Diego jumped back and turned his hate-filled eyes towards me.

“Wicked mazoku…… Did you bring me back to find the secrets of the hero academy?” (Diego)

“Fumu. Deigo.” (Arnos)

I was already approaching Diego and as I spoke I pierced through the left-hand side of his chest.

“Gaa…..haa……a………!” (Diego)

Diego vomits blood.

“Who gave you permission to talk? Too haughty.” (Arnos)

Grabbing his heart I squeeze.

“….Ka….a………” (Diego)

I pull out my arm and Diego collapses on the floor.

He didn’t move. He died before hitting the floor.

“I told you not to die without permission.” (Arnos)

I bring Diego back with <Ingaru> again.

As soon as he revives he glares at me.

“Bastard you— Gabuu!” (Diego)

I stamp on Deigo’s head pushing it against the floor.

“….Youuuuu…! Mazoku…… I don’t know what you’re planning but this hero won’t give in….!!” (Diego)

“Are you still claiming to be a hero after looking down on them.” (Arnos)

I created a demon sword and stabbed it into Diego’s abdomen where his origin is located.

“…..Gaaa….guu…… It’s pointless….. This pain…… is for humanities sake. We are fighting for peace! No matter how much pain I experience I’ll endure it. What do you know of love and courage? You can’t possibly understand it you filthy mazoku!!” (Diego)

“Take a good look at the magic formation being drawn on your body.” (Arnos)

Through the tip of the sword, I draw a magic formation on Diego’s whole body.

As soon as he saw it he showed a startled look.

“…This is………. Demonization <Nedora>…?” (Diego)

This is the magic for turning animals into demons that Ledoriano explained about back in the lecture.

“Humans are also animals after all so this magic works well.” (Arnos)

“Ha….hahaha….haahaaha…..! How stupid. Heroes that receive the blessing of a holy sword can’t be turned into demons. I can’t become a demon….!” (Diego)

“Fumu. Well, you see, that’s where you’re wrong.” (Arnos)

Black hair begins to grow from the chest wound where the sword is still stuck. Its as if a demon was eroding him.

“…..Uu…gu… such a……” (Diego)

Deigo deploys a magic circle and suppresses the demonization with holy magic.

“<Nedora> uses an animals origin and the brutal nature of a demon. Humans with reason are hard to turn into demons but that doesn’t mean they can’t be turned. There are individual differences of course. I’m sure up to this point you know all this.” (Arnos)

Diego is frantically releasing magic power with a face filled with desperation.

“The Reishinjin sword only accepts owners who have calm and cloudless light-filled origins. We good so far? Okay. The blessing of the Reishinijn sword isn’t the reason that you can’t become a demon. In actual fact, the sword only picks humans who can’t become demons to begin with.” (1) (Arnos)

Diego begins to grow claws and fangs start growing from his mouth.

“Fumu. Diego, are you really a reincarnation of Kanon?” (Arnos)

“…I am… I am Diego Kanon Ijeishka. A descendent of heroes with the origin of Kanon…… I will defeat the mazoku and save the world….!” (Diego)

“I don’t think so. Your personality changes if you reincarnate because you won’t be the same person, however, your core remains the same. You are not like Kanon. Your core has become ugly and twisted.” (Arnos)

“Shut…up….” (Diego)

Suddenly he exploded in anger.

“Shut up shut up shut uuuuup!! I won’t ride the hand of a mazoku! I’m a hero! You guys, you mazoku are destruction. I’ll save the world……. I’m the hero Kanon….. To such despicable magiiiiiic…….!!!” (Diego)

“Who said you could speak?” (Arnos)

I put more magic into <Nedora>.

“Ugaaaa….. this…. stupid….. this me…… This hero me won’t become a demooooon….!!!” (Diego)

“Probably because of their intelligence, when humans become demons they are a little different from other animals. The greed, malice and hatred of humans are promoted and shown in their appearance.” (Arnos)

“Shut up…. I am….. hero….. Gahyuu…. Gahyuaa….. Gagaga… Aaah… Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” (Diego)

The demonization accelerates and black hair appears on every part of Diego’s body.

Claws grew, fangs grew and thick horns sprouted from his head.

The most striking characteristic is the face. It looks like a pulpy, smashed mess.

“This is your true nature Diego. It’s as ugly and distorted as I thought.” (Arnos)

Diego slowly raised his body and turned his ugly face to me.

“How’s it feel to become a demon?” (Arnos)

“…This……. Did you think this would break my heaaaaart!!!!” (Diego)

Diego screams out something similar to a war cry.

“Being human isn’t about appearance! It’s not about lineage! It’s heart!! No matter how much you change my shape my heart will always be human!! Even reduced to this ugly monster I’m still a hero!!” (Diego)

“I hardly think your heart is that of a hero.” (Arnos)

“Shut uuuup…..!! Forgive….. I won’t forgive…. the cruel mazoku….. It was a mistake to sympathise with you. I should have just exterminated you all right from the beginning!!” (Diego)

Using <Liikus> Diego speaks out.

“All members of Jergakanon charge the mazoku.” (Diego)

“Fumu. What are you trying to do? My subordinates are not weak enough to fall to an all-out attack.” (Arnos)

Not bothering to answer me Diego just smiles and touches the nearby holy wafter ball and develops a magic circle.

“Repent you dirty mazoku. It’s now my turn to see your face in despair!!! Fufufu, hahahahaha, haaaahaahaahaahaa!!” (Diego)

Did you just use holy water with a body that’s become a demon?

Half of his body received the holy poison but the magic did activate.

“I see. <Gavel> huh? You’ve already placed magic on your student’s origins then.” (Arnos)

“….Wha…..!?” (Diego)

Letting that slip out you can see that Deigo can’t hide his confusion at me seeing through him in an instant.

“That formation is the detonation type formation. Perhaps your students who are attacking don’t know anything about this? You’ve even set it on your own origin.” (Arnos)

How stupid can you get?

How pathetic.

“Is that what a hero does Diego? I can’t believe you want to kill mazoku so bad you are willing to kill your owns students.” (Arnos)

“Don’t speak like you know everything. The mazoku took everything from us humans. This is a hero. This is the fight of the legendary hero Kanon! Those students who are too scared to achieve our ancestors wish of exterminating the mazoku are no students of mine!! The resolution to not fear death is what being a hero is all about!!” (Diego)

Deigo speaks through <Liikus> again.

“Situation report.” (Diego)

“Haa! We’ve just located the demonic sword saint Ray Grandori!”

“Same here. We’ve just caught the witch of ruin Sasha Necron.”

“9 members of the demon king academy confirmed. We also have 9 people and are ready to attack!”

Diego’s ugly face distorted even more.

“Jergakanon and descendants of the hero Kanon gooo!! Now is the time to show your power and courage!! Chaaaarge!!” (Diego)

I shoved my right hand into Diego again

“Did you think I’d let you go any further?” (Arnos)

“….Gofuu…..ga….” (Diego)

He grins and laughs while vomiting blood.

“I’ll avenge myself with this. Die mazoku.” (Diego)

Did he finish the magic activation already?

The holy water orb sends power to the magic formation that only has one purpose and that is in detonating the origins of the students.

The bodies of the students who came close to Ray, Sasha and Misa were wrapped in the light of <Gavel>.

A violent explosion rings out from the origins scattered around the city. Even this temple is blown away.

Or it should have.

“…..Why…….?” (Diego)

Diego mutters in disbelief.

“Why hasn’t everything exploded…..!? Why!?” (Diego)

“It did take a bit of work but I’ve cast magic on the whole underwater city. I’ve stopped the time of <Gavel>.” (Arnos)

That’s why I was late coming to help Misha. Making sure other people couldn’t use <Gavel>

“….Stopped….time……..?” (Diego)

“Didn’t you hear me when I said the same attack won’t work on me twice?” (Arnos)

Diego shook with a mixture of anger and hatred.

“This peace is very precious. I had planned on letting you live but now it seems it would be foolish to keep you alive.” (Arnos)

When I pulled my hand out Diego stumbled back a couple of steps.

Most of his power will be gone now.

“….If you want to kill me then kill me…..but…. I’ll revive again and again. If it doesn’t come true in this life then the next life and if it doesn’t come true in that one then the next one. No matter how many times it takes I’ll never forget this grudge. Someday. I’ll eradicate all mazoku!!” (Diego)

“Did you think you had another life to use Diego?” (Arnos)

I open my right hand but what was in it could only be seen with demon eyes so I sent magic power to it and a faintly shining white ball appeared.

If you looked closely the white globe is connected to Diego by a thin thread of magic.

“Do you know what this is? It’s your origin.” (Arnos)

I draw a magic formation on the end of my right hand.

Origin Killer <Bebuzud>. When my right-hand goes through the formation my fingertips turn black.

“I cannot touch your origin. Even with magic, it’s very difficult to interfere with an origin, however, <Bebuzud> can directly touch an origin.” (Arnos)

I scratched the white ball with my fingertip.

“Agaaa….aaah… Agaaakyaaaaa……. Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” (Diego)

An intense and violent death scream rang out.

“Do you get it now? A pain that surpasses death itself is felt when your origin is hurt. Try to condense every possible pain in this world and it wouldn’t be enough to match this pain. Its the death of your next life, and the next one and so on into eternity. All your future reincarnations and deaths are packed into this one spot.” (Arnos)

I scratch it again.

“Agyuu, gyuhyuaaaaa, gubeheeeeeeeeeee!!!!” (Diego)

Shedding tears, snot, drooling and without regard for his appearance, Deigo screams like a beast.

“You said the fight of the hero Kanon. Is this how the hero academy defeats its enemies now? By suicide attacks?” (Arnos)

I pierce the origin with my fingertips.

Diegos eyes turn white and he issues a soundless scream.

“2000 years ago the hero Kanon had 7 origins. Even if an origin was erased as long as one remained that guy could revive again and again. It was the ultimate magic that the gods gave to you humans and only one person ever tried to use it both before and after. That was the hero Kanon.” (Arnos)

I was talking to Diego but his eyes had long gone vacant.

“And why was that? Because nobody was able to endure the pain of their origins being hurt over and over nor the death of one. Apart from that guy. He accepted it all. I reduced his origins over and over and he confronted me again and again.” (Arnos)

“…St…….stop……stop…..it……….” (Diego)

I swung my finger down and slashed Diegos origin.

“Sto……… Gugyaaaa, gubufuuuuuogyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” (Diego)

“Do you know the reason why?” (Arnos)

At the chipped away origin of Diego, I point my jet black fingertips.

“….Ah…ha…u..aa….enough…..stop…….” (Diego)

Diego is already in a state where he’s now crippled.

“It’s better to die than to sacrifice someone. That man seriously thought that. And he did. He continued to die over and over again. His origin was slashed again and again, burnt and destroyed and still, he fought for you humans. That is your hero. A real hero with courage who defeated the mazoku many times. He was the true owner of courage.” (Arnos)

Even though he was my enemy I was proud of him and his resolution.

He always fought to protect something. Not once was he ever dominated by his greed.

And he was killed?

Some other humans killed that man that kept sacrificing himself for them.

He would still resurrect but maybe it was enough to kill his heart?

“You say you are a reincarnation of Kanon so endure it. If you can do that then I’ll let you reincarnate and you can come after me again in another life.” (Arnos)

“….Just…..enough….already…..aaah……ah…” (Diego)

I pierce right to the centre of the origin with my finger.

“Gugagagagagaga, gyahyuuu, gyfuaaaaaaaaaa!!!” (Deigo)

“What’s wrong Diego? Aren’t you a hero? Don’t cry out in that voice. Kanon will laugh at you.” (Arnos)

I look at his face with my demon eyes.

“….Ple…..” (Diego)

Deeper than despair and with a look like he was swallowed by the abyss Diego spoke.

“…..Please……..enough, forgive me….kill me…….please end it…..” (Diego)

It was a begging voice.

All that resentment and hatred was gone. All he wanted was a release from this pain.

“You are not the hero Kanon.” (Arnos)

With <Bebuzud> over my hand, I grip Diego’s origin and squeeze with all my might.

The white ball shattered into pieces.

Diegos body falls to the floor like a doll with all its strings cut.

He doesn’t move. Resurrection is impossible.

His origin is completely gone from this body.

“You were a man who didn’t understand anything, pretending to be Kanon. Now that man was truly strong.

---

(1) Reishinjin means godlike spirit. Also, I have no idea where this sentence came from. Diego used the term holy sword and Arnos brings out this Reishinjin sword term that hasn’t been mentioned before. I thought it might have been Deigo’s sword name but that was said to be Enhalle last chapter so no idea. Just roll with it I guess. I’ll reread it later when I’m less tired and see if I’ve missed something.