Chapter 11: The Summoned Entity
"Damn it! What the hell just happened?!?"
I was on guard in the black mist, relying on the 【Enemy Detection】 Skill for a while, but nothing happened.
The mist was completely black, and I couldn't see anything ahead.
However, the mist was gradually thinning and disappearing.
No, to be precise, the remnants of the black particles and mist were still hovering around my feet, and they were slowly being absorbed into the ground.
But the emission of the black particles and the black mist itself had stopped.
It would probably disappear completely with time.
"What... did they summon...?"
What came out of that ominous Magic Circle was this black particle and mist-like substance.
Neither the 【Enemy Detection】 Skill nor the applied presence detection is reacting, and the number of presences hasn't increased.
In the first place, if a monster that required such a long incantation was summoned, there should definitely be some kind of effect.
Yet, not a single sound can be heard.
As I was thinking that, the black mist at my feet finally vanished, and my vision completely cleared.
"Phew... Finally, I can see... What...!!"
And I was left speechless by the sight before me.
Because...
"—!"
Rina, who should have been bound by chains and unconscious just moments ago, was standing there.
If she were just standing, I wouldn't have been speechless... well, maybe just a little surprised.
But that's not the problem.
The problem is Rina's current attire.
Rina's clothes should have been a white, less-revealing dress, but now, they had completely changed to black and were highly revealing. In fact, she was wearing clothes that could almost be called a swimsuit.
The outfit had crossed shoulder straps, a large opening at the chest, and a skirt-like cloth around the waist.
Furthermore, the skirt was short, barely covering half of her thighs.
Because of this outfit, Rina's cute belly button was visible, and her legs were exposed to a very daring extent.
...Honestly, it's a feast for the eyes.
But considering the current situation, this is nothing short of an anomaly.
When I looked at the Labyrinth Church followers who had been surrounding Rina, every single one of them was lying unconscious.
"Rina...!!"
Naturally, I was worried and called out to her. She slowly turned her face toward me.
Then, light returned to her eyes, which had been vacant and unfocused until now.
But...
"…Who are you."
The eerie light deep within Rina's eyes was impossible to hide.
Her aura wasn't like the usual Rina; she felt like a completely different person.
"Rina? Ah, my name? I am Rina, but what about it?!"
Rina answered my question as if it were nothing.
However, that was clearly not Rina.
"…Don't mess with me. Give Rina back."
"Give Rina... back?!"
When I said that, she showed a momentary gesture of thought, then immediately wore an expression of understanding.
"I see. That's what this is about. So, you want me to return the original personality of this body, is that it?!"
"Original personality...? What do you mean by that?!"
...The way this thing is talking, it doesn't sound like it's imitating Rina's appearance or impersonating her using a Skill.
"It means exactly what it says. I am merely borrowing the body right now. The body of the human named Rina."
"Borrowing... the body...!"
I understand the words, but I can't comprehend the meaning.
Because, well, of course.
There's no way I could understand being suddenly told that she's borrowing Rina's body.
However, if Rina's body has truly been possessed, many things make sense, and the pieces fit together.
First, the reason why the summoned monster can't be sensed or seen.
And second, the reason why Rina suddenly changed completely.
It's safe to say that these two questions have been answered at this point.
And the person in Rina's form questioned me.
The reason the summoned monster can't be seen or sensed is probably because it's borrowing Rina's body, just as the thing impersonating Rina said.
I've never heard of such a monster, but since I'd never heard of this Dungeon or the Devil Bats before, it's too late to be surprised now.
This must also be the reason for Rina's complete change.
But if that's the case, there's something I don't understand.
"Are you really a monster? I've never seen or heard of a monster that can speak."
Yes, whether the thing in Rina's form in front of me is a monster.
I've never heard of or seen a monster that speaks.
If someone told me such a monster exists, that would be the end of the conversation, but since it's right in front of me, I have no choice but to believe it.
Besides, there are still some things that don't quite make sense even if it is a monster.
"Hmm... I suppose it's understandable that you humans wouldn't know. Then, allow me to tell you my true identity."
The next moment, the Rina impostor muttered something.
Then, a black, mist-like substance enveloped Rina's entire body, and when it cleared, the Rina from before was gone.
In her place stood—
"I am a Demon. A being that favors and feeds upon negative human emotions like despair, fear, hatred, and rage!"
—Rina, with large, bat-like wings growing from her back.
"A Demon...?!?"
I thought bat-like wings had suddenly appeared on her back, but the next moment, the Rina who was there had vanished.
Instead, Rina stood before me in a form befitting the name 'Demon.'
Black, ominous horns grew from Rina's head, and her beautiful, clear blue eyes were stained a blood-like crimson.
Not only that, but combined with the clothes she was wearing, she looked exactly like a real Demon.
"Ah, yes. I am manifesting by borrowing Rina's body!"
The Demon in front of me said that, as if answering my question, and twisted her mouth into a smirk.
"Haa... I see."
I took a breath, then focused my thoughts, making sure not to let down my guard.
This is probably not a summoned 'monster.'
In fact, it's probably not even a 'human.'
When the self-proclaimed Demon, who is borrowing Rina's body, showed changes like wings and horns, I felt a certain presence. And I remember that presence.
"...Do you know the Skill 【Wrath】?!"
【Wrath】—it's the Skill that Tagaya suddenly shouted and transformed with, a memory I'd rather forget.
This thing's presence is strikingly similar to Tagaya's at that time.
"...Oh my. I wonder how you know that power, but yes, I know it well. And? What about it?!"
When I asked that, she looked genuinely surprised this time.
Just as I thought. My prediction seems to be correct.
I wish it hadn't been...
"You... You called yourself a Demon, but is the owner of this Wrath Skill also a Demon, like you?!"
When I said that, the Demon in Rina's form looked surprised for a moment, but quickly returned to her usual confident smile.
"Hehe. Of course, you'd figure it out. That's right! The power of Wrath belongs to the 'General of Wrath,' one of the Seven Demon Generals, just like me, the 'General of Greed'!"
So that's what it is.
The Demon, still in Rina's form, directed an alluring smile at me, one that even I, knowing what's inside, was momentarily captivated by.
"Well, I don't think you can win, no matter how you struggle in your current state. But don't worry. I'm not planning on devouring you. I'm just interested in the power this child possesses."
"The power this child possesses? ...Don't tell me...!?!"
"Yes, exactly. The power to see the future that you know this child has. I want that power. That's why I want this child."
The Demon in Rina's form said that and smiled sweetly.
"...Well, I understand your claim. But I can't accept that demand."
I replied, strengthening my caution.
"Oh, why not? As I said, I won't devour her, you know?!"
"Then when are you going to leave Rina's body?!"
That's right. If I accept her demand here, Rina will be put in danger.
In the first place, I don't know what the Demon is thinking, and that's even more true if she's trying to steal Rina's power.
"…!"
"Can't you answer?!"
When I questioned her, the Demon fell silent, saying nothing.
"I won't hand Rina over. Not even to a Demon."
"...I suppose I have no choice. I really didn't want to resort to anything rough, but..."
"!!"
The Demon's aura changed instantly.
An oppressive pressure, like needles, assaulted me.
"Haa... I was hoping to settle this peacefully. If you're going to interfere with my desire, I suppose I'll have to make you suffer a little, won't I?"
The Demon muttered that and snapped her fingers, and suddenly, the black mist-like substance that should have vanished into the ground reappeared.
"This is the same as before..."
"Hehe. It seems you know what this is!"
Behind the Demon, who wore a triumphant expression, the reappeared black mist gathered and began to move like a living creature.
I've seen that creature before. In fact, it's the monster I've been fighting all over this Dungeon.
"This is... a Devil Bat...?"
"Correct ♪"
The Demon, who called herself the General of Greed, answered gleefully.
However, the Devil Bats that appeared didn't react to 【Enemy Detection】, and I couldn't sense their presence.
This is...
"The same Devil Bats that killed the Snipers...!"
"Hehe. You noticed!"
Just as I thought.
The Devil Bats that just appeared are the same ones that killed the Snipers, turning them into mummies.
And they are probably having their presence erased by this Demon's power.
"I created these with my magic. Isn't that amazing?!"
The Demon said that, as if boasting, and once again wore a fearless smile.
"Well then, let's get started right away. Go."
When the Demon gave the order, the newly summoned Devil Bats flew off with great momentum.
Their target was not me... but the unconscious Dragon's Eye members, executives, and Oshiro who were lying on the ground.
"Tch! Like hell I will!!"
I used 【Magic Arrow】 to create three magic arrows and fired them from the Dragonwood Bow, but since I hadn't used 【Lock-On】, they were avoided, only catching a few of them.
The Devil Bats summoned by the Demon continued to soar through the air and attacked Oshiro and the others.
"Guh, guaaaaaahhh"
"S-Stop it! Don't come! Don't you dare come here! Gyaaaaaah"
"Hee! Help me! I don't wanna die! Someone! Someone! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoaaaaah!!"
The Devil Bats swarmed Oshiro and the others from Dragon's Eye, especially Oshiro, whose arm and leg tendons I had severed to neutralize him.
Since every single Dragon's Eye member had been knocked unconscious by me, they were initially defenseless prey for the Devil Bats.
However, some of the men seemed to have woken up due to the pain or some other discomfort, and from there, it was a scene from hell.
The men struggled desperately to shake off the monsters attacking them, but each time, the Devil Bats would fly away and then attack again.
Each time, they were bitten repeatedly.
Due to the number of Devil Bats swarming them, not all of them have died yet, but at this rate, they will all be dead in a few minutes. In fact, parts of their bodies, like their arms and legs, are already shriveled up like mummies.
"That's seriously bad..."
I muttered that and fired an arrow to peel off the Devil Bats—
"Oh, I won't let you go, you know?!"
"!!!"
—But I was obstructed by the Demon.
No matter how hard I tried to find an opening, even though her body is Rina's, I couldn't find any at all.
"Hehe, too bad, but you're going to have to stay put for me, alright?!"
"Kuh...!"
The Demon said that and held out her hand toward me.
She's clearly planning to stop my movements and dispose of Oshiro and the others in the meantime.
And Oshiro and the others are...
"Ah... aaaaaahhh"
"Nooo!! Stop it!!"
"Help me! Please!!"
"Guaaaaaahhh"
Oshiro and the others, who were being attacked by the Devil Bats, had already regained consciousness and were screaming.
However, because I had severed their tendons and inflicted damage that made them unable to move, they couldn't fight back.
In that state, being bitten all over their bodies...
"Damn it!!"
I want to move immediately and go to Oshiro and the others, but the Demon is blocking my path.
"It's useless. Besides... it's already over."
The Demon said that with a triumphant expression and urged me to look at the scene beyond my line of sight.
Beyond that was—
"Ugh..."
—Oshiro and the others, who had already expired and were lying there like mummies.
"Well, welcome. My cute little servants!"
The Demon said that and snapped her fingers again. The Devil Bats that had been swarming Oshiro and the others' corpses flew up again and gathered around the Demon.
Then, the gathered Devil Bats circled above the Demon's head, waiting.
"Now, my servants. Become my sustenance...!"
The Demon said that, spread her arms, and then clasped her hands in front of her chest as if asking for something.
Then, the Devil Bats around the Demon all shrieked in unison, turned back into black mist, and were absorbed into the Demon.
"No way... is she absorbing them?!"
Yes, the Demon was absorbing the Devil Bats.
"Hehe. Correct answer. I created these children with my magic power. So, by consuming them like this, I can replenish my magic power. ...And..."
The Demon said that, looked at me, and smirked.
"I am a Demon. The life force and magic power contained in the blood these children gathered from living humans. And above all, the emotions of despair and fear are my energy. In short, they are both my food and my ultimate fuel."
The Demon laughed gleefully while explaining her power.
A chilling sensation ran down my spine at the sight.
This thing is dangerous. I have to defeat her quickly. ...But how?
"Well, I suppose I'm fine for a while now? In that case, you're next?!"
The Demon said that and pointed her hand at me again.
"I am greedy, you see. I will obtain anything I desire, no matter what it takes. So... I absolutely cannot forgive you for interfering with my desires. You're going to disappear right here and now?!"
It started with the Demon's finger snap.
When the Demon snapped her fingers, black mist once again surrounded me, and Devil Bats appeared.
There were more of them than before.
She probably increased the number she can summon at once by absorbing the Devil Bats earlier.
And the appeared Devil Bats attacked me, just as they did with Dragon's Eye.
"Hah!!"
To gain some distance from the attacking Devil Bats and the Demon, I fired transparent arrows created with 【Magic Arrow】 from the Dragonwood Bow behind me.
However, the Devil Bats changed their trajectory just before the arrows hit, avoiding them.
But I managed to catch a few of them.
It's still hard to hit small targets without 【Lock-On】.
But that's something I already knew.
So—
"Hah!!"
—I used the high-speed combat technique utilizing the 【Item Box】 to put away the Dragonwood Bow. I ran toward the back, where the number of Devil Bats had been reduced, and used the Swiftstrike Dagger to slash at the Devil Bats one after another as I ran.
And the moment I started running, the Devil Bats also flew toward me.
"Hah!!"
I dodged the Devil Bats' attacks by narrowly passing them and slashed them as I passed.
"Hah!!"
The effect of 【Divine Wind】 has worn off, but my full speed is still enough to escape the Devil Bats.
"Magic Arrow, Multi Lock-On!"
After gaining distance from the Devil Bats, I immediately used 【Multi Lock-On】, created three arrows with 【Magic Arrow】, and fired them simultaneously.
"Gyaaaah!?!?"
Faced with a guaranteed-hit simultaneous attack from three directions, even the Devil Bats couldn't avoid all of them and vanished one after another, turning back into black mist.
"Phew...!"
"Kyaa! Amazing, amazing!!! All my servants that I created were wiped out!!"
The Demon seemed to have underestimated my ability, as her previous cold expression was replaced by one mixed with surprise and joy.
"If you get too cocky, you'll be tripped up."
"Oh? There's no way I would lose to you!"
The Demon said that, her expression turning cold again as she glared at me.
Well, at this point, I have no choice but to fight seriously...
But if that's the case, how do I separate the Demon from Rina's body?
If I defeat that Demon now, I'll definitely be fighting Rina's body, so Rina will die.
Then, I have no choice but to separate the Demon and then defeat her... but unfortunately, I don't have any tools or Skills that can do that.
"Hmm... what should I do...!"
"Hehe. What are you agonizing over? Are you thinking of a way to deal with me?!"
...She noticed.
Well, of course, she would.
"Yeah."
But if that's the case, then it's fine.
It's a relief not to have to hide what I'm doing.
Not just with the Demon, but when you try to fight while hiding something from your opponent, you inevitably slip up somewhere.
In that sense, this situation is easier for me to fight in.
"Hee, you have one, do you? Then why don't you hurry up and use it?!"
The Demon provoked me with a confident smile.
But... I can't use it even if I want to...
Generally, when someone is possessed by a ghost-type monster like Rina is now, the common practice is to use light or holy magic to separate or exorcise them.
Otherwise, you'd have to ask a Buddhist monk, a Shinto priest, or a priest from a proper church who has acquired a Status and possesses an exorcism Skill.
"Unfortunately, I don't have anything that convenient. So, I guess I'll just have to focus on buying time?!"
Well, even if I say something like this, it's generally useless, and there's no way the Demon would believe such a thing.
"So, sorry, Rina, but please forgive me for a little injury! Magic Arrow!!"
I fired a 【Magic Arrow】 to keep the Demon in check.
And at the same time, I back-stepped to move further away from the Demon.
Just as I intended, the Demon let my 【Magic Arrow】 get to the last second before taking evasive action, flapping her wings and flying away.
Well, the fact that it's transparent rarely works, so this was just a feint.
"I know you're trying to buy time. But if I kill you before that, it won't matter, will it?"
The Demon shouted that and pointed both hands at me.
Then, black mist emerged from the Demon's palms, forming a black sphere that grew larger and larger.
I have a feeling that thing is bad.
I felt that instinctively.
"Magic Arrow! Multi Lock-On!!"
I immediately activated 【Magic Arrow】, created multiple arrows, and fired them rapidly at the Demon.
"Do you really think something like that will hit?!?"
But the Demon dodged all the numerous transparent arrows I fired.
And even though the Demon dodged the transparent arrows, the transparent arrows, which had the guaranteed-hit effect from 【Lock-On】, changed their trajectory to pursue the Demon.
"You're so annoying, flitting around!!"
The Demon shouted in irritation, aimed the black sphere at the transparent arrows that were still chasing her, and a dark, shadowy magic power burst out from the black sphere, deflecting all the transparent arrows I fired like a shockwave.
"Are you serious...!"
I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat at the Demon's strength, which exceeded my expectations.
But now I know how dangerous that black sphere is.
"This magic, plus the ability to create Devil Bats, and flight... This is going to be quite a pain in the ass!"
I looked at the Demon and desperately tried to figure out how to fight her.
Moreover, her body is Rina's, so I can't inflict too much damage...
...Huh? Seriously, how am I supposed to fight this?
"Enough! Just hit me already!"
"Like hell I will!!! If I take a hit from that, I'll die instantly with my Defense stat!!!"
"Then, die!!!"
"I don't wanna!!!"
After that, I continued the offense and defense of dodging the Demon's attacks and counterattacking with 【Magic Arrow】 for a while, but the situation showed no signs of improving.
"Whoa, that was close!!"
I desperately racked my brain while dodging and intercepting the attacks from the Devil Bats created from the Demon's black mist sphere.
It's clear that I'll be worn down at this rate.
Fortunately, perhaps because her body is still Rina's, even though it's slightly transformed, her Attack, Defense, and Agility aren't that high.
I'm managing to dodge for now, but that doesn't seem like it will last forever.
But—
"Haa... Phew...!"
—There's also the issue of my stamina.
"I'm bored."
The Demon, who had been letting my attacks get to the last second, suddenly stopped moving when I started to run out of breath.
And she sighed, saying she was bored.
"What did you say?!"
"I said I'm bored. It's no fun when there's not much of a challenge. Besides, even if you can dodge my attacks, it's meaningless if your attacks don't hit the target, right? So..."
The Demon said that and pointed both hands at me.
The next moment, the black sphere in the Demon's palms grew larger and larger again, and when it reached the size of a basketball, the black sphere detached from her palms and slowly floated toward me.
Well, I can easily dodge something like this—
"【Greed】!"
—I couldn't.
I tried to dodge the black sphere, but my body felt so sluggish, as if it wasn't my own.
"…Tch."
I can't dodge this...!
The moment I realized that, I created a 【Divine Bolt】 to use as a shield and blocked the black sphere.
"Guaah...!!"
But my body was blown away along with the 【Divine Bolt】 and slammed into the ground.
"What the hell..."
I thought I defended properly, but I took damage so severe that intense pain shot through my body even when I wasn't moving?
What happened...? Did the Demon say 【Greed】 and then my body movements slowed down...?
And the Demon's voice, which had somehow closed the distance, reached my ears as I was surprised by the sudden event.
"【Greed】... The power to steal anything I desire. I'm not used to this body yet, so I can only temporarily steal your stats, but when used at a timing like that, it's an exceptionally effective power."
...What the hell is that broken-ass Skill...
But that explains it.
The reason I didn't notice the Demon approaching was that my Agility stat had dropped, while the Demon had become faster by the amount of Agility she stole from me.
"Just now, I wished for your speed... but the effect of 【Greed】 has already worn off ♪"
I moved my arm to check, and indeed, I didn't feel the sluggishness in my body from before.
If that's the case...!!!
"Sorry, Rina! Divine Bolt!"
I feel bad for Rina... or rather, Rina's body, but right now, surviving and waiting for reinforcements is the top priority.
I didn't want to hurt Rina's body if possible, but I have no choice now.
At worst, as long as she's alive, I can use Potions or 【Healing Magic】 to cure the injuries.
"Haaaaaahhh"
My body can still move, albeit barely.
I gripped the 【Divine Bolt】 in one hand and threw it at the Demon like a javelin.
"Yikes!"
The Demon, who took my thrown 【Divine Bolt】 head-on, was blown away to the wall on the opposite side of the boss room.
However, she created a black sphere in that instant to use as a cushion, so I can't expect much damage.
But...
"That's enough time to recover...!!"
I gained distance from the Demon, which gave me enough time to recover the damage I had taken.
I took five Potions out of my 【Item Box】, drank two in one go, and poured three over my body.
"Guh...!"
Looking at my Status, my current HP is 14,650. I can see that more than half of it was shaved off by that one blow.
And now, that damage is gradually recovering.
Even though it was more than half of my total HP, this isn't a complete recovery, but it's enough recovery.
"Even so, what do I do from here..."
If she has a cheat-like Skill that can steal my stats, the difficulty of buying time increases considerably.
In that case...
"I just have to defeat her."
But then, it comes down to how to defeat her.
So, while I have distance from the Demon, I'll allocate the SP that I hadn't had time to allocate since Rina was kidnapped to the 【Lock-On】 Skill.
【Magic Arrow】 can be fired rapidly, but it lacks power. On the other hand, 【Divine Bolt】 has power, but it can't be fired rapidly, so it can be defended against.
Both have enough potential to incapacitate the Demon, but both are missing one key element.
"It's all or nothing... I'm counting on you. God, Buddha, and Lock-On Skill-sama...!"
I muttered a prayer, opened my Status, and allocated SP to the 【Lock-On】 Skill, raising its Skill Level from 18 to 20.
My current Skills and weapons don't seem capable of neutralizing the Demon.
Therefore, I need a powerful move that can stop the Demon's movements.
Something with an unbelievable amount of power, a technique I've never seen before.
"Please...!"
Well, it's cruel to ask for power from the 【Lock-On】 Skill, but now that the 【Lock-On】 Skill has reached a Skill Level that's a multiple of 10, I should get a powerful effect...
"Alright! With this...!"
All that's left is to use this Skill to neutralize the Demon.
"Come on! Let's do this."
—BAM!!!
The wall I blew the Demon into shattered, and the Demon's figure became visible. The Demon had used the black sphere as a cushion to mitigate the damage, so she didn't appear to be seriously hurt.
However, she must have taken some damage, as she looked slightly unsteady.
Then, our eyes met.
"...Honestly... you got me there!"
The Demon laughed and created black mist, forming Devil Bats.
A few of the created Devil Bats flew toward me, but the rest flew toward the Labyrinth Church followers.
The Devil Bats that flew toward the Labyrinth Church followers bit into their necks with their sharp fangs and sucked their blood, just as they did with Dragon's Eye.
"Damn it! Not again!!"
She's done the same thing repeatedly, recovering her HP and MP.
Honestly, I don't want to do this, but...
"But this is the only way...!!!"
I created transparent arrows with 【Magic Arrow】, aimed them at the Labyrinth Church followers the Devil Bats were heading toward, and fired them from the Dragonwood Bow, hitting the followers directly and... killing them.
I really don't want to do this, but I can't afford to be sentimental right now.
I've steeled my resolve.
I'm not going to say something naive like 'I can't kill people' even in a situation like this.
It's true that I've never killed a person.
But I've killed monsters to survive.
So now... I won't say 'I had no choice.'
"Don't forgive me..."
Considering this situation, the conspiracy with Dragon's Eye to kidnap Rina, and everything else...
I doubt I'll be charged with a crime.
So, I will definitely defeat this Demon.
At least to make the lives I took meaningful.
And I blew away the Devil Bats that were coming toward me and the Devil Bats that were heading toward the followers all at once.
"Honestly... you could at least let me recover a bit, you know?!"
The Demon, with a confident expression, said that to me.
But this time, I can't back down easily either.
"【Weak Point Lock-On】."
I immediately used the new effect gained from leveling up the 【Lock-On】 Skill.
The new ability I gained from raising the 【Lock-On】 Skill Level to 20 is 【Weak Point Lock-On】.
【Weak Point Lock-On】, as the name suggests, is a Skill that locks onto an opponent's weak point, making long-range attacks guaranteed to hit that locked-on weak point.
When used, the weak points apparently glow red, and I can lock onto those red areas.
And now that I've used 【Weak Point Lock-On】 on the Demon, various parts of the Demon-Rina's body are glowing red.
"This is different from before...?!"
The Demon looked puzzled, but this is my chance.
The areas glowing red right now are the human vital points: the head, the neck, and the center of the chest, where the heart is.
In addition to the red areas, there are several other parts that are glowing red.
There are also red spots on the parts that appeared after the Demon released her power, such as the horns on her head and the base of the wings on her back.
In other words, those must be her weak points as a Demon.
So, the target for 【Weak Point Lock-On】 won't be the human vital points, but the Demon's vital points: the horns and the base of the wings.
"Now... the real fight begins..."
This is the main event.
"Hah!!"
I nocked a transparent arrow created with 【Magic Arrow】 to the Dragonwood Bow, took aim, and fired.
"Hah!!!"
And after firing the first arrow, I fired another arrow a moment later.
"Kuh! The target is different from before!"
The Demon destroyed the transparent arrows with the black sphere.
"Not yet!"
Now is the time to break my limits!!!
I kept creating three transparent arrows with 【Magic Arrow】 and firing them one after another.
I didn't stop my hands, just kept shooting, shooting, and shooting.
"Kuh! You're so annoying!"
The Demon seemed to be getting irritated. She created a shockwave from the black sphere—a shockwave far more powerful than before—and destroyed all the transparent arrows I had fired.
But thanks to that...
"Kuh! Where is he?!?"
A dust cloud large enough for me to hide in rose up.
Just as planned. I had fired the transparent arrows at the Demon beforehand.
And I used the dust cloud to move behind the Demon, created a transparent arrow, and—
"Take this."
—Thrust the transparent arrow I was holding into the base of the Demon's back wings.
"A-A-Aaaaaaahhh!!! Get it out! Pull that arrow out right now!"
The Demon immediately started screaming, thrashing around and punching to try and shake me off her back.
But when she thrashed, I just put more force into the arrow, driving it deeper. And since she has a human structure, her punches to her own back weren't that strong.
"Ugh... this is the finishing blow."
"W-What are you talking about...!!"
Well, that alone probably isn't enough to neutralize her, so I had prepared one more move.
The transparent arrow I had fired before I started moving.
That arrow was now guaranteed to hit thanks to 【Weak Point Lock-On】 and was flying toward her horn.
"N-N-Naaaaaahhh!"
The Demon noticed it and screamed again, frantically trying to cover her horn with her hand.
But if that was enough to protect her, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble.
"See ya...!"
I muttered that, and with my hands now free, I twisted the transparent arrow plunged into her back with force. At the same time, the transparent arrow I had shot pierced her horn, and I twisted the arrow in her back deeper and deeper.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!"
The transparent arrow was deeply embedded in the base of her wing, and the Demon, whose horn was broken by the direct hit, let out a death-like shriek.
"Haa... haa... haa...!"
I'm exhausted, as expected. In fact, I have almost no magic power or stamina left. I guess I used too many 【Magic Arrow】s, even if it was to force her into making a big move.
But it seems the effect was worth the cost.
The Demon is screaming, and a black mist-like substance is repeatedly flowing in and out of the Demon-Rina's body.
"Aaaaaahhh"
"Looks like it worked..."
It seems I achieved my goal of neutralizing the Demon.
If this hadn't worked, I would have had no choice but to give up and run away for the time being.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh...!"
After the Demon screamed for a while, the black mist stopped flowing out, and she collapsed onto the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
However, the black mist didn't just disappear; it gathered a short distance from Rina's body and began to take shape.
"Phew... that was close..."
There stood the Demon, whose appearance had changed from before, now with horns, wings, and a tail.
The Demon was now a beautiful woman in her early twenties, with long blonde hair, wearing the same clothes Rina had been wearing earlier.
I see, so that's the Demon... And Rina is... Wait!
"Why is she naked, though?"
And I feel like her chest is bigger than before...
No, no, no, I need to get her dressed first!
But I don't have any spare clothes in my 【Item Box】; I only have what I'm wearing.
Well, I guess I have no choice. For now, I'll use my jacket to cover her up...
"Oh, how kind of you."
The Demon, who was lying down a short distance away, looked at my face and chuckled.
"Shut up. Be quiet. And don't move any further, alright? I'll shoot if you do?!"
But I don't have the luxury of dealing with the Demon, so I held up the Dragonwood Bow, ready to shoot at any moment.
"Oh? You don't have to be so cautious of me. I don't have the strength to fight anymore."
Indeed, just as the Demon said, she's maintaining a human form for now, but her body is made of black mist, and it looks like she could completely turn into black mist at any moment.
"Besides, even if you aim your arrow, there's nothing I can do since I can't move."
"Well, I guess that's true!"
However, I have no intention of letting my guard down.
Even if she can't move, she still has magic and that 【Greed】 Skill.
Caution is key.
"Honestly... you don't trust me at all, do you?"
"Of course not!"
The Demon looked disappointed, but she should really reflect on her own actions from a moment ago.
"Well, fine. More importantly, what is your name?!"
"...Do you really think I'd tell you?"
"Hmm... Well, I suppose that's true."
Honestly, I wouldn't mind telling her, but there's a disadvantage to me having my name known.
Since she knew about Rina, I wondered if there was any point in hiding it... but well, just in case.
"Then I'll just have to find out on my own. I've become interested in you, not just that child."
"............Huh? What are you talking about...!"
"Later~"
"Hey! Wait a minute—!?"
Without giving me time to stop her, the Demon said something cryptic, and then the speed at which her body turned into black mist suddenly increased, and she vanished without a trace.
"Damn it! She got away!!"
She turned into black mist and disappeared, but I didn't get a level-up notification, and considering her cryptic words, she probably isn't dead.
In that case, there's a high possibility she'll reappear.
...Haa... why did this have to happen...
I thought I had finally defeated the Demon, but at the very end, things got troublesome.
But putting that aside.
"...Ugh... mm...!"
I'm exhausted, as expected.
Rina seems unharmed... I'll just wait for the reinforcements now.
"Aargh!!! I'm exhausted—"
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