Chapter 1: Status 

Facing a demon who endlessly heightens their dark aura and overwhelming presence, swelling with power.

(Tch… But seriously, what do I do? How do I fight this?)

Glenn, with utmost calm, mentally analyzes this desperate battle situation.

(My remaining gear… two protective amulets, three throwing needles, one flash stone, a spare cylinder loaded with six regular bullets, my mana nearly depleted… and after fight after fight, my stamina’s at its limit…)

Then, he steals a glance at the demon—the being that was once Lazare.

(And that guy… no matter how you look at it, he’s brimming with power…)

But that’s not the only problem.

(Right… his《Shield of the Power Angel》is still intact… that shield’s absolute defense… thanks to Celica, I know how to counter it, but it’s still a massive pain… and while the shield overshadows it, that spear is no joke either…)

As Glenn fixes his gaze on the spear the demon wields, he dredges up knowledge from his military days.

(That spear… nine times out of ten, it’s a ‘Holy Sword’ from the Church of St. Elizares’ Temple Knights. A weapon that converts the user’s divine power into slashing beams of light… the《Force Saber》technique… a weapon that can grow infinitely stronger depending on its wielder, potentially the world’s most powerful…)

If that Lazare is truly one of the Six Heroes, then his beloved spear must be《Holy Spear Lokitalia》—renowned as one of the finest masterpieces among the Holy Sword series.

《

Both are legendary martial artifacts, crafted by saints from a bygone era.

(…If the demon’s power is combined with that shield and spear, I can’t even imagine the kind of destructive force it’d unleash… Facing him head-on, I don’t have a shred of a chance…!)

So, what to do?

(As expected… my only shot is Celica’s《Mithril Sword》, the one thing that can break through that shield…)

As Glenn frantically strategizes to counter the demon’s ultimate shield and spear,

A sudden, ear-splitting sound of metal shattering echoes loudly through the area.

“…Huh?”

He looks—and sees the demon crushing《Holy Spear Lokitalia》and《Shield of the Power Angel》in his grip.

The legendary martial artifacts shatter into fragments, scattering in all directions.

For a moment, Glenn stares dumbfounded at the glittering shards searing his vision with afterimages…

“…You idiot.”

Eventually, he mutters in disbelief.

“Smashing two of the world’s top-tier pieces of equipment… What the hell are you doing? …Are you sane?”

‘Hmph, you speak foolishly.’

Then,

‘What meaning is there in wielding weapons and armor weaker than myself?’

The demon responds as if stating an undeniable truth.

‘Those fangs, sharpened by fools, are no longer needed. I am《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero. I, myself, am the world’s ultimate weapon and armor.’

At the demon’s words, Glenn can only swallow hard, stunned…

“…That’s just a bluff.”

Eventually, he snorts and declares as much. He has no choice but to do so.

Deep in his heart, Glenn knows the demon’s words are no lie.

But if he acknowledges that—he’s left with nothing but despair.

There’s a tale of a sinful woman who opened a “box” sealed with all the world’s despair. From that box, every form of despair spewed forth, tormenting humanity… but at the bottom, it’s said a single hope remained.

Yet, that “hope” wasn’t hope at all—it was the despair of “knowing everything.”

Because it stayed in the box, never released into the world—paradoxically, it became “hope.”

It’s precisely because people don’t know, don’t realize, that they can hold onto hope.

So, Glenn stops peering into the depths of that “box”…

“You’re looking down on me, you bastard…!”

Kicking off the ground, he charges toward the demon at ferocious speed.

White Magic [Physical Boost] is already pushed to its maximum.

His enhanced physical abilities, straining muscle and bone to their limits, blur Glenn’s form.

“Haaaaa—!”

A feint. Mid-charge, he leaps sharply to the side—

“Eat this!”

In the torrent of the shifting landscape, Glenn takes aim with his revolver—fanning the hammer for rapid fire.

Six searing lines of fire erupt from the muzzle, piercing the demon’s limbs with pinpoint accuracy—

Flash! The next instant, the world incandesces, turning pure white.

As he discards the empty revolver, Glenn triggers his final flash stone.

Using the blinding light as a distraction, he swiftly circles to the demon’s blind spot, shouting a chant.

“《O primal force, dwell within my claws, ignite a mighty radiance》—!”

Black Magic [Weapon Enchant]—a spell to enhance his weapon.

Glenn pours his last reserves of mana into his right hand, reinforcing it stronger than steel.

His right hand glimmers brilliantly with the light of mana.

From behind, aiming for the demon’s heart, he thrusts his piercing hand forward with deadly precision.

(Hah! Ditching the shield was your mistake—!)

As far as Glenn’s spiritual senses can tell, the demon isn’t employing any magical defenses.

Then—he can pierce through. Die, you bastard.

The moment Glenn is certain of his victory, his piercing hand, slicing through the air, makes contact with the demon’s body—

Splat! With the sound of flesh being crushed, Glenn’s hand plunges into the demon’s body.

To any onlooker, that’s exactly what it looked like. No question.

But—

“Guh—AAAAH!?”

The next instant, Glenn reels back as if repelled.

Blood sprays from his right hand as he skids across the ground, his boots scraping, returning to Rumia’s side.

“Tch…!?”

His limp right hand is a mangled mess.

The bones are shattered in a complex, grotesque pattern, the flesh torn, blood gushing.

In that clash, it wasn’t the demon’s body that was pierced—Glenn’s hand was the one destroyed.

“S-Sensei!? Are you okay!?”

Rumia rushes to Glenn’s side, hurriedly beginning to chant a healing spell on his right hand—but the wound is far too severe to heal quickly.

“Damn, you’re tough…!? What the hell are you made of…!?”

It’s no boast, but Glenn’s piercing strike, empowered by [Weapon Enchant], is one of his trump cards, capable of punching through plate mail with ease. For Glenn, whose fighting style centers on hand-to-hand combat, this Imperial Military Combat Technique is his literal ace in the hole.

Even against Reik’s dragon scales earlier, while he couldn’t pierce through, he was never so utterly defeated as this.

‘What’s wrong? Is that all, Glenn Radars? If you’re done, I’ll be taking Rumia Tingel’s life.’

The demon doesn’t budge an inch. He simply stands there, exuding an air of effortless superiority—as if Glenn’s attack wasn’t even worth defending against.

“S-Sensei… your hand…!”

“Stay back, Rumia!”

Shaking off Rumia’s attempt to stop him, Glenn steps forward.

(But what do I do…? I’m completely out of weapons…!)

As Glenn endures the searing pain in his right hand, hesitating,

“…Sorry, Glenn. I’m late.”

“From here, we’ll take over. Rumia, get out of here.”

Celica and Re=L.

“Tch, to think I’d lose my composure over something like this…!”

“Leave the rest to us.”

Halley and Baron Zest.

The four, previously paralyzed by mental shock, snap back to their senses and begin surrounding the demon.

And that’s not all.

Whoosh! Suddenly, three new figures descend from the sky, accompanied by a gust of wind.

“Ho ho! Looks like things are getting interesting!”

“Glenn-senpai! Rumia-san!”

Bernard,《The Hermit》of the Imperial Court Mage Corps’ Special Missions Annex, and Christoph,《The Hierophant》.

And then—

“…Sorry for being late.”

Albert,《The Star》, joins the fray at this critical moment.

“Old man!? Christoph!? Albert!? You guys came!?”

“Hmph. …Step back.”

Albert, as always, is cold and dismissive, his blunt words grating on Glenn’s nerves, but in this situation, there’s nothing more reassuring than the sight of his back.

“Everyone from the Magic Academy! We’re with the Imperial Army… we’re allies! We’ve grasped the situation! I know it’s sudden, but please, let’s form a united front!”

“Oi, it’s been a while, Glenn-boy and Celica-chan! You two doing alright!?”

The Special Missions team quickly spreads out, taking their positions and readying for attack.

Seizing the opportunity provided by this sudden reinforcement, the Magic Academy group begins coordinating silently.

(What the… I thought we were done for, but…)

At that moment, Glenn lets out a sigh of relief.

Celica, Re=L, Halley, Zest, Bernard, Christoph, Albert.

Before he realized it, their forces against a single demon had become overwhelmingly dominant.

With this ultimate lineup, there’s no one they can’t defeat. Glenn stops peering into the box’s depths. He forcibly ignores the unease lurking deep in his chest.

(We can win, we can win… we’ll definitely win…!)

As Celica and the others encircle the demon, waiting for an opening, Glenn clings to that conviction, holding his breath and watching the battlefield unfold… when suddenly,

“Sensei! Rumia!”

Swoosh!

With a gust of wind, silver hair flowing, another girl dashes to Glenn’s side.

“W-What’s going on here!? What’s happening!?”

It’s Sistine. Noticing the anomaly in the sky above the academy, she must have squeezed out her barely recovered mana to use《Gale Kick》and rushed over in a panic.

“Yo, White Cat. Nice timing, huh?”

Bolstered by their overwhelming advantage, Glenn grins as he responds.

“Nice timing?”

“Yeah, we’re about to gang up on the mastermind behind this whole mess.”

“Uh… mastermind? I don’t really get it…”

Looking troubled, Sistine glances around at Celica and the others surrounding the demon, muttering.

“Tch… this is one hell of a lineup, isn’t it…?”

“Right? Haha, at this point, I almost feel sorry for the guy—”

Glenn chuckles, shrugging playfully, but

“…But can we win?”

Sistine’s anxious words douse his confidence like a bucket of cold water.

“That thing in the sky… it’s probably the《Ship of Flames》, right…? From Loran Ertoria’s fairy tale, ‘The Magician of Melgalius’…”

“…”

“Which means the demon everyone’s surrounding… it’s one of the Demon Generals, isn’t it? The same kind of being as《Demon Blade General》Al-Khan, who we encountered at the Taum Celestial Temple, right?”

…Silence. Glenn falls quiet.

“If it’s the《Ship of Flames》, then… it’s《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero, isn’t it?”

Sistine relentlessly pries open the “box” Glenn had refused to look into.

“If that’s the case… we can’t possibly win! Even the protagonist of the story, the ‘Mage of Justice’… in the end, he couldn’t defeat Accelo Iero!”

“—!”

Sistine’s trembling words finally force Glenn to peer into the bottom of the “box.”

Yes—he realizes.

And once he realizes, all that’s left for them is despair.

“…White Cat. Tell me, from your own mouth… In that story, what was the most distinctive ability of《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero…?”

Gritting his teeth, Glenn clenches his left fist tightly.

“I want to believe it’s just a misremembered detail… Please… tell me… What was his ability!?”

“T-The story’s《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero… his body…”

As Sistine begins to speak,

“There!”

Spotting an opening in the tense standoff, Celica kicks off the ground and charges.

Moving at godlike speed, her form a blur, she closes in on the demon.

In her hand is the

Moreover, Celica has invoked Modified White Magic

The ultimate sword, wielded with ultimate skill. Nothing in this world should be able to withstand it.

Slicing through the vacuum, Celica swings the blade straight down at the demon’s head—

The next instant, a dry metallic clang echoes through the area.

—Everyone doubts their eyes at the sight.

“…Huh?”

Passing by the demon and entering a state of readiness, Celica notices something.

The weight in her sword hand feels… off.

Looking down, the blade is gone from the midpoint. It’s been reduced to half its length.

The next moment, something glinting spins wildly through the air, landing in the distant ground like a gravestone. Needless to say—it’s the missing half of the blade.

“…Impossible.”

Celica’s swing had undoubtedly caught the demon’s head with perfect precision.

The ultimate sword, wielded with ultimate skill, should have cleaved the demon’s head in two.

Yet, what was split in half—was Celica’s sword.

“Hmph. A borrowed sword technique, merely mimicking form.”

The demon speaks coldly to Celica’s back as she stares, stunned, at her broken sword.

“There’s no soul in your skill. You don’t even reach Eliete’s shadow. …The sword is weeping.”

That’s when it happens.

“YAAAAAAAHHHH—!”

A blue shockwave surges toward the demon from the side—Re=L.

Brandishing a greatsword forged through her signature high-speed alchemy, she swings horizontally at the demon.

The greatsword, brimming with overwhelming force, catches the demon without fail—

BANG!

With a sound like a boulder being blasted apart, the greatsword shatters into pieces, scattering in all directions.

“Agh!?”

The recoil sends Re=L flying horizontally, tumbling across the ground…

Meanwhile, the demon merely brushes off the dust from his body with a casual hand.

Everyone present is struck dumb, speechless and frozen at the sight.

This is abnormal. Utterly abnormal.

With something like the《Shield of the Power Angel》’s absolute defense, there’d be some magical secret or mechanism behind its invincibility… some hint or sign.

If you could uncover that secret, there’d be a way to deal with it… that kind of confidence.

But the demon’s current invincibility has no reason.

He’s simply strong because he’s strong. Hard because he’s hard. …That’s all there is to it.

“…White Cat. What was Accelo Iero’s ability…?”

To Sistine, rendered speechless by the scene before her, Glenn asks again.

“H-He…”

Snapping back to herself, Sistine trembles, whispering as if squeezing out the words.

“If ‘The Magician of Melgalius’ is accurate… his body… is made of adamantite.”

Adamantite. Few likely know it in detail.

A mythical magical metal, said to have been created by the arcane technology of an ancient super-magic civilization.

This metal, gleaming with a dark, lustrous black, is an indestructible substance, reportedly possessing the fluidity of mercury while being far harder than dragon scales—a metal embodying contradictions.

According to one theory, even mithril and orichalcum, considered the finest metals in modern times, were mere byproducts—failed experiments—in the process of creating adamantite.

Though ancient inscriptions and texts hinted at adamantite’s existence, the magical academic community remained skeptical, dismissive of its reality.

After all, no such metal had ever been found, no matter how many ruins were excavated, and the idea of a metal superior to mithril or orichalcum was, by common sense, unthinkable.

Thus, adamantite was a kind of ancient romance, earnestly debated among a niche group of magical archaeologists and researchers—a phantom metal of legend.

‘Exactly.’

The demon nods at Sistine’s words.

‘My body is forged of indestructible adamantite. Even [Megiddo’s Flame]… cannot destroy me. …Care to test it?’

“Don’t screw with me…!”

But in that moment, Glenn realizes, with visceral certainty.

Even the [Flame of Megiddo] could not destroy it… That, most likely, was the undeniable truth.

“Damn it… What the hell am I supposed to do against a guy like that…?”

“There’s no ‘what to do’ about it.”

Glenn, who had let a whimper of weakness slip, was sharply rebuked by Albert’s voice from behind.

“I’ll take the lead. You… do what you’re capable of.”

“!”

Glenn’s eyes sharpened as he grasped Albert’s intent.

“…Can I leave it to you?”

“Yeah… That’s my role right now.”

With that cold, detached response,

“《Thunderblade, dance》!”

Albert swiftly spun around, pointing at the demon and chanting a spell.

Seven simultaneous activations of [Lightning Pierce] shot from his fingertip, each tracing a different trajectory, flying at high speed and precisely striking the demon’s left chest in a concentrated assault.

It was a masterful technique hailed as the ‘Seven-Star Sword’—but…

‘…And what of it?’

As expected, not a single scratch marred the demon’s body.

‘At the end of the day, those are merely the fangs of a fool. An attack of that caliber—’

“《Golden thunderbeast, race swiftly across the earth, soar and dance in the heavens》.”

Yet, Albert paid it no mind, immediately reciting the next spell.

The modified Black Magic [Plasma Field] activated.

A raging storm of lightning swirled around the demon, forming a circular vortex.

Flashes of light flickered, countless bolts of lightning writhing like serpents, battering and tormenting the demon—but…

‘Laughable.’

As if basking in a pleasant shower, the demon remained utterly unfazed by the lightning.

And with Albert’s attack as the catalyst—

“Guh, oooaaahhh—!?”

Those who had been frozen, overwhelmed by the demon’s presence, began to move.

As if desperately trying to dispel the anxiety and despair gnawing at their very foundations.

“《Claws and fangs of the ice wolf, gather》!”

Halley activated [Ice Blizzard] in a focused manner, unleashing a barrage of ultra-fine frozen air bullets—

“《Freeze, Wind God, brandish your sword, race through the heavens》!”

Sistine chanted [Air Blade], releasing a massive, crescent-shaped blade of wind—

“Damn it… I’m already at my limit…! 《Blow Away》!”

Celica chanted [Giga Explosion], causing spatial energy to converge around the demon, erupting in a dazzling flash, triggering a massive explosion that shook the air.

Every attack struck the demon directly. The unleashed destructive force mercilessly ravaged it.

To target a single individual with such destruction was, by any reasonable standard, overkill.

…But.

‘…Satisfied now?’

Unscathed.

The demon—completely unscathed.

As the spells’ overwhelming destructive power fizzled out with the passage of time, they dissipated into nothing.

“How about this!? 《Hear the song of the fierce bird, your will to the void, your mind to white》!”

Baron Zest chanted the mind-destroying spell, White Magic [Mind Blast], with unrestrained full force.

A shrill, piercing sound rang out. A mental interference wave, capable of reducing hundreds of ordinary people to husks in a single blow, directly assaulted the demon’s mind—

“Chris-boy! Re=L-chan! Now, match my timing!”

“Yes!”

“Got it!”

Seizing the opportunity, Bernard, Christoph, and Re=L sprang into action.

“Oooaaahhh—!”

First, Bernard dashed past the motionless demon, leaving afterimages in his wake.

As he passed, countless steel threads shot from both his hands, slicing through the air.

Those threads, enhanced with magic, were ultra-fine, ultra-frictive special threads capable of cutting through steel.

Glinting as they caught the light, they coiled around the demon’s entire body—

“Nuuuuh!”

Bernard yanked the threads without mercy.

The threads, now razor-sharp blades, tightened around the demon’s body, slicing into it.

“Iyaaaaaahhh—!”

And then, Re=L slammed an oversized sword, forged several times larger than normal, into the demon’s head. The immense force bent the massive blade into a U-shape, crushing the demon within—

“Fall back, Re=L!”

Without missing a beat, Christoph activated his barrier magic.

While Bernard and Re=L held the demon’s attention, Christoph had thrown countless iolite stones, which landed in a precise hexagonal honeycomb pattern around the demon, instantly forming a geometric barrier.

“《High-speed barrier deployment, Iolite Prison》!”

As Christoph pressed both palms to the ground, countless lines of magical energy raced along the earth, intertwining to connect the stones, forming a super-gravity field in an instant.

In that fleeting moment, a deep, heavy sound reverberated as the air was crushed flat. The super-gravity bore down on the demon—cracking and shattering the ground beneath it, sinking into a crater-like depression.

The massive sword, bent into a U-shape around the demon, could not withstand the super-gravity, twisting like taffy and snapping from metal fatigue… even within such a hellish barrier.

‘…Is that all?’

Yet, the demon still stood firm, leisurely climbing the crater’s edge with steady steps.

“No way… A super-gravity barrier that could crush even a dragon if perfectly executed… and it didn’t even slow it down…!?”

Christoph’s eyes widened in disbelief, his voice bitter with frustration.

“To withstand my full-powered [Mind Blast] unscathed… Are you even human…? No, clearly you’re not human at all.”

Baron Zest, sweat beading on his forehead, shrugged helplessly, out of options.

“Hahaha… Looks like we’re truly out of moves, eh…?”

Seeing his prized steel threads snap and dangle uselessly from his fingers, Bernard could only laugh.

“Kuh… For now, we just keep hitting it, hitting it, and hitting it harder!?”

Knowing it was a desperate tactic, Halley could only shout as much.

“Damn it—!?”

“Tch—!?”

“Die already!”

Everyone present squeezed out every ounce of their remaining magic, unleashing every offensive spell they knew at the demon.

In the next moment, the area became a maelstrom of death and destruction.

Countless fireballs surged forward, absolute zero frost raged, and lightning danced wildly.

Blades of wind whirled, scorching heat seared the air, acid rain poured down, and toxic mist swirled.

Meteors crashed from the sky, bullets flew in droves, thrown greatswords spun like whirlwinds, and energy arrows rained like a storm.

In the end, words that lured souls to death whispered, and even petrification curses flew—

“

Finally, Celica played her last trump card.

“《—Die already》—!”

The original Black Magic [Extinction Ray]—a spell of material decomposition and annihilation.

A light of certain destruction, said to have once felled even the kin of evil gods.

The overwhelming torrent of light engulfed the demon completely—blinding the world in white-hot brilliance—

—But.

‘…I told you. My body is forged of imperishable adamantite.’

Even after all that.

‘Your magic, in the end, is nothing but a sham… The “Fangs of the Fool.”’

The demon—still, utterly unscathed.

“…Seriously…!? Cough… Hack!?”

“Professor Arfonia!?”

Already on the verge of mana depletion, Celica pushed beyond her limits, vomiting blood and collapsing.

(…Even a god-killing spell didn’t work!? Why!?)

Even being called imperishable had its limits, didn’t it? Glenn struggled to suppress his dizziness.

‘Now… Merely sitting back and watching your powerlessness is growing dull… Shall I take the offensive?’

As the demon muttered those words, a wave of tension rippled through the group.

‘Due to Glenn Radars’ interference, my mana is insufficient, and my soul fusion with the Demon General Star is incomplete… Thus, I cannot yet use magic. But against the likes of you, it’s hardly necessary.’

With that, the demon leisurely raised both hands in a knife-hand stance—

A whistling gust blew and suddenly, its form vanished from sight.

A whirlwind stirred, and the shockwave from the demon’s godlike speed blasted through the group.

“What!?”

In that instant, the demon appeared behind Bernard, swinging a hand chop down toward his head.

Reacting on instinct, Bernard crossed both arms above his head to block—

“Guooaaahhh—!?”

The demon’s hand chop snapped Bernard’s magically enhanced arms like twigs—the impact slammed his body into the ground, bouncing him violently.

In the next instant, the demon vanished again, reappearing beside Re=L, who was readying her greatsword—

“—Kuh!?”

Re=L swung a lightning-fast counterattack horizontally on reflex—

“Ah, guuuh—!?”

The demon’s roundhouse kick shattered her counterattacking greatsword, crushing her ribs and right arm in the process—

‘—You’re the last.’

With Re=L sent flying horizontally in its wake, the demon closed in on Albert with divine speed.

“《—Brandish your fierce wrath, destroy all far and wide》!”

But the moment Bernard was struck, Albert had already begun chanting a B-class military offensive spell, Black Magic [Plasma Cannon], anticipating the attack.

The spell activated, and Albert gathered the immense electrical energy into a spherical form at the base of his left palm—

‘Die!’

The demon unleashed a right fist strike.

“Hmph—”

Albert fired a left palm strike, imbued with all his spirit and magic.

—They clashed head-on.

At the moment of impact, the destructive power of [Plasma Cannon] gathered in Albert’s palm detonated at point-blank range.

The world flickered violently. A deafening shockwave shook the air. Lightning scattered, seeking escape.

Yet, even with the overwhelming power of a B-class military spell, capable of blasting through castle walls from a distance, unleashed at point-blank range—

“…!?”

It was Albert who was overpowered.

The impact forced him back, his boots scraping the ground, sliding over a dozen meters.

‘…Impressive. For a fool’s kin, your judgment and power are worthy of praise. Though I held back, to think you’d parry my fist with such a technique… But there won’t be a second time.’

“…Tch.”

Albert clicked his tongue in frustration.

His lowered left arm was drenched in blood, a pitiful sight.

Though his hawk-like, piercing gaze remained, faint beads of sweat glistened on his forehead—a rare sight.

(What the hell is this…? What in the world…?)

Glenn surveyed the devastated surroundings.

Halley, Zest, Celica, Christoph, and Sistine, gasping from mana depletion.

Bernard and Re=L, vomiting blood and collapsed from severe injuries.

Albert, barely standing, but grievously wounded.

The world’s greatest sages, battle-hardened veterans of the military… treated like children before this demon. It was on another level entirely. It wasn’t even a contest.

Its existence, its stature—everything about it was utterly beyond mere humans like them.

The Demon General Star《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero—it was simply too strong in every way.

(…What am I supposed to do against something like this?)

Even Glenn, for all his resilience, felt the ground crumbling beneath him in despair.

“Please, stop!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Rumia’s voice rang out.

“Your target is me, isn’t it!? Just kill me!”

“H-Hey!? Rumia!?”

“W-Wait, what are you—?”

Ignoring Glenn and Sistine’s attempts to stop her, Rumia continued, pleading desperately.

“If I die, you’ll be satisfied, right!? If that’s the case, do whatever you want with me! Please, I beg you! Don’t hurt everyone else anymore…!”

But her heartfelt plea…

‘Rumia Tingel. I cannot comply with that request.’

“…What!?”

Fell on deaf ears.

‘Taking your life is a given, but the purpose of this plan includes destroying Fejite… and offering it as a sacrifice to fulfill the Grandmaster’s grand ambition. Thus, your life holds no negotiating value. I will slaughter everyone here… and then destroy Fejite.’

“N-No, that’s…”

Rumia, ever steadfast, finally sank to her knees, head bowed.

The demon, brimming with killing intent, approached her leisurely.

Clearly intent on ending her life.

“Albert!”

Shouting his comrade’s name, Glenn stepped forward to shield Rumia, facing the demon head-on.

“…Did you figure anything out about it?”

Albert quickly moved to Glenn’s side, standing shoulder to shoulder.

“Sorry, nothing… Just that it’s undeniably invincible.”

“Tch… Useless man.”

“Shut up! More importantly, can you still move!?”

“…Of course.”

“Then let’s do this! We’ve got no plan, but we’re the only ones left who can still move! No matter what, we’ve got to do something!”

Glenn forced his broken right hand into a fist, adopting a boxing stance.

Albert shifted into a half-stance, mentally reviewing the magic he could still use with his right hand.

“Hmph. It’s been a while since I’ve fought a battle with such slim odds.”

“Huh? Don’t bullshit me… You mean ‘first time,’ don’t you?”

Even in this dire moment, their usual bickering remained unchanged…

But the situation was hopelessly bleak.

Yet, clinging to the faintest thread of hope, searching for any sliver of a chance in this deadly struggle,

Glenn and Albert prepared to throw everything they had into the fight—

—At that very moment.

‘Hold, Accelo Iero.’

Someone appeared between the two and the demon, like a phantom.

‘No, you’re not truly Accelo Iero in essence… Would it be better to call you by your name in this life? If I recall, that would be… Lazare, yes?’

‘Hm. You… Could it be…!?’

‘Nameless. That’s what I go by in this life.’

A girl with grotesque wings sprouting from her back—Nameless—faced the demon with a weary expression.

“…Who is she? She looks almost identical to Rumia Tingel.”

“No idea. But she’s not an enemy.”

Glenn curtly answered Albert’s muttered question, his brow furrowed.

‘More importantly, we need to talk, Lazare… Withdraw for now.’

Ignoring Glenn and Albert, Nameless spoke to the demon with a calm, detached tone.

‘Perhaps because I’ve summoned a demon into my own body… I can clearly understand who you are. But following your example, I’ll dare to call you “Nameless” as well.’

With that preface, the demon continued…

‘Now, Nameless. Withdraw, you say? Foolish. Negotiation is for equals.’

It directed a surge of killing intent and overwhelming pressure toward Nameless.

But—

‘Don’t underestimate me, boy.’

The moment Nameless snarled those words…

A heavy, cold, and dense darkness seemed to press down on the surroundings—an unmistakable sensation.

Though she was undeniably present, the deep darkness enveloping her, stubbornly refused to acknowledge her existence. At first glance, the delicate form of the girl seemed nothing more than a silhouette of shadow carved from the abyss, an instinctual understanding dawning that she was no ordinary being. The impurity and malevolence that made even a demon seem like a mere child had manifested there.

‘A mere Demon General Star… with that counterfeit power borrowed from that girl… just because you’ve abandoned your humanity, don’t get cocky with me.’

Nameless’s voice, warped as if cursing the entire world, clawed at their eardrums.

Then, with a faint smirk that streaked scarlet through the darkness, Nameless extended her pale hand.

In that instant, an overwhelming golden light burst from her hand, as if to dispel the illusory darkness that shrouded the area, searing the eyes of everyone present.

“Wh—what the hell!? What’s happening!?”

Suddenly freed from the soul-gripping darkness, Glenn shouted.

Before he realized it, a “golden key” glowing brilliantly hovered above Nameless’s palm.

‘The《Golden Key》!? Impossible… you still possess such power!?’

Even the demon seemed caught off guard by the “key” Nameless revealed.

‘Yes, that’s right. You can tell, can’t you? It’s not one of those “counterfeit keys” you lot possess. It’s one of the only two “true keys” in this world… one of them.’

Nameless declared with a dark, contemptuous laugh.

‘Lazare. You managed to fuse your soul with a Demon General Star using that “counterfeit key”… but the fusion is still incomplete due to insufficient mana, isn’t it? All because Glenn got in your way.’

‘…’

‘I’ve lost my body and nearly all my former power… but I still have enough strength to take you down with me, if I’m willing to let my entire existence be erased.’

‘…’

‘Withdraw for now, Lazare. Once your power has fully stabilized, you can kill Rumia then. Wouldn’t that be a safer bet for you than facing me now?’

For a moment, a heavy silence dominated the scene.

‘…Very well. I’ll retreat for now.’

Finally, the demon muttered.

‘《■■■■・■・■■■■…》’

He whispered something in an incomprehensible language.

At that moment—

Those on the ground, like Glenn and the others, could scarcely imagine what was happening.

From the pattern etched on the underside of the《Ship of Flames》hovering above Fejite, countless red lights were unleashed.

These red beams traced the city walls surrounding Fejite at tremendous speed—

And from the traced edges, a massive crimson wall of light formed, soaring high into the sky.

From the ground, all Glenn could perceive was the horizon burning red in the distance.

“What the hell did you just do, you bastard!?”

As the horizon and sky in every direction were uniformly dyed crimson, Glenn felt a surge of dread and roared at the demon.

But the demon did not answer.

From the《Ship of Flames》above, a thin cylindrical beam of light descended, enveloping the demon.

‘…Farewell, foolish masses of the Fool. Make the most of what little life you have left…’

Enveloped in light, the demon ascended through the cylindrical beam toward the sky.

His shrinking figure was soon absorbed into the《Ship of Flames》—

“Damn it, he got away… What the hell is that guy planning!?”

‘In your terms, he’s erected a severance barrier encompassing the entire city of Fejite. You can no longer escape the city, nor can you expect reinforcements from outside.’

Nameless’s softly muttered words struck them.

“What!? An entire city!?”

Stunned by the demon’s incomprehensible scale of power, Glenn was left speechless.

‘No need to panic now. Trapping the enemy within a severance barrier and incinerating them with [Megiddo’s Flame]… that’s what the《Ship of Flames》was designed for. It’s a strategic weapon meant to suppress entire nations.’

“Pfft—!?”

‘In other words, he plans to hole up in that ship, reduce Fejite to ashes along with Rumia, and achieve all his original goals the lazy way… Is he that scared of me? Fool… It’s all a bluff. The current me, a mere husk, has no real power to fight.’

“Wait, hold on! You just said [Megiddo’s Flame], didn’t you!? What’s that supposed to mean!?”

‘So tiresome… [Megiddo’s Flame] is the main cannon of the《Ship of Flames》. What you lot were making a fuss about earlier was just a pathetic replica recreated with modern magic. The one fired from the《Ship of Flames》is the real deal.’

“What… the hell!?”

‘Needing a sacred site to activate it makes it a flawed strategic weapon, doesn’t it?’

Nameless brushed off Glenn’s agitation with annoyance.

(Damn it… Nameless’s words are as cryptic as ever, and the scale of this is so insane it’s hard to keep up… but, okay, I get it now…!)

Gazing at the crimson-tinted scenery and the《Ship of Flames》in the sky, Glenn gritted his teeth.

(The power of a Demon General Star and the《Ship of Flames》… with those two combined, he can do whatever he wants. This is the Radical Faction’s trump card against the Status Quo Faction, a desperate move to turn the tides! And for some reason, that guy wants to destroy Fejite… and it’ll be all too easy for him…!)

That was Lazare’s true, seemingly convoluted, intention.

(Damn it… It’s over… We’re done for…!)

As Glenn reeled from the horrifying truth and unprecedented crisis, Nameless spoke up.

‘…Not yet, Glenn. It’s not over.’

Her sharp voice snapped at him, as if reprimanding his despair.

‘The arrow you shot here will make a difference. You surpassed Lazare’s plans and dispelled the [Mana Dam]. Because of that, both Lazare’s Demon General Star power and the《Ship of Flames

“So what…?”

‘It means the《Ship of Flames》can’t fire [Megiddo’s Flame] for a while. That foolish Lazare, overly wary of me, will now take time to stabilize his Demon General Star soul and bring himself to full power… And when he does, that’s when [Megiddo’s Flame] will destroy Fejite.’

“…So we still have time!?”

‘Yes. By my estimation, the deadline is likely noon the day after tomorrow.’

“!?”

‘Use that time to think, Glenn. Find a way to defeat the Demon General Star…《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to do it. But… at the very least, “you should be able to defeat Accelo Iero,” Glenn… “It’d be strange if you couldn’t.”’

Nameless’s words were among the most cryptic she’d ever uttered, even for someone known for her enigmatic remarks.

“…Huh? Me, defeat that Demon General Star? What’s that supposed to mean…?”

‘I don’t know either. In fact, I’d love to know how someone like you could possibly defeat Accelo Iero.’

“Ugh, more nonsense… Cut it out, you fake Rumia.”

Nameless always spoke in cryptic, one-sided riddles, never revealing anything crucial. She claimed it wasn’t that she wouldn’t explain, but that she couldn’t. Glenn was fed up with it.

‘…I told you, didn’t I? This is a trial, Glenn. You must survive the calamity that’s coming… for the future, and for the past.’

With those final words, Nameless turned her back on Glenn and walked away.

“Tch…”

Too weary to watch her go, Glenn scratched his head with a sigh and looked up.

Honestly, his mood was heavy and awful. Not a single problem had been resolved.

Lazare, now a Demon General Star, was still out there, and above them loomed the《Ship of Flames》, promising imminent destruction.

Still…

“…W-Well, for now…”

“We’re… saved…?”

Everyone present, pushed to the limits of physical and mental exhaustion, collapsed to their knees in relief. With the demon gone, the taut thread of tension snapped, and a fleeting sense of ease enveloped the group.

“Sensei… what’s going to happen to us now…?”

Sistine, slumped on the ground, asked Glenn weakly, her voice tinged with anxiety.

“…I don’t know.”

To Sistine’s pleading tone, Glenn could offer no clever response.

Looking beside him, even Albert, silently glaring at the sky, seemed weighed down by an unusually deep fatigue. It was the first time Glenn had seen the iron-willed Albert in such a state.

“For now… we’re all beat to hell… Let’s at least tend to everyone’s injuries…”

Forcing his heavy heart and body to move, Glenn turned on his heel… when suddenly—

‘…Don’t mess with me.’

Nameless’s chilling words echoed through the air.

Startled, Glenn and Sistine turned around.

There, Nameless and Rumia stood face-to-face.

Rumia’s eyes were downcast, while Nameless quietly seethed, closing in on her.

“B-But, Nameless-san… back there, I had no choice… I had to sacrifice myself…”

‘Hmph! Sacrificing yourself to protect others… willing to throw yourself away for their happiness… What a saint you are!’

For some reason, Nameless was furious.

She berated Rumia coldly, her words sharp and unrelenting.

And then—

‘But is that wish… truly what you desire? Are you really satisfied with that?’

“—!?”

Nameless’s words mercilessly tore into something buried deep within Rumia.

Rumia’s face twisted as she suppressed a dull pain in her chest.

‘I’ve always despised that part of you… Yes, that part—’

“Hey!”

Unable to stand by, Glenn stepped between them.

“What’s your problem, Nameless!? What did Rumia do to you!?”

‘…It’s nothing. Just me lashing out.’

With that, Nameless’s form suddenly began to fade, becoming translucent.

“H-Hey…?”

‘…Don’t worry. I’m just cooling off. I’ll be back later.’

Leaving only those words, Nameless vanished in the blink of an eye.

“…Tch, seriously, what’s with her? She might look like Rumia on the outside, but inside, she’s the worst… Spouting nothing but cryptic nonsense.”

As Glenn grumbled, he noticed Rumia was visibly dejected.

It had been a long day, and the stress must have taken its toll.

Gently, Glenn patted her shoulder.

“…It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

“S-Sensei… I…”

“I’ll figure something out, like always. I told you, didn’t I? Even if the whole world turns against you… I’ll always be on your side.”

Trying to reassure Rumia, Glenn forced a smile, but…

That day, Rumia’s expression never brightened.