Chapter 119

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 119

Chapter Title: I'm a Janitor

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-Kwa-duk-duk!!

The moment Lumen tried to rampage again, a massive hand formed of blood burst forth, crushing him and shattering every bone in his body. Meanwhile, Erzsebet, having yanked a fang from Lilith, regenerated her own body and glanced sidelong at Jeanne.

"Infighting? Humans are always squabbling among themselves."

"No, this is..."

Jeanne started to respond to Erzsebet's words, but she swiftly erected another barrier to shield herself and Rio from Lumen's attack, which tore through the massive hand crushing him and scattered radiance in all directions.

"Huh? Wha... what..."

Rio, who never expected a human to protect her, stared up at Jeanne with a dumbfounded expression. Jeanne, maintaining the barrier, wore a more saintly, compassionate smile than ever before and bent down to meet Rio's eyes at her level.

"I'm sorry."

"...Huh?"

"I'm sorry for blabbering on without knowing better."

Jeanne steeled her resolve. The heroes and priests who cried out for the extermination of demons in the name of God's will. But the priests who never truly invoked Lady Eukrasia's name.

She didn't know what had happened to them or how things had gone wrong. But one thing she did know.

"At the very least, we shouldn't take the life of an innocent lamb!!"

Standing in front of the bewildered child, Jeanne shone with a brilliance more radiant than ever, as if the gods themselves approved her choice and stood by her side.

If this was truly the wrong path and exterminating demons was what God desired, then surely the light would have been stripped from her. Jeanne resolved to follow what she believed was right. Her hesitation vanished.

She decided to break free from her past of mechanically performing 'miracles' like a doll at the temple's behest and to trust only what her own eyes had witnessed.

"Lady Saint..."

Lumen, now fully recovered as if nothing had happened, gazed at Jeanne with sunken eyes.

"What did those bastards do to you? Why on earth are you siding with demons?"

"I'm not siding with demons. I'm just taking the side of the innocent."

She wasn't saying all demons were good. She simply refused to watch innocents die before her eyes. Lumen, staring at such a saint with sunken eyes, took in all the demons gathered there at a glance.

"It's you lot...! The ones who've blinded and deceived Lady Saint!"

"Sir Lumen! You need to snap out of it! Do you really think God... that Lady Eukrasia desires this? Whose will is the 'will of God' you've always preached?!"

-Kwa-ga-ga-kak!!

"Kyaa!"

The moment Jeanne desperately appealed with her true feelings, a sharp blade of radiance sliced through the edge of the barrier.

Even so, believing that Sir Lumen was merely gripped by misguided convictions and was at heart a good, righteous hero, Jeanne looked at him in shock after he attacked her without hesitation.

"Lady Saint... please forgive me for having no choice but to raise my blade against you."

And once more, he unleashed that power of radiance that had felt so unsettling from the start.

...No, not just the radiance. All the holy relics Lumen wielded. And even the holy relics of the heroes fighting outside.

How had she not noticed until now? All the power from the heroes she'd seen felt so alien and repulsive. And they always seemed to serve some god other than Lady Eukrasia.

As if her eyes had been opened, within these ruins, every sense of dissonance became vivid, and her mind cleared.

-Kwa-ga-ga-kak!!

"Waaah...!!"

"I don't know what's going on... but this isn't the time to get distracted with the enemy right in front of you?"

Aqua, barely managing to stand, synced with Erzsebet to blast off Lumen's lower body. Blades of high-pressure water and blood pierced the radiance, shredding his body to pieces, but like time rewinding, all wounds regenerated.

'Tch. Not enough power... If I had just a bit more, I could outpace the regeneration...'

Even as she attacked, Erzsebet felt anxious. She'd hastily sucked up useless dream demon blood for a temporary boost, but it was just a stopgap. Her power ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would run out in minutes.

Some way... anything to turn this around...!

-Shuk!!

"Huh? Wh-where to...?"

In that instant, Rio, who had been hiding behind Jeanne, vanished. Jeanne, who had been guarding her, startled and scanned the surroundings, but felt no flow of power.

Watching this, Erzsebet let out a chuckle.

"What was I even worrying about."

A way to turn the tables? Obviously, it was that intriguing master who always shattered her boredom with the unexpected. And he hadn't even stepped in yet.

-Shu-shuk!!

And tearing through space... he appeared.

.

.

.

.

.

'Fuck. Fuck. Fuck...!!'

That was a short-sighted move. Even if the enemy struck first, I should've stayed calm.

Too late, I remembered the [Representative Employee] reset function, set it to Rio, and used [Quick Movement] to evacuate her—but I nearly lost her due to my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠own stupid, indecisive judgment.

I had no idea how the situation unfolded. Why that woman, who seemed like the hero's ally, protected Rio. Why they were suddenly fighting.

But none of that mattered now. It was all temporary. Rio was safe, but Erzsebet and Aqua were fighting desperately behind me. For my sake.

Then... shouldn't I give it my all too?

"Hm?"

My vision flipped. From the cozy garden hideout to the damp ruins corridor, and a blond man emitting strange beams that prickled my skin came into view.

"Black hair? You're..."

Lumen, noting my hair color, wore an indescribable expression.

Rage. Wariness. Hatred. Murderous intent... A storm of negative emotions surged toward me.

Feeling that hostility with my whole body, I pulled out the method I'd pondered endlessly while watching the battle through the camera. To counter Lumen.

The reward from when [Contamination] hit 50 percent.

"[Tool Designation]"

A function not in 'Cleaning Game.' Unlocked when main quest [Contamination] reached 50 percent. As I invoked it, I pulled out one item from my collected scraps that I hadn't dismantled yet.

"That...!!"

Lumen, recognizing it, roared in fury. Of course ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he would—his disciple's item right before his eyes.

"How dare you...!"

"Where do you think you're going!"

Lumen charged at me in half-mad rage at impossible speed, but Erzsebet swiftly intercepted, blocking his rush with her body.

Erzsebet. Nice.

"Hoo..."

Like this? Does this work?

"Awaken. [Durandal]."

-Paaah!!

And light exploded forth.

.

.

.

.

.

I'd thought about it before. Holy relics granting immense power to humans.

And though misunderstood as some half-breed, I'm human through and through. A human from Earth, not this continent, but human nonetheless.

So... maybe I could use holy relics too? I'd held onto a few on purpose, swinging them around in spare moments.

Of course, they never 'chose' me.

And now. Instead of being chosen by a holy relic... I chose one.

-Paaht!!

"This...? Impossible!!"

Light burst from the pure white sword stabbed into the ground, spreading slowly. The holy relic [Durandal] used by his disciple of radiance, Chris, when he invaded before.

Its power: unfolding a sacred zone that buffs allies and debuffs enemies. Back then, it was erased by mere [All-Purpose Cleaner]... but would this radiance hero know about cleaning?

"What trick is this...!!"

Lumen, in shock, unleashed blazing aura targeting my neck, but Erzsebet blocked again. Even faster than before.

"Oh? You're weakening?"

Erzsebet smirked, realizing Lumen's power had diminished on the expanding field of light. Lumen screamed, seeing his strength drop while the demons' rose.

"Impossible! A holy relic?! And wielded by some black-haired half-breed...! God's blessing to the likes of you!!"

Ignoring Lumen's reaction, Eugene took in Erzsebet, Aqua, and Lilith in order. Then...

-Paaah!!

The three women Eugene focused on were enveloped in light, emerging pristine without a single wound.

Aqua, confirming her torn fin reattached, leaped onto Eugene in surprise, rubbing her face against his before charging excitedly.

"Arrogant bastard...! As if that'll change anything!"

-Puh-hwa-hak!!

"Guh...!!"

Supporting Aqua, I unleashed massive water from the [High-Pressure Cleaner]. Aqua, a siren who grows stronger with more water around, couldn't summon vast amounts instantly like Lilith via fantasy manifestation, but sustained output would accumulate more here.

"Lilith!"

"Y-yes! What can I help with..."

"Feed Erzsebet!"

"...Pardon?!"

Lilith blushed at my abrupt command, but now wasn't the time for lewd thoughts.

Calling Erzsebet, who instantly grasped my intent, she mercilessly sank her fangs into the freshly recovered Lilith. Massive blood drained in seconds, leaving Lilith anemic and wobbly.

Such a Lilith...

Dozens of times. Ignoring point costs, I spammed [Employee Management]'s status recovery.

No holding back on points. I realized anew how cheat-like this system was with enough points. That power. The power I'd half-assed until now—I poured it out without reservation.

"Oh? Oooh? Haaah...!!"

Lilith nearly entered a strange realm from the repeated drain-and-refill sensations, but Erzsebet, having ingested an enormous volume of blood short-term, wiped the blood from her mouth.

Plus the sacred zone from [Durandal]...

"How's it feel? Erzsebet?"

"How's what?"

Feeling her body brim with power—nearing her prime, if only briefly—Erzsebet grinned cheerfully.

This was why she couldn't help but like her master. Always showing fun, intriguing sides.

"Perfect."

-Ka-ga-ga-gak!!

Durandal's buff: about 20 percent. Not 'just' 20 percent. Lumen was that much weaker and had lost composure. Spotting my intent, Erzsebet charged head-on at the berserk Lumen.

"You bastard...!!"

-Kwa-duk-duk!!

A white flash seared Erzsebet's left side. Normally, blood would spray to heal, but she didn't waste it on recovery.

-Flash!!

"Damn! Damn it! What the hell?!"

Lumen freaked out at the recovery speed and effect far surpassing blood-based healing. He began slowly yielding to the no-holds-barred assault from Aqua and Erzsebet.

Even the duration of 'Transcendence,' the holy relic granting transcendent power briefly, was nearly up.

"...Kkad-duk! Dungeon Master!!"

Finally losing all composure, Lumen targeted the root of this chaos—the worst irregularity, the black-haired Dungeon Master—and drew his fifth holy relic, his last resort.

The moment he drew it, the same headache from the saint's cryptic words hit, but no time to care.

The fifth holy relic he'd never used, no matter the situation. Simple reason: it was single-use, losing its light after one activation.

But in exchange, boasting overwhelming might. Lumen claimed it the strongest among all holy relics, at its peak.

-Ppa-ji-ji-jik!!!

Holy Lance. Longinus.

The ring on Lumen's finger transformed instantly into a spear amid sparks.

Inevitable death. The holy lance of absolute piercing. Power nullifying any recovery or defense. He designated the black-haired man before him as its target.

The headache consuming his mind vanished cleanly, and madness spilled from his lips.

"In the name of God!!"

Unable to name the god, just foolishly crying 'God' like a zealot, Lumen delivered inescapable death.

'Nostalgic.'

As Lumen summoned the spear, I smirked involuntarily at the system message, recalling my first hero encounter after arriving here. That hero had thrown a spear at me too. One dripping with poison.

This one's not poison, but it's spraying something else.

"Die, Dungeon Master!!"

The inescapable death in spear form shot from Lumen's grasp.

"Collect."

-Hook!!

The holy lance, classified as 'contaminated material' by the system and scattering strange white sparks, evaporated on the spot.

"...Wha... what?"

Greater shock than when I used a holy relic. A single-use absolute power—God's wrath incarnate—melted away like snow.

"Impossible...!!"

Toward Lumen muttering denial, I pulled out the [Bug Zapper], flipped the switch, and hurled it.

Aqua's water streams enveloped him, and endless lightning struck indoors, assaulting him.

-Ppa-ji-ji-jik!!

"...!!!!"

A silent scream erupted. Amid the torrent of lightning, I drew a prepared item from inventory.

How to neutralize endless regeneration? I'd asked the expert, Erzsebet, and got an answer.

It was...

-Thud!!

The incinerator. Red Demon Tribe unanimously called it a trash disposal blazing with flames purer and fiercer than any other.

The moment I pulled it out, Lumen shook off lightning, radiance dimmer than before, and charged directly.

"Then I'll do it myself...!"

"Erzsebet."

As Lumen lunged, I signaled her to use the trump card we'd prepared—by feeding her expensive dragon blood with all my funds.

"Huuuuh!!"

Erzsebet, catching my cue, inhaled deeply and infused her voice with immense will.

"...[Stop]!!"

-Keeeng!!

"Guh?!"

Dragon Word. The dragon clan's signature authority, manifested from Erzsebet's mouth. Her power mimicked ingested blood's abilities imperfectly. Not matching the original fully, but enough for the exhausted, drained Lumen momentarily.

The single-use trump card activated; Lumen, sword at my chin, froze. I waved, kicked the halted Lumen, and shoved him into the incinerator.

-Puh-yeok!!

"You...! Dungeon Maaaasteeeer!!!"

As Lumen struggled against the Dragon Word, I flashed a wry smile and added one last line to the flames engulfing him.

"No, I'm a janitor, you dumbass."