47 - Dungeon Investigation Practice (5)
“Yeriel, close your eyes for a sec.”
“……”
His voice carried a pleasant resonance—firm, yet so light it seemed it might drift away at any moment.
There’s an unspoken vibe between people, between human and human, that doesn’t need words. And as the saying goes, women are weak to mood. Yeriel was a woman too.
‘I’ve got some sense, at least…’
Considering her relationship with Lev Denek, it was way too soon. Way too soon! So she should’ve responded with something like, “Huh, why…?”
But her body was already primed to obey his words. Maybe she’d already taken a liking to him. Yeriel, who’d made it her duty to always think of others and show consideration, had come to admire several things about him after seeing how he did what he wanted and took clean responsibility for it.
Even in the duel, he’d trained silently without complaint and truly won. She hadn’t been confident in predicting his victory.
“……”
If she followed his lead like this, she might cross a point of no return… Staring into his black eyes, Yeriel let herself succumb, slowly closing her delicate lids.
.
.
.
And after a few seconds passed.
She, who always carried a fresh, warm scent, cracked one eye open, wondering if maybe her own body odor was an issue.
“……?”
Lev Denek was gone.
* * *
Pinpointing Aria’s location wasn’t hard. Was it because she’d spent the most time around me? Her holy power had this oddly… intimate feel to it anyway. Plus…
Rarity: S+
Crossbow imbued with the lingering thoughts of the Great Demon Leraje. Said to be wielded only by those chosen by demons.
Water Dragon Tendon Effect: Enables water-attribute attacks.
Equipped
Innate Effect - Scatter: Instantly disperses mana in multiple directions to conceal presence. Allows rapid movement to a desired location.
(Cooldown: 24 hours)
(Assimilation: 5/100)
Another reason I’d chosen Ashen Scatter. This first innate effect. The black mana aura starting to leak from my demonization gets absorbed and blocked by Ashen Scatter.
To use Ashen Scatter, I have to demonize. And Ashen Scatter hides the demonization presence—they complement each other perfectly. Of course, this synergy only works in the demon armory because demonization registers me as a demon.
That’s how I closed in on the third crystal room where Aria was.
-Kikikikikik!!!
A stifling, sticky, ominous screech—like metal caught in shears—started echoing.
-Kyarrurrurrurruk!!!!!
An eerie roar that could pass for children’s laughter. The Flame Demon was already in place, reverberating grotesquely through the cave.
-Chclang!
> Main Event 4
> Mission Objective: As a side character, you cannot finish off the 'Flame Demon'. Assist 'Edwin Gwynz' in defeating the 'Flame Demon'.
> Reward: Side Character Points +200
> Time Remaining: 11 hours 58 minutes
-Wharrurruruk…
-Tick… tidididitick..!!
Hot flames bloomed around it with every wingbeat. These dark red flames spewed sinister, acrid mist that enshrouded the Flame Demon’s entire body.
-Kikikikikik!!!
Its form, glimpsed through the smoke, was a paint-splattered crimson demon. It had leathery wings, and its overall size easily topped three meters.
-Kuhalhalhal!!!!!!!
Like a game boss intro, the Flame Demon threw its head back and cackled hysterically.
In short, the Flame Demon from the novel—a chapter 2 main boss classified as a monster, though not Great Demon-tier. Dodge all fireballs, preemptively cleanse the ‘inextinguishable flames’ debuff to avoid stacks, and exploit its weakness for an easy kill. Its skills matched the canon perfectly. But true to ultra-hell difficulty, it had an added berserk phase.
If it berserks, the Flame Demon evolves into an A-rank beast. From A-rank onward, only a chosen hero’s Execution can land the finishing blow for a true kill.
I quickly pulled up the details.
├─ [Aura of the Flame Lord (Passive)]: Lowers fire resistance by 2 stages for enemies within 5m radius.
├─ [Rapid Fireballs (Active)]: Raises left hand to fire consecutive fireballs.
├─ [Blaze Up (Active)]: Activates when HP drops by 33.3% increments. Fires 5 homing fireballs in 8 directions; inflicts ‘Inextinguishable Flames’ debuff. 5 stacks trigger massive explosion.
└─ [Flame Rain (Active)]:Berserk only. Long chant, then rains fire on random spots. ★
├─ [Berserk (Ultimate)]: Triggers below 44% HP. All skills gain stacking power boosts and evolve to A-rank. Killable only with Demon Slayer trait.
└─ [Groggy]:Water-attribute hits apply humanoid status ailments. Meets conditions? 10s groggy +25% damage taken. ★
-Whoooosh!!
The heat waves from its every movement were scorching. In the blinding heat, Aria spotted me, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.
‘Like a scene straight out of a movie…’
-Kyarrurrurrurruk!!!!
As per the author’s scheme, the healer-obsessed Flame Demon threw its head back, guffawing at some vile thought.
> [Hermit] [Aggro: 0]
> *Aggro reaches 100: Enemies (beasts) recognize you.
With zero aggro from Hermit, I’d preemptively deployed my new skill, Second Form: Wind Barrier, around it. This was my only prep window.
-Whiiiio!
▶ Second Form: Wind Barrier (Active) (Common Skill)
[Active 1] - Forms a wind-enclosing barrier. Absorbs set damage, consumes wind energy.
(*Controllable only up to archery range)
Eight transparent blue barriers affix around it.
But the beast, fixated on Aria, didn’t notice. Beasts gain true intelligence only at A-rank and above—below that, they’re just demon fodder.
-Kyahal, kyal kyal kyal!!!!!!
-Clack!!!!
The Flame Demon raised its left hand high, priming Rapid Fireballs on Aria.
But my Ashen Scatter stirred the winds a beat faster.
-Chclang!
* * *
-Could I… stand watch with Lev?
‘Why would Lady Yeriel say something like that…?’
In the cave’s center, where a crystal pulsed with pretty light, Aria dutifully measured its purification level. The process had a long cooldown, so left alone in the dark, thoughts flooded her mind like pre-sleep rumination.
Lev Denek and Yeriel. She’d long known they shared Selafi Black Dorm. Yet they somehow felt like strangers. Hard to pin as close or distant.
Yeriel kept glancing warily, like Lev was pushing her away.
“Could they have… fought or something?”
Since enrolling at Clarice Academy, Aria had seen cadets fight, drift apart, then reconcile plenty. But Lev Denek deliberately avoiding talk with others? Unimaginable.
Take herself—she’d confessed, yet he casually chatted and got involved anyway. He seemed the type who didn’t sweat the small stuff.
‘No way! Does he… like Lady Yeriel?’
She’d read about this in books on men and women. Guys clam up around girls they like.
“……”
In that instant, Aria’s heart sank cold.
‘Then am I just… small stuff to him…?’
Her tone had turned businesslike. Her chest ached. Bad mood creeping in…
That’s when it hit.
-Wharrurruruk!!!!!
-Kikikii…!!!
-Kyarrurrurrurruk!!!!!!
“!!”
With an ominous roar, a demon appeared before Aria.
.
.
.
Aria had faced Andras, an S+ Great Demon. The demon toying mercilessly with her parents. Its bored, mildly amused expression after a bit of fun.
Luckily, Andras’s malice wasn’t aimed at her, so a hunter had scooped her up amid the chaos, letting her escape.
But now was different.
-Kikikikikikiki!!!!
This grotesque red demon with its mouth torn ear-to-ear radiated mad killing intent at her.
‘It’s targeting… me.’
The surging terror was undeniable. Hands shaking. Legs trembling. Body prickling, on the verge of possession by its overwhelming pressure.
‘The more this happens, the more I need to keep my wits…?’
Why was it? In every crisis, the gray-haired man always filled Aria’s vision.