“—!”
Suimei upped his speed yet further. Under the effects of the increased force, Suimei slammed his foe hard into the ground.
The Mazoku rolled several times. Despite all this, it didn’t seem to have been injured. It immediately rose to its feet before taking off into the air once more.
It hovered in the air, its wings flapping as it cautiously maintained a certain distance from Suimei.
Having been taken down from the air once already, it was a bit apprehensive. Even if it hadn’t actually really been hurt, it nevertheless hovered in place, its concentrated bloodlust nearly tangible as it spoke in a coarse voice.
“Accursed human, using that kind of strange technique…”
“Calling it ‘strange’ sure is rude. It just takes a bit of skill is all.”
“Hmph…”
Suimei kept his guard up even as he mocked his enemy. The Mazoku snorted contemptuously in response, its tone angry.
However, or rather, what Suimei really wanted to say was—
“So you guys can speak, huh?” he said, straightforwardly saying what was on his mind.
The Mazoku simply snorted once more.
“—Hmph. Pitiful humans. You actually think that the ability to speak is something only you possess?”
“When it comes to human languages anyway.”
Suimei’s answer was delivered without any anxiety whatsoever.
“You really think language is something only humans have? You humans sure are stupid.”
“…’something only humans have’? Not at all. If it’s your language…”
“Quit your jabbering.”
From its answer, Suimei could tell it had misunderstood and frowned. It looked like conversation would be impossible from here on out. Having spoken its piece, the Mazoku closed its mouth, radiating bloodlust.
“Hmm.”
Faced with this monster pressuring him, Suimei, weary of it all, simply gazed it at indifferently.
Its claws, so disturbingly like the mouthparts of an insect, began to twitch restlessly, giving rise to an instinctual feeling of revulsion. The conversation was over.
…The Mazoku had stopped talking, but that didn’t mean it had started to attack either. The attack it had suffered earlier had it on guard, and it watched his every movement, waiting for an opening.
So it’s watching me… In that case…
Suimei, too, kept an eye on his opponent as he felt out for the presences around him.
The merchants appeared to have hidden themselves already as they were nowhere to be seen. The others were already engaged in combat with the Mazoku, and from the caravan ahead, he heard the others roaring, surges of magical power, and the dangerous sound of things being smashed.
It seemed the Mazoku had focused on the area where the bodyguards had gathered.
From within the depths of the forest behind him, he could feel far more magical presences than had appeared before the caravan. Lefille must have engaged them already. By holding the majority of their forces herself, she’d greatly lessened the pressure on the caravan itself and diminished losses greatly. In this sense, her actions had been a most effective countermeasure.
…As he contemplated the situation, Suimei stuck his hand into his pocket, his eyes never leaving the Mazoku across from him. Suddenly, its wings opened wide.
I guess it’s about time to act.
“Die…”
“Take this!”
—Snap!
As Suimei’s fingers made this sound, the ground under the Mazoku – about to fly straight for him – suddenly exploded.
“Wha—!”
The sound of an explosion filled the air.
But that was just a smokescreen.
The magic invoked by the snap of his fingers obstructed his enemy from continuing forward.