The Overconfident Witch…

Somewhere, a low female voice resonated in the underground passage, seemingly filled with emotion.

It was clearly just a simple mutter, but the moment the voice was heard, an overwhelming pressure made one want to avert their gaze involuntarily.

Perhaps it was because that voice belonged to a woman who had once ruled over everything in this world.

The voice of Lucifer emanating from the pitch-black sword held by Yoon Si-woo created an atmosphere that even Frieda had no choice but to listen in silence.

That title isn’t something special, but… The fact that someone is impersonating that name is not a very pleasant feeling.

However, as soon as Lucifer mentioned impersonation, Frieda flinched and shouted in fury.

“Are you saying… I’m impersonating the Overconfident Witch!? The name refers to the strongest being! I, Frieda, am the strongest! So, I am the Overconfident Witch! Who do you think you are to call me an impersonator?!”

Hmm, so you are Frieda. I thought you were a bit dull-witted given those beastly ears, but now I see you’re an utterly incompetent girl. Try thinking a little. Who else would care about such impersonation?

Lucifer responded to Frieda’s outburst with a voice filled with mockery.

You’re so dense that you can’t even recognize the owner of the name standing before you.

“Don’t call me that!!!”

At that moment, Frieda, furious at the condescending words, charged at Yoon Si-woo, who was raising his sword to defend himself.

Seeing the boy attempt to block her attack made Frieda laugh, her eyes wide with rage.

She had the ability to slice through anything.

No matter how solid, or something that would typically be uncuttable.

If her claw made contact, everything would be torn apart evenly.

Naturally, defense was futile.

“Die!!!”

With the intent to split the annoying boy and his sword in half, Frieda swung her claws.

However—

Crack…

“Uht?!”

With the sound of something being ground down, Frieda’s claw bounced back after striking the boy’s sword.

Frieda looked down at her claws with a look of bewilderment.

The claws that should have cut through everything were rather slightly damaged after clashing with the sword.

In the bizarre situation of having her attack blocked for the first time, Frieda quickly stepped back, her expression one of shock.

“It can’t be! How could you block my attack?!”

After colliding with Frieda, Yoon Si-woo also stiffened his expression and muttered towards his sword.

“…Lucifer, that guy’s ability…”

…Yes, what you thought is correct. To be honest, I find this situation quite surprising too, but it’s not entirely out of the question.

Both the attacker and the defender were perplexed by the situation.

However, since Frieda was the more shocked of the two, she mumbled with a trembling voice.

“My attack being blocked… It cannot be! It is impossible!!!”

…What a noisy one, just like a beast.

Muttering, Lucifer asked Frieda, who sounded furious.

You there, is it so strange that your attack has been blocked?

“…It’s impossible! My attack being blocked!”

Of course, it would be. Because you possess the ability to cut through anything.

“Exactly! But why…!”

As Frieda shouted her protest, she suddenly felt something was off and stopped speaking.

That sword… How did it know that she possesses such an ability without even mentioning it…?

As Frieda cast a wary glance at him, Lucifer spoke in a voice that was somewhat amused.

Why, are you curious how I know your ability?

“This bastard…”

It’s simple; anyone would recognize it after clashing with you.

With those words,

I also possess the same ability, you see.

This time, the sword held by Yoon Si-woo swung towards Frieda.

“Ugh…!”

Caught off guard by the sword that blocked her claws, Frieda let out a moan filled with confusion.

She could see that the sword was gradually pushing into the claws that had blocked it.

Without a doubt, she was clearly losing.

However, disregarding Frieda’s situation, Lucifer began to recall memories from the past, speaking to himself.

They call them lesser demonic beasts. Those birthed from the aura of witches.

How long has it been in years?

I intuitively knew that I could create such things. However, I had no particular interest in it, as I preferred not to be careless with my energy.

It was a tale from when she was regarded as the strongest.

But it’s a lonelier position than I expected. Being the strongest…

She had accomplished her own goals and those of an unnamed swordsman.

She was satisfied with that and had no regrets.

But the fact that there was no one to share that achievement with was rather lonely.

So just once, I intentionally let my energy leak to create that lesser demonic beast.

It was an action she wouldn’t normally take.

Truly, it was unlike her.

But it didn’t help at all. I’ve never been the type to find solace in such things.

It was also a foolish action.

She thought that maybe having something by her side would alleviate that loneliness, but the emptiness in her heart could only be filled by that man.

So I neglected it and left it alone, only to find it had disappeared one day. I figured it would manage just fine on its own.

Lucifer glanced at Frieda as he spoke.

I never expected to see you in this form and in such a place again.

Upon hearing those perplexing words, Frieda shouted at Lucifer.

“What nonsense are you spouting! I don’t know you!!!”

Did you give yourself the name Frieda?

“Yes! I chose that name for myself! To be the most prideful, I am Frieda!”

As Frieda yelled that out, Lucifer muttered quietly.

Surely at first, you were in the form of a lion.

And at that, Frieda involuntarily gasped.

That was a version of her past that should have been known by no one.

Once, before Frieda was Frieda, she had been a lion, the king of beasts.

All the animals in the forest were beneath her.

Then one day, she discovered creatures that walked on two legs.

She wouldn’t forgive those who recklessly disturbed her forest without her permission.

But those bipedal creatures were stronger than any animals she had encountered so far, so she could only struggle a bit.

Thus, she became intrigued by them and, upon realization, had taken on a form similar to theirs.

In that way, she had come to resemble her current self.

I don’t know how you came to be in that form, but in a way, it fits the title of the Overconfident Beast. After all, humans are the most arrogant creatures in the world. Still, looking at those ears, it seems a trace of that time remains.

“Stop speaking things you don’t know!!!”

Shoving her sword away, Frieda distanced herself.

Even as she moved, her mind continually replayed the memories of the past.

In the past, she had raided a human village and dominated all the humans there.

Amidst that, she heard stories that the strongest person in the world was called the Overconfident Witch.

Thus, she had named herself Frieda, vowing to become the strongest being, the Overconfident Witch.

However, all those actions were undoubtedly carried out by her own will.

She was a complete being, not just a byproduct of a witch’s essence.

Therefore, Frieda was a witch.

She had to be a witch.

“I am not some lesser demonic beast—I am a witch!!!!”

Frieda shouted that as she charged full force at the boy once more.

It seems you still haven’t realized.

However, that attack did not land a single scratch on the sword that blocked it.

The abilities of lesser demonic beasts stem from witches.

Only the claws that struck in attack were the ones growing dull.

Isn’t it natural that you cannot surpass me in ability?

“Damn it—!!!!”

Frieda roared, feeling the weight of that realization.

At this rate, wouldn’t it mean accepting that she was a lesser demonic beast?

But that would deny her entire existence.

That was something that could never be allowed.

Thus, Frieda did not falter and rushed in.

“Don’t joke around!! Don’t joke!!!”

…What a pity.

And to that Frieda, Lucifer murmured with pity.

After all, since you’re something I created, if we had met elsewhere, it might not have been without hope.

Behind him, a girl with severed limbs was looking towards this side.

And knowing that her master, who was angrier than ever, would not stop, he spoke with empathy.

Having put that child in such a state, you must die.

Thus, Lucifer pitied Frieda.

Like watching a moth rushing towards a flame.

“AAAAA!!!!”

Frieda charged.

It was a battle with no chances of victory, but she fought just to protect her pride.

At that moment, the dark aura that had surrounded the boy’s sword suddenly vanished.

Seeing that, Frieda realized.

For some reason, that sword was not wielding the ability to cut through everything at that moment.

A spark of hope ignited in Frieda’s eyes.

If the ability was merely disabled, then the moment her claws made contact, that sword would be cut.

“If that sword isn’t there!!! I am the Overconfident Witch!!!!!!!”

Filled with elation, she screamed and swung her claws.

And at that moment—

Do you really think I was called the strongest merely for such an ability?

Frieda saw.

When I was younger, I could take on armies with just a single sword.

The relentless gaze of the boy, unperturbed even by her attack.

Si-woo is my disciple, acknowledged as a genius. There’s no way he could be dealt with merely by your ability to cut anything that touches you.

And beyond that, she saw her own severed arms flying away.

“…Eh?”

Her vision suddenly dropped.

Frieda could only then realize that in the moment she tried to strike, the boy had swiftly severed her limbs.

She could have simply ended it there, so why—

In a moment of doubt, she caught sight of the girl, now at the same height as her, staring back at her, also a girl devoid of arms, and her face twisted in realization.

Was it because she had left that girl in such a state?

Was she not even a worthy opponent for them?

With resentment clouding her mind, Frieda glared at the boy.

And in that boy’s emotionless, cold eyes, looking down arrogantly at her, Frieda saw the reflection of a woman who once viewed her the same way.

That was a memory of a long-lost past, even she had forgotten.

Perhaps it was because wanting to become something that was the strongest and most arrogant had been born from such longing.

The one who called herself the Overconfident Witch…

However, that existence was—

You have no right to be arrogant with your paltry abilities, given that you have not refined your skills at all.

Simply cruel, it denied her existence.

Thud, Frieda’s body, with its limbs severed, fell to the ground.

It was likely that Yoon Si-woo had cut her down, but I could only watch in a daze, unable to grasp exactly what had just happened.

So strong, truly.

He was the protagonist after all.

Was he really able to take down an opponent I had struggled so hard against so easily?

But perhaps it was to be expected.

The power Yoon Si-woo had unleashed was nothing less than his ultimate move, a power he had yet to wield until the very end.

The power of the Overconfident Witch, Lucifer, was that formidable.

In that sense, Frieda, who lay sprawled on the ground, had drawn the short straw.

If the stories I had heard were accurate, Frieda was probably a lower demonic beast created by Lucifer.

It was only natural that a lesser demonic beast would succumb when challenging its own mother, the witch who birthed it.

Yet, I felt no pity whatsoever.

She was the root cause of what had happened to my friend’s family, to this city.

And for that reason, I took a bit of satisfaction in her broken state.

As though Yoon Si-woo was about to finish it, he aimed his sword at Frieda’s heart.

With that, Frieda murmured, as if with regret, toward Yoon Si-woo.

“…Why? Why has it come to this…? I was certainly the Overconfident Witch… What kind of sword is that, what sword…?”

However, Yoon Si-woo remained silent, not planning to answer.

As if someone was pleading for an answer, Frieda’s gaze turned toward me.

Seeing the sorrowful look on her face, I decided to provide her with the answer she so desperately sought.

So, with great effort, I raised my prosthetic arm, extending my middle finger and murmured inwardly.

What sword?

It’s the Blade of Darkness, you fool.

At that moment, Yoon Si-woo’s blade pierced through Frieda’s heart.