Pawahara Seijo no Osananajimi to Zetsuen Shitara, Nanimokamo ga Umaku Iku Yō ni Natte Saikyō no Bōke

[Phoenix VS Oni]

“Exa!”

“Move back, Tirna! This guy is on a completely different league compared to the other saints!” I warned without turning back, then I asked Elysium, “Is it your justice to attack a completely defenseless girl!?”

“What would you do if I say yes?”

“I’ll do… this!”

Bang! Sending Elysium flying backwards, I dematerialized my longsword and—manifested a spear in its place before hurling it with all my might.

“—Lunar Force Meteorite!”

――BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNGGG!!

Compared to the one I used when I was fighting with King Vale, this enhanced 《Lunar Force Meteorite》 was several levels above in terms of both power and speed.

However, as expected of the leader of the saints.

“This attack of yours contains tremendous power, indeed. But it’s meaningless if it doesn’t land.”

As the spear about to land a direct hit on him, Elysium kicked off the air, avoiding it, before closing in on me while running in a zigzag in the air.

What an insane reflex, I exclaimed in my heart, but it wasn’t the time to be surprised.

“Haa!”

――Clang!

I manifested a longsword again and caught his strike with an extremely swift quickdraw technique.

As we were locking sword to sword, Shangarula butted in dissatisfiedly, “Oi oi, didn’t you say any more fightin’ would be unproductive!?”

“Yes I did, but I had a slight change of mind. You two head back first. I will carve a stroke of slash on this one’s body before I go.”

“Ha, hoggin’ all the fun to yourself, what a great leader! —Let’s go, Big Guy! There ain’t no need to bother ourselves with this bastard!”

“Watch your words, Shangarula. We were the ones in the wrong first.”

“I don’t give a shit ‘bout that!”

Thunk! A tree fell with his indignant kick, then Shangarula left.

As Boreios went following behind him, I laughed boldly and said, “Is it okay? Your friend is pissed off, you know?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. We merely happen to have aligned interests. We are not friends.”

“Is that so? Then it looks like they won’t complain even if I defeat you here.”

When I said so sarcastically, Elysium broke into a rare smile and said, “The likes of you are thinking of defeating me? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Youngster. Do you think that you are the only ones who have obtained the power of god?”

“…What?”

As I frowned doubtfully, Elysium sent me flying with a clang. He then raised his sinister tachi up to the sky.

“This is a good opportunity. I will show you the power that the Goddess of the End has bestowed upon us.”

“The Goddess of, the End…?”

This was my first time hearing that name.

Was there still another goddess besides the six great gods?

But if that’s the case, the goddesses would have mentioned her…

As that thought running in my mind, a darkish aura coiled about Elysium’s raised up blade.

It was like the ‘filth’ I saw when I had confronted Mother Earth-sama.

Honestly, it gave me the creeps.

As such, I cladded my longsword in flames in preparation to receive his attack.

However.

“—End of Gehena.”

――Slash!

“Gah!?”

“““““Wha!?”””””

At that moment, his blade was already cutting deep into my body.

Along with my armor that was made of Hihiirokane, I got bisected from my left shoulder to my right flank in an instant.

I didn’t manage to see a thing as if time had stopped.

The sword art was so dreadful that it made my hair stand on end.

But,

――Grab!

“…Hm?”

I tightly grasped his arm and revealed a leisurely smile. “…My bad. I already expected that you’d use that kind of move.”

“…What? —Hm!?”

Blaze! A flame cage surrounded us.

Elysium probably saw through my intention right then.

Composure disappeared from his face for the first time, and he said, “Don’t tell me you’re trying to…!?”

“Yeah, that’s right. You said it yourself. That you were going to carve a stroke of sword on my ‘body’. The fact that you genuinely aimed for my body was really a lifesaver. Thanks, now I’ll have you accompany me to experience hell.”

BLAZE! The flame cage was getting hotter and smaller so as to prevent us from escaping.

“Gh!? Let go of me, human!?”

“There’s no way I’ll let you go just because you ask, don’t you think? Besides, not only you tried to kill the dwarves, but you also tried to put your hands on Tirna. This is merely a just retribution.”

“Shut up, you lowly human!”

“Well, you’re now going to turn into charcoal because of that lowly human. Better prepare yourself you know—‘Sword’ Saint.”

“Guu!?”

I mercilessly activated the Magic Art in front of Elysium who angrily ground his teeth.

“Farewell. —Prometheus Execution!”