Konjiki no Moji Tsukai - Chapter 319

Chapter 319 – The Value of Strength
Shublarz and Rushbelle were fighting against an «Ugly Giant» that also appeared at the  [Bridge of Mutig], however, it fired a ball of light from its mouth like a laser cannon, similar to the one at the [Bridge of Dohas].

It had a terrific lethality, as everything it touched was reduced to dust far too easily. And the lives of the fleeing soldiers that took a direct hit were extinguished just as easily.

Time-wise, that laser lasted no more than a few seconds, but even that was enough to bring about such a frightening scene. It created a giant grater on the ground, looking as if a meteor had landed from the sky.

Surrounding it were the countless corpses of the victims. Some of their bodies were probably turned into dust, while some only left arms or legs behind. Some only had their lower bodies left, while some their upper… it was a true a ghastly sight.

“Haa…ha…ha…ha…ha! I expected no less from the «Ugly Giant»! That’s some power it has!”

Looking at the scene Iraora smiled in amusement. Just that alone was enough to realise that he was an inhuman bastard who didn’t view lives as important.

“Kh…”

Shublarz showed herself at the location he was looking at. She appeared to have all limbs on her, but being blown off by the impact of the explosion seemed to have caused her considerable damage.

“Ku…ku…ku, with the way you are, you can’t even use your speciality, the dance, right? How amusing! I’m going to end you here and now!”

Iraora, with his giant body, started approaching the collapsed Shublarz. However, he stopped in his tracks and looked up at the sky, having sensed something from there.

“Die, Iraoraaaaaaaa!”

And there, he saw Rushbelle with his «Killer Javelin» in hand.

“Tsk! So you were still alive!”

He tried to get away from where he was standing, however,

“Green Bind!”

“Paralyze!”

Green, chainlike objects suddenly appeared and restrained him and electricity covered his whole body.

“Ugh!”

Iraora then noticed Shuri and Shinobu standing on his either side. They used their Magic to restrain him.

“You were alive too!?”

“That’s right! We won’t forgive you!”

“Right! Ya shall be judged by us!”

“Tsk!”

“Don’t underestimate me, you braaaats!”

Iraora gathered power in his body and dispelled the magic binding it with nothing but his spirit.

“No way!?”

“Are ya serious!?”

The two trembled before the enemy that their Magic had no effect on. However,

“No you two, that was good enough!”

The voice of admiration reached their ears from the sky. It, of course, belonged to Rushbelle. By momentarily restraining Iraora’s movements, he had already entered Rushbelle’s attack range.

“Have a taste of my war spear!”

“Damn it!”

With a look of impatience, Iraora desperately tried to move away…however,

Swoosh!

Thump!

With that sound, something big fell to the ground.

“……Tsk.”

That click of a tongue belonged to Rushbelle. In his sight, there was a figure of Iraora, with his giant right arm cut off. Unfortunately, his spear only managed to take his hand, and he managed to keep his life.

“N-Now you’ve fucking done it, Rushbelle…”

While grimacing from pain, he squeezed out those words in frustration.

“Now, let me finish you off!”

Rushbelle’s «Killer Javelin» had already produced three elemental blades and had turned into its «Force Lancer» mode.

“I leave Shublarz-sama to you two! Also, please try and stop that Giant!”

““U-Understood!””

The two responded to Rushbelle’s request and headed to look after Shublarz. He wanted to have her recover and then take command over the soldiers and stop the Giant. After confirming that they headed towards her, Rushbelle put strength in the arm holding the spear.

“Ku…ku…ku, hey now, are you sure you want to leave that one alone?”

Iraora moved his gaze to a certain place and motioned with his chin towards it. At that place was the «Ugly Giant» that was on its way towards the bridge.

“No problem. I’ll join them after I butcher you.”

“Heheh, those are some big words. Are you sure you can back them up? Are you?”

“It’s not about whether I can or not. I’m doing it!”

“…Ku…ku…ku, you are the same old sultry bastard. That side of yours always pissed me off!”

In fact, when they were deciding the position of the «Demon Army Commander», the two nominations were Rushbelle and Iraora. However, Rushbelle ended up being chosen in the end. There were no objections regarding his power and popularity. He was rapidly getting stronger and had a promising future, so he was selected.

However, Iraora’s battle power could not be disregarded either, and he was assigned the important duty to protect the national border.

“I’m the stronger one here! And yet, you ended up in the higher position! Do you know how I felt at that time?”

“I can’t understand the sentiments of traitors.”

“Hmph, you always stayed in my shadow with that composed expression stuck on your face.”

Was it an inferiority complex he was feeling, or perhaps a sense of fear towards his junior for catching up to him with a terrific speed…

“That’s why, I always wanted…”

“……”

“…to crush you with these hands!”

“Oh, what a coincidence. I was also thinking of erasing a sorry existence like you.”

“I’ll make you regret this, Rushbeeeeelle!”

Iraora took a red, glowing crystal from his pocket and with a sly grin on his face, he threw it into his mouth.

“Huh?”

Not knowing what he was planning, Rushbelle raised his alertness and watched him.

“Guhahahaha… Let me show you! This is the power His Majesty bestowed on me! This Iraora-sama was born aneeeew!”

“Wha-!?”

From his left arm that should have been severed, a dark red something grew with burbling sounds and took the form of an arm. Looking closer, Iraora’s entire body was turning dark red.

His body gradually swelled up, becoming three times the original size, and his grim face became devilish, like the embodiment of fear itself.

“W-What is this…!?”

What was truly surprising was not the changes in his appearance. Instead, it was the fact that both his Magic and physical powers rose up to unbelievable levels. He emitted a presence so strong that Rushbelle could not even move his eyes away from him.

He wondered whether this was like a compact version of that «Ugly Giant».

“Guhahahaha! I’ll hold back on the first attack! Try your best to dodge it, shorty!”

The completely changed Iraora casually raised his arm and produced a terrific wind pressure. And then, he swung it down along with all that pressure towards Rushbelle.

Rushbelle studied that attack and dodged it with minimal movements, however,

“Are you sure you should be standing so close?”

“Huh?”

The moment his fist hit the ground it produced an intense shockwave and blew off Rushbelle who stood nearby. Even though he dodged it, an impact as if he was shot with a wind bullet assaulted him.

“T-This is just absurd!?”

Indeed it was. After properly dodging the enemy’s attack, he tried to use the opening to attack, but his expectations were betrayed. And what achieved that was the shock wave produced by that attack. He did not even take a direct hit, yet it carried enough power to blow him away, so his shock was understandable.

“Guhaha! This is just the beginning. You can’t even entertain me like this!”

“In that case, I will take the initiative now!”

Preparing his spear, he nimbly dashed about and attacked. While Iraora did power up, Rushbelle was still above him when it came to speed.

“Oh woow, so fast, so fast~”

Iraora expressed his impressions like it was someone else’s problem.

“I’ll cut you apart along with your composure!”

Rushbelle moved behind him and tried to pierce his chest with the spear………however,

Whoosh!

The intended target vanished in an instant and it instead cut the empty air.

“Did you think…that I was slow?”

Rushbelle heard those words from behind. And then,

Thuuud!

“Gaah-ha…!?”

He quickly turned around, but a fist that was bigger than his face sunk into his abdomen. His bones gave creaks and all the air in his lungs escaped at once.

His body got bent and blown off straight ahead.

He grandly rolled across the ground, but commendably enough, he never let go of his spear. However, the damage suffered from that direct hit was unfathomable.

“Gah…aah!”

Fresh blood escaped from his mouth.

(This is bad… It seems my internal organs were damaged…)

Every time he tried to get up, he was assaulted by a sharp pain in his abdomen. Just a single attack carried such an absurd power in it.

“Guhahahaha! How was it? This is Iraora-sama’s power! I stand in a place you will never reach no matter how much you try! Guhahahaha!”

Even as the blood flowed from his mouth, Rushbelle used the spear as a support and stood up. And then, he glared at Iraora.

“Hah? What’s with that look?”

“…Hehe, it seems even your misunderstandings… are on another level.”

“Huh?”

“What reborn Iraora. What place I can’t reach. That kind of strength…is fake.”

“Guhaha! Which part of it is fake! You can’t even speak properly after experiencing my power!”

“…Diligently studying and cultivating yourself every day…that is what we call strength.”

“Ah?”

“But that strength of yours…is nothing but imitation…given by someone else!”

“What did you say?”

“True strength…” Rushbelle set up his spear and continued with force, “is the magnificent crystal born from one’s diligent effort and beliefs! Don’t you dare ridicule strength, you lowlife!”

But then, despite setting up his spear, the damage he suffered was too much and he ended up falling to his knees. Seeing that, Iraora burst into ridiculing laughter.

“Guhahahaha! Say whatever you want, but strength is a strength! My power now is the real deeeeaaaal!”

His giant fist reminiscent of a wall appeared before Rushbelle’s eyes.

(Kh…So this is it, huh…)

Just as he grit his teeth, awaiting the imminent attack,

Craaaash!

Suddenly, Iraora who was before his eyes got blown off to the side. And then, the one responsible for that deed appeared in Rushbelle’s vision.

“That was quite reckless of you, Rushbelle.”

“…O-Ornoth-sama…!?”

Indeed, it was Ornoth, «Rank Four» of the prided Cruel of the [Demon Kingdom – Chaos].