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The man whose talent has reached the heavens can indeed enhance his body through mana manipulation, but to create miracles in the world through mana—

There’s an unbreakable law universally recognized that he cannot wield magic.

Yet today, that law has spectacularly crumbled.

The castle walls, drenched in blood and flesh, are a grim sight.

Not only are corpses strewn about carelessly, but this place is filled with monsters radiating such a strong killing intent that anyone who sees it would tremble in fear.

Even the bravest of women could only shake their heads at such a horrific landscape, quietly taking in the scene.

In the midst of the silence and calm, a man is pulling back the bowstring.

He was defying the laws of the world.

Whoosh!!

A fierce whirlwind begins to swirl atop the castle walls.

The frigid winter wind gathers and becomes one with the arrow of a man.

And before long, flames burst forth.

The flames soar beautifully, riding the fiery tempest.

“Magic…”

Ravi Crunel was taken aback.

He knew that Ray, Shione’s personal attendant, was hiding something, but he never imagined he could wield magic.

Seeing that sharply screaming wind, he had no choice but to acknowledge it. That wind must be the spell that raged through the insides of that orc.

Swallow.

Ravi swallowed hard. She had become mesmerized by the magic Ray was unleashing.

It wasn’t just Ravi.

Everyone who felt this wind on the castle walls turned their gazes toward Ray, and once captivated, they showed no sign of returning their attention.

Boom!

The moment the arrow was released from the bow, everybody, regardless of their thoughts on it, reached the same conclusion.

The Count’s House had been hiding a monstrous man all along.

*

This was a solid attack, consuming over 70% of my mana.

Not only did I ensure maximum power, but I also exerted extra effort to hit those filthy monster brats surrounding the demon.

And the results were nothing short of spectacular.

The arrowhead struck the demon’s flesh. The moment the condensed essence of the storm made contact with the enemy, it erupted violently.

A blade-like wind tore through, slicing flesh and bone in all directions.

Kaboom!!

A thunderous explosion resounded.

The fierce flames I shot out after the blade-like wind exploded. Anything caught in that explosion wouldn’t last long.

The pure spirit flames that burned the monsters and demons spread through the air after the blast.

A vast devastation. The area where the demon had stood was beautifully reduced to ashes.

The demon, having foolishly shown itself to me, lost its upper half. Such a hollow death, if I must say so. However, it was also an unavoidable fate.

Just a low-ranking demon. While they may excel in handling monsters like their limbs, their personal strength is not all that great.

Once we reach the mid-level, finishing them off in a single blow wouldn’t be so easy.

“Phew…”

I sighed.

To cool down my rapidly beating heart, I took in a deep breath of cold air, but perhaps it was because the pile of corpses right in front of me was ablaze, all I inhaled was hot air filling my lungs.

“Tsk…”

I clicked my tongue.

Having poured out 70% of my mana at once, a considerable sense of exhaustion washed over me. I downed another mana potion and descended below the castle wall.

Hmm… No matter how it’s set up, having everyone stare at me like this is a bit overwhelming.

Indeed, everyone atop the castle walls was looking at me.

They couldn’t hide their emotions. The emotions everyone outwardly displayed were shock and admiration.

This was no different for Ainel. She seemed quite surprised to see a version of me stronger than she had imagined.

Only one person present didn’t show an expression close to shock upon witnessing the arrow I had just loosed into the world.

That was Shione Shianella; she alone remained unaffected.

Instead of marveling at my skill, she looked at me with a worried expression.

It seems that since she had often supported or carried me when I was exhausted from mana depletion, she knew better than anyone my meager amount of mana.

In her mind, I suppose my well-being was more important than the secrets of my abilities.

I gave her a small smile to indicate that I was alright before turning to Ainel.

“What just happened…”

Even knowing that I could wield spirit magic, she never would’ve dreamed I could manipulate it to this extent.

I picked up on a hint of disbelief laced within her subtly murmured voice.

Thus, I knelt down before her, as though I were a knight, lowering my posture.

With dozens, if not hundreds, of eyes watching, I too wanted to show some formality like the other nobles.

I then slightly bowed my head to express my respect to a superior while proclaiming my merit, hoping to erase her disbelief in what she had witnessed firsthand.

“Ray, attendant to the Count’s House of Shianella. I have succeeded in slaying the demon.”

Ainel, or rather everyone present, ought to be grateful to me.

Who could possibly capture a demon from such a distance? Without me, countless priests and soldiers would have sacrificed themselves to bring down that demon.

I’d managed to take care of not just my share but also of Shione’s. I deserved a break now.

No, having dealt with one demon meant I was owed a just reward of rest.

“I intend to retreat to the rear until my mana recovers… may I take my leave?”

With that, I will take a rest below the castle wall, so you all see to the clean-up.

*

The fallout from the low-ranking demon’s death was not insignificant.

The monsters at the frontline, thought to have been influenced by it, lost their fury and began to falter.

It seems the brutish creature’s magic was thinning out, finally bringing them to their senses.

As survival instinct returned to those who had forgotten everything but killing intent, the castle walls experienced a slight reprieve.

While I wasn’t sure about the countless remaining monsters in the rear, at least the frontline enemy’s ferocity had been diminished. They ceased their mindless rush towards the walls.

After that, it was smooth sailing.

Countless battle wizards’ spells swept across the battlefield. The focused bombardment changed the terrain, and the corpses littering the ground disappeared.

Thousands of enemies vanished into nothingness, and the battle-worn wizards, who had kept vigil all night, collapsed from exhaustion as the sun rose.

*

The end of the first night.

‘Even if we slay the low-ranking demons, the war is far from over.’

The number of monsters slain in just one night was more than enough to exhaust me. Still, the beasts continued to swarm.

Even if slaying a demon caused some to lose their previous fervor, the reason the entirety didn’t retreat into the demonic realm is simple.

‘It’s impossible for just one low-ranking demon to command this many monsters.’

To lead such a large army requires more than one demon.

Surely amidst that sea of splendid monsters, several demons would be lurking, waiting for the walls to crumble.

It’s infuriating that they choose to hide behind their monsters rather than face the situation themselves, but it can’t be helped. It’s just how demons are.

Even if they are unstable in temperament and not particularly intelligent as low-ranking demons, they’ve learned a thing or two about thinking.

The only foolish monster I’ve taken down so far is the one who foolishly revealed itself.

‘…I wonder how long this war will continue.’

I can’t say for certain.

However, if there exists a point at which it ends, it would surely be when the heads of all the demons have fallen to the ground.

I just hope that the Count’s House can avoid complete destruction until all of the demon’s heads roll.

No attacks occurred during the day.

The time when the sun gazed down upon the world instead of the moon.

Since the demons concealed their magic and hid underground, during hours when demons aren’t active, there were only a few monsters that would dash toward the walls for a futile assault.

Occasionally, the few that dared to act foolishly, crying out before the walls, were taken down by Shione, myself, and several archers.

The second night arrived.

The same tough battles as yesterday continued.

Many soldiers lost their lives or were injured, and despite the battle wizards and knights’ valiant roars and efforts, the soldiers’ morale began to wane.

A few, unable to cope with the tragedies unfolding atop the walls, took their own lives.

Some threw themselves off the walls, while others gave up their lives in a revenge spree to reunite with their fallen comrades.

“A corpse…”

Ainel’s gaze darkened as she looked at a body.

Vacant gaze from one eye. It was the ranger who had been dispatched to inform her from the Beltlin mountain range.

“…He charged up the wall, shouting the name of his fallen friend. He killed a total of seven foes and died a glorious death.”

Ainel paused for a moment in silence before her.

“Inform the family and ensure the body is properly tended to. The same goes for the other fallen.”

“Yes, I shall do as you command.”

With the night passing, another day finally broke.

As morale plummeted, reinforcements finally arrived.

War wizards and distinguished knights. New supplies for the war were replenished and positioned according to Ainel’s orders.

That wasn’t all.

Reinforcements also arrived from the churches of nearby territories. Paladins and battle priests, along with numerous clergy members, entered the territory. Among them were several notable figures even in the kingdom.

In the midst of the spiraling crisis, it was a little relief.

Once again, night fell.

The moon shone particularly brightly.

The monsters grew more frantic, and finally another demon revealed itself.

The morale of the soldiers was slipping.

The negative emotions of those pessimistic about their fate and that of the territory drew the demon forth.

Eventually, a demon made its entrance atop the castle walls.

“…Damn it.”

Not a low-ranking, but a goddamn mid-level demon.

Had it been at a distance, I could’ve whittled it down from the shadows with arrows. But with spirit summoning blocked, it was burdensome to face it with my current weakened state.

And I was incredibly unlucky.

This demon didn’t appear just anywhere, but right in front of Shione and me.

The judging gaze of the demon exuding from its eyes was infuriating, making me feel like firing an arrow to blind it right then and there.

Had I been alone, I would’ve done anything to tumble around and land a blow on it before fleeing.

But with Shione by my side, I needed to gather a whirlwind and speak quickly.

“Shione.”

“…Yes?”

“Hold on tight. Don’t let go for any reason.”

I omitted the formalities.

After all, I had already received permission to speak informally, and the situation warranted it.

Now wasn’t the time to worry about how others would see us.

I was not confident in my ability to protect Shione while also dealing with that demon; fleeing was my immediate plan.

It appeared the demon understood my intentions. It laughed, scattering its murky magic.

“Human, and a male at that, you’ve used mana to slay my kind. Our males here are typically designed to hone their strength and prestige instead of mana.”

This mid-level demon took on a more humanoid appearance than the low-ranking ones.

With its human vocal cords, it was able to converse in our language.

“Demon can talk…?”

Shione’s eyes widened in shock at the demon’s ability to speak the common tongue.

Yet the demon seemed unconcerned about Shione, only gazing at me.

It lifted a hairy arm instead of a beast’s paw. That eerie, dark-furred index finger pointed toward me, stirring up a light breeze with its movement.

“How did you stack such mana instead of the rhythm of life in your heart? Those with lower ranks must find you a challenge.”

The demon’s finger drooped.

“Well, if you have no intention of answering, I’ll just kill you and investigate directly. It might lead to some entertainment.”

At that moment, I could see the magic rising from its body.

“Indeed, just like a demon—”

Swish!

Ainel Shianella swiftly severed the demon’s wrist without hesitation. Thick black blood began to ooze from the severed edge.

“Such a disgusting tongue of yours keeps wriggling.”

Ainel quietly whispered her fury.

On this night when the moonlight shone stronger than usual, Ainel’s silvery hair sparkled more vibrantly.

 

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