V6: Chapter 67: The Third Demon King, Huh?

Chapter 67: The Third Demon King, Huh?

In a space filled with rubble and dust, I looked around to check my surroundings. In the distance, seated on a chair resembling a throne, was a demon-like figure wearing a black hood.

The previous Demon Kings were all tall, possessing superhuman horns and immense muscles.

But this one... not only lacked those features, but with the hood pulled down low, he would be almost indistinguishable from a human.

"Are you the current Demon King?"

["Yes! Indeed, I am..."]

The demon, who looked like a man in his twenties and didn't appear old at all, defined himself as "I."

["The Third Demon King──"]

"[Ice Mirror]"

He was crushed by a gigantic ice mirror, created by Gracia, so large that it made space itself tremble. It was an incredibly fast attack, making countermeasure virtually impossible. Crushing force from overwhelming mass, covering an entire surface.

"Wow... he was still saying something..."

"First strike wins; there's no need to exchange words with an External Enemy."

That's true; there's no need to waste time on a dialogue scene. That's just a trope in TV and anime.

The ceiling crumbles, completely rendered useless as a roof by the previous impact, raining down. It was a situation where anyone could see the battle was over.

Even so, a bad feeling lingers.

The demons, who had devised such elaborate strategies, couldn't possibly be finished so easily.

"Don't forget to be vigilant."

"I know, but still───"　

A full-force attack, it should have undoubtedly hit directly, but…　

["Oh, how scary."]　

After she dispelled the ice, we looked intently, and there he was… standing on two legs.

["Ha ha ha, I, a demon, am not that strong. With such killing intent directed at me, I'm too frightened to even have a proper conversation."]

"Unharmed…?"　

To withstand an attack of that magnitude, and still be unharmed.

Raising the level of vigilance towards an enemy by one notch… no, this is───　

"An illusion, no… projecting an image into space…"

["How clever, I suppose I should commend you, as expected of the Magical Girl Gracia?"]

Coincidentally, that was Gracia's specialty. That's why I noticed, that's why I was able to notice so quickly.

I looked up at the ceiling... and remembered that he doesn't physically exist.

Then he's underground? Since he's not in front of me, there's no point in wasting time here...

["Hoho, the real thing is quite far from here. Unfortunately, searching for me will be useless. I'm so far away... so this is about all I can do, you know?"]

With a whooshing sound, 'it,' like a blade made of compressed air, flew towards me—and was blocked by the ice mirror, falling to the ground. It was a blow that, even if it hit me directly, wouldn't even inflict damage on someone of my caliber.

["Even so, to receive such a warm welcome so suddenly... I had learned that resolving conflicts through negotiation was humanity's forte... but it seems I need to revise my knowledge."]

"After opening the gate so conspicuously, that's quite an excuse. You were the one who started the war, weren't you?"

["Oh, you got me there. I'll be more careful next time."]

Even in this situation, he had the composure of a strong man, already thinking about the 'next' move.

It's true that you can't defeat someone who isn't here. The longer you wait, the more you're playing into their hands. I knew it would be better to move to find his true form. With that thought in mind, I was about to head underground to confirm when...

["There's no need to rush. I'd like to talk to you more, Magical Girl... Satellite.]

"Sorry, but... ending this battle is more important than talking to you, who isn't even a fan."

["Then that's fine. After all, there's absolutely no way I'll win."]

That was, ironically, a declaration of accepting defeat.

Unlike the previous Demon Kings, they refused to admit defeat until the very end.

Something distorted emanating from 'him' grew on me, and my unease grew.

Perhaps searching for him blindly like this won't get me anywhere.

Therefore, I shifted my focus to prioritizing finding the source of this unease and exposing his hand.

["I've come to one conclusion. That is, brute force, as before, won't work. The top Magical Girl, as expected, has impressive power."]

"Well... thanks? If you surrender, I won't treat you badly."

["Ho ho, that's an intriguing proposition... but I have my own matters to attend to."]

He laughed heartily, his composure unwavering even as he realized his defeat.

To be honest, it was creepy, but there was no benefit in letting him know, so I hid it.

["Well, that's why I learned what to do, not as treating humans as an insignificant species... but as an equal species. How to conquer humans..."]

"And?"

I don't know his purpose as he leisurely weaves his words as if speaking to me... but if I can learn his tactics, it's worth listening. While maintaining a readiness to act at any moment, I urged him to continue.

["I want to know. Just how powerful are the top magical girls?"]

What comes to mind is the green-haired magical girl.

Looking back, the timing of that enemy's arrival was certainly too convenient.

Would attacks continue so conveniently just because I was weakened?

And so close, too.

["I've won them over. In exchange for materials from my own people, I've obtained information about other countries and collaborators."]

What comes to mind is the face of the head of a corporation that tried to seize control of the Magical Girl Association.

Even for External Enemies, "humans" aren't a monolithic entity—I thought I understood that.

The amount of material and information originating from External Enemies seemed excessive, far too much for a single corporation to possess.

["If you look around the city, giant displays are constantly broadcasting news."]

["I thought they looked too human. What if there was a reason for that?"]

["In the bookstores everywhere, specialized books on everything from history to biographies are crammed together."]

If that's the case, what is the source of this unease?

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but like a fishbone stuck in my throat, I couldn't find the words.

["If you look at the internet, knowledge, information, and tools are lined up everywhere."]

He knows too much... They know far too much about the human species.

While there have been demons who have investigated me personally before... none have shown this much interest in the culture of the human race. It was so alien, so heretical.

["Computers, the internet, television media, magazines. Social media, weekly magazines, newspapers. The list goes on and on; the human world is rife with means of obtaining information. The more you investigate, the better you understand; it's amazing how much technology has been built up."]

A sticky gaze was fixed on me.

["Of course, your information was among them. Magical Girl Satellite."]

It was as if it contained a feeling I had seen somewhere before...

["Based on that, I reached a conclusion. That none of the demons, the creatures of this planet. Neither the humans nor the Magical Girls. No one—Nothing can't beat Satellite."]

Seeing his smile grow even stronger, I finally understood.

["No matter how many times I simulate, I can't win. No matter what I do, I can't win. Something stronger than brute force, something that defies reason more than magic. Our future was already half decided the moment we met this girl. It seems it was destined that way."]

He thinks highly of me.

To put it bluntly, it was very similar to what an idol fan would say to their favorite.

["Helping the weak, defeating evil. The protagonist of this world, a singularity against the invasion. You, who could even be called a silver bullet against the threat of External Enemies, are truly the ideal Magical Girl that everyone acknowledges."]

...That's not really true, but there's no way he could know that.

["Therefore, I gave up. I gave up, realizing I couldn't defeat you."]

"Then why did you do all this...?"

["Therefore, my target this time is neither a human city nor the leader of a country—"]

["—Satellite... it's just you."]

["Therefore, to get you, I learned what to do. I infiltrated the human race as an equal, not as something insignificant, and gathered information. How to conquer Satellite...!"]

The image projected there was probably the same principle as his own reflection.

"---Huh?"

Seeing that, I stopped thinking, even though I was in the middle of a battle.

A fatal, utterly fatal opening...

"Why.... why...?"

["With that much magical power leaking out, I could find you immediately without even searching."]

... But no attack came flying.

That was certainly proof that he truly had no intention of hurting 'me'.

What was projected there was something eerily familiar... and that's precisely why I didn't want to see it here.

["Humans, you see..."]

And... with brown hair reaching down to her waist, my... my...

["They seem to particularly value family ties, don't they?"]

["Satellite.... Don't look,... you mustn't look."]

It was undoubtedly my mother.

["You don't have to look... but are you really sure you don't want to see?"] 　

He bent his fingertip and pointed it at the screen.

It was indeed nothing more than a meaningless blow to a magical girl like me.　

["Ah, oh... that's bad luck... her daughter's favorite..."]　

At that moment, my favorite mug... shattered.

The heat was more than enough to shatter a mug.

Of course, it would be enough to tear an ordinary person's body apart.　

["Oops, the teacup broke. What a rare 'coincidence.' Next—"]

"Stop!!!"　

A low, cold voice escaped my throat, a voice that even I found chilling.

Can I do anything now?

No, to get home from here, I have to cross the gate.

"You're kidding me... fighting like this...!" (Gracia)

["I'm not kidding, Gracia. Why would I fight fairly when I can't win? This isn't a Sunday morning anime. I'm not going to follow any rules, you know?"]

And this demon wouldn't overlook something like that.

["Hoho, it looks like we can finally have a discussion, doesn't it?"]

That demon was...

["I promise not to launch any further invasions. Yes, let me admit it... this battle was a complete and utter defeat for us. Therefore, there are things we must do... there are. But more than that... right now, I want a single girl. I want her so badly, I would gladly burn my comrades and send them to hell for that!"] 　

With a smile that even felt like a weapon plastered on his face. 　

["Come to think of it, I failed to introduce myself earlier. I am a schemer who seizes hearts───"]

With a sly, pleased grin, he raised the corners of his mouth even further.

["I am the third and final Demon King of the Demon Race──"]　　

That smile stretched on him to the ends of the earth───

["My name Trattlung. The Demon King of Schemes, Trattlung."]　

───He had a human-like expression.