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That person was light.

I managed to look at this world and love it because that person illuminated it.

My dad only used me as a tool,  and I was dejected at how bad my bloodline was compared to the home of the other children.

He pushed all responsibility on me, and insulted me, telling me I was a failure.

The only thing I knew what to do was to accept the unreasonableness my dad threw my way.

It is true that I was inferior to the other children, and wasn’t taught a single way to make him happy.

I thought that was normal.

That person taught me about the world when I couldn’t create any worth in living.

That’s why I decided in my heart: I will use my everything for the sake of this person.

My world is where that person treads on. My world is the world that that person illuminates.

That’s why, if that person desires destruction, I will become the means to bring forth that destruction. If she wants to exterminate the humans, I will become that one spider that will exterminate them all.

— “Aah, that’s why Demon Lord-sama, please don’t ever apologize to me. Please don’t direct apologetic eyes towards me. Me heading towards destruction for your sake is the ultimate bliss for me after all.”

A nostalgic memory.

Why am I remembering this much? Even though I abandoned everything and became a singular spider, why is it that the feeling of a human body is present?

“…I see. I lost, didn’t I?”

An empty body.

My body as a spider crumbled and what came out from the dredges of that was miraculously me.

But my core was surprisingly not there. This is the last thing this pitiful creature who has lost its heart will be seeing.

3 enemies are looking down at me.

They haven’t lowered their guards at all even in this situation. Aah, to think I would be considered this much of a threat. I really am feared.

“It certainly was transcendental power, but it was a complete waste with your craftiness that was your inherent flavor.” (Niru)

“It is something a normal village girl managed to reach. It wasn’t that big of a deal… Does that mean she lost because of the strength in our resolve?” (Zahava)

“No, it is the difference in our resolve. You had the resolve to offer your life for the sake of the one you love; we had the resolve to survive for the sake of the one we love. This was just the result of that. You wouldn’t have ended up like this if you had fought with survival in mind.” (Niru)

Survive for the sake of that person…huh.

I would have chosen that path with pleasure if it existed. But she chose the path of destruction. That’s why my end had to follow suit.

“That’s asking for the impossible. But I really don’t like it…that I lost to you who hasn’t even awakened.” (Zahava)

“Complete awakening is in the end just a means to power. You can become stronger, but I won’t be reaching it ever. What I fear the most is to lose My King after all.” (Niru)

“…What’s that? That’s not fair.” (Zahava)

Even her way of being is to have a connection with the one she loves. That makes me so envious.

I am just a mere spider in the storage.

“Jealous, right? Well, you must have been seeing the Black Demon Lord as a perfect being that’s not dangerous. That’s why you didn’t hear about losing the Black Demon Lord. You didn’t even consider that.” (Niru)

Aah, that’s true.

I believed that person would move ahead of me.

Even at the time when my village was burned, I believed that she would definitely come back.

But I am jealous…at that sense of distance that allowed her to fear losing that person.

My distance with Demon Lord-sama is…no, thinking about this is pointless.

“I see. You are fulfilled as well.” (Zahava)

“Yes, I am enjoying fulfilling days.” (Niru)

I am indeed jealous about it. But there’s nothing with more worth for me than the days I lived for the sake of Demon Lord-sama.

I can say this for certain no matter what kind of happy scenery others flaunt on me.

“I correct myself about being dissatisfied with you people. I am glad you were my last enemies.” (Zahava)

Being able to realize this makes me extremely happy.

◇◇

Melvis is invincible as long as I am present. He can go back to normal with just a single call of mine.

There’s no need to fear any retaliation.

I can win by just taking away the stamina of the enemy with infinite lives after all.

And yet, why am I feeling so impatient? What’s this cold sweat coming out from my forehead?

“! Melvis!”

Melvis moves just as I order…as I wish.

He would continue attacking without faltering even if he were to get cut.

The enemy’s formation would crumble with just one attack landing a direct hit.

And yet…and yet…the attacks are not reaching. The beak and claws of Melvis are not reaching their flesh.

There’s a number of reasons.

The thickness of the barriers the woman at the back is casting, and the man at the back who has low physical strength but has strangely sharp instincts; they are both people who excel at not being hit by attacks.

“As if I will let you!”

But what’s more of a hindrance is this woman…this knight. She is always already at the place where Melvis is aiming for.

One of the enemies that cornered Zahava who was one step before complete awakening.

Tedoral said that the one we should be wary of is a man called Arcreal who has talent on the same level as Yugura.

This knight has high physical strength, but that’s all -is what he said. I heard she is just a normal person who doesn’t have the power to overcome the laws.

We are above when it comes to strength, weight, speed, and amount of mana. Then, why are the attacks of Melvis not reaching this knight? Why are they all being blocked?

The knight was deflecting the attacks of Melvis with the bare minimum movements, and taking away the mobility of Melvis with the returning momentum.

Neck, wings, tendons; your movements end up dulling when you are cut in those parts if you are a living creature, even if you have a body that can regenerate infinitely.

If we keep forcing it here, her sword will be reaching me who is riding on his back.

“Ah, you are so incredible, Sis…” (Haaku)

“Haakudoku-san, let’s sync up our attacks too! Ilias-san doesn’t have enough decisive power to end it alo—” (Rakura)

The sword of the knight pierced the body of Melvis while she avoided his attack.

I can tell the core of Melvis has been destroyed with precision, judging from his reaction.

“Melvis, come back to life!” (Lazari)

“!”

I have him revive immediately and take distance.

That knight had already tightened the grip on her sword again and was in the middle of slipping that blade of hers towards me.

That slash would have reached my neck if I had been a bit slower in reacting.

The core that they could target with precision because of the barriers of that woman and the instructions of that man has been narrowed down to just one person now.

This is insanity.

This is not a feat that normal humans should be able to pull off.

But my mind is not so weak that I would falter at this.

The knight was closing the distance without saying anything.

She is probably taking this action after judging there’s some slight stiffening in the time when his core is destroyed and revived.

But that was the trap I set.

My aim was to make them think victory is here and have them do a reckless move.

The moment the knight took a step in and swung her sword, the stomach of Melvis exploded.

The mana that was accumulating in the body of Melvis while I was riding on its back.

The compressed mana that exploded swallowed the knight in an instant.

I have finished preparations for my sure-kill move.

“Bleed from your whole body and di—” (Lazari)

“I refuse!” (Ilias)

Mana burst out from the whole body of the knight and blew away my mana before I could finish speaking.

She undid the mana strengthening on herself and spewed out that mana?! I was surprised by how much mana she used in her strengthening, but that crude way of using your mana is…!

“—Don’t joke around!” (Lazari)

My anger towards that barbaric way of fighting won over my instincts to avoid.

I ignored the blade slicing into my shoulder and smash my left fist onto the face of the knight.

The quality of my mana strengthening may be low, but I can strengthen myself beyond my limits if I ignore the wellbeing of my body.

The amount of mana I have has increased from the complete awakening. I can bring out inhuman power that doesn’t lose to the normal Zahava if I don’t care about my arm breaking.

The head of a human would obviously burst and they would definitely die on the spot.

And yet, and yet and yet and yet and yet and yet, why is this woman capable of out-pushing that punch of mine and taking a step forward?!

“Melvis, sweep her away!” (Lazari)

“Guh?!”

I choose to reset things here instead of being sliced in two.

I have Melvis do a sweeping strike that send both me and the knight flying.

The attack of Melvis is by no means light.

It is a high speed strike that has overwhelming mass and can compete with the spider legs of Zahava.

The bones in my whole body broke from the direct hit, my flesh tore, and my innards bursted.

But I am a demon. I can regenerate as long as I don’t die.

It may be pain that made me do an inaudible scream, but this is a cheap price to pay for killing that knig—?!

“Ah…! How…How are you standing?!” (Lazari)

The knight was already readying her sword and looking at me.

She has recovered her posture faster than a demon that can heal from any kind of wounds in the blink of an eye.

There’s blood flowing down from her forehead, and parts of her armor are dented here and there.

It is not like the attack didn’t reach.

Even so, I don’t see anything in her posture that alludes to an injury.

“Don’t underestimate me, demon. The sturdiness of mana strengthening doesn’t only come from the quality of it, but also the strength of will. There’s no way a knight wouldn’t be able to endure an attack that they know is coming, and they are prepared to take on.” (Ilias)

“No, you normally can’t!” (Lazari)

“But she did endure it… It is like she is him…” (Haaku)

Even her comrades at the back were surprised by her sturdiness.

I am somewhat relieved to learn that this knight alone is abnormal, but it does give me a headache that she is an opponent of mine.

“You are more inhuman than me! You monster!” (Lazari)

“It is the opposite. This is the peak of technique that humanity weaved. The realm of the heart that was led by the many emotions. I can stand like this exactly because I am human.” (Ilias)

Aah, I am familiar with this disgust. It is the disgust I felt when I felt jealousy towards Black in my human days.

The eyes of someone who doesn’t chide an idealistic mindset, and yet, managed to grow their talent to the very limits.

The monsters that didn’t grow conceited of their talents and bloodline and continued climbing.

Pride that comes exactly because they have obtained strength by their own power instead of being given power by someone else.

“Nice. You are the best. I want to kill you just as much as Black. Melvis, teach them…the ones that come out on top in the end are not the idiots that only know how to spit ideals, but idiots like us who are dragged on the mud and only know how to utter sophism.” (Lazari)

Melvis roars at my words.

He may not understand the meaning of the words, but he must be taking in my emotions.

Right, you must hate it too… This boring woman.

A slightly difficult woman is more alluring.

My attacks reach as long as I am prepared to receive her blade.

I am the one at the advantage as long as I avoid a direct hit on my core. I will wear her down until she can’t sta—

“Ah, full of openings.”

“—Hah?”

4 slashes assaulted my body by the time I was surprised by my body tilting.

It took me 3 more slashes to notice this was from invisible barriers that came from the woman that I stopped paying attention to.

Melvis was also sliced in 8 while at it.

“This seems to be an opportunity, Ilias-san!” (Rakura)

“Y-Yeah!” (Ilias)

It seems even the knight was caught off-guard by that surprise attack to the point that she couldn’t move.

I could feel the mood was destroyed by this attack that didn’t read the atmosphere at all.

I regenerated my body in an instant and get up, but my ankles were sliced off again, and my posture was broken.

There’s no softness at all to these successive attacks.

There’s calmness that doesn’t allow me to regain my breath.

“! You…!” (Lazari)

I deploy my mana to the surroundings by force, and drive away the mana of the woman that is making barriers.

I could tell immediately that she was doing attacks that utilized her mana in the atmosphere.

She shouldn’t be able to do another attack immediately.

Melvis has already finished regenerating. He will be taking on the attack of the knight that’s dashing straight at us, but we can just sweep her away again.

“I see, so you are the type that can’t see the surroundings once you get heated up. I understand that feeling.”

“?!”

The wing Melvis was going to use to sweep her away was pierced by the greatsword of Poshimack, and was connected to the ground.

This man rushed in without hesitation the moment my posture crumbled, moreover, he even predicted what my aim was?!

Melvis is currently carrying out my order, but the sweeping strike of his wing has been sealed.

I should give out the next order to deal with this. What should I order him to do? What should I do that can stop that knight?

“—Melvis, self-destruct!” (Lazari)

“No way!” (Haaku)

The body of Melvis imploded and sent everyone flying away while scattering blood and gore on the surroundings.

That simple thought of self-destructing came out because there was an idiot who would kill themself all the time.

But it is because of how simple it is that I succeeded in dealing with things swiftly.

It is to the point that I can guarantee the power of Melvis’ self-destruction with my own body.

Also, Melvis has already begun resurrecting, and I am also finishing regenerating my crumbled body.

That knight probably has already regained her posture, but it won’t be the same for the others.

There’s no way I will be able to think of a whole ton of strategies. That’s why I plan on pouring everything in this one time!

“Guh… Gih… Ah…! N-Now, come, foolish knight!” (Lazari)

“Of course!” (Ilias)

My body was sliced in two from head down with the sword of the knight by the time I got up and shouted.

It was several times faster than I imagined, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was within expectations.

I predicted that this straightforward stupid knight would aim to slice me clean in half.

I have already shifted my core.

My aim was this distance. A range that my arms can reach this knight!

I regenerate my arms and hug the knight in a way that seals both of her arms.

I put all the mana and strength I can to stop the movements of the knights with my power.

She won’t be able to blow away my body no matter how much mana she releases.

The knight is trying to get out of my restraint, but I have no intention of letting you go so easily.

I combine both arms, harden them, and affix all of her limbs in place.

Her strength is ridiculous to the point that it feels like she would still be able to free herself despite all this, but I was certain I could keep her like that for a few seconds more.

“!”

“Caught you! Melvis, crush this knight together with me!” (Lazari)

The one who can recover after me and this knight is without doubt Melvis.

She might be able to mitigate the impact of a sweeping strike, but an instantaneous mana strengthening wouldn’t be enough to endure a crushing trample that uses the full force of his giant body.

No matter how out of the norms she is, this will certainly kill you as long as you have been born a human!

I was certain of victory and looked at the face of the knight.

Her flustered expression slowly turned into…surprise?

I would understand her agitation going up, being in despair, or even making a face as if she thought of a way to get out of this, but why a surprised face?

What in the world… Hm? Why is nothing happening?

Melvis is behind me.

I can feel the pressure and his breathing. And yet, why is he not attacking?

I move my head and look back at Melvis.

Melvis had stopped his wings just before smashing me and that knight.

“Mel…vis?” (Lazari)

“—Laza…ri…kata…-sa…ma…”

The restraints were undone by an outside attack.

The knight shook away my arms and swung her sword to the side.

She must have narrowed down the location of my core by observing my regeneration from up-close.

Her sword certainly aimed at my core and sliced it in two.

But I don’t care about that.

My gaze was directed at the eyes of Melvis the whole time.

Aah, I know those eyes.

He was the one who was by my side when I pushed myself and got injured. An incompetent man that would get all troubled and worry endlessly despite not knowing how to treat the wounds.

Are you telling me that he saw me enduring the pain and fighting…and remembered me?

“…So you didn’t forget. You really are incompetent.” (Lazari)

I remember his last words and ended up showing a wry smile.

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