"Let's go!"
Perhaps the youkai sword's magic power couldn't be ignored. The oni swung his sword irritably. The youkai sword clashed with the nodachi, and I was sent flying backward.
It wasn't because I couldn't handle his impact. I flew backward in response to the force the oni was exerting. We were both just a step away from striking distance.
For the oni, it was a very annoying distance. His reach and the length of his sword were overwhelmingly greater, so it was a close call for me as well.
The oni, as if outsmarting me, closed the distance and swung his nodachi. I avoided what I could and took what I couldn't, then retreated.
I didn't resist the flow like a boat descending a muddy river but didn't let it consume me either. I skillfully maneuvered the youkai sword like an oar.
It might sound good in theory, but it wasn't that easy in practice.
'Hey, kid, you okay?'
"I'm fine. Just don't break."
Despite dodging the impacts, each one was heavy. My arms felt numb from the strain, and my palms gripping the hilt were torn, blood oozing out. My head was shaking from the force of the impacts, and my sense of balance was becoming erratic.
But I couldn't afford to fall. I could sense Tsukiko's magic power rising from behind.
Her delicate manipulation of magic power made it faint, but it was compressed to the point where it couldn't be hidden any longer.
However, hope and despair always went hand in hand. If I noticed, the oni must have noticed too—the fact that his own life was at risk from that magic.
The nodachi began to waver in an unprecedented manner. The blade turned black, and the oni's face contorted. His focus shifted, and I didn't even know where he was looking anymore. It felt like being ensnared without a sound.
——It's not good.
It wasn't the time to worry about the distance anymore. I gave it everything I had to retreat, but it was too slow.
The sword flashes branched out.
'Ranbu Mouyou (Dance of the Lost Sheep)!'
The slashing sensation struck my entire body, and blood spurted out. I no longer knew where I had been cut. I had narrowly escaped, but it wouldn't have been surprising if I had lost my limbs.
But what was truly astonishing wasn't the speed of the slashes. It was how the oni had combined footwork and body movements with magic, deceiving my perception.
It was something akin to a magician's misdirection. Magic power was intentionally concentrated in my arms and legs to distract me, while he used his agile movements to confuse me.
It wasn't that he was faster, but that my reactions were deliberately delayed.
Ouch...
'Kid!'
The youkai sword cried out in anxiety, but I had no time to respond.
This was a disruption. After taking away our mobility, he would undoubtedly deliver the next blow.
To prove that point, the oni immediately entered his next stance.
'Kobu Eigai (Inspire - Shadow Terror)!'
Without pause, a thrust that could pierce light came at me. It wasn't just a thrust—it pierced through everything in its path, including the receiver.
"――!!"
I gritted my teeth, squeezing my muscles throughout my body. Blood gushed out, and my vision turned red.
Youkai sword, read my mind. This is our moment to shine. We need to shatter this strike with our combined strength.
Silently, the youkai sword's blue light intensified. Focus. The sword techniques I had honed, the experiences I had accumulated—they hadn't faded just because I couldn't use magic.
As if cutting through the thrust, I swung from above, slashing diagonally.
"'Froga (Flame Blade)!'"
The youkai sword, burning in deep blue, slash towards Eigai (Shadow Terror), as if intending to split it in two. I put all my strength into it, intending to break the sword in half, but what came back to me was an unexpected shock.
So that's the trick!
This thrust emitted a terrifying vibration, contrary to its appearance. Even a light touch would probably shatter boulders and pierce through them.
Vibration was the epitome of destruction. It pierced through defenses and instantly propagated throughout, causing collapse.
What had transitioned from simple swordsmanship to magic was undoubtedly eroding the youkai sword's magic power.
Both in terms of magic power quantity and quality, the oni was overwhelmingly superior. If things continued like this, I would surely be overwhelmed.
But then, a voice that wasn't the youkai sword's flowed into my mind, shaking my head.
'――Unforgivable.'
It was a voice filled with unfathomable anger.
'Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. My father who abandoned us. The thieves who stole peace. The absurdity. The world. The God.'
It was like scorching mud. My mind was burning, and my thoughts were melting away.
A curse to rage, to damn, and to destroy this world.
'They.'
A face of the oni appeared beyond the black.
No, it wasn't a face. It was the visage of a pitiable avenger, showing nothing but fury.
'Are unforgivable.'
This was bad; I was being consumed.
My consciousness was entirely swallowed by the muddy torrent, and my thoughts ceased. If I paused for even a moment here, Eigai (Shadow Terror) would pierce my heart.
I was aware of this, but my grip on the hilt was weakening.
'No!'
A voice echoed, drowning out the oni's voice.
'Undoubtedly, there were countless unforgivable things. Hating injustice, cursing the world!'
While being invaded by destruction, the youkai sword burned its deep blue magic power and shouted.
'But not everything! Even if it was for a fleeting moment, we found a place of peace! Denying those days is unforgivable!'
The brother's words received no response from the little brother. The black surge grew even stronger, and destruction accelerated.
But that call had meaning. Thanks to that single voice that dispersed the oni's curse, my thoughts became clear.
I tightened my grip on the hilt, pushing the blade deeper into the black magic power. If I let my guard down for even an instant, I would be pushed back by the vibration—just a slight advance.
The blue blade shone even more brightly within the black.
"Now!"
'Yeah!'
No more words were needed. The youkai sword released its magic power at my ideal moment. The condensed magic power swelled with the slash, burning the black.
Its majesty, the "Froga."
A magic technique that generated explosive power when magic power manipulation and sword technique perfectly synchronized. The youkai sword had realized "Froga" with magic power manipulation that exceeded even my expectations.
The deep blue flames enveloped the wild sword, scorching even the oni's face.
But still, it was a draw.
Eigai and Froga destroyed each other and burned out. However, while I had almost exhausted all my magic power, the oni's magic power was still bottomless. If he retaliated, I would have no way to defend myself.
But this was the moment.
She wouldn't miss this opportunity.
A series of sparks erupted from behind me. It was like the growl of a lion about to pounce. Even without looking, I knew she was taking a step forward. It was a stunning, elegant, and majestic act, like a goddess.
"Tensen Shinsou (Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear)!"
Her golden javelin became a horizontal bolt of lightning and descended upon the oni.
The oni's nodachi suppressed it, just after he had used his magic power. But the spear's tip was supposed to reach the oni's chest without a doubt.
Still, the oni's vengeance wouldn't stop at that level. As soon as he realized it was unavoidable, he raised his left hand and caught the spear.
A collision of lightning and destruction.
Thunder roared, and the black magic power created ripples in the space. The shockwaves were so intense that it felt like my body might be reduced to pieces just from the aftermath.
The oni's armor cracked, and cracks appeared on his arm. A mere spirit without a physical body shouldn't be able to withstand that.
Nevertheless, the oni never yielded. He stood his ground with seemingly inexhaustible black magic power, determined not to let the javelin break through.
That's right, that's why I'm here.
The one who should put an end to this battle is me.
There's hardly any magic power left. Even I find the sword heavy. Crushing those thoughts, I raised the youkai sword while resisting the shock.
The strike had to be at maximum speed. I paid no attention to anything else; I dashed straight ahead.
"Haaaaaah!"
'Gilv (Thunder Sword).'
Jumping over an unimaginable amount of time and distance, the youkai sword's thrust pierced the oni's heart from beneath his armpit.
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