Chapter 288
Chapter 288
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: Secret (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Demian immediately gripped the hilt of Dawn.
Since his reincarnation, not a single being had realized that he had regressed.
For Demian, this was a situation he had no choice but to be wary of.
“Please calm down. I have no intention of harming you. Nor do I have the ability to.”
The elf bowed at the waist, trying to pick up a pebble from the ground. But the elf’s fingers passed right through the pebble.
“……An illusion, then.”
“Yes, that’s right. This form is merely something I created to meet you. My true body is in Elfheim.”
At those words, Demian inwardly clicked his tongue.
It took several days by ship to travel from the harbor to Elfheim.
To perceive him from such a vast distance and create this intricate illusion—it was ability beyond common sense.
“Just what are you, exactly?”
“My name is Mylene.”
The moment he heard that name, Demian couldn’t help but be stunned once more.
“……You’re not Mylene of the Dream Flame, by any chance?”
“You know of me.”
The elf placed one hand over her chest and added,
“That’s correct. I am Mylene of the Dream Flame. In the past, I was a member of the Salvation Corps.”
* * *
Long ago, humans lived lives worse than insects.
Back then, the continent was not the world of humans. Demons and ferocious monsters held dominion.
The Salvation Corps had been formed to change that plight for humanity.
Thus, in its early days, the Salvation Corps consisted solely of humans.
But as time passed, superhumans from other races began to join the Salvation Corps as well.
Mylene of the Dream Flame was one such example.
“……You’re Mylene?”
Demian couldn’t help but doubt the elf’s words.
The Salvation Corps had been formed a thousand years ago. Even for an elf, no one could live that long.
“It’s only natural that you wouldn’t believe me.”
As if reading Demian’s inner thoughts, Mylene added,
“I bear greater responsibilities than other elves. Thanks to that, I’ve managed to survive until now.”
The elf before him was capable of projecting such a refined illusion across this vast distance from Elfheim.
With such abilities, living for a thousand years wasn’t strange at all.
“……How did you know I’d turned back time?”
“I saw it on the back of your hand. More precisely, I noticed from the traces left by the seven authorities.”
Mylene pointed at the back of Demian’s hand as she spoke.
“Using all the authorities of the ancient god allows one to turn back time…… I never imagined her hypothesis was correct.”
“Nonsense…… I only awakened four authorities.”
“Then it must be traces from your previous life. I couldn’t have been mistaken. The traces left by the authorities are very unique. They only appear when attempting regression.”
“No, that’s impossible.”
Demian stated firmly.
“I’ve never used the method you’re describing.”
After killing Dorgo, Demian had taken his own life. And then he returned to the past.
He had never used the method Mylene described. He hadn’t even known about it.
“Then perhaps someone else used it.”
“What nonsense…….”
“Think about it carefully. Who was with you when you died?”
Demian was about to shout that it was absurd once more.
“This time is up.”
Mylene’s form began to blur.
“Wait! I still have more questions!”
“I’m sorry. Things aren’t good on this end either. I’m putting all my effort into repelling Pandemonium’s invasion.”
Demian’s eyes widened.
As he had suspected, Dorgo was undoubtedly in Elfheim.
“If you want to meet me, come to Elfheim. Pandemonium receives its supplies through this harbor. So if you find a ship owned by a black mage…….”
With those words, Mylene’s form vanished completely.
* * *
The moment Mylene disappeared, Demian clenched his fist.
Dorgo was in Elfheim. And there was an elf who knew the secret of his regression.
He couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. He had to head to Elfheim as quickly as possible.
“She said to find a ship owned by a black mage.”
Pandemonium received its supplies through the harbor. If he found a supply ship, he could reach Elfheim.
It wasn’t particularly difficult. With Demian’s detection abilities, locating a mere black mage would be easy.
That was when Demian thought that.
“P-Please, spare me! Someone, help!”
A boy was running toward him from afar. The boy panted heavily but didn’t stop sprinting.
“You little shit! If I catch you, I’ll really kill you!
“Grab that kid! Don’t let him reach any crowds!”
Two men were chasing the boy. From their attire, they both appeared to be sailors.
“P-Please, someone help! Anybody!”
The boy cried out desperately. But this was a remote area, so Demian was the only one who heard him.
“Mister! Help me! Please hel…… Aagh!”
The boy, shouting toward Demian, tripped over his own feet and fell. He was quickly caught by the two sailors.
“You damn brat, bothering people!
“I told you what happens if you run!”
The two sailors kicked the boy relentlessly. The boy curled up, enduring the violence.
“M-Mis…… Mister…….”
The boy looked up at Demian with a pleading face.
It was a situation he couldn’t ignore. Demian spoke to the two sailors.
“Stop.”
Demian spoke to the two sailors. They snapped at him irritably.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Mind your own business and scram!”
It didn’t seem like they’d listen to words. As Demian prepared to subdue them,
He sensed black magic from the two sailors.
Demian looked at the daggers hanging from the sailors’ waists.
He wasn’t mistaken. The daggers emanated faint black magic.
Demian pointed at the daggers and asked.
“What’s your connection to the black mages?”
At Demian’s words, the two sailors froze. They stared at Demian in shock.
“You’d better not play dumb…….”
The two sailors immediately drew their daggers. The black magic emanating from them grew thicker.
‘Cursed with pyromantic death. Not amateur work.’
Even a graze would likely reduce their entire body to ashes.
Few black mages could craft such powerful magical artifacts.
It had to be the work of Pandemonium’s black mages.
“You…… Sent by the church?”
“I’ll kill you right here!”
The two sailors charged with daggers raised. Demian unleashed his presence toward them.
The aura Demian emitted crushed the two sailors. It was too overwhelming for ordinary people.
“G-Guh…….”
“Kh-Khaaak……!”
The two trembled before foaming at the mouth and collapsing. Their hearts had already stopped.
“Wh-What……?”
The boy stared in astonishment.
Demian had directed his presence only at the two sailors. From the boy’s perspective, it just looked like they had suddenly dropped dead.
“Kid, looks like you need some help.”
The boy nodded dazedly. Demian smiled and said,
“Perfect timing. I need your help too. Will you guide me to where you escaped from?”
* * *
“H-Here it is.”
The place the boy led Demian to was a massive warehouse in a remote corner of the harbor.
The warehouse door was bound with thick iron chains. It conveyed a firm intent to allow no entry without permission.
“Th-There are my family and everyone else locked inside…….”
“It’s sealed tight on all sides. How did you manage to escape?”
“There was a…… a dog hole. I’m the smallest, so I escaped to get help.”
“You got lucky.”
Tears began streaming from the boy’s eyes.
“E-Everyone was kidnapped…… I never did anything bad…… These weird people just…… kidnapped us out of nowhere…… and dragged us here…….”
Demian realized the true nature of the supplies Mylene had mentioned.
Food and weapons meant little to black mages.
Humans.
Humans, whose existence could replenish black magic power, were what they desperately needed.
Of course, they could use the elves of Elfheim. But elves were few in number and individually powerful.
It was far easier to bring humans from the mainland than to capture elves.
“Disgusting bastards.”
Demian approached the door. He grabbed the chains with both hands and twisted.
The chains shattered as easily as rolled clay. Demian flung the door wide open.
Inside were over a hundred people imprisoned.
Their eyes were dark. The faces of those who had tasted deep despair.
“Wh-Who are you?”
One of them asked Demian. Demian replied calmly.
“I’ve come to rescue you.”
At Demian’s words, hope lit up their faces.
“Everyone, come out. You’re safe now…….”
“Who says you’re safe?”
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice rang out.
The moment they heard it, the people’s faces hardened.
Demian turned to see a group approaching.
There were ten in total.
They weren’t ordinary humans. Thick black magic emanated from all ten.
‘Nine high-class dark knights. And that one…….’
Demian looked at the man at the rear.
He was well-built but had an unusually large head, making his shoulders seem narrow.
‘Not an ordinary one.’
A chilling presence emanated from him. Clearly a powerhouse beyond grand black mage level.
“Hmm.”
The large-headed man glanced at the twisted chains.
“Some serious strength there. What knight order are you from?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Did your mom teach you manners in the womb or something? What’s with that mouth?”
Demian’s eye twitched.
Insulting him was one thing, but daring to mention his mother?
“Seems you’re pretty confident in your skills. Wrong opponent, though.”
The large-headed man spread his arms wide. Magic circles made of black magic floated up around him.
“My name is Alterio. People call me Alterio of Arson and fear me.”
The moment the large-headed man revealed his name, the people in the warehouse screamed.
“Ar-Arson Alterio? N-No way!”
“W-We’re all dead……! Aa…… Aaaah!”
Demian looked around at the panicked people in confusion.
“K-Knight…… This is bad…….”
Even the boy Demian had saved first was trembling in fear.
“S-Sorry. B-Because of me, even you, sir knight…… Sorry…….”
“Who the hell is this guy?”
Finally losing his patience, Demian asked the boy. Alterio’s face twisted in rage.
“……You don’t know my name?”
“And if I don’t?”
“Even for a knight clueless about the world, this is too much.”
Alterio let out a hollow laugh and said,
“For our clueless knight, let me introduce myself again. I’m Alterio of Arson. One of Pandemonium’s great evils.”
Alterio spoke confidently, as if certain Demian would now tremble in fear.
“Pandemonium’s great evil?”
But Demian only looked more puzzled.
“Strange. None of the great evils I know are named Alterio.”
Demian knew all the great evils who had been active in the apocalypse war.
In other words, any great evil Demian didn’t know had died before the apocalypse war.
“If I don’t know you, it means you’re not worth knowing.”
At those words, Alterio’s face crumpled.
“Let’s see if your legs are still spouting that after they’re ash!”
Alterio cast black magic. Flames erupted from beneath Demian’s feet.
In that instant, Demian stomped the ground. The pressure extinguished the flames completely.
“……Huh?”
Alterio couldn’t help but be flustered.
Him, a great evil of Pandemonium—his flames snuffed out so easily?
“……So that’s why you’re so cocky!”
Alterio tried to cast black magic again. At that moment, Demian’s hands blurred.
The dark knights were all smashed into the ground. Their heads were crushed as if struck by a massive hammer.
Alterio’s mouth gaped open.
Clearly, the enemy had stood still. Yet in the blink of an eye, they were all dead with heads embedded in the dirt.
Alterio’s mind couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
“Y-You bastard! What did you just…….”
His voice trailed off as he pointed accusingly. He had noticed something odd.
“Wait, when did you even draw your sword?”
Just moments ago, Demian held nothing in his hands.
Yet after one blink, he held a longsword.
Naturally, Alterio hadn’t seen Demian unsheathe or draw it.
“What trick did you…… Gah!”
Suddenly, blood burst from his throat.
His neck had been sliced. Blood continued gushing from the half-severed wound.
Alterio tried to clutch his neck. But his arms wouldn’t move properly.
“……!”
Looking again, his forearms’ joints were severed. Tendons and ligaments completely cut, rendering his arms useless.
Not stopping there, his legs gave out. His knees had been sliced.
Alterio collapsed to the ground, screaming.
“Th-This can’t be…… I-I’m a great evil…… Alterio of Arson…… Guh!”
Demian, who had approached, thrust Dawn into Alterio’s chest.
“From now on, I have a few requests for you. I’d appreciate it if you cooperated obediently.”
Demian looked down at Alterio as he spoke. Alterio ground his teeth and spat,
“F-Fuck off……!”
Demian ignored Alterio’s curse. Instead, he released the holy power contained in Dawn.
“Kaaah! Aaaah!”
The holy power radiating from Dawn began burning Alterio’s body.
“You dog bastard……! Go ahead, try it! See if I submit!”
“Tough one, huh. Well, there are ways.”
Demian rolled up his sleeve. Then he grabbed Alterio’s head.
“I’ve been wanting to brainwash a great evil of your caliber…… Didn’t expect the chance to come so soon.”
The ‘Authority of Lust’ embedded in the back of his hand emitted an ominous glow.
“Y-You bastard, what are you…… St-Stop…… Stop it! Stop, I said! Kaaaaah!”
An unknown force burrowed into Alterio’s mind.
Amid the brain-scrambling pain, endless screams poured from Alterio’s mouth.