It really started.

Hyue vs Raphael.

A one on one between the wind hero and the Demon Lord.

But as expected, Raphael has been on an overwhelming advantage since the beginning.

“[Calamity Storm].” (Raphael)

The tornado that Raphael created with one flap of his butterfly wings was tormenting Hyue who was driving Kukulkan.

“Guaaaaa!!” (Hyue)

She is able to resist as of now because of the thick and heavy armor of Kukulkan, but if she were to receive that in the flesh, it would be over in one hit.

The divine power of a Demon Lord is truly out of norms.

“Hahahaha, what’s the matter? Is the only trait of that big thing its weight?” (Raphael)

“Keep barking! Fine, bear witness to the power of the Wind Mobile Gun, Kukulkan!!” (Hyue)

The left arm of Kukulkan is directed at Raphael.

This left arm has a big gunport equipped to it.

“[Wind Rippling Gun, Nobel]!!” (Hyue)

At that instant, the air between Hyue and Raphael exploded.

It didn’t shoot a bullet of wind, but made the air itself exploded in the area between them to deal damage to the target. This is a technique that resembled the one Shiva used in his time as a wind hero, the wind dual gun technique.

It is an attack that explodes the air in the target’s surrounding with no time lag, making it impossible to avoid or defend.

But…

“[Vacuum Blade]” (Raphael)

Raphael had nullified it as if nothing.

“Wa?!” (Hyue)

“What a stupid technique. You can easily block this attack by cutting off the air in the surroundings.” (Raphael)

And then, Raphael made a sudden descent from the sky, at close range to where Hyue is —to where Kukulkan is.

“By the way, I have already found the weakness of that big thing.” (Raphael)

Raphael stands at the feet of the robot.

Kukulkan’s size is enough to have one human inside, so its body is pretty big, and it had to look down at Raphael, but…

“It covers its whole body with thick metal to protect itself, and has several types of wind guns installed to it. As a result, it has this big of a body…… But it is exactly because of its big frame that you can’t do anything when approached like this.” (Raphael)

It is as Raphael says.

In the first place, the arms of Kukulkan are not made as dextrous as a human’s arm, and it takes its all to use it as a battery.

If he were to enter into the inside range of those arms, Hyue would lose all means of attack.

“Kuh!” (Hyue)

Hyue revved the mobility engine of Kukulkan and was thinking of retreating at high speed, in order to create distance.

But there’s no way the Demon Lord would allow this.

“Too slow!!” (Raphael)

From each of the five fingers of the gauntlet of Raphael, tightly compressed air claws were shot.

“[Kamaitachi]” (Raphael)

Their sharpness made it hard to believe that it was air, and it easily cut the metallic armor of Kukulkan.

“Guaaaaah!!” (Hyue)

Hyue took a defensive stance, and thanks to that, both of the arms of Kukulkan had been cleanly cut.

With that, there’s no way she will be able to use the weapons installed in them, and won’t be able to defend herself with that same move anymore.

If he were to do the same attack, it would be the end.

“Didn’t even think of the possibility of me fighting you in close range? Well, the first time we fought, I did leave all the job to the size of my divine power and was attacking crudely after all.” (Raphael)

“Guuuh…” (Hyue)

“It just means I have also grown. Even if you guys were to try struggling with your schemes, I will always be walking ahead of you humans. One of the proofs that monsters are superior to humans.” (Raphael)

It is true that Kukulkan wasn’t made with plans of fighting a Demon Lord in close combat.

In the first place, the Wind techniques themselves are not suited for close combat. That’s the territory of the Earth techniques.

That’s why, Kukulkan not being suited for close combat is not the fault of Juo-san and the driver Hyue…

“Now then, let’s leave the playing around. How about fighting seriously now? Show your trump card.” (Raphael)

“W…What?!” (Hyue)

Hyue dragged the feet of Kukulkan and took a fighting stance.

“Are you playing dumb? Did you think I didn’t know?” (Raphael)

“What are you talking about?” (Hyue)

“God Hero. God-He-ro.” (Raphael)

Those words made not only Hyue gulp her breath but me as well.

This guy…!

“Is it something to be so surprised about? Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel were defeated by the God Heroes, right? There’s no way I wouldn’t know.” (Raphael)

That’s true, but that’s not the problem here!

“It means that, in the end, humans have received power from the Gods and have finally managed to be equal to Demon Lords. Now, go ahead and turn into a God Hero as well. No need to hold back. In your case, you would be the Wind God Hero, right?” (Raphael)

“……”

Hyue kept silent inside Kukulkan.

“You guys finally managed to fight equally with us after becoming God Heroes. If I don’t crush you in that state, there would be no point in this fight. In order to have you taste true defeat…turn into a God Hero.” (Raphael)

“I refuse.” (Hyue)

What came out from Hyue was clear refusal.

Hyue refused turning into the Wind God Hero.

“I have decided. This fight is one that I will overcome with my own strength. By defeating you with my own strength, I will be able to become a true hero.” (Hyue)

“…What?” (Raphael)

“Line up, Demon Lord Raphael! I will be the one to defeat you! No God Hero, or anyone else; it will be this wind hero, Toreido Hyue!!” (Hyue)

• 362: Point of no return

Why are you so stuck in fighting alone, Hyue?!

A Demon Lord is originally not an opponent that a single human can do something about.

In the fight of Michael and Mirack, the confrontation of Celestis and Gabriel, the overwhelming of Uriel by Sasae-chan; it is not as if they overcame those difficulties by themselves.

Humans and Gods, humans and humans, and even humans and demons; with those many connections, they changed it into strength and managed to overcome those things that strength alone wouldn’t be enough.

That’s supposed to be a strength of the humans.

Why are you throwing that strength away and challenging the Demon Lord?!

“…What. So you won’t be turning into a God Hero huh.” (Raphael)

Raphael was showing a truly bored expression.

“In that case, I have no further business with you. I will kill you quickly and go after the next prey.” (Raphael)

His gaze is directed at me.

“First, it will be you, Kuromiya Haine. Since you are already close by, I will be having my revenge for the first time we fought.” (Raphael)

“…”

Being directed  clear hostility, I got on guard.

“The next would be that man called Shiva. I will never forget the humiliation this Demon Lord Raphael received from you and him. Once I settle that, I will be beginning the humanity eradication plan at full.” (Raphael)

“Fine then. Before fighting, tell me something.” (Haine)

Dark matter was already being released minutely from both of my arms.

If Hyue won’t turn into a God Hero, I am the only one here who can defeat him.

“Do we really have to fight each other?” (Haine)

“Hoh?” (Raphael)

“I thought at first that there was no other way but having only one side survive. That there was no way but to fight and decide by the erasure of the other. That’s how I thought.” (Haine)

But the ones who taught me that this was a flawed way of thinking were the humans that look weak at a glance.

They placed their all in their fight and made the impossible possible.

What brought this about was the strength that’s deep inside the heart of humans, the ability to belief.

This surpassed races and even reached the lord of monsters; they changed them.

The coexistence of humans and demons that even Gods didn’t believe in, the humans were trying to make it true.

“Your comrade, Michael, said that he accepted walking alongside humans. Gabriel and Uriel as well.” (Haine)

Not a future where you step on someone else to gain glory, but a future where everyone shares the glory.

“Raphael, can’t you also walk alongside us?” (Haine)

If he does that, there’s no need for us to fight here.

“Hmph, every single one of you people, wasting time with such stupid things.” (Raphael)

But my expectations were betrayed by those simple words.

“It is true that Michael said something like that too. That instead of eradicating humans, we should walk alongside them…!” (Raphael)

So Michael is really trying to fulfill his promise with us.

And Raphael is trying to go the completely opposite path.

“Why?! Why can’t you walk the same path?! Even when you are a Demon Lord like Michael and the others!” (Haine)

“Right… If I had to say a difference, it would be…” (Raphael)

I could feel a deep deep dark gaze from the opening of the helmet that covers the whole face of Raphael.

“That we have already begun our battle.” (Raphael)

…?

What does he mean by that?

“My fight with you people has already begun. Thus, it won’t be stopped until it reaches a conclusion. And that conclusion will be either me dying or you guys dying; those are the only two possible conclusions.” (Raphael)

“I don’t understand what you mean. Michael and the others overcame their battles with the humans and reached an understanding with them.” (Haine)

“Those can’t be called battles. They didn’t fight humans at all. The only one who has experienced a battle between humans and demons is me, this Raphael.” (Raphael)

“Explain yourself clearly!” (Haine)

“Don’t you understand? We Demon Lords were born from our mothers the Mother Monsters almost at the same time, but the only one who had to fight immediately after being born was me. Even now, I can still remember it. You guys were there when I broke out from the Demonic Green Imperial Egg my mother Beelzebub gave birth to.” (Raphael)

“Yeah…?” (Haine)

“And so, we fought. At that time, you said this: ‘if we can’t coexist, we have no choice but to fight until one side is gone’. I clearly remember this. My fight with you humans was exactly that kind of fight.” (Raphael)

Even now, I still couldn’t see clearly what Raphael was trying to say.

Just what is it Raphael is looking for in our fight?

“…It is exactly as you say, Demon Lord Raphael.”

And there, a voice resonates.

It was Hyue.

“I remember it too. The day you first appeared in front of us.” (Hyue)

“Good grief. You still want to fight? I am not interested in you who can’t turn into a God Hero though.” (Raphael)

It is true that it was impossible to ask for further battle with Kukulkan missing both arms.

“It is just like that time…! You didn’t see me as a threat at all and completely put me out of your peripheric. While Haine-dono and Aniue were fighting with their all, I couldn’t do anything…!” (Hyue)

In the first battle with Raphael, Shiva and I cooperated to try and erase all the cells of Raphael without leaving a single one behind.

Hyue was indeed there as well.

…And she was almost completely on the receiving end.

“I don’t want to taste that feeling of worthlessness anymore. This time, I will surely defeat you with my own hands. …As a hero. In the name of this title of wind hero that I succeeded from Aniue-sama!!” (Hyue)

“Your spirit is nice, but if it isn’t accompanied with power, it just looks unsightly. If you are not going to turn in a God Hero, elaborate in how you plan on defeating me with that piece of scrap that’s close to breaking.” (Raphael)

“And as I said, you underestimate us too much. Just like in the past!” (Hyue)

“Wa?” (Raphael)

“You haven’t seen all the wind guns equipped in Kukulkan yet!” (Hyue)

At some point in time, a large amount of spheres were surrounding Raphael.

Black spheres that had a propeller-looking thing coming out from their top that was rotating.

They were flying in the air with that.

With a glance, I could tell that there were tens of them. They were flying around as if surrounding Raphael.

“Wind Gun Rebellion, Koumei!! This is the first piece that will be driving you to checkmate!!” (Hyue)

• 363: Ultimate blow

Wind Gun Rebellion, Koumei.

This is supposed to be the wind divine tool of the proxy wind hero, Juo-san.

It is a specially unique one even within the many divine tools.

By having these things that are apparently called bits fly in the air at every direction desired, you attack with the small wind guns equipped in them.

Moreover, it is not only one, there are several. It is a weapon that can attack from all directions and instills fear in not knowing from which direction it will be coming next.

But obviously, Juo-san is not here.

Then, the one controlling those wind guns is…

“Hyue…is it you?!” (Haine)

“The Wind Gun Rebellion, Koumei, is a divine tool that requires a grasp on the space and high processing ability which the genius Juo possessed. Making this divine tool impossible to master by anyone else. It is normally not something I can master-de gozaru…… But…” (Hyue)

The robot she is riding makes a low growl.

“With the assistance of Kukulkan, I can somehow utilize it as well. All thirty bits! Right now, they are all my imperial guards-de gozaru!!” (Hyue)

“And what of it?” (Raphael)

Even when surrounded, Raphael was calm.

“Don’t tell me you seriously think that with ten or twenty of these pebbles, you will be able to defeat me. If that’s really the case, I might have to reevaluate my view of you. To that of an idiot that surpasses my wildest of imaginations.” (Raphael)

“No matter what you say, this is my trump card. If you couldn’t notice that, then you are the one that’s an idiot!” (Hyue)

“Interesting. Then test it out. Test if these pebbles can really injure me.” (Raphael)

“No, I won’t be doing that.” (Hyue)

Raphael tilts his head in puzzlement.

“The Wind Gun Rebellion is only an encirclement to stop your movements!” (Hyue)

“Wa…? Kugh, what?!” (Raphael)

Raphael’s voice suddenly began to show unrest.

But it was only his voice, his body didn’t budge a bit. When agitated, your limbs would normally move to show it as well.

It looked as if Raphael couldn’t move even if he wanted to.

“…You…what did you do to me?! Why is my body not moving?!” (Raphael)

Can you really not move, Raphael?

“The ones flying around are not wind guns used for normal attacks. They are speakers that emit a special sound wave-de gozaru!” (Hyue)

“?!”

“A stiffening sound wave that Juo discovered in her researches. By mixing in sound and divine power, it hardens the wind divine power, and makes it possible to stop movement!” (Hyue)

“Impossible! Even if there’s logic to it, there’s no way an idea of humans would be able to stop me, a Demon Lord! Me who has several tens of times more divine power than you people!” (Raphael)

“That’s exactly why…-de gozaru!” (Hyue)

Hyue showed a ferocious smile that felt as if fangs could show.

“This stiffening sound wave only works on wind divine power. The bigger the divine power, the stronger the restrain-de gozaru! And more so since monsters are pure masses of divine power. The Demon Lords that stand at the summit are giant masses of divine power themselves. Truly a trump card exclusive for the Wind Demon Lord!!” (Hyue)

And…

“With your movements sealed, there’s no better moment to hit you with this!!” (Hyue)

The gun barrel that’s installed at the back of Kukulkan came out and is placed on its shoulder.

“That’s…!” (Haine)

What I saw at its test drive.

If I remember correctly, the Wind Main Cannon, Beethoven.

The strongest wind gun that’s installed in Kukulkan!

“With this, I will blow every single cell of yours! This will seal the battle! Demon Lord Raphael!!” (Hyue)

“You bastaaaard!!!” (Raphael)

*Doooon!*

Without a single bit of hesitation, the huge cannon roared.

The one shooting it is Hyue, so there’s no way it would be missing. The cannon that’s hailed to have the strongest firepower had impacted accurately where Raphael was.

It created a giant explosion of wind in the area of impact and mowed down everything in the place.

Even I had a hard time staying on my feet from this distance.

Just the blast of when the wind shell was shot had created a massive gale that raised stones and dust in the area, making it hard to even see.

But once the actual explosion came, it created such a strong wind that just keeping my eyes open was painful. I had to cover myself with both arms and a thin veil of dark matter.

Firepower that could blow off a mountain.

Raphael had his movements sealed with the special sound waves, so he shouldn’t have been able to evade or defend.

It is certain that it hit him directly.

And the result is…

“There’s…nothing?” (Haine)

At the place where Raphael was supposed to be restrained, there was not a single fragment left behind.

It was completely empty.

“Was he really blown off? Without leaving a single cell behind?!” (Haine)

Raphael can escape by changing his cells into insects, so if it weren’t for that special sound wave, it would have been impossible to catch him.

To think she would have such an effective trump card!

“Hah…! Hah…!” (Hyue)

And that Hyue was breathing in a fashion that seemed as if every breath she took was painful.

The spheres flying around have all fallen to the ground as if saying they had run out of energy.

“Hyue, are you okay?!” (Haine)

“…As I thought, the recoil of using the Wind Cannon is rough-de gozaru na. Juo said that she increased the resistance around the cockpit, but it is far from perfect.” (Hyue)

Even with that, it is a lot better than the test drive where she was knocked out by it.

But…

“You really managed to defeat Raphael!” (Haine)

“Indeed. With this, we can enjoy Aniue-sama’s wedding without worries…” (Hyue)

The voice of Hyue, even when exhausted, was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

At the same time, I thought this. What will Michael and the others think when they learn about this?

To think I would be worrying about something like this. I already can’t tell what’s right or wrong anymore.

“…Without worries huh? Then, how about I help out in making that wedding even grander?”

?!

What’s that voice just now?!

“I will make it so bright red flowers sprout in the whole city.”

This voice is from Raphael?!

He is alive?!

Did he escape from that restrain or somehow managed to endure the attack?!

“Haine-dono! Look at that-de gozaru!” (Hyue)

Hyue was also at her wit’s end.

“The ground…!!” (Hyue)

Ground?

When I look at the surroundings as pointed out, at this wasteland where the grass was growing here and there, there were metal glints.

“Metal… Armor!” (Haine)

The full-body armor of Raphael.

It had been dismantled and dispersed here and there.

• 364: Unprepared Demon Lord

Raphael, in order to compensate for his body that was mostly destroyed in the battle before, had covered his body in full-body armor.

The kind that covers his whole body without leaving openings.

That has now disassembled and was scattered far apart on the ground.

I can tell that the inside is empty when straining my eyes. There’s nothing inside.

What is the meaning of this?!

Then where did Raphael go?!

“If it is me, I am here.” (Raphael)

And then, an abnormality occurred.

The armor parts that were scattered on the ground had flown up into the sky all at once.

They flew in the sky as if they were living beings, as if they had a will of their own.

“Wa?!”

“What is happening-de gozaru?!” (Hyue)

The flying armor parts were dancing in the sky as they piece each other like parts of a puzzle.

The forearm and upper arm joined together, and the hard thighs join as well. Furthermore, they assemble together with the trunk area, and in the end, the head settles at the topmost part.

Then, colorful butterfly wings spread from the back, and the Demon Lord had completely regained his previous form.

“Wa… Wa…?!”

I couldn’t understand what was happening.

At the time when the armor was in pieces, I couldn’t see anything inside of it, in other words, it was hollow.

Does that mean that even when it has reconstructed itself to its previous form, the inside is empty?!

“I see…! So that’s how it was!!” (Hyue)

Looks like Hyue had noticed something.

“Remember-de gozaru, Haine-dono! That armor is supposedly to compensate for the lacking state he was in after being almost completely erased by Haine-dono… But!” (Hyue)

But he couldn’t restore enough cells to the point of reconstructing his body.

The most he would be able to manage is to form those butterfly wings at his back.

Even so, Raphael wanted to look the part of a Demon Lord, so he desired a humanoid appearance.

That’s why he utilized that armor.

…Is that how it is?!

“That armor was actually empty, and it was simply being controlled with wind divine power-de gozaru. In other words, it was a papier mache puppet-de gozaru yo!!” (Hyue)

“That’s right… I will at least give you that.” (Raphael)

Raphael answers calmly.

But that presence he gave off was exuding silent anger.

“It was truly a troublesome thing, you know. Kuromiya Haine, because you erased most of my body, I ran late compared to the other three and felt as if I was being looked down on. In order to escape from that humiliation, I wanted a body no matter what. That’s when I met this guy.” (Raphael)

Raphael hits his metallic armor.

…No, I don’t even know if I can call that the main body of Raphael anymore.

“I found this guy at the ruins of a residence. Maybe because the owner was missing for several decades, the residence had lots of dust accumulated in it and lots of weed growing in it too. What was abandoned in it was this guy here.” (Raphael)

Must have been a decoration from a prosperous noble.

It is human-shaped and has at least enough space for the joints to move.

And so, the few insect cells remaining took residence inside the armor like a hermit crab.

“Well, the attack just now was truly dangerous. We monsters are beings of pure divine power,so I didn’t have any techniques to escape from that sound wave. If I was purely in my monster body, that is.” (Raphael)

But right now, Raphael is in his temporary shelter that is the armor.

Even if Hyue were to mix divine power in the air to release stiffening sound waves, it wouldn’t have any effect on it.

“I hurriedly withdrew my cells inside the armor and tried lowering my divine power to its utmost limit. Thanks to that, I was able to escape the restrain, and the gravity brought the armor down to the ground. The shockwave of the shot helped in dispersing the armor outside the blast range. It was a close one.” (Raphael)

He managed to pull off something like that?!

“If I was in my normal state, it would have been impossible to do. If I were to hold back too much of my divine power, I wouldn’t be able to retain my self, and I would vanish. By maintaining my existence in the shell that was this armor, I was able to keep my divine power to almost zero without vanishing, and managed to protect myself… How ironic, don’t you think? It is exactly because I ended up in this pathetic look that I was able to avoid your attack.” (Raphael)

“Kuh…!” (Hyue)

Hyue grinds her teeth hearing Raphael’s triumphant voice.

That move was her sure-kill plan to defeat the Demon Lord after all. She definitely took a lot of time making plan after plan and making sure it would take form.

And to think that all of it would be broken in such a way…

“It looks like you exhausted a heavy amount of divine power by shooting that wind cannon. A mere human wouldn’t be able to shoot twice of those in a row. In other words, your plan has completely misfired, and it is impossible to do the same thing twice.” (Raphael)

“Ugh!” (Hyue)

“By the way, I have thought of a new technique thanks to what happened just now. I will show it to you now, so enjoy it to your heart’s content.” (Raphael)

Right after he finished speaking, Raphael’s body scattered as if it had exploded.

“Wa?!”

In reality, each part of the armor disassembled.

Each part of the armor was flying sharply like a swallow, they flew around around Hyue and I.

“Hahahaha!! See that?! I grasped the ability to completely control each part just now! It means that I have managed to change trouble into a chance for growth!” (Raphael)

“So fast!” (Haine)

The speed in which the armor parts were flying around in was more than expected, and I could tell that this was bad.

That’s because it wasn’t just one armor part after all.

If I were to concentrate on the movements of one part, the others would attack in that opening! Moreover, it is metallic, so it might even lead to fatal injuries if they to hit parts like the cranium!

“Hyue! Sorry, but I will be assisting here!!” (Haine)

Hyue has poured all her divine power in her plan, so she can’t resume battle anymore.

Now that it has come to this, I will be fighting Raphael!

“Don’t-de gozaru!!” (Hyue)

“Wa?!” (Haine)

I was suddenly blown away by a strong power.

The broken arm of Kukulkan had pushed me away.

Because of that, I rolled to quite the distance away from Hyue, and Hyue was left alone in the middle of the flying pieces of Raphael!

“Hyue! Why do you go to such lengths to fight alone?!” (Haine)

I couldn’t understand.

What is she getting so hung up over?! Why is she so stubbornly trying to be alone?!

“Even if you were to fight alone! Even if you were to win alone! There’s no pride as a hero in that! A hero’s duty is to protect the people! Mixing in pointless stubbornness, that in itself would make you a failure as a hero!!” (Haine)

“I am fully aware of that-de gozaru…! But, I just can’t not be stubborn about it-de gozaru…!” (Hyue)

Hyue answers with lack of breath.

There’s no doubt that she is practically out of stamina.

“I can feel it-de gozaru…… Raphael, that’s the same for you as well. You are the same kind as me-de gozaru!!” (Hyue)