Yet Riese had no need to worry that the building might come down; the damage was being repaired as soon as it was dealt.
“This is a serious problem,” the demon said. “Even on the one-in-a-million chance we land an attack, he might just completely shrug it off!”
“It is not one-in-a-million,” Akira corrected. “But, yeah...not really sure what to do about that!”
“Ah, no need to worry there,” the man said. “I can only restore inanimate objects back to their original form...which is another reason why I would love to have Lady Riese’s cooperation.”
“Get real,” Akira said. “You’re going down right here, right— Hey, hold on. Did you say ‘restore’? Wait, did you use that power for the demonic base?”
“Base? The demons have plenty of bases of operations, so I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean.”
“If you’re talking about the one in the southern parts of the Adasteran Kingdom, then yes, we borrowed that power of his,” the demon answered. “Not directly, though.”
“Ah, that one. Yes, I did lend a hand there. Adastera was getting a little too peaceful. I did so to help the people reawaken to the idea of bettering themselves through conflict.”
“I see,” Akira said. “I already knew you were up to no good, but that settles it. You need to die, now!”
Enraged, the hero’s attacks grew even fiercer...but to no avail. All their attacks still fizzled out just short of landing. Obviously, no one thought that this farce would continue forever. No matter how powerful the barrier, there had to be some type of cost being paid in order to stave off the attacks. The same could be said of the repairs to their surroundings. Eventually, the hierophant would run out of gas.
The only issue was that Akira and the demon were likely to hit their own limits first. Akira in particular was blasting off lightning without hesitation, and signs of fatigue were already present in her expression. Meanwhile, the hierophant had yet to break a sweat. He surely couldn’t have been completely untired, but he was obviously better off. Worse still, while he hadn’t attacked yet, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t attack. At this rate, they’d simply lose the war of attrition—not that they needed Riese to tell them that. If they could’ve done something about it, they would’ve done so.
Suddenly, Akira’ face contorted for a split second. She regained her composure right away, though, and shot a glance at the demon. When even the bystanders got the gist of its meaning, obviously the demon woman did too: She unleashed a barrage of rapid attacks as Akira leaped backward.
The hero held her sword to the sky and said, “Lightning, heed me: pierce through, bolt of heaven!” A deafening boom rang out from above. Akira’s lightning smashed straight through the ceiling.
Riese had seen this spell before, when Akira had been sparring with Allen. But hadn’t she tried to hit him directly back then? Riese supposed that Akira had jumped back to avoid getting caught in her own blast radius, but at this rate, the demon woman would be struck. Was she truly intending to hit them both?
No, she wasn’t. The lightning fell not on the two locked in combat, but on Akira’s sword. This was no self-destruction, but a means of charging the hero’s blade with the power of her magic. Akira raised her arms, twisting her upper body like a bow ready to fire...and in an instant, let the tension loose.
“Outta the way!”
The demon woman obliged. She kept up her assault until the last possible second to keep the hierophant from moving and then stepped to the side just before impact. In her place, a human arrow coated in the lightning from the heavens and Akira’s own blue lightning whistled by.
With the sound of shattering glass, the space around the hierophant’s face cracked...and no more. Akira’s blade had gotten closer than ever, but its tip only just grazed the man’s cheek before coming to a stop.
“Now that is truly surprising,” he said. “To think you’d actually manage to hurt me. Be proud, hero—you’re the first to do so in all the years since I took the mantle of hierophant. Alas, it isn’t enough to defeat me.”
Akira was sent flying back the way she’d come even faster than when she’d attacked. She slammed into the wall with an earsplitting bang and coughed up a large glob of blood. The demon woman’s lips curled, only slightly but still enough for Riese to feel her anxiety from afar.
“This is...less than ideal,” the demon said. “Honestly, this really is worse than I thought. To think you’d be this powerful... Your Eminence, you really are a monster.”
“If monsters are beings beyond humanity, then perhaps you’re right to call me one. I suppose the average person would see God as another sort of monster.”
“Hah!” Akira heaved, “So, what? You—augh—you trying to say you’re a god?”
“You continue to surprise me again and again. Not only are you in one piece, but well enough to speak! I should have expected nothing less from the hero.”
The hierophant’s praise was genuine, but its authenticity was proof of just how far beneath himself he considered Akira. But that was the cold, hard truth. Whether because she’d come to that conclusion or just out of pain, Akira grimaced.
“Tch... Haughty bastard... I’m not dead yet, you know?”
“You intend to fight again? I’m not fond of causing undue suffering, so I would really prefer that you accept your death soon. Do not worry; this is the will of the gods, for the betterment of all those who will come after you.”
“Heh. Everyone after me, huh? I couldn’t care less about what happens after I die.”
“Is that so? How unfortunate. But, regardless of what you think of it, your power will become a building block for the future, so you may rest easy.”
“Shut up! I told you I don’t care! Seriously, who do you think you are?!”
“I couldn’t agree more,” the demon jumped in. “This god act is getting oh so tiring.”
“Say what you will, but it’s clear from this scuffle that I do indeed bear the will of the gods. Had I been wrong, I would have been killed long ago; that I am still alive is proof that I am the embodiment of divine will.”
“Sounds more like the ramblings of a guy on a power trip to me,” Akira spat. “But I guess I just sound like a sore loser. Can’t really say anything when I’m the one who lost.”
“Are you giving up?” the demon woman asked. “I’m still not willing to quit, you know.”
“That’s great and all, but what am I supposed to do about this guy?” Akira looked ready to give up. She seemed fit to continue fighting, but maybe she’d suffered more damage than she was letting on. Or perhaps the gap between her and his strength was so apparent that she’d lost her will to fight.
What was certain was that she was set on throwing in the towel...but then her lips pulled into a grin.
“But, y’know, I kinda knew this going into it. Everyone calls me a hero, but I’m not the real deal yet anyway. I’ve still got a ways to go before I can be the main character, so for now, all I can do is perform the opening act.”
“What are you talking about?” the hierophant asked with a quizzical gaze.
“What am I talking about?” Akira laughed at the man as if to call him crazy. “Duh! I’m telling you that I’m finished buying time! With that lightning bolt I called down earlier, he should know right where we are.”
The instant she finished speaking, the wall opposite where Akira had been thrown disappeared. It simply vanished without a trace.
And who walked through the gaping hole but a young man? A very familiar young man.
“I have to admit, that did help a lot. I was getting lost in here.”
Allen shrugged, the same as ever, and Riese couldn’t help but smile.