I who was reincarnated as the shadowy villain with the power to antagonize the nation, worked hard since infancy to avoid the flag of ruin, resulting in an extraordinary magical power that made me the strongest.

I could hear the sound of an owl’s cry.

Even though it was well past 2 AM, there had been no communication from my father and the others throughout the day. My mother had put on a brave face, but every now and then, her anxious expressions would resurface in my mind.

(…I don’t want to think about it, but…)

I couldn’t help but believe that something might have happened to my father and the others. Moreover, the absence of any contact made the situation seem quite dire. In the worst-case scenario, it was possible that we might never see them again.

I didn’t want to entertain that possibility.

(…Should I go and check on them? But I can’t leave my mother alone. On the other hand, taking her with me isn’t a viable option. If my father and the others couldn’t handle it, I shouldn’t assume that I can protect my mother alone. Damn it, what should I do?)

My thoughts circled endlessly, and I felt as though I was being overwhelmed by anxiety.

My mother probably shared the same feelings. Separated by a wall, I could occasionally hear sounds. In this situation, nobody could sleep.

“…Maybe I should practice with a sword.”

I needed to move my body to clear my head. At this point, all we could do was hope for the safety of my father and the others. With that determination, I left the room quietly, trying not to arouse my mother’s suspicion.

…And that’s when it happened.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Followed by a sound like glass breaking.

My instincts began to ring alarm bells like a loud and persistent clanging.

“…!?”

An absurdly massive and sinister presence appeared.

It was beyond anything I had encountered during Shichi-Go-San.

This presence moved casually, as if taking a leisurely stroll from the main gate towards my direction. And then, it stopped right in front of the entrance.

And…

“Gale Strike! Quickly jump to your right!”

I heard Ginko’s desperate voice.

In an instant, I activated “Jōga” and leaped away from where I had been standing.

In the next moment, there was an earth-shattering explosion.

“We’ve finally found you.”

A voice that sounded like a mechanical fusion of male and female, young and old.

When I looked up, at the far end of the circular hollow where the mansion once stood, a humanoid demon with deep crimson eyes stared back at me with a menacing grin.

I was left utterly speechless.

This being was grotesquely ominous.

Despite having a humanoid form, it was unmistakably different from humans. Its skin had scale-like patterns, and its hands and feet featured sharp claws reminiscent of reptiles.

And the color of those eyes…

“A first-class demon…”

A first-class demon, the rank that Winterma-san could finally exorcise.

…I couldn’t believe it, but I had a bad feeling about this.

“It took a long time. I struggled. It would have been easier if those two weren’t around.”

The demon ran its long tongue along its bloodstained nails and spoke those words with a twisted smile.