「The Grudge Demon Blade “Neck Sever”…… I see, you were my partner all along.」
The cursed weapon, a great axe that had somehow been in my shadow from the very beginning. I thought it was dangerous and had sealed it deep within the shadow, but — the moment I took it in my hands, I understood.
Even if my memories don’t return, my body remembers.
And above all, “Neck Sever,” she herself remembers. The time we spent together in the past.
That’s why I understand. How to use you.
“Stand back, Gashure!”
“Damn it!!”
Gashure gazed wistfully at his severed right arm, but as Ryur’s call echoed, he retreated, returning to his comrades.
At the same time, a flurry of gunfire began again from the enemies.
If it were the me from earlier, I could only muster the little magical power I had left to create a single shield, but now I don’t need to resort to such pathetic measures.
Power is returning.
No, “Neck Sever” is granting me that power.
Deep in the “Shadow Space,” this weapon had been continuously absorbing and storing my magical power. Believing that someday I would take hold of it again.
And that time is now.
“I feel amazing. Here I go————”
————Go forth, for my blade belongs to my master.
With a woman’s voice resonating in my mind, power surged through my limbs in an instant. A powerful step that seemed ready to shatter the floor.
The storm of bullets that had been unleashed is now closing in. But there’s no need to fear.
On my second step, I leap.
With a heavy sound, my body suddenly springs to a height of ten meters.
As I executed a giant jump, the enemies immediately raised their arm guns towards me. The light bullets, shimmering with a pale blue glow, rushed towards me in rapid succession, but they were slow.
Kicking off the air to accelerate.
Executing a highly advanced martial art known as “Rapid Dash,” I could practically run along thin air, but that’s about my limit.
However, I can still create compressed air using a wind attribute to explode beneath my feet to propel myself.
With a loud pop echoing, I charged straight towards the ones firing beams of light.
After all, the blade of this “Neck Sever” is large enough to serve as a shield.
“Scatter!”
By the time they said that, it was too late.
I dodged the light bullets head-on and charged at the enemies lined up in the air.
Upon landing, I swung the “Neck Sever” down onto the first one.
He was wearing a full-face helmet, and while I couldn’t see his face, he was likely a formidable opponent clad in impressive silver armor. Just before my attack, realizing he couldn’t counter my strike in time, he swiftly drew a longsword from his waist and raised the blade to defend against my attack from the air.
However, my “Neck Sever” isn’t something that can be blocked by a single sword that was hastily raised.
Cutting through the sword itself, the cursed blade sliced cleanly from the top of his helmet down through to his groin. Completely ignoring the thick silver armor, the blade displayed terrifying sharpness and effortlessly bisected the knight.
“Ugh, this guy!”
“Impossible, to cut through armor like that!”
The surrounding knights quickly executed the dispersion command, and those closest to me drew their swords and prepared to engage.
But I was still well within my range.
“Dark Calm!”
As if to release the power that had been building up in the blade all this time, I unleashed a fierce red-black aura while executing a martial technique.
The large horizontal slash left a black shimmering trail as it slashed through anyone who dared to approach the blade.
“Gah!”
Three people couldn’t escape the long blade of the “Neck Sever.”
Easily slicing through the should-be thick chest armor, I deeply carved into their chests.
“It’s a cursed weapon! It’s powerful enough to cut through armor; avoid close combat!”
Ryur’s desperate command echoed.
The knights, just like Gashure, blasted their boosters and scattered backwards.
The arm guns that were aimed at me didn’t continue firing light bullets but instead radiated an increasing intensity, hinting that they were charging up for a more powerful shot. Meanwhile, on the other side, they were chanting, and a shining white magic circle began to unfold.
If the opponent possesses a blade that can shred armor like paper, I’ll just seal them with magic from a distance. It’s a standard tactic, but you’re not the only ones who can use magic.
“All units, unleash your ‘Stigmata’!”
“Grant me the blessing of light———— ‘Stigmata’ unleash!!”
The scattered knights spoke words of prayer, releasing an aura of blue and white light.
This enhancement technique seems to be a blessing from the White God. To be able to use it by all members, they must undoubtedly be elite warriors of Sylvarian, or even of the Cross Religion.
However, I feel no sense of defeat. I have a reliable partner in my hands. At this moment, I feel like I could even cut Sariel.
“Curse be damned, purify with sacred light———— ‘Great Flash Cannon’!”
“‘Black Smoke’!”
A light-based area attack magic was unleashed, blotting out any escape routes.
With an overwhelming amount of power and range, it would be impossible to avoid it unscathed, but my smoke screen would at least mitigate its power somewhat. Light loses its intensity in thick fog or water. Along with this physical principle, the property of black magic helps scatter the light attribute even more.
Running through the thick black smoke, I felt the high heat scorching my skin.
It’s not deadly, but this is not something to do half-naked.
“Damn it, a smoke screen!”
“Be careful, they’re coming close!”
“Drive away the dark——— ‘Flash’!”
Having obscured their vision with the smoke screen, they immediately began to counter.
With each successive fierce “Flash,” the dazzling light began to scatter the black smoke.
However, it looked like it would take at least five seconds to clear up completely. That’s more than enough time.
“Black Calm!”
While grasping the enemies’ positions using “Black Wind Detection,” I dashed through like a slasher, cutting down as I went.
One, two, three——— this seems to be my limit.
Just as I cut down the fourth person, the smoke dissipated like mist touched by the light of “Flash,” revealing me once more to the enemies.
“Wh-what kind of creature are you?! You monster!”
“We were supposed to be overwhelming…!”
“Silence! Prepare yourselves. It appears we have awakened a terrible demon… this is indeed the trial set before us. We will defeat him here, knowing sacrifices may be necessary.”
With nearly half the knights taken down, Ryur finally wore a serious expression.
The lighthearted smile vanished as he glared at me with sharp eyes… I see, as expected of the leader.
He was radiating an aura of magical power even more intense than the other knights.
“Charge!”
With a single command, the remaining eleven knights began to move.
Six knights, including Ryur, approached while armed. The other five seemed to be positioned as rear support.
They would hold me down as frontline combatants, while the rear would either land the decisive hit or find a way to restrain my movements.
“Come on, I’ll cut you all down in one go!”
Swinging the axe, I charged directly at the frontliners.
As I sprinted with all my might, six knights powered by their boosters closed the distance in an instant, about to collide head-on, when just before impact,
“Pierce through———— ‘Black Earth Barrier’!”
Defensive magic activated.
Previously, I had utilized my magic in a desperate effort to buy time, but this time was different. I wasn’t casting it to protect myself.
This pitch-black wall was the bridgehead to launch an assault on the relaxed rear support.
“Sorry guys, but I’ll deal with you later.”
Before the knights, who were charging straight ahead unaware of the black wall about to emerge, could collide with it, they quickly swerved to avoid it with a tight curve at the last moment.
However, it seemed their resolve to engage in a direct confrontation with me was cut short by the appearance of the wall. Considering their initial intentions to attack simultaneously, my boast of cutting them all down at once seemed to have borne fruit.
“Damn it, use the wall as a springboard!”
“Don’t let him escape!”
They rushed to perform a boost jump, but I’m faster in my charge.
Kicking off the top of the wall, I dove towards the rear that wasn’t done with their incantation yet.
This time, I raised the “Neck Sever” and brought it down.
“Prepare for me———”
“————’Red Calm’!”
Having already cut down eight, the blood I drank was sufficient.
Transforming the blood absorbed into blade power, I invoked the cursed weapon’s technique “Red Calm.” It’s a morbid technique, but for the user, it’s one of great utility.
In this mid-range, I could attack more easily than casting magic.
The blood blade I swung in a horizontal arc struck faster than they could unleash their attack magic, throwing their stance off balance.
It seems the blade crafted from hastily concocted blood lacked the sharpness to slice armor, but it was enough to buy me time to safely charge in.
“Two-fold Black Calm!”
I struck once in the air.
Once I landed, I twisted and struck again.
Two knight helmets flew cleanly off.
“This!”
“You demon!!”
It seemed they had made up their minds to self-destruct, as two knights bore down on me at close range with their dazzling, glowing guns and conjured magic circle.
A perfect timing that aimed to strike right after I unleashed my technique—— but would magic not be able to shoot even if my body does not move?
“Magic Bullet: Armor-Piercing Round!”
I granted each of them one of the two preloaded shots.
Since “Neck Sever” had returned me the black magic power, filling a magical bullet was more of a habit as a black mage whenever my power surged.
In a quick-draw contest of magic, I won.
At close range, the two knights were thrown back by the explosive impact, their bodies swaying violently.
I first struck the knight whose magical energy radiated so intensely that it looked like a flashy beam could emerge from the gun at any moment.
The “Neck Sever” easily cleaved through the knight.
Before he could collapse, sliced diagonally, I turned the blade around and struck the one casting the magic circle.
The horizontal slash severed his right arm while embedding deeply into his chest.
Once I disposed of these two, only one remained behind them.
Despite the rapid cutting down of four people before them, it seemed they still managed to maintain their chant and completed their spell.
But before they could unleash it, I would cut them in half with “Black Calm”——I intended to, but the blade halted for an instant.
“G-god…”
As blood bubbles seeped from beneath his helmet, the knight murmured.
Despite my blade having pierced deeply into his chest, he held it in place with his remaining left arm.
The blade had clearly reached his heart, delivering devastating damage; more than that, he was already dead. Nonetheless, he managed to disrupt my timing for what should have been the finishing blow against the final rear knight.
“Is this what your faith looks like?”
Even as my enemy, one could say that was exceptional. His tenacity to support his companions with all his might, even on the brink of death, was remarkable.
However, that doesn’t give me a reason to ease my attack.
If “Neck Sever” is being halted, then I’ll just use another weapon.
By now, I’ve already got two fine cursed weapons in hand.
“Suck it in———— ‘Charming Chrysalis’!”
The golden dagger I shot from the shadow I gripped with the reverse grip and unleashed a light magic spell right in front of me.
The blade slides towards the knight’s neck, just before he is about to be released.
That dreaded assassin, “Child Killer” Hilda, wields this weapon—a cursed knife that absorbs the life force from those it cuts, a secret to maintaining her youth.
I’ve only used it to deal the finishing blow before, but now, using it like this feels quite enjoyable. I can understand why that woman treasures it; it has impressive capabilities.
“Ah, just when I was feeling parched… this stings.”
The golden blade deeply embeds itself into the knight’s nape and voraciously siphons his life force. Perhaps because he is an elite knight boasting a robust physique and magical power, a considerable strength flows into me.
Thanks to the “Decapitation,” my magical power rapidly replenishes, but it’s not quite at full capacity. There’s no denying that this body of mine still feels drained, and the drain ability of “Charming Chrysalis” spreads throughout me, sweetly permeating.
Is it trying to enchant me, urging me to continue wielding the blade?
But sorry, it seems my first love is still “Decapitation.” You may be alluring, but I’m not going to let you dictate my actions.
“Ah, I’ve recovered quite a bit.”
When I pull out the blade, not a drop of blood bursts from the knight’s neck.
Inside the armor, only a desiccated corpse, like Hilda’s last moments, would remain.
Having sucked that much life force, the front-line team I left behind has already reversed and is closing in.
“How dare you… how dare you come this far!”
As Ryur’s furious voice rings out, a barrage of light projectiles comes flying toward me.
It’s just a wild spray from an arm gun, but it should serve its purpose as a distraction.
I raise my “Black Shield” and wait for Ryur, who leads the charge.
Just a few seconds, but in this kind of combat situation, it’s a precious moment.
I need to prepare black magic to take care of the remaining foes during this time—
“O holy flame that vanquishes evil, dwell within my sword—’Purification Flame Sword: Indigo Blaze.'”
As Ryur readies the long sword he has on his back, the bluish-white magical aura that bursts from the blade rapidly deepens in hue, eventually transforming into flickering blue flames.
These are not just ordinary blue flames that signify high temperatures. The more saturated indigo flames shimmer; they may not be inherently evil demons, but they carry more than enough scorching heat to incinerate me.
If I have to clash with that fearsome blue flame sword, the remaining knights would just become a hindrance.
As expected, Ryur is the last one standing, just as planned.
“‘Magical Hand: Great Serpent.’”
If I want to stop the opponent in their tracks, this is a more suitable option than a wall.
The reason I stood still against their suppressive fire was to blacken this area as much as possible.
Though I lacked enough density to activate “Serpent King Binding,” I managed to weave a “Great Serpent” of decent density and number.
“To think you could stop me with just this—”
“—’Great Demon Sword.'”
The magic sword that had its blackening stripped away in the fight against Lulu has finally finished charging within the shadows.
That blue flame sword would likely burn away the “Great Serpent” in one slash. Hence, I also intend to use my blackened great sword to seal their movements.
“Tch, don’t mind me—go!”
As I overtake a momentarily halted Ryur, five knights approach.
But can they really just focus ahead like that?
“‘Underground Submergence’—”
Silent as a whisper, a “Great Serpent” crawls up from the ground behind them.
But it isn’t just any snake. It’s a venomous one, equipped with fangs that carry potent poison, often referred to as a curse.
“Corrupt—’Basilisk’s Bone Marrow Spear.'”
A no-holds-barred strike with the spear of extreme poison that manifests the power of a rushing dragon.
It’s too late even if they panic and turn around. The poisoned tip has already reached the joints.
And as long as even a bit of the blade connects, the lethal toxin will seep in.
“GYAAAAAH!”
Along with a tremendous scream, purple gas bursts forth from the knight’s armor.
Even without being injected into the body, if such poison gas fills the insides of the armor, it would quickly rot away the entire body.
Four remain.
As two turn around, wary of the “Basilisk’s Bone Marrow Spear” sneaking up from behind, only two come directly at me.
Don’t think you can stop me with just two now.
“‘Dark Calm.’”
“HAAAA—‘Diamond Body!’”
One knight shines brilliantly with bluish aura as he activates a defensive martial art.
In addition to the enhancement state known as “Stigmata,” it’s a master-level defensive technique. His body surely boasts hardness comparable to diamond.
“Playing the martyr, are we?”
This guy must have watched as the rear knight died, struggling to stop my “Decapitation.”
The “Dark Calm” I unleashed has been mitigated.
He’s certainly tough.
The sword he has readied withstands the impact, and his body doesn’t split in two.
However, there’s no way he would emerge unscathed.
“Just leave the rest to me… guff…”
The cursed blade has not broken the sword, but it is deflected by its power and momentum.
And though I couldn’t fully cut through, “Decapitation” digs into both the armor and flesh.
The blade that entered from his left chest stops about a third of the way in.
Even if he isn’t cut in half, it is still a standard mortal wound. His heart is likely slashed in half as well.
“Demon, prepare to face divine judgment!”
One knight is dead, but the other, of course, remains alive.
Using his own body as a shield, this “Diamond Body” knight has completely restrained my “Decapitation.”
In a stance that seems to express his unwillingness to let go of the massive blade sinking into his own chest, he dies.
Meanwhile, the other knight is in a position just about to swing his sword, poised to unleash a high-level martial technique.
I’m a bit worried about directly taking on a master knight’s martial arts with “Charming Chrysalis.” The drain ability is powerful, but it’s essentially a ceremonial sword, so its durability may not be that great.
Of course, if I take a martial technique head-on with my flesh, I’d be split in two. Having armor would make things a bit better, but being half-naked in tattered pants is not ideal.
“—‘True One Slash!’”
“What judgment is this, you fanatic—ORA!”
With force, he swings the sword, taking his partner’s corpse along.
If it won’t let go, then I should just slam it. It’s a splendid full-body armor shining in silver—a luxurious hammerhead of sorts.
Before the glowing sword imbued with martial technique’s power descends upon me, the full swing using my comrade’s body as a bludgeon comes crashing in.
“GUH—”
The knight is slammed against the floor along with the corpse, letting out a groan of agony.
While this alone wouldn’t be fatal, it creates more than enough opportunity for the killing blow.
With the momentum of my swing, the blade detaches from the body, allowing me to deliver a strike to the knight’s neck—though there’s no room for leisure.
“Perish! ‘Great Breaking Slash!’”
Two more knights dive in without missing a beat.
These guys had been stalling me with the “Basilisk’s Bone Marrow Spear” that had been positioned behind them… So, Ryur broke free from the bindings, countered the poison spear, and they came in for the attack.
I instinctively leap backwards to evade the powerful martial technique radiating an intense presence.
In the process, the knight’s sword crashes into the body of a comrade who still had breath.
A tragic case of friendly fire. No, they chose the opportunity to kill me over sparing their own lives.
“You guys are the ones who’re insane.”
Even having dealt the fatal blow to their ally, the knight presses forward without hesitation.
“You will definitely fall here—‘Dancing Sword of Invincibility!’”
The other knight rushes at me with a flurry of attacks using both a longsword in his right hand and a dagger in his left—a legitimate dual-wielding attack known as “Dancing Sword of Invincibility,” unlike Reki’s style.
In response, I narrowly evade the direct hit of the “Great Breaking Slash,” but this technique generates shockwaves in the surrounding area, causing my core to sway with its residual force.
It isn’t fatal, but it definitely leaves an opening that a skilled opponent like him wouldn’t miss.
“—I’ve got you!”
As I’m pushed back from the onslaught of his storm-like swordplay, the knight who recovered from the post-technique stiffness of “Great Breaking Slash” swiftly maneuvers behind me, aiming for the finishing blow.
The violent onslaught of “Dancing Sword of Invincibility” continues.
To fend off this onslaught requires acting upon “Decapitation.” I can’t turn my blade to strike the one behind me.
That said, my back isn’t completely defenseless either.
“Pile Bunker.”
But I don’t unleash a punch; it’s a kick instead.
While dodging his incoming attacks with my machete, I launch a back kick without turning around. From my toes, the sharp black magic power erupts forth.
Essentially, “Pile Bunker” is a simple technique that compresses and releases black magic. It’s not for nothing that I first activated black magic.
So, it doesn’t have to come from the fists; if desired, I could launch it from kicks, elbows, knees, or even a headbutt.
I had to be capable of such maneuvers to survive the tumultuous mobile experiments.
“Finally done with this.”
At last finishing my “Dancing Sword of Invincibility,” the flurry of strikes ceases.
Without hesitation, I retaliate with my machete, cleaving him in two.
“Y-you…!”
When I turn around, I see the knight who was knocked down from my back kick Pile Bunker.
His partner is down, and he’s lost the stance to retaliate. Truly a case of dire straits… So, will your god save you with a miracle in such times?
“—Now, only you remain, Ryur.”
Miracles aren’t going to happen, as I decapitate the knight kneeling before me.
All twenty knights lie dead, sinking into a sea of blood.
“W-we have been wiped out… wiped out, the holy knights…”
Ryur steps forward, unleashing torrents of blue flame, which blow away the great sword, great serpent, and poison spear.
Though he has finally broken through my flashy technique, he appears stunned, mumbling in shock as he takes in the situation around us.
“What’s wrong, are you going to surrender?”
“Don’t be ridiculous… there aren’t any Cross Religion followers who would submit to a demon.”
That’s not my concern.
In the first place, I am not a demon; I’m just a human.
You all merely gave me demonic power.
“Chrono, you shall bury this here, even if it costs you your life. It must be buried… that power is far too dangerous. Above all, your rebellious intent against that god will surely become an obstacle for the future of the Cross Religion.”
“That’s right; I will not forgive you. As long as you appear before me, I will crush you.”
We are at the southern edge of the Pandora Continent, Karamala.
If those claiming to be of the Cross Religion have infiltrated even such a place, it is evident that there is no safe haven for me in this world.
Then I must destroy them.
Just as I do not forgive them, they shall not forgive me. They will call me a demon and never accept me.
“O god, now I offer all of myself… grant me the purifying power to exorcise this demon!”