Rebirth From Ordinary Person To The Strongest

The "Homura Bachi (Blazing Hornet)" at point-blank range.

Its initial speed easily surpasses the speed of sound!

Try dodging it if you can!

However, seeing my determination, Raikou Douji let lightning flow across his body.

BZZZT!

A sound like static electricity in winter, magnified hundreds of times, exploded in the air. And in that moment, I saw something unbelievable.

My "Homura Bachi (Blazing Hornet)" flowed along Raikou Douji's body surface.

'An impressive spell, but! Fire naturally follows lightning! Thus, it's only natural that fire cannot defeat lightning!!'

"...What?!"

There's no way that makes sense!

I swallowed back the retort that nearly escaped my throat.

What kind of nonsensical logic is that?! That doesn't make any sense!!

But the fact remains that my magic was blocked. I don't know exactly what he did, but if fire doesn't work, then I'll just use another approach.

"Fruitful," he said—like this is some kind of harvest festival? He interrupted our party and called me ripe, like a strawberry ready to be picked. What is he, a fruit farmer?

I focused on the thin "Silveit Threads" I had created, directing them straight at Raikou Douji's head.

They were like laser pointers.

You might think they're just thin "Silveit Threads."

You might think they look weak and fragile.

But while the former is true, the latter is decisively wrong.

In my previous life, I worked at a small, local printing company. Because it was small, we had strong ties with other local small businesses, and I learned a lot from them. For example, there are machines used in metal processing that can slice through materials by pressurizing water and shooting it through a hole smaller than a millimeter.

I only ever heard about it, never saw it myself, but as long as I understand the mechanism, that's all that matters.

I conjure water.

I propel it with wind.

"'Ama Ugachi (Heaven Piercer)'!"

In an instant, high-pressure water rushed through the "Silveit Threads."

Its initial speed far exceeded that of the "Homura Bachi (Blazing Hornet)."

Raikou Douji's eyes widened slightly as he instinctively raised his right arm. A wall of lightning formed, but my "Ama Ugachi" was stronger.

It cut through the wall and pierced Raikou Douji's forehead.

Thud! A hole opened in his head with a loud sound.

But he didn't fall.

'I've seen many spells that swiftly hurl water.'

Raikou Douji's purple lightning crackled.

...Still not enough, huh?

But if that's the case, I'll just increase the power.

'Be proud, boy! Yours is the fastest, the strongest I've faced!!'

In an instant, Raikou Douji took a step forward.

He must be trying to engage in close combat to avoid my magic.

"...Oh, really? Thanks."

But, of course, I'm not going to let him do what he wants.

While he was talking, I was already making my next move.

The goal is to drive him away from here.

I casually kicked a stone that was lying in the garden.

It was an ordinary action, like something any kid would do.

Maybe that's why Raikou Douji's reaction was delayed.

But of course, my "Silveit Threads" were wrapped around that stone.

'Hmm!'

Realizing too late, Raikou Douji tried to kick off the ground, but I was one step ahead.

BOOM!!!

The moment the stone touched Raikou Douji, it exploded!

The black armor remained unscathed, but it still sent Raikou Douji flying!!

It's an application of the acorn bombs the monsters used in the forest… It worked pretty well for a first attempt. Turns out, this isn't such a difficult magic to use.

Just wrap something nearby and infuse it with "Form Change."

It's simple, but that simplicity turns anything around you into a weapon.

That's a real threat.

As I watched Raikou Douji get blown away, I shouted to my mother, who had collapsed on the spot, still holding her naginata.

"Mom! Now's your chance to escape!"

"Itsuki! But—!"

"Go get Dad! I'll hold him off here!"

"I can't just leave you behind and run...!"

"Hurry! Before he comes back!!"

My mother seemed to hesitate.

Could she really leave me behind to call my father? I could see the doubt in her eyes.

Why won't she go already…? As that thought crossed my mind, I suddenly remembered what she said when I was first reincarnated into this world.

The words she uttered, wishing for my safety.

...That's right.

Mom is traumatized by the loss of her child.

That's why she's afraid I might die here.

What she needs isn't "urgency." It's "reassurance."

"...It's okay, Mom."

"But…"

"I've exorcised a Fifth Rank monster before. Even if I can't exorcise this one, I'll find a way to escape."

"..."

My mother stayed silent.

Just one more push.

"Mom, it's not just me. Hina's here too. You're the only one who can take her to safety."

"...Alright."

My mother swallowed down every emotion she was feeling and stood up.

"Promise me you'll escape!"

She shouted as she ran towards Hina.

"Momoka-san, please take Aya-chan to a safe place too. And please call Renji-san."

"...Alright, I will."

The shadow Oni was no longer there.

Whether she was hiding somewhere or watching my fight with Raikou Douji, I couldn't tell.

Already free to move again, Momoka-san quickly nodded and went to help Aya-chan just as my mother had.

As I watched them go, Raikou Douji slowly walked back toward me.

'So, you're letting the weak escape. Very well. They aren't ripe for eating yet.'

"You've got some nerve, pretending you let them go."

Raikou Douji could have come back at any time.

The fact that he didn't and instead waited for my mother and Momoka-san to flee means he let them go.

'Indeed! There's no need to worry about them. No help is coming for them.'

"...?"

'Remember what that young man in the forest was doing? Creating subordinates to distract the exorcists? I did the same thing.'

"...I see."

No wonder Dad hasn't been able to come home.

'But still! Ridiculous! Boy, I've been listening to you for a while now… Do you really think you can escape from me? Do you really believe a hunter lets his prey go once he's caught the scent?'

"No, I have no intention of running."

...Did this guy not hear what I said earlier?

"I already told you—I'll never forgive you."

I said I wouldn't forgive him.

The option of running away no longer exists for me.

"I didn't let my mom and the others escape to get them out of here."

A gust of wind shook the air.

No, I made the air shake.

"I let them escape from my magic."

In an instant, the sky fell.

I connected the "Silveit Threads" to Raikou Douji, and the other end was tied to a meteor created by "Attribute Change: Earth."

—Fall, "Nagareboshi."

'Hmm. A shooting star, is it?'

Raikou Douji tried to evade, but the magic followed the "Silveit Threads." Even if he fled, unless he cut the threads, he wouldn't be able to escape.

And there's no way to sever the "Silveit Threads."

'I see. You tied the "Silveit Threads" to me and summoned a star. Such killing intent at your age… I was right to come hunting early.'

Yet, without showing any signs of surprise, Raikou Douji looked up at the falling "Nagareboshi (Falling Star)" and let purple lightning course through his arm.

In the next instant, as the threads wrapped around his arms and legs—

'But! If this is the extent of your magic, I'll take it head-on!!'

BOOOOMMMMMMM!!!

A shockwave rippled through the air!

A tremendous sound resonated from deep within my stomach, and if I hadn't anchored myself with the "Silveit Threads," I would have been blown away by the impact.

I dropped a star on him.

There's no way he could stop it.

There's no way he could stop it, and yet—

'Ex—cel—lent!!'

Raikou Douji caught the "Nagareboshi (Falling Star)."

Of course, he wasn't unscathed.

The right side of his body that had taken the impact had been incinerated, revealing the black bones underneath. Only about 30% of his head remained, and the one horn that was left had broken off midway. Black steam, or maybe it was magical energy, was rising from his body, making him look far from unscathed.

But Raikou Douji stood in the crater created by the fallen star.

And the moment the purple lightning crackled, his wounds began to heal, as if the video was being played in reverse.

'Allow me to reintroduce myself, boy. I am a Sixth Rank monster. A demon who has mastered the spell of lightning, who hunts exorcists. I am an Oni.'

Ah, I see.

So this is what it is.

'I am Raikou Douji.'

A monster that has killed and devoured hundreds of exorcists, growing stronger in the process.

A monster with intelligence that can draw the attention of many exorcists, then hunt its prey with overwhelming power.

This is what it means to be Sixth Rank.

This is what it means to be a named monster.

The highest tier of monsters.

'That last attack was your strongest, wasn't it? But it cannot defeat me.'

But so what?

So what if he's the highest tier of monsters?

If I were the type to give up or run away because of that, then why have I been fighting in the first place?

'I told you, didn't I? No hunter is killed by its prey.'

"But I didn't say it was."

My magical energy began to overflow.

This one who ruined the party we all prepared together.

This one who tried to kill my precious mother.

And above all, this one who is arrogantly assuming he can devour me—

"'Nagareboshi' isn't my strongest attack."

—I'll show him the fruits of my labor.