Chapter 31

The black flames were clearly malevolent, and a human caught in them wouldn’t survive in any sense.

I wrapped myself in my cloak and activated its ability.

The moment the black flames touched the cloak, I teleported to the top of a nearby building, leaving only the cloak behind.

In an instant, the cloak was incinerated, and a curse spread across the ground.

…If there had been any residents, it would have been terrible.

It seemed the kingdom’s mages managed to evacuate everyone while I was fighting.

That cloak was supposed to withstand a dragon’s breath.

It’s a shame to use such a valuable magical item as a disposable tool…

I’m barely managing by using up my stock of magical items.

Mastema realized I was no longer there.

She turned to face my location.

Then, she kicked the ground and came at me.

I couldn’t even buy myself a moment’s respite.

The ground where she kicked was gouged out, raising a cloud of dust.

A moving disaster.

I sheathed my thunder sword and took out a throwing dagger from my pocket, which I hurled at her.

Mastema didn’t even bother to dodge.

The moment it hit, the embedded magic stone triggered, causing a large explosion.

I kept throwing daggers one after another, resulting in continuous explosions, but Mastema remained unfazed.

When a dagger hit her eye but was deflected by her eyeball, the absurdity of the scene made me laugh.

It should have been quite powerful, but it didn’t even slow her down.

Mastema was right in front of me. She swung her right arm back.

I gripped my heavenly sword with both hands to block the attack.

A massive shockwave hit my entire body.

I braced with all my might, but I was pushed down to the ground along with the building.

My feet hit the ground and sank into it.

Slowly, Mastema’s right arm pushed closer.

My sword was being forced back.

I waited until the last moment, then let go of my strength, bending backwards to dodge and slash at her neck.

The sword cut through the skin and reached the muscle.

But that was all.

It felt like trying to chop down a giant tree with a hatchet.

No matter how much I struck, I was far from delivering a fatal blow.

“You’re quite tenacious. I haven’t heard your name yet. Would you tell me?”

Mastema asked for my name, even while being slashed at the neck.

“Remember it. It’s Ahavain Olbrust.”

“Ahavain. I might forget by tomorrow, but I’ll remember for now. Is that alright?”

Mastema grabbed the sword still at her neck.

A burning sound was heard, but she didn’t let go this time.

Black flames traveled down the sword towards me.

I had no choice but to let go of the heavenly sword.

The angelic blessing was lifted, and the strain hit me.

“Heh. That annoying angel’s power is gone now.”

Mastema tossed the sword away behind her.

I couldn’t move.

“If it were a lower demon, you might have defeated it. You’re impressive, Ahavain.”

“Thanks. It would’ve been great if you were defeated too.”

“No way. No matter how weakened, I won’t lose to a human. I need to return to the Demon Lord.”

The sky was about thirty percent red and seventy percent blue.

In a few hours, the world would be more corrupted, and a rift would form.

Then Mastema could draw power from the other side.

She wouldn’t run out of magic power.

Whether it was an army or a divine beast, everything would be reduced to dust.

With that power, she would destroy this world and wait for the rift to grow.

I closed my eyes.

“Have you given up? Oh well. Let me finish you off with the angel’s sword.”

Mastema went to retrieve the sword she had thrown.

I kept my eyes closed.

I needed to rest my body, even if just a little.

Mastema quickly returned.

“By the way, how did you defeat the angel?”

“What, you want to know?”

“It wasn’t your power that wounded me, but the angel’s. How did you do it?”

“…It was the weapon of the Creator King.”

Upon hearing that, Mastema’s smile vanished.

Of course. If that weapon were still here, I would win.

The Creator King. The god who created this world. His weapon transcends all dimensions.

Unfortunately, it’s a one-time-use item, as it consumes its power with each use.

By sheer chance, I had obtained the Creator King’s weapon and used it to defeat the angel.

“So it still existed. There’s none left now, right?”

“Of course not. If I had it, I’d use it.”

“I see. I would have liked to see it.”

As if ending the conversation, Mastema held the heavenly sword with both hands, pointing the tip downwards.

Aimed at my stomach.

“Goodbye.”

Then Mastema lowered both hands holding the sword.

The heavenly sword pierced through my armor and into my abdomen.

Agonizing pain struck. It seemed to have missed my heart, but I wouldn’t last long at this rate.

The sword was driven deeper, pinning me to the ground.

Mastema decided it was over and looked away from me, towards the sky.

Finally. Finally, Mastema’s attention was completely off me.

The arrogance of the powerful. Pride. Arrogance. Complacency. This beautiful girl had probably never lost. She had always won with power second only to the Demon Lord.

I carefully took out a dagger.

Mastema was about to walk away.

Still within my range.

I activated the heavenly sword embedded in my abdomen and stabbed Mastema from behind with the dagger.

Mastema’s reaction was slightly delayed, and she couldn’t dodge.

Or maybe she thought it was insignificant.

The dagger made of unobtanium pierced deeper than ever before.

Finally, the conditions for victory were met.