High in the sky, a crow was observing the state of the battle.
"Fight! Fight! What Hero, what Great Demon from the Mythical Era! It would be best if you all just perished together!"
Aura, who had kept claiming she would run away, was actually peeking via magic from a safe distance away.
Thinking about how that old geezer Nanoda wanted to stay behind to meet the Hero, the clever Aura had doubled back halfway through her escape.
She had already planned it out in her mind. If the Hero killed Nanoda, the Magic of Obedience would be dispelled. Then she would go hide in the deep mountains and old forests for a hundred years or so, waiting until the Hero died of old age.
Conversely, if Nanoda killed the Hero and resolved her greatest threat, Aura would run away immediately without looking back. Having stumbled upon this rare chance to regain her freedom, she did not want to give it up.
If they perished together, that would be the best outcome of all.
In that case—yahahahaha! Lady Aura's era would arrive!
"Eh? Why aren't they moving? Fight, you guys! Hurry up and fight!"
"Charge, Hero! Hurry up and use your precious sword to chop off her head!"
"Ugh, what is Nanoda doing? She pulled something out of her body!"
The back mountain of the Gaderia Territory.
"Watch out."
With that single warning, Nanoda suddenly vanished from where she stood.
Clang!
The Hero's Sword and the broken horn struck sparks against each other. Relying on his super-perception, Himmel blocked this sudden strike just in time.
One strike unleashed, and Nanoda tapped the ground lightly with her toes, disappearing from in front of Himmel once again. In the next moment, another attack came from behind him.
Swinging his sword to intercept attacks coming from all directions, Himmel felt incredibly bewildered.
"This kind of movement... just what are you..."
Just as Himmel transformed into afterimages, Nanoda was also moving and positioning herself at a completely different, super-fast pace.
Sensing the attacks becoming faster and faster, Himmel couldn't help but be suspicious. This agility and swiftness made her seem like a different person compared to when she had suppressed him solely with boundless mana just moments ago. Aside from when Nanoda swung the broken horn infused with mana, he could hardly sense her mana at all.
It was simply like fighting a seasoned assassin; every one of Nanoda's strikes was aimed at a vital point.
Himmel turned his head sideways, feeling a chill at his neck. He didn't dodge in time and was grazed slightly.
After the offensive, Nanoda returned to her original position, putting some distance between herself and the Hero, and did not attack again.
"Phew. As expected, I can't win against you without paying a huge price. No, even then, I might lose."
Himmel touched his neck, feeling a slight stinging pain.
Although he had avoided a fatal blow, it would have been dangerous if he had been any slower. That had all happened in a split second.
"How on earth did you do that?"
"Because manipulating mana is really tiring. Concentration drops, and the body becomes dull. Honestly, I noticed long ago that my talent for magic is actually quite poor. Plus, you kept interrupting my casting."
"Hey, hey, that's basic common sense when fighting a mage. By the way, with that last strike, you really wanted to kill me, didn't you?"
Himmel pointed at his own neck. If he hadn't dodged quickly, his throat would likely have been slit.
"Sorry, occupational hazard."
Nanoda's black outer robe was covered in fresh blood, but it only looked frightening; the wound on her chest had long since healed.
Tossing the broken horn in her hand, Nanoda grew more and more fond of it. This was a weapon that could become one with her.
"Do you want to continue?"
Himmel asked tentatively. Now he could be certain that this Great Demon from the Mythical Era named Nanoda possessed strength not inferior to the Demon King. If they really fought to the end, he might truly have no way to deal with her.
"No more fighting. Although my body wants to continue, I feel that's about enough. How about we call it a draw this time?"
Nanoda could feel that although her condition was still excellent, her rationality was being cannibalized by this body's original desire for destruction and slaughter. Continuing to fight like this would make it easy to lose control.
"Acceptable. Then what do you plan to do now? If you continue to stay here, it will bring trouble. I still suggest you leave."
Himmel sheathed his sword and asked.
"At least let me say goodbye to the guys I know."
Nanoda used mana to temporarily create a leg-loop bag and stuffed the pair of sharp horns inside. Once covered by her black robe, nothing could be seen.
"You really are different from the Demon Race I've encountered before, and even the Demon King. Are you really going to walk the path of coexistence with humans?"
"Of course. I am a person who keeps my promises. I do what I say."
The two locked eyes. Himmel found he couldn't see through Nanoda, but within those unwavering pupils, something seemed to be hidden.
"That is an almost impossible path."
A moment later, Himmel spoke.
"Then I'll turn the impossible into the possible. The time of the Demon Race is much longer than that of you humans! I will open up that path."
"Is that so? Nanoda, can you grant me a small request?"
"Let's hear it."
"Take a look for me at that future you want to reach. I think it will be a nice future."
Having said that, Himmel waved goodbye to Nanoda. He decided to leave. Since the Hero had 'not found' any Demons here, he would embark on his journey once again.
"Hey!"
"What is it?"
"Himmel, you are a true Hero."
This was Nanoda's sincere opinion.
"Hahahaha. Let's meet again if fate permits, Weird Demon Nanoda."
"Hey, you brat, don't give me random nicknames! I count as your elder, you know!"
Rarely, Nanoda revealed a relatively natural, faint smile.
The two exchanged a brief farewell.
Witnessing this scene, Aura, hiding in the dense forest in the distance, gradually went glassy-eyed.
"What happened? It just ended like that? Not a single one died? What about Lady Aura's era?"
————
On a certain night with a dazzling meteor shower, the aged Himmel had this conversation with Frieren:
"I once personally let a strange Demon go. Her name was Nanoda, a very powerful fellow. I could feel she was different from those guys we encountered before. It was as if she truly possessed a human heart. Her dream was to coexist with humans."
"Himmel, you must have been tricked. How naive."
"Is that so? If you meet her in the future, you will understand."
"Fine. I'll help you kill that fellow who lied to you. Called Nanoda, right?"
"You haven't changed a bit, Frieren."
"Really?"
"Hehehehe..."
Himmel shook his head with a smile. The conflict between Humans and the Demon Race continued. That dreamlike, unrealistic future—he reckoned he wouldn't be able to see it.
____
New Story: ZZZ: Mr. Ethereal Does Not Want to See a Tragedy
🔥We're handing out that '30% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan