My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 153

“Where did that come from, Praus?”

“…I just wanted to say something before I kill you.”

Now, it was just a meaningless statement. There was no need to explain. Even if I did, Stella was already my enemy, and she was someone I had to kill.

“What did you mean by that? Do you really think I would become a demon?”

“Well… I don’t think I need to explain that. I’m human and you’re a demon.”

I took out the ‘Glass Ring’ from my pocket and put it on my index finger. A mirror was attached to the ring, reflecting me clearly without any blur.

[You are wearing the “Mirror Reflecting Others.”]
[You can use the skill “Copycat” for 1 minute.]

Stella’s manifestation technique was more troublesome than I had expected. It interferes with the opponent’s shame, or trauma, allowing one to become stronger than the other. The more powerful the person, the more the effect was amplified.

If there were any trauma Iris or Ariel had regarding a formidable opponent, the battle situation would quickly turn unfavorable for us.

It was an artifact equipment prepared for that.

“…Yeah. I’m a demon, and you were a human.”

“There’s nothing more for us to discuss.”

“Right. As you said, there was nothing to ask you. Demons should ruthlessly violate and torture you until you have no choice but to speak.”

Such a demon-like thought. Had she fully adapted to the demon world after years of being there? Or was she brainwashed by demons?

Either way, one thing was clear: as long as she was hostile to humans, I couldn’t just leave her be.

“If you knew I would end up like this but didn’t stop it, then I should make you regret it.”

Kugugugu—!

The ground shook. It felt similar to the pressure I sensed briefly when I encountered Peremus in the demon world. An overwhelming presence was pressing down on me.

Chills spread through my body, causing my flesh to tremble. Breathing became tight, as if the oxygen were thinning, and my head grew dizzy.

“Praus, snap out of it.”

It was a strange experience to tell myself to snap out of it. It felt as if I was two different people.

“Ha, don’t worry. This isn’t much at all.”

Even as I said that, I couldn’t stop my hands and legs from shaking. If I were going to act tough, it would be nice if my body could keep up with my words.

“…Then I’m glad—”

As Pasma spoke through my mouth, Stella unleashed a punch covered in magic.

Clang!

Pasma managed to parry it skillfully, but since my reaction came late, my entire body was pushed back, leaving my torso wide open.

“Just as I thought! Praus, your body is weak?!”

As another punch came rushing in, Pasma tried to react but was too late. I had no choice but to let the punch hit my completely open side.

Then it happened. A sword wedged itself between my body and Stella’s punch.

“‘Absolute Defense’”

Clang!

This time, Stella was knocked back.

Even though my physical abilities had improved, it didn’t seem to have reached the level of Peremus. According to Iris, even when using ‘Absolute Defense,’ she was pushed back by Peremus’s strike.

“What the…?”

“No touching my Teacher!”

Iris lunged at Stella.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Amidst the series of ringing sounds, mana and magic intertwined. A fierce battle ensued between the magic trying to swallow mana and the mana slicing through magic.

Thud!

The moment Iris’s sword struck the ground, the surrounding forest was uprooted. But Stella, with ease, dodged again and reached out to Iris.

“‘Magic Explosion’!”

“‘Phantom Wave Slash’!”

Boom!

As the aftermath of the Phantom Wave Slash devastated the forest, a deafening roar echoed.

“Teacher.”

“Yeah… I blocked it.”

In the midst of the dust, a palpable presence could clearly be felt. It was preparing to launch another attack against us.

“That was close. Really. If it hadn’t been for this body.”

It was not the familiar voice of Stella I had been hearing until now; a strange male voice resonated.

As the dust slowly settled, a massive silhouette emerged, and we found ourselves having to look up at it. No way…

“Ariel!”

At my shout, Ariel used wind magic to clear the dust in an instant. There stood Peremus, the demon with blue skin, proudly.

The wounds inflicted by the Phantom Wave Slash were precisely embedded in his chest and abdomen, bleeding profusely. Despite having received such a fatal injury, he straightened his posture.

“Peremus… is it?”

…How?

How did he activate the manifestation? What on earth happened?

Since we encountered Stella, we had never once made contact with her. Naturally, we hadn’t fallen under any enchantment.

The conditions for the manifestation had not been satisfied yet. Yet it still activated—it didn’t make sense.

Moreover, the manifestation of Peremus meant that someone had a traumatic experience regarding him.

Who had such an intense trauma against Peremus…?

My head turned instinctively to the side. There, inhaling ragged breaths from excitement, stood Ariel.

“Ariel?”

“The enemy of Pasma…!”

With a fierce determination, Ariel began to gather mana in her hands.

She had refrained from using her powers thus far to avoid breaking causality. But now, facing Peremus, the enemy of her beloved, she was on the verge of losing her reason.

“Ariel! That’s Stella, who has taken on the appearance of Peremus! Don’t get confused!”

In this situation, it would be troublesome if Ariel were to leave.

Ariel had to support us in emergencies. Even if Iris could manifest a Naiad, she wouldn’t have the time to cast a barrier to protect the surroundings during combat.

That role absolutely had to be hers.

Besides, she had a role to show the king the surveillance magic. It would be disastrous to disrupt that plan.

“I told you to calm down, Ariel—!”

Huff huff.

I suddenly became flustered by the shortness of breath while speaking.

“Pasma?”

Even though I recognized the entity before me was Stella in Peremus’s form, for some reason, my heartbeat kept rising.

My breathing was becoming erratic. I could feel that Pasma was on the verge of losing his sanity due to the image of Peremus in front of us.

“Pasma! Calm down for now.”

Damn it. I didn’t understand anything at all.

I didn’t know how the manifestation was activated. But right now, I didn’t even have the luxury to regroup.

The form of Stella resembling Peremus clenched her fist. I instinctively swore at the overwhelming grip that felt like it was pulling me in.

“Shit!”

This place wasn’t a place to suppress magic.

In other words, this was a location where Stella, who had become Peremus, could unleash her full power.

“Iris, the sword—!”

Ah, too late.

“‘Destruction Fist’!”

Just as I tried to draw the Glass Sword, Iris jumped in front of me and Ariel.

“Teacher, behind me!!”

Iris had already manifested the Naiad and was using water magic. Then a single powerful punch sliced through the air towards us.

Boom!!

That tremendous blow nearly sent us flying, but thanks to Iris and the Naiad’s defense, we barely held on. However.

Clang.

The past glory held by Iris fell to the ground.

“Uagh!”

Iris’s hands were trembling. It seemed her wrists had broken. Even with the strength of the Naiad, they couldn’t withstand Peremus’s full power.

“Are you alright, Teacher?”

Even in that moment, she was still worried about me. I hurriedly pulled a potion from my inner pocket.

“I’m fine. More importantly, hurry with the potion…”

“That damned bastard again…!”

“?”

Turning my head at the trembling voice from beside me, I found Ariel looking behind me. Perplexed, I turned to see the scene that left me stunned.

The mansion that had been there just a moment before had completely vanished.

“Now that I think about it, I never mentioned my objective.”

Peremus’s lips began to move before my eyes.

“…What?”

“I didn’t come here to answer your questions. I came to kill the humans who made me like this.”

Your questions were merely a side note.

After adding that, he clenched his fist once more.