Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Journey to the Demon Realm (3)
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Whoosh!
Charging forward at tremendous speed, the wind battered my face with stinging force.
“Damn it!”
Airen, caught off guard by my rush, sensed the ominous aura and hastily raised his sword in defense.
Boom!
My overwhelming holy power easily crushed the demonic energy flowing from his blade, sending Airen’s body flying.
Crack...
The tree Airen crashed into let out a grotesque screech as it splintered.
“Cough...”
As he flew through the air, Airen spewed blood and bits of organ, clearly suffering severe internal injuries.
“Why... why are you so strong...?”
Though it was just a single strike, Airen had felt my power down to his bones. His voice trembled in shock.
“Because I’m the Hero.”
“Even for a Hero, this doesn’t make sense! At this level, even the Demon King would be in danger...”
“Thanks for the honest intel.”
I thanked him politely for the bonus info on the Demon King’s strength, then charged in to finish him off.
Airen, his face drained white, rolled across the ground dodging my sword strike and Yumi’s dagger that suddenly flashed from the darkness.
Then, out of nowhere, he closed his eyes.
Closing his eyes mid-battle was an absurd choice by any logic.
But I didn’t let my guard down.
No idiot would do that without some trick up his sleeve.
“Demon God, please watch over us pitiful souls...”
I watched curiously as he suddenly sat cross-legged. Sure enough, Airen began praying to the Demon God.
I’d heard Holy Knights pray to the Goddess for buffs. Apparently, demons could pray to their Demon God for the same.
I decided I couldn’t let him finish whatever buff he was calling. I leaped forward.
Hero 2, Marey, drew her sword and charged alongside me.
My goal of a solo finisher was sadly scrapped.
But she was a Hero too, so I could allow it.
“Demon God! Descend upon us!”
‘Descend?’
Airen’s eerie tone made me slam on the brakes mid-charge. I scooped up Marey and retreated.
Having felt the Demon God’s power indirectly before, I knew just how immense it was.
If he actually descended, clashing head-on would be suicide.
Retreat was the smart play.
Gulp.
I swallowed hard, bracing for whatever came next.
“...”
“...”
I gave it a full ten seconds, but astonishingly, nothing happened.
“Wha... what?”
Marey and I exchanged baffled looks, question marks practically floating over our heads.
“N-No way... Demon God!”
Airen flailed in panic, desperately calling for his god, but despaired when no one answered.
“What’s that guy doing by himself?”
Marey, now snug in my arms, snickered, assuming he’d lied.
But I had a hunch why he looked so dumbfounded.
Airen was a high-ranking demon with strength beyond the Four Heavenly Kings. He could probably summon the Demon God’s descent.
The catch he didn’t know? The Demon God had already abandoned the Demon King and sided with justice!
He was likely ignoring or flat-out rejecting Airen’s pleas.
Knowing his ultimate trump card was sealed gave me breathing room.
With Airen exposing his final ace, our Hero party’s defeat chance was basically zero.
And when victory was assured, teasing the loser was the winner’s prerogative.
Grinning widely, I approached the dazed fool sprawled on the ground.
“Hey.”
“...”
“Believe me now?”
Airen’s eyelids fluttered wearily as he spoke.
“How the hell did you earn the Demon God’s favor? Even the Demon King couldn’t...”
“Told you. We met. Oh, and fun fact: the Demon God isn’t a fan of your Demon King.”
“...”
Airen didn’t react much, like he already knew the Demon God disliked the Demon King.
Guess the Demon King was so brazen even his underlings knew he’d pissed off the big guy.
What kind of lunatic mouths off to the Demon God like that?
Shaking off the bewilderment, I crouched in front of him with a friendly smile.
Word was Airen held a top spot even in the Demon Realm.
Win him over, and taking down the Demon King would be a breeze.
I subtly rested a hand on his shoulder, fully broken of any fight left.
“You think the Demon King’s a lost cause too, right?”
“...”
“See? You accepted it right away when I said the Demon God hates him.”
“I won’t answer.”
Caught with his conscience, Airen couldn’t even deny it.
High chance of flipping him, I figured. Time to press.
“You’re the intel chief, right? So you know what happened to the Four Heavenly Kings.”
“...”
“Some dead, one’s working construction in our territory.”
“You enslaved a Heavenly King?!”
“Yeah, great digger. Perfect for our territory’s public works.”
He nodded like he instantly knew who, but stared at me like I was insane.
“Sure, that guy’s a digging pro, but... is a Hero really okay keeping a Heavenly King alive like that?”
“What’s wrong with it? If they’re useful, use ’em.”
“Capturing a Heavenly King and chasing personal gain like that... Heroes these days sure aren’t righteous.”
I felt unfairly singled out as the only Hero, so I shoved Marey—my loyal chin-rest—front and center.
Wouldn’t have pulled this mid-fight, but Airen had quit battling. This was persuasion time.
Safe to show off Marey now.
“You’re misunderstanding something.”
“Hm?”
“I’m not the only Hero.”
“Haha... so we’re all Heroes? That it?”
“Nah, not that childish.”
I nudged Marey closer to Airen and gave a simple order.
“Mareymon! Purifying Flame, go!”
“What’s. That. Supposed. To. Mean.”
Marey scowled, annoyed at being treated like a toy.
But whoosh.
She obediently summoned the flames.
Marey’s pure holy power blazed brilliantly, filling the air with warmth.
“Wha—what?! Not just holy power, but Purifying Flame too?!”
Airen’s shock was pure third-rate villain.
He slowly turned to me.
“Th-then you’re not the Hero? Just a Holy Knight?”
Before he finished, I unleashed my own Purifying Flame.
Meager compared to Marey’s, but plenty to pass as Hero-grade firepower.
“...S-So one of you’s a Saintess?”
Quick on the uptake for an intel chief. He got we were both Heroes fast.
But denial kicking in—he was desperately convincing himself one was a Saintess.
I got his disbelief, but why lump obviously male me in as Saintess candidate?
Were demons that PC?
“Wrong. Unfortunately for you, we’re both Heroes. Goddess-certified, too.”
“Th-that can’t... Heroes aren’t weak, they’re top-tier historically, and two of them? World balance wouldn’t allow...”
I gently covered his mouth.
“You’re stuck in old thinking. The two gods do care about balance. But...”
“...”
“This generation’s the exception!”
I released his mouth, and Airen sighed like the ground might cave in.
“So the Demon Realm never had a shot... Why’d I even bust my ass scheming...”
Airen muttered, reality crashing down.
I pitied him a bit, but drove the nail for recruitment with one more bombshell.
“Oh, we’ve got two Saintesses too.”
“...”
Now he just stared blankly into space, no more doubting my words.
If this were Pokémon, Airen’s HP was down to 10%.
Prime time to lob a Poké Ball.
I threw it.
“So, wanna join us? Demon Realm’s the setting sun. We’re the rising one. Isn’t following the flow poetic?”
Airen pondered my offer deeply.
One more toss for good measure.
“Help us out, and we can nab the Demon King with minimal Demon Realm casualties. I’m not like those old-school radical Heroes. No plans to mess with your everyday demon citizens.”
“...Tempting offer, sure.”
“So let’s team up—”
“But I, Airen, am the eternal loyal servant of the Demon Realm. I’d die before bending to the enemy.”
“Hey, wait—”
Before I could stop him frantically, Airen detonated the demonic energy inside himself.
I could’ve calmed it with holy power, but too risky. I grabbed Marey’s slim waist and bolted full speed.
Soon.
Boom!
A massive explosion rocked Airen’s spot, stray demonic energy erupting wildly.
“...”
Watching his end, I felt a twinge of bitterness and bowed my head lightly.
The world didn’t always bend to my will.