Chapter 482
Chapter 482
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 482
Chapter Title: Killing the Demon
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"Grrrrr!!"
The pitch-black puddle was clearly made from the fluids of just one lesser demon. Yet the demons were crawling out of it like it was some vast lake.
Their numbers surpassed ten.
It was physically impossible, so magic or some vile demonic power must have been at play.
These crazy bastards!
"Ahh! This air!"
The first black demon to emerge spread its arms toward the sun and roared.
It was a grotesque mess of a creature. An obese body with plump, sausage-like limbs and a single eye. Only its black skin and the horns on its head proved it was a demon.
"This scent! This energy!"
Slurch.
Its entire body was coated in the essence of the demon I'd just killed. And yet it looked utterly invigorated. Well, of course. These things had twisted souls, after all.
"I've finally broken free!!"
Splurch!
Of course, its roar ended in a scream.
Claudia reacted faster than me, slicing its head clean off in an instant.
Thud.
The head hit the ground pathetically, and the headless body melted away.
"Hmph. This is a demon? Doesn't seem any different from other monsters. Are they just weak ones?"
Her curved sword had blurred for a split second, as always, racking up another kill. A foe I could take down was no match for Claudia anyway.
But there were so many of them!
I had to kill them all while they were still crawling out of the puddle!
"Winiaaa! Get ready!!!"
"Blackie, come protect me quick!"
"Got it!"
Whoosh!
Winia positioned herself behind me and swiftly began her incantation. Time to blast them with magic first!
"Claudia! Get to the back!"
"Katt... hold on. I'll handle this."
Claudia simply gripped her curved sword and advanced toward the demons emerging from the puddle.
"Grk? Humans! There are humans!"
"I smell fresh blood!"
"A contract! A contract with fresh blood!"
"Kraaaaa!!"
"KeeEEEE!!"
The demons bellowed at Claudia approaching them. As she raised her blade, their shouts turned to enraged cries. The demons towered over her. Did they not sense the gap in power?
"Insolent fool! You want to fight?!"
"Offer your blood! Offer your blood!"
"I'll claim the sacrifice!"
Perhaps they sensed the battle intent.
"Kuaaaaa!!"
The furious demons spewed black energy, roaring as they lunged at Claudia. Or tried to.
Fwosh!
Claudia moved first.
Her speed was beyond what my eyes could track. Her reactions and shifts in stance transcended human limits. Once she'd decided to kill, there was no hesitation.
Splurch!
When Claudia reappeared, the demons clutched their necks in confusion.
Splooosh!!
"Holy shit."
I gaped at the sight.
The ten or so demons that had charged her lost their heads in an instant, dissolving into black sludge. It took mere seconds.
Like a blender shredding through space, mincing her foes.
I'd seen this technique before, back at the sea. Claudia had broken through the mermaids' defensive formation the same way.
All that remained in the space she'd slashed was blood-soaked chunks of meat.
"As expected... nothing special. I had hopes, but it's disappointing. And not even leaving heads behind is unpleasant."
Claudia shook the sludge from her blade, expressing her dissatisfaction.
"Damn, sis. You're fucking strong."
"Y-yeah... Claudia's always been badass."
Come to think of it, Claudia hadn't spilled blood lately.
Today, she seemed unusually feral.
"Kehaaaa!!"
Demons kept emerging from the puddle.
Claudia had only killed those already out. The freshly emerged ones went berserk, charging at her.
Muscles bulging.
Most were orc-sized brutes packed with swollen muscles, horns atop their heads. Probably several times stronger than orcs.
But even those bastards could do nothing against the woman who'd turned other demons into tartare in seconds.
Swish.
Claudia advanced slowly, precisely severing the necks of the lunging demons. Without exception, they lost their heads and melted. It felt like her blade was infused with omnipotence.
The demons flailed wildly, swinging arms, but Claudia dodged effortlessly or cut their throats before they could strike. Zero damage taken, foes slain. Perfect combat.
Combat I could never replicate.
Splatter!
Her path wasn't lined with a red carpet, but black water made of demon sludge.
By the time she reached the puddle's edge, not a single demon remained.
"Unbelievable."
It hadn't even been minutes.
Claudia had advanced steadily, butchering dozens alone. The area looked like hundreds of liters of black ink had been spilled.
Situation cleared.
No more demons appeared.
Winia and I exchanged glances, then approached Claudia.
"Claudia!"
"Hoo... Katt. Mama's tired."
Her feral aura had vanished.
Sheathing her curved sword, Claudia turned to me, hugged my neck, and went limp. I wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her steady.
"You took them all out by yourself?"
It was jaw-droppingly insane.
"I wanted to kill demons myself. Did I hog too much?"
"Who cares. Good work anyway. You tired, Claudia?"
"Used some mana. Will you take care of me when we get back, Katt?"
"Of course. If you're too weak to resist, I can do whatever I want, right?"
"Hee hee hee, Katt. You're naughty. Will Mama cry again?"
"Just kidding. Heh heh."
Mana-depleted Claudia looked fairly worn.
She was insanely strong, but her mana pool felt limited. Karin seemed to have more mana, actually.
I recalled Karin clashing explosively with Liztina.
And Claudia's power she'd shown me so far.
If Karin erupted in overflowing violence and murderous intent, Claudia released it simply, purely refined. Both were powerhouse serial killers.
"But sis. Blackie. We've got a full demon-blood pond now. Think more'll come out?"
We silently stared at the black sludge pond.
Nothing happened.
Still, I hoisted Claudia over my shoulder and left the site. With all demons melted, there was no loot anyway.
After some distance, I set Claudia down. She sat in a suitable spot. Her superhuman stamina wouldn't fail, but rest was needed now.
"Winia. Can you fire a Flame Arrow into that sludge?"
"Wanna test it?"
"Yeah."
Winia began chanting immediately. A red magic circle flared above her staff, and she loosed an arrow at the target.
Fwoosh!
The fiery arrow streaked fiercely, exploding on the demon-pond.
Boom!
The blast happened, but no odd changes. The surface charred a bit, then the flames died.
"No more demons coming. Blackie, grab some in the canteen quick. We should take something at least."
"On it. Wait here."
I left Claudia and Winia, approaching the site.
The near-pond liquid was ominously foreboding. Staring at its surface felt like hearing evil whispers.
Splat! Splat!
Curious, I stabbed the surface repeatedly with my sword, checking for reactions.
"Fucking demon shits."
Nothing. Tried the same with the dagger from the Brass Celestial Society. Same result.
Safe for now?
Still cautious, I uncapped the canteen sword in hand. This essence was basically demon blood. Show it to the church folk, make them talk for a reward maybe.
"Huh."
Kneeling, I suddenly thought of holy water.
I had three vials.
Holy water was lethal to evil beings. A flash of genius—sometimes it elevates humanity. Standing, I uncapped a vial.
One should be fine.
"Be purified."
Drip drip.
I poured it in. Maybe it'd purify the sludge.
Then.
Bubble bubble.
The demon essence began boiling. I backed off to observe. Holy water on demon blood couldn't go wrong. Soon it evaporated, forming... something.
Part of the sludge reacted with the holy water, clumping into a writhing mass. Exactly where I'd poured? Left behind was a fist-sized black pebble.
"Hm..."
Pour holy water on demon remnants, and it clumps like this?
Worth reporting.
I filled the canteen with sludge. The pond was huge anyway; one vial wouldn't show. Spoils... sort of. Grabbed the evil pebble too, returned to them.
"Blackie, what're you doing? Messing around?"
"Check this. Sprinkled holy water, and this formed."
"...A mineral?"
Claudia and Winia showed interest, but who knew? We were all clueless about this stuff. First time seeing demons today for them too.
We discussed briefly, then decided to head back. Mission accomplished.
"Claudia, can you walk?"
"Hee hee hee, do I look that fragile to you, Katt?"
"To me, yeah."
No matter how strong, Claudia was feather-light to me.
"I'm fine. I can walk. Just a bit tired, not immobile. Thanks for worrying?"
She smiled, saying not to fret.
"Really? Doesn't matter anyway."
"Eek?"
I scooped Claudia up princess-style instantly.
Light as ever.
"Really... I'm fine."
She protested but hugged my neck.
"Fuck. Blackie, what about me?"
Winia poked my back with her staff.
She wanted to be carried too?
"Heh heh, Winia tired?"
"Hell yeah. Been ages since I went out, wiped."
"I'll alternate. Hang on."
Off toward the city.
Pretty deep in, might be cutting it close. Pick up the pace.
No time for church detour, so show this demon-pebble to Lisha first.