We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The winter forest is a sea of blood.
With gray hair and deep blue eyes, he was clad in gray leather armor that accentuated his well-proportioned tall stature, and held a black magic sword in his hand.
His perfectly refined appearance was androgynous, possessing a charm that would captivate anyone who saw him if he weren’t on the battlefield. However, this was a battlefield where the retreating army and the pursuing army were intertwined, and the demon with gray hair exuded a terrifying killing intent that did not match his appearance.
The demon with gray hair looked alternately at his own deflected sword and me, and asked with a puzzled expression.
“What did you just do?”
“What did I do? I just protected myself!”
It wasn’t a lie, not at all.
If I hadn’t drawn the Spirit Current Sword and defended myself on impulse at that moment, my head would have been rolling on the ground by now!
However, the demon with gray hair narrowed his eyes and stared at me, seemingly unconvinced by my words.
I braced myself.
I never thought I’d have to draw the Spirit Current Sword like this.
But if I don’t repel this demon with gray hair, even with the Spirit Current Sword at full power, I’ll never be able to get out of this situation!
My instincts were ringing the alarm bells with all their might.
He’s a high-ranking demon.
And not just any high-ranking demon.
If I were careless or held back, we would be killed in an instant.
I could feel such a powerful presence radiating from this demon with gray hair.
The demon with gray hair stared at me.
Just then, a demon from the retreating army attacked from behind!
“Damn it, this mercenary scum shouldn’t interfere!”
A hulking demon, with sharp wind magic wrapped around each of his ten fingers, launched a surprise attack on the demon with gray hair from a blind spot.
“!”
However, in the next moment, it was the hulking demon, attempting the surprise attack, who lost his life.
His ten fingers were severed, his limbs were cut off, his head was decapitated, and the hulking demon turned into a lump of flesh and rolled on the ground without even a death cry.
Strong!
It wasn’t just strong.
I was speechless at his overwhelmingly superior combat prowess.
I saw it.
The moment the hulking demon attacked, the demon with gray hair shifted his attention from me and wielded his black magic sword magnificently.
The black magic sword split into several blades and sliced the hulking demon to pieces in an instant.
Is it a segmented sword?
But the split blades were not connected by wires or anything, nor were they an extension of the blades remaining near the hilt.
Each blade moved independently and cut down the hulking demon.
He was wielding enormous magic on each blade and controlling them freely!
The demon with gray hair possessed that much skill and magic power.
Just one look at the demon’s magic and swordsmanship, and I could feel the sheer terror of his abilities.
If I were to fight this demon head-on like this…!
I shuddered.
However, the demon with gray hair had completely shifted his attention from me to the retreating army.
“How unsightly.”
Saying so, the demon with gray hair swung his black magic sword.
The segmented blades danced wildly across the battlefield, killing the retreating army one after another.
Listea and Slaton were also left speechless by the horrific sight of the demon with gray hair.
“Ara ara ara, you’re not running away?”
“Hah! Everyone, now’s our chance!”
It wasn’t just us who were left speechless by the terrifying strength of the demon with gray hair and froze in place.
The feet and hands of the retreating army had also stopped.
And the demon’s attention was focused on the retreating army, not on me.
If we missed this chance, there would be no other opportunity to escape, right?
We ran with all our might.
Using the bare trees of the winter forest as cover, we fled from the retreating army, the pursuing army, and the demon with gray hair!
But, as expected, this was a battlefield, and the surroundings were full of demons.
The demons who were retreating quickly regained their senses and began to flee for their lives.
The black magic sword wielded by the demon with gray hair, though segmented, had a limited number of blades.
The demons of the retreating army who were not targeted by the blades screamed and fled further into the forest.
It seemed they no longer had the luxury of launching any unnecessary attacks at us, as every demon prioritized their own lives and fled.
The pursuing army was not just standing by and watching.
The demon with gray hair was not the only pursuer.
An army that had entered the forest to annihilate the fleeing demons was now killing the fleeing demons one after another.
A gruesome scene spread throughout the forest.
“Damn it, is this a war between demons?”
Even Slaton, usually so strong, grimaced at the sight of demons being unilaterally trampled and turning into piles of corpses.
But we didn’t have the luxury of sympathizing.
The pursuing army was finally catching up to us and attacking!
“First the retreating army, now the pursuing army!”
Slaton shouted as he repelled the demons who attacked with the intent to kill.
Listea also gracefully swung her bright red straight sword, defeating the demons.
However, the pursuing army, with more momentum than the retreating army, was formidable!
From the flank, a deadly blade aimed at Shooting Star Sama approached!
“Ugh!”
An winged demon attacked Anna Sama, who was too slow to react!
Mine and I reacted simultaneously. Mine swung her naginata, and I drew my Spirit Current Sword.
But, faster than our blades, the blades of the segmented black magic sword moved!
“Ah!”
Anna Sama!
We shouted.
Anna Sama’s eyes widened as she stared at the approaching deadly blade.
Spirit Current Sword, hurry!!
The blade of the Spirit Current Sword, riding the dragon vein, accelerated, carrying my will.
But the Spirit Current Sword couldn’t catch the segmented black blades!
Because…!
“Gyaaaaaaah!!”
The winged demon screamed.
The demon, whose back wings were severed and whose body was minced, died before he could attack Anna Sama.
And it was the blades of the segmented black magic sword that minced and brutally slaughtered the winged demon!
“W-why is the magic sword blade…?”
The demon with gray hair was supposed to be on the side of the pursuing army, chasing the fleeing demons, right?
That’s why he was killing the fleeing demons indiscriminately.
But the winged demon who attacked Anna Sama was a demon from the pursuing army.
In other words, the demon with gray hair and the winged demon should have been allies!
And yet…
“E-even allies!?”
While we were still gasping, the fragments of the segmented black blades continued to attack demons one after another.
Regardless of whether they were friend or foe!
“W-what are you doing!”
Before I knew it, I was confronting the demon with gray hair.
I grabbed the arm swinging the handle of the segmented magic sword, stopping the demon’s murderous rampage.
The demon with gray hair finally stopped moving, his arm grabbed by me. The segmented blades also stopped moving in mid-air, presumably linked to the sword’s hilt.
The demon with gray hair slowly turned his gaze to me, who had stopped his arm.
“What am I doing? As you can see, I’m killing them all. Isn’t that more interesting?”
“No, no, no, it’s not a matter of whether it’s interesting! The pursuing army were your allies, weren’t they!? How can you kill your own allies!”
I couldn’t help but raise my voice.
Because, that’s right. The demon’s actions were utterly insane.
To try and kill everyone, regardless of friend or foe!
But the demon with gray hair tilted his head, looking at me with a puzzled expression.
Huh!?
Could it be that he didn’t realize the abnormality of his own actions?
Such an anxiety filled my heart.
“…Hahaha. Ahahahahaha. That’s right. It’s normal, isn’t it? You’re right! Perhaps my actions were wrong.”
“No, it wasn’t ‘perhaps wrong,’ it *was* wrong?”
But it seemed my words had gotten through to the demon.
Or rather, it’s normal for them to get through!
Yet, the demon had genuinely lost the recognition that “one should not attack or kill allies” until just now. He laughed merrily, as if recalling common sense with my words. In the midst of a gruesome battlefield.
“Ahahaha! You’re funny.”
“Huh? Me!?”
“Yes, you. Not only did you stop me twice, but someone is lecturing me like this.”
Was it a lecture?
I just stopped his maddening actions on impulse.
But if the result was that the demon returned to his senses, then perhaps it was good. …Was it good?
No, that’s not right!
If the demon returned to his senses and stopped the slaughter, does that mean…?
“M-maybe now we’ll be attacked?”
I accidentally voiced my thoughts.
Hearing my words, the demon with gray hair gave a sly, Slaton-like evil grin.
“Attack you? No, I’ll refrain from that. I’ve thought of something more interesting.”
The demon with gray hair then swung the segmented blades of his magic sword, targeting only the demons of the retreating army, and said.
“You guys got caught up in our demon civil war, didn’t you? I see a couple of miko too. Fine, I’ll protect you.”
“Whaaat!”
I, as well as Listea and everyone else, were surprised by the sudden offer from the demon with gray hair.
“What are you dazed for? Let’s go! Follow me.”
“Ah, wait!”
For a moment, we exchanged glances. Then, we made a quick decision.
Let’s follow the demon with gray hair!
I ran first, and then everyone else followed, chasing the demon with gray hair.
The demon with gray hair raced through the battlefield, wielding his magic sword imbued with immense killing intent and magic power.
Perhaps it was because he was killing everyone indiscriminately earlier?
No demons dared to interfere with us, who were running alongside the demon with gray hair.
We managed to escape the battlefield far more easily than expected.
“Haa, haa, damn it!”
I don’t remember how long we ran. We ran until the roar and screams of the battlefield could no longer be heard.
Slaton collapsed on the ground, exhausted, panting heavily and spitting obscenities.
Listea, Shooting Star Sama, and I also stopped, our ragged breaths slowly evening out.
“Humans are weak. They’re already at their limit with this.”
“No, no, that’s true. How long do you think we’ve been running?”
Only the demon with gray hair, who had led us here, and Lord Reed remained unfazed.
Moreover, Lord Reed had used spatial jump to move from the beginning, so even if he had consumed spirit power, his stamina should not have been significantly depleted.
Lord Reed casually said, “I’ll go look for something that might be suitable for dinner?” and disappeared immediately.
Hmm. Lord Reed is acting naturally even here.
Be that as it may.
“Thank you. I’m Eruru. I was traveling with Shooting Star Sama and got caught up in a demon disturbance.”
Regardless of the circumstances, if we were saved, we had to express our gratitude.
Not only I, but Mine Sama and Anna Sama also showed their appreciation. Listea also thanked him while catching her breath, and even Slaton bowed his head.
Then, the demon with gray hair tilted his head again, as if puzzled.
“…Ah, I see. Gratitude. I didn’t do it because I wanted to be thanked. I did it because I felt like it.”
“No, no, normally one would be thankful, right?”
“No, normally humans don’t talk so casually to demons.”
“Ah.”
Upon being pointed out by the demon with gray hair, my face twitched.
That’s right!
Demons are nothing but terrifying beings to humans.
Even though he saved us from a pinch, he’s still an unfathomable demon.
One that forgets common sense and even brutally slaughters its allies.
Normally, not just humans, but anyone wouldn’t speak so casually to a demon with gray hair.
But I had become too close to beings like the immeasurable, Demon Lords, and Primogenitor Races, and had forgotten common sense!
“You’re the one who lacks common sense!”
As Slaton retorted to me, the demon with gray hair laughed merrily.
“Right? He’s more out of his mind than I am, isn’t he? Hahahah! I like you. We’ll get along.”
“Oh, uh!”
Slaton, whose shoulder was suddenly clasped by the demon with gray hair, was uncharacteristically flustered.
However, the demon with gray hair seemed convinced that he could get along with Slaton and did not break his smile. Reluctantly, Slaton shook hands with the demon with gray hair.
“What a pain.”
Listea, having regained her composure, gave a wry smile at the scene.
“So. Why were you guys there? Why are you wandering around the demon country with just humans and strange Mimicho Race?”
Yes, that’s a valid question!
To the demon’s question, I revealed the story we had all come up with.
We left our hidden village and are traveling the world! The demon with gray hair listened to my words without suspicion, nodding enthusiastically.
“You guys are really interesting.”
“Are we?”
Isn’t it normal to talk to demons casually?
It’s already too late, so there’s no point being hesitant after speaking so frankly because I was pointed out.
So, in the end, I ended up talking to the demon with gray hair normally.
And the demon with gray hair, instead of getting angry at my tone, listened with such enthusiasm that he was impressed by how honestly I spoke of human affairs.
“…Ahahaha. You’re truly interesting. I never knew there were still hidden villages where humans like yourselves lived within the demon-ruled country. Within the territory of His Majesty the Giant Demon Lord? I’d like to visit someday.”
I was scared that this demon might actually visit.
Not for slave hunting, but for a genuine visit.
“But, you’re unlucky. This country is currently experiencing various civil wars, and the public order is bad. If you’re going to travel, the Giant Demon Lord’s country might have been a better choice.”
“We lived in a hidden village, so we didn’t know about the public order in each demon country?”
“I suppose so. So, are you planning to turn back?”
“Hmm, I wonder?”
I looked around at everyone’s faces, as if consulting them.
Of course, it was an act!
Although I was happy that the demon with gray hair was worried about us, our goal was to explore the Mad Abyss Demon Lord’s country.
“By the way, didn’t you say something unsettling earlier? ‘Various civil wars’?”
“Hmm? Ah, that’s right. In this country, various civil wars are breaking out in an amusing way. I’ve traveled as a mercenary through various regions and know the details.”
“Really!?”
“Whoa, why are you so interested there!”
The demon with gray hair was surprised by my eager question.
“We want to know. Why do demons enslave humans? Why do we have to live in fear, hiding in our hidden village? Why do demons fight among themselves?”
“How should I know!”
The demon with gray hair laughed at my rapid-fire questions.
“We want to know various things. That’s why we want to explore this country. The fact that various civil wars are occurring means there are various problems among the demons, right? We want to know the problems of demons, which are different from humans.”
At my words, the demon with gray hair burst into laughter, holding his stomach.
“Alright. You’re an interesting guy. Then I’ll cooperate. My name is Srain. I’m a mercenary who used to be a gladiator, Srain. Nice to meet you?”
“A demon introduced himself willingly!?”
“Hahaha. That’s right. I completely forgot my common sense.”
The demon with gray hair, now known as Srain, shook my hand this time.
Listea, watching the scene, muttered, “Friendship between those who lack common sense is scary,” which I didn’t miss.
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