Chapter 201

　In this battle, my job as a demon doctor, entrusted with the management of Mandibuzz, is simple.

　My job is simple: I have to follow the battlefield, control my beloved work of art, Mandibuzz, and watch as the enemy soldiers are overrun by overwhelming violence.

“Hyururuk-sam, how is Mandibuzz doing?”

“Well, he’s moulted for the first time, so he’s evolved even more. Oh, it’s my masterpiece!”

　The man who speaks to me as I peer into the crystal that communicates with Mandibuzz’s vision is Gilead, the assistant commander of the first legion, a mature man with grey hair pulled all the way back.

　He is one of the few elders in the Demon King’s army, which is mostly made up of young people, and he speaks to me in a mild tone that makes me feel comfortable.

“It is a superimposition. If you call it your masterpiece, then we can assume that the battle lines will hold a little longer.”

“Yes. But it’s not like the other kids were killed so easily. And the skewering, the skewering! It’s too cruel!”

　The normal-sized Mandibuzz was taken care of by that earth magic magician.

　As might be expected, the older Mandibuzz could not react to magical attacks from the ground.

　Some feel that it can’t be helped, but the frustration is still there.

“What’s more, are you sure? I’m not going to let you evacuate the Second Corps Commander and Amira.”

“The two of you are an important asset to our race. We have to stop here, because Amira-san, but Koga-san will literally fight to the death. We can’t let them die in vain.”

“…… Well, I guess it’s better that I was able to do the minimum role of stopping the heroes.”

　The second legionary commander, Koga, and his subordinate, former third legionary commander, Amira, were each engaged in battle with the brave, but the first legionary commander’s assistant, a mature demon, Gilead, avoided fighting with the brave, and ordered them to evacuate.

　They did a good job in the end because they stopped the two heroes who were the apple of our eye, but — when it came to the second corps commander, he was almost solely in charge.

“At least if the third corps commander hadn’t been captured …….”

“Her capture was also unexpected for us.”

　It’s at times like this that I wish the new corps commander, Hannah, who looks like a mess of a character, was here.

　I’m sure the situation would have been much better if she had been around, but she was captured by the humans.

　Those who reported to us said, “A black winged demon has taken her! or “She was kidnapped by a flying healing magician!” This shows how confused the battlefield is without the Third Corps commander.

“Thanks to that, the only person in command is the assistant commander of the First Corps.”

“No, no, if it’s just about commanding, even I can do it. However, the current war situation is not good.”

“Yeahh.”

　He mutters to himself as if he were someone else, but now that the Third Corps commander’s brainwashing of the other side’s soldiers has been broken, the other side is slowly picking up.

“……The coming battle will be a war of attrition. Hyururuk, please communicate to each of the captains to hit the demons as much as possible and stand around to reduce the casualties of our side.”

“Understood.”

　After writing the message on a piece of paper in my hand, I put it on the collar of a glow wolf I had trained to deliver the message, which was waiting nearby, and sent it to the captains to deliver the message.

　As I watch him go, I notice that Gilead, who is nearby, is muttering something to me.

“It’s best if we can win with our forces as they are,…… but if that’s not possible, we have to make at least some preparations before the Demon Lord gives up on us,……”

“Hmm? What’s wrong with the demon king?”

“……”

　Gilead kept his mouth shut with a serious expression on his face.

　His gaze was fixed on a large tornado with an unusual presence on the battlefield — a substandard wind magic created by the First Legion commander.

　I’m not sure he’s going to answer ……, so I’ll ask him another question.

“Are you worried about the First Commander?”

“Yes. It’s a battle against what Nero-sama calls his arch-enemy.”

　He meditates as he is, and continues to mutter the words.

“Probably …….”

“Hmm?”

“Perhaps, but when Nero-sama’s battle is over, then this battle will be decided. ……”

　…… What do you mean? How can a war be over just because a match between two demons and a human is over?

　Just as he was about to pursue him quizzically, the image on the crystal that shared Mandibuzz’s vision shook dramatically.

　A boy dressed in a mixture of black and white and a woman holding a white spear landed on the ground right in front of Mandibuzz’s nose.

“Hmm?”

　The next moment after I recognized the two, the crystal that shared Mandibuzz’s vision showed a scene of a boy rushing into the air with unusual force, followed by a slamming block of ice.

　The vision reverses and Mandibuzz is slammed to the ground, his body restrained by earth manipulation magic.

　……Mandibuzz is still alive and well.

　He won’t be hit by this much ……, though he doesn’t ……!

“Aren’t these people too barbaric ……?”

　Having been shown something unrealistic, I could only mutter in dismay.

　It’s the battle I’ve been waiting for.

　In the tornado that I created, I fought Rose and I threw away even my duties as First Corps leader and just concentrated my attention on the battle.

　Rose, the healing magician, has a very simple way of fighting.

　They use everything around them to beat their opponents.

　It’s like knowing how to fight just by listening to ……, but it’s impossibly tricky.

“Oraa!”

“Mmm……!”

　Rose’s swinging fist grazes her cheek.

　She flips her sword and tries to cut through the empty torso while being pierced by her own wind armour, but it is repelled and deflected by her other hand.

　It’s a feat of inhuman reflexes to be able to accurately strike with the belly of the sword.

　They continue to attack and defend themselves, avoiding and playing off attacks, sometimes crushing their start and chopping up their surroundings.

“You never change, do you ……!”

“Ha, you’ve got it all wrong!”

　Every time a wound is healed by healing magic, a new wound is carved into Rose’s body by the wind blade.

　But it is not because Rose could not avoid it.

　In the beginning, she did not even intend to avoid the blade of wind that could cut through the thin skin.

“The only existence that tries to compete with me, leaving it to abnormal recovery, is you!”

“In the first place, if you think that you can kill me with that kind of attack, you are mistaken!”

　It’s the same as in the previous battle.

　They do not avoid attacks other than those made with the magic sword and those they consider dangerous — rather, they try to attack while receiving.

　This is also an action taken immediately after he had determined that magic via the magic sword had no special effect.

　I know of no other human being who is so terrifying.

“Fu……!”

　She has approached far enough to limit the movement of the sword, and is relentlessly trying to break through the wind armour with her limbs.

　In fact, a series of attacks from her will probably break even the most robust wind armour.

　But even I wasn’t spending all my time training without thinking.

　She cloaks her left hand in wind magic and swings it as if to stab — but before she can do so, Rose head-butts her with tremendous force, crushing the start of her attack.

“!”

“It’s shameful ……! You’re a pain in the ass! Hey! You’re still only using petty tricks!”

　The cheek that was cut by the hand knife heals in an instant, and she smiles self-mockingly at the rough challenge.

“Petty tricks, don’t tell me ……!”

　The impact went through, but not the wound.

　While sprawling backwards, he swung his arm to create multiple small-scale vortices of wind, which were directed at Rose, whose cheek was bleeding.

　Rose, however, didn’t care, and made them all disappear with a kick of her leg.

　That healing magician— a technique that worked on Usato, but it is meaningless against her?

　Switching his thoughts, he rushes forward before she can thrust out her fist.

　They collide, shifting into a position where they clash with each other’s forearms, and strengthening the wind armour that surrounds them with all their might, they go head-to-head with Rose’s monstrous strength.

“I knew you were strong.”

“Is that what you came here to tell me?”

　After forcing me to use only my arm strength to push me away, Rose raises her right leg high and slams her heel into the ground.

“Oraa!”

　With a vibration that could be mistaken for an earthquake, Rose swung her right foot down and the ground cracked like a spider’s web, and the foothold collapsed.

　Balancing on the wind, he swung his sword sideways, but before he knew it, Rose, who had dived into his pocket, slammed his right arm, which he had drawn wide, into his chest.

“—!”

　Her vision flipped and she flew through the air.

　She was launched into the air by a fist or ……!

“Zeeee!”

　She positions herself in the air and fires a series of invisible wind blades at Rose below.

　Rose, on the other hand, runs on the ground, avoiding the attacks as if she can see the wind blades.

　The wind blades slamming into the ground cut the ground into blocks, and the magical power of the wind raises them up, transforming the battlefield.

“How dare you avoid me!”

　Perhaps they are avoiding it only by the slight flow of air and their senses.

　As he feel as if he’s facing an instinctive beast, he realises that Rose, who is approaching is throwing something at and respond with his sword.

“…… gravel?!”

　You should mock it as childish trickery, but even if it is gravel, it was thrown by Rose’s arm strength.

　A direct hit would penetrate my wind armour and windpipe me.

　It’s more fearsome than magic.

　The next time I landed on the ground while cutting down the approaching debris with my sword, Rose thrust her fist into the ground raised by my magic and threw it towards me with only the strength of her arm.

“Take this!”

　I will cut it in two as it approaches to crush me.

　Afterwards, she carries an even bigger lump of rock, leaps up and is about to slam it into me.

“Crush it!”

“……!”

　Completely caught off-guard, the chunk of rock strikes you from above, crushing you.

　I deploy wind armour to the maximum to defend myself, but Rose, who has piled up more boulders to smash me, strikes with her fists as a no-holds-barred blow.

“…… You, too, can’t beat me with brute force alone!”

　I release my wind armour for a moment to create a gap, swings my sword sideways and chops up a chunk of rock.

　He rises out of the rubble like a bullet.

“You really are a stubborn bastard, aren’t you?”

“It’s a mutual thing, isn’t it?”

　The irony is returned to Rose as she lands on the ground.

　The combination of physical abilities that far surpass those of demons, sharpened senses, and the element of healing magic, creates Rose, an existence that transcends the boundaries of human beings.

“Is your disciple Usato the same as you?”

“…… Ah, I suppose so. He’s grown up a bit differently than I have, but …… I’m sure he’ll surpass me eventually.”

　Usato is the only boy who has come forward to stall me.

　It was obvious that he was trying to buy time, but I was still curious enough to try my hand at it.

　This was despite the fact that he could win in an instant if he wanted to.

　Despite his inexperience, he was indeed Rose’s protégé.

“……”

　I had a pupil too.

　Amira Berglet.

　A talented disciple who, after being driven by my obsession, was not able to give her satisfactory training.

　If I hadn’t abandoned my role as a teacher and taught her, she would have become as strong as she is now.

　I know it’s too late for that now, but I couldn’t help but think that when I looked at Rose and her students.

“You don’t hate me, do you?”

“Oh?”

“It was I who killed your man and took her right eye. And yet, I don’t feel a trace of hatred from you.”

　Since the beginning of this battle, Rose has not shown any signs of hatred.

　She is angry, I suppose. Well, she always seems to be angry when she’s fighting.

　But she was fighting me, the man who had done so much to her, without losing her mind. I couldn’t understand it.

“Yes, what you have done is unforgivable. After all, you caused the deaths of my most trusted men in a joke of a way.”

“And yet, why did you let me–“

“Shut up.”

　The reply to his words was a fist so strong that it passed the impact.

　The impact from the piercing blow penetrates the wind armour and causes a dull pain in the abdomen.

“……!?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, you idiot. I’ve already ended my relationship with you. Don’t drag me into this because you want a reason to fight.”

　Glaring sharply, Rose lowers her fist, which has the magic of healing magic wafting through it like smoke.

　What was that blow? Even though the blow was blocked, only the impact penetrated through, ……!

“So much for boring questions and answers. Come on, come on, Nero Agents. I’ll dent that pathetic side of your face nicely.”

　Rose, who had somehow wiped the blood from her hands, turned to me with eyes filled with a strong will that had not changed in the slightest.

Author’s Note:

Rose is a simple strong type.

At any rate, she throws and smashes everything around her, including the opponent she is fighting.

If I could, I wanted to unify the story from Rose’s point of view, but I wanted to bring out Rose’s fight from the enemy’s point of view, so I described it as Nero’s.

The next update is scheduled for tomorrow at 18:00.