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“That’s impossible…”

Stella couldn’t hide her confusion as she witnessed the scene unfolding before her.

Just moments ago, it seemed like that strike split into eight swords—no, there were truly eight strikes piercing the knight’s sword all at once.

Though I had never seen such a thing, I was absolutely certain.

‘That must be the knight’s technique.’

The movements and intensity I felt during a brief confrontation—if there was a strike that encompassed all of that, it had to be the technique I just witnessed.

“Nova… what the heck is that…”

“Urgh!”

At that moment, Nova’s shoulder and right arm began to glow with circuits.

Stella rushed toward him, hearing his hissing and sizzling noise.

“Nova!”

*

Was copying the holy sword too much to handle?

My newly acquired third unique trait—it was Weapon Copy.

Weapon Reproduction (Rank: C~EX)

Transmutes a weapon seen by the eye into a physical form using magic power.

Once per instance, it can perfectly reproduce the technique of the weapon’s holder.

(*The replicated weapon will be one rank lower.)

It’s truly been a long time since I gained this ability, and indeed, it’s an unprecedented cheat skill.

To make a good weapon, you need carefully selected materials and a skilled blacksmith.

However, with my weapon reproduction, I can analyze the material just by seeing it once and create it. All I need is magic power—nothing else, and I can produce it as much as I want!

Even if it breaks, it can be maintained semi-permanently.

“Are you okay!?”

Stella exclaimed in shock as she hugged me tight.

“I’m fine! I just used a lot of magic power, I guess.”

I tried to act cool, but the agony radiating from my shoulder to my right arm felt almost like a burning sensation, like tiny bugs devouring my cells.

Where my arm used to be, it felt as if a swarm of them, sticky like honey, were clustering together in a feverish heat.

“Stop lying! Your arm…!”

I felt like my body was burning from the inside.

It was more like being in a boiling sauna than a baked oven, sizzling away.

“The circuits are tangled… what kind of power is this?!”

I grimaced, feeling helpless, and though I wanted to say something, it seemed she saw right through me.

“This can’t be… it’s absurd!”

Alastor reacted vehemently, unable to comprehend it.

“The hero… they are at the pinnacle of humanity!”

“What’s so obvious about that question?”

“What?!”

I sensed it from his sword.

The countless experiences he amassed through swordsmanship—the essence of his journey as a hero was imbued in that sword.

“It’s just forcibly taking a soul and putting it in a shell to control it. Such acts can’t bring forth true power!”

The knight did not fall; he was skewered by his own sword yet still maintained his shape.

“Don’t joke around! Evan! Get up and slice that guy right now!”

The knight, impaled by his sword, attempted to rise again despite his mangled body.

To stand back up after receiving such a technique was truly impressive!

“However, I’m sorry.”

Without hesitation, I severed the knight’s head.

“I’ll make good use of your sword, but leave the revenge to me.”

The knight’s body collapsed, disintegrating into dust.

“This is just nonsense… damn it!”

Alastor stretched out his hand and created a portal behind him.

A chilling voice echoed from above his head.

“Where did you think you were running off to?”

“Uh? Guhk!!”

Suddenly, Stella appeared out of thin air and slammed his head into the ground.

“I hope you enjoyed hiding behind your summoned beast!”

“Wait, calm down for a sec!”

“Now you get to enjoy this.”

Crack!

Stella’s grip crushed his skull.

Just a moment ago, it felt like power surged through me, but I knew I could never get cocky.

Thus, Alastor, Executor of Gluttony, met an absurdly anticlimactic end.

*

“Is he dead?”

“I’ve definitely cut off his breath.”

Nova checked the corpse in disbelief, confirming the mess that was left in its wake—his head was crushed beyond recognition.

“More importantly, how’s your arm from earlier?”

“I’m fine, it’s stabilized now.”

After rolling up my sleeve and confirming the circuits had settled, Stella let out a sigh of relief.

“By the way, what on earth was that power? That technique wasn’t yours.”

“Well, let’s just say it’s a hidden technique or something.”

“Don’t lie! That was definitely that knight’s skill.”

Well, I mean, it was practically identical, so there was no way to hide it.

“Copying someone else’s weapon while using that sword technique too…”

“Right away you noticed it! As expected of Stella… wait a minute, copy?”

“Did you think I’d mistake it?”

Nova stared at Stella with a shocked expression.

With an expression of disbelief, Stella replied, “I’ve known from way back that using such obviously copied skills and fighting styles would be your unique ability.”

“Really…?”

Stella sighed and wiggled her fingers, her voice dropping low as if crawling out.

“Anyway… thanks for saving me… and it was kinda cool.”

“Eh? What was that? I almost didn’t catch what you said at the end~”

“I said it was cool! Do I have to say it twice?!”

Seeing Nova’s brows furrow as he looked helplessly at her fist, she just lightly punched him out of embarrassment.

“…Sorry for taking so long.”

“About that moment I stepped into the space? It’s okay; I guess I made a mistake myself.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Huh?”

Before Stella could grasp the situation with Nova’s slowly encircling arms around her waist, she buried her face in his chest.

“About what happened to you…”

“Nova? Do you know what happened to me today?”

“The succubus told me. That was her mimicking you.”

“…Really?”

Stella leaned against him in silence, rubbing her forehead against him.

“It’s okay; I don’t mind that much, really?”

“Stella.”

“Do you think I’d even be affected by such lowly harassment?”

Without saying a word, it was understood; Nova could feel his chest becoming damp.

“I have people who believe in me, so it doesn’t matter. Just know that you’re someone who believes in me too.”

With her head hung low, standing silently, Nova embraced her tightly.

*

“What happened to that succubus?”

“Oh, if you want to know about that, follow me.”

Nova opened the door to the hospital room and stepped inside.

As Stella followed him into the room, her eyes widened at the sight before her.

“Eww…”

“Wow… this is a bit much, isn’t it?”

The walls displayed a nightmarish scene, with a knife stuck in her wrist, her eyes covered, and her mouth gagged—the succubus was limply pinned against the wall.

Her entire body was severely mutilated, with one wrist severed; it was evident she was not in a normal state.

“This guy used his authority to impersonate you and committed such heinous acts.”

“…You were there last time…”

“Don’t look into her eyes; you’ll get hypnotized.”

This demon… was definitely Lilith, the one I encountered last time.

With horns protruding from her head, she was unmistakable.

The realization that I had been framed into such absurd accusations because of this wretched woman filled me with rage. I clenched my fists and delivered a strike to the succubus’s abdomen.

“Guh!!”

“You nasty creep!”

I continued to hammer my fist into the demon until my anger subsided.

“How dare you! Touch Nova!?”

“Ugh, guh…!”

It was one thing for her to tarnish my honor, but to have the audacity to touch what belongs to me was absolutely unforgivable!

I couldn’t stand the sight of her pink hair.

“This is why I told you to break up last time!”

“Ugh!!”

“Ugh… Stella?”

“Die! You filthy fox!”

After beating her until my rage was spent, I slumped onto the bed and started catching my breath.

“Phew… I feel a bit better now.”

“…Did you calm down?”

“Yeah, I feel a bit better now.”

That’s when a thought struck me and I turned to Nova, asking belatedly.

“But why did you spare her? After all, she’s a demon.”

“I still have things to interrogate her about.”

With that, Nova approached her and unwrapped the gag from her mouth.

“Answer the questions I ask from now on; if you don’t, I’ll slice you ten centimeters at the bottom with each refusal.”

Lilith trembled and began speaking in a quivering voice.

“Ugh… those damn creatures…”

“The Demon King that’s being resurrected… it’s not just one, right?”

“Ugh…”

“Wait, what do you mean by that?”

Not just one demon king?

Could it be that multiple demon kings are set to rise in this demon world war?

“Since the last Holy Kingdom invasion alone, three Executors have already attacked the Academy, so there’s no assurance just one Demon King will resurrect.”

“Indeed… this case is unprecedented in the histories.”

If that’s the case, it’s a serious situation!

The enemy we’ll have to face isn’t just one but possibly up to seven—no, since I’ve already dealt with one, that means at most six!

“Ugh… yeah! This invasion isn’t just one but will see seven Demon Kings rise simultaneously!”

“That’s impossible! The records say that once a Demon King resurrects, they can’t be revived again until that Demon King is obliterated!”

Lilith chuckled mockingly at my statement.

“That’s true… but I found a way? A method to summon six of them simultaneously…”

With those shocking words, Nova and I stood in silence.

We exchanged glances, nodding to each other.

“If that’s the case… we have to eliminate one of them now.”

I extended my hand toward Lilith, summoning magical power from my palm.

“Now, wait! What are you planning to do?!”

“I’m going to end your life right now.”

Just as I was about to sever the nasty creature’s life,

A sudden giant hand burst through the hospital door.

“It seems you won’t be doing that…!”

The grotesque hand that resembled a giant gripped my body.

“Ugh!”

‘My body hasn’t recovered yet…’

“Stella!”

Nova immediately tried to swing his sword, but perhaps due to the aftereffects of the skill he used earlier, his movements stopped with a sickening crack.

“Are you… still alive!”

Standing in the doorway of the hospital room, the Fly Mask was half-broken but very much intact.

No way… I had confirmed he was dead!

“Honestly… Lilith, what kind of trouble have you caused us?”

“Alastor! You came to save me!”

Even the beast’s arm, gasping for air, was clearly not normal.

“Aah… hurry! Get the seed to the star!”

As he waved his remaining hand, Lily’s blindfold was released.

“This pesky creature… just die already.”

In an instant, Nova leaped and sliced the monster’s body in half.

While I was freed, now Lily was charging at me.

“That was impressive last time, huh? How reckless…”

“This is…”

“I’ll completely wipe you out.”

“Stella…!”

‘No… this feels exhausting…’

The moment I saw her eyes, my vision began to blur.

With Nova’s desperate voice fading into darkness, my eyes closed.

 

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