“.”

Another Myth ranked spell of the water element. Unlike normal downpours, the water brought by this spell fell at an incredible rate with enough power to pierce through concrete. And its target,

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”

A black dog-headed devil-like existence which was floating above a magic circle let out a horrendous scream when the spell hit their mark.

“. .”

Wielding a black sword which absorbed the water spell in my right hand and a silver sword which absorbed the lightning spell in the other, I cast Solid Air to slash at the devil’s panicking figure.

Even in a fantasy world, physics still plays a large part in how most things work.

After dealing damage with my black sword, I follow up with my silver sword. Due to the area being soaked in water, the lightning current not only inflicts damage on that specific area but also follows along with the liquid’s path.

“Shiromi!”

“Got it Kinji-nii!”

I don’t know how long it has been since its barrier had been dispelled, but casting one Myth ranked spell after another took its toll on me.

“!”

Casting a defense enhancing spell onto Shiromi, I jump back and force myself to stay conscious as the negative feedback of using up most of my magic power kicks in.

“For your insolence!!! You shall perish mortal!!!”

Large orbs of fire form around it. It would be dangerous even for Shiromi to stand against that, but that’s when my unique, [Immediate MP Recovery], activates.

Once again, the magic power surrounding us swirls around and is absorbed by my body.

“Wait!!! What?!?!?! My magic power!!!”

The orbs of fire cast by the devil slowly disappears as it is turned into pure magic power.

It soon becomes a contribution to my recovering magic power.

No wonder it panicked when this unique first activated. When the magic power in the air started gathering, even the magic powers from the suppliers were being absorbed.

Though I had recovered before all of it disappeared, the suppliers had already lost their resistance to physical attacks by the time I finished.

It also looks like this devil is a pure magic user, which is a bad match up against my unique.

Looking at Shiromi who had manifested her Dragon wings behind her to fight against it,

Bam!!!

She succeeds in slamming it against the wall behind it.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With each succeeding punch, it got buried deeper and deeper into the wall.

Although it wasn’t visible from my viewpoint, I could feel that Shiromi was showing a very dangerous face while she was pummeling the devil mercilessly.

“FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Kyaaaa!!!”

Shiromi is suddenly pushed back. As she’s falling from the impact, I jump up and catch her.

Although I ended up doing it in the fashion of a princess carry and her face is starting to turn red, I decide to ignore it for now.

I look at the devil.

Its appearance and atmosphere have severely changed.

Amidst its black fur were streaks of red in a lightning bolt pattern. The muscles on its entire body were bulging out like they wanted to break free. Miasma was being released at a rapid rate, and miasmic creatures were already starting to form below it.

“Shiromi, change of plans. Take care of the miasmic creatures, I’ll handle that……thing.”

It was reaching the point where I couldn’t even call it a devil anymore. A cold sweat rolls down my neck as I watch it free itself from the wall. My unique was still in effect but it wasn’t showing at all.

“Okay! Kinji-nii, be careful! !”

While forming Dragon-like claws around her hands, she charges down at the horde of miasmic creatures.

Stretching my limbs,

With that, theoretically, I should be able to finish this in one strike.

“!”

Sending around 3 dozen fireballs, it makes no movement and they all succeed in hitting it.

But because of the smoke, I couldn’t make out what state it was in.

Shiromi was doing fine, cutting up each and every miasmic creature like they were cooking ingredients.

No, I think butter would be a better comparison since there are some ingredients that were hard to chop up.

An instant after I sensed a large amount of magic power gathering beside me, the sensation of being on a roller coaster was the first thing I felt.

“!!!”

Casting it at the last minute, I’m able to avoid a horrible fate but it doesn’t change the fact that it still hurt.

“!”

The late numbing sensation disappeared as I took a stance.

With its endurance set at the lowest value, there’s only a low possibility that its arm is still usable.

“!”

Before it could get away, I cast another spell and launch it.

“MORTAAAAAAAAAAAAALS!!!”

“Not even a scratch?!”

Seeing the form of the devil without a sign of damage on it, even with the effect of [Parameter Control] applied on it,

“Then one more time! !”

Sharp spears grew from the ground and flew up to pierce through the devil from the bottom up.

“Gufah!!!”

Dark red blood poured out of its wounds.

While the spell was still active,

“!”

Sending out another spell with high penetration chance, they all pierce its body as more blood pours out.

Kicking against the wall and closing the gap between the two of us, I swing my two swords. Aiming for its arms, I feel no resistance as its blood spurts out and stains my blades.

Casting Solid Air, I use them as platforms in order to circle around it and deliver more attacks consecutively.

Legs are gone.

Thanks to my increased speed and strength, even while it had cast a protective spell to surround its body, I was still able to chop off its legs. The rest of my attacks were only able to create shallow wounds as I needed to avoid its counterattacks.

That’s weird. Even with all its limbs gone, it’s strangely calm compared to how it was earlier. Is it really a devil? No, would a devil even fall this easily?

Losing my concentration for a moment while having those thoughts, a majority of my vision was covered by a large hand-like object.

Actually wait, that wasn't entirely accurate. It was a hand!

The forceful change in my direction causes me to black out for a second.

Even with my unique enhancing my body, in the end I’m still a human.

I’m slammed into the ground and with difficulty, I see the devil behind its large hand holding me down.

Don’t tell me, it had a [Regeneration] unique?! But the pain of losing its limbs shouldn’t be small, is it even able to withstand that much pain in its current form?!

Resisting the urge to cry out in pain from its tightening grip,

“!”

Casting a Myth ranked spell of the fire element, it wraps around the devil’s entire body.

But maybe I was too slow as I could see a faint blue light protecting it from most of the flames.

To be able to defend against an unrestrained Myth ranked spell is no joke. Though it is somewhat ironic that the most powerful spells are the ones with the simplest names.

“With its [Regeneration] unique, the only viable way to defeat it is to destroy its body in one attack huh.”

Going through every spell I currently know of in my head before my spell ends,

“Okay. But for it to be effective, I’ll need to get close to it.”

The effects of Burn had ended and its target had already regained all of its lost limbs along with its wounds having fully recovered.

A unique that could regain any lost limbs in a short time, I wish I had asked Libreria for a unique that could steal other uniques……wait, that would present other problems in and of itself. Right, it’s better for that kind of unique to not exist but did one that could copy other uniques exist, I wonder?

“!”

Casting a defensive Myth ranked spell, the devil’s attack which consisted of hundreds of small but dense ice bullets were blocked entirely.

I realized after the last exchange that only Myth ranked spells would have the most significant effects on the devil’s current form.

But that also meant my magic power expenditure would rise.

Judging from the way I can currently move, I have around 40 to 50 percent left. Then I should make every move count!

===

“Wow! They’re really going at it, aren’t they?”

Passing through the out of place doors in a certain cave, the figure wrapped in a black cloak stood amused from the extraordinary fight taking place right in front of them.

“If we were to interfere with them now, I…no, we would get wiped out.”

Behind them, a man with purplish skin spoke in a dignified manner.

“I already know that.”

Turning around to face another man wearing leather armor,

“Hey you. Use your unique and figure what his is. I’m not sure how, but he was able to raise his levels quickly enough to be able to fight equally against a devil of the lower stratum. Most likely it was thanks to his unique.”

“You got it!”

From the way the man replied, the figure suppressed the urge to beat him black and blue.

No matter what I do, the old personalities of these corps---puppets remain. Since I’m only using them more as RTS units than actual puppets, those personalities surface at any time. Though this does make it easier to infiltrate other countries, it also annoys me to no end.

Due to the disadvantage of bearing their fangs at their own forces, the figure could only bring out these thoughts within himself.

“!”

Hearing Helgas’ hero, Kinji, casting a Myth ranked spell, they return their attention to the ongoing fight.

Spikes of various elements form around the two and head straight for the opposing devil.

“Uwah! That’s got to hurt!”

A woman wearing a robe that covered her face shouted out in amazement.

Blood leaked out of every hole made by the attack.

The devil struggled to free itself as it used its hands to remove the spikes one by one. Blood started pouring out in even larger quantities as each spike was removed.

“It’s still going at it huh. Did it lose its reasoning after going through a power boost?”

Raising a hand above their eyes and looking at the devil trying to get free, the figure could only ask himself.

In truth, no one in that room knew the answer as to how and why the devil had been summoned. The only one who held the answer had passed after using up their remaining magic power before turning into a pile of ash.

Before the spikes disappeared or the devil could free itself, Kinji drew closer with his swords raised.

The glint in his eyes showed that he had no plans of showing any mercy to the trapped figure in front of him.

“Ah! I finally finished analyzing his uniques!”

“Hmn? So there are more than one?”

Running back, the man in leather armor reported the success of his task.

“Yes. Moreover, they look like they’ll be useful to us!”

“Don’t waste our time! Spit it out then!”

Urged on by the cloaked figure, the man opened his mouth once again to enumerate his findings.

“The first two are nothing more than ‘potentials’ that increase ones strength and magic power.”

Receiving no questions or comments, he continues.

“Following those are even more ‘potentials’. [Instant Memorization], [Unlimited Poten---”

Before being able to finish, his body bursts into flames.

Feeling their magic power being drained quickly, the figure cuts off the connection between them and the man collapses lifelessly.

“Well, well. I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Standing in front of them was a man in their early 20s. With sharp red eyes and red hair which grows out into black, a man that can be classified as a butler when judged only by their clothing.

“I do not see the need to introduce myself to one such as you, but for formalities, I might as well.”

With grace belonging to only those raised in a high class environment, the butler bows.

“My name is Kuroga. A lowly butler under the servitude of his master.”

“Hey Kuro!”

Surprised by the intrusion of yet another voice, the cloaked figure’s puppets turn to its owner.

There, they saw a girl in her mid-teens with ruffled black hair. Her normally lively black eyes were giving off a fierce killing intent towards them. Contrasting with the current situation, she was wearing a short dress that was easy to move in and black stockings.

“Well, isn’t this a terrible situation I’ve put myself in?”

“Kuro, get ready to erase them in an instant.”

“As you wish, mistress.”

Being pushed back by their pressure, the figure takes a step back.

“H-hey! How about we retreat for now? I don’t think any of us will benefit from a clash now, after all.”

In reply to his words, another voice joined in. Unlike the previous two however, this one was directed to the figure alone.

“Long time no see. .”

“Wha?! !”

The cloaked figure instantly disappears from their sights in a flash of blue light.

Missing its intended target, the spell heads forward and collides with the dozen people standing blankly.

Dropping to the ground simultaneously, the smell of burnt flesh permeates through the air.

===

“Tsk! So he got away again!”

As I was about to finish off the devil, I noticed several people watching me from the entrance.

Thinking that this was my chance to get that masked man to talk, I was about to ambush them but Kuroga had beat me to them.

“Wait, Kinji-nii! If you’re here, then what about that thing?!”

Shiromi questions me.

It seems she was worried about the devil I was fighting against.

“Well, you see……”

Seeing me at a loss for words, she turns her head to look at where I came from.

“Eh?”

Crouching down with its body filled with holes was the devil we had fought.

“Apparently, even devils need blood. While it was busy removing the spikes from my spell, it just suddenly stopped moving.”

“……”

“……”

“Seriously Kinji-nii?”

“Seriously.”

We both stare at each other for a few seconds before she gives up.

“I know I’m supposed to accept it but……”

“Yeah, I know what you mean Shiromi. But the way this ended is just……”

Watching the two of us agonize over the battle’s ending, Kuroga spoke.

“Master, mistress, did you not know? Even if devils are very different existences compared to us, they are still somewhat living beings, so it is a given that they will require blood to continue living.”

And with that as the final blow, the two of us collapse on the ground while letting out dry laughter.

===

“I shall be going ahead then, master.”

“Okay. See you later Kuroga.”

Nodding at my words, he casts a Teleportation spell and disappears.

“Kinji-nii, did you already record our battle in your card?”

Facing Shiromi, I reply an affirmation.

When adventurers are sent off on subjugation requests, their adventurer’s card can also double as a recording device. By scanning the miasmic creature or entity after you defeated it, it will remain on the back of your card until it is removed by a receptionist of the guild.

They do this by using a magic tool that I have yet to see.

“Let’s go back Shiromi. If we stay here too long, it might become dark out.”

“Okay~!”

We left the town just after the 2nd bell had rang so unless our sense of time had been diluted during our venture inside the cave, the 4th bell should have rang just a while ago.

Leaving the devil’s corpse behind as the ruins began to collapse, we begin to hurry along the way back. Without encountering a single miasmic creature, the amount of time it took to return became relatively short.

Soon, the adventurer’s guild was within our sights and as we passed through its doors,

“Ah! Kinji! Shiromi too! Welcome back!”

Greeting us was not Ria, but another receptionist.

A girl who was one year younger than me. Having flowing brown hair, that was previously short but now reached below her shoulders, tied into a ponytail. Her brown eyes were gazing at us with joy and relief.

She was sitting behind a counter, which meant that she was currently in the middle of work. Placed on the side of her counter was a pink pouch bag with a variety of cute designs stitched onto it.

“Tsk! She’s back!”

Ignoring Shiromi’s words of disdain, I approach the counter where the brown-haired girl was stationed at.

Feeling the sharp stares being sent towards my direction. Before, this unnerved me but now, I was able to pay them no heed.

Though the stares weren’t a surprise, she was considered this branch of the adventurer’s guild’s poster girl after all.

This fact caused conflicting feelings inside me. On one hand, I felt great joy but on the other……

“Kinji? Are you okay?”

Before I knew it, I was already standing right in front of her.

“Huh? Ah, yes, I’m alright!”

“Oh, that’s good! I thought that last request had given you some unpleasant memories!”

“No, nothing like that happened. But I am here to report on the request’s completion.”

“I see! But as expected of Kinji, you were able to finish the request in no time!”

Happily taking my adventurer’s card, she rises from her seat and proceeds to head to a room just behind her.

“Oh right, before I forget!”

“Hmn?”

Reacting to my words, she turns and faces me with an expression as if a question mark was floating above her head.

“We’re back, Selina!”

“Mm! I’m glad you’re safe, Kinji!”

“Uwah! Before I knew it, a pink atmosphere had formed around you two!”

Towards Ria’s remark who was sitting in the neighboring counter, we both laughed.

And of course, the sharp stares grew even fiercer.

Wait, Shiromi! Don’t join them! You’re supposed to be my sister, right?!

With the 5th bell’s ringing as the signal, the day had ended on a cheerful but somewhat dangerous note.

===

“In exchange for a dozen puppets, I get you huh.”

In the now collapsing ruin, the cloaked figure stood alone facing the unmoving devil.

“Well, I guess it’s a good trade. Now then, !”

Without a sound, the dog-headed devil stands and its wounds slowly disappear.

Satisfied with the result, the figure grins beneath their mask.

“But for that hero to have such powerful servants. There’s no helping it, I guess. Time for me to look for some useful puppets!”

With no one there besides the figure and the resurrected devil, a cold laugh resounds throughout the cave.