Lucid Dream of Retribution
Yuria couldn't understand why she was here at all. "Ah, I can't see anything..." She had clearly fallen asleep after making love with Jihyeok, yet when she awoke, she found herself surrounded by pitch-black darkness with not a single point of light.
Flustered, she was about to take a step forward when—whoosh! A full moon materialized in the sky, casting down its light, while a lush green meadow appeared beneath her feet. Startled, Yuria glanced around before her expression softened into one of nostalgia. This was one of her favorite places: the ridge just a short distance from the royal palace.
As she slowly took in the quiet night scenery of the ridge, a strange sound reached her ears from afar. She perked up. Kieeek!
"This is...!" It was a cry she could never forget—the shriek of a lesser demon from the night the monsters had invaded the palace.
Yuria recoiled in shock, instinctively clutching at her arm. It's here! The Device that allowed her to wield tremendous power was strapped to her arm. Her pounding heart instantly calmed, and a wave of confidence surged through her entire body. Checking the charge, she saw it was at 100%. Thanks to Jihyeok, its capacity had increased, so she could fight for quite a while.
I'll handle the lesser demons with just my physical strength. When facing higher demons, I'll transform. With that thought, she gritted her teeth and descended the ridge.
-Ohohoho! Rot away! From ahead came a faint voice speaking the common tongue of Erandel. That ladylike tone was unmistakably Sabnak, the Demon of Decay—an A-class high-ranking demon by Evilion gauge standards, responsible for infecting countless citizens with plague and rotting them alive.
That wretched bitch...! Grinding her teeth, Yuria tapped her Device twice. With a brilliant flash, she transformed into her Beast Slayer form. A reliable bow rested on her back, along with an over-technology quiver that provided nearly unlimited arrows. The radiant beams pouring from her dispelled the darkness, illuminating her surroundings clearly.
"Aaaagh!"
"Save me... Aaaah! My body...!" Screams of the citizens echoed from all directions. Not only that—many were being devoured by the sudden demon invasion or rotting away under Sabnak's influence. Yet Yuria paid the citizens no mind, her body trembling with rage as she fixed her gaze solely on Sabnak.
She drew the bow from her back, nocked an arrow, and fired. Thwack! Hearing the terrifying sound of the arrow cutting through the air, Sabnak turned toward Yuria.
-Hrk! Startled, Sabnak crossed her arms above her head. Boom! With a tremendous crash, Sabnak was sent flying backward. Yuria licked her lips in disappointment. Since the Device's charge was limited, speed was essential. She nocked another arrow and aimed at Sabnak while glancing at the Device's capacity. But...
Huh? The percentage hadn't dropped. It should have fallen by at least 1%, yet it remained at 100%. Had the capacity increased again? Deal with Sabnak first. Yuria fired two more arrows. Thwack! Thwack!
-Eek! You bitch! Sabnak, teeth clenched, swung her arm and deflected one arrow. But the second, aimed at her thigh, she couldn't stop. Thud!
-Kyaaaaah! With one leg blown off, Sabnak let out a scream that echoed throughout the entire village. Yuria inwardly cheered, noting that the arrow's power was far greater than on Earth. Checking the Device again, the charge was still 100%. Whatever was happening, it was definitely a good thing.
Three arrows this time. Let's see you block them. Smiling with satisfaction, Yuria drew more arrows.
-Hrk... Hrk... Save me...Crunch! After smashing Sabnak's head, Yuria trembled with pleasure. She was incredibly strong now. Sabnak, an A-class demon, was a high-ranking monster even difficult to face in her transformed state. In the past, she had been helpless against her, but now their positions were completely reversed. It was absurd that Sabnak had begged for her life. Moreover, even after tormenting Sabnak for so long, the percentage hadn't dropped at all. It was proof she could wield overwhelming power without limit.
With this power... maybe I can even eliminate Tyrat.I don't know how, but I've returned to the past with this strength. God is giving me a chance for revenge! Filled with courage at the thought, Yuria began shooting arrows at the demons devouring the citizens, killing them one by one. It wasn't for the sake of the people. She simply couldn't stand the sight of the demons.
Before long, the village was cleared. A few residents approached and stared at Yuria in surprise. "Wow, it's the princess! It's Princess Yuria! The princess has appeared to save us!"
Whoaaah! The citizens shouted in praise and knelt before Yuria, as if worshiping a deity. Yuria's heart raced. Showing her power made these insignificant citizens bow their heads on their own. Even a son whose parents had died and a widow whose husband had perished now looked only at Yuria with expressions of salvation. It felt good. She decided she shouldn't think of humans who worshiped her as "evil."
Yuria smiled faintly, yet she clicked her tongue in disappointment. The most important person wasn't here. That person was none other than Song Jihyeok. She had wanted to show this strength to the one she loved most in the world, but she couldn't, and it saddened her deeply.
If Jihyeok could see this, he would have been proud... As Yuria sulked, she suddenly thought of her mother. This was the moment the demons had just invaded the kingdom. That meant her mother, Margaret, had not yet passed away. Yuria steadied her quickening breath and soared toward the palace.
While flying to the palace, she saw several villages under attack. Residents screamed for help in voices that sounded torn apart. It was a scene that would evoke sympathy from anyone, and firing a few arrows while flying could have saved some. But Yuria had no desire to save the trash who had only looked out for themselves when the palace burned. They were humans with filthy natures to begin with, and right now, saving her mother was the priority. She ignored them completely.
Flying at high speed, Yuria's expression brightened when the palace came into view. It hadn't caught fire yet. Mother is safe! I can protect her! As she continued to propel herself through the air, she passed the magic tower. There, Astaroth—who had died in the western sea—was approaching in perfect condition.
Astaroth must die. Why? Because the mages needed to be alive to use the portal and go to Earth to see Jihyeok. There was no other reason. Yuria stopped abruptly in midair and nocked an arrow. Focusing all her concentration, she poured power into the arrow. The moment Astaroth showed signs of caution, she released the string. Thwack! Boom! With the satisfying twang of the bowstring, Astaroth's head exploded. Yuria clenched her fist. In the past, even fighting alongside Leona, it had been difficult to defeat him, but with focused concentration, she had ended it in a single shot.
In her current state, no one could match her. At this level, she could even take on the Four Knights, Tyrat's personal guards and S-class demons. Boom! After effortlessly eliminating Astaroth, Yuria landed in the middle of the palace garden, lined with statues made of high-grade materials. She tilted her head at the unexpected quiet. How could it be so silent amid such chaos? By now, the royal guards and soldiers should have gathered. The nobles' territorial forces should have been visible everywhere.
With a puzzled expression, she tried to scout from the air when she flinched at the faint scent of blood coming from inside the palace. Don't tell me... Anxiety blooming in her chest, Yuria immediately rushed inside. She swallowed hard at the sight before her. The corpses of brutally slaughtered soldiers and knights lay scattered everywhere.
Don't tell me I'm too late? Mother wasn't killed by Balrog, was she? Passing the bodies littering the interior, Yuria headed toward the bedchamber when—thud!
"Ack!"
"Urgh!" She collided with a knight coming around the corner. Fury rising, she was about to strike the knight's helmet when a familiar voice came from within. "Yuria...?"
She froze. That distinctive stubborn voice was unmistakably... "Aaron...?" It was Aaron, the young captain of the royal knights who had promised to spend a hundred years with her. When the knight removed his helmet, Yuria drew a sharp breath. It was indeed Aaron. Her fiancé, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, looked at her with a surprised expression.
"Yuria... What is that appearance..." It was commendable that he had recognized her transformed Beast Slayer form at a glance. In the past, she would have burst into tears, wanting to be held in that broad chest. But now that she knew the absolute existence that was Song Jihyeok, Aaron was nothing more than a trivial human who struggled even against a C-class demon. Well, not entirely trivial—just an ordinarily strong human. Still, she was glad to see her former lover, so Yuria asked in an excited tone, "Are you all right? There's blood on your armor... Were you fighting demons?"
Aaron, who had been confused by Yuria's appearance, snapped back to his senses. "That's right. I went to the audience chamber to evacuate the king and queen, but there were only demons. So after killing a few, I was on my way to the bedchamber."
"Let's go together. I was looking for Mother too."
"Got it. And... Amon has hypnotized people with weak mental fortitude. They're pointing swords at each other, so be careful."
"I..." Just as Yuria was about to say something, a young knight who seemed to have lost his mind came charging down the corridor with his sword drawn. "Damn it..." Aaron swallowed a groan and tried to draw the sword at his waist. But Yuria struck first. Thwack! Splat! Without the slightest hesitation, she fired an arrow and blew the knight's head apart. The headless body collapsed backward. Aaron stared blankly before shouting at Yuria in anger. "What the hell are you doing!?"
"Anyone who gets in the way of finding Mother, even if they're on our side, I won't forgive." Yuria's tone was cold. Aaron was stunned. "If we waste time on a single knight like that and Mother ends up dying, what then? It's better to kill them quickly."
"Y-Yuria... What on earth happened to you..."
"I'm right, aren't I?" Aaron fell silent. He had implicitly agreed with Yuria's opinion. Yuria smiled brightly. "I knew you'd think that way. Let's hurry."
"R-Right..."
As Yuria headed toward the bedchamber, she thought to herself. Demons and humans were both evil. Being evil controlled by evil... Of course they needed to be exterminated, didn't they? This was the first time she had killed a human. She had acted on instinct out of fear for her mother, and the result was her first murder. She had expected to feel disgusted when the knight fell like a scarecrow, but... It doesn't feel... bad... No, not just not bad—it felt very good. Just as Jihyeok had said, it was refreshing, like swatting a mosquito buzzing around in summer. Still, there had been some discomfort. But the pleasure had been unexpectedly high, and because of her worry for her mother, Yuria quickly shook off that discomfort.
Mother... Please... Please be safe and sound. I'll take care of you. Strengthening her resolve, Yuria quickened her pace.