The initial skirmishes had ended. And there was still odds for victory. The two of them stood confidently before Maxwell.
It was then that Maxwell finally snapped out of his intoxicating infatuation to note the presence of Yō whom he smiled to admiringly.
“Willa, is this girl your new partner? Looks like you finally grew tired of that pumpkin head.”
“No that’s not it. Yō is my new friend. Together, we……will defeat you, Maxwell.”
Hearing that declaration, Yō couldn’t help but tremble in excitement.
During the war strategizing, Izayoi had given the battle pairing of Maxwell to Yō.
He said—You will be the one to defeat [Demon Lord Maxwell].
(……Can I really defeat a Demon Lord……?)
Till date, Kasukabe Yō had no experience with fighting against a Demon Lord.
During the [Black Pest] saga, she had contracted the disease of Black Death and was bedridden.
And during the Game of the Huge Dragon, although she had triumphed over a strong foe, it was mainly a stroke of luck that sealed the victory.
This direct confrontation with a Demon Lord would be a first for her.
“Uu……!”
Due to the tension from the butterflies in her stomach, she could not harness any strength in her body. Just then, the 8th Left Wing of the Palace was blasted apart. Not knowing what had happened, the people in the Palace turned to look at the direction of the 8th Left Wing of the Palace.
The two Human figures that flitted out of the blown apart Palace were stepping upon the rubble they had created to engage in what seemed to be a melee at light speed.
The vibrations of their punches seemed to tremble the very atmosphere and every punch launched would be accompanied with a thunderous sound of an explosion.
Gazing at this spectacle, the Lesser Dragons were abuzz with their speculations.
“Are those guys……really monsters?”
It could be said as an epitome of a battle between a God and a Demon.
This was a battle that was waged like a violent storm which was astounding enough to steal the breaths of the Lesser Dragons and demonic species who were monsters themselves.
If people on par with a Demon Lord were to give their utmost effort in the fight, the collateral damages to the surroundings would also be of an unusually large scale. The grass of the courtyard were whipped up into the sky and the trees on the ground were also smashed into smithereens.
—Can Kasukabe Yō also fight with the Demon Lord in that fashion?
Facing Yō who was already sweating in her palms, Willa gave a smile.
“It will be fine. Even if things happen to go awry…… I will defeat Maxwell alone.”
Seemingly an attempt to materialize that will of hers, she spurted flames from her hands to create a searing wind of Azure flames.
[Ignis Fatuus]—the wind that was summoned from the boundaries of life and death which could burn anything that existed in the world as a material form. Even if the target was the Demon materialization of a concept, it would not be of an exception.
Actually, if one were to ask about the possibility of winning—[Demon Lord Maxwell] is a Demon that has its existence rejected by science in the first place.
A demon that has its existence rejected is equivalent to a paper tiger for it is a fictional hyperactive imagination that would disappear once it is torn to bits and tossed aside. He was one of the few Demons that could be defeated through the use of physical attacks. Originally of the rank of a low class wandering spirit, Maxwell had been bestowed a strong spiritual attainment due to some unknown reasons.
Willa whose hands emitted the [Ignis Fatuus], turned to Yō to make her last confirmation.
“I will take the first part of the battle, the rest of the battle will then follow as per our plans!”
With that, Willa’s figure disappeared.
It wasn’t a high speed movement or a common old trick of deceiving the senses. Neither was it a congenital ability bestowed upon an individual. It was just the Gift of the key of unlocking portals that was given to people who controlled the boundaries.
This was the strongest technique of opening an [Astral Gate] to access a different time stream of a different dimension before making a jump back into the same timeline—aka [teleportation].
“Summon, Ignis Fatuus—!”
Appearing behind Maxwell, Willa swung down the Azure Flames in her hands towards him. If her opponent wasn’t Maxwell, this strike would have sealed her victory.
However, Maxwell, who had predicted the attack, gave a ferocious grin that bared his canines before vanishing his figure to appear above Willa. Using both hands to shoot out a barrage of ice shards and flames. After continuing this attack and defense maneuver for three more rounds, the both of them simultaneously launched a Hissatsu Waza[3].
“Hahaha, it is getting unbearably hot in here! To use the Flames that steals all as the first strike sure is an honor! Do you love me to the point of being yandere[4]?!”
“How disgusting.”
“But it’s the same with me! I love you as well, my Bride of Azure Flames!”
“……Really disgusting.”
Although the distastefulness of the opponent almost caused Willa to abandon her will to fight, she continued to focus her energies to meet the charge.
But Yō, who stood at the side to observe the battle, had not done the same for herself. Unable to find a way to get herself involved with their instantaneous strikes and defensive blocks, she could only stand at her original location in a daze.
(As I thought…… the lone leaps do not have any precursors…)[5]
In respect to Yō’s fighting style that depended heavily on the sensitivity of the five senses, the exchanges between these two were of a completely different level.
Be it sight, hearing and smell, having high sensitivity for those wouldn’t mean a thing to this sort of battle.
In fact it would be easier to say that the more one relied on these senses, the more disadvantageous this battle would be for them. For Yō to enter the fray between these two, she would have to steel her heart and toss aside the most dependable weapons she had used up till date.
If only I have a day to test it out before employing it in combat— Yō finally managed to suppress that weak part of herself that voiced out that thought.
(No, that’s not right. Mandra had also said this. When it comes to a battle with Demon Lords, this sort of thing is only a normal routine.)
Being unprepared is only to be expected.
Even though that was the case, everyone had still gathered up courage to challenge the Demon Lords.
(Believe in myself! If Izayoi and Asuka are able to do battle, I will also be able to do it!)
He will be defeated by you. You can do it.
Choosing to belief in Izayoi’s words, Yō gripped her [Genome Tree]
“[Genome Tree]— [Marchosias] form…..!!!”[6]