When I was in the Demon World, I trained in combat every day as if to die—literally dying in battle.
Even after coming up to the Middle World, I still had the skills to fight in similar ways. As long as I had enough mana, I could manage it just fine.
But instead of doing so, I took a thoroughly supportive role in combat—fighting from the back.
Why?
‘Because the body transforms.’
Whether it’s the Blond and tanned delinquent Phoenix or the Phoenix hidden underneath, both are bodies made of mana.
Even if they’re 99.99% similar to a human body, the moment one begins to actively use mana, everything changes.
It’s basically like a normal person trying to fight with 20 kg iron weights strapped to their wrists and ankles.
Up to A-rank, it’s manageable.
With the right techniques, you can just barely survive by relying on skill.
But what about against S-rank and above?
After all, many of the entities I’d have to fight here on the surface are S-rank or stronger. What do you think would happen when fighting them?
If I don’t release my shackles, I lose.
And if even a sliver of Changyeom’s flame leaks from the mana forming my body, Angels would immediately descend from the heavens.
To prevent that from happening, I refrained from engaging in direct combat.
Because if I were to fight seriously, the mana forming this body would eventually restructure itself into a form most suited for battle.
Question.
Would a modern Korean youth who used to work in confectionery and baking and played video games as a hobby be better at fighting S-rank beasts and Angels—
Or would it be the Demon Dukes, who—even if outclassed by angels—have been waging war since ancient times, even fighting in the Demonic Land as spirit-forms, constantly stirring eternal conflict?
From a “Bread Academy” mindset, the answer is easy.
‘In a male-oriented harem game, the rule of thumb is that the beautiful girl always fights better.’
That’s how it is.
Of course, it’s not like having the body of a beautiful girl automatically makes you strong, but when you look at people with combat abilities of S-rank or higher, about 90% of them are either beautiful girls or gorgeous women.
People always say, “Don’t judge based on a few examples,”
but it feels like that “few” actually makes up the “majority.”
The body of a beautiful girl is just stronger.
Compared to mine, which despite some combat experience, was once just an average person’s body—those who have the outward appearance of fragility or elegance, yet are in truth perfectly built bodies of “gods” with no excess fat, are far more suited for battle.
And.
The core, the foundation that allows my existence to hold mana in the Middle World, is a crystallization of the mana of the Demon Dukes.
As a result, if a particular Demon Duke happens to dwell in that core, my body naturally changes to resemble that duke.
If Changyeom were here, she’d probably say something like:
– If I were to say something from your memory, that’s totally like Ka◯ Rider Den◯—
“Phoenix. What’s with that form?”
As I pushed forward, cutting through monsters, Instructor Esta gestured up and down at my current form—the form of Wind-Fenrir.
“That doesn’t look like the form of an ordinary being.”
“There are two truths here.”
“Even your voice sounds feminine now.”
“Well, this is just how it turns out when I try to fight seriously.”
When the balance of non-attribute mana tips toward one specific element, the body transforms to best match the efficiency of that element.
100% Wind Attribute.
Whose form would that be?
The Demon Duke of Wind, of course.
“Wind-Fenrir. This is the form of a sword god who wielded the wind blade better than anyone in human history.”
“…”
“I’ll share two truths about this. You’re free to believe whichever you wish.”
I raised two fingers with Fenrir’s hand.
“One is that such a being exists in the future. An SS-rank swordmaster from a distant future, whose power I’m now borrowing.”
“Like… some kind of ghost?”
“Something like that.”
It’s the same as me, the player, using the power of one of the Seven Demon Dukes.
If I were to explain it outside of a game setting in a way that sounds more plausible, that’s the only way to put it.
“And the other?”
“That this form is one of the Seven Demon Dukes of the so-called Demon World, and the source of the Wind Attribute we wield—the Demon Duke of Wind.”
“……”
“A being who, when Angels went wild and invaded the Demon World, had to flee with some of the people of the Middle World. And then, as the Angels sealed all gates from the Demon World to the surface, they were trapped in the Demon World for eternity. One of the so-called Seven Archdukes—Duke of Wind, Fenrir.”
“……Tsk.”
Instructor Esta held her head in her hand, groaning.
“Damn it, which one’s true…?”
Rationally, she probably wants to believe the first one.
But the moment she admits the second one is true, her entire understanding of the Heavenly Realm and Demon World would be overturned.
It might be acceptable for Heaven to be wrong.
But for the Demon World to be “not evil” would be problematic—
Because even the Four Founders who founded Esdinas Academy and are hailed as its heroes, had viewed the demon races as beings to be feared and eliminated.
Admitting that would be to say that even the Founders of Esdinas were… wrong.
Even the greatest Heroes of all time were, in truth, nothing more than pawns dancing to the whims of the Heavenly Realm—and Esdinas Academy was in fact regarded by the Angels as a training ground for raising vanguards to invade the Demon World, aiming to completely annihilate the Demon race.
Esdinas of Heaven, the game’s hidden route.
At first glance, it appeared to be an ending where the player invades the Demon World, wiping out every last threat to humanity and ensuring peace for mankind.
But in truth, it was a tragic ending in which the Demon Dukes, banished from the surface, were unable to save their own creations, and were ultimately exterminated—by those very creations, humans, manipulated by Angels.
“Alright. I’ve made my decision.”
Whatever Instructor Esta believes to be the truth, there was one thing certain in the current moment.
“Whether you came from the future, or you came up from the Demon World possessed by a Demon Duke of Wind, or whether you’re actually an Angel with a different perspective who rebelled against Heaven—a fallen Angel…”
“That last one’s a pretty fresh take, but why are you pointing your sword at me?”
“Because here, you won’t have to worry about anyone else watching.”
Right here, right now—there was a clear fire burning in Esta’s eyes as she stood before me.
“If you’re an Angel, I’ll cut you down. If you’re a Demon Duke, I’ll challenge you. And if you’re the greatest swordsman of the future, then I expect you to show me swordsmanship far beyond my own.”
“…Phew. Well, I still have to move forward. They’re working hard on the dungeon on the other side too.”
“I think I’ve stopped caring about the Four Founders’ dungeon challenges.”
“Instructor Esta. If I may say just one last thing—”
Click.
“Once I draw this sword, I may no longer be myself. Keep that in mind.”
“…! I see.”
The moment our eyes met, Instructor Esta swallowed hard and took a slight step back.
“So you really are… a demon.”
“Correct—”
The voice that emerged from my mouth was not mine.
“Nyah.”
It was the voice of a demon.
“For your information, among the swordsmen in the Demon World, there are three who are considered the strongest, nyah.”
Though the words flowed through my mouth, neither the voice nor the speaker was truly me.
“It’s a little embarrassing, but even though this body is built for swordsmanship, I’m only ranked third.”
“…!”
“If you can’t even defeat me, then you’ll never reach the ones above, nyah.”
“And what should I call ‘you’?”
“Hmm…”
Instructor Esta pointed her sword at me.
“Call me whatever you want. But there is an important rule among our kind.”
Fenrir, who now possessed my body, held up three fingers.
“The strong must allow the weak three preemptive strikes, nyah.”
“In that case—”
Instructor Esta gripped her sword tightly.
“I won’t hold back!”
And without hesitation, she lunged at me—at Fenrir.
Ahh.
Really.
* * *
[Meanwhile, in the other challenge zone.]
“This is why I didn’t want to bring this out.”
“Huh?”
“Ah—nothing.”
Phoenix, participating in the Old School Building underclassmen party, was steadily clearing dungeon gimmicks.
“How is everyone holding up?”
“Why are there so many S-rank monsters!?”
Yurha wiped sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, gasping for breath.
Not just her—Seia and Shuri were clearly showing signs of exhaustion as well.
Was it simply because this was their first time entering this mental realm?
No.
Even the three from the Vermilion Bird Class, already familiar with this Märchen space, looked extremely fatigued.
“Phoenix, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“You said when we disable a mechanism on this side, the one on the other side opens, right? So the opposite must be true too.”
“Correct.”
“But whenever we activate a mechanism, it doesn’t take long for the other side to open up right after.”
“That’s right.”
“Which means… Instructor Esta is clearing her side really fast, right?”
“Hmm.”
It’s not that Instructor Esta is going through it alone quickly—
“She’s likely clearing each section faster than we are, sure. But she probably has a little more time to spare at the moment.”
“So she’s pacing herself?”
“Something like that.”
Esta—
She’s pouring out her full strength right now.
“At the spot where the two challenge zones meet… we might just see a completely worn-out Instructor Esta.”
No matter how you look at it, the idea of Fenrir losing to Instructor Esta is… impossible.
For me, it’s something I can’t even imagine.
