Both watched the situation warily, ready to respond not only to each other but to any change in their surroundings.
But then…
"Guh! Y-you bastard...!"
Suddenly, Zolgia's armor was slashed and shattered. Countless wounds appeared on his body, scattering blood as he crumpled to his knees.
In contrast, Renya was completely unscathed—not a single scratch on his body, nor even on his long black coat, as he stood quietly in the night breeze.
Though the battle had appeared evenly matched, Renya's martial prowess was superior. Amidst that exchange, he had landed countless spear strikes on Zolgia.
"Impressive! But my true power begins now! Behold, my demonic sword!"
Rising, Zolgia charged, swinging his readied demonic sword downward.
Renya tried to block the flash with his demonic spear, but immediately abandoned defense and shifted to evasion.
Zolgia's demonic sword cleaved Renya's spear in half.
Until now, their weapons had met without issue. Seeing this, Renya looked at Zolgia's sword and perceived the increase in the aura rising from it.
"You've noticed, have you? This demonic sword is as twisted as I am. It only reveals its true nature when it has carved up enemies and fed on their blood and magical power. I hate to say it, but I fed it my own blood this time."
"I see."
Renya seemed to understand Zolgia's explanation as he created a new demonic spear.
"And that's not all!"
Zolgia charged with the demonic sword, now wreathed in increased aura.
Renya swung his spear to meet it—but Zolgia's figure vanished.
Neither Renya's senses nor his magical perception reacted at all.
At that moment, Zolgia was definitely not in this space.
'Teleportation magic... no, that's not it!'
The moment Renya felt something sharp and cold touch his skin, he twisted his body.
Crimson blood trailed in the air.
He had been attacked.
Renya continued evading the successive attacks, dodging the sensation of something—a blade—against his skin.
Then, Zolgia's figure appeared.
"Well dodged. I possess the ability to erase my existence and traverse space freely... I can slip through any attack or barrier. That's how I was able to assault Naruse Mio, even when she was protected by a barrier. I gave simplified versions to my subordinates as well."
That was why, back then, Zolgia had slipped through the barrier to attack Mio and kill her parents, and why the simplified version given to his subordinates had broken through Renya's perception-blocking to find Mio.
The troublesome aspect of this ability was that while they couldn't interfere with him, he could freely interfere with them.
'In other words, wide-area attacks aren't just useless—they'd only block my own vision.'
Even faced with Zolgia's extremely troublesome ability, Renya maintained his composure and analyzed.
Clash!!
"Still, you dodge well. Evading the instant the blade touches your skin—quite the reaction speed."
Even so, Zolgia's demonic sword, having wounded Renya even slightly, further increased its aura.
"Now then, my objective isn't you. It's simply to obtain Naruse Mio."
Zolgia said this with a sadistic smile.
Seeing this, Renya clicked his tongue lightly.
"Mio! Isha!"
At Renya's call, the two didn't have time to respond.
Right now, Mio and Isha were facing a single Devil.
A voluptuous female Devil with long hair braided on both sides, brown skin, and revealing clothing.
She had bewitching pink hair and eyes, along with the characteristics of a succubus—horns on her head, wings on her back, and a tail as well.
The mass of aura she radiated was at least High-Class.
"Fantasma. Capture those women."
"Yes, Lord Zolgia."
The female Devil—Fantasma—responded to Zolgia's command.
"Like I'll let you."
"That's my line!"
Just as Renya moved to help Mio and Isha, Zolgia slashed at him with his demonic sword.
Renya blocked the slash with his demonic spear.
"Is she your subordinate!?"
"Indeed. She is a faithful servant I created."
"Created?"
"Yes. She was originally a weak Devil named 'Anna.' But she had an irresistible body. So I captured a powerful succubus and fused them, so she could serve as my aide. Now both her body and abilities are mine to use."
Renya had imagined something like a homunculus, but the truth Zolgia revealed was far more sickening.
"How many people's lives do you need to trample before you're satisfied?"
"How tiresome. Devils are born to mock others."
Zolgia scoffed at Renya's words.
Renya, deciding he couldn't afford to keep entertaining Zolgia, tried to go help Mio, but…
"Renya! We're fine over here!"
Mio's voice called out to his back.
"Mio?"
"We'll handle ourselves! I'm going to be your Servant, after all! We'll overcome this much ourselves! So Renya, please! Kill that bastard a hundred times over!"
"I-I'll do my best too! I don't know what I can do, but I'll try my hardest!"
Following Mio, Isha's voice also reached him.
"Got it. I'll leave her to you. But if anything happens, say it immediately. I'll come to help no matter what."
"Yeah!"
"Okay!"
As Renya clashed with Zolgia, he spoke with conviction, and Mio and Isha nodded happily.
"Quite confident, aren't you, boy!"
"It's just not a fight that would make me lose my composure."
"Keep talking!"
The battle between Renya and Zolgia intensified even further.
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