Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Desperate Clash with Oculeus
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My vision spun dizzily.
Up, down, left, right—not just that, but every direction, front to back. I scrutinized every inch of space.
-Don’t rely on your eyes. At your speed, you can’t keep up!
The demon sword’s shout echoed in my head.
If I couldn’t use my eyes, then how the hell was I supposed to grasp my surroundings?
But I had no time to ponder it deeply.
“Ugh…!”
I knocked aside a spear of demonic energy hurtling straight at me.
It was just mana condensed into spear form and shot out, but each one felt heavy and razor-sharp.
A direct hit would sever a limb without effort, and to the torso or head? Instant death.
Not even one hit allowed. What a joke.
Even Balance Trash Game had its limits.
Oculeus’s attacks poured in from all directions.
Tracking them one by one with my eyes would be too slow, just as the demon sword said.
Which meant I needed a way to sense them without looking.
I fixed mana around me.
All of it served as a detection network.
Twist that role just a bit, and turning it into an alarm system was simple.
I detected every intruder in the space my mana dominated.
It was like echolocation.
The information fed straight into my brain.
Definitely faster than visual acquisition and processing.
-No time for praise. Here it comes!
“Buff me!”
-I already did!
My body felt light.
I didn’t hold back and charged at full speed.
Unable to keep up with my uncontrollable velocity, spears of demonic energy rained down like a storm behind me, slamming into the ground.
The earth shattered, fragments spraying everywhere.
I couldn’t dodge them all—the impact of the blasts and shrapnel hammered my body.
“Disappointing. Deathwise’s wielder—how long will you just keep running?”
“Shut your damn mouth when we’re fighting!”
This guy, that guy—all these villain types talked way too much in battle.
I vented my rising irritation and rolled forward.
Demonic thorns erupted from where I’d just stood, shredding the air.
-Don’t even think about jumping.
Never planned to from the start.
Thorns rising from the ground were impossible to evade midair.
First priority: close the distance.
Dodging endlessly without finding an opening to attack was pointless.
-What’s your plan? He’s not coming down from up there. Always been a coward.
“Looks the part.”
That’s why these cowardly villains were the worst.
Indiscriminate barrages, floating out of reach of normal attacks—what a pain. Might as well fight a wall.
Balance Trash Game.
I wanted to curse Broken World’s devs, but… demons weren’t even in the original Broken World roster, so no point.
There was a way to beat him, though.
Normally impossible to even attempt… but I could pull it off.
-You’re insane. One second’s mistake, and you’re dead.
Endless attrition would kill me anyway.
Better to bet on the side with even a sliver of winning odds.
-…Hmph, not bad grit. Fine, I’ll lend a bit more power for that effort. Hold on with your guts.
Thump.
My heart pounded hard alongside Deathwise’s voice.
A bizarrely heavy, massive heartbeat burned through my chest like fire.
The demon sword’s power pushed to its limit.
One more ounce, and my heart would burst like a balloon.
A scream welled up to my chin, but certainty flooded my mind instead.
Right now… I could do it.
The moment I judged so, I twisted the mana deployed around me.
Space itself warped. At the same time, the red runes etched on Deathwise’s blade glowed brighter.
A shower of demonic spears rained down over my head.
A wide-area barrage that made evasion meaningless—like overwhelming numbers made manifest.
So I didn’t dodge.
Instead, I swung Deathwise toward the warped space.
Shing!
The pitch-black aura-wreathed slash of Deathwise carved into Oculeus’s chest.
I’d twisted space to embed just the slash right into him.
An invisible strike ignoring all distance.
A technique only I, with my dimensional magic aptitude, could manage.
Just one use drained my mana dry—tinnitus rattled my skull.
My heart throbbed like it would explode, limbs refusing to respond.
Still, I squeezed out every last drop of strength and reshaped the demon sword into a shield.
Boom boom boom! I blocked the pouring demonic downpour with the shield.
The impacts shook my body, but I gritted my teeth and endured.
How much time passed?
The endless demonic rain finally stopped.
Returning Deathwise to its original form, my knees buckled, and I collapsed.
“Weakling, I thought… but you’re an interesting human.”
Oculeus’s voice still came from above.
Reflexively looking up, I saw him grinning despite the massive gash in his chest.
“T-That guy… doesn’t… die…?”
-To sever a demon’s lifeline, destroy the heart or head. A scratch like that won’t kill him.
“Damn it…”
Even half-demon Luena had insane regeneration.
Against a full demon, I should’ve accounted for even better.
Using Deathwise as a cane, I stood.
It was my best shot, but he shrugged it off—demoralizing.
I’d tried everything possible, yet no path to victory.
The sharp tang of death caressed my nape.
“You could keep going like this… but as you know, Deathwise, many demons hold grudges against you. Fair’s fair—I’ll give them their shot at revenge too. So I’ll withdraw for today. I’ve confirmed how weak you’ve become, after all.”
Suddenly, Oculeus said that with a beaming smile.
Pure, innocent—yet steeped in madness.
“Fear us, Deathwise. We won’t kill you until we’ve repaid every humiliation we suffered—with your weakness, the endless humiliations and trials to come.”
Oculeus gradually dissolved into darkness.
His voice lingered stickily as he melted into the night.
“See you next time. Next time, may you drown in despair.”
-Hmph, ridiculous. Still talks big while fleeing. If we’d kept going, this body would’ve won.
Deathwise said that, but the opposite was true.
If we’d continued, my body would’ve collapsed first.
Whether from bearing the demon sword’s power or Oculeus’s attacks.
Death was certain.
“Damn…”
I clutched my heart.
All I wanted was a normal, peaceful life.
“Why does it always end up like this…?”
My aimless lament melted into the night.
And my consciousness cut out.
7
Grand Temple of the God of Peace.
The air in its secret chamber had stagnated for ages.
Time wouldn’t flow here again until the God of Peace revived.
Until then, the chamber served as a meeting hall.
Twelve cardinals, hoods pulled low to conceal identities, gathered around a round table. Theo Agrit’s battle with Oculeus replayed above it.
An elderly cardinal stroked his long beard at the sight of Theo—black hair matted with blood, wounds covering his body—facing the demon with a single demon sword.
“That the demon sword they mentioned?”
“Probably.”
“Looks like a plain sword with some engraving to me.”
A man affirmed flatly, followed by a sharp woman’s mocking tone.
Beside her, a frivolous man chuckled.
“Bishop Anirja’s contribution was key.”
“Anirja—the one from that incident ten years ago? Not bad for a black mage.”
“Don’t underestimate black mages, you impudent fool.”
The elderly cardinal snapped angrily; the sharp voice clicked her tongue.
“Always lose it when black mages come up.”
“Haha! We’re all the same! Anyway, mind the time and place—this is the Grand Temple!”
A hearty middle-aged man’s booming laugh drew nods from all.
Their gazes returned to the distant battle.
“Well~ Deathwise’s wielder interfering was unexpected, but it worked out. We even got demon cooperation out of it. Why not watch and wait? If needed, we could snag that demon sword ourselves~.”
“Do what you want. I don’t care.”
“Status quo is best.”
“Mm! I think observing is wiser too!”
“Hmm… Watching serves the grand plan. So we observe.”
No dissent.
Thus, the pioneers’ secret meeting, unknown to all, ended in unanimous agreement.
8
“Ugh…”
My body felt heavy.
Hot here, stinging there—sensations tangled like a brutal flu.
Amid it, something cold touched my forehead.
Beyond cold—damp.
Soaked from forehead to bangs, I arduously lifted my eyelids.
“...?”
Choco was right there.
Tiny legs straining to place a wet cloth on my forehead.
But poorly wrung—dripping wet.
“…Choco, wring it out more…”
My voice cracked.
Now I saw: I was lying down.
The place… Theo’s room.
How I ended up here came back slowly.
Pushed Deathwise to the limit to take down Oculeus, even used dimensional magic.
Body abused—no wonder I collapsed.
Carried back to Agrit Count Family while out cold, apparently.
Emergency treatment done.
Still hurt, but…
Something small latched onto my neck.
Shock stung my wounds, but I couldn’t complain.
It was Erica hanging there.
“Big brother, you okayyy?”
“I’m fine, so don’t cry.”
I stroked Erica’s head with my least-injured right hand.
Erica, sobbing uncontrollably, wouldn’t stop.
I’d bolted out suddenly and come back half-dead.
Of course she’d worry.
“If it hurts… no…”
“I’m not hurting myself on purpose, you know.”
“If you do it again… I’ll scold you…”
Sniffling scold from Erica—Choco slapped my arm too.
No strength behind it—no pain.
“Sorry. I’ll be careful next time. Sorry for worrying you too, Choco.”
Only then did Choco halt.
Erica clung a while longer, releasing only after the tears stopped.
Big green eyes brimming, edges red and puffy.
I felt Erica’s genuine worry.
That sensation… I’d forgotten it for so long.
After my parents died, most pitied me before worrying.
Sick of one-sided pity, I’d built walls and cut ties plenty.
Looking back, some probably worried purely… too late now.
I’d lived alone.
Being worried for felt like another world.
So this worry was both nostalgic and fresh.
…But did I deserve to bask in it?
I’d just hijacked Theo Agrit’s body unilaterally.
This life was meant for the real Theo Agrit.
I might be nothing but an invader, a saboteur.
“Big brother is big brother, so no getting hurt. Promise? For real.”
Erica leaned in, staring piercingly—like forcing a vow.
V-shaped frown, giving it her all… but zero dignity, pure cute.
“Yeah, yeah. Promise.”
I chuckled despite myself.
Overthinking never helped.
Sure, this life was meant for Theo Agrit, but now? No point distinguishing.
Since possessing, I’d done things he never would.
In short, my current life was Theo’s—but not.
Starting point might’ve been Theo Agrit, but now I had my stake.
Came full circle.
To live peacefully, do what it takes.
Theo’s life, mine—didn’t matter.
“Thanks, Erica.”
I stroked her head again.
Then Choco’s, vigorously.
“You too, of course, Choco.”
Alright… Body’s state meant no action now.
Plenty to sort mentally—rest in bed till recovered…