Demon Exorcism
[No!]
"It works!"
The Holy Spear, revered as the symbol of the Saint Country and said to have been forged by the one true god Bryunak himself—a legendary treasure with no equal in the world. That very treasure had been reduced to powder by Kim Sung-tae's fist and erased from existence.
[The divine relic... No!]
"Oh. It has an effect."
The powder of the shattered Holy Spear scattered through the forest on the wind. Freed from the darkness, it sparkled with a silvery light, like tears.
Tears shed by Lubert.
"This is..."
"Saintess, I can feel... a holy power."
The remnants of the Holy Spear, carried on the wind, drifted over the heads of the Saint Country's citizens. The moment they reached them, the saintess sensed the spear's destruction and prayed deeply from her heart.
That her precious knight and friend, Lubert, would be safe.
That his corruption would fade like a fleeting blaze.
[I mustn't... Why...]
The demon's voice—Lubert's—grew fainter. The giant hovering in the sky began to shrink, reverting to an ordinary human, no longer a supernatural being. The rampaging demon was gone, leaving only a powerless, frail Lubert kneeling in stunned despair.
"I... I'm the apostle of god... I must kill the false saintess... But... Saintess... Lady Saintess..."
"...?"
"What... have I done...?"
Black smoke rose from his body. Worried it might turn him back into a demon, Sung-tae reached out toward the darkness. But the moment it touched his hand, it scattered into the air and vanished.
"What am I... Why... What have I done? Tried to kill the saintess... the people..."
"Looks like you've finally come to your senses."
"I... I..."
"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."
If he hadn't met Leo, he would've snapped, 'Don't give me that crap. You almost massacred everyone if it weren't for me.' But having learned from Leo that heroes were manipulated by an inner black demon, Sung-tae didn't blame him. That energy that just escaped must've been the demon. Lubert's madness was all its doing.
"Saintess, I kept my promise. But now what...?"
The citizens had witnessed Lubert's atrocities firsthand. He'd tried to kill them and hurled abuse at the saintess, attempting to murder her too. Would they forgive him now that he was sane? Their faith preached mercy and love, but they were human. Unless they had the saintess's compassion, they'd shun, fear, and despise Lubert.
'Lord Incarnate... please show mercy...'
"Damn it."
The saintess's words echoed in his ears. In the end, she'd grieve most if Lubert suffered. If the divine incarnation said to forgive, they'd obey now. But after he left?
Sung-tae furrowed his brow.
"Screw it. Possessed or not, he still did it, right?"
'Please show mercy.'
No matter how he tried to forget, Aria's innocent face kept surfacing, tears streaming down her cheeks. He couldn't bear imagining it.
'They say a woman's tears are a weapon. Or am I just weak to women?'
Gazing down at Lubert for a moment, Sung-tae turned toward the Saint Country and pondered how to save him.
"Hmm."
Words connected to the incident flowed like a stream through his mind: Saint Country. Corruption. Demon. Demon?
"That's it. That'll work."
A perfect way to keep his promise to the saintess and earn forgiveness for Lubert. Having thought of it, Sung-tae hoisted Lubert and hurried back to the Saint Country to execute the plan.
"Heh. They're all religious folk, so this'll hit 100%!"
The forest lay in ruins like a battlefield, cooling in the cold night air. If it had been closer to the Saint Country, the residents might have been caught in the clash. Silent traces of the great battle awaited the darkness.
[......]
A cold wind caressed the battlefield's scars. Piercing it, a small patch of darkness formed in the air. It was the shadow that had slipped free unnoticed when the Holy Spear shattered.
[Come...]
Defying the wind, the darkness headed somewhere. It stopped before another shadow hidden in the forest and merged seamlessly, as if it had always been one.
[Show me. What you saw...]
The absorbed darkness revealed its memories to the other.
[Ahh. Excellent. You should've corrupted him more deeply. Humans are so baffling at times.]
The darkness that corrupted Lubert was no ordinary shadow. It was a fragment the forest shadow had personally sealed into the Holy Spear.
Resisting such a fragment and retaining sanity? He should've lost his mind and rampaged like a beast.
[Holy power. Did that prevent full corruption? Enviable. Such an enviable power.]
Lubert was even one of his created heroes. Other heroes wouldn't have been affected by the fragment. After all that effort to corrupt him, the spear's destruction freed the fragment, restoring him. Exhaustion from the fierce battle played a part, but it was the holy power born of his faith.
[I'm so envious it's driving me mad.]
Why don't I have such power? The shadow seethed with jealousy but soon calmed, focusing on the memories.
[So, that's him. The one who destroyed my fragment-embedded spear and stopped the corrupted hero.]
The shadow's verdict was simple: Strong. Overwhelmingly so. Like that guy on their level but not quite.
[Infuriating. I want it. Why don't I have that power?]
All he had was enough to wipe out humans and upend the continent. Others had that too. He craved power to crush them utterly.
And that black-armored man possessed it.
[If reborn, could I become that man? Why wasn't I born with such power? Why? Why!]
Space warped with the shadow's rage, and it vanished. Its voice echoed faintly in its wake before the wind carried it away.
[Envious enough to kill. I want to kill him. Kill...]
"The Lord has returned!"
"He brought the demon-possessed holy knight!"
The citizens welcomed Sung-tae back, carrying Lubert over his shoulder. Rage and hostility burned in their eyes toward the half-conscious holy knight.
They couldn't forgive the traitor who tried to kill their revered saintess, now a fallen demon.
'Exile him.'
'No, lock him up forever, away from the light.'
'He's already corrupted. Who knows when it'll happen again? Just execute him.'
But none voiced it. How could mere humans act with the divine incarnation, Kim Sung-tae, right there?
'Time to start?'
Sung-tae gently set Lubert down. The crowd, watching his every move, anxiously awaited how the Lord would punish the sinner. Would the god of mercy and love forgive? Or smite the fallen with divine power? Unable to predict, they watched silently.
"I... what..."
"You've all seen it. Holy Knight Lubert fell to the demon's temptation, trying to kill the saintess. Even if not her, attempting murder is grave sin. I despise those who disregard life."
At "despise," Lubert lifted his head. Though not fully sane, he couldn't bear his revered god's hatred. Even the god of mercy and love wouldn't forgive him. Despair gripped him, and he bowed his head again in resignation.
"Everyone, pick up stones."
"Yes! Understood."
'He's really punishing him? Even leaving it to us?'
'Even the Lord doesn't forgive the fallen.'
Murmurs stirred the crowd. The god of mercy and love was entrusting them with punishing the fallen. They wanted him punished but preferred watching the Lord do it themselves. Furious at Lubert yet unwilling to dirty their hands. Faithful believers, yet human—riddled with contradictions.
Should they throw? A few brave souls raised stones. Then Sung-tae's voice halted them.
"Let only the sinless among you cast the first stone."
Ordinary folk might not grasp it and throw anyway. But these were devotees of Bryunak, god of mercy and love. They understood instantly and lowered their hands.
'Are we truly sinless?'
Even the pettiest mistakes? Former sinners reflected on their pasts.
'We all have sins.'
The starving thief. The line-cutter. The framer for personal gain. All bore sins, repented now but not erased.
'Good. They're getting it. Next...'
"Hate the sin, not the sinner."
"......"
Silence fell. Especially seeing Lubert bowed and weeping—it reminded them what they'd nearly done. Tears proved he'd escaped corruption. No one died—why condemn him? Sin is sin. People are people. Don't conflate them. If he repents and seeks a new life, forgive.
'They get it.'
Only the theology-obsessed devotees thought so. Sung-tae had just recited what he'd heard. If he'd practiced it, he wouldn't have killed those bandits on his first venture into human lands.
'Alright. Highlight time!'
"Thus, I shall now judge Lubert's sins!"
"Yes!?"
Not forgiveness? Before questions arose, Sung-tae raised his hand skyward. A purple pattern glowed on his palm, summoning someone.
"Ahh, I'm starving. What blood tonight... Huh? What the—!?"
'Good to see you again.'
Demoniac. Red-skinned, red-eyed, goat-legged— the epitome of a demon.
"A demon!"
"That's the culprit who corrupted the holy knight!"
"What!? What nonsense! Human! Why summon m—"
'Shut up. Orders incoming.'
Suddenly summoned, Demoniac followed Sung-tae's telepathic commands into the "play."
"Muahaha!!! What a shame. Prime chance to corrupt your souls, foiled by a nauseating god's incarnation!"
"Filthy demon! Begone!"
"Die, demon!"
Stones flew but powdered before reaching him. Still, his heart hurt.
'Insulted by puny humans? Me! A demon king!'
He'd been pondering dinner—pig blood, chicken, duck?—when yanked here to be jeered. So unfair.
"Demon who corrupted my servant. Return to hell. My final mercy."
"Muahaha!!! God, think I'll obey? Dream on! I'll corrupt you all!"
'No, just send me back!'
Contract-bound, Demoniac's body obeyed Sung-tae against his will. Not done yet, Sung-tae drew his sword to end the act: Gloria, Lux's blade from the ruined High Elf forest.
'Wh-what's that sword!?'
[Don't worry. A light slice won't hurt.]
'Not the pain! I'll die!'
Gloria blazed radiantly. The crowd—and saintess—knelt in prayer. She, knowing its origin, wept.
'Ahh, Lord Lux. You've gone to god's side.'
Lux, the legendary top holy knight, long missing. His relic in the incarnation's hand meant he'd ascended safely.
"Begone, demon!"
"Heh! I won't vanish! Come at me, god!"
'N-nooo!'
As Gloria's light touched him, agony surged. Desperate to flee, but commanded, his body charged Sung-tae.
"I purify evil! I won't kill—but repent!"
"Gaaahhh!!!"
'Light slice my ass!'
This scream was real. Soul-rending pain dropped him. Next command: "Pretend to vanish and return." He dissolved into gore, glaring at Sung-tae before reverse-summoning home.
'Someday... revenge! Kim Sung-tae!'
"The demon retreats!"
"Ahh, Lord!"
Joyful tears as Demoniac vanished. They'd witnessed scripture come alive: god banishing a demon. Historic. And forgiving the corrupted knight!
"Thank you... thank you, Lord!"
Lubert prostrated, weeping. All done, Sung-tae smiled at the saintess.
"Lord..."
'Hmm.'
Her robes torn by shockwaves, exposing skin. Vital spots barely covered, yet shameless—or ignoring it—she prayed for god and Lubert.
'Kinda...'
Long celibacy had dulled his lust, but now...
'She's hot.'
It stirred.
"Lord... could we speak privately, away from others...?"
Back at the temple post-events, Aria whispered to Sung-tae. Still in torn robes, her pitiful beauty radiated.
Weighing her against Garba: 'Can't beat King Slime, but Giant Slime level. Skin and figure top Garba's!'
He didn't hate Garba's muscled build—sleek, healthy, not bulky. But this was different allure. His lust writhed.
Briefly sane, he questioned: 'Ugh. Was I always this pervy? Since isekai, horny thoughts keep bubbling.'
But red lust swallowed it. Staring, he replied.
"What's up?"
"Lord, I have a request."
Aria had never hesitated before. Yet now, despite coming privately, she fidgeted.
'What?'
Ears flushing too? In private, secretive request... Only one possibility!
'No way, confession!?'
Serving god, admiration was natural. But twisted to love? All-boys school survivor, he wasn't used to this—delusions exploded.
'Must've looked cool beating the demon. But I... can't love anyone. Loving me hurts—literally?'
Not heartbreak—physical. Politely refuse: As god, no love, just revere. Still, first confession ever—inner grin.
"Um... Lord."
"Yeah."
"I... I...!"
'Spit it out!'
Heart pounding, awaiting confession. But her words exceeded expectations.
"Please make a child with me!"
"......Pardon?"