Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Red Night (2)
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My body is hot.
Feynol hugged her own body tightly, gasping for breath.
The red energy inside her body was surging wildly. To the point where she couldn’t control it herself.
‘...I...’
What am I doing here right now?
Her mind, shrouded in fog, barely managed to conjure that thought.
Her last memory was picking up the elixir pill and rolling it around in her mouth before falling asleep.
And then, the memory of the ‘demonic energy’ overflowing from within her body.
As if it had finally endured ‘as much as it could bear.’
Her fading consciousness. Beyond her darkening vision.
A familiar silhouette came into view.
The same figure she had seen the first time she faced the red night.
“...”
A woman enveloped in red energy all over her body. Two horns rising above her head.
If Feynol’s own self were replaced by a red soul, this might be what she’d look like.
“...You.”
Feynol muttered those words blankly.
Her consciousness was hazy.
She didn’t even know why she was here.
Amid that mental fog.
A voice slipped in.
-...The world.
The red demon.
-Is hurting you.
It said those words.
For a being that had killed so many people borrowing her body, it was a remarkably calm and even voice.
Almost.
To the point where it felt like maternal affection.
As if it truly cherished Feynol.
-So, I’ll remake everything.
Without a doubt.
-New, for you.
She had heard those words before.
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Chaos reigned everywhere.
The vast open field outside the Papal State’s grand cathedral, with only hastily erected facilities nearby.
This was the result of the Pontiff stubbornly insisting that no one be allowed inside the grand cathedral. Unlike using academy facilities or nearby grounds,
The grand cathedral, the Papal State’s academy, was built near their core ‘sanctuary,’ which probably caused this.
‘...Annoying as hell, though.’
Honestly, it was a relief that the terrain was like this, at least.
It felt like they had deliberately chosen a sparsely populated area, as if they knew the second Red Night incident was coming.
“...”
What a stroke of bad luck, really.
It was probably information from the Foreseer, with high likelihood.
[...By the way, are we just leaving that guy alone?]
Kaliban was referring to the Foreseer who had been in my room until just moments ago.
As soon as the red pillar of fire shot up, I left him behind and rushed outside.
“...He won’t try to touch me right now.”
Up until now, that guy has always followed a consistent pattern.
He’s arbitrarily escalated events that were meant to happen many times, but he’s never gone as far as trying to take my life in the end.
The main quest this time will likely follow the same pattern.
As I said earlier, he probably influenced the Pontiff to choose this remote location as the final trial site.
That way, the difficulty drops a bit, and I might ‘survive’ this trial.
“...”
The problem is.
Even without his meddling this time—unlike before when he blatantly ramped up the difficulty—the situation is hellish enough on its own.
It would’ve been better if Eliya could control the holy sword, but without even that, it’s worse.
I gaze at the massive pillar of fire rising before my eyes, reminiscent of a mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion.
Even from this far distance, the heat feels like it could melt my skin.
And it’s not just the heat—the vicious demonic energy contained within makes any physical phenomena derived from it seem trivial by comparison.
A heaviness as if the entire area is being filled with poison. The ancient gods I encountered in the Crucible of Struggle emitted similar auras, but this is on another level entirely.
“...”
I silently fiddle with the lion’s breastplate tucked in my bosom.
If I hadn’t stuffed Tatiana here beforehand as a ‘familiar,’ I wouldn’t have been able to withstand it and would’ve been crushed outright.
What’s even more absurd is that this is merely the ‘prelude’ signaling the start.
Red Night incident.
The worst demonic rampage in the empire’s long history.
This is just the ‘signal’ announcing its beginning.
[So, what’s the solution?]
“There are solutions for the early, mid, and even later stages.”
I answer while recalling in detail the ‘progression’ of the events that follow from here.
The first thing to do is, naturally, reach where Feynol is.
Everything—how to tackle the boss specifically—starts from there.
I’ve already planned the route to get there.
“...”
The issue is lacking that decisive final blow to land at the end.
I’ll figure that out when the time comes.
It’s not like I have zero clues to unravel it.
“Hey, Dawood?!”
As I’m lost in those thoughts, a voice called out from right beside me.
Turning at the familiar voice, I saw Lana with her eyes wide open. Probably a chance encounter.
“What in the world is going on?! What’s that pillar of fire?!”
“...”
Telling her straight that the red demon has started rampaging would be too much.
She’ll hear the full story later anyway, but saying it now would just amplify the surrounding panic.
For now, more importantly, since we’ve run into each other by chance, I should think of ways to make use of her.
“Lana. I need a favor.”
“Yes?”
“Can you gather as many people nearby as possible and evacuate them?”
She blinked at my words, staring at me.
Even if it’s a deserted area, there are surely still people who haven’t escaped.
If I leave it to her, she can lead them out somehow.
Meanwhile, what I need to do is...
“Dawood.”
“...”
“Dawood. You know.”
In this urgent moment, wondering what she wanted, I looked at her, and Lana tilted her head before speaking.
“Your expression right now is really scary.”
“...”
Wondering what nonsense this was, I stared blankly at her, and she looked straight at me before continuing.
“Are you okay? Even compared to before, when you used me so inhumanely without a care... this feels way, way scarier.”
“...”
“...Back then, it felt like a precarious tightrope walk, but now you don’t even feel human?”
[...Her instincts are spot on, huh.]
I heard Kaliban chime in agreement with Lana’s words.
“...We’ll worry about that later.”
I let out a sigh and brushed it off vaguely.
I have neither the reason nor the leisure to care about that now.
“Can you do what I asked?”
“...It’s not hard. And it’s something that needs doing.”
“Then just handle that for me!”
With that, I break into a run again.
If she takes care of evacuating the others, my job gets much easier.
My target is the makeshift camp far from my lodging.
The path there is an open plain mostly consisting of empty fields and vegetation.
Cross straight through here, and I’ll arrive directly at Feynol’s camp.
That was the plan, at least.
As the rising red flames soar high enough to touch the sky.
Cracks begin to appear in the surrounding space.
“...”
Of course, it’s within expectations.
Similar to the phenomenon I faced against the demonized Riverback Marquis in Chapter 1. Summoning Pandemonium lifeforms into the material world.
It’s a fixed boss battle pattern triggered by this guy’s demonic energy, so nothing new—
[...You sure about that?]
“...”
[This isn’t new...?]
Looking at the ‘dozens’ of gates opening around us, I could understand Kaliban’s trembling voice all too well.
As expected, Pandemonium lifeforms are monsters on par with the angels’ lifeforms from the reverse world.
One or two would be one thing, but this many... even I could die?
“...Hey.”
Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.
At the same time, a bewildered mutter escaped my lips.
“Isn’t this a bit too much...?”
As the gates opened, slimy, viscous black demonic energy spread across the ground, and suddenly several gelatinous lifeforms began to rise.
Pandemonium’s cleaners. The bottom of the food chain.
It feels like the most basic ones are coming out first, ahead of the lifeforms that will pour out from here.
Of course, with dozens of gates, even these basic ones number in the hundreds as they slowly rise from the ground—no matter how I look at it.
“...Haa...”
I wipe the cold sweat and survey the surroundings.
Honestly, if it’s a fight, I can fight. Now that I’ve come this far, my specs are enough to wage full war against this.
But.
‘...Better to conserve as much as possible.’
The boss fight with Feynol hasn’t even started yet.
I can’t afford to waste strength here—
“You, you know.”
A familiar voice suddenly came from nearby.
“Always trying to handle everything alone is your problem.”
With those words.
-!
-!!!
Dozens of sweepers shattered into pieces in a single clash.
A dazzling sword strike. A familiar swing as well.
“...Elnor?”
Muttering her name in bewilderment, Elnor—who I hadn’t seen in what felt like forever—grinned and stepped in front of me.
And it wasn’t just her.
Seras, Liru, Yuria followed behind, and finally Eliya, with an exasperated expression.
Not a single one showed fear or any intent to retreat at the swarming Pandemonium lifeforms nearby.
Well, except Eliya.
She’s the only one floating awkwardly.
What can I say.
Facing a disaster of this magnitude, they weren’t scared or paying it any mind—instead, they were fiercely burning with rivalry toward each other.
As if there was something far more important at stake.
“...”
Uncle.
What the hell did you bet to get these people this fired up?
[Your virginity forfeiture rights.]
“...”
[To everyone except Eliya.]
“...”
[Isn’t it about time you stopped clinging to that virginity label?]
“...”
[Anyone but Eliya is fine by me, honestly.]
You bastard.
What did you just say?
“Then, everyone.”
As I’m thinking that.
“Don’t grab each other’s ankles.”
Elnor’s words dropped curtly.
At the same time.
-!!!
-!!!!!!!
A massacre unfolded in all directions.
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