Cho Jigen no Maou Vol 4 Chapter 4

Saneko and Pikku found themselves teleported to a barren wasteland. The air was thick with an acrid scent, and the ground was dry and cracked. In front of them stood a young mage, no more than a teenage boy. He turned around and looked at them with confusion, not recognizing them.

Saneko took a step forward. "Are you the one causing trouble in this layer?"

"What trouble? I'm just trying to survive out here." The boy replied.

Pikku tugged on Saneko's shirt. "Saneko, he doesn't seem threatening at all. Maybe there's been a mistake?" she said, trying to calm Saneko.

"My detection ability doesn't make mistakes. He's the one we're looking for." Saneko replied. She suddenly materialized fire into her hands.

"Pikku, once again trying to calk Saneko, said "We don't even know what he did, the king never told us, for all we know he could be innocent.

Saneko turned to Pikku and whispered, "I have my own type of Quantum View, and I sense that this boy has been wreaking havoc on this layer."

The boy interrupts their conversation "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything wrong."

The boy introduced himself as Taro. Saneko stared at him coldly, and simply replied, "I don't care who you are, and I'm not trying to make friends. So tell me, if you aren't up to anything, why would you be in a barren wasteland?"

Taro looked confused for a moment, and then his expression turned to one of annoyance. "Who are you to ask me that?" he said, crossing his arms.

Taro ignoring Saneko's question was enough for Saneko to deduce that he was not an innocent passerby.

Saneko's smile turned into a smirk as she realized she had all the proof she needed. Without warning, she unleashed a powerful fire beam towards Taro, but to her surprise, he simply absorbed it without flinching.

Taro's magic value suddenly went up tenfold. Taro stood there, unaffected by the attack, and calmly stated, "Anyone who tries to damage me makes my magic more lethal." He spoke in an uninterested and monotone voice, as if he was simply stating a fact.

Saneko remained unfazed. "Well, well, well," she said with a hint of excitement in her voice. "Looks like we have a real challenge here."

She then took a step closer to him. "So this is why you have been an unstoppable force," she said.

Saneko and Pikku watch as Taro rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Fine, I admit it," he says, sounding bored. "I'm the one you're looking for. But I don't know how you found me, and honestly, I don't care."

Saneko raises an eyebrow at his nonchalant attitude. "You don't care? You've been wreaking havoc on this layer and causing chaos for everyone around you."

Taro shrugs. "So what? It's not like it affects me. I have my own goals, and I'll do whatever it takes to achieve them. If that means causing a little chaos along the way, so be it."

Saneko laughs sarcastically and says, "Oh, so you're just a bored teenager with nothing better to do. You don't have any goals, you are just saying that to justify your actions."

Taro rolls his eyes and nonchalantly attempts to erase Saneko from existence, but to his surprise, it doesn't work. Despite Saneko's insane durability, Taro is completely unimpressed.

Saneko laughs and responds with the same attack, attempting to erase Taro's mind, body, and soul, but she quickly realizes that it only causes his magic value to skyrocket even higher.

Due to the amount of attacks Taro had been faced with over the years, his magic value had been raised so much that he was now casually a threat to the universe.

Saneko then attempted to erase the very ability that allowed Taro to raise his power in the first place. However, due to the nature of the ability, Taro's magic value increased even more.

Taro walks up to Saneko slowly, his steps measured and deliberate. Saneko stands her ground, still wearing a cocky smirk on her face despite her failed attempts to defeat him.

Taro looked her straight in the eyes and declared that even if the very idea of his existence was erased, he would simply get stronger.

Saneko seemed unimpressed and replied with a smug grin, "Is that so?"

Taro simply stood in front of Saneko, his eyes cold and calculating as he spoke. "You know, Saneko, I also can erase the very idea of someone's existence. For every person I have killed, I gain a layer of potency to my abilities that exceeds the last."

"How many people have you killed?" she said, not believing his claim.

Taro's tilted his head. "I've looped killed people for an infinite amount of time."

Taro then suddenly plunged his fist into Saneko's chest.

Pikku could hardly believe what had just happened. She stared in shock as Taro pulled his hand out of Saneko's chest, his knuckles dripping with blood. Saneko's body hit the ground with a thud, and Pikku could see the life draining out of her eyes. She felt her stomach churn, her heart racing in her chest.

Pikku's hands trembled as she tried to focus her energy into a beam. She knew it was useless, that it wouldn't even scratch Taro's skin. But she had to try, she couldn't just stand by and watch him kill Saneko and get away with it.

With all her strength, she channeled her energy into the palm of her hand, forming a small, glowing ball of light. She aimed it at Taro, hoping that it would at least distract him, give Saneko a chance to escape. But as soon as the beam hit Taro, it dissipated harmlessly.

Taro laughed, a deep, guttural sound that sent chills down Pikku's spine. "You think you can hurt me with that?" he said, grinning maliciously. "My durability works the same as my strength. Every person I kill adds a layer of protection to me. I'm invincible."

Pikku started crying profusely as Taro walked over to kill her, but suddenly something felt off.

Taro's eyes widened as he felt a strange sensation in his stomach. He looked down to see a hand protruding from his abdomen. Blood gushed out of the wound as he stumbled back, clutching his chest in pain.

Turning his head, he saw Saneko standing behind him, a wicked smile on her face. "Did you really think that killing me would be so easy, Taro?" she taunted, her hand still plunged deep into his chest.

Taro let out a roar of frustration and pain as he continued to struggle against Saneko's grip. He could feel his strength waning as the blood loss took its toll.

With a final burst of energy, Taro almost managed to free himself from Saneko's grasp, but it was too late.

Saneko withdrew her arm from Taro's body, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Wiping the blood off on her clothes, Saneko turned to face Pikku. "Don't worry, I'm not dead," she said, her voice filled with reassurance.

Pikku looked at her in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. "But... but Taro... he killed you," she stammered, her voice shaking.

Saneko chuckled softly. "Oh, he did try, but I am not so easily killed," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "And besides, all that talk about his layers of invincibility, that's just nonsense."

Pikku looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Saneko smiled. "Taro thinks that his layers of invincibility make him unbeatable, but he's wrong," she said. "You see, he may be strong and durable, but there are some things even he can't withstand."

Pikku looked at her, still confused. "Like what?" she asked.

"Like the Demon King" Saneko said with a smile on her face. "I have a power that can break through any kind of defense or invincibility. It's a power that can destroy even the strongest of opponents," she explained.

Pikku looked at Saneko in surprise. "Just like that? We're going to the next layer?"

Saneko nodded confidently. "Yes, just like that."

Pikku nodded slowly, still hesitant but trusting in Saneko. "Okay, let's do it."

Saneko took a deep breath and focused her energy. With a burst of power, she ascended to another layer.

Saneko turned to Pikku and said, "By the way, I knew that you tried to use your own power against Taro. I'm very proud of you."

Pikku blushed with pride and gratitude. "Thank you, Saneko. I wish I could help more."

Saneko turned to Pikku. "Don't worry, Pikku. I don't expect you to do anything you are not capable of."

Pikku nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. She had been worried that Saneko would be disappointed in her for not being able to help more. But hearing her words, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

Chapter end