An Unknown Two-Headed Aquarian.
However, while its form is that of an Aquarian, it has long since surpassed any tipping point and begun to completely shed its human shape.
The Colossus swelled further, growing as large as a house. Its limbs shot out chaotically, evoking the image of a rotten old tree sprouting branches in every direction.
“Ooooh! My Lord grants me power!”
Everything from the fur’s color to the skin turns pitch black.
“Thought you were all bark and no bite? Guess what?”
Venus bombarded it with relentless mockery.
“Keeeeeek!”
“What’s the difference between this beast and some scared kid puffing themselves up? You’re both just pathetic.”
His mockery skills are on another level.
The two-headed monster’s expression, which had been inflating with pride, instantly crumples like it swallowed sewage water.
“I can’t take this anymore!”
“Took what? You getting beat or me holding back? Got no sense left, huh?”
Not a single word gets through.
“Haa.”
Before Cain could stop him, the two-headed beast charged only to bounce off an ice wall, leaving Venus thoroughly unimpressed.
‘This is why freeloaders who live off others’ strength are so annoying.’
A master who gives power makes these fools think it’s theirs to wield recklessly.
“We already said—we aren’t behind this mess.”
“Then who?”
“…The young one’s master, probably working with someone else.”
Miness, who had glanced toward the palace earlier, gave her assessment, which Cain acknowledged to some degree.
“So what are you then?”
“We’re looking for someone.”
“Fodder?”
Cain replied differently than the two-headed monster, whose answer was completely off-base.
“If you’re gonna waste time holding us, wouldn’t it be better to focus on reducing casualties elsewhere?”
“And what exactly do you expect us to do about that?”
But unlike Miness, who showed slight unease, Venus remained confident and shameless from start to finish.
“I didn’t come here to pick a fight with you losers.”
Huh?
Though unspoken, his confusion was written all over his face. Venus’s statement came as quite a surprise.
“While I’m at it, it’d be great if you guys were the culprits. That way, I can legitimately unleash violence in the name of justice—no downside there, right?”
“What…”
One thing’s clear:
The intentions of this white-clad man and the woman don’t align. Even she looked bewildered by his words.
“And if you’re not the main culprit, maybe you’re involved. Either way, I can interrogate you. If trouble arises later, whether I crush you or your boss, it doesn’t really matter when we’re all cut from the same cloth, right?”
“…That won’t resolve anything.”
“I’m not here to solve problems.”
Venus wore an expression asking why he should care about such trivialities. Then, licking his gums, he added:
“I’m just the kind of guy who offs anyone who pisses me off.”
“…”
No reasoning gets through. Clearly, his thinking matches his chaotic fighting style. That much is certain.
Guys like him, unless utterly crushed by force, make even basic conversation impossible.
“So you’re a mad dog after all.”
Biting them would be pointless. Occasionally, the world throws up lunatics like this—most being loners with screws loose upstairs.
Rare but unforgettable due to their intense presence… In this case, his leader fit the same mold. Perhaps using his recklessness, he tore down the facades of pretense in this country, rising briefly as king despite humble origins.
“Two-Headed One, are you faking anger? Or are you scared of me? Aren’t you mad after all that beating?”
“Kiik! Kiik! Gaaaaah!”
Just when it seemed he calmed down, a single taunt shatters his sanity again. And the knight youth eagerly meets him head-on.
“Miss, even you must see some meaning in this situation, right?”
“Do you have any idea what I’m thinking right now?”
What is she trying to say with this?
“Perhaps if I give it my all, I might suppress this chaos. That’s what I foresee.”
“That’s…”
It might not be impossible. If she truly inherited the Legacy of the Great Demon King…
She must be an overwhelmingly powerful being like our lord. Yet, unlike when facing our lord, I feel no overwhelming aura from her.
“But if things escalate because of a misstep, and misunderstandings arise…”
Misunderstanding?
“I want nothing to do with being blamed for something unrelated to me.”
“…”
What is this woman?
If she wanted to stay hidden, why expose herself unnecessarily? What purpose does it serve?
“Is this selfishness or altruism?”
“What are you talking about?”
Was the other side insane, or is this woman strange in a different way?
“Not wanting false accusations is selfish, sure. But labeling such selfishness as evil seems unnecessary, doesn’t it? Why act so burdened about something everyone naturally feels?”
“If harm comes to someone because of me, is that selfishness or altruism?”
I have no clue. While her interference might be appreciated, is this truly the right course?
“Does it even matter if it’s selfishness or altruism?”
“…It does.”
Because it ties into survival and humanity. For Miness to remain Miness…
This topic is crucial above all else.
Because it boils down to whether I become a mere puppet wielding or controlled by the Demon King’s power.
But explaining this verbally—what good would it do? All I can do is pretend to be a gentle, weak-hearted girl, a pure maiden, playing the role of a demure woman.
Lost in this act sometimes, I’m startled when I feel genuinely weak and timid…
“If I lived selfishly, how could you possibly remain unscathed?”
Even without actively saving others, if someone irritates me, I’ll kill them. Whether it’s selfish or unreasonable, whether it’s unfair to them—it doesn’t matter.
…Isn’t it irrelevant?
‘Threatening arrogance.’
Only someone overly arrogant and complacent could think this way. Ignoring the possibility of success or failure, the question remains: kill or spare? As if either choice is equally within reach.
“…Never seen anyone like you before.”
While I can’t claim to know the future entirely, it’s clear enough that it has already changed. Still, among those I know, there’s no one like him.
And as someone who holds the Legacy of the Great Demon King…
Isn’t encountering such a person once in a lifetime rare enough?
“That’s enough useless chatter.”
Exactly.
“The brute’s gone soft! Where’s the spirit that made him cry?”
“I’ll tear you limb from limb and make you scream until you beg for mercy!”
“You idiot. Why so formal? Do you read books? Besides, you’ve only ever been beaten; what do you know about fighting?”
Keeeeeek!!
If dozens of various animals screamed and howled together, it might sound like this. Any normal human hearing it would’ve gone gray-haired long ago or succumbed to fear, at least feeling disgust, discomfort, or dizziness—but not her.
…What is this man? If the woman holds the Demon King’s legacy, where did this mysterious being come from?
‘That’s chaos incarnate.’
Maybe we don’t need to make him an enemy. Instead, throwing him at our real foes might work just fine.
“Oh. Got it. I get what you’re about.”
Stepping further back, the man adjusts his stance.
“So roughly…?”
Keeeeek!
“Like this?”
Unlike before, his swing was monotonous, yet inexplicably, the massive two-headed creature, several times his size, split cleanly in half.
“Whoops, missed.”
Missed? Something seems off about that comment.
Why did Cain think this? Though the swing was slightly off-target, the one rushing forward clearly dove into range too quickly—clearly the fault of the attacker.
Rather than missing, it was actually quite effective.
Kreeeeng!
The creature’s reaction differs markedly this time. Instead of roaring in fury, it emits a shriek of terror and shock, shaking the air around it.
“What? What is that thing? This can’t be happening! Master! Masterrrrr!”
“Did the little guy snap from getting beaten?”
Approaching leisurely, sword slung over his shoulder, the two-headed monster immediately panicked and crawled toward Cain, dragging his massive frame.
“So there is some reaction?”
Venus smirks, clearly pleased beyond expectations.
“This whole time I didn’t know about this. Feels like I’ll lose sleep for days out of frustration.”
“No! Don’t come near me! Stay away!”
“Stop getting beaten and learn to hit back.”
Venus simply laughs off the desperate plea.
“That’s why you gotta seize control. Otherwise, whether I like it or not, you’ll keep getting beaten—and whoever beats you will do as they please. Only the insane put up with that.”
“…”
He hits the nail on the head.
But does he realize…
This kind of thinking belongs solely to the strong?
The weak survive only by permission, cursed souls enduring life breath by breath.
“To show such skill through technique and physical prowess alone, without mana… Impressive.”
“What’s the point of pretending? Won’t it still hurt when you get beaten?”
“Will you stop already? It’s your last chance.”
“Chance? Who decides that?”
“…”
Sighing softly, Cain finally admits:
“It’s hopeless.”
Inevitably, he braces himself.
“Cain?”
As his lips moved silently, shadowy creatures with various animal heads emerged from his shadow.
“Warlock? Spirit Mage? Which one?”
“Surprisingly perceptive.”
Unexpectedly, he cuts straight to the core. A sign he isn’t blindly charging in.
Despite the woman watching intently from behind, noting the peculiar shapes forming, the man approaching with a casual gait but sharp eyes suggests otherwise.
“Guess.”
Dark beasts howl and lunge.
“Haha! You’re done for! Finished!”
The two-headed monster taunted childishly. Indeed, the tide seemed to have turned drastically in mere seconds.
“Playing around.”
Venus, however, lunged forward with reckless abandon. To an outsider, it looked suicidal.
Yet their crude clash was shattered by a sudden frost storm sweeping in, freezing everything nearby.
Venus was immediately irritated.
“What are you doing?”
Miness, who intervened, looked at Venus, Cain, and the shadowy creatures he summoned, saying:
“If you keep this up, collateral damage will be severe.”
“What?”
Venus surveys the surroundings.
“You stopped the fight because of potential building damage? Seriously?”
“…”
Already, the impoverished masses driven mad and those caught in the fray lay incapacitated. Thanks to Miness’s careful intervention, the destruction hadn’t spread further, but…
“You’re truly pitiful.”
Twisted indeed, and twisted in the worst way possible.
“While it may not concern you, it matters greatly to them.”
“…”
Ironically, Cain found himself impressed by her words. Venus, however, likely dismissed it as nonsense, digging at his ears.
Miness redirected her gaze to Cain, warning him:
“Your actions have gone beyond mere misunderstanding.”
“I never denied involvement, merely being the primary instigator.”
“Look. Once you let them slide, they grow shamelessly bold. Didn’t you see them use civilians as shields earlier?”
“I neutralized everyone without harm. It’s fine.”
“…You’ve been following him around too much, haven’t you? His mindset’s rubbing off on you?”
Venus began to grow annoyed. Stopping him from killing someone he shouldn’t was starting to grate on his nerves. What was the plan here?
“I’m not saying I’ll stop you outright. Am I that rigid?”
“No, you’re not.”
Never heard of it.
Since Somern first mentioned drawing his sword, dodging and stalling with empty talk—Venus found her blatant hypocrisy increasingly grating.
“…Fine. If you insist on causing trouble, I’ll set the stage for you.”
Likewise, Miness finds Venus equally bothersome.
Bound by the paradox of being self-centered yet altruistic, she struggles to understand this man who represents the pinnacle of egocentrism.
Not that he’s purely selfish. The confusion persists. Now, she accepts him as someone with an overwhelming sense of pride.
“Instead, you’ll forfeit the chance to witness the skills you so desired to see.”
“What? What is that supposed to mean? Is someone else stepping in?”
“That someone?”
“Are you implying he’d sit this out like it’s none of his business?”
“…”
Though unclear, both parties seemed unconcerned about worry or anxiety when mentioning someone else.
“So where do we go to see this?”
“…”
Watching interest shift away from him, Cain’s shadow-born beasts began to hesitate, losing their momentum.
“Just follow the energy trail.”
“What energy? He doesn’t use mana or anything.”
“There’s more than that, you know.”
When Miness glanced at Cain, Venus briefly admired her insight.
“Yeah. Since he’s that type, tracking something related to him should work.”
“Don’t head downtown unless you’re planning to die.”
“More concerned now? Whose permission? Who asked you? Your attitude’s improved though—better than before. Honestly, I wanted to kill you earlier for dragging it out. Could’ve avoided all this hassle.”
“…”
Unbelievable. Encouraging rudeness instead of politeness? Does he despise superficiality and formalities to this extent?
Moreover, does he even realize why this fight started? After he swung first and accused us of bad attitudes?
“Here’s a choice: drop what you’re doing and guide us to this ‘center,’ or get dragged along like a dog after a beating.”
“You truly have character issues beyond imagination.”
“Praise or insult? Speak plainly!”
Finally, Cain threw up his hands in surrender.
“Fine. If you’re volunteering to die, who am I to stop you?”
“Straighten up. No telling what lies ahead.”
At that moment, an ominous wail echoed across the city, interrupting their standoff.
A massive bolt of dark light pierced through the night.
Yet this dark light, darker than anything imaginable, swallowed even the pale night sky in its abyssal void.
What else could describe this black lightning?
Its faint streaks momentarily carved through the starlit heavens, leaving behind an awe-inspiring miracle.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
