The Demon Hunter's Final Rest
Under the cursed moonlight, three puppets danced in a violent, frantic rhythm.
—Clang!
A barrage of attacks swung through the air, leaving crimson afterimages in its wake. It was the sharp, lethal strike of Arsein. Though his blows were far more intense and filled with stronger killing intent than before, he was facing two opponents—a task that would be overwhelming for anyone, even him.
"....!"
Mana is not infinite. That was a truth that applied equally to Boss Mobs, who were trapped in an endless cycle of reincarnation. The momentum of the red sword energy he had been swinging so freely at the start began to wane, and his weaknesses started to show.
Doyun, reading the signs of fatigue in the Demon Hunter Arsein, accelerated his assault. Using the wall of the crumbling ruin as a foothold, he focused his mana into his legs.
—Hummm...!
He suppressed the energy that felt as if it would burst at any moment, waiting for the perfect timing.
"Mister! Let's play more!"
"I shall hunt the horrific demons."
Because the presence of Aira, who was rampaging in front of him, was more bothersome than Doyun, who had momentarily vanished from the fray, Arsein had no choice but to swing his blood-red sword again to respond to her antics.
'Not yet.'
The chains Aira swung directly collided fiercely with Arsein's attacks. With the ear-piercing, grating noise as his backdrop, Doyun watched for an opportunity within a split second.
Once. Just once. The moment when Arsein's attention was completely focused on Aira, and Doyun’s presence was momentarily forgotten. Aiming solely for that, he compressed his mana into his legs even more intensely.
—Creak...!
The wall of the ruin, already on the verge of collapse, screamed. The timing he wanted was close.
Just like that—
"Now."
—BOOM!!!
Completely shattering the wall that had barely been holding its shape, Doyun lunged at Arsein with the speed of light. Even as his presence appeared right before him, Arsein had failed to perceive Doyun.
"....!"
He turned his head, albeit belatedly, to counter, but that very sense of urgency created an opening that allowed Aira's attack to land. A complete tactical failure.
—Swish!
In an instant, accompanied by the sharp sound of air being sliced, a curved blade reflected in the moonlight darted toward Arsein’s chest.
'He can't block it.'
Because he had reached that level of mastery, he could be certain. Even as the hand of the grim reaper came to claim his life, Arsein’s eyes remained emotionless. It was the end for one who had lost a part of his humanity to a curse.
—Slash!
A strike delivered diagonally with great force. It dug into Arsein’s chest, signaling the end of the battle.
"Whew."
"...."
When everything was over, Arsein lay listlessly on the floor. There was no sense of incongruity, as if he had been there from the very beginning. Perhaps that was only possible because he was someone who had been dead from the start.
"Did you get me?"
"I did."
"How hollow."
"It seems we can finally talk. Now that you're about to die."
"It’s just that, having come this far, I’m finally remembering things I hadn't thought of before."
Arsein muttered hollowly. The pale moonlight floating high in the sky seemed to be mocking him—mocking a life that had achieved nothing, or the final moments of a Boss Mob that hadn't been able to protect a single thing.
—Thump.
Doyun took a deep breath and sat down roughly nearby.
"What are you doing?"
"I thought we could talk since the road ahead is lonely."
"I intended to kill you. Do you not resent me?"
Resent him? To say that would be to ignore the fact that Doyun knew the bizarre structure of this Tower all too well. In a situation where he didn't even know when it would end, half-mad, regardless of his own will, he had to endlessly repeat a cycle of killing or being killed.
That was why.
"It doesn't matter."
"You are truly a madman. Do you have no intention of becoming a Demon Hunter?"
"I actually did get an offer once."
"...What?"
Arsein, lying on the floor, finally noticed the medal on Doyun’s chest.
"That is..."
"People like you gave it to me, saying I did a good job."
"Is that so? Was it that kind of thing?"
Heh heh.
He let out a low laugh. Everything had been wrong from the start. Doyun was actually a benefactor, and he was nothing more than a madman.
"I almost committed a grave sin against a benefactor."
"What choice did you have? I was just unlucky."
"Is that something you can just brush off so easily?"
"What else am I supposed to do now?"
"...My, you sound like an old man who’s lived his life twice."
"I'm not an old man, big brother!"
Aira, whose skill duration hadn't ended yet, puffed out her cheeks and scolded Arsein.
"....."
His fading gaze finally turned back to Aira.
"You must be wary of that child's power."
"Why?"
"Because it drives people mad. Just like me."
"What on earth happened to you?"
"I don't know well myself. I threw my body into the fray to hunt that demon, and when I came to my senses, I was in this state."
Even now, the memories of that time were as blurry as if covered in fog. She was a beautiful girl with white hair, the kind who made you look forward to seeing her fully grown.
"She was similar to the child you call Aira, but a head taller. She must be in a quite dangerous state."
"I'm not dangerous, though?"
"....Right. Truly a strange thing. To think a demon would be helping people instead."
"Ugh, you!"
"Truly, it’s baffling."
There wasn't much time left. Arsein felt his own heartbeat fading.
"You."
"...?"
Doyun, who had been sitting still, turned his head at the sudden address to look at Arsein.
"Do not go beyond this point, to the outskirts of the village."
"Because that thing called a demon is there?"
"Exactly."
Arsein nodded.
"And... since you stopped me from going down the wrong path, you will be able to receive rewards from other Demon Hunters. It is only right that you should."
"Oh."
He wouldn't turn down a reward. Doyun watched Arsein’s final moments with anticipation. The Demon Hunter, tainted by madness, was slowly turning into mana and disappearing from his toes up. Yet, having laid everything down, he was now nothing more than a father of a family.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
"....."
It was truly the end now. It had been such a long time. Arsein had wandered, forgetting what was truly important and neglecting the most vital duty of a Demon Hunter.
His vision gradually blurred. He intended to close his eyes peacefully in this quiet rest.
"Mister."
"....?"
The white-haired girl who had approached at some point disturbed that rest.
"This."
A single flower she had brought from somewhere was placed there. It was the only flower Aira had luckily managed to procure nearby.
'Daddy! Look at this!'
'Oh my, honey. Look at this. How did our daughter pick such a pretty flower?'
'Hehehe!'
"...Ah."
Arsein’s memories. Having belatedly recalled something precious, he looked at Aira with wide, surprised eyes. She overlapped with his daughter. A cute, innocent girl with a mischievous smile. Unlike the target he had labeled a demon and screamed had to be killed.
"I am... sorry."
"Mm-mm, it's okay."
Aira shook her head willingly.
"I'm not sad anymore!"
And then, she buried herself into Doyun with all her might, as if she possessed the whole world.
"Aira, you're getting dirty."
"I'm not!"
"Hey now."
Doyun felt a warm emotion toward Aira, who hugged him without caring about the dust on her body. When he looked back, Arsein’s form was no longer there.
Stage cleared!
Receiving rewards.
▶ Large amount of EXP x1
▶ Ominous Blood of the Demon Hunter x1
▶ Broken Village Map x1
▶ Stat Enhancement Selection Ticket x1
"Wow."
An exclamation of admiration escaped Doyun at the noticeably increased list of rewards.
The level up was just a bonus.
Returning to the stage.
"See you again!"
As he accepted the greeting from Aira, who waved her hands brightly, Doyun’s vision went dark.
"Whew."
Back to the desolate village scenery. Looking around, Rakia Belz was nowhere to be seen.
'Not yet, huh.'
Given Arsein’s superior combat prowess, it wasn't strange that it would take time to clear.
'Returning is the standard move, but...'
Even if he didn't leave a message, wouldn't she manage on her own? Knowing Rakia Belz’s personality, it seemed likely they would run into each other on the next floor anyway.
He was just about to decide to return to Earth.
—Swish.
The shadows of the ruins rippled, and the same Demon Hunters he had seen before revealed themselves.
"Did you defeat Arsein?"
"Yes."
The leader, the oldest-looking Demon Hunter, spoke to Doyun.
"How were his final moments?"
Arsein’s final moments. He hadn't seen the very end, but it hadn't been too bad. His memories had returned to some extent, after all.
"He was at peace."
That was why he told them exactly what he had seen. The Demon Hunters, having heard the end of their former comrade, accepted the news without any unexpected emotional change.
"That is a relief. He closed his eyes in his original form, not possessed by a demon."
"Indeed."
"We, the Demon Hunters, pay tribute to your efforts."
—Thump.
As if they had rehearsed it, the Demon Hunters present simultaneously placed their fists over their chests. It looked like their own way of showing respect.
"We cannot leave this zone, but at least while you are active here, we will fully assist you."
"Oh."
"If you have any questions about the village’s information, feel free to ask at any time."
The end didn't feel like the stiff atmosphere of a hunter, but rather the kind chatter of a gentle, aged old man.
—Pop.
Just like when they first arrived, the Demon Hunters, their business finished, seeped into the shadows and disappeared.
"Is that it?"
He had no regrets regarding the rewards, but a sense of emptiness washed over him as they vanished after saying only what they had to say. If he expected anything more from NPCs, Doyun was the strange one.
That wasn't wrong. What would be waiting for him beyond this point, on the 15th floor, would be the past form of the True Ancestor, walking her original path.
'Secret.'
The chain quest hadn't been cleared yet. It was highly likely to be a story related to the 15th floor. Compared to the information Doyun had received from Wine-jwa, there was a high probability that something he hadn't yet unearthed was hidden there.
"Returning for now."
Keeping that in mind, Doyun decided to return to Earth and report first.