Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 161: As a Demon

Of course, I couldn't beat the old king. The most I could do was buy some time. And even that was unlikely to work.

I slowly looked at the old king. He, too, was staring back at me with a look of bewilderment.

“So. It was you. I knew my daughter couldn't have done this on her own. She must have become twisted like this from befriending a lowly creature like you.”

“Fucking bastard.”

It was doubtful he even saw her as his daughter. For a father who had just tried to rape her, his words held a strange affection for Jang Ye Ri. In a world like this, I’d seen plenty of insane people, but this guy took the cake.

The old king was still holding Jang Ye Ri by the arm, seemingly contemplating his next move. Naturally, I hoped he would focus all his power on me. If he tried to fight while still holding her, it would put me in a very awkward position.

“Yes. If I kill you wretchedly before her very eyes, my daughter will surely realize her place. I will break your arms and tear off your legs, and make you crawl on the ground. I'll rip off those filthy horns and gouge out your eyes to feed to the beasts of the forest.”

“...”

A hint of madness flickered in his eyes. But he was letting his guard down. It was only natural. My specs were, in fact, far below his. He knew that as well.

Five minutes. Ten, if I could really hold out. That would be enough time for Jang Ye Ri to recover and return to the fight.

It was a rather pathetic role for someone who had just made such a grand entrance, but it was my part to play.

The old king tossed Jang Ye Ri to the ground and began to walk slowly toward me. I considered trying to talk to him to stall for more time, but his madness-filled eyes didn't seem to be truly looking at me.

Worse, his type was a martial artist—he didn't use weapons, which made him a trickier opponent for me. In a way, you could even call him my counter. Jang Ye Ri was behind him. He probably wouldn't pay her any mind until he killed me, but the fact that she was behind him was still a risk. I smirked at the approaching king and opened my mouth.

It was the cheap way of talking Kim Taesung used to use back in the alleys.

“Speaking of which, about your son.”

“...?”

“Yes, your stupid son. I hear you have quite a special attachment to your children... He was clearly a failure, wasn't he?”

Jang Gi Young said nothing, just stared at me.

“But it's truly strange. Your daughter behind you is quite capable, even to my eyes... So why is your son so stupid? Isn't that a little odd?”

“You... you bastard...”

Anyone who wasn't an idiot would understand the implication. Seeing his face twist further with rage, I spoke again.

“It makes me wonder if the problem wasn't with the mother, but with the father. I don't know how humans put it, but in my race, we have a term for it.”

After speaking, I let out a sneer.

“Inferior seed.”

“You... you bastard! How dare you!”

Magic erupted from him in an instant. It was pouring from his entire body, regardless of his will. The taunt had clearly landed. There was no way he wouldn't be furious. It was like I had touched a reverse scale; there was no better provocation for drawing aggro.

“I'll kill you!”

I said nothing and stared straight at him. In an instant, his face was right in front of me.

'Shit.'

I reflexively raised the Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword. No, before that, I pulled my body back. But he followed me relentlessly. A fist came swinging. It was in an awkward spot, difficult to either dodge or block.

I considered swapping to Ancient Flame to obstruct his path, but I doubted it would have much effect. That brutish body of his would surely smash through anything.

The fist, imbued with immense magic, swung as if to beat me to death.

I leaned back and dodged it cleanly. But I couldn't avoid the second one. I shielded my body with the massive greatsword.

CRACK!

A heavy impact reverberated through my entire body. The shock from the greatsword was beyond imagination. For a moment, I almost ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lost my grip on the weapon. The force traveled up the blade and slammed into my whole frame. Just one hit, and my mind went blank.

The only good thing was that my body was sent flying through a wall. I felt the impact on my back, but it was far better than taking his fist head-on. Plus, it created distance between us. Instead of lying there stunned from the massive shock, I immediately moved. Wiping the blood from my lips with one hand, I threw a dagger.

“Tricks!”

I swapped weapons, and the large dagger, now filled with magic, plunged into the old king's shoulder. It registered as a critical hit, but the damage was pitifully weak. I hadn't expected it to pierce through, but to only leave a scratch... it felt a little pointless.

But there was no time to be disheartened. I kept moving, dodging the king as he shot toward me. I was starting to understand why Jang Ye Ri had used these tactics. Clashing with a guy like this head-on was suicide. He was more monster than man.

I drew Ancient Flame and began shooting fire and heat at him. I poured in enough magic to melt stone, but he showed no reaction. All he did was dodge back and forth, testing the waters.

He has to have a weakness.

Winning was impossible. But surviving was.

“You damn rat!!!”

I could see him charging, screaming and smashing everything in his path. He seemed to be swinging his fists blindly in his rage.

My magic reserves weren't high, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I had no choice but to summon Dainsleif. I wasn't sure if I could sate its thirst for blood, but I called it forth anyway.

[Dainsleif - Activating the item effect of the magic sword, Dain's Legacy.]

Dainsleif appeared out of thin air. I immediately grabbed it and sent the blood dripping from it flying toward the old king. It dealt no damage, but it could at least hinder his approach.

I quickly moved backward and began cutting my own body with Dainsleif.

The description never specified that the blood had to be from an enemy. As I thought, I could control my own blood as well.

I raised a shield of blood to block another incoming fist.

SPLAT!

It made a disgusting sound, but it blocked the attack. I immediately transformed the shield into the shape of thorns and began hammering at his body. Of course, it did no damage. I swapped to Ancient Flame, and when the critical hit registered, I swung at the arm of the momentarily stunned king. Unlike before, blood gushed from the wound.

'Deep.'

It wasn't a small wound like before. His body was gradually weakening. But the old king's fist was coming for my side.

'It's going to hit.'

I didn't have the magic to summon Aegis. I created another shield of blood, but this time his fist broke through in an instant and struck me squarely in the ribs.

“Kuhk.”

I had protected myself with as much magic as I could, but I felt bones break and organs rupture. My mind went numb. Immediately, a fist flew in from the other side. My body was slammed into the ground, but I forced myself up reflexively.

'I'm going to die.'

My consciousness was fading, but one thing was certain: if I allowed another attack, I would definitely die. And there was still a little more time before Jang Ye Ri would be back.

A way to endure.

A way to win.

As my mind grew distant, the thing that came to me, funnily enough, as I kept searching for a method, was...

'The Queen of the North.'

Absurdly, the memory of that battle from the Tutorial began to surface.

I picked up the World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear.

“Hooo...”

Everything was incredibly quiet. My legs were trembling, and I was barely staying upright by leaning on the spear, but I slowly extended it forward.

'I'll imitate her.'

Back in that fight, my physical specs were definitely higher than hers. I was sure of it. But I lost.

'I'm just imitating.'

I took my stance. Leaning back, I held the spear ready, wary of a fatal blow.

“Die, you inferior creature!”

He was apparently still hung up on that. I deflected his continuous attacks as he approached. I stepped back and swung the spear at him. He smacked it away with his fist as if it were an annoyance, but I used the recoil to pull back even further.

My opponent was a close-quarters fighter.

'Distance.'

I had to maintain distance. There was no need to clash with all my strength. Just keep my distance and watch for an opportunity. When he thought he'd closed in, I'd turn the tables again.

I kept swapping between Dainsleif and the long spear, aiming for critical hits. I had definitely confirmed that his defenses were breaking. No matter how strong he was, it had to be taking a toll. Of course, it wasn't enough. There was no real power behind my spear. He continued to charge, deflecting the spear with both arms, then closed the distance and aimed a kick at my legs. But I planted the butt of the spear into the ground and launched myself into the air.

It was the exact same move she had used on me.

But I hadn't consciously realized it.

I checked his next charge with blood thorns. When he got close, I used the spear; as much as he advanced, I retreated.

My consciousness was numb.

But my body was moving.

Somehow blocking his path. Somehow dodging his attacks. By a paper-thin margin.

Frustrated, he roared.

“You slippery son of a bitch!!”

It felt like I had become one with the spear. Is this what she felt? I found myself wondering.

I could feel everything—where the deflected spear shaft would bend, how to use the recoil, how to move my body, what he would do next. Every single detail.

“Haaa....”

I planted the spear again and glared at him. It was at that moment, just as his fist was about to fly toward me again...

...blood burst from his arm.

It seemed I had held out for longer than I'd thought. I smiled faintly. The king looked down at his own body, bewildered. He was no longer looking at me. He had realized that while I was an annoyance, I wasn't the one causing him direct harm.

The one directly harming his body right now was Jang Ye Ri. It didn't take the old king long to realize this, and just then, several more slashes rained down on him.

They weren't deep enough to sever anything, but they certainly drew blood. The old king clicked his tongue and glanced to the side. As expected, Jang Ye Ri was there, holding the Reaper's Scythe.

“Hooo....”

The battle that finally erupted between the old king and the young queen was incredible.

'They're strong.'

Having regained his composure, the king was undeniably powerful. Jang Ye Ri was his equal, never allowing him to close the distance. To see her scythe clash with his fists at close range was nothing short of marvelous.

Without realizing it, I found myself watching them with a look of admiration. The fangs of the witch's dark beasts rained down from all directions, and the old king tore every one of them to shreds.

I focused magic into my eyes and watched Jang Ye Ri.

She didn't blink, not even once. Even as she swung the Reaper's Scythe, her other hand and her mouth were constantly weaving incantations. There was no wasted movement. She was accomplishing a feat I thought would be difficult even for someone with two brains.

I wondered if she might be in the same state I had just been in. More and more wounds piled up on the old king's body, and Jang Ye Ri's magic fell in equal measure.

'Marvelous.'

My mouth hung open as I watched the highest level of combat I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had ever seen.

“Uwaaaaaaaah!”

The old king's fist completely shattered one of Jang Ye Ri's shoulders, but she didn't stop swinging the scythe with her one good hand. Letting out a shriek that didn't suit her usually cold face, she continued to swing the scythe with spiteful fury.

“You... you bitch!”

She was clearly using her magic to its very limit. The distance between them had closed. But this time, Jang Ye Ri didn't pull back. She just kept swinging her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scythe, biting her lip hard as she pressed forward.

She was clearly advancing.

She was clearly growing.

I couldn't hear Jang Ye Ri's voice clearly anymore. A sudden, massive shock ran through my own body.

'Dainsleif.'

It seemed the penalty had finally kicked in. My consciousness was fading, but I kept my eyes fixed forward. I had to burn even a little of this high-level battle into my mind, so I kept watching, searing every movement into my brain. When my body finally collapsed completely to the ground, I was happy to see Jang Ye Ri, still standing firm, scythe in hand.