(Ideally, I wanted to capture him without killing, but he wasn't the type to listen to such requests...)
Ayaka looked at the swirling dust and thought.
At the moment, Flame hadn't done anything really serious crime. He was just dangerous by being there, and no one knew what he might do, so Ayaka tried to capture him but failed.
As a result, because of the dangerous things he said and his attitude, they decided to treat Flame as "Dead or Alive."
(But still, Flame seemed like he was looking for something. I remember something about keys or something... What could it mean?)
While she was thinking, someone called Ayaka from behind.
"Ayaka."
"Oh, Tsukiko. What's up?"
Tsukiko, who had been watching from a distance, walked over to Ayaka casually. Her magical energy, which had been strong earlier, had now calmed down, and there was no more thunder.
"If the cleanup team is coming, can I go home now?"
"No, you can't. There's still a lot of work to do, like giving reports and writing them."
"... "
Tsukiko clearly didn't like Ayaka's answer. She had never really liked her job in the Anti-Demon Special Forces, and her attitude about it wasn't new. But lately, it had gotten worse. When she was with him, she was usually in a good mood and did her work well. But since they broke up, Tsukiko's motivation had dropped.
Ayaka thought that maybe they shouldn't have broken up, but she didn't say anything because it would only lead to an argument. Words can be trouble.
But she had just successfully completed a big mission this time. Paperwork could be done by herself, and reports could be managed without Tsukiko. What they needed from her wasn't office work; it was combat skills.
Letting Tsukiko stand in front of their boss with such a bad mood would only cause problems. Maybe Ayaka should just let Tsukiko go home. That's what Ayaka was thinking.
Then, a loud explosion happened, and a big fireball sent dust flying.
"What the...!?"
"!"
Ayaka and Tsukiko covered their eyes because the explosion was where Flame had been.
—It was unbelievable.
Ayaka almost screamed without meaning to.
Tsukiko didn't say anything, but she looked upset as she squinted her eyes.
Tsukiko's use of 'Tensen Shinsou' was a very powerful magic spell. It was usually used against strong supernatural beings and was way too strong for a person. It should have destroyed everything, even the ashes.
But,
"Hmm, I thought there were only average magicians here, nothing more than failed illusionists, but I might have to change my mind."
A quiet voice came from the disappearing red light. The sparks on the ground were put out by someone stepping on them.
White hair floated strangely in the night, and a wriggling prosthetic eye looked at Ayaka and Tsukiko. After the fire had been so big and then disappeared, Flame was there, unharmed.
"But still, trash is trash."
Flame, who hadn't been hurt at all, talked as if he didn't care.
The 'Amagoshi's barrier,' and 'Tensen Shinsou.' This combination should even destroy strong youkais. But...
"...This is not funny."
Ayaka felt sweat on her forehead. Flame hadn't changed at all from the beginning. He had taken that attack without even trying to fight back, and his coat was still fine.
How had he defended himself? Ayaka couldn't understand, but one thing was clear: it wasn't a problem for Flame.
This felt like a game where you couldn't hurt the opponent in the early stages. Ayaka couldn't see how to beat this man.
However, not everyone was content with the current situation. Right next to Ayaka, magic started to resonate.
"Kinraishou."
With Ayaka watching in amazement, Tsukiko acted. She summoned Kinraishou by uttering its name and dashed towards Flame with great speed, leaping into the air.
A golden lightning enveloped Tsukiko as she closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
"Wait!"
Ignoring Ayaka's attempt to stop her, Tsukiko thrust Kinraishou toward Flame's throat. It was a strike meant to exploit a moment of vulnerability, slipping through his consciousness. The lightning stored in its tip could easily reduce a person's body to ashes.
But it would only work against beings within Tsukiko's measure.
The carefully planned strategy had failed. The bottom line was that Tsukiko and Ayaka had yet to fully understand Flame's threat, and the consequences were becoming clear.
"Ah, Sissy, it seems there's no key here after all."
Tsukiko clenched her teeth, frustrated by Flame's dismissive response.
But she couldn't do anything because her deadly thrust had been intercepted by Flame's massive flaming arm from behind. She couldn't push the spear forward or pull it back; it was like trying to move a boulder. The flaming arm continued to withstand the lightning.
The heat singed her cheeks, and Tsukiko's black hair fluttered in the fiery breeze.
"Now..."
Right after that, Flame's artificial eye twitched strangely and fixed on Tsukiko.
"Ah..."
At that moment, Tsukiko was frozen with fear, as if her heart had been seized. For someone naturally gifted in magic, raised in favorable circumstances, and almost unbeatable against supernatural opponents, this man was the first to instill clear fear in her. People fear what they can't comprehend, and even if it was just a dried flower, a mere silhouette could be mistaken for a ghost.
Tsukiko had come to understand that Flame was something she couldn't comprehend.
The flaming arm holding Kinraishou moved. It effortlessly lifted Tsukiko's body along with the spear and bent it at an astonishing speed.
"Aah!"
With a short cry, Tsukiko's small body was thrown like a ball. Ayaka rushed to catch her just before she hit the ground, but the impact caused her to groan. The fact that there was no follow-up attack was either a sign of confidence or a whim.
Members of the Anti-Demon Special Forces who had been on standby started to move in the background, but they, too, hesitated in making a decision. There was no hope of winning anymore. That fact weighed heavily on everyone's minds.
In the midst of this, Flame's voice resounded.
"As I said before, it's not the right time to kill you all. Normally, I'd exterminate any pests I come across, but this gathering is troublesome. So, Sissy, let's do this."
With those words, Flame interrupted, and his artificial eye twitched eerily as malevolent magic surged.
The flaming arm extending from behind him grew larger, and his black coat billowed. From arm to shoulder, from shoulder to back, and finally, his head emerged from behind Flame—a giant fiery demon. The arm was as thick as a tree trunk and extraordinarily long, reaching the ground. Flames constantly flickered from his massive body, as if it could incinerate even the night.
"From here on, I'll leave it to him. Even if you unfortunate few die, it won't matter. I have a mission to fulfill, and I don't have time to be bothered by you any longer."
Flame turned his back to Ayaka and the others, seemingly unconcerned about a surprise attack, and walked away.
No one could stop his progress.
Immediately after, the giant demon shifted.
―Rooooaaaar!
A roar erupted from the flaming maw, and sparks filled the darkness like a storm.
"Ugh...!"
With just one step, the immense pressure of the giant demon made Ayaka involuntarily groan.
The monster easily seized Tsukiko's Kinraishou. Ayaka realized there was no way for them to counter this threat. Moreover, unlike before, this time there was a genuine intention to kill them.
"Tsukiko."
"Yes, what is it?"
Despite wincing from the impact of being thrown, Tsukiko replied. Ayaka, her expression hardened, spoke firmly.
"We need to retreat. We can't stop them on our own at this point. We'll leave the minimum personnel required to buy time and call for backup."
"Understood. I'll stay behind, Ayaka, you gather everyone quickly."
"Don't say such foolish things..."
Exhaling a sigh at Tsukiko's expected response, Ayaka connected her radio to the personnel behind her.
[The operation has failed! Command authority now transfers to Anti-Demon Officer Isumi, and we're retreating! Everyone, follow Isumi Anti-Demon Officer's orders and withdraw quickly!]
"W-wait, Ayaka."
Surprised by Tsukiko's expression, Ayaka cut off the radio and faced her.
"It's fine, Tsukiko. The top-ranking magician who can move right now isn't nearby. The possibility of defeating this giant and Flame rests with you alone. We can't afford to let you die here."
"But..."
"This is an order from a superior officer, Anti-Demon Officer Isumi. Rally your subordinates and retreat immediately. And remember, not a single one of you is allowed to fall behind."
Tsukiko glared at Ayaka in silence, her clenched fist expressing her feelings.
Nevertheless, Ayaka's decision remained unchanged.
Tsukiko was still growing as a magician, and she had immense potential. She was not someone they could afford to lose.
"I understand, Anti-Magic Officer Kagami."
"Good."
After briefly meeting Ayaka's gaze, Tsukiko raised her head again and spoke with a voice on the verge of tears.
"I'll make sure to come to your rescue with reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Don't take too long, or I might defeat them all by myself."
Ayaka placed her hand on Tsukiko's head and smiled teasingly.
The two had been raised like sisters, close friends of the same age from magician families since childhood. They had a vague sense that this might be their final parting in this lifetime.
And so, they both began to move for the sake of their respective tasks.
Tsukiko retreated with the personnel in the rear, while Ayaka drew magical energy from her amber bracelet and faced the giant demon.
The flaming demon had been slowly approaching them, but upon sensing Tsukiko and the others attempting to flee, it changed its course.
Raising its massive arm behind it, the demon's body flexed.
Despite its fiery composition, Ayaka felt an indescribable fear at its movements.
"Tsukiko, run! Quickly!"
It happened immediately after.
The giant demon swung its arm as if releasing pent-up energy.
Boom! Numerous fireballs shot into the night sky like meteors, heading straight for Ayaka and the others.
"What in the world... such reckless magic!"
A magic that fired over a dozen fireballs, each larger than a person's height, could only be used by multiple magicians with careful preparation.
To see it used so effortlessly was no joke.
Ayaka shouted and struck the air with a palm strike, creating a magic wave that dispelled the fireballs and scattered the sparks.
However, that alone wasn't enough.
Ayaka reached into her clothes and pulled out a vial of magic-conductive water she had prepared. She poured it into her palm and released another wave of magic.
The charged water droplets pierced the fireballs, scattering the small embers.
Despite Ayaka's efforts, the surroundings were still enveloped in flames, resembling a hellish cauldron.
(I hope Tsukiko and the others managed to escape...)
Without wiping away the sweat streaming down her face, Ayaka stared at the inferno on the other side.
The giant demon, like a warden of hell, walked leisurely as a ruler in this red world.
Even after unleashing so many fireballs, there was no sign of exhaustion in the giant demon. In contrast, Ayaka was struggling just to handle the fireballs.
In the stifling heat that had risen to oppressive levels, her labored breath was the only sound.
"Haa..."
In this line of work, she had lost count of the times she had thought she might die.
Like, in the mountains, in the midst of a few youkais, when she thought it would be an easy exorcism, or during the seven days and seven nights possessed by evil spirits, or when she confronted the notorious magician, Ayaka had always fought with her life on the line.
However, this time was different.
How long would it take to gather enough reinforcements to defeat this giant demon, and what were the chances of escaping from this sea of flames?
"Ah, honestly, if I'm going to die, I might as well make it something spectacular."
Ayaka mumbled in a dry voice.
Living in a world like this, she couldn't even establish normal friendships. She had chosen to lead such a life, believing that it would eventually pay off. Now, it had resulted in this grueling ordeal, and there was nothing to laugh about.
(Well, at least I fulfilled my responsibility as a sister.)
Ayaka thought of Tsukiko's face and slapped her cheeks with both hands. Even if there was only despair ahead, she had no intention of dying a undignified death.
Ayaka poured the remaining magic power into her bracelet and prepared to at least reduce the giant demon's strength.
—ROOOOAAAAARRRR!
The sound of air being sucked in and ignited became a battle cry as the frustrated giant demon charged toward Ayaka, who had become its prey.
Ayaka tightened her stance and pulled her elbow behind her to meet the charge. She was determined that this might be her place of death and was prepared to pour all her magical energy into it.
"Haaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"
With that resolve, Ayaka shouted.
At the moment of collision between her fiery fist and her palm charged with waves of magic, an unexpected white light enveloped the world.
"What!?"
Without the expected impact, the searing heat that had burned her entire body vanished. Ayaka, completely astonished, forgot about the giant demon in front of her.
But Ayaka wasn't the only one surprised. The giant demon, repeatedly striking down its fists and scattering flames and roars while aiming at Ayaka, was equally astounded.
However, Ayaka never received the devastating blows from the giant demon's frenzied attacks. What stopped the demon's onslaught was a thin veil of light that had appeared right in front of Ayaka. It was more accurate to call it a veil than a wall. This veil, made of magic, completely blocked the flaming fists.
"What in the world..."
It appeared to be a magical barrier, but Ayaka couldn't think of anyone other than the strongest magicians, perhaps the top-ranking magicians, who could create a barrier like this capable of withstanding the giant demon's attacks.
As she looked at the veil, Ayaka's body, which had been suffering from the heat, began to feel surprisingly refreshed.
(Could it be that reinforcements have already arrived? But there shouldn't have been any top-ranking magicians around here.)
While observing the giant demon desperately trying to break through the veil in front of her, Ayaka's ears picked up a voice.
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