Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Harvest
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‘That fucking idiot.’
Kang Hyun-soo was dumbfounded.
He felt like a fool for expecting the guy to have some hidden trump card up his sleeve.
‘This is just hitting the self-destruct button.’
Sacrificing living victims as offerings to borrow the power of a demon through a contract.
It was the worst possible choice.
For starters, the demonic energy pouring off him made it impossible to hide that he was a demon’s lackey.
And that wasn’t all.
‘There’s no convenient way in this world to just borrow power without any strings attached.’
Nothing comes free.
That’s the truth of the world.
The same went for contracts with demons.
Even if he paid the price of living sacrifices, those were other people’s lives.
A strong person sacrificing the weak to grow stronger?
In a way, that was practically free.
‘Where does shit like that exist in the world?’
Naturally, the one making the contract—the principal party—had to lose something too.
And that loss was none other than.
‘Handing over control of his body to the contracted demon.’
If he sacrificed living victims and borrowed the demon’s power through the contract?
His mind would naturally become intertwined with the demon’s.
If the player who contracted with the demon could overpower the demon’s mind with his own mental strength, he could maintain his sanity.
‘But guys who give up self-improvement for the easy path of contracting with a demon won’t have that kind of mental fortitude.’
The reason this drawback wasn’t widely known?
The person involved doesn’t even realize they’re under the demon’s mental control.
They just think they’re acting of their own free will.
In other words, they end up losing both body and soul.
‘Whether he knew what he was doing or not, it was the worst choice.’
It seemed like a desperate move born from the need to survive.
‘But that choice ends up erasing your very existence.’
Even if he miraculously survived the clutches of Blade King Kyung Wi-gang and Kang Hyun-soo.
The Knight of Flames Jamie was no longer a player with free will.
He was just a puppet dancing to the demon’s tune.
* * *
“Aaaagh!”
“Gahk!”
The bodies of the Cabal Guild players on the battlefield withered and twisted like mummies.
And in the end, they turned to dust and scattered away.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
At the same moment, explosive demonic energy erupted from the Knight of Flames Jamie’s body.
“Demonic energy?”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang was startled out of his wits as the guy who’d been on the verge of death suddenly unleashed powerful demonic energy.
“No way?”
The Cabal Guild members dying off one by one, and their guild master, the Knight of Flames Jamie, growing stronger.
This pointed to one undeniable fact.
The Knight of Flames Jamie was a lackey of the Demon King.
“You traitor to humanity!”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang flew into a rage.
And he was shocked beyond belief.
He’d never even imagined that the guild master of a massive guild like Cabal would be a Demon King lackey.
“Spread the word to the Mightor Kingdom and Lamepazil Kingdom immediately!”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang quickly issued orders to the surviving Zhonghua Guild players.
“You think I’ll let you do that!”
The Knight of Flames Jamie bellowed and swung his sword.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Blood-red aura shot toward the surviving Zhonghua Guild players.
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang tried to block it.
Kwa-ang!
But he was just batted away helplessly.
Kwaaaaang!
With a massive explosion, the surviving Zhonghua Guild players met a collective gruesome end.
The Knight of Flames Jamie held nothing back.
Why?
Because all the Cabal Guild players had been drained of their life force and died.
Everyone still alive around him was his enemy.
“You bastard!”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang roared and charged at the Knight of Flames Jamie.
Blood-red aura clashed head-on with murky gray clouds.
Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!
The Knight of Flames Jamie and Blade King Kyung Wi-gang swung sword and blade at each other, hell-bent on killing one another.
It was a fierce battle that split the skies and shook the earth.
‘Blade King Kyung Wi-gang is getting pushed back. Serves him right for going for a head-on fight.’
Kang Hyun-soo, watching the battlefield through his summon’s eyes, clicked his tongue at Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s response.
Demon King lackeys—their existence was known, but that was it.
People knew traitors to humanity who served the Demon King existed.
But no one knew their weaknesses or how to properly counter them.
Why?
Because right now wasn’t the time when Demon King lackeys were openly active; it was the period when they were building their strength.
It would be about twenty years before the Demon King lackeys revealed their true colors.
By then, methods to deal with Demon King lackeys were well-known.
‘The first rule being: don’t face a rampaging enemy head-on.’
A Demon King lackey temporarily empowered by living sacrifices is truly formidable.
The power granted and its duration vary depending on the number and strength of the sacrifices.
‘But it always has a time limit.’
So there’s no need to face them head-on.
‘Just avoid direct confrontation and stall for time, and it’s over.’
The Demon King lackey will self-destruct on their own.
‘That info hasn’t spread yet.’
That’s why the casualties were so high.
‘It’ll get out this time.’
Kang Hyun-soo wasn’t going to spread it himself—just leak some info to the Zhonghua Guild survivors.
‘That guy seems perfect.’
Kang Hyun-soo gave a wry smile as he eyed Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, who was hiding behind a rock, not even breathing loudly.
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong had one arm dangling loosely and massive puncture wounds in his abdomen and legs.
But he’d barely survived the Knight of Flames Jamie’s attacks.
In truth, if he’d survived, he should’ve moved to request reinforcements.
With a Demon King lackey appearing, it was obvious the Mightor and Lamepazil Kingdoms would send regular troops.
But Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong prioritized his own safety over humanity’s welfare.
To get to a major city like Daion or Luzavenu, he’d have to move.
Moving in this forest turned to scorched earth by the Knight of Flames Jamie and Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s clash?
He’d inevitably catch the Knight of Flames Jamie’s eye.
And that would raise his chances of dying by the Knight of Flames Jamie’s hand.
So Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong stayed hidden behind the rock, not daring to move.
‘Puts self-preservation above all else.’
He was probably staying put to avoid catching the Knight of Flames Jamie’s eye and dying.
‘A guy like that has the title Demon-Slaying Spear.’
It was embarrassing that such a title—“Spear that Slays Demons”—was attached to him.
‘Well, it’s not bad for me.’
No reinforcements coming was better for Kang Hyun-soo than the opposite.
‘Time to move soon.’
Around the time Kang Hyun-soo arrived at the scene.
Things would come to a head.
* * *
Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s body was sent flying backward helplessly.
Defeat was already sealed.
‘When was the last time I lost this pathetically?’
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang felt profound emptiness.
‘To fail against a mere Demon King lackey.’
Wounds appeared all over his steel-like body.
They were regenerating quickly.
But new wounds formed faster than the old ones healed.
He sensed defeat and tried to evade, biding his time for another day.
But the Knight of Flames Jamie didn’t even allow that.
‘To die to a bastard like this.’
Swordsmanship proficiency, combat experience, skill rank.
Nothing surpassed his own.
Yet before the enhanced physical abilities and overwhelming destructive power of the demonic energy.
He was utterly powerless.
“I’ll give you a chance to live.”
“What?”
“Contract with the one I serve. Then I’ll spare your life.”
“You mad bastard.”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang was dumbfounded.
To dare suggest he become a Demon King lackey.
“Death ends everything, doesn’t it? This is me showing you mercy.”
“I’d rather die here than bear the dishonor of betraying humanity like you.”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang was fiercely proud and obsessed with honor.
He’d die right here if he had to.
He had no desire to suffer the humiliation of submitting to the Demon King and becoming its lackey.
“Dishonor? When we win, it’ll be an honor.”
“We? A demon puppet like you talks big. Even if you win, you’re just slaves to the demons. I’ll pass on that life.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
At Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s refusal, the Knight of Flames Jamie clicked his tongue in regret.
Truth be told, suggesting a contract to Blade King wasn’t the Knight of Flames Jamie’s own will.
The Knight of Flames Jamie only wanted to tear him apart.
The demon count’s orders had overridden that impulse and forced the offer.
“What a shame.”
The demon count was genuinely regretful.
Contracting with a powerhouse like that could’ve recouped all their losses in one go.
“No helping it, then. Die.”
The Knight of Flames Jamie unleashed a barrage of attacks.
He’d sacrificed countless victims.
But the limit was approaching.
In truth, the demon count wanted to lend the Knight of Flames Jamie more power for longer.
But breaching Gaia System’s defenses to transmit power was no easy feat.
The fact that they’d gotten this much efficiency was thanks to offering up so many powerhouses as sacrifices.
Kwachik!
The Knight of Flames Jamie’s sword plunged into Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s heart.
“Gahk!”
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang’s corpse tumbled limply to the ground.
Then, with residual mana, it dissolved into dust like ash.
“Haa! Haa!”
Having felled Blade King Kyung Wi-gang, the Knight of Flames Jamie panted heavily.
‘Grab what I can first.’
The Knight of Flames Jamie scooped up the items and skill books scattered everywhere.
Cabal Guild, which he’d poured years into, was finished.
But the Knight of Flames Jamie didn’t give up.
He could rebuild the guild.
As he diligently collected items and skill books.
“Aaaah!”
The demonic energy that had dwelled in his body drained away like a receding tide.
The power gained at the cost of countless subordinates’ lives had already bottomed out.
‘A pity.’
Demonic energy filling his body, overflowing strength.
Senses transcending humanity, boundless confidence that he could do anything.
He wanted it all back.
But not right now.
‘If I can just safely complete the demonization, I can have that power forever. I’ll shed human limits and be reborn as a mighty demon.’
Suppressing his regret, the Knight of Flames Jamie gathered every item and skill book.
Now it was time to leave.
At that moment.
Shuuuuk!
Someone approached at high speed.
‘Kingdom troops?’
Or maybe a regular player party.
With the massive explosions and constant clashes of mana and demonic energy.
It wouldn’t be strange for anyone to show up.
‘Doesn’t matter. There’s no evidence anyway.’
If they sensed the demonic energy and came?
He could just pin it on Zhonghua Guild as the culprits who contracted with demons.
Tak!
One player appeared before the Knight of Flames Jamie.
‘Just one?’
The Knight of Flames Jamie was incredulous.
‘Is he insane?’
To come here alone after sensing the clash of powerful mana and demonic energy?
He didn’t seem right in the head.
“Knight of Flames Jamie. You survived after all.”
At the opponent’s words, the Knight of Flames Jamie’s eyebrow twitched.
“You insolent fool.”
He knew who he was, yet called his name so casually?
“You, the Demon King’s lackey, die here today.”
“What?”
The Knight of Flames Jamie jumped in shock at the words “Demon King’s lackey.”
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
No one else.
Just this one guy.
The Knight of Flames Jamie was dumbfounded.
“Me, dying here?”
“Yeah.”
“Who’s gonna kill me? You, by any chance?”
“Right.”
“Hahaha!”
The Knight of Flames Jamie burst into mad laughter.
He was seething with rage at losing everything.
And now some lunatic shows up claiming he’ll kill him.
“Even Blade King Kyung Wi-gang died by my hand. How do you plan to kill me?”
“You didn’t kill Blade King Kyung Wi-gang with your power. It was the demon’s.”
“So? You think you can take on me now?”
Dense killing intent rose thickly from the Knight of Flames Jamie’s entire body.
Jamie.
A named player with the title Knight of Flames.
Though the power lent by the demon count had cut off, he was still no one to underestimate.
“Crazy bastard. I’ll kill you.”
The Knight of Flames Jamie charged at the mysterious player.
At that instant.
“Platoon formation.”
The mysterious player uttered a short phrase.
In that moment.
Saaaak!
Something made of mana appeared.
Pang!
And blocked the Knight of Flames Jamie’s sword.
“What the—?”
The Knight of Flames Jamie panicked hard.
To block his full-force sword swing?
It was as good as saying the opponent was on his level.
Pajijijik!
At that moment, the mana construct.
Erupted with lightning and billowed murky gray clouds.
“B-Blade King Kyung Wi-gang? But he’s dead!”
The Knight of Flames Jamie’s face went pale.
“Time to start round two.”
No sooner had the mysterious player finished speaking.
Than a being made of pitch-black mana charged at the Knight of Flames Jamie.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Murky gray clouds clashed head-on with red aura.
“Who’ll win this time?”
The unidentified player’s mutter.
“A fair fight with no demon help. Should give a just result, right?”
Pierced the Knight of Flames Jamie’s ears like a death sentence.