"Create the Undead!"

"Summon Dark Knight!"

The battle continued with back-and-forth attacks and defenses.

As long as we could sustain our spirit power, we had the advantage in sheer volume of attacks.

This abundance of moves proved highly advantageous in combat.

Of course, each individual move alone meant little, but the dark spirit magic, in terms of harassment, was effective in every case.

This held true even against a great spirit.

A strike from disruption to decapitation.

Fortunately, the great spirit's defensive power was low, and as long as we struck its weakness, even a lizardman zombie or a dark knight could sever its head—no matter who it was.

The great spirit skillfully wielded spirit magic to resist, but since we took the initiative and struck first every time, we managed to dodge all of its attacks.

A technique resembling Dark Coffin's water-based spell.

A technique that hurls countless ice fragments.

A technique that creates a wall of water.

A technique that floods the surrounding area.

　

Each one concealed deadly power.

I likely survived only thanks to a good amount of luck.

Even so, I managed to keep walking that tightrope without falling.

"Haa!"

I lunged forward, striking true at the opening.

The great spirit's head rolled off with a thud.

(This is... the sixth time...!)

It took a considerable amount of time, but the great spirit's spiritual energy had shrunk dramatically compared to the first time.

Still, since it was originally a massive concentration of spiritual energy, I couldn't afford to let my guard down.

A battle on a tightrope—so precarious that death could come at any moment, with no room to flee or pause.

Yet,

　

I was certain that if I kept this up, I would eventually defeat it.

"Nnnngh! You're a pain, you little brat. If it's come to this, I have no choice but to use my upper-tier technique. Don't die on me, kid."

The great spirit, having exhausted its patience, spoke just before spreading its arms and entering a state of concentrated spiritual energy.

The great spirit could cast spirit magic with a mere wave of its hands.

　

This was not the borrowed power humans treat as a tool, but true spirit magic—its own innate ability.

What kind of technique could be called an upper-tier spell for such a being—

"Ah—"

But this was a battle. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts.The concentration of the Great Spirit's spiritual power had lasted barely a few seconds, but the Dark Knight did not miss the opportunity.

Emerging from the darkness like a shadow, the Dark Knight struck from behind, flashing his pitch-black blade.

The head tumbled to the ground with a soft thud.

The Lizardman Zombie immediately lunged forward to tear the remaining body apart.

Yet the blade never reached the Great Spirit's body.

The head lying on the roadside solemnly proclaimed the name of the technique.

"——Maelstrom"

At that instant, the spiritually compressed energy, held at the limit, was released from the Great Spirit's body.

After a brief moment of silence, a massive surge of water erupted in a 360-degree frenzy centered on the Great Spirit's form.

It defied description as mere water.

It was none other than the emergence of the "sea"—

its volume, its speed. All I could perceive was its outline.

The vicious water pressure of the swirling sea shattered the lizardman zombie into pieces, and the dark knight was likewise pulverized.

I myself would have surely died had I been a moment slower in breaking the barrier stone.

A technique of total water annihilation from all directions.

I hadn’t underestimated it, but the opponent was a god of water.

It couldn’t possibly be limited to mere water cannons or ice shards as attack methods.

It was only because my role was to deliver the "essence" unharmed that it had restrained itself—had it wished to kill, it could have done so at any moment. That was the case.

"Fwah, fwahaha! Amazing! Incredible! I never thought you’d be able to block even my superior technique!"

Amid the roaring sound of seawater swirling outside the barrier, the great spirit's laughter echoed especially clearly.

It's the barrier that's powerful, not my own strength, but anyway, we've somehow made it through this time.

Still, if this keeps happening, our resources will run out first.

Once even one hit lands, it'll be over. The great spirit said, "Don't die," but there's no way I'll survive unscathed. At best, I'll be on the brink of death.

In fact, even if I'm barely alive, the great spirit could probably revive me—hence the reckless boldness. Water spirit magic includes healing techniques, after all.

(Maybe I should replace the barrier stones now.)

How many barrier stones have I already used today?

It's pointless to hold back, but I can't help but wonder, "Why am I doing this?"

If I hadn't held onto the key points as Jeanne said, I would've definitely been in trouble. I can only be grateful to Jeanne for that... but where on earth did she go?

I exchanged three barrier stones from the status board and put them into my waist pouch.

　

The Great Spirit can't move during the execution of this high-level spell, so it won't come to destroy the barrier.

I used this opportunity to summon the Lizardman Zombie and the Dark Knight once more.

I need to prepare for the next offensive as soon as the spell ends.

It's a waste to destroy the barrier myself, but since it'll be broken anyway, it's better to prioritize control of the battle.

I drank another spirit energy potion.

The time is past four o'clock—dawn is approaching.

The water created by the high-level spell is beginning to recede.

Despite the immense volume of water, it vanished completely, returning entirely to spirit energy as if it had never existed at all. The ground didn’t even become muddy.

The Great Spirit had somehow grown hair on its head.

Gazing at our barrier, it advanced step by step.

It was convenient that the opponent was coming closer.

After all, those skilled in long-range attacks are often defeated by spells before they can close the distance.

"Grr... I didn’t expect such a powerful technique... I can’t possibly win against this..."

"Oh? Are you finally giving up? Upper-tier spells do take a toll, even on me."

"If I surrender, will you spare me?"

"Huh-huh-huh. That’s impossible. At the very least, beg me not to kill you. I’d like to taste you myself."

"Haha, that's quite kind of you,"

the Great Spirit seemed to overly trust humans, or perhaps, despite living for so long, had an emotionally childish nature, easily believing my frightened act at face value.

Even after having been decapitated countless times, he let his guard down.

His arrogance would be his undoing.

"Darkness Fog"

I spread darkness, launching myself outward like a rebounding projectile from the barrier.

The Great Spirit, attempting to break through the barrier, was caught in the darkness leaking from the weakening barrier and let out a casual "Nwah!"

"Fear!"

I struck him with a terror spell at point-blank range, paralyzing his movements.

Immediately following, I slashed him down, severing his head.

The Lizardman Zombie and the Dark Knight rushed in, hacking his body to pieces.

Thanks to its complacency in approaching us, the coordinated attack succeeded.

Even reduced to just a body, the Great Spirit can still move and use magic, but if its arms, legs, and neck are all severed simultaneously, magic is the least of its concerns.

"Dark Coffin!"

I seal the severed limbs of the Great Spirit within a coffin of darkness.

Though this technique takes time to fully activate, this time it worked perfectly.

"Dissect it!"

A command to the Dark Knight, who can still act even inside the Dark Coffin.

Since I don't know what kind of counterattack might come, I can't afford to enter and join the assault myself.

Inside the pitch-black, icosahedral coffin, I can see the Great Spirit's spiritual energy gradually dissipating.

This was actually a success!?

"O-ohhh... You're freely messing with my body...! But I won't die from something like this!"

The voice came from the severed head just moments ago.

The great spirit's head, eyes wide open, let out a sharp cry: "Yaaah!"

"...Seriously? Anything goes, huh?"

"H-haha... Don't underestimate me, boy. I am the Great Spirit. I won't die from something this trivial!"

Amazingly, the Great Spirit had now regenerated its body from the neck down.

On the surface, it looked completely unharmed—entirely intact once more.

But the spiritual energy coursing through its body had plummeted to just a few percent of its original strength.

"Fear!"

"Ugh!? That's unfair—just revived and you're already attacking!"

"I can't come back once I'm dead. I'm desperate! Dispel!"

"Gh!"

The dispelling wave emitted from my hand captures the Great Spirit.

— It worked!

Whereas previous dispels had felt blocked by some kind of barrier, this latest spell has pierced through the Great Spirit's "barrier" and shattered its very root.

That was the unmistakable sensation.

"……Y-you...! That magic is dishonorable...!"

Like fine mist dissolving into the air, the Great Spirit's (small) body begins to lose its form.

Its existence as a summoned spirit has been destroyed by the dispel, and it can no longer gather spirit energy.

"Did I... win...?"

"……Yes. I never thought... that even as a summoned being... I, the Great Spirit, would lose in a one-on-one battle... Truly... magnificent... magnificent... indeed...………………"

　

Even the last fragment vanished, swept away by the wind—Great Spirit (Small).

I simply sank down onto the ground.

My entire body trembled.

My heart suddenly pounded again, and for the first time, I stepped back and truly took in my current situation.

"Truly... did I really... win...?"

Though not responding to that voice, suddenly a cheerful tone echoed through the air.

'Congratulations! You, the first transmigrated traveler, have successfully defeated the Great Spirit. As a first-time bonus, 5 points have been awarded.'

'Congratulations! You have successfully defeated the Great Spirit, and the title "Demon King" has been granted to you. As a first-time title acquisition bonus, 1 point has been awarded.'

"Fuh... hehehe..."

A dry laugh escaped me.

"If I defeat the Demon King, I get the title of Hero... if I defeat the Great Spirit, I get the title of Demon King... I wonder what exactly I've become now...

Titles don't really matter—just a bit of flavor from the Earth side, really.

　

The sky to the east is beginning to faintly glow.

There's hardly any trace of battle left on the road.

The Great Spirit never used attacks that tore through the ground, and neither did I.

It's almost as if the fight a moment ago was just a dream.

'…………I should go.'

The fatigue from everything so far suddenly crashes over my entire body. But I can't stay here forever.

I open my status board and pull out a stamina potion, drinking it down.

A stamina potion seeping into my exhausted body—far more effective than Enerdy.

So potent that it's undeniably dangerous, yet incredibly helpful when I need to stay awake and active.

Well, if we're already in a world where drinking medicine heals wounds, what's the point of complaining now?

I've already told Refreia to go ahead and wait for me in the neighboring town.

I started walking north.

　

I've defeated even the Great Spirit.

There should be nothing left—so I thought.

"…………No way. Seriously? Just give me a break…"

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

I wanted there to be nothing left. That was my wish.

But that hope was shattered.

The unmistakable tremor of spiritual energy all around me.

That man—Ferdinand with his golden hair… had he foreseen this situation too?

No, it must be coincidence. The guy died after having all his spiritual energy drained by the great water spirit.

　

The sheer magnitude of that spirit's power made its movement unmistakably clear.

Even now, the presence approaching from ahead along its path was unmistakably not just a human, but an entity imbued with abnormal spiritual energy—undoubtedly the great spirit itself, a fact I couldn't ignore.

It had come straight down the road, heading south.

"I came here thinking there was some fierce battle going on. You're quite the favorite, huh? Heh, maybe you two great spirits got into a fight? Didn't sense any sign of the Demon King though. Either way, you're meddling in my territory—so give me a piece of the action too."

It was a large man with a dirt-colored complexion.

The deep voice echoed through the ground, as the priests, looking distressed, were dragged by the chains.

"The Great Spirit of Earth..."

"Just as expected. You really do look delicious. Glug glug."

Worst possible outcome.