Episode 168
Citri, who was guarding the second portal, was on edge.
While the burden of having to defeat the Heavenly forces was certainly present, the small Massu beside her now was even more troublesome.
“Peek!”
“Oh, uh… What do you want?”
The diminutive Gize, which had been waiting nearby, poked at a fruit lying next to Citri with its beak. It was a snack kept there for energy replenishment, and it appeared Gize wanted to eat it.
“Alright… go ahead.”
“Peek!”
Gize hungrily devoured the fruit. Watching this, Citri made a disgruntled expression. This creature was burdensome merely by being nearby. As she was growing increasingly curious about what Nahema, who managed to carry around three of these creatures, was really like, someone addressed her.
“Your Majesty.”
Citri’s loyal subordinate, General Belkarus, entered the tent. His formidable presence caught the attention of Gize, who was eating the fruit, as it turned its head slightly.
Belkarus briefly locked eyes with Gize before saying,
“…Lord Nahem also left something absurd.”
“So… What is it, Belkarus?”
“The portal has started to activate.”
“!”
Citri abruptly stood up. The Gize eating fruit also seemed to understand the conversation and exited the tent first.
“Prepare, Belkarus.”
“Understood.”
Just as Belkarus had surmised, the portal began to activate. Then, from the portal emerged a girl holding a large staff. The girl with green hair hesitantly looked around and began chanting.
“All lights of the universe, grant me now a luminous pathway here.”
【All of the lights】
As soon as she appeared, Citri’s troops were ready, firing arrows and activating prepared magic arrays.
Kuaaang────!!
However, all of it was blocked by a single beam of light. Surprisingly, the unfamiliar magical lump of light freely changed shape. It defended against incoming magical attacks, and when arrows came flying in, it counterattacked with an omnidirectional barrage, eliminating them all.
“Your Majesty, this is…”
“A lump of magic power. It’s a spell I’ve never seen before…”
Citri narrowed her eyes and looked at the weapon the girl was holding. Given the uncomfortable feeling emanating from that, it seemed this girl was the ‘Hero’ Nahem had mentioned.
“Belkarus, I’ll have to take care of this myself.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Just as Citri ordered Belkarus, the Gize beside her let out a shrill scream.
“Peek!”
“Huh?”
Gize had returned to its original size, towering over them in an instant. Stunned by the sudden enlargement, Citri began to stammer in panic.
“V, Belkarus! Protect me!!”
“Understood, Your Majesty. Allow me the liberty…”
“S, I don’t care, just hurry!”
Belkarus took Citri and moved them out of the way. It was a wise decision—it turned out the cliff nearby collapsed under the weight of the massive Gize.
────────!!!
When Gize roared in its true form, those who heard it felt their muscles stiffen. The Hero was no exception. The girl looked at the gigantic Gize and muttered to herself.
“Scary enemy…”
She tapped her staff against the ground once more. A powerful magical energy gathered, but just as she was about to continue her chant, the magic power suddenly dispersed.
“Huh? My magic power…”
It wasn’t just her. Gize, which had been roaring, also seemed to sense something and turned its head abruptly. It looked as if it had noticed something and its eyes widened in shock, causing its entire body to tremble before it bowed its head deeply.
“Peek…!!”
“What is that thing?”
Citri also saw it. The skies of the Demon World were rapidly changing, an unnatural phenomenon entirely. A single factor was drastically altering the weather, and the instigator of this…
“Magic power…?”
It was overwhelming.
—
Nahema the Great Demon.
A symbol of materialism, the Great Demon who governed Nephemoth through Kliroft, directly connected to the Heavens.
The full power of this strongest being from hell could not be expressed in words. When he unfolded his six pairs of wings and unveiled his full potency, the air around him altered.
Not just the surroundings either—his influence reached across all 72 levels. As his immense magic power moved, the air spiraled around him, and a vortex began forming.
The mere fact that magic power was swirling around him caused weather anomalies. This vortex was so massive that it could be observed from anywhere within the 72 levels.
“Teacher? Is this… the teacher’s magic power?”
Seere swallowed dryly.
‘It’s… too different.’
Though Nahun’s magic power was powerful, it wasn’t to this extent. And it had a gentler feel. This ominous, oppressive magic power was entirely different from Seere’s understanding of Nahun’s power. Also, the fact that Nahun’s magic power could be felt this far was peculiar.
“Your Majesty! What shall we do?”
Lin, realizing the gravity of the situation, quickly sought Seere’s judgment. After briefly furrowing her brows, Seere stabbed the neck of her target, Noah, as she tried to quickly understand the unfolding situation. But at that moment, something intercepted her sword aimed at Noah’s neck.
“…Wind?”
“Uncle, what if you lose to a little brat like that?”
Seere looked up and saw another Elemental King there—a woman with emerald-colored hair, freely flying in the sky.
Minerva, the Elemental King of Wind. One of the strongest Elemental Kings after Ea and Noah, and one of the few survivors alongside Noah.
Thanks to this, Noah took advantage of the opening and escaped while Seere frowned at the situation.
“…Look at that monster, Minerva.”
“I see it. But more importantly…”
Minerva stared at the swirling clouds and the currents of magic power flashing like lightning at their center. Was there an existence in the Demon World capable of such power?
‘Even Belzebut wouldn’t go that far…’
Seere released a bit of her magic power but recoiled in surprise when it dispersed immediately, drawn toward that swirling vortex. This also applied to external magic power. The dense concentration of magic power throughout the Demon World’s atmosphere had completely disappeared.
All of it was converging toward that ominous vortex.
It was then that Seere understood why Nahun had said, “If Mikael appears, handle it alone.” It wasn’t just because he could handle it himself but because his power was strong enough to absorb all surrounding magic forces, making it impossible for others to fight.
“…Director Lin.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Fall back and just brace. Confrontation would be reckless.”
“Understood.”
Seere and her army retreated to a safer distance, and Behemoth also quickly fled. However, even the Elemental Kings hesitated to chase them.
Not only was it impossible to use magic power, but the pressure from such immense magic power destabilized the Elemental Kings’ spiritual power, preventing them from employing powerful techniques.
“Aunt, was there an existence with such power?”
“Possibly… is that man here?”
“That man?”
“…The Great Demon standing opposite to Sandalphon.”
Noah spoke the name.
“Nahema.”
“Nahema? Why is that monster here… and how could such power be revealed in the Demon World? This isn’t even Hell…”
“Mikael must have arrived.”
“…Ah.”
Therefore, if Mikael was near that dangerous-looking vortex. Minerva turned to Noah.
“Shouldn’t we go help?”
“…Even if we go, there’s nothing we can do. The spiritual power is unstable here; who knows what would happen if we get closer.”
“…”
Minerva sighed.
“Our role is to keep this enemy in check.”
“Yeah. All we can do is pray for victory for Mikael.”
—
Mikael observed the scene before him with tense eyes. The immense pressure of the magic power was so strong that his own sword-bound holiness had difficulty maintaining its full strength.
“…Still, incredible power you possess.”
Mikael sincerely marveled. The figure standing calmly amidst the storm of magic power was exactly what the title ‘Great Demon’ deserved.
This was walking calamity, a living disaster.
Seeing the red sparks of magic power, Mikael chuckled.
“Ah, you always go all out when devouring your opponent.”
Mikael grasped the blade of his sword with his bare hands. Whether or not his hands severed, he swiped upward, causing his sword to split and shatter. From within, a completely new blade emerged, resembling pure flames.
When Mikael swung his sword to clear away the remaining shards, the flames roared magnificently. The element Mikael represented was ‘Fire’. Unlike Uriel, his sword was truly fire, as symbolic as his role.
“I’ll also go all out.”
As Mikael’s sword fully revealed its power, Gremony, watching from nearby, trembled and thought,
‘Withdraw… must withdraw…’
There was the risk of being caught in the clash of those powerful forces, so he needed to retreat quickly, but his body wouldn’t move.
It was the same for the other generals. Their bodies were overwhelmed by the pressure, preventing them from even attempting to speak. As this happened, Gremony managed to breathe out and tried to move.
“Everyone, retreat…!”
“Wait.”
“!”
It was Nahema. He lightly pointed a finger at Gremony and said softly,
“Stand by. I will ensure your safety.”
As Nahema spoke, part of the swirling magic power began to protect Gremony’s entire army. Seeing this, Mikael chuckled.
“When did you become so gentle, Nahema?”
Nahema paid no attention to Mikael’s taunting words. He was originally someone who did not react to such provocations.
Even so, the reason he protected Gremony’s forces was that, although the seals had been broken, the memories of living as Nahem for the past eight years had not disappeared.
Nahema inserted his swirling magic power into his own magic sword.
“Release.”
When he pulled it out again, the sword’s form had changed. It was originally a broadsword of considerable size, but now it was more keen and even larger.
Not just bigger, but nearly as massive as half the vortex created by the magic power. Nahema held up the colossal sword with one hand.
The swirling magic power around Nahema gathered at the sword, which absorbed all the magic power. The overwhelming pressure that had been pressing down momentarily disappeared.
As the magic power was absorbed into the sword, several enormous magic circles appeared. Seeing them, Mikael prepared his sword in a diagonal slash.
With the magic power absorbed and the pressure lifted, Mikael’s divine power also recovered its full strength. The timing was close to noon, when Mikael could use his full power.
“Isn’t it excessive to prepare too much, Nahema?”
Mikael’s flames burned brilliantly. The sacred fire seemed determined to erase all evil from the world, emitting an intense heat unmatched by anything else in existence.
“Or else your people behind you would burn first.”
『Primordial Flame』
Mikael swung his sword.
A powerful flame was discharged along the sword’s path. True to his earlier claim, the immensely hot fire enveloped Nahema.
However, Nahema, who had already completed all his preparations, simply said,
“Mikael.”
The magic power absorbed by the sword surged, ready to explode. The magnitude of the power was such that Gremony, standing nearby, started to doubt his words and considered fleeing.
The form of the magic power grew as large as the vortex. Then,
“You talk too much.”
『Exítĭum Ensis』
The sword of the End descended.
Boom─────────!!
