Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Forest of No Return (1)
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Duncan had a rare chance to recount his tale of bravery.
At first, he hesitated, wrinkling his brow in front of the chrysalis-like figure. But like any man, his voice grew louder with every word.
"That's when it happened. I came down the stairs, swung the torch—whoosh!—and a chilling draft brushed right past the nape of my neck! It felt just like when we entered that goblin cave following you, my lord. I knew it right away. Ah, this is a demon. And not just any demon—a really powerful one!"
"……."
The true body of a mindless possession demon was nothing more than a grotesque lump of flesh. He'd probably just gotten scared and imagined the chill, but Kadim saw no need to point it out. For a merchant, it must have been a thrilling first adventure.
"So I approached the demon cautiously, ever so carefully, so it wouldn't notice. Even if you stripped away its mind, my lord, demons are cunning and wicked creatures, aren't they? It might have set some trap just in case……."
But he kept droning on about every little detail, stretching the story out endlessly. Unable to bear it, Kadim cut him off.
"Stop right there."
"……I crept closer, and there it was—a disgusting lump of flesh disguised like a troll……."
"That's enough."
"……Yes, sir. My apologies, my lord."
"From now on, answer only what I ask. How many horns did the demon have?"
"One big one, fully grown, and another the size of a knuckle."
A mid-tier demon in the midst of evolving into a high-tier one.
As expected, that possession demon had been a formidable foe. If Molden had fallen as planned, it surely would have completed its evolution into a high-tier demon. It was fortunate they'd hunted it down first.
"Did you bring what I asked for? Besides the axe, there was one other thing."
"Yes, of course. After stabbing the flesh lump, I collected every last drop without spilling a one."
Duncan handed over a half-filled leather canteen. Kadim uncorked it and sniffed. A revolting, fishy stench wafted out. Undeniably demon blood.
Demon blood granted different buffs depending on its type and rank. Possession demon blood, in particular, tended toward mental enhancements rather than physical ones—like immunity to mental attacks and debuffs…….
Kadim was already immune to "possession." But that was due to the unique nature of possessing a game character, not blanket immunity to other debuffs. This blood would prove invaluable against demons or monsters that wielded mental attacks as their primary weapon.
The one downside was that it couldn't block the most horrific debuff of all—"berserk rage"…….
……After finding Melissa's records in the Magic Tower, I need to look for a solution to berserk rage too.
"Berserk rage" had stumped even the era's greatest geniuses—mages, priests, and shamans alike. Who knew about this age? Still, Kadim decided to hold onto that sliver of hope. After all, three centuries had passed, hadn't they?
Plus, his reliance on demon blood had lessened somewhat for the time being.
Kadim lifted his new weapon, examining it anew.
"……."
The smoothly gleaming gray axe head, the dark handle curved at the perfect angle. A weapon crafted for maximum efficiency in flight, smashing straight through enemy skulls.
He hadn't seen this weapon even in the game or his first playthrough. Thus, its exact name, rank, stats, and special effects were unknown to him.
Still, there were clues to speculate from.
The map clearly labeled it an 'ancient treasure'…….
An "ancient treasure" pinpointed its origin rather clearly.
An age far more distant than his first playthrough. The mythic era when humans, elves, and dwarves battled ferociously for dominion over the continent. Forged in the ancient dwarven kingdom that conquered the frozen northern lands, melting eternal snow with the blaze of their furnaces.
If it's truly from there, its rank must be Unique at minimum.
In truth, the axe's performance lived up to that. Even accounting for a possession demon's relative physical weakness compared to other types, one-shotting a mid-tier demon without buffs was an astonishing feat.
Special effects…… Definitely enhanced throwing power. Guidance? Not sure…….
Suddenly, he wondered why such a treasure had been hidden there. Kadim turned to the merchant.
"Wh-when you fetched the axe, my lord, was there anything strange? Er, well…… Nothing in particular. The rock just took some muscle to move, and the hole underneath was pretty deep…… Oh, right! The chest! There was a pale symbol etched on the black chest holding the axe!"
"What kind of symbol? Draw it on the ground now."
"W-well…… Uh…… It was too dark! Too dark to see properly! I'm sorry, my lord……."
"……."
He'd taken a torch, so darkness was no excuse. He just couldn't recall it. Kadim clicked his tongue briefly.
Something nagged at him, but he couldn't return to Molden just to check that one thing. He'd carved a path of blood all the way here. If pursuit was on his tail, they'd easily track the trail right behind him.
His thoughts shifted from the axe to his pursuers. No need to guess who the most likely ones were.
Elga's Holy Knights…… No way the scene of me killing one hasn't been discovered yet.
The lowest rank, "Paladin," posed no issue. Even "High Paladins" above them were manageable with demon blood.
The problem was the church's elite Holy Knights—the "Arch Paladins."
……Damn fanatic bastards.
Excessive power bred arrogance and recklessness. The old Elga Church had been just and righteous, but even then, the Arch Paladins were exceptions.
In the mid-first playthrough, Kadim and his party had been chased by a mad Arch Paladin over some ridiculous misunderstanding. Kadim overlooked several warning signs that could have allowed escape, only for the Arch Paladin to catch them after spotting those signs, forcing a frontal clash.
The result was disastrous.
The mage and shaman suffered grievous wounds. Kadim fought desperately until he was battered beyond recognition. Without the timely intervention of their soon-to-be priest companion, they'd have all died right there.
Things eventually sorted themselves out. After the misunderstanding cleared, they executed the mad Arch Paladin with help from the priest and other Holy Knights.
But the near-total party wipe at one person's hands left an indelible trauma etched in Kadim's mind.
…….
Of course, nothing like that would happen now. Why would the church dispatch its asymmetric forces over one rookie Holy Knight?
Yet the unease in his heart refused to fade. Worst-case scenarios always struck without warning.
Anxiety fueled impatience. Unconsciously, his pace quickened. Roadside scenery whipped past.
He trudged mindlessly onward for some time……
"Huff, m-my lord! My lord! You can't go that way, huff, huff!"
……Turning back, he saw the panting merchant chasing after him. Kadim slowed his steps.
"That way leads to the border outpost. Huff, huff…… We need to turn back and take that side path."
He'd unwittingly taken the wrong route. Kadim reversed course as his guide instructed.
Soon, a side path overgrown with vines and brush appeared. It looked long abandoned by human feet. He tried parting the undergrowth carefully, but it only grew denser. In the end, Kadim took the lead, hacking a path with his axe.
Duncan trailed behind his broad back, huffing and puffing. How long had they pressed on in silence? He licked his lips, hesitated, then spoke.
"Um, my lord……."
"……."
A shadowed, darkened face turned toward Duncan.
"……N-never mind, my lord. It's nothing."
Duncan clammed up in fear. Kadim shot him a brief, disdainful glance—as if to say he'd seen every flavor of coward—and continued forward.
"Too slow. Can't you go any faster, Edan?"
"……."
- Neighhh, snort…….
Edan, Paladin of the Elga Church, glanced at his mount.
Its eyes were half-lidded. Saliva drooled from its frothing mouth amid heavy snorts. Its neck was soaked in sweat, and its rump was swollen from lash marks.
It was unavoidable. Helia Munel's mount ahead was no ordinary horse.
Edan turned his gaze to her steed. A horse whose flesh gleamed with dazzling light—no, was dazzling light itself. The sacred mount granted only to Arch Paladins: the Radiant Steed.
If the rider was skilled enough, it could gallop hundreds of kilometers a day without tiring. Helia's skills fell a bit short, but it was still far beyond any normal horse.
"I can't push this horse any faster from here, Lady Helia. Besides…… shouldn't we have checked Molden first? To gather intel and verify those rumors about the baron……."
"The imperial decree forbade church interference in that territory. And our top priority now is tracking and subduing the wicked demon who murdered Linton Pfeifferus. Don't forget your duty, Edan."
"……."
Behind his visor, Edan grimaced like he'd bitten into dung.
He wanted to ask her outright. What do you think a Holy Knight's duty even is? Shattering holy relics to reveal demons on par with archfiends, hogging achievements by withholding reports, barging into homes to interrogate and slaughter innocent women—is that what you call duty?
But his lips wouldn't move. Such a question would see that arrogant Arch Paladin brand him a heretic and execute him on the spot.
Helia averted her eyes from Edan. Gripping her reins once more, she declared:
"Judging by its path, that demon is surely heading for the Alliance territories. At this pace, it'll cross the border first. I'll go on ahead. You follow from behind, making sure no trail is missed."
"……."
Helia didn't wait for a reply. She spurred her mount. The Radiant Steed shot forward like a beam of light, trailing brilliant afterimages. Edan's exhausted horse snorted, staring blankly at her receding figure.
- Snort, snort…….
"……."
Edan dismounted and took the reins. Matching his horse's weary plod, he sank into impious thoughts.
How utterly unfair. Why had Elga bestowed such mighty power and blessings on that deficient woman instead of the faithful?
……The will of the gods is profound beyond the deepest abyss, beyond the grasp of mere mortals less than specks…….
Reciting prayers did little to dispel the doubt that had taken root. His hidden face grew deeply melancholic behind the visor.
He trudged on for a while.
……Hm?
Suddenly, trampled underbrush by the roadside caught Edan's eye.
At first, he thought it was from some beast or monster. Closer inspection proved otherwise. Amid the crushed foliage, footprints had been hastily swept away.
"……."
A bad premonition stirred. He tied his horse to a nearby tree, drew sword and shield, and crouched low, moving silently into the underbrush side path.
And soon, premonition turned to certainty.
The entrance alone was naturally camouflaged with parted vines and brush. Deeper in, careless hack marks on the undergrowth grew apparent. Human passage, without a doubt.
The path stretched endlessly. The foliage thickened further. Even in broad daylight, dense shadows turned everything a deep emerald gloom. Eager not to miss the trail, Edan's steps quickened, his armor clinking rhythmically.
Clank, clank, clank!
And at last, Edan found it.
Sooty bronze skin, fierce features, massive shoulders, and an enormous frame. The wicked demon, identical to the one he'd glimpsed through the holy relic.
Edan inwardly cheered. He'd found the target; this grueling hunt was finally over.
Whether he could subdue it was another matter, but that wasn't his concern. His role ended at locating and reporting. The rest was for that power-hungry Arch Paladin.
But one major problem arose.
"……!"
His late armor noise had alerted the demon to him as well.
A breathless standoff.
"……."
"……."
A second until their eyes met through the visor. 1.2 seconds until his heart plummeted. 1.3 seconds until he witnessed the massive hand swing like lightning.
……Huh?
Crack-boom—!!
The axe hurled by the barbarian tore through the air with enough force to shred steel.