Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: Legion Commander Kazitta
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While I was briefly organizing my thoughts, Leone gently pushed away my fist that he had enveloped with his palm.
With that, he wore a beaming smile, as if waiting for my answer.
“…….”
What the hell is this guy up to?
This would make three meetings already.
Even without knowing his deepest intentions, three encounters should be enough to figure out his general mindset and objectives...
Yet I still knew next to nothing about him.
So let's keep it simple for now.
‘An enemy?’
No.
I only learned Dean Alderson was a doll thanks to Leone’s advice...
And just moments ago, he could have easily ambushed me since I hadn’t sensed his presence.
If he were a true enemy, he’d had ample chances to cause far worse trouble.
‘An ally?’
But I couldn’t readily nod to that question either.
Something about his reasons for helping me felt laced with ulterior motives. At the very least, it wasn’t born of pure goodwill.
In other words, he was trustworthy for the moment.
“How do you plan to help?”
If he had his own scheme, that was all the better. At least he wouldn’t stab me in the back until he achieved it.
A balanced alliance, balanced caution.
Perfect terms for a temporary hand-in-hand.
“You’re here to rescue the dean, right?”
“Right.”
“Hmm.”
Leone tilted his head at an angle. For a moment, I was stunned by the sight of him seemingly plotting a strategy.
Was this guy devising a plan on the spot?
His head tilted side to side, his ink-black hair flowing softly downward.
I took a moment to note the color of that hair.
In the Empire, black hair held a rarity surpassing even red in certain ways.
Brightly blazing red like Glenn’s was the true rarity—reddish-brown or orange hues cropped up more often than expected.
Cases like Arjan and Pam, for instance.
Black hair, by contrast, was scarce.
Bednickers often manifested it due to black elf ancestry... but beyond that, it was a color hard to find anywhere on the continent.
‘And with those bright red eyes like a rabbit’s.’
Black hair and crimson eyes.
Leone bore the Empire’s two rarest colors at once.
Was it mere coincidence?
Or...
“Got it.”
Leone’s lips twitched, snapping me from my thoughts.
“That’s Kazitta, Legion Commander of Hellfire. A real oddball among demons.”
And it hit me then—his speech was different from last time.
It didn’t feel off.
Not that this was his true voice, but any tone suited him perfectly.
“Oddball?”
“Like a born martial artist? Not exactly upright, but he does favor one-on-one duels.”
“A demon martial artist?”
A hollow laugh escaped me at the absurdity. A scoff would fit too.
Leone replied without a hint of offense.
“If we both rush him, he’ll fly into a literal ‘blaze’ of fury. He’ll unleash his full powers, and we’ll both be ash in seconds.”
“So what then?”
“We divide and conquer. One keeps Kazitta busy while the other grabs the dean. Just stall for time. That demon’s chained to this underground prison anyway—once the rescue’s done, we hightail it out.”
“…….”
Solid plan.
Assuming everything he said was true.
Let’s play along with his strategy, even if it means getting played.
Then one key detail mattered.
“So who’s tangling with that monster?”
Buying time against a legion commander—a major demon—was clearly the tougher, deadlier job.
Leone knew it.
Sure, I’d take the demon fight if I could...
But separately, I was curious about his angle.
“You pick.”
Leone grinned as he said it.
“I’m good either way. Versatile build.”
“…….”
Hadn’t seen that coming.
Arms crossed, I replied.
“Which suits you better?”
“Hmm. Rescue side, probably? I’m confident in masking my presence.”
Swish...
His presence dimmed right then. Even with him inches away.
‘Like a ghost.’
I nodded.
“Fine. I’ll handle the demon.”
“Smart call.”
Leone’s eyes curved faintly.
Ambiguous vibe.
He seemed delighted by the surprise choice, or pleased it matched his guess.
I had more questions than I could count...
But they could wait until after Dean Alderson was safe.
“Good luck then.”
Leone waved, then melted into the darkness beyond the pitch-black underground prison.
Staring at where he’d stood, one thing clicked for me.
That guy wasn’t a doll.
‘...Right.’
First things first.
I emptied my mind, locked eyes on the legion commander named Kazitta, and deliberately let my presence bloom.
The sulfur stench grew sharper the closer I drew.
Thud-.
[......]
I’d thought it lacked facial features, but no.
Within the blazing fiery head, azure flames danced, writhing into eye and mouth shapes.
No hallucination.
Our gazes locked through the blaze, hitting me like solid truth.
“…….”
That aside, the demon’s flames briefly stole my focus.
Like stumbling on a jewel in the unlikeliest spot.
[You are...]
It could even speak.
[Here to save this old man?]
“......”
Lost in the moment, I flinched a beat late.
‘You? Old man?’
Was I seriously conversing with a demon?
“Who are you?”
[...I am Kazitta, Legion Commander of Hellfire. Circumstances bind me as gatekeeper of this infernal prison. And you?]
“...Ruan Bednicker.”
Reflex took over in answering. Kazitta’s flames rippled oddly.
Whoosh-.
My body felt scanned top to bottom.
A chill spidered up my spine.
From this flame-eyed entity came the probing stare unique to masters.
‘Sizing me up.’
Near laughter bubbled.
Demon martial artist.
Leone’s drivel rang true now, sharp as day.
[I sense a familiar presence in you.]
“I’m no demon.”
[Not vital aura of life. I mean the inner energy forged as a martial artist—its nature. You carry flames like mine. Or closer to the sun, if we split hairs.]
“......”
[Yet your flesh is still ripening. Shame. Human spans are but flickers, they say. Ten years... at least five more to mature, and we’d have a worthy clash.]
I flashed a grin.
“You’re not exactly prime yourself.”
[An imperfect manifestation, true. I factored that in.]
Kazitta eyed me, then proclaimed.
[Young warrior, go back.]
“Huh?”
[My task slays all intruders, but your spot teeters on the edge. I could turn a blind eye now.]
“......”
How many more shocks did this demon have in store?
Piercing my inner energy at a glance, now offering mercy.
Dean Alderson’s ramblings of a “kind demon” flickered back.
Didn’t buy it, but...
Seeing this one live meant conceding the point.
Demons had their freaks too.
“Sorry, no can do. Drop the act—let’s fight, Demon Warrior.”
[...Reckless folly.]
Kazitta’s low murmur hung.
Fwooom!
His flames surged like gale-struck, swelling candle to inferno.
Air scorched instant, hot winds howling.
“──.”
Heat seared sweat dry before it formed.
Eyes stung from the blaze. Kazitta spewed thermal fury, his fiery form doubling.
[Hellfire daunts even flame-hardy demons. Young warrior, you can’t touch me—let alone match.]
“......”
[I urge once more. Withdraw. This ordeal comes too soon.]
No empty boast.
Even I—unfazed by most heat—faltered an instant.
And beyond the heat blast, he was no joke.
‘Flames under total control.’
It shielded Dean Alderson, bound just behind, from the blaze.
Iron bars would melt nonstop, yet he felt none.
Leone though?
Could he thread the heat streams to the dean?
‘......’
He’d figure it.
I shoved Leone from mind, drank in the hellfire trance-like.
Scalp prickled.
Brain felt soft, squirming.
No disgust.
Faint itch, but good otherwise.
“Reach it and you’ll acknowledge me?”
Moth-to-flame mutter.
[Why court death...]
Thud-.
One ear ignored Kazitta’s chant. I stepped, channeling Flame Arts of the Greatest.
Whoosh—dantian’s rise felt off from usual.
‘Cold.’
Kazitta’s hellfire, no doubt.
Crisp. Thrilling beyond.
Rare for my core to chill.
Thump.
Step by forceful step.
Floor marked under weight.
Looked grueling, wasn’t.
Slowness stemmed inward.
True qi circled normal. Cool rush through meridians sparked a sudden fix to my flow.
Uncanny.
Decades-trod path.
Bored-familiar vista birthed new sight.
[...What madness.]
Five steps in, Kazitta’s stunned voice hit.
Ignored.
Embraced hellfire heat full.
Heat-squinted eyes flared wide.
Parted lips drank flame.
Throat blazed fire-swallowed.
Senses honed keen amid inferno.
Desert dying man feels water-drop skin-touch crystal.
Truly seeping bodily.
‘...Ah.’
Inner true qi writhed.
Flow aside—parts laid bare.
Mine flame-formed, most felt liquid.
True qi—mana—veins bloodlike, fair.
My sense the weirdo.
Words fail senses till lived.
‘This it is.’
Bodily true qi clicked as water.
Priceless, profound.
My harbored qi wasn’t flame.
Shape-shift boundless energy potential.
Cold. Cool.
‘Cold flame.’
Insight struck chest-deep.
Epiphany spark.
Flame Arts third stage—thought unripe.
Fwaaah-.
Hellfire drunk blackened innards.
[......]
Distance shrank to one step unnoticed.
Kazitta’s blaze thrashed view-filling. Rain-lashed bonfire.
Heat core touched—pain fled. Arts absorbed, adapted.
Inner cool reignited hot.
Regret tinged mutter.
“...Hellfire? Kinda tepid.”
[......]
“Crank the heat higher?”