Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Shattered Demonic Energy
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The shattered demonic energy flickered and faded.
Gerald's wide-open eyes captured Seo Woo-jin's figure.
"You bastard...."
He was a pest that needed to be killed.
He had fully intended to do so.
Ever since that unexpected encounter before, when he'd shown surprising prowess, he'd been planning it.
That's why he was pleased.
To have this unforeseen reunion in such a place.
But...
He had dared to block his strike.
The strike that would have severed one of the Empire's wings.
However, Gerald's shock wasn't just from the attack being blocked.
It was the black flames enveloping the pure white sword.
He felt a familiar energy emanating from them.
"How do you wield demonic energy?"
That bastard was a hero.
The natural enemy of the Demon King, the antithesis of demonic energy.
Yet such a hero swung flames fueled by demonic energy as nourishment.
It was beyond Gerald's common sense.
"Demonic energy my ass."
With a sneer, the sword flew at him.
Gerald didn't even think to confront it head-on and hurled his body backward.
He had a strong premonition that touching those flames would end badly for him.
Just like those black entities he'd seen before.
But his intentions wouldn't be fulfilled so easily.
"Where do you think you're going!"
The Grand Duke, who had just been contemplating death moments ago, seized the air and twisted it.
Crack!
His arm broke simultaneously.
This was another unforeseen situation.
That bitch clearly didn't have the power to destroy this body.
'Ah....'
Looking at his broken arm, Gerald nodded.
It seemed the hero's initial strike had delivered greater impact than expected.
Cracks had formed in his tough skin, and the demonic energy circuits were torn.
That's why he couldn't mount a proper defense.
Pain surged, but it was trivial.
Focusing his demonic energy belatedly, his limp arm solidified once more.
It all happened in an instant.
The hero's second strike was approaching.
He suddenly regretted his shattered axe.
"Fall back!"
Crimson demonic energy wrapped around his fist and clashed with the pure white sword.
Boom!
Space warped momentarily.
It couldn't withstand the impact of their collision.
Gerald was impressed.
The hero's realm, achieved in that brief time, was no small feat.
'Because of those wings?'
He could see the mana circulation amplifying several times as it passed through the wings.
Based on immeasurable mana, he charged alongside the Grand Duke.
Kwaaaaang!
Dozens of exchanges happened in an instant.
The demonic energy shattered.
Cracks began forming in the body, unable to endure the strain.
'This will cost more than it gains.'
He didn't know how long the hero's abnormal divine power would last, but if their pincer attack continued for just one more minute, Gerald wouldn't escape death.
'I need to retreat.'
It was humiliating.
His blood-red eyes captured the hero's face once more.
As if engraving it deeply into his mind.
He drew up all the demonic energy in his body and unleashed it forward.
"Hng!"
"Urgh...."
Groans came from both of them.
They seemed to have taken considerable shock.
But Gerald had no strength left to press the advantage.
Right now, even escaping was a challenge.
"You bastard, we'll meet again."
Space folded.
The hero's sword followed belatedly, but it was too late.
Gerald had already vanished.
* * *
Seo Woo-jin glared into the empty air.
'I should have killed him.'
He had taken the risk in front of the Grand Duke and used 'Muspelheim'.
She couldn't have missed Gerald's glancing mention of demonic energy.
He had even activated 'Celestial Wing', which came with heavy penalties...
Despite all these sacrifices, he failed to kill the bastard.
He had won the battle, but Seo Woo-jin felt a deep sense of defeat.
"Child."
Then, Briana's voice called from beside him.
When Seo Woo-jin turned his head, she was looking at him, her fiery red hair still blazing behind her.
"That power you used."
Her hand reached toward him.
Tension surged involuntarily at the energy contained within.
"What is it?"
She finally asked.
Seo Woo-jin racked his brain quickly.
But no excuse he could come up with seemed likely to get him out of this situation.
"It's...."
Still, he had to say something, so he was about to open his mouth.
The black wings vanished.
The duration of 'Celestial Wing' had ended.
Just two minutes.
Thanks to using it at full power, all abilities had amplified fivefold, but the casting time had shortened to one-fifth.
As the wings disappeared, Seo Woo-jin began plummeting rapidly toward the sea.
But Seo Woo-jin had no time to worry about that.
'Kuaaaah!'
A silent scream erupted.
It felt like his entire body was being torn apart.
A shock stronger than even when his body had evolved.
It was like lightning had struck his head directly.
He couldn't even scream.
Heave—
Blood poured from every orifice.
'Penalties, huh....'
This exceeded his imagination.
The price of using forbidden power was clearly driving Seo Woo-jin toward death.
He couldn't tell if his eyes were closed or open.
Only darkness filled everything.
'Am I dying?'
Death naturally came to mind.
He didn't regret using 'Celestial Wing' to save the Grand Duke.
From the situation, she couldn't have beaten Gerald anyway.
Seo Woo-jin would have died too.
So there was no reason for regret.
But it hurt—so much.
'Damn it....'
Finally, Seo Woo-jin's consciousness completely faded.
* * *
"Any traces?"
Agna asked, flicking ash from her cigarette.
"They lead northwest."
"Can we catch him?"
"Trust the kids."
The subordinate dismissed Agna's concern.
"Well, those guys should be able to handle a wounded Gerald."
He had dispatched Crusiel's maximum force, the Mobile Special Forces Unit.
They were a strike force created specifically to hunt such monsters, so victory was assured.
"But I'm worried the damage might be too great."
Crusiel had detected Gerald's movements in advance.
One mistake was enough.
They had rechecked the entire intelligence network in the Empire's territory and monitored all suspicious activities.
Tracking Gerald, who could teleport, was arduous, but this time they detected him without delay.
So they had laid a trap.
No matter how monstrous Gerald was, he would be injured after clashing with the Grand Duke.
The plan was to exploit that gap and eliminate one of the Empire's great enemies.
But the process had caused too much damage.
Mernotain was half-destroyed, and the Grand Duke had nearly died.
Agna hadn't anticipated such sacrifices.
"He was stronger than expected."
She admitted her judgment was wrong.
"But thankfully, Seo Woo-jin was there."
That was another variable.
Who would have thought Seo Woo-jin would appear in Mernotain?
Thanks to him, the Grand Duke survived, and Gerald fled.
It had veered off course a bit, but in the end, it went according to Agna's plan.
"Spare no support for Mernotain. Not just reconstruction—focus on compensation too."
This was all she could do.
It was a bargain for catching Gerald.
The subordinate let out a small sigh and bowed his head.
"Understood."
As the subordinate left, Agna tapped her desk.
She was thinking of Seo Woo-jin.
"I knew he was strong, but I didn't expect him to drive off Gerald."
She had thought it would take at least another year of growth.
Yet he had splendidly proved her wrong.
"How did he do it?"
She knew Seo Woo-jin had helped in the Grand Duke and Gerald's battle.
But her informants couldn't grasp the exact situation.
Getting too close would mean getting caught in the fight, with not even a corpse left—naturally.
So she still couldn't figure out what had happened.
"Should I ask the Grand Duke?"
Even using the Empire's guardian as bait, there was no hint of self-reproach in her voice.
After a moment's deliberation, Agna pulled out a sheet of paper and began writing something.
Moments later, it was tied to the ankle of a bird made of shadows and soared into the sky.
* * *
An axe fell toward him.
He twisted his body to dodge and flee.
But the axe remained above his head.
No matter how much he ran, it never distanced itself.
He used his skills.
Pouring out everything he had hidden, he attacked to shatter the axe.
But it all crumbled away like sand.
'I'm dead.'
He realized he couldn't escape death.
The axe, now larger than a mountain, split his crown and crushed his body like an insect.
"Kuhuk!"
Seo Woo-jin awoke, trying to scream but swallowing his breath.
The pain, like his entire body was being sewn with knives, made even breathing difficult.
But it sharpened his mind.
The first thing he saw was Ailin.
She looked down at him lying there, her face full of worry.
"Are you okay?"
He tried to reply, but no sound came out.
Even that small movement made his whole body tremble.
"At least it's no worse than this."
Ailin sighed in relief.
"You really almost died this time."
She knew better than anyone.
Hadn't he even dreamed of his head being split by Gerald's axe?
"But thanks to the Grand Duke's help, you survived."
At Ailin's words, Seo Woo-jin shut his mouth.
'What happened?'
Briana had clearly witnessed his alien skill.
Logically, torture and interrogation for information suited her more than letting him live.
'Ah, maybe she plans to do it after saving me first?'
She needed him alive to hear his story, after all.
"For now, focus on recovery. Sky Tower mages and Iyer priests have arrived, so you'll be back on your feet soon."
With that, Ailin picked up the bowl and left.
'I need an excuse.'
He had acted without thinking to survive, but now it was time to clean up the mess.
'What can I say to convince the Grand Duke?'
Just another hero skill?
A one-use item from a ruin?
Any excuse felt like it would lead to grilling.
The pain made clear thinking hard.
Even lying still felt like the reaper held a scythe to his throat.
'Can this even recover?'
He had never been this broken before, so he wasn't sure.
His tough mana circuits were in tatters, his body weakened like glass.
He felt not a scrap of mana, and his life force leaked away even now.
A state where death could come anytime.
Observing his body, Seo Woo-jin let out a hollow laugh inwardly.
Somehow, he was still alive.
Then, a shadow fell over his head.
Red hair.
"You're awake?"
The Grand Duke had come.
The playful, mischievous expression was gone.
In its place were only suspicion and cold detachment.