Chapter 62
Before I realized it, I was already running.
Emma-chan had called for help, and I left Rex behind, still being treated for his injuries, and headed for the throne. Apparently, Mino had used herself and the king as bait to lure out the enemy's commander. A plan very much in line with her style.
But the unexpected always happens. According to the mage maintaining the barrier outside, the internal shock was so intense it tore through space-time and shattered the spell. Tearing space-time apart with a punch? Who does she think she is, Rex?
Unfortunately, Minoâs plan failed. The barrier was shattered by an attack from within. Well then, it canât be helped. Iâll take on the Demon King (presumed), I thought, slowly drawing my sword.
âSomebody⌠helpââ
The so-called worst in the national army was crying big tears, begging for help.
ââŚI donât understand the situation, let me just take a lookâwait, Flatche-san!?â
âSorry, Iâm going ahead, Emma-chan.â
That âworst in the national armyâ was, at that moment, about to be crushed by the golden demon we had fought before.
From Emma-chanâs perspective, Mino is someone she definitely wants to kill. She says she has no idea what kind of damage could be caused by letting that woman live.
But. Even so, IâŚ
âMy sword is for the one crying in front of me.â
I couldnât ignore someone crying out in despair for help.
I sensed Mino behind me start to run. She was probably heading to tend to Mello, who looked pretty badly hurt.
Thatâs fine. That useless brat with only raw talent had made good progress in swordsmanship thanks to our training. His help might actually be useful now.
I know my own limits. With my lack of offensive power, Iâll never be able to beat a demon. The best I can do is buy time.
But I donât need to defeat them on my own. Iâll just hold the line until Rex and Mello, our heavy hitters, finish healing.
ââIâm surprised. Youâve come to your senses?â
âYeah. Now then, youâre going to regret not finishing me off when you had the chance.â
ââŚI was actually looking forward to training with you, you know. Thatâs a shame.â
The Demon King looked a little sad as I pointed my sword at him. What kind of reaction is that?
âWell, I guess it canât be helped. Youâre dangerous. Iâll kill you here.â
âYouâre all talk for someone who couldnât lay a finger on me last time, you two-bit demon.â
âNah, I figured out your swordplay just now. This time, Iâll kill you for sure.â
But that fleeting emotion vanished in an instant. The Demon King closed the distance in a flash, radiating killing intent.
âDie.â
A golden fist, stained with Melloâs red blood, came at me at subsonic speed.
âReading the point of impact, I aligned my feet with the direction of his movement, keeping my eyes locked and shifting my center of gravity to bait his strike.
âOh? A faint shift in the Demon Kingâs hand. Looks like he changed his target after seeing my movement. So he realized he was being lured in.
âEven better. If he changes his strike point mid-attack, his balance will falter. Exactly what I wanted.
âGrahhh!!â
I gently caught his off-balance arm, used the ground as a pivot, and slammed the Demon King into the floor in a sweeping arc from head to heel. He couldnât even react. The marble floor cracked and he was embedded in the ground.
The attack lost a bit of its power since his punch wasnât straight, but Iâm sure it still did decent damage.
ââŚI see. So swordsmanship still has hidden depths.â
âWhatâre you talking about? That idiot you punched earlier only started practicing a week ago. Youâve barely scratched the surface.â
âIs that so? Hahaha. I guess I shouldâve listened more carefully to the Demon Sword Kingâs stories. I never imagined this level of skill.â
The Demon King looked oddly convinced, and even though I had slammed him pretty hard, he pulled his head out of the floor and started laughing like it was nothing.
Seriously, what does it take to hurt this guy?
ââŚStill, if youâre here, I guess that means your comrades outside the castle are all dead. I thought there was a former human among themâa well-known and powerful swordsman. So he lost too?â
âA well-known and powerful swordsman, huh? Yeah, that guy was crazy strong. And handsome. And smart, too.â
âI didnât say all that. SmartâŚ?â
Why the hell did he question that part?
âSorry to disappoint you, Demon King. But your demon buddies outside? Theyâve already fled.â
ââŚWhat?â
âEven the ones who looked like they still wanted to fight got cleaned up by me and Rex. Then they realized they couldnât win and ran for it. Guess they got spooked when that ridiculous magic started going off like fireworks.â
Yeah⌠I donât really remember much of it, but apparently Mei-chan burned down the whole royal plains by herself. Most of the demons who crawled out from the caves saw the hellish inferno and lost the will to fight.
âŚWhy didnât I get caught in that? Or maybe I did and just dodged it well?
âSo⌠Iâm the only one still fighting?â
âLooks like it.â
Thatâs right. The battleâs already decided.
The Demon Kingâs army is finished. All thatâs left is to take care of him, and itâs over.
ââŚI see.â
âOh? Whatâs wrong? Thinking of surrendering?â
âNo. I wonât.â
The Demon King looked deeply lonely as he exhaled, then raised his fists toward me again.
âYou know⌠Iâve always lived alone. Fought alone. Won alone. Suffered alone.â
âGo on.â
âSo whyâd a guy like me, calling himself the Demon King, go and gather a bunch of followers to attack this place? Itâs because those followers begged me. They said they wanted to defeat the humans.â
"âŚâŚ"
"If those guys are gone, then I have no reason to keep fighting under their orders."
"Hey, then just surrender already. Youâve got no reason to fight anymore."
What heâs saying and what heâs doing donât match. You started this war because your subordinates asked you to, right? Then youâve got no reason to keep fighting now.
"I never liked ambushes in the first place."
"Huh?"
"If you're strong!! Then as the mightiest among the demons, the way I fight is to declare myself proudly, face my enemy head-on, crush them utterly! Anyone who stands in my way, I kill them allâand devour them!! Thatâs how I fight!!"
And then, with a ferocious grin, the Demon Kingâs entire body bristled with excitement.
"Nothing binds me now. I donât need to fear death as the Demon King anymore. I hold no more responsibility as the leader of the demon race. Standing before you is merely a demonâMadolf!!!"
"Madolf?"
"Thatâs right. Thatâs my name. Etch it into your memory, swordswoman!!"
âŚThe golden aura surrounding his body surged and swelled violently. Terrifying magic power burst from his frame, blanketing the entire kingdom.
An overwhelming heat. A monstrous torrent of killing intent.
"âŚEep!"
Behind me, Emma-chan let out a small scream and collapsed, caught by Penny just in time. Looks like she was overcome by Madolfâs magic pressure.
"UghâŚ"
Even without turning around, I could tellânearly all of the royal guards had passed out and lay unconscious on the ground. The only one still standing was likely their captain, Penny.
This was a monster. On a whole other level compared to Clarice or Mei-chan. The sheer magic power was beyond anything elseâfocused entirely on strengthening his own body and demonstrating raw might.
So this is his true fighting style. Not the restrained approach heâd used before, conserving magic for ambushes or sneak attacksâbut his full, unrestricted power as the demon called Madolf.
Up until now, he had relied on stealth and surprise. Thatâs why he had never been allowed to unleash thisâthe real reason they called him the Demon King.
With this much ridiculous magic output just bleeding into the surroundings, sneak attacks were obviously impossible. That must be why he sealed this form away all this time.
The demon leaders probably figured they couldnât beat the humans with strategy alone. Maybe if theyâd just listened to Madolf and charged in head-on like this from the start, things wouldâve gone worse for us.
"They asked me not to use this technique in the earlier battle. So I held back, used up my strength little by little, and in the end couldnât find the right moment. I shouldâve used it from the start, before underestimating you. Forgive me."
"Huh. Makes sense now. So this is your original style. No wonder I thought you were weak for a demon general."
"âŚThatâs a bit insulting."
This is bad. But also⌠kind of thrilling. Thatâs weirdâIâm not supposed to be the battle-crazed type.
ââââAn opponent I shouldnât have any hope of beating. If I were alone, I wouldâve been drowning in despair.
But not now. And thatâs probably why Iâm so damn excited.
"Well, no matter how strong you are, youâre not beating Rex. Iâm just here to buy time, Madolf."
"âŚThis Rexâwho is he?"
"The strongest swordsman there is. Just wait, youâll meet him soon enough."
Rex will be here soon. Once heâs healed by Karin, heâll come charging in with that cocky laugh of his.
At some point, Iâd become strong enough to stand side by side with my best friend. That thought alone fills me with joy.
"Let me return the favorâI am Flatche! Wielder of the divine wind blade, known as the Godblade! Come, Madolf!!"
"Then come forth! Face the fists that have slain countless demonsâletâs see if you can withstand them, Flatche!!"
And thus, my sword clashed with Madolf at full power.
And so, the girl was carefully treating the wounds of the man she cherished.
"...Damn it, how far apart are we, Flatche..."
"That's why I told you not to talk."
A girl swordsman who effortlessly brushed off a strike from the Demon Kingâthe very same opponent Mello couldnât defeat. The sight of her made Mello, who believed in his own genius without question, burn with frustration.
"Your wounds are almost healed. But Mello, are you really going to jump back into that mess again?"
"Of course I am. You think Iâd accept losing like this?"
He thought heâd grown stronger. That heâd matured a little. Yet his inflated pride glared enviously at the "blue-eyed genius" who was probably younger than him.
"...You should just stay here and watch. I'm seriousâit's for your own good."
That same Mello was now being clung to by the girl with soft, unruly hair, begging him with trembling arms like a child.
"...What do you mean?"
"I'm sure Flatche will win. There's no reason for you to fight anymore."
"That's surprising, Mino. I figured you'd force me to fight. Say something cold like, âEven a slight increase in our chances is worth it.â"
"...If it were the old me, I definitely wouldâve said that."
The former strategist, her eyes once dead and dry, now brimmed with tears as she denied the person she once was.
"That version of me was a fake. I was just trying to look good in front of you, trying to be the version of myself youâd approve ofâdesperately pretending to be a strategist."
"No. Mino, you were amazing. Like during the last border defenseâyour plan alone pretty much won us that battle. Even this time, youâve done so much..."
"I was wrong. I realized it just now. Iâm just a foolish little girl, pretending to understand how rational judgment works."
She couldnât make the choice. When she had to weigh the life of the man she loved against countless civilians, she couldnât choose the people.
"Thatâs why someone like me has no right to make decisions like that."
She was supposed to look at the bigger pictureâto stand in a position where she could weigh "the loss of a few individuals" against "the benefit of the majority" and make the fair and beneficial choice.
A person swayed by personal emotions, acting for their own interest, has no place above a nation. No matter how cold-blooded it may seem, if you're going to sacrifice othersâ lives, thatâs the only acceptable way.
In short, she had already lost the right to be a strategist. Someone who "chooses one man over the lives of the people due to personal feelings" must not be entrusted with power. Thatâs precisely why she had never forced that heavy burden on Emma until now.
In the end, Mino was no different from Emma.
"âSigh. Mino, even I know thatâs not right."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
"Mino, you're wrong."
Thunk. A rough knuckle gently tapped Mino on the head.
It was Mello, uncharacteristically soft in tone, giving her a rare scolding.
"If everything Mino's done so far was fake, then why is the capital flourishing like this?"
"But thatâs..."
"How many lives have been saved thanks to your counsel? Even factoring in the losses, how many people have you protected?"
Mello's wordsâspoken by the one who had once acknowledged and saved herâmeant more than anything to her.
Even if it sounded like an offhanded rant without much thought, Mello had unquestionably saved her once.
"Donât deny your past. If you're ashamed of it, then regret it with everything you've got and keep pushing forward."
"But just now, Iâ"
"You've made little mistakes before, havenât you, Mino? Why lose heart over getting one thing wrong?"
Mino had worked tirelessly, relying on the words Mello once spoke to her in her darkest hour.
With every sacrifice she bore, she continued to pursue the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
"Stick to it, Mino. So you got it wrong onceâso what?"
"..."
"Or are you saying that all the small sacrifices youâve made so far were meaningless?"
"...Ah."
Thatâs whyâjust because she faltered once, Mino mustnât break. If she gave in here, that would be the true wasteâthe true betrayal of the countless innocent few she had cast aside for the sake of the many.
Thatâs why she must remain a cold, calculating strategist until the day she dies. That was the vow she had made with Mello.
"âŚSorry. Iâm awake now, Mello."
"Oh?"
The girl's eyes settled into focus. The teary, pitiful gaze of a woman clinging to her beloved's sleeve for comfort was goneâreplaced by a cold, blazing fire.
It was a look Mello knew all too well. The piercing glare of the infamous military strategist once called the worst menace in the national army.
"...Heh. I see. You're right. A villain has to play the villain to the end, huh? Give me one minuteâI need to gather my thoughts."
"Yeah. Use me however you want, Mino."
"Thanks."
Having reclaimed something vital, she gave a small smile in response to Melloâs unwavering trust.
Then, rising gracefully to her feet, she folded her arms and silently fixed her gaze on the ongoing clash between human and demon directly ahead.
âThis is fun, Flatche!!â
Madolf twisted his torso with delight.
âIt might be, Madolf!!â
The female swordsman glided over the earth like the wind.
Though they were in a fight to the death, the two laughed as they tried to kill each other.
âWhenâs that Rex guy supposed to show up?â
âNo idea, heâs always late!â
âAhahaha!â
Their faces looked more like they were playing than battling. But in their eyes, there was unmistakable murderous intent.
They were seriousâgiving everything they had in this fight. And because of that, they could exchange words with a smile.
Resentment, hatred, hostility, and bloodlustâall of it was expressed through their fists and blades.
âSay, Flatche. Why donât you join the Demon Kingâs Army? Letâs take the world together.â
âYou should be the one to join my party, Madolf. Youâd make a great sparring partner.â
On the surface, it sounded cordial. But their blows were brutal. A deep understanding had formed between them.
No one could intrude upon that bondânot from anywhere.
Or so it should have been.
âHmm?â
âHuh?â
Midway through their bout, the world suddenly lost all color. It was the exact same sensation Madolf had felt not long before.
A feeling like the phase of the world had shifted.
âAh, sorry for interrupting while you were going at it. This time, Iâve made a barrier with no escape, I promise.â
Startled, both halted their sword and fist, quickly scanning their surroundings.
And there she stoodâsmiling cheerfully, right beside the Demon King and Flatcheâthe one whoâd altered this world.
ââŚHuh?â
âSorry, Flatche-san. Youâre going to have to be a sacrifice in this world, with me.â
ââŚHuh?â
âEven the last barrier was nearly impossible to escape unless you located the core. This time, Iâve modified it so the core moves randomly and canât be pinpointed. Based on estimates, the escape probability is about one in a million.â
ââŚHaaah?â
Yes. Mino had repaired and repurposed the collapsed barrier spell while Flatche was fighting. After heavily modifying the spell structure to make escape nearly impossible.
âNow, none of us can escape anymore! Sorry!â
âWhaaaaaaaat!?â
Madolf and Flatche were both dumbfounded. Theyâd thought they were locked in their final battleâonly to be caught mid-fight in an inescapable trap, voiding everything.
This wasnât just throwing cold water on thingsâit was pouring ice down their backs.
âWh-Wha⌠What the hell!?â
âAhahaha. If Flatche-san loses here, a lot of innocent people in this country will die. I had to stop that.â
âWait, hold on. What!?â
Ah. A demon. The infamous demon tactician of the national army stood there.
One who never left victory to chance. Who would sacrifice whatever necessary to ensure success.
ââŚBut you know, Flatche-san. I think⌠I want to believe. Just a little.â
âBelieve in whatâŚ?â
âIn you. In Mello. In what humans are capable of.â
Howeverâthis wasnât like the usual Mino. Something about her was clearly different.
Ordinarily, she would have stayed outside the barrier and coldly locked Flatche and the Demon King inside.
Thatâs the difference between the Mino of before and the one standing here now.
âFlatche-san. Do your bestâand show me you can win.â
At those words, a white light charged in behind the Demon King.
âDefeat Madolf. If you do, Iâll acknowledge your victory too.â
âUOOOOHH!!â
With a roar, something lunged at Madolf and carved off a piece of his golden back. A small wound was etched into the Demon Kingâs body.
âClick! Too shallow.â
âOhh!â
It was Mello, shining in white. One of humanityâs hopesâcapable of slaying the Demon King.
âDonât go whining about it being unfair, Madolf. Youâre in the heart of humanityâs stronghold.â
âGu⌠Hahahahaha!! Thatâs right, thatâs right! I forgot how sneaky you humans are! Flatche felt so damn good to fight, Iâd completely forgotten!!â
Mino had rejected uncertainty and risk to the people. She aimed for the best possible outcomeâone without a single sacrifice.
Surely, the old Mino would have called this a naĂŻve and foolish choice.
Butâ
âA new era is coming. The paths you choose from here on out⌠Iâll support you from the shadows, quietly watching.â
She deliberately chose that sentimental path.
Knowing her own time was short, she placed her faith in the new generationâthose present now. In Penny and Emma, who would soon rise to lead. She took the path of rejecting the logic of sacrifice, seeking the best possible ending.
âNow. Try and defeat me, Flatche.â
There were no more tears in her eyes. Only a cold, clear gazeâstraightforward, ruthless, and yet tinged with a faint, unmistakable kindness.
Melloâs powerful strikes could pierce even Madolfâs monstrous fleshâbut only just. At best, they gouged the surface.
Flatche skillfully deflected every one of Madolfâs attacks. But she had no means of truly wounding him.
Only by combining their strength did even a sliver of hope appear. Such was the difference in raw power between humans and demons.
âHey, you bratty girl! Make an opening for my ultimate move! Like, a hundred times!â
âAs if I could do that many!! Just finish it already, damn it!!â
Several times, Melloâs attacks managed to chip away at the Demon Kingâs body. But that was the extent of their results. Neither had landed a decisive blow.
âDonât miss the damn opening this time, idiot!!â
âThat wasnât even remotely an opening, brat!!â
Though their words were nothing but bickering insults, their coordination in battle was flawless. In fact, the very move Mello had just pulled off had been taught to her by none other than Flatche herself. They knew each other's movements inside and out.
You could even call Mello Flatcheâs apprentice in practice.
âIf I donât defeat this demon, Minoâs going to kill herself! Just so she doesnât pass on the method to escape this barrier!â
âWhaâ! Sheâd go that far!?â
âMino would go that far!! So shut up and make me the opening!!â
Mello was desperate.
Originally, Mino had planned to trap the Demon King in a modified barrier and abandon him there. But then, mid-plan, she changed her mind: âRight⌠I should think about what happens after Iâm gone too.â And she revised the plan into one where Flatche could also be saved.
That new plan meant both Mino and Mello would enter the barrier themselves. If they succeeded in defeating Madolf, Mino would lift the spell. It was a gambleâno more, no less.
âOnce Iâm gone, this kind of strategy will probably become standard. Then Iâll be the one to show how itâs done.â
She made sure the people wouldnât suffer, placing safeguards while still aiming for the best possible outcome. To the old Mino, it wouldâve seemed like a foolish and inefficient strategy.
But now, she was even thinking of what came after her own death.
(If this plan fails, and I or Mello die meaninglessly⌠then Emma and Penny will learn to make colder, harsher calls.)
Thatâs why, to her, the outcome didnât matter.
If they lost, it would prove that her original, ruthless strategies were right. Emma would likely follow in her footsteps, at least partially.
Howeverâ
(But if Flatche wins⌠that means I was wrong.)
Originally, Mino had intended to leave Flatche behind and kill her along with Madolf.
But if she did that, Rex would surely be enraged. And losing both Flatche and Rexâthe two next-generation cornerstones of this nationâwould be too great a blow.
If there was even the slightest chance that Flatche could survive and win, then that meant the strategy of abandoning her had been a mistake.
(Now then⌠how will it turn out?)
Thatâs why, with little time left to live, Mino chose to look toward the future. She accepted the possibility that she might have been wrong, and chose a plan where everyone had a chance to be saved.
It was the kind of strategy only someone like herâa brilliant tacticianâcould have chosen. No ordinary strategist would ever bet on a plan that risked proving themselves wrong.
She was a tactician who always kept her eyes fixed high. One who could put the nationâs needs ahead of her own ego.
And then, at last, the decisive moment arrived.
"MAAADORUUUUUF!!!"
With a roar, Mello charged the Demon King.
"There you are!!"
Madorf, reacting with superhuman speed, swung his fist. Caught head-on and unable to dodge, Mello was struck.
"Aaaaaaaaagh!!!"
With a thunderous boom, Mello was slammed into the barrier wall once more.
"Mello!?"
"I'm... still good!!"
It seemed he had managed to break his fall somewhatâhe was in better shape than last time. Coughing up blood, Mello forced himself back to his feet.
"You idiot!! Heâs going right for you!!"
But there was no way Madorf would let such a wounded Mello slip by.
The golden Demon King closed the distance at blinding speed to the staggering black sword-wielder.
"Finally... one down."
"W-Wait!!"
Mello still hadnât regained his stance. While the damage was less severe thanks to his fall, his balance was offâthis was no time for precise movement.
He was in what could only be called a hopeless situation.
"Die."
Flatche was chasing from far behind Madorf. Her speed was that of a normal humanânothing exceptional.
She wouldnât make it. She couldnât. No one could stop the finishing blow Madorf launched toward Mello.
"...Yeah. Nowâs the time, Rex-kun."
At that very moment, as Mello stood on deathâs doorstep, the strategist's voice rang out through the barrier.
"âThe hawk in crisis strikes from the dirt."
That voiceâthe young swordswoman knew it well.
To her, it was unmistakably the symbol of 'absolute strength.'
And there, behind the pillar from which Madorf had leapt toward Melloâstood a towering man, greatsword raised, lying in wait.
"Whâwho theâ?"
"Shining Blade: Hawk."
That blow, moving at the speed of light, pierced straight through Madorfâs core and sent him flying with overwhelming force.
Sword Saint Rexâhaving received Karinâs healing and raced to the throneâhad also been waiting inside the barrier.
"Ambush is a basic tenet of strategy, after all."
Mino grinned fearlessly, folding her arms with amusement.
"Alrightâfinish this."
She gave the order, calm and clear.
"UWOOOOOOHH!!!"
There was a man chasing after the Demon King as he was blown away.
A black sword in hand, the embodiment of recklessness charged past the Sword Saint, not sparing him a glance, eyes locked on Madorf.
"...The outer shellâs broken. Iâve done all I can do."
The Sword Saint watched the still-green swordsman with a patient gaze.
"Finish him. Including magic, youâve got the highest firepower here, Mello."
And he waited for the finale.
Madorf slammed into the barrier wall with tremendous force. Groaning, he collapsed on the spot, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Ahh!!"
In that wide-open moment, Mello charged, roaring, and thrust his sword without losing momentum.
Right into Madorfâs core, where Rex had already torn a massive rift.
"O flames of the underworld, wandering souls, raging duststormsâ"
With a solid gori, Mello drove his prized sword into Madorf. Quietly, he began to chant.
"Great soul, be calmedâscatter your lingering regrets into the eternal void."
"Ugh... ah..."
This was his specialty.
A devastating area-of-effect fire spellâand a healing spirit magic to lay the dead to rest.
"ExplodeâRequiem of the Soothing Flame!"
That absurdly powerful spellâ
Originally intended to annihilate wide areas, now unleashed by Mello, the prodigyâ
"GAAAAAAAAAHâ!"
Burned away Madorfâs fragile internal organs with pristine precision.
"ââââAh, ah..."
"Still alive, Madorf?"
The battle was over.
Madorf had nearly all of his internal organs scorched by direct fire. No matter how skilled a healer might be, there was no saving him. He had been, without question, killed.
"Yeah... I can still talk."
"Y-You're tough, huh."
And yet, Madorf wore a strange smile, turning it toward the three swordsmen who were now speaking to him.
"You're strong. That swordsmanship of yours..."
"Right?"
"âŚIt's the kind of technique that gets sharpened through battle with others, right? Thatâs... nice. Iâm jealous."
There was no more hostility in him. Madorf continued speaking with a kind of satisfied look.
"âŚAhh. Youâre lucky, Flatche. Youâve got comrades this strong by your side."
"Me? Well, yeah, I guess having the strongest right next to me was a stroke of luck."
"Thatâs a fortune nothing can replace. Treasure it."
Blue fluid oozed from Madorfâs now-hollow body. It was likely his blood.
"I wanted that too. I wanted friends I could grow stronger with."
"...Madorf..."
"We demonsâweâre beings who live for battle. To not have anyone to fight... that's just too lonely."
Those eyesâso full of sadnessâlooked so much like someone Flatche knew all too well.
"I'm glad I came here. For the first time in a while, I was able to give it my all."
"...You got killed, and you still think it was worth coming here?"
"Yeah. Better than growing old, losing my strength, and dying without ever being challenged again. I came here, fought at my peak, gave it everythingâand lost. Even if I died here... I can honestly say Iâm glad I came."
That sense of desolationâthe loneliness of a strong one, feared and unchallengedâwas something only a few could truly understand.
"Thanks for fighting me... humans."
And to that demon, closing his eyesâthere was someone here who probably understood his heart better than anyone else.
"Hey... Madorf. You got what you wanted."
Sword Saint Rex spoke softly to the golden demon, whose eyes were beginning to fade and grow unfocused.
"In your final moments... the three who defeated you are here, watching over your death."
That was a genuine sentiment, born of deep understandingâRexâs heartfelt eulogy for a kindred warrior spirit.
"There's no greater honor for a martial artist than that."
And so, the strongest demonâMadorfâslowly drew his last breath.
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