Chapter 13: Finish This Fight

Ash had arrived just as his friends did, the two members from the Order of Blades standing in the back unnoticed as they simply watched on. "What's going on?" Ash asks, coming up next to Akira who pointed before him. There stood the Dullahan from seven days ago but not alone this time. He had an army of knights in tattered clothing and cracked armor, every one of them were undead.

"So it's this guy again, thought so." Kazuma said as he made it up to his companions' sides.

With the boy came the rest of the party minus Darkness who hung back for whatever reason, and upon seeing Megumin the Dullahan flipped out. "Why did you not come to my castle!? You are inhuman!" It yelled out.

Ash stepped forward to be in front of the small girl, protecting her in case it were to attack while Kazuma walked up next to him. "Why didn't we come? Why should we have? We stopped the explosions and-"

The Dullahan seems to get more enraged at those words. "'Stopped'!? You say you stopped!? Don't you dare lie to me! That crazy girl has been coming to my castle and has still been casting explosions without end since last I was here!" He yells, it's head hopping in its hand a bit as it did.

Kazuma slowly turned to Megumin, the girl sinking under his gaze as she looked to Ash for protection only to see the same gaze. For some unexplained reason this made her chest hurt a bit, but that was quickly overshadowed by the pain in her cheeks from Kazuma pulling them. "Hey! You kept going to cast explosions huh!? All this time!?" He asks her as he pulls, Ash not stopping him but simply sighing and shaking his head in annoyance.

"Ahhh! It hurts, stop it! I was satisfied by casting explosions simply on a large empty field but after finding the charm of exploding a castle I couldn't stop! I needed something big and hard!" She says making Ash avert his eyes.

"Oi don't word it like that! You'll make Ash pass out from blood loss! But you can't move after casting a spell and Ash was out of business for a while...so who was your accomplice?" Kazuma asks looking to Aqua who had begun to whistle innocently. Instead of Kazuma grabbing her cheeks and pulling, Akira did shocking the goddess.

"Why!? Everything was perfectly fine and you did that!? In what logical way is that decision sound at all!?" The Fighter says angrily toward her as Ash sighs and shakes his head.

"Ahhhh! That Dullahan has driven away all the easy-to-kill monsters! Because of him I can't work normally and get money so I wanted revenge! I wanted to vent my anger!" She said through her stretched cheeks in pain.

Ash stepped forward slightly and the Dullahan and him locked eyes. "I have a feeling that's not why you're truly here. Came to see what'd happen if we fought?" He asks eagerly.

The Dullahan sighed. "I still have no interest in fighting someone so weak even if my inner swordsman wishes to. But you are correct; I could care less about the explosions, what I do care about is the disgusting actions taken by you and your party! That crusader sacrificed herself for you and no one came to save her from my curse! I may be an undead now but I was a Knight at one point, such actions are deplorable and dishonorable! The girl was the picture perfect image of a model Knight and you just-!"

"Oh wow...I'm being called a model Knight!" Darkness said softly but loud enough for everyone to hear, causing all eyes to turn to her including the Dullahan's.

The Dullahan had a 'wtf' face as he stared at the still very alive crusader who also looked back to him confused. "Wha...? What is this?" He asked in pure shock.

Akira laughed at the Dullahan along with Aqua. "Why? It's been a week since she was cursed, but Darkness is still alive! Aren't you shocked Dullahan!? It's because I could break such a simple curse so I did! I bet he was sitting there all like 'Oh where are they?' Ahahahahahahaha!" Aqua said laughing harder at the Dullahan who was starting to tremble in pure anger now. Ash and Kazuma both noticed this as well as Damarius from where he and Eileen stood in the way back to spectate.

It turned to Aqua and started to build a dangerous aura as if to intimidate the girl. "Oi, you there, if I got serious and wanted to I could kill everyone here you know? If you keep messing with me then I'll be forced to show you why fighting an undead, who can't feel fatigue, is a mistake." Dullahan said through his clenched teeth. Akira and Ash were about to get ready as they built up their own aura, some turning to Ash wondering why his felt so strange compared to his companions but before they could do anything Aqua raised her right hand toward the Dullahan.

"You should be the one worried, as I have no reason to let you off the hook!" She said as a warm light began to build in her hand. "I won't let you get away this time, undead. Acting so arrogant and high when in my presence...how arrogant of you! Disappear; 'turn undead'!" She shouted as the light got brighter.

The Dullahan braced himself but otherwise looked unfazed by the threat. "You think I, a Devil King General, would be unprepared to fight a simple priest? That is stupidly dumb! My undead knights and myself have all received the protection of the Devil King so our resistance to holy spells is-AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" He suddenly screams as the spell casts and hits its mark. The part that was hit started to emit a black smoke as he panted and shook in pain; despite this he still put up the facade of standing strong to intimidate everyone.

Aqua looked confused as she stared at the Dullahan and then her hand before looking to Akira. "Hey hey, it didn't work. Akira, it didn't work!" She said in shock.

Akira sighed as he sweat dropped. "No, it worked all right." He said while watching the Dullahan. Kazuma nods in agreement at the statement, the damage done on obvious display.

The Dullahan cleared his throat as he stepped forward a bit on unsteady legs. "Hmph. Do not interrupt someone while they are talking. My name is Beldia! I am as I said, a General of the Devil King's army!" It lifted its head in the air with its left hand as the right one gestures to its armor. "This armor has been enchanted by myself and the Devil King! A simple priest's 'Turn Undead' would never work on me!... It shouldn't work at all!" He said, muttering the last bit to himself as if to reassure himself. Beldia shifted its head as if tilting it. "Never mind that though. Our diviner had raged on about a strong light descending onto this town, so I came to investigate. Aside from some strange individuals I have seen nothing special here! I will not do it personally as it'd be too much of a hassle...so go my brothers! Let them know what hell taste like!" Beldia said, sending forward his undead knights.

"What? Planning on running because Aqua's spell was more effective than you thought?" Akira asks as he, Ash, and Kazuma stand next to one another with their hands on their chins nodding.

"Yep. I bet he's sending his men forward because he's scared at how bad it hurt him." Kazuma says, getting nods from his two companions.

"Indeed" Ash says "and while we deal with them he probably will run away. Abandoning his men...what an awful Knight. To think I wanted to duel you." He says.

Beldia stammers as he almost drops his head. "T-t-that's not it! I had planned this from the very beginning! I was going to destroy this town the minute I arrived but chose not to! A Devil King General is not so weak that he'd leave to escape on his own! Besides who starts off with a boss!? You normally have to go through minions first to get to a boss such as I! Indeed-"

Aqua interrupted Beldia again. "Sacred Turn Undead!"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Beldia screams as the light shines again now from a white magic circle below the Dullahan's feet and shooting into the sky. His armor was now spewing black smoke out as he tried to roll on the ground as if putting out a fire. "That's it!" He said slowly standing, shaky as he points at the gathered crowd. "Brethren, kill them all!"

Ash, Akira, the other adventurers, and even Eileen and Damarius all got ready as the undead knights started to run forward. They tended as the enemy got closer and closer until...they ran past them? All eyes turned to the mob as even Beldia who had been laughing the entire time stopped in confusion. The sight was hilarious to see: Aqua was running around as every undead chased her around. Some stopped and fought the other adventurers but the fact a giant block was chasing Aqua was interesting to the two hiding in the back watching.

"Why are they all chasing after me!?" She yells out as she keeps running with them hot on her tail.

Beldia growled as his head bounced. "What the hell are you all doing!? Don't just waste time chasing around a single priest! Kill the townsfolk! Make the streets run red with their blood!" He yelled out at them but was met with being ignored.

Kazuma watched on as an idea came to his mind. "Hey hey, Ash, are you able to do Judgment Cut End properly yet?" He asks him.

Ash nods. "Yes. After Akira and I finished the quest we went on I gained a decent amount of levels and have since increased my abilities. Why?" He asks the teen.

Kazuma smirked and turned to Megumin next. "You can still cast explosion today right?" He asks her.

Megumin also nods. "Yes, but we're inside the town. If I miss or don't get them all then..." the thought was left there as Kazuma started to think more before snapping his fingers.

"Both of you wait outside the city! Ash meet them first then Megumin you follow up!" He said getting nods from the two as they rush out the gates and watch as Kazuma and Akira helped get the undead to follow Aqua behind them.

"Do you have any idea what he's doing?" Megumin asks as they run, her keeping a hand on her hat so it doesn't fly off.

Ash smirks and keeps running forward. "I get it yeah. He wants us to be prepared for when they lead the undead outside; there I cut them up so they can't run and you blow the bits to pieces." Ash says.

Akira ducks under an adventurer trying to attack an undead and blasts off his giant club with Gilgamesh getting the undead to follow him, Kazuma, and Aqua. "So what's the plan?" He asks sliding into step with his two running companions.

Kazuma looked behind them and nodded to himself. "Alright this looks like all of them. We keep running for the gate! But when I say to, get out of the way completely. That goes to you too Aqua, we don't want anyone besides the undead being cut to bits." He says making Akira's eyes widen and Aqua to stumble a bit.

"You're gonna have him use JCE?" Akira asks as Aqua looks confused.

"Oi Oi! What are you two talking about!? What could kill us!?" She asks frantically as the gates come into view and there, waiting for them is Ash. Kazuma gives him a thumbs up and Ash gives him a nod as he crouches a bit with his hand on Yamato's grip. "Is that Ash?...Why do I feel a pressure building up around him? Wait what's going on?!" She keeps asking as they pass under the gate and Ash is ready.

"Move now!" Kazuma yells as he and Akira peel off but Aqua keeps running. "Aqua move!"

She doesn't listen, and Ash had his eyes closed and power set to go. He was about to abort the plan when he heard something blast off and impact the goddess as evident by her grunt and the sound of two bodies hitting the ground further away. "Do it now!" Akira says.

Ash smirks as a blue energy circle surrounds him, some red tinting in catching onlookers attention. "Undead knights...go back to Hell. I shall slay you all, so be prepared for judgment!" He says as the knights all enter into the range of his attack. Kicking off the ground he flings himself through the air with the Yamato drawn, the sound of cutting heard by any and all onlookers before he lands on one knee in the center of all the undead. He slowly sheathed the blade, the place within his circle went from distorted lines looking like shattered glass to giant cuts that cleanly made the undead fall apart. He walks past the ones still scrounging about trying to crawl, then high fives Megumin. "Tagging you in." He said to her, getting a smirk.

"What a wonderful situation. I am truly grateful to you all. My name is Megumin! I am a user of the finest magic crimson demons possess, and I commend explosion magic! Behold my power! EXPLOSION!"

With her chant done a black swirl appeared and started to surround the undead knights; eventually it cascaded into an explosion that destroyed all of the left over undead knights. The people who watched on now looked in awe at the power and teamwork presented to them. Megumin had a smile on her face as she stood there with her staff outstretched, panting with the exhaustion of casting her one-time use spell. "So good...now everyone is at a loss for words at how amazing my magic...is." She said falling forward. Before she hit the ground Ash tricked to right in front of her, catching her on his back and carrying her. "Ahh, thanks Ash." She said to the teen.

At that moment, as Ash picked her up and started walking, the other adventurers started cheering for her. "That was amazing crazy girl!" "That crazy Crimson Mage girl did it!" "Aside from being crazy and having a weird name, you're amazing! Impressive!"

The compliments mixed with the insults made Megumin wiggle and growl a bit. Ash noticed this and chuckled. "Calm down. Just block the insults out and take the compliments they're giving you." He told her. "You did great today; be proud of yourself. You just saved the town after all. And if anything I'll remember their faces to be taught a lesson on politeness later." He said to her. She smiled and nodded as they walked forward only for Ash to stop as he saw what Kazuma was looking at. Beldia had just gotten out of the hole and was about to attack. Just as he prepared to charge with one hand holding his head and the other holding a sword, the other adventurers ran to surround him.

"It seems you wish to die first." He said throwing his head in the air surprising those not charging by the spectacle of a head being lobbed like that. Kazuma figured out what was happening first as an eye resembling an eye from a certain tower appeared over Beldia.

"STOP!" Kazuma yelled as 5 big guys with heavy weapons were attacking already.

One swung his hammer at Beldia but the Dullahan sidestepped him with ease, another tried to hit him with an axe but simply skidded off Beldia's sword as he moved again. Finally Beldia, using both hands, gave a mighty slash that kicked up the rocks and killed all 5 adventurers in one go. Beldia caught his now falling head and stood with overflowing confidence. "Who's next?" He asked simply.

The crowd started going crazy with fear, and Akira and Ash could see even Kazuma was beginning to show a lot of fear himself. "Mitsurugi will beat you easily when he gets here!" A witch said making Beldia perk up.

He began to walk forward as all in Kazuma's party knew why that wasn't happening. After all: they sold his sword just a bit ago and he had ran out of the bar like a maniac to retrieve it. Beldia nor any of the adventurers knew this however as he started to approach with only Darkness willingly standing in his way as she drew her sword.

"Well until he gets here" he started saying, charging forward at the Crusader "can you hold out till then!?"

His sword clashed with hers in an excellent show of sparks and power as she used her strength to hold him back. The ground beneath them shook and broke with the girl losing ground as she slowly slid back.

"Darkness! You can't match his sword! Get out of there!" Kazuma calls out to the girl who only shakes her head.

"No! It's my calling to protect others, and I shall do just that!" She says trying to push back against the strength of Beldia. "I can't let you pass...but the thought of what lewd ways you plan to torture and use me after you win make me tremble." She said with a slight blush.

Beldia to his credit didn't falter but did respond to her words. "Quite with the wild fantasy! You'll make people think of me the wrong way!" He yelled as they both jumped back.

"You're on Beldia!" She yells out pointing the top of her sword at the Dullahan and begins to run at him. Ash walked over to Kazuma and handed him Megumin carefully as he was ready just in case something happened.

Beldia watched as the blonde approached him, he was eager for the chance to fight a model Knight such as herself. "It was inevitable that a holy knight would challenge me. Fine then, come!" He yelled out. Darkness reached him and gave two slices and a stab, sliding past the stationary Dullahan between two boulders. A moment later and both boulders broke apart...but no damage was made to Beldia. "Eh?" He asks looking behind him at the girl who was blushing.

"Not even able to hit something holding still huh?" Akira asks as Beldia gets thoroughly pissed.

"Enough of the games!" He says slashing at her and nailing his hit. He then unleashed a flurry of attacks sending her tumbling away as Lazuma yelled out for her. With a trembling body she slowly got up using her sword as a support as Beldia walked up behind her to finish everything. Before he could however Ash teleports forward and blocks his sword with Yamato grinning up at Beldia.

"Apologies Darkness, but he's mine." Ash says as his eyes had changed.

Beldia's head smirked under his helmet as he looked down at his foe. "Oh? I feel you've gotten stronger. Fine then, lets dance!" He said as the two began to fight. Ash made sure to bring it away from Darkness as Kazuma and Akira walked over and helped her up.

"No! It's my duty to protect those behind me! I can't just let him fight alone!" She said but Akira stopped her.

"Think for a moment and be smart! He's not sacrificing himself or anything, this is a dual between swordsmen! You've done your part and you did it well. Everyone is safe, but what use would it be if you die in the process?" Akira asks as they set her next to where they laid Megumin against a boulder.

With Ash and Beldia the two had broke their sword's lockup. They began to quickly attack, dashing back and forth as they did. Sparks flew off the swords as they battled with the normal people and those untrained unable to keep up with just their eyes alone. "You have gotten stronger!" Beldia said as they locked up once again, the power and friction of their sword made small streams of smoke rise from the blades. Ash smirked up at Beldia as he slowly felt power building in him. He could see it! The thing he's been trying to achieve! It was stuck, blocked by something...he was taken out of his musings as Beldia used an attack eerily similar to High Time from the Yamato's brother sword. Ash got his blade up in time to block but was sent upwards and Beldia followed after. "Take this!" He yelled out as he followed up with his own version of Helm Breaker. Ash smirked again though confusing Beldia.

In the blink of an eye he trick-teleported behind the Dullahan and did a Rising Star to lift them for the rim to the air followed by an Aerial Cleave. Ash was not surprised when the Dullahan was already back on its feet, a crack across its chest plate now as Ash built up energy causing Yamato to spark with energy. "Let's see if I can get the timing right on this." He said to himself taking the stance for Judgment Cut as Beldia was laughing.

"Amazing! Outstanding! How much more do you have to show me!? Let's keep going until one of us is dead like true knights!" He said excitedly. He didn't give Ash enough time to prepare his chain as in the blink of an eye he was on the Dark Swordsmen who was still mid charge. Ash teleported back and watched as his enemy didn't stop.

"Now or never!" He yelled out unleashing his Judgment Cut, only to follow it up with 3 more in a successive chain that tore apart the ground as they moved forward and hit Beldia. To his surprise the creature kept rushing forward, armor now scratched up and chipped with cracks all over, and his cape was tattered, but he was still moving. "Shit." Ash said as he couldn't dodge in time from the point of Beldia's sword. It impaled him straight through his chest as Beldia kept going, the tip now through Ash and into the ground as he eventually stopped after dragging the halfling across the hard ground and pinning him to a boulder still intact. Ash looked up to Beldia as everything up till then that happened finally registered in his head, adrenaline wearing off as he saw his own blood coming out of his mouth as he coughed.

Beldia stood there with its head forward. "You were marvelous, truly you were. You even damaged me this much; if only you would have used that side of you, maybe you would have won. Knowing you" Beldia pulls out his sword from Ash's chest "you can't, you're not the type to hold back I feel. It truly is sad as now you will never reach your full potential. Rest In Peace, Dark Swordsman." He says as Ash falls to his knees then face down on the ground. Beldia turns and starts to walk away, flicking his sword causing the blood to fly off and onto the ground.

Megumin was watching the whole thing, and with a voice full of sorrow screamed out. "ASH!" She yelled as Akira jumped into action followed by the other adventurers. He used Beldia as a springboard to go to his downed friend and turn him over.

"No way you're dead. Not with what you came back with..." he said carefully examining Ash. A hand was placed on Akira's shoulder, one very familiar.

"Indeed he is not." Arkham said, now present.

Akira looked to the scarred man and back to his friend. "Then what is happening?" He asked.

Arkham smirked and stepped back a bit as energy began to crackle off of Ash. Akira paired him down as he watched. "You may want to step back...it may be a violent transformation."

Akira was shocked by these words as he stood near Arkham. "But how? He never has been able to-"

Arkham simply pointed to Beldia's sword. "The sword of a general to the Devil King is likely imbued with powerful magic and most importantly, Demonic Energy. When he stabbed Ash with it his body naturally absorbed as much as it could while it was there; and it seems that it was enough to kickstart this." Arkham said as Akira and himself backed up more.

"His Devil Trigger." Akira said.

Ash stood up and energy surged out of him causing all to look, Beldia who was holding up an adventurer by the throat even looked back as he threw away the poor guy. "Oh?" He says in interest as Ash's energy explodes outward revealing his new form.

His hair was now black, his eyes were slit and glowing red. He had calcium-like armor on his arms, legs, stomach, and chest. Horns came from his head as well and his left arm had a sheathe where Yamato now rested. His back had two wings that looked akin to dragon wings.

(Drawing by u/BROKENHANDGUN on Reddit, u/BROKENHANDGUN/ ; also on DeivantArt under the name TWANGZ)

Beldia had wide eyes at the sight. "So the thing I felt was this huh? Splendid! Let us-gah!" He was cut off as a blast of water suddenly hit him from behind, from the hand of Kazuma who used create water.

"It's water! His weakness is water!" He yelled out as Ash dashed forward in his Devil Trigger and attacked the surprised Beldia.

"Wait wait wait wait!" The Dullahan kept saying as he had to not only dodge Ash but also the random blasts of water from the town's magic users now constantly firing at him. "Hold on, let me-woah!" He narrowly avoided having his head cut in two by Yamato tossing it into the air and catching it again, kicking Ash away. The Devil Triggered teen wouldn't let up though and got back into the fight instantly going at speeds even slightly faster then Beldia could keep up.

While they were distracted with one another Aqua did as Kazuma said and unleashed a powerful flood-level water attack dousing Beldia and Ash in the process. The two stood there both obviously weakened by the water from a goddess, Ash reverting to his human form as he laid down panting. He felt around his chest and discovered his wound was of course gone, and now he felt even stronger than ever before as he pulled out his card to take a look. Just as he thought, unlocking the DT opened up a new tree of abilities and powers to use.

Beldia was standing up, as was Ash, both using their swords as crutches to help them. "Water...water everywhere." Beldia said as Kazuma stood up.

"Now! Steal!" He yelled out with Beldia turning to him.

"Like you could take anything from me!" He yelled back as the light shown bright and blinded most till it died down to show... "Eh?" Kazuma with Beldia's head.

The teen smirked evilly as he held up the head. "Let's play some soccer everyone!" Kazuma said as after explaining the game they began to kick the head around. Akira helped Locke up Ash as they saw the people playing with Aqua finally purifying the body to destroy it.

Arkham smirked as he saw everyone having fun and came up to his fellow Devil-Hunters. "You've unlocked more power within yourself finally." He said as two others approached.

"So you show your true side." Eileen says loud enough to get everyone's attention. All looked to Ash as the people settled down and remembered what happened. "Your not human, you're a Devil!" She says.

There's quiet for a moment before Ash speaks himself. "That's where you're wrong-"

"Don't try that shit! We all saw it clear as day!" Eileen said reaching behind her and drawing her sword, it flowed a light bluish-green as she pointed it at Ash. "Tell the truth!"

Ash's eye twitched as he moved forward unafraid, but he was annoyed. "Don't interrupt me. I was going to say that you're wrong: because I'm not fully a Devil. I am half." He says. "I'm sorry I've not said such things to anyone" he says looking over the people's faces "but as you can imagine, it was believed that such information should be held for as long as possible in case..."

"In case everyone treated you differently." Arkham says finishing for him stepping forward.

"But no matter what, you're still a good friend." Akira says now next to them as others join them.

"And an amazing party member." Kazuma says as he, Aqua, and Darkness who's holding Megumin comes up.

"If anything, finding out you're half-Devil is awesome." The small explosion girl says with a wide fan-girl smile.

Ash looks forward with more resolve as he rests Yamato before him. "So if anyone has any problems with that; say them now." He says.

Eileen expected a reaction in her favor, something to make it easier to slay a Devil. But she was shocked as the other adventurers all spoke next. "You kidding? It don't matter man you've helped so many and saved the town!" "Yeah! You're an adventurer like us!" "Never gonna not be Ash!"

Damarius walked up to his friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Enough Eileen. He is not our target, and is more human than any halfling we may find." He tells her. She looks at him confused but a simple nod from him makes her sigh.

"Alright. But I'm warning you!" She says pointing at him. "If I hear of anything, ANYTHING that proves me right about you, I'm coming back for your head!" She says as the two people start to walk away. The day then played out normally: Darkness prayed for the slayed General, celebrating at the bar, a massive check for killing the general, and finding out the fact that Aqua destroyed much of the wall meant they didn't get the full amount.

Ash and Akira were sitting down and sighing, shaking their heads. ""Typical day."" they both said at the same time.