Chapter 95
Chapter 95 - An Unexpected Identity(2)
The fight continued in a drawn-out manner.
After about an hour, guards rushed in, but they fell to their knees before the unity of the Immortal Cultists and the extraordinary strength of several cultists.
Soon they were reduced to crawling on the ground like the civilians.
"P-please spare me..."
"It hurts... it hurts!"
The surviving citizens tried to escape Kern by leaving the city streets. Or they tried to escape those ruthless hands by going deeper into the alleys.
"No, Roni! Please! Pleeeease!"
"Sister!!!"
As a result, large-scale battles or massacres were rarely seen. By now, it was more like hide-and-seek or tag... with repeated small-scale massacres and local battles occurring everywhere.
Of course, whether hide-and-seek or tag, the Immortal Cultists usually won.
"Damn it really... there's no end!!"
Bang bang bang! After turning the surrounding Immortal Cultists into a beehive with my magic sword, I shouted in frustration.
"......"
"......"
Countless Immortal Cultists around me are requesting handshakes.
Beyond the fallen cultists, more cultists take their place. They naturally replace each other like restocking items at a convenience store.
At that sickening sight, I spewed out curses again.
"Huff... hah... damn it really..."
While moving across the battlefield killing Immortal Cultists, I found myself surrounded by them in a back alley where the shantytown used to be.
Of course, this situation wasn't created by my choice. They seemed to chase me in a clever way, and before I knew it, I was led to this alley and surrounded front and back.
"Come at me one at a time. One at a time..."
My breath reached my chin.
Sweat poured down like rain, streaming down my chin. Maybe because my breathing was too rapid, my vision was blurry.
My body was covered in cuts big and small. The inside of my clothes was soaked with sweat and blood, making me feel awful.
Among them, my left shoulder had a wound so deep the bone was almost exposed. So I could only wield Bestak in my right hand.
Ether ran out ages ago, and I don't even have the strength to lift my left arm.
It's essentially non-functional except when using Seven Sword Pierce.
'Damn... this is my limit.'
The current situation itself is difficult.
But what's even harder is that there's no end in sight. That slowly fueled the feeling of despair.
I must have killed over 100 of them. But... it's still endless.
'Drawing aggro was good but...'
Maybe because I went around massacring with flashy AOE skills. All the Immortal Cultists in the vicinity stopped killing civilians and rushed at me. I must have been recognized as their number one target for elimination.
It's good that the massacre stopped.
But having to endure all the previously dispersed Immortal Cultists means my stamina consumption is faster than expected.
"......"
Is this it? I was about to mutter those words but stopped myself.
There's a limit to raising death flags. I decided to say something more positive.
"When this fight is over, I should go propose to Cessna."
Still a death flag in the end.
The Immortal Cultists must have found my joke funny, as they gave an intense reaction.
"......"
Thudududu! The Immortal Cultists surrounding me from all directions charged in at once.
I checked my physical condition once. And observed their level. Then I nodded.
'This is it.'
Objectively judging, I will die unable to withstand this wave.
I glanced down. And focused my mind to bring up my status window in mid-air.
[[Name: Park Jeong-yong]
[Titles: 163317413th Official Hero. Guardian of the Demon King's Egg. One Bound to Immortality]
[LV. 175]
If nothing else, this challenge confirmed one thing.
'Immortal Cultists are golden goblins.'
They're pouring out experience points far exceeding their specs.
Otherwise, I who only lasted barely an hour, couldn't have gained nearly 20 levels already.
'They must really hate the Immortal Cult?'
This focused distribution of experience points clearly shows intention. I smiled thinking of Shit-hair face twisted in displeasure.
'I should resist... as much as I can.'
I have zero intention of dying peacefully to those who killed me 34 times.
I immediately held up Bestak and swung it down hard.
"Mine Field!"
Boom boom boom. Vibrations shook the ground and spread in all directions. Though pathetic compared to when I was full of magic power earlier, it was still enough to buy a moment of time.
I immediately chanted a skill taking advantage of the gap when their scrum was disrupted.
'Lotus Flower.'
Stab! When my vision seemed to shake, I thrust my sword in advance, and Bestak smoothly pierced through an Immortal Cultist's belly.
No time to rest. I immediately hid in their crowd using stealth skills, and went wild slashing Bestak around while rampaging through them.
"Shadow Chain!"
Found an opening. I immediately used the skill.
Whoosh! A pitch-black chain shot out and bound an Immortal Cultist's entire body.
"......"
I vaguely feel vitality returning whenever they struggle. But it's far from enough.
Clang! Keeng! Blocking counter attacks from all directions, the HP lost from getting hit is much greater.
"......"
"......"
And while this tactic worked well at first, after killing 3-4 of them, they immediately implemented countermeasures.
"......"
The Immortal Cultists spread out from each other. They form defensive formations to block my infiltration.
I begin. I bit my lips tightly and immediately tried to break away from their group.
Then bang! A dull noise followed by an intense pain shot through my spine.
"Kuh... ack!"
I twisted my waist while swinging my sword. With a slash and a satisfyingly realistic feel, one cultist's head rolled before me.
The body that lost its head stood dazed, frozen with its sword still planted in my back.
Seeing this made me even more curious about their true nature.
'Just what... is the principle here? How is this even possible?'
They hadn't learned from watching my movements.
From the beginning, my special assassination technique honed under the Margrave in Halcenberg contained extreme techniques that were unavoidable even if known.
But they adapted to my tactics like a single organism.
Something they hadn't even experienced firsthand... like ants or bees. It was eerily disturbing.
'If I don't uncover the secret behind this unity...!'
Was I lost in thought too long? Or was my concentration scattered by the pain?
I noticed the massive killing intent from behind too late.
"Kuk!"
I twisted my body forcefully with my remaining arm and immediately swung my sword.
Kaang! A long metallic sound rang out. My arm twisted. My body couldn't withstand the unexpectedly enormous force.
I was left defenseless. The opponent didn't miss the opening and thrust their sword deep into my body.
"... Kuh, hack."
Time stopped for a moment, then flowed again. I swallowed hard at the terrible foreign sensation piercing my chest.
As I was wondering why the red greatsword that had pierced my chest looked familiar.
I barely managed to lift my head, and upon seeing the sword's owner, I let out a dumbfounded laugh.
"Ha... this is... really..."
There stood someone whose identity I could never have imagined.
My gaze held a hint of gladness as I looked at her face.
Perhaps because we met in such an unthinkable place, my mind was filled more with bewilderment than anger.
"I told you clearly. That I would definitely have my revenge."
Those purple lips speaking those words particularly caught my eye.
Red eyes burning with hatred, purple skin, and worn white armor barely covering her sensual figure.
"... Long time no see, Sister."
When was it? She was the high-ranking demon I had captured and released in some unnamed burning village when hunting the Demon King 'Poluxius'.
Her name was... Primula? Or Pramodel? Whatever, it doesn't matter.
This extra character whose very existence I had forgotten, not just her name... shows up like this?
Life's really too ironic isn't it? Fuck. A helpless smile rose to my pain-contorted face.
"How'd you end up joining the Immortal Cult? Are the working conditions good? Do they offer insurance even to demons?"
"......"
"Answer me, Sister. It's been so long since we met..."
"... Long time? It's only been a week since you killed Polluxius."
Is this for real? I closed my mouth at the demon sister's words.
Right. That's right. By normal people's standards... It has only been about a week.
I muttered, somewhat dazed.
"Wow. That's right. I must have missed you too much. I thought a month or two had passed..."
"... It seems even death cannot be punishment enough for you."
As I kept making sarcastic remarks, Sister's gaze transformed from hatred to disgust.
That a mere human could be so detached in the face of death. It was a look of seeing an incomprehensible monster.
'Now even demons are looking at me like that.'
I must have really gone too far. I smirked inwardly.
Soon, Sister muttered to herself, regardless of my attitude.
"... Still, I'm just doing what needs to be done."
What needs to be done? If what she needs to do right now is...?
I widened my eyes slightly in confusion for a moment, then realized what it was.
"Keu...!"
Wuddeuddeuk! The greatsword that had pierced my body sliced horizontally through it. It shattered my ribs helplessly and exited my body.
Through my fading vision, I could see my organs tumbling like toys.
Everything quickly faded to black.
* * *
[Forced regression axis modification executed by the Immortal Demon King, Rustica Asmodeus.]
[Immortality regression point has been updated.]
[Time - Continental Calendar 1108, January 13th, 02:44]
[Location - Marktress. Upper region of the Plains of Promise, Western Gate of the small city Kern]
As I dazedly looked down at the panel, Lucy slowly pulled away her lips that had been touching mine.
Was it my imagination? Lucy's pale white face seemed to be tinged slightly red.
A moment of silence passed. An unexpectedly heavy silence.
"......"
"......"
What's this? If you're going to suddenly kiss someone, at least say something. Explain why you did it.
What are we going to do about this messed up atmosphere?
'The kiss seems to be because of the forced regression point update...'
I roughly understand the reason itself. I guess updating the regression point comes with such troublesome conditions.
But why this vow of silence that follows? Such awkward silence isn't like her.
As I was wondering, Lucy looked up at me with a sigh deep enough to sink the ground.
"Sigh. I didn't expect to succeed on the first try... but it ended up like this anyway?"
"... What did you say?"
I looked back puzzled, and Lucy nodded as if understanding my expression.
A mix of pity and frustration showed on her face.
"Haah.... Hero. Listen carefully to what I'm about to say without doubt...."
Right after Lucy started rambling, the black energy from her body cleanly evaporated into the air. Her transformed appearance also instantly returned to its original form.
THUD! Lucy's body fell helplessly to the floor with a sound that seemed quite painful.
"Kyaawk."
A sharp scream echoes across the floor.
There was no time to catch her. Usually, my body would have moved first to catch her... but I was a bit dazed by her strange behavior.
"Uh. Are you okay?"
As I approached with concern, Lucy jumped up as if to demonstrate with her whole body that she was fine.
And while rubbing her bright red, swollen forehead, she said to me.
"Aagh! That, that's not what's important. Hero! Whatever strategy you're planning right now, change it!"
"... Change the strategy? But why? We haven't even tried it yet...."
"You already died once! You failed, you idiot!"
While Lucy's appearance was so pitiful as she tried to somehow cover up her embarrassment that it could bring tears to my eyes.
The words that came out of her mouth were enough to make me cry tears of blood.
For a moment, my mind went blank.