Sekai no Owari no Encore Volume 3 Prologue

Prologue: Echo

A pure white land.

A place that used to be within the oceans depths. Owing to a massive earthquake that occurred roughly three hundred years ago, the seabed rose up and birthed this land.

The white sands which covered its expanse were made up of finely crushed coral remains.

──The sky above this land was rife with swirling lightning.

Dense black clouds enveloped the heavens, bringing with them raging lightning and bellowing thunder.

As if the sky itself was letting out deafening roars.

Even now, the brightly shining, powerful electrical discharges threatened to unleash their unbridled fury and strike down at the ground below.

Underneath these chaotic skies was a lone figure, intermittently illuminated by bright lightning flashes.

“…..To have retreated so suddenly.”

A lone demon with tanned skin stood upon the land.

Its height seemed close to that of an adolescent boy.

Its verdant green hair was cut just below the shoulders. Its eyes flashed with hints of crimson.

Its face was so strangely androgynous that, depending on the angle of ones view, it could either appear as elegant and graceful or imposing and gallant.

Despite its peculiar appearance, its entire being was releasing exceedingly vile miasma proof of its status as a high ranking demon.

“Has “it” truly run away? Or was there some pressing reason for “it” to hastily get away from this place?”

It muttered such a question to itself as it gazed upon the cracked ground beneath it.

The white bedrock surrounding the demon was filled with traces of destruction.

Just moments earlier, the demon was locked in mortal combat with a “certain mysterious existence”.

──The opponent was an unidentifiable, luminous spiritual being.

Yet, in the midst of battle, it suddenly disappeared like an illusory mirage.

“How utterly vexing! To have retreated before we could conclude anything… For such a hard to come by entertainment to end this way… It sure kills the mood.”

A frustrated sigh was mixed together with the demons’ soliloquy.

Its lilt sounded pleasant much like a young boy whose voice had yet to break. An enchanting soprano.

Was this demon truly a boy? Or was it a girl perhaps? One really cannot say, even when one tries to observe from up close. It was a demon with such a vague and neutral vibe.

“Arara. Aren’t you all beat up, Mia-chan?”

It was at this time that sultry laughter suddenly rang out. It originated from a small flaming cat with its tail wreathed in fire.

This cat was a familiar used by a certain high ranking demon famous all throughout the Underworld

“……What do you want, Achendia (Demon General of Blaze)?”

“Just here to watch a good show, I suppose. It seems to be over though. And… Oh my! Did you perhaps lose?”

The androgynous demons body was now nearly bare.

The light armor it wore was all but broken, revealing a surprisingly slender figure.

It sported long, pointed ears, like those of a dark elf. Its upper arms and stomach were covered with layers of dark scales. A long, stout tail which was similar to that of a dragon, protruded out of its rear.

──The demons body was now filled with countless burns and lacerations

──From which thick purple blood flowed out freely.

“It seems your defenses have splendidly been broken through. Those injuries look quite harsh. Any other demon would be in quite a tight spot from those.”

“Just who do you think I am?!”

As the demon called Mia declared so, its injuries suddenly began closing up. Even the worst of them began to swiftly recover at a rate visible to the naked eye.

The greater the damage “his” slim, androgynous body receives, the more powerful it becomes.

An ever evolving anomaly.

“He” was a truly unique existence in this world a hybrid of demonic and draconic descent.

There was no use mulling over its gender, for Mia truly did not have one. The characteristics of both demon and dragon races were mixed so thoroughly in Mia’s lithe frame to the point of being indistinct.

This was Mia, one of the Five Great Disasters: The Demon General of Wave.

『So, is that mysterious being tired of exchanging pleasantries with you? 』

“Why do you think so?”

Hearing Mia’s question, the corners of the cat familiars’ maw lifted up,

『 Because Mia-chaaan— that expression you have on doesn’t really look like it’s from someone who won. 』

“………..”

Mia wiped off a line of purple blood which flowed from “his” brows down to “his” nape with a finger while unknowingly clenching its teeth.

The “unknown being” that suddenly attacked.

“……I was just a bit taken aback by that thing’s attacks. I had some difficulties adjusting to them.”

“He” could not adapt on time.

Being able to remember any and all attacks and having a constantly adapting and evolving body.

Despite having these abilities, this was the first time in Mia’s life that “he” had actually failed to grasp an enemy attacks. This was because the said attacks were so strange and otherworldly that even “he” was hard pressed to adapt.

It ultimately ended in a draw.

But the flow of the battle indicated otherwise.

Mia was constantly forced to go on the defensive and was led around all throughout the battle.

“…I want to fight that damned thing again.”

『How? Do you have a way to find “it”?』

“I managed to place a (MARKING) Echo on “it”. No matter where “it” runs to, I’ll still be able to sense “its” location.”

Wave Echo — a technique utilizing specialized undulations used by the [[Demon General of Wave]], Mia. It’s able to be transmitted via a single touch and allows Mia to track targets by using it as a beacon which only Mia can detect.

『So, where is “it”?』

“Seems “it’s” heading towards a human city. To the land where Spirit Worship is practiced. “It” headed in that direction.”

『(Holy Land) Canaan.』

“The brilliance released by that “thing” certainly does resemble what a Spirit usually gives off.”

Despite shining brightly like burning flames, their light did not possess any heat.

Beings whose forms were made up of pure energy.

As far as Mia was concerned, in this world, that “thing” could only be a Spirit.

『Is that so?』

“I think it’s a new type of technique the Holy Lands higher ups developed in order to counter us demons — possibly a rediscovered (ANCIENT) Lost Spell which was obtained from some old ruins.”

『Ara. You sure hold humans in such high regard.』

“Don’t give me that. It’s not like you’re any better. You didn’t offer even one word of apology to the Demon Lord after coming back to the Underworld. Instead, you just went straight to us (Five Great Disasters) and gushed out 『I found a pretty interesting human!』 like an idiot.”

『You mean Ren-chan? But he reaaally IS interesting. I’m looking forward to his future. It’s surely gonna be quite fun!』

Achendia unabashedly exclaimed through her cat familiar. Its lively feline features conveyed her excited mood while swishing its flaming tail from side to side in a cute manner.

『But it’s good that you’re going to (Holy Land) Canaan. Ren-chan should eventually go there too. Be sure to say hi for me if you meet him.』

“The boy who looks like the ‘Brave Hero’ Eleline huh? Fine by me. I’m quite interested in trading some blows with him myself.”

『Just don’t overdo it, okay.』

“Guess I’ll go get permission from the Demon Lord to investigate the surface world. As long as that unknown “thing” doesn’t detect and pursue my subordinates, it should probably be fine.”

『So serious. But go put on something first. You’re not planning on going butt naked right? You’re one of the Five Great Disasters after all. You should treasure your dignity more.』

『Well then, the Demon Lord is calling for me so I have to go. Do tell me how your travels turned out after you come back from the surface, okay. 』

The flame cat familiar sprang up into the air and disappeared like an illusion.

“—Dignity? How trivial. What of it, if humans were to see my naked form?”

Flaunting “his” perfectly tanned, naked body as if devoid of any shame.

The Demon General of Wave struck the ground violently with “his” own huge tail.