The Clones' Resolve
I looked around quietly. Compared to the countless corpses of magical beasts piled up, it had truly been far too short a time.
Of course, compared to the enemy forces that had blocked our path in the latter half of the great war, both in quality and scale it was ridiculously insufficient. Their numbers were only about half those that had defended much smaller fortresses, and among the magical beasts there were none of the elite troops like the dragon demon soldiers or chimera units that had once tormented us so viciously.
Various magical beasts were mixed together, but it felt as though they had merely gathered the remnants. It was nothing like the proper army corps we had seen during the great war. Yes, that much was clear.
Even so, it had been far too short a time, and the outcome had been far too easy.
“…I knew it would be like this, but it really was incredibly easy.”
We had all grown during the great war and become incomparably stronger—I already knew that well enough. How could I not? Not only Rowell, who had defeated the descended goddess Nyx, or Medrup, who had glimpsed part of the truth and transcended the limits of humanity, but Bagloros, Lauti, Aegina, and Orcan were all warriors without equal.
Still, I had never seen them fight properly since the war ended, so witnessing it again with my own eyes felt strangely moving.
“They probably never thought they could do anything to us at this level. No ambush, not even an attempt to surround us—just charging straight at us head-on.”
No, Medrup. That wouldn’t have made any difference.
Whether they had ambushed us or surrounded us, they would still have turned to ash before those flames that dyed the sky like a sunset, and they could never have kept their forms before those arrows of light that erased everything in sight.
Moreover, if they had suddenly attacked from ambush, Rowell and Aegina would have joined in, ending things even faster. Ironically, charging straight at us from the front had actually helped them survive a little longer.
“…The real thing starts now.”
Aegina’s voice was slightly lower than usual. Yes, this wasn’t the end. The real battle was only beginning, and in another sense, it would not be easy at all.
I looked at Rowell. I could read the meaning in his eyes without difficulty. We had lived together for so long, and so closely.
“You’re planning to do it alone?”
Rowell slowly nodded, smiling awkwardly.
“It’s something I have to do.”
Rowell raised his hand and drew Grandias from its scabbard.
“You’ll leave it to me, right?”
Then he smiled with his usual gentle expression. It was exactly as I had expected. Considering the relationship between Raiven and Rowell, the nature of the clones, and Rowell’s personality, it made sense.
“If it gets dangerous, I’ll step in. Even if it’s not me.”
I said this while lightly pointing toward Aegina. If that moment came, not only Medrup and Bagloros, but Aegina would surely be the first to rush in. By the time I needed to act, the clones would probably already be wiped out.
“Yeah. I’ll be careful.”
Rowell answered with a bright smile, as if his entire body were once again wrapped in light.
“As I said before, don’t show them any half-hearted mercy—not even for their sake.”
Medrup’s expression as he spoke was as bitter as if he had tasted medicine. Yesterday my mind had been too tangled to understand, but now I knew what it meant.
Clones. And not just any clones—clones of the highest-ranking demon, the demon army commander Raiven. No matter how many great experiments they had conducted or how excellent the materials they had used, they could never be anything but incomplete.
Of course they couldn’t. Demons, like spirits or celestial beings, were entities closer to spirit than to matter.
Even if one tried to imitate such beings and replicate their essence—the soul—by sharing memories, one could never reach the original. In fact, merely imitating a highest-ranking demon in such a crude way meant they could never even approach the natural cycle of life.
Their lifespans would be far too short. So short that calling it a lifespan felt tragic.
“I understand, Medrup. In my own way, I’ll do what’s best for them……”
Though he spoke as if it were nothing, Rowell’s feelings were plain to see. How deeply he grieved, how he was still searching for another way, and the resolve with which he accepted everything.
“Shall we go, then?”
When Medrup waved his hand, the corpses of the magical beasts were engulfed in blue flames, turning to ash in an instant or being covered by newly grown plants. It was partly to clear a path, but also in consideration of what would come after everything ended.
The corpses of magical beasts generally carried poison. With this many, decay would likely contaminate the land. Moreover, if people ever returned here, such a mountain of corpses would severely hinder restoration efforts.
Those with strong poison were purified along with their toxins by the blue flames, while those with weaker poison were turned into nutrients for the plants. Medrup was disposing of every last corpse.
“……”
Meanwhile, as the magical beasts vanished, a look of regret crossed Aegina’s face. Seeing that expression, I felt cold sweat run down my back without realizing it. Yes—some of those creatures were ingredients she used in her cooking.
I deliberately looked away from her and turned toward Medrup. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it seemed the speed of his magic activation was gradually increasing along with his hand gestures. Especially for the types Aegina would consider edible.
Thus the path toward the half-broken castle gate opened, and we stepped inside. As we walked, I deliberately moved closer to Bagloros and grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Rowell had already spoken, and Bagloros would never disobey Rowell’s request, but I wanted to prevent him from rushing ahead like before.
“……?”
“We’re leaving this to Rowell. You know that, right?”
I said this to Bagloros, who had turned around with a questioning look.
“Yes.”
Bagloros nodded. He probably didn’t fully understand why Rowell wanted to face them alone, but at least he wouldn’t charge in first if Rowell and I said so.
“……!”
A moment later, as we left the vanishing corpses behind and approached the castle walls, I felt my body stiffen slightly at the presences flowing from beyond them.
Unlike the first clone we had encountered, they weren’t revealing their existence, nor were they emitting any particular aura. If anything, they were suppressing their power.
But perhaps because they were clones, or because of their magical beast forms, it wasn’t perfectly hidden. The energy transmitted through my entire body, and the instinctive sense of danger, as if entering a predator’s den, came through clearly.
I looked at Rowell. Of course, I knew he would win. Though they were incomplete, Rowell was the one who had defeated Nyx, who had successfully descended into the vessel prepared over years in the Tower of Destruction. In the end, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Rowell had fought alone.
Even if incomplete, he had defeated a god. Together with Medrup, he was already an existence close to the divine. Moreover, Medrup was with us as well. There was no way he could lose.
The tension in my body gradually eased. Yes, there was nothing to worry about. Even if the Demon King Thanatos returned to life, he could no longer defeat Rowell.
Rowell walked into the castle walls ahead of us, and we followed at a slight distance. When we stepped inside, what greeted us was a group of black magical beasts—easily more than fifty.
Not only the final form Raiven had taken—a massive five-headed dragon—but also forms combining scorpion and lion, forms with snake heads and human bodies with lamia-like lower halves and four arms ending in beast heads instead of hands, forms with mammoth faces and countless snakes like manes, forms with horse lower halves and crocodile heads and sword-like claws—nearly every form Raiven had ever taken was gathered there.
Except for being black, they were almost identical to the first clone, so memories of past battles against each of Raiven’s forms flashed through my mind.
And probably the same was true for Rowell and the others.
However, not every form was present. Some of the forms I remembered from Raiven were missing. And four or five forms I had never seen from Raiven were mixed in—human forms wrapped in bandages, and forms that looked like faint shadows.
Come, hero. We have been waiting.
Some spoke with voices, some with their minds, and some with incomprehensible growls.
We have waited so long. You are later than expected.
“There was unexpected interference.”
…Yes. We had anticipated as much. But now it no longer matters.
Rowell glanced at us once more, then approached them. Between them and us lay a wide open space, like an arena. When Rowell stood in one part of that arena, I could feel fighting spirit and killing intent slowly emanating from their bodies.
“…Before we begin, may I ask one thing?”
At Rowell’s question, several of the clones looked as if they wanted to charge immediately, but the five-headed final form and the others held them back.
What is it?
“Do you truly wish to live and die as Raiven?”
At that question, the killing intent that had been filling the arena vanished as if it had been a lie. Silence, like the quiet of midnight, covered the arena.
…What do you mean?
“I heard from Medrup what clones truly are. Regardless of who wins this battle, that is the end you will face.”
Rowell’s voice trembled slightly.
“But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you wish, we can help……”
What nonsense are you spouting!
And at that moment, a fierce roar erupted from the clones of Raiven, who had shown no movement until now.
What help? Are you telling us to beg for our lives by currying favor with the enemy? To live trapped in a laboratory flask, in culture fluid? Is that what you’re saying?
An incomparably stronger killing intent, along with an indomitable will and power, swept over the surroundings. That aura alone was enough to make one stagger.
We are the demon army commander Raiven! Hero, do not sully our final battle any further!