Chapter 98

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 98

Chapter Title: Raid Strategy with Cheat Modes (1)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Kwaaaang—!!!

A deafening roar echoed out.

I hadn't been hit directly or even grazed.

But just the shockwave alone made my flesh tremble.

"Kyaaaaah!!!"

"M-my slave!!!"

But then, sharp screams pierced the air.

My body turned around on its own.

I had to check on Selleos's condition after taking that hit.

A dark fantasy scene unfolded before me.

"…!!!"

Her arm's rotting away!!

The arrow lodged in Selleos's arm.

Flesh was decaying around it.

She herself was in agony, letting out screams.

It was straight out of a gore flick.

"What the hell was that just now!?"

Yi Hyun, what hap—"

"L-look up, Captain!!"

"Up!?"

Our gazes shifted to the sky.

Toward the direction the attack had come from.

A woman with goat horns sprouting from her head was flying through the air.

"Hehe♡ How's it feel, Selleos?"

"Le-Leraaaaazie!!!"

"Lerazie?"

The moment I saw her, I activated Observation.

I checked her specs via the status window.

Soon enough, my jaw dropped.

Level 278?!

Balram—no, Eisen was in the 230s without his blessing.

And now a level 280 jumps out of nowhere?

I was so flustered I couldn't speak.

I couldn't grasp the situation.

I pieced it together after eavesdropping on Selleos and her conversation.

"Lerazie…!! Y-you're trying to eat me!!"

"What're you babbling about, traitor?"

"You think you can absorb my demonic energy like this!?"

"Sitri did it, so why couldn't I? We're on the same level, after all."

Selleos ground her teeth.

Lerazie leisurely stroked her bow.

From this, I could guess…

Demons eat their own kind to grow stronger, huh.

Devouring each other makes them powerful.

That must be why Sitri was so freakishly strong—she'd eaten someone before.

Selleos, you got your tail stepped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on!

And one more thing.

Her sudden appearance made sense now.

She'd tailed Selleos after sensing something suspicious.

Watched from way up high in the sky, too far even for Lumi to detect.

Then, the moment Selleos's betrayal was confirmed?

Execution mode activated.

Ambush to devour her.

That was the most plausible scenario.

The only snag is Eisen.

One thing that didn't add up.

Why let me kill her fellow demons?

"If you're gonna eat someone, eat Balram!!"

"Eat a human-turned-demon? Would you?"

"Well, that's…"

"…"

Demons' personalities are trash.

How the hell did you survive among them, Sir Eisen?

No wonder you treat me well.

Anyway, retreat first and think later!

I slowly holstered my gun.

Edged my feet backward.

Trying to flee from this strongest enemy yet.

But at that moment.

-Swish.

"You there~ Yi Hyun, right? Thanks for killing that filthy bastard~ I hated watching a human strut around pretending to be a demon."

"…Tch."

Spotted.

Lerazie turned her head toward me.

She licked her lips.

"I was gonna let you go, but? Changed my mind."

"What do you mean? Gonna test yourself against the guy who killed Sitri…?"

"———You're weaker than I thought? Killing Sitri was just luck, huh?"

I froze.

My body went rigid.

Not just because my bluff had been called,

"If I snag you too, hehe♡ I'll look pretty damn good♡"

"…!!!"

What the hell is this killing intent!!

The hostility she exuded.

It was leagues beyond Sitri, who'd only been trying to escape, or Eisen, whose fight was near-suicidal.

The malice of a high-ranking demon for the first time.

Even my tough-guy heart couldn't take it.

-Thud.

"So, you first…"

Lerazie raised her bow at the sight.

Looked like she meant to kill me.

My survival instincts screamed.

Various skill activation messages flooded my vision…

-Clang!!!

"M-master!! Run awaaay!!!"

"Selleos!? You."

"I'll buy time, so goooo!!! Hurry!!!"

Selleos yanked the arrow from her arm.

She knocked aside Lerazie's bow.

The two demons locked eyes.

"Oh? Master? A demon submitting to a human? Disqualified♡"

"Shut up, you…!! Hurt my master and I'll kill you!!"

"You? What, stalling till that damned bitch's holy spell's ready?"

"Shut up! Master, run now!! I'll come find you later!!!"

And so, Selleos.

Turned her back to me and drew up her demonic energy.

The last thing I saw was,

-Kwaaaang!!!

"M-my slave!!"

"Y-Yi Hyun! Hurry over here!"

"I'll come save you soonnnn!!!"

Her back blocking Lerazie's attack.

And her rotting left arm.

We returned to Eisenhardt territory for now.

Even after killing one high demon.

The mood wasn't great.

"What the hell happened out there?"

"Well, my guess is…"

"Another high demon ambushed us!?"

"Th-that's impossible! Three high demons gathering in one place? Never happened before!!"

We killed a demon, and an even stronger one showed up.

"And now Lumi's holy spear's on cooldown too…"

Holy spear only worked on demons, and it was on cooldown.

"A-any chance Selleos wins?"

"Lerazie's stronger, and her arm's hit. She won't last long."

Even Selleos overthrowing her was a stretch.

In other words, we'd have to take her down ourselves.

It was bleak.

"…No choice. We abandon it—Eisenhardt."

"Lady Minerva!!"

"Catching one is more than enough. Better to flee and bide our time than die chasing another."

Minerva murmured.

In a low voice the territory folk couldn't hear.

She wasn't joking.

Even Blanc nodded.

"…No helping it. We can't hold out till the spear's ready."

"Even the captain's saying that!?"

"Got a better idea?"

"Well…"

"I don't want to either. But we retreat now."

"But Lady Blanc, my slave."

"It hurts to abandon an ally, but she's a demon at heart. Let her go, Yi Hyun."

"I can't."

Was this it? Retreat like this?

Knowing Selleos would die and Eisenhardt would end up like Zaksen?

Flee dirty and pathetic?

My face darkened with the dilemma.

…Or it almost did.

-Tadak!

"What happened!?"

"Lumi!!"

Lumi came running in at that moment.

She dashed over in her cloak.

Her body still trembled from the holy spear's backlash.

But she stood firm.

"So, what went down…"

"I felt a faint presence earlier—must've been that demon."

"Yeah! Lumi, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can't you fire one more spear?"

Minerva seemed to pin her hopes on her, but

"No way. Need three days' rest, no spells."

"Three days… Yeah, sorry for asking."

Her face fell into despair soon after.

Our last hope dashed.

But Lumi.

Straightened up and spoke.

"Lady Minerva, snap out of it."

"…Lumi?"

"You, the sage, can do it. Figure out how to break this."

She couldn't use spears anymore, felt useless.

But Minerva, the hero party's sage.

She could pull it off.

True faith from someone who'd staked her life in battle.

Minerva, lost in panic, slapped her cheeks to focus.

-Slap.

"…I'll try."

"We believe in you, Lady Minerva. Pray with us, Yi Hyun."

"Ah, yep!"

Prayer time began.

I knelt beside Lumi.

Our picture-perfect prayer and my half-assed one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠aimed at her.

Did it work? Minerva shot up.

"…Ariel!"

"Yes?"

"The hero! We have our hero!!"

"…!!!"

My eyes widened too.

The missing hero, in hiding.

We'd kept her secret, no contact till now,

"Now's the time!!"

Minerva had revealed herself already.

Lumi nailed the ambush spear.

No reason to keep secrets.

Realizing it, Lumi shed her cloak.

They clasped hands and shouted.

"Hero, Lady Ariel! Can you hear us!?"

"…"

Panties showing.

Though my eyes were glued to her wind-flipped skirt, soaked panties, and tights drenched in pussy juice.

It'd been obvious since the twig 'n berries peek anyway.

Seemed only I noticed.

The others focused on her face.

"S-Saintess!!"

"She's the one who fired that!?"

"Captain knew, huh?"

"Yeah. Heard whispers, but first time seeing her."

The knight ladies buzzed,

"Ariel!! You hear me!? It's me, Mine!! Lumi's here toooo!!"

"We need your power! I don't know why you're hiding, but please lend us your strength once more!!"

The hero duo called out.

The anxious citizens, catching on, joined in.

"Hero!! Hero!!! Hero!!!"

"Hero, save us!!!"

It started soft.

Soon it spread far and wide.

If the hero wasn't plugging her ears.

She had to hear it.

But…

Even so.

No one claiming to be the hero appeared.

Twenty minutes.

Took that long for their throats to give out.

"Huff, huff… Why isn't she coming?"

"She's not the type to ignore this…"

"No way she's actually petrified? Her hearing should've caught it."

"Aah, Lady Ariel. Why…"

Even Lumi's face soured.

She'd thought revealing herself would bring the hero.

Her no-show hit hard.

The knights' reactions were similar.

The citizens' calls turned to wails.

Pure hellscape.

-Glance.

What now, for real.

In the midst of the chaos.

I clutched my head and started thinking.

Can't keep sucking honey like this.

Strongest foe yet.

Not a virgin, so no 'Debug'.

Holy spear's spent.

Only hope's finding the hero.

But Selleos won't hold till the blessing decodes.

No hint without it anyway.

So, it's on me.

Can't run.

No, don't want to.

Can't turn my back knowing everyone here dies en masse.

Selleos tying her feet for me too.

Wanna save her if I can.

How the hell? No solid mode to take her down.

Just willpower, no method.

How to beat Lerazie?

No answer despite racking my brain…

-Halt.

Wait, what if I stack multiple mods?

Idea flashed.

I raised my arm.

"Summon."

"Huh, Yi Hyun?"

"Why summon luggage now? Running?"

"Hold on, testing something."

One of my mods, 'Improved Convenience'.

Test infinite inventory summon range.

Results satisfied.

Works up to 3 meters without touch, if space is clear.

Never needed it before.

Rifle click and done.

But now.

Time for my five mods.

To synergize.

"Lady Lumi, Lady Minerva. Lady Blanc."

"…Yi Hyun?"

"Yi Hyun, what…"

"I have a plan."

Before the despairing crowd.

I grinned bright.

"Operation name? Yeah, let's call it the Grand Opening."

If virginity blocks deletion, just make her non-virgin!!