The demon could not understand what was being said to them right now.

A robust physique, immense magical power, and the intelligence to manipulate them freely.

What did the person in front of them say to them that possesses all of those qualities?

"(Me, weak...?)"

They don't understand.

It's impossible.

Such a thing should never happen.

It should have been them who crushed his pride and overwhelmed him completely.

But what is this?

Why are they being put in a position where they are being trampled on?

"―Don't mess with me, you lowly creature!!"

Anger drowned out the fear and confusion that had arisen within the demon.

By all means, they must crush this person with their own hands.

They have made up their mind.

First, they begin the physical regeneration.

They gather the ash magic into the lost limbs and instantly restore them to their original form.

"...Regeneration?"

Seeing Yuuri mutter that, the demon chuckled softly.

"...Are you surprised? This level of injury is nothing but a trifle to me. You should lament the difference between yourself, a lowly creature, and me."

The demon was boasting proudly, but Yuuri shook his head from side to side.

"Well, it's not surprising or anything... that's just the way it is. Even a passing slime could use it."

"Ugh! You... how much longer are you going to mock me?!"

"It's not a mockery, it's just a fact."

Hearing Yuuri's words, the demon's body trembles.

"...Fine, if you're going to say that, I'll show you my true strength. I obtained your information from this current battle. Don't think there will be a second chance!"

"..."

At the same time, it said that the demon accelerated.

However, this time it wasn't coming straight at Yuuri, but rather running around him in circles.

They accelerate after acceleration.

In such a situation, the demon grins slyly.

"Earlier, I got a bit carried away. This time, I'll unleash my maximum acceleration on you―"

"Is that it?"

"―Huh? Ugh!!!"

Right after that, Yuuri's blade comes rushing at them, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

With a sharp clang, he managed to deflect the blow just in time by raising his sword.

As a result, both parties come to a halt on the spot.

"(To think you could catch up with me while I'm accelerating. Just like before, it seems you have a decent amount of speed, however!)"

With a fierce battle cry, the demon envelops its arms and sword in gray magic and pushes forward with brute force.

When it comes to speed, they might not be so confident, but in a test of strength, they seem to be quite confident.

"...Hmm."

In contrast, Yuuri instantly shifts his thinking after having seen through the demon's intentions.

He doesn't think he will lose in a fair fight, but there's no way he's going to play along with the enemy's scheme by facing them head-on like a fool.

Therefore, Yuuri switched to holding his sword with one hand and deftly parried the demon's advance with his skillful swordplay.

And then,

"Hmph!"

"Wh-what —Cough cough!"

A full-force strike with the empty left hand.

The fist deeply pierced the demon's belly, sending its body flying.

It's not just that.

"[The Play of a Thousand Blades]."

The thousand blades that follow close in on the body of the demon, now full of openings.

"(Ugh —Magic Barrier!)"

The demon quickly enveloped its entire body in ash magic and focused on defense.

It paid off.

[The Play of a Thousand Blades] is a technique that emphasizes the number of strikes, and among the swordsmanship techniques used by Yuuri, each individual strike is relatively weak.

Therefore, it was possible to withstand it with the demon's formidable magical power.

However, it is only possible to endure.

It was impossible to completely neutralize the full force, and it ended up taking the slashing attack that broke through the magical barrier all over its body.

"(Damn it! What is this rain of slashes? How long is it going to last!?)"

Furthermore, this technique continues almost indefinitely until Yuuri stops using it.

Realizing that if things continued this way, they would be on the defensive, the demon began to search for a way to resist.

Even if they try to escape this place, the rain of slashes will follow them endlessly.

If that's the case, the only way forward is to break through the rain.

The demon found the means to do so within the knowledge it had acquired.

"(―[Astral Blade]!)"

[Astral Blade].

That is the ultimate technique of maximum firepower, used by Alicia when she defeated the giant, where she accumulates magical power in her sword and unleashes it.

Although it was a copycat attempt, the ash magic held by the demon seemed to possess power that surpassed its low proficiency, successfully deflecting the rain of slashes with remarkable precision.

However, as a price for that―

"...Haa, haa."

At the moment of activating the secret technique, temporarily deactivating the magical barrier caused the demon's entire body to be once again marked with cuts.

The slashes extend to the roots of each part, to the point where it seems like various places might tear off at any moment.

However, as long as there is life and magic remaining―

"...As expected, it's still regenerating."

"...Of course. That is my true nature."

In the blink of an eye, the demon returns to its perfect state.

Upon seeing that, Yuuri merely furrowed his brows slightly, showing no significant signs of distress.

The demon clicked his tongue once before speaking to Yuuri.

"You're quite calm, as if you don't even think for a moment that you might lose."

"Yeah."

"...Still an annoying presence as always. But can you maintain the same attitude after seeing this?"

After such an introduction, the demon boldly declares.

"─[The Play of a Thousand Blades]."

"Whoa."

It is a reproduction of sword techniques.

The demon intuitively understood its essence after being bathed in Yuuri's rain of slashes.

As a result, they had become able to replicate similar techniques.

That said, its accuracy is not as high as Yuuri's.

Yuuri deflects all the incoming slashes while directing his gaze towards the demon.

―And so, I decided to change my perception.

"I'm sorry for calling you weak earlier... let me correct that a bit."

"Hahaha, what's this? Have you finally grasped the essence of my being!?"

"Ah. You resemble the most terrifying being I have ever known."

No matter how much attack it endures, its survival instinct won't easily be extinguished.

And the determination to fight back as if struggling.

Yuuri knew the most terrifying being that matched these characteristics.

Come to think of it, the enemy's entire body, tinged with black, also evokes that.

That's why Yuuri spoke to the demon with respect and a hint of fear.

"Your trait is precisely the most terrifying [G]!"

In response to that scream, the demon answers while laughing.

"That's right —I am the strongest [God]!"

What is this guy talking about?

Chapter 32: The Most Terrifying and the Strongest