Reincarnated as the Weakest Magical Beast

Emilia opened her hand. The shattered blue crystal crumbled beneath her fingers, sending glittering shards skittering across the floor. In that instant Mimi realized what had happened: the moment Emilia was freed from the demon's spell, she had crushed the crystal, and that act had summoned Zephyrona.

"Oh? And who might this be?" Zephyrona turned, her golden eyes narrowing as they fixed on the Archdemon. Her expression tightened for a heartbeat, but the grin on her lips never faded.

"T-That's the demon sealed inside the crown! It's incredibly strong! Be careful!" Emilia warned, voice steady despite the smoke and burns on her skin.

"MEOW!!!" Mimi yelped, claws digging into Emilia's sleeve.

"An Archdemon? Hmph. How interesting." Zephyrona's grin widened as she took in the infernal sigil burning on the creature's forehead. "Alright then!" She slammed her gauntlets together—BOOM!—and a shockwave of thunder tore outward, arcs of lightning snapping through the air. The chamber lit up like a storm-swept sky. "It's been far too long since I've fought a demon! WAHAHA! Come, then! I'll crush you into pieces!"

But the Archdemon threw back its head and laughed madly. One clawed hand went up to its face as if to steady itself.

"Ahahaha! Crush me? Do you even understand what you're facing?" it snarled, every word dripping contempt.

Zephyrona tilted her head. "An Archdemon. So what?"

At once the demon's eyes snapped, rage flaring.

"YOU'RE BEGGING FOR DEATH!!!" it roared, thrusting an arm forward. "SHADOW CLAW!!!"

With that cry, the Archdemon's body erupted: hundreds of black, writhing arms burst forth like a tidal wave of shadow, lashing outward in a single, savage storm, aimed dead-on at Zephyrona!

"ZEPHIE! BE CAREFUL! IF THEY GRAB YOU, YOU'LL BE STUNNED!" Emilia shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.

"It's fine! Leave it to your big sis!" Zephyrona bellowed back, planting her feet firmly and lowering her stance.

And then—

Lightning erupted from her body in a deafening crackle! Countless arcs of electricity burst outward, weaving like furious serpents through the air. Her draconic wings unfurled with a thunderous snap, each scale gleaming like forged steel under a storm's fury. Her golden eyes blazed, burning with the fire of battle.

"Storm Dragon Skill—Thunder God Gauntlets… now watch closely!"

She slammed her fists together. The chamber roared.

"RAGING TEMPEST THUNDER FISTS!!!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A storm of colossal lightning fists exploded from her arms, surging forward like a tidal wave of raw power! They crashed headlong into the horde of writhing shadow-claws!

For every claw of darkness, a thunder fist struck back—blow for blow, shock for shock, until the air was nothing but blinding flashes of light and shadow shredding each other.

In a single devastating strike, Zephyrona shattered the Archdemon's onslaught completely!

And immediately after that, without wasting even a heartbeat, she lunged forward! Her entire body was now wrapped in a colossal surge of lightning shaped like a dragon's talon. She slashed down, tearing apart the suffocating wall of shadows that guarded the demon!

"Thunder Dragon Strike! Heaven-Shattering Claw!!!"

Her claw ripped down, tearing darkness apart like wet paper.

And before the Archdemon could even recover, she followed up instantly.

A devastating punch, charged with an explosive storm!

"Thunder Dragon Strike! Heaven-Shattering PUNCH!!!"

"AAARRRGHH!!!" the Archdemon roared, its fury shaking the chamber. It threw both arms wide.

"HELLFIRE SHIELD!!!"

A blazing shield flared up around the Archdemon, etched with twin rings of infernal glyphs, blocking Zephyrona's strike!

KRA-KOOOOM!!!

Lightning and hellfire clashed, triggering a violent overload reaction. The air itself bursting like a massive bomb!

"Mimi! Watch out!" Emilia instantly raised a magic barrier, shielding Mimi. The shockwave only shook them lightly.

But the demon's shield was not so lucky.

CRACK!

SHATTER!!!

Zephyrona's blow tore straight through the Hellfire Shield, the explosion of lightning and flame blasting the room with blinding force. And her momentum only grew fiercer, like a dragon that had just tasted blood.

BOOOOM!!!

A crushing punch slammed straight into the demon's gut!

The Archdemon's body folded like paper, doubling over as its claws instinctively clutched at its stomach. Its burning eyes bulged wide, filled with disbelief and sheer horror. It probably never imagined Zephyrona could tear through its shield so easily!

The blow landed clean—

BOOOOM!!!

A deafening explosion followed, blasting out another shockwave!

The demon's entire body was hurled backward, smashing hard into the far wall! Just one strike—yet the entire Sanctuary of Ten Thousand Stars shook as though it might collapse!

And then—the horror revealed itself.

The Archdemon's smoky, blackened body had been ripped apart by nearly two-thirds. Its belly was blasted wide open, a gaping wound splitting across its form. The upper and lower halves of its twisted body clung together by strands of searing shadow, threatening to fall apart at any second.

It let out a guttural scream, clutching its abdomen as hellfire sputtered and leaked from the wound. The sound was a shriek of unbearable agony, rage and despair intertwined.

***

"YESSS! BIG SIS ZEPHIE!!!" Emilia's voice rang with pure joy, her fists clenched tight as she watched Zephyrona utterly dominate the monster.

Cough… cough…

The Archdemon hacked violently, choking on its own smoke. Its once-mighty frame quivered uncontrollably, each tremor showing just how close it was to collapse. For the first time, it looked less like a ruler of shadows, and more like a beast dragged to the brink of death!

And yet—

"Ah… I remember now…" the Archdemon rasped, its charred body trembling as smoke poured from the gaping hole in its abdomen. "You… you're that young storm dragon, aren't you? Long ago… I struck your master with a single blow—ripped her arm apart. And her other two beast companions… khhh… I slaughtered them both… cough, cough… Yet in just a mere thousand years… you've taken human form. Your power has grown… impressive…"

Zephyrona froze.

Her hands trembled violently as they curled into fists, sparks flickering along her knuckles. Her face drained of color, her golden eyes blazing with fury and pain.

"So… you are that bastard… Emperor Shadow Fiend Zatherial?"

"What's wrong? You don't recognize your Demon King? Ha… ha ha…" The demon sneered, lips curling. "What's this? You don't want to kill me anymore?" it goaded, its voice dripping with venom. "Or wait… where is your master now? Don't tell me… dead already? Khahahaha!"

Zephyrona stood rooted to the spot. Her entire body quaked with rage, lightning writhing just beneath her skin, begging to be unleashed. And yet, for some reason, she still did not strike.

"That's right! You can't kill me! You won't kill me!" the Archdemon roared, eyes blazing with madness.

"Because the Beast Goddess herself will not allow it!"

Its voice grew harsher, rising to a shriek:

"Don't you all want to know the truth about her? The truth of the Goddess of Eternal Night? I've told you already—free me, and I'll reveal it to you!!!"

"…Huh?"

Mimi's ears perked, disbelief flooding her face.

She had wondered this before: why would such a dangerous artifact, one holding a powerful Demon Lord, be kept here instead of destroyed outright? Wasn't that far too reckless? What if it ever escaped?

Now she understood.

Turns out, the Goddess Fauveline had deliberately kept it.

Because perhaps, this demon alone knew the whereabouts of Necrosia.

"Zephyrona…" Mimi whispered in dread.

Could it be… the demon was telling the truth?

Were they truly… forced to let it live?

Suddenly—

"No." Zephyrona smiled faintly and shook her head. "You're wrong."

"Huh?" The demon froze.

"I was already planning to hunt you down and settle the score. It's only a coincidence… that my friends led me straight to you."

"Wh-what are you saying?"

The Archdemon's expression twisted, its voice trembling. Panic was beginning to take root.

"Don't you understand?" Zephyrona's voice turned cold as steel. "You are worthless now."

Her gaze shifted—not at Emilia, but at Mimi.

"We are no longer as desperate as before. Because now… a new hope has appeared."

"No! Impossible!" the demon howled. "If you kill me, you'll never find her! You'll never succeed!!!"

"Oh? What's wrong? Afraid now?" Zephyrona sneered.

"No! You're trying to trick me! You'll never make me confess!"

"Mm… if you say so."

Zephyrona extended her hand to the side.

Lightning crackled, flaring with blinding brilliance.

From her storage space, she drew a massive spear—its shaft forged entirely of condensed thunder, radiating terrifying power.

"NOOO!!!" the demon shrieked in denial, thrashing wildly. "THIS CAN'T BE!!!"

It lunged desperately toward Zephyrona.

But of course, she never gave it the chance.

She drew her arm back and hurled the spear with all her might.

"Thunder Dragon Spear—

Obliteration!!!"

BOOOOOOM!!!

Another sky-shaking explosion ripped through the chamber.

This time, the spear drove straight through the demon's skull. Its body erupted into nothingness—shattered to pieces.

And with it, the black crown crumbled into ash.