After the last battle, it became evident that the war would soon come to an end. However, I still had unfinished business before everything concluded. I had to find and eliminate someone.

I placed Agon in a medical tent among many others and stepped outside to get some fresh air. With the war over, it was easy to succumb to impulsive decisions driven by emotions—an aspect I had tried to avoid during my brief career as an exorcist.

"Wow! You must either possess a technique to suppress emotions or have exceptional control over your Ord," a voice remarked from beside me.

I nearly flinched, but I realized that if this person intended to harm me, she would have done so already. Since Carpy had not alerted me to anyone approaching, it meant this woman had managed to sneak past his senses. Only a handful of individuals could achieve that feat.

"What is the Sage doing here?" I questioned.

"I prefer being called the Saint. It suits the priestess vibe I have going on," she insisted.

It felt strange seeing a super granny who looked and acted like a teenager, despite being well over a hundred years old.

"So, between me and that demon Zumi claimed you killed, who do you think would have emerged victorious if I were in your position?" she asked playfully, puffing her chest and ready to accept compliments.

"You would perish before even laying a finger on him," I truthfully responded. The Sage's combat style resembled that of a typical warrior—relying on brute force and powerful punches. However, such tactics would prove ineffective against Otakemaru who emitted intense heat, capable of reducing limbs to ash before a blow could even connect.

"But you defeated the demon. Does that mean you're stronger than me?" she inquired, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Even at my best, I highly doubt I would survive a single strike from you," I confessed.

"That strong of a counter?" she smiled, seemingly amused. However, her true emotions were difficult to discern.

"You could say that," I casually shrugged. It was crucial that others remained unaware of the extent of my abilities, regardless of who they were.

"So, what about that Special Exorcist position? We can make a few adjustments," she proposed.

"No, thank you," I declined, causing her to frown.

Oh shit. I mustered the smoothest voice I could and added. "However, that's only because I believe I lack sufficient experience for now."

"You have plenty of experience; you defeated an ultimate class demon . Not even other Special Exorcists can compete with that," she placed a hand on my shoulder. It made me uneasy, as one slap from her and my head might pop off.

She was right, but I wasn't about to admit it. Acknowledging my prowess would only burden me with responsibility and few benefits. Special Exorcists would be overwhelmed with work after the war, and all I wanted was time to train. Technically, I was now twenty years old, so my body should continue to develop.

"It seems we're at an impasse," I tried to appear nonchalant while buying time to come up with a plan.

"No, not at all," she shook her head and reassuringly patted my shoulder. "I'm not forcing you or anything."

Clearly, she was forcing me. I knew how she and her kind dealt with those who stood in their way. "How about this? I promise to accept the Special Exorcist title within a year."

Her gaze softened, and she chuckled. "That sounds agreeable."

With that, she walked away, humming a merry tune.

Crazy woman. Thankfully, in about a year, there probably won't be any Special Exorcists left. In true shounen fashion, the next enemy would be stronger and more dangerous than the last.

However, my knowledge of the future was now obsolete. Shuten Doji was dead, and he hadn't crippled humanity. Whether that was a good or bad thing remained uncertain. Maybe most of humanity being slain saved those few? Perhaps now all of humanity will end up dead?

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

After this, there would be a six-month timeskip training arc following the war. Well, maybe this time it would be a one-year timeskip. Regardless, I shook off thoughts of the future and focused on the task at hand.

"Carpy, we're setting off. Do you have enough Ord for the journey?" I inquired.

He nodded, determination in his eyes. "Master, are you sure this is a wise decision? You have no more charge left."

He didn't specify what he meant, mindful of potential eavesdroppers with spying abilities.

I looked Carpy in the eyes and nodded. "Don't worry, I have you here to look out for me."

Was I being reckless? Yes, there was no denying that. But if I didn't take this chance, Bets' killer would disappear without a trace. I knew Kidomaru's nature. Without his father's protection, he would feel scared and go into hiding, never to be found again.

Carpy took flight, and I mounted his back. With Shuten Doji dead, the demon army was in disarray. The flying demons that once patrolled the skies were nowhere to be seen.

…

Once we arrived at Shuten Doji's castle, despite the walls that screamed with tortured souls trapped within them, I no longer felt fear. The monstrous owner of this place was gone.

In fact, there were no demons to be found anywhere. It seemed that Shuten Doji had taken every demon he could when he attacked. As I had anticipated, despite his demeanor, he never underestimated humanity.

“Scan the place. Look for any signs of the Ord," I ordered. I knew Shuten Doji wouldn't have built hideouts, but it was always better to be cautious. I hoped he hadn't constructed a secret bunker that could elude Carpy's senses, as that would be absurd.

"I can sense someone," Carpy suddenly said. He conjured a tornado of water blades, using it as a drill to dig down.

We descended through multiple floors until we reached an underground stadium. It was empty, except for one demon standing on an audience seat.

He had coppery red skin, and his left arm was smoldering and burnt. Even the demon's regeneration couldn't repair that damage. Furthermore, his eye was destroyed, and half of his left face was burned. It was Kidomaru.

How had someone like him ended up in such a state? It seemed he had been struck by a curse that hindered his regeneration—an unfortunate circumstance for a demon of his caliber. Though he must have been careless, considering his exceptional speed there were few things he couldn’t dodge.

Kidomaru had a tragic upbringing, growing up with an absentee father who deemed his own child weak. Shuten Doji was many things, but a good father he was not. His relentless, Spartan-like mentality would never acknowledge someone like Kidomaru.

Ironically, had Kidomaru chosen to leave his father's side and forge his own path in the world, Shuten Doji might have respected him. Kidomaru's absence from the front lines indicated Shuten Doji's true feelings toward his son. Regardless of his injuries, a powerful demon like Kidomaru would have significantly disrupted the situation if he had fought alongside his father.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I wondered if he genuinely didn't recognize me or if this was a ploy to provoke my anger. If it was the latter, I had to commend him because enraged exorcists tended to be careless.

However, I wasn't there to become angry or complain. This was a war, and he had taken Bets' life. I didn't intend to inquire why or how he could be so merciless.

"If you surrender now, I promise not to subject you to a painful death," I offered, unsheathing my cursed sword.

Whether my statement was a lie or the truth, I couldn't even say. Would I restrain myself and grant him an easy death simply because he gave up? After all, he had killed my closest friend.

But pondering such matters was futile, as Kidomaru rose to his feet and propped his spiked bat on his shoulder with his uninjured arm. It was evident that he had no thoughts of surrendering. I didn't blame him, for in his eyes, I surely appeared weak and insignificant.

I analyzed his posture and demeanor, noting that his left arm hung limply by his side, indicating its inability to move. Or perhaps it was a ruse? Regardless, I had to remain vigilant.

It was clear that Kidomaru sought to mimic his father with his choice of weapon. Even the way he wielded it was a poor imitation of Shuten Doji.

Now, I just had to anticipate his initial attack.

In an instant, he vanished from my sight, but I had already reacted, crouching low. The strike whizzed above me, and I almost smirked.

As expected, just as humans were trained to combat demons, the reverse was also true. Although with Ord there were humans capable of healing, the brain was still a major weak point, so he had trained to target it and my prediction was correct.

However, my celebration was short-lived, as a swift, red blur of a kick struck my face. My world spun, and I lost consciousness. When I came to, I found myself slammed against the colosseum walls.

I touched my chin, feeling a dampness. It meant that Carpy had barely managed to create a water shield in time to soften the blow.

The impact felt as if it could have crushed my head. Thank the gods that Kidomaru, being a pure demon unlike his father, lacked the Warrior Affinity to bolster his physique. Otherwise, that attack would have been lethal.

This will be a grueling battle...