𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝟑
“Power that fills the world of eternal darkness. Power that thrives in the crucible of miasma. The power of tormented souls that wail endlessly in the depths of hell.”
ㅤ
Every time the Demon King utters the incantation, the dark sword he wields grows larger.
We lunged forward to try and stop him, but with our numbers dwindling and Stella badly wounded, it was impossible to halt the ritual.
ㅤ
“Suffering, lamentation, resentment, hatred. The power of despair filled with agony.
Let the voices of suffering, the cries of lamentation, the roars of resentment, and the screams of hatred be unleashed now.”
ㅤ
The incantation, filled with negative emotions, is like spitting blood.
As the Demon King’s sword grows larger, faces that appear to be crying and screaming emerge on its surface and begin to wail.
The agonized screams are so dreadful they could erode one’s mind just by listening.
. . . . . .We have no means of stopping it.
ㅤ
“Stella, Blade, Rin, Auntie Elle! Prepare for counter-attack! Do it!”
“! Understood! I believe in you!”
“We have no choice!”
“It’s a desperate measure!”
“Ugh. . . . . .! I wish we didn’t have to resort to this gamble, but we have no other choice!”
ㅤ
Thus, we gave up on stopping the Demon King’s magical activation and chose to counter-attack.
Stella, Rin, and Auntie Elle began their own incantations, much like the Demon King.
Blade, just like in the battle with Asgard, stepped back to wrap Auntie Elle’s magic around his sword.
ㅤ
I serve as the shield, confronting the Demon King, who continues his chant as he charges.
His assault has somewhat weakened as he focuses on his incantation, but holding him back alone is a monumental task.
If I falter, we could be crushed before we even exchange spells.
We’re already gambling.
ㅤ
“O Light Spirit, guardian of a corner of the magic’s reason. The sacred light, a fragment of divine power. Merge light with light and dwell within my sword.”
“Spirits governing the laws of magic. Blazing fire, swirling water, rumbling earth, raging wind, freezing cold, resounding thunder, the darkness of destruction, and the light that repels demons. Under the name of the Sage, combine and manifest as a powerful single force. Burn, sweep away, crush, rage, freeze, roar, destroy, shine.”
“O Guardian Power, a fragment of divine might. Manifest before us who stand against the malevolent Demon King. Illuminate us with your light. Drive away calamity with your light.”
ㅤ
As I hold the line, Stella and the others advance their incantations.
But the Demon King’s incantation also continues.
ㅤ
“Unsaved regrets that have scattered. Tragedies that have forgotten even how to seek salvation. My sorrowful brethren who can only consume one another.
The tragedy must not end as it is. The despair must not end as it is.
All the tragedies, despair, curses, agony, and sorrow that fill the Demon Realm.
All of it in my sword. All of it in my power.
I am the Demon King.
The one who bears the entirety of the Demon Realm.”
ㅤ
And then, ━━ the Demon King’s incantation is complete.
The moment it ends, the Demon King distances himself from us, takes us all into his view, and swings down his colossal sword, which now dwarfs him in size.
ㅤ
ㅤ
“『Hell Sword・Pure Land』!!!”
ㅤ
ㅤ
Unleashed was a torrent of darkness.
Darker, blacker, more terrifying than any abyss we’ve encountered before.
It approaches, intending to swallow us whole.
ㅤ
Ah, this is impossible.
It’s simply too strong.
The magical energy is too concentrated.
There’s no room to land a strike.
Even a Final Strike wouldn’t counter it.
“『Holy Sword』!!”
“”『Extreme・Judgment Magic Sword』!!””
“『Divine Shield Barrier』!!”
ㅤ
Against such a formidable move from the Demon King, my allies retaliate with their strongest techniques.
Stella’s radiant torrent collides with the darkness, Auntie Elle’s magically infused Blade slices through the shadows, and Rin’s all-out barrier holds back the darkness.
ㅤ
Yet, the Demon King is still stronger.
Our light is pushed back, our slashes swallowed, and our barrier shattered.
The room, which had never faltered in all our previous battles, now cracks and breaks from the sheer aftershocks alone.
ㅤ
“Daaaaaaa!!”
“Kooonoooo!!”
“Uuuuuuuu!!”
“Woooooooo!!”
ㅤ
Even so, the four of them resist the Demon King’s overwhelming power with all our might.
Stella, Auntie Elle, and Lin invest their magic with such urgency it seems they might exhaust themselves, while Blade defies the limits of his body to channel his power into his greatsword even as he spurts blood.
ㅤ
All the while, I simply watch.
I silently observe.
In this eerily quiet world, I closely examine the flow of power, waiting for the perfect moment when the torrent of darkness would falter.
And then─
ㅤ
“!”
ㅤ
I found it.
No, I’ve read it.
Not just the moment it falters, but the path that would lead to that faltering.
ㅤ
Within the clash of opposing forces, I hurl Onryomaru.
No matter how reinforced by Asgard Steel, Onryomaru, thrown into the overwhelming torrent of this power, shattered like a fleeting dream.
In this world, the disappearance of the partner who supported me since the very first battle with Demon Mantis.
What I gained from it was only subtle changes, like tossing a twig into a storm.
ㅤ
That’s enough.
That small alteration, like a twig in a storm, creates a ripple at the point where the power is most turbulent, giving me the opening I need.
ㅤ
Simultaneously with Onryomaru’s throw, I activate the remaining Storm Leg Armor and leap to that opening, thrusting Kurotenmaru into it.
Not into the torrent of darkness, but into a fragment of my allies’ struggling spells.
ㅤ
I stir the magic with my thrust Kurotenmaru, introducing further disturbances into my allies’ spells.
The disturbance I wanted occurs at a one-thousandth, a ten-thousandth of a millimeter.
ㅤ
The ripple propagates, subtly altering the shape of the torrent of darkness, eventually distorting the flow of the colliding forces altogether.
Much like how the flapping of a butterfly’s wings slightly changes the wind, triggering a ripple that evolves into a tornado in some far-off place.
ㅤ
A small intervention leads to significant change.
I read and control every aspect of that change.
To mold it into the shape I desire.
ㅤ
This is the pinnacle of my swordsmanship.
『Flowing Blade』, which rides along with the immense flow of power generated by the opponent.
『Distortion』, which warps and diverts the flow of power.
『Slashing Sweep』, which pierces the flaws in the flow of power to disperse it.
『Calamity Return』, which captures and returns the flow of power as is.
『Sky Rebellion』, which penetrates and destroys the enemy’s weakest point by harmonizing clashing flows of power.
ㅤ
Common to all techniques, except for the special feint attack aimed at vital points, 『Dark Moon』, is the control of the flow of power.
Even that Dark Moon is not entirely unrelated; to accurately aim for the vitals, one needs to read and predict the opponent’s flow of power.
ㅤ
Mastering all of this is this technique.
A secret technique reached at the end of repeatedly touching great powers with a small, talentless, and weak body without divine protection.
It is the foundation and the final destination, the Last Killing Sword.
Its name is━
ㅤ
ㅤ
“Final Strike━『Ryujin』!!!”
ㅤ
ㅤ
The Ultimate Killing Sword, the ultimate secret technique that completely controls the flow of power.
It alters the shape of the magic of the clashing Demon King and my comrades.
All the magics mix chaotically, becoming one colossal slashing attack, swung as if an extension of my blade, headed straight for the Demon King like it was unleashed from Kurotenmaru.
Demon King, Hero, Great Sage, Sword Saint, Saint.
The world’s strongest warriors’ ultimate techniques, without a doubt, all combine and explode upon the Demon King.
ㅤ
“Wha, what?! Gaaaaaaaah?!”
ㅤ
Surely this cannot be ineffective; swallowed by the colossal slashing attack, the Demon King screams.
However, the moment Final Strike explodes, Blade, Rin, and Auntie Elle also collapse.
Likely, Rin and Auntie Elle ran out of magical energy, and Blade overexerted his body.
ㅤ
Even the remaining Stella is out of breath; her knees are shaking, her complexion is bad, and even the aura of the Holy Sword she wields is weakening. Clearly, she’s reaching her limit.
As for me, just from enduring the minuscule backlash from Ryujin, which I couldn’t completely control, my whole body is trembling.
Considering the fatigue and damage so far, standing alone is painful.
ㅤ
But━it’s not over yet.
ㅤ
“Guh. . . . . .ah!”
ㅤ
The Demon King is still standing.
Despite taking all that attack rolled into Ryujin, he hasn’t fallen.
ㅤ
Of course, my body is in terrible shape.
My left arm is gone, my left leg is broken, and my right arm and right leg are deeply gouged.
My torso is a mess, one of my eyes is crushed, and there’s a burn-like scar on the left side of my face.
Moreover, that is a wound created by an attack that involved the power of the Holy Sword.
Naturally, it won’t heal.
ㅤ
He is in a state comparable to when we faced him in the previous world.
However, conversely, this means he still has that much power left.
The same amount of power as when he fought me at my prime, in perfect condition.
ㅤ
“Demon King, it’s time to settle this.”
ㅤ
Whipping her body to its limits, Stella stands holding her Holy Sword and says so.
I also stand beside Stella, holding Kurotenmaru.
ㅤ
“This ends now, Demon King. Our long battle with you comes to a close.”
ㅤ
The long, ongoing battle that the previous world’s Stella and I fought continues to this day, and we will end it here.
The Demon King clenches his remaining right hand around his sword of darkness, readying himself to meet our challenge.
ㅤ
“Very well. Bring it on, hero and companions. This is the final clash.”
ㅤ
And so, both we and the Demon King kick off the ground at the same time.
Taking the initiative is the Demon King, who, despite being battered, still excels in physical ability.
Stella could have outdone the current Demon King if she had just a bit more energy left, but given her current state, it’s impossible.
Rather, we should be applauding her tenacity for being able to move as she does even in this state, almost as if the Holy Sword isn’t even unsealed.
ㅤ
The Demon King’s dark sword swings toward us with his single remaining arm.
I ran ahead of Stella to handle it.
No matter how weak we become, our tactics don’t change.
I defend, and Stella attacks.
That will always be our best way to fight.
ㅤ
“『Hell Sword・Zanga』!”
“Second Strike━『Distortion』!”
ㅤ
I deflect the flying dark slash that came diagonally downward.
But,
ㅤ
“Guh. . . . . .!”
ㅤ
This time, my right arm finally gives out, completely broken.
No recovery potions left, Rin down, and Stella most likely depleted of her magic, we’re out of options for even makeshift solutions.
What about my own Healing Magic?
I used it all up just to heal some of the injuries from the Fezard battle.
ㅤ
“Yaaaah!!”
ㅤ
At the expense of my right arm, the attack is deflected, and Stella seizes the opening to slash.
It’s a normal attack, but clad in the Holy Sword’s light.
Probably the best Stella can do right now.
Still, it could be a fatal blow to the current Demon King!
ㅤ
“『Dark Shield』!”
ㅤ
In response, the Demon King conjures a magical shield of darkness.
Darkness inherently has destructive properties.
High in offensive power but not so much in defense.
ㅤ
In cases where one constantly channels high-output magic directly from their body, much like the sword wielded by the Demon King,
exceptions include the walls of the Demon King’s Castle, which are said to have been transmuted through some special means and an immense amount of time, not to mention an enormous reservoir of magic,
instantly created non-incantation magic shields lack significant durability.
They would likely shatter not only under Stella’s attacks but also under Blade’s.
ㅤ
So, the Demon King angles the shield to deflect Stella’s attack.
It’s a tactic Rin also sometimes uses.
Rin doesn’t often do this because creating a shield-type barrier is mainly for others, and thinking about it even for a split second makes the activation a bit delayed.
ㅤ
“Tch!”
ㅤ
However, whether it was a desperate move by the Demon King or not, he only manages to alter the trajectory of Stella’s blade, not fully deflecting it. Stella’s sword leaves another wound on the Demon King.
But the angle was changed just enough to slice off his already useless left arm at the root, instead of splitting him down the middle—tough for us.
ㅤ
“『Hell Sword・Rasetsu』!”
ㅤ
A fierce upward slash from below targets Stella.
From behind and at an angle, I ram into Stella, stepping directly in front of the Demon King’s attack, matching my sword Kurotenmaru to the Demon King’s blade with my left arm.
As expected, I’m overpowered and Kurotenmaru is pushed back without any resistance. I use the momentum to spin, just as I always do.
The spinning force flings Stella to safety.
I continue to rely on the spin to change my stance, intending to counter-attack the Demon King with a Flowing Blade mid-strike. . . . . .
ㅤ
“Hmph!!”
ㅤ
At the last moment, I predict the Demon King’s attempt to shatter me with a tackle using his damaged left side and hurriedly switch to a lateral leap through Rapid Current.
Damn it!
Not noticing until this close, my foresight has deteriorated!
ㅤ
My senses are dulled from exhaustion.
At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before I misjudge and take a fatal blow.
I have to finish this first!
ㅤ
“Seyyyyy!”
“Ha!”
ㅤ
Right after I leap to the side, Stella and the Demon King’s swords clash once again.
Adjusting the direction of my Rapid Current with footwork, I quickly join the fray.
Stella’s Holy Sword chips away at the Demon King, and the Demon King’s unblocked attacks chip away at us.
Even as I feel our movements becoming less precise, I desperately maintain my composure and continue the swordfight.
ㅤ
This is a battle of endurance.
It’s a war of attrition where just fighting depletes our physical, mental, and emotional strength at an incredible rate.
The one who can’t withstand it any longer and exposes a clear opening will lose.
ㅤ
“『Hell Sword・Supremacy』!”
“Third strike—『Slashing Sweep』!”
ㅤ
I cleave through the torrent of darkness with Slashing Sweep.
It’s barely manageable as is.
My vision is flickering.
ㅤ
“Teyaaaaaa!!”
ㅤ
Stella charges through the gap I made in the torrent of darkness.
The Demon King counters by floating countless orbs of darkness around him.
ㅤ
“『Dark Orbs』!”
ㅤ
Dark bullets are fired in rapid succession, much like an Iron Dwarf’s gatling gun.
However, there are relatively more gaps.
It’s not unavoidable. . . . . .wait, what is this?!
ㅤ
“Allan!”
“I got it! Second Strike Deformation—『Distortion Chain』!”
ㅤ
Using Distortion, I change the trajectory of one dark bullet, colliding it with another, and then another.
Together with Stella, we intercept all the dark bullets.
If we don’t, they’ll hit our immobilized allies behind us.
ㅤ
Maybe it’s best to abandon them if I’m only thinking about victory.
But there’s no happiness for Stella if we abandon our friends.
I’m not fighting just to protect Stella’s life.
If that were the case, we should have just run away together.
But that’s not why we’re fighting now!
ㅤ
I won’t let anyone die!
At this point, I’ll protect everyone!
Also, I’m not so detached that I could calmly accept the death of my comrades.
Rather than being shaken by abandoning them, it’s better to be reckless after deciding to protect them!
ㅤ
“Uh?!”
“Shit. . . . . .?!”
ㅤ
But no matter how enthusiastic we are, we’re already battered.
We can’t perfectly block all the bullets, letting a few through.
Several deadly bullets approach our incapacitated comrades.
ㅤ
“Whoa!!”
ㅤ
However, a lone warrior stood up and knocked down the barrage of lethal bullets.
He stood as if he was on the brink of collapse, yet he was enveloped in an extraordinary fighting spirit.
ㅤ
“”Blade?!””
“Don’t worry about us! No one wants to be a burden to you!
I’ll protect these people! You guys focus on the Demon King!”
ㅤ
In his battered condition, unable to join the battle against the Demon King, Blade roared.
He’s a man.
An incredibly reliable man.
We could entrust him without a shred of doubt.
ㅤ
“Stella!”
“I know!”
ㅤ
Leaving our backs to Blade, we blocked only the dark bullets aimed at us, converting our remaining strength to move forward, and again closed in on the Demon King.
And once more, we clashed.
We operated as efficiently as possible, aiming to deplete the enemy’s stamina more than our own.
Cutting, thrusting, dodging, parrying.
Fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting.
And then. . . . . .
ㅤ
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
Finally, it broke down.
The first to collapse was, embarrassingly, me.
Another deep wound inflicted by Fezard.
Even with Eltrait-san’s treatment, my left leg, which had accumulated more damage than other parts, gave in.
My posture broke.
Catastrophically.
Naturally, the Demon King didn’t miss this opportunity.
The Demon King’s right-hand thrust closed in on me.
ㅤ
“Ugh?!”
“Stella?!”
ㅤ
Stella jumped in front of me and blocked the thrust with her Holy Sword.
However, her exhausted body couldn’t hold the ground, and we both were blown away.
Both of us completely lost our footing!
Given the situation, naturally. . . . . .
ㅤ
“This is the end!!!”
ㅤ
The Demon King raised his sword of darkness high.
As if pouring all remaining strength into it, the sword of darkness swelled.
ㅤ
“『Hell Sword・Pure Land』!!”
ㅤ
It was undoubtedly that same attack we barely managed to counter with Final Strike and the entire Hero’s Party earlier.
A torrent of darkness of a completely different magnitude.
ㅤ
Indeed, it’s much weaker compared to earlier.
It’s only natural, considering he forced it out of his body without any incantations.
Still, it’s more than enough firepower to send us to hell!
ㅤ
“”Aaaaaaaaaaaa!!””
ㅤ
We exerted our last bit of strength to resist destruction.
First, Stella slammed her Holy Sword into the torrent of darkness to stop it.
This isn’t just a clash of brute force.
What Stella swung was my third sword technique, the 『Slashing Sweep』.
ㅤ
Just like I had honed my skills during my training journey, cornered in a dire situation, Stella must’ve elevated her technique through sheer concentration.
It was an excellent Slashing Sweep.
ㅤ
However, it’s not enough.
Just Stella’s Slashing Sweep can only resist for a brief moment.
It would ultimately get crushed.
One person can’t do it.
To win here, I also have to summon every ounce of my strength and resist with the power of both of us!
ㅤ
I watched.
Sharpening my eyes, senses, nerves, and mind to their limits, I observed the clash between the Demon King’s attack and Stella’s.
ㅤ
If we’re going to turn this around, Final Strike is our only option.
By now, both Stella and I are at the absolute limit of our limits.
Our fatal mistake was exposing a huge vulnerability, giving them the ultimate opportunity.
Even if we withstand this attack, there’s no doubt we’ll be drained completely afterwards.
ㅤ
So, we have no choice but to counter this attack and defeat the Demon King!
If there’s no power left to carry on, let’s settle it in this moment!
ㅤ
Without thinking ahead, I muster all of my remaining strength and channel it into focus.
Fatigue-sharpened senses clarify, and once again, I enter a state of heightened perception, as if time slows in a world too quiet.
ㅤ
However, the world quickly dyed in crimson darkness.
From the eyes, from the ears, from the nose, and from the overused sensory organs, I felt blood overflowing.
Perhaps, it’s not just that.
Somewhere in my head is messed up.
ㅤ
With severe headaches, my senses are gradually going insane.
The world that was too quiet is breaking apart.
I had a premonition.
No, I had a conviction.
If I push myself any further, even if I heal all the damage, I have a conviction that I can never return to this world, to this realm, ever again.
ㅤ
“Even so, it doesn’t matter. . . . . .!”
ㅤ
Originally, this power was meant for this very moment!
If using it to defeat the Demon King, the greatest enemy of Stella’s happiness, means using it up, then so be it!
ㅤ
“Final Strike━━『Ryujin』!!!”
ㅤ
And so, I used it. I was able to use it.
The ultimate 『Final Strike』 in the truest sense, possibly the last in my lifetime.
ㅤ
By doing so, the torrent of darkness changes its form.
Kurotenmaru, a magic sword with inherent dark properties, dons the ultimate darkness.
It must be due to its affinity with similar powers that it didn’t break despite controlling such force.
Perhaps, obtaining this sword was also for this moment.
ㅤ
As if to prove it, Kurotenmaru bore a massive crack.
Perhaps, Kurotenmaru too would shatter into pieces after this single blow.
Unlike during Dragburn, it was completely destroyed to the point where it couldn’t be repaired.
Similar to Onryomaru, it felt like Kurotenmaru was also nearing the end of its role.
ㅤ
“Thank you for everything. . . . . .!”
ㅤ
Kurotenmaru, Onryomaru.
For supporting me all this time!
ㅤ
“Aaaaaaaaaah!!!”
ㅤ
I channel some of the power wielded through Ryujin into my right leg and kick off the ground with the propulsion of my Storm Leg Armor.
The Storm Leg Armor shatters, boosting me with an impact stronger than usual.
While my senses are still intact, I can predict and harness this force without issue!
ㅤ
“Yaaaaaaaah!!!”
ㅤ
Stella also runs up from behind to join in the attack.
Her Holy Sword emits a fleeting yet strong light, reminiscent of a candle’s last glow.
Light and darkness.
Both strikes intersect as they close in on the Demon King.
Having just unleashed such a massive move, and with one leg crushed, there’s no way the Demon King has the strength to evade an attack of this scope!
ㅤ
“I am. . . . . .”
ㅤ
And then, the Demon King,
ㅤ
“Cannot afford to lose!!!!!!!!!”
ㅤ
As if resolved,
No, already resolute, he braces his heart.
He meets our attacks head-on.
ㅤ
Clearly straining, the Demon King infuses immense magical power into the Sword of Darkness.
The Sword of Darkness contorts and deforms, losing its sword-like shape as it grows monstrously.
As if embodying the reckless manner in which the Demon King exists.
Yet, even in its distorted, shapeless form, the Sword of Darkness was still somehow beautiful.
ㅤ
“””Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”””
ㅤ
Three attacks collide.
Two and one clash.
In a head-on collision, each tries to bend the other’s will to assert their own.
ㅤ
The strength of our feelings differs not.
Both the Demon King and us, the emotions we stake for what is important to us are the same.
Thus, what determines the victor is something else altogether.
An utterly simple difference between us and the Demon King.
ㅤ
That is, ━━numbers.
ㅤ
The Demon King was alone, while we were two.
And my attack is merely reflecting the Demon King’s power back at him.
If an attack carrying all my might collides with another attack of my own, also carrying all my might, the result is inevitably equal.
Therefore, with Stella’s power added on top, we have the upper hand.
ㅤ
1+1=2, and the power of 2 is stronger than 1.
A simple equation that even a child with no education could understand.
Such a simple calculation determined the outcome.
ㅤ
The slashes of light and darkness sever the Demon King’s Sword of Darkness.
And then, it goes on to. . . . . .slice the Demon King’s body into an ‘X.’
ㅤ
“Ah. . . . . .”
ㅤ
After letting out a sound that seemed to spill from his mouth, the Demon King,
ㅤ
“Fezard. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Murmured so, at the brink of death.
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- Chaoyang Masses: The Spy Games Your Aunts and Uncles Play
- Kakashi and Obito: Bro-mance or True Love? Unraveling the Mystery of Naruto’s Most Epic Duo
- Trucks, Isekai, and the Struggle for a Good Image: When Anime Hurts the Real World
- Quitting Your Waifus Cold Turkey: Can You ACTUALLY Choose Adulting Over 2D?
- The Unmentionable Truth About Anime Waifus: Why They’re All So Smooth
Leave a Reply