, curved horns, which seemed like the shape of goat’s horns.

On his waist was a, long and thin, but with pointed front, an ominous tail that seemed like that of a cat or panther.

And from his back appeared wings like that of a bat.

All the parts were of the purplish dark colour, the same colour as that of『Darkness』 magical energy that he was covered moments ago......

「Eh......Who!? Or rather......what!?」

......It was natural for Elk to mutter that, after all Minato stood there in a form completely different from before.

☆☆☆

PART 2

If Minato saw his current appearance he would surely say something like『It seems like superhero transformation scene, no more like the after transformations that come after main transformation』

Or rather, this ability was made with that imagination in the first place.

Of course, it was another thing whether or not his『After Transformation』appearance looked like a hero or not?

Minato appeared from the tornado of Darkness, just like how butterfly emerged from the pupa, with horns on head, tail on hips, and wings growing from the back.

Seeing closely, the parts were created with『Darkness』magical energy and had no true substance, but along with those and his original all black clothes, he gave out an impression of evilness.

It was natural. The horns, wings and tails, all were the appearance of an abstract devil.

Moreover, the shape of each part was ominous.

The horns growing from above the both ears, were curved just like the horns of goats.

The tail also was long and thin just like that of panther or some other animal, the tip was also pointed.

The wings growing from the scapula area of the back, seemed like torn bat’s wings, just like the ones that a devil would have.

And even now......the tremendously dense magical energy had been drifting around while making the air flicker in the area.

In all different meanings, he was emitting intimidating pressure that was at another level from before.

Then, he spread his wings of magical energy and fluttered –but because they were made of magical energy, so even by fluttering no wind was made-, in that time Minato looked over Elk and others who were shocked, and again returned his vision on the Unknown.

As if answering Minato’s gaze, the Unknown brandished its claws, and flew by kicking the ground with so much power to easily gouge out and scatter the ground.

Minato evaded that attack, and his darkness loaded fist buzzed.

The wings on the back flashed for a second, and the instant it was thought that the magical energy rose up, he punched a counter attack right in the face of Unknown,

——*boom* Along with that voice,

The Unknown, taking the attack, flew while cutting across the plaza for several tens, several hundreds of metres......like that, it went flying to a place inside the forest.

Sending the opponent to the horizon with just punching, that was something only possible in Manga. But Minato did that with just one fist attack.

While everyone else was dumbfounded seeing that,

「......Oh shit, I sent him too far」

Minato said that in a mutter.

「Elk, I will going for a bit」

「Eh? Ah, no, but, that......Yeah, be careful」

「Un-uh」

While informing Elk, who was still confused, he kicked the ground, ran with a speed that even left arrows behind......like that he went inside the forest, for chasing after the Unknown he had just punched.

☆☆☆

『Dark Joker』

The magic I was using right now was to equip magical tail, wings and horns, or rather『grow』them from inside me......and just as the name said, it was my trump card. Named: By Me. Reason: On whim.

At the same time......it was a forbidden technique as specified by mom and she had forcibly scolded me to『not use it』.

Simply put, it was the final form of when I load the『Darkness』magical energy within my body, by passing the limits, to drastically increase all of my abilities.

And at the same time, it was possible to control internal works of my body at will.

Body Enhancement was a given, but other thing were also possible, like secretion of endorphin, enhancement of nerve transmission, speeding up the coagulation of blood to close up the wounds, and it was also possible to cut off the sense of pain.

Of course, I had numbed the sense of pain in the left arm –so that my movements don’t become dull because of the damage taken from the biting before- and am maintaining that.

In addition, the additional parts I had made with magical energy, were the super powerful support equipments.

The horns didn’t have a true body so they couldn’t pierce (they are in that shape in the first place), but they work as a type of antenna, and are able to extremely precisely yet quickly, perceive the magical energy in the surroundings and the movement of opponent, hence I could respond to them.

The tail was the balancer for controlling the mighty magical energy coiling around me. Although it also can’t physically grab the opponent because it didn’t have a true body, but it been an important part.

And the wings weren’t for flying. I can’t fly as ever.

These wings were the so-called, external equip-type Magic Gear. Every time I let out punch or other such blow attacks, it amplifies the power to extraordinary levels, moreover with low recoil.

Offensive power, defensive power, reaction speed, magic control......all these things were enhanced at once, this was, genuinely, my strongest form.

However in this form, there was a fault.

For tampering with my magical energy substantially, more than what it seemed like, to the level of it going close to neurons......the backlash was quiiiiiite great. Omitting the details.

That was why mom told stopped me from using this recklessly.

That’s why I wanted to return back as soon as possible, but......it had been a long while since I used this, I forgot about moderation, and blew it away too much.

My olfaction also got enhanced, so I won’t lose sight of him, but just how long is it going to fly......ah found it.

I discovered the Unknown resolutely running in the direction of plaza –in short, the direction I came from-, maybe it came running for counterattacking? I’m admiring him as an enemy; after all it didn’t run away even after being knocked off flying for an unreasonable distance.

Or rather, I was plainly surprised that it survived, and had enough strength to run. I had thought it would be natural for it to die. After all I punched quite seriously.

However, as expected, he wasn’t unhurt after taking that punch.

Its face was indented, scales were smashed and some fangs were broken.

And,

We both were running at a speed surpassing arrow, so......inevitably, we clashed the next moment.

I dodged the overarm stroke of claws, and intercepted with a lariat then......again the Unknown went flying away.

Moreover, as if it told the power and force behind my attack, it flew......horizontally.

But, because we were inside the forest that the momentum was killed after hitting the trees and it didn’t fly like before.

Therefore, I could easily chase after it with a dash.

Seeing it breaking the trees while flying was quite painful to see at, but I had already corrected my that『na?ve』personality so I had no intention of going easy on it just because it seemed pitiful.

The Unknown decelerated to the extent of not breaking the trees, it again hit another tree and stopped......at that moment, I kicked it with my next attack and again let it fly again, while breaking the trees.

The Unknown kept of flying, and got more and more away from plaza. I, chasing behind it, also got more and more away from plaza.

En route I met various demons, but seeing a unknown demon knocked flying and a human chasing after it (no, the current me would......seem more like a demon), they all ran away.

Then, after the grove of trees suddenly ended and the Unknown I kicked away......was caved in a considerably big rock cliff.

However this guy is truly energetic. Seeing me out of the shrubs, it forcefully got out of the rock cliff and came attacking at me. I don’t know if it’s the stubbornness or it is just idiot.

However, I was completely different from before, the same trick can’t working this time.

It hit me with tail while making me go for a front somersault......just when I thought that, it turned that tail was feint, and Unknown dished out an overarm stroke with the claws of its left hand aiming at my heart.

But, thanks to the horn antenna my perceiving ability has been increased to its utmost limits, making that feint nothing much of a thing......and I beat down it with a hook attack from diagonally above.

The moment of attack my wings flickered, and the fist with doubled power, didn’t only changed the trajectory of Unknown’s attack, but it also smash the claws of its left arm while making a blunt sound.

Without making any time, I punched in an upper arm right in the jaw of Unknown.

Most of the fangs broke apart, and as the fist was let out from below to up in a diagonal that the Unknown flew back and caved in the rock cliff. No, it pierced through it.

At this time, I would seriously like to say the match was already decided.

However, I leave it here and it came after me later, it won’t be a joke, and so I will deal the finishing blow to it.

I lowered my hips and took the stance......the body slanting forward and the right leg in front.

There......I concentrate the enormous black energy there, the biggest amount I could.

It was just like a black hole coiling around my right leg, that whirlpool of black magical energy was......being formed there with a power that can faint anyone with just the pressure it was emitting.

This amount of magical energy would go awry in normal circumstances, but the tail of magical energy acts as a balancer and is controlling it, albeit barely.

And, the moment enough magical energy filled up......I jumped.

「Darkness......Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiickkkkkkk!!!」

The kick with magical energy surpassing my limits and with an enhanced power due to wings of magical energy hit right into the Unknown caved inside the rock cliff, at that moment,

The condensed magical energy was liberalized, and a great explosion rang out as though some missile hit the target and exploded. Although the flames that rose up were......of black and purple colour, as they were made from darkness magical energy.

And,

The 100 m big rock cliff wasn’t able to bear the explosion and broke apart......while it’s rock lumps were falling in the big valley right behind it.

Oh, shit! Was there anything like that here?

The same happened with Unknown, who took on my kick, sent a sensation of bones and internal organs being smashed, and it let out unbelievable quantity of blood......eventually it died.

I saw Unknown falling along with the debris and disappearing below those rock lumps......after it was completely hidden I let out a long breath.

No seriously, it was a dangerous opponent.

Moreover from the feeling, this one seemed much more powerful than the one from 4 years ago......

The body colour was also different, maybe it individual difference, or maybe not?

Well, at any rate, it’s good now that the fight’s ended.

I can’t say safely, I even took on a big injury and even used the forbidden technique.

And, I imagined the magical energy armour covering my body to disappear, and remove the『Dark Joker』......

『GaaaAAAAAAaaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhh!!』

......But before that, I need to complete one more job.

Around the time Unknown was knocked flying it broke various trees along the way, I took that as the mark of path I came to, and following that route I ran in the opposite direction I came from.

☆☆☆

PART 3

Returning to the plaza, the number of adventurers constructing the lines of defense......were less than before.

And the hands (roots) of the Plant Monster branched up in 3 on each others, 6 in total looking like an Asura. So not being able to as it wanted due to resistance, it finally snapped and forced an all-out attack. Damn that’s a dangerous guardian deity, hey......

I cross the plaza and go near the line of defence, and make an emergency stop for not clashing with their defensive line.

Many of Adventurers were startled upon seeing me come with wings, tails and horns attached, but one second later they understood that it’s me, and some even patted down their chests. I’m sorry for startling you all.

「Ah, Minato, welcome back......are you fine?」

「I’m fine. So what’s the situation? How many casualties?」

「Around half have retired. But no one has died. There probably also are no people who are fatally wounded」

「Isn’t this already good enough when our opponent is that thing that is insane in anger, right? Anyhow, I would like to finish this before any more people are injured......but the opponent is just too big...... Seriously, just having a big body is already a threat」

Elk said and Sherry-san continued.

Right now she didn’t had the bow, but sword in hand. Again clad in those big flames.

Seeing closely, I can see various burn and cut marks on the body of Plant Monster......and many stubs were cut down near its feet (roots).

But, even so the current Sherry-san doesn’t have enough firepower......and hasn’t defeated it.

Moreover, the areas burned and cut were already being regenerated with new roots......

「No matter how much I cut it, burn it, it always regenerates......and yet just being grass the fire never spreads out, really it’s making me cry. I need to train more」

「Sometimes with the help of Alva’s support Sherry was able to burn down its head, but it again heals itself......how will that thing die? No matter where it is cut, it always regenerates」

「......Well, duh. Fundamentally, it’s a plant」

「? What do you mean?」

「That thing is a plant in the『shape』of a lizard. That head also is not a head in truth, but just roots. It just chews and sucks in the nutrient from those fangs sort of things......that’s why there is no meaning in cutting down that『head』of its. It is not much different than cutting down the branches」

Is the explanation for it.

From what I can see it’s weak point must be......attached to the ground, maybe legs?

No, it can move the legs quite freely after all......!

「Elk, has that thing attacked with the tail?」

「Tail? No, I kind of don’t remember......」

「Now that you say, it sure doesn’t have......all attacks are from the roots extending from the hands」

Sherry-san said. I see.

In that case......let’s check it out.

Commanding Elk and others and with hand, I kicked the ground and neared the roots of Plant Monster.

Before it reacted and attacked me, I jumped......and kicked all over its body consecutively with dropkicks.

The trunk of trees, roots, ivy all popped off......if it were an animal with flesh then it couldn’t be able to move at all with these levels of injuries.

However one second later, the injuries started healing up.

Seeing that......I confirmed my guess.

「......So that’s it」

「? What is it?」

「Look, the injuries heal faster the more near they are to the feet」

I understood with this. That its weak point was the tail.

If it’s a plant, then it must be supported by placing roots deep in the ground, and would suck nutrients from there......such a normal mechanism should be there.

Even insectivorous plants don’t just live on the nutrients from the insects they ate, but they also suck nutrients from the roots fixed in the soil.

That’s why this guy might also......or so I had thought.

It is fixing that tail like part in the ground (and also has mobility if it is moving slowly), and is sucking the nutrients from that area.

And naturally, the injuries are healed up with that place as the centre. I understood that clearly watching it heal the injuries.

In other words, if it has the roots fine it can regenerate no matter how many times, so first I need to crush that and then defeat it. Now that I know what to do, it’s easy!

Again, I neared it while evading the tentacles extending from its hands, and kicked with all my strength to its side.

Without breaking apart, its body turned in the shape of character『<』, and this time I kicked repeatedly on its head, making it fall down horizontally.

And in the time it was falling down, I grabbed the tail of Plant Monster, and put whole power in the arms and legs......and then pulled it out of the ground.

You know, just how children pluck out potatoes from the ground during kindergarten excursions.

「Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!」

*Bikibiki, Buchibuchi* the tail starts being pulled out from the ground, and the whole body buried underground finally appears.

The thing I pulled out in good condition was quite long. Around 5 metres.

And the thickness is also quite something. It is branched in many small, but most are of around 1 metres diameter, and they are wriggling even more than the ones extended by the hands, just seeing that is gross.

Now that I’ve done that,

「Nice Minato-kun, leave that to me!」

Sherry-san came flying at me with the flaming sword above her head, so I just held up the tail so that it becomes to cut and then......the flaming sword was swung down at it, and it was cut apart under a single strike. The tail was removed from the『body』.

The howl of the『body』that has lost its most important thing reverberated, but now that also seems like a bluff. (TN: Just think if that tail was the monster’s D. pfft, that must’ve hurt)

I threw the cut off root on the ground, and it immediately started to go underground. Huh? Don’t tell me that it can still suck on nutrients and later the『body』might be regenerated.

In that case,

「Alva!! Burn ‘em all!!」

PiiiiIiIIIIIiiiiiiiiIIII!!

This time Elk’s rebuke also didn’t come, and Alva fired 6 destructive beams (6 at the same time!? How!?) and they burned the root that couldn’t even raise the voice of death agony. Good, now no worries of regeneration there.

The thing left now is......truly that thing rampaging now that it has become a『duckweed』.

Maybe now that it lost the root that it lost its balance because there are no signs of it standing perfectly. And neither is it extending tentacles......so even the attacking areas have gone limp.

However, there is a thing called『cutting and planting』, so there is a possibility that this will start growing roots by itself. Yeah better finish it off.

......Now that I have the opportunity, how about trying that.

I said Sherry-san and Elk to move away, and

「Alrighty......Alva! Formation F!!」

PIIIiiiiiiIIIIIiii!!

While seeing Elk heaving a sight with『......』face and Sherry-san showing a『?』face, I took a step back to increase the distance between me and the Plant Monster.

And, this time I dashed out at full speed and jumped......in the posture for dropkick.

My right leg extending out in the mid-air was clad in incandescent flames thanks to the magical energy of『Fire』.

Then from behind Alva blew large amounts of『Fire』magical energy that seemed like a red hot aura, at me.

And as though it was getting sucked, it started concentrating on my right leg that was already clad in『Fire』magical energy. The burning flames doubled the force and temperature of it just for a second.

「GOoooooooo!! Albatross Fire Kiiiiiiiiiick!!」

The dropkick landed on the target without any decrease in momentum,

Along with the explosion the hell fire spread out, a fire pillar was created......and it covered the body of Plant Monster in a second and burned it to cinders. It was as though napalm landed.

This is the『Combination Technique』that used direct attack and is something I thought on whim, and had time to secretly train it. Good that it went fine.

The power was also more than my expectations. The base is a『kick』, so the range is not that big, but......even though it carbonized everything within several metres of radius and burned it to nothing.

......Great, there is no sign of it regenerating from the burned areas.

With this, it’s the end, the genuine end. Finally.

「......Err, is it over now?」

「Yeah, the end」

While replying to Elk, this time I truly did remove the『Dark Joker』.

The horn, tail and wings made of『darkness』vanished, even the black aura covering my body disappeared, and I returned to my original state.

Seriously, what a long 1 day it was......

☆☆☆

After defeating the human dinosaur and Plant Monster,

The demons were annihilated, even the people from『north』were gone-some to jail others to afterlife- and with this and that this riot finally genuinely ended.

Fast horse were sent from the city, and the report might have reached the guards post near here, so in couple of days they were arrested by the guards.

And, the adventurers who fought hard against the demons, immediately went to the clinic of the city for treatments, even me included.

At that time, they gave preferential treatment to the four of us who fought at the front lines, but Elk and Zari were mostly there for support, and so they weren’t that much hurt, so hospitalization for them.

Sherry-san was fighting with the Plant Monster, so although she wasn’t greatly hurt but small injuries are all over her body. Like scratches and bruises, so she’s hospitalized.

And, guess what, I was the one who was severely wounded among the four of us.

Starting from the left arm that was bitten, my whole body was filled with bruises and deep cuts. And as the backlash of『Dark Joker』my who body is under myalgia.

The adventurers who were fighting near me at that time had seen me get hit and bit by the seriously dangerous demon, Unknown, and they had given that testimony to the doctor, so he ignored my opinion, categorized me as『severely wounded』and stuffed me in a hospital room, but I think I should rest in this given opportunity.