The creature was born within a volcano in a distant corner of the Demon Realm, emerging from the heart of the roaring lava.
It had long crimson hair and two massive horns. Its eyes, stained a deep red, were utterly devoid of reason. The monster obliterated its volcanic birthplace and everything surrounding it before beginning its slow march through the Demon Realm.
The creature possessed nothing but a Destructive Impulse; everything it laid eyes upon became a target for annihilation.
It fell upon the lands of the Demon Realm and the creatures living there, destroying every last thing in its path. Of course, the demons did not remain defenseless.
The Demon Realm was then in the midst of the Era of Rivaling Warlords, and there was no shortage of demons confident in their own strength. Naturally, they set out to subjugate the beast.
However, the monster was overwhelming. Neither physical attacks nor magic could pierce its resilient hide, and neither sturdy shields nor defense magic could halt its onslaught.
Not a single blade of grass or tree remained in the monster's wake. It continued its trek through the Demon Realm, leaving nothing but ruin behind.
By the time the devastation had consumed a third of the Demon Realm and the monster had come to be feared as the Crimson Magic Beast, it arrived near the center of the realm.
In its path stood a small house where two demons lived. To the monster, everything in its sight was a target for destruction, and that house was no exception. It intended to crush it and move on.
"……Ein. Stay back. It’s dangerous."
"Y-Yes."
Had the one living there been anyone other than Kuromueina, who would later be known as the strongest of the Demon Realm... The monster was certainly powerful. Using its excessive might, it lunged at Kuromueina and actually managed to inflict a slight wound upon her.
A slight wound. That, however, was its limit.
"……What incredible power. Hmm, there’s no doubt 'that person' had a hand in this. Honestly, what is she thinking? You’ve certainly been put through the wringer, haven't you?"
Observing the creature's clearly abnormal strength, Kuromueina realized that her other half—the Creator God, with whom she had not yet reunited—had meddled in its creation. She gave an exasperated sigh and set to work on the beast.
She sealed that massive Destructive Impulse and adjusted the creature's appearance to a form more closely resembling herself and Ein.
"……Grrrr."
"Yeah, you’re certainly energetic. And since I've sealed your impulse, you aren't attacking anymore. Well, you're cowering a little bit... but I suppose I can just teach you how things work from now on."
Because her other half was involved, Kuromueina decided to take the creature under her wing. She gave him the name Megiddo.
The monster—Megiddo—was obedient toward Kuromueina. It was likely because he understood her to be the powerhouse who had defeated him. He learned from her and gradually acquired knowledge.
In that process, he discovered the thrill of battle. He found joy in tempering his body and competing with others. At the same time, even with Kuromueina's seal in place, he loathed the Destructive Impulse that still lingered within him. He hated his past self for annihilating a third of the Demon Realm.
He grew to despise his existence as a monster that could not enjoy combat, could not compete, and could not give an opponent the chance to grow—a being that did nothing but trample and destroy.
Eventually, Megiddo applied multiple layers of seals to his own body, confining his true form.
However, his Destructive Impulse had by no means vanished. Though suppressed, it continued to sleep deep within him.
That was exactly why Megiddo hated his true form. Whenever he returned to it, he could feel the presence of that impulse still residing deep inside...
Having finished the bulk of his tale, Megiddo-san exhaled deeply, as if to clear his mind.
"……Well, that's the gist of it. So, back to the main point. I want to do something about that Destructive Impulse, but the damn thing is a real pain. It won't listen to a word I say."
"So it’s like a gorilla carrying a rabid dog around in his gut," Alice remarked. "And Megiddo-san wants Kaito-san to housebreak that dog for him..."
"Well, that's how it is."
"……I'm still not quite following."
I understood that Megiddo-san hated the impulse and wanted to control it. What I didn't understand was why I was being asked to do it. How was I supposed to control something inside of him?
"To put it simply, I want you to blow my Destructive Impulse away and make it submit."
"He won't understand it if you put it like that," Alice sighed. "Look, Kaito-san. There’s a special kind of magic called a Heart Match. It’s essentially a Mental Power Battle conducted with mutual consent. He wants you to use it to defeat Megiddo-san’s Destructive Impulse... which is a manifestation of his emotions."
"I think I get it, but I also kind of don't."
"By the way, Kuro-san and I gave it a shot when he asked, but that impulse simply refuses to admit defeat. No matter how many times it gets beaten down, it just keeps thinking it'll win the next round."
As I watched Alice sigh in exasperation, it occurred to me that since the impulse was ultimately a part of Megiddo-san's emotions, it probably had a personality just as stubborn as his.
"……That's where you come in, Kaito. Among everyone I know, your Mental Power is top-class. I thought that maybe, just maybe, you could pull it off."
"……I-I see."
I understood the situation. I understood it, but... I really wanted to hear a bit more detail about this so-called mental battle.
???: Still no sign of her, even with the story taking such a serious turn. And the title... Oh? This is...