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.
โIs thatโฆ Lord Agito?โ
Though the figures were difficult to discern from afar, one of themโshrouded in a malevolent aura of dark red magicโwas Agito. The other, radiating light as they opposed Agito, must have been the Hero.
โLord Agito has returned! Lord Agito has returned to this land!โ
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 reputationโa 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.
Yetโฆ
โAt this rate, the outcome of the battle is impossible to predict.โ
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 Agitoโs aerial forces clashing against the Heroโs brigade.
But the Heroโs brigade vastly outnumbered them.
โI heard the Heroโs brigade operates at the scale of a battalionโaround thirty-six members, wasnโt it? Meanwhile, Agitoโs aerial forces currently engagedโฆ What, five or six? Thatโs far too few.โ
No prior intel suggested the Heroโs brigade would be stationed here. Agitoโs forces, though likely prepared for contingencies, surely hadnโt expected a direct confrontation of this magnitude.
Furthermore, Agitoโs 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.
โIf this keeps up, we might see a war of attrition that ends with Agito being overwhelmed.โ
โWhat are you saying, Lord Kiwi? Thereโs no way Lord Agito could lose!โ
Inase spun around sharply, gripping both my shoulders with determination.
โLord Agito is the strongest warrior of the demon nation! No matter how many feeble humans come at him, he could neverโโ
โPerhaps, in terms of raw power, youโre correct.โ
But why, then, have humansโthose fragile beingsโmanaged to thrive in a world teeming with powerful elves, physically superior demons, and ferocious monsters?
โItโs troublesome, really. The โintelligenceโ that humans have honed, to compensate for their weakness, is what makes them so dangerous.โ
The situation in the sky shifted.
The Hero suddenly broke away from the battle, retreating.
Agitoโs forces moved to pursue, but their advance was hindered by holy attacks from the ground and coordinated strikes from other members of the Heroโs brigade.
Moments later, the Hero returned, launching another fierce assault, while the other brigade members fell back.
This pattern began to repeat.
โThe Heroโs brigade is taking minimal damage. Theyโre definitely recovering at the rear.โ
โWhat?โ
โTheyโve likely organized a rotation for healing, ensuring their allies can be restored while preventing Agito from receiving any recovery at all.โ
Indeed, Agitoโs primary battleground had barely shifted from its initial position.
Currently, there didnโt seem to be any Dark Healers among Agitoโs aerial forces. Though the ground forces might have a few, they couldnโt reach Agito in the sky.
If this continues, the battle will drag on endlessly, and the worst-case scenarioโa slow, methodical wearing down of Agitoโs strengthโcould very well come to pass.
โRecovery magic, huh?โ
โHm?โ
Inase and the other captive demons trembled slightly.
โWhatโs wrong? Are you still in pain?โ
โN-Noโฆ Itโs just, hearing about recovery magic reminded me ofโฆโ
โAh, the priestess who used holy magic to confine you?โ
โYes. She called herself the โSaint.โ Whenever I think of human healing magic, I canโt help but picture herโso cold, so ruthlessโฆโ
โA Saint, you say?โ
โAh, yes. I did mention thatโฆโ
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 kingdomโs church, is always included.
โThe Saint assigned to the Heroโs brigadeโฆ Could she be the same woman who once pursued me, lacking both combat experience and knowledge of demons?โ
โDo you know her?โ
โNo, I donโt. But I do know one thing.โ
I glanced at the shifting battle in the sky, marking the direction where the Hero retreated. Estimating the Saintโs location, I formulated a plan.
โIf the person I suspect is the Saint, then dealing with her alone should suffice.โ
โLord Kiwi, you canโt meanโ!โ
โIndeed, I intend to take her out. Inase, Iโll need your help for this.โ