Chapter 57

With roaring flames raging behind him, the demon stood tall.

Wearing light armor stained by soot and hot winds, his face bore the look of someone ready to die.

What once was the feared swordsman known as the “Kazenagi” now stood in the path of the Sword Saint.

"No intention of surrendering, huh?"

"I’d rather die than admit defeat to you."

"Thought so!"

Crackling sword aura filled the air.

Even after most of the Demon Lord’s army—his supposed allies—had been reduced to ashes, the demon showed no sign of losing his will to fight.

No—perhaps by now, he...

"Rex, today I will kill you. I won’t make a fool of myself like last time."

"Yeah. I’m not screwing up like I did before, either."

Maybe he could no longer see anything but Rex.

The Sword Saint tightened his grip on his blade.

The demon let his sword hang loosely.

""Let’s settle this, my friend!!""

Without hesitation, the two launched themselves straight at each other, swords clashing.

---

Why?

Why am I fighting Rex?

The demon found himself wondering alone.

I should be dead. So why am I still swinging this sword?

I got cocky, let my guard down, got surrounded, and was killed—just like that.

So then why am I swinging my sword at Rex?

His mighty blade howled, and my dagger groaned under the strain.

Now that I’ve become a demon, Rex’s strikes no longer send me flying like before.

That’s why it’s even. On the surface, our fight seems like a match between equals.

Rex blocks my blade with a smile. I deflect his strikes like a dancer flowing with the rhythm.

This is what I once longed for—the power to make Rex, the overwhelmingly strong swordsman, taste defeat.

So me attacking Rex—this isn’t wrong. It can’t be wrong.

So I swing my sword with all I have, aiming a fatal strike at his neck.

Yes, this is right. I should kill Rex.

For the demons I’ve come to care for. For the Demon Lord I deeply admire.

“…Yeah.”

This was the ultimate showdown between swordsmen.

A duel where two men, who had reached the pinnacle of the blade, gave it their all.

"Goddammit."

Kazenagi—that man once hailed as the epitome of graceful swordsmanship—bit his lip in frustration.

"Damn demons. This sacred duel between me and Rex────"

Yes. The demon had realized it.

"They dared disgrace the duel between me and Rex────!!"

I love the demons. I can't help it.

I want to grow stronger among them.

I want to follow the absolute force that is the Demon Lord and continue honing myself.

"God damn it!!"

Those desires swirl endlessly in my heart.

My instincts cry out to bow before the Demon Lord, to fight as one of the demons.

"You idiot!!"

No—I’m a demon.

A former human, now a soldier crafted by the Demon Blade King, a general of the demonic forces.

That’s who I am.

"Even though I know this is wrong…"

When I look at Rex, the hatred won’t stop.

When I see humans, a chill runs down my spine.

If I let my guard down, I’ll kill them. Just seeing happy humans walking with smiles fills me with an urge to slaughter────

Rex’s greatsword carved a wide arc and sent me flying.

I parried the blade itself, so I wasn’t hurt—but again, he forced me back into the range where he dominates.

I hate him. Rex, with his unshakable strength, his sharp and heavy strikes—I hate him.

I must kill him. I have to kill this man, my best friend.

"……"
"……"

We exchange no words. Countless sword clashes, and still, not a single word.

There’s no room for talking. No room to speak when you’re facing Rex.

So I dodge his strikes in silence, biting my lip, tears welling in my eyes.

He swung down in a diagonal slash—I narrowly dodged. I stepped in to slice his neck.

My dagger slowly closed in on Rex’s throat—only to be knocked away by his gauntlet.

It won’t reach. My strike can’t reach Rex.

Even after falling into demonhood, even after gaining inhuman strength, I still can’t reach Rex.

"This is so unfair, isn’t it…?"

What was my goal again?

Was it to kill Rex?

Was it to help the Demon Lord unify the world?

No. That’s not it. I just wanted────

---

"2,409 battles, 2,336 wins, my friend."

Before I knew it, I had thrown myself to the ground.

My dagger had rolled off somewhere far away.

"This time, I won't let my guard down. I'm gonna tie you up like a damn fish, so get ready."

And there was Rex, looking down at me with a grin.

Even after becoming a demon, I still couldn't beat Rex.

Even after cheating my way to monstrous strength and a body like steel, I was still just a loser.

No—truth is, I had lost a long time ago. Killed by a demon. Just another dead loser.

The duel between the Sword Saint and Kazenagi had finally come to an end after an intense, drawn-out battle.

---

Over a hundred exchanges of flawless swordplay left every spectator in awe.

But in the end, the victor was Rex.

"That was amazing, Rex. As expected of you."

"Gyahahaha!! As long as I don’t get careless, this is how it goes!"

Looking down in high spirits at Kazenagi, who lay sprawled out with a greatsword at his throat, Rex kept his guard up, eyes sharp.

"...It's not over yet, Rex."

"Huh? No, come on, just admit you lost. No matter what you try now, I'll cut off your head faster than you can act."

"So what?"

What a damn sore loser.

Even with his sword knocked away, even with a blade at his throat, the demon refused to concede defeat.

"I’ll win even from here. I’ll use any means necessary to kill you."

"...You serious?"

"I’m dead serious, Rex."

Trembling with his battered body, the defeated demon let out a roar at the Sword Saint.

"When I was still human—my goal, my resolve—was to make sure you never became invincible!"

...Maybe that was Kazenagi’s honest, unfiltered truth.

"Rex always wins, like it’s just a given. What kind of crap is that, huh!? The winner deserves to be praised, not expected!"

"...My friend?"

"I didn’t want to leave you alone! I didn’t adventure with you because I didn’t want to be treated like ‘your disciple’!"

"..."

"You have enemies, Rex! I wanted to be one of them! I wanted to be your enemy!"

Tears streaming down his face, the demon shouted, staring straight at Rex even with a sword to his neck.

"It’s messed up, right? Why the hell am I siding with demons!? Why am I wagging my tail for the Demon King!? I don’t understand anything anymore, I don’t know who I am, but this one thing—I was sure it wasn’t wrong!"

Rex’s cheek froze at the sound of that pitiful, sobbing scream.

"Rex, you're my enemy. I was told that by the Demon Sword King—that I came back to life just to kill you. That’s how I knew what I was doing wasn’t wrong!"

Jaw trembling violently, the swordsman-turned-demon struggled to rise, not caring that the blade at his neck dug into his skin.

"Why are you trying to save me!? Why won’t you just kill me!?"

"My... friend..."

"Am I not even worthy of being your enemy!? Will you not even acknowledge me as that!? Tell me, Rex!!"

That was the truth.

The honest cry of a pitiful swordsman who had lost everything, his corpse exploited by the Demon King's army.

He didn’t want fame. He didn’t want to be the strongest.

He just—

"I am... your enemy. Isn’t that right, Rex?"

He just wanted to lift the spirits of his best friend, who had grown so strong it was driving him into despair.

Of his best friend, who’d lost his entire family and had grown listless.

"...Your true rival is standing right here."

────He was just a kind-hearted fool who wanted to cheer up his friend.

---

"...Ah."

Rex realized it.

What this best friend truly wanted from him—the swordsman named Rex.

"Hey, listen, Rex. I'm already a dead man."

The demon spoke to Rex as if pleading.

"I died, had my body remade, my mind tampered with. The one standing here now is just a demon with your best friend's memories."

"...Hey, what are you saying, best friend?"

"I'm telling you, your best friend died a long time ago. I'm just a replica carrying his memories."

With a spurt, blood sprayed out.

Kazenagi had pressed his own neck against the greatsword Rex was pointing at him.

"If you call a fake like me your best friend, you'd be insulting the original me."

"No, wait—"

"If I really have his memories, then I know—he would never stop being your enemy, even to the very end. That's why I can't give up."

Startled by the sudden gush of blood, Rex instinctively eased his grip. That moment of hesitation freed Kazenagi's body.

"Rex, I will kill you."

And then, as he charged at Rex, still gushing blood—

"...Stop."

Rex reflexively kicked him away. Yet still, he came back again and again, undeterred.

It was as if—

"I'm your enemy, Rex!!!"

"Stop it! Don’t say that to me!"

"Admit it! Am I not enough!? Am I not worthy of being your enemy!?"

It was as if he were trying to guide Rex.

"That’s not true! Because you were there, I—"

"Then!!"

With that agonized scream, the demon wrapped in wind thrust his arm straight into Rex's gut—

"—That's right. That's enough."

And then.

The demon stopped attacking Rex.

"Thanks. Do you think I managed to be your worthy rival?"

"You were more than enough, damn you..."

No—he simply could no longer move toward Rex.

"I lost. Completely."

After all, his body had been cleaved in two by the Sword Saint.

"You should’ve done that from the start. Instead, you put everyone else in danger for nothing."

"Shut up. Like hell I could just kill you."

"You should’ve realized sooner that I was just a fake with memories, Rex. Well, I guess that was a bit much to expect from a blockhead like you."

The light faded from the demon’s face.

As blue-black, inhuman blood splattered around, the eyes of the demon who carried Kazenagi’s memories lost their light.

"Hey, Rex. You’re not gonna let your guard down again after this, right?"

"Let my guard down? Like I ever would again."

"Good. Then I can rest easy. —Don’t die, Rex."

In that final moment, as life left the demon—

He looked Rex straight in the eye and smiled.

"Hey. I don't remember it myself, but apparently I had a student."

"What? You weren't just pretending not to know?"

"Yeah. Take care of her, would you? A dying wish from your fake best friend."

Rex nodded in response to the request. He’d intended to from the beginning anyway.

"I’m serious. She’s somehow gotten ridiculously strong for some reason."

"...Come to think of it, you fought her, didn’t you?"

"I wouldn't call it a loss... more like she didn’t even consider it a fight. She sees something way beyond me, I guess."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh—ashamed at being surpassed by his own student.

"But if it's you, I bet even that monster’s no match. I’m counting on you, Rex."

Those were his final words.

And with that, he fell into eternal rest.

---

Northeast Fortress.

It was a crucial stronghold of the humans, one the Demon King had impulsively invaded in his thirst for battle.

"...You've got to be kidding me."

The title of “Demon King” was the ultimate trump card for the demons.

Put him on the battlefield and you'd win. That was how it was supposed to go—a true joker in the deck. As long as your opponent wasn’t specifically prepared for him, there was no stronger hand to play.

That was how it was supposed to be.

"What the hell is this!? What am I even fighting against!?"

And yet, that disbelief was rooted in truth.

There shouldn't be anything in the world stronger than the Demon King in single combat. In fact, beings capable of even damaging his monstrously durable body could be counted on two hands.

And now, one of those rare beings—someone with the power to harm the Demon King—

"Do you have mass or not!? Are you even there or not there!?"

"You can see for yourself, demon."

"I'm asking because I can't tell! Damn it!"

He was facing an absurd formation—one guarded by a master of divine-tier defense that nullified virtually every attack.

"Why am I getting overpowered by humans!?"

"Because you're weak."

The absolute being known as the Demon King—was cornered.

Even Clarise, who had been watching from the sidelines, likely didn’t comprehend even ten percent of the swordswoman’s technique.

A powerful demon clenches his fist, draws back, and thrusts forward. At each of those three stages, his attack is subtly diverted—ever so slightly, just enough to throw him off balance.

With a quiet push of the hand. With intentional openings to misdirect the attack. With strange footwork to confuse the enemy’s perception.

At this level, the swordplay could be called sleight of hand—refined to near perfection. It was a supreme art honed over a lifetime by a weak swordswoman in order to defeat far stronger foes.

“We can win, can’t we...?”

“We can, Lady Clarise.”

A faint expression of relief crossed Clarise's face.

Bit by bit—slowly but surely—the demon’s movements were growing sluggish. Meanwhile, Clarise still had plenty of magical energy left, and Flatche showed no signs of fatigue.

If things continued like this, victory was within reach.

"I haven’t the faintest idea what Flatche is doing. But whatever it is, she's fending off a ridiculous number of attacks on her own. Truly, she's a monster—but one of a completely different breed than Rex."

"..."

Even as she said this, Clarise casually summoned a blazing dragon and sent it hurtling toward the Demon King. The soldiers watching couldn't decide which side was more terrifying.

The two might not have realized it themselves, but if they managed to defeat the Demon King here, victory for the humans would be certain. After all, the very reason the demons had invaded human territory was the presence of this “Demon King”—the absolute powerhouse.

If he fell, the remaining demons would likely flee in panic.

“Whether he’s the Demon King or some supreme commander, it doesn’t matter. If we take him down here, it’ll make things a whole lot easier going forward.”

“No doubt about it.”

Clarise, too, sensed it on some level.

This was the decisive battle—the turning point of the entire war. If they let him slip away now, there might never be another chance to defeat him head-on.

“All magic users, gather! Lend me your power! All warriors, bring potions from the storehouse to me!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“We shall become one in body and spirit—and slay that demon together!”

Clarise was prepared to give everything she had.

Her mind was set. She would take down that demon.

“Good day to you.”

And then—

Just as Clarise and Flatche pressed their advantage—

A subordinate demon, seemingly having chased after the Demon King, suddenly appeared before them.

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance, humans. We are of the Bat Clan.”

“…Hoh, reinforcements? You’ve only come to add to the body count!”

Clarise’s anger surged the moment she saw the demon reinforcements.

She hadn’t expected this to go smoothly. That demon was undeniably a big shot—interference was inevitable.

Which is why Clarise had resolved to use her ultimate technique to wipe out everything in her path.

"Oh, finally caught up, Bat. You could've warned me the humans were this damn strong!"

“Indeed. We, too, are rather astonished.”

“Then lend me a hand! Crush that tiny mage over there!”

Even the Demon King had no room to breathe now.

His stamina was depleted, his body battered—and yet the enemy remained unscathed.

The specter of defeat—of death—flashed through his mind. Even the Demon King himself was being pushed to the brink.

“…My lord. If the enemy proves too troublesome, perhaps it is time for underhanded tactics. Humans do not hold the monopoly on such methods.”

“Underhanded tactics?”

“Yes. It seems there are non-combatant humans within this fortress. And as I’ve heard it, humans are quite sentimental by nature—”

Clarise, meanwhile, wasn’t focused solely on the Demon King.

She released the incantation for a wide-area annihilation spell, a spell designed to incinerate everything in its path—reinforcements and all.

A towering pillar of flame erupted.

And in its light—

“……”

Clarise saw a young boy—clearly younger than her own little sister—held captive by the Bat Clan, his eyes brimming with tears.

"…A hostage?"

"Indeed, O noble human mage. If you wish this boy to live, you will cease your attacks at once."

A demon held a human child as a shield, using him as a threat.

It was a situation Clarise had never even imagined. Why was there a child here? Why would a demon, far superior in power, resort to such cowardice? When had that bat taken a hostage?

"…"

"Look, the child is trembling so pitifully. Doesn't it break your heart?"

In the height of confusion, Clarise unintentionally halted her spell. She was far too kind a person to even consider abandoning a child to their fate.

"Well done, bat!"

In that moment of hesitation, the Demon King leapt forward gleefully—

"Who are you calling pitiful, you damn demon?!"

Just as the Demon King's crushing blow shattered Clarise’s barrier, the boy gripped by the bat at the neck shouted with all his might toward her.

"Don’t underestimate me, demon!"

His eyes burned with unshakable resolve as he grinned.

"If you’re gonna kill me, then go ahead and do it! But you guys don’t you dare stop fighting just because of someone like me!"

As that roar of conviction echoed, the wind once more coiled around the Demon King.

"I'm Souta! I was gonna become the greatest merchant in this country! A human whose brother was murdered by your kind!"

Once again, the Demon King misjudged the distance and swung wide. In that opening, Clarise’s summoned pillar of flame struck him squarely.

The bat clicked his tongue in irritation and glared at the boy. But the boy glared right back, undaunted.

"I won’t survive just to be used by the bastard who killed my brother! Hey, dumb-looking lady, I’m counting on you to avenge me too!"

"…Consider it done. That’s a fine resolve, Souta."

And in the boy’s eyes, a fierce flame of determination blazed.

---

We can win this.

Even if I can’t react to this monster’s blows in time, I can predict them and respond accordingly.

All I have to do is steer its focus and fists away—then I can protect Clarise. She’ll be the one to finish this thing off in my place.

“Damn it, Bat! We’re pulling out—stall for time!”

“I doubt I’m capable of even doing that much. And besides, I don’t think we’d make it far turning our backs on that mage.”

“Shit!”

The bat shrugged helplessly, and the golden one cursed with a voice steeped in despair. That alone told me—we had the upper hand now.

I started to understand what Mino meant. So this is it... this is when I shine brightest: with a high-powered mage backing me up from the rear.

I can leave all the attacking to Clarise. I just have to dodge and deflect. Honestly, this is kind of ridiculously easy.

“Flatche!! Just a bit more, hang in there!!”

“Got it!!”

Behind me, rainbow-colored flames erupted. Every single one of them was Clarise's overwhelming magical support—covering me, protecting me.

How reassuring. Just knowing a monster like Clarise is at my back makes everything feel so much lighter.

If all I have to do is defend this fortress, then I’ll hold it with her by my side—for a hundred years, if need be. This must be what it feels like to believe you can’t lose.

“Do something, Bat!!”

“I am doing something, thank you! And honestly, let this be the last time you go charging off without a plan!”

“Fine, I get it! Just help me out!”

The demon’s voice trembled with panic.

If we can take down this one, then all that’s left is the bat. If we’re lucky, we might even be able to save that noble little con-artist apple boy too.

Now’s the time. This is where I grit my teeth and go all in.

“Ggh, I’m... running out of strength—”

“...Now! This is our chance!”

The demon’s core wavered, and it dropped to one knee. The very next moment, Clarise incinerated the Demon King in a blast of pure, searing magic that burned like a beam of concentrated sunlight.

“GRAAAAGHHHHHHH!!”

“Be annihilated! Become nothing more than dust on the land of Pedia!”

Is it over? Did we really—finally—win this time...?

—

—

"Stop right there, human! Now then, boy, care to repeat those words one more time?"

Just as victory seemed certain—

Once again, the bat-like monster seized the boy by the throat and declared loudly.

"...Ah... ah..."

"No need to force yourself. That’s the normal reaction. Earlier, you were just putting on a reckless show of bravery, spouting things you didn’t truly mean, weren’t you, boy?"

"Ah... ah..."

"Look there—at the soldier’s corpse with its face caved in. Remember your so-called brother, charred black in the cold, rotting flames."

...Souta’s expression had changed. The unwavering resolve from before was nowhere to be seen.

"Death is the end. You’ll be left to rot on the roadside, your flesh devoured by maggots, your body turned to pitch-black charcoal and buried deep in the dark earth."

"But... no, I—"

"You’re scared, aren’t you? Terrified, right? Go on, say it. Just one word, and I’ll spare you."

Damn it. That demon really did it.

Souta, who had steeled himself with tragic resolve, ready to face death—that bastard carved the fear of death into him with words.

"...Scared..."

The voice echoed through the silent fortress.

"I’m scared. I’m scared... I don’t wanna die..."

"...Souta."

"I’m sorry... I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

No. That’s normal.

It was only because Souta, despite being so young, had made such a noble resolve that Clarise and I could keep fighting.

But normally—any ordinary boy, with his throat in the grip of a bat demon, threatened with death, would break down crying.

"I don’t wanna die... Flatche... save me—"

"...Yeah. I see."

Then—

If you’re begging for help... I can’t just ignore that.

I’m not like Mino. I won’t accept an outcome built on someone else’s sacrifice. My sword exists to protect those crying right in front of me.

"...Hah... hah..."

"Lucky you, trash demon. I’ll let you go."

I let my dagger clatter to the ground.

"Flatche..."

"Sorry, Clarise. I can’t just abandon him."

"...I see. Well, it can’t be helped."

Clarise, with a frustrated expression, dropped her staff.

My bad—dragging you into my selfishness. Me giving up means practically abandoning you, after all.

"You dare... you dare mock me—?!"

"Hahaha! Demon, if a nobody like me can push you this far, you creatures don’t stand a chance against humanity. The royal capital’s got swordsmen way stronger than me."

"What?!"

Well, losing someone like me won’t change much. This demon was strong, but still someone I could handle. Which means Rex would wipe the floor with him.

Sorry to burden Rex like this, but last time, I had his back. This time, he can cover for me.

"Go on, struggle all you want, demons."

"......"

Staring down the golden-eyed demon’s furious glare, I smirked coldly.

Rex is still out there. The true strongest is waiting in the royal capital. The demons’ defeat is already decided.

Someone stronger than me—Rex—is still standing in their way.

—

—

—

"────I can't."

...Yeah. I can't beat Rex.

If it were Rex, he'd win in my place.

I'll never reach him.

────"Can't win."

---

In the dim light before dawn, at the gates of the royal capital—

A single demon breathed his last.

“‘Think you can manage it, best friend?’ …What the hell did you mean by that?”

The demon’s dying words were deeply cryptic. It sounded less like a plea to look after his disciple and more like a desperate warning to stop her.

"...Rex. He's already dead."

"I see."

What had this man been trying to say? Even after falling to the demons, he had kept challenging Rex as a friend, as a rival.

The Sword Saint gently closed the eyelids of the man who had remained his greatest adversary—and dearest friend—until the very end.

"...So he's really gone. I see..."

Turning the words over in his mind, Rex clutched the corpse of the demon he himself had cut down, tears spilling freely—

────

Just as the nun reached out to wipe Rex’s wet cheeks—

A shadow, wreathed in black haze, flickered behind her.

"Karin!!"

A desperate lunge.

Rex’s arm shot out on instinct, yanking the nun’s sleeve and pulling her against his chest. The sound of tearing fabric sliced through the air as the scarf around Karin’s neck was severed—just barely missing her throat.

A hair’s breadth too late. The sudden slash had cut nothing but empty space.

────

"...Can't... beat Rex."

When Rex looked up—

A swordswoman stood there.

Clutching a battered, bloodstained shortsword loosely in her grip. Her black hair swayed listlessly in the wind.

A cat-eyed girl with piercing blue eyes stared straight at the Sword Saint, unwavering.

"That’s... your limit─────"

Her right arm rose smoothly.

Holding the blade aloft, she lowered her gaze—as if in prayer.

"F-Flatche...?"

Rex’s voice was hollow with disbelief.

This was a girl he knew well.

A comrade. Family. One of the few irreplaceable people in his lonely life.

"......"

In the split second between recognition and shock—

The swordswoman moved.

Silent as the wind, she closed the distance in an instant—

And stood before Rex, blade poised.