Chapter 177

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 177

Chapter Title: The Demon's Oath

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It was truly an absurd situation.

Only Urr, whom they had painstakingly sealed away, could bring the expedition team back safely.

"Th-that... what does that...?"

"...So what happens then?"

Unease rippled through the expedition team.

Kang Seol, Frannan, the few remaining mercenary captains, Chameli, and Mael stepped forward.

They were the representatives of the expedition team.

Of course, Kang Seol's title as the Saint's disciple carried a bit less weight compared to the others, but considering his contributions during the expedition, he deserved to stand at the forefront.

In any case, they stepped forward to speak with Urr, either to resolve the situation or to better understand it.

Urr, inhabiting Kiki's body, furrowed his brow for a moment before a sly idea crossed his mind, twisting his lips into a wicked grin.

"Ah... I see, I was too hasty. Very well! I shall release you from this pitch-black demonic realm and send you back to the brilliant world of light!"

"Really?"

"Truly?"

Anyone could see that Urr harbored resentment toward the expedition team and had no intention of cooperating, yet for some reason, he suddenly offered a solution out of nowhere.

However, Urr was still Urr.

"In exchange, I will leave with you."

"What?"

"Hurry and unseal me. Revive me, and I, Urr, shall reward your loyalty."

"You bastard... "

"Puhahaha! What did this monkey just say?"

"He wants us to scratch his back!"

Urr's cheeks puffed out like a furious monkey's.

"You insolent fools... Hmph!"

Urr crossed his arms and turned away.

"Then I take it the negotiations are off."

"......"

"If dying here doesn't seem so bad, I suppose I can understand rejecting my offer. You wouldn't fail to grasp your own predicament, would you? Heroes? Fine! You want to be heroes."

Urr's words stabbed like daggers into the hesitating mercenary captains' hearts.

"Heroes who sealed Urr, the root of magic and demonism! But will posterity even remember your names? They won't know what happened here, nor care to wonder! That's humanity for you! You selfish lot!"

After unleashing his tirade, Urr seemed satisfied and drove the nail deeper.

"You will be forgotten here with me! Forever..."

One expedition member shuddered and spoke.

"N-no... I don't want that..."

That sparked it. Anxiety spread through the team.

"I don't wanna die."

"Dying was never part of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the plan."

"Maybe we should talk to Urr more instead of dying..."

"What happens if we unseal Urr?"

"Unseal him and seal him again..."

"If we unseal Urr, is there a way for the world to know it was us?"

Eventually, the conversation veered into dangerous territory. Urr's speech had shaken their resolve.

Frannan waved his hands dismissively.

"Let's discuss this among ourselves first."

"Do as you like. The answer's only one anyway."

The expedition's true leadership huddled to deliberate over this headache.

"He's proposed an annoying deal."

"If we drag this out, we'll end up cornered as he wants."

"Is there a way to use him to escape without unsealing him?"

"Unlikely. As Borunil said, the one in Kiki's body is powerless now. He left his main power in his true body."

"Haaah..."

The group clutched their throbbing heads.

Then, someone spoke in a tone of resignation, laced with sorrow.

"Perhaps... perhaps being forgotten here with Urr is the only way to benefit the world."

"Nonsense! What are you..."

"Then what? That mad devil won't help us sincerely, and after the seal breaks, what then? You don't seriously plan to fight him again, do you?"

"......"

"Don't forget: we already lost to him once. If not for Snowman, we'd be corpses rolling around by now. That devil has a lifespan tougher than a cockroach. If he gets out, he'll cause catastrophe."

Chaos engulfed them all.

Holding the devil's hand to escape felt like wasting all their efforts, yet staying to slumber with him here was unbearably unjust.

Yet amid the clamor, Kang Seol had remained utterly silent.

"Hm?"

Frannan, deep in thought, turned to him with a question, hoping the one who sealed Urr might have a way.

"What are you thinking?"

"Ah... just had a question."

"What question?"

"What body will Urr revive in?"

"What?"

"If we have to revive him, should it be his original human body or his spirit form?"

Kang Seol's question was unexpected, but Frannan didn't pry.

He was a former priest, after all, and prioritizing his own safety over the world's fate was natural.

'He plans to revive him...'

It was a lie to say he wasn't disappointed.

But Frannan hid it and replied to Kang Seol.

"Hm... His original body has barely any mana left, just scraps. He'd probably prefer spirit form."

"Spirit form... spirit form..."

"I thought you had a solution, but apparently not."

Chameli spoke in a voice like she was on her last breath.

"No matter how I think about it, we can't accept that devil's proposal. So we'll just... end up here."

"...It seems that way."

"Pardon?"

A voice cut through her lament.

It was Kang Seol's.

"There's exactly one way."

Frannan jumped in surprise.

"What? How?!"

"I'll... take him under my wing."

Now it made sense.

Kang Seol planned to turn Urr into a shadow summon.

"That's madness! Urr is on a whole other level from mere spirit beasts! Even for you..."

"Calm down and hear me out."

"No need to..."

"Frannan."

"......"

Faced with Kang Seol's serious expression, Frannan had no choice but to yield.

"Sigh... speak."

Frannan listened calmly as Kang Seol explained. The expedition members started with odd looks, then puzzled ones as they grasped his intent.

"Huh?"

"This... could it be...?"

Kang Seol finished.

"But I'm not certain it will work, so I'm seeking your wisdom."

"Ha... haha, yes, that could work."

"Frannan?"

"No, we should lean toward it being possible. Actually! There might be no other way."

Mael nodded too.

"It's one of the principles that constitutes the world. Even Urr can't escape it. Though there are a few concerns."

"Concerns?"

"Snowman, are you sure? Binding yourself to him..."

"No choice. And from our clash, he's definitely useful for my path."

Frannan asked teasingly.

"What Mael's getting at is whether you'll fall for his temptations. Right?"

Mael shrugged, and Kang Seol shook the lantern.

The motion startled Bitan, who had been quiet inside.

Seeing this, Frannan said,

"That settles it then. But the odds of him going along with our plan are slim. So, how about using Borunil?"

"The scales?"

"Yeah. If the old man's made us suffer, time he suffers too."

Everyone nodded at Frannan's follow-up explanation. The plan was taking shape.

The expedition called out to distant Kiki.

"Hey, Urr!"

"Hm... made up your minds? No other choice anyway."

"We want to talk to Borunil!"

"What?"

"To seriously consider your proposal!"

"Hmmm... fine."

Kiki's eyes flickered, and an old man's voice emerged.

"Ohohoho! You were looking for me?"

"Borunil..."

Frannan asked if they could speak privately with Borunil.

"Don't worry. Urr isn't listening right now."

"Then..."

Frannan explained the plan to Borunil.

"Ohoh... ohoho... ohohohoho!"

After hearing it all, Borunil addressed the team.

"Who came up with such a clever idea?"

"My disciple."

"Frannan, you resisted taking a disciple for so long, but you finally did it. Excellent!"

"Well... that's how it is. So..."

"Gladly! I'll stake this body on it! If this is how I repay you, Borunil will do it a hundred times over. And... toying with Urr is quite fun too. Ohoho..."

With preparations complete, they awakened Urr.

Urr asked confidently.

"Well?"

"We're changing the terms."

"Terms? Let's hear them."

"We can't unseal you."

"Then it's pointless talk."

"But there's one way to get you out."

"What's that?"

Kang Seol stepped forward.

"Become my summon."

"Insane."

"It's the only way. We have no means to break your seal."

"Hmmm..."

Urr pondered briefly.

'If I hadn't gathered my forces properly, I wouldn't face this humiliation... A summon, huh? Interesting. Temporarily, it won't be bad.'

Kill the summoner after escaping. Regather power. Simple.

'I'm the root of demonism. Dare to make me a summon?'

Staring at the summoner's brazen face, Urr ground his teeth, imagining it crumpling in agony.

"Fine! If that's it..."

"And one more condition."

"So many terms."

"Borunil's soul comes too."

"What? That one's soul as well?"

"We're here to save the scales. That was our goal from the start. If you revive, his soul revives with you."

"Ugh..."

Urr instantly saw through their scheme.

'Using the old man's soul to control me. Fools...'

He wouldn't fall for such an obvious trick. But for now, he'd pretend.

Borunil meant nothing to him; discard later.

"Fine!"

"Abandon the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠monkey's body and revert to spirit form. We'll perform the ritual soon."

Kikik...

Urr said,

"You won't go back on your word, right?"

"We're staking our lives too, so let's focus."

"Good. You know the process?"

"Death is the start of new birth. Who understands that better than me?"

Shhh...

Smoke trailed from Kiki's nose.

It seeped into Urr's spirit form, bound in chains, like faint heat haze.

"Kuh... I can't do anything properly. Hey, I separated my power, so even at your level, you can summon me. Now shatter my core."

"Even sealed, you can't choose to die yourself?"

"You mock Kagon's seal? Just moving power and speaking while sealed proves Urr's greatness."

"Got it."

A massive rock stake flew into Kang Seol's hand and pierced the bound Urr's chest.

"Kuhak..."

And then.

As planned, Chameli acted.

Whoooosh...

"What? What are you..."

Suddenly, Urr shuddered violently and slumped his head.

"Ohohoho! Success! Urr's out cold for now."

"Borunil! No time! Hurry!"

"Alright!"

Borunil, briefly possessing Urr's body, began an absurd oath.

"I, Urr, shall faithfully serve Snowman until his dying breath and value life. I shall harbor no grudge against the expedition team, nor harm their lives. I, Urr, shall shun evil, embrace good, and follow my master Snowman. Should I break this!"

Urr—no, Borunil's eyes gleamed brightly.

"I shall atone with my existence's annihilation! Ohohohoho!"

Thud...

Urr's head drooped fully.

"Then..."

Kang Seol extended his hand.

"Serve!"

Bzzzzt!

Black energy swirled fiercely.

Kang Seol's level had risen dramatically lately.

But even that wouldn't suffice to claim Urr as a summon.

'That's why we had him transfer his power.'

Urr had crammed all power except his core origin into one place.

Thus, the summoning difficulty dropped to Kang Seol's level.

And using that prepped power explosively to escape was a stroke of luck, given Urr's transcendent nature.

Zzzzt...

Pzzt!

A tiny ghost slipped from the chain pile.

Clink...

The ghost wore handcuffs linked by a small chain.

Urr's eyes flashed.

He placed a hand on the dead spirit's corpse and spoke.

"First... let's get out of this damn place."

Vrrrrm—

"Everyone, brace yourselves!"

"Expedition! Stay together!"

Soon, immense power shattered Alkaron's ceiling, propelling them upward.

Kwaaaaaang!

Kwaaaaaang!

Kwaaaaaang!

"Kuh..."

A massive pillar of light erupted, visible from afar.

Whoooosh...

They soared into the sky in an instant.

"O-outside!"

"So bright..."

"Sunlight... Was it morning?"

"W-wait! We're falling!"

"Don't let go!"

"Hahaha!"

"We did it!"

"We made it!"

"We're alive... sob..."

The team savored victory before even touching ground.

Urr sneered at them.

He judged it time to execute his plan.

"Now, you all... you all..."

Tap. Tap...

Even as they landed, Urr couldn't continue.

Moments later, he said,

"Why... why do I feel like I can't kill you?"

"Because... Borunil made the promise while you slept."

Borunil's voice emanated from Urr.

"Ohohohoho! You were busy, so I promised for you."

"A mere promise is nothing... wait..."

Urr looked down at his body.

After a pause, Kang Seol spoke to the dazed Urr.

"Spirits must keep promises. It's one of the world's iron rules."

"Impossible... to bind me like this!"

"Rebel against me, and you'll truly cease to exist, Urr."

Urr screamed at himself, as if suffering a split personality.

"You made that idiotic promise!"

"Ohohohoho! You fell for it, didn't you?"

Bitan's lantern floated near the hovering Urr.

Drool...

The tiny spirit beast whispered into spirit Urr's ear.

"......"

"...No, this can't be..."

Leaving Urr looking devoid of will to live, Kang Seol checked his new summon's abilities.

His eyes widened round.

"This..."