Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Counterattack (2)
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“Ohh…”
“It’s real purification. The demonic energy is completely gone.”
It was a wondrous sight every time. The power to purify demonic energy.
Holy power was also known to possess the ability to purify demonic energy, but more accurately, it was the power to repel it, not cleanse it.
Like two magnets with the same pole pushing each other away.
Of course, it could also be annihilated. The problem was that it required ten units of holy power to destroy one unit of demonic energy.
The more scholarly priests, fascinated by the phenomenon of Kratos purifying demonic energy, peppered him with questions, trying to understand it.
Since the Pope himself had certified that there was no issue, there was no reason for hostility or exclusion.
That meant he was a subject for research.
“How exactly does the purification work? It doesn't seem like you're just repelling it.”
“Hmm, it feels more like… devouring it.”
“Devouring demonic energy? Hoh. Now this is new. Similar to holy power, but a different method of manifestation.”
As if it were a new type of holy power.
“Do you follow a particular god?”
“I believe in gods, but if you're asking which one, I don't have a specific one.”
“Ahem. In that case, when you visit the Holy Kingdom, how about stopping by our temple? Even if it is a pantheon… Oof-”
“Hey! Where do you think you are, proselytizing like this!”
With the priests’ holy power added to the purification of demonic energy, the progress was remarkably fast.
The demonic energy could not encroach upon the purified land again, and people were grateful to be able to rest with peace of mind in the harsh environment of the Demonic Realm.
“Alright, everyone, let's make some room so they can rest. Fellow priests, you know how exhausting it is to purify demonic energy all day, don't you?”
As Gleb stepped forward, the priests reluctantly moved away from Kratos and headed to their respective tents.
“You're working hard. You don't have to answer every single one of their questions.”
“It's no trouble at all.”
“By the way, will we arrive there tomorrow?”
“Yes. At this pace, we should be able to leave tomorrow morning and arrive around noon.”
Our first destination was the breeding ground I had completely obliterated. The plan was to set up a base camp there and continue reconnaissance.
We didn't know the exact location of the Empire's facilities in this vast Demonic Realm.
But one thing made it decidedly easier.
There were no monsters. It was as if every last monster had been mobilized for the monster wave, as we hadn't encountered a single one on our way here.
“Idiots…”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, it's nothing. I was just thinking about the Empire.”
They were truly idiots. Should I call it being hoist by their own petard? Thanks to the monster wave leaving the place empty, exploring the Demonic Realm had become much easier.
And as I spread out my spiritual power, now incomparably greater than before, I picked up signs of life at the very edge of my senses.
It was undoubtedly the group that had taken the monsters, but I was intentionally leaving them be.
It wouldn't change anything if the Empire found out and sent reinforcements to the Demonic Realm.
No, this was even better. I could wipe out all the annoying pests in one fell swoop.
It was about time to start stretching my legs.
***
“Purifying demonic energy… I never expected this.”
Adson Defector followed the trail left by the intruders into the Demonic Realm, unable to hide his astonishment.
Purification of demonic energy on this scale. It was unheard of.
He had relayed this information to the Empire, but it would have a negligible effect on the operation. If anything, it might even increase the mission's difficulty.
He had to stall them until reinforcements arrived from the Empire, but their travel speed was far too fast.
It wasn't just that there were no monsters to slow them down; the greatest threat of the Demonic Realm, the demonic energy itself, was proving to be no problem for them at all.
The first breeding ground was just ahead. From that point, the Empire's facilities were scattered not too far away.
He turned to look back at his Umber team members, who wore black masks and stared at him without expression.
Even though they likely foresaw the order he was about to give, there wasn't even the slightest frown. It was as if their emotions had been surgically removed.
There was only one option in this situation. It was an order from above, after all. *If you cannot hold them back, do not even think of returning.*
He didn't know how many would lose their lives in this operation, but it was better for them to die here than to fail the mission.
That was the only way to protect himself and his family.
“We will engage in guerrilla warfare. Starting at dawn today. Relentlessly. Until reinforcements arrive.”
That was the only way. To throw themselves away to tie those bastards down.
.
.
.
.
.
*Crackle, crackle—*
The sound of wood burning in the campfire echoed through the quiet space. The few on watch sat on a pile of rocks, staring blankly at the blazing fire.
“Yaaawn—”
The guard let out a long yawn. His head bobbed up and down, as if he couldn't fight off the encroaching sleep.
Guard duty after 2 a.m. was always grueling, wasn't it? Trapped in that ambiguous state of being neither asleep nor awake.
And from the soldier's shadow, someone leaped out, swinging a sword at the nape of his neck. A sharp movement, intended to end his life in a single blow.
*Squelch—*
The assassin's eyes widened. A squishy mass had suddenly shot up from the soldier's shoulder, blocking the sword and preventing it from advancing.
“Pfft. Surprised, pal?”
The soldier, who he thought had been dozing just a moment ago, slowly rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders left and right.
“I was just trying to channel my younger days, dozing off on guard duty. How was my acting? Man, pulling night watch for almost two years is no joke. Especially near the end.”
The Umber team members who had infiltrated the camp were either bound or stabbed, then thrown out of the tents.
“You were practically broadcasting your presence. How could I not know? The Empire must be getting desperate. I'm sure you won't answer, but I'll ask as a formality. Will you surrender? Not that we have a Geneva Convention or anything.”
They were skilled, these guys. For a split second, even my spiritual power had failed to read their presence properly.
What did it mean for such skilled individuals to launch such a blatant night raid to cause chaos?
It meant that our entry into the Demonic Realm was making the Empire feel more desperate than I'd thought.
“Every man for himself. Rendezvous at the first point. If you cannot escape, take your own life. And whoever survives, deliver this message: the White Mercenary Corps is mixed in with the Holy Kingdom's group.”
As one of them spoke, the others who had been still simultaneously swung their blades, creating chaos.
“Paladins, forward! Kill them! We only need one alive!”
An assassin breaking through a line of shield-bearing paladins was no easy feat.
At Gleb's command, the heavily armored paladins moved, and Kratos focused solely on the movements of the one who had spoken.
He was the leader of this group of assassins. The small fry didn't matter. All he needed was to catch him.
“Seamus—!”
There was someone here who was no slouch when it came to assassination either.
Seamus sprang up from behind the man, swinging his sword.
The man twisted his body sharply to dodge the strike and threw himself into the empty space.
“Where do you think you're going, friend? I think our Captain has some business with you.”
Reinhardt, now a fully-fledged tank, was already in position there, a large shield in one hand and an axe in the other. As the man tried to leap over the seemingly slow Reinhardt.
*Whoosh—*
Niceta's greatsword sliced through the air between them, restricting his movement.
“Can I kill him?”
“Capture him alive. We need information from him. It's not like we're trying to find a needle in a haystack.”
He intended to capture him alive and extract information. They couldn't search the entire Demonic Realm, after all.
And as the man found himself surrounded on all sides, he let out a sigh as if to surrender.
“Don't you dare.”
But the moment the man raised his hands, Kratos grabbed his mouth, squeezing his cheeks hard.
“Your kind's tricks are always the same.”
He forced the man's mouth open with his grip and pulled out a small pill rolling around inside.
“Who do you think you're kidding? Huh?”
He bound the man's hands and forced him to his knees. He even gagged him, just in case. Men like that would probably bite off their own tongues to commit suicide.
In the end, just as he'd said, all but the one who seemed to be the leader met their deaths.
It was an expected outcome from the moment they had detected the surprise attack.
“This is atrocious. An unforgivable act.”
Gleb scowled at the sight revealed when he removed the masks from the dead men.
Their mouths were sutured shut as if with a needle, their tongues had been cut to prevent them from speaking, and their bodies were covered in scars from experiments.
“By the way, if we hadn't known, the damage would have been significant.”
Gleb tidied up the area and checked for any potential casualties, but thankfully, there wasn't a single injured person.
If Kratos hadn't given them a heads-up, the damage would have certainly been severe.
He was beginning to wonder just what the limits of Kratos's abilities were.
“Don't mention it. As long as no one was hurt. Anyway…”
Kratos ignored the burdensome stares from the Holy Kingdom's members and properly faced the captive.
He tilted his head. He had definitely seen that face somewhere before. As he wiped the blood-stained face, a face from an old memory naturally surfaced.
“Adson Inken…?!”
At those words, the man's eyes trembled and widened. There was a clear resemblance. To the younger Adson Inken from my memory.
According to the files provided by the White Mercenary Corps, hadn't Adson Inken become the Empire's dog, spouting Prometheus's treason like a loudspeaker?
“Is this… his son?”
But why was his son, a hunting dog for the Empire, deployed on a mission like this? Without any support. Like a disposable tool.
Suddenly, his blood ran cold. *What is this feeling?* he wondered.
Anger? Contempt? Bewilderment?
No, this feeling was… pity.
***
“Are you alright?”
When morning came and they had packed up all the tents to venture deeper into the Demonic Realm, Niceta asked cautiously.
He had left the task of extracting information from Adson Inken's son to the Holy Kingdom. Since then, I hadn't said a single word.
He had only made one request: not to kill the man.
“Hm? Ah. I'm fine. Just remembering something my master used to say.”
Master, my ass. It was just an old memory. In any case, seeing the depths to which a once-close comrade had sunk didn't feel good.
Perhaps it overlapped with what had happened to Haveron and Hattie Shaw. It was the same when he'd received the files; he wasn't blaming them.
He could understand it perfectly. Not forgiveness, but understanding. How could he force upon them the path taken by Hattie Shaw, Haveron, or those who had died?
The fact that the son he had tried so hard to protect had become one of the Empire's hunting dogs only made it all the more tragic.
“We're moving out—!”
But he couldn't just wallow in pity. In this world, there were far more tragic things happening than their stories.
No, how many people had been crushed into dust, unable to even feel such sorrow?
This time, I will destroy everything. All of it. I will shatter them all.