Chapter 336: Liberation (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 336: Liberation (1)
"You... betrayed me?"
Nietzsche muttered in disbelief.
The two of them were supposed to have a bad history with Jinhyuk. They were people who could never, under any circumstances, work together.
That was why Nietzsche couldn't help but be utterly bewildered by the current situation.
"Sorry. I had to stick to the stronger side to survive. And that human over there was my pick."
"Don't be too disappointed. We've always moved according to our own interests."
Melena, who had been with Jinhyuk for a long time, and Tristan, who had joined late, shrugged as if it were only natural.
Even without the Brand of the Flame Soul, the two of them knew all too well which side held the advantage when it came to a muddy dogfight.
Whether it was the leader of the Demonic Humans or the great True Ancestors of pure blood, it didn't matter. Because who would survive in the end was already decided.
"How dare... trash like you stab me in the back? It seems you've forgotten how terrifying I can be. I can make both of you rot away alive."
"Hmm. Isn't it a bit funny for someone who was just about to turn tail and run to say something like that?"
Jinhyuk chimed in, cutting through Nietzsche's pathetic threat.
"You...!"
"Ah, don't get so worked up. Getting all red-faced and ugly now will only raise your blood pressure. If you're going to die anyway, you should die by my blade. Surely the leader of the Demonic Humans wouldn't want to go out from high blood pressure, right?"
Jinhyuk shrugged with a sly smirk.
At that, Nietzsche's face contorted even more viciously.
"Arrogant bastard! Do you really think I'll fall to the likes of you?!"
"Yeah, I do. I was actually planning to show you what a proper 'elderly attack' looks like anyway."
With Nietzsche's mana pushed to its limit just to maintain Blackness, even with Jinhyuk's own abilities sealed due to Nihilism, this was a fight worth taking.
However, there was just one obstacle he had to overcome to fulfill the copying condition.
I need to separate that Demon King attached to him...
Hesimodium, ranked 7th in the Demon World.
As one of the ten Demon Kings of the Demon World, he was currently sponsoring Nietzsche. If he refused to give up on Nietzsche and helped him until the end, things could get incredibly troublesome.
In that case...
I'll just have to make him realize that abandoning him is better than sponsoring him.
Jinhyuk provoked his opponent even more aggressively.
"I was wondering why you were so confident when you contracted with the most pathetic, mediocre loser among the Demon Kings. I heard a rumor—isn't Hesimodium the lowest-ranked among the ten Demon Kings? Actually, I think I heard he was so pathetic he got demoted to a regular demon recently..."
Right at that moment.
[A deity of the Demon World is highly infuriated!]
[The special ability 'Partial Manifestation' is activated!]
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
"Krrgh... Kraaaah! Aaaargh!"
Nietzsche's eyes rolled back, showing only the whites. Bloody foam bubbled from his mouth, and thick veins writhed violently beneath his skin.
His entire body trembled like an aspen leaf.
Nietzsche was no longer Nietzsche. For the soul of a Demon King now dwelt within his body.
To be precise, it was closer to possession through a medium rather than the manifestation of the true body.
The agonizing screams that had dragged on for what felt like an eternity vanished in an instant, as if they had never happened.
"Ugh... I never did like being inside a human shell."
Hesimodium examined his hands and feet with dull, lifeless eyes. But that was only for a brief moment.
"Since you have displeased this great one, you will not die an easy death."
Red liquid dripped from his elongated fingernails.
Needless to say, he was a monster that could not be defeated even if one were in peak condition.
Of course, Jinhyuk had already anticipated this much.
"Veliel. I know you're watching. Why don't you show yourself now?"
Jinhyuk spoke quietly.
Then...
[Hmm. Yes, well, I am watching. Things were getting quite interesting, so I just went to grab some wine from my private warehouse.]
As if on cue, a response came.
Seriously, this guy had all the time in the world, even though Jinhyuk was gambling with his life.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
Jinhyuk looked at Hesimodium, who was emitting streams of black energy from his entire body. It was a truly terrifying, absurdly massive amount of demonic energy.
[At this rate, you will die.]
"Yeah, probably."
Even if he was only borrowing Nietzsche's body, the opponent was still a Demon King. As long as Jinhyuk's abilities were sealed, a single gesture from him would result in instant death.
"So, shouldn't I have a reliable sponsor protecting me too?"
Jinhyuk glanced up at the empty air.
[Hooh. I should help you? And why should I do that?]
Why? Well, because...
"If you're stronger than Hesimodium, there's no reason to avoid this fight. Ah, of course, if you're lower in rank... I guess you might not want to fight."
[So... you are saying that if I do not help, it is because I am of a lower status than that idiot Demon King, too terrified to even look him in the eye? That, in the end, I am the biggest coward and the weakest in the Demon World?]
Hmm...
He hadn't gone quite that far, but the message had clearly been received.
"Actually, fighting that guy today made me realize once again what a great class Black Apostle is. To the point where I'm thinking it wouldn't be bad to choose something else for my third class advancement instead of Barrierist."
[You... will become my apostle? Is... is that true?]
"Yeah. I'm open to it."
[Really? Can you swear on those words?]
"You don't trust me?"
[How can I trust you when you have given me no reason to! You've teased me so many times already, acting like you were going to do it!]
"I'll put up collateral this time. What do you think of that guy over there?"
Jinhyuk pointed his finger toward Cheon Yu-seong.
[His swordsmanship is decent. And he shows no mercy. In many ways, he seems to fit well with our side.]
Veliel nodded. He seemed to quite like Cheon Yu-seong.
Good. He took the bait.
"Exactly. As you can see, he's got a lot of potential. Naturally, if he changes his class to Black Apostle, wouldn't he make a pretty splendid demon? On top of that, if I join too, it'd be the icing on the cake, wouldn't it?"
Buying Veliel's favor by offering up Cheon Yu-seong.
[Th-that is true, but...]
"Uh-oh? He's coming. Hurry, we're out of time! If I die, apostles or whatever won't mean a thing."
Jinhyuk urgently pointed at Hesimodium.
Preparing to leap as if he would charge at any second, it looked like there were barely a few seconds left.
In the end...
[Damn it. Fine. I will help you for now. Just do not forget your promise later.]
Veliel stepped in.
Instantly, a chilling, goosebump-inducing cold air swept through.
Crackle!
With a brilliant spark, tearing through space, a silver-haired man revealed himself.
Boom!
The blood-red fingernails were blocked dead in midair.
No. Rather, Hesimodium, who had initiated the attack, stumbled backward, unable to withstand the impact.
"Ve...liel?"
Hesimodium's pupils dilated rapidly.
This was not a partial manifestation through possession. It was the direct descent of the true body. What's more, a Demon King, who belonged to the highest tier of deities, had moved in person.
"I have just sacrificed eighty thousand acres of forest and three castles in my territory."
A choice was being forced. Since he had already made an investment from which he could not back down...
"This human is my apostle. So, back off."
Either fight until one of them was destroyed, or turn tail and run.
* * *
"Damn it."
Hyacinth bit her fangs so hard they threatened to shatter.
She had thought Nietzsche and the other Demonic Humans would at least play their parts properly.
"Those idiots are absolutely useless."
Especially with the sudden appearance of the Norse deities and even a Demon King joining the fray, the tide of battle had completely turned.
But the biggest problem was... the opponent she was facing right in front of her was far more troublesome than expected.
Boom, boom, boom!
Crash!
Though a tempest of lightning raged relentlessly, Alice closed the distance without even batting an eye.
Clearly, she was far from her peak. Yet, why? Why did she feel even more overwhelming than she had back then?
[Hyacinth activates 'Infinity Lightning'!]
Blue lightning surged into the spear she held. At the same time, she unleashed a barrage of thrusts so fast they were invisible to the naked eye.
Boom!
The tip of the spear vanished, creating a sonic boom.
However...
Clang, clang, clang!
Drawing the rapier at her waist like a flash of lightning, Alice deflected the trajectory of the spear. The deflected spear plunged into the innocent ground.
Hyacinth's eyebrows furrowed deeply.
"...Since when did you start using a rapier?"
"I learned it recently."
"Recently? Don't tell me... from that human?"
"..."
Alice neither confirmed nor denied it.
"I had my doubts, but it really was true."
That the noble, incredibly proud head of the Ataraxia family had actually learned something from a mere human. It was a story no one would ever believe if told. For she had changed her lifelong conviction of never using a weapon under any circumstances.
"Just what... is that guy to you that you would go this far? It's not just the rapier. You must know, don't you? That even you cannot guarantee your survival if you end up fighting against the entities of the 50th Floor?"
That was why she had no choice but to ask. What kind of existence Kang Jinhyuk was to Alice, and whether he was truly worth all of this.
Alice's red lips slowly parted.
"The person who allowed me to live again."
The precious person who gave new hope to her, who had given up on everything and was merely waiting for death. The person who ended her long nightmare and gave her a reason to live anew.
"It doesn't matter what comes on the 50th Floor."
If she died... that was fine too. Even if she turned into a handful of ashes and vanished, it was alright. As long as she could be with him until the very end... that was enough.
'Ataraxia Style.'
Her rapier drew seven circles in the air. The drawn circles were gradually carved away, beginning to transform into an ornate pattern.
"A red... rose?"
Hyacinth stared blankly at the rose being drawn.
Petal by petal, bloom by bloom. The roses blooming in full profusion along the empty air created a breathtaking spectacle.
['Blood Rose' is activated!]
This was the first unique form Alice had created entirely on her own. A new wave symbolizing Ataraxia.
"Do you really think you can face me with something so hastily put together?!"
Hyacinth swung her spear in response. The spear split into dozens of branches, leaving afterimages.
No matter how extraordinary it seemed, every form required a corresponding amount of experience and time to back it up. It wasn't something that could be perfected overnight!
Sword and spear.
The forms woven by the two weapons surged forward.
And the moment the two forms clashed...
Crack!
The tip of Hyacinth's spear began to crumble into dust and scatter.
"Ah..."
A brief gasp escaped her, laced with both futility and despair.
A realm of overwhelming talent that required neither effort nor experience. The strongest family head who had crushed all other heads.
The True Ancestor, Alice von Ataraxia.
Swept away by the passage of time, she had forgotten just what an absurd monster that existence truly was.