Shadow
“What a sorry sight, Cancer. To be caught that easily.”
“Shut up. Give me a minute!”
The two of them who talk to each other before my eyes. I’m glad I’ve made various preparations after the time I heard about Tierra’s occupation and saved her.
I was able to predict that like with my time, on the occasion that Tierra who possesses the occupation『Spirit Sorcerer』that’s thought to be God’s power was found, the priest would surely report it.
I had thought that somebody will come and catch her as a result of that but, I would never have thought that those who are at the top even in the Holy Kingdom would come. Apparently, that’s how afraid the Goddess is of God’s power.
Indeed, Tierra’s occupation is outrageous. Although it has only been a few days since I saved her, she has contracted with a fire spirit called Salamander and possesses the abilities above an ordinary magician in the span of that few days.
It’s an outrageously good find from my point of view but, I guess it’s nothing but a threat from the Goddess’ point of view. Hence, she’s trying to get rid of the root of the problem before that fellow obtains power. As the Goddess’ enemy.
“Well, I am lucky in various ways this time though”
“Aaa! I’m finally got free! You, aren’t you too taking it too easy with me as your opponent?”
The guy who breaks my shadow bind and glares at me……aa, how irritating. If you look at me with such eyes, won’t I want to quickly kill you.
……Fuu, let’s take a deep breath. It won’t be interesting if I kill him that simply. But, I wonder how I should kill him. I’m at a loss because there is stabbing to death, strangling to death, poisoning to death, crushing to death, slashing to death, and other various ways as well.
“Haaa!”
“Oops!”
As I’m thinking by myself in that manner, the guy who is different from the young guy struck at me. He closes in on me at a considerable speed but I didn’t move. No, I didn’t need to move.
It’s because my sword, Liscia, blocked the guy’s fist for me. Nevertheless, she sure looks happy. She disliked paperwork that much huh. However, I only had her go around to have talks instead of sitting on the desk though.
“Kuhahahaha! The true strength of the Twelve Holy Devas after several hundred years, I’ll have you show it to me, brat! Just don’t disappoint me!”
“You call ME1, brat? ……Don’t think you can die easily, female knight!”
The two of them quarrel like that as they steadily leave. Already, only the sounds of combat and Liscia’s loud laughter that was echoing underground could be heard.
……I shall have Liscia do work that suits her better from the next time onwards. Un un. I’m looking towards the direction where both Liscia and the guy had disappeared into when
“……Some nerve, you. To ignore ME! I will make you regret it!”
The guy who forcibly broke my sorcery, if I’m not wrong, Cancer, was it. That fellow came towards me. While I’m looking at that fellow and thinking, ‘How energetic huh’, I lightly tap my right foot on the ground.
Thereupon, my shadow moves limply and changes shape. It was flat when I was pointing at the shadow on the ground but, it changed into three dimensional and what appeared was a featureless black human-shaped shadow.
“Keep him company, Devil’s ShadowDoppelganger”
The shadow that nods to my words. This is a monster called Devil’s ShadowDoppelganger that was created by my sorcery. It’s something like another me that I created with my magic power and blood, it’s able to freely change its shape.
I created it beforehand as a bodyguard in the case of a worst-case scenario when Liscia is away from me. Its strength is certified by Liscia. To see how far this fellow can fight is also an objective this time around.
The shadow that faces Cancer on my words. Cancer gives a slightly surprised look but, he immediately pulls himself together and attacks me. I’d seen it just now as well but, slashing attack that is released each time he swings his arm, numerous slashing attacks that are released at his surroundings, there are various kinds of it but, it might be ill-suited for the shadow huh.
Cancer scorns as he releases slashing attacks at the shadow that charges straight at him. He takes a look at the shadow that was easily beheaded, and he’s already looking at me but, the shadow doesn’t stop walking and closes in on Cancer.
“Tsk, what’s with this fellow!”
Cancer shows confusion at the shadow that walks even though it has no head. The shadow sharpens its hand sharp like a spear before anyone knows and stabs at Cancer.
Cancer uses both hands to avert the shadow’s hand. I suppose the reason that there is a clanging noise each time he touches the shadow’s hand is that the sharply sharpened arm is lightly repealing the slashing attacks.
Cancer who releases slashing attacks even while he’s dodging the shadow’s stabs. Not just his arms, he also releases it from his legs and tears the shadow to pieces but, it immediately goes back to how it was. Uーn, he’s said to be one of the twelve strongest people of the Holy Kingdom so I was wondering what kind of person it is but, I guess it’s a let-down? I thought he’d be slightly more capable though.
“Annoying! Haa!”
I place such feelings of mine aside, Cancer uses the technique that mangles the surroundings and turns the shadow into small pieces. If it’s under normal circumstances then its core would be destroyed and it would die like the Opus Killers but, this Devil’s ShadowDoppelganger‘s core isn’t on the surface. Because it’s hidden at a certain place, it won’t die from ordinary means. If one doesn’t realise this, they will just simply be using up their strength and so forth.
The shadow that returns to how it was from small pieces. Cancer’s face stiffens at the mysterious shadow as he mangles it even more. He sees an opening and tries to head towards me but, because the shadow skilfully gets in between us, he can’t come over here.
I thought for a little that he might have realised it but, from the looks of it, he didn’t realise it. I thought about it just now as well but, it might have been my overestimation.
“……Haa, even if it’s a let-down, it’s making me laugh if it comes this far. The Sun Of ErosionEclipse Sol”
I point my right index finger towards Cancer and activate sorcery. A small, round, and black sphere appears at my fingertip. I release it, towards Cancer and……the back of the shadow that confronts him.
The sphere that’s released at a considerable speed pierces the shadow, and it also easily pierces Cancer. Perhaps it’s because he couldn’t see it due to the shadow, he made a surprised look while he was pierced. I miss the vitals so that he won’t die. Since it won’t be interesting if he dies that easily.
“Gaa……haa…… sh, it, you bastard! I’ll kill you! Sacred ScarStigma Activate!”
When Cancer who glared angrily at me tore off the clothes on his right shoulder, something like a scar appeared over there. And then, Cancer mutters something and, that scar starts to radiate and his magic power begins to amplify.
The magic power wells up as though it’s a different person from the Cancer from before. The magic power that is to the extent that it’s visible, coils around Cancer.
“Carcinus・Zodiac……I won’t let you live now that you’ve seen this, brat”
“What are you on about at this point in time……you will be the one to die”
It seems, I can still have some fun huh. I suppose it’s about time for me to fight as well.
Originally, it's この俺: Kono ore. It means 'this me' if translated word for word. It's something along the lines of someone like me. So, I instead use capital letters to put emphasis on the 'me'.