Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: The Way Back (1)
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Demian did not set his destination as the Haksen Count's estate.
Before returning to his family, he needed to first deal with the relics in his possession.
‘This kind of thing is perfect for the Verdant Pavilion.’
Demian planned to entrust the sale of the relics to the Verdant Pavilion.
The Verdant Pavilion was an organization with tremendous influence in the capital. It even operated a black market, making it ideal for disposing of relics.
That said, if he handed over everything, Pandemonium might pinpoint him, so he intended to select only items commonly found in various ruins.
‘While I’m at it, I should train those guys on the way.’
Those guys referred to Domenico and his crew.
Though Domenico's group had joined him, Demian felt they fell short of being immediately usable as combat forces.
‘Twenty regular soldiers, six low-class, four mid-class, and one high-class.’
Normally, this would be an impressive force worthy of boasting about anywhere.
The problem was that the enemy Demian was preparing for was Pandemonium.
Pandemonium possessed power strong enough to disdain even Master-class fighters. They couldn’t hope to stand against it with this level of strength.
It wasn’t as if Demian could use Blood Eclipse every time, after all.
“From now on, you will repeat the movements I teach you ten thousand times a day.”
On the way to the royal castle, Demian summoned Domenico's group and declared.
-Did you say ten thousand times right now?
Domenico asked with a shocked expression. Ever since forming the lord-vassal bond, he had been using honorifics with Demian.
“Why? Got a complaint?”
-I can manage it, but... it seems too harsh a training for the others.
Domenico had a point. Even a hundred downward strikes would make one’s arms feel like they were falling off. To demand ten thousand repetitions of something even more complex?
“It would be harsh for humans. But you’re all undead now, aren’t you?”
They didn’t need to eat or sleep. They wouldn’t even get injured.
“No whining. Complete it. You’ve got nothing else to do in there anyway?”
Demian said, pointing to the travel bag.
It was a magic tool once used by Corpse Play, capable of storing multiple undead.
From what Demian had investigated, the bag’s interior was a sub-space where the undead could move about freely.
“My goal is to turn every one of you into high-class.”
At Demian’s words, Domenico and the other souls burst into laughter. They seemed to think it was a joke to motivate them.
But Demian didn’t smile. Only then did Domenico and the others realize he was dead serious.
-...You mean that sincerely?
“Of course. I don’t spout nonsense.”
It wasn’t an impossible goal. Demian had Blood Eclipse.
By using Blood Eclipse, he could share his knowledge and experience with them.
It was temporary, and they would forget it all once Blood Eclipse ended, but the sensations lingered to some degree.
With Demian’s guidance and training, plus periodic uses of Blood Eclipse to imprint the sensations, he calculated they could achieve it before long.
“Oh, and you need to become a Master-class. Got it?”
Demian told Domenico. The man gave a wry smile.
-I’m not sure I can live up to those expectations.
“Don’t play weak. You have the highest potential.”
It might even be faster for Domenico to reach Master-class than for the others to hit high-class.
He had that much talent.
“Oh, and...”
Finally, Demian turned around.
There, Miya was observing a snake on a tree branch with a look of wonder.
“See that guy? Fight him for three hours a day.”
-...Pardon?
Domenico looked at Demian in surprise.
“This one’s got good aptitude but lacks experience, so he loses every time.”
-If that’s the case... I’ll follow orders.
“No half-assing it. Do it properly.”
-Understood. I’ll fight with killing intent.
“No, that’s not it.”
Demian shook his head.
“Just kill each other.”
-...Pardon?
“Not with killing intent—just straight-up kill each other. You don’t really die anyway, right?”
Domenico was already a dead soul. In Miya’s case, her regenerative powers had been further enhanced by consuming phoenix blood.
Domenico turned to look at Miya. Outwardly, she was a slender, delicate beauty.
And he was supposed to just kill her?
-Th...
“Why?”
-Never mind.
But Domenico had no choice but to obey Demian’s order. The favors he’d received were too great.
“Kya!”
Oblivious to her impending fate, Miya grabbed the snake’s tail and spun it around gleefully.
* * *
After that, Demian made contact with the Verdant Pavilion in the capital.
He selected relics that wouldn’t draw attention if sold and handed them all over.
While he was at it, he checked the items up for auction at the pavilion. Just in case there might be something useful.
‘Too bad. All useless spirit medicines for me. No mana cultivation methods at all.’
From high-class onward, ordinary spirit medicines couldn’t increase mana capacity.
He needed legendary items like phoenix oil or the World Tree’s fruit.
Otherwise, he’d have to build it up slowly. The problem was Demian didn’t have the time.
‘To fight Pandemonium, I need to reach Master-class as soon as possible.’
Demian intended to completely annihilate Pandemonium.
During the Apocalypse War, Pandemonium had been Dorgo’s strongest allies.
Considering that, he couldn’t leave a single one alive. At minimum, he had to dismantle the organization.
“Send the proceeds to the Haksen Count's estate.”
Putting aside his regrets, Demian left the Verdant Pavilion. Now, all that remained was heading home.
Leaving the royal castle behind, Demian turned his horse toward Spring Castle, where his family was.
As he traveled along the main road, a large forest welcomed him.
It was while Demian was crossing the forest with his horse.
“How strange.”
Suddenly, Demian halted his horse and muttered to himself.
“Since when did the Apple Kingdom become this dangerous?”
No sooner had he spoken than an arrow flew from the bushes. Without even looking, Demian tilted his head back. The arrow whistled past his face.
Soon, countless arrows rained down from the bushes. They were too dense to dodge.
Demian drew up his mana and released it outward. The shockwave from the mana blasted all the arrows away.
“What a hassle.”
If a fight broke out like this, his expensive horse was likely to die.
Demian dismounted and slapped the horse’s rear. It neighed and galloped forward.
“Come out.”
Demian said, scanning the forest. At that moment, a woman clutching an arming sword burst from the bushes.
The woman swung her sword down at Demian. He drew Dawn to block the attack.
A considerable shock transmitted through the blade. Demian asked with a puzzled look.
“High-class? The Apple Kingdom doesn’t have any female high-class warriors, though?”
The woman didn’t answer his question. She just swung her sword.
Demian blocked all her attacks with Dawn. Yet no matter how many he parried, her hands didn’t stop.
It was a persistent, entwining style like a snake.
“Who are you with? What’s your aim in targeting me?”
Demian asked again.
At that moment, he sensed killing intent from behind. A man with a spear charged at him.
The man thrust his spear repeatedly at Demian. Demian deflected it with Dawn.
If the woman’s swordplay was persistent, the man’s spearwork was incredibly light and nimble. Light but chillingly precise strikes poured in.
“Another high-class.”
He could tell just from the spear-wielding stance. This man was high-class too.
The two high-class attackers cooperated, assaulting Demian. Sword and spear relentlessly targeted his vital points.
Demian’s eyes darted busily. He read not just their techniques, but their muscle twitches and gaze shifts completely.
Once he grasped everything, their movements became crystal clear, as if within reach.
With all the pieces in place, all that was left was the finish.
Demian activated the Starlight Overdrive potion.
His body temperature rose, hyper-activating all his senses. At the same time, the two attackers’ movements slowed.
The spear and sword strikes, which had come at tremendous speed, now crawled. Like moving through water.
In this slowed world, only Demian maintained his original speed.
Demian twisted his body to evade the spear and sword. Then he slashed once across the woman’s throat and once across the man’s.
Demian released the Starlight Overdrive potion. The sluggishly flowing world sped up again.
“Gahk!”
“Hngh!”
Only then did the two realize their throats had been cut.
With disbelieving faces, they clutched their necks. Blood poured endlessly between their fingers.
“Keok... Kugh...”
“Hngh, heugh...”
Desperately, they circulated mana to staunch the wounds. As befitting high-class, the bleeding stopped quickly.
But they’d only sealed the injury—they were in no state to fight. Any vigorous movement would reopen the throat wounds for sure.
Terrified, they stared at Demian. He raised his sword to finish them.
That was when it happened.
A single arrow flew from the bushes.
It was incomparably faster than the first one.
Too fast to dodge. Demian raised Dawn to block it.
In that instant, an immense shock hit him. Demian’s body slid backward.
‘So a Master-class was hiding after all.’
Even when using Starlight Overdrive, Demian could have killed the two outright but chose not to.
Partly because their attacks lacked true killing intent, but mainly because of the massive presence hidden in the forest.
It had concealed its aura, but it couldn’t fool Demian’s senses.
“Who’s there.”
Pretending not to have noticed, Demian glared in the arrow’s direction and shouted.
Then, two figures emerged from the bushes.
One was a sharp-featured woman holding a longbow as tall as herself.
And beside her stood a boy.
Uniquely, the boy had completely white hair and eyebrows. He looked like an old man.
“What a booming voice you have.”
Unlike his youthful appearance, the boy spoke in a stodgy, elderly manner.
“Cynthia, did you see? He blocked your arrow.”
The boy turned to the woman and asked. She made no response.
Unfazed, the boy continued excitedly.
“Even if you didn’t mean to kill... a high-class blocking a Master-class strike? Truly astonishing, isn’t it?”
Demian gave no reply to the boy’s praise. Or rather, he had no room for one.
‘...Why is this guy here?’
Ever since confirming the boy’s face, Demian had been plunged into great confusion.
Anyone who knew the man’s identity would feel the same.
The boy’s name was Karl Hopper.
He was known to the world as the Mercenary King.