The time of reckoning still remained as hazy as a mirage.
And yet, the direction of victory and defeat was clearer than ever.
"Ah, this isn't going to work."
I shook my head inwardly.
To be honest.
I couldn't win right now.
"Haa, haa..."
Tiona was breathing hard.
But unlike me, who was shaking my head, there wasn't the slightest hint of defeat on her face.
Well, that made sense.
In practical terms, aside from the damage-over-time from my attacks, I hadn't landed anything that truly hurt her.
What was I supposed to do about this?
"Tch, was I too focused on style over substance?"
I had modeled my various elemental Magecraft spells after the techniques of Devil Fruit abilities.
The common trait of these spells was that I had poured an absurd amount of effort into their visual effects, so without tools like Mystic Codes or catalysts, they were nothing more than flashy trash fireworks.
The only reason they had any power at all right now was because I had combined several catalysts I had prepared on the off chance I might need them.
Even so, maybe it was because I lacked a proper Mystic Code.
The power just wasn't there.
Even if I fired off that kindergarten boss's finger laser or kick right now, it would probably just sparkle for a moment and end there.
In a similar vein, the same could be said for the Shinigami's Ear.
But as I had proven several times in actual combat already, for some reason this line of techniques manifested properly as a single spell.
Why was that?
If I had to guess, it would be the difference between the result of using an ability and a genuine technical result.
Surely it wasn't just because the name had kanji in it and therefore looked impressive, right?
I really wanted to believe that wasn't the case.
In any event, I had tried attacking mainly with directly damaging attributes like fire and lightning.
But against a level 6 first-class adventurer, especially one on the front line, it was hopeless.
The poison from the fake Hydra seemed to work to some extent, but even that poison damage was now being used as the merit that triggered a buff skill, which made things awkward.
What was that ancient barbarian supposed to be?
How could she get away with that without any life steal or damage reduction?
"What are you doing, An? Is that all you've got already?"
"Grrr..."
Maybe she could feel my pressure easing up.
Unlike the grinning Tiona, who now seemed fully charged with confidence, my own furrowed expression was nothing but troubled.
Well, if I were to make a pathetic excuse from my anxious heart...
A magus was, by nature, someone prepared and someone who prepared.
A magus's battle was supposed to be fought elegantly and formally, after predicting every possible situation, throwing money around like mad, and setting up every trap imaginable—those traps that one would call shrewdness but praise as excellence within one's own domain, the magus workshop.
In other words, the "you go, I go" style of combat was the most representative way a magus fought.
In fact, the general rule was that a magus fighting in their own workshop was at least three times stronger than usual.
But realistically, the world rarely worked out so conveniently, so situations like this were uncommon.
If combat had actually reached that point, it meant the two sides had already beaten each other senseless in a fight to the death.
There was a reason magi considered stepping into one another's territory without prior notice taboo.
It was basically the same as openly declaring war, to the point that if you were suddenly murdered while walking down the street, it could still be recognized as self-defense.
Even I, back in my innocent rookie days, had nearly died more than once because I didn't know that and went wandering around recklessly.
For example, when I did that to that doll-maker big sister, I nearly got filleted alive.
No, maybe that was because I got so excited at meeting a famous person from my memories that I blurted out that "name" right to her face.
It was such an old memory that I couldn't remember it clearly anymore.
Anyway.
To make another pathetic excuse...
"What I'm saying is, I'm not in a properly prepared state right now. Yeah, that's right. I'm not even at a quarter of my normal condition, let alone a hundred percent. The aftereffects from yesterday's battle are still basically here. The prepared Magecraft catalysts and Mystic Codes are way weaker than usual too. No, honestly, if I had just done a quick investigation, this would have been over. Why would I bother bringing battle Mystic Codes with me? So the conclusion is... I'm not in the wrong."
"I don't really know what any of that means. But in the end, doesn't that just mean you're losing to me, An?"
"Ah, damn it."
This was like playing a terrible game!
That was the kind of situation this was.
But what could I do?
This was all my karma, my karma.
In that case, it looked like I needed to steel myself too.
I couldn't let my pride accept going down quietly and getting trampled like this.
So, Tiona.
"This is the last one."
I pulled a Mystic Code from my chest.
It was a dagger.
A ritual dagger, one that even from a glance emitted a sinister blood-red aura from its razor-sharp blade in every direction.
In other words, it was the kind of thing that couldn't even be used as a kitchen knife, let alone in real combat.
But the feeling it gave off was pure bad omen.
That was why I had made it and spent quite a while thinking about whether I should ever use it.
This was its use case.
As its creator, as its maker, I had decided that.
"Ngh...!"
Maybe Tiona could feel that ominous presence too.
She reflexively put some distance between us and took a stance.
But relax, Tiona.
And you're too late, adventurer.
"This isn't for attacking."
This Mystic Code's main use is a buff, no.
"Transformation."
POWER UP!
And light enveloped me.
...That would have been nice, but.
Thunk!
"Guhk!"
Unfortunately, this wasn't that kind of genre.
"An, what the hell are you doing...?"
My sudden self-harm, and the bloodbath and thick stench of blood that followed, left Tiona unable to hide her shock.
Well, if the man you liked suddenly stabbed himself in the heart in front of you, anyone would react similarly.
Still, it couldn't be helped.
Sorry, but this was just how it worked.
"Kgh! Deep... damage..."
Detected excessive blood loss.
Heart stoppage predicted.
Body death pending.
"With, this, ngh! Condition, complete."
The shadow of death swallowed me whole.
-KKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
It was the simplest and most fundamental curse since the dawn of humanity.
The curse of execution.
Its aura was ominous and fearful, and because of that it possessed a power stronger than anything else.
And through my Magecraft, I transformed that power into yet another force.
"U, [Oooooooo!]"
"W-what is that?"
I heard someone's startled question, but I ignored it.
I had never cared about some irrelevant audience in the stands, and now I was even more determined to forget them.
What mattered to me now was winning.
Winning this battle.
Forcing the "female" in front of me into submission through strength.
That was the most important thing for me, as this "beast," right now.
"[Release all curses.]"
The transformed curse spread over my entire body.
Then it materialized, forming into a suit of armor.
"[Show no mercy.]"
Spikes surged up across the surface of the bone armor.
In every direction.
Deathly thorns that by themselves evoked a field of spikes from hell.
"[Fall into despair.]"
The leftover curse from the armor gathered behind me and transformed into a single thick tail.
Spikes rose up along that as well.
With nothing more than a swing, it had become a weapon that could crush and kill a person.
"[Kurud—chew and crush...]"
At last, my face was covered and hidden.
A grotesque beast's mask-helm.
The chest pierced through by the Mystic Code had already been fully repaired long ago by the power of the transformed curse.
The faint remaining curse aura scattered across my whole body like an aura.
The completed form was, in every sense of the word...
[Coinhen, the Beast of Death's Fang!]
A monster.
"..."
The entire room froze.
Everyone fell silent, at a loss for words.
And on their faces, alongside shock and surprise, there rose a wary fear that could not be stopped, even though they knew me.
That was how ominous I must have looked now.
Extremely dangerous, and beyond fear, downright unsettling.
I couldn't even be compared to some mere floor boss that was just big and strong.
This power was that alien, that twisted, that it deserved nothing less than rejection.
And yet.
Why are you...
"Amazing, An!"
Bright.
Energetic.
Happy.
Ah, honestly.
How could there be such a pure girl in this world?
Pure in a different way from Bell.
That purity was dazzling and lovable beyond words.
So I would shatter the purity before me.
As a beast, I would crush that thing in front of me, trample it into submission, and make it mine forever.
That alone was the whole of me as a "beast"...
[CUT!]
No.
Stay calm.
Become calmly savage.
Become coldly ferocious.
I had to go mad efficiently.
Don't be ruled by power.
I am the one who uses this power.
A fake like you is nothing more than a tool created from me in the end.
And you, too, are nothing more than a "toy" for me to enjoy my romance with.
I have my pride as a creator.
I may be devoured, but I won't be controlled.
No matter how I use this power, I, as a human being, cannot fall lower than a true beast.
I must not.
That, above all else, I absolutely cannot allow.
By the faith I swore to the one within me, to the one and only her, I will not permit it.
So I am a beast, but also a magus.
A magus and a human being.
A human being and a person.
Therefore.
I am me.
...Ah, but even so.
Even so, I still like you.
And "you all" are truly the best.
At this point, even I have nothing to say.
I couldn't even deny it if you said I had fallen in love.
But precisely because of that.
All the more because of that.
"[I, am, goi...!]"
"I'll take this!"
I walked forward slowly.
She also set her stance and clenched her fist tightly.
Steps became a sprint.
A human fist became a warrior's weapon.
The beast's claws rose high.
The hero's eyes glared at the evil before them.
At last, we faced each other.
"[Tio, naaaaaa!]"
"I won't lose. I won't lose. I never will...!"
I'll laugh and keep going!
Bang!
Our weapons brushed past each other and met each other head-on.
Ah, if I said this in a situation like this, you would surely hate it.
But even so, let me say this one thing.
Jeege.
You are the true warrior.
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