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Chapter 77: Dark Magician Girl (II)
"Let none survive."
My orders felt inclined with the disposition of my summonings, especially the Amazoness Queen who couldn't contain her grin.
"That is more of what I wanted to hear, Husband."
"I'll skin them alive for you and offer you my first gift since coming to this world."
She lunged.
The assassins scattered, trying to regroup. They were professionals, at least they seemed to be trained in the killing arts. Their only biggest misfortune would be targeting me, since I was a walking disaster if I unleashed everything that I could bring while being at full mana.
No doubt, they had never faced an army of legendary creatures summoned from another dimension.
Silent Swordsman moved first. He intercepted the main assassin guy, Kaito, his blade meeting the Mizuchi's water-formed weapon in a shower of sparks. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, and Kaito was forced back, his eyes widening with surprise.
"You are not a normal familiar," he snapped while trying to figure the shortest path to me.
Silent Swordsman did not answer and did what he was best at, swinging his sword. He pressed on the attack, claiming the momentum, his blade moving in a deadly silent arc.
Archfiend of Gilfer and Berfomet charged Tanaka Ryota, the hulking Kappa. The brute raised his massive club, but the two demons were relentless. What's more, the Kappa soon found out that Gilfer was monstrous, in the sense that the swings he delivered with the club he was proud of were eaten without sketching a reaction.
No, there was a reaction in the sense that the Archfiend got angrier, pressing on the aggression that forced the Kappa onto the defensive.
Meanwhile, Darklord Marie hung back, her pale fingers weaving a spell that sapped the strength from Suzuki Haruka, the Ningyo, causing her to stumble and lose focus on her water magic.
She wasn't in a rush to slay her foe, having some compassion left in her even though she was a Fallen Angel.
That compassion was an alien emotion toward the Shadow Monarch who vanished into the darkness, reappearing behind Sato Yuki, the Amabie assassin. His scythe flashed, and she barely managed to deflect the blow, her eyes wide with shock. She dissolved into mist, but Caius was already tracking her movements, amusement could be read from his shadowy face.
The Amazoness Queen found her target in Ishida Kenji, the hulking Wani. She did not bother with subtlety. She simply swung her cleaver in a brutal, horizontal arc. The crocodile tried to dodge, but her speed was too much. The blade caught him in the side, sending him crashing into a tree.
"Pathetic," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "Why are you all Water-type creatures this weak? You are all the same, slimy, slippery and disgusting to consume."
The assassins, realizing their attacks were failing, tried to force another attempt at me now that the defending circle was broken by the advance of my summons.
Uesugi Kaito, the Mizuchi, broke away from Silent Swordsman and lunged toward me. He did seem to be the strongest of the bunch of Yokai, and there was even the coincidence that he was the same Yokai race as that Ueshiba idiot, but I guess he was on a lower hierarchy.
His claws extended, water forming around them like liquid blades, and his eyes burned with desperate determination.
My hands sank into the abyss that contained All-Black, but before I could cleave this fish, Dark Magician Girl, Mana, who stood beside me on guard, stopped me.
"Allow me, Tsukune-sama," she said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of protectiveness. "You are still recovering your Ka. This monster will be my foe for tonight." (A/N: Ka, in Yu-Gi-Oh is what they call Spirit Energy or simply put MP)
The Mizuchi laughed at Mana's attempt at stopping him. He was fully transformed in his Yokai form, a massive serpentine water dragon, his jaws opening wide to swallow her whole.
"You think a dirty human girl with a stick and some magic can stop me?" he snarled. "I am a Serpent of the Deep, serving directly under the Ueshiba Sea Dragon King. Killing you would be like snapping my jaw shut. Easy."
Mana's expression did not change. She raised her staff, and arcane energy gathered at its tip. The air around her shimmered, and I felt the pressure of her power building.
"I don't understand anything you said. And… you're talking too much nonsense," she said, her voice flat.
"Better I silence that stinking mouth of yours."
The arcane energy shaped into a Dark Magic Spell which blasted the Mizuchi away from my premise. The spell's aesthetic was of violet and blackness, as it condensed into a magical blast. It didn't matter the large Yokai form of this Sea Serpent, he still was sent crashing through three trees before finally coming to a stop.
Wow, that spell, I can tell its power is at S-tier.
He wasn't left unconscious, but the damage done was enough to leave the other assassins shocked since the Mizuchi was the strongest amongst their ranks, a trusted man of Mizuki Ueshiba.
Ironically, what those brainless Yokais failed to catch since they could only recognize Yoki, was that Dark Magician Girl was truly an S-tier combatant. Similar to my Amazoness Queen who was at 6 stars, Caius or Archfiend of Gilfer, they all had the power of S-tier fighters.
"This is impossible!" one of the assassins shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "That girl just overpowered Kaito-sama! Kaito-sama is the strongest of us! How can a mere, disgusting human girl do that?"
"Something is wrong," another hissed, his eyes darting between me and Mana. "These aren't normal summons. I have some understanding of how a Summoner specialization works, and it requires signing a contract, and that is for a limited number of familiars."
"Those summons of his are too powerful for a single person to contain and suppress. We need to change strategy and focus all of our attacks on the summoner, that bastard Aono Tsukune! Now!"
I ignored those idiots even if I heard them loud and clear about their intent to kill me. I trusted fully in the potential and power of my summonings, and leaving those assassins to struggle against them made it entertaining to watch.
Beside me was Mana who turned to me after casting her Black Magic spell, and looking down at her I couldn't help but be drawn in by those green eyes sparkling with a hint of smugness.
She was clearly waiting for praise, her chin lifted slightly, her staff still glowing with residual magical energy.
"Well, Tsukune-sama?" she said, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Did I do well?"
"Heh. Is there even a need to ask?"
At that moment, since I was way taller than her, I could only smile and pat her head, praising her spellcasting.
"You did well sending that ugly fish from my face, Mana," I said, my hand resting gently on her hat. "That was also a beautifully executed spell. I am sure that your teacher, Mahad, would be pleased to see you haven't slacked when it comes to casting spells."
Mana looked at me, and then at my arm, then back at me, and I could see how her cheeks flush a deep shade of pink. She looked down and said in a sudden shy voice, "I… I only did what was necessary in the moment since he was threatening your life. I could not allow that to happen to you Tsukune-sama."
The Amazoness Queen, who had been watching the exchange while also facing her opponent, sent a powerful sword slash, mainly brute force, sending her opponent crashing into the ground. As she got some free moments, she let out a low chuckle. "The little mage is stealing all the alone-time with my Husband. She has spirit, I'll give her that, but I don't like other women taking my men."
Uesugi Kaito recovered from the hit caused by Mana's spell attack. He pushed himself out of the splintered remains of the trees, his scales cracked and bleeding, his eyes blazing with fury. He fully entered his Yokai form, his body swelling into a massive, serpentine dragon of water and fury.
"Enough of this pathetic show you guys!" he roared, his voice echoing through the clearing. "We end this now! All of you, go all-out! Concentrate your powers! Kill Aono, no matter the cost! Nothing else matters!"
He lunged, launching himself at me and Mana in a frenzy of scales and rage.
Caius didn't allow his opponent, the Crocodile Yokai, to escape his grasp. Looking at the Yokai, he said almost to himself, but also describing the awe he felt since his first encounter with the Annihilation Maker.
"You will not escape the grasp of the shadows, puny water creature. You also dare to aspire for the Lord's life when you're nothing but maggots who can't see the power of the Creator."
The shadow monarch's scythe flashed in the moonlight. Dark energy coiled around the blade, and Caius spoke a single word in a language that seemed to predate the world itself.
"Shadow's Embrace."
The scythe descended, and the darkness around it expanded, swallowing the Yokai whole. The creature's scream was cut short as the shadows consumed him, compressing his form into nothingness. Where he had stood, there was only a faint shimmer of dark energy, like a heat haze over a forgotten grave. The body dissolved into ash, and Caius turned to face the next threat, his glowing eyes burning with cold satisfaction.
"One less," he intoned, his voice echoing from the shadows.
Gilfer also stopped toying with his foe, unleashing his demonic power that in turn made the Yokai realize that he was an S-tier foe. The Archfiend's claws tore through the Shark Yokai's defenses.
"Die, worthless fish," Gilfer snarled, his voice resonating with demonic power.
He raised his hand, and a vortex of crimson energy formed around his claw. The attack was brutal, final, and utterly devastating. The Shark Yokai's body was torn apart from the inside, his regeneration unable to keep up with the demonic corruption that now flowed through his veins. He crumbled to ash, and Gilfer let out a low, rumbling growl of satisfaction.
"Pathetic," he snarled. "They send weaklings to kill the Dark Lord. Beyond infuriating and insulting. I was expecting a great battle, only to be met with such weaklings."
Silent Swordsman made quick work of the Water Spirit. He raised his blade, and the moonlight caught its edge.
'Sword of Silence.'
The technique was not a single strike, but a sequence of them, so fast they appeared as one. The Amabie's form flickered, tried to dissolve into mist, but the blade had already severed her connection to the water. She dissolved into nothing, unable to reform. He stood over the fading remains, his visor fixed on the remaining enemies.
The Amazoness Queen found her opening against the Kappa. She did not waste it.
"Amazoness Cleaver!"
She brought her massive blade down in an overhead swing that seemed to split the air itself. The Kappa raised his club to block, but the impact shattered the weapon and continued through, carving the brute in two. The body crumbled to ash, and she let out a triumphant roar.
Darklord Marie instead, after overwhelming the Mermaid she was facing, didn't know how to react when the Mermaid dropped into a kneeling position and began begging Marie to not kill her.
"Please, please, I surrender!" the Mermaid sobbed, her voice high and desperate. "I didn't want to do this! I was forced! I am a member of the Swimming Club! I am allied with Aono-sama! Please, I beg you, don't kill me!"
Darklord Marie's hollow gaze flickered. She hesitated, her pale fingers pausing mid-incantation. Her voice, when she spoke, carried a hint of uncertainty.
"You claim to be under the Dark Lord's protection? You expect mercy?"
The Mermaid nodded frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Yes! Yes! I know Tamao-sama! I am part of the Swimming Club! Please, I am not like the others! I am just a mole planted by Tamao-sama to spy on the Student Council!"
Darklord Marie's expression did not change since she didn't understand anything this mermaid was saying, apart from the fact that she was somehow acquainted with Tsukune, but she lowered her hand. She grabbed the Mermaid by the arm and pulled her to her feet, well, to her tail, keeping her immobilized.
"Then you will wait for the Lord's judgment," she said, her voice cold. "If you are lying, you will wish you had died tonight."
She held the trembling Mermaid in her arms, waiting for my decision.
Mana was still fighting against the Sea Serpent, displaying her Black Magic spells. She did not want to end it too quickly with a 'Dark Burning Attack' that could pulverize this wicked monster. She wanted to show more toward Tsukune, to have him see how great she was.
She wove spell after spell, each one precise and controlled. A volley of dark energy bolts, a binding spell that wrapped around the serpent's coils, a burst of arcane force that sent him skidding across the clearing. The Mizuchi was overwhelmed, unable to land a single hit on her.
She's being cheeky, liking to show off her spells. I could see it in the way she moved, the way she smiled as she cast each spell.
'What impresses me more is that many of the spells she's using I can recognize as spells and trap cards from Yu-Gi-Oh, some better than the other.'
"Thousand Knives!" she called out, and a volley of magical blades erupted from her staff, each one homing in on the serpent's weak points. The Mizuchi roared, thrashing wildly, but the blades found their marks, carving deep gashes into his scales.
"Dark Magic Curtain!" she shouted next, and a shimmering violet barrier materialized in front of her, absorbing a desperate blast of water magic from the serpent. The attack splashed harmlessly against the shield, and Mana grinned.
"Not so confident now, are you?" she called out, her voice light and teasing. "Is this all the great Serpent of the Deep can do?"
Kaito snarled, lunging at her with renewed fury. Mana sidestepped, her staff glowing.
"Come on, you should show more heart when fighting with all your Spirit. But since the rest of my new colleagues have defeated their opponents, I shouldn't delay it any further."
"That's it! This is my favourite spell!"
"This is my spell interpreting the flames of the Winged-Dragon God, Ra! Take this. Dark Burning Attack!"
The spell erupted from her staff, a vortex of violet and black energy that consumed the Sea Serpent whole. The attack was devastating, the kind of spell that could level a building, and it was her signature technique.
It was over in minutes.
The Mizuchi's body crashed to the ground, smoking and broken. He was still alive, barely, but his regeneration was failing. The Dark Burning Attack had burned through his scales, leaving him exposed and vulnerable.
I stood in the center of the clearing, my summons arrayed around me like a court of legends. The blood-red moon hung overhead, casting long shadows across the carnage.
Mana stepped closer, her staff glowing softly. "Tsukune-sama, what now?"
I brought out All-Black, the Necrosword materializing in my hand, its blade dark as void, its edge hungry. The weapon pulsed with malevolent energy, eager for more.
"Since they wanted to fight me," I said, my voice cold, "I will take the fight directly to their court."
I looked at the fallen assassins, their bodies turned to ash. I had gained the essence from their bodies after my summons had slayed them, with the exception of Uesugi Kaito who still clung to life after surviving the Dark Burning Attack, but his body was heavily burned.
I shifted my attention back to Uesugi Kaito, he struggled to look at me as I approached.
"You… you think you have won?" Kaito spat, his voice weak but defiant. "Mizuki-sama will not stop. He will send more. He will never stop. You cannot protect everyone."
I looked down at him, my expression cold. "Do you think I am afraid of your Master when he is trembling in his boots sending people after me? The fact that he sent you and your pathetic group to kill me speaks volumes of his fear. You're nothing but disposable pawns to him."
I paused, letting the words sink in.
"Don't worry, you will soon reunite with your Master and report to him how you failed to kill me. I'll be sure to send him a message."
I used All-Black to deliver the final blow to the Sea Serpent. The blade sank into his chest, and I activated its devouring ability, gaining access to his memories.
The world swam in and out of focus as the memories flooded my mind. I saw Mizuki Ueshiba's face, cold and calculating, as he gave the order. I saw the assassins training, preparing for this moment. I saw the Swimming Club, the Mermaid who had begged for mercy, and the role she had been forced to play.
Mana watched the process with a mixture of curiosity and concern. As I pulled the memories, she stepped closer, her staff lowered.
"You can... see their memories?" she asked, her voice quiet.
"Only fragments," I said, my eyes still closed. "Enough to piece together the story behind their attacks."
She was quiet for a moment. "In my world, we had spells that could do something similar. But they were forbidden. The Pharaoh's court considered them... impure."
"And you?" I opened my eyes, looking at her.
She met my gaze. "I think knowledge is a tool. It depends on how you use it." She paused, then added, "You use it to protect. I think that is good."
Darklord Marie was holding a trembling Mermaid in her arms, as she told me that she didn't know how to handle her. "My King," she said, her voice uncertain. "This one claims to be one of yours. She begs for mercy."
I looked at the Mermaid, Suzuki Haruka. I didn't remember seeing her back at the Swimming Club, maybe she wasn't present on that day. However, if she was the henchmen of Mizuki Ueshiba, there was no way in hell that she was also a member of the Swimming Club and being part of Tamao's gang.
The Mermaid pleaded for her life, her voice cracking with desperation. "Tsukune-sama! Please! I am not like them! I was forced! I am a member of the Swimming Club! I am on your side! Please, I beg you, spare me!"
I looked down at her, All-Black still in my hand. Her eyes were wide with terror, snot and tears streaming down her face. She looked pathetic, an ugly sight to the proud and arrogant mermaids that I faced previously.
Well, they also turned nasty and could be broken into submission.
As for this Mermaid, something didn't click in my head.
'How could she be at A-tier when Tamao Ichinose herself, the president of the Swimming Club, was at B-tier? The Mermaid? The descendant of the Legendary Mermaid, Scylla?'
'She must have already received the benefits of working under Ueshiba. Power, protection, advancement. If you're telling me that she was some innocent victim trying to survive the Curse placed onto them by the Greek Goddess, then it would be akin to spitting in my face and insulting my sanity.'
'She was a willing participant who sold out her own kind for personal gain.'
For such trash, I had no sympathy or empathy to share, only disgust and indifference.
I drove All-Black into her chest.
The blade sank deep, and I activated its devouring ability. I consumed everything from the Mermaid while also sharing some essence with All-Black. Her body crumbled to ash, and I absorbed her memories.
I closed my eyes, processing the information. The Mermaid had been a spy, planted in the Swimming Club to keep an eye on Tamao and the other mermaids. She had been reporting to Mizuki Ueshiba for months, feeding him information about the club's activities, about Tsukune's movements, about everything.
"You thought you would receive more benefits from the Student Council," I said, my voice cold. "A spy and insider into the Swimming Club to control the Mermaids. You made a mistake, Haruka. You chose the wrong side."
I opened my eyes, looking at the spot where she had been. There was nothing left but ash and the fading echo of her fear.
The Amazoness Queen let out a low chuckle. "Husband, you have a cold heart. I like it."
Caius the Shadow Monarch stepped forward, his voice echoing from the shadows. "The Lord's judgment is absolute. There is no room for mercy when the enemy strikes first."
Darklord Marie's hollow gaze flickered. "Honestly, she was nothing but a disposable pawn. I think we should also check on the puppeteer pulling the strings of these pawns. The King has chosen wisely."
Mana stood beside me, her expression unreadable. "Tsukune-sama, are you feeling alright?"
I let out a slow breath combined with a sigh, as I shook my head. "I am fine, Mana. Just… tired from today's events. As for those fools trying to become hunters, I don't waste too many emotions on them."
She reached out and placed a hand on my arm. "Tsukune-sama, we should teach those villains a lesson so they wouldn't be messing with you."
I looked at her, at the warmth in her green eyes, and felt a small smile tug at my lips.
"It eases my mind hearing that you're so eager to defeat those parasites lurking in the shadow, trying to claim my life. However, we should be mindful of how we wield our knives. A smooth throat cut would deliver a satisfying end to this conflict."
I turned back to the clearing, to the fading ash and the blood-red moon. Mizuki Ueshiba had made his move. Now it was my turn.
But I would not attack blindly. That was not how I operated since I had a far more lethal weapon than just my fist and sword. No, I had the higher advantage of being able to sway the public opinion in destroying you from within.
You're enjoying all the privileges the Student Council is giving you, but who grants you such power? The Student Body that is electing your Student President.
Gather the mob on your side, and you'll become untouchable.
"Prepare yourselves for my future call, you will fight once more for me," I said, my voice steady.
I dismissed the Annihilation Maker summons except for Silent Swordsman and Mana. The other creatures dissolved into shadow, their presence fading from the clearing. Silent Swordsman remained, his visor fixed on me, waiting. Mana stood beside me, her staff dimmed, her green eyes curious.
"I want you two to stay with me," I said, "because I feel the need for some company as I walk to the Dorms."
Silent Swordsman nodded once, silent as always.
Mana tilted her head. "Company? Do you wish to talk about something, Tsukune-sama?"
I started walking toward the dorms, and they fell into step beside me. The Dark Forest gradually gave way to the Dormitory grounds, the blood-red moon casting long shadows across the path.
"Can you tell me more about the Dimension you're from?" I asked, keeping my voice casual.
Mana blinked, surprised by the question. "Why do you ask?"
I considered my answer for a moment. "While I do have the power to summon you, to create you in your original forms, I can tell you're genuine, real beings. Your personality, your quirks and traits are not mainly done by my own power. Instead, I am just a conduit, a portal linking this dimension you're from and my own world."
I paused, then added, "Still, because of my power, when you're summoned, you'll instantly be bound to my control."
Silent Swordsman remained… silent, as expected. He did not speak, but I felt his attention shift toward me, as if he was listening.
Mana, on the other hand, was quite vocal. She tilted her head, her hat bobbing slightly, and began to speak with enthusiasm.
"The Spirit World is not a single place, Tsukune-sama. It is more of a split world with smaller dimensions within it all ruled by a powerful Spirit. Each one is connected to the Material World, though the connections are not always strong. There are many worlds that even I, a respected Magician, am not aware of. However somehow the energies of chaos and order balance each other into a delicate existence."
She paused, her eyes growing distant. "I come from a realm that was once ruled by the Pharaoh Atem and was part of the court of magicians."
"And the cards?" I asked. "How do they connect?"
Mana's expression shifted to something more complicated. "The Spirit World is connected to the Material World through the power of the spirit world and finds it easier to gather inside the shape of the Tarot Cards."
"People started using them to channel the spirit form of the beings from the Spirit World into the Material World. They would use them for Dueling, as if we were nothing but tools to be summoned and discarded."
Her voice carried a hint of frustration. "It is humiliating, Tsukune-sama. Imagine being someone of immense power and prestige, then being reduced to a card that someone can 'Tribute' or 'Destroy' at their whim. Some of those creatures were not even worthy opponents, and yet they could destroy me by the rules of a game."
She shuddered, shaking her head. "I do not miss that world. The Material World was not kind to us."
I chuckled, the warm sound seemed to startle her. "At least when I summon you, you get all the windows to display your prowess and magic. I can also offer you a large degree of freedom that you might not be able to enjoy back in your Dimension when stepping into the Material World."
Mana blinked, then smiled. "That is true. Here, I feel like I can actually be myself. There is no game master controlling my fate. No opponent with a deck full of counters. I enjoy all the moments I can be free without facing the restraints of the Material World."
She looked up at me, her green eyes soft. "Thank you, Tsukune-sama. For giving me this chance."
Hearing that, it made me smile again as I walked back to the dorms. Content as I was after a productive day, I continued to ask Mana various questions about the Spirit World or the powers controlling those smaller dimensions.
Who knows, I might have to drag those higher beings from the Yu-Gi-Oh dimension myself.
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How do you like the new buffs that Tsukune has recieved to his Annihilation Maker since Mikogami removed the last of the seal he placed on Tsukune while he was a child? His manifestation spiked from 45% to 60% and thus you can say that his Sacred Gear has began showing its World Ending powers.
As for me? Your brother here is writing this chapter, doing the last of the edits and whatnot on his phone while at Night Shift. I am doing productivity 200% level. (Past me ofc, now I am preparing for Nightshift as I release this chapter, hoho, niceeee)
If you guys have any complaints or if you are disatisfied with the direction of the story, reach out and tell me. I myself think the direction I take the story is great since we've reached the S-tier powerscaling (meaning High-Class for DxD). So Tsukune right now, once he becomes fully a Vampire would be at S-tier or S+ tier without taking in consideration him devouring the essence of the slayed or defeated enemies or the buffs he gets from his Castlevania Gear.
I think I got a bit into a rant... Sorry.