Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Phantasm Disaster (2)
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The moment I entered Nabez, crowds of sleeping people lurched toward me, reaching out blindly. It was like something out of a nightmare, reminiscent of ghouls—those undead monsters from the necromancy family.
‘Ghouls would be preferable!’
These were just civilians being manipulated.
I couldn’t bring myself to attack them recklessly, knowing they’d awaken once I took down Sior.
The one silver lining was their sluggish movements, easy enough to dodge.
‘But there are too damn many.’
Nabez was the capital of a kingdom, after all.
The streets teemed with people—now swarming and assaulting anyone in sight.
I clicked my tongue and shoved the chest of a charging man with all my strength. A cascade of bodies tumbled behind him.
‘The longer this drags on, the more refined their movements will get.’
According to the Synopsis, humans turned into kin of the Phantasm Disaster would eventually arm themselves and move with military precision.
Once that happened, shaking them off wouldn’t be so simple.
I glanced at the twinkling blue light in the sky, then bolted in the opposite direction.
‘The demons might buy it, but not me.’
That blue glow shimmering over Nabez’s skies?
It was just a fragment of Sior, not the main body.
‘The real one’s location is...’
Soon, a palace carved from ice itself came into view—stunningly beautiful.
Aintban’s royal castle, the Crystal Palace.
That’s where he had to be.
The winter spirit Sior couldn’t stray far from it.
Moments later, I reached the castle entrance—a total bloodbath.
Corpses littered the ground, bleeding out, while knights and soldiers ensnared by Sior’s power prowled everywhere.
‘Total chaos.’
The entrance stood wide open, practically inviting entry.
Faint clamor echoed from inside, but I couldn’t afford to focus on that.
‘Knew you’d show.’
No sooner had I arrived than a blue afterimage flickered into view.
A boy with flowing blue hair and crystal-like eyes—the winter spirit Sior himself.
“Human bearer of Genova. You will not pass.”
Sior addressed me in a stiff, mechanical tone.
I studied him calmly.
‘Sure enough, he’s the one with Solaris.’
Strapped to Sior’s back was a sword of unusual design.
The Boundary Sword Solaris, capable of slicing through the boundaries of all things.
‘Perfect.’
I checked his settings and smirked inwardly.
Just as I’d predicted.
“Why can’t I go in?”
“Withdraw quietly, and I’ll spare your life.”
He shot a wary glance at Genova, thick with suspicion.
From his perspective, I was the ultimate threat—yet Genova kept him from charging recklessly.
Click.
I gripped Genova and exhaled steadily.
‘Any moment now...’
Right on cue, tiny footsteps pattered from behind, up in the sky.
“An unexpected windfall.”
I turned to see two demons.
One was Lutia. The brown-haired one beside her was among those Jade had been surveilling.
“To think we’d find not just Genova’s owner, but another sword as well. That one looks genuine.”
The brown-haired demon alternated glances between Sior and me.
“Well done, Lutia. I’ll report to the Demon King and ensure you receive a grand reward.”
“Th-thank you.”
Lutia flicked a quick look my way before scampering off. She knew full well what was about to go down here.
“Who are you?”
“I am Zenon, wielder of Genova—or so I wasn’t expecting to encounter you like this.”
Zenon advanced slowly toward me.
The aura radiating from him dwarfed anything I’d felt from Veil—vast and overwhelming.
‘The gap between mid-tier and high-tier demons... it’s even bigger than I thought.’
No ordinary Sword Master stood a chance.
You’d need someone on Ribina Count’s level, at least.
“I had no intention of hunting you down specifically... but since we’ve crossed paths, best to tie up loose ends. I’ll hunt that spirit later, at my leisure.”
Zenon extended his right hand sideways. A long, blade-like protrusion erupted from the back of his hand.
Likely some racial trait of his as a demon.
I licked my dry lips and stared him down.
“Kill me now, and you’ll regret it.”
“Hmph. Nonsense...”
I pointed right at Sior, standing directly in front of me.
“You’ll need my help to take down that guy using the Boundary Sword Solaris.”
Zenon snorted dismissively.
“You think a pathetic human like you can aid me?”
“Yeah. Harsh as it sounds, you can’t beat a Disaster on your own.”
“...What?”
“If he decides to bolt for real, can you even catch him?”
Not a word of bluff in what I said.
No matter how mighty a high-tier demon, toppling Sior was impossible.
Chasing a being that hopped through space? Forget it.
“But I’m different. The Seven Heavenly Swords resonate within a certain range.”
“You expect me to buy that?”
“Believe it or not, up to you... but can you stay so smug with that staring you down?”
I jabbed a finger at Sior.
Icy chill already swirled around him. Sensing trouble from the demons’ arrival, he’d unleashed his power.
Shing!
“Bearer of Genova, and demons. Do not interfere.”
Sior drew Solaris and issued another warning. Frigid air spread everywhere, freezing the ground solid.
The winter spirit Sior’s abilities went beyond mere sleep induction and mind control.
Those were just the powers of his ‘Disaster’ form, gained through Disaster Transformation.
His true nature was that of a winter spirit.
He wielded the cold like extensions of his own limbs—a formidable force.
Spirit power, Disaster power.
Plus Solaris in hand—Sior alone wielded tremendous might.
‘Even Fabian needed hordes of Lintria mercenaries to bring him down.’
Not even a high-tier demon like Zenon could handle Sior easily.
“Damn it.”
Zenon gritted his teeth, realizing as much.
He was strong, sure—but not Disaster strong.
Calling for backup wasn’t an option either. He had only one choice.
“...So what exactly are you proposing?”
“Let’s team up—at least until we catch that one.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah.”
Zenon didn’t deliberate long. The deal cost him nothing.
“I accept your proposal.”
“Smart move.”
I flashed Zenon a grin and drew Genova.
For now, at least, he wouldn’t try to kill me on the spot.
‘Alright then...’
Everything hinged on what that kid did next.
* * *
The Crimson Count, Margal, was a brutally straightforward demon. Many demons revered strength above all, but he took it to extremes.
Which made aimless searching like this utterly against his nature.
“Hah!”
Boom!
He stomped hard, detonating the earth and shattering everything around. Nabez buildings crumbled, and nearby humans burst apart.
“M-monster!”
“Mercy!”
Screaming humans fled, only to collapse after a few steps as snowflakes touched them.
“...Still not coming out?”
Margal twisted his lips in boredom.
He’d figured wrecking Nabez outright would flush the Disaster first—no sign yet.
“I thought a ‘Disaster’ would be something grander. Turns out it’s just a pathetic coward.”
He muttered while eyeing the falling snow.
The mana and power in those flakes marked it as formidable, no doubt.
Yet the Disaster hid instead of showing itself. That irked Margal to no end.
“Ah, I hoped for a real fight this time...”
A rumbling presence drew his gaze aside.
“Damn! A demon here of all places.”
“We can’t let that monster rampage!”
Bundled in cloth to block snowflakes, armored on top—they were Lintria mercenaries.
“What are these now?”
To Margal, just annoying pests. No Disaster, just endless humans—infuriating.
“Gasp!”
As his feral aura surged, the mercenaries paled in terror.
‘Damn. A demon...’
Among them was Max, Black Skull Mercenary Corps vice-captain.
‘Lutia said if we spotted anyone suspicious, don’t fight—run.’
Max, a battlefield veteran, had only seen demons twice.
The last was a low-tier one—and even that claimed countless mercenaries.
‘That’s no low-tier.’
The aura, the nonchalance—worlds apart.
Challenging it was suicide.
‘Running’s the smart play.’
But he couldn’t.
How do you flee a monster slaughtering innocents?
Especially for Max, once an Aintban soldier—the revulsion ran deep.
“I’ll handle that demon. Everyone else, evacuate the living!”
At Max’s shout, the mercenaries scattered efficiently.
Margal watched, arms crossed, amused.
“You’re facing me alone?”
“...Yeah.”
Max raised his sword, steeling for death.
‘If I can buy even a few minutes...’
In that instant, his body launched skyward.
Boom!
“Gah!”
He hadn’t even seen the hit. A mid-tier Sword Expert like him—totally blind-sided.
“Urk... ugh...!”
His armor shattered, spilling across the ground. Spitting blood, Max staggered up. Margal drawled indifferently.
“Weak. All you humans are weak like that.”
He approached the trembling Max.
“I’ll make it quick for you... Hm?”
Mid-sentence, Margal trailed off. Max looked up effortfully—Margal stared elsewhere, fixated.
“That’s...”
A pink-haired girl entered Max’s view.
She stepped onto the ruined ground, positioning herself between them.
“Oh?”
Margal chuckled at Maria’s boldness.
“Doesn’t know her place yet.”
“...Urgh!”
Margal seized Maria’s hair by the roots, yanking her close. Up close, an inexplicable allure radiated from her.
Succubus half-breed?
That thought hit just as her fierce eyes locked on his.
“Strange girl. No fear at all.”
“...A merchant’s most vital asset is guts.”
“Merchant?”
Margal snickered at the absurdity.
Figures—she blocks my path, so she must be deranged.
“You said weakness is a sin?”
“Hm? Yeah, obviously. Weakness is sin.”
Maria nodded slowly at his reply.
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
Seeing his crimson-gleaming eyes, Maria raised her right hand, placing it on his arm.
“Guh?!”
Agonizing pain exploded in his arm. Margal gaped at her hand.
A ring gleamed there, iridescent.
‘What the hell? A holy relic?’
Did she stand so defiantly because of that?
‘Insolent wench.’
Margal sneered, reaching to rip off the hand clutching his arm—the one with the relic.
But then—
His vision flooded white.
“Huh?”
Stunned by the unforeseen, Margal blinked.
“What... is this?”
He mumbled in bewilderment.
Just moments ago, he’d been treading scorched earth.
Now, a vast, empty white void filled his sight.