Ending Maker Chapter 66
Ending Maker Chapter 66
Chapter 20 - Rough Avalanche #3
The Infernal Lords of Hell each had their own distinctive traits, not only in personality and demonic power but also in appearance.
Because of this, the demons and Demonic Humans also took on different forms depending on which Infernal Lord they served.
"The symbol of Asmodeus, the Infernal Lord of Lust, is the beast."
Asmodeus's subordinates took on the forms of beasts.
The magic beast that had sealed the witch's soul resembled a giant gorilla, while Soluzia, a high-ranking Demonic Human, had deer antlers and the wings of a bird.
"A mighty, peerless monster. A tireless beast."
Asmodeus, the Infernal Lord of Lust, was also a swordswoman.
According to the Demon Register of the Solari Order—the predecessor of what would become the Guardians of the Holy Cross—she was considered the greatest swordmaster in all of Hell.
A Infernal Lord with the strongest sword aura and peerless beauty.
There was even a story that when she unleashed her sword aura, it was so beautiful that even the enemies fighting against her would fall into lust and lose their will to fight.
"But Belial is different. You could even say he's the complete opposite."
Belial, the Infernal Lord of Corruption.
His appearance was so horrifying it defied description.
For that reason, the Demon Register warned that Belial, like Asmodeus, must never be looked upon directly.
Looking upon Asmodeus would inevitably entrance a person with her beauty and drive them mad with lust. Looking upon Belial, by contrast, would shatter the mind with sheer horror and revulsion.
"If Asmodeus is a beast, then Belial is an insect."
Belial, also known as the Lord of the Flies, had an insectoid form befitting that title.
Because of this, his demons and followers also took on insect-like forms when they unleashed their demonic power.
"I'll crush you! I'll make you beg for death!"
Zaracul's appearance changed drastically as he bellowed.
His horns and massive frame remained the same, but a hard shell formed over his skin, and his face transformed in an instant.
Huge dragonfly-like compound eyes replaced his own, and translucent insect wings sprouted from his back. Even his mouth warped into an insectile shape, making him utterly grotesque.
'As expected of a mid-ranking Demonic Human.'
Low-ranking Demonic Humans changed little in appearance even after demonization, but at the mid ranks the traits of the Infernal Lord they served became unmistakable.
'But he's still weakened.'
His injuries were simply too severe. He had transformed completely, but even the transformed body was incomplete.
The shell covering his body was cracked all over, and one of the pair of insect legs sprouting from his waist had been severed entirely.
A closer look showed him dragging his right leg; even walking properly seemed difficult.
At that same moment, while Yuder coolly assessed Zaracul's condition, Cordelia was thinking about something else entirely.
'G-gross.'
She had thought it was gross in the game too, but seeing it in reality was far worse.
She had talked about a boss fight, but honestly, right now she felt like running away rather than fighting. Just like when 'that thing' had appeared in her room.
As if he were deliberately trying to make the sight even worse, Zaracul began doing something more horrifying still.
"the Infernal Lord of Corruption will punish you!"
As Zaracul shouted, dozens of holes opened all across his body.
Cordelia went white at the horrific sight and could not even scream. Even Yuder froze for a heartbeat. But what came next was worse.
Bzzzzzz—!
Flying insects poured from the dozens of holes in Zaracul's body. Hundreds of them buzzed into the air, gathering into a living cloud.
"Go! Devour them!"
As Zaracul shouted triumphantly, the swarm of fly-like insects charged toward Yuder and Cordelia.
If they had been tiny, that might have been one thing. Instead, they were just large enough for every detail of their bodies to be clearly visible, which made them even more revolting.
Yuder snapped back to his senses and looked toward Cordelia, ready to evade. Cordelia had already finished the spell she had begun chanting reflexively the instant she saw the swarm.
"Fireball!"
A massive fireball, seemingly overloaded with the witch's mana, shot forward and exploded the moment it collided with the swarm.
BOOM!
It was a sizable explosion. Part of the swarm that had been rising as though to cover the sky vanished outright.
But Zaracul did not lose his composure.
"Hahaha! Is that all you've got?!"
Zaracul shouted. Rather than moving himself, he called forth still more insects, and countless shapes emerged through the heat of the flames.
"Aaaah!"
Cordelia finally screamed.
Cordelia already knew Zaracul, and she had defeated him dozens—perhaps hundreds—of times in the game. She had assumed a little extra grotesqueness would not matter. Reality proved otherwise.
Maybe it was because they had encountered him at a different point in the story, but in the game Zaracul had never commanded hundreds of insects like this.
"Cordelia!"
Yuder shouted and used the Twenty-Four Gale Steps to race to Cordelia's side.
"Chant a spell!"
As he shouted, Yuder hooked an arm around Cordelia's waist and sprinted away from the swarm. Several whirlwinds spun up around them, churning the air to throw the flying insects off course even slightly.
'She needs time to adapt!'
Even Yuder, who had been through every kind of battle, would have frozen if told to punch those insects with his bare hands. Cordelia's reaction was hardly surprising.
Still, even something horrifying became easier to bear with repeated exposure. Yuder planned to focus on evasion and buy her time to adjust.
But that wasn't necessary.
There was no need for it.
It was not because Cordelia had suddenly adapted to the horror in front of her. Her face was still white and she looked ready to cry.
Something else kicked in before fear or disgust could stop her.
Cordelia's combat instinct—the instinct that had impressed even Yuder again and again—had kicked in the instant she faced Zaracul.
Flames.
Flames surged from both of Cordelia's hands and raced outward on the whirlwinds Yuder had created.
At that moment, Yuder understood too.
He understood what Cordelia's instincts were trying to achieve.
He understood the conclusion she had reached in a single leap, skipping every intermediate step.
"I think I get it! Let's do it!"
BANG!
Yuder kicked off the ground and shot away from the swarm as though crossing space itself. After setting Cordelia down on higher ground, he immediately charged Zaracul.
"Come on! Come at me all you want!"
Violet demonic energy surged from Zaracul's entire body as he roared.
He was a powerful warrior before he was ever an insect controller.
But Yuder did not attack. He kept circling Zaracul instead, tracing a ring around him.
"What a pathetic trick!"
Was he trying to disorient Zaracul and attack from behind?
Zaracul sneered and filled the space around himself with hundreds of insects, eliminating any path to his back.
Exactly as Yuder wanted.
"Cordelia!"
Yuder shouted.
Cordelia reacted at once, calling the witch's black flames into bloom in midair.
Fwoooosh—!
The flame bloomed.
It was a small flame.
But it rode the wind.
The whirlwinds Yuder had created.
The wind began rotating along Yuder's path.
"Great Storm! Help us!"
Cordelia raised both arms high. Brilliant light flared from the golden tattoo on her left arm.
She began controlling the flow of the whirlwinds Yuder had already created—and was still creating.
It was the Blessing of Wind Command.
WHOOOOOSH—!
The whirlwinds merged.
The whirlwinds already following the same orbit merged into one enormous current.
"More! More! More!"
Yuder increased his speed. He kept generating whirlwinds with the Twenty-Four Gale Steps.
More wind joined the flow.
Under Cordelia's control, the barrier of wind grew stronger and stronger!
ROOOOAR—!
At last, it became a tornado.
The enormous vortex tore through the air, and Zaracul's insects could no longer stay aloft.
And the flames.
The black flames rode the wind.
The black flames spread in an instant, joined the wind, and became a massive vortex of fire.
"Yahoo!"
Yuder shouted cheerfully as he broke away from his position.
Yuder could tell. This was not the work of just him and Cordelia—Rough Avalanche was lending them strength from high above.
Damaged though it was, this land was still Rough Avalanche's sanctuary.
Once the power of the wild god who ruled the sanctuary joined the fire and wind, the vortex erupted with terrifying force.
That added power made possible a vortex of flame Cordelia could never have created alone.
CRACKLE—!
The vortex of flame completely trapped Zaracul. The hundreds of insects were reduced to ash in an instant, and the nearby snow melted away at once.
The heat was so fierce that even approaching the vortex made it hard to breathe.
Yuder stopped running and watched from a safe distance. Once Cordelia confirmed that he was clear, she shouted again with everything she had.
"Fucking boom!"
The first was an explosion.
The second was a detonation!
The tornado of flame swallowed Zaracul whole. The black fire tightened around him from every direction, as though invisible hands were wringing the vortex closed.
"Aaaaaaah—!"
Zaracul's scream was buried in the sound of the wind.
The debris of the mountain that rose along the vortex became terrifying blades, smashing and crushing Zaracul's body.
The witch's black flames incinerated him.
"Amazing."
Spectacular.
Even from that distance, the heat was so intense Yuder felt as though he might cook where he stood.
Yuder let out a dazed laugh of involuntary admiration. Cordelia's dark-red hair streamed like flame as she drew up even more mana.
"Finish!"
Cordelia shouted, spreading both arms wide to the sides.
At the same time, the vortex of flame let out its final roar.
WHOOOOSH—!
The flames exploded. As the vortex vanished, the air convulsed again and wild winds blasted in every direction. The heat was fierce enough to threaten every patch of snow on the summit.
BANG—!
And then Zaracul's form was revealed.
His whole body had been shattered and burned beyond recognition. Zaracul collapsed where he stood.
He must already have died inside the flames, because his body immediately crumbled into ash and scattered on the wind.
'You have acquired the title "Slayer of a Mid-Ranking Demonic Human." All stats increase by 1% when fighting Demonic Humans.'
A voice echoed in their heads, and rings of light appeared around both Yuder and Cordelia.
Yuder had three, and Cordelia had four.
"Haa."
Cordelia's shoulders sagged as she exhaled. Then, as if on cue, blood trickled from her nose and her knees gave out.
"Ah."
But Cordelia did not fall.
Instead of hitting the ground, she fell into Yuder's arms as he rushed over.
"Good work, princess."
"Com...bo attack. Good...."
Cordelia gave him a thumbs-up, then buried herself against his chest. Yuder adjusted his hold on her and looked up at the sky.
He smiled at Rough Avalanche, who was peeking over the edge of the wooden board.
* * *
"You can rest easy now. Those bastards have been punished for damaging the sanctuary."
"You're the ones who wrecked it! You did!"