Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Asmodeus Appears
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“…….”
Silence blanketed the area.
Everyone held their breath wordlessly, eyes fixed solely on the blood-red rift.
The reason was simple.
The appointed time was now upon them.
Gulp.
In that moment of swallowing dryly amid the soaring tension.
“……They’re here.”
Tssst!
Kueee!
The hush shattered in an instant as they burst forth in droves, thick demonic energy roiling with them.
Their numbers—roughly…… about five hundred?
So many pouring out at once, it was like a black tsunami crashing toward them.
But everyone here had already staked their lives.
“Uwaaaah!”
As if fear had no hold on them, the waiting soldiers hurled spears and arrows in a desperate frenzy.
Shwaaak-!
Countless weapons blotted out the sky in moments.
Srrrrk! Srrrrk!
From the shadows they cast, I didn’t just stand idle—I fired off Light Swims to add my strength.
Two at a time now, unlike before.
Pukpukpuk!
Tadadadot!
Countless demons skewered by spears and arrows, white smoke billowing from the bodies of some twenty.
Yet even in the melee’s chaos, my eyes were elsewhere.
The five hundred demons surging like a tidal wave.
Smack in the center.
Boom!
‘……Valefor.’
Just like in the game, his first impression hit like staring down a colossal bull.
Massive head, broad shoulders, rock-solid chest, swarthy hide. Twin curved horns jutting from either side.
Huff, huff!
Even snorting through flared nostrils.
He reeked of demon through and through, yet could’ve passed for a bull’s distant kin.
Of course, key differences set him apart from any bull.
[……Human.]
For one, he spoke the human tongue.
Truth be told, legion commanders talking was standard fare—nothing to gawk at.
Valefor ranked among the dimmer bulbs in their ranks anyway.
At any rate, that instant.
[Humaaaan-!!]
Thududududu……!
The silent brute bellowed and barreled forward at a terrifying clip.
Kueeek!
Trampling his own without a care.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Dead ahead, no deviations.
Simple as his looks.
‘……Gonna plow straight through this?’
This wall of barricades, like they were paper.
Naturally, we didn’t just gawk while it crumbled.
“Take him dooown—!”
Elbert’s roar unleashed the main forces, everyone pouring out their power.
Knights loosed [Aura Blades], committee chairs activated artifacts, Kayla and I hammered him with ranged spells.
But.
Pebang! Peng! Pengpeng!
Valefor didn’t flinch, ramping speed to weather every blow.
When explosion smoke cleared, there stood his body—untouched.
Or more precisely, scraped up but healing in a blink.
“……Monstrous bastard.”
Legion commander through and through.
His terror stemmed from raw power matched by freakish regeneration.
This wouldn’t scratch him proper.
Hence why he kept coming.
Pushiii!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Blasting through smoke, still a threat at full tilt.
Small mercy—we had heavier hitters in reserve.
“Been a while.”
“……Not the time for chit-chat, is it?”
“Prickly as ever.”
“Shut it, runt.”
Barundel and Shuhan trading barbs like old pals.
Taat!
They launched together.
Sword and axe slamming Valefor’s charging bulk.
Kagagagak!
Sounded like scraping stone.
Sparks flying to boot.
That alone told the tale.
Barundel and Shuhan—eyeing senior knight rank—striking as one, and Valefor didn’t budge an inch.
Taat.
“What kinda muscles…… Beyond all reason.”
Barundel fell back, awe in his voice.
“Dwarf training can’t touch that?”
“Don’t ask. That ain’t muscle—it’s stone! Stone! Ignores straight hits like they’re nothing!”
Shuhan, meanwhile, glowered at his sword in dismay.
“…….”
Wonder what’s churning in his head.
Hadn’t spoken to him yet.
Still gunning for my heart?
‘……Soon enough.’
Mid-thought.
“Hah, Chairman, why drag me into th—?”
“Real growth comes from scraps like this. Thompson!”
“With a legion commander……?”
“No lip—follow!”
Paat!
Asion Gail snagged Thompson’s collar, vaulting the barricade.
Mana surged soon after.
Pajijijik!
Gray pelt swallowed Thompson’s right arm; Asion Gail morphed into a white-maned beast.
Body transformation magic, both of ’em.
Thompson, roped into the tag-team, stammered in shock.
“What’s this? Chairman…… power’s overflowing!”
[Domain’s doing.]
Thompson riding the domain’s full wave.
Made sense—domains shone in massive clashes like this.
“With this kinda power…….”
Thompson still marveling, lion-Asion Gail signaled.
[Now!]
“Yes!”
In they went.
Thompson braced for tanking over striking.
Earth magic layered on his morphed arm.
Boom!
Leapt high, plugging Valefor’s path dead-on.
He roared.
“Come at me, ya cow bastard!”
Opposite tack.
Grrr!
Tat! Tat! Tat!
White fangs bared, Asion Gail crouched, stalking his shot.
Pure predator mid-hunt.
Then—
Shwaaaak!
Leapt for Valefor’s nape.
Momentum like a shot.
Chwaaaaak-!
Valefor swiped a foreleg, throttling speed.
Charge finally broken.
Thompson’s wall plus that strike? Too much to shrug off.
[……Human!]
Snorting fury, Valefor whipped his head at the airborne Asion Gail.
Whoosh!
Demonic aura coiling his horn for a split second.
Get tagged by that? Bad news.
But.
Thud!
Asion Gail anticipated, planting on Valefor’s back for another leap.
Agility defying that frame.
[Humaaaan!]
Raging harder, Valefor whipped around roaring.
Asion Gail hit ground and pivoted too.
Shiiik shiiik!
Grrrrowl!
Lion and bull locked glares.
Valefor swelled, horns high; Asion Gail’s growl went grave.
Standoff snapped quick.
Thud thud thud thud!
Valefor rammed to gore.
Asion Gail dodged sharp, raking forepaw.
Mana claws.
Chwaaaaak!
Ripped Valefor’s flank, purple blood seeping from the long gash.
Valefor fired back, though.
Tracked the dodge, head snapping over.
Shwaaaak!
Curved horn gouged Asion Gail’s foreleg deep.
[Damn cow bastard…….]
“Hah, Chairman……!”
Blows traded, but the edge was plain.
Asion Gail’s damage dwarfed Valefor’s.
White lion’s wound blackened, creeping slow.
Valefor’s demonic taint.
Still.
Whoooong!
Ain’t no sacred beast pageant here.
Asion Gail yielding meant Valefor ate our chase attacks.
Kayla struck first, mana coiled tight.
“Die!”
Hwarararak!
Fan of flames bloomed from her staff.
Clung to Valefor like glue.
Same beat.
“…….”
Puk!
Shuhan knifed his sword home from behind.
Seven committee chairs, mana pooled, unleashed.
Whung!
Mixed-attribute orb, pitch-black swirl.
- Cooperative magic potency +200%
Kwaaaaa!
Screamed in at wild speed, smashed Valefor square.
And still rolling.
Chiiing!
Skegergek!
My light ray and Roan’s ice lance piled on.
Legion commander or not—survive that?
Pushishishi.
Victory seemed locked amid the smoke plume.
Yeah, that’s what we figured……
Till silent Shuhan piped up right then.
“……Got him?”
Uttered the one phrase you never say.
Useless bastard.
“Hey, you prick!”
“……?”
Before I barked.
Smoke thinned; heads turned on reflex.
[Human…….]
Back to square one.
‘No friggin’ way?’
Valefor reared up on hind legs, pristine as ever.
Zero damage vibe.
Mind-boggling.
Flag words aside—how?
‘Makes zero sense.’
No brushing that off.
Couldn’t drop him, sure, but hefty recovery damage? Mandatory……
Reason hit quick.
Black barrier rippled before Valefor sudden-like.
“……You don’t mean?”
Reflex glance at the rift.
Yup.
Tss! Tsuzuzut!
Chilling demonic aura leaking.
Two flavors.
Eyes converged.
Soon.
Step, step, step……
Figures we weren’t meant to see stepped out.
One: that damn mage, Dershion Figma.
Goooo!
The other: demon from one dream encounter.
“……Asmodeus.”
Desire’s legion commander, Asmodeus.
Seductive aura dripping, she sauntered forth, locked eyes with me, and waved.
“Finally met you, huh?”
Her sly smirk screamed pure delight.