Chapter 145: Child of Darkness

The world learns through news reports and videos that a pitch-black warship has appeared over Mongolia, locked in battle with a multinational army.

With global military forces converging on Mongolia, reports spread that the World Union forces now hold the upper hand—comforting countless people.

But no one knows whether Gojo is fighting alongside them or not.

People cling to hope, uneasy but determined, that the Union forces will repel the invaders from another world.

[Keichō News Headquarters——]

Reporters are glued to a large television screen.

"Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea—warships and aircraft carriers from all nations are deploying. The support formation for attacking Mongolia is taking shape."

"Back when the enemy suddenly showed up in Mongolia, I thought we'd be caught off guard. But surprisingly, global military coordination is happening fast."

"This unprecedented war seems to be ending in our favor."

"Matsumoto, what do you think?"

A colleague turns to Matsumoto, who's standing at the back, staring at the screen.

"Can't end that easily. Won't be that simple…."

[Osaka — Prime Minister's Office]

"Prime Minister, the Maritime Self-Defense Force escort vessels have reached their designated positions in the Sea of Japan. We can launch anti-air and anti-ship missiles from them if you give the order."

"Is that so…."

"No need to use them, though. I was terrified when I heard Gojo hadn't returned, but it seems things might work out after all."

Prime Minister Tada, hearing that the Air Self-Defense Force units he dispatched were holding their own, felt genuine relief deep down—but somewhere in his heart, a nameless unease lingered.

Whether it was because Gojo wasn’t there, or just his own imagination, he couldn’t tell.

Toda was silently praying his worries were just overthinking.

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【Northeast of the Four Warships――】

"What the hell is this thing... some kind of monster!?"

Demeter hovered in midair, looking down at the girl below. A pitch-black aura spewed from around her body.

"...Um... could you come down... please...?"

"Who the hell does this brat think she is?! Don’t get cocky!"

Demeter thrust both hands forward, gathering magic. Light coalesced, transforming into a blazing fireball.

"Take this!!"

The fireball shot out like a bullet, slamming into Emily and detonating in a massive explosion. Smoke billowed, obscuring the child’s form completely.

"...How’s that...!?"

Demeter expected to see Emily damaged—but when the smoke cleared, despair set in.

The girl was completely unharmed. Not a scratch on her.

Worse, the pitch-black aura around her twisted and reshaped itself into the forms of three black dragons.

"——Black Dragons!"

As Emily whispered, the three dragons surged upward in a wave-like motion.

"Damn it!"

She activated a five-layered, purplish radiant barrier directly in front of her.

The three charging dragons slammed into the barrier. Even with their dark power, they couldn’t breach the purple shield.

"Fufu, I’m known even among demon gods for my impenetrable defense. You’re just a kid. You can’t beat me!"

Emily, seeing this, summoned a massive black sphere before her.

The sphere split into countless tiny spheres, floating around her body like a swarm.

"Dark Barrage!!"

The spheres—no bigger than marbles—fired off like a machine gun—

"Wha—!?"

Piercing through Demeter’s Barrier Art and even the double-layered defensive barrier, shredding it to pieces.

‘S-something like this… impossible…’

The black dragon tore through the hole-ridden Barrier Art and lunged at Demeter. She barely dodged—couldn’t do anything but run.

Darting just above the ground, weaving through the black dragon’s attacks.

Demeter knew if she stayed too far from Emily, her own attacks wouldn’t reach. Firing fireballs mid-flight, one after another.

But each one exploded midair, blocked by the black aura.

‘…I… I’ll get it this time…’

More projectiles slammed toward her.

Dodging Emily’s black bullets by inches, evading the three charging black dragons, she kept flying at top speed.

Staying at a fixed distance from Emily, firing one fireball—then ten black bullets came back at her in return.

‘What the hell is this?! Why do you have power like that!?’

At that moment, Demeter realized she was right between the girl and the warship.

‘S-shit!’

A black bullet grazed her, then shot straight toward the warship. Impact. A pause. Then blinding light—explosion—flames engulfing the vessel.

Demeter stared, stunned.

‘…Power beyond a demon god… If I keep fighting, I’ll die.’

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Honestly, I just want to run—but if I let her through, she’ll reach the center. I can’t defy the Wang’s command.

‘No choice…’

My strongest defensive spell—this should be unbreakable, even for a child—

‘—Aegis of Catastrophe!—’

The spherical barrier of light unfolds around me like a cocoon.

Three black dragons and dozens of black bullets rush at me—but the spherical barrier blocks them all, leaving me untouched.

This spell massively boosts my defense and magical resistance. It pairs perfectly with my 【Double Barrier Defense】, which creates barriers several times stronger than my own defensive power.

Normally, this skill can't stop attacks at point-blank range—but with this spell, I’m impenetrable. A fortress of defense.

Of course, I can’t attack while maintaining it—but as long as they don’t notice, it’s fine.

“Fufu… How’s that? Even you can’t break through this! Don’t believe me? Try attacking harder!”

If this kid keeps attacking, draining their magic, I’ll have the upper hand.

Maintaining the Shield of Catastrophe takes serious magic, but… it’s impossible for a kid like this to run out before me.

“…Guess I have no choice…”

The child raises their right hand. On the ground, a massive, unfamiliar magical circle appears.

“What—?!”

From within it, something dreadful begins to emerge.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

I didn’t want to use it… not yet… I’m still not good at it. But to break that person’s barrier… there’s no other way…

“—Demon Summoning—!”

From the large circle drawn on the ground, a massive hand slowly rises. It extends out of the circle up to the elbow—but then stops.

I don’t know whose hand it is… or where it’s coming from.

Noah said, since my job skill is 【Demon Summoning】, it must be a demon. But I don’t even know what a demon *is*… really…

“What the hell is *this* arm?!”

The woman flying through the sky frantically tries to escape from that hand, but no one can ever get away from it.

Because "The Hand of the Demon King" generates a pull that draws its target in.

『Aaahhhhh!?』

The woman is pulled in more and more, until she’s finally caught.

『Damn it! But this shield that wards off calamity—Aegis—can’t be broken. Haha, too bad for you!』

The "Hand of the Demon King" slowly closes around the spherical barrier, gradually increasing its grip.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

My barrier is creaking, groaning like a dying thing.

『This… can’t be…』

This shield, Aegis, is an impenetrable defense forged by multiple high-tier demons—no one could break it even if they teamed up. And yet…

This child… might be stronger than Chronos or Okeanos.

A sharp crack echoes through the barrier. No… it won’t hold. I, of all people… defeated by a kid like this…

『So… you’re the last card in this world, aren’t you? But too bad—no matter who you are, you can’t defeat “the King” who rules us all.』

‘…Not me.’

『Huh?』

‘There’s someone far stronger than me… You call him “King”? He’ll be taken down by the Teacher…’

『Someone… stronger than you?! A human?!』

The barrier shatters with a tearing, cracking sound. Me… defeated here… like this…

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

The "Hand of the Demon King" crushed the woman along with her barrier. Blood spills through the cracks in the grip. Her arm retreats back into the magic circle, vanishing like a stone sinking into water—the circle itself dissolves.

I can only send out an arm right now, but… thanks to this power, I managed to take her down after all.

Noah told me not to use it much… but…

“…this time, there’s no choice, right…?”

I hurried toward the center.