The Five War Generals, the five Count-class High-ranking Demons, each possessed a particular combat aesthetic—much like the War King Megiddo himself.
For instance, Bacchus, one of the Five War Generals, took pride in announcing his name before a fight and facing any opponent head-on without ever turning his back, regardless of their strength.
Agni, the Head of the Five War Generals, placed a heavy emphasis on etiquette in battle. Among the War King's subordinates, who were often perceived as lawless outlaws, she strictly adhered to her own set of rules.
In combat, she would grant the first move to her opponent if they were of a lower rank; however, if she herself was the inferior party, she would strike first. Her reasoning was that the challenger should always be the one to claim the opening move.
As this battle began, Agni kicked off the ground and lunged at Iris the moment the signal was given.
This was proof that Agni recognized Iris as her superior—an acknowledgment that she was the one who needed to test her mettle against a stronger foe.
Agni’s fighting style was brutally simple: close-quarters combat utilizing a physical body strengthened to its absolute limit. Closing the distance in a heartbeat, she swung a fist wreathed in roaring flames down at Iris.
Iris leaped far to the side, causing the blow to miss its mark. The fist slammed into the ground instead, carving out a massive crater.
She’s fast, Agni thought. But... why? Why evade by such a wide margin? Is she trying to bait me?
Agni had expected to be dodged, but the nature of the evasion felt off. She paused to consider if there was some tactical intent behind it, but Iris showed no signs of following up. If anything, the girl looked surprised by her own movement.
After a moment’s deliberation, Agni closed the distance again and unleashed a flurry of punches. Iris evaded every single one. As the exchange repeated several times, a sense of incongruity began to gnaw at Agni.
Her movements aren't synchronized with her physical abilities. With that kind of speed, she should have countered me several times by now. What is going on?
In this clash of speed, Iris was completely outclassing Agni, yet she did nothing but dodge. She showed no intent to retaliate. Watching Iris’s movements gave Agni the impression that the girl was being jerked around by her own body. Agni came to a halt, her expression clouding with suspicion.
It’s as if she hasn't fully grasped her own physical power. But could that actually be the case for someone this strong? No, that’s impossible. Then are those awkward movements a prerequisite for some kind of special magic?
Agni braced herself, assuming there was a hidden purpose behind Iris’s exaggerated evasions. In reality, however, the "impossible" theory she had just dismissed was exactly what was happening.
Iris was indeed being jerked around by her own body.
What is with these idiotic physical abilities?! That huge idiot—just what kind of absurdly spec'd vessel did she prepare?!
The clone Alice had provided possessed power nearly identical to Alice’s main body. Its physical capabilities were so high that Iris simply couldn't control them yet. Even though the body boasted the highest specifications in the world, Iris was piloting it after a combat hiatus of tens of thousands of years. Her clumsiness was, in a sense, inevitable.
"...Actually, I was never much for close-quarters combat to begin with," Iris muttered.
"Hm?"
"I shouldn't be forcing a style that doesn't suit me. I’m a little worried about how much I should hold back, but I’ll switch to the method I actually excel at."
"——!?"
Iris put a significant distance between herself and Agni, her voice calm as she caused a vast number of magic circles to manifest in the sky above.
"I decree by Royal Order. My legions, my swordsmen—gather, assemble, and destroy the fool who stands before me! Calamity Doombringer!"
"Tch!?"
With the incantation, the magic circles flared with light, unleashing a torrential rain of swords formed from jet-black magic power. Each blade was a dense mass of energy. They fell upon the arena like a carpet bomb, and the field of vision was instantly consumed by a series of massive explosions.
However, Agni was a veteran of countless wars. The moment the swords were unleashed, she burst into a sprint, weaving through the falling attacks. She immediately recognized that the magic had a homing property and began circling the arena at high speeds to shake it off.
She didn't just focus on defense, either. She tried to close in on Iris through the gaps in the rain of swords, but Iris remained stationary, simply pointing her palm toward Agni's direction.
"Hill of fools, jet-black earth, the blades lurking in the shadows crave flesh and blood..."
"I won't let you!"
Determined to interrupt the second incantation, Agni kicked off the ground with all her might. But as she lunged toward Iris...
"What... is this...?"
Agni’s fist was halted by a rigid wall while she was still a full stride away from her target.
A spherical Magic Power Barrier?! How can it be this durable?!
Iris Illuminas's preferred combat method was, in its own way, as simple as Agni's. She used immense magic power to form barriers that blocked all incoming attacks while simultaneously crushing her enemies with high-output, wide-range spells.
Long ago, when she was still human, her best friend had given her a nickname: The Fortress.
"...My finger points to the sacrifice. Devour them, Gluttony Shadow Edge!"
"Ghh!?"
The moment the incantation was finished, tens of thousands of jet-black blades erupted from the ground. They filled the entire arena, piercing through Agni’s own defensive barriers and dealing significant damage. Agni was forced down to one knee.
An omnidirectional, spherical shield that could stop even the strike of the Head of the Five War Generals, paired with overwhelming firepower that left no room for escape—it was a simple strategy. And because it was so simple, it was nearly impossible for a weaker opponent to overcome.
"...I'm starting to get the hang of this. I'll be increasing the output now. Brace yourself!"
"...Ugh..."
As Iris hovered in the air with her barrier deployed, beginning to condense a terrifying amount of magic power, she was the very image of a Mobile Fortress.
The reason Iris is so strong: Because Alice was so excited about the revival of her best friend that she over-engineered an absurdly high-spec body for her.
Iris Illuminas
Firepower: Insane Defense: Incredible Speed: Terribly slow, relative to the body's specs Attack Speed: Cannot use silent casting Evasion: Poor Cooking: Expert (Alice’s teacher) Chest: Small