Riot Grasper Vol 2 Chapter 7.1

2nd Volume, 7th Chapter 【The Final Outcome】 1st Part

Author’s note: There may be arguments for and against, but…
I’m dropping ‘b’. (Translator’s note: I’m not sure about what the author means here, but here’s my guess. In the last chapter, there was a skill called ‘Symphonic Rave’. For ‘Rave’, the author used レイヴ which is p.r.o.nounced as ‘Reive’. People must have pointed out that it should be ‘Reibu’ instead)

――What I imagined was a rainbow sword flash that could cut all apart.
A shockwave that could tear the air into bits.

「――――U……oooo!!」

Disregarding the screams of my injured flank, I swung the sword to the end.
The crescent moon shaped sword flash crashed into the huge Fireball refined by the demon.

The contest lasted――for but a few seconds.
With the sound as if air was being licked, the flames raged. From the Fireball, sparks scattered onto the ground.

Go――――just like that, go…!!

「Ridiculous……I’m being――pushed back――…」

The moment I felt as if I heard a faint voice――the opponent’s Fireball was smashed into two.
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the burst open ma.s.s of flames scattered into the surroundings.

The rainbow sword flash had considerably died down. However, it had yet to extinguish.
After cutting the Fireball apart, it proceeded to the demon.

Concurrently, I mustered the remainder of my strength, kicked the ground and flung.

「――Ku!!」

Due to the shock of receiving an unexpected counterattack from the prey that was supposed to be hunted, or due to the humiliation of getting her magic shattered――the demon’s body went stiff.

The sky ripping six colored slash stretched from the opponent’s shoulder to her contralateral abdomen. In the next instant, there was only one color――a red liquid gushed into the air.

Nevertheless, I didn’t stop running.
I had better not think she was knocked down with just that.
Because she wasn’t an opponent I could afford to be careless against.

「Don’t… kid with me――-such…a thing…」

Without kneeling on the ground, the demon grabbed the spear, which was stabbed into the ground, and turned toward me who was das.h.i.+ng in pursuit.

…Just how strong is she?

However, the agility of her movement wasn’t the same as before.

「With this――――」

Simultaneously dodging the struck out spearhead, I hit an upper sword cut (diagonal) with all my power.
(Translator’s note: 逆袈裟 Gyaku kesa)

「――――It’s oooooover!!!」

Metals rubbed against each other accompanied by a thud… The spear, which the demon was holding, whirled in the air.
While rotating, it drifted away from us and transfixed into the ground turning into an ‘Objet D’Art’ of the wetland.

My sword was on the verge of the opponent’s throat… Actually, when my sword came to a halt, the tip had slightly pierced into her throat…
Blood trickled down the demon’s throat and intermingled with her bloodstained bust.

Let alone the bow, even the Body Arts which she excelled at wouldn’t help her escape at this distance. In such an adjoined state, magic need not even be mentioned.

――Game, set, match.

It was so quiet as if the time had stopped.

「…I lost…? Fine…just kill me…」

Such words leaked from the demon’s mouth.
With the intimidating air about her having faded, she gazed with empty eyes.
To be honest, I didn’t know how the opponent felt.

However, I knew what I had to do.
I must kill her.

Based on my ability, the victory could only be called a miracle.
The demon race looked down on other races… When I actually met one, I was convinced it was true.
Leaving them alive… would be too dangerous…

The sword had already been poked. I just had to thrust it half a step more to take her life.
With just that, I could finish her.
However…

――Thus far, I had taken the lives of countless monsters.
Yet, I had never felt a shred of guilt.
Even the Smagob that possessed a form which was relatively closer to a human’s.
However, the demon before my eyes… was far too humanoid…

They were… unable to exchange words…
However, because she possessed intelligence, a feeling of reluctance was welling up in me…

Having figured my hesitation out, the demon shot these words at me.

「What happened? Not going to kill me? …Don’t tell me there’s actually a human hesitating to kill a demon…」
「…There’s something I would like to ask.」
「What?」
「Why do the demons initiate attacks on other races?」
「…Let me ask you in return. Why do other races attack demons on sight?」
「That’s… because demons tried to conquer in the past… and trampled over the other races, I think…」
「I see. Well, didn’t those abominable dragons stop us? We are going to regain our past glory. Most of the demons are intent on doing so.」
「…Are you different from the most?」

The opponent closed her eyes in denial.

「I may not be one of the 『demons』 from the earlier question, but in individual capacity… I can’t say I’m different. In fact, I’m made to contribute to the foundation for the sake of regaining the glory.」

She spun those words with a tone of self deprecation.

「As for killing humans, I don’t feel any hesitation. However, as far as ‘attack’ is concerned, it’s mostly the other side that initiates the attack.」
「This time, you were certainly the one to start a fight… Afterward, didn’t I try to negotiate with you on a number of occasions?」
「…Let’s not stray away from the topic. What I mean is, if we come across them, they generally start a fight. Has this answered your earlier question?」

She matter of factly shot those words.
What the heck am I doing…?
Am I trying to find a reason to thrust the sword in or am I trying to find an excuse to pull the sword back…?

「One more thing. How did you fall down here? Don’t demons dwell further south?」

「…Right. What if I say that my side initiated the attack this time?」
「What… does that mean?」
「Further south from here, humans built a fort. I marauded that place.」

What…the…?!
Marauded the fort built on the border between the kingdom and the uninhabited area…?
Don’t tell me a demon group is heading up north?!

「However, the lone me was outnumbered. At last, I had the table turned against me. Since Luna was injured, it couldn’t fly. That’s why I fell down here.」
「Eh, alone…?」

A single horseman charging into a fort… Even though she’s a demon, what was she thinking?

「I have no intention of telling you the reason. Enough already. Just kill me.」

Yeah… I must kill her…
What am I reluctant for?

I had already visually confirmed all the martial arts and magic skills that demon possessed.
Considering that I possessed Origin Magic, I had better prioritize stealing martial art skills.
Especially, because Thief’s G.o.dly Skill required direct contact with the opponent, I strongly felt the need of Body Arts in this battle. So, first of all, I would steal Body Arts――

――Such an idea had completely left the current me’s mind.

What was revolving in my mind was whether to thrust the sword in or not.
My heart was beating as if gongs echoing inside my body.

――I put power into the arm that was grasping the sword.

As to why I thought it was fun to live here in this world, I believed even now that it was thanks to everyone around me.
The elements that might bring harm to them must be eradicated.

When I was――about to pierce the sword deep into the opponent’s throat――