Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

December 12, 2016: Typographical errors have been corrected.

This time, the perspective is not Satou’s.

“‘Physical Enhancement,’ ‘Super Strength,’ ‘Agility,’ ‘Concentration.’”

Boy knight Marienthal activated his self-strengthening skills.

Although wary of the attacks from the pitch-black high-rank demon race opposing him, the high-rank demon merely watched the boy knight with amusement, showing no sign of attacking.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but regret that carelessness!”

‘Ready, Ka? I am bored,’ the demon mocked.

The boy knight moved instantly, approaching with瞬動 (instant movement), stopping just before entering the high-rank demon’s range, then sharply changed course at a right angle.

However, the high-rank demon did not fall for the feint and only observed the boy knight.

The boy knight, having approached from the side using瞬動, uttered the command word “Acceleration,” and his Holy Sword began to shine, boosting his running speed by fifty percent.

The high-rank demon narrowed his eyes slightly at the boy’s action.

For the high-rank demon, such a speed difference was almost negligible, as if the knight were standing still.

Imagining the boy knight’s demise, the demon raised the corners of his mouth in a malicious smirk.

“Acceleration Circle!”

A glowing ring appeared before the boy knight, who passed through it and explosively accelerated.

The speed was such that even the high-rank demon’s motion perception might lose track of him.

Moreover, the boy knight’s attack was not a wide, powerful slash but a thrust prioritizing speed above all.

Yet still—

‘Simple acceleration is no different from constant velocity? I laugh at you,’ the demon taunted.

The high-rank demon intercepted the boy knight’s attack launched at blurred outlines purely by instinct.

The boy knight was knocked away by the demon’s pitch-black tail, bouncing off the cobblestones and crashing into a bookstore’s shelf, coming to a halt.

Dust billowed from the shattered bookshelf and old books, hiding the boy knight’s figure.

‘Now, let’s have more fun. I look forward to it,’ the demon said.

Normally, the boy knight would be dead or at best gravely wounded after a counterattack by the high-rank demon.

Common sense dictated he should be half-dead.

Yet the demon remained unwavering, keeping his gaze on the bookstore where the boy knight had vanished.

Sure enough—a blue glow shot out from between the white dust.

“Wooooooah!”

Answering the boy knight’s battle cry, his Holy Sword emitted a blue light.

The second charge reached the high-rank demon without being countered, clashing against the dark red greatsword that blocked it, scattering sparks of blue and red.

‘You fight alone? I pity you,’ the high-rank demon sneered.

Looking down at the boy knight wielding the Holy Sword with both hands, the demon raised his free arm.

His poisonous claws glistened with a malevolent sheen.

“You’re not alone!”

A handsome man dashed through the square using瞬動, his red demon blade trailing behind as he slashed at the high-rank demon.

The demon tried to sweep the intruder away with his tail, but the golden-haired man skillfully parried all attacks with continuous strikes.

“Kigori-sama!”

“Hey, Marienthal. Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Coming to assist the boy knight was the strongest knight of Seryu City, boasting level 40.

And then—

Mighty thunder struck the high-rank demon.

“Heh, since you bought us time, this is Thunder Grandpa’s serious strike.”

“This is Lord Lindorf’s Ruin Thunder.”

The thunder attack from Lindorf, the chief magician affectionately known as Thunder Grandpa, forced even the high-rank demon to halt.

‘A thrilling surprise, I rejoice,’ said the demon.

The demon puffed out his chest, and the blackened, scorched skin flew off, revealing his unscathed body beneath.

The surprise attack with advanced lightning magic seemed ineffective against the demon.

‘Swift reprisal, I strike fast,’ the demon declared.