Chapter 13 - The Sky Devil, Vertus (2)
Chapter 13 - The Sky Devil, Vertus (2)
The time had finally come.
As soon as reports arrived that the Heavenly Demon had separated from the Saintess, Erdan’s First Division, which had been waiting in the forest, immediately returned to the castle.
Now, according to plan, all three divisions were supposed to mobilize toward the direction the Heavenly Demon had gone to surround him.
“…”
But for some reason, Erdan wasn’t issuing marching orders. Instead, he had commanded his troops to stand by and was pacing anxiously inside his tent.
“What the hell are the Second and Third Divisions doing?”
Each division could exchange simple signals through magical communication devices.
The moment he received the scout’s report, Erdan had immediately ordered the other divisions to mobilize.
But no confirmation of receipt had come.
On the eve of a crucial operation, communication with the other two divisions had suddenly been cut off.
If they proceeded with the operation as planned, unforeseen variables might arise. But if they halted it, they would simply be letting that so-called Heavenly Demon go free.
Caught in this dilemma, Erdan was torn between indecision and action.
“Lord Erdan. I beg you one last time. Please call off this operation immediately.”
Seeing him hesitate, the Saintess pleaded with him again, just as she had been doing ever since she was brought here.
The Saintess and Emily knelt with their entire bodies bound in chains.
Surrounding and guarding them were the Inquisition troops under Barkus.
“…You bitches lied to me from the start. You said you were delivering a peace letter to the Heavenly Demon… And these chains—aren’t they the holy relics the Papacy treasures so much? You came fully prepared, didn’t you?”
Blood trickled from Emily’s forehead.
As she had said, the chains binding them were relics said to contain Juten’s blessing, sealing all supernatural abilities, including mana and holy power.
They had resisted immediately after encountering Barkus, but against elite holy knights who had come fully prepared to restrain them, resistance was futile.
“Lord Erdan, Lord Barkus. Please… Blind violence only begets more violence. I vouch for the Heavenly Demon’s identity…”
The Saintess continued to plead.
“Hey, Erdan. What’s the plan? Shouldn’t we just retreat with the Saintess? Something feels off about this.”
Barkus urged him to withdraw.
“…”
Lost in thought, Erdan remained silent before finally giving the order.
“…The operation proceeds as planned.”
The Central Army of the Radain Church, active on the frontlines against evil, moved swiftly and with perfect discipline.
Exiting Vain Castle’s western gate, the First Division quickly armed themselves, formed ranks, and began advancing in pursuit of the Heavenly Demon.
At the vanguard were Inquisitor Erdan, 150 holy knights, and 600 elite soldiers following them.
The solemnity etched on their faces was that of warriors preparing for holy war.
Slightly behind them, Barkus and the Inquisition troops followed.
They escorted the carriage imprisoning the Saintess and Emily, moving in tandem with the main force.
“…”
The Saintess no longer pleaded. She realized dialogue was no longer an option.
“…Ugh… This is bad.”
“Emily.”
“I think I can undo these chains.”
Emily spoke in a voice so quiet only the Saintess could hear.
“Really? They’re holy relics.”
“Yeah. Holy relics or not, the lock is just a regular padlock. But even if we undo them, we can’t beat the guards watching us… If we get a chance, I’ll undo yours too.”
Even in this situation, the two were still scheming ways to turn things around.
“…Huh? What’s that?”
But their plotting was interrupted by Barkus’s voice.
They turned to look where he was staring.
Black storm clouds had gathered over the main force.
“Commander! The other two divisions we lost contact with are ahead!”
Upon the scout’s report, Erdan checked the direction with his telescope.
It was true. They were indeed the Second and Third Divisions.
Though for some reason, most of them bore injuries large and small, and their movements seemed unnatural.
“…”
An inexplicable chill ran down Erdan’s spine.
“All troops, prepare for battle.”
“Huh?”
“I said arm yourselves now!”
The moment Erdan barked his urgent order—
Uwoooooooh—!
With screams more beast than human, the other two divisions charged toward the main force.
“W-what?! Why are they attacking us?!”
Caught off guard by their sudden frenzied assault, the First Division couldn’t react in time and collided with them.
Gyaaaaah!!
Soldiers and holy knights swung their swords like berserkers at their own allies.
“Stop! We’re on the same side!”
Unable to decide whether to calm them with words or fight back with blades, the First Division was pushed back.
Watching this, the worst possibility dawned on Erdan.
‘Don’t tell me a demon is controlling them?’
But as far as he knew, no demon could control 1,500 people—including elite holy knights—with such precision.
Unless it was one of the Fallen Deities, former gods who had once served Juten…
“…Vertus!”
The Hakram Cult’s ritual. The so-called Heavenly Demon summoned as a result. And now the soldiers being controlled before his eyes.
Finally, Erdan’s thoughts reached the truth—
“Listen.”
But it was already too late.
“Emily, hurry!”
“Got it. Just a sec…”
While Barkus and his troops were distracted by the bizarre phenomenon unfolding before them, the two undid their chains, kicked through the carriage bars, and escaped.
“Huh? Wha—?”
“No time to panic, Lord Barkus! We must regroup with the main force!”
“But…”
“Have your eyes grown so blind you can’t even tell friend from foe?!”
“…!”
The Saintess’s sharp rebuke snapped Barkus out of it, and he began barking orders to his troops.
As she ran toward the main force, the Saintess’s heart pounded wildly with dread.
Please, no. Let her worst fears not come true…
But her prayers were in vain.
What greeted the Saintess and her group were Radain Church holy knights and soldiers who had already become loyal thralls of the demon.
“…In Juten’s name, this is madness.”
Barkus drew the mace from his back.
“Auriel, what the hell is going on?”
“…They’ve been… corrupted by the demon.”
“What?!”
Auriel bit her lip until it bled.
The soldiers’ skin was etched with dark purple lines.
It meant their bodies had been flooded with ‘Corrupted Mana’—mana infused with a demon’s aura.
“W-what? How did this happen so fast? I can’t follow what’s going on!”
Emily gripped her daggers, poised for battle but clearly bewildered.
“Saintess.”
And then, the one who would answer that question finally appeared before them.
The black aura flowing from the corrupted soldiers’ bodies gathered in the sky above them.
The coalescing aura grew larger and larger. And with it, the ominous feeling weighing on the group intensified.
They all instinctively understood.
They were witnessing the descent of a being who would become humanity’s calamity.
Kwaaaaah—!
The condensed energy suddenly contracted—then exploded outward in an expansion.
“Tch…”
The violent gust forced the Saintess to shut her eyes.
When she opened them again, she was greeted by a sky as black as pitch—despite it still being daytime.
Grrrind—!
“Gyaaaaah!!!”
The demon’s thralls writhed in agony as black wings burst from their backs.
And then…
“…It’s been a while. Truly, it’s been too long. To feel the skies of the human realm with this flesh once more…”
A body covered in black feathers.
A humanoid form with avian claws and face.
Two sinister eyes glowing crimson.
After centuries of absence, the Sky Devil who had descended once more to drape the heavens in terror—Vertus.
“…”
While walking, I suddenly sensed something unnatural behind me and turned around.
In the distance, the sky near Vain Castle had turned completely black.
At that moment, I recalled the Saintess’s explanation about Vertus.
Something about shrouding the sky in darkness.
Moreover, beneath that blackened sky, I could feel an overwhelmingly powerful and sinister presence.
Had that Vertus guy actually descended? Even if not, something clearly unusual was happening around her right now.
“—Not my problem.”
But I kept walking.
She said she’d let me go, so I’m leaving.
I’m done with the Saintess and that damn Radain Church.
Honestly, if they hadn’t picked a fight with me in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.
I’d be off living my second life, and the Radain Holy Nation would be busy praying and hunting heretics or whatever.
So I have zero reason to feel sorry for Auriel.
Besides, what would I even do if I went back?
Show up all cool like the Heavenly Demon and rescue the Saintess in her time of need? Play the hero?
Hey, you. After pretending to be the Heavenly Demon for so long, you’re not actually starting to believe you are him, are you? You’re Kang Hyun-min. A regular college student from South Korea. Not the Heavenly Demon Baek Ui-cheon.
You finally got away from the Radain Church, and now you’re gonna run straight back into trouble?
“…”
I kept walking, scolding myself like that.
But another voice in my head argued back.
So you’re really just gonna leave?
Auriel admitted she misjudged you and tried to make things right, didn’t she?
And didn’t she help you a lot during those two weeks traveling together?
She covered travel expenses, guided you, taught you basic common sense about this world.
Hell, let’s be honest—you grew a little fond of her, didn’t you?
If something really bad happens to her—if she dies—would you be okay with that? Would you be satisfied?
“…Damn it.”
In the end, I had to stop.
The voice telling me to leave and the one telling me to go back were perfectly balanced.
“…Exactly half. 50:50.”
Helpless against the two opposing forces pulling at me, I stood frozen.
“Just one. Even the smallest reason would do.”
If I had some justification, I could go back.
I racked my brain for any minor incident.
Auriel disturbing me during energy circulation. Her lecturing me about Radain doctrine during meals…
Wait, why am I only remembering things that make Auriel look bad?
“…!”
At that moment, I sensed something flying toward me from Vain Castle.
A fist-sized black mist floated before me.
“Hear me, stranger who bears the name Heavenly Demon. I am Vertus, the Sky Devil—he who shall shroud this world’s heavens in darkness.”
A deep, ominous voice boomed majestically in my mind like a direct transmission.
“The Saintess Auriel is now in my grasp. If you wish to save her, return here.”
The black mist vanished, leaving one final taunt.
“Of course, if witnessing my power has filled you with fear, you may flee. If you can. Hahaha!”
“…”
Twitch.
“Ha. Haha…”
Well, that’s one hell of a justification.
Getting hit with a ‘u scared?’ and running away isn’t what a man does.
That’s something both Kang Hyun-min, the South Korean college student, and Baek Ui-cheon, the Heavenly Demon simulator, would vehemently agree on.
“—Bring it, Vertus.”
I channeled demonic qi into my legs and kicked off the ground, sprinting toward Vain Castle.