As I announced, I'll be posting the First Anniversary Extra Chapter from
now on.
The night sky is filled with stars. In the harbor illuminated with light,
another ship had come to dock their ship.
How long has it been since the human species expanded their range of
activity beyond the stars and into space?
Trade with other planets is flourishing, and technology and civilization
continuously developing without stop. However, everything has been
automated, the number of fields that do not require human hands
continues to increase, and the products that have been created are
becoming saturated.
You can get what you want without having to work for it, and you can
be given something without trying to get it. A world where enviousness
and competition are no longer necessary… The world had indeed
greatly developed.
But a world where desire has disappeared… a world where there are
fewer and fewer people who are willing to move on their own… was
also a world slowly moving towards its destruction.
An orbital elevator connects the stars and the cosmic skies. The
elevator is controlled by magic-operated machines, and even though
there is no life form working there, it is running smoothly everyday.
As if gravity didn't exist, a small shadow clad in a black robe walked up
to the wall of the orbital elevator.
Strangely enough, neither the people living on the ground nor the
magic-operated machines guarding the elevator seems to be aware of
the shadow.
When the shadow reached the middle of the orbital elevator, at an
altitude where no living organism could ever move, she sat on the wall
of the orbital elevator and began to look at the scenery.
Her golden hair peeked out from between her black robes, and her blue
eyes stared out at the world. That shadow… No, that girl's eyes were
very cold as she stared at the world, and I could even see a hint of
resignation in them.
It was ridiculous to count the number of years that had passed since the
girl had been transformed into a monster beyond the realm of
humanity.
She had already changed her name and appearance countless times. At
times, she fought alongside courageous students who were fighting
against evil for some reason, and at other times, she played the role of
the villain, being the vanguard sent against the agents of justice.
As she does all sorts of things, the girl matches with the era as a
member of its society, accumulating many bonds… and losing many of
those bonds.
She had met a staggering amount of people. She has mastered every
field of technology she can think of. She had traveled the world many
times.
But still, the curse left behind by her best friend still haunts her mind…
and she still hadn't found what she was looking for.
And this is something she understood herself. She clearly understands
that what she was looking for "isn't something that she can ever find in
this world"… Yes, she had already been left disappointed by this world.
It was clear in her mind that within the people of today, who have
forgotten how to compete with each other and only accept what is
given to them, she cannot possibly find the person she seeks.
That is why the girl decided to leave this world. What she was looking
for couldn't be found in this world, so she decided to look for another
world.
After taking in the view from the orbital elevator, the girl activated the
now-lost "true magic".
On this day, the girl who once saved the world from a powerful Evil God
and left her name in the legend disappeared. Turning her eyes away
from the slow demise of the world she once lived…
In a space that only a girl can enter, built on the border between
dimensions, a lot of tombs had been lined up. They were the graves of
the people she had formed bonds with. People who now remained only
in her memory.
As she kept watch over the world, she also saw off the deaths of many
loved ones. Then, when the relatives of her loved ones ceased to exist or
the person was forgotten by the world, she quietly retrieved their
graves and preserved them.
That is how this place was built. A graveyard containing only the ashes
of those who had formed a bond with her… That was what this place is.
[…Everyone, I'm sorry. I've given up on this world. I'll never find what
I'm looking for in this world… so I'm going to another world.]
Silently facing a tombstone, the girl quietly muttered. Of course, she
received no reply, and her voice only echoed in that large space.
[I know it's selfish of me, but I want everyone to follow me…"as a part of
me"…]
As the girl muttered, a number of lights shot out from her body, each
one reaching out into a gravestone.
[With Ἑκατόγχειρες… I'll have everyone's ashen remains within my
body…]
The lights soundlessly brought the ashes out of the tombstones towards
the girl. Each time one of the ashes entered her body, her power, which
was already strong, increased. And when all the ashes were taken in,
the magic power within her body swelled several times over.
[…Now then, let's go.]
After she quietly muttered, the girl activated the magic technique that
she had been studying for many years… and crossed over to another
world. All that was left was that big empty space with nothing in it…
that space that seemed to represent what was within her heart.
In the garden of a large house that can already be called a mansion,
towering over a corner of the vast Demon Realm… the figures of
Demons amicably chatting can be seen.
[…Alright, just like that. It seems like Zwei is also getting stronger and
stronger huh!]
[Yes! Thank you for your guidance, Megiddo-sama.]
"Don't you feel anything strange in your body? Megiddo might be a bit
rough, so I'm a little worried."
[I'm alright. Thank you for your concern, Lillywood-sama.]
In that place, the family of Demons gathered around a Demon.
[…Zwei… got really… stronger.]
"That's right. She's young and growing fast."
[Hmm~~ I was also surprised that Master Megiddo was able to
properly teach her.]
[Oi, you said something, Ozma?]
[No, no, I didn't say anything!]
They were happily discussing the growth of their youngest member, the
magic doll Zwei. The place they were in was very peaceful, which was
unusual considering they were in the conflict-ridden Demon Realm,
where the weak become prey and the strong survives.
[Everyone, tea has been prepared.]
Ein, who insists that she is Kuromueina's servant, has prepared enough
tea for everyone… everyone except for Magnawell, whose stature is too
big for him to drink tea. Everyone pleasantly chatted while drinking
their tea.
[…Speaking of which… Ein… Where's Kuromueina?]
[Kuromu-sama has left to quell a major conflict in the south. I'm sure
she'll be back soon.]
[What!? Oi, oi… It would have been great if she brought me along.]
"If you go there, you'll only cause more damage…"
The head of their family, Kuromueina, was undoubtedly the strongest in
the Demon Realm, but she had no interest in ruling the Demon Realm.
She basically doesn't get involved in the struggle for supremacy in the
Demon Realm, respecting the will of each individual. This time,
however, she had been asked to help a minority race involved in a
conflict in the south, and was on her way to suppress it.
With Kuromueina's strength, it was easy to suppress whatever conflict
it may be, so her family didn't seem to be particularly worried about
her, and just went about their day as usual.
However, their carefree thoughts were suddenly shattered.
[!?… What… this magic power…]
"I- I don't know! It just suddenly appeared inside the wards I set up!"
"For even Lillywood to not detect what it is… Moreover, for that thing to
have this much magic power."
[Ahh, I know. Strong… Whatever that is, it's strong.]
All of them were strong people, so they noticed. Something with
extraordinary magic power had suddenly appeared nearby…
[…We don't know if that thing's hostile or not, but I don't think we can
overlook it.]
After hearing Ein's words, the girls left their seats at once.
[Ozma! You stay here and protect Zwei!]
[I'd really like to join though… Well, roger that. Please take care over
there.]
[Ohh!]
Leaving Ozma to guard the weaker Zwei, the six Demons, including Ein,
headed towards the place where they detected the being with huge
magic power.
In the blink of an eye, the six arrived at their destination and found a
large plume of smoke, as if something had crashed there.
They could feel a huge amount of magic power was flowing from the
center of the smoke, and they're certain that the being they're looking
for was there.
[…Ahh, this will be great. Since that being has this much magic power,
that would mean it would be powerful, right?]
"Megiddo, pin down your killing intent… Don't provoke them."
[To hell with that. I don't know how that thing did it, but if that's inside
Lillywood's wards… That makes that thing an invader, right?]
As the battle maniac Megiddo lets out his intimidating killing intent, the
others vigilantly stare at the center of the smoke.
In midst of this tense, skin-piercing tension, a doltish and slack voice
resounded.
[…Haahhh… How the heck could this happen? Should I be happy that I
succeeded for the time being, or should I be saddened by the fact that
there are only non-humans around here… I can't fall in love with
anyone who isn't human, probably because I'm used to be human~~]
[ [ [ [ [ [ ! ? ] ] ] ] ] ]
Yes, a voice echoed…"above Megiddo's head".
Before they knew it, a blonde girl clad in black robe was standing over
Megiddo's head, muttering to herself with a somewhat dazed
expression on her face.
[…Who the heck are you?]
[...…]
[Tsk!?]
Without responding to Megiddo's question, the girls disappeared again
and stood in front of the girls…"with a knife in each hand, ready for
battle"…
[Looks like she's up for it huh?]
[...…]
With a cool expression on her face even when she stands before
Megiddo's killing intent, the girl quietly lowers her posture and takes a
stance… and a battle that would shake the heavens and earth had
begun.