Chapter 260
Chapter 260
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 260
Chapter Title: The Departed
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Chapter 260.
Cratos and Baek Siwoo had left.
All that remained were the lion's mangled corpse pieces from its body exploding to death, Baek Siwoo's severed arm, and bloodstains.
Seo Woojin released his 'Demon King Transformation' and let out a sigh.
'A bit of a shame.'
It had been a golden opportunity to raise his stalled level.
Even if there was no way to deal with Cratos, killing Baek Siwoo would have netted a substantial amount of experience.
After all, the guy had surpassed level 100 and reached the superhuman realm.
Letting such a massive experience chunk slip away was regrettable—more than a little, actually.
But there was no time to dwell on the regret.
He could clearly feel Ban Slaine staring at him from right beside him.
With an unwilling expression, Seo Woojin turned his head.
Sure enough, Ban Slaine was staring straight at him.
Then, soon enough, he spoke.
"I'll hear about what just happened later."
Ban Slaine didn't immediately question Seo Woojin about his 'Demon King Transformation'.
He seemed to think it wasn't appropriate to discuss in a place like this.
It was fortunate for Seo Woojin.
It bought him time to organize his thoughts before explaining.
But Ban Slaine's words didn't end there.
"However, I need to hear about this. Why on earth did you let them go?"
He gestured with his hand toward where Cratos and Baek Siwoo had vanished.
"Of course, I know it wasn't easy. I have ears, after all."
Having overheard the conversation right next to them, he couldn't possibly be unaware that Seo Woojin couldn't kill Cratos.
"But you could have killed the fallen hero. While you were holding back the Demon King's kin, couldn't I have beheaded him?"
His words weren't wrong.
No matter how strong Cratos was, Seo Woojin could have kept him occupied while Ban Slaine killed Baek Siwoo.
But Seo Woojin hadn't.
"I had no choice."
"...Is there a reason? Did you think I would lose to him?"
Ban Slaine's expression twisted slightly.
He figured there was no other reason Seo Woojin would let him go.
"No, that's not it."
Of course, Seo Woojin didn't think that.
Ban Slaine was a powerhouse whom Seo Woojin couldn't guarantee victory over without 'Demon King Transformation'.
Even if Baek Siwoo had grown stronger, he still couldn't match him yet.
Yet the reason Seo Woojin let Baek Siwoo go was something else.
"I let him go to avoid greater casualties."
"Casualties?"
He tilted his head as if asking what that meant.
"What casualties exactly..."
"The Blue Shield Knight Order is heading this way."
At Seo Woojin's words, Ban Slaine fell silent.
"My comrades are with them. Soldiers follow behind."
In his 'Demon King Transformation' state, Seo Woojin's senses extended far beyond imagination.
Thanks to that, he detected what Ban Slaine hadn't yet.
"By their speed, they'll arrive within an hour."
"An hour..."
Ban Slaine's face hardened slightly.
It wasn't a short time.
But it was woefully insufficient to kill Baek Siwoo.
He had seized a moment of carelessness to sever one arm, but if the two truly clashed, the fight wouldn't end easily.
At minimum, the battle would continue until the Blue Shield Knight Order and the hero party arrived.
And if that happened...
'They'd get a hundred percent dragged into the fight.'
Battles between beings in the superhuman realm were far too dangerous.
Even watching from a safe distance offered no guarantee of safety.
Moreover, the cunning Baek Siwoo would undoubtedly target Seo Woojin and Ban Slaine's weaknesses without hesitation.
"I didn't want to cause unnecessary losses. I desperately wanted to kill him too, but I thought letting him go was the right choice right now."
Ban Slaine closed his eyes.
There was nothing wrong with Seo Woojin's words.
Even if killing Baek Siwoo served the greater good, it wasn't more important than the lives of his own knights and soldiers.
"Heh, those guys. Doing something I didn't order."
As he spoke, Ban Slaine's expression didn't look bad at all.
Though unwanted, it meant his subordinates cared for him that much, so how could he feel upset?
"I'll have to drill them once when we get back."
Of course, there would be some payback.
"Sorry for misunderstanding."
Ban Slaine bowed his head toward Seo Woojin.
"Ah, no. Lord, it was understandable for you to think that."
Seo Woojin waved his hands.
It didn't feel good seeing someone like a mentor bow to him.
"By the way, what did Cratos mean by what he said?"
To change the subject, Seo Woojin brought up Baek Siwoo.
"He definitely called him the new king."
"He also said the ruler of Pandemonium."
Cratos seemed to judge that Baek Siwoo had the qualifications to become the new Demon King.
'I have no idea how that's possible.'
The fact that even the lion had abducted Baek Siwoo suggested it wasn't entirely impossible.
'Demon King, huh...'
A familiar yet strange name.
'No way he's becoming like me, right?'
Imagining Baek Siwoo charging in with 'Demon King Transformation' sent a chill through his chest.
Of course, Seo Woojin wouldn't lose, but it was clear he wouldn't win as easily as before.
'I really should have killed him when I had the chance.'
Seo Woojin regretted it just as much as Ban Slaine.
Letting an enemy gunning for his life go left a bitter taste.
But there was no helping it.
His comrades were precious to him too.
He couldn't let them be endangered because of a guy like Baek Siwoo.
"We should inform the Empire and other countries about this."
"Yes, we should."
An SSS-grade hero might become the Demon King.
They naturally needed to prepare for that.
If they slipped up, they might have to fight a Demon King named Baek Siwoo before the Great Descent even began.
"Let's head back for now. Waiting here for them will turn my hair white."
Seo Woojin couldn't respond to Ban Slaine's high-difficulty joke.
* * *
"Hm?"
Goo Dong-hwan, bickering with Testron while leading the vanguard, narrowed his eyes.
"Halt!"
He raised his hand and shouted at the same time.
"What is it all of a sudden?"
Testron frowned at the sudden action and asked.
Time was of the essence in this urgent situation.
But Goo Dong-hwan had his reasons.
"The demonic energy vanished."
The horrific intensity of demonic energy that had been there moments ago disappeared as if washed away.
As if it had never existed in the first place.
"What does that mean?"
When Testron asked, a reply came from behind.
"It means the battle's over."
It was Gyeseoji.
She stepped forward with a serious expression.
"We should prepare for combat here first."
The battle was over.
They had no way of knowing who won yet.
But it didn't matter who won.
If Cratos had won, he'd come to finish them off too, and if Seo Woojin and Ban Slaine won, they'd return this way anyway.
"So it's better to be fully prepared right here."
Testron pondered her words briefly before nodding.
He agreed it was the appropriate response.
"Prepare for battle!"
At Testron's command, the knights drew their mana and unsheathed their swords.
Shing-!
Dozens of swords were drawn simultaneously, yet the sound rang out only once.
Just that showed how well-trained they were.
"Let's prepare too."
Impressed by the knights inwardly, Gyeseoji turned to her comrades and said.
"Right."
Goo Dong-hwan responded first and transformed.
"...Insane."
The knights seeing the 'Magical Girl' form for the first time groaned.
"Grotesque."
"What kind of freakish appearance is that?"
Some even averted their gazes as if they'd seen something they shouldn't, muttering curses.
"At least no one's attacking the monster."
Lee Ji-ah laughed as she watched the knights.
"Yeah. Guess knights have more patience than regular soldiers."
Gyeseoji had actually worried the knights might draw swords in shock.
During the extermination of ancient orcs in the Zarban Plains, soldiers had mistaken Goo Dong-hwan for a monster and attacked.
A massively muscular man wearing a yellow sundress and fighting was that shocking a sight.
'Even we who see it daily struggle—how must they feel?'
Gyeseoji genuinely worried for the knights.
"What's wrong?"
Goo Dong-hwan blinked, asking what the issue was.
Of course, no one answered.
Anyway, starting with Goo Dong-hwan, everyone drew their weapons and prepared to use skills at any moment.
"Keep your senses sharp. Don't miss a single ant."
A being like Cratos could appear and unleash attacks before they could react.
To avoid a surprise assault, they had to maintain vigilance without slacking.
Whooooong-.
A northern blade-like wind blew in.
The magic-treated coats blocked the chill, but it still felt eerie somehow.
'What if Cratos won?'
Gyeseoji grew a bit anxious.
Could they block a monster even Seo Woojin struggled with, just among themselves?
'S-should we run now?'
She shook her head at the thought.
Running was impossible.
Such a monster wouldn't fail to catch them.
Better to be fully prepared like now—that offered far higher odds of victory.
'Please let Woojin come...'
Was she too tense?
She felt her shoulders stiffen.
Proper tension aided battle, but excess made the body unresponsive.
Knowing this well, Gyeseoji slowly relaxed, loosening her rigid shoulders.
"They're coming."
Then, Goo Dong-hwan's heavy voice rang out.
Far off, someone was approaching rapidly.
'Two?'
They looked human-like.
But she couldn't relax.
No one here knew what Cratos looked like.
Humanoid monsters and demonic beasts were common enough.
Gyeseoji stared piercingly at the two dots, never letting her guard down.
How much time passed?
The atmosphere, filled only with cold wind, began to shift slightly.
Gyeseoji's eyes widened gradually.
At the same time, Kim Dahye's voice came from beside her.
Utterly calm, as if she'd expected it from the start.
"It's Uncle Woojin."