The Incident at the Demon Castle (After)
「Tonitrus, looks like today's the day ya wanna be knocked down, huh.」
Flames were being emitted from Agniera's body. The Demon Lord's castle, its Throne Room was engulfed in flames in an instant.
「Nay. You should not say things you cannot do, Flam.」
Compared to that, Tonitrus expressionlessly provoked Agniera.
「Now ya've gone and said it.」
Their sharpened bloodl.u.s.ts clashed.
Agniera with a flame halberd, Tonitrus with a thunder spear clad in lightning in hand, they pointed the tips of their weapons at each other.[1]
Agniera and Tonitrus were preparing for their prey and were facing each other.
「Here I go, Tonitr──」
Seething with bloodl.u.s.t, Agniera was about to start running.
At her back, lightning "fell".
「I go forth.」
Muttering that phrase, Tonitrus who had appeared at Agniera's back swung his thunder spear.
「っ!! Rraahh!!」
Having her back taken, although she clicked her tongue, Agniera raised the corners of her mouth, and, together with a yell, swung down her flame halberd.

*Gakin!!* (Clang!!)

A thunderous roar where even its vibrations could be felt resounded in the Throne Room.

「……Splendidly done.」
「Speed is my specialty field too.」
In spite of obtaining the advantage of attacking from the back, Tonitrus' spear was broken by Agniera's swung down halberd.
「In that case……」
The broken spear made a *bachin* (electric spark) sound and vanished in one moment, and in the next moment, a new thunder spear was grasped in Tonitrus' hand.

「Which one of us is superior……」

*Don!!* (Bam!!)
A glint, and then a thunderous roar.
The thrust of the thunder spear that was fired with a speed that left sound behind easily exceeded Agniera's perception speed and went through her body, causing Agniera's body to literally flying back from the impact.

「is what ya want to decide……is that it?」

*Gou!!* (Boom!!)

A scorching hot wind that felt like one would get burned just from touching it gently brushed Tonitrus' cheek.
In an instant, Agniera who should have been blown away made a violent attack from Tonitrus' back.
The blown away Agniera was an illusion that the flames had displayed.
「……Affirmative!」
Having been expressionless, Tonitrus' cheeks faintly slackened.
When he bended half of his body to avoid the attack from behind by a hair's width, the moment he turned around, Tonitrus drove the b.u.t.t end of his spear into the crown of Agniera's head.
「Somethin' like that, won't stop me ORAH!!」
Getting acquainted with Agniera's forehead, a thick sound resounded.
However, Agniera didn't stop, changed the halberd she held with both hands into flames, put that onto her fists, and struck him.

「!! ……Splendidly done.」
「Is that all ya can say, ya b.a.s.t.a.r.ddd!!」

Tonitrus had created a magic barrier in an instant and defended against the flames, but seeing as how the promptly developed barrier had insufficient defensive power, he bore a large burn on this stomach.
Even while receiving each other's attacks, Agniera and Tonitrus' attacks did not stop, and the thunder spear and flames produced great damage to the surroundings.

「Good grief, they sure can fight while looking like they are enjoying themselves.」

Erasing the flames that were literally leaping with a barrier of water, Aquadine breathed a sigh sounding amazed.
「……I've decided. That plan, I'll have Flam go as well.」
「Oya, are you alright with that?」
Umbra picked up Aquadine's muttering.
「I don't know how she will move, aren't you the one who said that?」
「Restricted to the first step of the plan, Flam's personality will prove useful. After all, acting violently for no reason is the objective.」
With a chuckle, Aquadine laughed.
「I see……Well then, this time it will be my black knight and Flam, and Tonitrus-dono, correct?」
「Take along some low grade Mazoku as well.」
「At your will……Kihih, kihihihihi!!」
Making a small nod, Umbra sunk down as if melting into the shadows together with an eerie laughter, and erased his appearance.
If it was seen, the figure of the black knight that Umbra had brought along also suddenly vanished.

(That d.a.m.ned Umbra……It doesn't reach Flam's level, but to think that he was preparing a p.a.w.n that was reaching Duke-cla.s.s level……It might be around time where it's better to get rid of him.)
Aquadine harbored a shudder from the black knight that had defended against Agniera's attack a little while ago.
Although she only caught a glimpse of its appearance and a fragment of its power, she understood just how high that black knight's abilities were. After all, that black night had defended against and stopped Agniera's blow who rivaled the fastest Duke-cla.s.s, Tonitrus.

For Mazoku, the existence called Duke-cla.s.s was an existence that boasted a an absolute strength that was outside of common sense.
Even ordinary Mazoku possessed abilities that surpa.s.sed that of humans, and lived for an eternity of time.
Among such creatures, the Duke-cla.s.s were existences that were called monsters, were feared, and were at the top.

In spite of that, that black knight displayed the ability to simply stop the attack from Agniera who was one of those top Duke-cla.s.s.
That attack that left behind sound and possessed a speed as if it were a sparkling flash, it had defended against and stopped it.

(No, until the Demon Lord has revived, I shall make effective use of him……Both Umbra, and that black knight.)
They still had utility value.
When she thought such, Aquadine's worry moved onto Agniera and Tonitrus.

「Oraoraorarararaaahhh!!」
「Splendidly done……However, it is still slow……!!」
The tips of the spear and halberd clashed. Their rivaling powers produced a rebound, making their reciprocal specialized weapons repel back. They fixed their stances with monstrous speed, and once they did, they fired an instant death thrust. But, that attack once again clashed.
The tips blurred, the impact shook the atmosphere, and the weapons continued.

Now then, how should these two be stopped.

Aquadina breathed a small sigh.

Translator’s Notes:
[1] I am not sure if there is a weapon name for what Tonitrus uses. Here is the original: 雷槍