That night, Grom and I set out for the former demon territory.
It was a desolate, bracing wasteland, devoid of life.
The night sky stretched endlessly overhead, dominated by a spray of stars and a brilliant full moon. This was the place designated for our duel. Though it was technically Diera’s domain, the Demigod had paid that no mind. Whether Diera herself was even aware of this remained a mystery.
He had likely chosen this location because it offered the least risk of collateral damage. A region this vast and uninhabited was a rarity. Even if our battle grew fierce, there would be no one nearby to suffer the fallout. In that sense, it was the perfect stage for a duel.
I appreciated the choice. Here, I could unleash my full power without worrying about secondary casualties.
Grom surveyed our surroundings, his intense wariness on full display.
“Will he truly show himself...?”
“He will. He isn't the type to break his word,” I asserted.
I was certain of it.
Grom looked at me, puzzled. “Do you have some reason to be so sure?”
“The impression I got from speaking with him. The Demigod is a man of steadfast conviction; he does not tolerate deception, whether in himself or in others.”
The Demigod’s sense of justice was consistent. When we had met at the World Tree, he had taken the safety of the forest and the elves into account. Even his decision to leave without attacking me then was born from a desire to minimize sacrifice.
The Demigod felt a distinct hesitation when it came to wielding his own power. At the very least, he was no villain. He sought to kill me without regard for personal gain or loss. Since his goal was the dismantling of the Demon King’s Army, he clearly intended to eliminate evil and bring peace to the world.
I could respect that ideology. Whatever might come after its realization, a heart that truly desires peace is a noble thing.
I felt the weight of the keepsake sword hanging at my hip. I had made sure to bring it this time; the Demigod was an opponent worthy of its edge. I had to finish him without fail. If I was to kill him and ensure he didn't escape, this blade was my best option.
Suddenly, I perceived a shift in the air.
It was the faintest of changes, so subtle it might have been mistaken for a trick of the mind. And yet, the atmosphere had undeniably transformed. No matter how many times I checked, the sensation remained the same.
I gave Grom a warning. “He’s coming. Brace yourself.”
“Yes, my Lord! Understood!”
Grom shifted into a combat stance with fluid, practiced speed. He was ready to react to anything.
I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword as well. I layered various magic formulas to grant myself physical enhancement and sharpened my focus. Depending on the Demigod’s first move, I might need to draw my blade instantly.
Before long, a distortion rippled through the space ahead of us.
The Demigod stepped through. He had the same brown skin and unkempt white hair as before, and the blue formulas engraved across his body were identical to our previous meeting.
The Demigod looked toward us and spoke. “Have I kept you?”
“Don’t worry about it. We only just arrived ourselves.”
“I see,” he replied coldly.
His composure was entirely natural, as if this were his default state. He didn’t look like a man about to fight a duel to the death. However, that wasn't to say he lacked resolve. His eyes, visible through the mess of his hair, fixed on me with a gaze that held a core of steel. They were the eyes of a man driven by a mission—someone prepared to stake his life for his cause.
After standing motionless for a moment, the Demigod suddenly pointed at Grom.
“Why have you brought an aide?” he questioned. “He should be unnecessary for a duel.”
“I am under no restriction regarding my subordinates. We intend to work together to finish you,” I replied.
The Demigod’s brow furrowed slightly. He seemed dissatisfied.
He eyed me with suspicion. “...Are you serious? It is true that the undead possesses extraordinary power. However, he is not of a caliber that can interfere in this fight. You must realize that.”
“That isn't for you to decide.”
I signaled Grom with a look. Grom nodded and stepped forward.
We had decided on this beforehand. At his own fervent request, Grom would fight first. His goal was to reveal even a fraction of the Demigod’s true power to me.
Grom stopped a short distance away and squared off against the Demigod. He spoke with a commanding, theatrical air.
“You claim I lack sufficient strength. Is that correct?”
“Precisely. That is what I said,” the Demigod answered without hesitation.
It sounded like a taunt, but it wasn't. He was simply stating what he believed to be an objective fact.
In response, Grom funneled miasma into his eight arms. They writhed and shifted, morphing into the shapes of weapons as flickering black flames ignited along them. Rotating all eight weapons at once, Grom made his declaration in a voice that rumbled like the earth itself.
“—Very well. Then I shall have to correct that error in judgment.”
“......”
The Demigod remained perfectly relaxed. He didn't seem tense at all as he quietly observed Grom. Then, he shifted his gaze back to me.
“Leaving it to your subordinate while you watch from your high horse. You certainly think much of your own station.”
“I am the Demon King, after all. My station is naturally quite high,” I retorted, injecting a bit of sarcasm into the provocation. If I could distract him even slightly, it was worth the effort.
The Demigod turned his eyes back to Grom. The magic power inside him began to swell, and the formulas across his body started to pulse with a faint light.
“How heartless. Fine then—watch from your height as your subject is unmade.”
The moment the words left his lips, the Demigod vanished.