Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Demon Sword Forte (14) - Lure Hunt
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Sky Academy.
This eerie institution, renowned for teaching that beating down a single monster is more effective for growth than meticulously following a professor's guidance, boasted a variety of dungeons befitting its reputation.
Sewers teeming with slimes and tentacles.
Forests crawling with all sorts of mutated beasts and plants.
Libraries packed with man-eating books, and more.
Debating which dungeon was the best or the most dangerous was impossible.
Every student had their own opinion.
But when it came to the question of the "oldest dungeon," everyone gave the same answer.
It was a matter with an objective standard.
The Tower.
The Sky Academy itself already existed at dizzying heights in the distant heavens.
And within that academy, the Tower was the "tallest" structure—and dungeon.
Yet despite its symbolic status, the Tower wasn't popular with students. When asked why, they replied:
-It's just too damn high. How long would it take to climb 100 floors?
-Usually, after reaching floor 10 or so and exiting, they should have a warp gate or something to pick up from there, right? But no, you have to start from floor 1 every single time like a hamster wheel.
-Traps and tricks are everywhere, and the monsters are a random mix, making it hard to prepare countermeasures.
-The internal layout keeps changing too. Not drastically enough to make shared info useless, but still annoying.
-No reliable food sources, no safe zones, and if trouble hits midway, you have to descend floor by floor back to 1. And even on the way down, monsters respawn fresh.
-Reaching floor 100 does give decent point rewards... but is it worth all that grueling effort?
Students had various gripes about the Tower, but they boiled down to one core issue.
The rewards didn't match the effort.
That was a fairly alien trait in Sky Academy, an place obsessed with doling out "rewards" even for the smallest actions.
Ignorant freshmen sometimes challenged the Tower, but once they adapted to academy life, they inevitably switched to more cost-effective dungeons.
Thus, the Tower became a place untouched by human feet.
And on the 100th floor, which almost no one reached, a man stood leaning against the wall.
"……."
His facial features were hazy.
His presence was so faint it evoked the image of a ghost more than a person.
Silently, he stared at the staircase leading from the 99th to the 100th floor, as if waiting for someone.
-Step.
Perhaps his wait held meaning.
Finally, someone emerged from the stairs.
A strikingly handsome young man with golden hair and blue eyes, accompanied by a cute girl with black hair and golden eyes.
"Whew. Oh."
Was the climb here that tough?
The young man let out a deep sigh, then startled upon spotting the waiting man.
But only for a moment. He flashed a bright smile and greeted him.
"I'm Kailun, contractor of Divana."
The man stared blankly at Kailun's outstretched hand for a handshake, then spat out bluntly.
"What kind of joke is this, Divana?"
Ignored, Kailun's face stiffened slightly.
His mouth opened, relaying someone else's words.
"《—'Shadowr.' A joke? What do you mean by that?》"
The third demon, called Shadowr, responded.
"Why leave the contractor's ego intact? Don't create unnecessary variables."
Flinch.
Even trembling at Shadowr's shocking words, Kailun didn't stop speaking—or rather, didn't stop relaying Divana's words whispered in his ear.
"《You're the ridiculous one. Aren't you the idiot? If you devour the contractor's mind and control the body yourself, you'll risk detection by the system.》"
"Don't lump me in with a jack-of-all-trades hack like you. This much won't get noticed."
"《This bastard really wants to throw down? Huh?》"
"If you're letting personal grudges derail the Lord's grand plan, I'll gladly oblige."
"《Fine, whatever. You're so great. Anyway, I have my methods, so don't interfere.》 ...That's the message. Shadowr. I understand your concerns, but rest assured nothing will go wrong. I've resolved to become one with Divana."
Shadowr didn't reply.
His hazy features froze like a doll's, but to Kailun, it felt like mockery.
Shadowr's gaze shifted to the young man’s side.
To the girl with her long black hair tied back.
The descendant of the hero's bloodline. The key to their plan's success.
Pina Valestia.
"……."
Pina's condition was clearly off at a glance.
Her golden eyes were dull and unfocused, and even as Kailun and Shadowr exchanged suspicious words beside her, she stood silently like a doll, showing no reaction.
"Enchanted?"
"Yes. Since Divana can't exert her power directly, I gradually accumulated mana. She'll obey even a command to die without question."
"Combat strength?"
"I estimate 5th rank."
"Good. With that fool Valarest cutting contact, we needed bait. Leave it to her."
Shadowr's dry eyes pierced Kailun.
"Divana's contractor. Order the hero's descendant. After destroying the seal, fight everyone who comes here until the moment she dies."
Kailun's face twitched momentarily, but he nodded.
"Miss Pina. After breaking the seal, fight everyone who comes here."
Pina nodded quietly, her expression vacant.
"...Yes, Mr. Kailun."
"Is that sufficient?"
Shadowr didn't answer.
Perhaps that silence was the answer.
Kailun shrugged and asked Shadowr.
"By the way, are you directly controlling your contractor's body, Shadowr? What about the contractor then?"
"Why do you care?"
"We'll be comrades from here on. Shared suffering piques my curiosity."
"Hah."
A cold sneer curled on Shadowr's lips.
"This foolish contractor already surrendered everything to me. What's left is just an empty shell. In that sense, you're lucky. Paired with an amateur like Divana."
"Hey, don't be like that. I hear some demons were once humans who transformed. If I become one, won't I be your comrade too, Shadowr?"
"Pointless drivel."
"Tch. Yes, yes, got it. So, where's the seal? If I have to beat the 100th-floor boss first, give me a moment. I'm exhausted from the climb."
"No need. I crushed that stupid doll ages ago."
As Shadowr advanced and opened the boss room door, fragments of shattered armor littered the floor.
From intel he'd heard from seniors, Kailun recognized it as the "Knight of White Silver," guardian of the tower's summit.
Gulp.
Kailun swallowed involuntarily.
By his knowledge, the Knight required a party including at least one 5th-ranker to barely have a shot.
For such a foe to fall so pitifully without resistance proved Shadowr's prowess was extraordinary.
And the power he wielded, risking system detection, must be even greater.
Thinking of what lay ahead against such a being made his vision swim, but Kailun steadied himself.
'For Divana...!'
"This way. Order her to cleave that statue."
Shadowr pointed to a massive stone lump at the far end of the boss room.
A statue of a stubborn old man clad in a wide robe and wielding a large staff.
Who could have guessed that this mere background decoration hid the "seal"?
Given the lack of academy rules or restrictions en route here, even professors might be unaware.
"What exactly does that statue seal? Found anything out?"
"I said cleave it. Deaf?"
Shadowr's already faint presence grew even fainter.
Understanding this as Shadowr's "battle prep," Kailun squeezed his eyes shut and commanded.
"Miss Pina, begin!"
"Yes, Mr. Kailun."
With emotionless blankness and a flat voice, Pina raised her sword.
The beautiful blade of her two-handed sword gleamed, a sharp sword aura blooming above it.
The blazing light, poised to cleave anything, swung down with full force.
Not at the statue.
At Shadowr.
Splurt!!
Even the husk of one who surrendered everything to a demon spilled unmistakably red blood.
"Th-this...!"
Shadowr's eyes flew wide in shock, his chest deeply gashed.
He hadn't been careless.
Had Kailun swung in the same situation, Shadowr would have effortlessly countered and subdued him unscathed.
But against Pina? Impossible.
With Demon Sword Forte's full backup, Pina had already reached the true 6th rank.
Her eyes now sharp with clear intent, no longer doll-like haze.
And Kailun's oddly awkward demeanor.
It didn't take Shadowr long to grasp the situation.
"Divana!! You dare betray the Lord!!"
Divana didn't respond.
Whether by choice or force, having switched banners, she knew half-measures were the worst option.
Following her will, Kailun fled toward the dungeon stairs.
As instructed.
Kwaaaa!
Vivid black aura overflowed.
Unyieldingly hard, steadfast, merciless.
The aura wielded by Forte as a demon sword.
Assassin-style Shadowr desperately tried to vanish or escape Pina's sight, but with Forte's aid, she shattered every struggle, pressing him relentlessly.
After daggers clashed with the two-hander, Shadowr's right arm flew off.
The moment a shadow tried to grab Pina's ankle, blood gushed from both his legs.
Judging the tide turning, Shadowr's body crumbled, his shadows scattering to the room's corners.
Abandoning the human shell at last, he unleashed his full demonic might.
《Contractor.》
"Yes, Demon Sword."
Pina lifted her blade.
In the pitch-black aura, for a fleeting moment, a blue something flickered and vanished.
The next instant.
A whirlwind of scattering petals filled the entire boss room.