As I told Wisteria, I counted exactly ten seconds.

“Now!”

I judged that the breath of Behemoth had sufficiently converged, and I angled the shield barrier I had stretched to deflect the enemy’s attack.

At the same time, I called out to Wisteria and urged her to act. The brown elf replied “Yes!” and then moved as if she was bounced. She rode on Clau Soras and flew towards Reero Oasis, choosing a place where the breath had little effect.

Meanwhile, I carefully maintained the barrier. If Behemoth showed any sign of aiming at Wisteria, I had to move immediately.

But fortunately, Behemoth’s breath did not change its course.

Was he focusing on me, or was there another reason? Either way, it was convenient for me. This way, I could concentrate on the battle without any worries.

The sand of the desert had melted due to the enemy’s attack, and the whole area was like a volcanic crater, but this was a matter of running in the air like when I fought Pazuzu.

When I judged that Wisteria and the others had taken enough distance, I pointed the tip of my soul equipment that I held in my right hand at Behemoth while maintaining the barrier with my left hand.

If possible, I wanted to attack Behemoth as it was and hinder his movements, but there was no way to pierce an enemy who was at the end of the horizon.

However, I could probably push back his breath for a while. In that gap, I would close the distance at once.

I concentrated my consciousness to release ‘Flying Pierce’. ‘Flying Pierce’ is a kei technique that I used in the fight with Hydra. If a swift, ‘Flying Strike’ could be likened to a gust of wind, then the ‘Flying Pierce’ would be akin to a piercing thrust propelled through the air.

Behemoth’s breath, which had reduced its power, had now turned into a spear of light. To push it back, a thrust like Flying Pierce would be more suitable than a slash like Void Eater.

However, it would be too simple to just release Flying Pierce. I decided to modify Flying Pierce in my own way, just like I sublimated Flying Strike into Void Eater.

In the Phantom Blade Style, Flying Pierce is likened to a spear.

I added the image of rotation to it. A huge spear that rotates – no, a spiral screw. A kei technique that pierces, gouges, and advances through the enemy with the sharpness of a spear and the rotation of a spiral screw.

I shifted the kei that I had poured into the barrier to the new technique, and the barrier became thinner and was pushed in by Behemoth’s breath, but it didn’t matter. Wisteria and Clau Soras were already gone, so it didn’t matter if some of the attack flowed behind.

I raised my kei to the limit and released the new kei technique with all my might.

“Phantom Blade Style – Strong Spiral!”

◆◆◆

――Ah, ah, ah.

“It” – Behemoth was crying out.

It was a voice filled with various emotions such as surprise, anger, sadness, and confusion.

Behemoth’s breath was so powerful that it could not help but involve the surroundings. The monsters who were eating the meat around his mouth had long melted to the bone. Those who were eating the meat around his face also fell one after another due to the heat of the continuous breath.

Behemoth, who was saddened, tried to settle the matter quickly, but what to do, the enemy did not fall. Behemoth’s breath was a deadly spear that pierced through any shield. In fact, Behemoth had killed many enemies with this.

The attack did not work. No, it was not just that it did not work, this was –

――You dare to repel my fangs and approach this body, human.

He saw the figure of someone who ran through the air like a gust of wind or ran through the sandy ground at high speed and approached him, and Behemoth trembled slightly.

He tried to release his breath again, but the enemy did not come straight at him, but changed his movements frequently and did not let Behemoth aim at him.

He thought about sweeping away everything in his sight, but it had already been proven that a diffused breath would not work on this opponent.

Besides, it was dangerous to keep spitting out breath. Not for Behemoth. For the monster children.

Already, due to the aftermath of his breath so far, there was a swirling high heat around Behemoth that was unbearable. Most of the monsters that were densely packed around his head had fallen, and those around his torso, legs, and tail were also suffering from the high temperature.

If he released more breath, all his children would writhe in scorching heat and eventually die as if they were melting.

In the desert, where the blessings of the earth are scarce, how much time did it take to nurture this many lives? If I think about it, I can’t tolerate sacrificing all my children for the sake of killing a single enemy. Even if he emits the hateful smell of a dragon.

The hesitation as a mother of monster children. That further narrowed the distance between him and me.

At this time, Behemoth felt a sensation that he had never felt before. A sensation similar to anger, but different from anger.

Behemoth’s greatest means of attack was his breath, but at the same time, it was almost his only means of attack.

A mobile cannon that can fire from ultra-long distances. That was Behemoth’s true ability, and his huge body was built to specialize in that. His mouth was a cannon, his torso was a turret, his legs were a base. He had no other performance.

In other words, he could not cope if the enemy got into his guard.

He still didn’t need to be afraid.

Even if he couldn’t cope, it only meant that he couldn’t use a special attack like his breath. He could still use his massive body to ram or crush. Moreover, Behemoth’s flesh was thicker than Berka’s walls and covered his organs, and human weapons could only scratch the surface at best. It was impossible to inflict a fatal wound.

In fact, Behemoth had spent over a thousand years in this desert. He was able to reign over the sandy land for so long because no being could harm Behemoth – until today.

Yes, until today.

Of course, it won’t change from tomorrow either. It shouldn’t change. No, it must not change. Because –

――This body is the fang of providence. A comet that purifies the world. To remove me is the same as to remove order. Human, stop.

Behemoth issued a warning.

The thoughts of the mythical creatures are themselves intangible hammers that strike down humans. If they were ordinary humans, they might have been shattered by this warning alone.

But, of course, or should I say, that didn’t work on this enemy.

“Should I say nice to meet you, king of beasts?”

That voice came from the air.

The one who held the black sword stood firmly in a place where a human body could not stay, and looked down at Behemoth arrogantly.

“Is that strange voice a greeting from the mythical creatures? It’s a nice way to say that you’re a comet that purifies the world, but after attacking me one-sidedly, telling me ‘You should stop’ now is not acceptable.”

It almost sounds like he’s scared.

He said that and raised his black sword high.

“If you consider yourself a guardian of order, there is a proper way to behave. Don’t run away like Hydra, king of beasts.”

That was an unmistakable declaration of war. The voice of someone who had already confirmed his victory.

As if to rebuke his insolence, Behemoth roared, and the countless monsters that infested Behemoth’s body also began to move.

The battle began.