Apostle of the Gods

37 – Demonization

The corpse would not move this way even if it was being controlled by a necromancer.
This was the first time I’m seeing a corpse move in such a manner. I ended up watching the scene unfold out of curiosity.
To want to observe the unknown, is the bad habit of all mages, including me.

Ignoring me who did not try to stop the corpse,,
「HaaaaAAAA!」
Arti, who was usually quiet, roared out with fighting spirit and slashed the bouncing corpse with a single flash.
The flash was sharp. The speed, power and swordsmanship were all perfect. Even the force was perfect. It was a blow that could even cut diamond.

—BREAK

However, what broke was Arti’s sword.
The corpse kept bouncing like a spring.
Its movement grew larger and at the same time its magic power swelled up.

Wings began to grow from the back of the corpse, large horns grew from the head, and the limbs became longer and thicker.
The neck became thicker and the nails became longer and sharper like that of a large demon beast.
The skin had a metallic lustre and began to glow dull.

「What is happening!?」
Towards Rosetta’s shriek-like question,
「Demonization! We have to prevent it!」
Arti yelled out in a panicked state and pulled out a dagger and attacked, but the blade does not pass through.

「So this is demonization」
「Will-sama, why are you acting so calm?!」

Tina shot out a fireball in panic. However, no damage seemed to have been dealt.
I didn’t know that demonization would occur only after death.
I wish Milt and Xenovia had informed me about it.

As I was thinking about that, the former mage who went through demonization slowly got up.
He was nearly twice as tall as he was before death.

「I have to thank you guys. Because you killed me, I was able to be reborn」
「No, you don’t have to thank us. In fact, I am the one who wants to thank you」
「What are you saying?」
「I haven’t fought with a guy who transformed into a demon yet. So, I’m going to use this opportunity to study it」
「You can study as much as you want, but it’s a waste because you’ll be killed right away」

No matter how much information you collect about demons, it doesn’t matter because I’m going to slaughter all of you.
Was probably what he was trying to say, I guess.

In my past life, I have indeed fought with a normal demon.
However, I have never fought a human who had just transformed into a demon.

「Yeah, I will do as such. So, teach me a lot before death」

I said so and laughed.
Of course, not my death, but the demon’s.
The demon seemed to have read my implications accurately. His face distorted.

「…you don’t seem to realize your position right now」
「I want to ask something. Are you the strongest among your fellow demons?」
「What are you going to do by knowing that?」
「I want to gauge you guys’ average strength」
「It is of no use to someone who is about to die」
「Well, you’re an artificial devil so, it’s better to think of you as a small fry」
「…I’m going to make you regret mocking me」

Enraged, the demon charged at me. He was much faster than Arti.
As the demon swung his nails, I dodged and kicked out with my right leg aimed towards his temple.
My kick landed square on the demon’s temple as I intended.

—-Gain…
The sensation was not that of a living creature, it felt more like kicking away at a lump of metal.
The demon was not intimidated even though he took a direct hit.
My leg would have been broken had I not strengthened it with magic.

「Is this all you have to show after running you mouth?」
「No, of course not」

As I grinned, the demon grabbed my right foot with his left hand.
The grip strength was not ordinary. It was so strong that it could even crush stones to powder.

「Strengthening magic, I see. You’re quite artful for a brat」
「I am honoured to have received your praise」
As I grinned, the demon swung me around while still grabbing onto my right foot.

「Now you’re going to quickly become minced meat, puke out your brain and die!」

The demon smashed me on the ground repeatedly. Once, twice, thrice, four times.
Arti, Rosetta and Tina, ran in to save me.
Fluffy and the baby goat were also running towards me.
I seem to have made them worry.

However, I want to defeat the demon on my own if possible.
The fifth time when the demon tried to smash me on the ground,

「Oh?」
The demon was stunned by staring at his left arm which has now disappeared at the tip of his elbow where blood was spouting from.

「Fumu fumu, it is quite strong even when you just finished transforming. The skin is also hard.」

I rode on the demon’s shoulder and tossed away the left arm which I had cut with magic.

「W-What did you do!」
「There is no point in knowing that, since you’re about to die」
Kicking with a leg strengthened by magic does not work but a magic blade seemed to be effective.
I slashed the demon’s left arm with a magic blade and rode on the demon’s shoulder as is.

「Underestimating me!」

The whole body of the devil became enveloped in black flame. It was a magic series of the Demon King “Beast of Calamity” that the demons believe in.

I hurry up and jumped off the shoulder and create some distance. Some of my clothes were burnt.
Before I could assume a proper stance, the demon shot out a black fireball at me.

The demon was also good at magic. It was a formidable enemy after all.
The power of the black fireball was extremely high. As I dodged it, it hit the ground and melted the soil.
I can’t leave it alone for too long, or it will alter the surrounding terrain.

I dodged the incoming black fireball and at the same time took advantage of the blind spot created by the black fireball.
My 8-year-old small body was very useful. I closed the distance between me and the demon in an instant.

The demon was surprised to see me suddenly appear in front of it.
「You basta…」
The head of the devil which had his eyes wide open in surprise was cut off with a magic blade.
At that moment, golden smoke spouted from his neck instead of blood.