We were making our way through the Zephyros Forest. Perhaps because of the outbreak of demons, the number of demons we saw seemed to be fewer than usual.

　Even though it was noon, it was strangely quiet.

　According to Noel's story, the demon was found in a location a little south of the center of the forest.

　The ones who discovered it were a trio of intermediate class adventurers. They had just undertaken a request for the final form and had apparently encountered it when they had entered the slightly deeper parts of the forest.

　To summarize their report, they said that the demon was moving through the trees, albeit slowly.

　And the direction of travel is south - if you continue on, you'll probably run into Zeto City.

The body of the demon is made of demonic energy. If you're trapped inside a demon's body, a person's mind goes mad and bubbles to death in an instant. I saw that happen half a year ago.

　Gant explains on the road. The shield he had been carrying on his back was now raised in front of him, and he stepped forward with a guarded look in his eyes, wary of his surroundings.

'In addition, even if you do a little bit of damage, the demons will repair themselves quickly. You can't even use physical attacks, and they only accept attacks that are purely magical. It's a very troublesome opponent.

　That's what Gant says, and I suppose it's frustrating but accurate information.

　The man may be rotten as a human being, but he's a first-rate adventurer. It doesn't hurt to listen to him.

Listen, you little bastards. "Listen, you little bastards, if you don't want to die, just do what I tell you to do. If you want to die, you'll do what I tell you to do. The little doggie can hide behind me and watch for opportunities to take a break and strike away. Can't you at least imitate the Demon Fist?

Yeah. All right. ...It's annoying, but that strategy seems to be the most reasonable one.

....

　I nodded reluctantly at Gant's words, but Mei Fan stubbornly refused to shake her head.

　It's understandable, considering her circumstances, that she can't bring herself to obey them honestly.

　But life is more important than willpower and pride. I put my mouth close to Mei Fan's ear and softly whispered to her, "Let's just follow suit for now.

Let's just follow them for now. If we don't survive this place, we won't be able to fulfill what we can fulfill.

　Mei Fan finally nodded with a disapproving look on her face.

''........I understand. Let's go with that strategy.''

Yeah. If you want to live, you can be a small fry and do exactly as I tell you.

Shit, man.

'Hold it, Mei Fan. Gant is right about this one.

Haha. That little boy is a lot smarter than I am. He's a boring guy.

　The air is grim, but we make our way through the forest.

　And then...

This is a demon...?

　It appeared.

　The stench of decay and stench, and before he knew it, the demon was right there. Pushing its way through the forest of trees without seeming to take care of itself, it slithered and crawled in the direction of the city with a brown, murky body that looked like sewage.

　The demon no longer took the form of a proper creature. It wasn't even sure if it had a body that looked like a body in the first place.

　If I were to use an analogy, it resembles a child's mere kneading of clay on a whim. One minute it looks unsteady and stretches out thin, and the next minute it curls up like a small mountain.

　It's big enough to look up.

"Haha........you still look disgusting.

　Gant sniffed grimly and held up his shield. He made no pretense of drawing his sword.

'Hey kids. Don't drag your feet just now!　If we let this thing loose on the city, neither Anya nor Sonia will be fit to hold it!

Who's that?

'What?　Of course she's the girl I'm keeping around.

"Filthy.

Ha-ha, that's a little early for the little brat, isn't it, my little boxy pooch?

　While we were exchanging such words, the demon was steadily closing in on us. The odor, which resembles a rotten smell, is getting stronger and stronger, and my nose is about to be bent.

''Exterminate the stench!''

　I cast a spell before contact. Then the stench quickly fades.

"Good backup, kid. Now we can fight a little more comfortably.

Thank you, Mr. Gerald.

It's nothing to worry about. More importantly, watch out, the demon will be here soon!

I don't need to tell you, you little f*cker!

　Shouting, Gant charges at the demon with his shield at the ready.

'Oooh-ooh-ooh!'

　Gant collided violently with the demon. The demon seemed to flinch slightly as he leapt up his shield with his momentum, and the demon seemed to flinch slightly as if he was frightened.

'Now, doggie!　Give him a hard shot, insert him deep inside!

You don't have to tell me what to do!

"Haha, you're a flippin' dog b*tc*!

　Next to come forward was Mei Fan.

　I mean, Gant is a downer until this moment. Mei Fan doesn't seem to have noticed, so that's fine....

　Anyway, Mei Fan closes the distance between him and the demon with a flowing, seemingly leisurely movement.

　And as soon as the demon entered the interval, he thrust out a fist wrapped in a basket of his father's memento.

　A painful blow that was fully effective in terms of stepping, tame, and twisting. And it wasn't just any fist.

　The brown, cloudy body of the demon and the fist that drew a divine silver trajectory collided violently with the demon's body.

　When the blinding vision cleared for a moment, the demon's body was pierced by Mei Fan's attack.

''Alright, it's working!''

Heh. That's pretty good.

　Mei Fan and Gant shouted something that sounded like a cheer, but I didn't have time to rejoice in the fact that the attack went through.

''Come back!''

　I reached out my hand and it was Mei Fan.

　She turned her head towards me, as if she was surprised to see me shouting out loud. Creeping up from above her is a stained water-colored translucent tentacle that extends from the demon.

　Apparently, demons can change their appearance at will. This was troubling.

　Mei Fan and Gant didn't seem to notice the tentacles. The demon's attacks rained down on them without mercy.

''Ha........this much!

　As expected, Gant notices on the verge and raises his shield to prevent the tentacles.

　But with Mei Fan, who lacked experience in actual combat, it was not going to happen. The demon's tentacles didn't even give her room to react, swallowing the entire ground Mei Fan was standing on.

　The ground bubbled up with a swooshing sound. It seems that the area that was attacked has been dissolved.

　This was the reason why physical attacks couldn't get through to the demon. The body of a demon made of evil energy swallowed all kinds of matter, dissolving and absorbing it, growing without limit.

　No matter how much Mei Fan is a Demon Fist user, if she were to be attacked by a demon, she would be dissolved in an instant.

''Hey, hey, doggie!

　Gant makes a panicked sound.

　That's how sharp the demon's attack was.

　Even Gant, who had dodged the death line many times, was only able to react just before.

　Mei Fan and others have been completely melted clean to the bone by now - it's not surprising that Gant would think this was the case.

　But.

It's extremely unpleasant that you're worried about me.