Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Archdemon Magan
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The battle between Archdemons.
In the quiet silence signaling its start, they glare at each other.
Belica, who had been hurling fierce taunts and bold words just moments ago, quietly whispers to me.
[You know you’re the one who has to do the actual fighting, right?]
“……”
[Even as an Archdemon, I’m ultimately dead, after all.]
No matter how demonic, once dead, even a demon can’t freely wield their power with their soul alone.
Just like humans.
Death comes equally to demons as well.
The reason she, in her parasitic state, can use her power through me is, of course, because I’m a Necromancer.
Though it feels like my body has been taken over by the Archdemon, everything remains under my control.
Magan probably knows that too.
[But it’s also true that you can draw out the maximum of my power.]
“Just handle the legs embedded in my back.”
The newly grown right hand is originally mine, so no issue there, but the spider legs sprouting like wings will need practice to control.
No time for that now, so I leave them to my assistant.
“Of course.”
“Don’t whisper in front of me!”
With a shout, a massive black hand rises from the floor. The same one that had bound Darius and Deia rushes in to smash down on me.
It was a technique powerful enough to subdue even Tairn, the Magic Judge, in one blow.
‘Time to test it.’
I raise my newly sprouted right hand. The spiraling hand touches Magan’s attack.
The massive hand twists grotesquely and gets swept into the spiral.
In mere seconds, Magan’s attack vanishes.
[Easy as pie.]
Belica shrugs proudly. Indeed, this much hadn’t even taxed me yet.
Still, I could truly feel the vast gap between the power of an Archdemon and a human.
Kikikik!
The spider legs embedded in my back extend long, propping against the floor. My body lifts off, feet leaving the ground—no need for me to run.
[You’re lacking in stamina, so leave the brute-force movement to me.]
Tadadak!
The spider legs move forward like a pianist’s fingers flying over the keys.
So fast it’s incomparable to me running.
Arriving before Magan in an instant, I swing my right hand down like a hammer.
Kwoong!
A thick, plate-like shield materializes above Magan’s head. His grotesque eyes, grinding teeth, glare up at me, spewing hatred and fury.
“You dare!”
The plate immediately swirls and gets sucked into my right hand.
But Magan crouches and seizes the opening, leaping upward with mouth agape.
A jump impossible for that bulky body. Through the shattering plate fragments, his wide-open maw swallows my right hand whole.
Woodruk!
“……!”
Magan’s mouth corners curl up slyly as he devours the spiral arm that twists everything it touches.
Crunch crunch.
He doesn’t stop there, trying to cling to my body with arms and legs.
Puk puk puk!
The spider legs supporting me stab into his abdomen like blades, forcing distance.
Magan’s reaching hands and feet swipe at empty air, but my right hand is still being chewed.
With Belica’s help, I urgently pull back, but my back hits something hard.
Glancing over, I see a massive circular plate.
It slams shut, trapping me and Magan together.
[Get your head in the game!]
The frantic battle left no room for thought.
Inside the plate: pitch black, sweltering hot, humid—hard to breathe.
Can’t even see my severed right hand properly.
In the inky darkness, Magan’s yellow eyes grin right in front of me.
“Not prepped enough.”
Kwak!
A crunching sound from below. One of the spider legs got bitten.
Kwaduk!
As the supporting spider legs vanish one by one, my body sways, losing balance.
My left foot brushes the floor—something fang-like snaps at it.
Can’t gauge exactly what’s happening in the dark, but I sense Belica and Magan clashing over me on the floor.
“Heh heh heh.”
Magan’s eyes curve like crescent moons.
That gaze, hinting it’s only a matter of time, stirs forgotten terror.
I blast mana from my left hand.
Black shadows like serpents with grotesque mouths appear.
They lunge viciously to devour the blue light.
But I flick the mana orb upward—the mouths chase the mana, not my hand.
Crunch crunch crunch.
The orb gone quick due to its size, now the mouths devour each other.
A bizarre sight, yet Magan still smirks.
“Pathetic.”
That’s his only impression.
Like a child awaiting a finished meal, he looks excited.
“……!”
His curved eyes widen as something rumbles in his gut.
“Urghheek!”
Belica’s right hand erupts from Magan’s mouth. It returns to its owner.
Kwaang!
“Belica!”
[Ugh! Look how slimy my arm is!]
Grumbling, Belica powers the remaining spider legs to leap upward. I thrust my right hand up, shattering the plate trapping us, and escape.
“We’re out!”
“Deius!”
[Thought you were dead!]
Deia, Elenoa, and the Black Necromancer watching outside cry out in joy.
No time to respond to their cheers. The plate that held us melts away.
There squats Magan, drooling.
“Didn’t think you’d digest an Archdemon’s power so easily.”
Ultimately, the emerging hands and mouths are parts of Magan’s body.
Otherwise, they couldn’t devour me through him.
If the external mouths eating spider legs connect to Magan, I can inflict direct damage through them.
Not a mana strike. Just letting Belica’s undigested right hand in his gut find its way back.
[You could do that?]
“Got a pretty good teacher. I’m at least a decent mage now.”
After all that training and combat, I’d be a failure if I couldn’t.
[But the right hand’s power is weakened. If it stayed, it’d be fully digested.]
“……”
As Belica said, the right hand’s energy visibly diminished.
[Can’t let it get eaten more.]
“My thoughts differ slightly.”
[What?]
Magan catches his breath, readjusting stance. Vomiting what was deep in his gut must’ve hurt.
“We fight by letting it get eaten.”
[What crazy talk is that?]
Belica scolds in disbelief, but my eyes stay on Magan. He glares back, head low, eyes rolled up.
“Magan’s strong because this is his banquet hall.”
[…Erasing the banquet won’t work. The stage is set. No matter how we flee, we’re just food to him.]
“Exactly.”
I meant it as praise for hitting the core, but she scratches her head.
[How does Stella even talk to you?]
“I wonder how Stella became friends with you.”
Mutual gripes aside, I’ve found a way to win.
[So, what’s the plan?]
“The banquet’s active—we can’t stop it. But not everything at the banquet is edible.”
[…?]
“We just show him we’re a dish he can’t eat.”
Powering my right hand again, Belica—still not fully getting it—sends me at Magan via spider legs.
“Block them!”
Magan snaps irritably, still queasy. The Secretary charges to bar our path.
Didn’t want to waste power, but can’t ignore her. About to drop her in one hit—
Kwoong!
Tairn, robe-clad, blasts mana backward from his back, hurtling to tackle the Secretary.
The hand binding him gone while fighting me, freeing him.
“Go!”
“Eek!”
The Secretary, shoved down by Tairn, desperately claws at his throat with sharp nails.
Kwak!
Her raised right hand severs, rolling on the floor.
Darius, synced with Tairn, draws sword and lops off the fallen Secretary’s hand.
[They’re useful!]
Belica praises them, but I keep glaring at Magan.
He grinds teeth, drawing a golden trident from his mouth.
‘No, not a trident.’
A massive fork.
His weapon screams he sees us as mere prey. I scoff.
[Weapon called Pursuer of Delicacies. First time out in centuries—he’s desperate.]
Centuries.
Time beyond measure. But conversely...
That immeasurable time, he spent not fighting, but feasting.
The golden fork thrusts straight at me. Only up close do I sense it.
The karma it bears.
Between fork tines, countless regrets scream, writhe, suffer.
My neck grazes past. Near miss on impalement, but Magan reverses grip, yanking up.
Fork tines crush both shoulders. Overwhelming power forces me to knees.
“Huh?”
[What?]
Gasps from Magan and Belica.
My right hand and back spider legs gone. Belica’s soul in my left hand.
“Try eating this.”
[Hey! Hey!]
I rear back left arm like a shot putter, hurling at Magan’s mouth.