Another Side
The prison where Evia was located was not the only place under attack. The battle spread like a ripple from the western edge of the Magician Continent. Magic Beasts ran rampant on the ground, and angels flew in the sky. While the former alone would have been a concern, the latter happening simultaneously presented a scene unheard of on the Magician Continent. Beings of various statuses scrambled to respond to this unprecedented situation. Various pieces of information crisscrossed, sparking speculation and conjecture, leading to confusion within the Demon Lord’s Army. This offensive was far larger in scale than when Carter incited the populace and initiated a rebellion with the Angelic species. A hybrid army of angels and magic beasts was a reality never before witnessed. The entity that could control these normally unruly beasts was the one who enabled this current offensive.
“Well now, I never thought I’d live to see the day I’d be able to meet a Seraph in person,” Dazzlo said, his voice lacking any tension, as he greeted the being before him. On the western edge of the Magician Continent, Dazzlo, who used an old dungeon as his base, bowed respectfully to his visitor. “Seraph Altena.” The being was non-human. Moreover, in the world of Isal, they were beings to be revered next to God. Her three pairs of pure white wings were symbols of miracles. Though her long, chestnut-colored bangs obscured her eyes, her fair skin and delicate nose suggested a beautiful face. Seraph, fifth in rank, Altena. Dazzlo had often heard her name in documents regarding Heroes. In Isal, she was a messenger of the Overgod, the Sun God. Her robe, unified in the subtle colors of a mage, and the staff she held were beyond first-class in Dazzlo’s eyes. He would surely lose if they fought. It was the moment Dazzlo’s reason and instincts agreed.
“Human, spare me your preamble. I have no desire to linger in a base prepared by a suspicious man. I want to finish this troublesome business quickly and return to my father. I’ll tolerate that foul mouth of yours, so report the situation at once,” Altena said. However, contrary to her gentle appearance, venom dripped from her lips. A blue light glinted from beneath her bangs. Dazzlo, realizing it was some kind of special eye, told himself he was accustomed to being belittled by his master’s princess, so it didn’t matter. He felt a pang of self-consciousness, thinking, “Is my mouth really that smelly?” but maintained a neutral expression. “I apologize profusely. Then, I will be brief.” Meanwhile, Dazzlo mentally cursed her, thinking he wanted to get rid of a monster like her as quickly as possible. He then reported the situation of each battlefield via his familiars.
“Currently, my familiars and the angel army, messengers of God, are launching simultaneous offensives to the north, east, and south. The war situation, as of now, can be said to be advantageous. The hybrid army of magic beasts that can devour the inhabitants of the Magician Continent has little worry about securing food. The angelic army is similar, not requiring much food, and within half a day of advancing, we expect to have about ten percent of the continent in our hands by today.”
“Just ten percent? Are your magic beasts holding you back? We have five of my sisters deployed, you know? We should have taken the Demon Lord’s head already if it weren’t for them.” Altena’s dissatisfaction with the report made Dazzlo stifle a sigh, wondering if she was truly a Seraph. Even the Magician Continent, as a whole, was vast. Taking even ten percent in a single day was no small feat. Magic beasts grew tired, and angels did not possess inexhaustible stamina. Dazzlo believed that securing several supply bases with no rear threats would be of great help in future offensives, but Altena clearly did not see it that way.
“I apologize. Unfortunately, the enemy’s resistance was fierce, and unfortunately, there was a combatant with the strength of a commander-class at Katerina’s location.”
“Hmph. If it were my sister Katerina, she’d have taken down any such opponent and come to our aid immediately.” Dazzlo noted the difference in thinking between humans and angels, realizing that Altena wasn’t failing to understand the results but rather not prioritizing them. Despite her condescending attitude towards Dazzlo, her judgment in commanding the angels was precise, considering not only key points but also minute details. This was why such a large-scale surprise attack had been successful. Magic beasts could generally be controlled, but they were not suited for detailed instructions like humans. They moved according to general direction and then slaughtered. In essence, Dazzlo’s forces were a massive instrument of violence, or a thick meat shield. With just these, conquering the entire Magician Continent was a pipe dream, and Dazzlo was well aware of this. From Dazzlo’s perspective, their objective had already been achieved. Securing the man from another world and extracting information from him after his processing was sufficient as an accomplishment.
“Fortunately, it seems we were able to secure the descendant of the Hero who came seeking rescue. Isn’t that passing marks?”
“My plans have been disrupted! According to my calculations, my return time to my father has been extended by thirty-seven hours! What part of that is passing marks?! Damn those detestable demons!!” However, just as one job ended, another began. Dazzlo received an order from his master, the princess, to assist with the current situation since it was a good opportunity to help. On top of the extra work, Dazzlo found this to be the worst possible outcome.
(It’s frightening how my princess’s prediction and this angel’s prediction differ.) Furthermore, his princess had predicted that the combined great forces of the four Seraphs would be defeated. She also stated that the loss of a Seraph at that time would be detrimental to future endeavors.
(I don’t want this. I don’t want to be stuck with this temperamental angel for a while longer, even if she is smart. My old man’s stomach is already taking a beating.) Altena’s initial plan was to have already fallen several major cities. However, in reality, they had only captured a fort at the border of the territory, and key points for trade and military bases had been defended.
(It was painful that the momentum of the fourth and sixth ranked were extinguished.) The original plan was for the fourth-ranked Lutesia and the sixth-ranked Mercelsius, both of whom Dazzlo recognized as “muscle-brained” types who excelled at the front lines, to reinforce the third-ranked Seraph Katerina, who was struggling. Katerina, ranked third, was an all-rounder suited for support. If the situation had unfolded this way, they could have matched even the Demon Generals without falling behind, and possibly even defeated them without injury. However, that scenario did not materialize.
“Hey, human! Redirect thirty percent of your reserve magic beast forces to Lutesia’s side! This should create a breach in that annoying undead army!”
“Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll arrange it on my end.” Dazzlo, while recognizing that the current offensive would eventually turn into a defensive stance, felt both reverence and fear towards his master for surpassing even a Seraph’s intellect. Wondering where the education had gone wrong, he moved the magic beasts according to Altena’s instructions. Dazzlo, who had never expected to be assigned to escort a Seraph, stifled another sigh and worked diligently. He acted so that he was prepared for either outcome: whether his master would outwit this Seraph, or perhaps exceed the master’s own prediction.
Meanwhile, in a space that was busy yet still peaceful, far to the north, the undead army held the front line of the hybrid invading force of magic beasts and angels. In the center, a Seraph fought fiercely, while the Undead King, who coveted life, watched closely.
“Stop playing around and fight me fair and square!”
“Kaka, you say peculiar things. Are we not fighting head-on?” Lutesia, fourth in rank, stood over six feet tall, a height exceeding that of a human woman. Her physique was lean, her battle attire allowing for easy movement without armor, and she wielded an ax, roughly her own height, that gouged the earth. Her red hair was cut short, and though she usually wore a ferocious smile, her frustration and irritation grew from being unable to fight in her usual style. Opposing the Seraph was Nōraifu, the Undead King, one of the Seven Generals. Unlike his usual gentlemanly appearance, he wore dark, unadorned practical battle attire, wielding a staff and skillfully employing magic to fight the Seraph on equal footing. Unlike Lutesia, who openly displayed her irritation, the Undead King hid his inner feelings with a carefree demeanor. No one else dared to join their battle; it was a one-on-one fight.
“Ho, your movements have become slower than before. You must be careful of your footing. Dark Eater.” The Undead King acted to prevent Lutesia from closing the distance, even as she attempted to do so. He understood that even a moment’s lapse in concentration in his preferred range would allow her to close the gap. Therefore, he remained vigilant, maintaining his distance. If that were to happen, it would be difficult to distance himself from this type of opponent again. Shadows writhed, and from the darkness, teeth like a shark’s emerged, biting at the Seraph before him. From the shadows of those fangs, black thorns were spewed forth, but all were brushed away by a single swing of the ax.
“You’re annoying! Hurry up and become the rust on my ax!”
“Kaka, to ask for honor from an undead? Is your master perhaps a fool?” The Undead King’s strategy was to provoke Lutesia, steal her composure, and dominate the battle without letting her fight to her full potential. He left the surrounding magic beasts and angels to his subordinates. Fortunately, time was on the Undead King’s side. As time passed, reinforcements could be expected, and considering his own magic power, he calculated that he could finish off this angel in his current state, gradually draining her stamina.
“Pandora’s Paradox!” On the other hand, Lutesia was not entirely helpless. She also possessed ranged attack methods. Her true strength lay in close-quarters combat, swinging her ax, followed by mid-range combat using her body like her fists. While she was less adept at mid-to-long range, her overall skill level far exceeded average. She generated shockwaves by swinging her ax. She could also utilize light-attribute magic at a combat-effective level. Otherwise, she would not have been able to fight the Undead King so evenly. However…
“Damn it!” When her light magic was instantly woven into darkness by the Undead King’s magic and turned against her, even Lutesia recognized that her opponent was superior in magical technique. Simple shockwaves and fast-casting light magic were unaffected, but even a great spell, if its activation was even slightly delayed, could fall into the Undead King’s hands. Frustrated, Lutesia fired a light arrow as a feint and attempted to close the distance, but…
“Summon Mirage.” A faint darkness briefly obscured Lutesia’s vision, and when it cleared, the Undead King had doubled. It was not a simple illusion.
“Again with this!”
“Kaka, to fight relying on minimal means is also a valid tactic.”
“Indeed, until you can see through it, we shall repeat the same thing.” Magic was fired from both sides, separately. Lightning crackled, and flames swirled. Lutesia spread her wings and fled upwards, but…
“You won’t escape! Pressure Graviton!”
“Earth Draw!” Gravity pressed down from above, and a gravitational pull from the earth attempted to pull Lutesia’s body.
“Don’t underestimate me!” Lutesia, enduring the force that threatened to smash her into the ground, released light from within her body to nullify the Undead King’s magic.
“Geo Bone Lance!” If she became defenseless for even a moment, he would employ physical magic that could not be nullified, but…
“…What kind of bodily structure does a Seraph possess?” The sharp bone spear struck true. Of course, it was no ordinary spear. It was imbued with the Undead King’s dark power, a blow infused with such dense magic that merely touching it would lead to corruption by darkness. It was a strike that even his fellow Oni King would avoid touching. Yet, the Seraph gripped the bone spear with her bare hands, and the Undead King, beyond surprise, felt admiration. She was certainly not acting out of rage devoid of thought, but it wasn’t as if she felt no anger. Gritting her teeth, her eyes bloodshot, she crushed the bone spear. The Undead King’s strategy was succeeding.
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“Huh?” The Undead King harbored this doubt. Although they had been ambushed, fortunately, thanks to the recent investigation into the abnormal proliferation of magic beasts, they had been able to organize their troops. Unlike the rebellion instigated by the descendant of the Hero, rebellions were not occurring in every town. They were simply attacking head-on. This was what struck the Undead King as strange as he fought.
“You were babbling on and on, then suddenly went silent. I don’t understand!” Seizing this momentary lapse in thought, Lutesia kicked off the ground with enough force to crack it. With the momentum of her charge, she swung her massive ax with her comparatively slender arms, bringing it down.
“Ooraa!!” Facing a blow that split the air and threatened to slaughter anything it hit, the Undead King’s stance remained unchanged. However, his battle style shifted. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll stop killing you safely and surely.” The Undead King, who had kept his distance until now, allowed Lutesia to step in for the first time. “I have a few things I’d like to ask. I’ll capture you quickly.” As the Undead King parried Lutesia’s ax with his staff, Lutesia felt an icy sensation run down her spine from the Undead King’s eyes visible from the shadows of their struggle. The turmoil on the Magician Continent had only just begun, and the spreading war would leave behind tragic scars.
Today’s Word: Sometimes, you can’t stop things even if you want to.
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*The first volume of the novelization is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The content includes corrections and additions to the material posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with the inclusion of unpublished interchapters. Please consider purchasing the new volumes!
The manga adaptation is serialized in Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.” We hope you enjoy that as well. Please continue to support this work.
