The flames of the Phoenix are lethal to demons.
The flames of the Phoenix, possessing the power of purification and regeneration, are nothing short of poison to beings like demons.
As proof, Agares stumbled back, screaming in pain.
“Even demons can’t sound much different when they scream.”
“You! How dare you have two blessings! A human who receives two blessings should just drop dead!”
“I’m a bit special, you see.”
I joked around as I swung my shovel at the burning creature.
Maybe it was because its face was literally on fire, but the creature couldn’t dodge my shovel and took a direct hit to the face. Looking at my numbed hand, it seemed its head was tougher than I imagined.
“You little noooooooob!”
“Is that all you’ve got to say?”
I swung a bottle filled with flammable liquid, smashing it against the creature’s head, then ignited its body again, letting it burn even more.
The flames from the Phoenix relentlessly scorched Agares’ body, slowly turning it into charcoal.
“For a great demon, you’re quite pathetic.”
“Shut up! You bug!”
“The one on fire has no right to call anyone a bug.”
I swung the shovel, targeting any part of its body. While it writhed in agony, I intended to keep hitting it like I was tenderizing pork cutlet. Once, twice, three times, four times… Each time I hit its body with the shovel, a scream echoed.
It seemed its body was as hard as steel, so I didn’t inflict much damage, but seeing it felt pain indicated it wasn’t entirely invulnerable. Sensing the quiet around me, I felt an approaching presence and slammed the shovel into its jaw.
“Think you can keep taking this?!”
The title of ‘Great Demon’ isn’t as impressive as it sounds.
Despite getting pounded like a dog on a hot day, it leaped back, dodging my attack and instantly launching flames. With its body singed and marked by burns, Agares glared at me with eyes full of hatred.
“I was a bit taken aback by your unexpected move, but you’re getting careless, aren’t you?”
“Well, haven’t you forgotten something?”
“What?”
Before it could grasp the meaning of my words, a flash of light flickered.
“AAAH!”
Its left arm flew away, severed from the shoulder. Landing next to me was a brown-skinned female knight. I glanced back at Karina and Rue, who were waiting behind me, before turning my gaze back to Agares.
“You’re slow on the uptake.”
“You’re sturdier than I expected.”
Renny said, swinging her sword to shake off Agares’ blood.
“After all, it is a great demon.”
It seemed weaker than Harpas. Of course, that might be because this wasn’t its true form… but if it’s a half-formed incarnation, then that’s fine by me. I can’t kill it, but preventing it from stepping onto this land is a win.
“Unlike with Harpas, we won’t have to struggle as much.”
Considering it’s related to Cidri, it seemed Agares lacked the intimidation and strength of Harpas. Or maybe Harpas simply was too strong.
From the atmosphere alone, it felt more like a final boss than a mid-level one.
“It seems better to push forward and finish this without giving it a breather.”
In a game, skipping patterns and not allowing it to fight back is vital.
“You filthy pests! I will burn your souls in hellfire!”
“Get ready to cry in hell.”
Without waiting for who would go first, Renny and I leaped into action, kicking off the ground. The warm, sacred energy clung to our bodies.
Must be Karina’s blessing.
Our speed increased significantly, at least by thirty percent.
With that momentum, we leapt toward the airborne Agares.
“I’ll take the high road.”
“Then I’ll go low.”
The sword blade was descending toward us like a guillotine. We clasped hands, twisting our wrists to swap positions. This was a stunt only possible due to our incredible strength that allowed us to change direction midair.
Renny went up; I went down.
The blade barely grazed above my head.
If we were a moment late, our bodies would have split in two.
Aimed for its neck, I prepared to strike with my shovel while Renny’s sword attacked simultaneously. There’s no way it could withstand two attacks at once—
“Haha! Did you think I was that easy to underestimate?!”
A shield, huh? For a demon, it’s absurdly durable. Gripping our stuck weapons in the shield, we glared at Agares.
“Can’t you just die quietly?”
“You’re as tenacious as a cockroach.”
“I’ll make you feel as much pain as that mouth of yours!”
It seemed it had poured all its mana into the shield; it was frustratingly strong. Renny’s and my weapons were lodged in the shield, not budging an inch.
“Renny, let’s keep pushing.”
“Sure! Let’s see what you can do!”
We channeled all our strength into our weapons, beginning a tug-of-war against Agares’ mana-filled shield, and our mithril weapons pressed slightly into it, unaffected by the powerful magic.
“Do you really think you can pierce my shield with this?”
“Well, it might be tough.”
“Hey! Don’t say that; it drains my morale!”
“But, Agares, don’t you feel like you’ve forgotten something?”
“What?”
“…O mighty one! Deliver punishment to the enemy with your spear!”
A wave of hot heat radiated from behind us. To us, it was just a bit warm, but how about for it?
The spear, filled to the brim with the most lethal holy power against demons.
The most powerful sacred magic in the original story, a spear gathered through Karina’s prayer, shot forth without hesitation toward Agares.
Realizing that even it couldn’t withstand the spear of judgement, it tried to push us away and flee, but we wouldn’t let it escape that easily.
“Let go! I said let goooooooo!”
“Quit struggling and just burn in hell. Renny.”
“Okay.”
No more words were needed. We explosively unleashed the power we had momentarily gathered, bursting forth with the recoil and flying back from Agares’ shield.
And simultaneously, a holy light washed over our surroundings.
I covered my eyes with my palm and rolled on the ground. Thanks to the World Tree’s blessing, my sturdy body landed safely even from a significant height without a scratch.
“Damn pests!!!”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
“It doesn’t look like it’ll go down in one hit, so let’s chase after it immediately! Rue!”
“Okay!”
“Follow me! I’ll cast a spell on that thing!”
There was no time to waste as we dashed toward it. Even after taking a direct hit from the spear of judgement, the smoke cleared, and it was still alive.
One leg gone and its belly split open with innards spilling out. Whether to call that being ‘alive’ was debatable.
“I can’t be beaten… by mere humans!”
“Quiet down. Just die already. I don’t have time to waste on you anymore.”
I raised my shovel high. Now, all I had to do was swing down to end Agares’ conquest.
Without hesitation, I aimed the shovel at its neck.
“!(@&(#!Hey! I will accept your offer! Whatever the price, I—”
Agares hurriedly tried to complete its sentence, but its head hit the ground instead. I took a deep breath and handed my head to Rue.
“Rue. Start the mind control.”
“Is it dead?”
“Do you really think it would go down that easily?”
Harpas was finished off merely by severing its head thanks to the wish amplification from the Book of Wishes, but whether Agares would simply die was uncertain.
I couldn’t leave even a 0.1% possibility remaining.
So, handing my head off to Rue, we watched intently as her tentacles coiled around Agares’ head.
“Eugh, it’s kind of gross to watch.”
“I thought the same… a bit.”
“You don’t have to apologize too much; it’s a sight anyone would find disgusting.”
But what about that outsider trying to form a contract? My curiosity peeked as Rue suddenly spoke up at the right moment.
“Contractor! This… strange creature is saying something!”
“What? Can you interpret it?”
Hearing my question, Rue nodded like a broken machine, then locked eyes with Agares’ head, beginning to move her lips.
“What is it saying?”
“Don’t listen to it. Getting your mind tainted would be a headache.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Renny quickly pulled Karina back at the mention of mental contamination.
Good maneuver.
“Hmm… Uh…”
“Did it send any message?”
“Um… it says it finds me so pathetic it’s not interested in making a contract with this creature?”
“…Really?”
That was a bit sad.
“And… Quartz. It says it’s been a long time since we last met, so say hi for me.”
“What?”
I was taken aback by the sudden revelation. Immediately, Rue’s atmosphere shifted dramatically as she turned her gaze from Agares’ head to meet mine.
When I realized something was off, Rue’s mouth moved.
“The time for reunion isn’t far off. Offspring of the betrayer, we shall come find you. This time, it won’t be the same as before.”
As soon as her words finished, Rue’s body wavered. I quickly caught her, ensuring she wouldn’t fall and pressed my eyes tightly shut against the headache of this troublesome situation.
It seems the outsiders were proposing contracts to any and every demon.
That thought suddenly popped into my head.
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