The approaching demon was an old man with a white beard, dressed in a black robe, and covered in what seemed to be countless eyes.
"Hehehe, hand over the Goddess Statue, and I may spare your lives," the demon said. "Both I and Lord Rezo are beings of our word. We don't break contracts."
"You! You're a demon, aren't you!" Lina shouted. "This confirms my earlier suspicion. There's no need for further discussion—Lightning Strike!"
A spear of lightning shot out from Lina's hand, heading straight for the enemy. However, when the spell hit, it didn't have the anticipated effect. The powerful magic seemed to not harm the demon.
"A pureblood demon!" Lina said bitterly. "This is going to be a hassle."
"Pureblood demon? What's the problem?" Gourry asked in confusion. "Can't you and Miss Aoko deal with him using your magic?"
"Pureblood demons are spiritual entities, you idiot!" Lina explained quickly. "They're like highly condensed ghosts. Hard to pin down!"
The demon, however, seemed uninterested in their chatter. He launched a barrage of magic projectiles, intending to annihilate them.
The best way to counter magic projectiles was with a magic barrier. While not particularly adept in this field, Aoko was skilled enough to handle this level of attack with ease. Her magic circuits began to glow faintly, and a hemispherical barrier formed around the group, effortlessly neutralizing the demon's attacks.
"Hmm, not bad," the old demon squinted all his many eyes. "But the way you use magic is different from that human over there… Are you human?"
"Whether I'm human or not is none of your business!" Aoko retorted disdainfully. "Disrupt Undead!"
Although this was merely a level-0 necromancy cantrip, Aoko wasn't aiming to destroy the demon outright. After hearing Lina's explanation, she wanted to confirm if this high-density spiritual entity shared any undead traits.
"What… what kind of magic is this?!" The old demon raised his arms to shield himself from the ray of positive energy. While it didn't cause any significant damage, it made him uncomfortable.
"Not undead, but still weak to positive energy?" Aoko thought to herself, already forming a plan. To deal with such a creature, one needed the right method to maximize efficiency.
"You're too dangerous!" the demon growled. "Humans cannot be allowed to wield magic capable of harming our kind… It seems I must use my full power to deal with you!"
As his words fell, a surge of dark magic erupted from the demon's body. His form grew larger and more grotesque, enveloped in black mist. Where once stood an old man, now loomed a massive figure with tentacles for legs and four arms protruding from his upper body.
To avoid harming her companions, Aoko cast a flight spell and ascended into the air, ready to face the now-transformed demon.
Previously, the demon had used two hands to cast spells. Now, with four, his firepower doubled. But in truth, his attacks—mental energy blasts—were completely ineffective against Aoko. They couldn't even break through her shield.
"Had enough fun?" Aoko smirked. "Then it's my turn… Celestial Brilliance!"
Using her staff as the casting focus, Aoko unleashed a blinding light in a 60-foot radius. The brilliance was so intense it outshone the sun, making her look like a radiant Gandalf.
Though it resembled divine magic cast by a cleric, Celestial Brilliance was a fourth-level evocation spell. Its principle involved channeling positive energy from the Mount Celestia planes to strike down evil and undead creatures.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!! What is this?! It's unbearable!!!"
The spell was devastatingly effective against the demon, who screamed in agony and staggered backward. Aoko pursued him relentlessly, her staff glowing as she pressed her assault, tormenting the poor old man.
However, the demon's will to survive was strong. Despite the excruciating pain, he mustered all his strength to retreat, desperate to escape Aoko's relentless attack.
"LIGHT!"
An unexpected voice called out from the demon's escape path. It was Gourry, holding a sword of pure light. The blade itself seemed to be entirely composed of radiant energy.
Not only was the demon stunned, but everyone else present was equally shocked by Gourry's hidden trump card.
Leaping high into the air, Gourry brought the sword down in a powerful blow, cleaving the fleeing demon in two. The creature let out one final scream before disintegrating into nothingness.
"The Sword of Light!" Lina exclaimed in amazement. She was well aware of the legendary weapon's power—it had once been used to defeat the monster Zanafar.
Aoko landed beside Gourry, who still held the radiant sword. She was simply happy that her teammate had such a high-quality magical weapon, but Zelgadiss and Lina were bursting with questions.
"Gourry! How do you have the Sword of Light?!" Lina bombarded him with questions.
"Ah, well, it's a family heirloom," Gourry replied, scratching his head sheepishly. "I'm the best swordsman in this generation of my family, so they entrusted it to me when I left to train."
"Wait, this thing is that famous?" Aoko asked, pointing at the Sword of Light. "You all seem to know about it."
"Long ago, a monster called Zanafar wreaked havoc in Sairaag," Zelgadiss explained. "Many tried to stop it, but none succeeded—until a swordsman wielding the Sword of Light defeated and sealed it. The Sword of Light is a symbol of heroism in Sairaag."
"So that makes Gourry the descendant of that swordsman," Zelgadiss concluded.
Who would've thought that Gourry, with his simple demeanor, came from such a prestigious lineage?
"Can I take a closer look?" Aoko asked, her curiosity piqued. "I'm very interested in the structure of high-level magical weapons like this."
"Sure, just don't break it," Gourry said, handing her the sword.
The Sword of Light's blade disappeared, leaving only the hilt. Aoko carefully examined it. The wear and tear on the hilt showed its age, yet it remained in perfect condition, sturdy and unyielding.
Closing her eyes, Aoko activated her magic circuits and cast an analysis spell. Massive amounts of magical energy transformed into countless fine tendrils, probing the intricate magic circuits within the Sword of Light…