Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Satan's Puppet
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As I suspected, she was under a demon's brainwashing.
Why hadn't I noticed sooner?
She'd been rambling incoherently and acting so strangely she'd even forgotten her sword techniques.
I had no idea how or through what means it happened, but things had just gotten complicated.
Kim Yeonhee's face darkened. Grim was an understatement.
"Who attacked you?"
"...I don't know."
"Do you know what enemy skill hit you?"
"That too, I don't know."
When someone's controlled, their memories only regenerate within the range specified by the user.
From the jumbled mess in her head, it was clear the one who revived Kim Yeonhee had already extracted all sorts of information from her.
"Who's using your body right now?"
"I can't say that."
She shook her head side to side.
Whoever it was, she was clearly being manipulated by the enemy.
She hadn't been infected by the virus, so it wasn't some low-level soldier.
"You can't answer anything outside of restricted questions, right?"
"Yeah."
I didn't know how far my actions could go without issue, but first, I needed to check if it was a force of good or evil.
It could even be a player from another country.
I placed my hand on her head.
"Revive."
[This is a living body.]
If a living body was being controlled, it had to be an evil force.
If it had been a force of good that took her, a "Control impossible" system message would have appeared.
"Can you answer this? Did the one who revived you have wings?"
"...No."
"Just the first letter of their name?"
"That too, no."
"If I say a name, can you react?"
"...Maybe?"
The restrictions were broader than I'd thought.
"Why did you come to find me?"
"...Can't say that either."
"Were all the things you told me earlier lies?"
"What things?"
"About the World Tree."
She tilted her head.
Had she already forgotten?
"Never mind. Just sit there for now."
"...We're gonna fight."
"Fight what? I've already taken care of all the demons."
"Anyone."
"Anyone? So you want to fight me?"
"That works too."
Kim Yeonhee's hands trembled. Her eyes were bloodshot, like she was barely holding something back. The wild gaze of a beast about to lunge.
Hmm-.
If she'd wanted to kill me, she would've swung her sword the moment she arrived.
After a moment's thought, I snapped my fingers.
Snap!
"Okay. Park Gyuhwan, you're gonna play with this woman for a bit."
Park Gyuhwan adjusted his twisted goblin mask and said to me.
"Isn't she in our group?"
"Yeah. So don't kill her—just play around."
"...Understood."
Pure instinct-driven movement.
I didn't know who was controlling Kim Yeonhee, but one thing was clear: they wanted something from me.
'...It's that guy.'
There was only one answer I knew.
Shing- clang!
Park Gyuhwan and Kim Yeonhee clashed. This was my chance to reassess her skills.
Fluid movements like some soft-bodied sea creature, instantly reading and reacting to her opponent's motions with explosive reflexes.
But her swordsmanship was laughably lacking by comparison.
Defensive assassin.
The kind of character you raise purely for the late game.
Thinking about why Kim Yeonhee favored those abilities, it probably had to do with synergizing with Jo Younggi.
Tough defenses to back up powerful magic from afar.
"...I see."
Kim Yeonhee's dagger grazed Park Gyuhwan's mask.
He instinctively drew his gun and aimed at her abdomen without thinking.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out, and he realized his mistake. I'd only told him to play around, not shoot.
But it wasn't a big issue.
She twisted her body lightly the moment she saw the barrel, dodging effortlessly.
"Whoa! Whoa! Trying to kill me now?"
"...Sorry. It was reflexive—"
"Kim Cheonjae! You need to manage your minions better!"
Having sorted my thoughts, I nodded slowly in agreement.
"Kim Yeonhee."
"Yeah?"
"Looks like I need to meet Satan again. Can you call him now?"
* * * * *
No need to call Satan—he appeared the moment I brought it up, space warping at the cathedral entrance.
"You called for me?"
"Yeah."
"How'd you know I planted a parasite in Kim Yeonhee? Haha."
Polite speech with a sleazy grin.
It was utterly repulsive.
"...Hand Kim Yeonhee over to me."
"Huh? Her?"
"Yeah."
"Hohoho... Suddenly? Sorry, but she's my favorite toy."
Satan grabbed Kim Yeonhee by the throat.
She groaned in pain, her face contorted. She couldn't resist at all.
Under mental domination, rebelling against her master was impossible.
I swung my scythe lightly at his hand.
Satan twisted her to block my attack.
The tip of my blade stopped at her forehead.
"...You damn bastard."
"Whoops? A little closer and poor Yeonhee's head would've been smashed."
"We were supposed to join hands. What the hell is this?"
"Huh? That's exactly what I want to say to you, genius. You agreed to team up against Leviathan—why are you blocking the cathedral for the angels?"
I glared at Satan and slowly withdrew my scythe.
"I told you. I plan to kill everyone."
"..."
"Angels, demons—I don't care. I'm killing them all."
"You were serious?"
"Dead serious."
"...Kuhahaha!"
Satan tossed Kim Yeonhee to the ground and clutched his belly laughing.
A mere human destroying good and evil alike? From his position, it was hilarious.
Kim Yeonhee clutched her crushed throat, coughing.
I helped her up and shot back at Satan.
"Let go of Kim Yeonhee."
"...What if I don't? Once the parasite takes over, her body is mine."
"Give up your rights. Then the parasite leaves the body, right?"
"...How do you know that?"
[System Message]
[The wrathful archdemon 'Satan's' doubt intensifies.]
[His discernment weakens in proportion to his growing doubt.]
"I'm a necromancer. The 'Touch of the Fallen' ability you use is ultimately summoning-based. Wouldn't it be weirder if I didn't know about summoning rights?"
"...Summoning rights are only in the Hell Bible...?"
"Ah, that Hell Bible? I've already read the whole thing."
Satan flinched and spread his wings.
"You read the Hell Bible?"
"Yeah. Want me to recite some? Article 1, Section 1: Demons of Hell must never rebel against Lucifer. Article 1, Section 2: Demons who rebel against Lucifer will all—"
"Stop. How does a mere human know about the Hell Bible?"
I gave a light smile.
"Because I'm no ordinary human."
I'd memorized every bit of info for this round. Especially the Hell Bible, Hell's lawbook—it was essential for a necromancer using evil powers to level up.
Satan's face suddenly hardened.
Like he'd made a decision.
"...Kim Cheonjae, sorry, but unless you meet my terms, I can't hand her over."
He switched to informal speech, excited. The system even distinguished his mood with formal and informal—spot on.
"Your terms?"
Satan repeated the same conditions as before.
With an infuriating smirk that made me want to kill him.
"Yeah. If you want her back, find Leviathan's location first."
"..."
I couldn't reveal Leviathan's whereabouts now. If he knew the guy was dead, Satan would get cocky and pressure the players even harder.
The only reason this guy was sticking close and not acting freely was to check Leviathan...
"...Just find Leviathan for me?"
"That's right. Your Insight clearly showed you didn't know where he was."
"..."
"But you know how to find him. The moment you left my space and headed here, I figured out why he vanished so suddenly."
"..."
I shrugged and let him continue.
"Leviathan's scared of breaking Lucifer-sama's order not to leave that trash village."
"So?"
"So he'll seek out Beelzebub, who shares his goals, and plot rebellion."
"..."
"Meaning, find where Beelzebub's hiding, and Leviathan will show up."
Satan was no ordinary schemer.
If I hadn't taken out Leviathan, he'd have pushed the story just like that.
Hell's top intriguer, for sure. He hadn't given up since I didn't know Leviathan's location.
He was convinced I didn't know where Leviathan was but knew how to find him.
"Let's say everything you said is true. How am I supposed to find him in that scenario?"
"If you know the Hell Bible, you know Beelzebub's location."
"..."
"Kim Cheonjae, you signed the contract, right? Promised to find Leviathan."
I nodded with a dubious look.
"Okay, two hours. Give me two hours' leeway, and I'll find Leviathan's whereabouts."
"Two hours?"
"Yeah, two hours. I'll track him down and come to you."
* * * * *
Satan left.
I now had two hours' breathing room. My plan for this round was even more perfect.
I'd bought enough time until the World Tree fell, for sure.
Kim Yeonhee stared at the ground with a pitiful expression.
I nudged her butt with my toe and tossed out.
"Kim Yeonhee."
"...What."
"Everything's gonna work out fine, so don't worry."
"...Okay."
Boom!
The ground shook hard.
I'd felt faint tremors each time Jeongwoo hit the World Tree, but this was on another level.
I looked up at the World Tree. Burning branches slowly toppled. Perfect timing.
The World Tree lost its balance and fell.
Roars of demons echoed from afar.
With Hell's central pillar collapsing, they had to be panicking.
'...Now that guy will move.'
Rumble!
A deafening crash like a building demolition. Just a tree falling, yet a fierce sandstorm swallowed everything around.
Even the cathedral I stood in shook.
Players instinctively raised hands to shield eyes, nose, and mouth.
[The World Tree anchoring Hell's center has fallen.]
[From this moment, gates linking Hell and Heaven begin to spawn.]
The message I wanted appeared in hologram form.
The sole gate connecting Hell and Heaven, designed for epic clashes of good and evil.
['Gate of Ruin' opens from this moment.]
[All players may use the gate for free.]
Just two more defenses, and this round ends.
North and east done—block west next, and my south side clears automatically.
Bossless boss fight, but still.
Kim Yeonhee sighed at the fallen World Tree. Ma Jeongwoo and the others would return soon, but she'd have nothing to say to them.
"Kim Cheonjae, what do I do now?"
"Did you tell Satan about our plans too?"
"...'
Her silence was answer enough.
If he knew, he'd react differently. The spirit pact with Satan probably made it hard to answer properly anyway.
"I'll tip off Jeongwoo, so don't worry. Act normal."
"...Got it."
"I'll put you on the front lines, so vent your battle lust there."
"Yeah."
I was just catching my breath when demons charged the cathedral again.
Reptilian demons.
Turtle-, lizard-, crocodile-like things wearing human-style armor and weapons.
Which meant their boss this time was Mammon of Greed.
The cautious type who sends grunts to probe enemy strength.
'...Good.'
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