Chapter 315
Chapter 315
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: The Highest Mountain (2)
Two aurablades extending from the daggers flew toward Demian's throat.
Demian parried the attack with Dawn. At that moment, an enormous shock hit him.
It didn't feel like blocking an aurablade—it was like taking a hit from a heavy iron ball. Even Dawn trembled as if it were burdened.
Demian twisted Dawn to deflect the attack. Immediately after, a second slash came flying.
It was a sharp combined attack befitting the title of Sword Demon.
Demian blocked the second attack as well and retreated. Laetish did not pursue Demian. Keeping her distance, she spoke with a hint of regret.
"Huh? You're completely different from last time? Back then, you knocked out Asta in one hit, but now... you're not even close."
Unlike last time, Demian was now facing Laetish not as a 'Death Knight' but as a 'human.'
The 'human Demian Haksen' had yet to catch up to the 'Death Knight Demian Haksen.'
So it was only natural that Laetish perceived Demian as weakened.
"Lord Babel told me not to touch you if possible... but at this rate, I can handle you alone, no problem?"
"You've only clashed swords with me once, and you're already acting like you're unmatched. How arrogant."
Demian smirked with one corner of his mouth. Laetish laughed and replied.
"You seem pretty pissed? But if you're a swordsman, prove it with your skills. What good is just flapping your gums?"
"If you want to see it that badly, I'll show you."
It was then, as Demian tried to draw up his mana. Suddenly, he pointed to the daggers floating around Laetish and asked.
"Aren't you going to use those?"
Dozens of daggers floated idly around Laetish.
Despite having so many weapons, she was only using two.
"Were you that curious about them? Too bad. I only use these on strong opponents. You probably won't get to see them."
Demian couldn't help but let out a scoff at the repeated provocations.
"If you want to see something that badly, I suppose I must oblige."
Demian awakened the mana that had been quietly dormant.
"One Wheel."
His mana began to rotate. At the same time, the world tree sapling rooted in his soul lent its power.
Mana and spirit power merged as one. It fused with his body.
One circle.
One unity.
The moment it was complete, blue glows burst from Demian's eyes.
The next instant, Demian's figure vanished. Right after, a slash struck at Laetish's throat.
Laetish's eyes widened. She hurriedly retreated while crossing her daggers.
Dawn struck the X-shaped aurablade. Laetish's body was pushed straight back.
"...Kuh?"
Shock appeared on Laetish's face. Demian did not miss the opening.
He closed the gap and thrust Dawn forward. Laetish raised her daggers to block.
But her strength was insufficient to deflect Dawn. Dawn pushed past the daggers and grazed her cheek.
Her cheek split open, blood bursting forth. Fury rose on Laetish's face.
"You, a mere human who won't even live a hundred years, dare wound my body? Are you tired of living?!"
Laetish's eyes turned red. Vast demonic energy poured from her entire body.
Changes occurred in her body as well. Her eyes turned purple, two horns sprouted from her forehead, and tiger-like patterns appeared across her body.
"I'll make you feel the difference in our realms!"
Laetish charged at Demian. The ground quaked with every step.
Staring at the approaching Laetish, Demian murmured again.
"Two Wheels."
The glow from Demian's eyes deepened further.
Demian blocked Laetish's slash head-on. The shockwave pushed back the surrounding air, whipping up fierce winds.
Demian and Laetish glared at each other with their swords locked. Laetish ground her teeth and growled.
"...You're withstanding my attack?"
"Too light to dodge."
Flames sparked in Laetish's eyes at Demian's mockery.
"Who do you think you are, talking big?!"
Laetish put strength into both arms. She pushed Demian back, then swung her twin daggers.
The two daggers traced different trajectories. Aurablades extended from them, targeting Demian's vital points.
But Laetish's combined attack was deflected all too easily. Demian had swung Dawn to bat away every attack.
"For someone boasting about their years of experience, your skills are sorely lacking."
Laetish's face twisted at Demian's taunt.
"I haven't even shown half my true power yet!"
Laetish bellowed and unleashed her swordsmanship.
An endless barrage of techniques poured out. Not a single one was harmless.
But none reached Demian. As if peering into her mind, Demian effortlessly blocked every technique.
Laetish surely realized this. Her face rapidly hardened into a cold mask.
"Got nothing more to show?"
Demian asked her.
"Then let's end this."
Demian used Dawn to deflect Laetish's attack.
The trajectory veered sharply, sending the two daggers flying in different directions.
"Huh?"
The moment Laetish faltered in surprise, Demian took a large step forward.
Closing the distance in an instant, he swung Dawn. It severed Laetish's throat.
"...Guh!"
Her throat half-severed, blood erupted. Laetish clutched her neck and retreated.
"Your bones are tougher than I thought."
Demian swung his sword again to finish the job perfectly. Terror of death filled Laetish's eyes.
"...Ka, kahaak!"
Laetish spat bloody foam from her mouth and screamed.
At that instant, the daggers floating in the air rained down on Demian all at once.
Demian tried to bat them all away. Their number was a bit much, but with Two Wheels active, it wasn't impossible.
But the moment Dawn clashed with the daggers, Demian had no choice but to revise his plan.
The power contained in the daggers was far heavier than expected. Much stronger than when Laetish wielded them herself.
Demian was forced to stop in place and deflect the daggers.
Every clash between Dawn and the daggers produced thunderous booms and explosions. Demian's body was gradually pushed back.
'Flying swords this hard for even me to block?'
Even Demian was shocked by the fearsome power of the flying swords. It truly lived up to the Sword Demon moniker.
Meanwhile, Laetish focused on healing the wound on her neck.
If she fully recovered like this, the fight would drag on.
To finish it, Demian needed to go all out as well.
"Three Wheels."
Three circles completed within his body. The aura emanating from Demian amplified in an instant.
The next moment, lines were drawn in the air.
Dozens of lines extended from Demian. The daggers touching them were sliced apart.
"...What?"
Laetish cried out in a panicked face upon seeing it.
The next instant, Demian kicked off the ground. Charging in a straight line, he beheaded Laetish.
Purple blood sprayed as her head hit the ground.
Even until that moment, Laetish hadn't realized what had happened to her.
"And you're nothing special."
"You, youuu...."
Even decapitated, Laetish lived on without dying. Thanks to the demon's unique resilient vitality.
She could survive if she reattached her head quickly, but Demian had no intention of allowing that.
"I'd like to ask what your plans are... but you won't tell me anyway, right?"
Demian extended his hand toward Laetish's head. Using black magic, he extracted her soul.
-Kyaaaaak!
Fitting a demon, Laetish's soul was enormously vast. Demian tore it apart and absorbed her memories.
"...Nothing much."
Unfortunately, there was no significant information.
To break the pact, they needed to find the altar.
And even the demons didn't know the altar's location.
"I need to find the altar before the demons do."
Muttering that, Demian turned his gaze. There, the red dragon roared atop the demons' corpses.
* * *
"What? Demian came with a dragon?!"
Babel couldn't hide his surprise upon receiving the report.
"Asta, impressive, right? A dragon! Demian Haksen brought a dragon!"
Babel turned around as he spoke. There stood a bull-headed demon.
-Just give the order, and I'll rip both apart right now.
Asta said with a murderous glare.
He seemed to harbor a grudge from being knocked out by Demian.
"What if you get killed by Demian?"
-This time will be different!
"Even Laetish, a marquis like you, got killed by Demian Haksen?"
-I'm different from that toy-playing fool!
Asta raised his voice. Babel clutched his belly laughing.
"Yeah, yeah. You're different from Laetish."
The title of Sword Demon meant both honor and yoke for Laetish.
Though a demon, Laetish wasn't born with any innate powers. Thus, over a millennium, she honed her swordsmanship, becoming a marquis-level demon.
But a demon without powers wasn't a true demon. Despite being marquis-rank, Laetish was seen as count-level weak.
"Still, hold it in a bit longer. We have more important things right now."
Babel turned his gaze. There, Dorgo hung from a tree, bound in iron chains.
"Dorgo, hurry and recall your memories. Remember how you entered the foundation—recall the sensation."
The altar.
The place where Luin cast the pact wasn't even in Dorgo's memories.
Only Luin knew the way in.
"...."
Dorgo hung limp without response. Irritation flickered on Babel's face.
"Hey, wake him up."
The mosquito-mouthed demon.
Laria stabbed her proboscis into the back of Dorgo's head.
At that moment, Dorgo's eyes blazed with light.
"Aaack!"
"You should've listened to me, then you wouldn't have to go through this."
"Kuuaaaack!"
Dorgo's screams continued.
* * *
-Kuuaaaack!
Biting her lip at the screams echoing from afar, the Fourth Demon Lord spoke.
"...Mother's screams are weaker than yesterday. She doesn't have much vitality left."
Epsilon turned to her brothers.
"We can't just watch any longer. We must get Mother out of here. Even if it costs our lives."
The three brothers nodded. Epsilon continued with a heavy face.
"To carry out our plan, we absolutely need Demian Haksen."