Episode 89
The difference in skill is palpable.
I try to get close for melee combat however I can, but I can't land any effective hits while I'm the only one taking damage.
When I try to take a step, a throbbing pain surges through my leg.
"Ugh!"
If there's any consolation, the number of approaching magical beasts continues to decrease.
From what I can tell, it seems the Beast King and his core forces haven't arrived.
If they had, it would already be over.
'Then was this just a diversion to draw attention? All for that, they sent Seoryeong unni? What a waste of military strength...'
Objectively speaking, Seoryeong unni, even in her current state, could slap around a knight commander and is on par with the top combatants of most kingdoms.
The proof is that I still can't inflict any effective damage on her.
Even the punches that luckily landed didn't cause significant harm.
Her body itself is just too tough.
"Hoo..."
Meanwhile, I'm already completely battered.
Explosions, punches, even kicks.
Having taken all sorts of attacks, honestly, it's difficult just to move.
'...At least the castle seems intact, that's fortunate. Hopefully I won't die before it falls.'
Several times when I thought I couldn't win, I tried various things, but that didn't make Seoryeong unni's aggressiveness diminish.
"If only Aron were here at a time like this..."
I touched the ring on my finger and tried calling for Aron, but he never appeared.
In the meantime, another attack came flying.
Ssssssss!
The blue flames attempted to attack whenever I tried to rest even a little.
But if I blindly create distance...
Boom! Kwa-gwa-gwa!
All the flames head toward the castle wall, and the flames that Eri couldn't block crash against it.
"Wow, did the castle wall crack from just one hit? This is insane."
The castle wall that looked incredibly sturdy cracked from just one flame hit.
It clearly looks like it will collapse after a few more hits.
And if that collapses, it's over.
No matter how strong Eri and Kyla are, it's impossible to block all these swarming beastkin in this situation.
'I have no information about Seoryeong. Same with those blue flames. So what should I do? Just fighting like this is starting to become impossible.'
If I continue fighting like this, I can last at most about 10 minutes.
So I need to find another method.
"Must kill..."
Again, with Seoryeong's voice, flames pour forth.
"Tch!"
I click my tongue and evade, using aura to deflect what I can't avoid.
After repeating that cycle once, I get a brief moment to rest.
'Tiamat-nim, please help me.'
As I desperately channel mana into the back of my hand, the pattern Tiamat engraved glowed.
And a response comes.
— Why? Is there some problem? You seem extremely desperate.
'It's extremely urgent. I need to subdue a much stronger opponent without killing them - is there any suitable method? For reference, Aron isn't here.'
— Where did that beast go.
'He got kidnapped to another dimension.'
— I'll need to hear the details about that later. First, stronger than you? Don't tell me it's one of the hero's party members?
'Yes, the fox beastkin among them.'
— Ah... that fox who throws the blue flames. Just fight with your full power too.
What kind of answer is this?
I asked because I can't win even with my full power.
'I asked because I can't win. Right now I'm barely just blocking attacks.'
— You can't win? That can't be right...
'No, how could I beat a hero's party member? And I asked because I can't win.'
— You can't beat a weakened hero's party member? Maybe if they were at full power, but you should be able to handle weakened ones.
It seems she has some serious misconceptions about me.
'I can't win. How exactly am I supposed to win?'
— Ah, perhaps it's because you don't know how to use divinity? You've never used divinity before, have you.
'Divinity?'
I haven't heard of divinity in the game.
Just from the word, it sounds like something representing the status of gods, but there's no way I would have something like that.
'There's no way I have something like that. So please help me quickly.'
— You don't even know if you have it. Then just use up all your aura. Something will work out after that. Good luck then.
'Tiamat-nim? Tiamat-nim! Hey! Pervert lizard!'
No response came back.
"Tch! What the hell is this damned divinity thing anyway!"
Following Tiamat's advice, I started squeezing out all my aura.
I squeezed out every last bit until barely a handful remained and charged toward Seoryeong unni.
"Hup!"
Boom!
Since I can't match her speed, I stomped my foot hard again to kick up dust.
Taking advantage of the momentarily obscured vision, I call the spirits again.
'Blow wind into my right arm.'
Whoosh!
With a cool wind in my right arm, the dust scatters as I throw a punch.
The punch flies out much faster with the spirit's assistance.
"Too... slow."
The punch is blocked by Seoryeong's hand as if it were nothing.
This time, to avoid being grabbed, I quickly retract my fist and swing my leg.
Thump!
The kick is also blocked by Seoryeong's hand.
"Faster...!"
With the spirit's help, my speed increases another level.
Wind envelops my entire body, and it feels like my physical speed, reaction time, even the timeline itself has changed.
Thump! Bang! Thud-thud-thud!
Numerous attacks and defenses are exchanged, and gradually my aura begins to run out.
Even then, I didn't feel any special power.
'This is a scam, right? Tiamat-nim, it's really getting critical. I'm not feeling any power at all.'
I used all my remaining strength to hit Seoryeong unni with full power and created distance.
In that moment, I desperately called for Tiamat.
'Can't you help me somehow? It's really critical. At this rate, I might become roasted wolf.'
— Hmm, was I mistaken then. I suppose I should help.
Along with those words, the pattern on the back of my hand glowed intensely.
— It's too far for me to go directly, and half-hearted help wouldn't be useful anyway, so I'll lend you some mana.
'Oh, this is good! Can't you do this often?'
— Too bothersome. If I lend it to you like this, I have to use dozens of times more mana than you use.
Tch. That's a bit disappointing.
If I had my way, I'd use tons of the dragon's mana.
'Well, can't be helped then. Just help me during this fight. Think of it as saving your contractor's life.'
— Fine, I'll help as much as I can. I'll let you know if it starts running low, so use it freely.
'Yes, I'll use it well then.'
The connection with Tiamat cut off, and I immediately drew up aura at full power.
As expected of the Dragon Emperor, I suppose.
With aura exploding endlessly and the spirit's power added on top, I returned to perfect condition.
Even Seoryeong unni seemed flustered by the sudden change in condition.
"I thought you'd completely lost it, but you can still notice this? Then I should help you come to your senses."
I clenched my fist tightly and charged again.
In this state, it seemed like something might actually happen.
*
The demon realm, located further south than the southernmost tip of the continent.
At the demon king's castle, which could be considered the end of the demon realm, the hero's party finally clashed with the demon king.
This hero wasn't as strong as the first hero, but the same was true for the demon king.
After three days of continuous battle, a winner was decided.
"Hoo... hoo... We barely managed to win. So why did you invade the continent? What was your reason for using demons to attack humans?"
With the hero's holy sword at his throat, the demon king laughed.
It wasn't the attitude of someone who'd gone mad.
Rather, he laughed for a long time as if relieved, then answered the hero.
"Me attacking humans? Humans are always so arrogant, self-centered, believing only what they want to believe. Actually, I want to ask you instead. Why are you killing demons?"
"What are you talking about? We came to subjugate them because magical beasts keep attacking humans. And because demons were crossing over to the continent..."
The demon king cut off the hero's angry words.
"Can humans control all humans? Can they control all beasts, all livestock? If that were possible, they wouldn't be mere humans or demons. That would be a god."
"...So you're saying it wasn't you?"
"If it were me from the beginning, I would have attacked the empire first. Would I attack from the south without any strategy just to show how stupid I am?"
Hearing it put that way, the demon king's words made sense.
The ones always suffering magical beast attacks are small villages, not large cities. And is there any reason to send weak magical beasts?
The ones suffering damage...
"The damn goddess's followers were always excluded. Isn't that right. Saintess."
As if reading the hero's thoughts, the demon king spoke.
At that question, Saint Ivy frowned.
"What do you mean by goddess? I don't understand. I'm just acting as the saintess chosen by god. And I'm fully utilizing that ability, using it as needed."
"That's not what I'm asking. Whatever. You'll realize it someday too. That the real enemy isn't me but others..."
The demon king's breathing, which had been slowly inhaling and exhaling, gradually slowed.
The rising and falling of his chest also gradually diminished.
"Hero-nim, don't worry about it too much. It's just the demon's tricks anyway. There's no point in worrying about it - we'd only lose out."
"That's right. It's clearly just a trick to confuse us. Anyway, since we've defeated the demon king, our work is done. How about we head back?"
"Let's go quickly, Hero-nim. I want to go home and rest properly."
The other party members approached the hero and urged him to return.
Meanwhile, Ivy slowly opened her eyes.
Just like when Kyla used her ability, both eyes glowed golden.
Unlike Kyla's ability to see origins, the ability Ivy received was to see the future.
'Ivy... I'm embarrassed...'
Through blurry vision, Mia appears.
The image of Mia, embarrassed, being held in embrace while bathing together.
'A peck? We're both adults now... Uhp. Uheup...'
Instead of a peck, they kiss, and then the future she desired appears.
'Hahk! So, good! Penis so, huk! Good!'
Mia is on top of Ivy, bodies pressed together, tongue out like a bitch in heat and panting.
After confirming that sight too, Ivy closed and opened her eyes again.
"Thank goodness. The future hasn't changed..."
She muttered quietly and looked at the beastkin and elf standing beside her.
"Aren't you two going to check? Everyone seems to be confirming the demon king."
At Ivy's question, the elf and beastkin smiled as usual.
"We'll go. But... we'll rest for a moment and follow, so please go ahead."
"I'll rest a bit too."
At the elf and beastkin's answers, Ivy nodded and walked forward.
Watching her retreating figure, the two exchanged glances.
'Now.'
Having decided, the two simultaneously attacked Ivy.
"Sorry about this. Saintess."
"Farewell. Saintess-nim."
The beastkin's aura-infused claws and the elf's spirit-imbued arrow headed toward Ivy.
Thud!
And blood splattered.