"Do you realize now? Do you realize how utterly screwed you all are? What are you gonna do without your great magician?" (I)

The main issue right now is figuring out how I'm getting out of this situation.

Yes, I could just blink away, but that would leave this whole scenario unfinished.

I don't even want to imagine what would happen if they continue to believe that a demon that could be anybody is among them.

They'd probably kill each other till only one remains.

So my villain speech right now only has the purpose of making a convincing exit.

"How is this possible? What did you do to the great magician?" (R)

"I simply took her out of the equation. Now she won't bother me anymore. That girl with her unnatural powers was such a nuisance. Much more than all the others." (I)

Which is far truer than I'd like to admit.

"The others? What about the others?" (R)

It's good enough of a chance to lead them astray.

"Their group! It's targeting the newcomers!" (A)

"Oh please, as if she was the first one. No, rather this is my grand finale. I started with that woman you so wrongly confined. It was so easy in the body of her daughter." (I)

That certainly didn't come from me.

Rather I believe my dark side wrote some kind of script for this situation.

I am quite worried that letting my dark side have so much influence over my actions may not be good for me, even if I currently rely on her straightforward way to handle my act.

But that's a question for a therapy I'm going to have somewhere in the far future.

For the moment, I guess she's doing a decent job, with just the right combination of special effect powers and dark villainous speeches.

"Where are they? Has anyone seen Makoto?" (A)

"Oh, you won't find him anymore. And now you'll never know what they had to offer for your community." (I)

That should take care of covering up their disappearance.

Eaten by a demon is as good a reason as all the others.

All I need now is a convincing reason to leave.

"Vile creature! We won't bow down for you! Knights! Brace yourself! This is your fight!" (A)

While emitting a bit more darkness, I intercept those heavily armed soldiers with tentacles.

I could fight them directly and conveniently get hit by one of the knights.

Probably even while avoiding causing harm.

Yet it wouldn't be very believable if I lose too easily.

However, I could take this chance to enact some measures to correct their behavior.

Personally, I really think that some stuff has gone very wrong in this society and should be adjusted.

This approach might work even better than anything else.

Nothing is as good as a motivation to get everyone working together on a greater scale than a common enemy.

So I only have to make them believe that behaving in the right way is their personal choice.

"You really think you have a chance? It's your very actions that call me forth into this realm! The weak, the angry, the desperate, all those dark thoughts are my fuel, my doors into your world! The very inequality you call forth is what opens them to my influence, what strengthens me! Muahahahaha! And now it is too late! There's plenty present here, I could already gain so much strength! I'm invincible! Hahaha!" (I)

This might actually work.

If they have a change of mind and attack me with a new attitude this might from a dramaturgic viewpoint, work out.

"Don't think we'll make it easy for you! We'll defeat you and make sure you'll never return!" (A)

If they only knew what would happen if I ceased to exist.

They're literally inside me.

"You're all so pathetic, thinking you can avoid me by oppressing others!" (I)

Is this really just my dark side or did I always have this particular streak?

Seriously, I'm a bit too much into this role.

"I'm gonna show you a true nightmare! Muahahahaha!" (I)

A wave of darkness swamps the room, causing some to fall and creating openings in others for tentacle strikes.

The latter, albeit strong, are in no way dangerous because of their squishy nature.

Fortunately, they look intimidating enough.

"Don't give up! Don't let this wretched creature have its way! It all depends on us! We're the last line! The last hope of the people!" (A)

A bit overly dramatic for my taste, but apparently it suffices to rally them.

At this point, I don't see any better solution.

I guess I'll just let them break through and make it look as if they score a lucky hit.

The question is if I'm really fine with getting hit.

Probably by a sword or even one of those gruesome halberds.

Though, I don't want to get mauled with archaic weaponry.

Yet at this point, I'm past any form of denial.

No matter how badly I get hit or what kinds of terrible injuries I might sustain, they won't be enough to finish me off.

No, it'll simply mend back.

So I might just let one of them score a good hit and then make a show of imploding in defeat while quickly making my leave via teleport.

Still, I'd at least like to avoid a severe strike to the head.

There's no need for sprinkling my brain matter like in a splatter movie.

I guess I'll avoid that and provoke a lucky strike on my terms.

"Time to bring this to an end! Come at me!" (I)

"People! This is your chance! Your great chance! Prove yourself in the face of evil! This is what we're existing for! This is what we prepared for!" (A)

Even if I personally am aware of it, I won't ruin it for them and point out that a real evil creature wouldn't wait till they're done.

It seems to be important for them.

Fortunately, they have no contemporary experiences.

I guess they can usually prepare as much as they want before entering the forest.

"People! Let's show who we truly are and prove ourselves to our great god Aureas!" (A)

I roll my eyes.

Seriously, that fake god again.

And now all the other fighters are shouting in unison.

To my dismay, something I really can't support.

"For Aureas!!!" (A)

"Damnit! Did you really have to start with that one?!" (I)

"Grumble"

"S-something happened."

"The creature is on the defense!"

"It works!"

For some reason, I believe this situation is going to develop quite poorly for me.

"Oh, please, anything but this!" (I)

"The creature is afraid! Don't stop now!" (R)

Afraid is certainly the wrong word.

"May Aureas protect us!" (A)

"FOR AUREAS!!!"

And then something unexpected happens.

All the knights' weapons start to shine in their respective colors.

The magic Chiaki's students gathered becomes stronger and more refined.

The whole opposite side of the room starts to shine in a multitude of colors, congregating from all the respective people.

And I'm, I'm honestly confused.

"S-something is happening!?"

"Our god is with us!" (R)

"Knights! People! Pray like you never did before!" (A)

I feel some kind of power in front of me.

Much more than there was before.

An undeniable increase in intensity.

All of it directed at me.

But even though there's naturally hostile intent, I don't feel the slightest bit threatened.

No, and it's not only because it's not enough to kill me.

Rather, I can still feel the connection.

This is my world.

Everything here is in some way a part of me.

What is happening here is more akin to the threat of snapping my finger against my own forehead if I don't consciously prevent it.

Naturally, I can.

Not only stop all the people as I did with the demons, but I could also control this very energy.

But what the fuck is happening here?

Did each of them all of a sudden become fanatical which gave a strong boon to their willpower?

Wait, this could be my way out here!

If they don't explode now because of this new power, it's the perfect excuse.

"No! NO!!! You won't get rid of me like that!" (I)

It still has to sound believable.

With astonishing renewed vigor the knights rush in my direction.

The "mages" throw their blast in my direction and I feel the concussions on my body.

I need to say that seeing and, more importantly, being aware of what happens beneath is kinda disturbing.

How my skin blasts open and the purple tendrils string everything back together is not a soothing image.

It's not regeneration but pure flesh shaping.

And I just know at this rate they could attack me like this forever and it won't ever be even remotely hard to keep up aside from the creepiness I experience.

However, I make an effort of letting it appear as if the riddled darkness would mean they seriously hurt me.

The knights are in the meantime making progress as well.

They slash their weapons through my tentacles like with machetes through the jungle while showing great endurance and dexterity.

And those glowing weapons really have some impact.

Finally, they made it through to me.

I deflect the first sword swing with a wave of my hand.

Then comes a halberd.

I grab it and have enough strength to throw it together with the wielder to the side.

But more are coming.

I snap another sword to the side, but am a bit distracted by the still-continuing onslaught of projectiles.

Another cuts me badly in the arm and I'm left open for the next attack.

And then I'm pierced in the stomach with a sword.

"Got you!" (knight)

Okay Iori, you got hit.

Make it believable!

"NOOOOOO!!! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! YOU'LL PAY! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" (I)

"Whooooosh"

I explosively emit darkness into the whole room to cause the impression that my body just collapsed and teleport away.

"Iori, you're back. We were getting worried." (S)

Hah, home sweet home.