Devil of the Wasteland, Part 14
The desolate land, where once the only sign of life was the occasional tumbleweed rolling in the wind, transformed into a battlefield in an instant. Boom! "Ugh." Colliding with the goat-headed demon, Yohan was thrown backward by its monstrous strength. He wasn't blown completely away, but the sheer impact dragged him across the ground, carving a long, deep trench like a scar into the earth.
Thanks to securing a large number of believers, his Apostle's Authority was undeniably much stronger than before. Even so, the goat-head's strength was almost too much to bear. In terms of raw physical power, it was far stronger than the Troll Chief. After only a few clashes of their weapons, Yohan's wrists throbbed and his arms went numb.
Of course, it was just a fleeting ache. Having already tasted far worse pain multiple times, this was practically a tickle to Yohan.
—Behind you!
Meanwhile, a horde of low-level devils summoned by the man in the suit rushed toward Yohan, but before they could even get close, Falco and Billy pounced on them and tore them apart. "Hell yeah, you guys are pretty good!"
Yeah. Now this was team play. With a grin spreading across his face, Yohan adjusted his grip on his Light Sword. He pointed the blade at the demon advancing toward him.
"Oho, such immense power for a mere human," the goat-head rasped, its voice like metal scraping against iron. Instead of replying, Yohan flipped it the middle finger.
"Whew." On the surface, he was holding his own against the goat-head. But the more they clashed, the faster the goat-head moved, and the heavier the weight behind its trident became. It was like fighting a berserker whose attack power scaled with lost health. Yohan had thought it was just a simple, brainless brute, but of course, a demon wouldn't be a demon without some annoying hidden trick up its sleeve.
After exchanging several blows, a brief standoff ensued between the two. Yohan panted heavily but kept his composure. However, this composure couldn't last forever. He was putting on a brave face because he was right in front of the enemy, but taking on two high-level devils by himself was no easy feat.
—The foe is struggling no less than thee. Remain composed.
The only saving grace was that the two demons didn't look entirely comfortable either. Regardless of its strength increasing as the battle dragged on, the goat-head was clearly tiring. If this became a war of attrition, Yohan, who could regulate his condition using Divine Power, would have the upper hand. Of course, that was assuming he could survive the onslaught of a monster that grew stronger with every passing second.
"What are you waiting for? Get over here and fight," Yohan taunted.
"You... you are certainly stronger than most Holy Knights," the goat-head sneered, rolling its shoulders. Its massive body was covered in wounds inflicted by Yohan's sword. Normal attacks wouldn't have left a scratch, or would have healed instantly, but because these wounds were carved by divine energy—the absolute antithesis of demonic existence—they refused to mend.
Right. If he could just hold out in a one-on-one, victory was guaranteed. But this wasn't a duel between just Yohan and the goat-head. Even during their brief standoff, Falco and Billy were busy fending off the waves of low-level devils rushing them from all sides.
—At this rate, they will be overwhelmed!
"I know, I know!" Yohan was already planning to support them. Ducking low, he lunged at the demon in front of him in a surprise attack.
Crack! "Guh!" He swung a spinning uppercut, burying his fist deep into the beast's bearded jaw. It was a heavy, satisfying clean hit. This wasn't just a painful punch; it was a strike packed with divine energy, the ultimate poison to demons. Yet, the goat-head merely grunted in pain, refusing to fall, and recovered its stance within seconds. Still, it bought Yohan enough time to back up his companions.
"Here I come!"Whoosh! The Light Sword in Yohan's hand vanished, replaced by a sudden burst of divine flame that erupted from his body, swirling around him to incinerate all things impure. The flames instantly spread to every devil in the vicinity. Though they didn't turn to ash instantly like the man-eating trolls, the low-level devils shrieked in agony as they burned. Seizing the opening, Falco and Billy swiftly cut them down.
"You guys okay?!"
"Never better!" Falco's voice rang out from behind. Billy didn't answer, but he seemed perfectly fine.
"Good!" Now it was time to beat the crap out of the goat-head again. Summoning his Light Sword once more, Yohan braced himself to charge.
Sssss. But at that exact moment, a thick purple smoke began to billow around the goat-head. Yohan thought it was another trump card, but even the goat-head looked taken aback by the mist.
"Are you really planning to do that?!" the goat-head shouted, staring down at the purple smoke swirling around its body.
—Yes! We must join forces! The man's voice echoed from within the smoke. It seemed he had discarded his human guise to transform into this gaseous state. Wait a minute. Yohan, who had been about to exploit the goat-head's opening, froze. If it was "that" which required them to join forces... it had to be that, didn't it?
"I don't know what they're doing, but we have to stop them!" Falco leaped out from behind him. But Yohan extended his arm, blocking her path.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"Hey, kid. It's common courtesy to let them finish their fusion transformation!"
Falco sputtered in confusion, but since Yohan was acting so confident, she couldn't bring herself to argue. Of course, Yohan hadn't stopped her just for some silly joke. If she recklessly attacked them in that state, she might get hurt. Jokes aside, the demons weren't idiots; they wouldn't leave themselves completely defenseless during a transformation.
"Grrr... Here we go!" the goat-head roared, steeling its resolve. Instantly, the purple smoke swirling around it thickened, completely enveloping its massive frame. This was, without a doubt, a fusion transformation. Yohan unconsciously clenched his fists.
Crack! Snap! However, the process was far from the solemn, majestic transformation Yohan had envisioned. Instead, a sickening chorus of snapping bones and tearing flesh echoed from within the smoke. Splat! Crimson blood sprayed from the purple mist, soaking the ground. The blood that seeped into the soil bubbled violently, melting the earth.
Knew it. If they had rushed in to stop the transformation, they would have been drenched in that corrosive blood. Watching the scene, Falco clicked her tongue. Still... that gruesome sight was hard to look at. It looked less like a transformation and more like a horrific torture session.
"I-Is one eating the other from the inside?" Even Falco stammered at the sickening sounds and horrific sight. Yet, it was indeed a transformation. The silhouette of the goat-head obscured by the purple smoke was rapidly shifting. It swelled to the size of a two-story building, and its back bulged unnaturally, sprouting what looked like a pair of wings.
Whoosh! Finally, the purple smoke cleared, revealing the fully transformed goat-head.
"Whoa." The now-colossal goat-head was covered in glowing purple horns that jutted out like thorns. A pair of massive wings adorned its back, and the trident it held had morphed into a scythe that looked as if it were carved from bone. After a few seconds, the goat-head slowly opened its closed eyes.
"We did not wish to resort to this method..." it muttered. Though only one creature stood before them, its voice was a chilling overlay of both demons speaking in unison. Two demons of Pandemonium had fused into one. Since they had sacrificed the tactical advantage of outnumbering their foe to merge, the power they now wielded would undoubtedly be far greater than before.
Thud! The goat-head took a step forward. Instantly, an overwhelming wave of demonic energy—far more savage than anything before—swept over the area. A foul stench of death choked the air. To Yohan, it felt as if the very atmosphere had been corrupted.
—The stench is unbearable.
"Reeks like hell," the Goddess and Yohan muttered in turn. A sudden shiver ran down Yohan's spine. His skin pricked as if poked by a thousand tiny needles. The goat-head slowly raised its giant scythe. Purple smoke began to billow from its body once more, like a rising fog. Something big is coming. Yohan knew it instinctively.
"Get behind me! Tight!" Yohan barked, glancing back at Falco and Billy. The two had already glued themselves to his back. Since he had used his sword to deal with the skeletal demon, this time he needed his shield. Drawing upon his divine power, he manifested the Shield of Light. It was so massive it looked like a solid wall. Alright. Bring on whatever you've got. I'll block it all. Yohan gritted his teeth, bracing himself.
"I shall slaughter you all at once!" the goat-head roared, swinging its scythe. A massive wave of energy, resembling a colossal blade aura, surged toward Yohan. Rumble! A split second later, the strike slammed into Yohan's shield. An earth-shattering shockwave rippled outward from the point of impact.
"Ugh...!" Yohan groaned, a suffocating agony squeezing his entire body. The goat-head's attack wasn't just raw, brute force. It carried an otherworldly terror and a deeply virulent curse. This was an angle of attack Yohan hadn't anticipated. Soon, the immense malice of the two fused demons began to seep into him. Yohan's body, which had been brimming with the Goddess's holy energy, was slowly being encroached upon by demonic energy, starting from his fingertips.
—Ngh... This is... The fused demons' attack transcended physical reality, reaching even the spiritual form of the Goddess. She let out a pained groan. Crack! Yohan clenched his teeth so hard that one of them snapped. To make matters worse, tears of blood welled in his eyes and began to stream down his cheeks.
"Yohan!" Sensing something was terribly wrong, Falco frantically called his name, but he had no breath to spare for an answer. In fact, he couldn't even hear the Goddess or his companions anymore. Faced with the accumulated malice of two demons who had lived for centuries, a mere human ego was far too fragile. I have to hold on. I have to block this flood of horrific emotions clawing at my mind. Though he instinctively kept his shield raised to block the attack, Yohan's mental fortitude was on the verge of collapsing. Just as his consciousness was about to fade into pitch blackness—
Slap. Falco and Billy reached out, pressing their hands firmly against Yohan's back. Instantly, the demonic energy concentrated on Yohan began to flow into them as well. "Gah!" "Ugh..." Both Falco and Billy groaned in agony. Although Yohan's Blessing prevented them from being instantly consumed by the terror, the time they could endure was painfully short.
But it was enough. Thanks to them sharing the burden, Yohan's consciousness barely managed to snap back. —Wake up!"You motherfuckers!"How dare you try to invade my mind and take over my body! Cursing violently, Yohan leaned forward. Soon, the relentless tide of malice invading his mind began to recede, and the suffocating pressure weighing down on the party vanished without a trace.
"I-Impossible..." the goat-head muttered, utterly bewildered to see its attack fail. At that moment, Yohan dispelled his Shield of Light. The two who had been supporting his back collapsed to the ground, seemingly slipping into unconsciousness.
"Hey, you little shit! You think you're the only one with friends? I've got them too!"Alright, let's start round three. Summoning his Light Sword once more, Yohan strode forward.
"Eeeek!" Perhaps having poured every ounce of its energy into that last attack, the goat-head didn't even try to counter. Instead, it let out a pathetic shriek. "Y-You'll pay for this!" Whoosh! Spreading its massive wings, the demon suddenly soared into the sky and fled toward the horizon in the blink of an eye. "Are you fucking kidding me?! Hey! Get back here!" Yohan screamed, but his desperate shouts only echoed hollowly across the desolate wasteland.