Volume 9 Chapter 52 Death God Vs Demon, Part Two
With a sharp thud that echoed heavily, Cova's head rolled onto the ground.
The Death God's strike was so vivid, slicing through skin, flesh, and bone like cutting tofu.
"Haa... haa..."
Gasping at her shoulders, Sharla steadied herself with her sword, almost collapsing.
Having lost her magic 'Meikai (Open Hell),' her body was in shambles. Just exerting herself tore her muscles and made her organs scream. Even when she tried to channel magic power, it felt like pouring into a bottomless bucket, disappearing into the void.
In reality, she was only alive thanks to sustaining herself with magic power.
Any interruption in her magic power flow would mean death for Sharla. That awareness always lingered around her neck.
She wasn't afraid of dying.
Losing her magic due to carelessness and dying without any purpose was something her pride wouldn't allow.
"...Now, it's just Sebast..."
After just being sent flying, Sebastian still hasn't been neutralized. He's supposed to be under the control of Kushina Mikoto.
Even after defeating Cova, he keeps moving.
Sharla, who tried to pursue Sebastian immediately, couldn't move.
It's not that her legs stopped due to pain.
Sharla saw Cova's head, which should have fallen.
With a bewildered expression, her unfocused eyes stared into space, not understanding what had happened.
He's undoubtedly dead.
He should be dead.
Yet, she can't look away.
That mouth feels like it might move at any moment.
"――How did you find out?"
Cova's severed head spoke.
"..."
A mix of disbelief and strange acceptance occured in her mind.
Sharla, who was once the bride of the underworld, felt that he wasn't dead. When it comes to life and death, her intuition is absolutely right.
"You've got my head chopped off? I should be dead normally――"
"'Ikari (Jealousy).'"
Without finishing his words, Cova's neck was engulfed in a cherry blossom-colored flame.
"Aaaahhh!!"
"It's so noisy with just the head. I don't know the logic behind it, but if I burn the torso as well, I don't think he can regenerate."
Noire, who had walked up from behind, released flames from her hand towards Cova's torso.
Her flames were special. Once caught, they wouldn't let go until they burned everything.
Even with a temporary body, Cova couldn't withstand Lord's magic.
"Aaaaaahh ――――It's so hotttt!!"
Burning, Cova with only his head stood up.
"What?"
A black silhouette swaying in the flames.
Suddenly, a giant arm shot out from there, sweeping away the two.
"You don't die even if I burn you!?"
Noire, holding Sharla, leaped into the air and opened her eyes in surprise.
From within the flames emerged Cova, with his right arm transformed into something demonic.
The twisted shape of black arms intertwining, with yellow eyeballs peeking through the gaps.
What's different from a moment ago is that not only the arms, but other parts have also changed.
The pure white hair has turned black as if ink was dripping from the center, and part of the face was covered in black feathers.
Noire, who had landed, recognized once again what that existence was.
Cova looked up at the sky and laughed hysterically.
"Why? How come? Can't die even if killed? No, no. That's not it! Cova Liber is long dead."
"...You're not a human, are you?"
His magic power is not of Earthlings, nor of humans, nor of demons (mazoku).
The eyes that lost their glassy color looked at Noire and the others.
"Cova Liber was an orphan. He was picked up by a kind-hearted priest and sister and spent time with his companions until he turned twelve."
Those were memories of days gone by. If he closes his eyes, gentle scenes will come to his mind like a curse.
"One day, Cova Liber was chosen as a sacrifice to the demon (akuma) along with his comrades. The kind-hearted priest and sister were actually devoted followers of demon worship... Sounds like a poorly made horror movie, right?"
"So, that's why you ended up looking so weird?"
"I've always looked like a monster since I was born. That's why I was abandoned and luckily chosen as a sacrifice."
Cova casually remarked as he grabbed his white hair.
He was born in a rural area. It was a town with nothing but size and age, where discrimination happened.
"So you're not human, but a demon?"
"Well, in terms of my body, yes. But my consciousness is different."
Cova pointed to his head.
"I still control this part."
"But aren't you dead?"
"I was dead. I was sacrificed. That's why the demon is here. But, just before I completely vanished, that person held onto me."
In a pitch-black room, the flickering flame of a candle and strange patterns drawn with something clearly not paint, along with unreadable characters.
Since that time, a voice has been echoing in his head.
He doesn't even know what it's saying. He can't even tell if it's a voice to begin with.
Seeing the two gentle and devout individuals (priest and sister) reduced to silent masses clinging to the floor and walls, somewhere in his calm mind, he muttered, "Well, of course it would come to this."
When the voice ringing in his head filled every corner of his thoughts, he was convinced that he would truly become a demon.
And he was okay with that.
Until that person arrived.
'Can you hear my voice?'
He heard a voice.
More precisely, with just one clear word, everything else was pushed aside, and he stopped caring.
'I sensed a strange magic power and decided to take a look, but it seems like things have gotten pretty serious. I wonder if I made it in time this time.'
He was more terrifying than a demon, and kinder than a priest or a sister.
The demon's voice was silenced by Julius' hand, and Cova joined the New World (Try Order).
Was it because Julius controlled the demon, or was it just a simple sense of gratitude? It's probably neither.
If he doesn't do something, he won't be able to maintain his own existence.
Cova is dead. Then what is he?
In order to continue being Cova Liber, he must make choices and keep moving with his own will.
"So, that's how it is. I'm getting hungry, shall we start?"
"Well, whatever the truth may be, the task at hand remains the same. It doesn't matter to me."
Noire prepared her fists with a disinterested look on her face.
"I'll take care of that ugly thing. Can you do something about that butler?"
"..."
"I'll do both if it seems tough, okay?"
"...I'll come help right away."
"You're still as good with words as ever."
Despite exchanging light banter, both of them understood. Sharla didn't have much time left.
Even now, magic power was coursing through her body at an extraordinary speed, keeping her alive.
This was the state even without doing anything. There was no room to think about what would happen to her body if she started fighting.
But Noire didn't stop her.
There was no way to stop a woman who was determined to risk her life for the one she loves.
"Now, let's send them flying all the way to the sky."
Noire kicked the ground and ran straight toward Cova.
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