Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: 45-3. A Helplessness That Devours People
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Things were starting to mismatch the knowledge I had.
In a world I only knew from the game, increasingly unrealistic events kept unfolding.
It had been messing with my past for a while now, too.
And the Demon Kings I knew were definitely all men.
"...You're with the Hero Cult, aren't you? I can tell just by the way you act."
I pointed my sword threateningly at the woman in front of me. If she was giving Kainel and Ariel this much trouble, she wasn't ordinary.
Her identity was probably a new Demon King. I'd encountered the other Apostles while playing the previous games.
"I-I'm... the Demon King of Powerlessness, Intinium."
She revealed her name right away. No one but a fool would do that.
"...You're the one Magic Hat told me to capture—the guy wearing the Black Knight helmet."
My target was me, as expected.
I'd only tangled with Magic Hat once, on my first clear. But for some reason, it kept dragging me into things. With all that "darling" nonsense. Still, I'd never set up a double life with a crazy bitch like that.
"Y-You're him, right?"
Intinium pointed at me with her finger, sneering.
Her lifeless eyes lit up with a terrifying gleam, like she'd found her prey.
"C-Come with me... to the Demon King's castle."
"...And if I refuse?"
"Th-Then... I heard I just need to drag you back alive."
I frowned. What the hell was in that Demon King castle that made them keep propositioning me?
Were they trying to turn me into a doll that loved Magic Hat?
"Just like Magic Hat said... you're... different from us... aren't youuu..."
Intinium hunched her body timidly, chattering away.
"You're all the same crazy bastards."
They drive people insane by spoiling future misfortunes with omniscience or deceive them with lies.
And on top of that, they completely ruined the life of the person I love.
"...."
The puzzle pieces clicked together.
If I hadn't been there, the horrific events that would have happened flooded my mind like a thick fog.
Losing family or friends, her name erased, even her unique powers stripped away.
Her divine power was so clumsy it made her Saintess title worthless. What the hell had happened?
"Besides, you lot are poison to our Pine just by existing."
The pure white wolf who yearned for innocent love. Maybe this world itself was trying to erase her.
Kainel's state was pitiful too. I had to deal with that guy first to heal him.
I aimed my sword at the Demon King. The sharp blade's tip pointed straight at Intinium's throat.
"...After turning my friend into this, you've gotta be prepared."
Kuduk. I kicked off the ground like my muscles were ripping apart. Judging by the traces around, her attacks had a wide, powerful range.
The basics of strategy: master the patterns.
'She's the type with one devastating blow. Gotta be careful.'
First, dive into her guard line to gauge her movements. I could barely keep up with Heart Sword's power.
"If you... d-do that... it's a problem..."
The blue-haired Demon King moved sluggishly even as I closed in. She slowly lifted her foot.
It was slow enough to wonder how the Light Hero got done in. There had to be a trick hidden...
'What the hell is that...?'
Something appeared behind Intinium. A white barrier-like thing filled my vision.
Towering impossibly high. Even craning my neck, I couldn't see the top.
An instinctive chill hit me. Like dozens of spiders crawling up my spine.
At that moment, Pine's telepathy rang out. She was flat on the ground but still trying to help me.
Looking closer, it had muscles like a human calf and foot. There was only one monster with legs this massive.
'Cyclops.'
The one-eyed monster from myths, nicknamed the Giant God.
Its size was said to stack a hundred mountains high and span ten seas wide.
But why was it here? I thought it was a scrapped monster from the setting books, never implemented.
It was about the size of the chocolate I bought for Pine at the bakery.
"Too late."
Intinium launched her kick. The massive white giant's foot descended to crush me in sync. I felt like less than an ant.
If this hit, everyone here would die. Think. Was there really no counter?
"Old Thought, Recollection...!"
Clank. Gears turned with a grinding sound.
Like a pilot hitting the emergency eject, I yanked the lever on my black Heart Sword in a panic.
Kugugung—!! The ground shook as the floor surged up. The sword reshaped the terrain around us.
"Kyaa! Wait, this is..."
I pinned Intinium with a dirt wall, diverting her position. The kick's path veered off at an angle.
What was aimed straight at me turned into an upward strike.
I tried blending Wing Shedding and Flowing Stream to deflect it. Kuguguk—. The foot pushed back.
Limit reached. Too much power to redirect. The balance of the clash tipped.
Pang—! Air burst like a bomb.
"...Kuhk."
In the end, I protected the others behind me. But I got slammed into the far wall.
The white giant's body hit hard. Even blocking overhead with my armor, the shock transferred. My shoulder's scapula shattered.
'Without the helmet, I'd be dead.'
My brain rattled, vertigo hitting. My occiput felt cracked and hot.
My body wouldn't respond.
Like a bug gripped in a palm, my limp form peeled off the wall and crashed to the floor.
'How... how the hell do you beat that thing...'
Mud scraped my palms. I pounded the ground in frustration, but it was pointless.
Rain wouldn't help—it'd just bounce off in the wind.
Old Thought and Concept were already active. Reusing them wouldn't break through.
This wouldn't work. That wouldn't either. What way did I have to effectively take down that Demon King?
...Only one option left.
"Kainel... Lend me your holy sword."
I stabbed my sword into the ground like a cane and forced myself up.
Fallen Route Glitch.
For the Head, I knew the strategy was a prolonged war, so I hadn't used it.
It was infamous among players as a suicidal stunt, a last resort gambling your life.
How much longer could I hold out? One more hit and I'd be done.
The temple floor looked like a typhoon had ravaged it.
Kainel still breathing was a miracle. Must be because he was the Light Hero.
"Hey, you... that stunt again..."
"Don't worry. I won't dispel the barrier on Ariel."
I had to finish prep before the Demon King broke free and attacked again. The dirt wall was already crumbling.
Hurry.
'Loss of a loved one... and, Hero.'
Conditions should be met. Ironic, given the Demon King's terms.
Losing this fight meant Pine might as well be dead. No way I could lose.
Sacrificing my worthless life could save three people here.
"Licht... don't do iiiit..."
The glass knight cried out in worry. Even though she was too battered to speak.
"Don't worry. It's different from before."
Last time, I didn't know it was Pine and tried it. But now...
"I won't die before you, Pine."
I gripped the Light Holy Sword tight, blood flowing. Crimson trails etched into the blade, like a bloody thumbprint on a vow.
Blood streamed from my eyes and mouth.
As expected, this wrecked the body instantly. Maybe because it wasn't my holy sword.
"...Fall asleep in the darkness."
⟨ Fallen Route Glitch ⟩
Black mist like shadows swirled around me as the incantation ended.
"Now, let's have a chat between Demon Kings, Intinium."
A black-armored Demon King appeared.
Intinium panicked. It wasn't a direct hit, but he'd taken the Giant God's attack.
'These people here... they're all weirdos...'
Authority of Powerlessness.
The concept of slowly draining the opponent's power into the negative and making it her own.
It was actually her brother Pin's authority, transferred for his little sister's safety.
For the blond Kainel, even if it took time for full effect...
"H-How...?!"
The Black Knight in front of her made no sense. He'd been staggering on the brink of death moments ago, now he was a Demon King.
And two holy swords? Unheard of. Heroes could only wield one.
Like how her brother Pin used knuckles, or she wore invisible anklets.
'Truth Demon King didn't mention anything like thiiis...!'
Magic Hat hadn't given accurate info on Licht.
Just bring the helmeted Black Knight and keep everyone out of Tardun's temple.
「Shine Advance.」
The foe before her tried to use a holy sword skill.
A light-speed charge. She'd seen it before. Crush him with the Giant God, done.
'Surprised, but... nothing special.'
Intinium prepared to stomp Licht with her foot, like with Kainel.
No ordinary human could escape the Giant God's range.
「Decision of Icarus.」
In that instant, the Black Knight vanished from sight. Like he'd evaporated.
"...Huh?"
She shook her head, scanning around, but nothing.
Intinium thought he'd fled, abandoning his fallen comrades. Humans were treacherous like that.
They gave up when tired, despaired at insurmountable walls.
But Licht didn't.
The moment she sensed something off and looked up, she saw the Black Knight blocking the Giant God's foot head-on.
"N-No way?!"
With devil wings, the Black Knight executed the basic form of Demon King Slayer: Wing Shedding.
Followed by the combo. He soared higher for Reverse Scale Thrust, striking the Cyclops' groin center.
A downward slash from halfway up the Cyclops' height. Void Slash whipped razor winds that sliced through the giant's lower body like butter.
"Kyaaaaaaa—!!"
The cleaving strike continued seamlessly to Intinium's shadow below.