Slaying the Demon

"Hm?!"

Realizing that Alili had woken up, Bobbit raised one hand, sending a surge of pitch-black magic rushing toward him.

Bang!

Alili instinctively raised his arms in front of himself, but the dark magic he expected never struck.

He lowered his arms and opened his eyes, only to find Chiba standing in front of him.

"Get out of here, quickly. Your cousin has gone mad," he said in a low voice.

Alili froze for a moment, realized how serious the situation was, and turned to run out of the church.

"One more thing..." Chiba said gravely. "You know how terrifying someone who has mastered black magic can be, and he did that to Mira, too. Alili, I'm telling you now: if I get the chance, I'll kill him!"

Alili stopped in his tracks.

"Kill him..."

Bobbit was his only family.

His cousin had always been strict with him, ever since they were children, but he knew Bobbit had always treated him well. Even after Alili went down the wrong path, Bobbit had never turned his back on him, because Bobbit had said that Alili was his only family, too.

But that attack just now had clearly been meant to kill him.

Black magic was a taboo no one in the magical world could touch, because it could change the way a person thought.

What ordinary people saw as death, he instead believed to be eternal life.

Yet even if Bobbit wanted to kill him, Alili had no desire to see his only older brother die.

But he had witnessed everything that had just happened...

"Miss Mira, what brings you to the church?"

"I'm... a little worried about Chiba..."

"Don't worry. The boss is so strong, he'll take care of the monster in no time."

"Then... I'd like to say a prayer for him... Is the priest here?"

"Cousin, someone's here to see you."

"Hm? Young lady, are you looking for me?"

"Father, may I... go inside and say a prayer?"

"Of course. The god welcomes all who believe in him. But before that, may I test your magic power?"

"Yes, of course..." Why does the priest know I have magic power?

"D-rank... approaching C-rank, and at this age... absolutely perfect..."

"Father, what's absolutely perfect?"

"It means the god likes you very much. He's willing to listen to all your prayers."

"Really? That's wonderful. Thank you, Father, and thank you, my god."

From the moment Mira entered the church, he had been under the control of black magic, but that did not mean he was unaware of what was happening. He had witnessed everything that followed. He had seen the so-called god, and he had seen his cousin Bobbit's true face.

But after Mira devoured the demon, he had passed out, and so he had not seen Bobbit use dark magic afterward.

That was why he had been so shocked when he woke up.

He did not want Bobbit to die, but he had no right to stop Chiba.

"Kill me? You're nothing but a kid who talks big. Let me show you the power of a god." Bobbit snorted coldly and charged forward, his palm wreathed in dark magic.

By Chiba's estimation, Bobbit only had C-rank magic power, but dark magic was troublesome. A single careless touch could very likely corrode him. At full strength, Chiba could have finished him off with a few Great Fireballs or Gale Palms, but he had just been through a battle, used the Body Flicker Technique all the way here, and created a Shadow Clone moments ago. He reckoned he only had enough Chakra left for two or three Great Fireballs.

But this guy seemed to want a close-quarters fight...

Then this was the perfect chance to try out the Two-Tomoe Sharingan's abilities!

Chiba lowered his stance and, with his Sharingan, saw straight through the opening in Bobbit's movements. Chakra gathered in the boy's hand, and he struck Bobbit in the chest with his palm, sending him flying backward.

Chiba then gathered Chakra in his legs as well, unleashing a series of smooth, flowing moves with his kicks!

Shadow Thirty-Six Forms!

Chiba had yet to begin properly training in this kicking technique, so he could only imitate its form. Even so, his kicks were remarkably fast. Bobbit could only block his attacks with his arms in a sorry state, while Chiba aimed every kick at a vital spot, clearly intending to kill him.

"Damn it!!!"

Bobbit, kicked so hard he began to question his life, let out a furious roar. Magic surged violently throughout his body. He was clearly about to unleash a powerful move.

"Dark Torrent!!!"

With a roar, Bobbit formed a black magic circle in front of himself. A pitch-black torrent of magic burst forth from it, surging toward Chiba.

Rumble!!!

The Dark Torrent slammed into the wall and instantly punched through it. The entire church shook, on the verge of collapse.

When the Dark Torrent vanished, Bobbit panted heavily as he looked toward the spot where Chiba had been standing, only to find no one there.

"Above you."

Chiba's icy voice suddenly rang out overhead. Bobbit hurriedly looked up and saw Chiba descending from the sky.

It had to be said that Bobbit's powerful move left him exposed for far too long afterward, allowing Chiba to dodge it with a simple Substitution Technique. If Bobbit had been a little faster, it was hard to say who would have won today.

But now... he had clearly won.

Snake—Ram—Monkey—Boar—Horse—Tiger!

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A blazing, enormous fireball erupted and swallowed Bobbit whole. Amid the raging flames, Bobbit let out a howl of pain. The Great Fireball lasted only a few seconds, but those few seconds left him in agony.

When the flames vanished, Bobbit, burned black, fell to the ground with a thud.

He had lost. He, who possessed the power of a god, had actually lost to some green kid.

"Brother!"

Alili cried out in anguish and hurried to Bobbit's side, helping him up.

"Alili..." Bobbit murmured, his face burned black.

"Brother... I'm here..." Alili said, trembling.

"I wanted... to send you... to the divine realm first... but now it seems... I'll have to go alone..."

Then, smiling and with some regret, he breathed his last.

Alili froze.

Then he burst into tears like a child.

Chiba turned and left.

Bobbit had done nothing wrong. He believed that being eaten by the "god" would bring happiness and grant the soul eternal life.

He admired mages, so he hated Chiba for injuring them without asking why. Perhaps in that respect, he really was unlikeable.

He had caused the deaths of those mages, but he believed he had given them happiness.

Just as he had intended to offer Mira to the demon.

Just as he had tried to kill Alili.

He was not the one at fault. He was only a victim, merely led astray by the demon.

Bobbit was dead.

Chiba did not think he had done a righteous deed. The man had hurt his friend, and that was all.

Fate... was it...

"Alili, if you want revenge on me, I'll be waiting whenever you're ready. I won't kill you. I'll wait for the day you surpass me. But before then, I'll leave this place. And I'll wait until you're qualified to stand before me."

The boy spoke calmly, then steadied his trembling body and walked out with measured steps.

It was the first time he had killed someone.

But he knew it would not be the last...

Just as the original story had said...

Great power often gave birth to sorrow...

Yes, things were no longer as they had been before...