Atofe sends the soldiers flying like a Russell Snow Plow Train.
Ah, crap.
Do I attack with magic?
No, if I attack now it just escalates the situation.
"I'll handle this."
During my moment of hesitation, Zanoba stands up and takes a step forward.
"Hah!"
Zanoba grabs Atofe tightly by her wrist.
Atofe, thinking she can send Zanoba flying like the rest of them, continues ahead.
But, as expected of the strength of a miko, Zanoba manages to stop Atofe's advance.
"Oh! You are unexpectedly strong!"
Atofe smiles in wide eye admiration at Zanoba.
As if to admonish her, Zanoba speaks.
"Let's calm down. It was not our intention to bother you. It's all a misunderstanding."
"Quit saying words I don't understand!"
Atofe ignores Zanoba's words.
Rather, more like she can't understand human language.
Atofe swings at Zanoba's foot with her sword, and when it doesn't work, she exclaims.
"Oh, you're tough. Wearing a particularly strong touki! Interesting!"
While shouting those words, Atofe cuts off her own arm that was held by Zanoba.
No hesitation.
Her own arm.
Just because it was a hassle, she cut it off.
"MMph!"
The moment it separates from Atofe, the arm dissolves into soft chunks of meat.
Zanoba lets go, and the meat chunks splatter on the ground.
The meat squirms near Atofe, sticking to her arm.
Then, in an instant, reform into its old shape.
Just like Badigadi.
Physical damage is useless.
"I am the Immortal Demon Lord Atoferatofe Raibaku! Wife of the original North God Kalman Raibaku! I shall show you the true North God Style!"
Atofe raises her great sword ready.
Zanoba clenches his fist, is he really going to fight her?
"..."
In this moment, I feel a chill down my spine.
Not good.
I have a bad feeling. Zanoba will die.
Zanoba is a miko.
Typical attacks won't faze him.
But he is not invincible.
Even that Dragon God Orsted can be hurt.
This world has no absolutes.
Zanoba is also weak against fire.
He may be strong against blunt force, but it's not completely immune.
"Grr."
I immediately begin to gather magic.
As fast as possible, as hard as possible.
Stone Cannon... won't be enough.
But my magic has also improved from back then.
"Wuhahaha! Die! North God Style Secret..."
"Electric!"
Purple lightning flies from my palm to Atofe.
It snaps in an instant.
Atofe falls backward.
"Ugh!"
Falling back, the great sword slips from her hand.
Meanwhile, a numbness from my left hand, but it should be fine.
I didn't put enough magic into it to kill.
"Ha!"
Zanoba isn't giving Atofe any room to spare.
"Kaboom!"
Zanoba's steel fist hits Atofe in the face.
Instantly Atofe's head crumbles, flying off in a beautiful parabola.
Flings past the throne.
With crumbling sounds breaking the back wall.
She flew out of the castle.
"A-Atofe-samaaaa!"
The black-clad soldiers swarm toward the hole in the wall.
"Eh, oops... I was trying to protect Shiso and moved without thinking. Is she dead?"
"No, I don't think she can."
Well, she is an Immortal Demon King.
Problem is, what do we do now?
"Wow, they actually did it."
"Did they really..."
"What just happened?"
We are surrounded by some 20 black clad soldiers.
Bickering among themselves, they have us surrounded.
Now that we knocked off their master, of course they have to do something.
"Ha."
I raise my staff.
This is my responsibility.
This happened because of what I said.
...No, was I wrong?
I don't think I did anything wrong... Eh?
"..."
But the black clad soldiers did not raise their swords. They're only looking.
"You..."
Zanoba in a fighting pose.
Maybe he should grab a weapon too.
But right now we don't have the luxury to look for one.
Is there a wooden pole they're not using?
Moore approaches us.
Representing the private guards, he speaks to me in Demon God language.
"Let me ask you again, do you want to be our comrades?"
"No, we don't."
I answered him clearly this time. Moore replies.
"Master likes strong people. After getting stopped by such a strange power, then sent flying out the castle with one punch, she will definitely want to keep you."
Are all Demon Kings of this world like this?
Can't they be more serious?
Still, the black clad soldiers don't look like they plan to capture us.
All they said after seeing Atofe fly off was [Wow!] [Atofe-sama really did it this time!] [Haha!] That kind of banter.
"We private guards will not move unless instructed. But once commanded... we cannot refuse."
After Moore said that, many among the private guards look sharply at us.
Nothing funny about a group that does nothing unless they're told.
But we should be thankful that this is the case.
"Afote-sama probably won't let you get away given the situation."
"What happens after she catches us?"
"Probably force you to duel her."
"..."
"And when you lose, force you into a contract while unconscious. Once contracted, you can never defy Afote-sama again."
"T-that contract, how long does it last?"
"Until you die."
Gulp, I can hear the sound of me swallowing.
"But every 10 years, you get a 2 year break."
2 year break every 10 years.
So like a day off every 5.
But somehow that doesn't feel very restful.