โYou damned demon!โ
Realizing the fate of his subordinates, the hero Ares kicked off the ground forcefully and closed the distance to Agito, slashing down with his holy sword.
At close range, a blue light flickered as a flurry of flying slashes tore at Agitoโs skin.
However,
โBahaaahhh!!!โ
With sharp, hardened claws, Agito deflected several of the slashes and seized the heroโs shoulder in his grip.
โGahโฆ Let go!โ
โIโve seen through your holy sword techniques, hero.โ
Agito flashed a wicked grin.
Although red blood trickled from the wounds inflicted in this battle, his strength remained undiminished. The aura radiating from his powerful body showed no sign of waning.
โThe power of your holy swordโs slashes is inconsistent. If I deflect only the lethal strikes, the rest are insignificant enough to endure.โ
Without mercy, Agito slammed the hero into the ground with such force that it left a crater.
โGuh!โ
โThatโs quite an impressive armor you have. But I wonder how much longer it can hold out?โ
Crack.
A fissure appeared on the silver armor encasing the hero, and fragments fell away.
Gritting his teeth with a ferocious expression, Ares grabbed Agitoโs wrist with his free handโthe one not holding his holy sword.
โBurn in the wrath of my master!โ
โHm?!โ
The sound of burning flesh erupted as smoke rose from Agitoโs wrist.
Taking advantage of the momentary lapse, Ares kicked Agitoโs torso, creating some distance between them.
A clear burn mark in the shape of a hand remained on Agitoโs wrist. It was likely the result of some holy magic.
โHmph. So youโve inscribed holy runes on your armor. How cunning.โ
Though Agito seemed unfazed, it was not a wound he could completely ignore.
I picked up a fragment of the heroโs broken armor and tucked it into my coat pocketโwho knows, it might come in handyโand quietly moved to Agitoโs side.
โIf burns arenโt treated promptly, they can leave scars, you know.โ
I cast a Dark Heal spell on him without delay.
โMy thanks, Kiwi.โ
โNo need to mention it.โ
โStill, why are you even on the battlefield? You were supposed to retreat after clearing the mines.โ
โA twist of fate, perhaps. For some reason, I had no choice but to be here.โ
โYou have quite the mouth for someone who defies orders.โ
Agito cast a glance at the demons, including Inasa, who stood behind me, and let out a faint laugh.
โTo think you planned so far aheadโfreeing captured demons and breaking through the rear of the heroโs forces. Impressive.โ
โWhat?โ
โRegardless, your actions have been invaluable, Kiwi. Thanks to you, our victory is within sight.โ
Fully healed, Agito gave a defiant smile.
โComplete recovery, as always, your healing is remarkable.โ
The heroโs face turned pale as he continued to clutch his holy sword.
โDamn itโฆ Damn it all! How are there no injuries left?! You filthy demons, so cowardlyโ!โ
โApologies if weโve stolen your trademark tactics.โ
Agito advanced, his fist glowing with crimson magic.
โDespair and join your comrades in the afterlife.โ
โGodโฆ! Protect me and this world! Justice is on my side! I wonโt loseโI canโt lose!โ
Aresโs holy sword shone brilliantly, gathering all his divine power for one final strike.
Even I could tell he had chosen to end the battle quickly, knowing he couldnโt endure against Agito, Shes, and me for long.
โJustice? Such a thing does not exist for me. What drives me is the vengeance of my fallen Elden people, nothing more.โ
โYour petty grudge is nothing compared to the weight of humanityโs future! Be gone in the name of holy retribution!โ
A moment later, the holy sword and Agitoโs magic-fueled fist collided.
The crimson fist deflected the blue light and slammed into the heroโs silver armor.
โThe one who will vanish is you, boy. Scatter into the void of our vengeance.โ
โIโฆ will notโฆ yield!โ
Ares clung to Agitoโs arm.
Suddenly, the heroโs armor began to radiate an intense white light.
This wasnโt ordinary holy magic.
โA holy power surgeโฆ?! Agito, get away now! Heโs trying to self-destruct!โ
โWhat?!โ
Agito tried to pull his arm free.
But,
โIf I die, youโre coming with me!โ
Ares tightened his grip, refusing to let go.
Just as the light reached its peakโ
โMy life is not so cheap as to give to the likes of you.โ
With a clean slash, Agito severed his own arm, escaping the explosionโs grasp. He then kicked Ares away and spat,
โDie alone.โ
โDamn you, demon!!!โ
The light from the armor engulfed Ares, and a massive explosion followed.
White and blue light burst forth like fireworks, and the shockwave nearly blew me away if not for Shes grabbing hold of me just in time.
As the winds subsided, silence fell over the battlefield.
โIs it overโฆ?โ
Inasa murmured from behind me.
Agito raised his remaining arm high into the air and let out a resounding roar:
โUwoooooooohhh!!!โ
Dark crimson magic spread across the city, signaling the end. The demonsโ triumphant cries echoed, mingling with magical bursts of flame and lightning. It was a chaotic yet unmistakable victory cry for the Demon Kingdom.
And with that, Eldenโs liberation and capture were complete.
However, neither Aresโs remains nor his holy sword were ever found.