronting Sofia, he has the leeway to look away as many times as he wants.
To think it was to this extent…
“There’s no condition. You will meet with Demon Lord-sama, right?” (Rona)
“Of course. I do want to talk with that person at least once after all” (Makoto)
“Then that’s plenty enough. That girl is a vice-general, but doesn’t lead any army. I will be leaving her here but, you don’t mind, right?” (Rona)
“… I can’t assure you her safety” (Makoto)
“Okay. It seems like she doesn’t intend to stop fighting even after hearing this talk, so I will just accept it as an outcome of the battlefield” (Rona)
“Then go ahead. Let me tell you this just in case. If you intend to place a hand on the hero, Shiki is also outside” (Makoto)
“I am not so stupid. Well then, excuse me” (Rona)
Scary.
Leaving the place and heading to where Io was, this single thought surfaced in my mind.
Raidou is the Devil.
Even if it’s not a name he called himself with, it is a nickname that truly fits him.
This is what I thought as I was finally able to wipe the sweat off my face.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
“… It looks as if the sword is adhered to your hand though?” (Makoto)
“This is originally like the crystallization of Mitsurugi’s power. The stronger I release my dragon power like this, it turns closer and closer to fusing” (Sofia)
In the audience room that now only she and I remain, Sofia once again stands up, clads herself in blue light, and heals her wounds.
In those eyes, there’s still fighting spirit.
“You know, why don’t you leave that fighting style of slowly shaving off your cards to someone that is weaker than you? Or are you thinking that I won’t be killing you?” (Makoto)
If that’s how it is, Sofia would be the naive one.
Because I do intend to kill her.
The moment she reacted to the name Shen, she revealed the intentions of devouring Tomoe as well.
Even if her ability is insufficient, there’s no reason to let her leave.
“I am not in the age where I dream about fighting in a battlefield without being killed. You as well, aren’t your attacks lacking in power more than the Empire’s hero?” (Sofia)
The Empire’s hero?
Why did his name come out so suddenly?
It seems like she let him go though.
“Who knows. I have never met the Empire’s hero. And there’s no need to decide the fight in one attack, right? Go ahead and utilize each one of your cards” (Makoto)
“… Just because you are in an advantage… you are being sarcastic… As I thought, that kid there was at least cuter than you” (Sofia)
“…”
“That kid’s attack was incredible you know? Shadow dragon and Water dragon; I was somehow able to endure it by utilizing two dragons at full power. It wasn’t to the point that I had to use this form, but it was higher than you though” (Sofia)
“…”
“He does think about his companions, and he also had the resolve to shave off his own life in order to reach his objective” (Sofia)
“…”
“If I was asked who I wanted to work together with—” (Sofia)
“I see. The Empire’s hero is surely impressive” (Makoto)
“What?” (Sofia)
“He was even able to use his charm power against an out of standard woman like you. On top of that, even if it was somewhat, he firmly left an impetus. If he meets you a number of times more, it may even reach perfection” (Makoto)
“?!”
It was as if she didn’t notice at all. Her expression dyes in surprise.
“Hahaha, you didn’t notice huh. It seems like you were unable to completely resist it, you know? Iya, as expected of a hero. If it were me, I wouldn’t even think about making you a companion” (Makoto)
Finding a fragment of magic power that was confined inside of Sofia, I felt admiration.
To think that he was able to charm Sofia.
That Empire hero, he doesn’t care as long as it is a beautiful girl?
I should properly make countermeasures so that it doesn’t create victims at Asora as well.
If it’s a power that can work even against Sofia, it is quite the threat.
“Ch-arm? Me? You, what are you…” (Sofia)
“You overlooked it huh. I wonder, maybe the true reason you didn’t kill the hero was because you fell in love with him? Fufufu, a Dragon Slayer did” (Makoto)
“…”
“As a sign of pity, that charm, want me to dispel it for you?” (Makoto)
Even if she is charmed, it doesn’t affect my battle with her.
But.
Seeing her flattering the Empire hero at random, she looked like a buffoon.
Sofia is not a threat that I need to stay cold to deal with.
Is it conceit, or maybe confidence?
I just felt pity for her.
“… Shut up” (Sofia)
“Sorry. I won’t do anything strange. How about it, can you let me eliminate that charm? Dispel magic is safe magic you know?” (Makoto)
“… I told you to shut up” (Sofia)
“And it seems like it is already something you can’t do by yourself after all. Even if you wait, it won’t turn into an advantageous development for you, you know?” (Makoto)
“That mouth of yours…” (Sofia)
“Hey” (Makoto)
The moment I was about to continue my words…
The back of Sofia burned.
No, it isn’t burning.
Flames shaped as dragon wings were spread.
“Shut it up!!!” (Sofia)
Her figure!
Teleportation?!
No… it is not!
It is simply at a speed I can’t catch with my eyes.
I look above.
A red trail as if drawing a line.
It is moving freely from left to right.
High speed movement.
So she still had such a card in hand huh.
She really does have a lot of tricks up her sleeve.
From several locations of the magic power body, the marks of cuts and black stains were being left.
Sofia who talked a lot, at this moment, she continued her attacks without saying a word.
“… Fuh~”
“When Mitsurugi returns, you are done for” (Sofia)
Hm, she talked.
But, that’s off the point.
No, maybe the ‘others’ are just way too out of standards?
“Mitsurugi -Lancer – won’t be returning. If you who has the power of several superior dragons is only at this level, then… our Shiki is a lot stronger than that Lancer” (Makoto)
That’s right.
While receiving the slashes I can’t see, I held confidence and answered Sofia.
At the same time, I told Shiki who has been sending me thought transmissions several times to ask for permissions:
‘Do as you wish’