Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Thorn Tree (3)
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Demian looked at the demonic sword as if he felt nauseous.
“The reason you lent power to Alexander Apple was to steal his body.”
A demonic sword drags its user into ruin one way or another.
It drives them mad, or amplifies their negative emotions.
But among those methods, the absolute worst was seizing their body.
It would take over the user’s body, toy with it until it broke, then abandon it once it was no longer useful and repeat the process with a new host.
—Correct! That’s right! I kept feeding dark mana to my partner, didn’t I? Thanks to that, his body transformed into something perfect for me.
The demonic sword spun around lightly, lifting one foot like a dancer. It looked incredibly agile and nimble.
—The result? Total satisfaction! It fits me like it was my own body.
The sword spoke in an excited voice. Then, suddenly, it let out a deep sigh.
—Haa… That’s why it’s even more of a shame. If I’d invested a bit more time, I could’ve taken it over in a fully human form instead of this.
At those words, Demian felt a chill.
What if the demonic sword had fully seized Alexander Apple’s body? What if it had impersonated him and infiltrated human society?
The Apple Kingdom would have plunged into utter chaos.
—Oh, right, this isn’t the time for that. I need to avenge my partner!
The sword clapped its hands. The sound snapped Demian out of his thoughts.
—My partner sacrificed his own body for me! Who else will carry on his legacy if not me?
Alexander Apple.
Intense dark mana poured out from the body that had now become the demonic sword.
The concentration was so thick it was visible to the naked eye. The pitch-black mana swirled like a storm, spreading in all directions.
The sheer pressure pushed his body back. Demian crouched and thrust his holy sword into the ground. Even so, he kept sliding backward.
—Hahaha! Ahahaha!
The demonic sword burst into mad laughter. The louder the laughter grew, the more the mana surged.
—I’m using my own power! Not being controlled by someone else, but wielding it myself!
The barrier Demian had deployed began to shake violently, cracks forming across it.
The black magic Demian had cast was a high-tier 7th-circle spell.
It completely isolated a fixed space, not something easily shattered even by pouring aura into it.
Yet it was breaking it down with nothing but raw dark mana emission.
—You wouldn’t understand! How elated I feel right now!
The demonic sword extended one hand long. A blade protruded from its palm.
Pitch-black aura rose from the sword. It was so dense it could be mistaken for an aurablade.
—Monster friend, shall we start the second round now?
No sooner had it spoken than the demonic sword vanished from sight. Demian’s eyes widened.
He’d lost track of its movement. He had no idea where it had gone.
—Oh my? Is it already over?
A voice came from behind. The moment he turned, the demonic sword swung down.
Aura erupted, creating a massive slashing wave.
The slash cleaved the building in two and tore through the barrier.
It felt like the world itself was splitting apart—an attack of unbelievable scale.
—Huh?
A question mark appeared on the demonic sword’s face. Demian Haksen stood there unharmed.
—What? Why did it veer off? What the hell did you…
Before the flustered sword could react, Demian spun his body. His holy sword traced a semicircle through the air and sliced at the demonic sword’s neck.
* * *
With a harsh sound, the demonic sword’s body was pushed back.
It stared straight ahead in shock.
—Whoa… You got me good.
Even after a direct hit to the neck, the demonic sword was fine. Instead, the holy sword’s blade had chipped.
“Disgustingly tough.”
Against a human body, he could have severed it with the spectral reaping realm.
But this body was no longer human. It had fused with the demonic sword.
—Tell me. What did you just do? I definitely swung my sword. It was an attack you couldn’t block. But then you did this with your sword, like this, and suddenly it veered off?
Right before the demonic sword’s downward strike, Demian had used Universal Flow Insight with his holy sword.
The attack was so powerful it gave him trouble, but he’d successfully altered its trajectory.
“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”
—Ouch, that stings my pride. But seeing as I don’t get it even after watching, you might be right.
The demonic sword nodded. It accepted things quickly.
—Anyway, you really are a monster of a friend. I felt a chill when you slashed my neck. Pointless, though.
The sword tapped its neck with a hand. The gesture dripped with mockery toward Demian.
—No matter what you try, it won’t work… But still, letting you live too long doesn’t seem wise.
The smile vanished from the demonic sword’s face. In its place settled thick killing intent.
Demian clicked his tongue at the sight of the sword gearing up to go all out.
“A troublesome opponent.”
Unlike Alexander Apple, the demonic sword was a complete high-class entity.
Not only were all its abilities superhuman, it wielded them with masterful skill.
That alone made it a threat, but it also possessed the sword’s special abilities.
It could sprout thorn trees across a wide area for offense or harden its entire body for defense.
From Demian’s perspective, the second ability was especially headaches-inducing.
Against Alexander Apple, he could have handled it with the spectral reaping realm. But now, coated in metal, that was impossible.
“How do I pierce that thing.”
He wasn’t helpless if he mobilized the realms he’d mastered. But Demian had a more efficient method right now.
“Perfect timing. I needed a test subject for that guy.”
Demian extended his hand forward. The tattoo on his wrist vanished, and a long spear materialized in midair.
—A spear? Why’s a swordsman suddenly using a spear?
The demonic sword tilted its head.
—The blade’s even broken. What do you plan to do with that scrap metal?
Demian planted the spear’s shaft into the ground. Then he murmured softly.
“Erebos, time to awaken.”
Erebos, bound to the spear’s tip, sucked in all the surrounding dark mana.
Immediately after, a bizarre wail erupted.
The entire world shook. The ground heaved like an earthquake. The air screamed like a typhoon.
Amid it all, the demonic sword stared at Erebos, entranced. Then it muttered unwittingly.
—Demonic sword?
It hadn’t noticed at first. But as Erebos absorbed dark mana and unleashed its power, it understood.
What that thing was.
And how utterly horrifying it was.
—No, it’s similar, but not like us!
The demonic sword shouted with a panicked face.
Demonic swords recognized each other. Forged by demons, they saw one another as kin.
But that thing was different. Not kin.
“You say the exact same thing.”
In his previous life, every demonic sword that saw Erebos had said the same.
That’s not a demonic sword.
It’s not one of us.
It’s something that shouldn’t exist.
—You too…? What the hell are you…
“No more chit-chat. The second round isn’t over yet.”
Demian gripped Erebos with both hands. He assumed a stance ready to strike at any moment.
Just that alone sent chills through the demonic sword. Every sense screamed in alarm.
Danger.
Don’t get close.
—…If you’re going to try it, I won’t back down either.
But the demonic sword ignored the warning.
—That thing you’re holding looks impressive…
The sword raised a hand. The thorn trees bursting from the ground bent and aimed at Demian.
—Let’s see if it really is.
The demonic sword trusted its abilities.
No matter what that weapon was, it couldn’t handle thorn trees raining from all sides.
—I’ll turn you into Swiss cheese.
The sword pointed at Demian with a finger. Thorn trees blotting out the sky poured down on him.
At that moment, Demian raised the spear. He slammed its base into the ground.
Instantly, waves radiated from the spear.
The waves spread slowly, devouring the world. Everything they touched vanished without a trace.
—What the…?
The demonic sword muttered in disbelief.
The waves reached the thorn trees, instantly graying them. They began disintegrating from the edges.
—N-No way… This can’t be… My thorn trees!
The waves engulfed even the demonic sword.
In that instant, it felt as if its entire body grew dozens of times heavier. Like invisible hands crushing it down.
The anomalies didn’t stop there. Its whole body began to corrode.
—Krargh!
Its body was dissolving in real time. It tried drawing out dark mana to resist, but it was futile.
The demonic sword frantically turned to flee. It had to escape this area fast—nothing else mattered.
But its weighted body wouldn’t allow it. The pain of its body disintegrating made it impossible to move properly.
Then, footsteps approached from behind. The demonic sword slowly turned.
Demian was walking toward it.
—D-Demian Haksen!
The closer Demian got, the faster the corrosion spread and the heavier its body felt.
—D-Don’t come… Stay back…!
The sword cried out desperately, but Demian didn’t stop. Its body decomposed even faster.
—Please… Don’t come…!
By the time Demian reached it, more than half was gone.
—S-Spare me…
The sword pleaded desperately. Demian raised Erebos indifferently.
“I made a vow once. That I’d never let scum like you live.”
Panic flashed across the demonic sword’s face. Before it could beg, Demian swung Erebos down.
It shattered as simply as an egg.