Comrade

“You are strong. Even Ludmila of the Sacred Edges couldn’t defeat you.”

Urbano glared at me with a grim expression.

“But as a Hero, it is impossible to retreat, no matter how mighty the enemy. I will defeat you even if it costs me my life.”

“It’s impossible. For you,” I declared arrogantly.

“Even if I fall here, if I can inflict even a single wound upon you—surely those who follow will finish the job.”

Urbano braced his twin hammers.

The Cherub-class Miracle Armament, Mjolnir. It was a weapon possessing the ability to manipulate lightning.

“I am content to be the foundation for that victory.”

“Stubborn man.”

Same as always… I see.

“Here I come, Demon Lord!”

While I was lost in sentiment, Urbano kicked off the ground and charged. No feints, no distractions—just a straight-on movement. It was a blunt, honest frontal assault, perfectly characteristic of him. The twin hammers swung in wide arcs, striking with immense weight.

But against my reaction speed, he was too slow.

I twisted my body to dodge and threw a counter-punch.

“What!?”

However, Urbano agilely avoided my fist at the timing of the counter. The twin hammers swung in again. With my posture slightly broken, I didn’t push my luck and backstepped.

“I see your movements!”

As if he had predicted it, Urbano pressed forward further. This man—his attacks feel like he knows exactly how I’m going to move.

“Bullet.”

I fired a light bolt to intercept him.

“Tch.”

Urbano leaped back, clicking his tongue.

“Your movements… they resemble the Zylas-style swordsmanship.”

“…!”

I stiffened slightly beneath my mask. Indeed, Zylas-style was the school I practiced back when I was human. The habits of those movements must be surfacing even now that I’ve become the Demon Lord.

Thinking about it, it wasn’t that strange. However, until now, I had fought primarily with magic, and most opponents were settled in a single strike. Because of that, I hadn’t given much thought to the habits of my physical techniques.

“…Watching you reminds me of that man.”

Urbano fixed me with a piercing gaze.

“The comrade who went to the Demon Realm to defeat the Demon Lord—and never returned.”

I felt his gaze piercing right through the Demon Lord’s mask. Could it be that he’s starting to suspect I’m Fried…? No, surely he couldn’t see through me just based on a similarity in movement habits.

And besides… even if he did notice, it wouldn’t change anything. Regardless, I no longer have any connection to the human world. I’ve already severed the most important connection I had.

“I see hesitation, Demon Lord!”

With a roar, Urbano closed in.

Tch, my reaction was late—!

I felt a surge of irritation toward myself. To let my thoughts be distracted by anything other than the fight on a battlefield…! Am I still clinging to my ‘humanity’—?

“Rage, Mjolnir! Thunder Strike!”

Lightning erupted from the twin hammers. I instantly deployed a mana barrier to deflect it.

“Ugh…”

Though I took no damage, I was pushed back over ten meters by the force of the lightning strike.

“The Demon Lord retreated! Everyone, fire!” Urbano shouted immediately.

“Undine—Aqua Spear!”

“Behemoth—Ground Break!”

“Arondight—Burst Slash!”

The Heroes unleashed their Miracle Armament skill attacks one after another. Their targets were Stella and the undead.

“Homing Bullet!”

I released dozens of light bolts at once. The bolts danced through the air as if they had a will of their own, neutralizing the Heroes’ attacks. This was a version of the tracking attack magic, ‘Homing Ray,’ specialized for interception.

“Phew…”

Just in time—. I managed to shoot down all the Heroes’ attacks before they could reach Stella and the others. However, even though I blocked that wave, the threat hadn’t passed. The Heroes were already raising their weapons again, charging their energy (spirit) for the next strike.

“My Lord, I shall support you too!”

“We will fight too!”

Stella and the undead fired mana bolts and miasma spheres. However, the Heroes unleashed their second volley, effortlessly blowing the counterattacks away. The aftershocks of the rampaging attacks surged toward Stella and the undead.

“I won’t let you—”

I fired Homing Bullet again, shooting them down.

“Where are you looking, Demon Lord!?”

Urbano was approaching from the flank. Tch, a chaotic melee is difficult to manage…!

“I warned you to retreat,” I stated quietly.

The Demon Lord’s destruction magic is too powerful; adjusting the output is difficult. One mistake could cause collateral damage to my allies. But if I don’t act, I’ll be hit. If I don’t act—I can’t protect anyone. Even if I’m safe, Stella and the undead might be killed.

“Even so, if you persist in coming at me—I will show no mercy.”

I will strike down only the Heroes, for certain.

Kill the emotions.

Kill the thoughts.

Kill the reason.

Become the entity meant to defeat—to kill—humans.

“Thunder Arrow.”

Over a hundred lightning arrows appeared before me. A lightning magic specialized for anti-group sniping. Compared to the ‘Homing Ray’ type, the accuracy is lower, but the power is superior.

I heightened my concentration. What I needed was precise control.

“It’s the Demon Lord’s magic! Shoot it down!”

Torrents of water, masses of rock, and slashing waves flew from the Heroes’ Miracle Armaments. My cluster of arrows surged forward, piercing through them all at once. Dazzling explosive light filled my vision.

“Gah!?”

“Gyaaa!”

Every single Hero was pierced by the lightning arrows and perished.

“You devil…!”

No, one person had managed to avoid a mortal wound. Urbano lay on the ground, glaring at me. He must have used Mjolnir’s lightning to cancel out a portion of the damage. Regardless, he was on the verge of death. His entire body was covered in terrible burns and lacerations.

“Pant… pant… pant… even if we fall, there are still other Heroes…” Urbano groaned through pained breaths.

His face was already marked by the shadow of death.

“Evil has never truly prospered… eventually, you will be destroyed… I leave the rest… to my comrades…”

“I will not be destroyed. I will protect everything to the end.”

I walked up to Urbano and held out my hand. A light of mana ignited in my palm.

“Sleep—Hero.”

The mana light burst, and Urbano’s body vanished without a trace.