Chapter 21: Before the Strongest Onmyoji Fights the Demons

　There was a large forest on the grounds of the Academy.

　It was a forest where precious medicinal herbs grew, and it was the reason why the school was built here in the first place. Dangerous monsters have long since been eliminated, but the interior of the forest is still a sanctuary of nature where no human light reaches.

　There was a shadow of a person in the forest.

　A huge pale magic circle was drawn in an open space, and he was standing on it, concentrating his spirit.

　Dark skin illuminated by moonlight.

　A deformed head with curly horns.

　It was not the appearance of a human being.

　In my previous life, I would have mistaken it for a demon.

“――――If you see a man in the moonlit field on a suspicious night, you may think he is a stranger, and your heart will be refreshed.”

　The shadow turned at the sound of my voice.

　I smile at the black demon.

“This is a poem written by my teacher. I hated him, but I love this song. It means, “If I meet someone on a night when the moon is suspiciously beautiful, even if it is not a person but my archenemy, a hatchling, somehow I feel good. That’s exactly how I feel right now.”

　I continue to the demon who turns a sworn gaze on me.

“In his later years, my master suffered from mental illness. The word “inhuman” hangs over me, too. Even though I have lost my human heart, I still feel that the moon is beautiful …… How about you —-? Even if you’re not human,  do you have the heart to feel the beauty of the moon tonight?”

“What are you?”

　What finally came back was a low, earth-shaking voice.

　He looks like a black goat, like a person.

　I have only read about this guy in books, but he must be a demon …… of that race, a race called devils.

　Its mouth is distorted.

“Why are there human children here? Don’t tell me you sniffed this place out?　If so, …… you are a fool to challenge me alone.”

“I just wanted to have some fun. Because my body seemed to be accented.”

“… Are you impatient for success? How pitiful, you short-lived humans.”

　I ask the devil, who is interpreting this in such a convenient way.

“If you’re that confident, I won’t run away, so tell me. What are you looking for? You’ve been watching all along. Through the eyes of the Lesser Demons.”

“Oh”

　The demon’s eyes widen slightly.

“Did you realize it? But it is a foolish question. There is only one such thing.”

“That’s why”

“…… Wouldn’t you know it if I didn’t tell you? It’s the hero. It’s obvious, isn’t it?

“Hero?”

　I tilt my head.

　I’ve read about it in the books of this world, but…

“The legend?”

“That’s right.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Of course it’s because he was born! Despite the appearance of a hero on the human side, the Demon King, the hero of our demon tribe, has yet to be born. …… That is why we are here to crush him. Before the hero gains strength.”

“Hmm. Just to confirm, you mean the hero from that …… fairy tale, right?”

“fairy tale?”

　After a moment of silence――――The demon man let out a loud laugh.

“This is ridiculous! stupid humans! How could the legendary battle have been a fairy tale? If the people do not know, it seems that they have lost the ability to predict the birth of the Hero and the Demon King. Though there has been a time without strife, I never thought that the people would have fallen so far.”

“Huh, I don’t think I understand what’s going on. ……”

　In short, there were heroes and demon kings who were great, and they were reincarnated periodically, but because of the long interval between reincarnations, they became fairy tales on the human side, while they were passed down orally on the demon tribe side, which has a longer life span……I wonder if it means that?

“But is it true that there is a hero or a demon king? Isn’t that just your delusion?”

“Nonsense. The oracle of twelve years ago cannot be a delusion. And I have seen it tonight, in that house. The hero spoken of in the oracle —- wields extraordinary power, the woman with the red hair.”

“Red hair?”

　No way.

“Oh, you mean Amiyu? Yes, she’s a little bit crazy and strong.  Hmm, a hero…”

“So she is called Amiyu, huh? Saves me the trouble of investigating.”

“You’re welcome. But still…”

　I smile at the devil.

“You, I’m going to kill you right here.”

“… Hmm, is this the end of the questions and answers? Then let’s finish it quickly. ―――― Come, my family.”

　From a huge magic circle, with a slightly smaller magic circle embedded inside —- three demons appeared.

　Hmm, they look a bit strong.

　They are much smaller than the ones in the auditorium, but the flow of power is great.

　Especially the one in the middle, with a red pattern on its body.

“They are not like lesser demons. They are the elite among my subordinates who can fight your army single-handedly. I’m sorry to say. —-“

“Oh, that’s right.”

《Fire and Earth Phase —- Demon Fire jutsu》

　An oversized blue fireball hits the one on the left.

　The core of the “demon fire” that exploded gouged out a large portion of the demon’s chest.

　Dazzling the one on the left, which was collapsing flamboyantly, a piece of hitogata secretly attaches itself to the one on the right side.

　I make a seal with one hand.

《The yang phase —- the art of falling fruit》.

　In an instant, the demon on the right was crushed.

　Due to its own weight which had increased a thousandfold at once, the ground caved in and the body became sludge in it.

“I don’t need the weak.”

　Without even a glance at the two bodies that had been defeated in an instant, the red-patterned demon rushes toward me.

　Its claws close in.

“I’ll just take this guy.”

　The last demon stopped moving.

　He was still holding his claws out to me, not moving a muscle.

　Around it, there are five human figures.

　A five-pointed star formation with it at the top blocked the demon’s movement.

　I float a hitogama in the direction of the sun that will be the door.

　Make a seal and recite the mantra.

“――――Om ten seven sixteen three eight one deposit total Svaha”

《Protection――――Demonic Phase Transfer》

　Space is distorted and light leaks.

　The last demon was quickly sucked into the Hitogata of the door.

　Before I knew it, the surroundings had returned to a quiet forest where only the embers of phosphorus were burning and the sludge gave off an unpleasant odor.

“You… what did you just do?”

“Hmm? I took it. I didn’t really need it, but just in case.”

“… teleportation magic. I don’t know where you sent him, but I didn’t expect you to manipulate dark magic and bury my relatives. You seem to have a bit of a knack for it.”

　The devil, who interpreted it conveniently, glares at me again.

“Good. Then — be proud, to die by the hand of Gal Galeos, the male leader of this demon tribe.”

　A demon named Galeos. The soil around it rises.

　A number of black and silver swords sprouted from the lumps of earth..

“I am a metal demon who controls earth and fire. Do not think that my hands are the same as those of my household.”

　The blades emerge and point their tips at me.

　I wonder if it is made of iron.

　It is certainly stronger than the demons.

　I’m not sure, though, because I took them down in an instant.

“You’re telling me I can’t pull off the same move?”

　As a test, I tried to hit several shots of Onibi 《demon fire》

　Galeos intercepted them by sending his floating blades flying.

　The blue fireballs did not reach him and all of them exploded in mid-air.

“Hmm. Then what about this?”

“It’s no use”

　The《Falling Fruit》hit that was secretly flying.

　All of them burst into flames as soon as they approached Galeos.

　It seems like it’s true that you use fire magic.

“Are you done? Then die already.”

　Galeos shoots a blade.

　I casually avoided it.

　What, it’s slow. I guess I was disappointed. ……

“Stupid”

“What?!”

　I quickly turn away.

　The blade that flew from directly behind me only made a shallow graze on my cheek.

　I glance behind me and see the afterglow of a magic circle in the air.

　”Did this guy transfer the flying blade?”

“I’m a demon. It’s only natural that I can manipulate dark attribute transfer magic like my hands and feet.”

　This time, fire magic is unleashed on me.

　I largely avoided it, but was blinded by its light.

　Because of that――――I was only slightly late in noticing Galeos’s closeness to me.

“You’re arrogant, aren’t you?”

　The black and silver blade in his hand flashes.

　A sharp pain in my right arm.

　――――it was cut off from the elbow down.

　Fortunately, the time it took to realize that fact was only a moment.

“Tch…….”

　I quickly swapped places with a nearby hitogata to keep my distance from Galeos.

　I suppress the pain in the right arm with the flow of energy, and stop the bleeding in the cross section with the human rattle.

　I can still fight, but I can’t help but feel frustrated.

　”I did it.”

“You used strange teleportation magic, human. But what about this?”

　Numerous fine blades, which had been created before I knew it, were released from Galeos in all directions.

　They accurately pierced through my shikigami.

　Hitogata, having lost its power, falls to the ground.

　I felt my expression harden.

“… Huh, it knows shikigami. I should have made them invisible.”

“Now you can’t use teleportation anymore.”

　Galeos says.

“I’ll admit it, human. You are strong. You defeated my household lightly and defied me with a variety of magic. I will tell my people with pride that I defeated you and your hero.

“… do you feel like it’s already over?”

　I fire 《Onibi》 in rapid succession.

　However, the sight of Galeos, which I was aiming at, fades away with the afterglow of the magic circle.

“The cause of your defeat is arrogance.”

　The next moment.

　Black blades rained down on me from all directions.

　There was no place to avoid it, and my whole body was penetrated.

　I fell to my knees.

　Blood rushes from my guts and gushes out of my mouth.

　Galeos stands in front of me, dyed red.

“It was unfortunate that you had so much power in the body of a child. If you had been mature enough, you would not have taken on such a reckless battle.”

“So, then… what, you feel like you’re done…”

It’s over.”

　Galeos casually swung his sword.

　The blade, which has no mold or anything.

　But it easily cut off my head.

****

　Galeos, looking down at the headless corpse, sighed and muttered.

“I never thought I’d have an interesting fight with a human child. …… Well, there’s still one more hero left.”

　The man of the devil tribe turned on his heels.

　Facing his back.

　I recited a song.

“—- clear night, cloudless is the loneliest, hateful black cloud, lose it and think of it.

*The art of falling fruit|*

The art of crushing an object by increasing its weight. Yang chi governs positive energy. There is a description of a similar technique used by Abe no Seimei in “Konjaku Monogatari Shu,” Vol. 24, No. 16.

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