Chapter 244
Chapter 244
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 244
Chapter Title: Blanca Roche (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Demian swung his sword, and both men's heads were severed.
But something was off. Even though their necks had been cleanly cut, no blood sprayed out. The wounds looked half-melted, like jelly, all soft and gooey.
"Whoooa~? That's crazy fast~?"
"No way this is possible...?"
Despite their heads being cut off, the two men spoke as if nothing had happened.
The wounds wriggled and squirmed, then stuck back together. The injuries healed in an instant.
'They've already perfected the Immortal Body.'
Demian clicked his tongue as he watched them.
The Immortal Body was a special flesh body that Sla had created through research into special bloodlines.
By studying special bloodlines and concentrating their traits, she had produced a body capable of withstanding any attack and surviving even fatal wounds.
That was how it had earned the name Immortal Body.
"Valentino, what the hell is this guy? Even if he's the winner of the Helian Tournament, does it make sense for someone his age to have this kind of skill?"
Actur had returned to his original speech pattern, as if he'd never been excited.
"I told you, didn't I? Don't let your guard down. That guy's, like, super~ weird."
"You're right. We'll have to get serious from now on."
The two men's auras grew heavy in an instant. The slight openings they'd shown vanished completely.
Demian made a troubled face. He'd tried to kill them in one go during their lapse in attention, but the Immortal Body had ruined it.
"Demian Haksen~? I was gonna take you in nice and easy~, but since you started it, mind if I rough you up a bit~?"
"As long as we keep him breathing, it'll be fine. Sla will revive him anyway."
Valentino Michele spread his arms wide. Dark mana twisted together, forming dozens of iron chains.
Actur pulled a massive two-handed flail from his subspace.
'Iron Chain Valentino Michele, and the Knight of the High Wall, Actur.'
Thanks to his memories of his past life, Demian knew exactly who these two knights were.
They were Sla's constant companions, her favored lovers.
Master Class experts who had surpassed two walls.
The bounties on their heads were far higher than those on most great evils. That was how dangerous they were.
And now these monsters had obtained the Immortal Body through Sla's experiments.
"This is a problem."
Demian scratched the back of his head as he spoke. Valentino let out a chuckle.
"Too late for regrets now~ This old man's got pride too, y'know~? If you hit me... I gotta hit back twice as hard to feel satisfied!"
Valentino reached out toward Demian. The iron chains coiled around his forearms lunged at Demian Haksen.
Demian leaped upward, dodging the chains. They slammed into the spot where he'd stood, shattering the ground as if a boulder had crashed down.
'It's always creepy no matter how many times I see it.'
Valentino's chains were forged from condensed Aurablades. Few could even block them, let alone withstand them.
And Valentino could unleash hundreds of these terrifying chains.
At that moment, a shadow loomed over his head. Looking up, Demian saw Actur high in the sky.
"This is getting troublesome."
Actur smashed down at Demian with his flail. Demian blocked it with Dawn.
Demian's body plummeted downward. He crashed into the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Valentino peered into the dust cloud. Then he shouted.
"Found you!"
Valentino swung both arms. Dozens of chains pierced through the dust.
Demian burst out from the cloud. Right behind him, Actur gave chase.
"Hup!"
Actur swung his flail at Demian.
The enormous weapon, bigger than a grown man's torso, relentlessly cleaved the air.
"This is troublesome."
Demian muttered as he parried Actur's attacks. Actur burst into mad laughter.
"You're calling it just 'troublesome' while facing both of us at once? That's insulting! No wonder Sla's interested in you..."
In that instant, Demian's Dawn sliced through Actur's lower jaw. It didn't stop there—it carved into Actur's body in multiple places.
But the wounds healed instantly. Actur didn't mind at all as he spoke.
"You don't seem interested in talking, huh? Fine then. Valentino!"
A massive surge of dark mana gathered behind Actur. While the two fought, Valentino had been preparing something.
"Won't this put you in a tough spot too?"
Demian said with a look of disbelief. Actur sneered back.
"I'm not dying anyway."
Hundreds of chains poured down from behind Actur.
The chains engulfed both men. The ground shattered, and dust blanketed the world.
* * *
While Actur distracted him, Valentino unleashed the chains.
It was a simple but effective tactic. The problem was that Actur couldn't escape the chains' range either.
Chains from behind pierced straight through Actur's body. But he showed no sign of pain.
The Immortal Body not only regenerated any wound instantly but also eliminated all pain. Actur only felt the unpleasant sensation of the chains impaling him.
"Actur~? You okay~?"
"You call this okay? Who do you think made this body for me?"
Actur said incredulously.
"What about Demian Haksen?"
"Can't see him through the dust yet. But it's quiet, so he's probably dying."
No one could survive an attack of that scale. Actur spoke with a relaxed expression.
"Get the potions ready. If Demian Haksen dies on the way, we're in trouble."
Even Sla couldn't revive the truly dead. Their job was to keep Demian Haksen alive somehow and drag him back.
Just then, the dust began to clear, revealing Demian Haksen.
The moment Actur saw him, his eyes widened in shock.
Not a single chain had pierced Demian Haksen's body. They had all veered away, embedding themselves in the ground around him.
"This is troublesome."
Demian Haksen murmured softly from amid the chains.
"Considering what you two have done with Sla, I can't let you die easy.
His words continued slowly.
"The problem is, you're Immortal Bodies that don't feel pain. So even if I tear your flesh apart or burn you, it's pointless. You don't feel a thing anyway."
Demian Haksen sighed with a pitying expression.
"That's why Immortal Bodies are such a hassle. They make everything so annoying. So after thinking long and hard..."
Demian Haksen rose to his feet amid the chains. He looked at Actur and said,
"I've decided to personally hammer some pain into your brains, even if it's a bother."
Killing intent radiated from Demian Haksen. It was on a completely different level from before.
Actur felt chills race across his entire body. He immediately yelled at Valentino.
"Valentino! Bind Demian Haksen!"
Valentino hurriedly swung both arms. The chains writhed like snakes and coiled around Demian Haksen's body.
Demian pointed his index finger downward. At that moment, something fell from the sky.
Longswords made of Aurablades stabbed into the chains. The chains were sliced apart effortlessly.
"What?"
Shock appeared on Actur's face. He recognized the technique Demian had used at a glance.
"Telekinetic Sword...?"
Demian pointed at Valentino. The telekinetic swords shot forward like arrows.
Before Valentino could dodge, they embedded in his body and shredded him to pieces.
"Sir Valentino!"
Actur shouted in panic. In that instant, Demian moved.
He lunged forward and kneed Actur in the face.
Actur's nose bridge crumpled, and one eye burst.
But the Immortal Body felt no pain. The kneed area returned to normal in an instant.
"Enough! Just surrender already!"
Actur reached out to grab Demian Haksen. At that moment, Demian muttered,
"Three Rings."
Demian's body vanished from sight. Actur looked around in confusion.
"Where the hell..."
A shadow fell over his face. Demian, who had leaped into the air, stomped down on Actur's head. It slammed straight into the ground.
"Graaah!"
Actur roared as he lifted his head.
"My... my face... How dare you put your foot... your foot on it!"
Actur rose with a bellow. In that moment, Demian thrust his hand toward Actur's chest.
Demian's hand pierced Actur's chest. He then injected mana. The mana turned into needles and spread throughout his body.
"What are you..."
Actur stared at Demian in bewilderment.
Suddenly, his muscles began contracting all over his body.
Unable to withstand the tension, his bones cracked. Every joint in his body twisted backward.
"Wh-what the..."
Actur tried to resist with dark mana, but it was useless.
"D-Demian Haksen! What the hell did you do to my body!"
The mana Demian had infiltrated with activated vigorously again.
Finally, it found something hidden within Actur's body.
Nerves.
Nerves that had been severed by the Immortal Body were reconnected by the mana. Dead nerves came back to life.
Something struck his mind like a hammer. A sensation he hadn't felt in ages, but didn't miss.
"Gaaaah!"
Actur screamed in agony. His eyes rolled back, and foam bubbled from his mouth.
"Aaagh! Uaaagh! Aaaagh!"
Even as he writhed in pain, Actur was puzzled. How? Immortal Bodies weren't supposed to feel pain.
"Face Peel Golden Needle."
Demian Haksen's voice rang out then.
"It's a mana linking technique that lets you manipulate the body with mana. Use it right, and you can stimulate the nerves too."
Demian injected more mana. Actur's body twisted even more violently. The pain intensified.
"Stop! Stoooop!"
"You have no idea how glad I am that I learned this beforehand."
"Please...! Please stop...! Enough already...!"
"Sla's dogs. Stuck to that filthy bitch's side, how many people have you killed and souls exploited? I can guess without looking."
Demian Haksen's lips twisted.
"Die like the worms you are."
Actur's limbs began curling inward. His entire body shriveled up.
When Demian pulled his hand from Actur's chest, he was nothing but a round lump.
Demian ignored Actur and approached Valentino.
Valentino was forcibly reattaching his mangled body pieces.
Even an Immortal Body couldn't regenerate severed parts from nothing. He had to stick them back on.
"You... what did you do to Actur...!"
As Demian approached, Valentino spoke with a terrified face.
"Shut up."
Demian stomped on Valentino's head. Pinned under Demian's foot, Valentino spat in rage.
"Get this foot... Get this damn foot off me!"
"You know, I remembered another way to break an Immortal Body. If you keep smashing it, eventually the flesh can't take it and collapses, right?"
Valentino's face went pale at those words.
"Wait... You... You don't mean..."
Demian stomped repeatedly on Valentino's head.
"Guh! Stop! Enough! Graaah!"
The ground shook endlessly.
A moment later, when Demian stopped, the ground was smeared with something like a thick paste spread wide.
"Wasted too much time on these useless bastards."
Demian pulled a small pouch from his subspace. It contained hair from the Class 13 students.
He released a bit of the bracelet's dark mana and cast a black magic spell.
Demian closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, a feral smile played on his lips.
"Sla, so that's where you are."