The black egg, pierced through, shattered the mud and revealed Bell’s greaves. Though they were half-destroyed, about to fall apart, she looked no different from before. However, the pure white color had been stained black like the mud, and the azure wind that flowed around her exuded an evil presence.
“Ku… Ah…”
As the egg completely collapsed, Bell appeared, letting out a groan.
“Bell, you—”
“Gi-u…”
Sera’s voice caught in her throat. A trickle of sweat ran down Sera’s cheek.
It was undoubtedly because Bell had become the Demon King that she had transformed into this evil being. The air filled with malice, and her crimson eyes, which seemed to hate everything in the world, glowed with anger. In terms of appearance, Bell’s transformed state was not significantly different aside from the discoloration of her greaves. That is to say, it was not noticeable.
“—Your injuries aren’t healed, are they?”
Her body, riddled with wounds and torn to shreds, moved unnaturally as she crawled forward on her injured right leg. There was practically no part of her that was unharmed. Her body was the complete opposite of the strength in her eyes. Bell was incredibly weak, as if she were being propped up by puppet strings.
“Se… Ugh…”
Bell uttered meaningless words, and Sera knew that conversation was impossible. Yet, Sera couldn’t help but ask.
“Did you… Did you know this would happen? Is that why you didn’t use that black book at first?”
“…ga”
A Demon King uses their power to its fullest to lead the world to ruin. The previous Demon Kings, Gustav and Zel, had aimed to oppress the world with absolute military might and national power. And their own strength was proven, enough to greatly satisfy, or rather, give Kelvin and the others a tough fight. If Bell, an Apostle of God, were to become a Demon King, she could potentially become an even more terrifying existence. However, Bell only underwent Demon King Transformation after being fully wounded and her defeat was certain.
—She transformed into a Demon King while injured, precisely to stop herself.
Such a thought flashed through Sera’s mind. If that were the case, why bother becoming a Demon King at all? Even though she was her younger sister, they had just fought each other with all their might. Even now, the questions were endless. But Sera couldn’t shake the feeling that it was so.
If she had become the Demon King, she should possess the Unique Skill “Tenma Hajun”. If so, just like Zel had been in the past, all her Status would likely be enhanced by over 1000. Even if Sera used Gordia, her chances of winning alone would be drastically reduced, and there would be no guarantee of victory against Bell in that state.
“Kefu…! Ha… Te…”
“…”
More blood flowed from Bell’s mouth. Were her internal organs damaged? Sera stared silently at Bell.
Whether she wanted to win or lose was unclear. She couldn’t understand. What did Bell want to achieve, even to the point of becoming Elearis’s Apostle? Such thoughts swirled in her mind. However, there was no time to ponder leisurely.
“…ji”
Bell, the injured Demon King, Bell Baal, entered a battle stance. She must have perceived Sera, who had entered her vision, as an enemy. Lowering her posture to the absolute limit, she glared at Sera with eyes like a lion hunting its prey. From her remaining left greave, a hateful dark wind began to gather.
“…I don’t know. I really don’t know. So, I will do what I think is right.”
Sera positioned herself sideways, her left arm ready with the Demon Fist Crimson Battle Rage and the black-and-gold demon, hiding her injured right hand. She slowly opened her clenched fist, and her enormous palm, capable of easily engulfing a person, was directed at Bell.
“—Come at me!”
“Ga, ah…!”
A roar echoed. The black wind that exploded at the base of her greaves tore a fissure into a corner of the Moon Mansion, then propelled Bell’s small body forward with unnoticeable speed.
(Fast!)
The wind blowing from her greaves had already transformed into a jet-black tornado. It was undoubtedly the fastest yet. However, the price was the creaking of her bones and the constant oozing of blood from her wounds. She showed no regard for her own body, never hesitating to push herself to her limits. Bell’s face, incapable of expressing anything other than anger, seemed to convey this.
(Both Bell and I will likely be at our limit after this clash. I need to end this before Bell breaks!)
Sera concentrated the red energy of conviction generated by Gordia into her left arm. Then, there was a change in Bell’s movements as she approached head-on.
“…Ha!”
She unleashed the tornado, which was her source of agile movement, towards Sera with a sweeping kick. She tore through the walls of the lowest floor, which were more solid than the Demon Lord’s Castle fortress, and swept away even the rubble as if it were a weapon. Of course, this lowest floor wouldn’t be spared, and the countdown to its collapse began.
“It doesn’t matter!”
With her open palm, she crushed the tornado from its tip. It was a ridiculous tactic, or perhaps it couldn’t even be called a tactic. It was mere brute force, astonishing. Sera moved towards Bell, prepared to sacrifice her own arm. This black-tinged wind also seemed to carry Bell’s “color infringement” effect, and Sera’s energy of conviction was gradually thinning. Still, Sera did not stop advancing. She pushed aside the rubble flowing within the tornado and continued to break through the wind.
—Eventually, Sera consumed Bell’s tornado and approached her.
“Gu… Ah…”
From the tip of Bell’s greaves, a sword of black wind shot out. Blood spurted. The Wind-Cutting Azure Sword, having surpassed the Innocent Blood War Princess, the Demon Fist Crimson Battle Rage, and the black-and-gold demon, pierced Sera’s fist once again.
At this moment, the red energy of conviction completely vanished, and the red arm armor that covered it was also destroyed. Even if she tried to use Blood Dye on the sword, Sera’s blood was repelled by the wind covering the greaves, making it impossible to activate her ability. Even if she tried to attack Bell herself, all that remained in this situation was her right arm, which could barely clench into a fist.
“It doesn’t matter!”
To her surprise, Sera pushed her pierced left hand further in and moved forward. Fortunately, the injured Bell did not launch any further attacks, but the widening wound alone was enough to make one want to look away. The only remaining black-and-gold demon was also nearing its limit, and cracks were spreading from the penetration point. Sera walked a path of thorns that seemed like self-destruction.
But Sera had reached her. The base of the wind sword, the Wind-Cutting Azure Sword. She had reached Bell, the owner of the greaves.
“Whether Bell is an Apostle or the Demon King, it doesn’t matter. Bell is my sister. As long as I understand that, I will—”
She placed her blood-stained right hand on Bell’s head and gently stroked her.
“—Now, just ‘sleep’.”
At that moment, Bell’s consciousness faded, and the wind sword disappeared. Sera caught Bell as she began to fall, but she too collapsed. She couldn’t muster strength in her body as she expected. It seemed she had lost too much blood, as large pools of blood had formed around Sera and Bell.
(…I’m a little sleepy too.)
Sera hugged Bell, staring blankly at the crumbling lowest floor.
“Kuro no Shokan-shi 4: Muku naru Ko-hime” (The Black Summoner 4: Innocent Ice Princess) will be released by Overlap Bunko on May 25th.
We hope you will also enjoy this release.
