The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

"I messed up…"

That's the only thought Shien had at that moment.

No way around it.

Seeing the scene before him, Shien really couldn't another way to describe what he just did other than a mess.

Before Shien, the originally empty clearing had completely transformed.

"Pitter platter…"

That was the sound of countless pebbles raining down onto the ground.

"Woosh…"

That was the sound from the dust slowly disbursing.

An enormous cut split open the wilderness like a fissure, extending ever onward until it finally reached a tall mountain. It looked like a bottomless chasm. Most terrifying.

What is even more terrifying though, is that the end where the fissure reached. That tall mountain at the end was actually split apart into two.

With the addition of the remaining magic power rippling about in the form of countless formless tornadoes, how could Shien not possibly know just what the heck he just did?

"… As expected of the trump card among close combat techniques. The power truly is unmatched."

Shien made a pithy comment as if he was a commentator from a martial arts novel.

Well, that's if one ignored the sweat currently dripping off his forehead anyways.

"Cough, cough…!"

At that moment, harsh coughing sounds rang out from beside him, which finally reminded Shien of something important.

"Diere!"

It wasn't just Shien alone who was there.

Thus, Shien hurried turned about toward the direction where the coughing was coming from.

At that moment, Diere had a knee to the ground. Her hands were raised up, blocking her front, as he she was trying to withstand a storm just a moment ago. She was at the moment constantly coughing while looking terribly disheveled.

"Are… Are you alright?"

Shien hurriedly ran over. He wanted to help her up, but didn't know where to put his hands, so he looked very embarrassing.

"You…"

Diere didn't mind Shien's embarrassment. She just raised her head and looked at Shien while still coughing.

Although Shien didn't see her expression under the hood, he could somehow tell what kind of gaze she had at that moment.

That gaze was like she was looking at some kind of monster.

"I… I didn't do it on purpose!" Shien explained with an unnatural expression on his face, "I didn't know it'd end up like this either. Plus, I just did as you taught me!"

As he spoke, Shien also raised up the broadsword in his hand without thinking bout if as if trying to hand over a murder weapon as if to escape his own role as a suspect.

"Clink!"

The broadsword that Shien raise up had become full of cracks at some point, and at that moment it could no longer hold on and completely shattered into pieces.

And yet, those pieces didn't land on the ground.

That's because, before they've even touched the ground, they've already been further shattered into dust and were blown away by the wind.

"…"

"…"

Shien and Diere watched that scene and were both stunned into silence.

Immediately following, Diere finally turned her gaze back onto Shien.

Shien knew without even needing to confirm it. Diere's gaze at that moment was definitely not just like she's looking at a monster, but a humanoid demonic beast.

No, perhaps, Diere's gaze was more like looking at a new Demon King. That was possible too.

Shien's face turned crimson.

That was from trying to hold it in.

After holding it in for a while, Shien finally managed to force out his next words.

"Now what do we do?'

Shien had basically given up on trying to explain.

Diere only continued to watch Shien mutely. Only until a bit later did she look at that bottomless looking chasm and the mountain split in half over in the distance.

That scene made Diere remember that heaven splitting blade of magic that fell from the sky just a bit ago, making her heart tremble.

"… Let's leave this place for now."

Diere forcibly tried to not let her voice shake. She took a deep breath, maintained her cold tone, and spoke out towards Shien.

"With such a huge commotion, Lamdrion probably has detected it too. Thus, we need to hurry up and leave before investigators arrive."

Hearing that, Shien hesitated.

"Is that fine?"

Shien's hesitant and yet guilty expression allowed Diere to slightly calm down.

"You can stay if you want." Diere thus spoke, "But that way, when the investigators come, you'd be directly taken away and interrogated, possibly even tortured. In the end, you might even be viewed as a spy from the demons purposefully causing destruction. Is that fine for you?"

Shien instantly perked up.

"Then let's go already!"

Such an instant reply made Diere couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.

Although, now isn't the time to make idle conversation either. Diere controlled her urge to say something more and stood up.

But with such an action, Diere's petite body instead leaned over and fell towards the side.

"O… Oy. Are you alright?"

Seeing that, Shein hurriedly reached out to keep her from falling.

"I'm fine!"

Diere's face under the hood turned slightly red and she gave Shien an angry glare. She seemed quite embarrassed.

After all, for her to have been scared to the point where she lost strength in her legs. That was just way too embarrassing.

"Cough…" Shien seemed to understand that too, so he shrank back and spoke weakly, "It really wasn't on purpose."

Seeing Shien look acting like he'd been wronged and yet didn't dare to say anything back, Diere ended up feeling like laughing while being angry.

After a moment of silence, Diere then opened her mouth.

"What happened today, you'd best not mention to anyone." Diere spoke, "That includes Vivian. You can't tell her either."

"Not even Vivian?" Shien was stumped for a moment.

"That's for the best." Diere spoke calmly, "It's not that Vivian can't be trusted, but just in case, the less people who know, the less likely it is to end up causing trouble."

"Fine." Shien was silent for a moment before nodding.

If he could have less trouble, that's obviously something Shien would be happy to go with.

After all, it's not like this is that big an issue, right?

It should be anyways…

"Also." Diere gave Shien a glance and her voice turned for the first time adamant and serious, "From now on, don't go using [Magic Sword] anymore."

That matter is very important, so Diere had to give a special reminder.

Otherwise, just what kind of consequences would result from that, Diere felt cold just thinking about it.

"I can't use it anymore?" Shien spoke with some frustration, "So I ended up learning this skill for nothing?"

Wouldn't that have meant that ll he did this whole day were just wasted effort?

Diere also wrinkled her brow.

Finally, Diere let out a sigh.

"At least, until you can freely adjust the power, it's best not to use this skill in front of anyone else." Diere so stated. Then she seemed to have thought of something and spoke, "Also, don't use it where there are a lot of people."

"Alright." Shien finally relaxed and nodded without hesitation.

Afterwards, the two of them really were like criminals escaping the scene of a crime, hurried their footsteps, and left the area.

However, this earth-shattering scenery still remained.

Likely, this place would still be like that even hundreds of years later. It might even have become a major tourist attraction by then.