Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Facing Baal
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Piiiiiing-!
An intense ringing in my ears so fierce it could split my head open.
Amid it all, I vaguely took in the chaos around me.
“E-Elder-!”
“H-How...”
Aldeon’s elders, realizing Dershion had been sucked into the rift, were screaming in despair.
“What the hell is that...?”
“A demon...? That’s a demon...?”
The guards, plunging into panic the moment they arrived.
“...Uh, u-uhh.”
Even my fellow mages, pale as ghosts, their mouths hanging slack.
Not a single person wasn’t freaking out.
Of course, me included.
‘...Baal.’
I could swear that no crisis I’d faced in [Devil Fantasy] even came close to this.
And why wouldn’t it? Running into the final boss right at the start of the game?
I’d never experienced anything like this. Hell, I’d never even imagined it.
If this were a game, I’d have quit the second that eye popped open.
But no, this was harsh reality.
‘...Somehow!’
The silver lining? Thanks to the ‘Fear Immunity’ from [Former Owner of Sword Saint], I could still think straight, unlike the others.
Which meant if this mess was going to get fixed, I had to be the one to do it.
So.
Crack.
I had to move.
There was no other way to stop this disaster right now.
I gripped my mind and carefully lifted the [Holy Staff].
Even with ‘Baal’ showing up, my job hadn’t changed.
‘Close the rift.’
Whooo!
I swung the staff lightly and checked my remaining mana.
Fortunately, most of what I’d spent summoning the Gate Keeper had recovered.
I poured every drop into granting an attribute.
The attribute I chose...
‘Light.’
The strongest light attribute I could wield right now.
Whooooong-!
The orb of compressed mana gleamed with a crystalline light.
Maybe because I’d thrown everything into it, but it seemed even more radiant than before.
Still, it wasn’t enough.
The magic I unleashed needed power matching the Gate Keeper’s [Reaper’s Sword].
There was a way.
‘Grant form.’
Holding the [Holy Staff], I was currently a pseudo-4th circle mage.
And from 4th circle on, you could do more than just hurl orbs or shoot lasers—you could imbue mana with ‘form.’
That’s why I’d been closely watching Roan’s spells all this time.
Figured it might come in handy someday.
I just hadn’t expected today.
Woooong!
“...What’s that?”
Roan, frozen stiff, muttered it.
He’d noticed.
The beam of light I’d shaped matched his ice spear design exactly.
“Borrowing it for a sec.”
The reason for the spear shape was simple.
Roan’s signature ice spear looked damn efficient, and more importantly...
Kkachik-!
It counted as a ‘blade.’
-All blade proficiency +300%.
The moment I gripped the formed light spear.
A faint ‘crack’ echoed from my wrist.
Yeah, worst-case scenario, but...
‘...Guess luck’s on my side after all.’
[Bracelet of Holy Oil fully absorbed.]
[Holy Power stat rises by ‘5’.]
Shoooo!
Clumsy since it was my first time, but I managed to infuse holy power into the spear.
No reason to hold back now.
I’d poured everything I had into this.
I drew back the spear and tensed my muscles.
My whole body screamed in agony, but I didn’t stop.
Only one thought in my head.
‘Throw.’
Grrrk, grrrrk!
Legs braced for balance, waist coiled with tension, arm loading power.
A perfect stance and motion, natural as if I’d spent my life hurling javelins.
Taat. Shiiiiiik!
The light spear left my hand, streaking in a straight line.
Faster than anything I’d ever seen.
More powerful than any magic I’d ever witnessed.
Kwaaaaang!
The shockwave alone gouged the floor as it slammed dead-center into the rift.
Then.
Tsk, tsktsk!
The rift began spewing unstable demonic energy.
I’d succeeded in destroying it.
Crackcraaaack!
The rift crumbled bit by bit.
“...”
I watched impassively, locking eyes with that thing as it faded inside.
I saw it clearly.
Even as I threw the spear, even as it hit the rift...
It never blinked once.
Succeeded in closing the rift?
‘Bullshit.’
It wasn’t my success.
It let me.
What the hell was it thinking right now?
I bit my lip and stared straight into that eyeball.
“...We’ll meet again.”
Flash!
The rift collapsed completely, and people slumped to the ground as if their strength had drained away.
Thud.
“...Thought I was dead.”
“...The abyss demon?”
“How did the elder...”
“What was that spear I just saw...”
Everyone reeling from different shocks.
That’s when Barundel rushed over, face full of worry.
“...Yoo Han! You alright?”
“...Y-Yeah. I’m fi...”
I tried to say I was fine, but the words died.
I’d lost my balance without warning, staggering.
‘...Well, yeah.’
Pushing myself that hard in this messed-up condition? No wonder.
“Leave the cleanup to me... Get some rest.”
Barundel said, supporting me.
I wanted to refuse—there was still a mountain of stuff to do—but my mouth wouldn’t move.
My vision was spinning even now.
Barundel saw my hesitation and urged me to rest.
“Overdoing it always bites you back. You’ve done plenty.”
“...You think?”
...Then I’m glad.
Before the words even left, my vision went black.
Damn, what a filthy long day.
***
Boil, bubble-.
I woke to the sound of something simmering.
First thing in my sight: the back of a man in an apron.
Who the hell...?
“You’re up?”
Barundel.
...Damn, apron on that build.
Made my stomach turn a bit, but more important things first.
“Did... everything go okay?”
“Luckily, yes. Rift closed fine, and the stragglers got mopped up by the late-arriving guards.”
Phew, one less worry.
Would’ve been real stress if cleanup went south.
Anyway...
“...Where are we?”
“My place. Not big, but cozy enough?”
Barundel’s proud words made me scan the room closer.
Couch, table, cabinets—all cloth-draped solid wood furniture, highlighted by warm yellow lamps.
Cream rug on the floor, shelves with little potted plants and knickknacks.
Add the mouthwatering soup aroma, and just sitting there made my body relax.
A lived-in home, full of human warmth.
Somehow nostalgic.
“Yeah, it really is. You live alone?”
“For now, yeah.”
“‘For now’?”
“Used to have a spouse. Now just photos left.”
“Ah...”
Barundel smoothly changed the subject at my awkward reaction.
“No need for that face. Ancient history. Anyway, you were out cold for three days—know that?”
“Huh? Three days?”
Barundel nodded quietly.
...No wonder I felt so refreshed.
Sleeping 72 hours? Being tired would be weirder.
“Seems your body forced itself into mandatory sleep.”
“Mandatory sleep...? Does that happen often?”
“No way. Means you pushed way too hard. Nothing like last time’s training.”
“I see.”
If even Barundel says so, I really overdid it.
‘No limits like this in the game.’
Mind grew heavy.
If that wasn’t a dream, I’d caught ‘Baal’s gaze.’
Meaning dangers galore ahead.
‘Gotta grow more.’
Couldn’t play it safe over some constraint.
“Any fix for it?”
“...A fix? Just don’t overdo it.”
“Doesn’t seem possible.”
Barundel read my resolve, nodded once, and sat at the table.
He held the silver pot he’d been stirring.
“Gonna be a long talk, so eat while we do. Yours is ready—dig in.”
“...Thanks.”
No refusing Barundel’s mystery soup.
Warmth slid down my throat.
And surprisingly? Tasted amazing.
Better than soups from District 6’s ritzy joints that cost two gold each.
‘...Cooking hobby?’
Taste like that takes years of practice.
Demon hunter with a cooking side. Barundel’s surprises keep coming.
He spoke as I took my third spoonful.
“Suits your taste?”
“Yeah, best real cooking I’ve had.”
“Hah, glad to hear. I’m pretty confident in my cooking. Anyway... Mind if I ask something?”
“Go ahead.”
Barundel tapped the table thoughtfully, then spoke.
“What’s your goal?”
“...My goal?”
“Why push so hard?”
“Hmm.”
Goal, huh. No idea why he’s asking, but mine was clear.
Catch Baal, go home.
But couldn’t say that straight.
“Become a hunter. One who won’t lose to any demon.”
That’d do.
To achieve my real goal, I’d need to become a proper demon hunter eventually—not total lie.
“As expected.”
Barundel stroked his chin, unsurprised.
No suspicion.
“Tough road.”
“Not an easy one.”
“Then I should help pave it.”
Mystery solved, Barundel continued.
“Fix for mandatory sleep is simple. Just another weak-body issue.”
“Train the body more?”
“Yep. Finish stage 3, and it won’t grab your ankle.”
Good.
I had to train steadily for ‘that build’ anyway.
Just meant speeding it up now.
“Tonight work?”
“Training? Body’s not fully recovered... How about tomorrow? Still got stuff to tell you.”
“No time to spare.”
“Schedule?”
Schedule. Yeah, I had one.
Not just mine.
‘Little over a month left, huh.’
Two months in Aldeon.
If my info’s right, about a month from now.
Crisis hits Asteron.
The [Prophecy of the Red Moon].
Thinking about it, prep was a mountain.
Facing a ‘Demon Legion Commander.’
Not like the demons so far—real deal.
“...That look again.”
Even those guys couldn’t stop me.
***
Meanwhile, in the deepest, darkest depths of the demon realm.
Gooooo.
The being lounging on its throne tilted its head back, radiating savage demonic energy.
A habit when deep in thought.
“...!”
Its minions groaned silently in the aura, but it ignored them.
Only one thought: a human man.
‘That guy...’
Black hair, black eyes.
A total stranger, yet somehow familiar.
Why?
After agonizing, a figure flashed in its mind. Answer found.
‘...The eyes.’
Probably the eyes. Like the man from 100 years ago, who’d challenged it without knowing his place.
‘Baal’ still couldn’t forget...
The fighting spirit in that man’s eyes. The black-haired guy’s gaze matched it perfectly.
And that was.
“Been a while.”
To him, cursed with immortality where days dragged boringly, it was welcome.
“A new toy.”
Tzzzzz!
With intense demonic energy, it slowly raised a hand.
Then.
Srrk.
“...”
One lifeform rose quietly.
One it had revived by injecting its own energy.
“Tower Lord, was it.”
Gazing at the being humans called Tower Lord, Baal murmured low.
“Hope it’s a fun fight.”