The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

“Rise! All Up: Count 2 & Remote Control!”

“Hmph!”

“Gah!”

Asley used enhancement magic, and both he and Pochi activated their physical enhancement abilities.

Spending only a brief moment observing that action, Lucifer finally cast aside his last shred of pride.

“ALL UP!”

“”…!?””

The brash voice of Lucifer’s invocation of enhancement magic marked the Devil King’s abandonment of everything.

Witnessing a course of action never before seen from Lucifer, Asley gained confidence.

[He’s desperate enough not to worry about appearances…!]

Sitting on Pochi’s back, Asley swiftly deployed numerous Magic Tables to counter Lucifer’s boosted agility.

“Hmph! What a nuisance!”

Rather than Earth Control, which required him to draw Circles, Asley had chosen to simply expend his arcane energy to create Magic Tables to use as makeshift barriers.

This obstruction by Asley made Lucifer’s movement difficult.

And with plenty of additional footholds created, a beast like Pochi could now move with heightened agility.

[Lucifer is still faster, though…! Let’s try this!]

“Rise! Square Boundary: Count 10 & Remote Control!”

Asley opted to try the smallest Boundary magecraft he had ever used. In response, Lucifer headed straight for Pochi as if there were nothing between them.

However, the Boundary magecraft were indeed in his way. Their apparent absence was only due to Lucifer’s overwhelming arcane energy and charging force, which instantly shattered them. Nonetheless, if using them could momentarily aid Pochi, Asley was satisfied.

To match his Circle drawing speed with Lucifer’s intensity, there was no other option but this Square Boundary.

“You’re the best, Master! Now leave this to me!”

“Shut up! YOU’re the best, not me!”

Using the Magic Tables and Square Boundaries, Pochi and Lucifer’s speeds finally reached equilibrium.

“You damned beast! KAHHHHHH!!”

Lucifer blasted out a Zenith Breath.

“Gah–!? Instant Transmission!”

“Ow–!?”

Asley squeezed Pochi tightly with his legs and teleported both of them away, evading Lucifer’s wide-sweeping breath attack.

“Hmph…! HAAAAAA!”

Lucifer then swung his hand, splitting the clouds.

His attack’s power easily surpassed even the highest tier of wind magic.

“KAHHHHHH!!”

But then Pochi managed to dodge it by blasting out a breath attack, pushing herself back with the recoil.

For the first time on this battlefield, a hint of panic flickered across Lucifer’s face.

Both Pochi and Asley understood this, and so they did their best to dodge Lucifer’s attacks as they gradually approached him.

[This is absurd…! It’s just one dog! How can it make this much of a difference!?]

It was true that, by riding Pochi, Asley was displaying greater strength than he should be capable of.

This was the result of mutual trust between Asley, who entrusted all movement to Pochi, and Pochi, who entrusted all attack and disruption to Asley — their teamwork and mutual trust nurtured over many centuries. However, Lucifer did not comprehend this. The question remained unanswered to him.

“You… you pesky little…!”

Lucifer utilized Asley’s Magic Tables, closing in on Pochi.

He threw out a swift, powerful punch that pierced through Asley’s guard.

“Oof!”

The blow sent Asley flying backward, while Pochi fell right beneath Lucifer.

This was intended — in that instant, Asley had released his legs from Pochi’s back.

Pochi, accelerating her descent, blasted out a Freeze Breath, aiming for Lucifer on their way down.

“KAHHHHHH!!”

“Tch!”

Lucifer swiped his hand to deflect Freeze Breath. Pochi, hastening to land, rushed toward Asley, and then circled behind to catch him. Asley, anticipating Pochi’s chase, once again mounted Pochi as soon as their paths intersected. 

All of this, too, was evidence of the trust between Asley and Pochi.

“Here comes a big one!”

Pochi sprinted across the ground, and Asley picked up the Infinite Hope staff buried in debris. He raised it high up and unleashed his magic,

“Pochi Pad Laster!!”

“KAHHHHHH!!”

Asley’s Pochi Pad Laser and Pochi’s Zenith Laser — optimized for dealing maximum damage — grazed Lucifer’s body.

“Ngh!”

Lucifer’s glare at the two lasted only a brief moment — after which, as he began to draw a Spell Circle, his arm suddenly stopped moving. 

An expression of torment, unseen until now, appeared on Lucifer’s face.

Asley and Pochi knew — The Devil King Lucifer no longer had any arcane energy left.

Without arcane energy, Lucifer had neither his defensive aura nor any other means of defending himself.

Escape, evasion, and protection were all impossible. Lucifer, in such a state, glared at Asley once again.

“Heh… hehehe…! Go on, then! You’re welcome to try…!”

For the two, this seemed to be Lucifer’s final resistance.

That was why Asley and Pochi were convinced that this was the end.

Lucifer, Asley, and Pochi were all exhausted, each battered and bruised.

Asley and Pochi’s arcane energy reserves were running low. However, with determination, they moved forward.

Pochi sprinted, and Asley raised a fist charged with immense arcane energy.

“”OOOHHHHHH!!!!””

Lucifer also understood that if he could endure this, victory would be his.

Both parties unleashed and received attacks with all their might.

Asley’s fist pierced through Devil King Lucifer’s guard, striking his face, pushing him back, and finally overpowering him.

Lucifer’s head evaporated, disappearing as if into thin air.

As Asley and Pochi collapsed with the force still carrying them, they rolled on the ground.

“Hah hah hah…!”

“Heh hah hah…!”

As Asley clumsily fell, he looked at Lucifer’s torso.

Pochi, collapsing on the spot, also looked.

They could not afford to let their guard down. Asley and Pochi knew well the absurd amount of life force Lucifer could possess.

The torso collapsed on the spot — and with that, it ceased all movement.

Seeing this, Asley’s eyes finally closed.

“Haha… hah… hah…… Hey, you still alive?”

“Heh… heh!”

“Ha… hehehe… You damn furball…”

“Ngh… HNGGG…!”

Pochi exerted strength to stand up.

Approaching the fallen Asley, Pochi staggered.

“…! Gah…!”

Asley, too, approached Pochi, crawling forward, exerting all the strength in his body.

It was to let Pochi lean against his hand — it was to comfort her.

Pochi’s head and Asley’s right hand approached each other with each passing second.

Pochi smiled happily — and in the next moment, she collapsed.

“……Wha–“

Asley could not understand what he was seeing — not could he have understood.

Until a moment ago, Pochi did not have any particularly bad injuries.

However, now it was different. It was neither mere bruises nor scratches — somehow, a hole had opened in Pochi’s chest. Blood flowed incessantly, and Pochi’s face quickly lost vitality.

“Pochi!? Hey, what’s wrong!?”

Asley crawled desperately and held Pochi in his arms. Her eyes were beginning to lose their reflection.

Though Asley wanted to cast healing magic, he had almost no arcane energy left.

Though he wanted to use Giving Magic on himself, he did not even have enough energy to start it up.

With how he was right now, it would not take long for the arcane energy needed for Giving Magic to regenerate, but Pochi’s wound was a race against time.

“Pochi! Hey, Pochi! C’mon, pull yourself together!”

No response.

“Ah…! No…! Pochi… POCHI…!”

Tears flowed from Asley’s eyes — and also from the eyes of the unconscious Pochi.

Asley held Pochi and shouted,

“Someone! Anyone! Get help! HELP HER! PLEASE!!”

His voice echoed through the empty air.

And then another voice reached his ears…

“Well, well, that was a close one.”

…Stating the worst possible outcome.