"...I see..."
Corne of the [Seven Angels of Origin], one of the [Seraphim] who had fallen and become a Phantom, and one of the [Three Demon Masters].
"You... are one of [Blanc]'s subordinates..."
He had once stood at the side of the creator god, Veldanava, the [Holy Emperor Dragon]. He was by no means an easy opponent.
Compared to Venenum, the Cryptid who had been a candidate for the position of new Demon Lord, Corne possessed several times more magic power and wielded equipment that had reached the level of God-grade. To the current Adelio, he was an absurdly massive wall he could never overcome.
That was what it meant to stand among the [Primordial Demons].
But the challenge had already begun.
"Good timing... You can repay the insult from earlier... and the humiliation that woman dealt me...!!"
Rumble...!
As Corne raised a hand toward the sky, a heavy suit of black, glossy armor enveloped his body, armor equal to God-grade.
The next moment, a silver spear filled with light-attribute magic appeared.
Gripping the spear with practiced ease, a weapon packed with density equal to the spell he had fired at [Blanc], Corne kicked off the ground and hurled it in an instant.
Boom!!!
It was a serious attack, thrown with the full intent to erase Adelio without leaving even a trace.
Even with the body of a sage, taking that head-on would mean a fatal wound.
'Dwargo Third Secret Art, Sword Lord.'
Watching Corne's attack calmly, Adelio let out a short shout and unleashed his swordsmanship.
A thrust meant to break through a single point, a strike that pierced the center of magic power.
Sssshk!!!
But just before the two lines of attack collided—
'...The gap in magic power is too big. This won't be enough to deflect it perfectly.'
Sensing that the magic contained in the spear far exceeded the magic in his own blade, Adelio tilted [Overlord Black Star] ever so slightly and barely managed to divert the spear's trajectory to the side.
Boooom!!!
The spear skimmed past Adelio by a hair, flew several more meters, and then exploded with terrifying force.
'...I'd better avoid using magic if I can.'
Against a monster that could produce that kind of destructive power with a single elemental spell, a battle of magic would end in certain defeat. So Adelio intended to steer the fight into a pure contest of skill.
Because skill was the only thing he could say with confidence that he surpassed Corne in.
'And as for skills, nothing but [Answerer] will be of much use.'
Abilities like [Fighter] were actually disadvantageous against an opponent built for prolonged battle, and a member of the [Seven Angels of Origin] could make even ordinary attacks approach the level of an Ultimate Skill. That meant Ru-Lawather [Sword Emperor Heavenly King] could not be used properly except as support for swordsmanship.
In the end, the only things he could trust were his own pure swordsmanship and his will.
'Dwargo Second Secret Art, Earth Flower.'
Once Adelio decided how to fight, his movements became swift.
He closed the distance in an instant and swung [Overlord Black Star] fiercely. Golden petals bloomed along the path of the blade and rushed toward Corne.
"You insect...!!"
Shouting in annoyance, Corne created countless silver spheres and fired them like bullets.
Boom! Bang! Boooom!!!
In terms of sheer area, the techniques were evenly matched.
But in the density of the magic packed into them, Adelio lagged far behind. He used his skill to draw out the greatest possible flexibility from his sword strikes, but it still wasn't enough to bridge the gap.
'...Damn it. If this keeps up, I'll be overwhelmed all at once.'
Readjusting his grip, Adelio abandoned the secret arts and unfolded the domineering sword style Guy Crimson had taught him, pouring his full strength into every single blow.
He knew that widening the distance meant certain defeat, so he intended to force the battle into close quarters.
Even if that meant being prepared to take those monstrous attacks with his own body.
Claaang!!
The God-grade armor Corne wore let out shrill cries as it endured Adelio's strikes.
That was because Adelio's will overlapped with the brilliance of his talent racing toward the ultimate.
Sssshhh!!
"Begone!!!"
Roaring, Corne finally answered Adelio's swordsmanship with fists wrapped in magic power, blows that matched his massive frame.
In the distant past, he had fought many monsters under Veldanava's orders, so his level of skill was by no means low.
And so—
They struck.
They cut.
They crushed.
They thrust.
They deflected.
They pierced.
Corne accepted that primal battle of wills.
And seeing that, Adelio's eyes sharpened as he moved even faster.
'From here on, this is a pure contest of absolute skill. I won't be pushed back with this swordsmanship.'
A sword style that abandoned defense entirely and existed only to kill the opponent.
A sword style that could draw out the full power of a demon against an angel.
And—
"Kh...!!"
—the swordsmanship of the master Adelio knew to be stronger than anyone else continued without end.
'Just as I thought, it's working! With this swordsmanship...'
But—
"...Did you really think an insect like you... could dare defeat this [Seraphim]?!!"
The limit was unmistakably clear.
Kchaaang!!!
He had not yet reached completion.
He was far too lacking,
still insufficient,
and incomplete.
".......—!!!"
The angel's magic power shone with a dreadful, ruinous light.
The silver magic bullet Corne had been hiding, compressed to the absolute limit, slammed into Adelio's abdomen.
"[This ends now!!!]"
And then Corne's fist came flying in—
KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA-BOOM!!!!!
—and Adelio, unconscious, was smashed straight into the ground.
**
For the first time in his life, the gray flame that had been overwhelmingly crushed to the brink of death fell still, like fire drenched in water.
But at the same time—
[...ob..■■ing... mi■■■kill [????] has■■■■■ activat■■■■ed■■■......]
—another small spark, one that had long slept deep inside the demon, slowly began to awaken.
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