When I stepped outside the confines of the encampment to investigate the source of the deafening sound, I was greeted by the sight of the sky ahead twisting into a swirling vortex.
Within that vortex, colossal forces of holy and dark magic clashed, their light and darkness remaining distinct, refusing to merge. It was as if two enormous serpents, locked in a fierce battle, were biting at one another, their powers evenly matched.
And then, another thunderous roar echoed from beneath the vortex. Two figures collided mid-air, sending shockwaves rippling outward. The force reached even to where I stood, striking my skin sharply.
“Is that… Lord Agito?”
Though the figures were difficult to discern from afar, one of them—shrouded in a malevolent aura of dark red magic—was Agito. The other, radiating light as they opposed Agito, must have been the Hero.
“Lord Agito has returned! Lord Agito has returned to this land!”
Behind me, the captured demons, led by Inase, raised their hands in exultation, gazing at the sky with feverish admiration.
I had heard that Agito was once the ruler of this region, Elden. It seemed he had been a lord deeply respected by the populace. His movements in the aerial battle only underscored his reputation—a display of valor, as though responding to their adoration. He evaded countless radiant attacks from the Hero with deft skill and sent the Hero flying with a single crimson blow.
Yet…
“At this rate, the outcome of the battle is impossible to predict.”
There was no doubt that Agito was powerful. However, looking at the battlefield with a level head, it was clear this was no simple duel between Agito and the Hero.
Aside from Agito, with his ominous black and red brilliance, and the Hero, whose white radiance was equally blinding, there were other players. Likely, these were Agito’s aerial forces clashing against the Hero’s brigade.
But the Hero’s brigade vastly outnumbered them.
“I heard the Hero’s brigade operates at the scale of a battalion—around thirty-six members, wasn’t it? Meanwhile, Agito’s aerial forces currently engaged… What, five or six? That’s far too few.”
No prior intel suggested the Hero’s brigade would be stationed here. Agito’s forces, though likely prepared for contingencies, surely hadn’t expected a direct confrontation of this magnitude.
Furthermore, Agito’s forces seemed to be spread thin, possibly assigned to dismantle the magical seals scattered across Elden. As a result, they were in no shape to mount a proper defense.
“If this keeps up, we might see a war of attrition that ends with Agito being overwhelmed.”
“What are you saying, Lord Kiwi? There’s no way Lord Agito could lose!”
Inase spun around sharply, gripping both my shoulders with determination.
“Lord Agito is the strongest warrior of the demon nation! No matter how many feeble humans come at him, he could never—”
“Perhaps, in terms of raw power, you’re correct.”
But why, then, have humans—those fragile beings—managed to thrive in a world teeming with powerful elves, physically superior demons, and ferocious monsters?
“It’s troublesome, really. The ‘intelligence’ that humans have honed, to compensate for their weakness, is what makes them so dangerous.”
The situation in the sky shifted.
The Hero suddenly broke away from the battle, retreating.
Agito’s forces moved to pursue, but their advance was hindered by holy attacks from the ground and coordinated strikes from other members of the Hero’s brigade.
Moments later, the Hero returned, launching another fierce assault, while the other brigade members fell back.
This pattern began to repeat.
“The Hero’s brigade is taking minimal damage. They’re definitely recovering at the rear.”
“What?”
“They’ve likely organized a rotation for healing, ensuring their allies can be restored while preventing Agito from receiving any recovery at all.”
Indeed, Agito’s primary battleground had barely shifted from its initial position.
Currently, there didn’t seem to be any Dark Healers among Agito’s aerial forces. Though the ground forces might have a few, they couldn’t reach Agito in the sky.
If this continues, the battle will drag on endlessly, and the worst-case scenario—a slow, methodical wearing down of Agito’s strength—could very well come to pass.
“Recovery magic, huh?”
“Hm?”
Inase and the other captive demons trembled slightly.
“What’s wrong? Are you still in pain?”
“N-No… It’s just, hearing about recovery magic reminded me of…”
“Ah, the priestess who used holy magic to confine you?”
“Yes. She called herself the ‘Saint.’ Whenever I think of human healing magic, I can’t help but picture her—so cold, so ruthless…”
“A Saint, you say?”
“Ah, yes. I did mention that…”
I knew this much.
The Hero has the authority to assign members to their brigade, and in principle, anyone can be summoned, regardless of their position. However, tradition dictates that the Saint, the de facto female leader of the kingdom’s church, is always included.
“The Saint assigned to the Hero’s brigade… Could she be the same woman who once pursued me, lacking both combat experience and knowledge of demons?”
“Do you know her?”
“No, I don’t. But I do know one thing.”
I glanced at the shifting battle in the sky, marking the direction where the Hero retreated. Estimating the Saint’s location, I formulated a plan.
“If the person I suspect is the Saint, then dealing with her alone should suffice.”
“Lord Kiwi, you can’t mean—!”
“Indeed, I intend to take her out. Inase, I’ll need your help for this.”
