Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 7 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 4===
In this manner, the decisive battle was won by the Current Demon Lord Faction. That was what Leohart thought.

''…But, there are still some obstacles that must be eliminated.''

Until those old bastards in the Council had been eradicated, this battle wasn’t over yet. Just as Leohart began to focus on the next battle in his mind—

“——?”

The violent shockwave and sudden attack that came from below caused him to take a deep breath. Since the beginning of their confrontation until now, Leohart thought that Basara was a respectable opponent, and even if he was an enemy, he didn’t want to see him fall to his death or be reduced to a figure that no longer seemed human. However—

“What…?”

Leohart looked down from the connecting passageway towards the ground, and could not help but feel surprised. Not only did Basara survive a fall from that height, he was standing tall as he stared back while his entire body was enveloped in a burning red aura.

''…That is…''

Deep down, Leohart knew what the colour of that aura represented…or perhaps it was better to say that it was impossible for him not to know. It was because that aura was the same colour as the previous Demon Lord Wilbert who was regarded as the strongest in history; it was also the power that Leohart had always desired so that he could dominate and unify the Demon Realm. This reproduction of the ancient capital of Lada was a space that only descendants of the Demon Lord could enter, and it was now clear that Basara was able to enter not because he used the power of [Banishing Shift] to break through the barrier.

''…It can’t be.''

After being stunned by the colour of Basara’s aura, Leohart finally returned to his and noticed the other changes in Basara’s body. His entire body was covered in a black battle armour that resembled Leohart’s, and Brynhildr in his hand had also changed shape like a Valkyrie that had spread its wings; the length of the sword had almost doubled, and as if its self-defence instincts had been fully liberated, it had changed into an awakened form.

[——]

Basara lifted Brynhildr up, then swung it down, and in an instant—

“Guh — aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!”

Heavy crimson waves assaulted Leohart from directly above, causing him and the passageway — to be forced down to the ground that Basara was standing on in an instant. Leohart lay on the ground in front of Basara, using all the strength that he had to endure the immense pressure that made him feel as though he would be crushed to death if he relaxed for even a bit.

''…G-Gravitational magic? …N-No…!''

Perhaps it came from the same origin, but this was not magic. Basara had swung Brynhildr down towards Leohart — this action may have been the trigger for the magic’s activation, but a more natural possibility was that this was the same as when Leohart poured his full power into the magical circuit within Loki to release that black torrent. Basara swung Brynhildr to unleash a red aura towards Leohart that resembled gravitational magic. That would also explain why Brynhildr had transformed into such a strange form. While Leohart speculated about such things, the powerful gravitational surge that pushed down his entire body showed no mercy, and before he realised, it had carved out an enormous crater in the ground surrounding him.

''…! I was too careless…!''

Although he hadn’t underestimated Basara, he became too focused on his ultimate goal of defeating the Council and dropped his guard. While Leohart’s entire body remained paralysed, he cursed at his own hasty move which had caused a reversal in the situation. A single moment of negligence or regret was enough to lose one’s life on the battlefield.

“———”

Leohart clenched his teeth as he attempted to lift his head, only to see Basara looking down at him with a cold and merciless stare while he once again swung Brynhildr down with his right hand.

“Gah! …Ah…ngh…!”

The muscles in his entire body distorted unnaturally, and his bones made creaking sounds as if they were wailing in pain. Even though Leohart could no longer bear the pain, Basara didn’t seem willing to loosen up with just that.

“———”

He gripped Brynhildr in silence, and made an action to further increase the pressure. He was going to completely crush Leohart.

''…Aneue…!''

As that sword was swung down, the wish that he had embraced for so long, his dream for the Demon Realm’s future, as well as Riara’s smile and warmth — all of it would turn to naught. The system known as the Council that was secretly dominating the Demon Realm at the moment would also continue on forever. However, although Leohart at present had the attitude that something had to be done no matter what, he couldn’t think of any way to escape from his peril. And so, Basara swung Brynhildr down like that, completely crushing Leohart’s body and soul — but an instant before that could happen

“…—No.”

There was a sudden voice and a girl who had arrived stopped Basara. —It was not Riara. If Riara had come to save Leohart, she definitely would have stood between Basara and him to protect him from Basara’s attack. The girl — hugged Basara from behind to stop him. The girl whose arms reached around to Basara’s chest as she hugged him while her face remained close to his back was—

“Naruse…Mio…—?”

Indeed. The girl who saved him was born as the Demon Lord’s daughter, but chose to live as a human. The girl’s sudden interruption caused Leohart to say her name in surprise, and he inadvertently noticed something. He could speak…the powerful gravity waves that attacked Leohart had weakened. —The reason was in front of Leohart, who had chosen the path of the Demon Lord. Mio’s red aura gently covered Basara’s aura of the same colour.