Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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TL Notes: Sorry, I wasn't feeling well last week. And this chapter is longer than usual. Enjoy

Chapter 273


　Me and senpai are the vanguard.
　With Kazuki supporting us in the rear, we faced off against the Demon King.
　Our opponent is the Demon King, and it's impossible to predict what he'll do with magic.
　Facing such an opponent, we couldn't let our guard down, but we were still having a hard time dealing with the number of moves he made.

"Both of you, use my magic as a foothold!!"

　Kazuki manipulated a large amount of magic bullets and placed them all around us.
　They move separately as if predicting our movements, allowing us to move not only on the ground but also in three dimensions.

"Hou, so you've removed the power of annihilation from the light magic and given it physical elasticity. That's quite skillful."

　The Demon King looks at the magic bullets floating around us and is impressed.
　Some of them head towards the Demon King ——— and are wiped out by the magic he casts.

"There's a possibility that the magic of annihilation is mixed in there!"
"Of course, I understand that."

　He spread magic all around him, each one unleashing a separate attack.
　We move forward even though we are confronted with a power so powerful that it obliterates not only Kazuki's magic bullets, but also even those around us.

"Healing Magic: Explosive Palm!"

　Using a shockwave, I repel the flame magic.
　As it lands, I unleash a Healing Flying Fist on the Demon King, who is standing about 10 meters away.

"Oraah!"
"That's not good enough."

　But even the Healing Flying Fist is obliterated by the Demon King simply paying his hand off.
　...! I guess it's still weak if I don't hit him directly!!
　As I was about to move to prepare for the Demon King's next attack, a purple light flashed at the edge of my vision.

"Thunder Beast Mode 3, Child Fire Thrust (Ko no Hi Tsuki)!"

　With a sudden flash of purple light, the magic surrounding the Demon King crumbled, and senpai appeared beside him with her sword thrust out.

"You are fast. There's never been a lightning user as good as you before I was sealed away."
"Thanks!"

　The Demon King caught the swords that were swung in succession as he turned around with the magic that floated in his palms.

"Flair for fighting, talent for magic, You are truly a person with the qualities of a hero."
"How dare you say that, after you so casually prevented it!"

　Kicking the Demon King's invisible armor, senpai leapt backwards and swung her sword, unleashing a crescent-shaped electric shock.
　The Demon King sees this and easily avoids to the side, but ——— I am there.

"Don't forget I'm here!!"
"———!"

　The Demon King ducks and the electric shocks approaching towards me are hit back with the gauntlet of my right arm, which is wrapped in an elasticity grant.
　If the gauntlet has a property that does not allow magic power to pass through, it can repel electric blasts and even Kazuki's light magic...!!
　This is———,

"Healing Counter!"
"Another weird technique?!"

　The electric shock, repelled at close range, strikes the Demon King directly.
　An intense light scattered before my eyes, but it quickly converged on the Demon King's outstretched palm.

"You're not the only one who can control the lightning, you know?"
"!"
"Lightning Strike Spell"

　The electric blasts converged in his palm and shot toward me.
　I raised my fist to deflect it once more, but senpai stepped between me and the Demon King, unsheathing his sword and slashing through the lightning.

"Thank you!"
"We can't defeat this enemy if even one of us is missing! Let's join forces!"
"Yes!"

　I place my hand on senpai's shoulder to restore her strength.
　After that, I lightly tosses the healing magic bullet to Kazuki behind.

"Kazuki!"
"Thanks!"

　After confirming that Kazuki had received the magic bullets with a bang, Senpai and I resumed our attack on the Demon King.
　Kazuki's magic bullet cancels out the Demon King's magic, so we can concentrate on the Demon King alone!

"Ferrum, let's go!"
"Yeah!"

　My left arm and legs are wrapped in the same armor as the black knight.
　I accelerate at once by stepping forward with elasticity while spreading magic power throughout my body, and then I slam my right fist into the invisible wall that covers the Demon King's surroundings.

"Nea!"
"———I can't! That's not the same sorcery I saw before!"
"You've even memorized the Release Sorcery, you're a rare magician who sticks to the basics."
"Hih?!"

　Nea hides behind my shoulder as the Demon King looks at her.
　At that moment, senpai swung her sword, but it was blocked by the Demon King's armor.

"———Usato-kun! Can't you destroy it somehow?"
"I'll give it a try!!"

　Dodging the palm of his hand, I approached the Demon King once more.
　He probably doesn't want to let me get close to him, but ——— the light magic controlled by Kazuki flies toward the Demon King, accompanied by the power of annihilation.

"Now! Usato!!"
"Yoooshi!!"

　Between me and light magic, the latter is the greater threat!
　As soon as the Demon King dealt with the light magic, I slammed the Healing Consecutive Strike Fist once more.
　It was a single impact———, but there is no way it would hit him consecutively, so this time I slam my left fist, which is surrounded by black magic power, and hit him with a series of fist blows.
　There was no time to prepare the next combo punch.

"So! I'll do this!!"

　Before the Demon King turns his palm toward me, I hit the same spot with a knee kick and a spinning kick using the same outburst of magic power as the Consecutive Fist.
　After four strikes and the shockwave of magic power, the magic armor that had been covering the Demon King finally crumbled.

"You're even more troublesome than the hero."
"Senpai, now!!"

　At my voice, Senpai, holding her sword as if she carried it on her shoulder, is covered in purple electric shocks.
　She lowers herself and accelerates as if bouncing, disappearing from my sight in an instant.

"Thunder Blade: Itora!"
"!"

　The next moment after the Demon King activated some kind of magic, the sword wielded by Senpai sliced through the Demon King head-on.
　Or rather, it made it look like he had cut him in half.

"...I didn't feel anything...!?"

　I can hear senpai muttering something like that.
　However, on the other hand, Nea and Ferrum looked relieved.

『Did she do it?!』
"She did it! Even the Demon King's head was cut in half!!"
"No! Not yet!!"

　Ferrum and Nea were happy, but I immediately ran off.

"Wh-What are you doing?!"
"Nea! Binding Spell!!"
"Haa?! Why———"
『Do as Usato says!! And Ferrum!!』

　Amako, perhaps having seen it through foresight, gives instructions to the bewildered two.
　I raised my fist and struck the empty space with all my might.
　With a momentary distortion of space, an unscathed Demon King appears, receiving my fist.

"Illusions don't work on me!"
"I read in the report that you nullified the Third Corps Commander's magic... I see, so you have a strong resistance to mental attacks themselves."
"What are you saying...!"
"As I thought, your existence is more troublesome than the hero, Usato."

　Magic is deployed from his other hand.
　With Amako's foresight and my intuition, I instantly backed away and the Demon King laughed happily.

"It may be inappropriate, but I'm enjoying this battle too."

　In that instant, the Demon King used his magic to create an illusion for all the people present.
　If they had not had resistance to illusions, they might have been caught by surprise, unaware of the Demon King's presence.
　After all, this guy can do anything...!

"Now, let's get creative."
"What the———?!"

　The Demon King activates some kind of magic.
　As I immediately move back, cracks of light run from the feet of the Demon King.
　These cracks run across the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room———they break into blocks and float up.

"You manipulated space...?! Kazuki! Senpai!"
"I'm fine!" (Suzune)
"Me too!!" (Kazuki)

　Senpai appears, cutting the blocks that were closing in on her in half.
　Kazuki comes in on a board of light magic.

"Usato, your feet are floating up too!"
"I know!"

　The ground around my feet also rises up.
　I jump from one to the other, floating in the air like a puzzle, and check the figure of the Demon King.
　When the Demon King sees me, he lightly moves his fingers and manipulates something.

『Usato! Up!!』
"Up...?"

　I looked up at Amako's voice and saw a block about to crush the place I was standing in.
　In a panic, I jumped to the next block, but as if it had predicted this, an even bigger block fell.

"Nooooo! Usato Usato Usato! Do something!"
『I don't want to be crushed to death!!』
『Usato is fine so be quiet!』

　Hearing the screams of Nea on my shoulder and Ferrum inside me, I put all my strength into my legs.
　There's no need to dodge something that small.
　If I and Blurin combine our strength, a rock block of this size is nothing!

"Bluriiin!!"
『Guaaah!!』

　I reflected Blurin's power in both my arms and took the block that was approaching before me.
　The block's mass was so great that my feet sunk into the ground, but if Blurin and I combined our strength———,

"Mmhhhh...!"
"A-As expected! I'm not even sure you're human anymore, but you're amazing!!"
"Did you think you could crush me with just this, Demon King?"

　I throw it as hard as I can toward the Demon King!
　Faced with a giant block flying towards him, the Demon King lightly shook his hand away and pushed it aside.

"Kazuki-kun! Usato-kun!"

　As I kicked the block and moved on, I confirmed senpai's gaze and guessed her intention.
　In order not to let the Demon King gain any more advantage, we will attack at once and defeat the Demon King.

"To do that, we have to destroy the magic that the Demon King is using."
"But he won't let us touch him easily anymore, will he?"

　Using the blocks as a foothold, I nodded to Nea's voice.
　I've already shattered the Demon King's magic twice, so there might not be a next time.
　To be honest, I haven't come up with a way to get close enough to destroy it myself, but———,

"Ferrum"
『What is it? I have a bad feeling about this.』
"I have an idea."

　When I mention the strategy I came up with after seeing Ferrum's dark magic, Nea, who was on my shoulder, turned pale.

"No way! I-I'll die! Are you okay with it!? But still!"
『Accept your fate』
『Nea will be fine』
"I know it, you're all enemies!? Just do it already! Do it!!"

　Still, she seems determined and says so while slapping my cheeks.
　Well then, let's begin the operation...!

"I'll get a foothold in the air!"

　Kazuki, riding on a light magic board, makes a large number of magic bullets into disks and places them around the Demon King.
　All of them are magic bullets that are elastic and touchable.

"Ohhhh!"

　And then, I landed in front of the Demon King ——— I immediately crossed my arms and released a healing magic blast and shockwave from my upper body in front of me.

"Strengthening, Crush the Eyes!"
"Nuh?!"

　The Demon King flinches, not expecting that he would be tricked into thinking that someone would try to blind him.
　But it was only for an instant, as he blocked my surprise punch and instead slammed a fire spell into my stomach.

"Guha...!"

　My back hit the block next to me.
　It was an explosive type of flame, so it neither penetrated nor burned.
　As I stood up, using healing magic to heal myself, the Demon King pointed his palm, emitting magic light, towards me.

"You're very versatile, but what about this———!?"

　The Demon King would have noticed immediately.
　The dark magic that was supposed to be surrounding me had disappeared.
　But by the time he noticed, it was too late!

"Nea! Now!"
"What...!?"
"I-I'll do iiit!!"

　Hearing my voice, Nea moved behind the Demon King ——— clad in the black uniform of dark magic and used a release spell to remove the magic the Demon King was wearing.

"Wh-Why am I doing something so dangerous?!"

　The black-haired, red-eyed girl, Nea, is whining with tears in her eyes, but she really did a great job!

『Well done, Nea!!』(Ferrum)
『Ferrum! Hurry and get back to Usato! An attack is coming!』(Amako)
『Guaaah!』
"This is really noisy, isn't it!?" (Nea)

　The Demon King shoots a heat ray from his fingertips towards Nea.
　Just before it hits, Nea transforms into an owl, and Ferm uses dark magic to turn into a muddy state and separate, allowing them to avoid the heat ray.
　Protected by Kazuki's magic bullets, Ferrum and Nea return to me.

"Usato! You owe me this!"
"Yes, you did well! With this, the troublesome magic has been destroyed! ———Senpai! Now!!"

　Kazuki creates a foothold and we destroy the magical armor the Demon King wears.
　Senpai appeared on top of one of the blocks moving in the air, holding her sheathed sword.

"Kannagi Style. Thunderbolt: Dog Running (Raiden・Inu Hashiri)."

　With her head held low like Nagi-san's, and purple lightning charged from her entire body, she disappears from the spot in an instant as soon as her eyes widen.

"———!"

　A peculiar metallic sound echoed from the direction of the Demon King.
　I looked over and saw the Demon King floating in the air, using magic as a shield, and behind him, senpai had swung her sword.
　As if a single blow is not enough, Senpai's figure vanishes again with a purple light.

"As expected, she's fast...!"

　The Demon King deploys his magic to protect himself while bleeding from a wound carved into his left arm.
　At the same time, with a sound like a continuous roar of electric shocks, the magic bullets placed by Kazuki are kicked away, destroying the Demon King's magic one after another.

"Kuh...!"

　Even my eyes could only catch a faint glimpse of her overwhelming speed, and the Demon King was unable to keep up with her.
　After destroying the magic and slashing at the Demon King's body one after another, Senpai slams a kick with all her might into the Demon King's chest, and at the same time, she lands on the ground while doing somersaults.

"This is the end...!"

　The sword is filled with more electric shocks than ever before.
　She gripped the sword, which was emitting a great glow, in her reverse grip and unsheathed it with a flash of lightning.

"Dragon・Thunder Slash (Shin・Kaminari Giri)!"

　There is a flash of light and the sound of something cutting through the air.
　The light is so bright that your eyes are dazzled and your vision flickers for a while, but then you hear something that sounds like water falling.

""Senpai!!""

　My voice and Kazuki's overlap.
　Did she defeat the Demon King?! What happened?!
　The light quickly subsided, and there was———,

"...!"
"..."

　Senpai slashed her sword into the Demon King's shoulder.
　Blood gushed out from the Demon King's shoulder, which was cut deeply by the blade, meaning that Senpai's technique had hit the Demon King directly.
　However, the wound was too shallow.

"That was a close one."
"...What did, you do...?"

　Even as he was being slashed by the sword, the Demon King calmly called out to senpai, whose expression was distorted.
　———! There's sorcery on Senpai's body?!
　That is...!

"Binding Spell?!"
『Suzune is in danger!!』

　The sword was swung with a speed that even my eyes couldn't see, and stopped just before it struck the Demon King's shoulder. The sword and the body of senpai who was holding it were both stopped by sorcery.
　As Kazuki and I tried to go over to help Senpai, a block started to move forcefully before we could, separating us from Senpai who had been captured by the Demon King.

"———This is the third time."
"Wha...?!"
"If you can show that much, I can come up with any number of countermeasures. Although, I couldn't stop it unless I did this."

　Not good...!
　The Demon King's hand is pointed towards Senpai.
　Somehow, I managed to jump over the block and tried to force my way to her, but before I could do that, the Demon King's magic hit Senpai's body.
　Repelled by the magic, Senpai falls to the ground like a doll that has lost its powers.

"Ferrum!!"
"Yeah! I know!!"

　The line made of dark magic is extended from my hand, and I pull the falling senpai.
　Holding her by both arms, I cast healing magic to completely heal her wounds, but her body is covered with layers of magical patterns.

"She avoided a direct hit, huh. She is truly a brilliant fighter."
"Demon King...!"
"Can you fight with someone holding you back?"

　The Demon King turned his palm towards me and extended translucent chains.
　As I managed to avoid them while holding senpai in my arms, a disk-shaped magic bullet released by Kazuki sliced through the chains.

"Usato! Save senpai now!!"
"Thank you!!"

　While running out of the place, I look at senpai's condition, and I also see chain-like magic and a pattern that resembles fire running through her body.
　She may have been exposed to some other sorcery, and although she is conscious, she is not in a condition to move.

"Although she barely escaped a direct hit, she was hit by binding, fire-poisoning, shackling, wounds, and multiple sorceries at the same time. In this battle, the Thunder Hero would likely be of little use at this point in time." (Demon King)
"...Nea!"

　Ignoring the voice of the Demon King who speaks to me during the battle, I ask Nea to look at her, but when I see her grim expression, I realize that it is impossible to solve the sorcery in this battle.

"I don't think we're going to be able to break the spell in the middle of this battle. What do we do now?"
"You b*sstaaaard!!"
"...The Hero of Light, huh?"

　Kazuki, enraged by senpai being beaten, begins to attack the Demon Lord, releasing light magic.
　———While Kazuki is buying time, we have to do something.
　I quickly land on a nearby slow-moving block and lower senpai to the floor by supporting her back.

"Usato-kun, don't worry about me, just take care of Kazuki-kun..."
"..."
"Usato-kun...?"

　As the Demon King said, senpai can't fight.
　Perhaps Nea's Release Spell could help, but in the meantime, either me or Kazuki would be defeated by the Demon King.
　———Should I act as a decoy and let Senpai and Kazuki escape?

『———Usato』
"...What's up?"

　While I am thinking of a way to keep everyone alive except me, Ferrum calls out to me.
　She sounds somewhat reluctant to say it, but sounds determined.

『Suzune is a noisy person.』
"S-Sudden insults...?! To me in this weak state?!"
『She's noisy, unreserved, persistent, and a weirdo who does nothing but do weird things』

　Is she trying to finish off senpai?
　As I watch senpai writhe in pain, unable to move, I wait for Ferrum's next words.

『But this guy is one of our friends』

　With those words, I finally understood Ferrum's intentions.
　At the same time, my negative thinking began to change.

『It's okay. I recognize her. So we can still fight』
"Yes, you're right. That's right."

　Holding senpai in my arms, I take a deep breath.
　I forget all the stupid thoughts I had earlier.

"Sorry, Blurin. It's time for a change."
"Guah"

　Blurin, who has been de-assimilated from my body, comes out.

"It's dangerous from here on out, so please stay away."
"Gwah!"
"Yes, I will definitely come back alive."

　I stroke Blurin's cheek as it nods vigorously.
　When senpai saw Blurin like that, she couldn't help but look at me.

"Eh, Usato-kun? T-T-T-This is, could it be."
"Senpai. Of course you haven't lost heart, have you?"
"Y-Yeah! Of course!!"
"Okay. ...Ferrum, I'm counting on you."
"Aah!"

　Senpai is enveloped in black magic power and assimilates with me.
　At the same time as I assimilate with her by switching places with Blurin, I somehow find myself holding in my left hand the hero's sword that she had been holding.
　The sword begins to emit electric shocks and light as if resonating with the gauntlet on my right arm.

"Let's go all out!"

　Instantly, electric shocks overflow from my body.
　The same phenomenon as the Thunder Beast Mode.
　While wrapping myself in the magic that senpai had activated within me, I rushed towards the Demon King to engage in the final battle.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Author's Notes:
There has been a slight change in the settings regarding Senpai and Usato's strength after assimilation.
Don't worry, this won't affect the main story.

Finally, senpai has achieved assimilation.
In addition to the Thunder Beast Mode where senpai supplies magic power from the inside, he can also nullify fatigue and stress with healing magic, making him a dangerous character.
If I had to name him I'd call him... Rising... Devil... Usato?