Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Legion Commander of Desire, Asmodeus
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Legion Commander of Desire, Asmodeus.
A bastard who arbitrarily manipulates human desires, making instincts override reason.
Her viciousness was enough to exhaust anyone just describing it.
Exposure to Asmodeus's crimson magic immediately begins to shatter the mind, rendering normal judgment impossible in a short time.
Which meant she had to be taken out faster than anyone else—before the mental damage set in—making her the absolute top priority target.
Of course, her specialty being mental attacks, she had no abilities like barriers.
Which meant.
Ripple!
‘That black wall... Dershion?’
It was faintly laced with mana, so probably.
In that split second when everyone's attacks were fully mobilized, Dershion must have used his own mana to erect a barrier and shield Valefor with it.
It would have taken a considerable amount of mana, but if he'd been building it up before crossing the rift, it was entirely feasible.
Nothing strange about it.
That was why my attention was focused elsewhere right now.
‘......Why is he in that state?’
Dershion's condition.
Anyone could see his demeanor was completely different from before.
Eyes devoid of focus or life, mouth slightly agape, drool trickling from the corner.
Like a screw had come loose in his head.
He'd always been a bit off mentally, but now he seemed utterly deranged.
And above all.
Tsss—Bang!
“......!!”
The power of Dershion's magic had risen even further from before.
To the point where even I failed to detect his attack for a moment.
Elbert, who reached me in an instant, struck down Dershion's black beam.
“Urgh......!”
And with a groan, he dropped to one knee.
He hadn't been directly hit by the beam, but still injured as he was.
Just deflecting that beam with his sword had put a heavy burden on his body.
“Are you alright?”
“......I'm fine. Any injuries on your end?”
“......Yes, thanks to you. Thank you for the help.”
“Good. Protecting my successor is part of a commander's duty as well.”
Successor?
No idea what that meant, but I didn't bother asking.
This wasn't the time for chit-chat.
No, if anything, it was an extremely dangerous situation.
‘......Two—no, three?’
I didn't know what happened in that brief moment, but Dershion's level had skyrocketed.
To the point where I now had to treat that human as a Legion Commander.
Which meant we were facing a total of three Legion Commander-class forces.
Valefor, Asmodeus, Dershion.
‘......This is insane.’
No matter how strong our forces were, honestly, I couldn't even guess how this would play out.
Could we really beat those bastards?
No, to begin with, why were three Legion Commanders popping out starting from Day 3?
Unanswerable questions kept flooding my mind.
“Phew, stay calm.”
I emptied my head entirely and forcibly calmed my chaotic thoughts.
My thoughts meant nothing anyway.
What was done was done, and we had no choice but to make it through.
Somehow, we win.
That was all I needed to focus on now.
“President.”
[......Yes, speak.]
Asion Gail replied with a furrowed brow.
His wound was still stained black.
Rustle.
Like Elbert, Asion Gail was injured too.
The black wound wasn't spreading further—probably blocked by his mana—but his condition didn't look great either way.
But.
“......Could you possibly handle Valefor alone?”
I had no choice but to make this request.
There was no other way.
With our strongest force, Asion Gail, taking Valefor one-on-one, we'd have some chance of victory.
He seemed to know this too.
[What a foolish question. That little ox bastard is already mine.]
He spoke in a solemn tone, utterly unconcerned.
Probably trying to ease our burden.
Ta-at!
Asion Gail leaped forward and glanced back.
[Don't even think of interfering.]
And then.
Wooong—Bang!
The mana gathering around him exploded outward in an instant, pushing us and the demons away, forming a circular arena.
Inside it remained only Asion Gail and Valefor.
[Asion Field].
His personal colosseum had been created once more.
[Come on! You damn ox bastard! Let's end this!]
Grrr!
[Iiiingaaaan......!]
Mooo—!
The lion and the ox began their battle immediately.
I watched the flow for a moment, then turned around.
“Ha, President......”
“He's doing that for us......”
Behind me, those connected to Asion Gail watched the field with worried eyes.
Clap!
I clapped once to draw their attention.
“Focus.”
All eyes turned to me.
I nodded with a serious expression and said.
“The President will win.”
Their reactions were unexpected.
“......Yeah, probably.”
“I wasn't thinking he'd lose, Yoo Han student.”
They looked at me like I was stating the obvious, puzzled.
“......Weren't you worried?”
When I asked.
“Of course we're worried. But that's separate. You wouldn't get it, but honestly, from our perspective, imagining the President losing isn't easy.”
The pointed-hat chairman lifted his hat slightly and continued.
“You'll know soon enough.”
Zero doubt on his face.
It was an unforeseen response, but somehow, hearing it eased my mind a bit.
‘......Yeah, these people too.’
They had no intention of losing.
That was the feeling.
That would make things easier.
Without further delay, I quickly explained the plan.
“Me, Kayla, Thompson, Roan. The four of us will take on Dershion. Everyone else, handle Asmodeus.”
The plan was simple.
Me, Kayla, Thompson, Roan.
The four of us, magic-focused, against Dershion, while the rest handled the trickier mental-attacker Asmodeus.
The best force allocation possible.
“If one side finishes first, provide support immediately.”
“That'll be no issue for us, but...... are you sure about your side? Just four students?”
“We should be fine. We......”
As I started to reply.
Thump! Thump! Thump......!
My heart pounded fiercely, and at the same time, intense demonic energy surged from behind.
Turning, an enormous black beam was bearing down on us.
Crackle!
Ta-at!
I'd sensed the heart irregularity beforehand and instantly leaped back......
The chairmen, still in place, chose to pool their mana into a [Mana Barrier] instead of dodging.
Kwaaaa!
The familiar black beam clashed violently with the chairmen's [Mana Barrier].
It carried immense demonic power, but thanks to the territory's 'cooperative magic power boost' effect?
Fortunately, the chairmen's barrier held firm and fulfilled its role before vanishing.
“Whew~ That was close.”
“Attacking during strategy talk is against the rules, isn't it? What uncouth mages. That old coot.”
“......Yoo Han student, a bit disappointed? You ditched us to save yourself, right?”
The chairmen wiped sweat from their brows, shaken.
Their relaxed tone, in contrast, showed just how strong they were.
Honestly.
‘They blocked that?’
Even I was a little surprised.
At a glance, it was a highly condensed demonic beam.
I thought even the chairmen couldn't avoid damage......
“Reflex. Haha......”
Now I felt embarrassed alone.
Anyway.
“Let's proceed as discussed.”
“Fine. We'll take Asmodeus since it suits us, but...... please don't get hurt. Otherwise, we won't have the face to see the President.”
“Yeah. Absolutely no injuries, students. Absolutely......”
These guys were still worrying about me.
“Don't worry. I have no intention of getting an earful.”
With that, I turned my back.
As if they'd already heard, my teammates were gathered there.
Thompson and Roan.
“Phew, top ranker. I'm so nervous.”
“Didn't expect we'd team up like this again?”
“You're coming along willingly?”
“Well, I always follow the best option. Don't misunderstand—I'm moving by my own judgment, not yours.”
“......I'm fighting alongside this guy? You sure about this, Yoo Han?”
Kayla grumbled, displeased at being on the same side as Roan.
And......
A man who looked even more displeased than Kayla.
“......Yoo Han, I'm really joining you here?”
It was Barundel.
“No mention, so...... you didn't forget, right?”
“Ah, no. It was so obvious I didn't say it. Of course we're together.”
I'd actually forgotten, but no need to admit it.
No point accumulating more karma.
Already at 1 stack; no more.
‘Whatever, doesn't matter. Barundel was meant to join us anyway.’
Barundel was a solid melee dealer.
And for melee dealers, nothing was more deadly than mental attacks.
Unless he had paladin-level aura for self-healing his mind.
So Barundel belonged with us.
Thus, our temporary party was formed.
“Let's go.”
Carrying them on my back, I slowly advanced.
Step, step, step......
With each step forward, chills ran down my spine, and Dershion's demonic energy grew stronger.
Faintly, Baal's aura clung to it, and his eyes still held no focus or reason.
Hummmm!
I stared at Dershion, compressing demonic energy without a twitch, and spoke.
No matter our bad blood, seeing him like this left a bitter taste.
“Is that your end?”
Dershion responded not with words, but incomprehensible noises.
“Uuuugh—.”
Like a beast that had lost language, howling.
Seeing him, I was certain.
Dershion Piguma, inheritor of light and former Aldeon Tower Lord.
He was already dead.
That was just an empty shell masquerading as Dershion.