Unfortunately, the demons outnumbered us and possessed top-level combatants. However, despite our lack of quantity and quality, humanity compensated with treachery.
Although the special exorcists and I devised numerous schemes, we couldn't be certain if any of them would actually work. Failure would result in defeat, and at this critical moment, we couldn't afford any losses, at least not until reinforcements arrived.
The demon army charged, causing most of the exorcists to take a step back. We all felt to some extent that we were mere disposable pawns, and in many cases, that assumption held true.
Suddenly, Uwabami's cheeks bulged as if she were about to vomit. Given her size, a river of vomit would have ensued. However, since she was situated at the rear of the demon army, none of her comrades seemed to notice her condition.
"Blegh!" Uwabami expelled five humans: Sei, Agon, Gem, Anika, and the indifferent Kuro Clan Head. Apart from the clan head, everyone on that team appeared disgusted, which wouldn't be surprising considering they had spent time inside Uwabami's stomach.
Sei was the first to react. His eyes glowed, and his hair briefly flashed silver before a mirror materialized beneath Shuten Doji and his second in command, Otakemaru. However, Shuten Doji's experience as an exorcist became evident as he immediately leaped back, evading the mirror. On the other hand, Otakemaru, an ultimate class demon born to that power and accustomed to being impervious to attacks, reacted too late and fell through the mirror.
Shuten Doji frowned, but his eyes betrayed no rage despite falling victim to the deception. Instead, he charged at the team, wielding his spiked bat. Yet Uwabami, unwilling to allow harm to befall what she considered Yamata No Orochi's son, intervened and attempted to bite Shuten Doji with her fangs.
Her effort was short-lived as Shuten Doji swung his spiked bat, producing a thunderous sound. Uwabami was sent crashing to the ground, unconscious, blood gushing from her head.
Holy shit! He took her down in one blow!
I knew Uwabami never regarded herself as strong among the demons, having grown up alongside monstrous entities like Yamata No Orochi. Nonetheless, she possessed considerable physical strength, and her defense was supposed to be one of her strong points.
The two-tailed cat manifested a translucent silver shield, but Shuten Doji wasted no time and swung his bat at the projection. A resounding - Gong! - echoed as the silver shield shattered, only slightly weakening Shuten Doji's attack. In the same swing, he landed a direct hit on the two-tailed cat, now in her humanoid form. She crashed into a distant hill, causing a massive explosion upon impact.
Just as Shuten Doji prepared to strike again, a massive tower of darkness emerged, casting an eclipse over the sun. The spiked bat halted upon contact with the tower, the shadows acted like a cushion.
The Kuro Clan had dedicated generations to creating this solar eclipse. Each Kuro Clan Head, upon reaching the end of their life, placed all their Ord in the tower. Only the Clan Head possessed the ability to summon it, drawing upon the seemingly limitless power of the Ord pool.
This was the Kuro Clan’s strategy to counter their vulnerability to light: engulf everything in darkness! However, only the Clan Head could wield this power.
With each passing generation, the tower of darkness grew stronger, and eventually was believed to be indestructible. Shuten Doji appeared eager to test its limits, as the Ord's intensity increased, causing a sensation akin to needles piercing the skin even though I was so far away.
He was a madman, but his mastery over Ord was monstrous. The guy likely didn’t stop training even after turning into a demon, and this was the result of thousands of years of hard work.
The Kuro Clan Head hesitated, knowing that the tower's failure would render the efforts of twenty generations futile.
Before disaster struck, however, the Headmaster took a deep puff from his pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke, shrouding the demon's side of the battlefield and obstructing Shuten Doji's vision.
Meanwhile, a mirror materialized just twenty meters away from me, and Sei and the others emerged from it.
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"You've arrived at last," the Headmaster addressed the Kuro Clan Head, a bead of sweat rolling down his face, evidence of the strain caused by the smoke screen.
I hurriedly approached Sei. "Teleport me to Otakemaru, the demon you previously teleported away."
Sei seemed momentarily confused but nodded, refraining from further questions. A mirror formed above me and descended, engulfing my entire body. I felt the undulating darkness wash over me before being expelled into a grassy land near a nearby river.
Having meticulously studied the area maps, I estimated that I was a few kilometers away from the battlefield.
Otakemaru, Shuten Doji's formidable second-in-command, once regarded as the equal of Yamata No Orochi and the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Ordinarily, I would lack confidence in facing such an opponent. That's why I had left the battlefield with Shuten Doji—I knew my attacks would have minimal impact, and drowning him was not a viable option due to the lack of sufficient water around.
Otakemaru narrowed his eyes. “A human?”
In the distant past, he had been both worshiped as a god and feared as a devil. He was a formidable opponent, but fortunately, my abilities countered him quite effectively. However, I knew deep down that victory was unlikely.
"I challenge you to honorable combat!" I shouted.
"Why should I accept a challenge from a weakling like you?" Otakemaru frowned, causing the heat from his flaming katana to set the surrounding trees ablaze and the water to boil.
As far as I knew, Otakemaru did accept duels. Shuten Doji had used this method to make him a subordinate, even though Otakemaru possessed power comparable to Shuten Doji and could have established his own following.
"I can defeat you if you allow me to power up," I declared. To anyone with common sense, saying something like that was stupid. But people here didn’t always work on logic.
Tension hung heavily in the air as the demon growled, its fiery katana burning with otherworldly flames. Its malevolent crimson eyes gleamed, hungry for the taste of battle. "Very well, today only one of us will leave this valley alive."
I breathed a sigh of relief. This request wouldn't have worked against anyone else, but fortunately, Otakemaru was not an ordinary demon. I drew my cursed sword, suppressing its killing intent, as now was not the time to strike.
Carpy coiled around me, and we fused together. Our flesh melded, and when I looked into the mirror, I saw my skin had turned pale, my eyes emitted a golden light, and a dark horn protruded from the center of my forehead. Additionally, my nails had become dark and sharp.
Standing at the river's edge, I felt the oppressive aura of the demon wash over me like a chilling gust of wind. Its flaming katana danced in its wicked grip, casting an eerie glow across the battlefield. I tightened my grip on my own weapon, finding solace in the cool touch of the hilt, reaffirming my determination.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Yeah, I was ready—or so I thought. But now, sensing his aura, it became apparent that I was destined to lose this battle.
“Not yet. Give me ten more seconds,” I replied.
I took a deep breath, and the pungent scent of water, grass, and trees invaded my nostrils. In my mind's eye, I pictured a figure—an exorcist with longer hair than mine and sharper features, his eyes reflecting the hardened gaze of someone who had faced countless battles.
What I found challenging, he accomplished effortlessly.
I envisioned a future version of myself, one who had surpassed my current limits.
'Perfect Me' was a unique ability that allowed me to achieve what I would have been capable of on my own, in theory. It even extended to healing, as I forced my cells to divide at an accelerated rate—an ability a Master could potentially possess. However, 'Perfect Me' had its limits.
Breaking through my own limitations required something more—a deeper wellspring of energy within me. I tapped into it, sacrificing five years of my lifespan. My body aged instantaneously, reaching the physical state of a twenty-year-old, and my Ord surged explosively. Even my natural Ord had reached a point where it would have started causing harm had I not fused with Carpy.
“{Perfect Me: Part-Time God}”
Name: Kon
Master 65.9%
Creator 20.7%
Blaster 9.3%
Warrior 4.1%
Strength 81/81
Stamina 102/102
Agility 99/99
Description: A transmigrated person, a relatively talented youngster, and an Elite Exorcist. Using his special ability he has learned many things and is versatile. He has forcefully brushed himself against the limits of his ability. Danger Rating: (S-)